POMEROY — The rural landscape of Meigs County can be beautiful but a hindrance when it comes to access of broadband Internet services.

At yesterday’s Meigs County Chamber of Commerce’s Business-Minded Luncheon, David Hannum of New Era Broadband, spoke about his company’s plans to offer broadband, high-speed Internet service to residents who live in rural areas of Meigs County.

The company places radio antennas on water tanks that send out radio frequencies the Federal Communications Commission does not regulate, similar to those frequencies a cordless telephone uses. According to New Era’s website, the company already has antennas on the Tuppers Plains-Chester tank on Mile Hill Road and the Village of Racine’s tank on Greenwood Cemetery Road, providing broadband to several customers who live in the area. Also according to the website, future plans include placing radio antennas on the TP-C tanks on McKenzie Road and Ross Road, in Letart Falls, in the Five Points and Rock Springs areas this summer, Tuppers Plains and Coolville areas this fall and the Shade area in the spring.

New Era Broadband was born out of a need for high-speed and broadband Internet connections in the underserved areas of Southeast Ohio and Western West Virginia. Hannum said customers may call the company at 1-866-937-9991 or visit www.newerabroadband.com to see if they are in a service area or potential service area.

A representative of Horizon Internet services also spoke about a project the company is participating in to connect health care facilities in 13 Southeast Ohio counties on a broadband Internet network. The project should take 15 months and can be expanded to include not only health care providers and facilities but residential customers.

In other Chamber announcements:

Dr. Jason Reed, DO, orthopedic surgeon, introduced himself to luncheon guests. Reed has joined O’Bleness Memorial Hospital and hopes to branch out into the Southeast Ohio region with orthopedic services. His practice will be called Orthopedics of Southeast Ohio and be located in the Castrop Center. Appointments will soon be available by calling 566-4640.

Rhythm on the River is at 8 p.m. on Friday on the Pomeroy parking lot.

The Big Bend Blues Bash is July 30-Aug. 1 on the Pomeroy parking lot.

The Meigs County Chamber of Commerce’s “Sunset Cruise” along the Ohio River will be announced soon.

Yesterday’s luncheon was held at the Pomeroy Library and catered by the Pomeroy McDonalds.