This is the transcript for episode 14 of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters.” We’re joined by Amy Huffman, Policy Director at National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and Christa Vinson, Program Officer of Rural Broadband and Infrastructure at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), to talk about the state of digital inclusion across the country. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below. 

Amy Huffman: When people are confident in their own skill development, they can then take that and learn on their own. They become self sustained learners moving forward. In this day and age, that's what we need to equip people to be.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to a bonus episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcasts, I'm Christopher Mitchell. At the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in St. Paul, Minnesota and today we're back with another, in our series of bonus episodes with North Carolina, Broadband matters talking about how to make sure we get high quality Internet access out to everyone. We're very excited for this continuing partnership to focus on North Carolina. This is something that we're going to set the stage today with national context around digital inclusion, building digital skills, and what's going on. Then we're going to zoom into what North Carolina's doing about it in the next show. Today we have two people who have been on before, people that many listeners are undoubtedly familiar with. We have Amy Huffman who is a policy director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, which is NDIA. Welcome to the show.

Amy Huffman: Thanks for having me, Chris. It's great to be here.

Christopher Mitchell: Absolutely. We also have Christa Vinson, who is a program officer at the Rural Program in the Local Initiative Support Corporation. which most people know in the nonprofit world as LISC, which is super popular and has a great reputation. Welcome back to the show Christa.

Christa Vinson: Thank you Chris. Glad to be here.

This is the transcript for episode 477 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Angela Bennink (Telecommunications Director for Kitsap Public Utility District) and Laura Loe (Executive Director of Share The Cities Community Education & Share The Cities Action Fund) from Washington state.  Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Angela Bennink: It wasn't about not having quality service providers. It was the unintended consequences of having these restrictions on public utility districts and those unintended consequences for access to federal funds.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of The Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although I'm building my office back and soon I might be saying, "I'm in Minneapolis again." We'll see. The show today is something that's just... It was one of the most amazing things that happened this year in my line of work, which is the effort to repeal the Washington laws that made it difficult for public entities to build networks under multiple conditions. And we're going to talk more about that.

Christopher Mitchell: For our guest today, we have a returning champion, Angela Bennink, who is the Telecom Director at Kitsap Public Utility District. Welcome back.

Angela Bennink: Thank you, Chris.

Christopher Mitchell: Yeah, we've had you on talking about Kitsap and we've had you on talking about NOANET, the Northwest Open Access Network more generally and it's wonderful to grab some of your time. I know that you don't sleep anymore.

Angela Bennink: That's correct. It's all broadband all the time now.

Christopher Mitchell: We also have Laura Loe, who, if you look at the Twitter feed also does not appear to sleep and is very passionate about issues that I care about as well. She is the Executive Director of Share The Cities Community Education as well as Share The Cities Action Fund.

This is the transcript for episode 475 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. host Christopher Mitchell is joined by occasional guest host Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s Senior  Reporter, Editor, and Researcher to take a hard look at our philosophies around competition and telecommunications regulation. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Sean Gonsalves: I got to say, one signal for me that Title II is the way to go is because there seems to be nothing that strikes fear in the heart of the broadband industry than Title II.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. It's Christopher Mitchell here at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Today we're once again with Sean Gonsalves who is our on the Community Broadband Networks team. He is our senior reporter and editor, and now communications team lead. Welcome to the show, Sean.

Sean Gonsalves: All right. Glad to be back. Honestly, I'm glad to see you back in the saddle. We tried our best to hold it down for a couple of shows.

Christopher Mitchell: I enjoyed them. I think you guys did a good job.

Sean Gonsalves: It was fun. It was fun. We didn't get as much fan mail as I explicitly asked for.

Christopher Mitchell: We're not going to use the word beg.

Sean Gonsalves: Yeah.

Christopher Mitchell: You know, I got to say that 475 episodes about that we're in now. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what to do a little bit differently and things like that. I really appreciate you all stepping up so I wasn't trying to force a couple of extra shows in there where I just wasn't sure who to have on and things like that because we want to keep telling interesting stories. There's tons of folks out there with interesting stories, but we want to keep up in the game and sometimes I just don't have the time to really cultivate a good show.

Sean Gonsalves: A lot of episodes under your belt. It's nice to take a break from time to time. I'm certainly willing participant.

This is the transcript for episode 475 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Scott Vanderlip, chair of Los Altos Hills Community Fiber, to talk about how he and other Los Altos Hills residents banded together to create a subscriber-owned network. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Scott Vanderlip: You don't have to be an AT&T or Comcast to start some of these local broadband initiatives to really bring up your speed.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell at the Institute for local self-reliance in St. Paul Minnesota. Today I'm talking to Scott Vanderlip, the co-founder of Los Altos Hills, Community Fiber and president of the LAHCF board. Welcome to the show.

Scott Vanderlip: Thank you so much. Glad to be here. Yeah.

Christopher Mitchell: I'm really excited to talk to you because I love these stories where someone gets in their head that they should do something and they actually do it. It's really inspiring. But for people who aren't familiar, just tell us a little bit about Los Altos Hills to start.

This is the transcript for episode 473 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, we spotlight episode 134 of Building Local Power, an ILSR podcast hosted by our Communication’s Manager, Jess Del Fiasco. On this episode, Jess is joined by the Community Broadband Networks Initiative’s Senior Researcher Ry Marcatillio-McCracken and Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher Sean Gonsalves to interview Christopher Ali about his new book, Farm Fresh Broadband: The Politics of Rural Connectivity. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Christopher Ali: Everybody needs the ability to participate in this digital world that we all take for granted. And the more people who are on the network, the better. That's the network effect, right? The network improves when we've got everybody connected.

Ry Marcattilio-McCracken: Welcome episode 473 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. This is Ry Marcattilio-McCracken here at the Institute for local self-reliance. Today, I joined communications manager, Jess Del Fiasco, and senior researcher and editor, Sean Gonsalves to talk with Christopher Ali, an associate professor and the of media studies at the University of Virginia. Christopher discusses his new book from MIT Press titled Farm Fresh Broadband, the politics of rural connectivity. During the conversation, we talk about the communities Christopher visited while writing his book and some of the local success stories he heard. We talk about why the concept of rural deserves a more nuanced definition than it is usually afforded, and how high quality affordable broadband access can revitalize rural economic development in direct and indirect ways. We end by talking about where and why federal efforts to improve rural broadband infrastructure have fallen short, and how local solutions have shown the way forward. Now here's the show with Christopher, Jess and Sean.

Jess Del Fiasco: Today, I am joined by my colleagues, Ry Marcattilio-McCracken and Sean Gonsalves who are senior researchers with ILSR's community broadband team. Welcome to the show guys.

This is the transcript for episode 474 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Mike Gailey (Mayor of Syracuse), Brody Bovero (City Manager for the City of Syracuse), and Scott Darington (City Manager for the City of Pleasant Grove) to talk about why they decided to work with UTOPIA to connect their communities in Utah. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Scott Darington: There will be people that will not move into a community if they don't have access to broadband, because everything now is connected to broadband for a city to stay viable in a certain sense. This is something that we need to make sure is available.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell at the Institute for local Self-Reliance in St. Paul, Minnesota. And today, I'm returning to an area of the country we've talked about frequently, an area of the country that's doing a lot of things right. We're going to be talking about the areas served by UTOPIA, which is Salt Lake City and areas nearby as well as areas fairly far away from it. At this point, we're talking with Mayor Gailey, who is the mayor of Syracuse. Welcome to the show.

Mike Gailey: Thank you, I'm glad to be here. Maybe I can tell you a little bit of the history of telecommunications here in Syracuse. The first telephone in Syracuse was installed in 1901 and it was installed in the old Walker Store. And for those Syracuse residents, it's midway between 2000 West of the lake shore down below the bluff road, and there was just one single phone. One of the Walker sons, one of the Walker brothers, had two little girls and a call would come in to them and then they would traipse through the community on horseback giving messages to people to come down to the store and call this person back. So it was an answering service of sorts on a horse.

This is the transcript for episode 472 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this week's episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, ILSR's Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher Sean Gonsalves, along with Senior Researcher and Multimedia Producer Maren Machles, chat with Paul Recanzone, the general manager of Beacon Broadband, about Beacon's plan to build out broadband where no one has before. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Paul Recanzone: We cannot rely on the industries of the 20th century, which were our fishing and our timber. We have to find a way to thrive in the 21st century. And here at Beacon Broadband, we believe that the broadband is going to be the catalyst to be able to create a thriving economy on the south coast of Oregon.

Sean Gonsalves: Welcome to episode 472 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. I am Sean Gonsalves, Senior Reporter and Editor, sitting in for the vacationing Christopher Mitchell. He will be back this week and will return to the airways for the next episode. So there's still time for our listeners to send in a bunch of emails to tell him what a fabulous job we've done since he's been gone. Today, we are going to look at the work of a Cooperative in the beautiful state of Oregon. And so that is why are joined by Paul Recanzone, the general manager for Beacon Broadband, which is the broadband subsidiary of Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative. Welcome to the program, Paul.

Paul Recanzone: Thank you, Sean.

Sean Gonsalves: And we also are joined by my colleague here, Maren Machles, who wrote our story on muninetworks.org about CCEC that we published in May. We're pleased to have Maren with us as well. Welcome Maren.

Maren Machles: I'm pleased to be here, glad to be chatting with you folks.

Sean Gonsalves: So we're going to have Marin jump in throughout to help us out and to flesh out this discussion, but just to get us started, Paul, why don't you tell us a little bit about you and how you got to Beacon Broadband?

This is the transcript for episode 471 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this week's episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is on vacation and the writing team takes over the show to talk about what brought them to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance as well as the communities they’ve spoken to recently. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Maren Machles: I'm just really excited that I get to be a part of the journey of documenting how communities across our country are doing this.

Sean Gonsalves: Welcome to the Community Broadband Bits podcast, the writer's takeover edition episode 471. I am LeVar Burton, sitting in as a guest host for Chris Mitchell in his absence. Okay. I'm not LeVar Burton, even though I'd love to host jeopardy or the reading rainbow, but it's just me. Sean Gonsalves, senior reporter and editor on the Community Broadband Networks team. And I have the con for this episode to borrow a bit of submarine lingo from one of my favorite movies with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman, Crimson Tide. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. We have not committed mutiny. Chris is, believe it or not, on vacation. It does happen.

Sean Gonsalves: And so that's why I've got the con, but I'm not alone here on the submarine today. I've got two of my distinguished illustrious colleagues with me, Maren Machles, the Shonda Rhimes or the Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia Coppola of the team, if you will, one of our researchers writers and video editors, extraordinary, and Ry Marcattilio-McCracken, the grizzly veteran researcher and writer of our team that we affectionately call Dr. McGyver. He's a five tool player with a perfect name for baseball. And he's the oldest millennial on the planet. Welcome guys.

Maren Machles: You just dragged Ry so hard.

Sean Gonsalves: But was it accurate?

Maren Machles: It's accurate. I mean, I'm not going to object to the description that you gave.

Ry Marcattilio-McCracken: It's good to be here, Sean. Thanks for having us.

This is the transcript for episode 470 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Executive Director of the ConnectMaine Authority, Peggy Schaffer to discuss strategies that might make Maine and other states successful in solving connectivity issues with the $42 billion in broadband funding the new infrastructure plan sets aside to go directly to states. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Peggy Schaffer: There's money coming, take a breath and figure out what it is you want for your community for the next 50 years because that's what you're going to be able to get.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in St. Paul, Minnesota. Today I'm speaking with Peggy Schaffer from one of my favorite states, don't tell anyone, from Maine, the executive director of the Connect Maine Authority in fact. Welcome back to the show, Peggy.

Peggy Schaffer: Thanks for inviting me. It's great to be here.

Christopher Mitchell: Yes. And I've, I have to say that, obviously my organization has deep roots in, in Maine, in the Portland area particularly, but Maine has been one of my favorite states for broadband to. The main Broadband Coalition that you've been involved with, historically that you still are involved with, but so many great folks, so many great partnerships, really interesting approaches throughout the state. Let me just start with a general question. You've also been active in helping to shape the broadband piece of the infrastructure bill. How are you feeling right now, now that that language is sort of written in and maybe kind of quickly curing concrete?

This is the transcript for episode 469 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell and ILSR Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher Sean Gonsalves talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the Senate in August. Listen to the podcast here or read the transcript below.

Sean Gonsalves: The sausage making is never pretty.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell at the Institute for Local Self-reliance in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although I am ordering materials to go back to my office in Minneapolis, so who knows where future shows will come from today? I'm speaking with my colleague here at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Sean Gonsalves. Welcome back to the show, Sean.

Sean Gonsalves: Good to be back.

Christopher Mitchell: Sean is one of our main writers. The one that when we have hard things, we force him to write about them. We've had a lot of fun on our podcast before, so Sean's back. If you really don't want to hear Sean's voice on future podcasts, you should tell me and then I won't tell him. So, I want to bring you on Sean, because you had no shortage of reactions and feelings about the infrastructure bill, the Senate version of it.

Sean Gonsalves: I did. My initial reaction was that it was all bad.

Christopher Mitchell: Because you hate bridges.

Sean Gonsalves: Okay, so let me clarify, the broadband portion of the infrastructure bill. I love-

Christopher Mitchell: Right, you love you a bridge.

Sean Gonsalves: I love good bridges, especially since I have to cross one to get on or off the Cape where I live here, Cape Cod and I like good transportation and roads and those kind of things. But as it related to broadband, I had my hopes up that what would come out of this would be what President Biden said he wanted to see in it.