President Biden honors Veterans in 70th annual observance at Arlington National Cemetery
President Biden is expected to participate in the 70th annual National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery starting at 11 a.m. Saturday to honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the U.S. armed forces during war and peacetime.
Slain Capitol Police officer honored: 'We will never forget'
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON โ Congressional leaders paid tribute Wednesday to slain U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick in the building he died defending, promising his family and his fellow officers that they will never forget his sacrifice. Sicknick died after an insurrectionist mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, interrupting the electoral count after then-President Donald Trump urged them to โfight like hellโ to overturn his defeat. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sicknick was a patriot who will be remembered by lawmakers each day as they enter the Capitol. The 42-year-old officer was only the fifth person to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, a designation for those who are not elected officials, judges or military leaders. Also in attendance was Wenling Chestnut, widow of slain Capitol Police Officer Jacob Chestnut, one of two Capitol Police officers killed by a gunman in 1998.
35 years after Challenger disaster, NASA remembers fallen crews
January 28th is a Day of Remembrance honoring the lives of the crew and teacher aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. This marks 35 years since the Challenger disaster. AdSpace Shuttle Columbia crew (NASA)Thursday, NASA will honor the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, which came apart upon entry to the atmosphere Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven crew members. Rick Husband, pilot William McCool, payload commander Michael Anderson, and mission specialists Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon died. 1967: Astronauts (from left to right) Gus Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee (NASA)Also being remembered are Gus Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee, the crew members who perished in the Apollo I cabin fire.
Army secretary says wreath-laying event at Arlington back on
WASHINGTON โ Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has reversed the COVID-related cancellation of an annual wreath-laying event at Arlington National Cemetery next month, following criticism on social media and pleas to the White House. President Donald Trump said later Tuesday it was he who had reversed โthe ridiculous decisionโ to cancel the event. Each year, volunteers around the country place wreaths on the tombstones and markers of veterans as part of Wreaths Across America. The tradition began in 1992 when a Maine wreath maker donated 5,000 wreaths to Arlington. On Monday, Arlington National Cemetery announced that it was โwith great regret,โ cancelling the Wreaths Across America event scheduled for Dec. 19, due to COVID-19.
The Latest: Aide says Biden will appoint 'COVID coordinator'
Joe Biden has chosen his longtime adviser Ron Klain to reprise his role as his chief of staff, installing an aide with decades of experience across. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):10:45 p.m.Incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain says President-elect Joe Biden will appoint a โCOVID coordinatorโ who will lead the administrationโs pandemic response. ___3:25 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden has spoken with the top two Democrats in Congress โ but not their Republican counterparts yet. ___1 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden has spoken by phone with Pope Francis as he continues to talk with leaders around the world. Democrats already control the House, and Democrat Joe Biden is the president-elect after beating President Donald Trump in their White House contest.
Congressman seeks to end park's designation as Lee memorial
But Democratic Rep. Don Beyer, whose district is home to Arlington House, said it's time that Lee's name be stripped. Beyer's plans for legislation comes as descendants of a family enslaved at Arlington House have been lobbying for a name change. Surrounding the mansion is Arlington National Cemetery, which draws nearly 4 million visitors a year. Craig Syphax of Arlington is one of the descendants of Arlington House slaves who requested Beyer take action. He said learning his family history in his adult years helped give him a new outlook on life.
Many Memorial Day ceremonies go virtual this year
Jacksonville has pre-taped its Memorial Day ceremony at the nationโs second-largest memorial wall. At noon, President Trump will participate in a Memorial Day Ceremony at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. Memorial Day Today, we will #HonorThem Join us in a moment of silence on Memorial Day to show our respect for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country and protecting our freedom. For the first time in its 31-year history, the National Memorial Day Concert will be held virtually. Ancestry is also livestreaming a virtual โMemorial Day Parade of Heroesโ on its Facebook page at 11 a.m.
Trump honors fallen soldiers on Memorial Day in twin events
President Donald Trump turns after placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, in honor of Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2020, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump honored Americas fallen service members on Monday as he commemorated Memorial Day in back-to-back appearances in the midst of the pandemic. Presidents on Memorial Day typically lay a wreath and speak at the hallowed burial ground in Virginia. But Trump is intent on accelerating his schedule as he portrays the country as returning to its pre-pandemic ways. That President Trump is deciding to pursue nonessential travel sends the wrong message to our residents," he said. Baltimore and the Washington area have the nations highest percentages of positive cases, according to Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force.