Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of Feb. 28, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:
Water Woes Continue near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Military members and their families stationed in Hawaii are still working through months of contaminated drinking water. According to NPR, in January, the U.S. Navy agreed “to remove fuel from a massive underground storage tank facility near Pearl Harbor” that is believed to be the source of contamination.
The problem began in late November when reports of tap water smelling like fuel and “physical ailments, such as nausea and rashes,” occurred after drinking. Initially, the Navy claimed that a fuel spill was the cause, but even after the spill was cleaned up, the water remained contaminated. The water system “serves 93,000 people in residential homes, offices, elementary schools, and businesses in and around Pearl Harbor.” Currently, the Interagency Drinking Water System Team is working through flushing and testing water across the system. A public health advisory remains for all zones except Zone I (Red Hill Housing).
Visit the IDWST website for up to date information.
New Mexico Activates National Guard to Serve as Substitute Teachers
New Mexico’s Army National Guard has begun deploying soldiers to serve as substitute teachers, reported Federal News Network. About 80 troops have volunteered to work in schools. “The troops have gone through background checks and taken brief courses required for substitute teachers. As substitutes, they don’t have to learn much about curriculum, but they need to be attentive to students,” said Federal News Network. The shortages are blamed in part on a surge in Covid-19 cases coupled with state-wide teacher shortages due to a “surge of teacher retirements last fall.” New Mexico currently has approximately 1,000 open teaching positions.
Sergeant Major Students Now Eligible for Leadership and Workforce Development Certificate
The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence announced that “all students attending the Sergeants Major Course, both resident and distance learning, are now eligible to earn an undergraduate certificate in Leadership and Workforce Development from the Command and General Staff College.” This will be effective for the academic year 2021-2022. The certificate will benefit beyond their military careers to help civilian employers recognize transferable leadership skills.
Free Online Courses to Bolster Military Spouse Employment Skills
Military spouses can access free online courses on learning platform Udemy through June 29, 2022. Courses are on-demand and flexible and will help you enhance your current skills, learn new skills, and stay up to date on industry trends. Some classes are designed to help learners prepare for certifications in areas including copywriting, SEO, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, and more. Get started by contacting a SECO career center by calling 800-342-9647 or texting MilLife SECO to 468311. To learn more visit myseco.militaryonesource.mil.
Trevor Noah Named Featured Entertainer for White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Comedian Trevor Noah host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, has been announced as the featured entertainer for the White House Correspondents’ dinner on April 30, reported AP News. “The dinner is normally attended by prominent journalists, politicians, and celebrities, and it raises money for scholarships.”
This Week in History
Did you know that the common lore, “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb,” may not have originated with the weather? According WHDH News 7 in Boston, the phrase can be traced back to an astronomy reference of the constellations repositioning through the month as the seasons change. “Leo (the lion) rises in the east to start March and ends the month with the constellation Aries (the ram, or lamb) setting in the west.” March is considered a transitional season month for much of the United States, and similar versions of the idiom can be found across Europe. The Farmers’ Almanac lists other March-related weather phrases. My favorites are:
So many mists in March you see
So many frosts in May will be.
A dry March and a wet May
Fill barns and bays with corn and hay.
Your news reports really are some of my faves. Really appreciate the info about NM Guard being activated to serve as substitute teachers (we border NM here and my husband is technically stationed there now). Also, very cool about the origins of lion and the lamb (I always thought it was just focused on weather).