September 6, 2011 By Wayne Hanson from News Reports
Traffic Cameras Spot Criminals
Police in Red Bank, Tenn., caught four suspects in a violent home invasion by reviewing images from a red-light camera near the victims' home. "We went and pulled video from the traffic camera," says Sgt. Dan Knight of the Red Bank Police criminal investigations division. "I was able to see the (suspects' vehicle) go there prior to the home invasion and when they left." USA Today
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Alabama Welcomes Red Light Cameras, Though Some Say No
Apps, Social Networks Pose New Threat to Kids
The Federal Trade Commission last month announced a $50,000 settlement with app maker W3 Innovations for collecting and dispersing information of kids under 13 in violation of the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act, or COPPA. Earlier this year the FTC wrested a record $3 million settlement from online game developer Playdom, now a division of Disney, for similar COPPA violations. USA Today
Does High-Speed Rail Make Sense for Britain?
Britain’s infrastructure demands are different from other countries’. Its regular trains are already faster than most other nations’ equivalents. Britain is sufficiently small that even without pricey futuristic technology, Manchester and Leeds are only just over two hours from London. And a greater proportion of the population is already connected to the road and rail network than elsewhere in Europe. The Economist
Lower Your Property Taxes -- Online
Cook County property owners can now attempt to lower their tax bills online — potentially saving time and hassle for thousands of county residents. Those unhappy with the assessed values of their homes — used to determine property taxes — can go to cookcountyboardofreview.com and click on “file a complaint online,” officials announced Tuesday. Chicago Sun-Times
This Digital Communities white paper highlights discussions with IT officials in four counties that have adopted shared services models. Our aim was to learn about the obstacles these governments have faced when it comes to shared services and what it takes to overcome those roadblocks. We also spoke with several members of the IT industry who have thought long and hard about these issues. The paper offers some best practices for shared government-to-government services, but also points out challenges that government and industry still must overcome before this model gains widespread adoption.
Don't miss this opportunity to see the latest in digital government solutions, keep abreast of current policy issues and network with key government executives, technologists and industry specialists.