I am getting ready for the District conference later this month so I have been busy.I will be one of two presenters for a four-hour block of instruction focusing on Public Affairs and Publications. I am also working on two newsletters so I have not been here much these past few days.

News from Tampa- yesterday the first flight in 62 years left Tampa for Cuba. Flights to Cuba are not yet available for tourists, but families can visit each other, businessmen can travel, and humanitarian travel- like to work in hospitals, etc., is opening up. I think it is remarkable. Clinton opened up limited travel to Cuba but the Busch Administration shut it down again. Even under Clinton, only two US airports had authority to fly into Cuba- Miami and Los Angeles. Tampa's flight was the first of the new flights authorized from twelve cities. For a city like Tampa with such a strong Cuban base, it was welcome news.

Three tropical storms/hurricanes are brewing- two in the Atlantic and one in the Gulf of Mexico. One (Maria) is due to pass near the US Virgin Islands tomorrow and they are on alert. Katia looks headed for Nova Scotia but it will hopefully blow itself out before making landfall.

On Sunday, I will be participating in a 9/11 Memorial service. There was so much focus on Firemen at the time (I think because so many died) that I am only now learning how much the Coast Guard was involved both on the water and on site. The Coast Guard is trained in hazardous waste detection and removal. They ferried thousands of people out of New York and helped remove contaminated waste after the attack. I can't even remember all they did, but 9/11 was the sort of event where everybody did what they could. I heard there is credible news of terrorist threat on 9/11. I hope we all stay safe.