Dec. 7 history: Pearl Harbor

Dec. 7 history

In 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1796, electors chose John Adams to be the second president of the United States.

In 1917, during World War I, the United States declared war on Austria-Hungary.

In 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an air raid on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as well as targets in Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippines and Wake Island. The United States declared war against Japan the next day. Today, centenarian survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack are returning to honor those who perished 82 years ago. 

In 1963, during the Army-Navy game, videotaped instant replay was used for the first time in a live sport telecast.

In 1972, America’s last moon mission to date was launched as Apollo 17 blasted off from Cape Canaveral. 

In 2001, Taliban forces abandoned their last bastion in Afghanistan, fleeing the southern city of Kandahar.

In 2004, Hamid Karzai was sworn in as Afghanistan’s first popularly elected president.

In 2017, Democratic Sen. Al Franken said he would resign after a series of sexual harassment allegations.  

In 2018, James Alex Fields Jr., who drove his car into counter-protesters at a 2017 white nationalist rally in Virginia, was convicted of first-degree murder.

In 2020, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles “Chuck” Yeager, the World War II fighter pilot ace and quintessential test pilot who in 1947 became the first person to fly faster than sound, died at 97.

In 2022, Aaron Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million contract – baseball’s biggest free agent deal in history to that point – to remain with the New York Yankees. (History.com 12/07/23)

Today is National Cotton Candy Day.

MSU tops $300M in R&D

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University is among the top research universities nationally after reporting more than $300M in research and development expenditures in the latest National Science Foundation report. 

MSU’s $303,418,000 in R&D expenditures ranks No. 97 nationally in the NSF’s latest Higher Education Research and Development survey, which covers data from fiscal year 2022. 

That figure represents a 10% increase from the previous year, just above the average national increase of 9%. The record research funding strengthens MSU’s ability to stay at the forefront of innovation and address some of society’s most pressing challenges. 

As the state’s leading research university, MSU accounts for 53.6% of the $565.3M in R&D expenditures reported by all Mississippi institutions in the NSF survey.

MSU was ranked in the top 15 of three disciplines: Agriculture (11), natural resources and conservation (14) and aerospace engineering (15). (MSU 12/06/23) MSU tops $300 million in latest NSF research survey, among top 100 nationally | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

6-month GCOOS fellowship

Undergraduate students are invited to apply for a 6-month fellowship/scholarship opportunity offered by the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS), a member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.

GCOOS provides timely, reliable, accurate and on-demand data and information on the open ocean and coastal ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico to ensure a healthy, clean, productive ocean and resilient coastal zone.

The 6-month GCOOS Fellowship, supported through the Howard Scholarship Fund, supports travel expenses for the successful candidate to attend the 2024 Ocean Sciences meeting in New Orleans (Feb. 18-23). 

It also includes the opportunity to learn how ocean observing programs like GCOOS inform decision-making in support of a healthy and productive Gulf of Mexico and the communities that depend on it.

Materials should be provided before 4 p.m. CT on Jan. 12. (GCOOS 12/06/23) Applications Open: GCOOS Undergraduate Fellowship - GCOOS - Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System

Drought's billion-dollar problem

Louisiana’s transition in 2023 from one of the wettest states to one of the driest seasons has had major repercussions for farms and forests. 

The state’s agricultural and timber industries have suffered nearly $1.7B in losses from the extensive drought and record high temperatures, according to a new report from Louisiana State University researchers. 

“Unlike other natural disasters Louisiana’s had ... this really encompasses the whole state,” said Kurt Guidry, an LSU AgCenter economist and one of the report’s authors.

No commodity or location was spared. 

The losses amount to about a third of the annual economic production of the Louisiana agriculture and forestry sectors. 

And the bloodletting isn’t over. (NOLA.com 12/07/23) Severe drought has cost Louisiana farmers $1.7 billion | Environment | nola.com

NAS Pensacola bomb threat

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Navy Security Forces in conjunction with Pensacola-area law enforcement responded to a bomb threat around 9:35 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola. 

No one was injured. The individual suspected of making the threat has been apprehended.

The threat occurred on the fourth anniversary of a deadly terrorist attack on the base when a Saudi-student shot and killed three sailors.

Commanding Officer Capt. Terry Shashaty lauded the efforts of NSF and responding local law enforcement agencies during the hour-long incident. 

The CO also indicated that the two incidents were unrelated. (NASP media release 12/06/23)

Editor's Note:  There was no bomb.

EPA: $30M for Gulf Coast projects

DALLAS - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Dec. 6 the availability of $30M in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grant funding for projects promoting a healthy and resilient Gulf of Mexico watershed.

Selected projects must be located in underserved communities within the five Gulf states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. 

Eligible projects for the newly created Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico Grant program include those that support water quality improvement; habitat protection, enhancement and restoration; environmental education; and community resilience. 

The funding will bring critical health protections, progress on shoreline and wetland restoration, jobs and economic opportunities to communities that "have been overburdened by pollution,” said Acting Region 4 Administrator Jeaneanne M. Gettle. 

The EPA plans to award about five grants of up to $6M each to eligible agencies and federally recognized Indian tribal organizations and institutions of higher learning. 

The application period will close on April 4. Awards are anticipated to be made in November for projects in those five states. 

The request for applications can be found at grants.gov or www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico. Questions regarding applying for this opportunity should be directed to the EPA Gulf of Mexico Division at GMP-RFP@epa.gov. (EPA media release 12/06/23) Biden-Harris Administration Announces Availability of $30 Million for Projects in Underserved Communities That Promote a Healthy and Resilient Gulf of Mexico | US EPA

Louisiana GDP grew 3.2% in Q2

BATON ROUGE, La. - According to Bureau of Economic Analysis data released Dec. 5, Louisiana’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.2% in the second quarter of 2023, outpacing 40 other states and easily exceeding the national real GDP growth rate of 2.1%.

Among the 40 states that Louisiana outpaced are Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, New York, California, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and Washington. (Governor's Office 12/05/23) Governor's Office Touts Louisiana GDP Growth in 2nd Quarter - Biz New Orleans

EPA: Replacing lead pipes costs

A major proposal from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requiring removal of lead pipes connecting customers to public drinking water systems could go a long way in reducing lead poisoning in Louisiana, but at a huge price tag. 

The proposed EPA rules would require the removal of water service lines made of lead within 10 years.

It could see Louisiana and its residents scrambling to find as much as $1.6B to replace them, based on EPA estimates of the number of service lines in the state. (NOLA.com 12/06/23) Removing Louisiana's lead pipes is healthy but costly | Environment | nola.com

Sapp to head Eaton Aerospace

Eaton announced that John Sapp has joined the company effective Dec. 4, and will succeed Nanda Kumar as the president of the company's Aerospace Group upon Kumar's retirement March 31. 

Sapp comes to Eaton from Collins Aerospace, where he most recently served as VP/GM of Strategic Solutions for Mission Systems.

Before joining Collins in 2018, Sapp held leadership roles with GE Aviation and was an F-15C fighter pilot in the Air Force. (Eaton 12/04/23) Eaton Announces Executive Changes for Aerospace Group -December 05, 2023 at 04:15 pm EST | MarketScreener 

Regionally, Eaton Aerospace Group's Fuel & Motion Control Systems Division is located in Jackson, Miss.

12 'sweetest' small towns in South

The southern United States is popular for its generous hospitality, long-lasting past, and mesmerizing natural magnificence. Amid the hills, lush woodlands, and glimmering lakes, some of the nation's most picturesque small towns locate. 

From the welcoming and charming to the ancient and cultural, each town offers an exclusive experience that sets it apart from the rest. Voyagers can traverse the 12 sweetest small towns in the Southern United States, exploring each one's exclusive character and appeal, according to World Atlas.

Among them: Ocean Springs and Oxford, Miss. ; and Fairhope, Ala. (World Atlas 12/06/23) 12 Cutest Small Towns in the Southern United States - WorldAtlas

Dec. 6 history: Slavery abolished

Dec. 6 history

In 1790, Congress moved to Philadelphia from New York.

In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, abolishing slavery, was ratified as Georgia became the 27th state to endorse it.

In 1884, in Washington, D.C., workers place a 9-inch aluminum pyramid atop a tower of white marble, completing the construction of an impressive monument to the city's namesake and the nation's first president, George Washington. 

In 1907, the worst mining disaster in U.S. history occurred as 362 men and boys died in a coal mine explosion in Monongah, West Virginia.

In 1923, a presidential address was broadcast on radio for the first time as Calvin Coolidge spoke to a joint session of Congress. 

In 1947, Everglades National Park in Florida was dedicated by President Harry S. Truman.

In 1957, America’s first attempt at putting a satellite into orbit failed as Vanguard TV3 rose about four feet off a Cape Canaveral launch pad before crashing down and exploding.

In 1969, a free concert by The Rolling Stones at the Altamont Speedway in Alameda County, California, was marred by the deaths of four people, including one who was stabbed by a Hell’s Angel. Murder at the Altamont Festival brings the 1960s to a violent end | December 6, 1969 | HISTORY

In 1973, House minority leader Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as vice president, succeeding Spiro T. Agnew. 

In 1998, in Venezuela, former Lt. Col. Hugo Chavez, who had staged a bloody coup attempt against the government six years earlier, was elected president.

In 2017, President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital, defying warnings from the Palestinians and others around the world that he would be destroying hopes for Mideast peace.

In 2021, the Justice Department said it was ending its investigation into the 1955 lynching of the Black teenager Emmett Till, who was killed after witnesses said he whistled at a white woman in Mississippi.

In 2022, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election that ensured Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term. (History.com 12/06/23)

TODAY: The fourth Republican presidential debate is on tonight at from The University of Alabama at 7 p.m. CT, and here’s how you can watch it. 

Insurance group's software breach

The software data breach this past summer compromised more than 6M records at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, and also hit hard the Pan-American Life Insurance Group based in New Orleans. 

The hit potentially impacted customers' most sensitive information. Why'd the company wait so long to disclose the situation? (NOLA.com 12/06/23) Pan-American Life hit by same cyber attack that hit OMV | Business News | nola.com

Court 'income' case w/ implications

The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing oral arguments in a case - Moore v United States - that could have major implications for the U.S. tax code and federal revenue. 

The case involves Charles and Kathleen Moore, a Washington couple who own a controlling interest in a profitable foreign company impacted by a tax implemented through former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax overhaul. 

The Moores are challenging a levy on company earnings that were not distributed to them, which raises questions about the definition of income' and its potential impact on the entire U.S. tax code. 

Experts believe the case could have far-reaching effects on fiscal policy, potentially making it one of the most significant court decisions in recent history. (Press Run Down 12/06/23) Expert says Supreme Court case on 'income' may have major fiscal impact (pressrundown.com)

Gulfport firm part of $78M pact

Anchor Innovation Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0001); Auxiliary Systems, Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0002); Colonna’s Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0003); Fairlead Boatworks Inc.,* Newport News, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0004); Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0006); and United States Marine, Inc.,* Gulfport, Mississippi (N00167-20-D-0007), were each awarded a period of performance extension to Sept. 30, 2026 to the previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for watercraft industrial services and supplies in support of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division Detachment Norfolk, Combatant Craft Division. The overall contract value for the contract is being increased by $35,000,000. This modification increases the total contract ceiling to $78,109,222. No funding will be obligated with this contract modification. The contractor shall perform in a wide variety of locations both within the Continental United States (CONUS) and outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). The expected work distribution by performance location includes Mid Atlantic US (60%); Northeast US (1%); US Gulf Coast (2%); Southwest US (15%); Northwest US (2%); Other/OCONUS (20%). OCONUS locations typically include, but are not limited to Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Horn of Africa, Guam, Japan, Hawaii and Alaska. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Detachment Norfolk is the contracting activity. (Awarded on Nov. 20, 2023) (DoD 12/05/23)

Commemorating Pearl Harbor

Dec. 7 marks National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and is the 82nd anniversary since the attack in Hawaii that began the U.S.'s involvement in World War II. Commemorations are held every year in Hawaii and across the country to mark the day, and American flags will be flown at half-staff.  

Regional Pearl Harbor remembrance activities: 

* At the National WWII Museum's UI.S. Freedom Pavilion in New Orleans at 11:45 a.m. in the U.S. Freedom Pavilion. At the ceremony will be a presentation on "Accounting for Our Missing Heroes" by G.R. "Rocky" Gillette, an official with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Gillette will discuss the group's efforts to locate and identify missing military personnel lost during service. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is preferred. Visit nationalww2museum.org.  

* The USS Kidd will commemorate the Japanese attack on Hawaii with a ceremony on Dec. 7 beginning at 11:55 a.m. in Baton Rouge, La. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome is scheduled to speak aboard the vessel in downtown Baton Rouge. Active-duty sailors from the current USS Kidd are also scheduled to attend. The U.S. Marine Forces Reserve Band is scheduled to play, as well. 

* Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., is scheduled to host a Pearl Harbor Remembrance ceremony following morning colors at 8 a.m. at Barrancas National Cemetery on base. 

Artemis 3 possible delay until 2027

The Artemis 3 space mission, tentatively scheduled to fly in December 2025, may have to wait until at least 2027. 

NASA's endeavor to return humans to the moon, for the first time since the 1972 Apollo program, with the Artemis 3 mission will likely be delayed because it is jeopardized by "multiple challenges" and an ambitious schedule, the U.S. Government Accountability Office announced Nov. 30. 

Based on interviews with NASA and industry officials and reviewing documentation, the GAO reported it found a significant amount of pending technical work on the human landing system or HLS, a variant of SpaceX's Starship and NASA's mode of transport to the moon's surface. 

Also remaining is crucial design work to incorporate larger oxygen tanks into the space suits that would be used by astronauts on the moon, the report stated. (Space News 12/01/23) NASA's Artemis 3 astronaut moon landing unlikely before 2027, GAO report finds | Space 

Artemis 2's scheduled mission with the first crewed flight of NASA's Orion spacecraft, is currently planned for launch no earlier than November 2024.

Regionally

* NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi achieved a key milestone June 22, completing an initial certification test series designed to pave the way for production of new RS-25 engines to help power NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon, beginning with Artemis V. 

* Michoud's Assembly Center in New Orleans East is manufacturing and assembling the largest rocket stage NASA has ever constructed: The Space Launch System (SLS) core stage - the world’s most powerful rocket that will send the Orion spacecraft, astronauts and supplies on bold exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

'Tubby' to drop bulk of mil.noms

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) announced Dec. 5 that he is dropping the bulk of his months-long hold on hundreds of military nominations. 

Tuberville told reporters that he has lifted his hold on all military promotions three-star and below, amounting to over 400 promotions. 

“I’m releasing everybody. I still got a hold on I think 11 four-star generals. Everybody else is completely released from me.” Tuberville told reporters. “But other than that, it’s over.”

The Alabama Republican had been holding up military nominations for months in protest of the Defense Department's policy that allows servicemembers to get reimbursements for travel related to getting an abortion. (NBC 12/05/23) Sen. Tommy Tuberville drops his hold on hundreds of military nominees (msn.com)

Hydrology degree at Pearl River

WAVELAND, Miss. - National Oceans and Applications Research Center and Pearl River Community College have collaborated to provide a Hydrography Technology program on the Hancock campus.

The Hydrography program began in Fall 2023 and will begin enrollment for Fall 2024 in April. 

Pearl River Community College is leading the way as the first institution of its kind to offer an Associate of Applied Science in Hydrography. 

Hydrography involves measuring and describing the physical characteristics of bodies of water. This data is subsequently utilized to generate current nautical maps, enhancing the safety of waterway navigation. 

Additionally, hydrography plays a crucial role in planning for the burgeoning industries of marine renewable energy and aquaculture in the United States. (Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission 12/01/23) NOARC Partners with PRCC on Hydrography Technology Program | Hancock County News and Events (portairspace.com)

Dec. 5 history: Prohibition ends

Dec. 5 history

In 1776, in Williamsburg, Virginia, a group of five students at the College of William and Mary gather at Raleigh’s Tavern to found a new fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa. 

In 1791, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna, Austria, at age 35.

In 1792, George Washington was re-elected president; John Adams was re-elected vice president.

In 1848, President James K. Polk triggered the Gold Rush of ’49 by confirming that gold had been discovered in California.

In 1932, German physicist Albert Einstein was granted a visa, making it possible for him to travel to the United States.

In 1933, national Prohibition came to an end as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment. 

In 1945, five Navy torpedo-bombers take off from the Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station in Florida on a routine 3-hour training mission (across the Bermuda Triangle). After having completed their objective, Flight 19 was scheduled to take them due east for an additional 67 miles. They never returned.

In 1955, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL-CIO under its first president, George Meany. 

In 1955, The Montgomery (Ala.) Bus Boycott began. Most of the 50,000 Black workers living in the city supported the boycott - after Rosa Park's arrest - by walking, bicycling and car-pooling. The boycott was organized by the local chapter of the NAACP led by Pullman porter E. D. Edgar Nixon. 

In 1994, Republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades.

In 2012, Jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck died in Norwalk, Connecticut, a day before he would have turned 92. 

 In 2013, Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’s first Black president, died at age 95. 

In 2017, Democratic congressman John Conyers of Michigan resigned from Congress after a nearly 53-year career, becoming the first Capitol Hill politician to lose his job amid the sexual misconduct allegations sweeping through the nation’s workplaces.

In 2018, former President George H.W. Bush was mourned at a memorial service at Washington National Cathedral attended by President Donald Trump and former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter along with their spouses; former president George W. Bush was among the speakers.

In 2019, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she had asked relevant House committee chairs to begin drawing up articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

In 2021, Bob Dole, who overcame disabling war wounds to become a Senate leader from Kansas, a Republican presidential candidate and then a symbol of his dwindling generation of World War II veterans, died at age 98. (History.com 12/05/23)

Trial to stop JetBlue-Spirit merger

BOSTON - Lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department and JetBlue Airways are scheduled to make closing arguments Nov. 5 in a trial to determine whether JetBlue can buy Spirit Airlines, the nation’s biggest low-fare carrier. 

DoJ argues that the proposed $3.8B merger would hurt consumers by eliminating Spirit and its cheaper base fares, leaving fewer options for travelers on a budget. The government sued to block the deal in March.

JetBlue says it needs to buy Spirit to grow and compete better against bigger airlines.

There is no jury in the trial, which has stretched over several weeks and included testimony by the CEOs of both airlines. No ruling is expected Tuesday from U.S. District Judge William Young.

The trial represents another test for the Biden administration’s fight against consolidation in the airline industry. (The AP 12/05/23) Trial Will Determine Whether JetBlue Can Buy Spirit, Further Consolidating Industry - Biz New Orleans

Sending kids from school to ER

SALISBURY, Md. - Three times a week, on average, a police car pulls up to a school in Wicomico County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A student is brought out, handcuffed and placed inside for transport to a hospital emergency room for a psychiatric evaluation. 

In the last eight years, the process has been used at least 750 times on students. Some are as young as 5. 

Maryland law allows for these removals, known as petitions for emergency evaluation. It is meant to be limited to people with severe mental illness, who are endangering their lives or safety or someone else. It’s the first step toward getting someone involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. 

But advocates say schools across the country are sending children to ERs for psychiatric evaluations in response to behaviors prompted by bullying or frustrations. 

The ER trips, they say, follow months or years of their needs not being met. 

Black students are more frequently subjected to these removals than their peers, according to available data. 

Advocates point to students with disabilities also being removed at higher rates. “Schools focus on keeping kids out rather than on keeping kids in,” said Dan Stewart, managing attorney at the National Disability Rights Network. “I think that’s the fundamental crux of things. 

The practice isn’t just happening in Wicomico. 

Recent data shows NYC schools still call police to take children in emotional distress to the emergency room despite a 2014 legal settlement in which they agreed to stop the practice. 

A Kentucky school district was found to have used a psychiatric assessment on kids more than 1,000 times in a year. In Florida, thousands of school-aged children have been subjected to the Baker Act, the state’s involuntary commitment statute. 

In a settlement with the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights, the Stockton Unified School District in California agreed to protocols that require other interventions before referring students with disabilities for psychiatric evaluation. 

Baltimore City, for example, last year had 271 emergency petitions from schools, compared with Wicomico’s at least 117, according to data obtained from law enforcement. But Baltimore’s student population is five times as large. 

By law, certain classroom removals must be recorded with documented indicators of racial disparities in discipline. Schools are required by law to publicly report the data. which often triggers oversight and investigations.

With the exceptions of Florida and New York City, most places do not routinely collect information on removals from school for psychiatric assessments.

Without that data, there is no way to hold schools accountable, said Daniel Losen of the National Center for Youth Law. 

Other measures of exclusionary discipline remained high, including school arrests. In 2021-22, more than 75% of children arrested were Black and 80% were students with disabilities. 

Studies have found Black and Latino children who have a teacher of the same race have fewer suspensions and higher test scores. (The AP 12/04/23) Schools are sending kids with disabilities to ER for psych evaluations | AP News