Paul Bunyan Communications recently completed an expansion of high-speed broadband to nearly 600 homes, businesses and community institutions in rural areas of northeastern Minnesota.

The majority of the locations receiving new service are in St. Louis County, Minnesota's largest county by area and the county with the most households in need of broadband access.

The $3.2 million project, which included nearly $600,000 in broadband infrastructure grants from the Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation as well as funds from the state's Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program, will bring broadband with speeds up to 10 gigabytes per second to rural areas near Ash River, Black Duck Lake and Elephant Lake as well as Kabetogama and Morcom townships.

"This is a huge service improvement for everyone in the project area and is a game changer for the residents and businesses," Steve Howard, Paul Bunyan Communications' IT and development manager, said in a statement.

REID FORGRAVE

HIBBING

Fourteen northeastern Minnesota communities receive culture and tourism grants

A $30,000 grant to construct six pickleball courts in Hibbing's Bennett Park was among 14 culture and tourism grants totaling nearly $300,000 that were recently announced.

Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation's culture and tourism grants help cities, townships, tribal governments and other governmental entities in the region with projects that support arts, culture, history, tourism and recreational activities that enhance quality of life and attract visitors.

Among other recently announced grants:

  • $30,000 for Itasca Ski and Outing Club to purchase a winch cat grooming machine for the ski jumping venue.
  • $12,210 for Ely's Historic State Theatre to market and advertise the End of the Road Film Festival.
  • $30,000 for Grand Rapids' Judy Garland Museum and Children's Discovery Museum to make improvements to Judy Garland's birthplace.
  • $11,975 to replace the doors on the community arena in Gilbert and to construct and buy equipment for a disc golf course in Hopkins Park.

REID FORGRAVE

ROCHESTER

U, Riverland start program partnership

The University of Minnesota, Rochester is working with Riverland Community College to streamline work toward a bachelor's degree in medical sciences.

The partnership allows Riverland students to finish an associate's degree in laboratory sciences with internship experience at the Hormel Institute cancer research center in Austin, Minn., or other nearby employers. Students will then work toward the bachelor's degree with a medical lab sciences certificate.

The new program is set to launch in fall 2024.

TREY MEWES