Expanding the Internet Throughout Georgia

While the state of Georgia is home to one of the country’s largest cities, it also still has many areas that remain unconnected to the internet.  In an effort to reverse this trend, the state has recently received millions of dollars in order to expand the internet to rural and other underserved regions.

 

According to state officials and many others, broadband is the only way that Georgia can continue to operate and compete with the rest of the country and the world.  Having internet access is critical in the 21st century and the belief is that numerous communities will benefit from having access to the information superhighway.  In an effort to expand the internet into rural regions, Georgia has received a total of 2.9 million in stimulus money.

 

In fact, Georgia has won several rounds of stimulus money in an effort to bring the internet into rural regions.  In total, there are three major projects working to connect as many people as possible.  One of these projects includes Bulldog Cable Company which received .3 million to expand broadband service to Lake Sinclair.  This money will go toward upgrading 42 miles of cable as well as laying an additional 163 miles.  This additional work will help provide internet service to 12,000 residents and more than 1,300 businesses that are currently offline. 

 

Another .5 million grant was awarded to the Georgia Partnership for Telehealth, Inc.  In addition to another .2 in contributions, the money will go toward connecting hospitals, schools and public health departments.  It will also expand the existing Telehealth network to an additional 67 community sites.

 

Professional Resources Management of Rabun LLC also receives almost million to fund 30 new workstations at two separate computer centers to improve education and development in Rabun County. 

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in Georgia has also disseminated millions of dollars meant to bring rural areas of the state online.  For example, Windstream Corporation will be able to extend its coverage to an additional 29,000 people and 750 businesses throughout north Georgia.  Thanks to these funds, the Department of Agriculture says that numerous new jobs will be created.  The initial jobs are expected to come from implementing the new network with more long term jobs being generated thanks to new opportunities being created as the rural region becomes more competitive. 

 

Another company benefiting from the federal stimulus is the Blue Ridge Telephone Company with will receive over 0,000 in order to expand its broadband reach to more than 1,000 people and 16 businesses. 

 

One reason the state of Georgia has been so successful in getting federal money for internet expansion is its strategic approach to the problem.  The Wireless Communities Georgia Program got the ball rolling and has shown others how to efficiently expand the internet into regions that previously had no service.  In fact, this plan has been in the works for several years and recently The OneGeorgia Authority also entered the market to help in assisting rural communities establish broadband networks. 

Question by sonic4923: Speeding ticket question – school zone…?
I got a speeding ticket for going 38 in a 25 (in a school zone), can anyone offer an estimate on what the fine will be like? I live in Georgia, and I know traffic fines are pretty steep here…

Best answer:

Answer by Rock Firestorm
School zone fines are especially high. Here in CA that fine would be about $ 350 if that gives you any idea.

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Teen drivers are high threat

In the most recent report produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of all teen deaths are caused in traffic accidents. If you look at the number of miles traveled, drivers in the range of 16 to 19 are four times more likely than adult drivers to crash. Almost without exception, these crashes are preventable, being caused because the drivers are distracted. In 2009, 350,000 teens were treated in ERs for injuries sustained in traffic accidents. About 3,000 were killed. Because of the decline in the birth rate, the number of people in the range of 15 to 24 now only represents 14% of the total population, yet they cause damage to property and medical expenses representing 30% of the total bill paid out by insurance companies. When it comes to the sexes, teen males are twice as likely as female teens to be involved in accidents.

Adding the evidence of distraction as the main cause of accidents, the risk of an accident increases if there are teen passengers. Sadly, the injuries are more serious because teens are more likely to be driving fast and less likely to be wearing seat belts. Faced with evidence of this carnage on the roads, many states are actively discussing changes to the laws in the hope of introducing greater safety. For example, the Pennsylvanian lawmakers are proposing stricter licensing regulations for 16-year old drivers. As the law stands, any driver under the age of 18 must be able to prove at least 50 hours of supervising driving. If the proposal goes through, this will increase to 65 hours with a requirement of some experience of night driving and driving in adverse weather conditions. In line with the CDCs findings, teen drivers would be limited to a single passenger unless their parents consent. It will be interesting to see whether the lawmakers will beef up their laws. So far, many of these laws requiring more driving instruction given by approved instructors have failed to get enough votes to pass into law. Although the insurance companies offer discounts to encourage teen drivers to take these courses, they are not yet mandatory. So where do parents or the teen drivers find affordable insurance? Some insurers specialize in higher risk drivers, i.e. the inexperienced and those with poor safety records. Ironically, teens are more likely to be caught at night DUI/DWI. At a stroke, this elevates them to the category of highest risk. All the auto insurance quotes including them will be at the deterrent end of the premium rates, even in the specialist companies. More generally, companies spread the risk among drivers of all ages and levels of experience. This leads them to value risk differently and, sometimes, the results are a lower rate. The only way of finding out is to shop around, getting as many auto insurance quotes as possible from the full range of companies. Some states have assigned risk programs. Here the Department of Motor Vehicles refers high risk drivers who have been refused cover or only offered high premium rates to nominated insurers for subsidized cover. You will find information about such programs on the website operated by your local Insurance Commissioner.

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