NASA scrubbed today’s planned launch of its Orion space capsule. Despite the delay, the City Decatur will be closely watching the test launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. APR student reporter Josh Hoppenstein has more on north Alabama’s role in the blastoff…
United Launch Alliance in Decatur partnered up with NASA to build the Delta IV heavy rocket. The rocket will deliver the Orion capsule to space where it is set to orbit the earth twice. John Seymour is the President and CEO of the Decatur- Morgan County Chamber of Commerce. He feels that the people of Decatur are proud of all that United Launch Alliance has done for them…
“The community is really proud of this company. This company is not only a great employer and a great assist to our community, but they are tremendous corporate citizens they are really involved with things in the community.”
For APR news, I’m Josh Hoppenstein in Tuscaloosa.
The holiday season for many is a time for celebration and cheer, but apparently not everyone. The Tuscaloosa Veterans’ Affairs Medical center is offering a class this evening on how to cope with the holiday blues. Damon Stevenson is the spokesman for the Tuscaloosa V-A. He says this for those who feel down this time of year, this class can help…
“They may have lost loved ones or veterans may have lost comrades. It’s a sad time for some, so this class is primarily to help those who are going through those tough times, help give them coping skills to get through it.”
The class is part of an ongoing Community Education Series the VA began several years ago for veterans and their families. The hour long class begins at 6pm at the Tuscaloosa V-A medical center.
A new national report says federal spending in Alabama equals 29.5 percent of the state's gross domestic product.
That's the fifth highest rate among the states, according to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The report says Alabama's total federal spending for fiscal 2013 was $56.8 billion.
Retirement benefits, including Social Security, and non-retirement benefits, such as Medicare and food assistance, made up nearly two-thirds of the federal spending in Alabama.