I am curious about why the software-driven innovation Uber is not in Lake Charles. The City Council obviously thought the Uber concept was a good idea, because it recently passed an ordinance to lift barriers that would restrict the launch of such a service.

If you enter the Lake Charles ZIP code on Uber’s website, you can fill out a form and register to become a driver. But Lake Charles is not among the many cities listed on that website offering Uber service. Why not?

How does Uber decide when to start contracting with drivers in Lake Charles? Do they wait until they have a sufficient number of people registered to drive in Lake Charles? Or do they select certain cities on some other basis?

A company official told a writer for Vice’s Motherboard blog in May that Uber bases its site decisions on several factors, including the availability and cost of public transit and taxi service, along with demand, as measured by the use of the company’s app and the willingness of people to sign up to drive in unserved areas.

Uber spokeswoman Evangeline George alluded to the latter in an email sent to The Informer last week.

“Uber is always interested in bringing safe, reliable transportation options to new cities,” George wrote. “As we explore launching Uber in a community, we welcome more and more people signing up for this flexible work opportunity.”

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Online: www.uber.com.

Vessel at Pearl Harbor second USS Halsey

I was in the Navy in 1965. In your paper today, I see where the USS Halsey was in Hawaii. I heard that the Halsey was decommissioned, and I was wondering if this was a new Halsey or if this was the same one.

The USS Halsey referred to in the paper is different from the USS Halsey that was in service during the Vietnam War. Both vessels bear the name of Fleet Adm. William F. Halsey Jr., who died in 1959.

The first Halsey, originally a guided-missile destroyer leader and later a guided-missile cruiser, was commissioned in July 1963 and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in January 1994.

The ship’s crew earned eight battle stars for service in Vietnam, along with a Navy Unit Commendation and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

The second Halsey, a guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned in July 2005 and is based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

“In February 1942, then Vice Adm. Halsey, while serving as commander, Carrier Division 2 aboard USS Enterprise (CV 6), led the first counter-strikes of World War II against the Japanese with carrier raids on the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. Later that year, his task force launched the famous ‘Doolittle Raid’ against targets on the Japanese homeland,” reads a Defense Department news release issued days before the second ship’s commissioning.

“Assigned as commander, South Pacific Force and South Pacific Area Oct. 18, 1942, Halsey led the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army forces that conquered the strategically important Solomon Islands. Subsequently, as commander, 3rd Fleet, his task forces consistently won hard fought victories during campaigns in the Philippines, Okinawa, and other islands.”

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Online: www.nvr.navy.mil.

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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.