Attention, travelers

Attention to you world travelers with your fancy STAR IDs (especially the ones planning that once-in-a-lifetime trip to Iran).

AL.com’s Leada Gore reports that the U.S. State Department has put Israel and Iran under a Do Not Travel advisory — which is an obvious move — and it’s also issued an alert to travelers anywhere over the possibility of demonstrations and violence.

After all, the entirety of world’s crazy isn’t limited to the Middle East and Interstate 65.

Of course, this is due to the conflicts involving Israel and Iran and in Gaza. Travel restrictions to Iran are nothing new, of course, but Israel is a popular destination for Americans. The State Department is advising U.S. citizens there or in the West Bank to take the first available way out of the country, even if it adds a leg to your trip back home.

Efforts are underway to fly Americans out of Israel, but land crossing should be available into Jordan and Egypt.

Those federal dollars

The impact of U.S. Space Force in North Alabama just became more real — possibly by millions of dollars — for one defense contractor.

The Space Test Experiments Program 2.0 will be awarding contracts totaling up to $237 million over the next 10 years to advance space technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense.

AL.com’s John R. Roby reports that Astrion of Huntsville is one of 12 companies across the nation that’ll be bidding on those contracts.

The companies will be building modular satellites and integrating them with various experimental payloads. The modular satellites will be made to be repaired and upgraded in space.

Sensitive information

Federal agents filed criminal charges against Ewa Maria Ciszak for allegedly removing classified documents from where she works, reports AL.com’s Scott Turner.

Ciszak was a civilian employee with the Department of Defense at the Missile Defense Agency.

The FBI is not painting this as a case of accidental mishandling. Agents said they saw her taking documents with classified markings from work on multiple occasions. They acquired a search warrant, say they saw Ciszak remove more documents, and then executed the warrant. Agents say they found classified material in her car, backpack and home.

According to court documents, Ciszak argued that she had removed sensitive information from the documents.

A track star

Janie Ford of St. Paul’s Episcopal School just finished quite a high school career. For the second year in a row she’s the Coastal Alabama Female Athlete of the Year, reports AL.com’s Arthur Mack.

Folks, Ford has won 20 individual state titles. She’s won the heptathlon three times. She’s the Gatorade Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

She polished off her prep career with four individual titles at the Class 7A outdoor state championships. Those events were the long jump, the 300-meter hurdles, the 200 and the 100-meter hurdles.

She has signed on to compete at Vanderbilt.

Picture That

Quoting

“This is what a peace maker and the leader of the free world does, (President Trump) steps in when both sides can’t agree and he gives them an offer they can’t refuse. He should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Bruce Pearl, Auburn University men’s basketball coach, on social media sharing a post from President Donald Trump announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran two days after the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear sites.

By the Numbers

$59,609

Alabama’s median household income in 2023, according to Census Bureau data.

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