Critically endangered fish holds up Toyota-Mazda plant construction
A tiny endangered fish is holding up big plans in Huntsville. Toyota officials announced Thursday, that a lawsuit overs the spring pygmy sunfish — a small freshwater fish known from only one spring complex in the Tennessee River watershed. It is so rare that it was twice thought to be extinct — has halted construction on the new Toyota-Mazda plant in the Rocket City. The lawsuit Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity explains the fish, which measures about 1 inch or less in length and received status as an endangered species in 2013, was never designated a critical habitat. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is legally obligation to do one year after a species is labeled as endangered. The suit claims the last remaining habitat for the fish, which now only lives in a space measuring six stream miles near the Beaverdam Spring and Creek watershed, is at risk of being destroyed with the plans to build the automotive plant on the existing habitat. “We won’t let this rare fish wait any longer for the habitat protections it’s guaranteed under the Endangered Species Act,” said Elise Bennett, an attorney at the Center. “Reckless development has already sent this little fish diving toward the brink of extinction. The Fish and Wildlife Service needs to protect the sunfish’s habitat immediately before this massive manufacturing plant destroys what’s left of it.” Toyota-Mazda plans In January, Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. announced plans to build a massive automobile manufacturing plant in Huntsville, adjacent to the Beaverdam Spring Complex. Set to open in 2021 the plant is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles a year, and employ up to 4,000 people. “This is a short-term suspension that reflects a shared goal of environmental preservation by Mazda, Toyota and the city of Huntsville,” according to the city’s statement. “Crews anticipate construction to resume shortly with minimal disruption.”
Huntsville prepares for 2018 municipal election
The countdown is under way for the upcoming City of Huntsville municipal election on Aug. 28. Three City Council and School Board positions are up for a vote in Districts 2, 3, and 4. Qualification for candidates opened at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3, and ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17. Individuals interested in running for elected office must declare their intent with the City Clerk Treasurer during this two-week period. Dates of importance There are several dates before the municipal election that voters should note: July 17: Deadline for voter registration or change of address. Aug. 23: Deadline to apply for absentee ballots. Aug. 27: All absentee ballots are due. Aug. 28: Election Day.
LG Electronics to open Alabama solar panel plant, creating 160 jobs
LG Electronics, a leading provider of residential solar panels in the United States, announced plans on Wednesday to invest $28 million to open a world-class solar module assembly plant in Huntsville, Ala. creating 160 jobs. LG will establish the new factory with two production lines at an existing building on the company’s 48-acre campus in Huntsville, where the company has had operations for four decades. The new jobs will increase LG’s employment by 60 percent, to more than 400 workers. “LG has a long history as a leading corporate citizen in Alabama. Now, LG is launching our state’s first solar manufacturing plant, which represents a major milestone both for Alabama and for the company,” Governor Kay Ivey said of the announcement. “We look forward to seeing where this great partnership takes us in the future.” Soon Kwon, global president of the LG B2B (Business-to-Business) Company, said the new solar panel assembly plant in Huntsville underscores the company’s commitment to investing in the U.S. and to driving environmental sustainability. Starting in early 2019, LG’s new Alabama factory is expected to produce 500 megawatts of the company’s high-performance N-type solar panels annually. “That’s over a million solar panels a year,” Kwon said. The new solar plant will help LG better serve its U.S. customers, Kwon said. The company selected Alabama after conducting a competitive, multi-state search, he added. “We’re thrilled that LG selected Huntsville for its new solar panel assembly plant because the company considered many other locations for this project,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “LG is a world-class company, and its decision represents a powerful endorsement of Alabama’s advantages and its workforce.” The company’s new solar module plant builds on LG’s legacy of leadership in Huntsville. After starting as the company’s first U.S. manufacturing subsidiary in 1981, Huntsville became the home of LG’s service division in 1987, which expanded over the years to support LG’s growing presence in the United States. Today, as the headquarters location for North American service operations, LG Huntsville includes the technical call center, service training center, field service operations and parts warehouse. “LG has long called Huntsville home, and the solar panel assembly factory will add a significant new dimension to our Alabama campus,” Kwon said. “Huntsville’s high-quality workforce and LG’s established presence in the Rocket City point to a bright future for LG in Alabama.” The new factory will assemble LG’s “Neon 2” series 60-cell modules, which are high-performance solar panels, generating over 17 percent more power than most conventional panels. “LG has been a strong community partner in Huntsville for many decades — a relationship that has deepened through visits to the company’s headquarters in Korea and successful advancements in technological innovation,” added Mayor Tommy Battle. “LG chose Huntsville as the place to do business in the U.S. more than 30 years ago, and they’ve chosen Huntsville again as a place to prosper with the new solar module plant.” “With the expansion of LG in the Huntsville-Madison County, Alabama region, LG will utilize the latest technology in a high-growth market to produce these solar panels,” said Dale Strong, chairman of the Madison County Commission. “The diversity and worldwide recognition of the Madison County economy demonstrates we continue to thrive with our finest hours still ahead.”
Military awards Alabama’s GeneCapture $1 million contract to develop portable disease detector
The Department of Defense has awarded Huntsville’s GeneCapture a $1 million, two-year contract to develop a portable device that war fighters can use to identify disease-causing germs. The Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) contract is from the DOD’s Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. GeneCapture, a resident associate company at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, has developed a “gene signature matching platform” that screens for hundreds of pathogens in less than one hour. The multi-pathogen test is conducted using a small, inexpensive disposable cartridge and can be used to test samples from humans and animals. The technique is being evaluated as a possible solution for a portable infection diagnostic device for use in forward deployed military operations. GeneCapture is collaborating on this contract with Birmingham’s Southern Research, which will provide its expertise in infectious diseases, purifying genetic material for testing and designing clinical trials for the Food and Drug Administration. “It has been a dream of mine to bring this technology to market so that critical diagnostic decisions can be made quickly, which will save lives,” said Krishnan Chittur, chemical engineering professor emeritus at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and co-founder of GeneCapture. The original discovery was patented by UAH and exclusively licensed to GeneCapture. Krishnan Chittur, Ph.D., CTO of GeneCapture, and Art Tipton, Ph.D., President and CEO of Southern Research. The Huntsville company and Birmingham-based research institute will work together on a device to quickly identify diseases for the U.S. military. (contributed) Chittur said the technology uses genetic probes to capture the “signature” of germs. An optical scan identifies which germ is present and produces a result in about 45 minutes. “It’s a completely new technique that would have been impossible without the advances in genetics and genomics discoveries of the last decade,” he said. “That is one of the reasons we are located at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology – the research that’s happening here is cutting-edge.” Paula Koelle, chief scientist at GeneCapture and principal investigator for the STTR Phase II contract, will lead the effort to produce the disposable cartridges and desktop analyzer for a set of pathogens selected by the DOD that present potential biological threats to the war fighter. The resulting technology could have uses beyond the battlefield. The portable platform could enable civilian applications, such as rapid infection diagnosis in schools, urgent care clinics, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, veterinary clinics, cruise ships and airports. Southern Research’s proven track record supporting new platforms for detecting and preventing newly emerged and highly dangerous and infectious disease pathogens made the nonprofit the perfect partner on the project. “The opportunity to work closely with GeneCapture is a perfect match for Southern Research,” said Art Tipton, Southern Research president and CEO. “We have a history of reaching out to the life sciences community, which benefits both our state economy and the global healthcare industry. Our infectious disease scientists will produce reference tests and accelerate the clinical testing of GeneCapture’s new platform.” Working for the DOD drives home the sense of urgency when it comes to disease-causing germs around the world. “GeneCapture is focused on reducing the risk we all have of being infected from emerging pathogens and global pandemics – the clock is ticking,” said GeneCapture CEO and co-founder Peggy Sammon. “The GeneCapture team is working diligently to bring an affordable, portable solution to this critical problem by connecting with disease experts around the world to incorporate their needs into this product.” Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Huntsville on track to become Alabama’s largest city
According to new population estimates released by the U.S. Census on Thursday, Huntsville, Ala. saw a surge in population growth from 2016 to 2017, adding the most people of any major Alabama city and putting the city on track to become the states largest metropolitan area, within the next six years. Census data shows that the Huntsville population has grown 8.04 percent since the last census was taken in 2010, and with companies like Toyota and Mazda joining the area, the city should experience even more growth in the coming years. But Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said he isn’t as concerned with the quantity of people moving into the city; but the quality of life the city has to offer its inhabitants. “We’re proud of Huntsville’s success, but for us it’s more about quality than quantity,” Battle told AL.com. “Yes, we’ve generated more than 62 percent of the jobs in the state in the past decade, and yes, that brings in more people, but more importantly for us the jobs we’ve brought in are the ones that attract the best and the brightest. That’s what matters – making your citizens quality of life better – not bigger. We’re a smart city, we’re a Google city, we’re an aerospace city. I would rather talk about that than size.” Last week, Wallethub proclaimed the city one of the top 100 places to start a career, and according to MoneyWatch, Huntsville’s has the third most technical workforce in the country with nearly 17 percent of the workforce working in a STEM field. “People are learning about Huntsville’s secret, and that’s a big reason for our continued growth,” Marketing and communications director for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Claire Aiello told AL.com. “Our city is a smart place to live, work and play. We offer a great quality of life, a highly educated workforce and good paying jobs to match.
Women-owned Huntsville company lands $47M government contract
A women-owned small business (WOSB) headquartered in Huntsville, Ala. has been awarded a $47 million government contract to manage cybersecurity risk operations for the U.S. military’s Defense Health Agency (DHA). Sentar announced they received the contract on Tuesday. They competed against 11 other bidders for the contract in a small business set aside competition. Sentar previously held the contract with DHA, but it ended this month after two years. Work on the new contract will begin immediately within a one-year base period and two, one-year option periods. “Winning repeat business represents proven and enduring customer satisfaction, trust, and confidence from the company’s government customers,” said April Nadeau, VP (DHA, SPAWAR, Navy and Marine Corps). “We are thrilled for the latest re-compete win and look forward to our continued partnership with the Navy and its sponsor organizations.” Sentarwas founded in 1990.
Birmingham, Huntsville rank among America’s top 100 places to start a career
With graduation season upon us and employers planning to hire four percent more graduates from the Class of 2018 than they did from the Class of 2017, the personal-finance website WalletHub on Tuesday released its report on 2018’s Best & Worst Places to Start a Career. According to the report, which lists the top 182 U.S. cities to start a career, two Alabama cities made it into the top 100 places to start a career: Birmingham ranked 68th and Huntsville 76th. In order to determine the best cities in which to launch a career, WalletHub analysts compared the 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, “Professional Opportunities” and “Quality of Life.” Birmingham has far more professional opportunities than Huntsville, coming in 33rd place with Huntsville ranked 88. But when it comes to quality of life, Huntsville surpasses Birmingham. Ranked 77th, while Birmingham takes home an abysmal 158th. Meanwhile, Mobile, Ala. was ranked among the worst cities studied, coming in 172nd place — ranked 160th for professional opportunities and behind Birmingham on quality of life, ranked 171st. See how Birmingham and Huntsville compare to the rest of the country: Source: WalletHub
Ceremony marks opening of Alabama computer forensics lab
A new lab specializing in digital forensics is operating in Huntsville, Alabama. The FBI and local leaders held a ceremony Wednesday to mark the opening of the Tennessee Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. The center is one of 17 such facilities in nationwide specializing in training and the analysis of digital evidence. The FBI will provide the facility, equipment and training for the lab. Local agencies will provide staffing for the center including the city of Huntsville police; sheriff’s departments in Etowah and Madison counties; and the Alabama National Guard Counterdrug program. The U.S. attorney’s office for north Alabama will help as a prosecuting agency. The lab is located at Redstone Arsenal. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Northrup Grumman-Huntsville awarded contract to modules for Navy ships
Northrop Grumman has been award a contract from the U.S. Navy for gun mission modules on Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the deal Monday. According to the DoD, 91% of the work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala. and is expected to be completed by December 2019. The deal is valued at more than $7,420,308 million under the terms of a firm-fixed-price contract, a modification to a previous award. “Exciting news! Northrup Grumman in Huntsville was just awarded a contract to build gun mission modules for Littoral Combat Ships. Proud to see the whole state of Alabama working together to build these capable and efficient naval ships,” said Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne.
Huntsville supporting Remington amid bankruptcy filing
An Alabama city has reiterated its support for a firearms manufacturer that filed for bankruptcy. Huntsville officials told AL.com in a statement Monday its economic development team will continue engagement with Remington. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday. The statement also acknowledges Remington is behind on job-hiring obligations tied to financial incentives. A project development agreement between Huntsville and Remington was approved by the city council in February 2014. Remington promised to have 680 employees at its Huntsville facility by the end of “project year” 2017. The statement says Remington has approximately 500 local employees and contributes $30 million in annual payroll into the community. Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce CEO Chip Cherry says Remington met its other obligations: capital investment at the facility and overall wages paid. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Toddler killed in Huntsville drive-by shooting, arrest imminent
A Wednesday evening, drive-by shooting in Huntsville, Ala. has resulted in the death of a toddler. The shooting took place around 7:00 p.m.. Law enforcement officials said 3 year old Olivia was sleeping on the couch in a home located on Murray Road in Huntsville, when a bullet was fired through the front of the house, striking the toddler. She was taken to Huntsville Hospital in critical condition, but didn’t survive. Investigators have taken several subjects into custody; they are still being questioned. Huntsville police Lt. Michael Johnson said that an arrest is “imminent.” Because of the toddlers death, law enforcement officers are now calling this a murder investigation.
Huntsville enters another space race
There’s another space race in the Rocket City — the race for space. In 1969, local NASA engineers made history by putting the first man on the moon. Today, Huntsville commercial real estate brokers are pioneering the way for a bevy of businesses. Over the past 50 years, two competitors in particular — Washington, D.C., and California’s Silicon Valley — have often edged the city out in the ferocious race to attract big business. The proximity to the FBI, Congress and Maryland’s Andrews Air Force Base made D.C. an attractive suitor for a multitude of companies searching for industrial properties, and California’s Midas touch in the renowned Silicon Valley had businesses swarming like flies in the coastal community. However, as property prices continue to climb nationwide, minimum wages rise rapidly and President Trump’s impending tax implications become even more unclear, Huntsville has become an “it market” for companies seeking refuge from a series of suffocating expenses. Over the last 24 months, Huntsville has become a regular headliner in national news, attracting a slew of new companies. In 2016, Polaris rolled into the Rocket City, investing more than $142 million in the area and employing more than 1,700 skilled and unskilled workers. Fast forward a year, and the investment in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park skyrocketed. A flood of announcements saturated local and national news, including an Aerojet Rocketdyne expansion that would bring 800 jobs and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin planning to invest $200 million in a rocket engine factory. That number is soon to surge even further with Toyota’s and Mazda’s recent announcement that they will build a $1.6 billion joint assembly plant off Greenbrier Road. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
