Local Government

La Quinta, Calif., in the lush Coachella Valley, has turned to an AI-powered solution that mines real estate transactions and other data to zero in on the homes that are operating as unpermitted vacation rentals.

Fred Richardson, a councilman running for mayor in Mobile, Ala., refused to do cybersecurity training overseen by the city's mayor. After being locked out of his email, Richardson referenced Jim Crow.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has assembled a 15-member bipartisan task force to protect the state against cyber crime. The group, made up of government and private-sector reps, will submit its first report later this year.

Plus, New York City moves to expand access to high-speed Internet for housing authority residents, and a Florida city wins a national award for using communication effectively to inspire change.

Before the pandemic, Brunswick, Ga., received a roughly $1.7 million grant to establish a bus system. The city must now figure out how to make the system sustainable given how COVID-19 can affect ridership patterns.

Different experts weigh in on whether the trend of organizations competing hard to hire the best technology people is here to stay. The answer could have important implications for state and local government.

Baltimore City has paid an extra $261,998 in severance to workers from its Office of Information and Technology, according to a new report released Tuesday by the Office of the Inspector General.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office in Georgia is employing a camera system from Altanta-based company Flock Safety to track down criminals. Those who use the system claim it's not a threat to privacy.

The Regional Transit District in Colorado needs to increase ridership, so it is looking at the option of using pandemic relief funds to reduce fares, but that idea could spell trouble for the overall budget.

Hesperia, Calif., will buy seven more automated license plate reader cameras, despite a number of residents who expressed concern that the surveillance technology could turn the city into an Orwellian dystopia.

A company says it has been purposefully excluded from a multimillion-dollar contract in California with the city of Bakersfield, Kern County and Tejon Ranch to upgrade the county’s public safety communication network.

Yesterday, Cisco hosted a roundtable discussion about Internet access featuring local, regional and international perspectives. The speakers covered everything from accountability of leadership to Wi-Fi innovation.

In March, the Camden County Police Department launched a TikTok page that has received almost 4 million views. Police Chief Gabe Rodriguez said the account has boosted both officer moral and public relations.

Water may be among the least cyber-defended critical infrastructure sectors. Keeping it safe may include channeling more funds and training to tiny agencies and establishing voluntary guidelines.

The Vigo County, Ind., Clerk's Office recently set up a booth with a mock election that included the new technologies at the Vigo County Fair in order for many citizens to try using the machines.

Examples include last year's launch of a Policing and Racial Equity Dashboard which displays citations, arrests, use of force, citizen complaints by race, and details of closed internal affairs investigations.

Plus, Michigan announces $15.3 million boost to grants for projects that improve resident connectivity, San Jose, Calif., launches a community-built platform to connect youth with mental health services, and more.

For the past 16 months, the Newport, R.I., City Council, boards and commissions have been holding their meetings with a virtual format, but that period caused by the COVID pandemic is now ending.