Bollinger delivers newest FRC

LOCKPORT, La. – Bollinger Shipyards delivered the newest Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (“FRC”), the USCGC John Scheuerman, to the Coast Guard in Key West, Fla., on Oct. 10 nearly one week ahead of schedule despite a 3-week shutdown due to the significant damage sustained to Bollinger’s facilities during Hurricane Ida. (Source: Bollinger 10/21/21) BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS DELIVERS 46th FAST RESPONSE CUTTER AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DESPITE DIRECT HIT FROM HURRICANE IDA - News - Bollinger Shipyards

La. embracing LNG; Is it worth it?

Louisiana is embracing the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry with two major facilities, both in Cameron Parish. Each exports LNG around the globe. What was a sleepy little shrimping community has taken on a new scene of giant cranes and storage tanks along the Gulf of Mexico. “All that was open,” one shrimper told NOLA.com. He's spent his life around commercial fishing in SW Louisiana. “Cameron’s changed like day and night to me,” said 60-year-old Darrell LeBlanc. LNG is being touted as a bridge fuel that burns cleaner than coal and a sign of the world moves toward renewable energy. But LNG is also a source of greenhouse gas emissions. Some question if the trade-off in pollution and major tax breaks amount to a good investment for Louisiana. Gov. John Bel Edwards will be at a climate summit in Scotland this week. Lake Charles will be hosting a major LNG industry conference Nov. 2-4. (Source: NOLA.com 10/31/21) Louisiana has bet big on liquefied natural gas. Is it a good bet? | Lake Charles News | theadvocate.com

EPA grants $572K to La.

DALLAS - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $572,000 to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to help identify sources of lead in drinking water in schools and/or childcare facilities. The funding will help protect children and helps advance the federal action plan to reduce childhood lead exposures. This award brings LDH’s total funding under the program to $1,153,000. “Protecting children’s health is one of the most important aspects of EPA’s mission," said Acting Regional Administrator David Gray. LDH’s award is part of $26M in funding under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act for states, territories, and tribes to test for lead in schools and childcare facilities. The grants support EPA’s plan for reducing lead in school drinking water through Training, Testing, and Taking Action (the 3Ts). Learn about the 3 Ts here: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water

DoI: Input for GoM wind projects

 The U.S. Department of the Interior (DoI) has announced three major milestones to advance commercial offshore wind energy development off the coasts of the Carolinas, Massachusetts and the Gulf of Mexico. DoI will propose a lease sale for wind energy development in the Carolina Long Bay area; initiate an environmental review of Mayflower Wind’s project offshore Massachusetts; and request information to further assess commercial interest in wind energy leasing in the Gulf of Mexico. The department is seeking public input on all three proposals. Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) completed its review of a Construction and Operations Plan for the Vineyard (Mass.) Wind project earlier this year, and has 10 more underway. The administration is preparing for lease sales in the New York Bight and California in 2022 and is actively working with states, Tribes and stakeholders to explore wind potential offshore the Gulf of Maine, Oregon, Hawaii and the Gulf of Mexico. BOEM will publish a Call for Information and Nominations to further assess commercial interest in, and invite public comment on, possible commercial wind energy leasing in a proposed area in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The Call will publish in the Federal Register on Nov. 1, which will trigger a 45-day period for public comment and submissions indicating interest in commercial leasing, ending on 10:59 p.m. CT on Dec. 16. The Call Area consists of almost 30M acres west of the Mississippi River to the Texas/Mexico border. (Source: Work Boat 10/28/21) Interior Department to advance offshore wind in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico | WorkBoat

AHI's H125 helo fully certified

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The recent performance increase of Airbus Helicopters Inc.'s single-engine H125 helicopter has received certification from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the U.S. and Transport Canada making it fully certified and available to all North American customers. This evolution includes multiple benefits for H125 operators. "The H125 is a best-seller in the region and (AHI) continues to make the necessary product evolutions in line with the needs of the market and customers globally,” said Romain Trapp, president of the company, and head of the North America region. “The extra power and resulting payload increase" means a major operational advantage for the customers missions, especially for firefighting and aerial work,  he continued. The increased performance will be included as a standard feature on new H125s entering production at AHI's plant in Columbus, Miss., as of March 2022. There are 1,365 helicopters in the H125 family in service in North America. In the last decade, half of all the intermediate single-engine law enforcement helicopters delivered in North America have been H125s, and it also accounts for nearly half of all intermediate single engine utility helicopter operations in North America. (Source: 10/28/21) H125 performance increase fully certified in North America - Press Release - Airbus US

FedEx hub expanding at GTIP

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. – Work has begun on a 200,000 sf FedEx Ground facility in Golden Triangle Industrial Park (GTIP). The new $50M expansion hub is expected to create about 100 jobs. The facility will serve as a "pretty big footprint in North Mississippi and actually over into Alabama." said Joe Max Higgins Jr., CEO of GTR Link. (Source: WCBI 10/28/21)

MSU ribbon-cuts Rula school

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University celebrated the completion of its new state-of-the-art home for the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. University leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 27 to mark the official opening of the $34M Rula Engineering and Science Complex within the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. The MSU Foundation has raised about $14M in support of the facility. The Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering is among eight primary academic areas. The unit enrolls some 570 undergraduate and 90 graduate students. Degree programs include a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, all with seven technical options. (Source: MSU 10/27/21) MSU celebrates opening of Rula Engineering and Science Complex | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

Tricare Rx: Walmart out, CVS in

Walmart is "leaving" Tricare's pharmacy network on Dec. 15. It's departure, according to pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, is the result of the retail store's reluctance to offer more competitive discounts to military health beneficiaries. CVS Pharmacy will return to the network after a 5-year hiatus. Effective Dec. 15, Walmart and Sam's Club will no longer be a part of the Tricare pharmacy network. CVS will be included among the list of network retail pharmacies where Tricare users can fill prescriptions. CVS has nearly 10,000 pharmacy locations. Walmart has 5,000. Under the new deal, all prescriptions filled at a Walmart will be considered non-network. Beneficiaries would have to pay the full cost of their meds up front and file a claim for partial reimbursement. In a curious sidebar to the story is Walmart and Express Scripts signed a "multi-year" deal on Sept. 30 to remain in the network, according to a company spokesman. Walmart was "surprised" to learn that its pharmacy contract had been terminated, the spokesman said. (Source: Military.com 10/25/21) Walmart Says It Was Blindsided by Its Ouster from Tricare Network | Military.com

DCA honors Alabama senator

The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) honored U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) with its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his leadership in support of critical maritime infrastructure investments. The award particularly notes his advocacy of the much-needed Mobile Harbor expansion, as it is formed from a cutting tooth used on the dredging vessel Ellis Island during the project. (Source: Work Boat 10/25/21)

Sub Alabama reaches milestone

 BANGOR, WASH. - USS Alabama joined a select group, alongside USS Alaska (SSBN 732) and USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730), as the third Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine to reach the 100th patrol milestone. This milestone “speaks to its longevity and the success of the fleet. It’s “pretty uncommon,” said Chief Electronics Technician Josh Jones, assistant navigator. While underway, the ship hosted more than 480 Midshipmen from various schools and programs. Alabama hit a second millstone by celebrating its 36th birthday since commissioning May 25, 1985. Alabama’s patrol was 132 days, the 4th longest strategic deterrence patrol in the history of the Ohio-class SSBN force, according to Murphy. Alabama is one of eight Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines homeported at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor and the seventh Navy ship to bear the name. (Source: US Navy 10/25/21) GULF COAST NOTE: After commissioning, Alabama departed Connecticut to conduct her shakedown cruise off the coast of Florida. After several domestic maneuvers and crew changes, Alabama visited Mobile, Alabama, before heading for the Panama Canal and from there to Bangor, Washington.

Pascagoula 1% of NAVSEA work

 Serco - IPS Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $24,903,276, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00174-18-C-0015 to procure professional support services for the Naval Sea System Command’s deputy commander for surface warfare (SEA 21). Work will be performed in Washington, D.C. (55%); Norfolk, Virginia (19%); San Diego, California (18%); Mayport, Florida (2%); Yokosuka, Japan (2%); Sasebo, Japan (1%); Manama, Bahrain (1%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (1%); and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (1%), and is expected to complete October 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $810,855; fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,845,992; and fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,246,052 will be obligated at time of award, of which $17,056,907 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 10/27/21)

Offshore wind virtual session

The U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) Offshore Energy Facilitation Task Team (Offshore Energy TT) is hosting a virtual industry listening session from 10-11:30 a.m. (CST) on Nov. 16. The purpose is to hear from the offshore wind industry regarding issues and impacts in mitigating munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) within Outer Continental Shelf wind lease areas and near project areas including easements. Offshore wind energy stakeholders who intend to speak at this session are requested to email OffshoreEnergy@cmts.gov by Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, to be included with a list of presenters. (Source: Work Boat 10/25/21) Offshore wind energy public listening session set | WorkBoat

Carpenter: Top MS tourism award

JACKSON, Miss. – ‘Visit Columbus’ CEO Nancy Carpenter has been selected as the 2021 Mississippi Tourism Association Member of the Year. The award goes to an outstanding MTA member who has gone above and beyond in supporting the organization and Mississippi’s tourism industry. She is involved in the promotion of Columbus in national and international arenas as a Wingman and Honorary Commander at Columbus Air Force Base, and as a member of the advisory board of the Golden Triangle Development Link. In 2011, Gov. Haley Barbour appointed Carpenter to the Civil Rights Museum Commission, and to the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). In 2021, she was re-appointed to the MDAH Board. Currently, she serves on the boards of both the Mississippi Museum of History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. (Source: WCBA 10/25/21) Nancy Carpenter named Mississippi Tourism Association Member of the Year (wcbi.com) 

1st FY-22 SUPT grad class

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Class 22-01, the first FY 2022 Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) class, graduated five aviators, four from allied forces, on Oct. 22. One facet of training at CAFB is the international training program. Class 22-01 graduated two pilots from Saudi Arabia, one from Japan, and one from Uzbekistan. (Source: CAFB 10/25/21) Pilots awarded their wings included LCDR Massimiliano Barvina Grandi of Trieste, Italy, LTJG Joseph Colin Bedford of Virginia Beach, Va., LT David Ryan Blanchard of Virginia Beach, Va., LTJG John Taylor Joyce of Warrington, Pa., LTJG Anthony Stephen Juliano or Cranford, NJ, LTJG Victoria Gisela Krause of Davidsonville, Md., LTJG Ryan Allen Savitt of Milwaukee, Wis., LTJG Nicholas David Taylor of Arlington, Wash., and LTJG Suzelle Margaret Swing Thomas of Birmingham, Ala. SUPT class 22-01 graduates; new era begins > Columbus Air Force Base > Article Display (af.mil)

Thomasson 1sr woman MMA chair

JACKSON, Miss. - Pat Thomasson, CEO of the Thomasson Company in Philadelphia, Miss., was named board chair for the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA), making her the first woman to serve in the position. She's been on the MMA Board of Directors since 2016. She is a Certified Public Accountant, and has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi. She started working for the Thomasson Co. in June 1996. (Source: WTOK 10/21/21) Thomasson named MMA’s first female board chair (msn.com)

STE to offer UPS aviation training

In a joint effort to create a pipeline of qualified aircraft maintenance technicians to support the growing needs of the aviation industry, ST Engineering and UPS have agreed to work together on a skills progression program to provide on-the-job training to prospective aviation technicians. The initiative is among the first established between an airline and MRO service provider to provide training and career opportunities in aircraft maintenance; and is one talent recruitment and development initiative ST Engineering collaborates with its partners. Under the program, participants will undergo three years of on-the-job accelerated trade and skills training dedicated to UPS aircraft work. The program, which includes progressive training in the levels of apprentices, mechanics and technicians, will be conducted at STE’s airframe MRO facilities in Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla. Trainees can apply for career openings at UPS upon graduation and be considered for employment by the airline. (Source: ST Engineering 10/15/21) ST Engineering and UPS Introduce Skills Progression Programme to Train Aircraft Maintenance Technicians | ST Engineering (stengg.com)

DoD weapon system mgmt awards

The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the 2021 winners of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards.  These awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in weapon systems and military equipment maintenance. A total of six field-level awards are presented in three categories - large, medium, and small.  The recipients of this year's Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Awards in the large category are the 3D Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3RD Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1ST Cavalry Division, and USS AMERICA. Winners in the medium category are Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Assault Craft Unit Five.  The small category winners are Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron SEVEN SEVEN (77) and 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command.  (Source: DoD 10/25/21) The 801st, 1st SOW, and AFSOC are located out of Hurlburt Field in NW Florida. DoD Announces 2021 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards Winners > U.S. Department of Defense > Release 

Fed assistance for 19 MS counties

President Biden approved Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves' request for federal assistance on Oct. 23 to help 19 counties affected by Hurricane Ida, state officials say. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials estimated the counties would received about $22.5M for damages when Ida swept through the state on Aug. 29. Public assistance was approved for Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Covington, Franklin, George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pearl River, Pike, Simpson, Walthall, Wayne and Wilkinson counties. The public assistance will help support local governments and some non-profits during the recovery process with debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures and restoring public infrastructure. (Hattiesburg American 10/23/21)

Levee breech is actually good news

Nearly 10 years ag0, back-to-back high water years on the Mississippi River breached the east bank levee in lower Plaquemines Parish, forming a new crevasse connecting the river to the back levee canal within the Bohemia Spillway. What began as a trickle, it has widened each year and now -  known as Mardi Gras Pass - the opening is more than 300 feet wide. About 30,000 cubic feet of muddy water passes through every second. It sounds like another bad news storyline the Louisiana's coast, which is already losing land at a rate of a football field every 100 minutes. In fact, the crevasse is producing more land (from traveling mud), much to the delight of some of the state's coastal advocates. (Source: NOLA.com 10/22/21) On Louisiana's coast, some marshes weathered Ida better than others. The difference? Mud. | Environment | nola.com

Bad combo: Erosion, coastal bldg

Coastal regulators, restrained by laws making development more easy, often approve work in tidelands with limited review, McClatchy newspapers' investigation found. Those efforts occurred as local governments welcomed expansive new development along the states’ tidelands, putting more pressure on state government to process permits. Amid the growth, sea levels rose about 3mm per year, on average over the past 100 years. In the past three decades, sea levels have increased to nearly 5mm per year on average. In the 10 its approached 15mm  per year (and rising), NOAA researchers say. “A lot of people enjoy the fact that they live around these wetlands and they can go out into those areas and fish and whatever else they want to do,’’ said Nate Herold, a scientist with NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management in Charleston, S,C,. “But a lot of those wetlands are not going to be the same as they are now, if they even still exist in the future.’’ Increased development, eroding land and rising seas are a lethal combination for salt marshes because they need room to spread into other areas as the higher water pushes them that way. (Source: Sun Herald 1024/21) Coastal home development, climate change hurting NC marshes | Biloxi Sun Herald

Threat of wetlands disappearing?

Islands have shrunk and wetlands are disappearing. Scientists worry climate change, sea level risings and humans are putting South Atlantic tidelands in danger from North Carolina’s Outer Banks to the edge of North Florida. What happens next? Parts of the South Atlantic coast are sinking, floods increasing, marsh grasses thinning, trees dying, and water is covering research equipment in the grasses. Changes in South Atlantic salt marshes are not as obvious as what’s occurring on the Gulf Coast, where thousands of acres of marine wetlands have eroded and entire islands disappeared. But scientists in the Carolinas and Georgia are paying close attention tp the causes causing the sea to expand and polar ice to melt. Anywhere from 14%-to-34% of the 1M existing salt marshes acres from the South Atlantic-to-North Florida could be lost by 2060 if seas continue to rise as expected, according to NOAA. If salt marshes disappear, multi-billion dollar tourism, recreational and commercial fishing industries would all suffer. Hurricanes/tropical weather threats to the coastal South, could have more devastating impacts if salt marsh grasses aren’t there to slow surges before water washes onto the mainland. Wildlife people are used to seeing in marshes could leave or die. This is Rising Tides, Sinking Future, a special report from McClatchy. These stories were made possible with support from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting.  (Source: Sun Herald 10/24/21) Global warming could kill marine ecosystems in NC, SC, GA, FL | Biloxi Sun Herald

LGC group tour south MS facilities

Some 40 business/community leaders from Leadership Gulf Coast (LGC) visited Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., on Oct. 20 as part of their tour of military and port facilities in the local region. While at NCBC, the leaders were briefed by base XO Cmdr. Weurielus Johnson. Afterward, they toured a battalion maintenance facilities and technical trainer sites, where Navy Seabees, and service members from the Army and Air Force, receive in-depth training on construction-related skills. Later that day, they the Port of Gulfport, Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, and the Combat Readiness Training Center at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. All of which provided an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the missions of each and how they impact the local Mississippi Gulf Coast. LGC, a Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce-affiliated program, is designed to teach business and community leaders from around the Mississippi Gulf Coast about the opportunities and challenges in their local community and to create a communication network dedicated to the improvement of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. (Source: NCBC Gulfport 10/20/21)

Atty Carter joins Port NOLA board

NEW ORLEANS - Attorney James J. Carter was to have been sworn in as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) during its Oct. 21 meeting. Appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, Carter succeeds Tara C. Hernandez as one of four Orleans Parish representatives on the 7-member regional board and will serve a five-year term. Port Commissioners also serve as Commissioners of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) board, and Carter was to become NOPB’s newest commissioner. NOPB, a Class III switching railroad, is an independent political subdivision of the state of Louisiana with the primary mission of serving the Port of New Orleans and local industries. (Source: Biz New Orleans 10/19/21) Gov. Edwards Appoints James J. Carter to Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans - Biz New Orleans

MSU president gets extension

STARKVILLE, Miss.- Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum was approved Oct. 21 by the state college board for a contract extension through June 30, 2025. Keenum is being paid $400,000 a year from the state and $400,000 a year from the private Mississippi State University Foundation. Board President Dr. J. Walt Starr said Keenum is not getting a pay raise, but the board OK'd the foundation to pay Keenum up to $800,000 if he remains for whole the contract. Keenum said he wants some of that to go to scholarships. (Source: The AP 1021/21)

PLUM expanding in West Point

Plum Creek Environmental, a manufacturer and distributor of waste and recycling containers and equipment, will invest $3M to expand in West Point, Miss., facility that is expected to create 50 jobs by the end of the year. PLUM was founded in Columbus, Miss., in 2007, The West Point expansion is a 60,000 square-foot facility to meet increased demand. The company also will maintain operations in West Point. "We also intend to add new product lines in the near future, PLUM Environmental President Jim Wamble said in a Mississippi Development Authority media release. PLUM's partnership with East Mississippi Community College has been supplying a stream of trained welders. Plum Creek Environmental operates two divisions: PLUM Container and PLUM Equipment. PLUM Container is the South’s premier manufacturer of Waste Containers. PLUM Equipment is a full-service dealer of Recycling Equipment. “Plum Creek has been a fixture in the Golden Triangle market for many years," said Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins, "and it’s great to see them continue to expand." (Source: Area Development 10/21/21) Plum Creek Environmental Expands West Point, Mississippi, Operations - Area Development

3rd party Navy home inspections

The Navy will facilitate third-party home inspections for all of its 39,000 privatized housing units through October 2022. The program is required and funded by Congress as part of the latest National Defense Authorization Act. Residents will get from up to 48 hours to a week of advance notice. Scheduling conflicts can be worked out with local housing centers. The inspections will last an average of 75 minutes. The inspections are being conducted by Jacobs/HDR JV and will be signed off by a certified inspector, the Navy says. The company will put door-hanger signs on homes the day before they are slated for inspection. Residents who have further questions can call their local Navy Housing Service Center. All privatized Navy housing will be inspected. (Source: WAVY 10/21/21) Third-party to inspect all Navy privatized housing in US | WAVY.com

Regional Navy housing points of contact:

Gulfport NCBC 228-871-2586 e-mail: Gulfport_Housing@navy.mil;

Meridian NAS 601-679-2520 e-mail: Meridian_housing@navy.mil;

New Orleans NAS 504-678-3280 e-mail: NewOrleans_Housing@navy.mil.

Cali startup's 3D Stennis work

A small California-based satellite launch company, Launcher, is working to develop the most efficient rocket in the world for delivery of small satellites to orbit the Earth. The firm knew NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi would be the ideal testing location because of its secure facilities, expertise in testing full-scale rocket engines and components. Two years ago, Launcher got a U.S. Space Force Small Business Innovation Research (Phase II) award. The firm's first testing campaigns of its 3D printed E-2 liquid rocket engine at Stennis  have been reaching important milestones. The latest was a successful thrust chamber assembly hot fire test of the 22,000-pound-thrust engine in August, following successful testing of its E-2 liquid oxygen turbopump in April and the first full-scale test fire of the E-2 engine injector and combustion chamber last year. (Source: 3DPrinting 10/21/21) 3D Printing News Briefs, October 20, 2021: New Releases & More - 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing

DoL seeks noms for fed council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking nominations for membership to its newly re-established Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health, which advises the Secretary of Labor on all matters relating to the occupational safety and health of federal employees. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh reauthorized the council’s two-year charter Oct. 1 to begin the process of re-establishing the 16-member council. Members advise the Secretary on how to reduce the number of injuries and illnesses in the federal workforce, and how to encourage each federal Executive Branch department and agency to establish and maintain effective occupational safety and health programs. By charter, eight members will represent management in federal departments and agencies, and eight will represent federal employees. Read the Federal Register notice for submission instructions. Submit nominations electronically, and refer to Docket No. OSHA-2021-0010 at www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Submit nominations by Nov. 1, 2021. OSHA anticipates filling all vacancies by December 2021. (Source: DoL 10/21/21)

Shipbuilder's C5ISR facility

Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, and industry partners commissioned a new Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) production facility (PF) on Oct. 18 in support of the Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard in NW Florida. The C5ISR PF is a dedicated shore-based facility tailored to the OPC program and in support of the build-up, integration, and testing of the C5ISR system prior to installation on the ship. The co-location is designed to reduce program risk and costs, increases efficiency, and create a secure and collaborative environment. The facility is capable of holding two full-scale shipboard C5I operations spaces and bridge of the OPC to replicate the onboard facilities and stay in line with the vessel construction schedule. ESG received test readiness approval from the USCG and commenced formal testing in August 2021. (Source: Marine Link 10/21/21) Eastern And Partners Open C5ISR Facility For OPC (marinelink.com)

$10.6M mod pact for MS trousers

Golden Manufacturing, Golden, Mississippi, has been awarded a maximum $10,594,385 modification (P00015) exercising the second one-year option period of an 18-month base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1160) with three one-year option periods for various types of trousers. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Mississippi, with an Oct. 23, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Source: DoD 10/20/21)

Gulf aerospace newsletter

The October 2021 issue of the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Newsletter was published Tuesday. The cover story is about the hypersonic cruise missile space race, where Northwest Florida's Eglin Air Force Base is a player. While superior to mature technologies, hypersonic missiles are costly and the Pentagon wants to drive down the dollars. There’s also an article about a new test series that wrapped up at South Mississippi's Stennis Space Center. This testing was for startup company Launcher, and involved testing the thrust chamber assembly. It’s just the latest test showing SSC is a go-to for commercial space companies that want to take advantage of the facility’s extensive rocket engine test infrastructure. (Source: GCAC 10/19/21) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IR8vuvyn7k0YgKBvNkcFZ2Bz1Kyj3g1. h/view?usp=sharing/ [If unable to link to website, copy & paste]

SAC: Proof before 2nd CCF award

WASHINGTON: The Senate Appropriations Committee, overseeing the Navy’s budget, isn't sure how quickly the service may move to award a second shipyard contract for the Constellation-class frigate (CCF). The SAC wants the Navy to show in writing what its done to reduce “unneeded risk” prior to a deal. It's the latest bump-in-the-road from the Navy’s eagerness to push the ship forward; and lawmakers’ concerns of remaking mistakes from its predecessor programs. The committee is queasy on adding a second CCF shipyard before the first (Fincantieri Marinette Marine) has ID'd and corrected technical and production issues, according to SAC's report. Francantieri was selected to build the first handful of Next-Gen frigates, but lawmakers and those in the industry have been waiting for hints from the Navy about a potential second production contract. The service made it a requirement in its FFG(X) proposal that industry be able to provide a technical data package for the government to ultimately hand off to another company. Most signs point to the Navy moving forward with a second shipyard. Senators have directed SECNAV to prove the service has ironed out details of Constellation’s lead ship. The committee’s bill directs Navy to “prioritize" objectives: Technology maturation and risk reduction for critical shipboard components; major systems integration; full ship technical data package creation; and successful operationally realistic testing for the first ship.” Constellation class is still a relatively young program with its first ship not scheduled to join the fleet until 2025, but if the Navy does seek a second yard, most eyes will be on four companies in particular: General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Huntington Ingalls Industries (Miss.), Lockheed Martin and Austal USA (south Ala.). Those four shipyards were ultimately beaten by Fincantieri during the original FFG(X) competition. Senate Committee Warns Navy Against 'Unneeded Risk' In Second Frigate Shipyard - Breaking Defense Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary

Unvaccinated DoD civilian actions

The Defense Department has laid out some of its enforcement and punishment procedures for civilian workers who refuse its COVID-19 vaccine mandate beginning Nov. 22. The guidance, which was circulated on Oct. 18, indicates civilian employees who refuse to be vaccinated will face an escalating series of punishments, including five days of education/counseling, 14 days of unpaid suspension, and even termination "for failing to follow a direct order." The guidance notes other options for punishment but does not specify what they are. (Source: CNN 10/19/21) Pentagon outlines punishments for civilian employees if they fail to get vaccinated - CNNPolitics

DeCA, exchanges' merger dropped

The Pentagon is scuttling its 2008-started efforts to merge the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) and the military services' three separate exchange systems, according to a report obtained by Military.com. The report found that the plan would not result in the billions of savings originally projected. The report, which was sent to Congress in August, indicates DoD's new business case analysis of the proposal found no economic benefit to consolidation; and it'd cost another $15B to do it. The 2021 analysis update showed signs were "pointing in the wrong direction for consolidation.: The report was signed by Virginia Penrod, acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness. (Source: Military.com 10/20/21) Pentagon Abandons Its Support for Merging the Commissary and Exchange Systems | Military.com

Vertex lands $8.6M T-45 mod pact

 Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, is awarded an $8,698,215 firm-fixed-price modification (P00020) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N6134017D0005). This modification adds scope to provide intermediate-level maintenance and repair services and logistics support for the T-45 aircraft and T-45 support equipment in support of the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department for Chief of Naval Air Training aircraft, tenant activities, and transient aircraft. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas (40%); Whiting Field, Florida (32%); Pensacola, Florida (14%); Kingsville, Texas (8%); and Meridian, Mississippi (6%), and is expected to be completed in September 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 10/19/21)

NCBC to name center after Chief

The Chief of Naval Operations has approved Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., to officially name its fitness center for Builder Chief Petty Officer (BUC) Raymond J. Border, who was killed in Afghanistan, 10 years ago today (Oct. 19). Border served 12 years before his death and had volunteered for an Individual Augmentee (IA) return tour to Afghanistan after deploying with the Gulfport-based Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74 the previous prior. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star with combat V, Purple Heart and Combat Action Ribbon. The official naming ceremony for the naming of the Raymond J. Border Fitness Center is scheduled for an as yet undisclosed date 2022. The naming of the Fitness Center will allow Seabees to be able to permanently remember and honor one of their fallen Chief Petty Officers. (Source: NCMB 10/19/21) (2) Facebook

Jackson failing to clean up its act

JACKSON , Miss. - Mississippi’s capital city dumped more than 6B gallons of partly treated sewage into the Pearl River in 2020, seven years after signing a federal court agreement to clean up its act, records show.  The records also show sewer overflows released more than 523,000 gallons of untreated waste into the environment last year, WLBT-TV reported. Jackson made “only limited progress” toward some requirements in a 2013 agreement with the EPA but not begun work toward “crucial” goals, according to an August status report. Jackson has a deadline of late 2030 to meet terms of the consent decree. The city is negotiating with EPA to amend the order. The city had agreed to spend about $400M to comply with state/federal laws, but will need almost $960M to do it, according to the report. The untreated sewage in 2020 came from 376 overflows; and 11 forbidden bypasses at a wastewater treatment plant discharged partly treated wastewater into the Pearl River. In the five years before the agree, the system had an average of 460 a year. Halfway through the 17.5 year agreement, Jackson “has not yet begun crucial elements of the consent decree” while other elements “remain significantly delayed,” the report states. (Source: The AP 10/19/21)

EPA strategy on 'forever' chems

WASHINGTON - The Biden administration is launching a broad strategy to regulate toxic industrial compounds associated with serious health conditions that are used in products ranging from cookware to carpets and firefighting foams. Michael Regan, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said it is taking a series of actions to limit pollution from a cluster of long-lasting chemicals known as PFAS that are increasingly turning up in public drinking water systems, private wells and even food. (Source: The AP 10/19/21) EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic 'forever chemicals' showing up in drinking water, food | Environment | nola.com The same toxic chemicals also found in nonstick pans and shampoo are in New Orleans’ drinking water system at higher levels than previously thought, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released in January 2020. Of the places surveyed, NOLA ranked eighth highest for its levels of PFAS in tap water. Only Meridian, Miss., had no detectable traces of the chemicals. Two locations had levels of PFAS far above the EPA’s health advisory - Brunswick County, N.C., and Quad Cities, Iowa. The findings, along with other research, lead EWG scientists to conclude that detectable amounts of PFAS are likely in all of the country’s major water supply systems. (Source: NOLA.com 01/23/20) Tests find toxic chemicals in drinking water throughout U.S. — and New Orleans ranks high | The Latest | Gambit Weekly | nola.com EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic 'forever chemicals' showing up in drinking water, food | Environment | nola.com  The same toxic chemicals also found in nonstick pans and shampoo are in New Orleans’ drinking water system at higher levels than previously thought, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released in January 2020. Of the places surveyed, NOLA ranked eighth highest for its levels of PFAS in tap water. Only Meridian, Miss., had no detectable traces of the chemicals. Two locations had levels of PFAS far above the EPA’s health advisory - Brunswick County, N.C., and Quad Cities, Iowa. The findings, along with other research, lead EWG scientists to conclude that detectable amounts of PFAS are likely in all of the country’s major water supply systems. (Source: NOLA.com 01/23/20) Tests find toxic chemicals in drinking water throughout U.S. — and New Orleans ranks high | The Latest | Gambit Weekly | nola.com

CADE, BancorpSouth merger final

TUPELO, Miss. - BancorpSouth Bank (BXS) and Cadence Bancorporation (CADE), the parent company of Cadence Bank, N.A., announced their proposed merger has received final Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation approval. The merger, announced in April is scheduled to close at 11:59 p.m. CDT on Oct. 31 subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The merger will create the sixth-largest bank HQ'd in the combined 9-state region. The merged company will have dual HQs in Tupelo, Miss., and Houston, Texas, with primary operations centers in Tupelo and Birmingham, Ala. Following closing, BancorpSouth will change its name to Cadence Bank (and CADE symbol on NYSE). Until integration in 2022, customers will not experience any changes. BancorpSouth Bank has about $28B in assets; and operates about 315 full-service branch locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. CADE is a regional financial holding company with $18.7B in assets; and operates 99 branch locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. (Source: BanccoepSourh 10/15/21) BancorpSouth Bank and Cadence Bancorporation Receive Final Regulatory Approval for Merger - Oct 15, 2021 (investorroom.com) 

UPDATE: Cadence Bank (CADE) announced Oct. 29 the successful closing of its previously announced merger in which legacy Cadence Bancorporation merged into BancorpSouth Bank, with BancorpSouth as the surviving company. Upon the completion of the merger, BancorpSouth was renamed Cadence Bank, and its stock will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CADE" beginning Oct. 29. (Source: Cadence Bank 10/29/21)

Alums among MACTE awardees

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University’s College of Education is announcing the newest alumni among this year’s Mississippi Association of Colleges for Teacher Education award winners. Honorees include: Savanah Shows, MACTE Outstanding Teacher Intern award. The recent MSU elementary education graduate completed her teaching internship in the West Point Consolidated School District and now teaches English Language Arts for a virtual academy; Hilute Hudson, MACTE Outstanding Educational Leadership Graduate Student award. Superintendent of education in the Kemper County School District; Mallory Carlisle, MACTE Outstanding Educator award. Carlisle is a 23-year educator who teaches 7th-grade history in the Starkville-Oktibbeha County School District; and Russell Keene, MACTE Outstanding Administrator award. Principal at Southeast Lauderdale High. MACTE is a statewide organization affiliated with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. (Source: MSU 10/19/21) MSU College of Education announces 2021 MACTE award recipients | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

Regional business news

Mississippi State University’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability will host its ninth annual “Trick or Trot” fund-raising one-mile fun run event Oct. 22. "Trick-or-Trot” begins at the T.K. Martin Center and follows a looping path through the campus back at the facility. MSU encourages participants to race in their Halloween costumes. On-site registration begins at 5 p.m. The run starts at 6 p.m. Participants can register in person or online at ecommerce.msstate.edu/tkmartin/funrun. Entry fee is $25 for individuals/$50 for families, up to five members. Proceeds will benefit the T.K. Martin Center’s special needs preschool and elementary school programs. For more information, call (662) 325-1028 or visit tkmartin.msstate.edu. 

*The University of Southern Mississippi is hosting its biennial Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, which features work of nationally recognized artists and will remain on the Hattiesburg campus through March 2023. A committee consisting of a student and faculty and staff members from the College of Arts and Sciences selected the pieces from dozens of entries. Works on display include “Action Reaction,” a stainless-steel acrylic and spray paint by Chris Wubbena; a steel with patina piece by Kelsey Wishik; “When One Door Closes, Another Door Opens…,” a set of steel pieces by Matt Moyer; and “Yellow Roses,” a mild steel piece by Laura E. Walters. For more info go to https://www.usm.edu/performing-visual-arts/outdoor-sculpture-exhibition.php. 

*Judi Terzotis has been named chair of the board of directors for The Boys & Girls Clubs in Louisiana. Terzotis, president of The Advocate and Times-Picayune, takes over as head of the board from Brach Myers. Myers, senior vice president of LHC Group, had been chairman of the organization since it was founded in 2019. The statewide organization supports the 21 Boys & Girls Clubs in Louisiana and its 19,000 children. 

*Paula M. Belanger has been named director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana Foundation. She will be responsible for consolidating the principles of the foundation within the community and to deepen the relationships with partners, sponsors and stakeholders. Belanger spent almost two years as manager of the Hispanic Resource Center for Kenner. Prior to that, she worked as assistant director for the Hispanic Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.  

* The findings of a groundbreaking experiment involving subatomic particles will be a topic for a virtual Oxford Science Cafe on Oct. 19 by a University of Mississippi faculty member who is part of the research team. The Virtual Oxford Science Cafe program will be hosted on Zoom beginning at 6 p.m. Breese Quinn, professor of physics and director of the Center for Multi-messenger Astrophysics at UM, will discuss “Subatomic Spinning Tops: The Muon g-2 experiment finds strong evidence for new physics.” (Source: OleMiss.edue 10/15/21)  

*Craig Hitt was raised in Lauderdale County, Miss., and has managed a timber business, served on the County Board of Supervisors and most recently worked with Kemper County Economic Development Authority. He is now Meridian’s new Community Development Director. Community Development plays a big role. The department handles building inspections and code enforcement, works with event organizers on permitting and public safety, and coordinates with businesses looking to open or expand. Community Development requires cooperation and coordination.  what Community Development does. His main goal is to clean up downtown and promote growth. “You always want to be growing your city,” he told the Meridian Star. (Other sources: NOLA.com/Jackson Free Press/Meridian Star 10/14/21)