Articles by Monica Nickelsburg

Monica Nickelsburg is GeekWire’s Civic Editor, covering technology-driven solutions to urban challenges and the intersection of tech and politics. Before joining GeekWire, she worked for The Week, Forbes, and NBC. Monica holds a BA in journalism and history from New York University. Follow her @mnickelsburg

Amazon faces unprecedented challenges as dozens of warehouses grapple with COVID-19 outbreaks

Privacy advocates alarmed after Seattle-area police launch online tool to report illegal gatherings
As hospitals run low on protective gear, tech workers are on a quest to help fill the shortage
Washington governor issues ‘stay home, stay healthy’ order to slow spread of COVID-19

Latest from Monica Nickelsburg

Washington governor extends ‘stay home’ order until May 4, says it’s ‘absolutely the soonest’ state could re-open

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 2, 2020April 2, 2020 at 5:32 pmComment

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee extended the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order for an additional month Thursday. The rules, which shutter all non-essential businesses and forbid people from leaving their… Read More

Amazon faces unprecedented challenges as dozens of warehouses grapple with COVID-19 outbreaks

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 2, 2020April 2, 2020 at 2:31 pm1 Comment

At least 30 of the fulfillment centers that power Amazon’s e-commerce business have outbreaks of COVID-19, according to local news reports and employee accounts. The mounting cases are sparking walkouts, frustration,… Read More

T-Mobile completes $26.5B Sprint merger, capping two-year struggle to create new wireless giant

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 1, 2020April 1, 2020 at 10:07 amComment

T-Mobile closed its $26.5 billion merger with Sprint on Wednesday, concluding a years-long process that included touch-and-go negotiations, regulatory oversight, and lawsuits. T-Mobile will take over as the parent company… Read More

Microsoft president calls Washington state’s new facial recognition law ‘a significant breakthrough’

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 31, 2020April 1, 2020 at 9:47 am 3 Comments

Microsoft President Brad Smith took a break from responding to the COVID-19 outbreak Tuesday to praise Washington state’s landmark facial recognition regulations. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill Tuesday… Read More

Businesses in Washington state that don’t comply with ‘stay home’ order could have licenses revoked

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 at 3:29 pm 6 Comments

Companies in Washington state that fail to comply with Gov. Jay Inslee’s “stay home” order could lose their business licenses. Inslee announced a range of new enforcement measures to compel… Read More

Amazon starts temperature screening amid outcry over warehouse worker exposure to COVID-19

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 at 10:42 amComment

Amazon will begin screening employee temperatures at warehouses in New York and Seattle this week amid growing unrest about workers’ exposure to COVID-19. Those concerns reached a boiling point Monday… Read More

Privacy advocates alarmed after Seattle-area police launch online tool to report illegal gatherings

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 at 10:21 am 4 Comments

Police in Bellevue, Wash., are asking residents to report violations of the state’s “stay home” order online in an effort to clear up 911 lines for emergencies. Suspected violations are… Read More

Amazon shareholders submit 10 resolutions on environment, equity, lobbying and other issues

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 at 2:26 pm1 Comment

Amazon shareholders plan to press for a range of corporate reforms at the company’s annual meeting in May. Amazon released an early proxy statement Friday that includes 10 shareholder resolutions… Read More

How the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package impacts startups

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 26, 2020March 26, 2020 at 4:39 pmComment

The U.S. Senate passed the largest stimulus package in American history on Wednesday to cushion the economy from impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation carves out special relief programs… Read More

Unemployment applications surge 843% in Washington state amid coronavirus isolation order

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 26, 2020March 27, 2020 at 7:59 amComment

Washington state has seen an unprecedented spike in unemployment applications amid an order for all non-essential workers to remain in their homes to slow the COVID-19 outbreak. Applications for unemployment… Read More

Podcast

As hospitals run low on protective gear, tech workers are on a quest to help fill the shortage

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 26, 2020March 26, 2020 at 4:02 pmComment

The coronavirus outbreak in Washington state has not yet reached the “peak” that some public health officials anticipate, but already ICU physicians like Mike Holmes are grappling with a dearth… Read More

Amazon calls DoD review of Microsoft JEDI win too narrow, urges sweeping reevaluation of bids

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 at 10:45 amComment

For months Amazon has been pleading with a federal court to order the Department of Defense to review its decision to award a lucrative, high-profile cloud contract to rival Microsoft.… Read More

Video

Washington governor issues ‘stay home, stay healthy’ order to slow spread of COVID-19

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 23, 2020March 23, 2020 at 8:53 pm 10 Comments

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday ordered all residents except essential workers to stay at home for at least two weeks, the strictest measure to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in… Read More

Leafly lays off additional 91 employees, eliminating more than 50 percent of staff in 2020

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 23, 2020March 23, 2020 at 4:04 pm 5 Comments

Leafly laid off 91 employees Monday, just two months after eliminating 54 positions at the online cannabis brand. The Seattle startup that once employed about 300 now has 140 employees… Read More

Internal memo: Jeff Bezos tells Amazon employees he’s ‘wholly focused’ on the COVID-19 crisis

by Monica Nickelsburg & Todd Bishop on March 21, 2020March 21, 2020 at 8:39 pm 5 Comments

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says he has turned all of his attention to the impact of COVID-19, the tech giant’s response to the spread of the disease, and its role… Read More

Washington governor avoids ‘shelter in place’ rule, but warns citizens they’re not doing enough

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 20, 2020March 25, 2020 at 12:47 pm 5 Comments

Editor’s note: On Monday, March 23, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all residents except essential workers to stay at home for at least two weeks. Read the story. Washington Gov.… Read More

Washington state authorizes mobile fueling; legislator calls it ‘timely’ as residents practice social distancing

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 at 4:39 pmComment

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law this week that makes it easier for companies to provide mobile fueling in the state. The legislation helps companies such as… Read More

Microsoft and Adaptive Biotechnologies partner to study immune response to COVID-19

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 at 10:47 amComment

Microsoft and Seattle-based Adaptive Biotechnologies announced Friday they will work together to map the immune response to COVID-19. The goal of the partnership is to study population-wide immune responses to… Read More

‘Tax Amazon’ activists petition for ballot initiative to raise $300M/year for affordable housing

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 at 2:24 pm1 Comment

Seattle activists introduced a petition Thursday for a ballot initiative that would tax hometown tech giant Amazon to raise millions of dollars for affordable housing and other objectives. A group… Read More

Pandemic exposes cracks in US labor market, leaving gig workers feeling desperate and exposed

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 19, 2020March 20, 2020 at 9:05 am 2 Comments

When Uber announced this week it will provide cash assistance to drivers diagnosed with COVID-19, Vasil Denev considered whether getting sick was his best option. “Uber offered to pay me… Read More

Bill Gates calls out federal government for disorganized COVID-19 testing in Reddit AMA

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 18, 2020March 19, 2020 at 4:02 pm 9 Comments

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, a leading philanthropist on global public health, offered predictions and advice for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic Wednesday during a Reddit AMA. He urged everyone who… Read More

Lime temporarily shuts down in CA, WA and some European countries to slow coronavirus

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 at 12:25 pmComment

Lime is pausing its e-scooter and e-bike services in California, Washington, Italy, France, and Spain, starting Tuesday. The company said the closures are intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.… Read More

Amazon warehouses will stop accepting non-essential items amid COVID-19 outbreak

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 at 9:50 am 8 Comments

Amazon told third-party sellers Tuesday that it will temporarily bar shipments of non-essential items to warehouses so that the company can prioritize medical supplies and household goods. The moratorium will… Read More

Amazon will hire 100k warehouse workers amid pandemic-driven surge in online shopping

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 16, 2020March 16, 2020 at 1:28 pm1 Comment

Amazon is planning to hire an additional 100,000 warehouse workers to keep up with the volume of orders placed by customers amid a global COVID-19 outbreak. Amazon said Monday it… Read More

Amazon delivery infrastructure strained as COVID-19 outbreak sparks surge in online shopping

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 16, 2020March 16, 2020 at 12:33 pm 3 Comments

With thousands of Americans telecommuting and self-isolating to slow the spread of COVID-19, Amazon’s Prime and Fresh delivery services are grappling with high demand and inventory issues, as warehouse workers… Read More

Data privacy regulations fail in Washington state legislature

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 at 10:16 am1 Comment

A bill that would have enacted data privacy regulations in Washington state failed to pass the state legislature before the session ended Thursday. The bill sought to have the state… Read More

Washington state passes landmark facial recognition bill, reining in government use of AI

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 at 10:45 amComment

The Washington state legislature passed a bill establishing new guardrails on government use of facial recognition software. The bill cleared both chambers of the state legislature Thursday, hours before the session ended,… Read More

Amazon moves shareholder meeting online, cancels in-person event where investors and protestors gather in Seattle annually

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 12, 2020March 12, 2020 at 10:18 amComment

Amazon’s annual shareholder meeting will be held exclusively online this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak that is rocking the world and financial markets. The Seattle event has become a… Read More

Amazon launches $25M relief fund to help delivery drivers, seasonal workers cope with COVID-19

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 11, 2020March 11, 2020 at 1:43 pmComment

Amazon on Wednesday announced it will donate $25 million to help its network of independent delivery drivers, Amazon Flex workers, and seasonal employees deal with disruptions caused by the COVID-19… Read More

Washington state bans large events in three counties to slow spread of COVID-19, governor calls pandemic ‘extremely dangerous’

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 11, 2020March 11, 2020 at 1:46 pm 6 Comments

Washington state is canceling events with more than 250 attendees in three counties through the end of March, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday at a press conference. The moratorium is… Read More

Articles by Monica Nickelsburg

Top Stories from Monica Nickelsburg

Amazon faces unprecedented challenges as dozens of warehouses grapple with COVID-19 outbreaks

Latest from Monica Nickelsburg

Washington governor extends ‘stay home’ order until May 4, says it’s ‘absolutely the soonest’ state could re-open

Amazon faces unprecedented challenges as dozens of warehouses grapple with COVID-19 outbreaks

T-Mobile completes $26.5B Sprint merger, capping two-year struggle to create new wireless giant

Microsoft president calls Washington state’s new facial recognition law ‘a significant breakthrough’

Businesses in Washington state that don’t comply with ‘stay home’ order could have licenses revoked

Amazon starts temperature screening amid outcry over warehouse worker exposure to COVID-19

Privacy advocates alarmed after Seattle-area police launch online tool to report illegal gatherings

Amazon shareholders submit 10 resolutions on environment, equity, lobbying and other issues

How the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package impacts startups

Unemployment applications surge 843% in Washington state amid coronavirus isolation order

As hospitals run low on protective gear, tech workers are on a quest to help fill the shortage

Washington governor issues ‘stay home, stay healthy’ order to slow spread of COVID-19

Leafly lays off additional 91 employees, eliminating more than 50 percent of staff in 2020

Internal memo: Jeff Bezos tells Amazon employees he’s ‘wholly focused’ on the COVID-19 crisis

Washington governor avoids ‘shelter in place’ rule, but warns citizens they’re not doing enough

Washington state authorizes mobile fueling; legislator calls it ‘timely’ as residents practice social distancing

Microsoft and Adaptive Biotechnologies partner to study immune response to COVID-19

‘Tax Amazon’ activists petition for ballot initiative to raise $300M/year for affordable housing

Pandemic exposes cracks in US labor market, leaving gig workers feeling desperate and exposed

Bill Gates calls out federal government for disorganized COVID-19 testing in Reddit AMA

Lime temporarily shuts down in CA, WA and some European countries to slow coronavirus

Amazon warehouses will stop accepting non-essential items amid COVID-19 outbreak

Amazon will hire 100k warehouse workers amid pandemic-driven surge in online shopping

Amazon delivery infrastructure strained as COVID-19 outbreak sparks surge in online shopping

Data privacy regulations fail in Washington state legislature

Washington state passes landmark facial recognition bill, reining in government use of AI

Amazon moves shareholder meeting online, cancels in-person event where investors and protestors gather in Seattle annually

Amazon launches $25M relief fund to help delivery drivers, seasonal workers cope with COVID-19

Washington state bans large events in three counties to slow spread of COVID-19, governor calls pandemic ‘extremely dangerous’

What you need to know about the CARES Act: A small business virtual roundtable

ONLINE EVENT: Microsoft 45th Anniversary Online Celebration

POSTPONED: Aerospace & Defense Supplier Summit Seattle