Rural residents enjoy Internet, deserve choice

We remember, it doesn't seem that that long ago, when one of the first cellular phones in town rated a front-page feature story. Computer use was confined to a few nerds on a local "bulletin board," who dreamed of local Internet access.

How things have changed.

The latest Nebraska Rural Poll by the University of Nebraska found that 75 percent of rural Nebraskans use the Internet or e-mail from home, and more than 90 percent of rural Nebraskans have a cell phone, and many use it to access the Internet.

That's important in the Panhandle, where Scottsbluff residents like to point out that they're closer to three state capitals than their own. Rural Nebraskans use the Internet for keeping in touch with their government, accessing health information and receiving an education.

Like most of us, however, they probably spend more time than they would like to admit using social networks and watching movies and video.

While they think the Internet is useful for buying hard-to-find items, they do have reservations about putting their credit-card number and other personal information on line, and prefer to physically see the items before they buy them.

Unfortunately, economics, fuel prices and reduction in services are forcing more and more rural residents to go online or go without.

The problem is being played out in Wilsonville, one of 26 small post offices being targeted for possible closure, along with Parks, Edison and Enders.

Residents are expressing concern about having to drive 15 miles to the nearest post office, or trusting their mail to stay safe in rural mail boxes or cluster boxes.

Concerned residents are urged to attend another meeting with U.S. Postal Service residents tonight from 6 to 8 0'clock in the Wilsonville Community Building.

It's one thing to enjoy and take advantage of new technology; it's quite another to see our options taken away.