Here is today's summary of economic development news, a free service of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, representing Alabama's private sector investment in economic development. If you enjoy NewsFlash, thank an
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Calhoun County July residential sales up 7.6 percent compared to last year
Written by ACRE Research
August 12th, 2018 |
Sales: Calhoun County residential sales totaled 155 units during July, up 7.6 percent from 144 sales in the same month a year earlier. July sales were down 2.5 percent compared to 159 sales in June. However, results were 21 percent above the five-year July average of 128 sales.
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Yulista plans local work
August 11, 2018
Leases airport hangars designed for C-130s
The South Alabama Regional Airport officially welcomed Yulista Holding, LLC to its complex Friday.
Yulista is an Alaska Native Corporation with operations in 14 states, and doing business in 28 countires, CEO Josh Herren said. Its shareholders are of Yup'ik descent. The company has been operating in Huntsville since 2002.
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Alabama Company $522M Army Contract for Inflatable Antennas
An Alabama company has a five-year, $522 million Army contract extension for inflatable satellite antenna systems.
August 13, 2018
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - An
Alabama company has a five-year, $522 million extension to an Army contract for inflatable satellite antenna systems. GATR Technologies Inc. of Huntsville first won the contract in 2013.
It said in early 2014 that the contract made the antennas more broadly available to the armed services, which already were using them in special operations units.
GATR's ground-mounted antennas look like giant beach balls with tie-downs to point them in the right direction.
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Inside Birmingham's Bid To Become The Southern Silicon Valley
By Zara Stone
August 12, 2018
Yoga balls rolled gently in the corner of the wide back office I'm in. Here, staff in hoodies clacked away on Macbooks covered in slogan decals. Mini fridges filled with free refreshments are stacked in the corner and college pennants and flags hang from the wall in the chill out areas. Occasionally they'll hold yogas classes here. In the open plan main hall, staff wearing company brand cerulean blue t-shirts (to match the logo) and blue jeans sit in front of multiple monitors. Their full attention is directed to the live streaming videos in front of them, where students from across the globe are taking their exams under their watchful eye. The operators note any sudden movements or shifty side-eyes as a cause for concern, possibly cheating, possibly nothing.
At the same time, an artificial intelligence system quietly analyzes the students faces for biometric signs of lying, also creating a notated log file. Just a usual scene in the valley, right... except we're over 2,300 miles away, deep in Birmingham, Alabama. I'm at the head office of
ProctorU, an online proctoring startup, founded in 2009.
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Alabama-built rocket powers launch
If you ever want to know how something gets into space, spend time with the people involved in the mission on the day of a launch. The anticipation and excitement in their voices and on their faces tells you everything you need to know.
People make it possible.
And, this morning, it was people from Alabama's turn to send something to space.
Early Sunday, the Parker Solar Probe lifted off in Cape Canaveral, FL, atop United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket built in Decatur, AL. The rocket from ULA's Decatur plant will allow the Parker probe to fly seven times closer to the sun and more effectively study solar winds, which disrupt satellites and cause power outages.
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