Commonwealth Technology News

The new high-speed Kentucky Education Network (KEN) was launched on Oct. 29, 2007.  A webcast of the ceremony is available on the KEN website, above.

Gov. Fletcher Delivers on Computer Upgrades
On Oct. 31, 2007, Gov. Ernie Fletcher announced that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has completed the first phase of a project to install new computers in county clerks’ offices.

Kentucky Launches Statewide High-Speed Education Network
Kentucky students now are on the leading edge of technology and education thanks to the newly created Kentucky Education Network (KEN).

Kentucky Deploys Wireless Mesh Technology
Kentucky is leveraging a municipal wireless solution based on wireless mesh technology to help state resort parks compete with lodging facilities in the private sector.

Kentucky Prepares to Celebrate National GIS Day
The Division of Geographic Information (DGI) in the Commonwealth Office of Technology is engaged in several activities to promote the upcoming Geography Awareness Week and GIS Day.

Commonwealth Office of Technology Among Agencies Occupying Renovated State Office Building
A rededication ceremony and ribbon cutting were held on Oct. 17, 2007 at the newly renovated State Office Building on High Street in downtown Frankfort.

Court Information Now Available to Victims Through VINE Court Service
The Kentucky Department of Corrections and the Kentucky Court of Justice have collaborated to implement a new automatic notification system.

Attorney General Announces Results Of Identity Theft Prevention Initiative
Kentucky's Attorney General recently announced the results of a records disposal investigation to determine if Kentucky businesses are properly disposing of personal information contained in business records.

Financial Institutions Launches Improved Web Site
Information about and for financial institutions in Kentucky is now easier to access via the Internet, thanks to the newly redesigned Web site of the Kentucky Office of Financial Institutions (OFI), kfi.ky.gov.

Kentucky 'Supreme Court LIVE' Allows Public Access to Oral Arguments
Oral arguments presented to the Kentucky Supreme Court are available via an online Web site called Supreme Court LIVE.

Kentucky Receives Low Grade in Electronic Filing of Political Contributions
The California-based Campaign Disclosure Project recently released its annual survey rankings of states’ efforts to publicize political contributions.

New Civics Web Site a Resource for Teachers, Students, Parents and Community Leaders
The Kentucky Workgroup on Civic Literacy recently launched civics.ky.gov as a one-stop location for civic information across the commonwealth.

Kentucky Technology Scores High in National Rankings

Kentucky sometimes finds itself outside the winner's circle when national awards and rankings are handed out.  Lately, however, the commonwealth's technology efforts have received some very high scores in several prestigious national rankings.

Some of Kentucky's recent technology accomplishments include:

• Kentucky ranked 5th in the Center for Digital Government’s 2007 Best of the Web competition for state Internet portals (www.kentucky.gov);
• Kentucky placed 4th in the 2007 Brown University e-government study, State and Federal E-Government in the United States, conducted annually by Brown’s Taubman Center for Public Policy;
• Kentucky ranked 8th in the Center for Digital Government's 2006 Digital States Survey, a comprehensive study on best practices, policies and progress made by state governments in their use of digital technologies to better serve their citizens and streamline operations;
• Kentucky's Mutual Aid and Interoperability Project was named a national winner in the National Association of State Chief Information Officers 2006 NASCIO Recognition Awards (for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Information Technology in State Government); and
• The new statewide Kentucky Education Network finished in the top five (honorable mention) in the Center for Digital Education's 2007 ranking of the top K-12 and higher education Web portals and applications.