Huntsville schools reopen after cyberattack minus computers
Students have returned to class in one of Alabama’s largest school systems after a cyberattack shut down the system last week, but students in Huntsville are doing their work on paper rather than computers. Huntsville city schools said in an update that students still didn’t have access to computers as classes resumed Monday, a week after the attack first forced a shutdown. Workers spent the weekend helping teachers make copies and delivering them to schools, officials said in a message posted on the system’s website, and students who aren’t in traditional classes because of the pandemic also are getting paper copies rather than virtual lessons. Teachers and students still aren’t allowed to turn on electronic devices. Bo Coln, the principal of Challenger Middle School, said many parents had picked up lesson packets, and administrators were trying to make sure each child received the materials. “I personally will take it to their house if I have to because they have to be getting the information. So my assistant principal and I will probably deliver a lot of them if they don’t pick them up, but I know we are having a pretty good turn out,” Coln told news outlets. With nearly 23,000 students, more than 2,000 employees, and about 40 schools, Huntsville City Schools closed early on Nov. 30 because of what officials described as a ransomware attack and remained closed the rest of the week. In a typical ransomware attack, hackers gain access to a computer system and threaten to withhold or destroy information unless money is paid. School officials haven’t released details on the type of attack that forced the shutdown, and it’s unclear what information might be compromised. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Paul DeMarco: November brings good news to Alabama from the United States Air Force
While it seems like everything we hear out of Washington D.C.is bad these days, thus two announcements this past week will bring welcome news to Alabama. First, the United States Air Force released the news that the city of Huntsville made the final list of prospective sites for the home of the United States Space Command. There were only five other locations around the Nation that made the cut. The Command will bring 1,400 employees to staff the mission. Huntsville had made the original short list before the Air Force was ordered to review their choices again. The city already is the home for some of the country’s most important missions with NASA and the Army’s Space and Missile Command located there. In addition, the city already has the infrastructure and skilled workforce to man the operation. The decision will come in early 2021. That same week the Air Force also revealed that Montgomery’s Maxwell Air Force Base wiIl soon house a flying training unit for the new MH-139 Grey Wolf Helicopters. Pilots will be trained to fly the new generation helicopters that will protect the Nation’s intercontinental ballistic fields in the Western United States. Both of these announcements should not be a surprise considering the number of important military facilities already in the state. Let’s welcome the new unit to Montgomery and hope Huntsville lands the Space Command in the new Year. It has been a tough year for the state, so these announcements are encouraging news for Alabama. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.
Space Camp in danger of closing permanently due to pandemic
Space Camp, an educational program attended by nearly 1 million people, including a dozen who went on to become astronauts or cosmonauts, said Tuesday it’s in danger of closing without a cash infusion because of the coronavirus pandemic. Part of the state-owned U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Space Camp was shut down for weeks earlier this year and has been hampered by low attendance since reopening in June with limited capacity, officials said. With most of its typical staff slashed and the normal flow of international students and school groups down to nothing for the fall because of the virus, leaders held a news conference announcing a “Save Space Camp” drive. Officials hope to raise at least $1.5 million in donations they said were needed to keep the museum open through October, the end of the fiscal year, and to reopen Space Camp in April. “We are now struggling for our very survival,” said John Nerger, chair of a state board that oversees the center. Donors gave nearly $100,000 within a couple hours of the announcement. Located near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the museum features exhibits including an authentic Saturn V rocket, the Apollo 16 command module and a full-sized model of a space shuttle. Space Camp students have access to that area plus classes and mockups where they participate in simulated space missions. Since opening in 1982, Space Camp has had almost 1 million youth and adult attendees, and it was the inspiration for a 1986 movie of the same name. Ten people selected as astronauts and two who went on to become cosmonauts attended the camp, promoters said. “Space Camp is Huntsville’s most visible calling card,” said Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell, who worked as marketing director for the attraction in its early days. With government coffers lean because of decreased tax revenues, leaders hope corporations that are part of north Alabama’s aerospace industry will donate to the fundraising drive. But Nerger said the center, which is self-sustaining and doesn’t receive government money for operations, also is counting on private donations. “We just cannot afford for someone wearing a cape to swoop in and rescue us,” he said.
State may relocate damaged highway in north Alabama
The well traveled route is closed indefinitely.
Mayor Tommy Battle vetoes pay raises for himself, city council
An Alabama city’s mayor has vetoed raises for himself and members of the city council. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle nixed the increases Friday. News outlets report Battle said, in a news release, that he had a “philosophical difference” with council members on how they should be compensated, saying they should strive to be involved in their communities as citizens and not as employees of the city. Battle also has previously said he is satisfied with his current salary. According to the mayor’s office, Battle’s salary would have increased from $136,000 to $176,000, the council president’s salary would increase from $39,000 to $49,000 and the city council members’ salaries would rise from $33,000 to $44,000 each. The raises, approved on a 4-1 vote Thursday, would have taken effect Nov. 2, 2020. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Huntsville says no to electric scooters
Leaders in Huntsville are saying no to a proposal to allow electric scooters in the north Alabama city. News outlets report that City Council members rejected a move to bring a scooter pilot program to downtown on a 3-2 vote during a meeting Thursday night. The scooters have drawn complaints about safety and other problems in some cities, including Atlanta. But they’re also popular with riders who use them as cheap, efficient transportation. Mayor Tommy Battle both acknowledged problems with scooters and supported the move to allow them in Huntsville. The council vote effectively kills the program for now in Huntsville, a city of about 195,000 people. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
The fastest growing and shrinking cities in Alabama
Alabama’s list of largest cities is due for another shakeup. In 2016, Huntsville passed Mobile to become the state’s third-largest city. Next year the Rocket City will likely pass Montgomery to become the second-largest.If population trends hold true over the next few years, it won’t be long until Huntsville stands at the top of the list. The U.S. Census Bureau released new city population estimates Thursday. According to the estimates, Birmingham, the largest city in the state, is losing population. The Magic City’s population has been mostly stagnant – no growth or major loss – since 2010. But for the first time in nearly 100 years, its population is now below 210,000. And Montgomery continues to steadily lose people. The state’s capital started the decade with a healthy 15,000 population lead over Huntsville. Now that lead has dwindled to fewer than 1,000 people. Huntsville, meanwhile, has been adding population at a substantial rate since the start of the decade. In those eight years the city has added more than 17,000 people. If those trends continue at their current pace, Huntsville could pass Birmingham in population in just six years.Huntsville was one of only three Alabama cities to grow its population by 10,000 people or more since 2010. The other two are notably college towns. Auburn added around 12,300 people and Tuscaloosa added around 10,600 people since 2010. Auburn’s growth is impressive. The city is also in the top 10 in terms of percentage growth in the state. Among Alabama cities with at least 10,000 people, only five grew at a faster rate than Auburn. Three of those are in Baldwin County, which continues to grow like a weed. Tuscaloosa’s growth has been a bit slower than Auburn’s, but it remains a significantly larger city. According to the estimates, Tuscaloosa passed the 100,000 population mark in 2017, and had 101,113 people in 2018. Auburn sat at 65,738 people in 2018. Montgomery isn’t the only large city that’s shrinking. Mobile has lost more than 5,000 people since 2010. Birmingham, Anniston and Gadsden have all lost significant population, as have Decatur, Eufaula and Prichard. But perhaps the most alarming population loss has come from Selma, a historic civil rights town that AL.com reported last year was the fastest shrinking city in the state. That’s still true, according to the new estimates. Selma has lost nearly 14 percent of its population since 2010, the worst rate in the state over that span, according to the Census. It’s the only city in the state to lose more than 10 percent of its population over that time. By Ramsey Archibald, Al.com. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
VP Mike Pence coming to Huntsville for Space Council meeting
Vice President Mike Pence is heading to the Rocket City next week. On Tuesday, Pence will chair the fifth meeting of the National Space Council at Huntsville’s city’s Space and Rocket Center. According to a spokesperson for the National Space Council, the meeting will focus on President Donald Trump‘s plan to send Americans back to the moon and then to Mars. Pence tweeted up his upcoming trip on Wednesday. “America is leading once again in space. On 3/26, the National Space Council will meet at @RocketCenterUSA to discuss the future of human space exploration. We’ll return Americans to moon, put astronauts on Mars, & carry America’s commitment to freedom into this new frontier,” Pence tweeted. America is leading once again in space. On 3/26, the National Space Council will meet at @RocketCenterUSA to discuss the future of human space exploration. We’ll return Americans to moon, put astronauts on Mars, & carry America’s commitment to freedom into this new frontier. — Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) March 20, 2019 The meeting will take place Tuesday, March 26 in the Davidson Center for Space Exploration’s Saturn V Hall at 12 p.m. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said the city is proud to host the meeting. “Huntsville is proud to host the National Space Council at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the perfect backdrop for a meeting of this caliber,” said Battle. “It’s fitting this instrumental group of space policy leaders and influencers will be in the Rocket City at the same time as the U.S. Army’s AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exposition. Both groups work to ensure America’s leadership in defense and space exploration, and both groups always have a home in Huntsville, Alabama.” We're proud to host the National Space Council at the Space & Rocket Center. This group of policy experts is setting the direction for US leadership in exploration.https://t.co/xJOE9gsZ1l — Tommy Battle (@TommyBattle) March 20, 2019 Space Council members include: The Secretary of State; The Secretary of Defense; The Secretary of Commerce; The Secretary of Transportation; The Secretary of Homeland Security; The Director of National Intelligence; The Director of the Office of Management and Budget; The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs; The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy; The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The members or a designee will attend the meeting.
Richard Shelby says FBI investment in Alabama could reach $1 billion
Sen. Richard Shelby- Republican says that the Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s (FBI) investment in northern Alabama could reach $1 billion, the Associated Press reports. This would come from expected FBI construction at the Redstone Arsenal site near Huntsville in the years to come. In fact, Shelby says, he believes Alabama could be second only to Washington, DC for the FBI. In a speech to business leaders at a Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce breakfast, he said “Huntsville is on fire,” AL.com reports. “You know that. The whole area is on fire economically. You’re attracting everything here. You’ve got the brainpower here.” He continued “Overall, the FBI, the plans we hope to deliver will be probably $1 billion of investment at Redstone because that’s going for the security of the American people. We’ve got to have it.” In 2017, Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle said that he was “cautiously optimistic” that the FBI could bring up to 4,000 jobs to Redstone Arsenal. “The report coming out of Redstone Update was that there could be a capacity of up to 4,400 jobs and it’s over the next eight to 10 years,” Battle said in an interview with AL.com. “It’s a slow but steady buildup of FBI presence here in Huntsville. It’s great news for the arsenal, great news for the city. It just diversifies our portfolio we already have at Redstone Arsenal. “We’re almost a federal campus more than we’re an arsenal. We have NASA, we have Army Materiel Command, we have Army Aviation. We do 85 percent of America’s missile defense agency work. Add to that the FBI presence. It gives us a continuum of service out at Redstone Arsenal and gives us a very broad, diversified group that we pull our federal tax dollars from.” In November of last year, FBI director Robert Hamilton announced that 1,340 contractors and personnel would be moved to Alabama from the Washington, DC. area. These would be added to the 300 already working at the two campuses on site at Redstone Arsenal. “The FBI is extremely excited to announce today that we are moving forward with our first large-scale operations support building,” Hamilton said during a presentation to business and community leaders at the annual Redstone Update. “We expect that to be ready for occupancy in early 2021. This will move approximately 1,350 personnel and contractors from the national capital region. “This building will accommodate a cross-section of FBI employees to include special agents, intelligence analysts and professional staff. And we will house a number of operations support divisions that play a critical role in supporting the FBI mission of protecting the American people.”
Alabama workers built 1.6M engines in 2018
Alabama’s auto workers built nearly 1.6 million engines last year, as the state industry continues to carve out a place in global markets with innovative, high-performance parts, systems and finished vehicles. Last year also saw major new developments in engine manufacturing among the state’s key players, and more advanced infrastructure is on the way in the coming year. Hyundai expects to complete a key addition to its engine operations in Montgomery during the first half of 2019, while Honda continues to reap the benefits of a cutting-edge Alabama engine line installed several years ago. Toyota’s Huntsville engine plant also maintained its role as a critical component of the automaker’s global supply chain. Additionally, Navistar builds truck engines in Huntsville. “Alabama’s skilled auto workers have become adept at not only producing high-quality, in-demand vehicles, but also the engines that power those models and others,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “We look forward to their continued success as these companies invest even more resources and add new technology to their operations here.” Hyundai expansion Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama produced 597,313 engines in 2018, and the Montgomery facility is in the midst of transforming those manufacturing operations. Last year, Hyundai announced a $388 million plan to construct a plant dedicated to manufacturing engine heads and enhance existing operations to support production of new models of Sonata and Elantra sedans. The investment will create 50 jobs. Preparations are under way for the next-generation Theta III engine, which requires new technologies and components as part of its assembly process. So far, the new engine head manufacturing building shell and concrete is complete, electrical work is underway and equipment for the building has begun to arrive. The project is on track to be complete by May, said Hyundai spokesman Robert Burns. In addition, the old equipment has been removed from the existing engine shop that is being updated, and contractors are prepping the interior of the building for new equipment. Hyundai’s Alabama engine operations support vehicle production in Montgomery and at the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama last year produced 356,439 engines that power the SUVs, minivans and pickups built at the Talladega County factory. Just a few years ago, Honda Alabama opened a sophisticated new engine line that represented a breakthrough in Honda’s North American engine assembly operations. The highly automated line was yet another indication of the global automaker’s confidence in the Alabama workforce, which has achieved an unprecedented schedule of new model launches and redesigns in recent years. In Huntsville, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama produced about 630,000 engines that power one-third of the Toyota vehicles built in the U.S. The factory builds about 2,600 engines per day, or five times as many engines since production started there in 2003. Toyota milestones Two keys milestones for Toyota Alabama last year included its 6 millionth engine, built in August 2018. And the following month, the facility launched a new advanced 4-cylinder engine line to produce next-generation engines as part of the Toyota New Global Architecture Program. TNGA will improve the performance of all vehicles, including increased fuel efficiency, more responsive handling and a more stable and comfortable feel while driving. It also provides a more flexible production environment that allows the company to better respond to changing market demands. Toyota Alabama’s $106 million investment in the TNGA project increased total plant investment to nearly $1 billion. “I could not be prouder to reach this milestone,” Toyota Alabama President David Fernandes said at the time. “Launching our new TNGA engine is a true testament to our highly skilled workforce. They are leading Toyota Alabama into the future of advanced engine production.” Republished with permission from Alabama Newscenter
Blue Origin launches construction of $200M Ala. rocket engine plant
Space flight company Blue Origin this morning kicked off construction on a $200 million plant in Huntsville that will produce the BE-4 rocket engine for future national security and other missions. The 200,000-square-foot facility will be built on 46 acres at Explorer Boulevard and Pegasus Drive in Cummings Research Park. The project will create more than 300 jobs in Huntsville. Executives from Blue Origin and rocket maker United Launch Alliance joined Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and community leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony at the plant site this morning. “It’s a great day here in Rocket City,” said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin. “Thanks to the votes of confidence from United Launch Alliance, from the Air Force for national security missions, and from Huntsville and the state of Alabama, we are breaking ground on a facility to produce our world-class engines and power the next generation of spaceflight.” He told the crowd at the event: “Blue Origin is all in on Alabama.” The Huntsville manufacturing plant is expected to open in 2020, and the first flight test of the new engine is expected in 2021. “Blue Origin is a welcome addition to Alabama’s roster of world-class aerospace firms, and its new rocket engine facility in Huntsville will expand the state’s already robust capabilities in space flight,” Ivey said. Powering ULA’s next rocket Using the latest design and manufacturing techniques, the BE-4 is made for both commercial and government missions. The BE-4 uses oxygen-rich staged combustion of liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas to produce 550,000 pounds of thrust. It’s undergoing full-scale engine development testing in company facilities in Van Horn, Texas. At today’s event, Smith said Blue Origin also plans to produce a variant of its BE-3 rocket engine at the Huntsville facility. He added that the company is in discussions with NASA to test the engines on the historic test stands at Marshall Space Flight Center. ULA selected the BE-4 to power its next-generation rocket, the Vulcan Centaur, the successor to the Atlas V and Saturn IV launch vehicles now assembled in Alabama. ULA’s production facility is in Decatur, just miles away from the site selected by Blue Origin. “I am pleased that Blue Origin has chosen to join the more than 200 ULA suppliers doing business here in Alabama,” ULA CEO Tory Bruno said. “The state of Alabama knows how to attract and help business grow and I could not be more thrilled to be part of the resurgence of rocket and engine development in the Tennessee Valley.” The production of the BE-4 engine is seen as critical to ending U.S. dependence on Russia for access to space for critical national security space systems. The BE-4 will also power Blue Origin’s reusable New Glenn launch system, which has been selected by the U.S. Air Force for future national security missions. ‘Perfect home’ Kent, Washington-based Blue Origin, founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, announced plans for the state-of-the-art production facility in Huntsville in June 2017. At the time, Blue Origin said it chose Huntsville for this project because of its high-tech aerospace manufacturing workforce and ecosystem, including NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, nearly 300 private aerospace and defense contractors, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a top university for NASA research funding. “Blue Origin selected the perfect home for this new rocket engine manufacturing because Huntsville has been a center of innovation in rocket propulsion for decades,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “I look forward to seeing the lofty heights the partnership between this dynamic space flight company and Alabama’s historic Rocket City can reach in the future.” Mayor Tommy Battle said Huntsville is “ready to deliver” for Blue Origin, which he called “an innovative commercial space company that is changing what we think is possible in space.” “These BE-4 engines will power launch systems to put everything from satellites and products into orbit to space tourists and perhaps even space settlers into the final frontier,” he said. “You truly can’t get to space and explore all of its untold promise without going through Huntsville first.” He added: “We will produce the greatest rocket engines in the world right here in Huntsville.”
Groundbreaking set this week for Alabama rocket engine plant
A company founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will break ground in Alabama later this week on a plant to build a new rocket engine. Al.com reported that Blue Origin’s groundbreaking is set Friday in Huntsville. The plant will make Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine, which will power the next generation of rockets produced by United Launch Alliance in Decatur. The engine will be powered by liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas. Blue Origin said in 2017 it would locate in Alabama near the Decatur ULA plant. The engine will also power Blue Origin’s next-generation New Glenn rocket. That rocket is under development. The company said the plant will have about 340 employees and cost about $200 million. The rocket will be assembled in Florida near Kennedy Space Center launch site. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
