By Shelley Hanson, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
NEW MARTINSVILLE, W.Va. — More than 1,900 households in Wetzel and Harrison counties will now have the option to purchase broadband internet service thanks to the installation of 87 miles of new fiber cable.
The project began about five years ago via a partnership between U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., the Regional Economic Development Partnership, USDA ReConnect, Wetzel County Commission, Citynet and civil engineers Thompson & Litton.
A dedication of the new broadband internet service was held Thursday at the Wetzel County 4-H Campgrounds in New Martinsville.
Officials who spoke about the project included Josh Jefferson, president of RED; Lisa Heasley, president of the Wetzel County Commission and RED board member; Jim Martin, president and CEO of Citynet; Richard Jenkins, general field representative for USDA Rural Development; Ryan Thorn, state director for West Virginia USDA Rural Development; Roseann Ferro, representative for U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., and Capito.
Capito noted that many people take having internet access for granted. But a lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns, she said, is that having internet access is not just a convenience, but “absolutely essential” in people’s lives – for school and work.
When schools were closed during COVID, students who did not have internet access at home fell behind, and that was not fair, she said.
