USS ENTERPRISE Returned To Navy

NEWPORT NEWS — After spending two years at Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Newport News shipyard for its final major maintenance project, the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier was re-delivered to the Navy on Monday after successful sea trials.

The nation's oldest warship entered Hampton Roads harbor just after 1 p.m. Monday, its flight deck lined with sailors clad in dress whites to celebrate the completion of the ship's last dry-dock availability in Newport News.

Flanked by a four tugboats, the nearly 49-year-old matriarch of the U.S. fleet returned to pier at Naval Station Norfolk, where it will prepare for two final six-month deployments before it's decommissioned in 2013.

"Enterprise is as ready and capable as she has ever been throughout her 48 years," said Capt. Ron Horton, the ship's commanding officer. "For me, Enterprise is more than just the oldest active warship, she's the legend."

The Enterprise arrived at the shipyard in April 2008 for what was supposed to be a 16-month maintenance project estimated to cost $453.3 million. But the aging 1,101-foot giant, with its corroded pipes, tanks and hull, proved to be a much more formidable challenge.

The Navy spent nearly $662million on its 24 months of maintenance work, about 46 percent higher than the original price tag. Just last week, the service approved spending an additional $6.8 million to complete the project — the 12th time in 22 months it doled out more cash to fix unexpected problems.

"There's a lot of equipment from the 1950s still on board that no one makes anymore," said Dan Klemencic, Northrop's top-side construction director for the Enterprise project. "So what appears to be a minor problem can quickly become a major one."

Northrop fixed and repaired pipes, tanks, combat systems and electrical systems and made enhancements to the hull and mechanical systems.

Many problems weren't discovered until shipyard engineers and waterfront workers performed inspections and made repairs deep within the ship's hull.

In tanks and fuel and sewage pipes, for example, the yard found a significant amount of "good, old-fashioned rust," Klemencic said. In some cases, the only thing holding together sewage pipes was a buildup of calcification. In some fuel pipes, "we saw some significant holes" that either were patched or the pipe replaced, he said.

"We found more things than one could have possibly anticipated," said Jim Hughes, vice president of aircraft carrier overhauls at Northrop. "It's like the plumbing in an old home — the more you get in there, the more you find."

Built in Newport News and commissioned in 1961, the "Big E" is the world's first nuclear-powered carrier.

Over the past five decades, the Enterprise has spent several years in Newport News for maintenance projects, employing thousands of shipyard workers. That fact spawned the creation of an oft-repeated saying around the yard: "There are two kinds of people who work here: Those who have worked on the Enterprise, and those who will."

Northrop has a contract to provide all remaining maintenance on the ship. But when Enterprise left Newport News on Saturday morning for sea trials, it marked the last time the ship will be on the James River waterfront until it is deactivated and decommissioned in three years.

"This is an exciting day for us and the Navy," Hughes said. "But it's also very bittersweet."

The "Big E"

•Northrop completed the ship's final maintenance project Monday at a cost of $662 million.

•The project was delayed eight months and was 46 percent over budget, mostly because of unexpected problems due to its age.

•Enterprise is scheduled to make two final six-month deployments before a 2013 decommissioning.

•The world's first nuclear-powered carrier and the oldest in the U.S. fleet was built in Newport News and commissioned in 1961.

www.wtkr.com

NO Daytime Fires In Virginia Allowed

The Commonwealths 4 p.m. Burning Law goes into effect today, February 15 the start of spring fire season in Virginia. This law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day (Feb. 15 April 30) if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials.

A violation of this law is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine. In addition to the criminal violation, those who allow a fire to escape are liable for the cost of suppressing the fire as well as any damage caused to others property.

"Because people are the cause of more than 94 percent of wildland fires in the Commonwealth, the 4 p.m. burning law may be one of the most effective tools we have in the prevention of wildfires," said John Miller, director of resource protection at the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF). "Each late winter and early spring, downed trees, branches and leaves become forest fuels that increase the danger of a forest fire. By adhering to the law and not burning before 4 p.m., people are less likely to start a fire that threatens them, their property and the forests of Virginia."

In 2009, there were 837 wildfires that burned 7,494 acres of forest land in the Commonwealth. This was a 36 percent decrease in the number of wildland fires compared to the number (1,322) of fires in 2008. Similraly, the amount of acreage burned decreased 70 percent when compared to 25,704 acres that burned in 2008.

Periods of wet weather during the spring and fall fire seasons were a critical factor in reducing the number of wildfires. Of the fires that did occur, citizens burning debris or yard waste continue to be the leading cause of wildfire in Virginia. Arson and equipment use also make up the majority of the fires.

Fred Turck, VDOF forest protection coordinator, said, The leading cause of forest fires in Virginia is carelessness. An unattended fire, a discarded cigarette or a single match can ignite the dry fuels that are so prevalent in the early spring. Add a few days of dry, windy conditions and an escaped wildfire can quickly turn into a raging blaze.

"People living in most rural areas of Virginia are especially at risk," said Turck. "To take a quote from Smokey Bear, Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.'"

For more information on what you can do to protect yourself and your property; how to become "firewise," or to pick up a complete copy of the Forest Fire Laws, contact your local office of the Virginia Department of Forestry. You can also log on to www.dof.virginia.gov and click "Can I burn?"

The Virginia Department of Forestry protects and develops healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians. Headquartered in Charlottesville, the Agency has forestry staff members assigned to every county to provide service to citizens of the Commonwealth. VDOF is an equal opportunity provider.

With nearly 16 million acres of forestland and more than 144,000 Virginians employed in forestry, forest products and related industries, Virginia forests provide more than $27.5 Billion annually in benefits to the Commonwealth.
www.shoredailynews.com

Scott Rigell Addresses Blogs United

Congressional candidate Scott Rigell addresses bloggers and others at the Blogs United conference at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia

Homecoming Dance Rape (brutal)

"YO"Al, Jessy, MSM, where's you at?
The school is poorly lit and their security do not work and are at least a week away from being repaired.

Richmond police have arrested a second suspect in connection with the two-hour gang rape of a semiconscious 15-year-old outside her homecoming dance at Richmond High, authorities said Monday night.

Police arrested and booked a 15-year-old student from Richmond High for felony sexual assault and are continuing to actively search for other suspects - both juveniles and adults - through the night, Detective Ken Greco said. The boy's name and grade level were not released.

The suspect was one of two students in custody for questioning early Monday evening, Greco said. Authorities have already arrested 19-year-old Manuel Ortega as he ran from the crime scene, police say.

Authorities said people took photos,laughed and some joined in as the girl was repeatedly assaulted. The victim, a student, remained hospitalized Monday with injuries that were not life-threatening.

"She was raped, beaten, robbed and dehumanized by several suspects who were obviously OK enough with it to behave that way in each other's presence," said Lt. Mark Gagan, a patrol supervisor in the city's Northern Policing District. "What makes it even more disturbing is the presence of others. People came by, saw what was happening, and failed to report it."

Read more HERE

Chincoteague Considers New Dog Ordinance

Chincoteague Town Attorney Jon C. Poulson will study Accomack County’s newly passed dog ordinance before recommending it to Chincoteague Town Council. Officials said the change is needed to extend the town’s rules beyond leash or running-at-large restrictions.

Chincoteague Police Chief Eddie Lewis told council Monday, “We’ve not had that many vicious dogs.” He said there were only two in the last decade and both were “put down.”

“I don’t think we need to just discuss this one,” said Councilman Terry Howard, who recently was threatened by two dogs. “We need to give it more consideration … I’m not taking this lightly. If one child were taken down by one of these dogs … the money (for training and equipment) would be well spent. You either act or react. It’s too late after it does happen.”

Poulson said there are three categories of dogs: vicious, dangerous and running at large. The owners of the ones designated as dangerous by the court must post signs on their property and take out a liability policy for $100,000. The court generally orders that a vicious dog be killed, Poulson said.

The council should “adopt a parallel ordinance,” the attorney continued. “I want to make sure it is appropriate and who will enforce it. I want to look at the thing and fine-tune it.”

Councilman Jim Frese was against spending town funds for animal control since the county already provides the service.

VIA

Democrats Disenfranchising Soldiers... Again

One of the most unseemly displays of the 2000 election was the disgusting sight of Al Gore's lawyers high-fiving each other after disqualifying hundreds of military ballots on minor technicalities.

In 2004 and 2008, the Democrat governors of the states of Washington and Pennsylvania also did their best to make sure active duty soldiers did not receive absentee ballots in time to vote.

And, just this week, the state of Virginia --- whose governor also happens to be the chairman of the Democrat National Committee --- went to court to disenfranchise military voters in that state's upcoming elections.

The Virginia State Board of Elections argued in their most recent filing that they have no legal obligation to send out military absentee ballots in a timely manner. Restated, the State of Virginia has argued in a federal court filing that they can legally send out absentee ballots to active duty soldiers the day before an election. Restated again, the Democratic Chairwoman of the Virginia State Board of Election (appointed by the Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kaine, in his capacity as Virginia Governor) Jean Cunningham just claimed a legal basis for massively raising the barrier to voting for soldiers at war.

Disgusting, but this is how Democrats operate. They oppose common sense ID requirements that would protect against vote fraud, while disenfranchising the votes of men and women serving in the military.

VIA

Strange Lights in the Sky

For anyone that saw the bright lights in the sky Saturday evening just after dark it wasn't a visit from aliens. I heard a deep rumble, similar to thunder, from not too far away, but thought nothing of it until I got a phone call from my son concerning any rocket launches from NASA. From Assateague beach on the Maryland side a huge bright light was seen and then just poofed into a white cloud. Well, that must have been an interesting sight.



Turns out NASA successfully launched the Black Brant XII rocket from the launch pad located in Wallops Island, Virginia. The rocket was designed to gather data on the highest clouds in the atmosphere. NASA hopes that the experiment will give them useful information regarding the properties and formation of the clouds, named noctilucent clouds, which occur in the higher altitudes.




So there you have it! Lots of people living in the Northeast (even as far away as Boston) saw the lights. Many people reported the sightings to news stations, as I guess I would have too. But, sorry, no aliens, just NASA.



And that's a good thing.