This story was originally published in the Arizona Capitol Times on April 28th, 2020 .

Leaders across the country鈥攁nd the world鈥攈ave spent the last few months dealing with unprecedented challenges, as COVID-19 has eclipsed the day-to-day policy priorities of local, state, and national governments alike. Yet, even while our leaders focus on policies to keep our communities safe and healthy during this crisis, including ensuring essential services鈥攍ike electricity鈥攔emain reliable, they must also continue to look toward the future, when the crisis will invariably end and we return to business-as-usual.

In Arizona, our leaders and utilities have proven they can do both. Just recently, Gov. Doug Ducey announced a critical electric utility relief package in which the state鈥檚 largest electric utilities agreed to continue to provide reliable electricity to homes, hospitals, and businesses while making sure that Arizona residents facing financial difficulties will have reliable access to electricity. In addition, many of the state鈥檚 water providers have committed to uninterrupted service and delaying disconnections during this time; internet service providers like Cox and CenturyLink have taken it a step further by expanding access and removing data-usage limits and overage charges.

Even with all the necessary focus on COVID-19, Arizona鈥檚 leaders are also looking ahead to ensure Arizona remains strong and competitive after this crisis ends. One area in which that is happening is the update to Arizona鈥檚 Energy Rules. While the Arizona Corporation Commission has been working to develop a new policy on clean energy, energy storage, and energy efficiency for the past several years, until now progress has been slow.

There are signs that may be changing. On March 20, Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson issued a letter calling on her fellow Commissioners to pass a policy that would require regulated electric utilities to generate 100 percent of their power from clean energy resources by 2050, explaining:

鈥淎dopting a 100 percent clean energy policy today will send a clear and unambiguous signal to utilities, and current and future customers, that Arizona is moving forward with a cleaner and more affordable energy future, while allowing data, free-market principles and least-cost energy resources guide our utilities on how to get there.鈥�

Commissioner Peterson鈥檚 approach is a sound one. By moving forward with a clean energy goal now and a commitment to working out the details of how Arizona will achieve that goal over the coming months and years, the Arizona Corporation Commission will provide the long-term market certainty necessary to drive technology and innovation in the energy sector. It will also spur critical rural economic development efforts and reflect what Arizonans want to see from their utilities and regulators. And, because market forces have rapidly driven down the price of renewable energy sources, they now represent the lowest cost energy option. Encouragingly, several other Commissioners have also indicated their interest in updating Arizona鈥檚 energy rules this year.

In Arizona, our leaders and utilities have proven that they are prepared to step up to take care of consumers during this unprecedented crisis, while still looking ahead to the future by working toward a strong energy policy for the state that will modernize Arizona鈥檚 energy sector, drive economic development, and help repair some of the economic damage wrought by this novel virus. That is something for which all Arizonans can be proud.

Doran Arik Miller is the Arizona Director for The Western Way (www.thewesternway.org)

The post Leaders look toward strong energy policy even during current crisis appeared first on 番茄社区.

As the coronavirus spreads outward from Arizona鈥檚 urban centers, rural towns and cities have been practicing social distancing for weeks as a preemptive strike.  

The stakes are high. Arizona鈥檚 rural areas tend to have more low income and elderly residents. Rural hospitals and health care facilities, many struggling financially, may not be equipped to handle a serious outbreak.

Businesses statewide are dramatically curtailing operations. Municipal coffers are squeezed. Community leaders also are feeling pressure on all sides as they plot when they can safely reopen their economies and save most of their businesses. 

For now, many mayors and tribal leaders are saying it鈥檚 still too soon. But opening commerce back up could start in the next few weeks. 

As the virus starts to flatten out, recovery will be gradual. 

Last week, Gov. Doug Ducey took the first step, announcing that hospitals and health care facilities can start performing elective surgeries if they meet certain 鈥減reparedness鈥� criteria. This would allow patients in need of surgery to get treatment they need. It would provide much-needed revenue for all health care providers that were ordered to increase bed capacity and preparedness for a potential serious outbreak.  

Under the new order, hospitals, dental offices and other health facilities can resume conducting elective surgeries May 1 if they can show they have implemented measures designed to keep health workers and patients safe. 

A balance between saving lives and saving livelihoods

As the stay-at-home order stays in effect, mayors in rural counties like Doug Nicholls of Yuma and Arturo Garino of Nogales are publically calling on citizens and businesses to continue taking precautions.   

Nicholls is urging citizens and businesses to 鈥渄ouble down鈥� on social distancing.    

鈥淲e need to focus on that as a community to get our businesses open because we haven鈥檛

peaked yet,鈥� said Nicholls at a meeting to discuss economic recovery with public and private officials recently. 

Mayor Garino is taking to the airwaves in English and Spanish to ask the community to follow Gov. Ducey鈥檚 order to, 鈥淪tay home. Stay healthy. Stay connected.鈥�

Garino is public messaging to remind citizens to wash their hands, not touch their faces when they go out, and other precautions. 

鈥淚f you do go to the store, please go by yourself. Don鈥檛 take the whole family with you,鈥� Garino says on a video posted on the city鈥檚 website. 鈥淲e have to look at our surroundings and be connected to what鈥檚 happening around us.鈥�

Tensions high 

No one wants a repeat of the lifesaving battle taking place on the Navajo reservation where COVID-19 made a deadly entrance last month, spreading quickly where people were believed to be exposed at a church event. 

As of Saturday, the nation, which spans multiple counties in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, had confirmed 1,540 cases. Fifty-eight people have died.  

So far, most rural counties and tribal nations have seen few deaths. 

In countries like Gila, Graham, Greenlee and La Paz, there are less than a handful of confirmed COVID-19 cases. But their economies are straining under stay-at-home orders. 

In the Lake Havasu area that relies on tourism, Lake Havasu Area 番茄社区 of Commerce President Lisa Krueger stated that the order could be devastating for Havasu鈥檚 service industry.

鈥淓very business is at risk,鈥� Krueger told Havasu News after two cases were confirmed in Mohave County last month, resulting in social distancing across Mohave County. 鈥淭his has never happened in Havasu before, and we don鈥檛 know how this will affect us in the long term.鈥�

Tensions have been high. In Lake Havasu City — and towns and cities everywhere — police continue to respond to calls that some public places are not abiding by the order. Duel petition drives to keep nearby Lake Havasu open or closed have circulated, dividing the community. 

For now, the lake remains open under the jurisdiction of eight local, state, tribal and federal agencies. Even so, tourism and camping numbers are far below average. Events are being canceled.

Lake Havasu鈥檚 new casino, resort reopening canceled 

Last week, Chemehuevi Tribal Chairman Charles Wood that the tribe is delaying a planned reopening in early May of its new Havasu Landing Resort and Casino on the lake. 

Chairman Wood said he wanted to avoid any 鈥渓ingering possibility of a second outbreak of the virus.鈥�

The tribe鈥檚 action to abide by the shelter order may have saved lives, he said.

鈥淚t is imperative that we wait and flatten the curve as much as possible so we do not reopen only to have to close once again,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淲e cannot predict when sanctions will be lifted, so let鈥檚 all do the best we can. We want to emerge in a safe and sustainable way.鈥�

Second Paycheck Protection Program may ease anxiety 

Some of the anxiety being felt among small businesses across the state could ease some with the announcement that the federal Paycheck Protection Program ) has reopened for a second round to help businesses hurt by the pandemic. Businesses can apply for forgivable loans to pay for up to two months of operating costs like payroll, rent and utilities. 

Many small businesses felt shut out of the first round that quickly ran out of money, said John Courtis, executive director of the Yuma County 番茄社区 of Commerce.

鈥淭he frustration is mounting from Main Street Yuma that many businesses got shut out of the first round of the PPP, and many of them have not received their stimulus check,鈥� Courtis said.  鈥淢any that I have talked to are losing confidence in the system and feel it is rigged against them. We are doing our level best to communicate a calm future.鈥�

Courtis said it has been heartbreaking to see how many small businesses have been hurt, particularly in border towns like San Luis where the border鈥檚 port of entry has cut back hours because of the coronavirus. 

Several San Luis businesses made the decision to close for good, he said. 

A member survey completed Thursday indicates that 5 percent of businesses will not be able to reopen after the stay-at-home order is lifted, he said. Nearly 80 percent said with the proper safety protocols in place, they would be ready to open May 1.

Rural chambers rush to aid broken businesses   

番茄社区s of commerce have been rushing in to help their members, connecting them to loan programs, grants, financial assistance and other . They are helping connect them with loan institutions, and hosting virtual meetings and trainings with members. 

鈥淓veryone is working overtime to keep this liquidity moving and to make sure businesses will be here in the long run,鈥� said Julie Pastrick, president and CEO of the Greater Flagstaff 番茄社区 of Commerce.   

The chamber has opened two web portals to help local businesses understand all the government assistance and other programs available. It also has joined forces with the Arizona Small Business Association, Arizona Commerce Authority and Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce and Industry to provide a that gives novice and experienced businesses support in getting approved for the second round of PPP funding. 

Pastrick said the impact in Flagstaff has been tough as retail, restaurants and hotels face closure and major attractions shut down. 

The Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff, which generates $50 million into the local economy each year, was closed at the peak time for the season, April 1. Ninety minutes north of the city, Grand Canyon National Park closed April 1. Normally, the park welcomes 6.3 million visitors that spend $947 million in nearby communities. 

A look at communities across the state reveals that every situation is different:

Mining towns could be impacted 

Across the state, large industries are also being affected. For example, the largest employer in Greenlee County, Freeport-McMoran, the owner of the Morenci Mine, is reducing its operating expenses worldwide due to the pandemic. 

According to a news issued Friday, Freeport states that revised operating plans for 2020 will result in a $2.2 billion reduction in estimated operating costs, capital expenditures and exploration and administrative costs. Layoffs and furloughs are expected.

Border communities lose revenues as cross traffic restricted   

Border communities like San Luis and Nogales are suffering from lost revenues as businesses close during the pandemic. Border crossing hours have been reduced and traffic restricted to slow the spread of the virus. 

A flare up of COVID-19 in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico, which borders San Luis, is stoking fears. 

Yuma-area border mayors and elected officials are speaking virtually with federal agencies seeking support including testing that can be made available at the border for those traveling into the U.S. 

Meanwhile, the shutdown of small businesses and restricted borders are draining the economies. 

City collections are dropping, Nogales Mayor Garino said. When the sheltering order came, Nogales businesses were still recovering from the border restrictions placed during the migrant humanitarian crisis during the past year.

The Nogales-Santa Cruz County is taking various approaches to help businesses revisit their business plan by creating various strategic plans that can help sustain business in the upcoming months, chamber officials said Friday. 

Summer fun put on hold, second home owners asked to stock up 

Other smaller towns that rely on tourism like Payson are slashing their budgets as revenues from tourists and visitors are being lost.  

Many outdoor areas have been shut down. Some are advising visitors to delay plans and second home owners to stock up on supplies before leaving home. 

On April 18, the Pinetop-Lakeside 番茄社区 of issued a letter to visitors and second home owners to stock up before they come for an extended stay due to limited supplies at grocery stores and limited services at restaurants. 

The chamber also is encouraging potential visitors to wait until 鈥渢his crisis has subsided.鈥�

鈥淭his virus has spread very quickly and until Arizona is successful in controlling the spread, we ask you to do the right thing and delay your visit until it is safe to come. We will be waiting to welcome you with open arms at that time.鈥�

While every city and town is feeling the impact, local officials report many industries and jobs remain intact. 

Yuma agricultural finished the season with sigh of relief 

In Yuma, the agriculture sector supplies almost all of North America鈥檚 green leafy vegetables in winter months. As the stay-at-home order went into effect, Yuma farmers were finishing their last harvest of the season. Economic harm from the virus has been minimal. Strenuous measures to protect laborers are in place, Mayor Nicholls said.  

鈥淲e see that workers and business leaders in these industries are rising to meet unprecedented challenges by maintaining high food safety standards and protocols,鈥� the mayor said.

City leaders’ bigger concern is for restaurants, bars, gyms, and retail that have been impacted by closures. 

Nicholls is hosting virtual Zoom meetings to talk with local Yuma business owners to gather feedback on what they believe needs to be included in the governor’s plan to re-energize the economy. 

“There is no one-size-fits all approach, and it is key for me to listen to different business impacts and viewpoints so we work unitedly on the next steps,” said Mayor Nicholls. “From the meetings with business owners in Yuma, I gathered valuable input to give to Governor Ducey, as he requested, and will continue to host these meetings in our community. We look forward to energizing the economy, and to support our local business efforts to keep their employees and customers’ wellbeing a mainstay.” 

The post Can rural Arizona stave off coronavirus, save local economies? appeared first on 番茄社区.

Pulling rural Arizona into digital age

Tens of thousands of residents and businesses in rural Arizona will see expanded access to reliable high speed internet service over the next two years. Places like Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Page, Payson, Star Valley, and the Tonto Apache reservation. More rural highways will be getting connected, too.

Last week, Gov. Doug Ducey pledged to more than triple grant funding for broadband projects this year to $10 million to help erase the digital divide in rural areas.

Ducey also announced $50 million for the 鈥淪mart Highways Corridor鈥� initiative to bring connectivity to more rural highways as well.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just getting started,鈥� Gov. Ducey said last week after announcing plans to ratchet up efforts and funding to give rural communities the same competitive edge as their urban counterparts.

鈥淭hese grants are a crucial investment in rural Arizona,鈥� the governor said. 鈥淎ccess to fast, reliable internet will aid economic development, enhance educational opportunities, strengthen health care and improve public safety across rural Arizona.鈥�

Here鈥檚 what鈥檚 coming聽

Meanwhile, a number of projects are readying to break ground as a result of $3 million in grant funding approved last year. The Arizona Commerce Authority awards the grants through the state鈥檚 Rural Broadband Development Grant .

Development grants of up to $1 million were awarded for three projects this year:

• Mohave Electric Coop will provide high-speed broadband service at speeds up to 10 Gbps symmetrical to its 35,000 members in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley.
• Sparklight, formerly known as Cable One, will provide fiber to approximately 400 business customers in Payson, Star Valley and the Tonto Apache reservation that has symmetrical service up to 2 Gbps
• Commnet Wireless will create a new fiber-optic middle mile to Page to serve 310 small businesses and 1,066 households in the area.

Grants of up to $50,000 each were also awarded to Coconino County, Gila County, Springerville and St. Johns to start plotting broadband projects.

Highways targeted for connectivity

For more highway connectivity, the Arizona Department of Transportation will install more than 500 miles of broadband conduit and fiber optic cable along designated three highway segments:

• Interstate 17 between Sunset Point and Flagstaff
• Interstate 40 between the Arizona-New Mexico and Arizona-California borders
• Interstate 19 between Tucson and Nogales.

Rural digital crisis

Approximately 898,724 Arizona citizens – mostly in rural and tribal communities – have聽 limited or no access to high-speed internet, according to the 2018 Arizona Statewide Broadband Strategic Plan report. Only 78 percent of Arizonans have access to the internet in their home.

The governor鈥檚 announcement to triple grant funding this year is welcome news for rural residents, business owners, students and others who struggle to compete in the digital world, business and community representatives said.

Inadequate broadband services 鈥渕arginalize鈥� all individuals and businesses including commerce, education, medical services, work-from-home businesses, and emergency services, said Dave Lock, CEO of Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association, the statewide association that represents Arizona鈥檚 electric cooperatives.

One of its cooperatives, Mohave Electric (MEC), is the first cooperative in the state to step up to offer high speed internet to consumers in its service area. Currently, only about 150 co-ops out of 900 in the U.S. have a broadband program.

Biggest step ever to close rural gap

About 19 million Americans, or 6 percent of the population, lack access to fixed broadband service at threshold speeds, according to a report from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In rural areas, nearly one-fourth of the population, 14.5 million people, lack access. In tribal areas, nearly one-third of the population lacks access.

Even in areas where broadband is available, approximately 100 million Americans still do not subscribe.

Over the past two decades, state and national leaders have been working to address rural connectivity, including launching the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The FCC will vote on rules Jan. 30 for the proposed plan that will allocate $20.4 billion to broadband providers serving rural areas in the U.S. This represents the biggest single step ever by the FCC toward closing the rural digital divide.

The fund, to be allocated over the next 10 years, is being made available for the first time to cable providers, wireless companies and electric co-ops, to move more urgently to close the divide.

“This new fund would target rural areas across the country where residents currently lack access to adequate broadband and would deploy high-speed broadband to millions of rural Americans in an efficient and effective manner,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a prepared statement.

The post Bringing rural Arizona up to (high) speed appeared first on 番茄社区.

The Local First Arizona Foundation last month announced its new Rural Marketing Cooperative program, created in collaboration with the Arizona Office of Tourism.

The program is designed to help drive tourists to rural and tribal parts of the state by following a 鈥渞obust鈥� media advertising plan that includes online, print, outdoor and Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) publications.

Every year, AOT releases a list of large, reputable advertisers and offers half-rate pricing to rural and tribal marketing organizations, chambers and tourism associations by using matching funds from the AOT budget.

鈥淭his year, under the Arizona Rural Development Council, the AOT is co-oping branding, which is a first,鈥� said Liza Noland, director of rural programs for the Arizona Rural Development Council (AZRDC), the rural-focused arm of the聽 (LFAF).

Starting with 2019-2020 program, the AZRDC is offering three different packages for rural groups: branding, which can be either for the community or an individual chamber or tourism organization; development of community profiles, an 鈥渁ll-encompassing snapshot鈥� of a community, which employers often use to attract new workers; and marketing consulting, including help developing a marketing plan.

鈥淭hat is kind of new, because it鈥檚 not just advertising; it鈥檚 actually on that branding and development side,鈥� Noland said. 鈥淏efore, they were co-oping your spend. Now, if you select some of our pieces, they鈥檙e actually co-oping the planning, which just helps people utilize it better.鈥�

Before, the challenges were three-fold, she said. The program was under-utilized, it was overly-complex 鈥� which contributed to it being under-utilized 鈥� and rural organizations and communities did not have the budget to afford effective advertising.

鈥淣ow, I think rural communities are starting to really realize their uniqueness,鈥� Noland said. 鈥淪o many of them, especially across the state, have something so cool鈥� either just unbelievable outdoor recreation, or they’ve become a very聽, or they鈥檙e a mining community, or they鈥檙e a saguaro community 鈥� they have all sorts of things.鈥�

People in rural communities have begun to recognize that Arizonans 鈥渨ant to visit rural,鈥� and they want to take the opportunity, Noland said.

鈥淓verybody鈥檚 moving to get people to come visit,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, we just need to tell them what to expect.鈥�

础蝉听 of marketing their diverse assets and offerings, consumer demand for rural tourism continues to grow, and the Rural Marketing Co-Op is intended to help rural stakeholders 鈥渢ake the lead role,鈥� she said.

Hiring an ad agency to do a brand package, even for a small community, could cost anywhere from $20,000 to upward of $70,000, Noland said.

The AZRDC is offering the same service for $10,000, but the Rural Marketing Co-Op match from AOT brings the cost down to $5,000.

鈥淲e鈥檝e heard from three [communities] already that are excited, and then we鈥檒l see鈥� what else we hear,鈥� Noland said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been received positively so far.鈥�

The AZRDC鈥檚 goal is to keep Arizonans in-state when they travel, bringing much-needed money to Arizona鈥檚 rural cities and towns rather than spending it out-of-state. The Rural Marketing Co-Op is intended to get the message out so people know the destinations available to them.

鈥淭here are billions of dollars spent every year by Arizonans traveling to Southern California for weekend getaways, and our goal is to divert 10 percent of that money back to rural Arizona,鈥� Noland said. 鈥淚t would completely change the face of rural Arizona if we did that.鈥�

The AZRDC encourages any rural destination marketing organizations (DMOs), tribes and tourism-marketing groups who are interested to聽.

The post Local First Arizona Foundation partners with Office of Tourism on new Rural Marketing Co-Op program appeared first on 番茄社区.

Getting wired for success in rural Arizona

For students in rural Arizona, having high-speed internet can mean the difference between going to college or not.

Something as simple as accessing a college application or taking a course online is often out of their reach. That places them at the back of the school bus in competing with their urban peers.

Two years ago, state officials vowed to do something about it. They applied for and received federal matching monies to start the Arizona Initiative for Broadband Education program.

Since then, construction has been completed or is underway to bring broadband to rural schools across the state. Over the next two years, the goal is to help schools provide high-speed internet to 282,000 students.

鈥淭his is going to enable distance learning. It will allow a kid to watch open heart surgery being performed at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, take a biology class from Arizona State University or an architectural design course from MI-JTED (Mountain Institute Joint Technical Education District) in Prescott,鈥� said Arizona Department of Education E-Rate Controller Milan Eaton, whose office handles applications from schools wanting broadband.

鈥淏y providing high-speed internet, we鈥檙e opening these kids up to the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we need to do. That’s our responsibility.鈥�

In addition to bridging the technology gap for students, small school districts that pay thousands of dollars a month for poor quality internet, will now pay only a few hundred dollars a month for high-speed service as good as 鈥渄owntown Phoenix,鈥� Eaton said.

Rural Arizona schools among most needy in nation

In Arizona where 135 out of 223 school districts are considered rural, high-speed connectivity is 聽a critical issue.

A few years ago, Arizona鈥檚 rural schools were ranked second in the nation for having the 鈥渉ighest needs,鈥� according to , a 50-state report by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Rural School and Community Trust.

A lack of broadband connectivity was cited as a major factor. While enrollment by high school students in online dual enrollment classes continued to rise, rural students in Arizona were being left behind.

With the help of Gov. Doug Ducey and former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin, Eaton was able to secure $11 million in state funding to use for matching funding to apply for a Federal Communications Commission grant.

The return on the state鈥檚 money has been tenfold. More than $115 million in federal funding has been awarded to Arizona to bring broadband to rural schools and libraries in all 15 counties.

The high amount awarded reflects Arizona鈥檚 extreme need. Schools must meet certain poverty guidelines to receive funding.

Equipping school buses, hot box packs

Rural students in the state, many whom are Latino, low-income or first-generation students, consistently come up short when it comes to postsecondary academic attainment, according to a released last October by the nonprofit College Success Arizona.

To help bridge the technological divide for poor students, schools like Alta Vista High School, an alternative charter school in South Tucson, allow them to check out hot boxes so they can have internet at home, too.

In the Vail school district nearby, school buses that trek to outlying areas within the 425-square- mile district have long been equipped with wifi so students can study on the 45-minute rides to and from school.

Vail, that is largely a suburban district with a couple of rural pockets, was one of the first in the nation to provide one-on-one laptops for students. It later developed a comprehensive online lesson sharing program called that it sells to other districts.

Technology has been the 鈥渄riving force鈥� behind the district鈥檚 high academic success, Communications Director Darcy Mentone said. To read more about how broadband is impacting Arizona schools, go to: .

The post Arizona’s rural higher education crisis appeared first on 番茄社区.