Philadelphia

A bad update can bring down entire operations. Here’s how governments are returning to business as usual after the landmark CrowdStrike outage — and how to prepare for the next such incident.

Local governments have turned to GIS tech to enhance their election process, for staff and voters alike. This year, several jurisdictions will debut new features to further improve transparency and make voting easier.

The incident, first publicly reported in October, appears to have not resulted in any victimizations by identity theft or fraud. It’s unclear how the data breach happened, but the city’s Law Department has notified those affected.

The Philadelphia City Commissioners will retain a marketing firm to battle voter deception, boost voter participation and bolster confidence in the electoral process. The campaign will also remind people when and how to vote.

Some 75 percent of low-income residents in Philadelphia, for example, say that they cannot afford to pay more than $21 a month for a broadband subscription.

A ninth-grade teacher at Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia saw only positives to keeping phones out of reach during class, and students themselves attested to their improved concentration and engagement.

Former Executive Director, Philadelphia Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker appointed veteran manager Melissa Scott to serve as chief information officer, the city announced Monday. Scott has been on staff more than eight years and arrived from private-sector IT.

The Philadelphia Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities has created the Disability Characteristics Map using census data to represent the diversity in abilities of the city's residents.

The Philadelphia Office of Innovation and Technology has created a Racial Equity Action Plan. Equity plays an integral role for an office tasked with supporting other city departments with technology.

The city of Philadelphia has launched a two-year pilot project that makes free transit passes available to its more than 20,000 employees. The program promises a wealth of data and a lifeline to public transit.

For campus safety, Philadelphia School District is installing metal detectors, launching surveillance drones, buying a video-management system for its cameras, and enhancing police presence and community patrols.

Damian Oravez takes over as chief information security officer after working a similar position at Philadelphia International Airport for four years. The move comes after the city appointed an interim CIO in June.

Plus, more state leaders react to recent federal funding decisions on broadband, the National Tribal Telecommunications Association will hold an event in August, and more.

The city of Philadelphia announced that Chief Information Officer Mark Wheeler is leaving the city, and Chief Operating Officer Sandra Carter has officially started serving as interim CIO this week.

Existing data gaps related to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community must be understood and addressed in order for government agencies to equitably serve the needs of constituents regardless of identity.

Plus, a new report looks at what digital inclusion efforts are lacking, a pair of organizations are partnering to promote broadband careers to students and more.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is looking for a new fare system after more than a decade with its current vendor. Officials are looking for an “open architecture” option that can be more easily adapted to future needs.