Finance

The new radios include next-generation technology that would give the department improved coverage and may play a role in future school safety plans, according to Albany County, N.Y., Sheriff Craig Apple.

The Department of Homeland Security released the long-anticipated Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. A separate NOFO for the Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program will follow.

Butte County, Calif., officials have approved the purchase of a new land management tracking system with money from the $146.7 million Camp Fire settlement with Pacific Gas and Electric.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran announced the $750,000 educational grant for the Friends University cybersecurity program last week. The grant funding will go toward scholarships, technology and equipment.

The audit, commissioned by the state, found that the Department of Labor paid between $441 million and $466 million in fraudulent unemployment claims between March of 2020 and March of 2022.

A proposed decision from the California Public Utilities Commission, if adopted, will adjust California LifeLine subsidies for service plans that receive federal ACP subsidies. Reaction to the proposal is mixed.

The Luzerne County Council has approved a nearly $500,000 contract for a new ballot sorting system. The new technology will reduce the number of county employees tasked with processing mail-in ballots.

In an announcement posted on an Office of Administration's procurement website, officials say the new law is forcing them to remove contract award information from public access for privacy reasons.

The grant funding that the Cullman Electric Cooperative needed for its Sprout fiber-optic Internet project was not awarded. The financial setback will mean several communities will not get service by 2023 as originally planned.

Officials with the Department of Labor are defending the state’s newly launched $60 million benefits system saying that fraudulent unemployment insurance claims are the result of “100% identity theft.”

Edmunds GovTech, backed by private equity, is joining forces with a smaller company whose business is focused in the state of New Jersey and revolves around financial and administrative software.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that was recently signed into law includes incentives to help consumers buy electric vehicles — as long as they meet strict criteria — but that’s not necessarily the ultimate goal.

This week, Gov. Ned Lamont's office released the names of the 19 organizations that will provide training for high demand jobs in fields such as clean energy and information technology.

The legislation complements the federal CHIPS and Science Act that was recently signed by President Joe Biden. The could provide up to $10 billion in tax credits for semiconductor manufacturing projects over a 20-year period.

Roads and water infrastructure top the list of local priorities, but broadband expansion and clean energy projects are proving popular as cities face increased demand for these newer technologies.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D- Ohio, who has consistently pushed to move the legislation through the Senate, said the legislation will have a lasting impact on his home state and reduce U.S. reliance on overseas chipmakers.

Duncan Public Utilities Authority trustees have approved the funds to patch the city’s current smart meter system, which officials say is obsolete. A replacement system is set to be installed in 18 months.

The city of Barbourville has been awarded the nonprofit’s 2022 Cybersecurity Grant to help implement additional safety protocols and programs, such as multifactor authentication, advanced threat protection, and endpoint detection and response.