SAN DIEGO - The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), the 11th ship of its class, was recognized for more than 35 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, Sept. 1. (Naval Base San Diego 09/01/23) USS Lake Champlain Decommissions After 35 Years of Distinguished Service > United States Navy > News Stories
The ship was commissioned in 1988 from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss.
Master Boat Builders of Coden, Ala., and Texas-based Sterling Shipyard will build four tugboats for Gulf LNG tugs of Brownsville, Texas, the company announced Sept. 5.
Each shipyard will construct two Z-Tech 30-80 tugboats designed by naval architect Robert Allan Ltd. These 30-80s represent a proven workhorse in Gulf Coast ports, where affiliates of Gulf LNG Tugs already operate 10 of the hull design.
The new tugboats will have an overall length of 98.5 feet, beam of 42.7 feet, and a bollard pull of 80 metric tons. Additionally, each tug will be equipped with firefighting capabilities to meet the ABS Fire Fighting Class 1 classification.
Gulf LNG Tugs is a joint venture formed to provide tug services for RGLNG under a long-term Tug Services Agreement.
Master Boat Builders has provided marine construction services for 40+ years. The shipyard has delivered more than 430 vessels to customers worldwide.
Sterling Shipyard, LLC, located in Port Neches, Texas. (Port News 09/05/23) Master Boat Builders and Sterling Shipyard to build four tugboats for Gulf LNG tugs of Brownsville (portnews.ru)
Editor's Note: The tugs will be for NextDecade Corporation’s Rio Grande LNG project in Brownsville, Texas, which is moving right along.
New Orleans has been home to seven Super Bowls, seven NCAA football championships, nine Men's and Women's Final Fours and countless other sporting events.
Local tourism officials are readying a pitch, if successful, may make the city host to a global event watched by nearly 900M viewers that many along the Gulf Coast may never have heard of - the Rugby World Cup.
It is the international rugby championship that has grown to becoming the third-largest world sporting event after the Summer Olympics and the FIFA Men's World Cup finals. It’s coming to America in 2031.
The city's tourism/sports promoters say there’s a good chance the Caesars Superdome will be one of the venues for the event and could host the final.
"It may be eight years out but we're trying to get ahead of the curve," said Tim Falcon, owner of professional New Orleans rugby team Nola Gold, which was an early joiner of the 12-team Major League Rugby and plays its games at the Shrine on Airline.
A "summit" was held in New Orleans in the spring, he said, when Walt Leger, head of New Orleans & Co., Doug Thornton, who heads the company that manages the Caesars Superdome, and others hosted officials from the Rugby World Cup Council and USA Rugby.
Nola Gold will hold a fan-friendly event at Finn McCool's pub in Mid-City on Sept. 8 to kick off its pitch. It will coincide with the start of this year's Rugby World Cup series in France. (NOLA.com 09/05/23) New Orleans aims to host 2031 Rugby World Cup | Business News | nola.com
NEW ORLEANS - In partnership with BioMADE, Delgado Community College has secured a $510,000 grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program.
The NSF-ATE funding will be used to support the “Advancing Progress in Industrial Biomanufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness” project being launched by BioMADE and Delgado Community College’s Science Laboratory Technology Program.
The partnership aims to develop a bio-industrial manufacturing curriculum, train the Gulf South workforce, participate in professional development, and provide continuing education. (Biz New Orleans 09/05/23) Delgado, BioMADE Receive $510K National Science Foundation Grant - Biz New Orleans
Port NOLA security grant
The Port of New Orleans was awarded $947,280 in recently announced Port Security Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the expansion and enhancement of emergency services for Port NOLA’s maritime and industrial operations. With this funding award, Port NOLA will invest in physical and technological upgrades to the Port’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which serves as home base during hurricanes and other significant incidents. Additionally, funds will be used to purchase drones and to enhance the Harbor Police Department’s surveillance network. (Port NOLA 09/05/23)
FEMA 'hogwash'
Frustration is mounting among local officials in Louisiana over FEMA's approach to rebuilding Fisher Middle-High School in Lafitte, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Ida. Learn why one Jefferson Parish School Board member says FEMA's explanation is "hogwash." (NOLA.com 09/03/23)
United Airlines is "experiencing a systemwide technology issue and are holding all aircraft at their departure airports. Flights that are already airborne are continuing to their destination as planned. We will share more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience as we work on a resolution to get you on your way as soon as possible." (KATC 09/05/23) FAA grounds all United flights; company says it's equipment issue (katc.com)
UPDATE SEPT 6: The technology issue that forced the grounding of all United Airlines flights Tuesday afternoon has been fixed and flights have resumed.
If you want to vote in Louisiana's Oct. 14 Gubernatorial Primary Election, you're going to need to register soon. Anyone who hasn't registered to vote yet must do so by Sept. 13 if registering in person, by mail or at an OMV office. If you want to register online, the deadline is September 23. You can do that here. (KATC 09/05/23) Want to vote in the primary? You need to register by next week! (katc.com)
Sept. 5 in history
In 1972, The Palestinian group Black September attacked the Israeli Olympic delegation at the Munich Games, killing 11 members of the team and a police officer. German forces killed five of the gunmen.
In 1836, Sam Houston elected president of Texas.
In 1864, voters in Louisiana approved a new state constitution abolishing slavery. 1864: Louisiana first post Civil War to ratify egalitarian constitution - Mississippi Today
In 1939, four days after war had broken out in Europe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring U.S. neutrality in the conflict.
In 1960, at the Rome Olympics, American boxer Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) defeated Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland to win the light-heavyweight gold medal; Wilma Rudolph of the United States won the second of her three gold medals in the 200-meter sprint.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed legislation making aircraft hijackings a federal crime.
In 1969, Lt. William Calley charged for My Lai massacre. Lt. William Calley charged for My Lai massacre | September 5, 1969 | HISTORY
In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford escaped an attempt on his life by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, California.
In 1986, four hijackers who had seized a Pan Am jumbo jet on the ground in Karachi, Pakistan, opened fire when the lights inside the plane failed; a total of 20 people were killed before Pakistani commandos stormed the jetliner.
In 1991, the 35th annual Naval Aviation Symposium held by the Tailhook Association opened in Las Vegas; during the 4-day gathering, there were reports that dozens of people, most of them women, were sexually assaulted or otherwise harassed. (The episode triggered the resignation of Navy Secretary H. Lawrence.)
In 1997, Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, at age 87.
In 2016, Hugh O’Brian, the actor who played Sheriff Wyatt Earp in the TV series died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 91.
In 2012, Barack Obama was nominated to run for a second term at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(The AP 09/05/23)
Sharing the history of the Mayan culture with Millsaps College has been the life's work of George Bey, Ph.D. In an upcoming National Geographic documentary series, he is sharing his work with the world.
"The Rise and Fall of the Maya," a 4-part documentary series, is expected to make its American debut in the upcoming weeks.
Episode 2, Civilization, will highlight Bey, Millsaps professor Evan Parker and other Millsaps students and staff as new evidence is unearthed in Mexico’s Yucatan, transforming long-held ideas about the growth of the Maya civilization.
The entire documentary shows that despite decades of research, many mysteries remain about the ancient Maya.
Archaeologists, including Bey and Parker, are discovering new clues that give pause to how these people came to dominate vast areas of Mexico and Central America.
Through lost monuments, ancient inscriptions and new forensic evidence, this series tracks the Maya from their earliest origins all the way to the present day, unlocking the secrets of the rise and fall of the Maya. (Clarion Ledger 09/05/23) Documentary highlights discoveries by Millsaps (clarionledger.com)
No release date details have yet been announced. The series was filmed at a 4,500-acre bio-cultural reserve in the Yucatan operated and maintained by Millsaps College.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - HII will participate in the Morgan Stanley 11th Annual Laguna Conference on Sept. 12. The conversation with HII President/CEO Chris Kastner will begin at 9:40 a.m. Central time and will be webcast on ir.hii.com.
HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. Its mission is to deliver powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.
As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. (HII 09/05/23)
The conference will feature Industrials, Machinery, Aerospace & Defense, Airlines, Freight Transportation, Autos & Suppliers, and Materials companies taking place Sept. 12-14 at The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club in Dana Point, Calif.
In line with the positive outlook for the aerospace industry, which is expecting commercial revenues to grow 14% year-on-year, the forthcoming edition of the Farnborough International Airshow in 2024 is reporting record-breaking demand for exhibition space, sponsorship packages and marketing activations. (Aerospace Manufacturing 09/04/23) Farnborough Airshow 2024 reports record demand - Aerospace Manufacturing (aero-mag.com)
Echoes spread across the sprawling shipyard on the Mississippi Gulf Coast - banging, hissing, horns and bells and whistles - as more than 7,000 workers hustled to fill orders by the largest shipbuilding budget in Navy’s history.
The $32B surge in spending, this year alone, has allowed the HII's Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula to hire thousands of more workers to assemble guided missile destroyers and amphibs.
“More ships are always better,” said Kari Wilkinson, president of Ingalls, pointing to the efficiencies that come with a continued flow of contracts and the jobs.
But the focus from Washington on producing new warships is creating a fleet that some inside the Pentagon think is too wedded to outdated military strategies and that the Navy might not be able to afford it in the decades ahead.
Half a world away, at a U.S. Navy outpost in Bahrain, a much smaller team was testing out a very different approach to the service’s 21st-century warfighting needs.
Bobbing in a small bay off the Persian Gulf was a collection of tiny, unmanned vessels, cheaper and easier-to-build prototypes of a more mobile force.
Operating on a budget that was less than the cost of fuel for one of the Navy’s big ships, Navy personnel and contractors pieced together drone boats, unmanned submersible vessels and aerial vehicles capable of monitoring and intercepting threats over hundreds of miles of the Persian Gulf, like Iranian fast boats looking to hijack oil tankers.
Now they are pleading for more money to help build on what they have learned.
“It’s an unbelievable capability — we have already tested it for something like 35,000 hours,” said Michael Brown, who was the director of the Defense Innovation Unit, which helped set up the unmanned drone tests in Bahrain. “So why are we not fielding that as fast as possible?”
The contrast between of approaches in Pascagoula and Bahrain helps to illustrate one of the biggest challenges facing the Navy. (NY Times 09/04/23) Facing Threats, U.S. Navy Struggles to Modernize Its Ships - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
U.S. legislators return to Washington after months of struggling to find agreement on just about anything. Lawmakers will be trying to avert a government shutdown, even as House Republicans consider whether to press forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
A short-term funding measure - Continuing Resolution (CR) - will dominate September's agenda, along with emergency funding for Ukraine, federal disaster funds and the Republican-driven probe into Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings. (The AP 09/05/23) Read more.
Mexican immigrant workers, faces weather-beaten and bodies gaunt, showed the toll of long days spent in the punishing sun of a Louisiana crawfish farm. They'd had enough.
Seated in a fast-food joint along I-10 in the heart of Acadiana, they described their plight to labor organizers: They were being terribly underpaid. Some even had their immigration papers seized.
All of them were being housed in squalid facilities with brown tap water too dirty to drink or bathe in.
The complaints voiced later reached federal authorities, which set in motion a 4-year legal battle between the Mexican-born crawfish harvesters and Louisiana employers.
It ended months ago with a significant overhaul of American labor and immigration policy that affords new protections for migrant workers who blow the whistle on workplace abuses. (NOLA.com 09/05/23) Louisiana crawfish workers reshaped U.S. immigration rules | Business News | nola.com
Sept. 4 in history
In 2016, elevating the “saint of the gutters” to one of the Catholic Church’s highest honors, Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa, praising her radical dedication to society’s outcasts and her courage in shaming world leaders for the “crimes of poverty they themselves created.”
In 1781, Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers under the leadership of Governor Felipe de Neve.
In 1862, during the Civil War, Confederate forces led by Gen. Robert E. Lee began invading Maryland.
In 1886, Apache leader Geronimo surrenders to U.S. government troops. For 30 years, the warrior had battled to protect his tribe's homeland; however, by 1886 the Apaches were exhausted and hopelessly outnumbered. General Nelson Miles accepted Geronimo's surrender.
In 1888, George Eastman received a patent for his roll-film box camera, and registered his trademark: “Kodak.”
In 1944, during World War II, British troops liberated Antwerp, Belgium.
In 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus used Arkansas National Guardsmen to prevent nine Black students from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock.
In 1969, the Food and Drug Administration issued a report calling birth control pills “safe,” despite a slight risk of fatal blood-clotting disorders linked to the pills.
In 1972, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won a seventh gold medal at the Munich Olympics in the 400-meter medley relay.
In 1974, the United States established diplomatic relations with East Germany.
In 1999, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed a breakthrough land-for-security agreement during a ceremony in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
In 2005, six days after Hurricane Katrina left a devastated New Orleans in chaos, police stormed the Danziger Bridge, shooting and killing two unarmed people and wounding four others.
In 2006, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin died at age 44 after a stingray’s barb pierced his chest.
In 2014, comedy legend Joan Rivers dies.
In 2018, the Senate Judiciary Committee began confirmation hearings for future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
In 2021, Willard Scott, the longtime weatherman on NBC’s “Today” show who was known for his self-deprecating humor and daily happy birthdays to viewers turning 100 years old, died at age 87.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - An all-black aircrew from Hurlburt Field, Fla., performed a flyover in an HC-130J gunship for the Red Tails Football Classic between two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) here on Sept. 3.
For the crew, it was more than an honor to be part of the flight - it was also an opportunity to inspire the next generation.
“I want them to be able to see someone who looks like them, doing something they aspire to do,” said Tech Sgt. Curtis Lassiter, a special missions aviator. “That’s something I didn’t really have, especially at the start of my career.”
When he arrived at his first flying squadron 16 years ago, Lassiter was one of only a handful of African Americans. Now with the 73rd Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Lassiter noted a lot has changed since then.
"(T)here’s been major strides,” he said.
Similarly, aircraft commander Capt. Malcom Lee recalls moments during his 17-year career where he was one of only a few African Americans in his squadron.
“But the fact that we are shifting to adapt and become more diverse and inclusive is so important.”
The flyover kicked off the football game between Tuskegee University and Fort Valley State.
The Red Tails Classic is held annually to recognition the famed Tuskegee Airmen – a group of African American military pilots and crews who fought in WWII.
The crew was also recognized on the field at halftime in front of the nearly 15,000 fans. (1st Special Operations Wing 09/03/23) Inspiring the next generation: all-black Gunship crew performs flyover at Red Tails Classic > Hurlburt Field > Article Display (af.mil)
Civil rights pioneer Anne Moody will be inducted into the Tougaloo (Miss.) College National Alumni Association Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Oct. 13 at the Jackson Convention Complex Center.
Frances Jefferson, Moody’s sister, shared the news Aug. 31 and is looking forward to the event.
“I’m so proud that after 59 years since her graduation, she’s finally given this honor in the Hall of Fame,” Jefferson said. “If she were alive today, I know she would be very happy about this recognition.”
Kerry Thomas, committee chairman for the association, said the banquet is a ticketed that is open to the public.
In addition to Moody, a 1964 graduate of Tougaloo, other honorees will include the Shirley C. Byers; Dr. Jean D. Chamberlain; and Dr. Sandra C. Melvin.
Chamberlain and Moody will be honored posthumously. Moody is the author of “Coming of Age in Mississippi.” She died in 2015 in Gloster at the age of 74. She will be recognized for her work in the field of communications.
The Hall of Fame honor is presented to Tougaloo alumni “who have distinguished themselves through their dedication and commitment to their professions and Tougaloo College,” according to the association’s website.
Moody grew up in Centreville and enrolled at Natchez College in 1959 on a basketball scholarship.
After graduating from Natchez College, Moody began her studies at Tougaloo College, where she became a civil rights activist. She once said she had planned to study medicine and become a doctor, but life had other plans. (Magnolia State Live 09/04/23) College to honor Mississippi civil rights pioneer 59 years after graduation from school - Magnolia State Live | Magnolia State Live
Through its Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities program, Atmos Energy is helping the City of Rolling Fork, Miss.'s rebuilding efforts for families impacted by the tornado in March.
On Aug. 31, Atmos announced it was donating $100,000 to the Community Foundation of Washington County to assist rebuilding efforts.
“Residents of Rolling Fork have been in our thoughts and prayers since March 24th," said Mathew Davidson, president of the Mississippi division.
"At Atmos Energy we recognize that ... we also have the responsibility to help the community in their rebuilding efforts,” he said in a statement. The Community Foundation of Washington County team is "doing remarkable things, and we hope this contribution enhances the work being done.”
Atmos Energy has performed nearly $3M worth of work restoring the natural gas system and infrastructure in Rolling Fork. (Magnolia Tribune 09/03/23)
It’s Labor Day for those who observe the national holiday across the U.S.
History of Labor Day Labor Day 2023: Facts, Meaning & Founding | HISTORY
Louisiana officials warn no grilling outdoors for Labor Day. State under burn ban. (WDSU 09/03/23) Grilling not encouraged Labor Day amid burn ban in Louisiana (wdsu.com)
Don't have to be Christmas to serve community
JACKSON, Miss. - Ward 3 Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes and celebrity Chef Kazzy Ferdinand helped to feed seniors on Labor Day. They provided an array of foods to cater seniors at the Azalea Manor Apartments.
The two believe it was a great way to honor the older community.
"They feel like they've worked hard and nobody cares," Stokes told WAPT.
"We're trying to make sure they understand we care, and we love them, and we want to make sure that they understand their hard work was not forgotten," he said.
It's a time for giving and it "don't have to be Christmas," Ferdinand chimed in.
Stokes and Ferdinand said they hope to continue to bring the Jackson community together through service. (WAPT 09/04/23)
Sept. 3 in history
In 1770, The Stars and Stripes flies in battle for the first time
In 1914, Pope Benedict XV named to papacy.