EVANGELINE PARISH, La. (KLFY) – Senator Bill Cassidy traveled to Evangeline Parish to announce funding to build broadband infrastructure.
The theme of the day was opportunity; opportunity for Evangeline Parish to grow and for Ville Platte to go from worst to first when it comes to high-speed, reliable internet, and the abundance of opportunities broadband expansion will bring to the students in the parish.
“This announcement is about you, about helping you achieve your potential,” Cassidy said.
Monday, history was made at Ville Platte High School. According to Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine, Monday marked the first time a sitting United States Senator visited the school.
Senator Cassidy visited the rural town to announce that the National Telecommunication and Information Administration will fund a $29.9 million grant to build broadband infrastructure in the parish along with Acadia and St. Landry parishes.
“$30 dollars coming in to bring high-speed broadband internet not just to the school but all other towns. This is the inflection point the parish starts to take off,” Cassidy explained.
Ville Platte currently has the fifth slowest internet speed in the nation. “You don’t realize it right now but this will be one of the greatest days in Evangeline Parish history,” Cassidy said.
This grant will expand broadband service to over 22,000 households, nearly 4,000 businesses, 19 schools, and 4 hospitals in Evangeline, Acadia, and St. Landry parishes. It will provide speeds up to one gigabyte per second, with an option of 100 megabytes for $60 a month or less.
“This is the point in which you can say the potential of each of you is now more likely to be realized,” explained Cassidy.