The Long Island Sound sector of the U.S. Coast Guard last month announced Aqua Alert, a new pilot program to notify the public about maritime emergencies and provide real-time information to aid search and rescue efforts on the water. Joshua Smarzo, a Coast Guard lieutenant and command center sector chief, tells the Priorities Podcast the new program will help meet the challenges of managing search and rescue operations, especially during the summer boating season. Smarzo says it will be critical to test the system to avoid unnecessary alerts and ensure effective communication with 911 centers.

Top stories this week:

Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday issued a disaster declaration for Marlin, Texas, in response to a failure of the city’s water treatment system.

Maryland’s technology department on Monday announced it’s hired James Saunders, a former federal technology official, to serve as its new chief information security officer.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Friday vetoed legislation that would have placed as much as 10% of the state’s funds in cryptocurrency. In a letter Friday to Warren Petersen, the Republican president of the Arizona Senate, Hobbs dismissed the idea.

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