University of Lynchburg students organize prayer vigil to show support for Ukraine
People across the world, including Southwest and Central Virginia, are showing support for Ukraine since Russia invaded the country. Wednesday night, students at the University of Lynchburg hosted a prayer vigil for Ukrainians.
Lawmakers look for ways to get PPE, testing to local governments and small businesses
Two lawmakers from opposite coasts and different parties want to ease the burden on local governments and small businesses of operating during the pandemic by helping them purchase personal protective equipment and rapid testing equipment. A quarter of the funds, $250 million, would be set aside to help small business like restaurants fully reopen. "In conversations with Central Virginia small businesses, restaurants, and local governments, a major concern remains the continued cost of PPE and COVID-19 testing supplies," Spanberger said. These costs have largely been borne by local businesses, who often see those safety measures as necessary to get customers back in the door. State and local governments around the country are also facing major budget shortfalls because of the declining tax revenues and the costs they have incurred to fight the pandemic.
cbsnews.comMicrosoft technology chief explains how A.I. could someday help rural people get through a pandemic
But technologists don't spend as much time talking about how AI can help small towns. Kevin Scott, Microsoft's chief technology officer, is an exception. Scott grew up in Gladys, Virginia, a farming community in Campbell County. With the pandemic foremost on everybody's mind, Scott discussed with CNBC some ways that AI could come in handy for rural people in a future outbreak:Smart delivery vehicles. Systems that count on AI to diagnose patients and refer them to specialists could help fill the gap, Scott said.
cnbc.com