Fusion centers were created in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks to improve information gathering and intelligence surveillance among law enforcement agencies. But their effectiveness and legality has been questioned ever since.
Lawmakers in New Jersey have proposed paying part of college graduates' student loans if they agree to live in cities in need of revitalization.
Looking to reduce the economic and human cost of arson, the state is creating an arsonist registry to make catching repeat offenders easier.
To help rural America's drought of lawyers, South Dakota has passed the nation's first law to pay them to live and work in rural areas.
The Canadian city of Edmonton has created a for-profit agency to sell its expertise in waste management to other cities around the world.
Seeking to adapt to the changing demands of the digital age, some public libraries are beginning to loan out more than just books and movies.
New York City has created the country's first municipal program that uses volunteer tech experts, including Facebook employees, to improve its emergency response.
New Jersey is expanding a local program that helps human services agencies get a more accurate picture of where and when aid is most needed.
The NYPD will soon begin using 'bait bottles' of fake pain-killers equipped with invisible GPS devices to combat a rise in pharmacy robberies.
A town in New Jersey has created a program that offers residents the chance to earn property tax credits by patronizing local businesses.
A nonprofit is helping cities across the country fund free outdoor gyms in public parks to help combat the nation's obesity epidemic.
One of the nation's busiest airports is using sustainable practices and a lot of worms to start making money on all the waste it produces.
Washington state trains prisoners to do scientific research.
Despite privacy concerns, a growing number of public transit agencies are adding audio surveillance to buses.
Customer feedback on social media has become invaluable to private businesses in recent years. Now, cities like Washington, D.C., are turning to it to grade their agencies.
A nonpartisan nonprofit helps newly elected female legislators learn how to serve their constituents better by pairing them with veteran lawmakers.
Built on the same concept as a typical Wikipedia page, city and county-centered wikis are popping up around the country.
Voters in three states approved marriage for same-sex couples for the first time in history. In a fourth state, a measure to ban gay marriage was defeated.
MyFairElection aims to make voters more active in monitoring their polling places to improve the fairness and quality of the electoral process.
A new statewide website unveiled this month is designed to help residents identify career paths, get training and find local jobs.
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A new law requires paint manufacturers to put a system in place to make recycling leftover paint easier for residential and commercial customers.
By using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software the city has overhauled a time-consuming process to save time and money while making the city safer.
Milwaukee County hopes that radar detection coupled with new signage will stop wrong-way drivers in their tracks.
The police department has created 51 hyper-local accounts to keep residents informed about crime and police response.
The state has unveiled a new smartphone application, ENDWI, that has a suite of features to promote responsible drinking.
A nonprofit is working to create a real-time map of air quality in U.S. cities that will be available to the public.
By allowing teens as young as 16 to register and having mandatory voting drives in school the state is ahead of its peers.
Public universities that keep tuition rates down are being rewarded with extra state aid.
A community just outside the city offers homeless people a paycheck and place to live in exchange for work on a sustainable urban farm.
Camden, N.J., is piloting a new program that maps out abandoned buildings for hazards to increase safety for first responders and nearby businesses.
District of Columbia police aim to work with developers to design safe environments that prevent crime.
The city built a solar-powered, not-so-private restroom that deters illegal activity.
The Huntsville, Ala., school district is testing out the idea on 20 school buses where students spend nearly two hours a day.
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The new app pools data from three government organizations and showcases real-time statistics for the U.S. economy.
The city will be the first in the nation to test the experimental financing model for social programs.
Nine-week program that teaches good morals, ethics and behaviors has resulted in increased reporting of incidents.
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Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky will allow businesses to buy water quality credits from farmers across state lines to help them meet environmental standards.
A new state law allows for court-ordered outpatient therapy for people with severe mental illness and it will be tested at a facility in Knoxville.
The state is going to pay school districts $1,000 for every student that graduates with credentials in high-need jobs.
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Partnering with the social media site and Microsoft, the state has created an application that it hopes will boost voter registration.
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The state tourism agency is giving residents access to its Twitter account so they can tweet about what makes Vermont special.
The Redwood City police department is likely the first law enforcement agency in the nation to offer the service to citizens in non-emergency situations.
A new bill in the state sets up a recovery program that comes complete with an early-warning system to prevent future financial distress.
New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority will sell advertising space on the front of MetroCards to make more money.
The state aims to fight abuse of legal drugs by installing the boxes in police precincts in more than 20 counties.
The state's new web-based system reduces the time it takes to run a background check on potential employees from weeks to mere minutes.
Taking pictures of graffiti with GPS-enabled cameras and uploading them into a database has proven successful.
The state is using motion-activated, talking urinal cakes to raise men's awareness about drunk driving.
The new technology will improve worker safety, cut down on repair time and save money.
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Competition will have individuals or teams design applications to tackle the city's problems.
Public workers can submit their cost-cutting ideas to the state and receive 10 percent of the savings, if implemented.
Using residential roof shingles will save money and the environment simultaneously.
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A new law bans the disposal of any recyclable or compostable materials into landfills.
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The state will begin a pilot program aimed at providing more child care in it's booming western oil region.
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Successful pilot project uses high-pressure water jets to strip signs for reuse
New medical image archive will reduce costs and make health care more efficient
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Several technologies aim to save $24 million a year and make Fort Carson net-zero by 2020.
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Program will prepare military personnel for commercial driving jobs in the private sector
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Several districts try out online assessment program which will be implemented statewide in Fall 2014.
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Pilot program in residential neighborhoods will provide savings to residents
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Pilot program in California will pay cities to make the switch for holiday celebrations
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New York will become the first state to make pro bono work mandatory for admittance to the state bar.
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A new plan will target low-income inventors, allowing them greater opportunities and protection
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New standards will increase transparency and college performance.
An intensive course over two weekends aims to provide townships and cities statewide with better protection.
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New program reduced the rate of mislabeled blood specimens by 90 percent.
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Located in the heart of downtown, the lot will promote greener driving alternatives.
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Two agencies will partner to target almost 100,000 food stamp recipients with no dependents, in hopes of providing jobs that can lift recipients out of poverty.
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A managed access system will allow calls to and from authorized numbers only.
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After a tornado devastated Kentucky leaving 21 counties designated as federal disaster areas, State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach wanted to find a way for his agency to help the victims.
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Smart screens will collect data for the city while providing neighborhood information to users.
Authorities are working on a program to allow police-identified victims of identity theft to share their tax returns with law enforcement, potentially securing their tax refunds.
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The CLEAN LA program will allow the city to contract with businesses and residents to provide solar power.
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The Michigan Economic Development Corporation and an export services company want to help the state's businesses with unique opportunity to access on one of China's e-commerce sites.
Use of “poticrete” helped Bellingham, Wash., earn a green credential for sustainable walkways.
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As part of their continued efforts to promote transparency, the Obama administration has announced the creation of a “green button” on utility provider websites.
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By creating a collaborative community of entrepreneurs in Chicago's Merchandise Mart, the state of Illinois aims to increase innovation and job-growth in the region.
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Santa Cruz, Palo Alto and San Francisco all have started pilots that allow public- and private-sector workers to book workspace at libraries, helping maximize building use and cut down on commute times.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's online Self Check allows potential employees to check their eligibility status before a future employer does.
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Online reporting software allows schools to submit, track and document potential safety threats in a centralized system.
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To increase energy code compliance and reduce administrative burden, certified third-party individuals in Georgia are helping to conduct code compliance tests.
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has created a new mobile app aimed at increasing consumer knowledge about inflation and the use of credit.
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A health and fitness program for the mentally ill in Keene, N.H., will be expanded statewide due to its ability to improve one's quality of life.
A new statewide pilot program will allow judges the option of providing jurors an opportunity to contact mental health professionals after experiencing graphic evidence during a trial.
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A small plug-in credit card reader is changing how cab drivers and campaigns accept payments on the fly.
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An industrial eyesore is now an urban wetland that can help clean stormwater and provide residents with green space to enjoy.
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An anti-poverty initiative launched by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2006 is being recognized for its cross-agency approach.
English lessons over the radio and on CDs provide immigrants a way to study the language in their own homes.