OM wrote:
...Last week I spent a few days in Houstopolis, and managed to steak a
few minutes up at JSC. Over at Space Center Disney, they had an area
marked off for some speech the Governor was giving, and on display was
a model of Lockmart's dual-engine CEV concept, complete with LES. I'll
post a few of those picks later on in the week when time permits, but
what I'm curious about is what the Governor's speech was about. I've
found *nothing* on any of the Houston news sites, and nothing at all
on the AP wires. Anyone hear anything about this?

OM


http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divi...006-09-20.3437

Sep. 20, 2006
Perry: 1,000 New High-Paying Jobs Coming to Houston Area

TEF Grant Ensures Lockheed Martin Will Create New Jobs in Houston

HOUSTON - Gov. Rick Perry today announced a $7.5 million Texas
Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant to Lockheed Martin, which will bring about
1,000 new high-paying jobs to the Houston area. The TEF grant ensures
that Lockheed Martin will create these jobs in the Houston area after
they earned a multi-billon dollar contract from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration to build the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle, which will become the foundation of America's
next generation human spaceflight program.

"This expansion will be a strong addition to Houston's reputation
as one of the world's leading cities for the aerospace industry,"
Perry said. "In the future, Lockheed's larger presence could help
Houston attract other aerospace jobs because of the tendency of
likeminded employers to locate near one another."

State officials began working with Lockheed Martin and local officials
early this year to ensure that the highly sought-after contract went to
a company creating jobs in Texas.

"With the president's call for a renewed commitment to space
exploration a lot of other cities and states across the country have
been looking for a way to transport some of that prestige and some of
those jobs away from Texas," Perry said of the competition the
Houston area faced in competing for the NASA contract.

In addition to the 1,000 new jobs, which will pay about $65,000 a year,
Lockheed Martin will invest $68 million in the Texas economy.

"Those dollars will benefit the entire region as they make their way
to local shops and family pocketbooks," Perry said.

The legislature created the TEF in 2003 at Perry's request and
re-authorized the program in 2005. To date, the deal-closing fund has
helped the state secure projects that will bring more than 43,000 new
jobs to Texas and add $9 billion to the economy.

Since 2003, Texas has gained more than 650,000 net new jobs - one
reason it has been rated as having the best business climate in the
nation.

"I am proud that the city that helped put the first man on the moon
will also be the city that helps put the first man on Mars, and
destinations beyond," Perry said.