Route Fifty

Pittsburgh’s Department of Innovation and Performance Celebrates Its Transformation

Mayor Bill Peduto: “One year in, you’ve knocked it out of the park, which means I expect so much more in year two.”

Route Fifty

Inventive Ways Local Governments Are Increasingly Using Aerial Drones

From economic development to hazardous materials response, unmanned aircraft is giving agencies a new tech boost.

Nextgov

The Case for a Cyber Red Cross

Some experts advocate for an impartial, nongovernmental organization that would respond to cyberattacks the same way the Red Cross responds to natural disasters and war conflicts.

Route Fifty

States Strive to Keep Medicaid Patients Out of the Emergency Department

When Medicaid recipients receive care in emergency departments, the cost is higher than it is in doctors’ offices. The challenge is reducing those costs without endangering patients.

Route Fifty

Rahm Emanuel's Moment of Truth

The Chicago mayor hopes voters will allow him to avoid an April runoff despite school closures and outbreaks of violent crime.

Nextgov

Spy Research Agency Is Building Psychic Machines to Predict Hacks

Using publicly available Internet data, supercomputer-like systems will estimate when a prowler might try to breach a system.

Route Fifty

To Improve Gender Equity, Local Governments May Want to Look at Non-Profits

To tackle the “13 percent” quandary, it’s time to create positive feedback loops for women in local administration.

Nextgov

Megan Smith Wants to ‘Debug’ Tech’s Diversity Problem

The U.S. chief technology officer said she remains hopeful about the prospects for change -- especially in Silicon Valley.

News

VA Employees Get Some Recognition at the Oscars

Film on the department’s suicide prevention hotline wins Best Documentary Short.

Nextgov

Multiple Companies Protest $1.6 Billion Pentagon Contract

The bid protestors contend the contract re-up is an improper sole-source request for cloud services that would give VMware an unfair advantage competing for DOD’s growing cloud demand.

Route Fifty

For Public Employees, Your First Amendment Rights as an American Are 'Curtailed’

Seattle puts its police officers on notice when it comes to their personal social media conduct.

Nextgov

EXCLUSIVE: State Department Trashed 30,000 Log-in Key Fobs After Hack

The decision to replace tens of thousands of passcodes and two-step authentication credentials "was based on sound cybersecurity best practices,” a State official said.

Route Fifty

Harvard’s Ash Center Honors Innovative State and Local Government Projects

Attention state and local governments: The 2015 Bright Ideas might spark ways to develop and implement smart programs.

Nextgov

What Really Grinds Federal IT Managers’ Gears? Try the Hiring Process

The CIO Council has just wrapped up a survey of the IT workforce about its frustrations with the federal hiring process.

Route Fifty

Native American Tribes and the Future of Marijuana

Forget the handful of states that have legalized the drug. There are 566 tribes currently mulling whether to sell pot.

Nextgov

Paying the Government Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

Thanks to a newly unveiled partnership, the public can now make online payments using two popular digital wallet services, PayPal and Dwolla.

Nextgov

‘Data Science is a Team Sport': DJ Patil Spends First Day Pitching Silicon Valley on Joining Government

In its quest to get more data scientists into government, the Obama administration is likely to face stiff competition for talent from the private sector.

Nextgov

America Needs a New FOIA Overseer: Is it You?

The office in charge of monitoring governmentwide FOIA compliance and policy is looking for a new leader.