On Fridays my husband and I both work from home: He is in customer service for Fisher Plow, and I am an administrator in financial services. Our son, a student at Edna Drinkwater, has class meetup and assignments to submit online. Our internet connection goes from barely keeping up to intermittent failure throughout the day. I count my blessings because we're some of the lucky ones.

All over Northport and rural Maine there are families struggling to meet the demands of working and learning remotely. And then there are the teachers, absolute rock stars, doing their best to serve all students equally. I'm thankful our situation is manageable, but for so many it is impossible. People are getting left behind, and when those people are kids, it's just not right.

We used to have a broadband committee in Northport trying to address our internet challenge. It fizzled out, but I was glad to learn at our last town selectboard meeting that new committee members have been appointed and are getting to work. This is a high priority for our selectpeople and town staff.

I'm on the ballot for the Northport Select Board on April 14, and my top two priorities will be to make affordable high-speed internet available for all of Northport, and to maintain our quality town services and high standard of public education, without causing undue burden for Northport tax payers, many of whom are facing harder times than usual due to the effects of the pandemic.

I hope to earn your vote on April 14.

Breanna Pinkham Bebb lives in Northport