Look for More Military Jets Overhead in March As Base Welcomes F-16S » Gov

WEEKLY DIGEST FEBRUARY 7, 2020

LOOK FOR MORE MILITARY JETS OVERHEAD IN MARCH AS BASE WELCOMES F-16S » GOV. NEWSOM PROPOSES NEW PLAN FOR MANAGING WATER » BLOOMBERG SAYS HE’S READY TO BOUNCE ‘BULLY’ TRUMP » GV Wire/Randy Reed JETS OVERHEADINMARCHAS Skylar Bautista wide mission.”—Capt. our airsuperiorityworld- more traintoeverydayis our largermissionthatwe “The secondandprobably the localsquadron’s mascot. This year’s version will It’s areference to themythical beastthat serves as In thepast,exercise was calledSentry Griffin. Name theExercise. Win aCommemorative Patch. point,” hesaid. ly, not really any kindof impactfrom anoisestand no’s Air Guard pilots, Bautista noted. “So, hopeful quieter thanthetwin-engine F-15s flown by Fres- gle-engine F-16 Fighting Falcons are somewhat aircraft taking off withusas well,” hesaid. Thesin- seeing every day. You may seeoneor two larger with theF-15s that (localresidents) are usedto they will lookdifferent andthey willbetaking off “It really shouldn’t bemuchmore thannormal,but pilot with thelocalbase’s 194thFighter Squadron. taking off every day, saidCapt. Skylar Bautista, a area of Fresno andClovis will seeafew more jets “During theexercise, peopleinthesurrounding More Fighter Jets Flying Over Fresno turn After Historic Deployment Related Story: Lemoore Navy Fighter Squadrons Re- training, which beginsMarch 17. Air Station Lemoore may alsoparticipate inthe ing event. Pilots from Holloman Air Force Base in come up with anew namefor themulti-unittrain- al Guard baseare lookingfor thepublic’s helpto Wing. And officials from the California Air Nation- unique joint exercise with Fresno’s 144thFighter local skiesfor two weeks inMarch. It’s partof a A squadron of Air Force F-16s will streak across February 6,2020|Randy Reed READ MORE » LOCAL LOOK FORMOREMILITARY BASE WELCOMESF-16S Aircraft from Naval Fresno baseeachday. off andlanding at the Eagle pilots, taking alongside localF-15 New Mexico will fly - - ther in. And theninfurther engagements in the... lish dominance inthat domain,then we’ll pushfur try,” Bautista explained. “If we do well and we estab- Ocean. And we have to fight our way into that coun- aggressor to anation that might beonthe Pacific (simulating) beingthe io. “We are basically authentic war scenar to simulate amore tions willallow pilots Desert. Both loca and intheMojave the California coast ercises will happenoff The actualcombat ex noons, Bautista said. mornings andafter twice each day, inthe will take off for their missionsand return for landings During thetwo weeks of exercises, thesquadrons Day Launchesfrom Air Base patch thepilots will wear duringtheexercise. Two a Friday. The winner will receive acopy of theuniform via the144thFighter Wing’s Facebook page through rable name with alocalflavor. Ideas are beingtaken ing.” Bautista said Fresno needsanequally memo that isalsoreally attractive andthey offer great train- “For ashortamount of time,they dothis exercise Super Bowl Flyover Related Story: NAS Lemoore Pilots Will Make Historic mendous dustcloudsacross thedesert. “haboob squadron. They do‘Haboob Havoc,’” Bautista said. A “For instance, in Arizona, there’s an(F-16) Viper want to emphasize with amore innovative name. introduce new training elements that baseofficials ” isapowerful wind storm that kicksuptre - - - - - Bautista limitations.” mander —hasallthesame enemy forceandacom- in chargeofsimulatingan which willhavesomeone The badguys,sotospeak, for thewholeexercise. can’t usemorethanthat missiles, bullets,andyou amount ofpilots,aircraft, speak, haveacertain is, thegoodguys,soto “What we’regoingtodo GV WireWeekly Digest3 — Capt.Skylar - - ‘DON’T LAUGH AT ME’ SHOWS FRESNO YOUNGSTERS HOW TO DEAL WITH BULLIES February 5, 2020 | Nancy Price Ishan Singh and his friends have been bullied because of their Sikh religion. Dao Yang was called a nerdy over-achiever. Kaylee Gudino got picked on because of her looks — in the second grade. Most members of the Sunnyside High School bullying prevention club, Don’t Laugh at Me (also known as DLAM), can recall being made fun of, or even abused, by a bully at some point in their lives.

And they draw on those memories and experiences in crafting performances that they take each year to elementary schools across Fresno Unified, to let younger kids know what they should do when a bully picks on someone. Club adviser Cyndi Mello started the first Don’t Laugh at Me club in 2001 when she was a “novice” teacher at Fowler High School and, in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting massacre, wanted to do something to help students feel like they belonged. The concept for Don’t Laugh at Me stemmed from a class writing assignment and the 1998 song with the same name, says...

Shutterstock

WHERE SHOULD FRESNO’S DOES BRAND THINK DYER IS THE MAN? CHECKBOOK HOMELESS GO? ARIAS AND SAYS SO. DYER DUKE IT OUT. GV WIre Jahz Tello February 4, 2020 | David Taub While Fresno Mayor Lee Brand won’t come out and directly say February 5, 2020 | David Taub he is endorsing Jerry Dyer as his successor, his dollars may do the talking for him. Brand contributed $20,000 from his cam- Mayoral candidate Jerry Dyer and a trio of city councilmem- area is where the city opened five new shelters in the last paign account to the independent expenditure effort run by bers agree on two things about the homelessness issue in year. That is on top of homeless service providers such as the the Fresno Chamber of Commerce to elect Dyer for mayor and Fresno — it is a crisis and the top issue in the March 3 elec- Poverello House and Fresno Rescue Mission. “Our constitu- Nathan Alonzo for City Council. The mayor certainly has cash tion. But, in a news conference on Wednesday, the coun- ents are done being dumped on. Enough is enough. It is time on hand to donate. At the end of 2019, he had $430,833 in his cilmembers criticized Dyer’s plan for navigation centers — es- for the rest of Fresno to do their part,” said Arias, who rep- account. He is not running for reelection. sentially a singular location with beds and services. resents the area on the council. Dyer, the former police chief, challenged Arias’ analysis of the situation. Dyer said that plac- The chamber’s account can advocate for its candidates in any Esmeralda Soria, Miguel Arias, and Nelson Esparza say such ing a navigation center near existing service locations makes way, as long as it does not coordinate with them. So far, they’ve centers are too large and should not be placed in downtown perfect sense. printed materials left at doorsteps and spent money on digital Fresno, where many homeless services are concentrated. They ads. On the other side, Rising Together, No on Dyer for May- suggested smaller homeless centers throughout the city in- “It seems reasonable,” Dyer said. “All we are asking is we have or 2020 picked up another check from a California legislator. stead. In turn, Dyer held his own news conference afterward. an ability to house individuals, to centrally locate services so Assemblyman Rob Bonta’s campaign contributed $1,000. City “What have they done? I will answer it for you. Nothing,” said they can be productive citizens again … is that too much to elected officers and candidates filed their fundraising figures Dyer, who dismissed the councilmembers’ criticism as a politi- ask for us as a city?” Arias cast doubts that a navigation center, for 2019. Because of the primary moving to March, the 2019 cal stunt. Arias said the location in the downtown/Chinatown like those used in San Diego, would be effective. He vowed... figures came in after the filings were due for fundraising in...

4 GV Wire Weekly Digest READ MORE » READ MORE » GV Wire/Jahz Tello Shutterstock Gavin Newsom ous waterfuture.”—Gov. a secureandprosper- binaries andsetusupfor move pasttheoldwater forward, onethatwill tion isproposingapath “Today, myAdministra- READ MORE » Salmon Association said,the framework didnot ad- Also, John McManus, president of theGolden State The Agreements Would Be inPlace for Next 15 Years Tunnel Project Related Story: Gov. Gavin Newsom Restarts Giant Water so far ithasnot doneso. would suethefederal government over thoserules,but out of thedelta. The Newsom administration saidit tion announced new rulesthat would take more water groups were skeptical. Last year, the Trump administra- announcing theframework. But someenvironmental prosperous water future,” Newsom wrote inanop-ed the old water usupfor binaries and set asecure and is proposing apath forward, that one movewill past from environmental groups.” “Today, my Administration on populations and other threatened speciesthat live and prevent programs to boostsagging designed salm- mental groups. Those lawsuits drag can onfor years are often challenged in court by farmers or environ- has governed water usage byrules that rules— issuing state’s scarce water resources.Historically, California Gov. Newsom isauniqueapproach to the managing provements. The framework announced Tuesday by than $5billioninnew fundingfor environmental im- of habitat for endangered andgenerating species more San Joaquin River Delta while restoring 60,000acres on Tuesday that would keep more water inthefragile SACRAMENTO —Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed aplan February 5,2020| AP News NEW PLANFORMANAGING GOV. NEWSOMPROPOSES STATE “partnership andoversight tween thetwo sides with “voluntary agreements” be agencies tocome up with negotiating with water administration hasbeen past year theNewsom issuing new rules,for the in thedelta.Instead of - al flows would beless during wet years. More water... would cover one acre to adepth of onefoot. Addition- 325,000 gallons,theamount of irrigation water that or above normal.One acre foot of water more is than feet in years when conditionsare dry, below normal ter flowing through thedelta by up to 900,000 acre The framework would increase theamount of wa- State’s Endangered Salmon Population More Water Means aBetter Environment for the irrigation for farmers throughout thestate. vides drinking water for of millions people as well as snowmelt inthe Sierra Nevadamountains andpro- than years of litigation.” Water inthedelta comes from is far better for California’s andenvironment people uses balancing thebeneficial of water from the Sierra Southern California. “A shared, voluntary approach to general manager of theMetropolitan Water District of al water for theenvironment,”said Jeffrey Kightlinger, “This isapromising stepthat resultwill inaddition- third-party scientific review. theStategal issues.Plus, Water board mustconduct a ished yet. Both sidesstillhave to finish policy andle- be inplace for thenext 15 years. But they are not fin- agencies toresolve theissue. The agreements would stressed thegoal isto continue working with federal file alawsuit if their concernsare not addressed. He negotiating withthe federal government andcanstill cy, saidthestate isstill Resourcesural Agen for theCalifornia Nat- Crowfoot, secretary McManus said. Wade day’s announcement,” signals coming from to- are definitely worrisome year when salmon needcold water to survive. “There dress temperature controls for river the at thetime of - WATER som goal.” —Gov.GavinNew- dational tomeetingthat agreements willbefoun- ulation by2050.These California’s salmonpop- achieving adoublingof “I amcommittingto GV WireWeekly Digest7 CAN DOG ‘SLEUTHS’ SNIFF OUT CALIFORNIA CITRUS DISEASE? February 5, 2020 | AP News WASHINGTON — Dog detectives might be able to help save ailing citrus groves, research published Monday suggests. Scientists trained dogs to sniff out a crop disease called citrus greening that has hit orange, lemon and grapefruit or- chards in Florida, California and Texas. The dogs can detect it weeks to years before it shows up on tree leaves and roots, the researchers report.

“This technology is thousands of years old – the dog’s nose,” said Timothy Gottwald, a researcher with the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture and a co-author of the study. “We’ve just trained dogs to hunt new prey: the bacteria that causes a very damaging crop disease.” Dog sleuths are also faster, cheaper and more accurate than people collecting hundreds of leaves for lab analysis, according to the study in the Pro- ceedings of National Academies of Sciences. Citrus greening — also called huanglongbing — is caused by a bacteria that is spread by a tiny insect that feeds on the leaves and stems...

Tim R. Gottwald/USDA via AP

PG&E CLEARS ANOTHER BANKRUPTCY HURDLE WITH CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTERS DEBT REFINANCING February 4, 2020 | AP News RETURN FROM BATTLING SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge on Tuesday approved a settlement that moves Pacific Gas & Electric closer to getting AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez out of bankruptcy, but the troubled utility still must navigate AUSTRALIA FIRES nettlesome obstacles being put up by the state of California. February 5, 2020 | AP News Related Story: Bill Seeks State Takeover of PG&E LOS ANGELES — Twenty firefighters from California re- to fight Australia’s devastating blazes. Marvin Schober, 46, turned to the United States on Wednesday after spending planned to surprise his brother, Capt. Leonard Dimaculangan, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali signed off on a deal to nearly a month battling wildfires in Australia. at the fire station. refinance billions of dollars in debt to pay off PG&E bondholders. The bondholders had threatened to cause problems for Related Story: Meet the California Firefighters Helping Austra- “Those guys are superheroes,” Schober said as he waited the nation’s largest utility. As part of the truce, the bondhold- lia Battle Epic Bush Fires with a GoPro camera to capture his brother’s reaction. The ers agreed to abandon an alternative plan for getting PG&E returning firefighters — 18 men and two women — worked out of bankruptcy and support the company’s blueprint in- The firefighters based at Angeles National Forest arrived at on different crews in Australia. stead. In the past few months, PG&E has also negotiated set- Los Angeles International Airport and were scheduled to re- tlements totaling $25.5 billion to appease homeowners, busi- unite with their families at a city fire station. Angeles National Forest sprawls over more than 1,090 nesses, insurers and government agencies who had claimed square miles of the San Gabriel Mountains, which form a wil- more than $50 billion in losses from a series of catastrophic The group had worked with the Victoria Rural Fire Service derness backdrop to metropolitan Los Angeles... wildfires blamed on the utility’s dilapidated electrical grid...

8 GV Wire Weekly Digest READ MORE » READ MORE » AP File Photo: Shutterstock AP FilePhoto

GV WIre/Jahz Tello Bloomberg dential candidateMike ican issues.”—Presi- Latino issuesareAmer- are Latinoissues.And, “Central Valleyissues READ MORE » After his Fresno stop, heheaded to Compton. tered jet. In themorning,heappeared inSacramento. paigned throughout California onMonday usingachar the second of three stops for Bloomberg, who cam- did not offer many specifics for hisplans. Fresno was cannot afford another four years of this craziness.” He Latino issuesare American issues,” Bloomberg said.“We inequality. “Central Valley issuesare Latino issues. And, ditionally his efforts onclimate change, air quality, and Bloomberg touched onbroad goals of hiscampaignin Speech About Broad Goals fight,” Bloomberg said. I’ve never backed down from abully or ran away from a Trump’s insultsdon’t bother me…I’maNew Yorker and wages or theenvironment, you resort to insults.Donald “When you can’t defend your record onhealthcare or that he was thecandidate who could defeat him. called Trump abully. He told thereceptive audience Several speech, timesduringhis20-minute Bloomberg Sunday. per Bowl interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Trump commented onBloomberg’s height inapre-Su- way (handsmotioningdown),” upand Bloomberg said. (motioning withhishandsside to side) instead of this Unfortunately, when I’mgrowing, I’mgrowing this way Fresno City College. “I’mstillgrowing. Istill have hopes. cracks abouthisstature duringaspeechMonday at and Democratic presidential candidate madehis own deter Mike Bloomberg. The billionaire businessman President Donald Trump’s hisheight insultsabout didn’t February 3,2020|David Taub IN FRESNO, BLOOMBERG IN FRESNO,BLOOMBERG BOUNCE ‘BULLY’TRUMP curb gun violence. He ad- York City andhiseffort to served asmayor of New ing teacher pay while he ing. He highlighted rais - Administration Build- the courtyard at theOld SAYS HE’S READY TO SAYS HE’SREADYTO - U.S. providing lunch today for allthose who came... a civicslesson. “He’s not hisfinances.withholding He’s students appeared more interested inafree mealthan ing to attract a crowd. While it worked for some, several the courtyard entrance, actinglike carnival barkers hop- free taco truckfrom El Jaliscience. Volunteers stood at ing. Bloomberg triedto entice students to attend witha crowed, weather (hovering inthe40s) notwithstand- drew many party insiders, andamore button-upped audience with few elected or party officials. Bloomberg up of thecrowd alsodiffered. Sanders drew a younger drawing 2,700inNovember at college. the The make- Bloomberg’s speech,far smaller than Bernie Sanders School officials estimated 200people about attended Students More Interested inFood Truck up plan,” Gudino said. trist wing of theparty’s chance at a very reliable back- if frontrunner Joe Biden falls. “This isprobably thecen- political podcasthost,said Bloomberg could betheman Gudino, aFresno City College student andone-time of thespeechbetween her classesat Fresno City. Isaac — anavowed Bernie Sanders supporter —caught part woman Jewel Hurtado Even Kingsburg council Tubbs was there, too. Stockton Mayor Michael introduced Bloomberg. Mayor Sam Liccardo and current San Jose Antonio Villaraigosa also turnedoutinFresno. Former Los Angeles Mayor The Democratic establishment locally andstatewide Esmeralda Soria alsodroppedfor in partof theevent. ready to endorse. Councilmembers Miguel Arias and Mike Karbassi, who saidhe was impressed not but watch thespeech,along with city council colleague Fresno City Councilman Luis Chavez was onhandto Establishment Watches, if Not Supports Bloomberg - team opened. Bloomberg’s campaign one of20officesstatewide month, ledbyChavez.Itis ers atsalariesof$6,000a no, hiring15localstaff- campaign officeinFres- Bloomberg openeda GV WireWeekly Digest11 PELOSI SHREDS TRUMP’S SPEECH. RIGHT THERE ON THE PODIUM. February 5, 2020 | AP News WASHINGTON — And then she tore up the speech. No sooner had President Donald Trump finished his State of the Union address than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped the paper it was printed on in two. Right there, on camera, behind Trump’s back. As he stepped down, she ripped again. Then a third time. And a fourth. If Trump knew about the American carnage going on behind him, he didn’t react as he left. But Pelosi was on her turf, with a deep understanding of her audience — and she wasn’t finished.

In case any confusion remained, Pelosi held up what remained of the address to her family in the gallery, in full view of reporters. “It was a manifesto of mistruths,” Pelosi told reporters as she left the Capitol. The ripping was not planned, according to a person close to the Democratic speaker who was unauthorized to speak publicly. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said Wednesday that Pelosi told House Democrats...

AP/Alex Brandon

SELF-DRIVING DELIVERY VEHICLES CAN BYPASS AT PRAYER BREAKFAST, HUMAN-DRIVER SAFETY TRUMP DECRIES ‘DISHONEST February 6, 2020 | AP News DETROIT — For the first time, the U.S. government’s high- AP/ Evan Vucci way safety agency has approved a company’s request to de- AND CORRUPT’ PEOPLE ploy a self-driving vehicle that doesn’t meet federal safety standards that apply to cars and trucks driven by humans. February 6, 2020 | AP News The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted temporary approval for Silicon Valley robotics company Nuro WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump unleashed his through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt to run low-speed autonomous delivery vehicles that were fury against those who tried to remove him from office at people,” Trump said at the annual event. His airing of griev- designed so they can’t carry humans. a prayer breakfast Thursday, a day after his acquittal by the ances came hours before he was to deliver a full response to Senate in his impeachment trial. the impeachment vote at the White House surrounded by Nuro’s vehicles won’t be required to have side and rear-view supporters. mirrors and other safety provisions. Also not on the safety Speaking from a stage where he was joined by congressio- feature list; windshield wipers, steering wheels or brake ped- nal leaders, including Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pe- “They have done everything possible to destroy us and by als. The vehicles previously were subject to federal standards losi, who led the impeachment charge against him, Trump so doing very badly hurt our nation,” said Trump, who trium- for low-speed vehicles that travel under 25 miles per hour. shattered the usual veneer of bipartisanship at the National phantly held up copies of two newspapers with banner “AC- Those didn’t need steering wheels or brake pedals and didn’t Prayer Breakfast in Washington. “As everybody knows, my QUITTED” headlines as he took the stage. His remarks w ere have to have human backup drivers. Nuro’s battery-powered family, our great country and your president have been put especially jarring and whiplash-inducing coming after a... vehicles can be monitored and controlled remotely by a...

12 GV Wire Weekly Digest READ MORE » READ MORE » Nuro via AP AP File ments asillegal. which viewsthesettle- ternational community, held bymuchofthein- to peace.Thatpositionis war —asamajorobstacle seized byIsraelinthe1967 Jerusalem —territories Bank andannexedeast settlements intheWest The Palestiniansviewthe READ MORE » were seized in a “defensive war” in1967and that Israel case. It adopts theIsraeli positionthat the territories international law, effectively saying Israel isaspecial ments asillegal. The Trump seems to plan brushaside of the international community, which views thesettle- major obstacleto peace. That isheld position by much — territories seized by Israel inthe1967 war —asa ments inthe West Bank andannexed east Jerusalem unveiled lastmonth. The Palestinians view thesettle- ly announced at the White House when theplan was ue to control theentire territory,” Netanyahu proud- rest of the West Bank, “theIsraeli military will contin- reside, as well asthestrategic Jordan Valley. As for the ments inthe West Bank, where over 460,000Israelis The plan would allow Israel to keep allits Jewish settle- Palestinians Related Story: Trump Peace Plan Delights Israelis, Enrages state indanger of beingbitterly extinguished. ians, who seetheir aspirations for a viableindependent achievement. The initiative has infuriated the Palestin- pense of another. It often formalizes military occupa forcible acquisition of territory by onestate at the ex not under international law, whichdescribesitasthe that way at times throughout history.human Certainly most never isitanactof peace, though ithasbeencast Annexation, at itsheart,isa byproduct of conflict. Al- February 4,2020| AP News WORLD IN BLESSING ANNEXATION, IN BLESSINGANNEXATION, INTERNATIONAL NORM have hailedasahistoric his hawkish supporters Benjamin Netanyahu and plan, which Prime Minister Donald Trump’s Mideast the blessingof President occupied West Bank with annex a vast swath of the War II.Israel ispoisedto made itillegalafter World tion. The United Nations TRUMP ERODES AN TRUMP ERODESAN - - political obstacles, including an apparentpolitical obstacles, includingan push for... nex territory, butIsrael’s race to act onitfaces legaland Trump plangives Israel to permission immediately an - annexations, breaking withdecades of U.S. policy. The militarily. The Trump administration hasendorsed both recapture the Golan, butisnot inany position to doso ership has vowed for more than50 years that it will captured from Syria inthe1967 war. The Syrian lead- Heights, which ithad it annexed theGolan unified capital. In 1981 ing theentire city asits after seizingit,claim east Jerusalem shortly objections. It annexed first time Israel hasannexed territory over international aura to itbecauseit’s illegal,” hesaid.It wouldn’t bethe a non-partisanthinktank. “Annexation hasanegative Cohen, alegalexpert at the Israel Democracy Institute, tion withtheinternational community,” said Amichai Mandate is“simply a way to try to avoid aconfronta- to territory inthe West Bank becauseof thePalestine Palestinian territory. Israel’s that claim ithastheright views the West Bank andeast Jerusalem asoccupied neighbors. Today mostof theinternational community tack in1967at atime of soaring tensions withits Arab captured theterritories launched asurpriseatwhen it - took over the West Bank andeast Jerusalem. Israel tian forces took control of the Gaza Strip and Jordan In the1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, Egyp- ‘Annexation Has a Negative Aura’ without specifyingitsboundaries. promised to establishahomefor the Jewish people, el, the West Bank andGaza, and where theBritish had Palestine Mandate, whichincluded what isnow Isra- extend sovereignty over any partof theBritish-ruled widely disputed. Israeli law allows thegovernment to has “valid legalandhistorical claims” to them, which is - non-partisan thinktank el DemocracyInstitute,a a legalexpertattheIsra- illegal.” —AmichaiCohen, tive auratoitbecauseit’s “Annexation hasanega- GV WireWeekly Digest15 UNKNOWNS OF THE NEW VIRUS MAKE GLOBAL QUARANTINES A STRUGGLE February 5, 2020 | AP News SEOUL, South Korea — Health authorities are scrambling to halt the spread of a new virus that has killed hundreds in Chi- na, restricting visitors from the country and confining thousands on cruise ships for extensive screening after some pas- sengers tested positive. But with important details about the illness and how it spreads still unknown, officials and medical personnel are struggling.

Governments have rushed to get their citizens out of China, which is orchestrating history’s largest anti-viral campaign by blocking 50 million people from leaving Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, and nearby areas. A growing number of Chi- nese cities are discouraging people from even leaving their apartments. Villages have blocked entry points with piles of dirt and rubble, while businesses and offices remain closed indefinitely. As Beijing’s authoritarian leadership faces ques- tions over having kept its citizens in the dark for weeks before infections started to explode, other countries are...

AP/Maxim Slutsky

AP EXCLUSIVE: BORDER APPREHENSIONS DROP 8 ASTRONAUT CHRISTINA KOCH STRAIGHT MONTHS RETURNS FROM RECORD February 4, 2020 | AP News WASHINGTON — The number of border apprehensions has Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool Photo via AP dropped for the eighth straight month, following crackdowns SETTING SPACEFLIGHT by the Trump administration that include forcing asylum February 6, 2020 | AP News seekers back over the U.S.-Mexico border to wait out their claims, a Homeland Security official said Monday. The offi- MOSCOW — NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who spent important since NASA plans to return to the moon under the cial said the number of encounters with border officials over nearly 11 months in orbit to set a record for the longest Artemis program and prepare for the human exploration of the past four months was 165,000. A year earlier during the spaceflight by a woman, landed safely Thursday in Kazakh- Mars. Koch smiled and gave a thumbs-up as a support team same time it was about 242,000. The official spoke to The stan along with two International Space Station crewmates. helped her out of the capsule and placed her in a chair for a Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the offi- quick post-flight check-up alongside her crew mates. cial results have not been released. The Soyuz capsule carrying Koch, station Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Russian cos- Russian space officials said they were in good shape. Koch, The tally for the month of January was about 36,000, includ- monaut Alexander Skvortsov, touched down southeast of who grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and now lives ing apprehensions of people crossing illegally and migrants Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at 3:12 p.m. (0912 GMT). Koch near the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Texas, with her hus- who were declared inadmissible by border officers at a port wrapped up a 328-day mission after her first flight into band, Bob, told The Associated Press last month that taking of entry . It was a 10 percent decline from December. The space, providing researchers the opportunity to observe the part in the first all-female spacewalk was the highlight of her steep decline will almost certainly figure heavily into Presi- effects of long-duration spaceflight on a woman. The study is mission. Koch said she and fellow NASA astronaut Jessica... dent Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday...

16 GV Wire Weekly Digest READ MORE » READ MORE » AP/Cedar Attanasio SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

GV WIre/Randy Reed