Two grants announced this week from a United States Department of Agriculture program that improves internet access in rural areas will go toward connecting parts of northern and central Minnesota with high-speed internet.

The Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative will receive a $3.8 million rural development investment grant to connect 473 people, 15 farms and nine businesses to high-speed internet in Aitkin and Crow Wing counties.

Tekstar Communications will receive a $12.6 million rural development investment grant to connect 3,113 people, 171 farms, 103 businesses and a school to high-speed internet in Douglas, Otter Tail, St. Louis, Stearns and Todd counties.

"People living in rural towns across the nation need high-speed internet to run their businesses, go to school and connect with their loved ones," said Tom Vilsack, the agriculture secretary, in a news release this week, announcing nearly $800 million in grants and loans in 24 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and Palau as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The funds are part of a commitment "to making sure that people, no matter where they live, have access to high-speed internet," Vilsack continued. "That's how you grow the economy — not just in rural communities, but across the nation."

The grants and loans are part of $1.6 billion in ReConnect funding that has been awarded in 2022. Applicants for the funding must serve an area that does not have access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second for downloads and 20 megabits per second for uploads. Applicants must commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 megabits per second for downloads and uploads to every location in its proposed service area.

To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact a USDA Rural Development state office.

REID FORGRAVE

NORTHEASTERN MINN.

Limited access to state parks during hunts

Several special deer hunts will be held in November and December in northeastern Minnesota state parks, meaning limited access on certain dates.

Parks include Cascade River, Gooseberry Falls, Judge C. R. Magney, Scenic, Split Rock Lighthouse and Tettegouche from Nov. 5-20; Lake Vermilion Soudan Underground Mine from Nov. 25-Dec. 31; Savanna Portage from Dec. 3-11; and Crow Wing and Jay Cooke from Dec. 3-7.

The hunts are intended to protect resources from overpopulation of deer. Visitors should wear blaze orange or brightly colored clothes if visiting on these days, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says. For a full list, see mndnr.gov/parkhunts.

JANA HOLLINGSWORTH