In Arnold, there is only one reliable internet provider – but even then, it’s sometimes not good enough. For Carson, the issue is not just one of comfort but of trying to grow her small town.

CHERYL 3: “Those kinds of jobs that you could get working from home, while the kids are at school, that could be a really important thing for some families to be able to do stuff like just as if you were in a larger community.” (0:10)

NUTGRAF: If you ask, you quickly learn that broadband is not just a nice thing to have but, rather, a necessity in today’s way of life – even in the most remote parts of the state. It’s places and towns like these in rural Nebraska that could stand to gain the most from reliable internet and programs that make that happen.

Expanding high speed internet access in Nebraska is not a new subject.

STUBBENDIECK 4: “Ok, Governor Ricketts, my first question is why is broadband or high speed internet so important to the state of Nebraska in your opinion?” (0:06)

RICKETTS 5: “Well, one of the key things for us with regard to broadband is that it really facilitates many of the things that we take for granted in more of our urban areas.” (0:12)

Earlier this month, AARP Nebraska hosted a tele-town hall with Gov. Ricketts to talk about broadband. AARP polling found that nearly 80 percent of Nebraska voters 50 and older believe elected officials should work to make high speed internet available to the entire state.