Army exercises option for 65 additional vehicles: The U.S. Army Contracting Command has exercised an option it had with Textron Marine & Land Systems to build 65 more armored security vehicles. The contract is valued at $49.6 million. To date, Slidell-based Textron has built 3,161 ASVs for the Army.
Will negotiate to end lockout: Two people familiar with the situation tell The Associated Press that negotiating teams for NFL owners and players are in Minneapolis and expected to resume talks aimed at ending a lockout now in its fourth month. Although it is not known when the sides would meet face-to-face, representatives for both groups arrived in Minneapolis on Monday. Who would be representing each side was also unknown; however, players were told last week the next set of talks would involve Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, several owners and players. On Monday a small group of players met with their attorneys in Minneapolis.
