| MOST POPULAR Zoombombing in a Time of Coronavirus Unwanted guest on your video call? Turns out the folks at Zoom didn’t anticipate the dramatic uptick in adoption of the online video conference technology brought about by the massive shift to telework in recent weeks, and pranksters and those with more malevolent motives were ready to pounce. GT’s Lucas Ropek breaks down the issue and the remedies recommended for governments to securely connect online during the quarantine. Calling All COBOL Coders New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy last week called for help to make sure the state was able to respond to the onslaught of unemployment claims cascading in. As is the case in many states, New Jersey’s unemployment system qualifies as legacy, with Murphy putting out the call for those with knowledge of 60-year-old coding language, COBOL. Many vendors chimed in to answer the call as well, with IBM offering help in the form of training materials, technical assistance forums and people power. Transit’s Sucker Punch In what will come as a shock to no one, public transit agencies are reporting precipitous falls in ridership over the past several weeks, with sources in our story supplying reduction figures as high as 90 percent. It’s unclear how far the $25 billion allocated through the CARES Act will go toward making public transit whole, post-pandemic. But it’s about more than just the numbers, as transit consultant Jarrett Walker told GT: “What transit is doing right now is making it possible for civilization to continue,” he said. Practical Lessons in Leadership The pandemic is forcing state and local government leaders to confront issues they might never have anticipated. GT is running a series of columns from academics associated with the Australia and New Zealand School of Government on leadership in crisis situations. The first two in the series of six were posted this week, offering recommendations on how to navigate many common challenges, including convening teams of experts and effectively leveraging their knowledge. | 
