Quick Hit News
The Rio Grande International Study Center is using lidar technology to map tree canopy coverage in Laredo, Texas, as part of its Tree Equity Study. The initiative aims to address urban heat islands and environmental justice by identifying areas lacking green cover. With support from the Environmental Justice Data Fund, the project combines aerial lidar scans with previous heat index data to guide reforestation and climate resilience strategies. Read →
Yüda Ayüda, a nonprofit in Modesto, California, has launched “Cafecito y
Computadoras,ˮ a bilingual tech literacy program aimed at rural and working-class families. The initiative blends digital fundamentals with AI fluency,
offering free devices to qualifying low-income participants. Backed by local foundations and public funding, the program uses a BUILD framework to
Scranton Police Department is modernizing public safety through tech-
enabled patrol vehicles, virtual reality training, and drone-assisted operations. Officers now use mobile units with Wi-Fi, printers, and real-time GPS to streamline incident response and reporting. VR tools simulate high-risk scenarios for faster, more effective training, while drones support surveillance, search and rescue, and tactical missions. Read →
Community Spotlight
Mayor Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle: Responsible AI and Civic Innovation in Action
Seattleʼs future isnʼt just about tech; itʼs about trust. Thatʼs the ethos Mayor Bruce Harrell brings to his new Responsible AI Plan, launched alongside a citywide Community Innovation Hackathon Series. The initiative blends policy with participation, aiming to make AI work for residents. Harrellʼs plan outlines ethical guardrails, transparency standards, and equity goals to guide how city departments deploy AI from permitting to public safety.
Inside City Hall, the effort is cross-functional. The Office of Technology and Innovation leads the charge, but departments like Transportation and Human Services are already piloting AI tools to improve service delivery. The hackathon series invites residents, students, and technologists to co-create solutions, ensuring community voices shape the tech that governs them.
Governance is rooted in accountability. Harrellʼs framework includes public reporting, bias audits, and a Responsible AI Advisory Board to keep city systems aligned with democratic values. Heʼs also pushing for regional collaboration, urging other West Coast cities to adopt similar standards and share lessons learned.
At the street level, the work is tangible. Whether itʼs smarter traffic signals or AI-assisted housing applications, Harrellʼs approach centers on usability and inclusion. Residents arenʼt just data points, but theyʼre co-designers. The hackathons double as listening sessions, surfacing real-world needs and ideas from across Seattleʼs diverse neighborhoods.
Looking ahead, Harrell sees AI as a civic tool that empowers and helps residents.
Resources & Events
📅 Envision Summit 2025 (Huntington Beach, CA - December 3-4, 2025)
This invitation-only summit convenes top state and local government IT leaders to explore the future of digital services, AI implementation, cybersecurity, and identity management. Sessions include deep dives on AI in procurement, disaster readiness, and hybrid workforce strategies. Details →
📅 Maryland K-12 AI Leadership Conference 2025 (Hyattsville Park, MD - December 4, 2025)
Education leaders and technologists will convene to explore the transformative role of AI in K-12 learning and administration. The conference features sessions on generative AI, district readiness, and equity-centered implementation, with keynote speaker Brian Cohen guiding discussions on strategy, governance, and vendor accountability. Attendees will engage with Marylandʼs AI needs assessment and leave with actionable district-level checklists. Details →
📊 Report Spotlight: How Evidence-Driven Frameworks are Advancing Economic Mobility in Local Governments (Urban Institute + Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
The report explores how local governments are deploying a structured “Upward Mobility Frameworkˮ comprising data dashboards, planning guides, and key predictor metrics. It highlights real-world use cases from Washington, D.C.ʼs Mobility Action Plan to Fresnoʼs DRIVE initiative, where agencies are teaming with the Urban Institute and the Gates Foundation to translate data into community action. The paper emphasizes the importance of consistent metrics, locally-tailored programs, and systems-level collaboration to build resilient pathways out of poverty. Read →
Insight of the Week
The U.S. state and local governments are advancing climate resilience through cross-agency collaborations and large-scale infrastructure investments in places like San José (CA), Miami-Dade County (FL), and Alexandria (VA). Projects include retrofitting public facilities into resilience hubs, upgrading transit infrastructure for flooding/heat hazards, and making flood-control/rock-fall mitigation upgrades to critical transportation corridors. These efforts move beyond single-department responses to unified climate-resilience systems, emphasizing equity, emergency readiness, and integrated planning.
For the Commute
Silicon Valleyʼs AI-Obsessed Mayor (POLITICO Tech)
Host Steven Overly speaks with Matt Mahan, Mayor of San Jose, California, to explore how a city rooted in tech is pushing hard toward becoming the nationʼs most AI-enabled local government. The discussion covers real-world pilot uses (such as traffic light optimisation for bus routes), workforce and procurement challenges, vendor and data-ownership risks, and the balancing act between innovation and regulation.
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