It has long been said that nothing travels faster than the speed of light, but in Lovelock, Nevada, it appears that taxpayer dollars can outpace even the most ambitious fiber-optic cable—especially when they’re being rerouted straight into a personal bank account.
For over two years now, the fine people of Lovelock have been waiting on high-speed internet, and instead, they’ve been treated to a masterclass in vanishing funds and bureaucratic shrugs. Uprise Fiber, the company entrusted with a $9 million government grant, has managed to accomplish something truly spectacular: no internet, no infrastructure, and no payments to the contractors who tried to do the work. The only thing they did manage to pay, it seems, is themselves.
The latest chapter in this gripping saga of high-tech highway robbery comes courtesy of NNE Construction, the second contractor to step forward with the shocking revelation that—brace yourselves—they, too, were never paid. They claim they purchased $750,000 in materials, deployed $2.5 million in equipment, and yet received just a single $50,000 payment—just enough to keep them hopeful, but not nearly enough to keep the lights on.
Meanwhile, financial records show that funds meant for Lovelock’s internet revolution took a different route—one that ended in the personal account of Uprise’s owner, Steve Kromer, who, in an admirable display of self-preservation, has now stepped down from the company, presumably to spend more time with his money.
Attorney Mark Simons representing the original contractors, summed up the situation with devastating simplicity: “Nobody has been paid except Steve Kromer.” In a bold new take on the term “public-private partnership,” the public has provided the money, and the private individual has pocketed it.
NDOT and the USDA, the agencies charged with oversight, have responded to this financial disappearance act with a level of concern best described as “mildly inconvenienced.” According to Simons, NDOT has stated that what Uprise does with the money is not their concern—an impressive stance, considering the money once belonged to taxpayers.
And yet, the most astonishing part of all this isn’t the missing millions, the unpaid contractors, or even the breathtaking lack of accountability. No, the real marvel here is that despite its suspended contracting license, Uprise is still trying to hire new contractors—presumably under the bold new business model of “work now, don’t get paid later.”
As for the residents of Lovelock, the dream of high-speed internet remains just that—a dream. The next court date isn’t until 2026, which, given current trends means Lovelock will likely have flying cars before it has reliable Wi-Fi. Until then, the town remains stuck between the 19th and 21st centuries, able to read about its misfortune only if the dial-up connection holds steady.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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