Broadband equity funding cuts could slow or halt expansion to rural, hard-to-reach areas
The director of the Washington state broadband office says threats by the president to stop paying for digital equity programs could slow progress to expand high-speed internet service.
Last week, President Trump announced on social media his administration would halt funding for programs that are part of the Digital Equity Act.
Trump said the law, approved by Congress in 2021, gives preference to projects based on race and diversity.
Aaron Wheeler, who directs the broadband program in Washington’s Department of Commerce, said on a call with reporters that federal money helps the state improve digital infrastructure in rural and underserved urban areas.
"My team had just awarded our advanced cybersecurity program grant to begin the state’s efforts to develop a curriculum that would have rolled out across the state to help educate and protect vulnerable individuals who are often targets of online scams," he said. "Then we got the federal notice that our grant had been cancelled."
If federal broadband money is removed, Wheeler said state and local governments will have to pick up the slack if they want to increase service to hard-to-get-to places.
Washington U.S. Senator Patty Murray said on the call she hopes her Republican colleagues whose states also benefit from federal broadband grants will speak out and convince the president to reverse course.
Murray, who sponsored the Digital Equity Act, said the president's claim of racial preferences in the program is ridiculous.
"Digital equity passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support and that is because my Republican colleagues have heard the same stories I have, like kids in rural communities forced to drive to a McDonald’s parking lot for wi-fi so they could do their homework," she said. "That should not happen in America."
It isn’t yet known whether the president will try to rescind the more than $2 billion allocated for state broadband programs.
Spokane high schoolers participate in first Adapted Field Day for Special Ed students
Spokane’s Shadle Park High School celebrated sports and games yesterday with a few hundred special education students.
The school’s first-ever Adapted Field Day brought in students from Spokane’s secondary schools to try sports like basketball and track and field.
They also had the chance to use equipment made for athletes with disabilities.
"The whole foundation is inclusion, right?" said Shadle Park speech language pathologist Keleigh Kreilkamp. She was one of the teachers who developed the event.
“Community, belonging, partnership, collaboration, helping our students to find a place within our community," she said. "By and large, we need to work together as a team and helping students have access to incredible happenings, I should say!”
Kreilkamp told SPR News that leadership students from several high schools came to guide their peers.
"Our leadership students have stepped up, above and beyond, and have really created this opportunity to create magic and to come alongside their peers and work jointly and together and in a collaborative way so that they all get to experience the magic of an Adapted Field Day together," she said.
The event also featured stations where students could pet animals, play with Legos or have their faces painted.
WA unemployment holds steady
Washington’s unemployment rate remained steady in April at 4.4%.
Employment Security Department officials said in a statement the state had nearly 6,000 fewer jobs.
"Although the unemployment rate remains steady and low, the count of jobs in Washington has dropped for three consecutive months," said Anneliese Vance-Sherman, chief labor economist at the Employment Security Department. She added, “Payroll estimates remain above the tally for last April, but only by 1,200 jobs or 0.03%.”
Some industries enjoyed gains, including education, health and business professional services.
The lower job numbers were offset by a mostly equivalent decrease in the number of unemployment claims paid.
The national unemployment rate is 4.2%.
New committee aims to address housing shortages in Idaho
A new legislative committee focused on land use and housing convened for the first time in Boise Wednesday.
The committee is meant to identify barriers and solutions to housing issues in Idaho.
For their first meeting, members heard briefings on issues like high costs of mortgages and rent, vacation homes and short-term rentals, and a low inventory of housing.
Members of the committee come from across the state, but the group’s co-chairs are Rep. Jordan Redman (R-Coeur d'Alene) and Sen. Jim Woodward (R-Sagle). Sen. Ben Toews (R-Coeur d'Alene) is also on the committee.
Chiefs must win next game to stay in championship series
The Spokane Chiefs have fallen behind in their bid to win the Western Hockey League Championship.
The Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Chiefs five to two at the Spokane Arena last night, racking up their third win in the best-of-seven series.
If the Chiefs hope to stay in contention for the series win, they’ll have to win tomorrow’s game. The puck drops at 7 o’clock Friday night at the Spokane Arena.
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Reporting by Doug Nadvornick and Owen Henderson.