As the US hosts the world, the network underneath matters

Ed Davis, the former Boston Police Commissioner who ran the city's response to the 2013 Marathon bombing, used a Boston Herald op-ed this week to make a point that gets lost in the World Cup coverage. The tournament arriving in June, the country's 250th anniversary, and the Los Angeles Olympics two years out all put enormous strain on public safety communications, and the network carrying that load is up for renewal.

That network is FirstNet, the dedicated broadband network for first responders that Congress created after 9/11. Davis has been a consistent public advocate for the network, and his argument rests on a before-and-after he witnessed firsthand. In 2013, a flood of calls and texts overwhelmed commercial networks and first responders struggled to coordinate. By the 2023 Marathon, with FirstNet in place, responders on the network saw near-total reliability even at peak hours. His read is that the difference was the network, not luck.

The deadline is real. The First Responder Network Authority sunsets in February 2027, and reauthorization legislation has been moving through Congress this year. Davis's case is that hosting the world's largest events is exactly the wrong time to let that lapse. For those of us working in public sector technology and procurement, the through line is familiar. The infrastructure that makes large events safe is rarely visible until it fails, and the funding and authority behind it tend to get attention only when a deadline forces the issue.

Gina Ortiz Jones, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, has announced the formation of a new Economic Security Advisory Group meant to position the city as a stronger player in emerging technology sectors. The group will focus on four areas that city leaders consider central to future economic growth, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, and space manufacturing. The mayor framed the initiative as a way for San Antonio to take an active role in shaping its own economic future.

The advisory group is intended to identify opportunities and strategies that could make San Antonio more competitive in these fields. The group will help city leaders determine what can be accomplished through local action and where additional support from state or federal partners might be needed.

The group is chaired by Jim Perschbach, president and chief executive officer of Port San Antonio, an organization that has worked for years to redevelop former military property into a hub for advanced manufacturing and technology companies. Other members include retired military leaders, executives from aerospace and biomedical organizations, and founders of companies working in artificial intelligence and sensor technology.

The inclusion of several retired senior military officials on the group points to a deliberate effort to draw on San Antonio's identity as a center for national security work. The mayor referred to this identity directly, describing the city as well-positioned to take a leading role given its history and concentration of defense-related institutions.

The four focus areas chosen for the group reflect broader national conversations about where future economic growth and government investment are likely to be concentrated. Artificial intelligence and quantum technology have drawn attention from state and federal officials seeking to attract research facilities and private investment. Biotechnology and space manufacturing are additional sectors in which cities across the country are competing for new projects, talent, and funding.

By creating a dedicated advisory group, San Antonio appears to be taking a proactive approach, similar to that of other municipalities preparing for major technology projects. The city is establishing a standing group of experts to offer guidance across multiple sectors simultaneously. This approach could help city officials evaluate future opportunities by incorporating input from people with direct experience in these fields.

The announcement does not specify how often the group will meet or what concrete recommendations might come from its work. It also does not detail funding, staffing, or a formal reporting structure. These details may become clearer as the group begins its work and as the city outlines next steps.

For residents, the immediate effect of this announcement is limited, since the group's role is advisory and its initial output has not yet been defined. The longer-term significance will depend on whether its recommendations translate into specific projects, partnerships, or funding requests that affect local infrastructure, land use, or public investment.

Taken together, the formation of the Economic Security Advisory Group reflects a pattern seen in cities across the country, where local leaders are trying to get ahead of major shifts in technology and federal investment. Whether the approach in San Antonio leads to new projects, partnerships, or policy changes will depend on how the group's recommendations are received and acted upon by city leadership in the coming months.

This webinar brings together public-sector technology leaders and security experts to discuss how agencies deliver secure, real-time information to first responders working across distributed, often disconnected environments. The session focuses on aligning infrastructure and cloud decisions with compliance requirements such as CJIS and HIPAA, while supporting officers, paramedics, and incident commanders who need reliable access to data in the field. It also helps public safety and IT leaders understand recent CJIS policy changes and evaluate government and commercial cloud options.  Details →

This invite-only summit brings together CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and senior IT leaders from higher education institutions across Massachusetts. The session focuses on cybersecurity, infrastructure, data strategy, AI, and digital learning, giving attendees a chance to share strategies and build peer connections. The discussion is designed to help campus technology leaders address current priorities and apply approaches that support both student outcomes and institutional goals. Details →

AI dashcams and video telematics are helping government fleets cut costs and improve safety. Many fleet managers are adopting the technology, reporting benefits such as better driver coaching, protection against false claims, and fewer accidents and lower insurance expenses. The main challenge is staff discomfort with being monitored, and the report suggests easing concerns by emphasizing safety, involving families in rollout, and being transparent about how footage is used. Read →

Michigan is adjusting its vaccine waiver process as measles cases rise and child vaccination rates drop. Since 2015, parents seeking nonmedical waivers had to attend in-person education sessions at local health departments, which initially reduced waiver rates but have recently become tense and sometimes unsafe for staff. To ease conflict, the state now supports a hybrid model in over 30 counties, where parents complete a short online course before signing their waiver in person. Counties like Washtenaw and Livingston emphasize the goal is to provide accurate information in a less confrontational way. Some areas are moving toward fully online waiver systems, while state leaders see these changes as steps to rebuild trust between families and health departments.

Scott SirLouis, chief operating officer of Beef O'Brady's, discusses why the company sees Jacksonville as one of its strongest growth markets in Florida. SirLouis describes the 40-year-old Tampa-born brand as a family sports pub, built to draw neighborhood regulars as well as game-day crowds, and the company relies on data-driven site selection to decide where to open next. Jacksonville's population growth and family-oriented neighborhoods are reasons casual dining brands keep finding room to expand. This kind of growth translates into new commercial leases, construction activity, jobs, and added sales and property tax revenue, supporting the city's broader efforts to strengthen its tax base and fund public services.

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