A rare look inside LM’s missile-building facility in Troy
The crown jewel of U.S. missile defense systems comes from an unlikely place: a 4,000-acre compound nestled in the quiet woods of a southern Alabama town. For the first time, Lockheed Martin opened to the media its heavily guarded compound in Troy, Alabama, where it builds and breeds America’s THAAD, or terminal high altitude area defense system. The process to open up the facility took more than a year of security approvals and was conditional that no photography or recording devices could enter the complex. – CNBC
There’s half-grown hemp in them St. Clair County hills
One of the first industrial hemp fields planted in Alabama in mid-May, just below Chandler Mountain in St. Clair County, has an herbal scent, almost like a hint of basil. Its neat rows of mostly thriving plants range from two feet to four feet tall. The hemp farmers are more than halfway through the growing season for the first legal crop of industrial hemp, which looks like marijuana, but is a species of cannabis that lacks anything but the tiniest trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient that gets people high. They are farming hemp for CBD oil, or cannabidiol, purported to have a variety of positive health effects and is now widely legal. – AL.com
How Torch Technologies helps define Huntsville as a federal city
The company is expanding workspace and workforce, seeing and experiencing the fruits of prosperity that seemingly dangles from every tree in their neighborhood. So when Torch Technologies looks in the mirror, it sees Huntsville. Torch is a fast-growing defense contracting company, elbowing its way into prominence in what may as well be dubbed Federal City USA. – AL.com
Yelp reviewers say Magic City Sweet Ice is tops
How “sweet” it is! Earlier this week, West Homewood’s popular Magic City Sweet Ice was named the best ice cream parlor in Alabama by 24/7 Tempo, a national digital publication that provides national “best of lists” and timely informative profiles. Appearing in USA Today, the best ice cream parlor in Alabama ranking was based on Yelp reviews. – Bham Now
Carney Trucking closes after insurance coverage woes
An Alabama carrier that describes itself as a family-first Christian business has closed its doors. Gilbertown-based trucking company Carney Trucking closed down for good on July 31. The company employed 25 truck drivers. Company owner David Carney told Freightwaves that one of their drivers was involved in a serious crash last year, which sent insurance rates so high that the company could not afford to stay in business. – CDL Life
What to call Tesla’s $50,000 electric pickup truck
Model B would be an expected designation for the upcoming Tesla truck, and there might be a bit of evidence to support this theory. It’s no secret that Tesla is working on an electric pickup truck. In fact, Musk often touts that this is his favorite Tesla project. However, we’ve yet to receive any indication as to what it will be called. Sticking with Tesla’s typical Model plus a letter designation, you might guess the truck would be called the Tesla Model T. Well, that’s a Ford trademark, so another name will need to be put into use. – Inside EVs
