Local Government

Cowlitz County has tightened its cybersecurity and payment policies after two losses of public funds, including $184,000 later recovered from a phishing scheme. The 2021 and 2022 incidents were reviewed in the county's annual accountability audit.

Information security veteran Bryce Carter says he will work with the IT department to evaluate Arlington’s security risks and needs and focus on creating an enterprise-wide security program.

As programs funded by the American Rescue Plan Act come to a close, several local governments share how the funding — and the technology that helped them distribute it — helped people in their communities.

Officials with the Douglas County Public Utility District are collecting input on proposed changes to the energy rate structure for cryptomining operations and low-tier data centers.

A phone and fax line outage at the Raleigh County Courthouse caused delays for some individuals in custody. At least one man stayed in the county three days after his bail had been paid.

Officials revamped workforce efforts by implementing new virtual training models, creating digital literacy programs and designing a data-centered platform to connect users with job opportunities based on work history and skill sets.

County commissioners have approved a $2.5 million grant application to the Appalachian Regional Commission to help incentivize the buildout of broadband infrastructure in the region.

A mid-March ransomware attack encrypted Camden County police files used in investigations and daily administration work. Another cyber incident hit the county prosecutor’s office.

The Spokane County Commission and Spokane City Council have dedicated nearly $5 million to the project. Both governments used money they received through the American Rescue Plan.

The city’s website hasn’t seen an update since 2012 and officials believe that might be why more than half of visitors to the website leave before clicking another button. Brazil-based CI&T will lead the overhaul.

Two years after the Port of Seattle lost $572,683 to phishing email scammers, the Washington state auditor's office has released the findings of an audit noting issues with consistency and adherence to procedures.

In the wake of recent news of Washington, D.C., former Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff John Falcicchio’s sudden resignation amid sexual harassment allegations, Mayor Muriel Bowser has named staff to fill openings.

The ransomware group that claims to have stolen data from the Modesto Police Department's IT network has started making the information available on its website, a threat analyst reported Wednesday on Twitter.

Roughly 150 deputies – especially those who regularly interact with the public – will soon be outfitted with the devices as part of the department’s investment in body camera technology.

Plus, the New York Public Library has won an innovation award for tackling the digital divide, Nevada is the latest state to launch a high-speed Internet outreach tour, and more.

County officials have acknowledged that 25-35MB of documents containing HIPAA information were stolen by someone who took control of an employee's computer remotely.

Portland police plan to start using drones in a yearlong pilot to document crash scenes, watch traffic, respond to bomb threats, help in searches and respond to disasters like building collapses.

Over the past few months, the city of Birmingham has helped enroll hundreds of residents in the Affordable Connectivity Program, while increasing digital skills expertise and expanding tech device accessibility through its CONNECT99 campaign.