Jed Pressgrove has been a writer and editor for about 15 years. He received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in sociology from Mississippi State University.
The Federal Aviation Administration has maintained a dominant say on the nation's entire airspace. When it comes to drone deliveries, this level of regulatory power may have negative ramifications for states and local areas.
North Carolina's Insurance Crimes Investigation System has eliminated antiquated manual processes and simplified the way insurance fraud data is handled. The changes have helped crack down on insurance fraud.
The FCC's decision to open up spectrum for Wi-Fi 6 technology may significantly increase broadband access. However, utilities and public safety are afraid their communications may be compromised.
Sajed Naseem, CISO of the New Jersey court system, discusses how going remote impacted state courts, what COVID has taught him about cyber and what equity issues might arise in virtual justice proceedings.
As students and their families wait for better Internet at home, West Virginia has deployed hundreds of new Wi-Fi access points in facilities across all of its counties that any student can use.
Ever since Henderson, Nev., aspired to be a smart city, the fire department has examined how technology could advance its mission. Easily shareable drone footage is one of the outcomes.
During a recent National Telecommunications and Information Administration webinar, experts dissected the economic potential of and roadblocks to precision agriculture technology in rural America.
There were many insights at last week's Utah Virtual Digital Government Summit. One session highlighted the many challenges that come with improving government experience in 2020.
If one uses national headlines as a guide, it's police in cities that utilize drones and navigate all the issues involved with the technology. As such, the drone program in the small town of Linn, Wis., is a distinct case study.
Satellite Internet may not have always received the best word of mouth, but the technology continues to advance with big names behind it and a market that has seen significant growth during COVID-19.
For the last six years, James Collins has been one of the most respected leaders in state IT. In a couple of weeks, he will finally step down from his role as Delaware’s chief information officer.
COVID-19 has spread too quickly for local public health departments to keep up with the intricacies of contact tracing. Some experts suggest automation, not phone apps, is the key to moving forward.
In the past, public safety agencies have always had to maintain visual line of sight with any drones that they fly. Last week the Federal Aviation Administration changed the rules on that front.
Remote government work can have many benefits, as the last several months have shown. But whether state IT agencies should recruit more remote workers, regardless of where they live, remains an open question.
Massachusetts sees blockchain as a promising tool for governments of the future. The state is now offering a training program to help local leaders wrap their minds around the possibilities of the technology.
Buffalo views its 311 line as a way that it can be a good neighbor to its residents. Here's how the city leveraged partnerships and tech to ensure that citizens could call their government for anything during COVID-19.
While stakeholders agree that inaccurate federal broadband data is a big motivating factor for starting a state broadband survey, other considerations can impact one's approach to surveying.
In one way, the pandemic has made life harder for municipal clerks across the country. In another, it has helped officials imagine what's possible with technology, both now and in the future.
Drones, for better or worse, have been part of several national conversations in 2020. Public safety organizations must be aware that transparency and accountability are paramount when it comes to the emerging tech.
After COVID-19 forced millions to work from home, many have implied that the telework trend can lead to growth in more rural communities. A state office in Oregon, however, advises local areas to temper expectations.
Policies in response to COVID-19 have brought about awe-inspiring growth in telehealth services. However, there are multiple remaining telehealth issues that all levels of government need to be aware of.
Since 2017, Alaska's effort to consolidate IT had resulted in many dissatisfied state agencies, but the state was able to change a number of minds with its recent advancement in teleworking capability.
High-speed Internet can certainly help students and faculty at HBCUs and TCUs, but experts during a recent webinar discussed how cyberinfrastructure is a multi-faceted challenge for 21st-century educational institutions.
After more than a year as Michigan's CISO, Chris DeRusha is now working for the Biden presidential campaign. DeRusha has served a number of high-profile organizations, including the White House and Ford Motor Company.
For several years, Arizona has sought to improve how it manages federal dollars across agencies. This work is especially critical now given that COVID-19 is disrupting the economy and could continue for some time.
Leatherwood, who previously served as the acting chief information security officer for the Arkansas Division of Information Systems, has been elevated to lead cybersecurity operations permanently.
In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission changed the definition of broadband in response to growing Internet demands. Experts differ on whether the COVID-19 crisis calls for another definition change in 2020.
What can go wrong if a public agency makes its website cleaner, more responsive and more personalized? Plenty. The Virginia Lottery shares why users should always guide the development of a new site.
The New York city's first chief data officer is heading to the private sector. He and Chief Innovation Officer Adria Finch shared their thoughts about how the public CDO position defies neat categorization.
Early in 2020, Dallas appointed Gloria Lopez Carter as an interim CIO after the departure of Hugh Miller. Last week, career federal employee Bill Zielinski started his tenure as Miller's permanent replacement.
Before COVID-19, many governments wouldn't dream of having remote proceedings. That reality has changed. What guardrails should be in place to prevent abuse of tech-driven meetings?
In 2018, Mississippi ranked near the bottom of the country in terms of broadband access. Today, evidence suggests a 2019 law could forever change the status quo of high-speed Internet in rural Mississippi.
A large drone flew over Minneapolis last week during protests about the death of George Floyd. The drone belongs to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but it's unknown who requested the aircraft.
Years of research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have produced an airborne substance that can eradicate harmful microorganisms, including COVID-19.
Arizona Sen. Martha McSally is leading the latest push against drones manufactured in China. Her proposal would prevent state and local agencies from using federal money to buy or operate such technology.
The Texas Railroad Commission believes its drone inspection team offers multiple advantages, including quality investigation of areas that humans can't reach and reduced person-to-person contact during COVID-19.
Years ago, Gonzales, Calif., couldn't get a good broadband deal for its residents. After aggressively taking initiative in a variety of ways, the city can now connect any household to high-speed Internet.
Because some unemployment insurance cases require human intervention, even states with updated technology can barely keep up with the surge of unemployment insurance claims caused by COVID-19.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has inspired the birth of new state broadband programs, but it has also raised questions about funding and the longer term future for other programs aimed at bolstering connectivity.
Just a few years ago, the business processes of the Texas Department of Insurance were slow and outdated, but a response to Hurricane Harvey moved the agency forward and prepared it for COVID-19.
Since being forced to go remote by COVID-19, governments have grappled with various issues around information sharing and collection. Cowlitz County officials explain their response to the unprecedented challenge.
Kimbriel has been a staple of the Texas Department of Information Resources for more than a decade. Ahead of his retirement tomorrow, he shared several observations about the potential of Texas IT.
Police in Westport, Conn., thought they had found a viable method to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak in the form of a new drone, but public comments inspired the local department to abandon the technology.
Boston officials realized COVID-19 could overwhelm even the high-class hospital system of their local area, so they created a new facility, Boston Hope, with help from state and private partners.
A new Federal Communications Commission report suggests U.S. broadband deployment is trending in the right direction, despite flawed mapping data and a lack of tech neutrality in the analysis.
Unemployment insurance claims have easily surpassed 26 million in just a few weeks. Cloud-based applications and call centers are taking some of the pressure off exhausted state UI systems.
A number of U.S. police departments have utilized drones as part of their efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, though public safety agencies differ in the way they employ the emerging technology.
Michael Schnuerle made history as the first chief data officer of Louisville, Ky. A long-time maker of open-source tools, he will join the Open Mobility Foundation later in April.
Earlier this month, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation released a report outlining numerous tech-driven stimulus proposals to help the United States be better prepared for pandemics in the future.
Local governments have an obligation to keep conducting business and engaging the public during the global pandemic, but there can often be more to virtual public meetings than meets the eye.
COVID-19 has brought about a sea change in the way college educators have to think about courses, students and technology as they hunker down to finish an unprecedented academic year.
States have never seen the volume of unemployment insurance claims that they have received in recent days. Although some online systems are doing better than others, states urge citizens to utilize virtual services.
In some of the most remote areas of the country, neither wired nor current wireless solutions seem like viable connectivity options. But with a few more regulations lifted, white space could be the answer to this problem.
CIO, Aurora, Ill.
With schools closing across the country due to the novel coronavirus, digital learning seems like the antidote. On-the-ground in urban and rural districts, however, there is a more complicated story to be told.
Desperate times sometimes call for new measures, but U.S. policy and experts suggest that drones will not be used in advanced operations related to COVID-19 without further testing and discussion.
Based in Santa Clara, Calif., Impossible Aerospace is bringing a drone response system to the market later this year, but such innovation won't come without economic risk and lessons to be learned.
IT veteran David Partsch has taken over the newly created chief data officer post at a time when agencies and the public are looking to data to better understand the threat posed by the COVID-19 virus.
At best, data from the Federal Communications Commission tells an incomplete story about broadband in the states. Here's what Wisconsin, North Carolina and West Virginia have done to paint a clearer picture.
Despite a trend in recent years to centralize enterprise IT, not every jurisdiction is ready to make the move toward consolidation. Here’s a look at several governments’ paths to the IT environment that works for them.
John Salazar, a former CIO of two state departments in New Mexico, is the new IT secretary of New Mexico. Salazar replaces Vince Martinez, who served in the role for a little more than a year.
The MyTN phone app represents Tennessee's effort to put all of its government services on one platform. Development for the app will be continuous as IT reaches out to more and more state agencies for buy-in.
To avoid redundant services and boost resources on both sides, Kansas City IT is merging with its law enforcement tech department. The sensitive nature of police work means the move is no small feat.
Local 911 departments tend to use technology that, while old, is comfortable and familiar. But a trio of Florida counties seems to represent part of an emerging movement toward next-generation 911 and the cloud.
Maternal deaths have recently increased in the United States as rates fall in other developed countries. A new bill suggests broadband, or the lack thereof, could be a critical factor for the health of pregnant mothers.
The Defense Information Systems Agency first learned about a data breach to one of its systems in summer 2019. Earlier this month, it notified potential victims of identity theft with a letter.
A new blockchain-focused initiative with the American Council on Education suggests that the emerging technology could transform the world of learner records, though many questions remain.
Canadian company First Responder Technologies seeks to give schools, places of worship and other institutions an inexpensive and accurate method of identifying deadly weapons before tragedy strikes.
As the Federal Communications Commission prepares $20.4 billion aimed at fixing broadband access challenges, stakeholders have voiced both optimism and concern about how the funds are being distributed.
New software tools could help states collect sales tax revenues on all products purchased online thanks to a Supreme Court ruling. The change will generate billions in new revenue.
Gloria Lopez Carter, who has been a public servant in the city for more than 30 years, will be the city's interim CIO until a permanent replacement is found. The city's last CIO, Hugh Miller, left the position in January.
NextLight, the municipal broadband service for Longmont, Colo., offers a community-driven program that puts low-income families with school-age children on a path to high-speed Internet for no charge.
The first state CDO, Andrew Laing, left his station for the private sector in September. Kristin McClure, a data scientist with about 20 years of experience, recently filled this increasingly critical position.
Cyberattacks, Internet shutdowns, online bullying, and other types of behavior threaten the rights of citizens. Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, offers a contract to regulate Internet norms.
Since 2016, more than a dozen rural communities in Massachusetts have gained high-speed Internet with state support. Mount Washington and Montgomery, with populations under 1,000, have unique stories to tell.
Pettit, a familiar figure in the government IT space over the last 20 years, is now Colorado's CTO. He comes to the position after a search to replace David McCurdy, who left the role in October last year.
Scott Carbee has served as either deputy or interim chief information security officer of Vermont since January 2018. Late last week, CIO John Quinn elevated Carbee to permanent state CISO.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the city of Las Vegas became aware of what it is calling a "compromise" of its network. Officials are assessing the situation and hope to have more details confirmed within 24 hours.
After helping Minnesota create a security operations center that protects a wide variety of state institutions, Aaron Call has departed from his role as CISO. Rohit Tandon has taken over Call's responsibilities in an interim capacity.
Utah County plans to release an end-to-end online marriage license system, one of the first among U.S. counties. The full process, which will be demoed Dec. 18, utilizes facial recognition and blockchain technologies.
States have made progress with budget portals that allow citizens to see how tax dollars are spent, but a new report shows they remain lacking in online transparency about economic development subsidies.
A new multidisciplinary group is hoping to start a conversation that can answer questions about new concerns specific to using drones in the nation's most densely populated metropolitan areas.
Historically black colleges and universities are closely linked to their surrounding areas, including rural places on the other side of the digital divide. The Minority Broadband Initiative wants to take advantage of these connections.
Although more than 9,800 U.S. agencies are on board with the nationwide public safety communications platform FirstNet, a debate persists about the very issue that FirstNet is designed to solve: interoperability.
As an increasing number of cities nationwide work to foster equitable outcomes for residents, Albuquerque has created a new case study for how data can be used in various ways to lift populations up.
Election officials in a few states have used the mobile app Voatz to improve voting options for overseas citizens. Critics, however, continue to urge caution and skepticism about the blockchain voting method.
New proposed federal bills address everything from reporting of Internet speeds to a universal broadband definition for federal programs, but different leaders and experts raise points and questions about the laws' potential practical value.
A common issue with rural broadband expansion is small towns not having enough leverage to establish better Internet service. But legislation could turn the tables, giving communities the authority to form a unified district.
Cities frequently use RFPs and other traditional procurement methods when looking for technological solutions. But Carlsbad, Calif., has struck out on a new path with its recent request for qualifications.
For more than a decade, broadband expansion in Waterloo, Iowa, has been a relatively stagnant issue. But recent support for a feasibility study to evaluate the possibility of a municipal broadband option has put the city in the spotlight.
An IT veteran in Alaska, Benjamin Shier has taken over as acting CIO with the departure of John Boucher. The leadership change is one of several to occur since CIO Bill Vajda’s departure last year.
Governments often contend with many issues when attempting to link public dollars to real-world outcomes captured by data in disparate systems. EY claims its OpsChain Public Finance Manager will reduce those struggles.
With society rapidly digitizing and high-speed Internet access fast-becoming a vital utility, government must work to balance the needs of underserved populations with financial realities.
In Garfield County, Colo., the R&D branch of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has established the Technodrome, a drone-testing space that appears to be a national first.
Recent reports that a hacker had targeted the blockchain-based mobile voting system in 2018 added fuel to the fire about the security of such systems. But the company and governments using the technology seem unfazed.
As part of the internationally recognized Digital Inclusion Week, we talked with Delaware CIO James Collins about how broadband-related ideas like return on investment and digital equity may collide or coexist.
The state has passed more than a dozen pieces of legislation, creating an unprecedented legal foundation for blockchain business in the United States. Stakeholders sense that much more is on the horizon.
Everyone seems to acknowledge that Virginia's IT department faced an uphill battle transitioning to a new multi-supplier service model, but a recent audit raises multiple critical concerns.
Through a request for information (RFI), Ohio was able to confirm major opportunities and challenges as it aims to give all of its residents and businesses the chance to gain broadband access.
Rural areas face substantial risks in their efforts to provide high-speed Internet to citizens who live in remote places. Here's what local leaders should consider as they plan to expand broadband.
States, counties and cities across the country have noted the inaccuracy of broadband coverage data from the Federal Communications Commission, but Georgia took a more proactive route.
Many questions remain about blockchain, a young technology that interests multiple governments across the globe. Regulations and architectural models will be key to unlocking blockchain's potential.
Although many stakeholders within the United States suggest that broadband expansion has positive economic impacts, research urges careful consideration of both short- and long-term outcomes.
Four technology-driven projects in the state are proof that a centralized IT department can lead, support and promote groundbreaking programs. The projects are proof that successful innovation is about more than the tech.
The Maryland departments of Information Technology, and Budget and Management applied their respective strengths to develop a modernized website that reports government spending facts and trends.
In the wake of two recent announcements about Maryland's efforts to connect rural citizens to online services, state leaders dissect the challenge of closing the urban-rural technological divide.
The Utah County Clerk/Auditor’s Office shared the innovative method for evaluating the authenticity of votes cast by soldiers and other individuals who are not residing within the United States.
