Alabama

A 45,000-square-foot renovation at the University of Alabama in Huntsville is laying the groundwork for an interdisciplinary facility to be called the Center for Cybersecurity Research, Education & Advanced Training.

The previous ordinance, passed in recent years, had stated that unmanned aerial craft could not be flown over the city's police station or public parks, but the FAA said the city doesn’t have agency to decide that.

The two-week summer program was designed to give students from various backgrounds the opportunity to collaborate on medical device prototype creation with the guidance of established innovators in the mechanical engineering industry.

Alabama legislators want the state to jump in on a growing startup industry: novel aircraft designed to quickly take off and land for short-distance travel. This technology could allow passengers to soar over traffic.

Alabama Office of Information Technology Secretary Marty Redden has announced his retirement. Gov. Kay Ivey has tapped the deputy secretary to take on the leadership role in his absence.

Walmart has announced a $350 million investment to outfit the Cullman, Ala., distribution center with automation equipment and AI-powered software systems after the city offered a tax abatement for upgrades.

Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones is hoping a portion of the money Limestone County has received from the opioid settlement can benefit the county's court system.

The Alabama Supercomputer Authority, which provides free Internet and cybersecurity services to all schools statewide, warned the Board of Education about an increase in ransomware and phishing attacks.

Over the past three years, Ed Farm has opened K-12 learning spaces to train students in STEM, created specialized training to empower STEM teachers and provided virtual resources and tech internships at the university level.

Twenty-four founders of tech companies in Alabama endorsed the college's request for a one-time infusion of public money, advising the state not to lose a valuable part of its talent pipeline for the innovation sector.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday that $192 million in broadband funding would be awarded to the state for rural expansion efforts. The money is expected to expand coverage to an estimated 55,000 locations.

Through a new contract with Alabama Supercomputer Authority, General Dynamics Information Technology will manage high-performance computing, cybersecurity, broadband and other services at K-12 and higher ed institutions.

Secretary of State-elect Wes Allen has announced his intention to withdraw from the Electronic Registration Information Center, a collaboration between 33 states aimed at cross-checking voter registration data.

School officials say technology and practices now in place for virtual instruction will help them deal with outbreaks when they occur, and minimize the need for closing schools and adding days to the end of the year.

The proposal would allow local governments to award funds designated for broadband infrastructure to public or private entities who provide broadband infrastructure with approval via public meeting.

The new state magnet school will serve as a technical education hub for students pursuing careers in the technology and cybersecurity space. The 26-acre campus is housed in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park.

The new 125,000-square-foot school includes science labs, machine shops, a fabrication and engineering lab, and a “cyber range” where students can learn to detect and mitigate cyber attacks in a controlled environment.

Mobile, Ala., police are praising their new gunfire detection system, ShotSpotter, which they say was used to arrest a juvenile shooter just hours after it first went live in the city earlier this week.