Executive Director's Note:

Greetings! Springtime is the welcoming time as we enjoy longer days and the warmer season.

Some big news for our region that had CEDA involvement is the award of $20 million by the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board to Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON) and Intermountain Infrastructure Group (IIG) partnership to building open access middle mile broadband from Grangeville to Star. This project will provide a superhighway for fast and affordably accessible internet services to meet broadband needs throughout the region, state and beyond. IIG will provide services to commercial providers; IRON will continue its mission of serving education, healthcare, public safety, and governmental needs. The committee also approved additional funds for the Port of Lewiston’s fiber project from Moscow to Grangeville. CEDA is partnering with other interests to continue to advocate for deployment of faster, reliable, and redundant services in our region, through the various sources of new funding for broadband.

Activities we are looking forward to, that you will see in this newsletter is our CEDA Annual Meeting on April 27, the 7th annual Dream It Do It Youth Conference on May 16, and the CBYCC summer season.

This newsletter bids goodbye to Angie Edwards-Kuskie, our Community Programs Manager, who is moving on to a new career. Angie has served CEDA and the region for almost eight years, and her imprints of success can be found in many of our communities through the region. We will miss her, but she isn’t going far, and we expect to work with her in her position at the Forest Service.

Finally, are you looking at a water/sewer upgrade? Considering improvements to your fire hall, or community center? Those are some projects we can assist with planning and funding. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Let’s Keep Things in Motion for the Region

Dodd Snodgrass

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