Columbus to build new Lakota helo

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Airbus Helicopters Inc. (AHI) will introduce the newest series of its Lakota helicopter to the Army, the company announced Aug. 28 at the 2020 National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) virtual tradeshow. Starting with 17 new orders, the Army will receive the new UH-72B in 2021. Airbus has delivered more than 460 UH-72A Lakota helicopters to the Army, Navy and National Guard. The 463rd and final UH-72A model is slated for delivery in September. The UH-72B will enter service for the Army National Guard. “This is welcome news for the men and women building the Lakota in (Columbus) Mississippi, as we expand our production capabilities and prepare for a successful future for the Lakota,” said Scott Tumpak, VP of AHI's military helicopter programs in America. The UH-72A is the primary rotary-wing training aircraft for the Army, and serves in roles as diverse as search and rescue, disaster relief, counter-drug operations, and live-saving MEDEVAC flights. (Source: AHI 08/28/20)

USDA names MSU duo to NACMPI

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of 10 new members to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Mindy Brashears said “(t)hese committee members represent a diverse group distinguished by their knowledge and interest in meat and poultry safety. Their expertise and advice play a key role in informing USDA’s food safety decisions to ensure the U.S continues to have one of the safest food systems in the world.” The new NACMPI members appointed to serve two-year terms include a pair from Mississippi State University Extension Director, Dr. Jimmy L. Avery, whose specialty is in Catfish Aquaculture; and Dr. Byron Williams, Associate Extension Professor at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond, Miss. He is a specialist on Muscle foods; meat science, and meat processing. (Source: Quality Assurance Magazine 08/25/20) https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/usda-appoints-new-food-safety-advisory-committee-members/

MSU among best value MBAs

HILLSBOROUGH, NC - College Consensus (https://www.collegeconsensus.com), a unique college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, has published its annual composite ranking of the Best Value Online MBA Programs for 2020 at https://www.collegeconsensus.com/online/best-value-online-mba-programs/. Over 550 accredited online MBA programs were considered for the ranking, which is based on each program's return on investment (ROI). ROI was calculated by comparing tuition costs to the salary that students report after graduation. The best value MBA program for 2020 is from the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business at West Texas A&M University, followed by Louisiana Tech University's College of Business, and the North Carolina A&T State University College of Business and Economics respectively. Other business schools in the ranking included Mississippi State University's College of Business. (Source: College  Consensus 08/25/20)

CG: Fort Bayou diesel fuel spill

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard responded Sunday afternoon to reports of a diesel fuel spill from a partially sunken vessel in Fort Bayou near Ocean Springs, Miss. Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala., received a report around 4:30 p.m. of a possibly abandoned and partially sunken vessel. Two CG pollution responders from Sector Mobile are on scene. The CG contracted E3 Environmental for clean up. E3E placed some 100 feet of boom around the vessel to mitigate the spill. The spill spans about 300 feet up and down the bayou. It is unknown how much fuel was on the vessel. The vessel is a white 40-foot Hatteras Yacht. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation. (Source: Coast Guar d08/30/20)

Mississippi Aquarium opens doors

GULFPORT - Fifteen years after Katrina, the Mississippi Aquarium was to open to the public Aug. 29 as a project to revitalize the area. “There are so many great recovery stories, and now Mississippi Aquarium will be another great story ... and it has paid off,” said Kurt Allen, president/CEO of Mississippi Aquarium. Aquatic animals  on display are those found in Mississippi’s rivers and coastline are features the American alligator, sharks, sting rays, turtles and otters. Dolphins will arrive in the future. Currently, timed arrival tickets are required before visiting, and tickets are on sale. Reservations are secured in 30-minute time slots, and guests will only be admitted before their scheduled time when capacity allows (due to coronavirus safety). The length of your stay will not be limited. The Aquarium will be open 7 days a week from 10 am to 5 pm. (Source: Oxford Eagle 08/29/20)

Mississippi Works ... at snail’s pace

Workforce training opportunities for low-income and underemployed Mississippians existed long before the Coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Despite efforts by the state’s economic development and business leaders, in the last few years, to consolidate workforce development information, officials still don’t know the scope of taxpayer-funded training happening, officials told Mississippi Today. In a state with one of the lowest median household incomes in the nation (< $45,000), leaders have pointed to workforce development as the answer to raising earnings and curbing poverty. Former Gov. Phil Bryant’s Mississippi Works Training Fund was established in 2016 when the Legislature allocated $50M over 10 years. It was designed to assist the state’s 15 community colleges, and workforce training. The program is administered by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). By March, after nearly four years, the state had spent less than 10 percent (about $4.7M). The legislature allocated $1M of fund monies in 2019 to the Mississippi Works Apprenticeship pilot program. None of the money had been spent by March, according to MDA documents. Excluding $607,000 spent on the tuition assistance Career Tech Scholars program, almost 80 percent of funds spent have been concentrated in East Mississippi, which has a Black population of 31 percent. The Delta and southwest quadrant, which includes Jackson, has received $235,590 and $719,285 (respectively). The Black population is nearly 60 percent. The state awarded nearly $12M of the Mississippi Works fund by March. Some grants remain open, but others have closed before workforce partners used the funding. The first to receive Mississippi Works grants in 2016 were the Furniture Academy ($250,000) and Mississippi State University engineers ($169.751) - only a little over a third of which had been spent by March 2020. Furniture Academy ($119,541) and MSU engineers ($46,795). In July, the legislature allocated $55M of its $1.25B CARES Act pandemic relief to a workforce development program called ReSkillMS. About $5M will go to employers through payroll subsidies. Most of the rest will go to community colleges to build their training capacity. All CARES money must be spent by the end of 2020. In the meantime, Mississippi has the third smallest workforce participation rate in the country - behind West Virginia and Kentucky. Under 54 percent of Mississippi’s working-age population was working or looking for work in July, up from 52 percent in April. In February, Mississippi had the single lowest workforce participation rate at under 56 percent compared to the national rate of about 64 percent. Mississippi Works allocations were to 33 companies between 2016-20. Among a few, funding was provided for Ashley Robotic Training in Lee/Ponotoc counties (allocation: $46,500; spent: $0); General Atomics in Lee County (allocation: $510,000; spent: $0); and Weir/ESCO in Newton County (allocation: $102,000; spent: $75). (Source: Mississippi Today 08/28/20) https://mississippitoday.org/2020/08/28/mississippi-works-four-years-later-state-has-used-just-one-tenth-of-50-million-workforce-fund/

MWR director in 'Woman' mag issue

Deb Brockway, MWR director at Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss., graces the glossy features section of Gulf Coast Woman Magazine on Page 22. (NCBC Gulfport 08/28/20) https://www.gcwmultimedia.com/read-online/

LCS 28 christening in Mobile

The Navy will christen its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Savannah (LCS 28), during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony Saturday, Aug. 29, in Mobile, Ala., at the Austal USA shipyard. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition James Geurts will deliver the principal address. Mrs. Dianne Isakson, wife of former U.S. Senator John Isakson, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, Mrs. Isakson will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow. The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom-  and the Independence. The Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls). LCS 28 is the 14th Independence-variant LCS and 28th in class. (Source: Navy 08/28/20)

Flight trng ops pact for CAFB

Credence Management Solutions LLC, Vienna, Virginia, has been awarded an $8,661,142, bilateral second option for task order FA3002-18-F-0162 to continue providing flight training operations support to Air Education and Training Command fighter aircrew at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Randolph and Lackland, Texas; Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Vance AFB, Oklahoma; Tucson Air National Guard (ANG) Base, Arizona; Little Rock ANG Base, Arkansas; Altus AFB, Oklahoma; Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida; Fort Rucker, Alabama; and the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, and is expected to be completed August 2021.  This task order incorporates the addition of two schedulers at JBSA–Randolph, and the Service Contract Labor Standards, Department of Labor Wage Determinations and the Collective Bargaining Unit for Altus AFB. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.  The Air Force Installation Contracting Center, JBSA-Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/28/20)

Textron delivers 2nd LCAC

The Navy accepted delivery of its next generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 101, on Aug. 27. LCAC 101 is the second craft delivered by Textron Systems of Slidell, La., to the Navy in 2020. The LCAC is a high-speed, over-the-beach, fully amphibious landing craft capable of carrying a 60-70 ton payload. The new LCAC replaces the existing fleet of legacy LCAC. It is designed primarily to transport weapon systems, equipment, cargo, and assault element personnel through varied environmental conditions from amphibious ships to beyond a beach. LCAV 101 recently completed its at-sea Acceptance Trials underwent testing to demonstrate capability of the craft and installed systems to effectively meet requirements. Textron builds the LCAC to ensure it is compatible with existing well deck equipped amphibious ships, as well as Expeditionary Transfer Dock and the Expeditionary Sea Base. (Source: US Navy 08/28/20)

Moore to become CO at NASM

Capt. Timothy Brent Moore, the incoming commanding officer of Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., hopes to build on the success of his predecessor, Capt. Brian Horstman, while bringing fresh eyes to the post. Moore will take command Aug. 28 in a small ceremony. Horstman is retiring after 26 years of service. Moore graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1997, earning a bachelor's degree in Oceanography. Following training, he was designated as a Naval Aviator in April 1999. He’s flown more than 3,200 hours in fixed and rotary wing aircraft, including 150 combat flight hours over Iraq. Moore was a helicopter pilot and instructor, which he says will bring a unique view for NAS Meridian. What he intends to bring is a background of being the ‘unsung hero’ … and getting it right the first time. “That requires dedication day-in, day-out. You can’t fail at those (helicopter) missions of search and rescue. That dedication of doing it right the first time, every time, is something I’ll bring, whether the spotlight is on us or not.” (Source: Meridian Star 08/27/20) 

SW La. plants dodge Laura’s bullet

Oil, gas and chemical plants and pipelines in the path of Hurricane Laura appear to have had limited damage, with the exception of a BioLab chemical leak west of Lake Charles. While hundreds of thousands of residential, business and industrial customers were without power, but the area averted worst-case predictions of a 20-foot storm surge. It came in at about a 10-foot surge. There is some damage to some facilities, but it “appears to be somewhat light," U.S. Secretary of Energy Daniel Brouillette said in a Thursday afternoon briefing. "It is not significant in nature, meaning that the operations of these facilities will probably continue in very short order," he told NOLA.com. Federal and state agencies, along with BioLab Inc., are trying to determine the cause of the leak. The top concern is widespread power outages, said Brouillette, a Louisiana native. Local power companies were joined by about 20,000 crewmen from across 27 states to speed the return of power to critical infrastructure, commercial and residential customers. The Citgo and Phillips 66 refineries had minor damages, but had shut down ahead of the storm as a precaution. A restart will depend on when power is restored. The Colonial Pipeline - an artery that carries gasoline and other fuels from Texas and Louisiana refineries to markets in the central and northeast - never lost power and will ramp back up to normal levels, the company confirmed. (Source: NOLA.com 08/27/20)

CG assessing Laura’s damages

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard was assessing damage along the Louisiana-Texas border Thursday after Hurricane Laura made landfall, including an overflight video of the Cameron, La., area. The Coast Guard is working closely with local and states’ emergency operation centers to manage Coast Guard storm operations. “The Coast Guard will continue to provide search and rescue capabilities, assess the damage done by Hurricane Laura ensuring we can assist those in need of rescuing, as well as ensuring the ports along the Western Gulf Coast can be safely reopened for the flow of maritime commerce,” said Capt. Jason Smith, Unified Commander for the Houston-Galveston response area. The Coast Guard has deployed more than 3,000 service members, 32 aircraft crews and nearly 40 boat crews to respond to flooded and damaged areas that were affected by Hurricane Laura. (Source: Coast Guard 08/27/20) https://www.dvidshub.net/video/765019/coast-guard-conducts-overflight-assessments-along-louisiana-west-coast

Upper Yazoo projects bid

Affolter Contracting of La Marque, Texas, was awarded a $12,364,000 firm-fixed-price contract furnishing all plant, labor, materials and equipment, and constructing the Upper Yazoo Projects in Tallahatchie County, Miss. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Greenwood, Miss., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2024. FY 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $12,364,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/27/20)

Laura roars on after blow to La.

A teenage girl in Leesville, La., was killed by a falling tree onto her home. A 68 year old male was also killed by the effects of Hurricane Laura, which can ashore at 1 a.m. (Thursday) around Camerion, La., as a Category 4 hurricane. Louisiana’s governor did not identify the girl, but that he expects there will be more fatalities. Leesville is about 115 miles north of Cameron. The hurricane came ashore with 150 mph sustained winds. More than 1.5M people were under evacuation orders in Louisiana and east Texas. … Laura has been downgraded to a Cat 1 and moving north into Arkansas, then expected to turn east (Kentucky and Tennessee) through Friday night. (Source: Washington Examiner 08/27/20) Hours after Laura made landfall, a chemical fire was reported about 9 a.m. (Thursday). KIK Custom Products Inc. confirmed the fire at its BioLab chlorine production plant west of Lake Charles. La. The state Department of Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality. Initial readings did not detect chlorine releases, but more testing will be done. BioLab produces chlorine for swimming pools and can produce up to 115M pounds annually of trichloroisocyanuric acid and disodium isocyanurate. Trichloroisocyanuric acid can have a heavy "chlorine" smell. When heated, the material can release toxic fumes and nitrogen oxides, according to PubChem, a database within the National Institutes of Health. Gov. John Bel Edwards issued an emergency alert warning to residents of Westlake, Moss Bluff and Sulphur to shelter in place. The Louisiana State Police shut down I-10 from the I-210 exit to the west and the Lakeshore Drive exit at the foot of the bridge over the Calcasieu River. (Source: The AP 08/27/20) South Mississippi and other areas in the state remain under storm advisories and watches as Laura moved inland. Coastal Mississippi escaped the worst of Laura’s damage, but emergency managers are cautioning residents to remain alert for wind gusts that could knock down limbs and water in some low-lying areas of Hancock and Harrison counties. (Source: Sun Herald 08/27/20)

TH-73A ATS contract awarded

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - The Navy has awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to FlightSafety Services Corp. of Milton, Fla., for Aircrew Training Services (ATS) in support of the Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) program at NAS Whiting Field, Fla. The five-year base contract is $220,766,476 for TH-73A ATS, which includes availability on 18 Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTDs). The total contract value is $363,492,518. FSTDs are scheduled to be available in 2021 and will continue through 2026.The government received two proposals for the contract. This ATS contract is a “key component” to the Advanced Helicopter Training System as it would provide contract instructors and state-of-the-art simulators for the new TH-73A helicopters, said Capt. Holly Shoger, Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems program manager. The TH-73A will provide a modern training platform to serve rotary and tilt-rotor training requirements for Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard trainees. The new helicopters will allow the Navy to train several hundred aviation students annually at NAS Whiting Field. The procurement includes Contractor Instructional Services and FAA-equivalent Flight Training Devices to improve pilot training and skills through a modernized training curriculum. (Source: Naval Air Systems Command 08/26/20) https://www.thebaynet.com/articles/0820/navy-awards-aircrew-training-services-contract-for-advanced-helicopter-training-program.html (See previous article from this site at https://goldentriangleregion.blogspot.com/2020/08/new-era-in-navy-helo-training.html

Navy looks at smaller GC shipyards

WASHINGTON, DC - The US would be hard-pressed to repair ships quickly enough during war, said Rear Adm. Eric Ver Hage, commander of the Navy’s Regional Maintenance Center, and Surface Ship Maintenance and Modernization office. “We don’t have enough capacity for peacetime” repairs, let alone a wartime surge, he continued. “We’re not as effective or efficient” in getting ships delivered on time “with the predictability we need today. A spring internal Marines document acknowledged that “replacing ships lost in combat will be problematic,” since the American “industrial base has shrunk while peer adversaries have expanded their shipbuilding capacity. In a major conflict, the (US) will be on the losing end of a production race,” the document read. Concern over capacity, at a handful of public and private shipyards, and the time it takes to do scheduled maintenance work, has been atop Navy leadership’s mind while planning to add dozens of ships in the coming years, and keep them operational. A team led by Navy Acquisition Chief James Geurts has been working to craft plans for how the nation’s shipyards/shipbuilders should react if American ships were damaged by adversary fleets. SECDEF Mark Esper insists the Navy should have at least 355 ships. It’ll be a hard sell to budgeteers at a time when the Navy is having a difficult time maintaining 300. One answer: Bring in smaller commercial shipyards that haven’t traditionally worked with the Navy, while bringing a number of large shipbuilding companies into the fold to begin performing MRO work. John Rhatigan, chairman of the Marine Machinery Association, mentioned Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., and Bath (Maine) Iron Works, as prime candidates. Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, program executive officer-ships, went to the Gulf Coast, and visited a number of small, commercial shipyards that he thinks could build the kinds of smaller manned/unmanned vessels to revamp its 30-year shipbuilding plan, and force structure assessment. “There’s a lot of capability along that Gulf Coast,” Anderson said, adding that he thinks “they’d be very interested in building ships and craft for the US Navy. Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist is expected to deliver those plans this fall. (Source: Breaking Defense 08/25/20) There are dozens of smaller commercial shipyards that may fill that bill across coastal Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, such as – to name but a few – Bollinger, Halter Marine, and Metal Shark. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/08/navy-plans-for-wartime-ship-surge-looks-to-small-commercial-yards/

GCOOOS’ picket fence ‘cane data

Making hurricane predictions is all about having accurate data. For the third straight year the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) is working with teams in Florida, Mississippi and Texas to track and share data from a “glider picket line” in the Gulf. The picket line is a series of unmanned underwater robots, known as gliders, set loose in the Gulf, Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean that are programmed to collect information on ocean parameters areas where storms/hurricanes typically travel. The robots collect data from throughout the water column to map ocean heat content, which is a critical factor in predicting a storm’s intensity. The gliders enhance the information available from satellites, which can only take the temperature of the ocean’s surface. The gliders transmit data in near-real time via satellite to GCOOS, where it is automatically processed into maps that show the gliders’ locations and 3D profiles of temperature and other parameters, such as salinity. Meteorologists can then feed the data into hurricane models to generate forecasts showing where storms are likely to go and how intense they might become. (Source: GCOOOS 08/25/20) https://gandalf.gcoos.org. The GCOOS office is located at Texas A&M University in College Station. 

ESG cuts steel on Weeks’ dredger

Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., announce Aug. 19, it had begun steel- cutting for the R.B. WEEKS ESG Hull 258, a new Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger for Weeks Marine following a contract signing four months ago. The new vessel will be constructed at Eastern’s Allanton Shipyard. It’s the second Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge project for Weeks Marine. The MAGDALEN, ESG Hull 256, was delivered in December 2017. (Source: Weeks Marine 08/24/20) Weeks Marine has facilities at Bourg, Covington and Houma, La. It’s national HQ is in New Jersey.

Update: Bus drivers may be fired

More than 50 percent of Columbus (Miss.) Municipal School District’s bus drivers walked off the job over pay issues Monday afternoon, which had the district scrambling to get students homes and arrange for Tuesday’s return to school. Bus drivers, notified of changes to their pay and hours during a Monday morning meeting with CMSD Transportation Director Willie Stewart, arrived at Columbus High School around 1 p.m. The high school is the staging area for the district’s buses. Instead of preparing for the afternoon’s route, a group of 21 drivers met outside the school property refusing to work. (Source: The Dispatch 08/25/20) https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=83130 UPDATE: The (Columbus) Dispatch offered an Editorial page “Opinion” on the bus drivers’ walk out, which primarily faults the school system for failing in advance to notify drivers that their hours would be cut due to only a shortened school week and only 60 percent of students attending classes at schools.) Edited version of “Opinion” follows: The pandemic has caused the system a great deal of disruptions. Yet students/parents who rely on the district’s transportation system, a new stress emerged, “one that better communication would likely have resolved.” Parents were notified by text and forced to make alternative plans for their children. “The dispute emerged” when drivers were notified at Monday’s pickup site that they “would not be paid for a five-day, six-hour-per day work week” because the schools are not open on Wednesdays and classes were only open two days a week. Thus, the work day was shortened to 4 ½ hours from 6. Fewer students are riding the buses. “Bus drivers who thought they would be paid for 30 hours a week are now being paid for 18 hours. That’s a 40 percent cut in pay; we can understand why drivers object.” The district maintains it cannot pay hourly employees for hours not worked. That’s a valid point. “Where we fault the district is that it apparently failed to communicate that clearly to the bus drivers before the school year started. It wasn’t until a Monday morning meeting that bus drivers were told of the reduced hours, just days before the first monthly pay period is to end. How the bus drivers would be paid should have been communicated before the first route was driven on Aug. 6.” (Dispatch “Opinion” link 08/25/20) https://www.cdispatch.com/opinions/article.asp?aid=83129 UPDATE2 (Source: The Dispatch 08/30/20) Columbus Municipal School District intends to fire 21 bus drivers who walked off the job last week over what the drivers said was an abrupt reduction of hours. Fifteen of those drivers met with The Dispatch [newspaper]. Each said they received a call from the district indicating they were being recommended for termination upon board approval.

Opinion: Biden O&G ban will kill La.

(Baton Rouge’s The Advocate guest columnist Greg Upton is an associate research professor at the Louisiana State University Center for Energy Studies.) Democrat Joe Biden made history in becoming the first presidential nominee for any major party to hold the official position of “banning new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters” as part of his plan for climate change. Two obvious questions: Will it be effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Short answer: No. Secondly, how would the plan impact Louisiana? Short answer: Devastation. Oil and natural gas production on U.S. federal lands and waters accounts for less than 3 percent globally. If permits are discontinued, it would likely take about a decade for production to decline with no new drilling. How might this aid in an energy transition? Simple answer: It wouldn’t. This policy would create adjusted price increases to energy costs for consumers/businesses. In the long run, supply and demand will balance out at about the same level, with or without the ban. Impact on Louisiana. The state’s mining sector employs some 30,000 workers. Another 38,000 employed in refining and chemical manufacturing, and thousands more in related industries. A ban on offshore drilling would cause ripple effects throughout the supply chain and devastate communities like Houma and Lafayette. According to the World Bank, the U.S. has achieved a 16 percent CO2 reduction in emissions since 2007. It all occurred during a period of record amounts of O&G production. Prior policies operated within markets, in stark contrast to an outright ban. There are well-researched environmental policies that can aid in further accelerating decarbonization. Biden’s proposal to end offshore drilling is unlikely to speed decarbonization and, if enacted, will wreck Louisiana. (The Advocate’s guest columnist’s opinion 08/25/20) https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/article_cda0bab2-e3c2-11ea-8184-932993f3f6fb.html

Katrina anniversary adds to stress

There was a time when hurricane prep for Gentilly, La., native Mark Bologna was buying beer and fried chicken ahead of landfall. Those type preps ended with 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, which claimed his family home and business. Last weekend, prep began anew as Hurricanes Marco and Laura were heading for the Gulf Coast. His new regimented checklist went into action: Firing up a generator and moving his vehicle to higher ground. The new process is aimed at “trying to control something you can’t,” Bologna told NOLA.com. “But, since it’s the Katrina (15th) anniversary (Aug. 29) that just adds to the stress.” Katrina caused levees to fail, which inundated much of New Orleans’ 9th Ward. 1,800-plus died. Each anniversary is a marker of how far communities have come. The anniversary also arrives as a new storm (Laura) churns in the Gulf of Mexico, turning memories into foreboding. The entire Louisiana-Texas region is watching Laura’s progress, although that track is far from certain. For many, the intersection with Katrina’s anniversary just makes the watching and waiting more excruciating. (Source: NOLA. Com 08/25/20) https://www.nola.com/news/article_a96c23fc-e647-11ea-98ac-e33cecd8875b.html

MSU-Meridian prof earns APA award

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University-Meridian professor of educational and school psychology, Dr. Carlen Hennington, was honored by Division 16 of the American Psychological Association at a virtual convention in early August. Dr. Henington, who also is MSU-Meridian’s curriculum coordinator of educational psychology, “Dr. Henington has been an invaluable addition to the MSU-Meridian faculty in the Division of Education,” said Kimberly Hall, division director. “Her passion for students, colleagues and the field of school psychology is contagious.” Henington was recognized among a list of school psychologists across APA’s more than 50 divisions. “I continue to feel privileged to have found such a rewarding field with incredibly dedicated professionals … (and) am humbled to know that the work I do is meaningful,” Henington said. Division 16 annually presents the Contributions to Practice Awards. There are about 125,000 members within the APA. (Source: MSU 08/25/20)

ERDC trio earn STEM awards

Four researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Miss., have been honored with Women of Color (WOC) STEM awards - an annual, national-level recognition of contributions to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Vickey Moore, Dr. Reena Patel and Lulu Edwards were selected as WOC Technology All-Star Award winners. Barbara Pilate was awarded the New Media Leadership Award in Government. Moore, a research computer scientist in the Information Technology Laboratory (ITL),  earned her bachelor’s from Alcorn State University and master’s from Mississippi State University. At the ERDC, the Port Gibson native has led a $5M annual effort to research military ground vehicle performance and analysis. Patel, a research mathematician in ITL, is originally from India, but earned a doctorate at MSU. Patel’s research was inspired by the paddlefish, a freshwater fish with a long, paddle-like cartilage snout that can withstand tough stresses and dissipate energy. She leads a team of researchers who use mathematical models to develop strong, yet lightweight structural systems (like that snout) to protect American Soldiers. Edwards, a research engineer in the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, grew up in Starkville and earned a bachelor’s from MSU and master’s from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A project that led to her recognition happens to be one of Edwards’ favorites - rapidly repairing damaged airfield pavements. Pilate, a computer scientist in ITL, was honored with the New Media Leadership Award in Government. Pilate leads a program that supports military planners by offering a portfolio of tools that assist with strategic planning and tactical operations. The New Media Leadership Award recognizes her skills as a leader and a scientist who handles the challenging demands of her work with determination and a positive attitude. The awards will be presented at the annual Women of Color – STEM Awards Gala on Oct. 10 in Detroit. (Source: Business Journal 08/1920)

Keesler units relocate for storms

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - The Air Force Reserve’s 403rd Wing relocated 20 of its aircraft Aug. 23 as Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura continued their path toward the Gulf Coast. The wing’s 815th Airlift Squadron, a tactical airlift unit, flew their C-130J Super Hercules to Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The Hurricane Hunters of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron relocated its WC-130Js and operations to Atlantic Aviation Charleston (S.C.) International Airport, where they will continue to fly into both storms and provide weather information to the National Hurricane Center, which greatly improves their intensity and track forecasts. (Source: Keesler AFB 08/24/20)

Columbus rental contract: $24M

+ Phillips Contracting Co. of Columbus, Miss., was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for rental of construction equipment. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 23, 2025.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity.

+ B&K Construction of Mandeville, La., was awarded a $15,218,859 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of hurricane protection features in Plaquemines Parrish, La. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in New Orleans area, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 21, 2025. FY 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $15,218,859 were obligated at the time of the award.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Miss., is the contracting activity, (Source: DoD 08/24/20)

Weakened Marco; Laura on way

All tropical storm watches and warnings for the Louisiana coast have been discontinued as Tropical Storm Marco continues to weaken today, while Tropical Storm Laura is set to strengthen with a projected landfall near the Louisiana-Texas border late Wednesday or early Thursday. Marco could still bring heavy rains and winds to parts of Louisiana, but wind shear has kept Marco from building into a stronger storm. (Source: NOLA.com 08/24/20)