SHC-Ingalls are online partners

Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., has partnered with coastal Mississippi-based Ingalls Shipbuilding to provide tuition assistance benefits to eligible employees through the Center for Online Learning. HII-Pascagoula is the largest military shipbuilder in the U.S. and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. SHC will extend preferred tuition benefits (10% discount) to eligible employees and defer the cost of classes until classes are completed making it more affordable. The program will be through HII's pre-approved Education Assistance Program. HII's education assistance program provides up to $5,250 per year towards education. SHC's flexible online degree and certificate programs allows students to take classes at their own pace and become graduates of Spring Hill College. (Source: HII 08/25/22) Ingalls Shipbuilding partners with local college to offer tuition assistance to employees | WorkBoat  

La. DWH restoration draft plan

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group is proposing the Terrebonne Houma Navigation Canal (HNC) Island Restoration project to restore birds injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The project is included in a draft restoration plan, which is now open for public comment through Sept. 26. The Trustees will hold a public webinar on the plan on Sept. at 2 p.m. CT, followed by the Louisiana Trustees’ Annual Public Meeting at 2:30 p.m. (Louisiana Trustee Group 08/25/22) Register Today: Louisiana Draft Phase 2 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #7.1 to Restore Terrebonne HNC Island | NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration

'Moon Tree' seeds going in space

Mississippi Gulf Coast resident Rosemary Roosa - daughter of Apollo 14 command module pilot Col. "Stu" Roosa - currently runs the 'Moon Tree Foundation' non-profit organization to honor her father’s legacy of tree seeds taken aboard and returned to Earth and planted from his 1971 mission. There are about 70 original moon trees remaining. With a coordination between NASA, The National Forestry Service and the Moon Tree Foundation, those trees will be replenished. About 1,000 seeds will be carried on the Artemis I mission and Roosa will return to Cape Kennedy - like when she was a child - to witness the launch. (Source: WLOX 08/24/22) Artemis to carry more ‘Moon Trees’ to revive astronaut’s dream (wlox.com)

Danos calls for grant apps

The Danos Foundation announced the deadline for nonprofit organizations to apply for its annual GIVES grant is Wednesday, Aug. 31. Danos GIVES, the grant-giving program of the Foundation, awards funding to nonprofits that benefit people in areas where Danos employees live and work. Danos Corp., HQ'd in Gray, La., offers onshore/offshore customers a range of integrated services, including production workforce, fabrication, construction, intelligent integrated materials solutions, project management, coatings, automation, instrumentation and electrical, scaffolding, shore base and logistics, mechanical maintenance, regulatory compliance, power generation, valve and wellhead. Danos has more than 2,000 employees with nine offices in Louisiana and Texas and operations across in the Gulf of Mexico. “The purpose of the Danos Foundation is to solve big challenges in the communities where we live and work. Through our GIVES grant program, we partner with excellent nonprofit organizations that provide outreach and care for our neighbors,” said Mark Danos, CEO of Danos Family Investments. “And it is through those partnerships that we are able to have a tremendous impact.” In 2022, GIVES awarded $140,000 in grants to six nonprofits across South Louisiana and Texas: $50,000 to The Life of a Single Mom (Baton Rouge, La.); $10,000 to The Dulac (La.) Community Center; $10,000 to The Salvation Army of Houma, La.); $10,000 to The Salvation Army of Lafayette, La.; and $10,000 Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans. The Foundation asks that interested organizations apply by 11:59 p.m. on August 31. Applications can be submitted online. Awards will be announced in January 2023. (Source: Danos 08/03/22) Danos Foundation Calls for Grant Applicants

1st woman southern district judge

Kristi Haskins Johnson of Brandon became the first woman judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi last week following a formal investiture ceremony. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in Nov. 2020 and the ceremony delayed by the COVID pandemic. Johnson, who graduated from Ole Miss, previously worked as Mississippi’s first solicitor general. (Source: Mississippi Today 08/23/22) Johnson sworn in as first woman judge in Mississippi's southern district | News | meridianstar.com

Marks-ing the R&B hall of fame

The town of Marks, located in Quitman County in the Mississippi Delta,  has ties to the civil rights movement and will become home to the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame within the next couple of years. Marks has a population of fewer than 2,000 people. The project is the culmination of a 50-year effort to build a hall of fame for R&B musicians such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin and B.B. King. (Source: Clarion Ledger 08/23/22) Mississippi has been called the "Birthplace of American Music." R&B Hall of Fame headed to small Mississippi Delta town (clarionledger.com)

UM to commemorate desegregation

Oct. 1 will mark the 60th anniversary of when James Meredith desegregated the University of Mississippi. The anniversary will be marked by a numerous events beginning in September and through July 2023. The desegregation was among the most prominent segregated universities in America and a key moment of the Civil Rights Era. UM's official commemoration of events has been dubbed "The Mission Continues: Building Upon the Legacy," with a bulk of activities planned for the week leading up to Oct. 1. (Source: Clarion Ledger 08/23/22) James Meredith 60th anniversary events planned at University of Miss. (clarionledger.com)

Mgmt, chart error led to ship strike

Poor bridge management and a charting error led to the bulk carrier Ocean Princess to strike an oil and gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Transportation Safety Board said in Marine Investigation Report 22/18 released Aug. 23. On Jan. 7, 2021, the Ocean Princess struck the uncrewed/out-of-serviceO&G gas production platform SP-83A while operating 24 miles south of Pilottown, La. No pollution or injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel and platform totaled an estimated $1.5M. The 24-person crew of the Ocean Princess was drifting overnight in the Gulf of Mexico before going to New Orleans to load a cargo of grain. (Work Boat 08/23/22) Charting error led to the striking of an offshore oil platform, NTSB report says | WorkBoat

BOEM to host 4 virtual meetings

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced in July the availability of the proposed program for the 2023-28 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. BOEM is hosting four live virtual open house meetings for the public to speak live with BOEM staff about the proposed program and Draft PEIS. These meetings will serve as opportunities for the public to learn more about the National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program development process, analysis, and next steps. Meeting times: Aug. 23 from 3-6 p.m. CT; Aug. 25, 4–7 p.m. CT'; Aug. 29 from 6-9 p.m. CT' and Aug. 31 from 7-10 p.m. CT. To register for the public meetings, go to: https://forms.gle/WqTN6z9YFTRUSsbH8. In addition to these meetings, BOEM has scheduled a virtual opportunity for submitting oral testimony. Oral comments will be captured by a court reporter for the public record. Each participant will have up to three minutes to provide their oral comments. That session will be held on Sep. 12 from 4-7 p.m. CT. https://kearnswest.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1FXGr4cBQhuVfHKTb04_8Q. For information and how to submit comments visit BOEM’s website. (Source: Work Boat 08/23/22)

GE workers push for union in Ala.

AUBURN, Ala. - Workers at a General Electric factory in Alabama launched an effort to form a union on Aug. 22 joining a wave of recent organization efforts at national companies. Workers at the 179-employee GE Aviation plant in Auburn submitted union cards to the Birmingham office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in an organization effort with IUE-CWA. Is part of a national effort to organize at GE plants across the country and amid efforts at other major firms like Amazon and Starbucks. To qualify for a union election, the NLRB requires signatures from 30% of eligible voters at a specific facility. The IUE-CWA indicated more than 50% of workers signed cards but provided no exact numbers. GE employs more than 55,000 Americans, pays competitive wages in every community it operates and has invested more than $1B in U.S. facilities since 2016, GE responded. The effort at GE follows a union election at an Amazon facility in Bessemer, Ala., which are still being contested. The Biden administration has supported efforts to boost unionization campaigns at major employers. (Source: The AP 08/22/22) Regional Notes: The Auburn plant produces machined parts for jet engines. It opened in 2013. In 2014, a $50M expansion was announced to allow the factory to mass produce, via 3D printing, fuel nozzles for jet engines. In Mississippi, GE Aviation has two plants at Batesville and Ellisville. At the latter plant, workers manufacture composite components for aircraft engines and systems. The Batesville facility employs 300 workers. The two sites represent a $150M by GE in aviation technology by the end of decade. GE workers in Alabama seek union | WJTV

Jackson architects' $10M pact

Duvall Decker Architects PA, Jackson, Mississippi, was awarded a $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 13 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 21, 2027. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. 

* The Federal Express Team, Memphis, Tennessee, has been awarded a modification (P00009) on indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed price with economic price adjustments contract HTC7111-8-D-CC37 in the estimated amount of $1,630,630,000.  Team members include American Airlines Inc., Fort Worth, Texas; Amerijet International Inc., Miami, Florida; Atlas Air Inc., Purchase, New York; Delta Airlines Inc., Atlanta, Georgia; Federal Express Corp., Memphis, Tennessee; Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc., Purchase, New York; Eastern Airlines LLC, Wayne, Pennsylvania; and Hawaiian Airlines Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii.  The modification provides continued international long-range and short-range charter airlift services for the Department of Defense.  The option period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2024.  Work will be performed globally. Fiscal 2023 transportation working capital funds were obligated at award.  This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $4,891,890,000 from $3,261,260,000.  U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/22/22)

Funds for dam project pending

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. - Carl Ray Furr, co-owner of Mississippi Engineering Group (MSEG), told the county board of supervisors Aug. 15 that he'd gotten word from the Natural Resources Conservation Service that $13M in federal funding to repair the Oktibbeha Lake dam. But county officials have seen nothing in writing. and a state NRCS office spokesperson told The Dispatch via email, “there has been no official announcement concerning this project.”  The federal funds for the lake-dam project remains pending, according to board attorney Rob Roberson. MSEG is working under contract with the county to redesign the dam, located west of Starkville. Water levels have been drained to the point it has been unusable since January 2020. MSEG estimated work to repair the levee and upgrade the spillways to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality standards would cost between $15M-to-$17M. The county applied for an NRCS Watershed Rehabilitation Program grant in February. (Source: The Dispatch 08/20/22) Leaders call $13M for Oktibbeha County Lake dam an 'unofficial' probability - The Dispatch (cdispatch.com)

CG medevacs offshore worker

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard medevaced a 45-year-old man from an offshore drilling platform on Aug. 20 about 7 miles west of Southwest Pass, La. The CG received a call around 11:30 a.m. that a crewmember aboard an offshore drilling platform was reportedly experiencing a medical emergency. The CG launched of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The crew hoisted the patient and transported him to University Medical Center in New Orleans in stable condition. (Source: Coast Guard 08/20/22)

Hancock school super fired

KILN, Miss - The Hancock County (Miss.) District Board of Trustees fired a school district superintendent prompting a search for a replacement. The board voted to terminate Superintendent Teresa Merwin in a special meeting on Aug. 18. The move caught parents/teachers by surprise, reported the Sun Herald. Merwin had occupied the office for less than two years. The board said a search for an interim/permanent superintendent would begin immediately. The board offered no details to the reason Merwin was terminated. (Source: The AP 08/19/22)

USACOE district celebrates 149 yrs

VICKSBURG, Miss. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Vicksburg District commemorated 149 years of service and recognized 154  personnel for Founder’s Day on Aug. 18. This year’s special recognition award ceremony included civil engineer Brian Oliver, who received the USACE Instrumentation and Performance Monitoring Award for his leadership in and commitment to evaluation and assessment of instrumentation data. CIO-6 employees D.W. Long and Mark Gause received certificates of appreciation for their technological support and exceptional customer service to the district. The district was founded Aug. 18, 1873, when Capt. William Henry Harrison Benyaurd opened a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in Monroe, La. The first permanent Vicksburg office was established in 1884. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds nine major river basins and incorporates about 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The Vicksburg District employs about 1,100 personnel. (Source; USACOE Vicksburg 08/19/220 USACE Vicksburg District celebrates history, personnel service at 18th annual Founder’s Day > Vicksburg District > News Releases (army.mil)

Let daughters reach for the stars

Nyla Trumbach was nervous on Aug. 16, 2012. It was rocket engine test day at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. She had worked in supporting roles for other tests, but on that day, she was its lead engineer. “My heart was pounding out of my chest,” she said. But little did she know at the time, she would be part of making history at Stennis, when she and Rosa Obregon became the first two female engineers to serve as test conductors for engine tests on the same day. It also marked the first time two large-engine tests were completed simultaneously by Stennis teams. They were following in the footsteps of Elizabeth Messer, who became the first NASA female test conductor at Stennis in 2000. Obregon has since moved on to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas. Trumbach is now NASA’s lead mechanical test operations engineer on the Fred Haise Test Stand. For the Space Launch System "Green Run" core stage testing, Trumbach was one of two females to serve as liquid hydrogen transfer engineers. "My mom always told me I could do whatever I wanted to do,” she said. “Work hard, try hard, put your mind to it (and) you can be and do whatever you want to do. “For mothers, encourage your daughters to reach for the stars, to go for what they are interested in.” (Stennis 08/16/22) Two Female Test Conductors Make History on the Headset | NASA

Cmdr. 'RAD' takes helm of VT-9

Navy Cmdr. Jim "RAD" Anderson is back for a third tour at Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., after a change of command ceremony Aug. 19 that installed him as commander of Training Squadron Nine (VT-9). He relieved Cmdr. Jared "Blake" Thomas, who had been the commanding officer since May 2021. Under Thomas’ leadership, VT-9 trained Navy, Marine Corps and allied nation students (UK, Spain, Italy) in more than 17,423 training flight hours in the T-45C Goshawk and winged 69 students. Cmdr. Anderson received his commission in 2003 from the Naval Academy and winged, he completed two deployments with Carrier Air Wing 11 in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. In June 2009, Anderson transferred to NAS Meridian, for a tour with VT-7 where he was designated an instructor pilot in the T-45C. He reported back to NASM and Training Wing One in February 2019 as the FTS operational support officer. (Source: NAS Meridian 08/19/22)

'LuckyDay' for Southern Miss

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The LuckyDay Foundation, organized in Ridgeland by the late Jackson native Frank Rogers Day, made a $9.6M commitment to the University of Southern Mississippi. The foundation has provided significant financial scholarship and programmatic support that has impacted more than 2,200 students. The foundation has been USM’s most generous benefactor for more than 20 years. The foundation funds scholarships for Mississippi high school seniors who are “exemplary students and display strong leadership skills and community engagement" with programs at USM, University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University. (Source: WLBT 08/19/22)

La. constructors' $10.7M pact

Rigid Constructors, Opelousas, Louisiana, was awarded a $10,730,600 firm-fixed-price contract for construction work at Cell 3 of the Eagle Island Confined Disposal Facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Wilmington, North Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 14, 2024. Fiscal 2021 and 2022 civil construction funds; and fiscal 2022 Rivers and Harbors Contributed and Advance funds in the amount of $10,730,600 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/18/22)

HUD boss kicks off tour in MS

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge kicked off her "HUD on the Road" tour in Jackson, Miss., because of the unique set of circumstances residents here face with home ownership. "Mississippi has one of the largest low-income populations," Fudge said of her decision to start in the Magnolia State. "I wanted to start in a place where I feel good things are happening … behind the scenes and to enlighten the community about it." Fudge spoke with community representatives, including U.S. Rep. Bennie Tompson (D-Miss.) in discussions behind closed doors at Tougaloo College on Aug. 17.  The Secretary says she plans to work with local banks to help HUD rehabilitate Jackson houses and neighborhoods that are affordable for residents. (Source: Clarion Ledger 08/17/22) U.S. Housing and Urban Development held panel discussion at Tougaloo (clarionledger.com)

LCS 8 joins exercise w/ Indian Navy

The littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) - built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., - and amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) joined Indonesian Navy ships in the Natuna Sea for Garuda Shield 2022 on Aug. 3-4. The sea exercise was to develop mutual capabilities and address shared maritime security priorities. The Singapore Navy's frigate RSS Supreme and landing platform dock ship RSS Resolution also participated in Garuda Shield. The U.S. and Indonesia have had bilateral ties for more than 70 years, according to Capt. Tom Ogden, commodore of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7. The exercise featured complex at-sea training to demonstrate the forces’ ability to work together through numerous events, including divisional tactics designed to practice maneuvering as ships sail together in complex formations. Other focus areas included surface and littoral warfare, search and rescue, a gunnery exercise, and visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) events. (Source: DeESRON 7, 08/14/22) USS Charleston and USS Green Bay participate in Garuda Shield 2022 > United States Navy > News-Stories/

RR-Meridian 47% of T-45 pact

Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $1,013,571,576 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract. This contract provides intermediate, depot-level maintenance and related logistics support for approximately 210 in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines in support of the Navy. Work will be performed in Meridian, Mississippi (47%); Kingsville, Texas (46%); Pensacola, Florida (6%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in July 2027. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air System Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/17/22)

EPA wetland grants for Tribes

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Aug. 17 that $3.6M in grants are being offered to federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to develop or refine wetland programs through a competitive solicitation. EPA anticipates awarding funding for up to 25 projects to build wetland capacity, strengthen nation-to-nation relationships, promote equity and improve climate resilience. EPA’s Wetland Program Development Grants assist tribal, state, and local government agencies and interstate/intertribal entities in developing or refining comprehensive programs to protect, manage, and restore wetlands. EPA will support Tribes that are developing or refining wetland programs. Projects will advance the Core Elements of an Effective State and Tribal Wetland Program Framework. The framework includes approaches to monitoring and assessment; voluntary restoration and protection; regulatory approaches; and development of wetland-specific water quality standards. Applicants have until Oct. 7 by 10:59 p.m. Central Time to submit their applications on Grants.gov for Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OW-OWOW-22-03. See Section IV for further submission information. For more information on Wetland Program Development Grants. (Source: EPA 08/17/22)

DDG 129 keel laid at HII

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - HII announced that Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) on Aug. 16. The ship’s name honors former U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton Jr. (R-Ala.), a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism while a prisoner of war. Denton spent 34 years as a naval aviator. U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) delivered remarks highlighting the significance of Denton’s contributions to the nation. The ship’s co-sponsors and daughters of the namesake, Madeleine Denton Doak and Mary Denton Lewis, were in attendance and joined Ingalls' shipbuilders in welding their initials onto a steel plate, signifying the keel of DDG 129 as being “truly and fairly laid.” The plate will remain affixed to the ship throughout its lifetime. The Jeremiah Denton is the third Flight III destroyer to be constructed at Ingalls. (Source: HII 08/16/22) A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://hii.com/news/ingalls-shipbuilding-authenticates-keel-destroyer-jeremiah-denton-ddg-129.

How hot is it, South? Saudi-hot

By 2053, residents of the southern United States will frequently experience temperatures in the summer similar to those in Saudi Arabia, according to a forecast published by the First Street Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scientific projections about climate change based on hyper-local data modeling. The report describes an "Extreme Heat Belt" region running from southern Illinois to Texas all the way to the Mid-Atlantic coast; currently, this region is comprised of 81 counties with a population of more than 80M. Currently, the lowest nighttime temperatures in this region during the summer are the lowest ever recorded. (Source: The AP 08/16/22)

La. firm's $9.5M river repair pact

BIS Services, Kenner, Louisiana, was awarded a $9,585,138 firm-fixed-price contract for repairing dikes and revetments on the Missouri River and the Cora Island Chute. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in several cities in Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 30, 2030. Fiscal 2022 civil construction funds in the amount of $9,585,138 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/16/22)

Cleaning groundwater at ex-AFB

MOBILE, Ala. - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Savannah, Ga., District is providing remedial action at the former Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile County. Delmonico-PKS JV, LLC, has been contracted to perform area clean up as part of the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) Program. DoD is responsible for the environmental cleanup of properties formerly possessed by the United States and under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense prior to October 1986. The Army is the DoD’s lead agent for FUDS. As part of the clean-up process, barrels of materials - sodium Bicarbonate to adjust the pH of groundwater and Emulsified Lecithin Substrate, a food grade carbon that enhances the bioremediation. It basically creates an anerobic environment in the subsurface that allows bacteria to work on the contamination and degrade it. Once the process is complete, the contractor will remove some contaminated soil. In its place, the contractor will replace that soil with clean soil. The action is anticipated to be completed by the end of October. (Source: US Army Corps of Engineers 08/15/22) The AFB was closed in the late 1960s by President Lyndon Johnson. Some of the former base is also the site of an Airbus commercial aircraft production facility.  

Italians tour Stennis' NMOC

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command hosted representatives from the Italian Hydrographic Institute (IIM) for a familiarization of operational capabilities tour here July 22. Director of IIM, Rear Adm. Massimiliano Nannini’s visit represents the strength of the U.S.-Italian partnership-alliance. The partnership goes back decades, as does our collaboration in hydrography and oceanography, according to Rear Adm. Ron J. Piret, NMOC commander. IIM representatives toured Naval Oceanography assets, including the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) and with the Fleet Survey Team (FST), and participated in information-sharing exchanges, covering oceanography, hydrography, and war-fighting support. The U.S. established diplomatic relations with Italy in 1861. IIM is responsible for official nautical documentation within Italy's seawaters and coastlines. (Source: Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command 08/15/22) Italian Hydrographic Institute Visits Naval Oceanography > United States Navy > News-Stories

Vertex $62.7M contract

Vertex Aerospace, Madison, Mississippi, is awarded a $62,792,923 firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for organizational level and authorized intermediate level aircraft maintenance, logistics support, and limited repair of common support equipment for three KC-130J aircraft for the government of Kuwait. Work will be performed in Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait (95%); and Madison, Mississippi (5%), and is expected to be completed in August 2027. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-4. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

* BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded an $87,999,656 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,910,796,347. This contract modification procures labor and material for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle Mission Role Variant Medium Caliber Cannon (ACV-30) for post-critical design review design and development, production representative test vehicles, and support for test activities.  Work will be performed in Oceanside, California (14%); Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (14%); Kongsberg, Norway (13%); York, Pennsylvania (12%); Aiken, South Carolina (9%); San Jose, California (7%); Stafford, Virginia (7%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (5%); Johnstown, Pennsylvania (4%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (3%); Phoenix, Arizona (3%); Goleta, California (2%); White Sands, New Mexico (2%); Bolzano, Italy (2%); Twentynine Palms, California (1%); and Vicksburg, Mississippi (1%), with an expected completion date of July 2025. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $30,152,264 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/15/22)

AC mechanic egress jobs in MS

Eight Aircraft Mechanic Egress Jobs in Mississippi, (Source: Zip Recruiter 08/12/22) $34k-$66k Aircraft Mechanic Egress Jobs in Mississippi - ZipRecruiter. 

* Supply Chain Technical Editor/Writer II - Vertex Aerospace in Madison, Miss. $53k-$135k Aerospace Supply Chain Jobs in Jackson, MS - ZipRecruiter

Reduction act may not address it

WASHINGTON - With inflation raging near its highest level in about 40 years, the U.S. House gave thumbs up to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, but will it actually do it? Economic analyses suggest likely not - anytime soon. The legislation doesn’t address the main drivers of surging prices in gas, food, rent and eating out. Over time, the bill may save money for some Americans by lessening the cost of certain prescription drugs for the elderly, extending health insurance subsidies and reducing energy prices. 

Wall Street win streak

NEW YORK - In a semi-related note at week's end, stocks closed higher on Wall Street, giving the S&P its first 4-week winning streak since November. The benchmark index gained 1.7% on Aug. 12. Technology stocks led the rally. Inflation cooled last month, which sent stocks higher. Investors see a greater chance inflation may have peaked, allowing the Federal Reserve to be less aggressive with its rate hikes. Additionally, crude oil prices fell and bond yields were mixed. (Source: The AP 08/12/22)

Procurement Specialist @ Vertex

Procurement Specialist I (T-45) @ Vertex Aerospace - Madison, Miss. Finance job at Vertex Aerospace - Procurement Specialist I (T-45) - Madison, MS (jsfirm.com) 

All Vertex jobs Vertex Aerospace (jsfirm.com)

Miss. is world leader in prisoners

Mississippi is the world’s leader in putting people behind bars - more inmates per capita than any state or nation, including China, Russia and Iran, according to the World Population Review. Cliff Johnson, director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law, said: “What’s it going to take for Mississippians to realize that the mass incarceration we have carried out for decades has made us less safe, rather than safer?” The number of prisoners in the U.S. is 16% lower today than before the pandemic, according to the Vera Institute of Justice, but Mississippi’s rate is skyrocketing, rising more than 1,500 in less than six months. That population now exceeds 18,000 - the highest rate since April 2020. ... And it costs $53.72 per-day for each one. (Source: Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting 08/13/22) Mississippi now the world leader in mass incarceration (clarionledger.com)

Delfin signs LNG deal with UK

Delfin LNG, a Houston energy company that plans on building a floating liquefied natural gas export terminal off Louisiana’s coast, has inked a deal to provide LNG to a United Kingdom energy company. (Source: The Advocate 08/10/22) Amid construction delay, Delfin LNG signs long-term deal with new customer | Business | theadvocate.com

La. oyster beds shut by spill

Terrebonne (La.) Bay oys0ter beds were shut down by Hilcorp Energy spill near Houma. (Source: NOLA.com 08/11/22) Terrebonne Bay oyster beds shut down by Hilcorp Energy spill | Environment | nola.com

Small oil leak shuts 3 platforms

A pipeline leak of about two barrels of oil forced Shell to temporarily halt crude oil production at three of its drilling platforms (Amberjack, Mars and Olympus) in the Gulf of Mexico, the company said Aug. 12. The leak happened Aug. 11 after a flange broke along the Shell pipelines at a booster station in Fourchon, La., a company spokesperson said. The booster station maintains pressure and flow in the pipelines. The flange leak, which was contained Friday morning, affected two of those pipeline, which connect crude oil from Shell’s offshore platforms to refiners in Texas and Louisiana. Amberjack is back online. The Mars pipeline will be back up later Friday. The platforms are located about 130 miles from New Orleans. Shell crews are working on a permanent fix to the pipelines that should be completed sometime Friday, the company said. (Source: NOLA.com 08/12/22)

Regional HBCUs earn DoD awards

Jackson State (Miss.), Dillard (La.) and Alabama A&M were among 43 institutions selected by the Department of Defense (DoD) to receive instrumentation awards to enhance research and education programs. The awards totaling $28.5M will be made under the FY 2022 DoD Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority‐Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSI) Science Program. Awards ranging up to $600,000 will support the acquisition of research and scientific equipment at 17 HBCUs, 41 MSIs, and two tribal colleges. The awards are the result of a merit competition administered by the Army Research Office under policy and guidance from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering, with participation from the Office of Naval Research and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. (Source: DoD 08/12/22) Defense Department Announces Fiscal Year 2022 Research Equipment Awards to Minority-Serving Institutions > U.S. Department of Defense > Release

Fed RAISE funds to 3 MS projects

JACKSON, Miss. - U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced Aug. 11 that the White House has awarded $15.5M from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to support three projects in Mississippi. The trio includes the Yazoo City Main Street Revitalization Project; Tupelo RAIL Improvements Program (TRIP) Planning; and Ripley's Tanglefoot Trail Extension. RAISE is one of several ways communities can secure funding for projects under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s competitive grant programs. (Source: WLBT 08/11/22) Biden-Harris Administration awards $15.5 million in funding for three projects in Mississippi (wlbt.com)

DoD: Build on small/big biz pacts

Since 1991, Congress has renewed the Pentagon's Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) as a pilot. The program pairs established defense contractors with small businesses for mutually beneficial gains. After an in-depth look from outside business experts, the Defense Business Board (DBB) is recommending Congress make the program permanent once DoD makes some tweaks. Farooq Mitha, director of DoD’s Office of Small Business Programs, told the DBB on Aug. 9 that small business involvement in Pentagon contracting is important as ever. But smaller businesses struggle finding access with DoD’s extra security measures and oversight - thus contracting with small businesses is on the decline. Regulations are necessary, but sometimes prohibitive to small businesses and exemplify the need for the MPP. The DBB study found MPP had a positive impact on helping small businesses work with DoD through larger businesses. MPP surveys between 2012-21 show "significant increases" in revenues, contract awards, and employment at the protégé firms,” the report states. MPP allows mentors to pay protégés, which DoD reimburses (about $30M over the last few years). Mentors can award non-competitive subcontracts to protégés and lend money to the smaller firms. The goal is to “provide incentives" for larger businesses to enhance the capabilities of disadvantaged small business concerns to perform as subcontractors and suppliers. Mitha noted there's been a bump in the number of innovative technologies added to DoD’s repertoire by these companies. (Source: Federal News Network 08/10/22) Pentagon advisers want DoD to build out agreements between small and large defense businesses | Federal News Network

Lower prices give slight reprieve

WASHINGTON - Gasoline, airline tickets and clothes’ prices gave Americans a brief reprieve from inflation in July, and overall price increases slowed from the 4-decade high in June. Consumer prices jumped 8.5% in July compared to the same month in 2021, the government said Aug. 9 - down from a 9.1% year-over-year increase in June. On a monthly basis, prices were unchanged through June, the first time after 25 months of increases. But this break offered no certainty that prices would stay on the decline. Inflation has slowed in the past only to re-accelerate in later months. If price increases continue to weaken, they are a long way from the Fed’s 2% annual target. If it were to fall to 4% one expert suggested the Federal Reserve would need to keep raising interest rates or at least keep them high. Travel-related prices helped lower core inflation, a measure that excludes food and energy. Core prices rose 0.3% from June, the smallest month-to-month increase since March. Grocery prices jumped 1.1% in July and are 13% higher than a year ago, the largest increase since 1979. The July figures raised hope inflation may have peaked after straining households, soured Americans on the economy, led the Federal Reserve to raise borrowing rates and diminished President Joe Biden’s public approval ratings. (Source: The AP 08/10/22) US inflation slips from 40-year peak but remains high 8.5% | AP News

CDC: MS leads US in fetal deaths

Mississippi leads the nation again for having the highest rate of fetal deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data report examined nearly 21,000 deaths of fetuses in utero that occurred after 20 weeks’ gestation in the U.S. in 2020. The overall national rate was 5.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, about the same 00as the year before. In Mississippi, the rate was 10.6 - an increase from 9.4 in 2019. The CDC data did not include state-specific analysis of the causes of stillbirths. The most common cause was listed as “unspecified.” Mississippi maternal health advocates say the state’s inadequate access to basic health care, a high rate of uninsured and state leaders’ decision not to expand Medicaid explain the grim statistics. For Getty Israel, CEO/founder of the Sisters in Birth clinic in Jackson, the statistics say Mississippians aren't healthy, and Black women are more vulnerable to conditions that endanger pregnancies. Most of her patients are Black women without insurance. About 60% of births in Mississippi are covered by Medicaid. But postpartum coverage wouldn’t solve many of Mississippi’s maternal and infant health outcomes, according to Israel. Women of reproductive age who qualify for Medicaid when pregnant may have gone years without seeing a primary healthcare provider, increasing the risk of conditions like obesity and high blood pressure - conditions that may increase their risk of premature birth, which can require expensive and stressful hospital stays for newborns. “You want to get these women healthy before they become pregnant,” Israel said. Taxpayers are "paying for these premature births ... for million-dollar babies" in NICUs across the state that could have been avoided. Most premature births can be avoided.” The CDC report did not breakdown the rate by race for each state but showed that Black mothers had a fetal mortality rate of 10.34 in 2020, compared to 4.73 for white mothers. (Source: Mississippi Today 08/08/22) Mississippi has nation's highest rate of stillbirths | News | meridianstar.com

14K gallon oil spill in La. bay

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard was responding to an oil spill Aug. 8 after an oil tank platform collapsed at the Hilcorp Caillou Island facility in Terrebonne Bay, La. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Houma personnel initially received notification from the National Response Center that the platform experienced a structural failure causing a tank to fall into the water and spill oil. Environmental Safety & Health Consulting Services has been hired to remove the oil. Current response actions include 4,500 feet of containment boom, three skimming vessels, and five response vessels on scene. Hilcorp estimates less than 14,000 gallons of oil entered the water. There have been no reports of impact to wildlife at this time. The cause of the incident is under investigation. (Source: Coast Guard 08/08/22) Hilcorp provided a claims telephone number for people that may have been affected by the spill: 281-486-5511/.

AF psychologists get aviation trng

KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. - The Air Force implemented new training for aviation psychologists that aims to increase their knowledge of aviation training and practices. One of the many aspects of Air Force Aviation Psychology is focused on resiliency and readiness of its aircrews’ daily activities by addressing the human factors involved in safe and effective performance. Enhanced understanding of pilot training and the human performance demands on aircrew will facilitate improved ability for these psychologists to accomplish their mission. The service conducted the 14-day flight training for the Aviation Psychology Introductory Course at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. This course is the first time the Air Force has given direct aviation training to psychologists. (Source: AF Safety Center 08/06/22) Inaugural aviation training proves success for Air Force psychologists > Air Force > Article Display (af.mil)

Sea turtle nest found in MS

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. - Hancock County Sand Beach crews found the first sea turtle nest on the Mississippi coast since 2018. One of the crews was cleaning up what appeared to be turtle tracks east of the Pass Christian Harbor, officials said. They protected the area and called the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, which tracked it to a nesting site that has been marked off. The eggs likely belong to a protected loggerhead sea turtle or a rare Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, one of the most critically endangered species, according to Moby Solangi, president of the marine studies group. The exact species won’t be known until the eggs hatch in 50 to 60 days. Turtles lay between 60 to 100 eggs in a nest and have multiple nests during a season, Solangi told The Sun Herald. The Mississippi Sound and Gulf of Mexico are important sea turtle habitats, but the 2010 oil spill and 2019 opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway in Louisiana hurt the turtle population. "(T) is a good sign." (Source: The AP 08/07/22)

Space command lead in spotlight

Huntsville, Ala., will be hosting its 25th annual Space & Military Defense Symposium Aug. 9-11. Two thousand attendees will be at the von Braun Civic Center, which will be full of the latest space defense technology and one general in the spotlight. The general is U.S. Space Command Commanding Gen. James Dickinson, a scheduled briefer. His command is awaiting a final decision on making Huntsville the permanent HQ for Space Command at Redstone Arsenal. That final decision is expected soon from the Secretary of the Air Force. Dickinson knows how to handle media queries and congressional panels, and he knows Huntsville. He commanded the U.S. Army Space and Missile Command in Huntsville until leaving for his present assignment in Colorado in 2019. This year’s symposium has registered nearly 600 industry executives and another 400 people from government and academia. NASA will also be at the symposium, and that’s a hat tip to the agency focused on peaceful exploration of space. Everyone respects NASA, but the symposium’s focus is defense and military space. Panel discussions, exhibits and briefings will be about the latest priorities for defending the ultimate high ground. Industry representatives want to hear what requirements are going to be in the future for potential contracts. (Source: AL.com 08/05/22) Space Command general to address Huntsville in August - al.com

HBCU students earning sea legs

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Five students from Tuskegee University in Alabama are getting a summer-working and educational opportunity with scientists here at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Marine Education Center. “We’re working together to explore the sea floor,” Jessie Kastler said. But a bigger purpose is to plant seeds that will diversify the ocean science workforce. “Minority students seeing other minority students doing this, they might start to say, ‘Maybe I should think about this as an option,’” said Richard Whittington. Part of the new generation of ocean scientists may include Elijah Logan, who helped map the sea floor during a trip to the Johnston Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. (Johnston Atoll is a deserted 3,200-acre atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, located about 860 miles SW of the island of Hawaiʻi.) The interns will present their work to their peers and mentors this week to complete the summer program. (Source: WLOX 08/04/22) Tuskegee is one of eight HBCUs in the state of Alabama.

Change to MNG warrant advisor

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. - The Mississippi National Guard is hosting a Change of Charge ceremony at the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center theater Aug. 7. Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) 5 Tommy W. Smith has served as the senior -ranking warrant officer in the MNG since April 2018. He will relinquish his responsibilities as the state command chief warrant officer to CWO5 Donny R. Dukes Jr., who will serve as the senior advisor to the adjutant general on all matters relating to warrant officers, including recommendations in matters of recruiting, retention, promotions and assignments. (Source: WDAM 08/04/22)

The ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. followed by a reception and a retirement ceremony.

Smith will be retiring after nearly 36 years of service in the Mississippi Army National Guard, 

Belle Chasse 1% of ESB 8 work

General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO), San Diego, California, is awarded a $535,021,375 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2235 for the procurement of detail design and construction of Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) 8. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (69%); Santa Fe Springs, California (6%); Crozet, Virginia (6%); Mexicali, Mexico (4%); Houston, Texas (3%); National City, California (1%); Aliağa, Turkey (1%); Belle Chasse, Louisiana (1%); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1%); and various other locations, each accounting for less than 1 percent (8%), and is expected to be completed by March 2026. FY 2022 Navy shipbuilding and conversion funds in the amount of $535,021,375 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/04/22)

Kaman to command NAS/JRB

Captain Lena Kaman will relieve Captain Todd Bruemer as commanding officer of Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base New Orleans at a change of command ceremony Aug. 5. Kaman was raised in Shawano, Wisconsin, and a member of the NROTC at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in August 1996. After graduating in May 2000, she reported to flight school in Pensacola, Fla. She was designated as a Naval Aviator in March 2002. Following her first fleet tour, Kaman reported to HT-18 at NAS Whiting Field, Fla., in January 2006 as an instructor pilot in the TH-57 helicopter. During the tour, she was awarded the Pensacola Lions Club HT-18 Instructor of the Year for 2007. She served as Training Air Wing Five’s TH-57 Standardization Officer from June 2008 through August 2009.  She transitioned to the Navy’s Full Time Support community in February 2009.  CDR Kaman became a member of America’s Squadron, HT-8, in August 2009. She was awarded the Association of the United States Navy Full Time Support Officer of the Year for all Chief of Naval Air Training squadrons for 2010. In 2011, she earned her Master of Aeronautical Science Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. (Source: NAS/JRB New Orleans & NHA historical society 08/02/22)

Brinston new OIC at NASM clinic

Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Meridian, Miss., health clinic held a change of charge ceremony Aug. 3 to welcome Cmdr. Edward Brinston as the new Officer-in-Charge. Capt. Grace Key, Dental Corps, is Executive Officer. Brinston comes to NAS Meridian from the Chief of Naval Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn., where he served as Deputy Division Director, Benefits Issuing Authority, Medical Benefits/Transition Division. (Source: NAS Meridian 08/03/22)

PBVR recognized for safety record

KILN, Miss. – Port Bienville Short Line Railroad (PBVR) was recognized for its safety record by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) for above-industry-average performance across 2021. PBVR received a Jake Award With Distinction in recognition of its reportable injury-free performance. The award is named for the late Lowell S. “Jake” Jacobson, President/GM of the Copper Basin Railway. Connecting the port to CSX, Port Bienville Short Line Railroad boasts 17 miles of track and processes over 8,000 loaded railcars a year. The railroad is owned and operated by Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission. (Source: Hancock County Port 07/26/22)

Transportation exec tours MS port

GULFPORT, Miss. – Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg visited the Port of Gulfport on Aug. 1 as part of a tour of southern port cities, including New Orleans. The Port of Gulfport is a deep-water seaport that handles about 330 deep draft vessels and over 200,000 TEUs on an annual basis. The Deputy Secretary’s visit comes at a time when supply chain shortages and congestion at cargo points of entry are at the forefront of transportation and logistics issues. It was a "great visit," she was quoted in a media release. Discussions centered around supply chain and opportunities for federal partnerships. The president’s infrastructure law is putting $17B into improving ports' infrastructures, said Trottenberg. Jon Nass, CEO/Executive Director of the Mississippi port authority  said: “We’re proud to be recognized as a strategic gateway" for cargo and continued growth and development. "We look forward to discussing the ways that dredging for a deeper channel will help us fulfill that potential." Darius Johnson, President of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local  #1303 joined the tour, highlighting the importance of a dedicated and capable workforce. (Source: MSPA 08/01/22) US DEPUTY SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION TOURS PORT OF GULFPORT | Port of Gulfport, Mississippi (shipmspa.com)

HII total revenue up; Ingalls down

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Overall, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) reported second quarter 2022 revenues of $2.7B, up 19.3% from the second quarter of 2021, primarily driven by revenue attributable to the acquisition of Alion Science and Technology (Alion) in the third quarter of 2021, as well as growth at Newport News Shipbuilding. Mississippi-based Ingalls Shipbuilding's revenues for the 2Q were $658M, a decrease of $12M (1.8%) from the same period in 2021, primarily driven by lower revenues in the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer (DDG) program, and partially offset by higher revenues in the amphibious transport dock (LPD) and amphibious assault ship (LHA) programs. DDG program revenues decreased due to lower volumes on Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) and USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), partially offset by higher volume on Thad Cochran (DDG 135). Amphibious ship program revenues increased due to higher volumes on Pittsburgh (LPD 31), Harrisburg (LPD 30), LHA 9 (unnamed) and amphibious class planning yard services, partially offset by lower volume on the recently delivered Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). (Source: HII 08/04/22) HII Reports Second Quarter 2022 Results | HII News

Hodges is director of CG foundation

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to strengthening the Coast Guard community and service to members and families, announced Aug. 2 that Kelly P. Hodges recently joined the Foundation’s fundraising team. In her new position as regional director for the Gulf Coast, she will work closely with CG units in Texas, Louisiana and throughout America’s heartland to identify and fulfill education, morale and wellness, and family support for CG members. Hodges brings more than 20 years of fundraising, strategic planning, nonprofit management and public relations experience to the foundation. She is a graduate of Grambling State University in Louisiana. (Source: Work Boat 08/02/22) Coast Guard Foundation names new Gulf Coast regional director | WorkBoat

NOLA's risks up for future flooding

High tide flooding events on the East and Gulf coasts are occurring at twice the rate recorded in 2000, NOAA oceanographer William Sweet, said in an online media presentation by the agency Aug 3. The newly released information documents change in high tide flooding patterns from May 2021 to April 2022 at 97 NOAA tide gauges along U.S. coats. “It also provides a flooding outlook for these locations through April 2023 and projections for several decades High tide flooding, commonly called “sunny day” flooding, in coastal communities owing to a past century of sea level rise and climate change. The trend means flooding problems will happen more routinely during the full moon phases or times of prolonged currents and onshore winds. The National Ocean Service reported all-time high tide record days at three U.S. locations - Reedy Point, Del.; Kwajalein Island in the Marshall Islands; and Springmaid Pier, S.C. - between May 2021 and April 2022. NOAA projections predict high tide flood frequency between May 2022 and April 2023 will average 3-7 days compared to an increase from the 2-6 days between 2019-20. The National Ocean Service data shows some of the biggest risks to New Orleans and Houston. Sea level rise effects there are compounded because “the land is sinking.” Southern Louisiana coast and wetlands are starved of sediment that should be supplied by the Mississippi River and can’t replace the elevation lost to soil compaction, at a rate around 1-inch every two and a half years, he said. (Source: Work Boat 08/02/22) High tide flooding days increasing on East and Gulf coasts | WorkBoat