Chris Teale

Now: Tech reporter @RouteFifty | Then: @MorningConsult (RIP), @SmartCitiesDive, @arlnowdotcom, @alextimesnews and more | @uniofeastanglia grad | Views own

Articles

‘Water is complicated’: Utah looks to data-driven future for natural resources

1 week ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

Even though 2023 saw record snowpack, Utah is consistently one of the driest states in the U.S. and so is constantly either in drought or planning for the next one. Indeed, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently designated three counties as natural disaster areas due to the drought conditions that exist there, meaning that farmers and other producers can take on emergency loans to help them replace equipment or livestock, or refinance their debts.
State-level DOGE work gathers speed

1 week ago | govexec.com | Chris Teale

State efforts to establish their own Departments of Government Efficiency modeled after the federal DOGE are beginning to make more significant strides to slash spending, workers and real estate.
State-level DOGE work gathers speed

1 week ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

State efforts to establish their own Departments of Government Efficiency modeled after the federal DOGE are beginning to make more significant strides to slash spending, workers and real estate.
States turn to tech in push for safer roads

1 week ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

LAS VEGAS — Federal figures released earlier this month found that just under 40,000 people died in traffic crashes last year on U.S. roads. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in its early estimates that 39,345 people died in 2024, which it said was the lowest fatality rate since 2019.
How cities are making data-driven decisions in the age of AI

1 week ago | matr.net | Chris Teale

For almost a decade, What Works Cities has helped cities understand how to use the data they collect to improve outcomes. The advent of AI has accelerated much of that mission. Cities have excelled at collecting data, but the recent growth of artificial intelligence has brought into focus the need for that data to be clean, standardized and ready to use.
How cities are making data-driven decisions in the age of AI

1 week ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

Cities have excelled at collecting data, but the recent growth of artificial intelligence has brought into focus the need for that data to be clean, standardized and ready to use. Unclean data could lead to all kinds of negative consequences from AI tools, like incorrect outputs, hallucinations and bias, and those concerns have city leaders thinking hard about what to do next. Thankfully, help is at hand.
‘Hard, unglamorous work’ now can mean AI success later, city leaders say

2 weeks ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

NEW YORK CITY — When Hurricane Milton swept through Florida less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall, it also brought something officials had not seen before: tornadoes. While it may be easy to dismiss that combination of events as out of the ordinary, it got some city leaders in Florida thinking about whether this could be the new normal as the effects of climate change become more acute.
Cities prepare for ‘quite epic’ World Cup next year

2 weeks ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

NEW YORK CITY — In a little over 400 days, the world’s largest sporting event — the FIFA World Cup — will descend on the United States, and while cities are bracing for impact, they hope it will leave a positive legacy. Eleven U.S. cities will host dozens of games in 2026, in addition to several cities in Canada and Mexico, and they are preparing for thousands of fans to descend not just for the matches but for the Fan Festivals and other events that go along with the tournament.
Judge strikes down Arkansas social media law

2 weeks ago | route-fifty.com | Chris Teale

A U.S. District Judge ruled earlier this week that an Arkansas law designed to restrict children’s use of social media and verify the ages of all account holders is unconstitutional.
Cyber grant funding lapses soon and state leaders want it renewed

3 weeks ago | route-fifty.com | Comcast Business |Chris Teale

Several state technology leaders urged a House subcommittee on Tuesday to reauthorize a federal cybersecurity grant program before its funding lapses in September. The $1 billion State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, known as SLCGP, was funded by the 2021 infrastructure law and is administered by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.