Jefferson making saltwater plans

Less than a month before the Mississippi River salt wedge is estimated to reach Jefferson Parish’s treatment plants, Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says her government plans to lay pipelines along the riverbanks from upstream to deliver enough fresh water to continue producing safe drinking water. 

Amid elevated salinity downriver, here’s how Plaquemines Parish residents are coping. Bookmark this link for salt wedge updates.

Twice in the past three weeks, the U.S. Senate has failed to renew the National Flood Insurance Program, leaving it to expire on Oct. 1 unless Congress acts this weekend. (NOLA.com 09/30/23)

McCarthy tastes spending bill loss

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tasted defeat as the House failed to advance a stopgap bill to extend government funding beyond Sept. 30, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown.

McCarthy is currently embroiled in a conflict with hardline conservatives who want full-year spending bills. 

With Congress at an impasse, the federal government is preparing for a shutdown when government funding runs out at midnight. 

McCarthy has vowed not to negotiate with the Senate on a short-term spending bill, stating that he wants to fight for border security and keep the government open. (Press Run Dopwn 09/30/233) McCarthy's failure brings government closer to shutdown (pressrundown.com)

Regional end of FY DoD contracts

Hornbeck Offshore Operators LLC, Covington, Louisiana (N6238715C2507), is being awarded a $44,974,929 modification for the fixed-price portion of a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise a one-year option period (P00115) for the operation and maintenance of four modified off-shore supply vessels USNS Arrowhead (T-AGSE 4), USNS Eagleview (T-AGSE 3), USNS Westwind (T-AGSE 2), and USNS Black Powder (T-AGSE 1), for continued service as support vessels in support of Navy operations. The contract includes a 215-day base period, nine one-year option periods, and one 150-day option period. Work for this option period will be performed at sea worldwide and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. This contract includes nine 12-month option periods and one 150-day option period, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $436,969,566. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $44,974,929 are obligated for fiscal 2024 and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was issued on a basis of other than full and open competition in support of the statute under provisions of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

* Alyssa Chouest LLC, Cut Off, Louisiana (N3220519C3514), is being awarded a $10,631,895 option (P00038) for the fixed-price portion of a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract, with reimbursable elements, to exercise an 11-month option period for a service support vessel which will be utilized for training purposes and will serve as host ship for Naval Special Warfare Command. This is the last option and is part of a firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements for one U.S.-flag Jones Act vessel, MV Alyssa Chouest. This contract includes a 12-month base period, three 12-month option periods, and one 11-month option period. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia; and at sea, and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by Sept. 6, 2024. The option is funded by Navy working capital funds for fiscal 2024. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. 

* Lockheed Martin, Corp., Littleton, Colorado, was awarded a $33,743,301 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-orbit Nuclear Power (JETSON) high power mission application program. This contract provides for the JETSON effort to mature the technical design of the JETSON spacecraft systems and subsystems to a preliminary design review level of maturity and to fully develop the overall program development and test program planning through critical design review. Work will be performed in Denver, Colorado; and Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 29, 2025. This contract was a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $33,743,301 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity.

* Fussell Co. Contractors, LLC, Winnsboro, Louisiana, was awarded a $25,000,000 ceiling firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for airfield paving. This contract provides for airfield paving efforts at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Work will be performed at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 28, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2023 and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated at time of award. The 2d Contracting Squadron, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. 

* Five S Group LLC,* Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was awarded a $37,910,731 firm-fixed-price contract for channel excavation, relocation of fencing, and construction of access roads. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Zachary, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2025. Fiscal 2023 civil operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $37,910,731 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity.

* Louisiana LLC, Jefferson, Louisiana, has been awarded a maximum $16,224,803 modification (P00156) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-10-C-8260) with no option periods for operations and maintenance of the electric utility system at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. The performance completion date is Nov. 30, 2061. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. 

* Fortis Native Group LLC, Atmore, Alabama, is being awarded a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract (HQ072723D0004) with a five-year ordering period for the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) Facility Maintenance Services. The contract has a $34,160,000 ceiling. Fiscal 2023 funds in the amount of $2,414,077 are being obligated for the first task order at the time of award. This contract procures facility maintenance services including preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance and operational services for DMEA. The work will be performed at the DMEA campus in McClellan, California. DMEA, McClellan, California, is the contracting activity. (DoD 09/29/23)

Blog back up after technical difficulties

 Apologize for being away. Had technical difficulties that prevented postings. 

UM's neuro-HIV research grant

University of Mississippi researchers Jason Paris and Eden Tanner are using an innovative approach to develop a treatment for neuro-HIV, neurological complications of HIV, that can cause cognitive impairment, major depression and chronic pain. The team has gotten a 5-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to support the work. (UM 09/23/23) Mississippi researchers on the verge of groundbreaking HIV treatment - Magnolia State Live | Magnolia State Live 

First in-game female kicks for JSU

JACKSON, Miss. - Jackson State University football made history on the first kick of the game of their home opener Sept. 23 against Bethune-Cookman. 

On the opening play of the game, JSU kicker Leilana Armenta, a freshman on the JSU women’s soccer team, kicked the opening kickoff to the Wildcats to become the first female to appear in a game for the Tigers. (Jackson State 09/23/24) Jackson State kicker becomes first woman to play for the Tigers in program history (wdam.com)

Sept. 24 history: Supreme Court

Sept. 24 history

In 1789, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789. It was signed by President George Washington, establishing the Supreme Court of the United States as a tribunal made up of six justices who were to serve on the court until death or retirement. That day, President Washington nominated John Jay to preside as chief justice, and John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair, Robert Harrison and James Wilson to be associate justices. On September 26, all six appointments were confirmed by the U.S. Senate. 

In 1890, the Mormon Church denounces polygamy. 

In 1941, the Japanese consul in Hawaii is instructed to divide Pearl Harbor into five zones and calculate the number of battleships in each zone—and report the findings back to Japan. (Pre-lim to surprise attack on Dec. 7) 

In 1964, the Warren Commission presents its report on the assassination of JRK to President Johnson Warren Commission report delivered to President Johnson | September 24, 1964 | HISTORY

In 1968, the first episode of '60 Minutes' airs on CBS.

In 1969, trial for the Chicago Eight anti-war protestors begins. Chicago 8 trial opens in Chicago | September 24, 1969 | HISTORY 

In 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson runs the 100-meter dash in 9.79 seconds to win gold at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Johnson’s triumph, however, was temporary: He tested positive for steroids three days later and was stripped of the medal. (History.com 09/24/23)

PE's $700K Miss. cleanroom project

Precision Environments has been awarded a $700K cleanroom project in Mississippi. The company is now set to design and build a full scope of a cleanroom used in the aerospace industry. 

The announcement comes two weeks it shared on LinkedIn it was awarded a $700K cleanroom project in Ohio. 

Precision Environments’ end-to-end service offering covers the entire controlled environment implementation process, from concept to certification, followed by ongoing maintenance to ensure safety and performance. 

The team regularly conducts engineering site visits to identify all specific and unique project requirements including business imperatives, processes and space utilization. 

The PE team oversees and makes sure controlled environments - design and layout, equipment and materials, personnel, and material flow - are built to industry’s specifications and meets regulatory requirements. (Clean Technology 09/22/23)

UAW strike expands to 20 states

The United Auto Workers union is increasing pressure on Detroit’s Big Three automakers - GM, Ford and Stellantis - by expanding its autoworkers' strike to even more facilities. 

UAW President Shawn Fain announced Sept. 22 the union is encouraging 38 parts and distribution centers for General Motors and Stellantis to join the strike. 

"This will impact these two companies' repairs operations, and our message to the consumer is simple: The way to fix the frustrating customer experience is for these companies to end price gouging," he stated. 

The latest strike expansion is expected to impact some 5,600 additional workers at facilities across 20 states and all nine regions represented by the UAW. 

While Fain said negotiators had made some progress with Ford, the other two have shot down the union's proposals. 

"To be clear, we're not done at Ford," Fain said. 

The affected facilities for GM include 18 plants in 13 states: Michigan, Ohio, Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nevada, California, Texas, West Virginia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

For Stellantis, the extended strikes affect 20 facilities in 14 states: Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, California, Oregon, Georgia, Virginia, Florida, Texas, New York and Massachusetts. (CBS Detroit 09/22/23) UAW strike expands to 38 facilities across 20 states. Here's what to know about the strike locations (msn.com) 

MORE INFO REGARDING MISSISSIPPI AUTO PLANTS

The Detroit Three does not include Nissan or Toyota, which have manufacturing plants in Mississippi. 

Nissan has had a production facility in Canton for more than 20 years while Toyota plant in Blue Springs near Tupelo has been in operation since 2011. 

While there has been some speculation that the strike could impact other automakers from a supply chain standpoint, Nissan says it doesn't expect any issues where Mississippi is concerned. (Clarion Ledger 09/20/22) 

Neither plant in Mississippi is unionized.

Saltwater into drinking water woes

In efforts to backup unsafe levels of saltwater that may reach multiple New Orleans-area drinking water intakes by mid-October, the Army Corps of Engineers has taken the first steps to begin transporting 36M gallons of fresh river water by barge daily for use by local utilities. 

On Friday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards joined federal, state and local officials at a news conference to explain how they were "making plans for a duration of an event and a severity of an event" that will exceed a similar saltwater intrusion in 1988. 

In the coming week, the governor said he will upgrade a declaration of emergency to ensure state agencies can respond to saltwater intrusion. He will also ask FEMA to issue a federal emergency declaration, which he said could help in getting federal funds to help pay for the response. 

Based on estimates, saltwater will reach Belle Chasse on Oct. 13, St. Bernard Parish's main water plant Oct. 19, Algiers water plant by Oct. 22, Carrollton water plant by Oct. 28 and the East Jefferson Parish water plant by Oct. 29, said Col. Cullen Jones, commander of the Corps' New Orleans office. 

The present flow of freshwater on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) is about 148,000 cubic feet per second, not strong enough to halt the northward flow of saltwater towards New Orleans, he told NOLA.com. The current flow is only about 10% of what it is when the river is high. 

In order to get above 300,000 cubic feet per second to begin pushing it back, there needs to be about 10 inches of precipitation across the entire Mississippi Valley, and "that's unlikely according to recent National Weather Service forecasts," Jones said. 

Louisiana Health Officer Joseph Kanter said local water systems will issue warnings if salt levels are predicted to go above 250 parts per million, which would pose a risk to individuals on low-sodium diets, high blood pressure and pregnant women in their third trimester who are at risk of hypertension. (NOLA.com 09/22/23) Corps to barge 36M gallons of freshwater daily to fight salt | Environment | nola.com

DoD regional contracts Sept. 22

* Valiant Global Defense Services Inc., San Diego, California, was awarded a $92,756,637 modification (P00063) to contract W91247-18-C-0001 for readiness training support. Work will be performed at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, (formerly Fort Polk) with an estimated completion date of Oct. 26, 2024. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $92,756,637 were obligated at the time of the award. The 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Johnson, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. 

* Onshore Materials, Thibodaux, Louisiana, was awarded a $59,286,900 firm-fixed-price contract for drainage structures and levees. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Laplace, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2027. Fiscal 2023 civil construction funds in the amount of $59,286,900 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. 

* American Apparel, Selma, Alabama, has been awarded a maximum $20,293,213 modification (P00013) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-21-D-1481) with four one-year option periods for various types of coats. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The ordering period end date is Sept. 28, 2024. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (DoD 09/22/23)

Gulf Coast rail service moves ahead

The return of passenger rail service along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Mobile, Ala., moved one step closer to reality on Sept. 21 when the Federal Railroad Commission authorized a $178M grant to improve the tracks and build a new platform at the Alabama site. 

The announcement means the service, which has been suspended since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, could resume as early as the first quarter of 2024. 

A second rail project - for a New Orleans to Baton Rouge - did not fare well. The federal agency denied a $108M grant application, U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves (R-Baton Rouge) confirmed. 

A third Louisiana service application for the Interstate 20 corridor between Meridian and Dallas was not immediately known. (NOLA.com 09/21/22) New Orleans-Mobile passenger rail service gets federal grant | Local Politics | nola.com  

NOLA aviation charity offers funding for volunteer flights

The Charitable Aviation Foundation, a nonprofit group based in New Orleans, will offer funding support for volunteer pilot organizations (VPOs) engaged in charitable flights that benefit people, patients, animals and communities. 

Founder Jay Taffet noted he established the foundation to further the efforts of the about 100 U.S. organizations that fly more than 50,000 charity flights a year. 

The foundation raises money from aviation and non-aviation sources to help VPOs employ staff and recruit pilots, as well as purchase software and administrative systems required to pursue their missions.

“There are thousands of pilots around the country that volunteer their time" for these type airlifts. The organizations that match these volunteer pilots on humanitarian missions are indispensable to the wider nonprofit community,” said Taffet. “Unfortunately, there is very little funding visibility for these VPOs and, thus, a shortage of funds to expand their mission and impact.” 

The foundation will award grants to VPOs based on stated needs and will fund only those groups that meet or exceed the standards set by the Air Care Alliance, which promotes charity flights. 

“We actively solicit grant applications from the VPOs…towards quick-turn funding in support of their mission and services,” Taffet said. (NOLA.com 09/21/23)

NASM 3rd in CNIC base awards

Bravo Zulu to NAS Jacksonville and NAS Whiting Field as the Navy Region Southeast nominations to Commander, Navy Installations Command for the FY 24 CNIC Installation Excellence Award (IEA); NAS Jacksonville will represent in the large installation category and NAS Whiting Field will represent in the small installation category.

Congratulations to our second and third place winners who made it hard to choose!

- Third Place (Large): NAS Pensacola

- Third Place (Small): NAS Meridian

(NAS Meridian 09/21/23)

Feds hold interest rates steady

Federal Reserve officials held interest rates steady at their Sept. 20 monthly policy meeting - only the second time doing so since embarking on a rate-raising campaign 18 months ago. 

But the hints made is what caught economists’ attention: That they don’t expect rates to end 2023 higher than they predicted in June. 

Since the hiking cycle began, observers have worried whether increased rates could push the economy into a recession already. 

However, the economy has been more resilient than expected. Now, economists are wondering whether the soft landing – a slowdown that avoids crashing the economy - has become a reality. (The Conversation 09/20/23) The Federal Reserve held off hiking interest rates − it may still be too early to start popping the corks (theconversation.com) 

UAW, clean energy agenda puts Dems in the middle

The United Auto Workers strike is pitting two of the Biden administration’s top issues - labor rights and the clean energy transition - against each other. Congressional Democrats are caught in the middle. 

Some 13,000 UAW members have been on strike for the past week, clamoring for higher wages, better benefits and assurances from Detroit’s “Big Three” automakers that the wave of new electric vehicle (EV) factories won’t leave workers behind. 

The walkout is heaping political pressure on House and Senate Democrats. 

The situation has created fresh jabs from Republicans, who see an opportunity to drive a wedge between progressive priorities.

Yet, in the face of mounting pressure, Democrats are marching to President Joe Biden’s pro-labor and pro-climate drumbeat, insisting the EV boom can support well-paying jobs, and that the country’s clean energy transition will be led by union workers. 

“Clearly, it’s being politicized,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), whose state is at the heart of the union fight. “These shouldn’t be two separate issues ... and have union workers making those vehicles.”

Democrats are also pushing back on the notion that the strike or broader concerns about labor in the clean energy economy could undermine the Biden administration’s climate agenda. (E&E Daily 09/22/23) Strike puts green Democrats in a bind - E&E News by POLITICO (eenews.net) 

Round 1 win for Sept. O&G auction

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and oil industry advocates won a preliminary legal victory over a scheduled Sept. 27 Gulf of Mexico oil and gas auction after a federal judge ruled Sept. 21 that the Biden administration, in an effort to save an endangered whale species, cannot block off millions of acres from potential drilling. 

Landry, along with the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron U.S.A. and Shell Offshore sued the Biden administration last month over what they called “arbitrary and unlawful last-minute changes” to the lease-sale auction. 

The auctions allow exploration companies to bid on open federal spaces for potential oil and gas drilling. (NOLA.com 09/21/23) Jeff Landry, oil industry win first fight over Gulf drilling | Business News | nola.com

Sept. 22 history: Prez Lincoln

Sept. 22 in history

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of Jan. 1, 1863, if the states did not end the fighting and rejoin the union. 

In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, Capt. Nathan Hale, 21, was hanged as a spy by the British in New York.

In 1911, pitcher Cy Young, 44, gained his 511th and final career victory as he hurled a 1-0 shutout for the Boston Rustlers against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field. 

In 1927, St. Louis native Josephine Baker became the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture. She played the lead role of Papitou in the French silent film, “Siren of the Tropics,” who, like Baker, found her true calling as a performer. 

In 1949, the Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb.

In 1961, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued rules prohibiting racial discrimination on interstate buses. 

In 1961, President Kennedy signs Peace Corps legislation.

In 1971, Captain Ernest Medina is acquitted of all charges relating to the My Lai Massacre of March 1968. His unit, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade (Light) of the 23rd (Americal) Division, was charged with the murder of over 200 Vietnamese civilians, including women and children, at My Lai 4, a cluster of hamlets that made up Son My village in Son Tinh District in Quang Ngai Province in the coastal lowlands of I Corps Tactical Zone.

In 1975, Sara Jane Moore attempted to shoot President Gerald R. Ford outside a San Francisco hotel but missed.

In 1980, the Persian Gulf conflict between Iran and Iraq erupted into full-scale war.

In 1985, rock and country music artists participated in “Farm Aid,” a concert staged in Champaign, Illinois, to help the nation’s farmers.

In 1993, 47 people were killed when an Amtrak passenger train fell off a bridge and crashed into Big Bayou Canot near Mobile, Alabama. Train derails in Alabama swamp | September 22, 1993 | HISTORY

In 1994, the situation comedy “Friends” debuted on NBC-TV.

In 2020, U.S. deaths from the coronavirus topped 200,000, by far the highest confirmed death toll from the virus in the world at that point, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.

In 2017, as the scale of the damage from Hurricane Maria started to become clearer, Puerto Rican officials said they could not contact more than half of the communities in the U.S. territory, where all power had been knocked out to the island’s 3.4M people.

In 2018, Paul Simon ended what was billed as his final concert tour in a park in Queens, New York. 

(The AP 09/22/23)

Fall arrives early Saturday morn

Whether your summer felt like 500 days or a few weeks, the autumn equinox will arrive Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:50 a.m. Central in the Northern Hemisphere. Although, fall has already technially started for meteorologists. That's because their season is based on annual temperature cycles, which start on the first of the month (Sept. 1). 

Sunday is Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day.

Stallone film shooting in south Mississippi

WAVELAND, Miss. - With fall approaching, Hollywood’s writers and actors strike is inching closer to a compromise. In the meantime, WLOX caught up with one film crew already taking advantage of interim agreements made between the parties. 

Convergence Entertainment is shooting a film called “Armored” in parts of Pearlington and Waveland, Miss., specifically at Keesler Federal Credit Union’s Waveland Branch on Sept. 21. 

This particular production company is taking a proactive approach by adhering in advance to the requirements and stipulations the unions are currently asking for before negotiations are officially settled. 

Armored is an action-packed film directed by Justin Routt that features Silvester Stallone and Jason Patric. (WLOX 09/21/23) Crew shoots Sylvester Stallone movie on coast amid strike adhering to interim agreements (wlox.com)

GOP funding plans & Ukraine

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s latest funding plan appears to be in ruins, while lawmakers are busting out of town for the weekend, offering no clear endgame as hard-right Republicans push dangerously close to a federal shutdown.  The Biden administration will direct federal agencies on Sept. 22 to prepare for a shutdown, according to an Office of Management and Budget official who insisted on anonymity, a standard procedure days before a federal disruption. (The AP 09/21/23) Read more.   Zelenskyy's whirlwind visit to Washington WASHINGTON - President Volodymyr Zelenskyy worked to shore up U.S. support for Ukraine on a whirlwind visit to Washington on Sept. 21, delivering an upbeat message on the war’s progress while facing new questions about the flow of American dollars that have helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces.  The Ukrainian leader received a quieter reception than on his last visit in December but won generally favorable comments on the next round of U.S. aid. President Joe Biden gave Zelenskyy a red-carpet arrival on the White House South lawn.  Zelenskyy came to the Capitol with a firm message in private talks with Dems and GOP leaders. There's intensifying opposition to continued Ukraine funding from a faction of highly conservative congressional Republicans.  The US has provided $113B to Ukraine to date.  Asked about the funding issue after meeting with Zelenskyy, Biden answered, “I’m counting on the good judgment of the United States Congress. There’s no alternative.”   Biden has requested Congress add another $24B for Ukraine’s military and humanitarian needs.  The resistance to the request could lead to delays or reductions. Biden did announce another $325M on Thursday in what’s known as presidential drawdown assistance. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy notably chose not to join House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, in greeting Zelenskyy.  McCarthy also confirmed he declined Zelenskyy’s request for a joint session of Congress, saying there wasn’t time it on short notice. But McCarthy praised the answers that Ukrainians delivered to lawmakers on Thursday.  “It was direct, I thought it was honest, they were answering the questions,” McCarthy said. “I heard a lot of positive things.”  Biden has called on world leaders to stand strong with Ukraine, even as he faces domestic political divisions at home. A hard-right flank of Republicans, led by Trump, Biden’s chief rival in the 2024 race for the White House, is increasingly opposed to sending more money overseas. (The AP 09/21/23) Zelenskyy delivers upbeat message to US lawmakers on war progress as some Republican support softens | AP News

Nurse midwives' scarcity in La.

Nurse midwives could ease Louisiana's infant mortality crisis. So, why hasn't the state embraced them?  

Not a single doctor provides obstetric care in 17 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes. 

Financial incentives to persuade more OB-GYNs to move to rural communities have not changed that fact. 

As medical recruiters double their salaries and offer signing bonuses, the state is doing little to help attract a group of health care providers that could fill that dangerous gap: Certified nurse midwives. 

Hospitals across Louisiana are refusing to hire them, despite extensive credentials. Other facilities won't give them admitting privileges. Louisiana pays nurse midwives less through Medicaid than many other states. 

Dr. Rakhi Dimino, medical director for OB Hospitalist Group, which hires obstetricians and nurse midwives nationwide, said unless Louisiana alters course, “We will never be able to serve all the women who need care.” 

The scarcity of nurse midwives is one reason Louisiana has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the developed world, and why mothers often fare no better. (NOLA.com 09/21/23) Nurse midwives could improve Louisiana's birth outcomes | Health care/Hospitals | nola.com

Louisiana's population has flatlined

As Louisiana heads into fall’s gubernatorial race, candidates are crisscrossing the state, pitching plans to tackle numerous crises: Dysfunctional insurance market, rising costs of living, and the ever-more dangerous hurricanes and crime. 

Many voters have already cast ballots of a different sort. Thousands are leaving the state for better lives and opportunities elsewhere, in an immigration that's been an issue for decades. 

It’s a basic kind of referendum that Louisiana is losing. It's a vicious cycle making the economy harder to grow the economy, which fuels the exodus. 

Louisiana has lagged other states, many of which once faced similar challenges. Louisiana has not kept pace. 

The numbers are stark. Since 2010, Florida, Tennessee and South and North Carolina have all posted double-digit population growth. Florida has grown by nearly 20%. 

Louisiana, with 4.5M+ residents, has only grown by 1.25%. 

Alabama and Arkansas have more than tripled Louisiana; and even Mississippi has grown faster. 

The problem isn’t new. (NOLA.com 09/21/23) People are fleeing Louisiana as nearby states surge | Local Politics | nola.com

EMCC industrial trng grant

East Mississippi Community College in Scooba will receive a $3M U.S. Economic Development Administration grant to construct a new industrial training facility on campus, according to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

The grant will help prepare students for careers in the manufacturing and industrial service sectors, including electrical technology, welding and fabrication, HVAC maintenance and more.

This EDA investment will be matched with $4M in state and local funds. It is expected to create or retain more than 250 jobs and generate $750,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates. (Meridian Star 09/21/23)

Senate confirms CJCS, Army & MC

The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown to be the military’s top officer pm Sept. 20, despite a months-long blockade by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) that still leaves 300+ senior officers in limbo. The 83-11 vote to confirm Brown as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) was a surprise development amid the Alabama Republican’s promotions hold. (Politico 09/20/23) Senate confirms C.Q. Brown to lead Joint Chiefs, blowing past Tommy Tuberville’s blockade - POLITICO 

On Sept 21, the Senate confirmed General Randy George to be the chief of staff of the Army and General Eric Smith to lead the Marine Corps, as lawmakers moved to confirm some of the top senior officers whose promotions have been stalled by a Republican senator's blockade. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, used a procedural maneuver to sidestep a blockade by Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville. (Reuters 09/21/23)

Progress in House spending proposal 

Republicans in the U.S. House Republicans may be moving closer to an agreement on an opening bid for stopgap funding legislation that would keep the government running beyond Sept. 30 and pave the way for it to take up its full-year appropriations bills. 

At least a handful of conservative holdouts still maintained their opposition. 

If the new effort is successful, however, it looks like a bid to reopen the government after a brief shutdown - being that the deadline is 10 days away and the Senate is likely to offer a different version for FY 2024, which would bounce it back to the Housse. Progress seen in House GOP spending talks - Roll Call

Sept 21 history: Treason

In 1780, during the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold meets with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became synonymous with the word “traitor.”

In 1792, In Revolutionary France, the Legislative Assembly votes to abolish the monarchy and establish the First Republic. The measure came one year after King Louis XVI reluctantly approved a new constitution that stripped him of much of his power.

In 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt appears before Congress and asks that the Neutrality Acts, a series of laws passed earlier in the decade, be amended. Roosevelt hoped to lift an embargo against sending military aid to countries in Europe facing the onslaught of Nazi aggression during World War II.

In 1942, the U.S. B-29 Superfortress makes its debut flight in Seattle, Washington. It was the largest bomber used in the war by any nation. 

In 2008, the last game at historic Yankee Stadium - "The House That Babe Ruth Built" is played. In the finale, the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles, 7-3, as future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera closes the game with a perfect ninth inning. “The way I feel emotionally right now and just physically so drained, it feels like a huge postseason win for us,” Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte told the New York Times.  

In 1937, “The Hobbit,” by J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published by George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. of London.

In 1961, the first Boeing CH-47 Chinook military helicopter made its first hovering flight.

In 1973, the Senate confirmed Henry Kissinger to be Secretary of State.

In 1982, National Football League players began a 57-day strike, their first regular-season walkout ever.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act denying federal recognition of same-sex marriages, a day after saying the law should not be used as an excuse for discrimination, violence or intimidation against gays and lesbians.

In 2001, Congress gave $15 billion to the airline industry, which was suffering mounting economic losses since the Sept. 11 attacks.

In 2017, millions of Puerto Ricans faced the prospect of weeks or months without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

In 2022, Russia’s Vladimir Putin ordered a mobilization of reservists for the first time in the nation since World War II nearly seven months after invading Ukraine.  Today in History: September 21, Senate confirms O’Connor as first female Supreme Court justice | AP News

TODAY, President Joe Biden will host Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks at the White House.

Update: Avondale sale vote delayed

UPDATE: Members of the state Bond Commission questioned the price; the profit current owner T. Parker Host would make from the sale; the spending that will be required at the site; whether the state would have to step in and save the port if it defaulted; and a host of other issues. The vote, which needs approval from the commission for the deal to succeed, was delayed until October. Port deal to buy Avondale in doubt after questions raised | Louisiana Politics | nola.com  

Previous storyline: After several months, the proposed $330M sale of the former Avondale Shipyard site - currently known as the Avondale Global Gateway - to the Port of South Louisiana faces a crucial test Sept. 21, when the deal goes before the Louisiana Bond Commission. (NOLA.com 09.21.23) State scheduled to discuss controversial $330m Avondale deal | Business News | nola.com  

La. salt dome emergency declared

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared an emergency Sept. 20 over stability concerns in a SW Louisiana salt cavern, operated by Westlake chemical company.  but said there were no signs of imminent collapse. 

Natural gas has been bubbling to the surface and subsidence has occurred at the inactive cavern within the Sulphur Mines Salt Dome in Calcasieu Parish. Edwards said. 

The emergency declaration will free funding to determine what if any action the state should take. 

It is located in a fairly remote area and no evacuations have been ordered, said Patrick Courreges, spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources. The cavern has been unable to maintain stable pressure, he said. 

Edwards said state scientists and inspectors "are telling us they are seeing significant early warning signs of a potential subsurface problem" in the salt dome. 

"I want them to have access to every tool available to best understand what is going on in and around these caverns and map out the best response to ensure protection of our people and the environment,” Edwards said. 

A second nearby cavern, also operated by Westlake, is being monitored as well. 

Westlake issued a statement saying it has been working with DNR to address the situation, and had quickly brought in third-party experts to assist it. (NOLA.com 09/20/23) Stability issues prompt emergency for Louisiana salt cavern | Business News | nola.com 

Off-shore carbon capture hub

Carbonvert Inc of Denver and Castex Energy Inc. of Houston announced Sept. 19 they have signed a deal with the state to convert a 24,000-acre Gulf of Mexico tract off the Cameron Parish coast into a subsurface storage hub that could sequester more than 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Castex Energy Inc. will be the hub’s operator. 

The tract runs about 12 miles east and west along the Cameron Parish coastline, with its easternmost point starting around Holly Beach, according to a project map. It extends about three miles into the Gulf of Mexico, stopping at state-federal water boundary. 

The planned use of carbon capture, a process by which industrial plants trap carbon dioxide emissions on site and bury them deep underground, has skyrocketed in Louisiana in recent years. Industrial leaders say it is a necessary tool to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Louisiana and globally, while environmental advocates and some residents have questioned the technology’s effectiveness and safety. (NOLA.com 09/19/23) Offshore carbon capture hub planned near Cameron Parish | Business News | nola.com

CG resuscitates TN crane operator

NEW ORLEANS - Coast Guard crew members resuscitated an unresponsive male on Sept. 19 near Memphis, Tenn. 

At 10:15 a.m., a crane at the Wepfer Marine Drydock reportedly fell into the water with a crane operator inside. A good Samaritan on a nearby towing vessel entered the water and was able to locate the unresponsive operator. 

The Coast Guard Cutter Ouachita crew and one member of the CG cutter Obion crew were nearby when the crane collapsed and responded. The crew used a nearby fire hose as a lifeline to pull the two people to shore and get them out of the water. 

Once on the pier, the crew checked vitals and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

After administering CPR, the crew was able to verify a pulse and monitored the crane operator until medical transport arrived.

Local emergency medical services arrived at the location and relieved the CG crew. The crane operator was then transported to a higher level of medical care. 

"I couldn't be more proud of how our crew responded," said Chief Petty Officer Will Parris, executive petty officer of the Ouachita. "They relied on their training, experience and each other to get the gentleman the care he needed." 

The cause of the incident is still under investigation. There was no additional information regarding the jpatient. (CG 09/29/23)