The New Orleans City Council has made a list of changes to the city's rules governing Mardi Gras - most modifications are minor, but where Carnival customs are concerned nothing is unimportant. The changes to the city code, approved by council members on Sept. 7 now require the mayor's consent before going into effect. With an up-tick OK, rules will be modified related to certain throws, a long-discussed cap on parades and other issues governing the public aspects of Carnival. (NOLA.com 09/07/23) New Orleans modifies Mardi Gras rules | Mardi Gras | nola.com
Friday, September 8, 2023
Dow fire data; La. LNG project
The fire at the Dow Chemical plant in Louisiana this summer released enough of the cancer-causing chemical ethylene oxide to match nearly a decade's worth of typical emissions from the plant, a company estimate indicates. (NOLA.com 09/07/23) Years worth of potent carcinogen released in Dow blaze | Business News | nola.com
* A federal appeals court has blocked an attempt by a pair of environmental organizations to nullify an Army Corps of Engineers permit for Driftwood LNG, the $25B LNG export plant being built near Lake Charles. (NOLA.com 09/07/23) Federal court rejects challenge to Driftwood LNG permit | Business News | nola.com
Good results of MSU's TBI testing
JACKSON CENTER, Pa. - Halberd Corporation's research at Mississippi State University has shown a reduction in two key markers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in early testing of the firm's patent-pending nasal spray to mitigate the effects of TBI.
Data from preliminary testing reveals a 20% reduction in Neuron Specific Enolase and a 50% reduction in the levels of Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein compared to the control group.
NSE is a biomarker of neuronal damage that has been shown to be a predictor of the ultimate outcomes of TBI. GFAP is an indicator of the induction of neuro-inflammation and is increased following TBI.
It is also thought to be an indicator of ongoing neuro-degeneration related to numerous other diseases. Reductions of NSE and GFAP are associated with better neurological outcomes from head trauma.
Dr. Russell Carr, professor at MSU's Veterinary College and lead investigator, said: Research testing the effectiveness of the novel nasal therapeutic to treat the negative effects induced by TBI "has made significant progress."
While the analysis of all regions is not complete, the "results for the cerebral cortex strongly suggest" that nasal administration of the therapeutic following a significant head impact "greatly reduces the markers for cellular damage and neuro-inflammation."
Although data is not complete, the team intends to "analyze the hippocampus as well as plan to repeat the experiment to ensure scientific validity."
Dr. Mitchell S. Felder of Halberd noted, "These are very exciting preliminary results." It is the only documented therapeutic pathophysiologic ameliorations for TBI.
The data may also aid in the treatment of brain tumors, strokes and epilepsy.
The MSU testing data is "showing the timely application of Halberd's nasal spray within hours of (TBI) can potentially mitigate factors associated with long-term neurodegeneraton, often leading to Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Epileptic seizures," said William A. Hartman, Chairman of Halberd
The research will fine tune and complete current testing protocol and cognitive testing before commencing treatment on larger animals.
"This product could have massive benefit to contact sports participants ... as well as the military and PTSD victims ... and reduce the 50,000 depression-related suicides each year in the U.S. (Halbred News 09/06/23) Halberd Corporation | Press Releases, Latest News, Updates
Thursday, September 7, 2023
Sept. 7 history: 'Uncle Sam'
In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, the American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe’s flagship Eagle in New York Harbor. It was the first use of a submarine in warfare.
In 1813, the United States gets its nickname, Uncle Sam. The name is linked to Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the Army during the War of 1812. Wilson stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for United States, but soldiers began referring to the grub as “Uncle Sam’s.” The local newspaper picked up on the story and Uncle Sam eventually gained widespread acceptance as the nickname for - and personification of - the U.S. federal government.
In 1940, Nazi Germany began its 8-month blitz of Britain during WWII with the first air attack on London.
In 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.
In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later.
In 2005, police and soldiers went house to house in New Orleans to try to coax the last stubborn holdouts into leaving the city shattered by Hurricane Katrina.
In 2007, Osama bin Laden appeared in a video for the first time in three years, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they wanted the war in Iraq to end.
In 2008, troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed in government conservatorship.
In 2015, Hillary Clinton, interviewed by The Associated Press during a campaign swing through Iowa, said she did not need to apologize for using a private email account and server while at the State Department because “what I did was allowed.”
In 2019, President Donald Trump said he had canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghan leaders, just days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, after a bombing in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier. (The AP 09/07/23)
NIH grant renewal for MS INBRE
The renewal of a 5-year National Institutes of Health research grant totaling more than $21M for the Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, HQ'd at the University of Southern Mississippi, was announced Sept. 6.
The MS INBRE program is a statewide network of colleges and universities, designed to strengthen the biomedical research infrastructure in Mississippi.
Although the renewal period just launched Sept. 1, the network has already established new research labs at the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University.
The renewal will support research across the state and help build its workforce to address below-average health outcomes and create a better, healthier Mississippi.
In addition to that, a key part of MS INBRE’s mission to continue conducting research into the state’s top public health issues, such as obesity and diabetes. (USM 09/06/23) USM Research Network Announces $21 Million NIH Grant Renewal | The University of Southern Mississippi
Army brat new deputy at 908th AW
MAXWELL AFB, Ala. - Col. Michael D. Bennett is the 908th Airlift Wing’s new deputy commander.
The 908th Airlift Wing is a C-130 theater airlift unit assigned to Air Force Reserve Command. Its mission is to recruit, organize and train Air Force reservists for active duty in time of war, national emergency or when otherwise required.
Bennett’s interest in flying began at age 10. At 17, he joined the Ohio Army National Guard, where he served as a cavalry scout in Lebanon, Ohio.
He served five years as an enlisted Soldier, but never lost the desire to fly.
His then troop commander suggested he apply to Officer Candidate School, with the expectation that he would fly helicopters. By 1999, he was attending OCS.
In August 2000, he commissioned as a 2nd Lt. and was assigned as Platoon Leader for a brigade in McConnelsville, Ohio.
“I never thought I’d fly in the military ... but I wanted to fly airplanes... and the Army doesn't have many of those.”
Fortunately for Bennett, the Air Force has several.
During OCS, he learned about the flying opportunities with the AF Reserve and began applying to flying units.
A little over a year with the brigade, he cross-commissioned into the AF Reserve, and by February 2002 he was a student at the 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB in Mississippi. After graduating, he was assigned to the 356th Airlift Squadron at Wright-Patterson AFB as a C-141 Starlifter aircraft commander.
His plan was to do six years and get out, but those six ended 21 years ago.
He has served assignments in Mississippi, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and the Middle East. He has master’s degrees in Aeronautical Science and Military Operational Art and Science.
Breaking more ground at Stennis
JACKSON, Miss. - Rocket company Relativity Space has broken ground on a new vertical test stand at the A-2 complex located at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Miss.
In October 2022, Relativity announced a $267M expansion at Stennis. The new test stand, part of the larger expansion, will support advanced vertical stage testing for Terran R, the company’s medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket.
The entire project, which includes several new engine test stands, a full-scale second stage stand, office buildings and a vehicle hangar, will enable Relativity to increase its testing, increase the speed of iterative learning cycles and shorten speed to market.
Originally designed to withstand a maximum thrust of 1.5M pounds, the A-2 test stand is being upgraded to accommodate thrust of 3M+ pounds, positioning it at the forefront of America’s commercial space program.
The expansion brings Relativity’s total footprint at the site to nearly 300 acres, making it the largest commercial presence at Stennis.
Relativity also has 10-year leases for the E-2 and E-4 stands and has commercial use agreements for the E-1 site with continued improvements in the R-Complex for new engine and stage test infrastructure. (MDA 09/07/23) Relativity Space breaks ground on new test stand at Stennis Space Center | Mighty Mississippi
Ex-CEO; nursing home & Sucette
Seven months after a jury found him guilty of 46 counts of fraud and conspiracy for the 2017 collapse of First NBC Bank, bank founder and ex-president/CEO Ashton Ryan was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. He will have to pay $214M in restitution.
* There's a class-action lawsuit settlement against former nursing home operator Bob Dean, sued for the botched evacuation of seven homes during Hurricane Ida in 2021. Days before the 2-year storm's anniversary, settlement checks are going out to 400 victims and their families.
* On the north shore, a Lake Pontchartrain development has hit a major stumbling block when the Mandeville City Council voted down an ordinance that would have cleared the way for the proposed Sucette Harbor apartments and hotel. What happens next? Is the project dead? (NOLA.com 09/07/23) Ashton Ryan sentenced in First NBC Bank fraud case | | nola.com
Nowakowski to deputy at Saufley
The Secretary of the Navy and acting chief of naval operations announced the following assignment on Sept. 7.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert C. Nowakowski, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as deputy commander, Naval Education and Training Force Development at Saufley Field in Pensacola, Fla. Nowakowski is currently serving as reserve vice commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, Fifth Fleet, Manama, Bahrain. (DoD 09/07/23)
SAF subsidy delay; regional notes
NEW YORK - The Biden's Administration will likely delay its decision whether to make it easier for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from corn-based ethanol to qualify for subsidies under the White House's climate law, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
The administration has been divided over the issue, prompting lobbyist from U.S. Farm Belt stakeholders who see SAF to be crucial for the ethanol market's growth. Environmental groups say clearing land to grow crops for fuel is counterproductive to curbing global warming.
The decision was tentatively scheduled for September; now, it looks like December.
At issue is a requirement of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that SAF producers seeking tax credits must demonstrate scientific evidence that their fuel generates 50% less greenhouse gas emissions.
Midwest ethanol producers have asked the WH to adopt a model that would enable ethanol based SAF to qualify. Environmentalists want standards favoring inputs like used cooking oil and animal fat.
The administration's decision will determine who benefits from billions of dollars in subsidies. (Reuters 09/06/23)
Regional SAF Notes: Global oil giant Shell in 2022 planned to re-purpose its Gulf Coast refinery, located NW of New Orleans, to produce hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and sustainable aviation fuel. Shell to re-purpose Gulf Coast refinery to produce HVO and SAF (ofimagazine.com)
* DG Fuels, an emerging leader in drop-in SAF production, had announced a long-term agreement with an undisclosed investment grade industrial buyer to sell up to 46M gallons of SAF annually from its initial plant in Louisiana. The first commercial scale project is expected to create about 633 new operating jobs and up to 2,100 construction jobs by 2024 in St. James Parish.
* Grön Fuels is considering building a $9.2 billion biofuel plant at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge. The company has said it expects to start providing SAF to JetBlue by 2025.
* Arbor Renewable Gas is looking at Port Allen for an $800 million facility that would produce renewable gasoline and “green" hydrogen from wood waste and forest residue. Though initial estimates said ARG could start construction in 2023, the company has yet to announce a final investment decision on development.
* The Bayou Fuels project in Natchez, Miss., will take waste woody biomass and convert it into SAF and naphtha using Velocys’ proprietary micro-channel FT reactors. The project will incorporate carbon capture and storage to enable the commercial-scale production of SAF with an extremely negative carbon intensity.
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
DoD regional contracts Sept. 6
* Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $91,535,551 fixed-price incentive (firm-target) and firm-fixed-price type modification to definitize previously awarded letter contract N00024-22-C-2463 for the detail design and construction of three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 class craft, and options for nine additional craft and associated support efforts. This modification includes options for construction of additional LCU 1700 class craft, which may be subject to future competition in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Therefore, the dollar values associated with the contract options are considered competition sensitive information and will not be made public at this time. Work will be performed in Mobile (72%); Harahan, Louisiana (5%); Shoreline, Washington (4%); Semmes, Alabama (3%); Peoria, Illinois (2%); Houma, Louisiana (2%); Mandeville, Louisiana (2%), and other locations below 1% (collectively totaling 10%). Work is expected to be completed by July 2026. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 2029. Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy (SCN) funding in the amount of $37,410,147 (41%); and fiscal 2022 SCN funding in the amount of $54,125,404 (59%), 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.
* UPDATE: Contract announcements for General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (GD BIW), Bath, Maine (N00024-23-C-2305) on Aug. 1, 2023; and HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi (N00024-23-C-2307) on Aug. 11, 2023, for DDG 51 class ship construction did not include funding amounts. The two firms were awarded fixed-price incentive (firm target) multiyear contracts for construction of 10 DDG 51 class ships totaling $14,580,817,751. GD BIW was awarded three DDG 51 class ships – one each in fiscal 2023, 2024, and 2026. HII Ingalls was awarded seven ships - two in fiscal 2023, one in 2024, two in 2025, one in 2026, and one in 2027. These contracts include options for engineering change proposals, design budgeting requirements, post-delivery availabilities on the awarded firm multiyear ships and options for construction of additional DDG 51 class ships.
* Inland Dredging Co. LLC, Dyersburg, Tennessee, was awarded an $8,029,900 firm-fixed-price contract to furnish a hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredge. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Houma, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 25, 2023. Fiscal 2023 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,029,900 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. (DoD 09/06/23)
Reijnen to head AHI North America
Bart Reijnen has been appointed president of Airbus Helicopters' U.S. subsidiary Airbus Helicopters Inc. (AHI) and head of its North American region.
He succeeds Romain Trapp, who has held the position since 2019 and is now AHI's executive VP for customer support and services and a member of the company’s executive committee.
Reijnen previously served as CEO of Satair, an Airbus Services company, since Nov. 1, 2016. In May 2021, he took on an additional role as head of material services in Airbus Customer Services.
Prior to joining Satair, he led the on-orbit services and exploration activities within Airbus Defense and Space and was head of the Bremen, Germany, site since 2013.
Reijnen holds a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
In his new position, Reijnen will be responsible for the activities of Airbus Helicopters in Canada and the U.S., overseeing more than 1,100 employees in the region. (AINonline 09/05/23) Bart Reijnen Appointed Head of Airbus Helicopters North America | Aviation International News (ainonline.com)
Regional Note: The AHI-Columbus, Miss., plant handles repairs, upgrades and customizations of all Airbus helicopter models. It is located on the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. The Columbus facility is also the home of the UH-72A Lakota, the newest Army helicopter.
NOLA: Breeze Airways 50% off
NEW ORLEANS - Through Sept. 7, Breeze Airways customers can get a 50% discount off the base fare of one-way or roundtrip flights to and from New Orleans for travel before March 7, 2024.
From New Orleans, Breeze offers nonstop flights to 13 destinations: Bentonville-Fayetteville, Ark.; Charleston, S.C.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Hartford, Conn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Louisville, Ky.; Norfolk, Va.; Orlando, Fla.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; and Tulsa, Okla. It offers one-stop service to Providence, R.I.
To get the deal, enter “IMGAME50” at checkout. (Breeze Airways 98/06/23)
History Sept. 6: Ripken record
Sept. 6 in history
In 1909, American explorer Robert Peary sent a telegram from Indian Harbor, Labrador, announcing that he had reached the North Pole five months earlier.
In 1975, 18-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova of Czechoslovakia, in New York for the U.S. Open, requested political asylum in the United States.
In 1997, a public funeral was held for Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in London, six days after her death in a car crash in Paris.
In 2001, in a dramatic shift, the Bush administration abandoned the Clinton-era effort to break up Microsoft.
In 2002, meeting outside Washington, D.C. for only the second time since 1800, Congress convened in New York to pay homage to the victims and heroes of September 11.
In 2006, President George W. Bush acknowledged for the first time that the CIA was running secret prisons overseas and said tough interrogation had forced terrorist leaders to reveal plots to attack the United States and its allies.
In 2007, opera star Luciano Pavarotti died in Modena, Italy, at the age of 71.
In 2013, NASA’s robotic lunar explorer, LADEE, rocketed into space.
In 2017, Hurricane Irma, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic to that point, pounded Puerto Rico with heavy rain and powerful winds; authorities said more than 900,000 people were without power.
In 2018, actor Burt Reynolds, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the 1970s in films including “Deliverance” and “Smokey and the Bandit,” died at age 82.
In 2021, actor Michael K. Williams, best known for his role on “The Wire,” was found dead in his New York apartment at age 54.
In 2022, Liz Truss began her tenure as U.K. prime minister. She would resign just 49 days later.
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Massive Venture Global deal
Venture Global LNG has signed an equipment deal with Baker Hughes that should boost the collective production of its liquefied natural gas export terminals to the largest annual LNG output by a single U.S. company.
Venture Global’s four planned export terminals are expected to produce 70M metric tons of LNG annually once built along the Gulf coast. One of those terminals is open; one under construction and two others in the planning stages.
In the latest deal, Baker Hughes will supply Venture Global with enough liquefaction equipment to boost that production total to 100M tons a year. The equipment will include additional power generating systems and liquefaction trains, used to supercool natural gas into liquid for overseas shipping.
If the plans succeed, Venture Global's collective annual output would be the largest in the nation, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. Companies' officials say 100M tons is about 25% of current global LNG supply.
The announcement hinted that the 100M output may not be limited to Louisiana. Venture Global officials said the contract would apply to its “future LNG export projects.” CEO Mike Sabel hailed the deal as a “long-term plan to expand LNG production both in and outside of Louisiana.” (NOLA.com 09/05/23)
Future storm may aim @ east coast
As of mid-day Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center started issuing advisories on Tropical Depression 13, which became Tropical Storm Lee at 5 p.m.
The future Lee is currently located about halfway between West Africa and the Lesser Antilles, in the heart of the Tropical Atlantic’s Main Development Region, moving WNW at about 15 miles per hour.
This general forward motion will continue into the weekend, and Lee should gain enough latitude to pass safely north of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico in around 5 days.
Lee will be moving across Atlantic waters that are two to four degrees warmer than average, with ideal mid-level moisture and upper-level wind conditions for rapid intensification.
The official forecast has Lee as a Category 4 Hurricane by Saturday morning, which is handily the most intensification ever predicted by an initial NHC advisory.
Lee does not look like a threat to Florida.
On the other hand, the indeterminate details of the squeeze play between that eastern U.S. trough and a resilient ridge of west-central Atlantic high pressure does not completely rule out an eventual threat to the mid-Atlantic or New England. (The AP 09/06/23) Hurricane Lee forecast: NHC charts tropical storm's path to Cat. 4 (clarionledger.com)
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Vietnam-era pilot earns MoH
Army Capt. Larry L. Taylor refused to give up. He refused to leave his fellow Americans behind. He refused to put his own life above the lives of others in need, President Joe Biden said today while awarding the Medal of Honor to Taylor for his heroic acts during the Vietnam War. (DoD 09/05/23) Biden Awards Medal of Honor to Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers During Vietnam War > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News
Sidebar: President Biden was accused of being disrespectful after he quickly exited the East Room of the White House before the conclusion of a MoH ceremony honoring a Vietnam War veteran. Biden, 80, abruptly left the ceremony after fastening the nation’s highest military decoration around the neck of retired Army Capt. Larry Taylor, 81, before the closing benediction was read by Chaplain Brig. Gen. William Green Jr. Biden ripped for leaving Medal of Honor ceremony early: 'ABHORRENT' (msn.com)
NG drops 1M gallons on La. fires
NEW ORLEANS - National Guard helicopter crews from Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama have dropped more than 1.1M gallons of water on wildfires in western Louisiana since Aug. 23.
The helicopter crews continue the firefighting mission in Beauregard, Sabine and Vernon parishes in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s office and local agencies.
The helicopter crews use buckets to draw water from any open water source and carry and drop it onto fires.
The augmentation to the LANG aerial firefighting efforts, through Emergency Management Assistance Compact support, has resulted in a rotation of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and CH-47 Chinook helicopters that have provided over 385 flight hours from the time LANG assets were activated in response to the wildfires. (LANG 09/01/23) National Guard Fights Louisiana Wildfires From the Air | Article | The United States Army
First Flight III destroy to be commissioned in Tampa
SAN DIEGO - The future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) will join the active fleet on Oct. 7 with a commissioning ceremony in Tampa, Fla.
DDG 125 will be the Navy’s first Flight III destroyer with notable technological upgrades. The Flight III upgrades are centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity.
DDG 125 is named for Pfc. Jack Lucas, who served in the Marines during WWII, earning the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Iwo Jima, when he was just 17 years old.
In 1961, he returned to military service as a captain in the Army and trained younger troops headed for Vietnam. Lucas passed away on June 5, 2008, in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Ruby Lucas, widow of the ship’s namesake, and philanthropist Cathy Reynolds are the ship’s sponsors.
Following commissioning, USS Jack H. Lucas will transit to its homeport of San Diego. (Naval Base San Diego 09/01/23) USS Jack H Lucas to Commission in Tampa, Florida > United States Navy > News Stories
NAS/JRB fire chief passes away
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS/JRB) New Orleans Fire and Emergency Services Department Chief Thomas Julius “TJ” Maury Jr., from Kenner, La., passed away Aug. 22.
Maury, who had been battling cancer for over five years, was 39 years old.
His career in public service started as an apprentice firefighter at the Bridge City (La.) Volunteer Fire Company. He was working in Bridge City on Aug. 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina made her mark on SE Louisiana. He became work at NAS/JRB soon afterwards.
While at New Orleans, he was promoted to training officer and later to fire chief.
Not only was Maury the fire chief, he was known to some as a real-life superhero. While participating in the 2015 Crescent City Classic 10K in New Orleans and dressed as Batman, he saw a person collapsed and provided CPR - dressed as Batman.
Maury was the 2017 Civilian Fire Officer of the Year for the Navy, and 2019 Fire Instructor of the Year award for Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Miss. (Currents 09/01/23) Currents (adobe.com)
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