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North Douglas Herald
December 2024
OBDP Announces $133 Million Award
This initial tranche of funding
aims to enhance internet access in 12,182
locations, 10,755 of which are unserved
(lacking 25/3 Mbps service) or lack
sufficient broadband service. A total of
16 projects are slated for funding across
17 counties.
The Oregon Broadband Office is
excited to announce it has issued Notices
of Intent to Award $132,917,084 through
the Office’s Broadband Deployment
Program (BDP), part of the American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus
Capital Projects Fund (CPF). This initial
tranche of funding will support the
construction and deployment of high-
speed, reliable wired broadband internet
at speeds of 100/100 Mbps to unserved
and underserved locations across the
state.
“High-speed, reliable internet
is a modern essential,” Governor Kotek
said. “Our broadband infrastructure is
the lifeblood of Oregon businesses and
communities, and these grants will help
ensure that we’re not leaving communities
behind.”
Sophorn Cheang, Director of
Business Oregon, emphasized the
program’s commitment to equity and
collaboration: “Equity and strategic
collaboration are the core values of our
Oregon Broadband Office’s work. This
process will ultimately provide thousands
of unserved and underserved Oregonians
with high-speed, reliable broadband
internet. Access to the internet is essential
for education, healthcare, remote work,
Bringing High-Speed Internet to Thousands by 2026
and social connection. This award will
ensure that Oregonians have every
opportunity to succeed in the digital
realm.”
Nick Batz, Director of the Oregon
Broadband Office, thanked all applicants
and highlighted the program’s competitive
nature: “I want to thank all the applicants
for their interest in this program, and I give
special thanks to the Oregon Broadband
Advisory Council for their guidance. The
Oregon Broadband Office received 62
applications requesting approximately
$445 million for broadband infrastructure
projects around the state. The total
program allocation is $156,795,418,
so we expected a highly competitive
process. This oversubscription shows the
demand to bring reliable broadband to
all Oregonians. Our goal is within reach
between the Broadband Deployment
Program and our upcoming Broadband
Equity, Access, and Deployment
program.”
Awardees were ranked based
on a composite score that prioritizes
outcomes:
Social Vulnerability Index - Applicants
receive a 5% score bonus if 80% or more
of their proposed project service locations
are located within areas designated as
“Moderate to High” or “High” on the state
of Oregon’s Social Vulnerability Index.
Unserved Locations— 5 points for
other eligible locations where wired 25/3
service already exists).
Affordability - Applicants with projects
that can offer service at $30/month or less
receive an additional 5 points per location.
Applicants with projects that can provide
service at $50/month or less receive two
additional points per location.
The Broadband Deployment
Program Handbook is available on the
Program’s website and outlines the
selection process and criteria used to
determine awardees.
Eligible applicants included
municipalities, private and for-profit
entities, electric utilities, co-operatives,
municipal
affiliates
(economic
development corporations, regional
planning and development councils,
and councils of government), nonprofit
organizations, and partnerships between
eligible applicants. All awarded funds
must be utilized, and projects must be
operational by December 2026.
Some of our nearby applicants with award
amount, counties served and number of
locations.
Douglas Services, Inc.
$8,505,531.98
Douglas, Lane 1937 locations
Douglas Services, Inc.
$2,458,593.34
Coos, 483 locations
Casco
Communications,
Inc
$10,227,750.86
Linn, 1006 locations
Awards are subject to meeting all
conditions of the Award and coming to
terms with OBO to timely execute a Grant
Agreement. The conditions of the award
will be sent out to each Awardee via email
to the contact provided in the application.
For more information about the Oregon
Broadband Office, visit www.broadband
.oregon.gov.
Willamette Valley Harley
Continued from Page 5
having some activity. He got a twinkle in his eye and
told me to watch for major developments that are
coming to that corner of the Motoplex.
Joshua Sklaroff is certainly building an impressive
motorcycle complex with Willamette Valley Indian and
Willamette Valley Harley-Davidson and Royal Enfield
motorcycles. It’s evident that, his drive, experience,
standards in work culture and vision, that he is a force to
be reckon with. I expect big things to come.
So my own experience as a motorcycle
enthusiast and Harley rider reminds me that there has
been a tradition of Harley dealers going back to the
mid 70’s for me and even longer as a historic legasy.
Working backward, there was the dealership that
was a partner to the Latus HD in Gladstone Oregon.
Before that is Doyle’s HD who broke ground in the
current location. Before Doyles there was Frank in
downtown Springfield with Eastside HD, who added
the dealership to his Kawasaki dealership.
An HD dealer has been, traditionally, in the
Eugene/Springfield area for quite some time, but there
was a time in the mid 70’s when there were two dealers
here. I got ahold of a flathead trike in1975 and I rebuilt it
with HD parts from Lane County Cycles. Located just
a couple of hundred yards up the present location about
where the Shell station is now. Howard Bash was who
owned it and he was grumpy old fella but he helped me
get my motor rebuilt. I don’t know how long he had
been there but it seemed then to have been a lifetime. At
least at 21 years old, I thought it was. Then on Franklin
near Romania Chevrolet there was Hardisty’s Harley-
Davidson with Jim Hardisty. Jim was much younger
than Howard but I was a youngster compared to Jim
but he was patient with a kid who was just a Harley
novice.
But that is ancient history now. Willamette
Valley Motoplex is the place to shop Harley, Indian,
Royal Enfield. Whether it’s new or used motorcycles,
parts, apparel or service, check them out and tell them
that Rusty sent ya...