We share responsibility for effective cybersecurity

We share responsibility for effective cybersecurity

The City of College Station is joining with the Department of Homeland Security to raise cybersecurity awareness during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month throughout October. Cybersecurity is not just the responsibility of governments, companies, groups, or individuals. Everyone shares the responsibility for cybersecurity – from the average smartphone user to a corporate CEO. Continue reading We share responsibility for effective cybersecurity

Streets, avenues and parkways are not created equal

Streets, avenues and parkways are not created equal

roads

By Chase T. Brooke, Former GIS Intern

As you drive around town, do you ever wonder why we call some roads avenues and others drives? Or why some are parkways or lanes?

These designations don’t happen by chance. Many have long-reaching histories going back hundreds of years. The terms listed below are not absolute, but we thought it might be fun to list standard road classifications in College Station with their general definitions: Continue reading “Streets, avenues and parkways are not created equal”

Discover geocaching on Dec. 12 at Veterans Park

Discover geocaching on Dec. 12 at Veterans Park

Copyright: leaf / 123RF Stock Photo
 By Chase T. Brooke, GIS Intern

Scavenger hunts have been popular across the United States for decades. Participants seek to gather items – or take photographs of them — on a list prepared by organizers. In the 1990s, the game migrated to the internet to encourage exploration of the World Wide Web.

The concept’s latest manifestation is geocaching, a high-tech scavenger hunt that uses smartphones and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices to locate hidden treasures or caches.

Continue reading “Discover geocaching on Dec. 12 at Veterans Park”

Technology helps council members engage from afar

Remote Participation

Mayor Nancy Berry and Councilwoman Julie Schultz welcome James Benham’s remote participation at a recent meeting.


“Indeed it has been said that democ­racy is the worst form of gov­ern­ment, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time …” –Winston Churchill


By Ben Roper, Director of Information Technology

Democratic government is messy, and can be compared to making sausage — no one really likes to watch the process, and not everyone approves of the final product.

Representative government was viewed by the founding fathers as so important that Article I of the U.S. Constitution sets the provisions at the federal level. However, the same concept is even more vital at the local level. As in many cities our size, College Station’s city council members are unpaid volunteers, and their full-time jobs and other demands occasionally conflict with scheduled council meetings.

Not long ago, that meant they sometimes had to miss council meetings, which affected their ability to represent their constituents in the debate and dialogue of a typical meeting. The institution of representative government was not completely fulfilled in those instances.

Continue reading “Technology helps council members engage from afar”

Six ways to keep your online experience safe

1594411528_1512b1aad5_bDespite its immense benefits, the World Wide Web can be a hazardous place. By taking a few simple precautions, you can ensure that your online experiences are safe and secure.

With National Cyber Security Awareness Month coming to a close, the City of College Station and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) remind you of some basic ways to help keep your online experience safe. These six tips apply to any electronic device, including smart phones and tablets: Continue reading “Six ways to keep your online experience safe”