Hardik Bhatt on Thursday announced his resignation as CIO of Chicago, a position he has held since February 2006. Bhatt will become managing director for Cisco System’s Smart+Connected Communities Program. Bhatt’s last day with the city is October 14th and Jason DeHaan will be named acting CIO.
City Will Keep Streetlights Off Next Year
Colorado Springs residents living under darkened streetlights may have to get used to it. Or, they can fork over $100 or $240, depending on the type of light, to turn one back on for 12 months. Denver Post
Sheriff's Detectives Fill in on Patrol
Greg Taylor has risen to the rank of detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department -- but on a recent afternoon the 12-year veteran was passing out parking tickets. Los Angeles Times
Local Jurisdictions Can't Opt Out of Federal Immigration Enforcement
Suspect Tries to Flee on Riding Lawn Mower
As deputies searched a house for stolen property a few miles away, Charles McDaniel decided to run for it. But he fled on what didn't turn out to be the fastest means of escape -- a riding lawn mower. St. Petersburg Times
School Insulin Injections to be Decided by Court
The California Supreme Court has agreed to review a ruling by its chief justice nominee and decide whether trained school employees who aren't nurses can give insulin shots to diabetic children. San Francisco Chronicle
Facebook Post Leads County Sheriff to Wanted Man
Tips Toward Mastering E-Mail Evidence
Austin, Texas, attorney Tom Watkins calls e-mail messages "the cockroaches of litigation. You can't get rid of them, and they always manage to turn up when company comes." Law.com
$27 Million for Lowercase Street Signs
New York City has begun the estimated $27.6 million process of swapping out street signs so they comply with new federal regulations. The Federal Highway Administration is requiring the city's Department of Transportation to change uppercase letters to a combination of upper and lower, saying it will improve safety. Fox News
All Texas Counties Join With Feds on Immigration Checks
All 254 Texas counties are now signed up for a federal government program that automatically checks the immigration history of suspects booked into jails and prisons. Texas is the first state in the country to have all of its counties on board with the Secure Communities program, which first was launched in Harris County's jail in 2008 and since has been implemented in 658 additional jurisdictions nationwide, said Gregory Palmore, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman. Houston Chronicle
Pennsylvania Town Will Put up With "Crap" on Signs
In mid-July, upset about the cost of a mandatory sewer tie-in, East Hanover Township resident David Kliss posted signs that read "$10,000 TO TAKE A CRAP." The township notified him that the signs violated five sections of the zoning ordinance, including one banning the display of "vulgar, indecent or obscene advertising matter." But the township relented when faced with legal action. Philadelphia Inquirer
110 Mayors Launch Volunteer Service Programs
Today, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, two of the 17 founding members of the Cities of Service coalition, launched the city of Newark’s high-impact service program, "Brick City SERVES," which will target volunteers to address Newark’s greatest needs. Cities of Service is a bipartisan coalition of 110 mayors from across the country dedicated to engaging more Americans in community service and harnessing the power of volunteers as a serious strategy to address local challenges. Cities of Service
City Council OKs Removal of Felony Questions forJobs
The Detroit City Council adopted an ordinance that immediately removes questions about felonies from job applications. The idea is to give rehabilitated felons a second chance so they are less likely to reoffend. Detroit Free Press
County Computer Systems Outdated, Says Consultant
Dallas County, Texas, commissioners learned Tuesday from a consultant that key county computer systems are faulty, inadequate and outdated -- including important criminal justice systems -- and that their information technology department lacks "vision, management, leadership and competence." Dallas Morning News
City Controller: Red-Light Cameras Haven't Improved Safety
Los Angeles' much-debated red-light camera program has bypassed some of the city's most dangerous intersections, cost more than $2.5 million over the last two years and failed to adequately demonstrate an improvement in safety, according to an audit due to be released Wednesday by City Controller Wendy Greuel. Los Angeles Times
