Guard units help fight La. wildfires

The Louisiana National Guard, and Oklahoma guard, have been helping fight wildfires in western Louisiana. From Aug. 23-26, the LNG's aviation and engineering assets were activated to assist with fighting wildfires in Sabine Parish. 

On Aug. 25, a team of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters consisting of crews from the LANG’s 1-244th Assault Helicopter Battalion and G Company, 238th General Support Aviation Battalion diverted one helicopter over Tiger Island in Merryville.  ed to see the smoke come into view and realized that it was a fairly substantial fire,” stated Capt. David Carroll, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, 1-244th AHBUpon noticing the significant development of the wildfires and threat to housing structures in the area, two additional helicopters from the team were called to support the effort. By 2:30 p.m. all three helicopters were on site, pulling from the Toledo Bend Reservoir for water drops.

The LANG helicopters were able to provide two hours of “on station” time making water drops that helped contain about 50% of the fire at Pirates Cove before having to refuel. 

Vy Aug. 26, Pirates Cove was determined to be 100% contained.

 Thereafter, two LNG bulldozer crews from the 528th Engineer Battalion were called to support and augment the efforts of emergency units and mitigate any possible flare-ups by establishing fire lanes and smothering debris in the affected area.

“It means a lot, personally, to not only help our community but also protect and maintain our state’s natural resources such as forestry and wildlife,” said Spec. Elizabeth Kennison of the 922nd EVCC, 528th EN BN.

To date, LANG and Oklahoma National Guard aviation crews have conducted 235.6 hours of flight time and dropped 746,526 gallons of water in support of the ongoing effort to combat wildfires in Western Louisiana. Visit https://geauxguard.la.gov/ for the latest LANG releases, photos and videos.

La., Ukraine ports' grain agreement

RESERVE, La. - A cooperative alliance agreement was signed Aug. 29 between officials of the Port of South Louisiana 9PORT sl) and the Ukraine Sea Port Authority that would help guide the Ukrainian port when reconstruction begins because of the war. Officials said the non-binding agreement solidifies the PSL's support for Ukraine during their difficult time. It also strengthens the shared focus of both ports' global mission as two of the world's leading grain exporters. (WDSU 08/29/23) 

Port of South Louisiana website: Over 60% of the United States’ grain passes through the Port of South Louisiana, with exports of more than 48M tons annually. The Port of Odesa is the largest Ukrainian sea port with a total annual traffic capacity of 40M tons. Although it is a multifunctional port dealing with a variety of commodities, it is known as a major gain export facility in the Mediterranean region. It also has the biggest oil and gas terminal of Ukraine.

One MS primary race too close

In political parties' primary voting in Mississippi on Aug. 29, five out of the six runoff races for the Mississippi House of Representatives were decided three hours after polls closed, with voters electing the first openly LGBTQ member of the Legislature and at least one incumbent losing. 

Another race in Alcorn County where Republican incumbent Nick Bain faces a challenge from gun store owner Brad Mattox remained too close to call after the third-place candidate from earlier this month backed Mattox due to Bain's voting record on the state flag. (Clarion Ledger 08/30/23) MS Runoff election results: Six state House seats on ballot Tuesday (clarionledger.com) 

View restults at Election Results | wtva.com

8 damaged MS firms awarded funds

AMORY, Miss. - Jaco Machine (Jaco) had only been in operation in Amory just over a year when an EF3 tornado tore through their business in March. 

Jaco was one of eight businesses awarded a $20,000 Small Business Recovery Grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas through FHLB Dallas member, Renaissance Community Loan Fund (RCLF). 

The funds were presented Aug. 28 during a ceremony at Jaco’s location that was attended by area public officials and business leaders. 

“Without the grant, we would really be struggling,” Jaco's Jody Powell said. “We were relieved when we learned about the funding. It was a tremendous help.” 

Jaco, which provides fabrication services to the aerospace industry, suffered widespread damage when the tornado and was shut down for weeks but is now up and operating. 

Some other businesses that were hit, and awarded funding, have still not reopened after more five months. 

“RCLF worked closely with Monroe Chamber of Commerce staff to identify qualifying businesses within the damaged area and to provide assistance in preparing and submitting the grant applications,” said John-Michael Marlin, director of lending at RCLF. 

The disaster relief funds from FHLB Dallas "played a critical role" in aiding communities move toward recovery, but due to the extensive damage, "it’s a process that takes time. These businesses want to get back to work, and we’re here to help.” (Business Wire 08/28/23) Renaissance Community Loan Fund and FHLB Dallas Grant $160K to Eight Mississippi Businesses That Suffered Tornado Damage | Business Wire 

The other seven businesses were not specifically identified in the Renaissance media release.

Idalia batters Big Bend as a Cat 3+

CEDAR KEY, Fla. - Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s west coast of the Gulf of Mexico as an upper-level Cat 3 storm Aug. 30 unleashing life-threatening storm surges and rainfall in an area not accustomed to such pummeling. 

Idalia came ashore in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula. It made landfall near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph. The storm brought flooding to the streets of Tampa and other communities. 

Storm surge could rise as high as 15 feet in some places. 

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called Idalia “an unprecedented event.” But not everyone was heeding the warning to leave. 

Idalia “stands a chance of setting a record for intensification rate because it’s over water that’s so warm,” said MIT hurricane professor Kerry Emanuel. 

More than 140,000 utility customers were without power early Aug. 30, according to poweroutage.us. The power temporarily went out while the governor was holding the morning news briefing.

The storm already was disrupting life in the danger zone. Several colleges and universities have closed, two of the largest regional airports have stopped commercial operations.

One of only many NOAA-used websites to track hurricanes showed a theoretical possibility that Idalia could depart Florida and make a U-turn into Florida's Atlantic-side coast.  (The AP 08/30/23)  - NOAA website National Hurricane Center (noaa.gov)

Globalstar hires Silicon Valley star

Covington, La.-based satellite operator Globalstar Inc. has hired Silicon Valley rock star Paul Jacobs, who built chip company Qualcomm into a leading global smartphone supplier, to become its next chief executive. 

After leaving Qualcomm in 2018, he founded wireless spectrum startup Xcom Labs. Jacobs will succeed David Kagan, who is retiring. 

The appointment of Jacobs as CEO/chairman comes less than a year after Globalstar forged an agreement with Apple to serve as the satellite operator for the tech giant's new emergency SOS service. 

Bringing in an industry veteran should help solidify that Apple partnership, making Jacobs a key hire at a crucial time for the company, market watchers said. 

"The Apple deal was a really big deal in terms of their credibility and set Globalstar up to move to the next level," said Tulane University business professor Peter Ricchiuti, who tracks Louisiana's publicly traded companies.

"It's a game changer." 

Investors cheered the move, sending Globalstar shares up 24% on Tuesday. (NOLA.com 08/39/30) 

HII: $154M+ DDG 1000 contract

HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, was awarded a $154,818,890 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-23-C-2324 for the DDG 1000 Modernization Period execution. Work will be performed in Pascagoula (95%); and other locations below 1% (collectively totaling 5%) and is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $152,518,544 (99%); and fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,300,346 (1%), will be obligated at time of award, of which $2,300,346 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-23-C-2324). (Awarded Aug. 25, 2023) (DoD 08/29/23)

Aug. 29 history: Hurricane Katrina

 Aug. 29 in history

In 2005 and 2023 respectively, the anniversaries of hurricanes Katrina and Ida were two of the 10 costliest hurricanes in United States history Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast near Buras, LA., bringing floods that devastated New Orleans when levee breached in the Ninth Ward downtown. More than 1,800 people in the region died. 

In 1632, English philosopher John Locke was born in Somerset.

In 1814, during the War of 1812, Alexandria, Va., formally surrendered to British military forces, which occupied the city until Sept. 3.

In 1942, Charity Adams Earley became the U.S. Army’s first Black female officer after joining the Women’s Army Corps. She became the first Black female commanding officer deployed to a theater of war. 

In 1944, 15,000 American troops of the 28th Infantry Division marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.

In 1957, the Senate gave final congressional approval to a Civil Rights Act after South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond (D-SC) ended a filibuster that had lasted 24 hours.

In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative who had been governor of Alaska for less than two years, to be his running mate.

In 2009, funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedy’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

In 2013, in a sweeping new policy statement, the Justice Department said it would not stand in the way of states that wanted to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana as long as there were effective controls to keep marijuana away from kids, the black market and federal property.

In 2018, Sen. John McCain was remembered as a “true American hero” at a crowded service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church after a motorcade carried McCain’s body from the state Capitol. 

In 2019, President Donald Trump said the United States planned to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Afghanistan and would then determine future drawdowns. 

Venture Global lawsuit

A growing problem for one of the largest petrochemical companies doing business in south Louisiana, Venture Global LNG, has had a lawsuit filed against the company by three of its shareholders, who claim they were cheated out of $77M in stock options. (NOLA.com 08/28/23) Venture Global LNG faces $77 million stock ownership lawsuit | Business News | nola.com 

* Mississippi ranks in top 10 on Best States for Manufacturing list

Mississippi was recently ranked in the top 10 best states for manufacturing by Site Selection Group, a full-service location advisory, economic incentives and real estate services firm. (Business Journal)

* The National Science Foundation has started soliciting proposals for the fourth competition of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes program and expects to make up to five awards in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

New NOLA ferry terminal opens

NEW ORLEANS - The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) celebrated the opening of the new $43.5M Canal Street Ferry Terminal which better connects the city’s Eastbank and Westbank communities with its modern passenger ferry service between Canal Street and Algier Point. (RTA 08/28/23) Officials Celebrate Completion of $43.5M Canal Street Ferry Terminal Project - Biz New Orleans 

First Gulf coast wind lease auction

RWE Offshore US Gulf LLC, a US subsidiary of the German energy conglomerate RWE, offered a high bid of $5.6M for the offshore rights to acreage in federal waters near Lake Charles, La., in the first-ever Gulf Coast wind lease auction on Aug. 29. 

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) also offered nearly 200,000 acres near Galveston, Texas, but no firms submitted bids for that area.

BOEM, which oversees offshore wind leasing, awarded roughly 102,000 acres about 44 miles from Lake Charles to RWE Offshore US Gulf. 

BOEM said that offshore space, if fully developed, can generate up to 1.24 gigawatts of wind energy and power 435,000 homes. RWE officials said the project is expected to come online by the mid-2030s. 

For comparison, the latest GoM oil and gas auction drew $264M in bids. 

Wind industry advocates hailed the first-ever auction as a win for the Gulf Coast’s evolving energy sector. (NOLA.com 08/29/23) First Gulf wind auction draws bids for Lake Charles project | Business News | nola.com

CG rescues duo from capsized boat

NEW ORLEANS - On Aug. 27, the Coast Guard rescued a 31-year-old man and 10-year-old girl from their capsized vessel about three miles southwest of Cat Island, Miss. 

CG Sector Mobile, Ala., received a report at 6:46 p.m. from Harrison County 911-dispatch of a man and child sitting atop a capsized vessel. 

The CG launched a Gulfport, Miss.-based 29-foot Response Boat-Small boatcrew to assist; and requested the diversion of a Civil Air Patrol flight to assist in locating the vessel. 

The CAP flight crew located the capsized vessel and vectored in the boatcrew, who then embarked the boaters and transported them to Pass Christian. No injuries were reported. Coast Guard 08/29/23) Coast Guard rescues two from capsized vessel near Cat Island, Miss. > United States Coast Guard News > Press Releases (uscg.mil)

La. firm to compete for Army pact

Health Facility Solutions Co.,* San Antonio, Texas (W9126G-23-D-0020); LRS Federal LLC,* Severna Park, Maryland (W9126G-23-D-0021); MSMM Huitt-Zollars JV LLC,* New Orleans, Louisiana  (W9126G-23-D-0022); Accura Engineering and Consulting Services Inc.,* Atlanta, Georgia (W9126G-23-D-0023); Slicom,* Oak Ridge, Tennessee (W9126G-23-D-0024); Parsons Government Services Inc., Centreville, Virginia (W9126G-23-D-0025); Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W9126G-23-D-0026); Huitt-Zollars Inc., Fort Worth, Texas (W9126G-23-D-0027); and HDR Engineering Inc., San Antonio, Texas (W9126G-23-D-0028), will compete for each order of the $200,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering construction services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 30 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 27, 2030. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity. (DoD 08/28/23)

Aug. 28 history: 'I have a dream'

August 28 in history 

In 1963, more than 200,000 people listened as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. 

In 1862, the Second Battle of Bull Run (also known as Second Manassas) began in Prince William County, Va., during the Civil War. The result was a Confederate victory.

In 1941, Japan’s ambassador to the U.S., Kichisaburo Nomura, presented a note to President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Japan’s prime minister, Prince Fumimaro Konoye, expressing a desire for improved relations.

In 1955, Emmett Till, a Black teen from Chicago, was abducted from his uncle’s home in Money, Miss., by two white men after he had supposedly whistled at a white woman. He was found brutally slain three days later.

In 1968, police and anti-war demonstrators clashed in the streets of Chicago as the Democratic National Convention nominated Hubert H. Humphrey for president.

In 1996, the troubled 15-year marriage of Britain’s Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially ended with the issuing of a divorce decree.

In 2005, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered everyone in the city to evacuate after Hurricane Katrina grew to a monster storm.

In 2013, a military jury sentenced Maj. Nidal Hasan to death for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, that claimed 13 lives. 

In 2016, six scientists completed a year-long Mars simulation in Hawaii, where they emerged after living in a dome in near isolation on a Mauna Loa mountain

In 2020, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said he was stepping down because a chronic illness had resurfaced. (Abe was succeeded by his right-hand man, Yoshihide Suga. Abe was assassinated in July 2022.) 

(The AP 08/28/23)

Plant seeks > ammonia emissions

The Dyno Nobel ammonia plant in Waggaman, La., is asking the state Department of Environmental Quality for permission to dramatically increase the amount of pollutants it can release into the atmosphere. 

The Utah-based company, in submitting application to DEQ, notes mechanical issues with its refrigeration system and excessively hot weather have caused an “unanticipated increase in pressure” in its 35,000 metric-ton storage tank. 

The DN request indicates that “failure to relieve pressure from the tank via flare may cause the tank to rupture” thus “posing a safety risk to both employees and the ge0neral public.” 

The plant has the capacity to produce up to 800,000 metric tons of ammonia annually. 

A DN spokesperson said the company will “continue to operate the plant safely" and that the requested variance is a “proactive measure.” 

The firm has been working since February to resolve a “deficiency in the refrigeration system” for its ammonia storage tank. 

The combination of these factors has caused an increase in ammonia vapor stored in the tank and an unanticipated increase in pressure within the storage,” DN wrote in its application. 

Dyno Nobel’s existing permit allows it to operate its ammonia flare for up to 1,500 hours annually. The company is seeking a 5-month variance to increase that limit to 3,942 hours per year. 

In its application, DN states that approval “will not result in the maintenance of a nuisance or cause any harm or risk to public health and safety.” 

Kimberly Terrell, a research scientist at the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, said there’s “nothing in that application to support that claim. ... We don’t have enough information at this point to say that there’s not a health effect." 

Jefferson Parish Council member Deano Bonano called the application “concerning.” 

Dyno Nobel has faced an onslaught of criticism in recent months after it admitted in March to building a $26M natural-gas powered boiler at Waggaman without obtaining the required permits.

A spokesperson for LDEQ said the variance request is currently under review. (NOLA.com 08/25/23)

From rocket testing to passports

Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Miss., is best known for testing rocket engines that launch astronauts into space but it's also home to one of only two U.S. Government Publishing Office(s) that produce 500,000 passports used by Americans traveling the world.

For the past 15 years, the Mississippi-based GPO has been turning out millions of blank passport books for the U.S. Department of State, which then personalizes each passport for individual travelers. 

GPO has been producing U.S. passports for the state department since 1926.

Until the Stennis Secure Production Facility opened in 2008, the GPO office in Washington, D.C., was the only operation that produced U.S. passports. (Special to the Clarion Ledger 08/28/23) Mississippi office produces half of the nation’s passports (clarionledger.com)

Aug. 29: Election Day in Mississippi

Aug. 28 is an election day in Mississippi. Voters will head to the polls to decide runoff elections that resulted from primaries for statewide offices and seats in the Legislature, along with a number of local county races, that took place earlier this month. 

From online resources like sample ballots to reminders on the state's voter ID requirements, here's everything voters need to know before they go vote. (Clarion Ledger 09/28/23) Mississippi elections: What voters need to bring, which precinct to go (clarionledger.com)

MS Rep. 'Dr. Mac' passes away

Mississippi State Representative Elton “Dr. Mac” Huddleston has died at the age of 79. Huddleston passed away on Aug. 27 at the Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, Miss.

Known by friends as “Dr. Mac,” Huddleston served in the Mississippi House of Representatives for District 15 from 2008 until the time of his death. He was the Chairman of the University and Colleges Committee as well as the Ethics Committee. 

Huddleston was not seeking re-election this cycle. Beth Luther Waldo was the lone candidate for House District 15 this election year.

Huddleston was born in Holmes County and raised by his grandparents. He graduated from Durant High School and later went on to receive an accounting degree at Mississippi State University. 

While at MSU, he was a member of the ROTC and later went on to serve in the Army flying helicopters in Vietnam, according to his obituary. 

Huddleston obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University after his military service. 

Dr. Mac is survived by his wife of 32-years, Dr. Flavia Ruth Hutchinson Huddleston of Pontotoc. He has four children and four grandchildren. (Magnolia Tribune 08/28/23) Mississippi State Rep. Mac Huddleston passes away at 79 - Magnolia Tribune

Aug. 27 history: Krakatoa explodes

 August 27 in history

In 1883, Krakatoa explodes ...   read more In 1955,  "The Guinness Book of Records" debuts In 1965, Natchez (Miss.) NAACP President George Metcalfe was killed with a car bomb planted by the KKK. In 1967, Beatles manager Brian Epstein dies. In 1952, "Red Scare" dominates American politics In 1979,  Lord Mountbatten killed by IRA In 2007,  NFL star Michael Vick pleads guilty in dogfighting case. In 1976,  Transgender athlete Renée Richards barred 00from U.S. Open.  In 1916, Romania enters WWI.

Low-scoring regional utilities

Alabama Power ranked 51 of 53 utilities surveyed for energy efficiency programs. Among the lowest-scoring utilities are Ohio Edison (#53), Florida Power and Light (#52) and Alabama Power (#51). (Al.com 08/27/23) Alabama Power lands near bottom in new energy efficiency scorecard, company disputes report - al.com 

Entergy of Louisiana ranked #43.