Families of eligible students in Cañon City School District can receive free internet service through a new Kids Connect program.

CCSD partnered with Visionary Broadband to obtain reliable broadband for the benefit of its students.  The program is funded by a Colorado Rural Connectivity grant and aims to ensure students who qualify under the free and reduced lunch program can propel their education forward in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Visionary’s service offering would allow more than 200 students to receive free broadband access at the beginning of this school year. The company adds coverage to Cañon City nearly every month, meaning, the Kids Connect program will continue to expand and reach more families.

“The Kids Connect program has the potential to relieve a financial burden for families, and we hope they will take advantage,” said Visionary Broadband CEO Brian Worthen. “Traditionally, the students this program supports rely on cellular and handheld devices for internet access. We want to bridge the remaining gap in access inequality.”

Once eligible families have been verified by the school district, Visionary will contact each family to coordinate installation. The Kids Connect program will directly pay Visionary for the service, relieving parents of the burden of installation costs or tracking reimbursements.

“Being able to access online resources at home means families and students alike have access to up-to-date school notices and online resources,” said CCSD Superintendent Adam Hartman. “The Kids Connect program is an amazing initiative, and we hope to see lots of applications this school year.”

The 10-year program will run until the funds are expended. To participate, qualifying families will complete the Free and Reduced Lunch enrollment form and a Kids Connect interest form through the school. To complete an interest form, visit bit.ly/CCSDInternet.

Visionary Broadband was founded in 1994 in a rural community in Wyoming. It is a homegrown company that has developed technical abilities with a focus on reliability. Today, the rural internet provider serves five states and has a proven track record of connecting the most rural communities, bringing a commitment of efficiency, reliability, and affordability to its customers. To learn more, visit vcn.com.

BLM planning annual prescribed burns, fire crews prepare three sites northwest of Cañon City

The Bureau of Land Management is preparing three prescribed burns, scheduled to take place between late September 2025 and April 2026. Prescribed burns help preserve the health of forests and wildlife by removing materials that contribute to the severity of wildfires. The annually scheduled burns will take place as weather and fuel moisture conditions permit.

The Deer Haven area is slated for a prescribed burn approximately 15 miles northwest of Cañon City, south of High Park Road, and west of County Road 69 in northern Fremont County. Another prescribed burn is planned on the north side of Waugh Mountain, approximately 26 miles northwest of Cañon City, 20 miles northeast of Salida, and two miles south of Fremont County Road 2. A third prescribed fire is being planned for the Playa Lakes area, seven miles east of Fairplay, Colo., and 11 miles north of Hartsel.

Approximately 500 acres of BLM-managed land will be treated as part of the Deer Haven prescribed burn, 181 acres as part of the North Waugh Mountain effort, and 650 acres as part of the Playa Lakes treatment. Targeted fuels include ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, mixed-conifer, slash, decadent grasses, and other ground fuel that has accumulated since previous treatments.

Together, these projects will result in burned and unburned areas that promote healthier forests, improve wildlife habitat, and support domestic livestock grazing – all of which are critical to the health of the lands we enjoy.

Smoke from the prescribed burns will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas. Firefighters will be on site throughout the day of ignition and will periodically patrol the burns for several days afterward.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division’s website: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.

For general information, call Matthew Norden, BLM Rocky Mountain District Fire Management Officer at 719-269-8583.