How Automated Data Can Help States Address New SNAP Requirements

by  Juan Cole

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will change social service programs substantially. Automation can reduce the need for caseworkers to sift through paperwork.

Summary

Government agencies are modernizing payment systems to meet citizen expectations for convenience and security. By partnering with independent software vendors and leveraging automation, agencies are streamlining payment processes, enhancing security, and improving efficiency.

These efforts aim to build trust and strengthen the relationship between citizens and government institutions.

 Read full story at RouteFifty…

How To Boost Government Efficiency in Fiscal Year 2026

by  Asim Iqbal& Arun Sundaram

Agencies are considering establishing efficiency programs and appointing policy or technology champions to set missions, success metrics and agendas.

Summary

Government agencies are establishing efficiency programs and appointing policy or technology champions to drive IT innovation and measurable gains.

These champions will identify inefficiencies in people, processes, and technology, and address areas where digital experiences frustrate citizens. CDW Government recommends a code-first approach to efficiency, focusing on optimizing code, infrastructure, and edge technology to achieve measurable gains.

 Read full story at FedTech…

Virginia Lawmakers Propose Slowing Down Data Center Growth

by  Dave Ress

Virginia utilities should be able to tap the brakes on new data centers and other big power users if they don't have the power plants on hand to supply them, a General Assembly panel said.

Summary

Virginia’s General Assembly Commission on Electric Utility Regulation has recommended legislation allowing utilities to delay connecting large power users, primarily data centers, if insufficient generation or transmission capacity exists to serve them reliably.

Virginia, home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers, faces surging electricity demand. Proposed connections to Dominion Energy’s grid could require power equivalent to 11.7 million homes—over twice the utility’s peak summer supply. This strains the grid, forcing imports and costly infrastructure, risking soaring bills and potential outages.

The proposed bill targets customers needing over 90 megawatts, permitting delays to prevent grid overloads. Currently, informal negotiations occur, but formal authority would clarify this “gray area.”

 Read full story at GovTech…

All Gas, No Brakes: Tech Predictions For 2026

by  Jeff Clarke

In 2025, AI became the race of the century. What felt like a sprint in January is a full-speed chase today—and with no signs of slowing down. Here are five predictions for the road ahead.

Summary

The article describes five predictions for the future of AI in 2026.

It suggests that speed will become a key competitive advantage, leading organizations to rethink their infrastructure and adopt hybrid approaches. The article also predicts that micro LLMs will bring AI to the edge, enabling faster, more private, and resilient systems.

 Read full story at Forbes…

Still Using Windows 10? You're a Prime Target for Ransomware Now — Unless You Do This

by  Ed Bott

Attackers are circling— and they will strike without warning.

Summary

The end-of-support deadline for Windows 10 has passed, leaving millions of PCs vulnerable to attack. History repeatedly demonstrates the catastrophic consequences of running an unpatched operating system. Following the Windows 7 end-of-support, millions of PCs became vulnerable to ransomware groups, eventually leading to emergency patches for flaws like PrintNightmare.

Similarly, the 2017 WannaCry attack brutally exploited unsupported Windows XP systems. For current Windows 10 holdouts, delaying an upgrade means significant risk. Recent security updates, even for the first month after support ended, included vulnerabilities already labeled “Exploitation Detected,” signaling that attackers are ready. Users must sign up for the free Extended Security Updates (ESU) program–available until October 2026–or face almost certain exploitation when remotely accessible attacks inevitably emerge.

 Read full story at ZDNET…

Windows 11 Is Full of Secret Tools. Here Are the Weirdest Ones You've Never Used

by  Chris Hoffman

Think you know Windows 11? Hidden deep in Settings are strange, brilliant, and downright surprising features you've probably never stumbled across—until now.

Summary

Windows 11's Settings app holds numerous unexpected, yet useful, features beyond standard configuration options. Among them is Dynamic Lock, which utilizes Bluetooth to automatically lock your PC when your phone moves out of range, serving as a handy security alternative to the manual lock shortcut.

The OS also features Nearby Sharing, Microsoft's overlooked version of AirDrop, which enables file and link sharing between nearby Windows PCs using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Other notable capabilities include Storage Sense for automated cleanup of temporary and download files, the ability to use your PC as a projection target for other devices (Project to Your PC), and configurable Clipboard Sync between multiple PCs.

Finally, the system includes an End Task button on the Taskbar for quickly closing misbehaving programs, and the old Aero Shake feature, now called Title Bar Window Shake, which minimizes all other windows.

 Read full story at PCMag…

Natural Gas to Be a Major Player in Expanding the Power Grid

by  WAJR

Natural gas looks to be a significant contributor in the coming years as the power grid expands to meet Governor Morrisey's goal of growing electricity production to 50 gigawatts by 2050.

Summary

On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Charlie Burd, executive director of the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, highlighted the state’s vast natural gas potential to boost production and lower utility rates.

West Virginia ranks as the nation’s 5th largest natural gas producer, with the 3rd largest reserves and significant underground storage capacity—holding about 6% of U.S. reserves. Currently, 90% of its production is exported, but new gas-fired power plants aim to utilize this resource locally to support Governor Justice’s “50 X 50” energy goal.

Projects include First Energy’s 1.2 GW and 625 MW facilities, CPV’s 2 GW plant, and a proposed 1,200 MW site—together creating thousands of jobs. Burd noted that increased production and consumption will drive down commodity prices and consumer bills, while generating severance taxes for state programs.

Growth in AI and data centers is expected to further fuel demand, positioning natural gas as the key to affordable, reliable power.

 Read full story at WAJR…

Thermal Batteries Are Ready. Our Electricity Rules Aren't

by  Katherine Hamilton and Isaac Brown

Exposing thermal batteries to real-time market signals would help lower system costs and strengthen America' manufacturing base and AI infrastructure.

Summary

Thermal batteries, which store energy flexibly and deliver industrial heat, can help meet growing electricity demand and improve grid reliability.

However, outdated electricity market rules, such as retail rates for thermal batteries and inflexible grid fees, hinder their widespread adoption. Modernizing these rules to allow thermal batteries to participate in wholesale markets and reflect their unique benefits would unlock their full potential and benefit consumers and industry alike.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

What's Really Driving Up US Electricity Prices?

by  Michelle Levinson & Ian Goldsmith

Summary

U.S. electricity prices have risen nearly 30% since 2010, with utilities seeking $71.2 billion in rate increases through 2028. Public blame often targets AI data centers, clean energy growth, or grid investments, but a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Brattle Group study reveals a multifaceted reality driven by multiple factors.

Inflation-adjusted, average retail prices declined 8% since 2010 and remained flat post-2019. However, trends vary: residential rates rose slightly (adding about $540 annually per household), while commercial and industrial rates fell. Geographically, 32 states saw decreases, but California experienced sharp increases over 6 cents per kWh.

Key drivers include surging demand outpacing supply (e.g., data centers in PJM), aging grid replacements amid supply chain issues, extreme weather costs (notably wildfires in California), volatile natural gas prices, and minimal impacts from clean energy standards. Conversely, market-driven wind and solar have lowered costs in many areas.

No single scapegoat exists; solutions require context-specific policies promoting demand management, grid enhancements, public financing, fuel risk-sharing, and expanded cost-effective renewables for long-term affordability.

 Read full story at World Resources Institute…