Blue Angels' F/A-18 Hornets Final Flight on Wednesday
This flight will mark the Blue Angels' official transition to F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
South Texas Community News - November 5, 2020
The Blue Angels’ F/A-18 Hornets will make their final flight next Wednesday.
The squadron will fly for the last time during a 30-minute flight over Florida and Alabama. Spectators can see the Blue Angles between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Wednesday at multiple spots after they take off from Naval Air Station Pensacola. This flight will mark the Blue Angels' official transition to F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
The Blue Angels are replacing the F/A-18C/D aircraft with 11 new Super Hornets by 2021, in time for the demonstration team's 75th anniversary. The squadron has been flying Hornets for 34 years.
The 2021 season of the Blue Angels are scheduled to start their winter training in Pensacola and continue their training at El Centro, California.
South Texas residents can see the Blue Angels with the new Super Hornets on May 1-2 at NAS Corpus Christi.
"These patriots did nothing wrong," Trump says of supporters who surrounded Biden bus
The "Trump Train" — a caravan of trucks waving Trump and American flags — appeared to try to slow down the Biden campaign bus in Texas, as supporters honked their horns and shouted. The FBI is investigating.
""These patriots did nothing wrong," Trump says of supporters who surrounded Biden bus" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
On Sunday evening, President Donald Trump once again cheered on a group of supporters in Texas who surrounded and followed a Biden campaign bus driving up I-35 in Hays County. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was looking into the incident, which happened on Friday and was captured on video from multiple angles.
The "Trump Train" — a caravan of trucks waving Trump and American flags — appeared to try to slow down the Biden campaign bus, as supporters honked their horns and shouted. The confrontation resulted in at least one minor collision and led to Texas Democrats canceling three scheduled campaign events that day, citing "safety concerns."
"In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong. Instead, the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people!" Trump said in a tweet. He had previously posted one of the videos showing the caravan along with the comment, “I LOVE TEXAS!”
Short for "anti-fascists," antifa is an umbrella term for militant groups that resist white supremacists at demonstrations and other events. Trump has portrayed antifa as an organized group threatening national security, often wrongly conflating the term with Black Lives Matter demonstrators who showed up to protest after the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
The FBI has described antifa as an "ideology," not an organization. The agency also named white supremacists one of the deadliest domestic threats in recent years.
Earlier in the day, Trump also claimed his supporters were "protecting" the bus and "being nice" when they slowed it down on the highway, according to media reports from a rally he held in Michigan. By contrast, Naomi Narvaiz, a Texas Republican Party official in San Marcos, told The Texas Tribune that supporters formed the convoy to show they backed Trump. “We don’t want any of the values or policies that the Democratic Party is embracing,” she said.
As the FBI continues its investigation, at least one state official has called for the state to step in. State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, sent a letter to the Texas Department of Public Safety asking the agency to open an investigation into the "multi-county, criminal behavior on 1-35" and "use the full weight of its resources to hold these criminals accountable."
DPS "will provide assistance as necessary" to the San Marcos Police Department as it investigates the matter, according to a statement to the Tribune Monday.
Event in Texas Postponed after President tests Positive for coronavirus
Donald Trump Jr. had been scheduled to appear in McAllen for a get-out-the-vote lunch event Friday, alongside Trump adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Donald Trump Jr. event in Texas postponed after president tests positive for coronavirus
"Donald Trump Jr. event in Texas postponed after president tests positive for coronavirus" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
The news that President Donald Trump and first ladyy Melania Trump have contracted the coronavirus brought prayers and widespread expressions of concern from Texas officials across the political spectrum on Friday — and the postponement of a Trump campaign event in the state that would have featured the president's son.
Donald Trump Jr. had been scheduled to appear in McAllen for a get-out-the-vote lunch event Friday, alongside Trump adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle. But local GOP officials said the event would be moved back to a later date "out of an abundance of caution."
"As many of you know, President Trump has tested for COVID19 and both Kimberly and Donald Trump Jr have been in close proximity to President Trump, our First Lady, Ivanka Trump, and Hope Hicks," the Hidalgo County GOP wrote on Facebook on Friday. "Kimberly Guilfoyle and Donald Trump Jr. will be in quarantine for the next couple of days until they test negative for COVID."
The party said the event will be rescheduled.
"The great news is, the event is not cancelled. It is postponed. We will see Donald Trump Jr. in Hidalgo County before Election Day," the party said.
Meanwhile, expressions of concern poured in from the state's elected officials. Gov. Greg Abbott said he was "lifting up prayers" for the president and first lady on Twitter at about 1 a.m. Friday, about an hour after the president announced the news.
"May God’s healing powers touch them, strengthen them, and raise them up," he said
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also said he was praying for the president and first lady. That sentiment was echoed much of the Texas delegation in the U.S. House, with multiple members from both parties urging Texans to take the virus seriously.
"This virus should be taken very seriously - wishing them a full and speedy recovery," said U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas.
Heidi & I are praying for a full and swift recovery for @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 2, 2020
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, seemed to suggest on Twitter that Trump use the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine for treatment, even though in July the Food and Drug Administration revoked its emergency use authorization to treat COVID-19. The FDA found that the drug had no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or seeing recovery, but did provide a risk for heart rhythm problems. Gohmert tested positive for the virus in late July and has since recovered.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, also responded and asked that other members of Congress who were in close quarters with the president not show up for work Friday.
"That’s why we put in place proxy voting during this pandemic," Castro said. "Sincerely, A Co-worker."
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/02/donald-trump-jr-texas-event/.
The Texas Tribune is proud to celebrate 10 years of exceptional journalism for an exceptional state. Explore the next 10 years with us.
Trump Nominates Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court
Both of Texas' Republican U.S. senators have indicated they support moving forward with the Supreme Court confirmation process less than two months before the election.
Amy Coney Barrett
President Donald Trump nominates Amy Coney Barrett to U.S. Supreme Court
"President Donald Trump nominates Amy Coney Barrett to U.S. Supreme Court" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
President Donald Trump named U.S. appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday, picking from a list of candidates that included U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
“It is my honor to name one of our nation’s most brilliant and gifted legal minds to the Supreme Court,” Trump said in the Rose Garden. “She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect, sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the constitution.”
If confirmed by the Senate, Barrett, who sits on the Illinois-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, will replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18.
Her nomination will kick off what’s expected to be one of the most contentious confirmation battles in recent memory. Republicans say they intend to seat Barrett this year, even though the vacancy on the court opened up less than two months before Election Day. Democrats are determined to fight the nomination, noting that Republicans refused to confirm President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court in 2016 when a seat came open 269 days from Election Day.
Both of Texas’ Republican U.S. senators, Cruz and John Cornyn, plan to support Trump’s nominee.
“Judge Barrett has impressed the brightest judicial and legal minds with her profound understanding of the law,” Cornyn said in a statement. “During the confirmation process for her current position, Judge Barrett proved she has not only the legal expertise, but also the proper temperament and character to serve on the high court.”
Cornyn also said Monday the Senate should not rush the process this time around but that the Senate “will vote on that nominee sometime this year,” either before or after the election. He said in May that he thought the Senate had a “responsibility” to take up a Trump court nomination if it came up this year.
In a statement, Cruz noted that Barrett was confirmed to the 7th Circuit in 2017 with bipartisan support. But he said Senate Democrats at the time tried to destroy her reputation based on her Catholic faith and predicted they would do so again, calling it a “shameful exercise of religious bigotry.”
“Let me be clear: Democrats’ expected attempts to derail this process, along with their contempt for Judge Barrett and her faith, will not impede this nomination,” Cruz said.
Cruz previously urged Trump to announce a nominee as soon as possible. Appearing on Fox News on the night of Ginsburg’s death, Cruz told Sean Hannity that once Trump named a successor, he and his fellow Republican senators should confirm the nominee before Election Day.
“A 4-4 court that is equally divided cannot decide anything, and I think we risk a constitutional crisis if we do not have a nine-justice Supreme Court, particularly when there is such a risk of contested litigation and a contested election,” he said.
Cruz has authored a book on the importance of the Supreme Court that will publish a week from Tuesday called “One Vote Away: How a Single Supreme Court Seat Can Change History.”
Cruz has a connection to Barrett; both did legal work for former President George W. Bush on the contested 2000 recount in Florida.
While Cruz was on Trump’s list of potential nominees, he suggested after the early September announcement that he was not interested in filling a vacant seat.
“It’s humbling and an immense honor to be considered for the Supreme Court,” Cruz said. “In the Senate, I have been blessed to lead the fight to preserve our constitutional liberties — every day, to defend the rights of 29 million Texans — and I look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come.”
Barrett received praise from Gov. Greg Abbott, who said in a statement that “her proven legal brilliance is matched by her exceptional character and unflinching commitment to the U.S. Constitution.”
Democrat MJ Hegar, who is challenging Cornyn for his Senate seat, tweeted that if Cornyn and other Republicans can rush to confirm Barrett, they should have been able to work to pass a COVID-19 relief bill.
“Instead they’re pushing their partisan agenda to strip us of our health care,” Hegar tweeted.
A Texas-led lawsuit to end the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s health care law, has a hearing before the Supreme Court on Nov. 10. Attorney General Ken Paxton, who led a team of red states in filing the suit in 2018, said in a statement Saturday that Trump “made an exceptional selection” with his nomination of Barrett.
Correction, Sept. 25, 2020: This article misspelled the name of the Supreme Court justice who died Sept. 18. She was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, not Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2020/09/25/amy-coney-barrett-cornyn-cruz/.
The Texas Tribune is proud to celebrate 10 years of exceptional journalism for an exceptional state. Explore the next 10 years with us.
Military will not be the First Group to Receive the Coronavirus Vaccine
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has developed a plan to develop a coronavirus vaccine at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.
By Menda Eulenfeld, Sept. 4, 2020
An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has developed a framework for implementing a plan to develop a coronavirus vaccine at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.
According to an article by Military.com a four tier plan for the vaccine has been recommended. In the plan, the military will not be selected as the first group to receive the vaccine. “…the military has had 38,424 cases of the coronavirus and seven service members have died. About 575 people have been hospitalized and 23,011 have recovered, according to Pentagon data.”
Tier 1: The highest priority target groups who serve important societal needs (e.g., health care providers, emergency services personnel, pandemic vaccine and antiviral drug manufacturers) and vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and infants;
Tier 2: Groups critical to national security (e.g., National Guard, intelligence services), critical community support personnel (e.g., pharmacists), other critical infrastructure (e.g., just-in-time utility services), high-risk children aged 3–18 years old, and household contacts of infants <6 months old;
Tier 3: Other critical infrastructure groups (e.g., those that maintain transportation, financial infrastructure), other health care, critical government personnel, and children aged 3–18 years without a high-risk condition;
Tier 4: Adults aged 19–64 years with high-risk conditions and adults aged >65 years;
Tier 5: Healthy adults aged 19–64 years not included in other groups.
Source: The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine