Illinois
Governor Orders Agencies to Recycle Electronics
Illinois will begin recycling computers, cell phones and other electronics discarded by state government, keeping them out of landfills where leaking mercury, lead and other toxins pose an environmental threat. Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed an executive order that officials said makes the state the first in the Midwest to require agencies, boards and commissions to safely dispose of so-called e-scrap. MORE:Chicago Tribune
The number of certified eco-friendly computer products available to government agencies has grown rapidly since a new green seal of approval was released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in July. MORE:Federal Computer Week
The Nation
Health Data Network Standards OKd
An influential advisory committee has approved a set of minimum functional requirements for the Nationwide Health Information Network, laying out a framework for exchanging medical records among doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics report is the panel’s distillation of more than 1,200 initial requirements. MORE:Federal Computer Week
Houston
Transit Agency Plans Blog
The Metropolitan Transit Authority is hoping for heavy traffic - to its blog. The agency plans to unveil a Web site before the end of the year to communicate directly with the public and has hired a former Houston Chronicle reporter as a full-time blogger. MORE:Houston Chronicle
California
Task Force to Push Broadband Networks
Saying California lags other states in government policies that promote high-speed Internet access, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order to set up a task force to streamline permitting and speed up the construction of broadband networks, while encouraging state agencies to use broadband-based technologies such as tele- and video-conferencing. MORE:
San Jose Mercury News
Du Page County, Ill.
Election Commission Site Hacked
A hacker broke into the county Election Commission's Web site twice in a week, adding lines such as "you may not be a homosexual" and "your grandfather must have voted" to the list of qualifications for potential voters. Election Commission Director Robert Saar said the intrusion didn't affect voter registration files or the commission's vote-counting system. MORE:Chicago Tribune
Sequoia Voting Systems, a leading U.S. maker of electronic voting machines, and its parent company say they voluntarily submitted to a federal review and deny any links to the leftist government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. MORE:CNET News
Deals
EvolveWare's automation tools are being used by the California Employment Development Department to document legacy COBOL-based claims processing and unemployment insurance scheduling systems and migrate them to Java- and SQL Server-based platforms.
Science Applications International Corp. has been awarded a four-year, $11 million contract to continue development and operation of the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Bay Area 511 Regional Transit Information System.
Idaho has contracted with Qwest Communications International for long-distance services, including toll-free and calling-card-services. The three-year contract, which is valued at approximatly $3 million, includes two one-year renewal options.
Raytheon has won a 10-year, $229.8 million contract from Florida's Turnpike Enterprise to provide electronic toll-collection technology for the agency's 612-mile system of limited-access toll highways.
WiredRed's e/pop video onferencing software has been installed by Louisiana's 14th Judicial District Court for video arraignment and assignment-of-counsel proceedings, replacing a hardware-based system.
Illinois
