Latest news with #PacificNorthwest
Fox News
16 hours ago
- Science
- Fox News
This new air scanner could replace drug dogs at US borders
Border Patrol is about to get a powerful new ally, and it doesn't bark. A microwave-sized device called VaporID could soon replace drug-sniffing dogs at U.S. border crossings. Built to detect fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, and even explosives, the tech is showing accuracy and speed that trained dogs simply can't match. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my This portable air scanner, created at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), is being brought to market by California-based instrument maker BaySpec. The device works by pulling in air and identifying molecules in real time using a miniature mass spectrometer. Unlike traditional swab tests that take five to thirty minutes, VaporID detects fentanyl in seconds, even at levels as low as six parts per trillion. That's like spotting a single pine needle in an entire forest. For decades, trained canines have been the gold standard at ports of entry. But dogs have limits; they tire, need handlers, and can't be reprogrammed with software updates. VaporID, on the other hand, never needs a nap. It can detect not only known drugs but also fentanyl analogs, lab-made variants designed to skirt detection. The system's cutting-edge design includes an atmospheric flow tube that allows tiny drug molecules more time to interact with charged ions. That chemical dance dramatically boosts sensitivity, making it possible to detect even the most elusive threats. During a real-world field trial at the Nogales, Arizona border crossing, the device detected trace amounts of several drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine, within seconds inside a Customs and Border Protection lab. VaporID weighs about 40 pounds and draws in ambient air like a miniature vacuum. Suspicious molecules are filtered, tagged with electrically charged ions, and passed into a tiny mass spectrometer. Only the relevant particles make it through. This process filters out background interfering vapors from things like perfumes or cleaning agents, giving border agents a clear, accurate, and immediate read on potentially dangerous substances. If deployed widely, VaporID could revolutionize how U.S. Customs and Border Protection detects narcotics and explosives. Its fast, hands-free scanning would help agents screen vehicles, cargo, luggage, and even people, without relying solely on canine units or invasive sampling. The device's sensitivity also opens doors for use beyond borders. The Department of Homeland Security is already working with PNNL and BaySpec to adapt the technology for mail screening, airport baggage checks, and large-scale cargo inspections. For materials like TNT (trinitrotoluene) and PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), both powerful explosives that release very few molecules into the air, VaporID's ultra-sensitive detection provides a level of protection that's long been out of reach with current methods. The U.S. is facing a deadly influx of synthetic opioids. According to the CDC, over 80,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2024, including approximately 48,400 deaths linked to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Fast, contactless detection at ports of entry could help choke off the supply chain before these deadly substances ever hit the streets. And in an era of rising geopolitical tensions, having a portable scanner that can also detect explosives could be a critical layer in national defense. Technology doesn't just assist border agents anymore; it's starting to outperform their most trusted tools. VaporID brings speed, precision, and reliability to a job where seconds count. While drug-sniffing dogs have served well, this portable air scanner may soon lead the front line in detecting threats. As agencies prepare to roll out the system, one thing is clear. The future of border security doesn't bark. It beeps. Would you feel safer knowing machines, not dogs, are guarding our borders? Or does this shift raise concerns about reliability and over reliance on tech? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
US faces alarming shortage of firefighters during peak wildfire season, data reveals
More than a quarter of firefighting positions at the United States Forest Service (USFS) remain vacant, according to internal data reviewed by the Guardian, creating staffing shortages as extreme conditions fuel dozens of blazes across the US. The data paints a dangerously different picture than the one offered by Tom Schultz, the chief of the USFS, who has repeatedly assured lawmakers and the public that the agency is fully prepared for the onslaught in fire activity expected through this year. It's already been busy. So far this year there have been more than 41,000 wildfires - an amount nearly 31% higher than the ten-year average. 'In terms of firefighting capacity we are there,' Schultz said during a Senate committee hearing on 10 July, claiming the USFS had hit 99% of hiring goals. He repeated the claim multiple times. But staffing reports produced on 17 July show more than 5,100 positions were unfilled, more than 26%. The problem was especially grim in the Pacific Northwest, a region facing extremely high fire risk this year, with a vacancy rate of 39%. The Intermountain region, the largest region with close to 34 million acres of forest lands that stretch across parts of Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho and California, has nearly 37%. The numbers also fail to capture the strain being felt in specific areas within these regions where ranks are severely thin. There are reports of USFS crews staffed with less than half of the positions once considered necessary to be fully operational. Six federal firefighters, who asked for anonymity because they are barred from speaking publicly, described how the staffing shortages have complicated crews' ability to suppress large fires and contribute to increased injuries and risks for firefighters on the ground. 'There is definitely a lot of tension in the system this season,' said a fire captain, describing how these issues have long plagued the agency. 'It's sort of like that medieval torture devise that stretched people – just one more crank.' Many of the positions left unfilled are in middle management and leadership, leaving critical gaps in experience and tactical planning. 'The agency saying it is 'fully staffed' is dangerous,' a squad leader familiar with the data said. 'Maxing out 19-year-olds with no qualifications isn't the best strategy.' Vacancies at higher levels create limitations on who can be deployed in the field. 'We can't send [a crew] without supervision because it is unsafe – if they don't have a qualified supervisor that engine is parked' said Bobbie Scopa, a retired firefighter who dedicated 45 years to the service. The empty positions also add to fatigue for firefighters who are already working in extreme weather and spending weeks at a time on fire lines with little opportunity for rest and recovery. Without back-up, those at higher levels are less able to take badly-needed time off. If they get sick or injured, there's no one to take over. 'Folks are having to fill in and fill holes,' Scopa said, 'and they are going out without all the positions they need for a team.' The agency did not respond to requests for comment about the issues or questions about Schultz's claims of full staffing. But one firefighter speculated the agency may be using hiring numbers that only show whether an offer was accepted, and not if that hiring created a vacancy in another area. 'If people that are already permanent take a different job it still counts as a hiring action,' he said. 'But if the place they leave doesn't get backfilled, it just means they moved someone, not that they added someone.' Another firefighter said the agency might be exploiting the difference between 'minimum' staffing requirements and what was traditionally considered 'fully staffed'. 'You can technically play a football game with 11 people on the team,' he said. 'It would be considered negligent, maybe even abusive to the players, but they signed up to play and it's technically allowed.' The Forest Service has struggled to recruit and retain qualified firefighters in recent years, as escalating job hazards paired with low pay pushed scores of people out of the service. The exodus has exacerbated the exhaustion felt by those who remained, creating a viscous cycle at a time when the climate crisis is fueling a new era of catastrophic fire. The USFS lost nearly half of its permanent employees between 2021 and 2024 alone, leaving the agency scrambling to fill positions with less experienced recruits. The loss in experience took a toll on the workforce, several firefighters said, and the agency was left struggling to keep pace. The issue has come into sharper focus as the Trump administration continues to slash budgets and cut support staff positions, creating a new layer of challenges and plummeting morale. Firefighters and forest experts expressed deep concerns that the drastic cuts and resignation incentives offered earlier this year, which culled thousands from the agency's ranks, have left crews dangerously unprepared. Roughly 4,800 USFS workers signed on to a program offering paid administrative leave through September if they opted to resign or retire, pushed by the Trump administration as a way to rapidly shrink the federal government. While firefighters were exempt from the programs , they left significant gaps in a workforce that supports wildfire mitigation and suppression. That figure also includes 1,400 people with so-called 'red cards' who trained to join operations on the fire line if needed. The Department of Agriculture, which oversees the forest service, has tried to address the loss of employees with fire qualifications by calling for those with red cards who took early resignation or retiring offers to voluntarily return for the season and take on fire assignments until their contracts end. But when Senators questioned Schultz about the problem, he said the agency did not yet have numbers on if staffers decided to return. 'We depend on those people to help run the large fires,' Scopa said. 'Teams are not fully functional right now because we have lost so many people.' Firefighters have already been experiencing the effects of a reduced workforce firsthand. There have been reports of crews being left without power for weeks due to cut maintenance workers, paychecks being late or halved because administrative roles were left empty, or firefighters having to mow lawns or do plumbing work in addition to their other duties. 'I am hearing from firefighters who aren't getting meals because they are having problems with the contracts for the caterers because we laid off people who worked in contracting,' Scopa said. 'There was no efficiency in this – they just slashed it with an ax.' And more cuts could be coming. Schultz told lawmakers that the Trump administration's plans to eliminate multiple programs in the agency along with 'significant funding reductions in programs that remain', with greater responsibility shifted to states, private landowners, and tribes to fund emergency preparedness, management, and response. The administration is also proposing to consolidate federal firefighters into a new agency, housed under the Department of Interior – an idea that many federal firefighters support – but there are concerns that the process is being rushed and prioritized over managing emergency response during an intense summer. 'You all have trotted out another new reorganization in the middle of a very dangerous fire season,' said Ron Wyden, the Oregon senator, to Schultz during the committee meeting, warning that the lack of emergency preparation this year could cost lives. 'These infernos are not your grandfather's fires – they are bigger and they are hotter,' he said. 'We need to address this critical preparedness gap.' In Oregon, where region-wide staffing gaps are among the most acute, the governor declared a state of emergency last week to preposition resources for the threats expected from wildfire. Several blazes have already torn through the state this year, including the Cram fire, which had sprawled across more than 95,000 acres by Monday, making it the largest in the nation. Firefighters were battling 83 large blazes nationwide on 21 July, roughly two-weeks after the country's fire managers moved the country's response to 'Preparation Level 4,' the second-highest designation meant to show that resources are already heavily committed. Despite his assurances to Congress that the USFS was ready for the intense fire activity, Schultz shifted tone in an internal memo sent to agency leadership last week, shared with the Guardian. 'As expected, the 2025 fire year is proving to be extremely challenging,' he wrote. Forecasts issued from the Climate Prediction Center and Predictive Services indicate the season is far from slowing. Higher than normal temperatures are predicted for much of the US through September, along with drier than normal conditions, creating high risks for big burns. 'We have reached a critical point in our national response efforts and we must make every resource available,' Schultz added. 'At times like this we know the demand for resources outpaces their availability.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
STACK Infrastructure Receives Guardian Award by Coast Guard Foundation
A reflection of shared values and a commitment to serving community needs STACK Infrastructure Receives Guardian Award by Coast Guard Foundation DENVER, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STACK Infrastructure ('STACK'), the digital infrastructure partner to the some of the world's most innovative companies and a leading global developer and operator of data centers, was honored with the Guardian Award by the Coast Guard Foundation during the Tribute to the Coast Guard in Our Nation's Capital on June 10, 2025. The award recognizes organizations that demonstrate a sustained commitment to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard, their families, and the broader maritime community. This honor reflects a shared commitment to service and readiness, embodied by the U.S. Coast Guard's motto Semper Paratus ('Always Ready'), and a collective effort to ensure that those who safeguard our shores are supported in times of need—a principle that closely aligns with STACK's 24/7/365 operational mission. The Guardian Award recognition celebrates STACK's pivotal role in founding the Heroes of the Sea fundraiser and transforming it into a high-impact initiative that has significantly increased awareness, engagement, and charitable contributions. Held in partnership with the Pacific Northwest Chief Warrant Officers Association (CWOA) and the Coast Guard Foundation, the event proceeds support a professionally managed endowment fund jointly overseen by the CWOA and the Foundation. This fund helps provide emergency financial relief, educational support, legal assistance, and other resources to U.S. Coast Guard members and their families. To date, Heroes of the Sea has raised over $2.1 million for these critical initiatives. 'At STACK, we believe supporting those who serve is a responsibility we all share,' said Ty Miller, Chief Commercial Officer of STACK Americas. 'Heroes of the Sea is more than a fundraiser, it's a reflection of our deep respect for U.S. Coast Guard members, veterans, and their families. We're proud to help enable the life-changing work of the Coast Guard Foundation and the CWOA, who stand beside service members through every challenge.' On August 7–8, STACK will host the 23rd annual Heroes of the Sea Charitable Fundraiser and Salmon Fishing Derby in Astoria, Oregon, in partnership with the Coast Guard Foundation and the CWOA. This year's event follows STACK's recognition with the Guardian Award and aims to build on that momentum with record fundraising goals and deeper community engagement—all in support of those who serve in the U.S. Coast Guard. About STACK InfrastructureSTACK is a proven, trusted partner for the world's most innovative companies, designing, developing, and operating sustainable global digital infrastructure. Backed by an unmatched record of reliable delivery and development expertise, STACK brings speed, scale, certainty, and responsibility to the demands of a rapidly evolving digital infrastructure landscape. For more information about STACK, please visit: Media Contact:Sammer Khalafpress@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Geek Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
Navigating the Seattle startup ecosystem: A guide for Microsoft and Amazon execs
GeekWire's startup coverage documents the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial scene. Sign up for our weekly startup newsletter , and check out the GeekWire funding tracker and venture capital directory . Since I left Microsoft in May, I have been inundated by Microsoft executives and employees wanting to explore and engage in the Seattle startup ecosystem. Prior to joining Microsoft, I always wondered why I would never see Microsoft or Amazon employees at startup events. Now I know Microsoft is its own all consuming ecosystem, where internal networking can be way more important than external networking. Here's a guide on how Microsoft and Amazon employees can get involved in the Seattle tech scene, with limited time commitments. Engage as an advisor or board member Advising startups is a common way to contribute your expertise. Generally, in my experience, advisor positions are not a big time commitment, often involving meetings once a month or every couple of months initially. Your involvement may decline once a company raises venture capital unless your expertise is highly specific to their needs. Compensation: Advisor compensation typically ranges from 0.1% up to 1% of the company's stock with the median grant of 0.25%, depending on the stage, your engagement, your expertise and chemistry with the founding team. Peter Walker of Carta does a good breakdown on LinkedIn. Board roles: Becoming a board member often occurs after a startup's first round of financing, with venture capital firms seeking outside perspectives. They look for specific expertise that investors are not going to add — like unique industry or technology insights, go-to-market strategies, sales and marketing, or finance. Later stage startups will often hire 'been there done that' CEOs or CFOs who can add credibility or guidance for a startup as they prepare to go public or be acquired. Strategic investing in startups There are two primary paths for investing: Direct angel investing This is a hands-on approach. Angel investing is a lot of work! A successful angel investor like Ron Conway in Silicon Valley can make a lot of money by being early to investing and then introducing startups to venture capital firms. To potentially make money, I believe you need to consistently invest in at least 20+ companies over four to five years, making four-to-five investments a year. The vast majority of these startups will fail, but you will start to see some success. Over that time period, you will build your reputation in the market as an investor, start learning what to look for, and then entrepreneurs can start coming to you for advice and funding. Seed funds Personally, I don't have the time to commit to angel investing, but I want to support my fellow Seattle entrepreneurs and support the Seattle ecosystem. I have made investments in Seattle seed funds which are venture capital firms investing in Seattle entrepreneurs at the earliest stages of the journey. Many of these firms will entertain smaller funds, instead of $1 million minimum at more established funds. Seattle seed funds also value the local network and expertise to help develop their portfolio companies. Larger funds often have venture partners and deep industry relationships, when smaller funds do not. Some notable Seattle pre-seed and seed funds are: Unlock Venture Partners Ascend Founders' Co-op AI2 Incubator Flying Fish Partners Two Ravens VC Pioneer Square Labs Madrona Voyager Capital FUSE Maveron Tola Capital Second Avenue Partners Seed funds are known for building a community around entrepreneurs and their investors. You can choose how involved you want to be. Most seed funds welcome investors with experience (particularly in enterprise and AI). You can mentor founders and help with the go-to-market and build a network across their investors as well. It's been a great way for me to stay relevant in the market and keep expanding my network. Expected returns & risks The goal for most venture capital firms is to achieve at least a 20% internal rate of return (IRR) or greater. Venture investments are highly speculative, with 90% typically failing and fund returns can vary significantly. For example, a fund's first fund might track 2-3X returns, while others might be flat or lose money. Diversification across multiple funds is crucial to mitigate risk. Seed funds are considered the earliest and riskiest stage of venture capital. Large public investment firms like CALPERS, Washington State Investment Board, and the University of California publicly report many of the investment returns for private equity and venture capital firms. You can see the broad spread of returns based on the firm. Diversification and getting into the 'right' funds for the right vintage (i.e. the right year) is often key to success. It is easier to make money in a rising tide environment. Networking and finding opportunities The most important thing is getting started! Instead of sitting on Teams meetings in Redmond or South Lake Union, just get started by attending some events. My rule of thumb is that I am willing to go to any event where I think I can meet one person with whom I will do business in the future. I also try to meet at least one new person I have never met before at every event. Meet people who are moving and shaking in the startup scene – would be entrepreneurs, co-founders, entrepreneurs, the startup curious, angel investors, incubators, seed funds and the service providers like the lawyers that work with start-ups like Perkins Coie, Wilson Sonsini, Fenwick & West, DLA Piper, and Cooley LLP. Law firms often have a finger on the earliest stages of the startup journey. Below are a number of organizations that regularly host startup get togethers for the Seattle community: AI2 Incubator TiE Seattle Pioneer Square Labs Foundations GeekWire Seattle Tech Week Ascend's Founder Bash Get started! The Seattle startup ecosystem offers great learning, networking and potential investment opportunities. Plus you can give back and contribute to the growth of the next Amazon or Microsoft right here in our backyard.
Condé Nast Traveler
2 days ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
In the Columbia River Gorge, the Food and Wine are as Epic as the Nature
At buona notte winery in Cascade Locks, Oregon, my husband and I found winemaker Graham Markel's pét-nat zippy and the appetizer table piled high with melon and prosciutto. Platters of salad, grilled potatoes with salsa verde, and roast pork covered several candlelit tables festooned with wildflowers. We'd come for a late-spring feast to celebrate the seven local growers from whom Markel sources grapes to make his delicious Italian-style wines. He is one of a handful of young winemakers (not to mention cidermakers, like Jasper Smith and Ella McCallion of Son of Man, who make their wild-fermented Basque-style brews in the same space as Markel) who are putting the Columbia Gorge on the wine map. This renegade group might not have the slick tasting rooms and award-winning Pinot Noirs of Oregon's better-known Willamette Valley, but they make up for it with their zeal for what they do and the land on which they do it. While the Columbia Gorge has been an official American Viticultural Area for only 20 years, people have been growing grapes here since the 1840s. Formed by ancient volcanoes and glacial floods, the Columbia River, which starts in British Columbia and empties into the Pacific, spends the last 309 miles of its 1,243-mile length dividing Oregon and Washington. Eighty miles of that borderland is the Gorge, a deep river canyon of dramatic basalt cliffs, waterfalls, and some of the prettiest trails in the Pacific Northwest. For years the town of Hood River, on the Oregon side, was the main attraction for its world-class windsurfing and, more recently, its craft breweries, but we chose to stay across the river in White Salmon, Washington, closer to some of the area's new wineries and restaurants. Perched high on a cliff, the town has the best bakery in the Gorge, a charming wine bar, and stunning views of Mount Hood on a clear day. Elle McCallion of Son of Man cidery MELISSA BRADLEY Summertime at the Society Hotel AJ MEEKER A glamping tent at Skamania Lodge TALIA JEAN GALVIN In contrast to the more rustic digs of my previous visits (the cabins at the Society Hotel and the glamping-style tents at Skamania Lodge), we stayed this time in the cedarwood-and-corten-steel environs of the new Iconica and the recently updated Inn of the White Salmon. Most days we woke early and hit the trails. We'd unknowingly timed our visit perfectly with wildflower season, and on the Catherine Creek loop, we found the landscape a riot of purple lupines and yolk yellow balsamroot. After each hike we made a beeline for White Salmon Baking Co. and rewarded ourselves with blueberry polenta cake or mushroom scrambles. White Salmon has only about 2,600 residents but a restaurant circuit worthy of a much larger town. We had excellent carnitas tacos at Pixán Taqueria & Cantina, perfectly cooked steak with crispy potatoes at Henri's, and a delicious burrata served with mint pesto at the tasting room Soča Wine Shop & Bar. Much credit for the town's thriving food scene goes to California-native Nina Jimenez and Slovenia-born Jure Poberaj, an entrepreneurial couple who opened White Salmon Baking Co. and Soča before selling both to focus on their winery, Poberaj Wines. One afternoon I drove into the hills above White Salmon to visit them. After Poberaj, the nephew of natural winemaking pioneer Joško Gravner, led me past the clay amphora he'd just buried in the ground, we tasted wines directly from the barrel. Prepping a seasonal salad at Buona Notte winery BUONA NOTTE A festive dinner at Buona Notte Buona Notte 'We're very serious about having fun,' said Malia Myers, who, along with Melaney Schmidt, founded Landmass Wines. I laughed as she and Schmidt showed me around the winery they opened in Cascade Locks in 2023: Wine tanks are named after female screen characters, like Regina (from Mean Girls) and Oksana (from Killing Eve). The couple built their business via Instagram, doing home deliveries during the pandemic.
