NextGenWeb: New. Comprehensive. Innovative. » Arkansas

Libraries Key to Broadband for the Masses

Regina Hopper — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:27:06 +0000

Libraries are playing a vital role across America in getting people connected who have previously been unable to experience broadband’s life-enhancing benefits. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Arkansas, where this past Thursday and Friday, the Arkansas Opportunity Online Summit was hosted by the Arkansas State Library. The summit was funded through a pilot initiative from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by Connected Nation and the American Library Association. It brought together library leaders, community partners and statewide stakeholders to examine the current state of connectivity in Arkansas libraries and ways to continue the progress.

Highlights included addresses from Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe and Arkansas Speaker of the House Robbie Wills and a video message from U.S. Senator Mark Pryor. Governor Beebe, Speaker Wills and Senator Pryor understand the importance of broadband expansion throughout Arkansas to ensure the state maintains its competitiveness, provides access to 21st century health care and education, and becomes a leader in the green revolution.

As Speaker Wills put it, “the health-care system, the education system in this state, and certainly creating jobs in this tough economy depend on broadband access all across the state of Arkansas.”

Governor Beebe added that “if we can accomplish broadband accessibility in all of our libraries across the state, then…think about the educational advancement that can be achieved in our rural school districts with the ability of the local library able to provide this important resource. Imagine the quality of life issues that come into play. Imagine the economic development opportunities if this technology is available. Imagine the ripple and ramifications that this one single thing can provide to a community that doesn’t currently have it.”

And in a video message delivered to the audience, Sen. Pryor said, “Broadband technology has enhanced economic development and public safety for communities across the nation, improved healthcare and educational opportunities and created a better quality of life for Americans. I want to expand these opportunities throughout Arkansas.”

As our nation crafts an ambitious strategy to connect all Americans to broadband, libraries are emerging as a key community-based component of these efforts. Whether you have a computer at home or not, connected libraries help ensure that all of us have at least one place in our community where we can access all that broadband has to offer.

United States Senator Mark Pryor

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe

Arkansas Speaker of the House Robbie Wills

NextGenWeb Rural Health Care Briefing

NextGenWeb — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:50:58 +0000

Nextgenweb recently hosted a Capitol Hill briefing on rural health care. Walter B. McCormick, Jr. (President & CEO, USTelecom, The Broadband Association) moderated the panel which discussed how broadband brings more accessible and cost-efficient health care to rural Americans. The panelists included Michael Manley (Outreach Director, UAMS Center for Distance Health) and Nina Marie Antoniotti, Ph.D (Program Director, Marshfield Clinic TeleHealth Network). Both Michael and Nina discussed the benefits broadband provides to rural communities. Michael pointed to the increasing demand for specialized care in rural communities of Arkansas while Nina highlighted how broadband is bringing world class healthcare to rural communities in Wisconsin.

Click below to watch highlights of their presentations.

NextGenWeb Speaks with the Delta Regional Authority on the Importance of Broadband Deployment in Rural America

NextGenWeb — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:52:09 +0000

Rex Nelson of the Delta Regional Authority delivered a podcast interview with NextGenWeb discussing the social and economic conditions of the Mississippi Delta Region and why he believes broadband access is vital to the region’s future. Mr. Nelson explains the mission of the federal-state partnership to give a voice to the residents of the region and identify economic growth opportunities. In this podcast interview he highlights the role technology plays in rural communities of the delta region and how residents have leveraged information technology to improve the quality of life in one of the poorest areas of the country. Mr. Nelson also highlights several e-health and distance learning initiatives currently in the Delta Region, as well as the specific details of workforce programs in the Delta Regional Authority development policy plan. These initiatives have been highlighted in a comprehensive plan titled “iDelta: Information Technology in the Delta”.

Click here to listen to the podcast

State Doctors Expand Care with Telemedecine

admin — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:51:32 +0000

State Doctors Expand Care with Telemedecine
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
April 28, 2008

Click here to read the full article

Rural Health Care in Arkansas

NextGenWeb — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:02:52 +0000

NextGenWeb recently hosted a briefing on Capital Hill titled “The Potential and Promises of Broadband”. Featured speakers included Congressman Zack Space representing Ohio’s 18th Congressional District, Michael Manley, Outreach Director at the UAMS Center for Distance Health, Ronald Blackburn-Moreno, President of ASPIRA Association, and Tom McDonald, CEO of BeSafe. The purpose of the event was to provide the speakers a platform to share how broadband has positively impacted their respective fields, including healthcare, education, and public safety. Michael Manley of the UAMS Center for Distance Health discussed how the ANGELS program in Arkansas is bringing high quality health care to residents that have historically been underserved.

To Hear Michael Manley’s Remarks, Click Here

Hearing Takes up Ways to Broaden Broadband Net Access in Rural Areas

admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:48:04 +0000

Hearing Takes up Ways to Broaden Broadband Net Access in Rural Areas
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
August 29, 2007

Click Here to Read the Full Article

CenturyTel in Arkansas

admin — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:55:50 +0000

CenturyTel, through its affiliates, is a leading provider of communications, high-speed Internet and entertainment services in small-to-mid-size cities through broadband and fiber transport networks.

Click here to see CenturyTel in Arkansas.

Arkansas Stats

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:03:42 +0000

Total economic impact of $963,684,222 if broadband deployment were increased at a reasonable level. (Connected Nation, The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally)

Net job growth of 20,577 jobs from increase in broadband deployment. (Connected Nation, The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally)

Average of $6,226,667 in healthcare costs saved annually if broadband deployment were increased at a reasonable level. (Connected Nation, The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally)

Average of $60,352,819 in mileage costs saved annually if broadband deployment were increased at a reasonable level. (Connected Nation, The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally)

The Arkansas Broadband Advisory Council monitors broadband development efforts in Arkansas and other states and advises the governor and legislature on broadband policy issues. (Alliance for Public Technology and Communications Workers of America, State Broadband Initiatives)

The Potential and Promises of Broadband

NextGenWeb — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:40:08 +0000

NextGenWeb recently hosted a Stakeholder Briefing on Capital Hill titled “The Potential and Promises of Broadband”. Featured speakers at the event included Congressman Zack Space (Ohio’s 18th Congressional District), Michael Manley (Outreach Director, UAMS Center for Distance Health), Ronald Blackburn-Moreno (President, ASPIRA Association Inc.), and Tom McDonald (CEO, BeSafe). The purpose of the event was to provide the speakers a platform where they shared how broadband has positively impacted their respective fields, including the economy, healthcare, education, and public safety. Congressman Space discussed specific instances in which broadband has led to more job growth and greater opportunity for people in his district.

To hear Congressman Space’s remarks, Click Here

How Broadband Changed My Life 1st Place Winner

Portia Krebs — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:49:21 +0000

Recently, the Alliance for Public Technology announced the winner of the “how broadband changed my life contest, an award program which recognizes individuals who, through their testimonials, showed how high-speed Internet access can transform lives. Panelists included, Michael Manley, Outreach Director at the University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences, Keneth Peres President of the Alliance for Public Technology, and Kevin Celata with the Communication Workers of America. “A common theme in most of the 420 entries received was the importance of broadband,” noted Joy Howell, campaign director of the “Broadband Changed My Life!” campaign. “Technically they could have just told us about their life changing experiences. It was as if they divided their lives into two halves: before broadband and after it. These stories demonstrate that broadband is influencing every aspect of our daily lives.”

Click Below to watch video highlights from the event

Sorraine Hot, First Place Winner
In February 2007 Sacred Wind Communications Community Connect, a non-profit exclusively organized for the benefit of the Navajo people, started a free Internet training center for the Huerfano Chapter. Sorraine Hot became the trainer, responsible for introducing her community to computers and the Internet. After passing Hot’s course, low income families earned a free, refurbished computer. Through this program, Hot helped school age children complete homework assignments and receive As for the first time. She assisted Elders with access to key health care information that otherwise would not be available to them. Hot watched adults and students successfully apply for jobs and college online. Most importantly, she saw her own children, who lived for three years with no telephone or Internet connection, reconnect with their father’s family in St. Louis.

Click Below to watch Sorraine’s Testimony