To the editor:

A comment on the article in Wednesday, Jan. 31, newspaper “Stronger communities, stronger economy.” I appreciate the time these panelists took for this meeting to talk about the challenges we face in southwest Minnesota for economic growth. In reading the newspaper article, several quotes caught my attention — like people are choosing southwest Minnesota to live in rather than the Twin Cities or Chicago, and that we are going to need all the tech and knowledge to compete.

Living in a rural setting is an asset for southwest Minnesota but one of the hindrances to living in a rural is dependable internet. This is not only residential but for rural businesses. If you are not in direct line of site to an internet provider’s tower then you have very few choices for internet access. We use the internet in so many ways, and high speed and dependable internet to every rural property would be a huge asset for Lyon County. Possibly, these young people we are trying to attract to our southwest Minnesota counties have a spouse that works from home. One question before they locate here could be what is internet access like. So let’s talk bout internet access to the rural areas in Lyon Clounty. Maybe the county commissioners are addressing this. Maybe the public needs an article on how this is being addressed on the county level, or is it being addressed? Are there funds at state or federal level to help with funding.

Recently, I asked one of our county commissioners about what the county was doing about internet access. He said only one other person has ever brought internet access to his attention. If you want dependable high-speed internet fiber to the rural area, let our county commissioners know. Their emails are listed on the county website, but of course you need the internet to accomplish that.

Karen Larson

Balaton