For a number of years now, Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to the Affordable Connectivity Program to help internet access become more affordable for many.

The funding for the initiative is set to run out by this April, which means many people around the country and in Utah are preparing for a transition. In just two days the FCC will stop accepting new applications. Last month, a group of bipartisan congressional leaders introduced legislation to appropriate $7 billion to the program, ensuring its continuation, but no action has been taken.

Rob Roake, director of operations and programming at The Center for Economic Opportunity and Belonging, said he has found the program has been essential for Utahns.

"In Utah it is even more important than probably in some other states just because of geographically, the way that we are set up, where we have one centralized urban area and then most of our state is rural," Roake explained. "The folks out there have a risk of less connectivity."

Roake pointed out many Utahns would be unable to access what he calls "vital resources" and would be less informed. While Roake hopes the program continues, he encouraged Utahns to search for alternatives, such as asking to see if internet service providers have their own low-income service program. As of this week, more than 73,000 Utahns are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Roake stressed while he and others around the state are hopeful the program will continue, it is an opportunity for the state to think about new ways or alternatives to ensure Utahns have access to high-speed internet and do not feel reliant on the federal government for assistance.

He added while he does not know what it would look like, at least an extension of the program from the federal government would cause the least amount of disruption.

"Individual states are looking for different ways to subsidize it, that they don't rely on federal funds," Roake noted. "Maybe it is a statewide program or something they can offer discounts or incentives to ISPs (internet service providers) to have a 'Utah-based ACP,' if you will."

Roake argued now is the time for Utah stakeholders interested in digital equity to start building up better communication networks at the statewide level, whether it's to better coordinate future federal efforts or not. He considers having internet access a fundamental right and predicts it is only going to become more important moving forward.


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A series of free summer camps focused on STEM and other career paths seeks to boost the career goals of youth in the agricultural community of Immokalee.

Florida Gulf Coast University has teamed up with the Immokalee Foundation to offer a series of free educational camps for underserved youth in the region. The initiative includes a STEM camp for middle schoolers and four high school camps focused on business management and entrepreneurship, education and human services, engineering and construction management, and health care.

Noemi Perez, CEO of the Immokalee Foundation, explained the value of the program.

"When you take a community and individuals who are just surviving and giving their students, their children this type of opportunity, it just, it creates such a huge impact," Perez stressed. "Not only for the family, but also for the community as a whole."

In its final week, students pitch their ideas to judges, like on the popular show "Shark Tank." The competitive program serves about 1,300 Immokalee students per year. Perez said 100% of participants graduate from high school and attend a postsecondary institution.

Heather Skoza-Acosta, director of the Whitaker Center for STEM Education at Florida Gulf Coast University, oversees the middle school STEM camp. She emphasized the importance of early exposure to science.

"They have four separate STEM disciplines on four different weeks," Skoza-Acosta pointed out. "I think it gives them an opportunity to find their passion, find their skill sets, meet some professionals working in the field. "

During Forensics Week, Florida Gulf Coast University's forensics anthropology team guided students through analyzing crime scenes. During Environmental Science Week, students examined water quality on campus.

Organizers said the initiative is part of a broader effort by both the university and the foundation to support educational equity and create pathways to success for underserved communities.

Community action agencies in Utah and across the nation are celebrating 60 years of battling poverty and empowering communities, which started with the signing of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

Jennifer Godfrey, CEO of Utah Community Action, said there are a total of nine community action agencies in the Beehive State, with each one aiming to help Utahns in their own unique way. She added all nine organizations have the ability to provide services that can change people's lives.

"Not only is it incredibly humbling to be a part of that work, but it is also such an honor to be working with these individuals who are experiencing poverty," Godfrey noted. "Because everybody deserves a second chance from time to time."

Godfrey pointed out people who experience poverty are not a monolith, because poverty is a complex issue and there is not a single reason behind it for many people. In Utah, Native Americans experience the highest rate of poverty at just above 27%.

Utah has been a leader when it relates to volunteerism, and Godfrey encourages Utahns to continue strengthening its standing year-round by contacting their local action agency to help.

Utah's poverty rate is just below 9%, which sits below the national average of around 12%.

Godfrey stressed new challenges like increasing food, medical and housing costs are taking a toll on Utah residents. She added most people don't realize how many Utahns are actually living on the edge.

"In some instances, many instances in fact, the vast majority of individuals are one paycheck away from having a crisis," Godfrey asserted.

Regardless of the situation, Godfrey emphasized her organization is there to help, as action agencies are designed to be nimble to the needs of their respective communities.

The National Weather Service continues to survey damage across northern Arkansas after tornadoes ripped through the state over the weekend.

Crews have confirmed at least six twisters touched down causing widespread destruction. Schools and businesses remain closed, and thousands of residents are still without electricity as power lines across the state were destroyed.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed two executive orders, one declaring a state of emergency and a second authorizing paid leave for state employees affected by the storms.

"We are in, still, an assessment phase; we're going to have to continue," Sanders said. "The rebuilding efforts will come-this is not going to be a short process, but a long road ahead. But I can assure you that not only will our city, county, state and federal partners, we will work together. "

Seven people were killed in the tornadoes. The storms hit just a little over a year after five people were killed by tornadoes in 2023.

Families who have lost everything are receiving help from their neighbors as well as local, state and federal agencies. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management is accepting monetary donations through the Arkansas Disaster Relief Program, and the Texas based nonprofit Texans on Mission is working with partner agencies in Arkansas to help residents pick up the pieces.

John Hall, chief mission officer and director of communications for Texans on Mission, said it is an emotional task.

"The very first thing we typically go in with is that we call box teams," Hall explained. "These are small groups of volunteers who bring in trailers full of empty boxes. They'll drive into these neighborhoods and start handing out these pre-boxes, that people then use to go through the debris and find the heirlooms and find the jewelry."

The organization also provides shower and laundry teams, mass feeding trucks and chain saw teams to clear away downed trees and debris. Crews from the National Weather Service are still checking damage patterns and the number of confirmed tornadoes could increase.


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