Kentucky implements ‘Better Internet Initiative Listening Tour’

LONDON, Ky. (WYMT) - Representatives from the Office of Broadband Development and the Education and Labor Cabinet are traveling across the state to speak to Kentuckians for the Better Internet Initiative Listening Tour.

“It was very encouraging, it’s also very nice to be like, ‘here’s my voice, and listen to my problems in a way and here are my community’s’ issues,’” said Shelbi Henkle, Red Bird Mission Rural Broadband Assessment Coordinator.

The tour stopped in London on Wednesday to discuss the barriers many Kentuckians might be facing without broadband internet, and the barriers that prevent them from accessing it.

“We still have a whole lot of rural areas that are not served with broadband, and it’s been our goal to get high-speed internet out to those areas as fast as we can,” said Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley.

People in attendance said they are hopeful these discussions will open the eyes and ears of these representatives in order to show them how many areas still feel left behind.

“These listening sessions that the state is doing, literally, from one end of the state to the other, is really helpful for people in our communities who work in the digital economy or learn in it to be able to really showcase the need as to why these investments are important,” said Mosley.

You can find tour locations and dates here.

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