Technology & Society
Connectivity, automation, and everyday technology are changing how cities run, how people work, and how communities live. This section looks at the programs, policies, and tools putting technology to work for real people, and what those changes mean for daily life.
We cover topics such as broadband access, digital equity grants, public-sector AI tools, and community technology projects. Each article explains who is affected and what changes for them, and links to official sources so you can check the details and find help or funding where it is available.
-
Baytown Approves $3.4 Million for Smart Water Meters
Baytown, Texas approved a $3.4 million contract with Ameresco to replace aging water meters with smart meters that give residents hourly usage data and leak alerts. Savings are not yet measured.
-
Harford County Launches Tracker for Solar and Battery Projects
Harford County, Maryland now publishes an online map of 26 proposed solar and battery storage projects, with each project’s review status. Here is what it shows and what it does not.
-
Comcast Says Eastern Ohio Rural Fiber Build Is Complete
Comcast says it finished a fiber-powered build that makes service available to more than 2,300 previously unserved homes and businesses in five Eastern Ohio counties, with support from BroadbandOhio.
-
Mitchell, SD Tests Amira AI Reading Tool in Pilot
Mitchell School District in South Dakota reports that 47 of 60-plus students in a seven-week summer pilot met its reading growth goal using Amira. The data is district-reported and has no comparison group.
-
Calvert County Earns 3 NACo Awards for Portal and AI Work
Calvert County, Maryland won three 2026 NACo Achievement Awards. We checked what the county’s utility portal and employee AI program actually report, and what they do not.
-
Las Vegas RED LINE Bus Rapid Transit Opens on Maryland Parkway
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada opened its $378 million RED LINE on August 23, 2026. The agency expects about 20% shorter bus trips than the old Route 109, but no measured results exist yet.
-
Missouri Flood & Drought App Shows Live River Data
Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources released a free Flood & Drought app in April 2026. It maps streamgage and soil-moisture readings, forecasts, and lets users subscribe to alerts.
-
NCDMV Reports Average Waits Near 22 Minutes After Digital Push
North Carolina officials say average DMV waits fell from over three hours in summer 2025 to about 22 minutes. Here is what the state reported, what drove it, and what the figures leave out.
-
Phoenix’s AI Traffic Signals: A Vendor Reports Up to 29% Less Delay
NoTraffic reports its AI signals cut afternoon-peak delay by up to 29% on one Phoenix corridor. The figures are vendor-reported, and independent evaluations are still pending.
-
Doddridge County Offers Free Home Internet to Student Households
Doddridge County Schools and Citynet are offering free home internet to households with enrolled students through July 2027. Here is what the partnership covers, who pays, and what is still unproven.