UNO energy hub scholarships

NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans and The Beach at UNO have announced an inaugural group of students for the Louisiana Wind Energy Hub’s Wind Scholars Program.

These five engineering students will receive $5,000 scholarships from The Beach’s Innovation Fund for program-specific courses related to renewable energy and paid internships with industry-leading companies.

The selectees are Elizabeth Donner (civil engineering), Tamera Lepore (naval architecture and marine engineering), Nahreen Mahmud (electrical engineering), Gazi Raihan (mechanical engineering) and Melanie Ros (civil engineering).

“Innovation in technology, policy support and economic development will provide a foundation for growth in the regional renewable energy sector,” said Lizette Chevalier, dean of the Dr. Robert A. Savoie College of Engineering. 

The Wind Scholars will receive a paid internship offered by RWE, Entergy, Gulf Wind Technology, Edison Chouest Offshore or Keystone Engineering. 

The Wind Scholars Program emerged from roundtable discussions and curriculum reviews with key industry leaders. These interactions were pivotal in packaging existing engineering courses, strategically turning a vision into a reality that aligns with the city, state and national climate action goals.

According to the Department of Energy, the U.S. has the third largest offshore wind market capacity in the world. Over the next several years, the nation has plans to significantly increase its alternative energy production by installing wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico - near Lake Charles and south Texas - that will be able to power more than 1M homes across the Gulf Coast.

The energy hub fosters a collaborative ethos that supports emerging companies, spurs the development of novel technology and helps supply trained professionals to the rapidly growing renewable energy sector. (UNO media release 09/12/23) UNO and the Beach Announce First Cohort of Wind Scholars - Biz New Orleans

SSC-Aeroject landmark partnership

A landmark partnership between NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, has concluded after more than 20 years of coordinated efforts in testing the world’s most powerful hydrogen-fueled rocket engine. 

NASA Stennis, located near Bay St. Louis, was selected in 1997 as the location to assemble and test RS-68 engines to power the Delta IV rocket, a United Launch Alliance vehicle used for the Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program. 

The decision paved the way for the first commercial partnership between SSC and a commercial aerospace company, providing a model for future collaborations. 

“The RS-68 program leaves a legacy that has proven invaluable to America’s space efforts,” NASA Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech said. “The work with Aerojet Rocketdyne really laid the groundwork for commercial partnership efforts of today. It has been a privilege to work with the company through these years to support the nation’s critical launch capabilities.”

Between military and NASA operations, RS-68 engines have a track record of 100% mission success. Aerojet Rocketdyne conducted the final RS-68 engine test at NASA Stennis in April 2021. Since then, crews used a certification engine to maintain test stand and workforce readiness in the event any RS-68 engines needed retesting.

Over the life of the RS-68 program, Aerojet Rocketdyne conducted 341 hot fire engine tests at Stennis, recorded a total run time of 58,672 seconds and delivered 77 flight certified production engines to power Delta IV launch vehicles. 

The engines have powered 44 launches, including 15 heavy launch configurations using three core vehicles and three engines. The final Delta IV mission is scheduled for March 2024 using the last three RS-68 production engines. (NASA 09/12/23) NASA Stennis, Aerojet Rocketdyne Closes Historic Commercial Test Partn | NASA

La. westshore lake levee pact

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' New Orleans District has awarded a contract for constructing the fifth levee reach on the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain (WSLP) Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction project. 

This contract will construct about 1 mile of the 17.5-mile levee system that will provide 100-year level risk reduction to the area primarily in St. John the Baptist, St. James and St. Charles parishes. 

The contract for WSLP-106 was awarded on Sept.12 to Dynamic Group of Baton Rouge. 

The contract award is $49,804,593.87. Work will be performed in St. John the Baptist Parish. The levee elevation will be 11 feet. The contract is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2027. (USACE New Orleans 09/12/23) https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/BBA-2018/West-Shore-Lake-Pontchartrain/

MS playing part in B-52 radar future

RTX, formerly known as Raytheon, has delivered the first B-52 active electronically scanned array radar (AESA) to Boeing for the Air Force’s B-52 Radar Modernization Program. 

This first radar will be used for system integration, verification, and testing. 

“Outfitting the B-52 with an AESA radar replaces its current 1960s radar technology,” says Michelle Styczynski, VP of Agile Radar Solutions at Raytheon. With the AESA radar on board, the B-52 "will gain improved navigation and targeting capabilities in higher threat areas.” 

 The B-52’s new radar will enable improved mapping and detection range and increase the number of targets the platform can engage simultaneously. 

Along with improved modes and capabilities, the AESA radar will help crews see further, more accurately and give increased situational awareness. 

Under the contract, RTX is designing, developing, and producing the radar systems for the entire B-52 fleet. The advanced radar upgrade will ensure the aircraft remains relevant and mission ready through its lifetime.  

Production of the radars is taking place in Forest, Mississippi, and El Segundo, California. The remaining test-phase radars are expected to be delivered through Summer 2024. (Magnolia State Live 09/12/23) Mississippi community has big part in new B-52 radar tech - Magnolia State Live | Magnolia State Live 

Aurora & future of aerial refueling

Aerial refueling continues to evolve. For decades, aerial refueling has extended mission range for the joint force fleet with extra fuel for fighters, bombers, cargo and reconnaissance aircraft to fly farther. 

Multi-mission versatility and new technology integration enable next-generation tankers to do far more than refueling alone. 

As new capabilities are fielded, an emerging team of systems approach to aerial refueling makes a variety of mission capability options possible for the warfighter and creates multiple challenges for adversaries.

Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus and MQ-25TM StingrayTM already demonstrate the advanced capabilities that the world’s most advanced tankers bring to the fleet today and serve as operational pathfinders for a next-generation aerial refueling team of systems as the joint force pushes to stay ahead of near-peer threats. 

The MQ-25 skins are an example of applying advanced manufacturing for operational and lifecycle benefits. The composite skins - produced by Aurora Flight Sciences in Mississippi - provide lightweight strengthening and anti-corrosive benefits that are crucial for the aircraft, which will be based on aircraft carriers in harsh ocean conditions. (Breaking Defense 09/11/23) What the future of aerial refueling looks like - Breaking Defense

R-R testing F130 engine at SSC

Rolls-Royce says it is on track to complete initial F130 engine testing for the Air Force's B-52 Stratofortress by the end of 2023. 

The Continued Rapid Twin Pod Tests at the NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC), Miss., have accomplished Rolls-Royce’s initial goals and allowed for the gathering of unprecedented amounts of data early in the program, further avoiding risks of the integration of the F130 engine onto the B-52J. 

Testing will continue throughout the year. Rolls-Royce is on track for Critical Design Review to begin in Q1 of 2024. Rolls-Royce’s supply chain and assembly are also on schedule to deliver ground and flight test engines on time for 2024-26. 

Candice Bineyard, director of defense programs, Aerospace Manufacturing: “We are thrilled with the progress ... made with this milestone testing program. The engines are operating perfectly so far - matching all of our predictions on inlet performance. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Air Force and Boeing as we complete testing at NASA Stennis Space Center and prepare for Critical Design Review.”

In September 2021, Rolls-Royce F130 engines were selected by the AF to replace the existing powerplants in the B-52 fleet, with over 600 new engine deliveries expected. 

The new engines will extend the life of the B-52 aircraft for 30 years. 

F130 engines will be manufactured, assembled and tested at Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis. (Aerospace Manufacturing 09/12/23)

Sept. 13 history: Attica

Sept. 13 in history

In 1971, a 4-day inmates’ rebellion at the Attica Correctional Facility in western New York ended as police and guards stormed the prison. The ordeal and final assault claimed the lives of 32 inmates and 11 hostages. 

In 1788, the Congress of the Confederation authorized the first national election and declared New York City the temporary national capital.

In 1803, Commodore John Barry, considered by many the father of the American Navy, died in Philadelphia.

In 1814, during the War of 1812, British naval forces began bombarding Fort McHenry in Baltimore but were driven back by American defenders in a battle that lasted until the following morning. [Song 'Star Spangled Banner' written for that occasion.] 

In 1940, Italy invades Egypt. Italy invades Egypt | September 13, 1940 | HISTORY

In 1948, Republican Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was elected to the U.S. Senate; she became the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress.

In 1962, Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett rejected the U.S. Supreme Court’s order for the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith, a Black student, declaring in a televised address, “We will not drink from the cup of genocide.”

In 1993, at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands after signing an accord granting limited Palestinian autonomy.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur died at a Las Vegas hospital six days after he was wounded in a drive-by shooting. He was 25.

In 1997, a funeral was held in Calcutta, India, for Nobel peace laureate Mother Teresa.

In 1998, former Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace died in Montgomery at age 79.

In 2001, two days after the 9/11 terror attacks, the first few jetliners returned to the nation’s skies, but several major airports remained closed, and others opened only briefly. President George W. Bush visited injured Pentagon workers and said he would carry the nation’s prayers to New York.

In 2021, school began for about 1M New York City public school students in the nation’s largest experiment of in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2022, Ken Starr, a former federal appellate judge and a prominent attorney whose criminal investigation of Bill Clinton led to the president’s impeachment, died at age 76. 

MS aero/aviation industry hirings

* Accounts Specialist @ Stark Aerospace in Columbus, Miss. Accounts Specialist Job in 319 Charleigh D Ford Jr Dr at Stark Aerospace | Ziprecruiter   

* 29 Vertex Aerospace Jobs Hiring in Mississippi. VERTEX AEROSPACE Jobs in Mississippi (Now Hiring) Sep 2023 (ziprecruiter.com) 

* Multifunctional Manufacturing Supervisor - Level 3 @ Lockheed Martin in Meridian, Mississippi. Management job at Lockheed Martin - Mult Func Manufacturing Supervisor - Level 3 (jsfirm.com) 

* Associate Business Analyst (commercial programs) at Airbus Helicopters Inc. in Columbus, Miss. DE Jobs - Airbus Helicopters, Inc. Associate Business Analyst (Commercial Programs) in Columbus, Mississippi, United States 

HHI $7.6M DDG 1000/1001 pact

HHI's Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, was awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, not-to-exceed $7,634,599, undefinitized order to previously awarded contract N00024-23-C-2324 for the procurement of material in support of the DDG 1000/1001 build yard modernization period availability. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funding of $3,817,299 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The statutory authority for this sole source award is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 8, 2023) (DoD 09/13/23)

Bipartisan rarity over SSIP

WASHINGTON - In a U.S. Senate rarity, Republicans and Democrats appear to be working on legislation to increase the amount of money the disabled and elderly could save and still be able to collect a monthly check from the federal Supplemental Security Income Program (SSIP). 

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) have sponsored the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act that would raise the savings cap of $2,000, set in 1984, to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples.

"People should not have to choose between a better job and losing their safety net because of outdated rules,” said Cassidy. “This is an easy fix that encourages work, allows people to save, and lifts people out of poverty.” 

SSI was created in the 1970s to provide additional income for disabled and elderly Americans. About 8M take advantage of the program, which currently pays individuals $585 and up to $794 per month.

Back in 1984, $2,000 could buy a used car and a month’s rent. 

For about 60% of people in the program, SSI is the only source of income. But for the disabled and people over 65 that are still working, exceeding the savings limits at the end of the month negates the SSI benefit.

The bipartisan group of sponsors should help Cassidy and Brown lobby the legislation among Senate colleagues. Over in the House, reps are filing a similarly worded bill for the lower chamber to consider. (The AP 09/13/23)

CDC signs off on new COVID shot

Most Americans should get an updated COVID-19 vaccination, health officials.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed new COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone 6 months and older. The CDC's director quickly signed off on the panel’s recommendation Sept. 12.

Doses should be available this week.

The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but still there are thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in America weekly.

Hospitalizations have been increasing since late summer, though the latest data indicate infections may be starting to level off, particularly in the South. 

Still, experts worry immunity from previous vaccinations and infections is fading people, and a new shot would save many lives. (The AP 09/12/23)

In separate medical-related news ... 

FDA panel advises PE no more effective than dummy pills

The leading decongestant used by millions of Americans looking for relief from a stuffy nose is no better than a dummy pill, according to government experts who reviewed the latest research on the long-questioned drug ingredient. 

All 16 advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted Sept. 12 against the effectiveness of the key drug - phenylephrine - found in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications stocked on store shelves. 

The FDA assembled its outside advisers to take another look at phenylephrine, which became the main drug in over-the-counter decongestants when medicines with an older ingredient — pseudoephedrine — were moved behind pharmacy counters. 

A 2006 law had forced the move because pseudoephedrine can be illegally processed into methamphetamine. 

The original versions of those type medications remain available without a prescription, but are less popular and account for about 20% of the $2.2B market for oral decongestants. 

Phenylephrine versions - oft labeled "PE" - make up the rest.

If the FDA follows through on the recommendations, drugmakers may be required to pull oral medications containing phenylephrine from store shelves. It would likely force consumers to switch to the behind-the-counter pseudoephedrine products or to phenylephrine-based nasal sprays and drops. (The AP 09/23)

AETC leadership visits Keesler

 KEESLER AFB, Miss. - The 81st Training Wing hosted Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of Air Education and Training Command, his wife, Maureen, and Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley, AETC command chief, and wife, Nicki, on Aug. 22. 

The AETC command team witnessed how Keesler Airmen prioritize their mission through focused training, installation excellence and empowered Airmen. 

The visit began with the Air Force Medical Genetics Center at the 81st Medical Group - the only genetics center in the Defense Department. Members there provide lab and consultative support to military medical facilities around the world. Its capabilities include chromosome, gene and DNA testing. 

The AETC command team also attended an innovation overview provided by members of the 333rd Training Squadron, along with experiencing the 333rd Training Squadron’s escape room, designed to test the knowledge and sharpen the skills of cyber warfare students. 

Gen. Robinson and Chief Bickley also visited the site for the proposed Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center, which will be a community collaboration project to develop future cyber training. (Keesler AFB 09/11/23) AETC command team visits Keesler Dragons > Keesler Air Force Base > Article Display (af.mil)

DoD regional contracts Sept. 12

B.L. Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama, is awarded a $210,239,736 firm-fixed-price construction contract for a weapons generation facility. This contract provides for, but is not limited to, construction of five new construction facilities, and renovation of an existing one-story facility. Work will be performed at Barksdale(La.) AFB and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2023 military construction (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $109,336,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the sam.gov website, with two offers received. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. 

* Dynamic Group, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was awarded a $49,535,999 firm-fixed-price contract for hurricane and storm damage risk reduction. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Reserve, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 5, 2026. Fiscal 2023 civil construction funds in the amount of $49,535,999 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. 

* Professional Systems Associates, Panama City, Florida, was awarded a $10,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract for Configuration Management Professional Software (CMPRO), to include licenses, product maintenance, product support, and training. CMPRO is used for configuration and data management for products, software, and documentation for Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) programs. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $10,000,000. Work will be performed in Panama City, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September 2024. If all options are exercised work will continue through September 2028. No funding will be obligated at time of award. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. NSWC PCD, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 8, 2023) 

* Phoenix Management Inc., Cedar Park, Texas (FA4452-23-D-0016); Triad LSC, Arizona (FA4452-23-D-0012); T Square Logistics, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA4452-23-D-0010); TA1 LLC, Goodyear, Arizona (FA4452-23-D-0011); Shiloh Services Inc., Smithsville, Texas (FA4452-23-D-0009); MACCS EASI JV2, Summersville, South Carolina (FA4452-23-D-0008); TA1 LLC, Goodyear, Arizona (FA4452-23-D-0015); Tanaq Government Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (FA4452-23-D-0013); and PDO-Vision JV LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (FA4452-23-D-0014), were awarded multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a contract ceiling of $195,000,000 for transient alert services to be performed via fixed-price task orders. These contracts provide for transient alert services to support aircraft which are not assigned to a base, or that are enroute from one location to another and may require routine servicing, including aircraft management control, arrival, processing, and departure services, aircraft emergency response, services for both in-flight emergency and ground emergency, and environmental compliance, in accordance with applicable Air Force instructions. Work will be performed at 59 Air Force bases and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2028. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition and 24 offers were received. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $18,000 are being obligated at time of award through issuance of nine separate task orders to satisfy the minimum guarantee for each awardee in the amount of $2,000. The 763rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 11, 2023) (DoD 09/12/23)

Census correx for NOLA population

NEW YORK - New Orleans and Atlanta were among some of the most high-profile urban areas in the U.S. to gain population on Sept. 12 after the Census Bureau published correction errors, officially released in December, in the Federal Register. 

The population of the New Orleans' urban area grew to 963,212 residents from 914,531. The additional 48,681 residents had been mistakenly assigned to the Laplace-Lutcher-Gramercy, La., area, which was supposed to be deleted following a merger with the New Orleans urban area. 

The Atlanta urban area had its population adjusted to 5.1M residents from 4.9M. An additional 100,853 residents living in more than 37,000 homes had been mistakenly assigned to the Gainesville, Ga., area. (The AP 09/12/23)

Sept. 12 history: Voyager 1

Sept. 12 history 

In 2013, Voyager 1, launched 36 years earlier, became the first man-made spacecraft ever to leave the solar system. 

In 1913, Olympic legend Jesse Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama.

In 1914, during WWI, the First Battle of the Marne ended in an Allied victory against Germany. 

In 1940, near Montignac, France, a collection of prehistoric cave paintings - known as the Lascaux cave paintings - are discovered by four teenagers who stumbled upon the ancient artwork after following their dog down a narrow entrance into a cavern. The 15,000- to 17,000-year-old paintings, consisting mostly of animal representations, are among the finest examples of art from the Upper Paleolithic period.

In 1953, Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy, the future 35th president of the United States, marries Jacqueline Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island. Seven years later, the couple would become the youngest president and first lady in American history. 

In 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Cooper v. Aaron, unanimously ruled that Arkansas officials who were resisting public school desegregation orders could not disregard the high court’s rulings.

In 1959, the TV Western series “Bonanza” premiered on NBC.

In 1962, in a speech at Rice University in Houston, President John F. Kennedy reaffirmed his support for the manned space program, declaring: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” 

In 1974, in Boston, Massachusetts, opposition to court-ordered school “busing” turns violent on the opening day of classes. School buses carrying African American children were pelted with eggs, bricks, and bottles, and police in combat gear fought to control angry white protesters besieging the schools. 

In 1987, reports surfaced that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden borrowed, without attribution, passages of a speech by British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock for one of his own campaign speeches. (The Kinnock report, along with other damaging revelations, prompted Biden to drop his White House bid.) 

In 1992, Dr. Mae Carol Jemison, a native of Decatur, Ala., became the first Black woman to travel in space, going into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour with six other astronauts. 1992: Mae Carol Jemison was first Black woman to travel in space - Mississippi Today

In 1995, the Belarusian military shot down a hydrogen balloon during an international race, killing its two American pilots, John Stuart-Jervis and Alan Fraenckel.

In 2001, President George W. Bush, branding the 9/11 terrorist attacks in NYC and Washington “acts of war,” spoke of “a monumental struggle of good versus evil” and said that “good will prevail.”

In 2005, Federal Emergency Management Agency director Mike Brown resigned, three days after losing his onsite command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. 

In 2009, thousands of protesters participate in the “Taxpayer March on Washington,” one of the earliest and biggest Tea Party movement events. Marchers in the nation’s capital clogged streets near the Capitol, railing against President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform proposals, federal spending, taxes and support for women's reproductive rights, among other issues. Organizers touted the protest as the largest outpouring of political conservatives. 

In 2021, Max Scherzer of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the 19th pitcher in major league history with 3,000 career strikeouts. (The AP 09/12/23)

MFP to court: Open meetings

The Mississippi Free Press (MFP) asked a Chancery Court in Hinds County on Sept. 11 to hold the state's House Republican Caucus meetings be open to the public under the Open Meetings Act. 

Last year, the full Mississippi Ethics Commission rejected the Mississippi Free Press’ argument and declared that the Legislature is not a “public body” under the law. 

The Republican Caucus, whose members constitute a majority of the lower chamber, meet behind closed doors. Outgoing House Speaker Philip Gunn had long used the secret meetings to set agendas on legislative priorities.

The meetings have often left not only the press and the public but other lawmakers in the dark about major legislative maneuvers until the day they happen. 

“The public deserves access to ... where their elected officials make decisions,” MFP Editor/CEO Donna Ladd said Monday. 

 “We will continue to fight for transparency and to ensure the Legislature is not held to a lower standard than every city council and board of supervisors across the state.”

Rob McDuff, an attorney with the Mississippi Center For Justice, filed the Mississippi Free Press’ brief, asked the court to “hold that all meetings of the House Republican Caucus that include a quorum of the membership of the Mississippi House of Representatives and that are not purely social must comply with the Open Meetings Act be open to the press and the public.”

On Dec. 1, 2022, Mississippi Ethics Commission Director Tom Hood recommended that the commission rule in favor of the MFP. The Ethics Commission rejected Hood’s recommendation on a 5-3 vote. The panel’s majority wrote the Open Meetings Act “does not expressly include or exclude the House, the Senate, or the Legislature as a whole.” 

Because the House is a policymaking entity, it is a ‘public body’ covered by the Open Meetings Act. Accordingly, the House Republican Caucus meetings "must be open if they contain a majority of the House members and therefore constitute a quorum,” the brief says.

During the 2023 legislative session, Sen. Jason Barrett (R-Brookhaven) filed a bill that would have amended Mississippi Code § 25-41-3 to clarify that the list of “meetings” covered under the Open Meetings Act includes “a quorum of members of a public body that may deliberate or act upon any matter” under their purview. The bill died without a vote. (MFP 09/11/23)

DoJ's antitrust suit vs Google

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Justice Department is charging in court that Google has exploited its dominance of the internet search market to lock out competitors and smother innovation. The court case begins Sept. 12 and is the biggest antitrust trial in 25 years. 

“This case is about the future of the internet and whether Google’s search engine will ever face meaningful competition,” said Kenneth Dintzer, DoJ's lead lawyer. 

Over the next 10 weeks, federal lawyers and state attorneys general will try to prove Google rigged the market in its favor by locking its search engine in as the default choice in a plethora of places and devices. 

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta likely won’t issue a ruling until next year. If the judge decides Google broke the law, another trial will decide what steps should be taken to rein in the California-based company. 

Google executive, and corporate parent Alphabet Inc., as well as other powerful technology companies, are expected to testify. Among them is likely to be Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page four years ago. 

DoJ filed its antitrust lawsuit against Google nearly three years ago. Fed lawyers allege Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out more than $10B annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and web browsers such as Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox. 

Dintzer said Google “began weaponizing defaults” more than 15 years ago and cited an internal Google document calling its arrangements an “Achilles Heel” for rival search engines offered by Yahoo and MSN. 

Google counters that it faces a wide range of competition despite commanding about 90% of the internet search market. From Google’s perspective, perpetual improvements to its search engine explain why people almost reflexively keep coming back to it, a habit that long ago made “Googling” synonymous with looking things up on the internet. 

The trial begins just a couple weeks after the 25th anniversary of the first investment in the company - a $100,000 check written by Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim that enabled Page and Sergey Brin to set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage. 

Today, Google’s corporate parent, Alphabet, is worth $1.7T and employs 182,000 people, with most of the money coming from $224B in annual ad sales flowing through a network of digital services anchored by a search engine that fields billions of queries a day. (The AP 09/12/23)

La. eyesore may be movie studio?

A 67-acre eyesore in Marrero, La., may become the site of a movie production studio, or hub of light industry that supports the nearby Avondale Global Gateway that the Port of South Louisiana is seeking to acquire. The Avondale acquisition remains in limbo. 

Marble Marrero LLC bought the former Celotex Park facilities in July. "We could have one of the biggest movie studios in Louisiana and still have over 200,000 square feet of vacant warehouse space," said Andrew Duncan, a partner in the new venture, told NOLA.com. 

[Currently, there is a writers/actors strike in Hollywood, which could affect that outcome for the short-term.] 

Celotex opened in the 1920s and produced fiberboard products and employed more than 1,000 people. The site shut down in 2009 due to damage from Hurricane Katrina and a slump in the housing market. 

In 2010, Broke Cane bought the property for $1.4M as part of bankruptcy proceedings. 

Over the years, the site has been used as a set for film and television projects. Duncan believes when that industry strike ends, the site can be started up "in 30 seconds." 

Jefferson Parish's environmental site assessment found no issues on the property, he said. (NOLA.com 09/10/23)

Sept. 11 history: Never Forget

 Sept. 11 history

In 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed as 19 al-Qaida hijackers seized control of four jetliners, sending two of the planes into New York’s World Trade Centers, one into the Pentagon and the fourth into a field in western Pennsylvania. The United States marks 22 years since 9/11.

In 1789, Alexander Hamilton was appointed the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

In 1814, an American fleet scored a decisive victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812.

In 1936, Boulder Dam - later renamed the Hoover Dam - began operation as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a key in Washington to signal the startup of the dam’s first hydroelectric generator.

In 1941, groundbreaking took place for the Pentagon. 

In 1954, the Miss America pageant made its network TV debut on ABC.

In 1967, the comedy-variety program “The Carol Burnett Show” premiered on CBS.

In 1972, the Munich Summer Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes and several others were killed, ended.

In 1973, Chilean President Salvador Allende died during a violent military coup.

In 1997, Scotland voted to create its own Parliament after 290 years of union with England.

In 2006, in a prime-time address, President George W. Bush invoked the memory of the victims of the 9/11 attacks as he staunchly defended the war in Iraq, though he acknowledged that Saddam Hussein was not responsible for the attacks.

In 2008, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama put aside politics as they visited ground zero together on the anniversary of 9/11 to honor its victims.

In 2012, a mob armed with guns and grenades launched a fiery nightlong attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost and a CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya, killing U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. (The AP 09/11/23)

Austal's $10.6M EDM sub order

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA received a $10.6M order for the manufacture and outfitting of three electronic deck modules (EDMs) for the Virginia-class submarine program by prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat. 

Construction will begin this fall and the modules are scheduled to be delivered to EB by mid-2025. 

The construction these modules is the result of a strategic partnership formed in 2022 between Austal USA and Electric Boat to take a strategic sourcing approach to expanding the production capacity of the submarine industrial base. 

In this partnership, Austal USA is constructing and outfitting Command and Control Systems Modules and EDMs for the Virginia- and Columbia-class sub programs.

Austal USA has continued to expand its facilities and workforce to support the growing demand of the submarine industrial base.  The order for the three modules follows an initial order for a CCSM in February 2023. *Austal USA 09/11/23)