National News
Last letter from missing WWII sailor needs to be delivered
By Daniel Walker dwalker@vernonrecord.com Jack Edwin Haynes was a 20-year-old torpedoman’s mate, third class, in Hawaii during the week before Christmas 1944. He was jovial and burning through his paycheck while staying at the beach-front Royal Hawaiian Hotel. But it was also a nervous time as he waited for the call to board his submarine,…
Read MoreThornberry talks about arrest of alleged Chinese spy at Harvard
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following statement on the charges brought against Dr. Charles Lieber, Chair of Harvard University’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. The FBI arrested Dr. Lieber on charges related to his participation in the People’s Republic of China’s Thousand Talents Program. According…
Read MoreThornberry critical of UK’s decision on Huawei
Mac Thornberry chairman and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, voiced his disapproval of the United Kingdom’s decision to allow Huawei to help build its 5G network: “The U.K.’s decision to allow Huawei a role in building parts of its 5G network is troubling. While the U.K. believes that they can mitigate the…
Read MoreUnderstanding the state constitutional election questions
Deputy Secretary of State Joe Esparza last week drew the ballot order for 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution that will appear on the November 5 ballot. In order to appear on the ballot, the proposed amendments must be approved by at least two-thirds of the members of both the Texas Senate and the…
Read MoreThornberry weighs in on House attempt to condemn tweets
President Donald Trump called on fellow Republicans Tuesday to stick with him, “not show weakness” and oppose a House resolution condemning his tweets urging four Democratic congresswomen of color to return to their countries. His comments, he insisted, “were NOT Racist.” Congressman Mac Thornberry weighed in on the issue to the Vernon Record on Tuesday…
Read MoreAs Defense Bill heads to the floor, Thornberry comments on NDAA
Ahead of anticipated floor consideration this week, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following remarks on HR 2500, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020: “Normally the NDAA is a product of bipartisan consensus that allows Congress to execute our most important Constitutional duty. Unfortunately,…
Read MoreHealth officials alarmed by paralyzing illness in kids
NEW YORK (AP) — One morning last fall, 4-year-old Joey Wilcox woke up with the left side of his face drooping. It was the first sign of an unfolding nightmare. Three days later, Joey was in a hospital intensive care unit, unable to move his arms or legs or sit up. Spinal taps and other…
Read MoreThornberry reacts to recent missile testing
On Monday, the Missile Defense Agency conducted the most complex test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System ever attempted. Preliminary results indicate that the test met all primary objectives successfully. The test involved two ground-based interceptors, launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, and one ICBM-class target. Rep. Mac Thornberry said the action was vital. “Every…
Read MoreSupreme Court agrees to hear deadly DC sniper shootings case
By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider Virginia’s plea to reinstate the life-without-parole sentence of a man who as a teenager participated in sniper shootings that terrorized the Washington, D.C., region in 2002. The justices said they will take up the state’s appeal in the case…
Read MoreNew Zealand’s darkest day: 36 minutes of terror
By NICK PERRY, KRISTEN GELINEAU and JULIET WILLIAMS Associated Press CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — On March 15, New Zealand changed. Some are calling it a loss of innocence, a reminder that distance doesn’t bring protection against violence. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has vowed to change gun laws and investigate what went wrong. This is…
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