Legislature looks to bring broadband to rural ‘black holes’
Areas like Keller, WA, which are known as "black holes" in the internet world, are the targets of a broadband proposal announced Wednesday by Gov. Jay Inslee during a press conference in Olympia. If the Legislature signs on, it could mean a new state broadband office within the Washington Department of Commerce. If the legislation passes, the resulting office would map the gaps in broadband coverage in Washington and, using a $25 million fund, move to provide grants and loans to small communities to help boost their internet access to levels similar to those in the state’s major cities.