Virginia
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Amazon's union-busting drives exposed in NYT report
Amazon's labor practices come under heavy scrutiny in the run-up to Alabama's crucial union vote.
Amazon's next offices in Virginia will include a spiraling rooftop forest
Amazon has unveiled the second phase of its HQ2 headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and the buildings will revolve around nature and sustainability.
Rocket Lab gains FAA approval to launch satellites from US soil
After successfully returning to launch following a failure in July, Rocket Lab has announced that it has received FAA clearance to launch Electron rockets in the US.
Daimler is bringing electric school buses to Virginia
The state of Virginia has taken a big step toward greener school transportation by ordering 50 of Daimler's Thomas Built electric buses, Daimler announced. The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley models with 134 miles of range will go into service in the first phase of a plan to replace over 1,000 diesel models. The e-buses have an upfront cost that's about $120,000 higher than diesel models, but Virginia power company Dominion is reportedly paying the difference and setting up charging stations for select schools.
Alphabet’s Wing starts drone deliveries to US homes
Alphabet's Wing has started making deliveries by drone to homes in the US for the first time. During a pilot program in Christiansburg, Virginia, drones will drop off packages from FedEx, Walgreens and local retailer Sugar Magnolia, which include over-the-counter medication, snacks and gifts. Alphabet says it's the first commercial drone delivery service to homes in the country.
Alphabet’s Wing drones will soon deliver FedEx and Walgreens packages
This fall, Alphabet's drone delivery arm Wing will begin delivering goods for FedEx Express, Walgreens and a small retailer. The pilot program will be based in Christiansburg, Virginia, and it's meant to prove that Wing's drones are ready to deliver health care products, fill last-mile delivery needs and give local retailers a boost.
Daimler starts testing self-driving trucks on public roads
Daimler's plan for self-driving big rigs just came one step closer to fruition. The automaker has started testing trucks with Level 4 autonomy (that is, fully self-driving in specific situations) on public roads in southwest Virginia, near the home of recently acquired autonomous tech developer Torc Robotics. They won't be strictly driverless -- a specially trained safety driver will be ready to take over in a pinch, and an engineer will watch over the system. Still, it's an important step that should help Daimler compete with Volvo and others inching toward real-world uses for self-driving trucks.
Who are you and why are you leaving old TVs on porches in Virginia?
Residents in Virginia remain bewildered after a mysterious person with a TV on their head placed out-dated televisions on the doorsteps of more than 50 homes in Henrico County. The bandit (of sorts) struck this weekend, The Washington Post reports. Police have yet to identify the person behind the screen, even though he (or she) was spotted in action by several doorbell cameras.
Amazon plans new solar and wind farms in Ireland and Virginia
Months after Amazon shareholders turned down a plea by employees to do more about climate change, the company announced two new renewable energy projects. Today, Amazon shared plans for a wind farm in Ireland and a solar farm in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. When completed sometime in 2020, these projects are expected to generate a combined 168,000 MWh of clean energy annually, helping Amazon reach its goal to power 100 percent of its operations with renewable power.
Wing receives the first FAA certification for drone deliveries
Today, Alphabet's Wing division became the first drone delivery company to receive its Air Carrier Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The certification means Wing can begin a commercial drone delivery service, and the company hopes to launch its first delivery trial later this year. Over the next several months, Wing will work with the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program (UAS IPP) in Southwest Virginia. It will soon begin reaching out to residents and businesses in the Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia, areas to demonstrate its technology and to gather feedback.
Amazon's Virginia headquarters clears a key political hurdle
Amazon just took a large step closer to establishing a second headquarters in Virginia. The Arlington County Board has voted unanimously in favor of granting Amazon an estimated $51 million incentive package that includes $23 million in cash over 15 years as well as a $28 million, 10-year investment for infrastructure and open space. It's just a small portion of the $481 million the county has ultimately promised (95 percent of which is indirect), but it gets the process underway.
Google will have offices and data centers in 24 states by the end of 2019
Google is still closely associated with California to many people (and to a lesser degree New York), but it's determined to change that reputation. The company is launching a $13 billion expansion in 2019 that will give it a total US footprint of 24 states, including "major expansions" in 14 states. The growth includes its first data center in Nevada, a new office in Georgia, and multi-facility expansions in places like Texas and Virginia. This is on top of known projects like its future New York City campus.
Following backlash, Amazon might back out of New York-based HQ 2 plans
Amazon is said to be having second thoughts about its plan to set up a second headquarters in New York City following significant pushback from politicians and residents. Executives have considered alternative options, the Washington Post reports.
Amazon's narrowed 'HQ2' picks include Dallas and NYC
Sorry, Crystal City -- you're not the only one Amazon fancies as it narrows down its choice of location for a second headquarters (aka HQ2). Wall Street Journal tipsters say the internet giant has whittled its finalists down to a "small handful" of cities, including Dallas and New York City. They're not all at the same phase, according to the insiders, but it's clear which cities are getting attention. Talks with other contenders, such as Atlanta, Denver and Toronto, have reportedly "cooled" as of late.
Amazon may place its second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia (updated)
Amazon appears to be close to picking a city for its second headquarters ahead of its end-of-2018 deadline. Washington Post sources said the internet giant had "advanced discussions" about placing the coveted location in Arlington, Virginia's Crystal City neighborhood. The company's talks were "more detailed" than in other locations in the state's northern region, the insiders said, and there's been a "lot of activity." The main real estate developer in Crystal City (JBG Smith) has even taken some buildings off the leasing market, while officials have talked about how they would make an announcement later in November.
US will test expanded drone use in 10 states
The US government is making good on its promise to expand the use of drones. The Department of Transportation has named the 10 projects that will participate in its Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program, and they represent a wide swath of the country. Most of them are municipal or state government bodies, including the cities of Reno and San Diego, Memphis' County Airport Authority and the Transportation Departments for Kansas, North Carolina and North Dakota. However, the rest are notable: the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will be part of the program, as will the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and Virginia Tech.
Vector plans three 'microsatellite' launches in Virginia
Virginia's governor announced that microsatellite delivery company Vector has arranged a trio of launches from the state's spaceport on Wallops Island. While the notice gave no information on the payloads or customers, they will be very small compared to typical commercial satellites: The company's launch vehicle, the 43-foot Vector-R, can only carry 145 pounds into orbit.
Virginia to replace voting machines over hacking concerns
States are understandably nervous about the security of voting machines given both the possibility of Russian interference in the 2016 election and machine makers' own shortfalls. And in Virginia's case, officials aren't taking any chances. The state's election board has approved a Department of Elections recommendation to make counties to replace direct-recording electronic voting machines with devices that produce a clear paper trail. Virginia had already instituted a law phasing out touchscreen voting hardware by 2020, but the new move effectively bumps up that end date to November 7th, when the state holds elections for the governorship and other key positions.
Who is Jerry Falwell Jr. and why is he reforming higher education?
Donald Trump has already earned his reputation of nominating candidates for his cabinet-level positions who face stiff opposition from the science and tech community. He's given the nod to former Texas Governor Rick Perry, who once called on Congress to abolish the Department of Energy that he now heads, and EPA nominee Scott Pruitt, who, as Oklahoma attorney general, sued the EPA no fewer than 14 times. On Tuesday, Trump continued this streak by tapping Jerry Falwell Jr. to head up a presidential task force charged with suggesting reforms for the Department of Education.
Virginia bill would effectively ban city-run broadband
Now that the FCC can't prevent states from blocking municipal broadband, telecom-backed politicians are doing their best to shut down these government-run networks. Virginia House Republican Kathy Byron has put forward a bill that would make municipal internet virtually impossible. Towns couldn't offer internet service so long as there's at least one private provider offering 10Mbps downloads and 1Mbps uploads to 90 percent of customers in the area -- and that's pretty easy to find in Virginia. Those towns that do clear this hurdle would have to both conduct a "comprehensive" assessment and give private ISPs 6 months to come up with solutions that are potentially less expensive.
