Infrastructure Overhaul Should Focus More on Safety, Advocates Say
Over 6,700 pedestrians died during the pandemic despite emptier roads.
Colonial Pipeline forked over $4.4M to end cyberattack -- but is paying a ransom ever the ethical thing to do?
While law enforcement agencies encourage victims not to pay off attackers, paying ransom is not illegal, and even police departments have been known to pay up when their systems have been compromised.
One-Fourth of Low-Income Immigrant Households Avoided Public Benefits in 2020
Despite financial hardships brought on by the pandemic, some households did not seek benefits because of concerns due in part to the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule.
How Cities Are Using Citizen Feedback to Guide Federal Relief Spending
There’s a wide range of possibilities for how the $350 billion in funding can be used. “We really wanted to understand how the community was thinking in terms of investment versus recovery,” says one city official.
Some States Update Child Neglect Laws to Allow 'Reasonable Independence' For Kids
A handful of states have clarified neglect laws to allow parents to permit their children to walk to school and play outside alone without fear of intervention from police or Child Protective Services.
What the data says about phone use while driving
Researchers at Texas A&M University found that not only does the frequency of phone use correlate to the number of distracted crashes on urban roads, but there’s a direct link between road geometrics -- the presence or absence of a shoulder or extra lanes -- and more phone use while driving.
Bipartisan, $304B Roads Bill Clears Senate Committee
Lawmakers in both parties are framing the legislation as a potential step toward a broader infrastructure deal. A new, $1 billion program for bike and pedestrian projects was added to the bill during a markup.
How hot is it? Communities collect heat data
About 25 cities this summer will work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to collect data to identify neighborhoods with extreme heat.
Reduce the noise to strengthen agency cybersecurity defenses
With up-to-date robust tools, detailed processes and policies and an involved cybersecurity workforce, agencies can reduce the noise in network traffic and spot the hidden and more complex risks and threats.
Analysis: The States with the Largest and Smallest Tax Increases
Legislatures have implemented or are considering tax policy changes that will impact their states’ budgets in fiscal year 2022, according to analysis by Fitch Ratings.
Reimagining Street Parking to Improve Traffic Flow, Business Opportunities
COMMENTARY | The pandemic has created a unique opportunity for forward-thinking municipalities to fundamentally change transit and mobility.
The Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Hackers Had a Secret Weapon: Self-Promoting Cybersecurity Firms
Five months before DarkSide attacked the Colonial pipeline, two researchers discovered a way to rescue its ransomware victims. Then an antivirus company’s announcement alerted the hackers.
Why More Public Libraries Are Doubling as Food Distribution Hubs
COMMENTARY | What might look like a new role for libraries builds on their long tradition of serving as innovation spaces, community centers and sanctuaries for people who are homeless or mentally ill.
America’s Entire Understanding of the Pandemic Was Shaped by Messy Data
COMMENTARY | Our view of this crisis has been blurry from the beginning.
State and Local Leaders Form New Group to Tackle Broadband Gaps
Members of the NewDEAL Forum launched the task force this week. It’ll focus on issues like expanding high-speed internet access in rural areas and improving affordability.
The Real History of America’s Failed Mental-Health-Care System
COMMENTARY | A popular theory links the closing of state psychiatric hospitals to the increased incarceration of people with mental illness. But the reality is more complicated.
Survey: The Top Challenges for State and Local Government Workforces
The Covid-19 pandemic caused cuts in benefits, pay freezes, furloughs and layoffs, but there have been some positive changes this year, according to a recent survey.
Multiple States Offer Bonuses to Entice Residents Back to Work
The payments, largely funded by federal coronavirus relief money, are designed to address a labor shortage that some economists say is due to slow wage growth.
Fast computers, 5G networks and radar that passes through walls are bringing ‘X-ray vision’ closer to reality
Radar sensors can often collect and process large amounts of data – even in harsh environments – and generate high-resolution images of targets.
Who are you? Rising to the data protection challenge
Mainframes allow agencies to implement zero trust, multifactor authentication and privileged user access as standard practices, without requiring additional capacity.
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