Broadband Access for All & Upcoming Events at the Lubbock Chamber

Tuesday on KFYO Mornings with Dave King and Matt Martin, Kyle Jacobson, the Vice President of Government Relations at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce joined Matt Martin to talk about broadband access for all, what the Chamber is doing for businesses, coach Beard leaving Lubbock and the economic impact, upcoming Chamber events, and more.

The first topic of discussion was what the biggest legislative priorities were for the Chamber. Jacobson explained that they are looking at several things, including broadband access for all, business liability, supporting Texas Tech, and keeping an eye on ERCOT and making sure they are prepared for extreme weather. Focusing on broadband access, Jacobson said that it has been an issue since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but once kids were stuck at home doing their schoolwork and businesses at home doing work from their computers, it became a very apparent problem. Kyle said that many people in rural areas simply do not have good internet, and with people not having landlines anymore, a new solution is needed for a solid connection. "It's critical to make sure everyone has broadband access," Jacobson said, going on to say that there are several bills that handle various parts of this.

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Jacobson also discussed businesses in Lubbock and what the Chamber has done to help out during the ongoing pandemic. Kyle explained that they have offered resources of information about business safety, worked with the city to make and provide masks, as many businesses and customers still prefer to wear masks, as well as give out testing kits. Still on the topic of businesses, Jacobson was asked if he thought there would be an economic impact in Lubbock with Coach Beard leaving Texas Tech. He explained that he did not think there would be too much of an impact because Tech basketball still has plenty of support, and he still expects people will go out to bars and hotels to watch the games.

Finally, Jacobson discussed upcoming Chamber events. The Vice President explained that they are looking forward to having lots of in person events after the slow times of the pandemic. Coming up on April 20th, the Chamber will host their Annual Salute to Agriculture Luncheon, which will feature Brandon Lipps, former Acting Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the USDA. Then, on May 6th, the Chamber will host their Community Prayer Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the civic center.

Learn more at lubbockchamber.com and listen to the full interview with Kyle Jacobson above.

KFYO Mornings with Dave King & Matt Martin airs weekday mornings live, from 6:00 AM to 8:30 AM on News/Talk 95.1 FM and 790 AM KFYO, online at KFYO.com, & on the free KFYO app.