Spencer Weddle, Staff Writer
Who has been in this situation before? Library is closed, you either do not have internet at your place of residence for whatever reason and you have an assignment due. So now, you have to go around to some restaurant or hotel-to-hotel, trying to get an internet connection so you can turn in that assignment or take that test. If it has not happened to you yet, you are lucky.
The point is, internet connection is required for college students, and some cannot always get to the library when it is opened. What are we to do?
There are many solutions to this problem. Free Wi-fi is available to students and community members throughout the area, including the historical downtown area of Durant.
What was first a plight to have a connective speaker system built into the area for music was parlayed into having Wi-fi installed. Though this has not been promoted well due to Durant Main Street being non-profit; this has been in place for roughly a year.
Several businesses on west Main Street between North 4th Avenue and North 1st Avenue, including the Historic Market Square, offer free Wi-fi to anyone.
There are still more free sites to be added to the list. A few sites downtown that currently have Wi-fi are Mackey Home Furnishings, First Texoma National Bank, Texas Roadhouse, Main Street Bar-B-Que, and Roma’s. Downtown businesses that have Wi-fi have been given stickers to show they provide the service.
If you need more time to work on an assignment you might consider other businesses that stay open longer. A few of these include:
• Donald W. Reynolds Community Center and Library, 1515 West Main Street, Durant, open Mon-Fri 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Fri and Sat 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Spin Cycle Laundry and Tanning, 3111 North 1st Ave, Durant, open seven days a week 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• McDonald’s, 2227 West Main Street, Durant, open seven days a week 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.
• Waffle Shoppe, 2401 West Main Street, Durant, open Mon-Sun 6 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thurs 6 p.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., Fri and Sat open 24 hours.
• Burger King, 4301 Choctaw Road, Calera, open seven days a week, 24 hours.
• Hot Shots Coffee, 2832 West University, Durant, Mon-Fri 6 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sat 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Sun 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
