Broadband application passed over

Cook County’s first round fiber optic stimulus grant application has not been selected for funding. The Broadband Initiative group received notice about a week ago. According to Danna MacKenzie, the county’s Information Director, the group has been working on a plan for the next steps. Recommendations will be presented to the county board at its meeting next Tuesday. MacKenzie said that a regional K-12 educational cooperative was funded in Round 1. That plan includes building a new fiber optic link into Cook County. She said this could mean better connections for local schools and government offices.