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Feds award $82 million in rural Internet grants in MO and $274,741 in Cairo, IL

KFVS & Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) - The federal government has approved nearly $82 million to expand high-speed Internet access in rural Missouri and nearly $300,000 to expand broadband in and around Cairo, IL.

The Missouri money is part of $1.2 billion of Internet grants announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Governor Jay Nixon spent some time in Cape Girardeau to announce the federal funding Thursday.

Big River Telephone will use just more than $22 million to create a new broadband network to benefit both homes and businesses here in southeast Missouri.

The governor compared the expansion of broadband to the expansion of railroads and interstates in the past. He says this will help connect folks in southeast Missouri.

Missouri's Internet projects include $24 million for Socket Telecom in central Missouri. About $21 million will go to Grand River Mutual Telephone Corp. for projects in northern Missouri.

Windstream Corp. will get more than $10 million to expand Internet service.

Grants of less than $1 million each will go to three smaller Internet service providers.

Utopian Wireless Corporation will receive $274,741 to bring broadband technology to rural communities in and around Cairo, IL.

From the WSIL TV Channel 3...

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Cairo Getting 4G Internet

By Ryan Kruger

CAIRO -- Cairo is set to receive something only one other city in the state has, 4G wireless internet. The town is one of three rural communities to get money for the service through the federal stimulus package. The move is supposed to spur investment in a town that needs help.

Gabrielle Harris says his store will be ready for business in the coming weeks, and that 4G could really help. Harris and his wife started G and L Clothing out of their living room five years ago. They later moved into their current location on Ninth and Poplar in Cairo, before having to expand yet again into a new building further up the street.

"I'm really proud with what we've been able to do," said Harris.

Cairo will be the first town in southern Illinois and one of only a few nationwide to have the new high speed wireless internet. Harris hopes to soon have a website for his store he says 4G would certainly help. And provide incentive for other businesses to set up shop in town.

"We're needing to have something that's going to help us move forward," said Harris.

For years, Cairo has struggled to move forward. Downtown has more abandoned buildings than occupied ones. More than 20 kids and their families leave the school district every year.

But there are some positives. For instance, the Ace of Cups, a not for profit coffee and book shop that also acts as a community center for Cairo. All the employees are volunteers and every dollar goes back toward improving the building. Employee Zach Rapattoni says 4G could be another positive in a town known for negative news.

"I think that having the nternet here would definitely help, I think it's a worthwhile investment," said Rapattoni.