http://www.innovations.harvard.edu This dynamic portal produced by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government brings you timely examples of government innovation. Here you will find news and features, and opportunities to connect with practitioners and policy makers like yourself. en-us Copyright 2009, Government Innovators Network Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:41:00 -0500 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:41:00 -0500 info@innovations.harvard.edu http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/863709.html Cities are trying to help Bank On participants succeed by working with them and with the banks they will entrust with their money. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/863072.html Acting administrator Prouty promises the agency will lead the nation in how they use environmentally friendly products and services. Prouty says he wants to add funding in 2011 for research and development for green products and other things. GSA's schedules received a lift in 2009 because of Recovery Act and the excitement over energy saving products and services. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/862394.html The Food and Drug Administration is launching a program to try and prevent millions of accidental drug overdoses that occur each year due to medication errors, misuse and other problems. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/862675.html The Troy, N.Y., Police Department implements computerized lockers that verify officers' identities and equipment access privileges. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/861678.html Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said he learned long ago never to speak in absolutes, but on Tuesday he unveiled a bold new strategy to get every homeless veteran off the streets within five years. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/861169.html A new destination—urban sustainability—is changing the way we make the journey. I was startled a few weeks ago to hear the urban sustainability director of a large city bemoan the fact that the community's schools require students to learn how to drive. The logic was simple: if fewer people know how to drive, there will be less driving and less driving helps reduce greenhouse gas production. But the reasoning sounded completely un-American—unless you've noticed recent developments in the automobile market and in the "urban mobility" market. A small but growing ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/860655.html OPM is hoping to launch the Veterans Hiring Initiative next week. Director Berry also planning to kick-off an initiative to pair SESers with universities to bring on new workers. Berry says a formal proposal for long-term changes to civil service could be ready by next summer. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/860405.html Be sure to wash up, Maryland doctors and nurses. You're being watched. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/859553.html These city governments are using digital technologies to better serve their citizens and streamline operations. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/859273.html Seth Roberts' Weathervane Farm on the banks of Cottonwood Creek feeds dozens of families in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. His organic produce, free-range chickens and eggs, and fresh cut flowers are in high demand at the local farmers markets. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/857994.html CIO Phil Bertolini discusses Michigan county's budget savings. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/857160.html Car owners buy glass-etching paste to burn their VIN permanently onto every window. Rural sheriffs plant GPS tracking devices on farm tractors or four-wheelers left out as bait for machinery thieves. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/856753.html Rep. Vern Buchanan has it on his BlackBerry so he can communicate with his colleagues. David Hersenhorn, reporter for the New York Times, uses it while reporting on the Hill. Adam Conner, Facebook's Public Policy Representative, needs it to lobby Congress. But what is "it"? "It" is a smart phone application that creates a Facebook-like directory of members of Congress right in your pocket. Congress in Your Pocket, as the business is called, offers an incredible amount of information on each of the 535 members of Congress including the office address, website, contact ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/855937.html iPod users have more options for accessing free digital audiobooks through the Sacramento Public Library's downloadable collection, library officials report. Previously, the majority of the library's downloadable titles were available only to non-iPod MP3 players, according to a library news release. "With the recent acquisition of the MyiLibrary download digital audiobooks service, coupled with the OverDrive download service, library customers can access a huge number of downloadable audiobooks in the library's online catalog collection for their iPods and other MP3 players," said ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/854076.html E-prescription data is sent to Rhode Island health officials to help identify potential H1N1 outbreaks and affected age groups.