The extreme summer heat is continuing to impact Virginians who are trying to enjoy their holiday weekend.Preview: A Virginia Tech research team is heading to the Brazilian rainforest next to compete for a ten-million-dollar prize. The group is one of six international research teams taking part in this year's X-PRIZE Rainforest competition. The team will have 24 hours to survey the biodiversity of one square kilometer of the rainforest. Since human contact with the forest isn't allowed, they will use drones and automated devices to collect their data. Then they'll have 48 hours to analyze the information and submit it. The goal of the contest is to find the quickest and most efficient technology for analyzing biodiversity within the rainforest.
Chesterfield County is holding what one teacher calls a big book party. El Librotazo is set for Tuesday at the county fairgrounds on Courthouse Road. Kids 18 and under will be able to get up to five free books - available in multiple languages. Laura Hite is with the Chesterfield Education Association, and she tells 12 On Your Side if you like parties, children and books, this will be the place to be.
The Richmond Flying Squirrels continue to struggle in the second half of the season. In front of a sellout crowd at The Diamond last night, they fell, 3-2, to the Bowie Baysox. Richmond is now 3-and-7 in the second half of the Eastern League season. The two teams will battle again tonight at 6:35.