Edward Gonzales's blog

July 2008---CCTPG was involved in the shaping process of AB 1555 by sending letters of support.

"To help ensure eligible entities in California can compete for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funding federally designated for broadband investment, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed AB 1555 (Perez). The Recovery Act designates over $7 billion nationally to expand broadband Internet access and create jobs building Internet infrastructure. Eligible applicants (businesses, non-profits, local governments and other entities) must illustrate the ability to attain non-federal matching funds in order to be considered for $4 billion of this Recovery broadband funding."

July 2009---"The Open Technology Initiative has released four application guides for those looking to apply for broadband stimulus funding.

The guides include general information on each of the four main broadband stimulus programs (BTOP and BIP broadband infrastructure, computer centers, and broadband adoption) as well as:

1. Primary sourcing to each application's requirements;
2. Check lists for the various records, written documents, budget items, etc. needed for the application;
3. Role breakdowns for building an application team; and,
4. Estimated timelines laying out the how long it will take your application team to fill out the application."

To download the guides, please visit Sascha Meinraths's website.

July 2009---The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Recovery, Accountability and Transparency Board announce that webinars will be held the week of July 20, 2009 to provide information on implementing the guidance set forth in OMB Memorandum M-09-21, Implementing Guidance for the Reports on Use of Funds Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that was released on June 22, 2009.

Each webinar will focus on a major section of the Guidance as well as on the technology solution. The intended audience for these webinars includes Federal agency personnel, prime recipients and sub-recipients.

July 2009---The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a new national website for the general public to stay up to date with the Recovery Act's broadband stimulus funds. In the spirit of conducting an open planning process, the FCC seeks a logo design for
Broadband.gov. Details will be available soon. 

The U.S. Census Bureau has released a report on the use of Internet in households and by individuals based on data from 1997 to 2007.

Press Release:

"New data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that 62 percent of households reported using Internet access in the home in 2007, an increase from 18 percent in 1997, the first year the bureau collected data on Internet use. (See Table 1.)...

'As access to high speed connections have become more prevalent, so too have the number of people that connect to the Internet at home,' said Thom File, a statistician with the Census Bureau Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division. 'These data give us a better understanding of who is using the Internet and from where.'"

The City of San Francisco has launched a SF311 Twitter account that allows you to follow it and provide any complaints (i.e. report graffiti). The City of San Francisco can set a trend in this respect, paving the way for other towns in California and in the U.S. 

Read more.