Links – A&D, Aerospace & Defense, Space & Aeronautics, Aviation

Useful links that anyone interested in Aviation, Aerospace & Defense, Space & Aeronautics will find useful & interesting . . .

History Made as First African American General Leads One of the Military Services: United States Air Force

History made as first African American general leads one of the military services 08-06-2020 (html) – ABC News. General Charles Brown is the new Air Force Chief of Staff.

Brown Takes Over as Air Force Chief of Staff 08-06-2020 (html) – Air Force Magazine (html).

Gen. Charles Q. Brown nominated to be next Air Force Chief of Staff 03-02-2020 (html) > United States Space Force (USSF).

Senate confirms new Air Force chief of staff in historic, unanimous vote 06-09-2020 (html) | Defense News.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force (html).

Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (html) – Wikipedia.

Official Website of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (html).

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) ends partnership with Eagle Flight Centre at Willow Run Airport (YIP) (KYIP)

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) ends partnership with Eagle Flight Centre, August 5, 2020 (html) – mlive.com. Ypsilanti, MI — Eastern Michigan University is ending its partnership with Eagle Flight Centre, which will permanently close after Aug. 10, 2020. Each student will receive a 100% refund within 30 days of closing, according to the letter. EMU said nearly 200 students will find new opportunities that provide them with more options in terms of location, scheduling and aircraft, with no interruption in their education.

“(EMU’s) aviation program has grown tremendously in the past several years and has a great future ahead,” the statement reads. “We are excited about our future plans for our students and look forward to announcing further details.”

EMU: Aviation – Eagle Flight Centre
3099 Tyler Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48198 (Google Map)
1-734-481-3000

Willow Run Airport
801 Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, MI 48198 (Google Map)
1-734-485-6666

Not all Google reviews have been kind to the Eastern Michigan University Aviation Program or the Eagle Flight Center. “Save your money check out other programs” (html).

Response to questions about Eastern Michigan University Aviation Program, August 04, 2020 (html) – EMU Today (html).

Eastern Michigan University (Emich) Aviation Flight Technology [BS] (html).

Web Resources & Videos – Aviation – Research Guides at Eastern Michigan University (html).

Eastern Michigan University (Emich) Aviation – Technology & Professional Services Management (html).

Eagle Flight training (html).

State of Michigan (SoM) Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) AERO – EMU Aviation Annual Pancake Fly-in: Eagle Flight Center at Willow Run Airport (YIP), Ypsilanti (html).

Eagle Flight Centre at KYIP (html) – AOPA Airports.

Nobody knows what’s going to happen to Eagle Flight Center after this announcement.

Sustainable Aviation – Newsworthy Items

BTW: There is absolutely NO sign of any Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) ‘Sustainable Aviation’ to be found anywhere in the entire State of Michigan.

Sarasota test pilot pushes the limits of solar-powered aircraft 08-10-2020 (html) | Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Swiss team claims 1st jump, free fall from solar plane, 08-25-2020 (html) – ABC News. A Swiss team working to take a solar-powered plane to the edge of space says it has performed the first jump and free fall from an electric aircraft.

Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider – The Future of Long-Range Strike

When it comes to delivering America’s resolve, the B-21 Raider will be standing by, silent and ready. NG provides America’s warfighters with an advanced aircraft offering a combination of range, payload, and survivability. The B-21 Raider will be capable of penetrating the toughest defenses to deliver precision strikes anywhere in the world. The B-21 is the future of deterrence (html).

United States Navy’s First Black Female Tactical Air Pilot Earns Wings of Gold

US Navy’s First Black Female Tactical Air Pilot Earns Wings of Gold in Texas > United States Navy > display-news (html) | Navy.mil. The U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical
Air (TACAIR) pilot received her Wings of Gold July 31, marking a significant milestone for Naval Aviation. Virginia native Lt. j.g. Madeline G. Swegle was designated a naval aviator and received her Wings of Gold with 25 classmates during a small ceremony at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, Texas.

KINGSVILLE, Texas (July 17, 2020) Lt. j.g. Madeline G. Swegle, the U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical jet aviator, stands in front of a T-45C Goshawk (NAVAIR) (Boeing) (You Tube) jet trainer aircraft on the Training Air Wing 2 flight line at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, July 17, 2020. Swegle completed her final training flight with the “Redhawks” of Training Squadron 21 and was soft winged July 7.  Her official winging ceremony is scheduled July 31 after which she will continue to graduate training at her fleet replacement squadron. TW-2 is one of five air wings under the Chief of Naval Air Training and conducts intermediate and advanced jet training for the Navy, Marine Corps, and international military partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Michelle Tucker). Swegle is assigned to the “Redhawks” of Training Squadron (VT) 21 under Training Air Wing 2 at NAS Kingsville and completed her final undergraduate TACAIR training flight in a T-45C Goshawk jet trainer aircraft July 7. VT-21 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Matthew Maher presented Wings of Gold to each of his graduates during the ceremony.

A historic milestone: U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical air pilot earns ‘Wings of Gold’, July 29, 2020 (html) | NBC News.

First Black female Navy tactical jet pilot speaks out on historic milestone, July 29, 2020 (html) | Today.

Madeline Swegle becomes U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical jet pilot, July 13 2020 (html) | CNBC.

After 110 Years of Aviation, Navy Gets Its First Black Female Fighter Pilot (html) | Military.com.

Madeline Swegle becomes Navy’s first Black female fighter pilot, July 13, 2020 (html) | USA Today.

Delta’s first black female captain: ‘Taking off was the thrill of my life’ (html) | Delta News Hub.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Updates on Boeing 737 MAX Changes

FAA spells out design changes needed in grounded Boeing jet, 08-03-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Updates on Boeing 737 MAX, 8/3/2020 (html). FAA sent a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for a Boeing 737 MAX airworthiness directive (AD) (pdf). FAA will also be placing the Preliminary Summary of the FAA’s Review of the Boeing 737 MAX (pdf) .

Audit Reports | Office of Inspector General | U.S. Department of Transportation. June 29, 2020, Timeline of Activities Leading to the Certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 Aircraft and Actions Taken After the October 2018 Lion Air Accident (html) (pdf). Requested by Secretary Elaine Chao; the Chairmen of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and its Aviation Subcommittee; the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Transportation-HUD Subcommittee; and Senator Blumenthal. Project ID: AV2020037.

Boeing 737 MAX certification (html) – Wikipedia.

The Boeing 737 Max: Examining the Design, Development, and Marketing of the Aircraft, October 30, 2019 (html) (pdf) | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.

Boeing: 737 MAX By Design (html).

Boeing Given Long List of Proposed Fixes for 737 Max Return, August 3, 2020 (html) – Bloomberg. The release of the FAA proposal shows that, after 16 months of the plane’s grounding and a series of investigative reports and congressional hearings, aviation regulators are satisfied that the fixes will allow the plane to safely resume service. While the European Aviation Safety Agency hasn’t yet been able to conduct its own test flights of the Max, Boeing has “demonstrated compliance” under the European standards, the FAA said in its summary of the review.

U.S. FAA lays plan for Boeing 737 MAX’s return; hurdles remain, August 3, 2020 (html) – Reuters. There are still a number of hurdles, including collecting public comments on the changes for 45 days, and finalizing a new set of pilot-training procedures. Transport Canada (TC) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have their own concerns.

Save Historic Willow Run Bomber Plant and Yankee Air Museum

Help Save Willow Run and the Historic Willow Run Bomber Plant, support the  Yankee Air Museum – Move 1d2 aircraft to this wonderful facility that’s only 11 miles (7nm) away and has far superior facilities!

Willow Run (html) – General Aviation (html). The First Class Airport in the area:  With three Fixed Based Operator (FBO) locations to serve you, Willow Run Airport can provide all the services necessary for your flight operations. Fuel, deicing, aircraft cleaning and maintenance, catering, hotel reservations, and rental cars are just a few of the services available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

General Aviation – If flying is your passion, Willow Run Airport is your destination.  Not too big, and not too small, but just right for your flying needs.  With a 24 hour FAA Tower and multiple runways including an all weather ILS runway Willow Run can meet your needs.  Go to the “Flight Planning” page for information on FBO and other services offered at the airport. YIP is the perfect location and can easily absorb all of 1d2 operations and could really use its funding!

Changes ahead for Willow Run Airport: Runway expansion in 10-year, $182M plan (html).

Save Rosie’s Factory: Historic Willow Run Bomber Plant | DONATE NOW, Save The Willow Run Bomber Plant (html).

US Ecology (html) – Contributes to the Save the Bomber Plant Campaign, December 1, 2017 (html) | US Ecology.

Yankee Air Museum still needs to raise $20 million for renovation project, May 24, 2019 (html) – mlive.com.

THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN Air Show (html) – Air Show at Willow Run.

Yankee Air Museum (html) | Where History Takes Flight at Willow Run.

Willow Run Airport (html) – Wikipedia

Home – Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). The Voice of American Aerospace and Defense Industries. Today, more than 340 major aerospace and defense companies and their suppliers are members of the association (html), embodying every high-technology manufacturing segment of the U.S. aerospace and defense industry including commercial aviation and avionics, manned and unmanned defense systems, and space technologies and satellite communications.

Aircraft Year Book – 1927 (pdf), provided courtesy of Aerospace Industries Association.

Other links of interest, that might be useful or interesting, e.g. some childhood heroes and memories:

• General Chuck Yeager | The Official Website (html).
• Profile of John Glenn (html) | NASA. FAVORITE!
• Yankee Air Museum (html) | Where History Takes Flight.
• Bell X-1 (html) – Wikipedia.
• NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: X-15 Hypersonic Research Program (html) | NASA.
• North American X-15 (html) – Wikipedia.
• Welcome – National Naval Aviation Museum (html).
• Home | The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (html) | National-Academies.org | Where the Nation Turns for Independent, Expert Advice.
• Canton Township, Michigan Trail System Overview (pdf).
• Canton To Celebrate National Trails Day at Lower Rouge Trail (html) – Plymouth, MI Patch.
• National Museum of the United States Air Force (html) – Wikipedia. The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 6 miles northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world, with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display.
• National Museum of the USAF (html).
• Air Force Magazine (html).
• Rotary-Wing Aircraft (html) –  The Henry Ford [wikipedia] – Museum, Greenfield Village & Rouge Factory.

Useful State of Michigan References

• A Citizen’s Guide to State Government 2017–2018 Michigan Legislature (pdf)
• Changes and Choices: Legal Rights Of Senior Adults [Michigan] (pdf)
• Consumer Protection Resource Guide: Be A Knowledgeable Consumer Michigan] (pdf)
• For the People… By The People… How State and Local Governments Operate (pdf)
• The Legislative Process In Michigan: A Student’s Guide (pdf)
• Michigan Constitution (pdf)
• Services for Seniors: Laws And Programs for Senior Adults [Michigan] (pdf)
• Your Child: A Parent’s Guide to Health And Safety [Michigan] (pdf)
• MDOT Fast Facts 2018, dated January 1, 2018 (pdf).
• MDOT Aviation in Michigan (pdf) – How Aviation in Michigan Works.
• Michigan Aviation System Plan (MASP) 2017 (pdf) by MDOT – Planning & Development (html), Executive Summary (pdf).
• MCL, Chapter 259. Aviation, Aeronautics Code Of The State Of Michigan Act 327 of 1945 (html) (pdf).
• Canton Plymouth Mettetal 1d2 Minimum Standards for Commercial Operations, April 1, 2015 (pdf).
• Canton Plymouth Mettetal 1d2 Rules and Regulations, October 13, 1994  (pdf).
• Canton Plymouth Mettetal 1d2 Noise Abatement Procedure (NAP), (Not dated, but then again nobody respects the NAP now or ever has!) (pdf).

Tell MDOT to STOP poisoning our children with 100LL leaded aviation fuel NOW!
Tell Governor Whitmer to STOP MDOT from lead poisoning our children NOW!

The Michigan Connected Corridor – Autonomous Car Nirvana for Ford, GM, BMW, Toyota and fellow Google Alphabet subsidiary Waymo

Michigan Avenue may become the most advanced road in US, August 13, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. Michigan Connected Corridor. Michigan Avenue could become the most advanced road in the world, replete with sensors, Wi-Fi, a dedicated lane for autonomous vehicles and traffic lights that communicate with vehicles and each other, under a public-private development program announced in Detroit. There’s no timetable for CAVNUE’s completion, but the first construction should begin within 24 months.

An Alphabet company is designing a road for autonomous cars in Michigan, August 14, 2020 (html) | Engadget. The proposed 40-mile corridor will connect Detroit with Ann Arbor.

Michigan plans to redesign road for self-driving cars, Thursday August 13, 2020 (html) – CNN. Washington, DC (CNN)- Michigan announced Thursday that it’s teaming with tech and auto companies to attempt to retrofit a roughly 40-mile stretch of two roads outside Detroit exclusively for self-driving vehicles.

Gov. Whitmer announces ‘first-of-its-kind’ corridor connecting Detroit, Ann Arbor, Thursday August 13, 2020 (html) | The Michigan Daily. The Michigan Connected Corridor.

Dedicated road lanes from Detroit to Ann Arbor for autonomous vehicles announced (html) | Click on Detroit. The project will allow autonomous vehicles to travel from Detroit to Ann Arbor, the Michigan Connected Corridor. “What may be the world’s most sophisticated roadway will be built here in Michigan,” Whitmer said. “Today we’re transforming Detroit icon, it will place a possibility opportunity, once again, we want to design solutions for the way people are going to move, making transportation more convenient and accessible to everyone. Through smart connected vehicles, roads, and public transit,” said Bill Ford. The project will be take place along Michigan Ave and I-94, construction higher ups in the motor city have been looking forward to it for quite some time. Phase 1 will take 24 months to complete.

• Google News – Autonomous car lanes coming to Michigan highway (html) – Overview.
• Google News – Autonomous car lanes coming to Michigan highway (html) – Overview.
• Michigan Connected Corridor (html) – Google Search.

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) – Legislation to study tolling (toll roads) in Michigan

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) – Legislation to study tolling in Michigan (html).

These are the highways MDOT wants to study to become possible toll roads, July 09, 2020 (html) | WXYZ. Senate Bill 517 was introduced by Republican Senator John Bizon out of Battle Creek. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill into law on Wednesday afternoon. During a House Transportation Committee meeting, a representative from MDOT expressed interest in tolls at I-94, I-75, US 127 and I-96. The reasoning? Heavy commercial and tourist traffic in that area. I-94 runs from Port Huron near the Blue Water Bridge from Canada all the way through New Buffalo and into Chicago. I-75 runs from the Michigan-Ohio border in Monroe County through the Upper Peninsula into Sault Ste. Marie. I-96 runs from metro Detroit all the way through Grand Rapids. US-127 picks up at the Michigan-Ohio border in the middle part of the state and runs north through Jackson, Lansing and Mt. Pleasant before meeting up with I-75.

Toll roads in Michigan? New law to study whether tolls can help fix roads, July 9, 2020 (html) | WXYZ.

State of Michigan will hire outside firm to study possibility of converting some freeways into toll roads, JUL 13, 2020 (html) | Michigan Radio.

Michigan roads: how bad are they, how are they funded, and how on Earth can they be fixed? January 29, 2020 (html) | Michigan Radio. It is a fact universally acknowledged that Michigan has terrible roads. Well, unless you are state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (html) (R-Clarklake), is not convinced there is a need for new road spending.

Blind Buffoon Shirkey: State must ‘suffer through’ budget woes in lieu of fed aid, August 14, 2020 (html) | Detroit News. State budget officials estimate Michigan is facing a $3 billion shortfall in next year’s budget, which begins Oct. 1, and already have worked to mitigate a $3 billion budget hole in the current budget.

NOTE: The State of Michigan should do this for ALL aircraft that use any Non-Essential Hobby, Sport, Recreational airports & airstrips across the State of Michigan! Taxpayers should NOT pay for these and NEVER should have to begin with!

Tragic Reminders of the Constant Dangers of Helicopter and Airplane Crashes (Impacting Terrain) in Densely Populated Neighborhoods Surrounded by Schools

3 Air National Guard members killed in Tennessee plane crash 09-10-2020 (html) | NBC News.

Navy crew jumped from surveillance plane before it crashed 08-31-2020 (html) – ABC News.

4 killed in Arkansas plane crash 09-05-2020 (html) – UPI.com

4 Oklahoma family members die in Arkansas small plane crash 09-07-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Nevada firefighting plane midair collision (html) – Bing News.

Fatal skydiving incident: Teen, instructor killed, Georgia police say 07-17-2020 (html) | USA Today.

2 soldiers killed in Black Hawk Helicopter training crash in California 08-29-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Report: Small plane that crashed in Texas had just taken off 09-04-2020 (html) – ABC News. Federal officials say a small plane that crashed last weekend in Texas, killing three people and injuring one, had just taken off from the airport.

Hot air balloons demand the utmost respect, safety cannot be taken for granted or treated lightly. 3 hot air balloons crash with dozens of passengers, August 4, 2020 (html) ABC News – YouTube. At least 10 people who were on board the balloons that went down near Grand Teton Village, Wyoming, were rushed to the hospital as the FAA launches an investigation into the cause. 3 hot air balloons crash in Wyoming, injuring up to 20 people, August 3, 2020 (html) – ABC News. One balloon tipped over and was dragged about 200 yards, one passenger said. Hot air balloon crash in Wyoming leaves a dozen people hospitalized, August 4, 2020 (html) – CNN. A dozen people hospitalized after hot air balloon crash in Wyoming. Hot air balloon crashes (html) – Google Search.

Air traffic controllers blamed for “erroneous acts” in helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and 8 others 08-26-2020 (html) – CBS News.

Vanessa Bryant pays emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant on 42nd birthday, August 23, 2020 (html) | USA Today. Vanessa Bryant paid an emotional tribute to her late husband Kobe Bryant, who died alongside 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a January 26 helicopter crash.

Lest we forget, we’re all surrounded by tragic reminders of the constant dangers of Helicopter (html) (html) and Airplane (html) (html) Crashes in densely populated neighborhoods extremely close to schools:

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Withdraws Permission for the Collings Foundation Aircraft WWII-era bomber to Carry Passengers (html) | Flying Magazine – Prohibiting owner of WWII-era bomber from carrying passengers comes too late after crash and deaths due to ridiculous overzealous amateur hobbyist, recreational, sport clown activities that confuse maintenance by internet consensus with professional FAA airworthiness provided by truly regulated, certified organizations, mechanics & MROs. The risks to the general public are not acceptable in any scenario or use case, it’s just absurd. Major United States Aviation & Aerospace museums don’t entertain risky liabilities and misleading signing of waivers or responsibility. This is not to mention the huge environmental impact on Health, Safety and Welfare of communities from massive amounts of leaded 100LL Aviation fuel used emitting enormous amounts of Tetraethyl Lead. Additionally, the miniscule amounts of money raised have absolutely zero significance and aren’t enough to cover any real expenses and are strictly symbolic in nature, certainly not a reason or justification of any real ROI for the deaths, damage and mayhem needlessly caused by openly tolerated blatant negligence and malpractice.
• National Transportation Safety Board Air Ambulance Helicopter Crash Meeting (html) – to determine the probable cause of a Bell 407 helicopter operated as an air ambulance. The helicopter was on a mission to pick up a patient when the crash occurred. All three occupants – the pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic – died in the accident.
• Videos show skydivers spiraling as they descend before impact (html).
• Kobe Bryant, all others aboard helicopter died immediately in crash, autopsies show (html).  Autopsy Reports Reveal Horrifying Details Behind the Death of Kobe Bryant and Others in the Helicopter Crash (html) – EssentiallySports – Gianna was supposed to compete in the match and two of her teammates along with their parents were aboard the helicopter. Disaster struck when the pilot lost control after surging to a high-altitude. Due to extreme fog, the aircraft came crashing down at 184mph, descending at more than 4,000 feet per minute. The impact caused a crater and scattered debris all over the area. The reports by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office provides a perception of how grueling the crash was. Broken bones, dismembered body parts, and residue of fuel on the clothes. Bryant’s body was found on one side of the wreckage, and his daughter’s was found in a ravine on the opposite side.
• Vanessa Bryant Files Legal Claim Over Release of Graphic Photos of Kobe’s Helicopter Crash (html). Vanessa Bryant files claim over crash-site photos (html).
• Vanessa Bryant sues helicopter operator in Kobe Bryant crash – Los Angeles Times (html)
• Bryant’s widow ‘devastated’ by report deputies shared photos – ABC News (html)
• Kobe Bryant helicopter lacked recommended safety device – The San Diego Union-Tribune (html)
• FAA overruled safety system that ‘could have helped’ in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash | NBC News (html)
• Bodies of all 9 victims recovered from helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, coroner says – ABC News (html)
• Kobe Bryant, Wife ‘Would Never Fly on Helicopter Together‘: Source | PEOPLE.com (html)
• Air Show Crashes (html) (html)
• World War II aircraft & bomber crashes (html) (html) (html) (html)
• Families sue helicopter company in deadly Kobe Bryant crash (html)
• Canadian military helicopter crashes in sea off Greece; 1 dead, 5 missing (html) (html)
• Harrison Ford piloting plane that wrongly crosses runway (html) (html) -The latest of several similar incidents for the 77-year-old actor. Most recently, he flew low over an airliner with 116 people aboard moments before mistakenly landing on a taxiway at another Southern California airport in 2017. In 2015, Ford was injured when he crashed his World War II-era plane on a Los Angeles golf course after engine failure
• Small Plane Makes Amazing Emergency Landing Amid Traffic on Highway (html)
• Michigan Selfridge AFB (html) won’t get F-35 aircraft now (html)
• A-10 Warthog Emergency Landing (html) | Problems With the A-10 Warthog
• One Police Officer dead,  one critically injured, in police helicopter crash (html) (html) – The police helicopter crashed into an apartment complex early Saturday, killing one officer and injuring a second. The officers were trapped inside the copter after it went down around 2 a.m. They literally had to cut the pilots out of the wreckage. The pilot who survived was “very banged up” and required immediate surgery.
• Canada honors six killed in helicopter crash with COVID-19 measures in place (html)
• Michigan Pilots, both dead, escaped ditched plane before it sunk in Lake Michigan (html)
• Report: Halladay on drugs, doing stunts when plane crashed (html)
• FAA says owner of World War II bomber that crashed at Bradley, killing seven, did not take safety seriously and can no longer carry passengers (html)
• FAA says no passengers on Collings Foundation aircraft after deadly crash (html) -These planes weren’t safe when they were built, and aren’t safe maintained by overzealous idiotic hobbyists!
• Collings Foundation evaluating options after FAA revokes permission to carry passengers on its historic WWII aircraft following deadly crash at Bradley (html)
• Air Force Pilots Explain Why The A-10 Warthog Won’t Die (html)
• Man hit and killed by plane on runway (html) – YouTube
• We All Might Be Flying in Planes Again Soon (html) – The Washington Post. With no reason to fly, a quick recovery for air travel seemed unlikely. Warren Buffett dumped his airline stocks, claiming that the “world has changed.”
• Three killed in helicopter crash (html). The crash caused a five-acre grass fire and knocked out power to about 38,000 customers. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the helicopter was a Bell 206 helicopter and had three people on board at the time of the crash.
• Family Flying to Indiana for Funeral Killed in Plane Crash (html) | PEOPLE.com. Crash victims included two 6-year-old children flying in Piper 31T twin-engine turboprop aircraft. The children’s grandfather, 67, was flying the plane and received his pilot’s license in 2016, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Georgia Plane Crash Kills 5, Including Two Children (html) – The New York Times.  Georgia plane crash kills family of 5 (html) | Today.
• U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Appoints Industry Leaders to Women in Aviation Advisory Board (html) | US Department of Transportation.
• Home | US Department of Transportation (html). To improve the quality of life for all American people and communities, from rural to urban, and to increase the productivity and competitiveness of American workers and businesses. Three reports provide a previous positive glimpse into pre-COVID-19 National Transportation 2045 Outlook that is now considered bleak and will take several years to return to normal.
  • Beyond Traffic 2045 National Freight Strategy Framework (html) (pdf).
  • Beyond Traffic: 2045 Final Report (html) (pdf).
  • Beyond Traffic: Trends and Choices 2045 (pdf).
• 9 of 12 extended family members dead in plane crash, 3 seriously injured. (NPR) (USAToday) (ChicagoTribune).
•  7 dead , including whole Family of 5 including three young children and two newly wed friends when small plane slammed into the ground and was ‘completely destroyed’ (People) (TorontoSun) (AVWeb) (DailyMail).
• 3 dead after failed emergency landing, aircraft found completely demolished on sidewalk and street (CNN) (USAToday).
• Flight risk worries preceded deadly medical helicopter crash, NTSB reports – News – The Columbus Dispatch – Columbus, OH (Cinncinati.com) (ColumbusDispatch). Pilot and two flight nurses on the Survival Flight dead. A 53-page report NTSB report indicates that multiple people expressed concern about pressuring pilots to take flights. Several testified they were recipients of or witnessed a pilot being reprimanded or challenged for declining a flight. One medical crew member recounted the chief pilot calling pilots who declined flights, yelling at them with expletives and belittling insults.
• Two people dead, Air filter found displaced in fatal Michigan plane crash
  (DetroitNews)
• 3 People Dead, 3 Critically Injured, Deadliest on Record in Lansing Michigan. (People)(DetroitNews)(LansingStateJournal)(USAToday)
• Seven Killed, many critically injured in World War II-Era Plane Crash. Nobody should be be flying 70-year-old planes! (USAToday)(WSJ)(YouTube)(WBUR)(LATimes)(ChicagoTrib)(Courant)(People)(Time)
• Helicopter wheel falls through ceiling of Home, Owner says she’s ‘been dreading this’ (ChicagoSun)
• Air show 2019: Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Snowbird plane crashes during Atlanta air show (AAS). Pilot forced to eject from aircraft shortly before air show performance, aircraft crashed in an area with huge plumes of smoke behind shocked onlooker’s homes. The rest of the annual air show cancelled following the crash. Video show fiery crash site miles away from air strip. – (CBSNews) (11Alive) (WSBTV) (Wikipedia)
• Plane propeller cuts off woman’s arm and foot in grisly accident | (MiamiHerald) (OrlandoSentinel) (ABCNews) (NYPost) (FOXNews)
• New details of B–17 crash emerge (AOPA)
• NTSB releases preliminary report on fatal B-17 plane crash (Task&Purpose).
  The plane hit approach lights about 1,000 feet prior to the runway, then landed 500 feet before reaching it, according to airport surveillance video and witness statements collected by federal investigators. The plane then veered off the runway before colliding into a deicing fluid tank and vehicles bursting into flames.
• Man hit and killed by plane on runway (html) – YouTube
• How Airlines Park Thousands of Planes (html) – YouTube – The coronavirus has devastated the airline industry. U.S. air travel has dropped 95% compared to last year and the number of flights scheduled globally is down by 63%. More than 16,000 of the world’s commercial aircraft are grounded. These planes can’t just sit idle, they need routine maintenance and a place to be stored. And when you suddenly have thousands of planes with nowhere to go it becomes a logistical nightmare. Here’s a look at how airlines parks thousands of planes and the outlook for the grounded fleet.

Democracy is dead, long live Democracy! Everything is rigged unless . . .

Rudy Giuliani, once ‘America’s mayor,’ now mired in controversy, facing legal scrutiny 09-12-2020 (html) – ABC News. “America’s mayor” stands instead at the brink of legal and reputational peril, embroiled in multiple political scandals and caught up in at least one federal criminal investigation.

Treasury Department says Ukrainian linked to Rudy Giuliani is ‘Russian agent’ 09-11-2020 (html) – ABC News. The man the Treasury Department called “an active Russian agent for over a decade,” met with President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden.

Everyone Knows It’s True 09-07-2020 (html) – The Atlantic. As Trump vehemently disputes reports that he has disparaged veterans, some silences speak loudly.

DHS draft document: White supremacists are greatest terror threat 09-04-2020 (html) – POLITICO. The documents are slightly different drafts of the same annual threat assessment, which is not yet published.

Trump’s military ties further strained over alleged ‘loser’ remarks 09-10-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Trump’s former spy chief has ‘deep suspicions’ that Putin has blackmail on Trump, according to Bob Woodward’s new book 09-10-2020 (html) | Business Insider.

Trump Attacked Generals as Weak and Too Focused on Allies, Woodward’s Book Says 09-09-2020 (html) – The New York Times.

Trump admitted he deliberately played down coronavirus threat: Reports 09-09-2020 (html) – ABC News.

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was ‘superspreading event’ that cost public health $12.2 billion: analysis 09-08-2020 (html) | TheHill. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota last month was a coronavirus “superspreading event” that led to an estimated $12.2 billion in public health costs, according to a new study (pdf) by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics (html).

Opinion | The Electoral College Will Destroy America 09-08-2020 (html) – The New York Times. In a representative democracy based on the principle that all votes are equal, the person who wins the most votes can — and does, repeatedly — lose the most consequential election in the land. No other advanced democracy in the world uses anything like it, and for good reason.

Fact check: President Donald Trump called John McCain a loser 09-08-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. The article by Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg reads: “Trump remained fixated on McCain, one of the few prominent Republicans to continue criticizing him after he won the nomination. When McCain died, in August 2018, Trump told his senior staff, according to three sources with direct knowledge of this event, ‘We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral,’ and he became furious, according to witnesses, when he saw flags lowered to half-staff. ‘What the f— are we doing that for? Guy was a f—ing loser,’ the president told aides.” The reality is that Trump did say that about McCain in a widely noted public event in 2015.

Cohen calls Trump a racist ‘cult leader,’ says he disparaged Obama, Black leaders, Chicago 09-07-2020 (html) | NBC News.

Are the troops turning on Trump? 09-07-2020 (html) | The Week. Why the military is souring on Trump. Trump doesn’t understand the culture of the American armed forces.

Trump says Pentagon chiefs are accommodating weapons makers 09-07-2020 (html) – POLITICO. President Donald Trump on Monday accused the United States’ military leadership of being beholden to arms manufacturers, in an attack on his own administration only days after reports that he had mocked fallen soldiers. He asserted that while U.S. troops largely support him, he does not receive the same affinity from the top. He made the comment as he advocated for the removal of American troops from “endless wars” and lambasted NATO allies who “rip us off.”

‘Deceptively edited’ video claiming Trump is ‘disoriented’ slammed as false after it goes viral 09-07-2020 (html) | Fox News. Twitter added a ‘manipulated media’ tag, but allowed the video to remain on the platform. On Sunday, a Twitter user named Tom Joseph shared the video with the following caption: “Trump is lost [and] disoriented here. His mind goes blank and he doesn’t remember what he’s supposed to do next. He’s deep into his degenerative neurological disease — Frontotemporal dementia — mindlessly lumbering and zigzagging in the grass towards a puddle.”

QAnon, other dark forces are radicalizing Americans ahead of election 08-31-2020 (html) | USA Today.

‘Democrats should be scared about Michigan,’ state’s House speaker says 09-06-2020 (html) | Fox News

QAnon candidates take conspiracy theory mainstream 09-06-2020 (html) – Washington Times.

QAnon conspiracy emerges in some state legislative races 09-06-2020 (html) – ABC News.

FBI agent who helped launch Russia investigation says Trump was ‘compromised’ 09-07-2020 (html) | NBC News.

Veterans are divided about reports Trump disparaged military 09-06-2020 (html) | AP News.

Harris says Trump, Barr are in ‘different reality’ when denying systemic racism amid nationwide protests 09-06-2020 (html) | Fox News

Commander-in-contempt: A president who values himself before his troops 09-06-2020 (html) – New York Daily News.

Fox News Analyst Brit Hume Defends Jennifer Griffin For Verifying Atlantic Article 09-06-2020 (html) | Newsweek.

Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’ 09-03-2020 (html) – The Atlantic. The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.

Trump Tells Agencies To End Trainings On ‘White Privilege’ And ‘Critical Race Theory’ 09-05-2020 (html) : NPR.

Cohen memoir casts him as ‘star witness’ against Trump 09-06-2020 (html) | AP News. NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Cohen’s tell-all memoir makes the case that President Donald Trump is “guilty of the same crimes” that landed his former fixer in federal prison, offering a blow-by-blow account of Trump’s alleged role in a hush money scandal that once overshadowed his presidency.

Portland’s Antifa-supporting gunman appeared to target victim, police say 09-06-2020 (html) | Fox News.

‘Access Hollywood’ Reminds Trump: ‘The Tape Is Very Real’ 11-28-2020 (html) – The New York Times.

Anonymous sources in The Atlantic’s Donald Trump bombshell urged to go on the record 09-04-2020 (html) | Fox News

GOP lawmaker praises Kyle Rittenhouse’s ‘restraint’ for NOT emptying magazine during shooting 09-04-2020 (html) | TheHill.

Pence lies about Detroit protests to defend Trump’s baseless conspiracy theory about a plane ‘loaded with thugs’ 09-04-2020 (html) | News Hits | Detroit Metro Times.

Wisconsin lieutenant governor says President Trump “celebrated” teen who killed two at Kenosha protest 09-04-2020 (html) – CBS News

How many insults will service members and military veterans take from Trump? 09-04-2020 (html) – New York Daily News

Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’ 09-03-2020 (html) – The Atlantic. The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.

The Predicate Is Fear 09-04-2020 (html) – The Atlantic. Nothing bonds a group more tightly than a common enemy that is perceived as a mortal threat.

Pentagon orders shutdown of Stars and Stripes newspaper 09-04-2020 (html) – POLITICO.

Woman Cites Trump-touted Conspiracy Theory for Refusing to Wear Mask in Grocery Store 09-03-2020 (html) | Newsweek.

Michigan law enforcement leaders condemn Trump statement on sending sheriffs to polls 09-03-2020 (html) – mlive.com

Activists say Kalamazoo ‘blew it’ with preliminary report on police response to Proud Boys rally 09-03-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Donald Trump failed to remake Michigan economy as promised in 2016 09-03-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Report: Trump disparaged US war dead as ‘losers,’ ‘suckers’ 09-04-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

U.S. interferes in more elections than Russia, ‘Meddling’ author says 09-04-2020 (html) | USA Today.

Bill Barr Mocked After ‘Playing Dumb’ Over Legality of Voting Twice 09-03-2020 (html) | Newsweek

DHS confirms it withheld intel report on Russia denigrating Biden’s health, citing “quality concerns” 09-02-2020 (html) – CBS News.

Withholding July intel bulletin reflects ‘disturbing … pattern’ of politicization: Former DHS official 09-02-2020 (html) – ABC News. “This isn’t a time to be restricting information,” the official said.

Opinion: Betsy DeVos’ back-to-school letter to America’s parents (by Betsy DeVos) 09-01-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Lifelong Republican Sterling Heights mayor endorses Democrat U.S. Sen. Peters for re-election 09-02-2020 (html) | News Hits

U.S. Won’t Join Global Coronavirus Vaccine Effort Because It’s Led By The WHO 09-01-2020 (html) | Forbes.

Trump Books Keep Coming, and Readers Can’t Stop Buying 08-31-2020 (html) – The New York Times. “When Donald Trump recommends a book, it has little impact on sales, but when Trump hates a book, it rockets to No. 1,” said Mr. Latimer, the Washington literary agent. “You pray for Trump to hate your book, and you pray for him to tweet about it.”

‘What a fool I was’: Revenge tell-all book ‘Melania * Me’ isn’t sweet 08-30-2020 (html) | USA Today.

They tried to get Trump to care about right-wing terrorism. He ignored them 08-26-2020 (html) – POLITICO.

Kenosha videos show glaring difference in Blake, Rittenhouse treatment 08-29-2020 (html) | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Juxtaposition of two videos from Kenosha: A Black man gets shot seven times from behind; a white teen with a gun walks past police, go figure.

Fact check: On video, police thanked Kyle Rittenhouse, gave him water 08-20-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Michigan GOP Senate candidate John James touts the jobs his company created, but documents show it lost its tax exempt status after failing to create the jobs it promised 08-29-2020 (html) | Detroit MetroTimes.

Dana Perino: ‘Beautiful’ presentation of Pence RNC speech a ‘stark contrast’ to Biden campaign 08-27-2020 (html) | Fox News. ‘The Biden-Harris team has got to figure out a way to get out of Delaware and get on the road’.

RNC Day 3 Highlights: Pence Says Trump Will Bring Safety, Order 08-27-2020 (html) : NPR.

AP FACT CHECK: Pence presses a distorted case on economy 08-27-2020 (html) | AP News.

Immigrants in Trump-Led Ceremony Didn’t Know They Would Appear at RNC 08-26-2020 (html) – WSJ.

People want Tucker Carlson fired for Kenosha shooter remark 08-27-2020 (html) | Miami Herald. Tucker Carlson defends teen charged in Kenosha shooting. Now people want him fired.

Burgess Owens slams Dems as ‘dark, depressed party’ compared to ‘optimistic’ GOP 08-27-2020 (html) | Fox News.

NY Attorney General Letitia James wants Eric Trump’s testimony 08-27-2020 (html) | NBC News. The president’s son refused to appear for questions, or produce documents requested, despite a subpoena.

Ex-McCain, Bush and Romney staffers endorse Biden, joining Republicans bucking Trump 08-27-2020 (html) – CBS News

Top general says no role for military in presidential vote 08-28-2020 (html) | AP News. WASHINGTON (AP) – Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley speaks at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The top U.S. military officer is telling Congress that the U.S. armed forces will have no role in carrying out the election process or resolving a disputed vote. The comments from Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, underscore the extraordinary political environment in America, where the president has declared without evidence that the expected surge in mail-in ballots will make the vote  “inaccurate and fraudulent.”

FBI Says It’s Seen No Evidence Supporting President Trump’s Mail Ballot Fears, 08-26-2020 (html) : NPR. There’s No Evidence Supporting Trump’s Mail Ballot Warnings, FBI Says.

Meadows dismisses Hatch Act concerns at RNC: ‘Nobody outside of the Beltway really cares’ 08-26-2020 (html) – POLITICO. Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Economic Director Larry Kudlow and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, have come under scrutiny for accepting speaking roles at the RNC, positions which critics claim violate federal law banning most executive branch employees from political activity. The White House has largely ignored those concerns.

The Platform the GOP Is Too Scared to Publish, 08-25-2020 (html) – The Atlantic.

What Is The Hatch Act And What Does Violating It Mean? 08-26-2020 (html) : NPR.

Yevgeny Vindman files whistleblower complaint with Pentagon after raising concerns about Trump, O’Brien 08-26-2020 (html) – CBS News.

Vindman’s brother files whistleblower complaint alleging White House retaliation 08-26-2020 (html) | NBC News. Yevgeny Vindman did not publicly testify in the impeachment trial, but he served on the National Security Council as a lawyer and ethics official.

Vindman twin accused top NSC officials of misconduct, claims retaliation 08-26-2020 (html) – POLITICO. According to House Democrats, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman filed a complaint with the Pentagon’s inspector general.

Google News – Brother of impeachment figure files complaint against WH (html) – Overview.

Missing Fort Hood soldier Elder Fernandes’ body found hanging in tree, family lawyer says 08-26-2020 (html) – CBS News.

Trump’s ‘alternate reality’ TV convention tests his beliefs about people 08-26-2020 (html) | NBC News. Analysis: The president evidently sees strength in deception. Voters seem to be growing wary of the gap between his reality and theirs.

RNC: Trump to deliver speech touting outsider status from White House 08-27-2020 (html) | USA Today. “I’m the only thing standing between the American dream and total anarchy, madness and chaos,” President Trump said Friday.

President Trump’s four-year reign has been gutting for science, US scientists say 08-27-2020 (html) | Irish Times. Dismantling of protections ‘is making it harder for future administrations to use science’. Founded in 1969 by scientists and students at MIT, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCI), the Washington DC-based nonprofit, whose members include some of the world’s most respected scientists, has recorded a string of damaging federal government efforts: burying Covid-19 information for religious communities, side-stepping public input before legalising a cancer-causing pesticide for soybeans that is used in 25 US states, and dismantling health and safety measures at pork-processing plants. It’s of a scale never seen previously by experts.

President Trump tarnishes another pillar of American science 08-26-2020 (html) | Yahoo! News. Here we go again with a tug between politics and science. Our health is hanging in the balance as resentment grows for leaders who care more for image than public health.

McCloskeys, St. Louis gun-wielding couple, warn: ‘Your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America’, 08-25-2020 (html) | Fox News. The McCloskeys said the ‘radicals are not content just marching in the streets’.

St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters give dark warning in GOP RNC convention address, 08-24-2020 (html) | TheHill.

Mary Trump’s secret recordings of aunt knocking POTUS slammed as ‘rotten,’ ‘disgusting’, 08-25-2020 (html) | Fox News. ‘It is a truly rotten thing to do to a family member, but this family is not exactly the Waltons,’ Jonathan Turley wrote.

The White House’s latest answer on QAnon is, uh, not comforting, 08-24-2020 (html) – CNNPolitics. Whatever the motive, what Trump did — and Meadows failed to dispel — is dangerous. For all of us.

Russian-backed organizations amplifying QAnon conspiracy theories, researchers say, 08-24-2020 (html) – Reuters.

Lincoln Project: Michael Steele, former head of RNC, joins anti-Trump group, 08-24-2020 (html) | USA Today.

Defeating Trumpism could take Republican operatives who want to win, August 23, 2020 (html) | USA Today.

Letter: Former Republican: In embracing Donald Trump GOP lost values, 08-25-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

RNC Speaker Mary Ann Mendoza Cancelled After Boosting Conspiracy About Jewish Plot to Enslave the World, 08-25-2020 (html) | Daily Beast. Mary Ann Mendoza, an “angel mom,” was set to speak on Tuesday night. But then she took to Twitter to encourage followers to read a thread about the Rothschilds.

Police arrest MLive reporter filming a Proud Boys rally in Kalamazoo, August 15, 2020 (html) Michigan – YouTube.

Shadowland (html) – The Atlantic. Conspiracism here and around the world has destroyed great institutions, eradicated knowledge, endangered democracy, and ended lives. Now—fueled by the internet, partisan media, and the 45th president of the United States—paranoid thinking is more powerful, and more dangerous, than ever, threatening not just individual facts, but the idea that empirical truth exists at all. The rise of mainstream conspiracism is the result not just of bad information or bad politics or bad thinking, but of systems built to stoke paranoia and to profit from mistrust. This project is an attempt to illuminate the forces that have created this unreality—and chart a course for how we might feel our way out.

QAnon Is More Important Than You Think, June 2020 (html) – The Atlantic. The Prophecies of Q. American conspiracy theories are entering a dangerous new phase.

Judge Rejects Betsy DeVos Plan To Send Federal Funds To Private Schools, Augst 22, 2020 (html) | Forbes. Ruling by Seattle judge is blow to U.S. education chief Betsy DeVos.

Trump’s Virus Funding Boost for Private Schools Is Blocked, August 21, 2020 (html) – Bloomberg.

Rapper Ice-T jokes Trump has ‘more friends in jail than me’ after Steve Bannon’s arrest (html) | Fox News.

Harper Woods investigates photos posted to white supremacist websites, 08-22-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.The City of Harper Woods opened an investigation after a collection of photos showing Harper Woods first responders making hand gestures “arguably associated with what some might describe as the ‘white supremacist movement.'” The Michigan Department of Civil Rights will be conducting an investigation into the matter after city officials were made aware of the photos, which were allegedly published to “one of more websites affiliated with white supremacists,” according to the city’s attorney, John Gillooly.

Manafort shared campaign info with Russian intelligence officer, Senate panel finds, 08/18/20 (html) | TheHill.

Manafort was ‘grave counterintelligence threat’ due to Russian contacts, Senate panel says, 08/18/2020 (html) – POLITICO.

Google News – Senate panel finds Russia interfered in 2016 election (html) – Overview.

Senate Report on Russia Implicates More Than the Trump Campaign, August 18, 2020 (html) – Bloomberg. One question: Why did the FBI wait until 2016 to take strong action? Manafort resigned from the Trump campaign in August 2016, he kept up his relationship with both Kilimnik and some Trump campaign officials, such as the presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Gregg Jarrett: Trump didn’t collude with Russia to get elected, Senate panel belatedly concludes (html) | Fox News. The whole Trump-Russia collusion narrative was a deviously contrived fiction.

Defiant Trump seeks Putin meeting after report finds he lied to Mueller about Russia, August 18, 2020 (html) | MSNBC. The new report stating Roger Stone “shared” WikiLeaks information “directly with Trump” at his “direction” to “maximize the impact” of those leaks to help Trump’s election.

Final Senate Intelligence Report On 2016 Election Russian Interference Released, August 18, 2020 (html) : NPR. Following the Mueller Report, the fifth and final volume of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference puts something of a lid on years of probes into the issue. From this, there is a bipartisan consensus about the nature of the Russian threat. Both sides agree that the Russian government meddled in the 2016 election — and are calling for action to protect campaigns from foreign interference in future campaigns.

US Senate report goes beyond Mueller to lay bare Trump campaign’s Russia links (html) | US news | The Guardian. The bipartisan report runs to nearly 1,000 pages and goes further than last year’s investigation into Russian election interference by special prosecutor Robert Mueller. It lays out a stunning web of contacts between Trump, his top election aides and Russian government officials, in the months leading up to the 2016 election. The report notes: “In some circles of the US expatriate business community in Moscow, it has been common for visiting businessmen to be taken to nightclubs or parties where prostitutes are present. It is likely that Russian security or intelligence services capitalize on those opportunities to collect information. A new poll published by the Pew Research Center on Tuesday found that 75% of Americans now expect Russian or other foreign interference in the November election, and a diminishing percentage (47% compared with 55% two years ago) are confident the administration will make “serious efforts” to protect the election from hacking and other external threats.

Final Report on Russian Interference and Ties to Trump Is Released by G.O.P.-Led Senate Panel, August 18, 2020 (html) – The New York Times.

8 Takeaways From the Senate Committee Report on Russian Interference, August 18, 2020 (html)(pdf)- The New York Times. Senators divided along party lines about whether to conclude that the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin’s election sabotage operations.

Read the redacted Mueller report (html) (searchable pdf) – POLITICO.

Redacted Mueller Report – The Mueller Report: Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Volume I of II. Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III. Submitted Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 600.8(c), Washington, D.C. March 2019 (document) (pdf)

Redacted Mueller Report – Report on The Investigation Into Russian Interference In the 2016 Presidential Election, Volume II of II, Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III. Submitted Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 600.8(c)  (document) (pdf)

Mueller Report: Breaking Down the Biggest Myths (html) | Time. While none of these acts amounted to the crime of conspiracy, all could be described as “collusion.” Mueller found that Trump campaign members Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner met with Russian nationals in Trump Tower in New York June 2016 for the purpose of receiving disparaging information about Clinton as part of “Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump,” according to an email message arranging the meeting. This meeting did not amount to a criminal offense, in part, because Mueller was unable to establish “willfulness,” that is, that the participants knew that their conduct was illegal.

United States Department of Justice (DoJ) | Report on The Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Volume I of II. Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III. Submitted Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 600.8(c). Washington, D.C. March 2019, (pdf).

United States Department of Justice (DoJ) | Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Volume II of II. Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III. Submitted Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 600.8(c). Washington, D.C. March 2019, (pdf).

What’s New in the Unredacted Mueller Report? Thursday, July 2, 2020 (html) – Lawfare. Published by the Lawfare Institute in Cooperation With Brookings. The PDF Association thinks the Mueller report sucks, April 19, 2019 (html) – The Verge. It’s ‘really kind of sad’. When Special Counsel Robert Mueller released his report on Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election yesterday and political wonks across the internet rushed to download it, many people noticed two things: you couldn’t search for any text on the pages, and the whole file was really, really large. If you were annoyed by either of those things, you probably weren’t nearly as ticked off as the PDF Association, which published a long explanation of just why the Mueller report PDF file was so bad.

Former CIA Officer Arrested and Charged with Espionage, Monday, August 17, 2020 (html) (pdf) | OPA | Department of Justice (DoJ).

Fox News (html) – Breaking News Updates | Latest News Headlines | Photos & News Videos.

Washington Examiner (html): Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government

New York Post (html).

U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (html). 116TH Congress. Senate Report: 1st Session 116-XX. (U) Report of The Select Committee on Intelligence United States Senate on: Russian Active Measures Campaigns and Interference In The 2016 U.S. Election. Volume 5: Counterintelligence Threats and Vulnerabilities (pdf).

After Trump praise, Pence decries QAnon ‘conspiracy theory’, 08-21-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Pence Dismisses QAnon—But Avoids Criticizing Trump Or His Role In Pushing Theory, 08-21-2020 (html) | Forbes.

Pence dismisses QAnon conspiracy theory ‘out of hand’, 08-21-2020 (html) | TheHill.

After Trump praise, Pence decries QAnon ‘conspiracy theory’, 08-21-2020 (html) | AP News.

Pence denies hearing Trump embrace QAnon, 08-21-2020 (html) – POLITICO.

Pence dismisses QAnon conspiracy theory after Trump embraces its followers – CNNPolitics, 08-21-2020 (html) | CNN.

Facebook removes QAnon conspiracy group with 200,000 members, 08-07-2020 (html) – BBC News.

QAnon: What is it and where did it come from? 08-20-2020 (html) – BBC News.

The Republican Embrace of QAnon Goes Far Beyond Trump, 08-20-2020 (html) – The New York Times.

Pence says he’s ‘proud’ of Trump’s COVID-19 response, doesn’t denounce ‘rigged’ election claim, 08-21-2020 (html) – ABC News.

Google News – Trump praises right-wing conspiracy group QAnon (html) – Overview.

What Is QAnon? A Deep Look Inside the Nutso Conspiracy Theory Infecting Our Politics (html) | The Daily Beast. An explainer for the conspiracy theory that’s taking over the GOP.

Big Tech’s QAnon problem is just beginning, 08-21-2020 (html) – CNN. For three years, QAnon spread from the dark edges of the internet to mainstream social networks, and the social networks did little to stop it happening. Now Facebook and Twitter are trying to crack down — but it may be too late. What was once a fringe conspiracy theory has now been openly endorsed by some congressional candidates with a real shot of winning, and complimented by the President of the United States.

Berman to Pence: How can you not know about QAnon? 08-21-2020 (html) – YouTube.

Opinion: What Steve Bannon bust reveals about ‘building the wall’ 08-21-2020 (html) – CNN.

What is QAnon, the conspiracy theory group showing up to Trump rallies? (html) | Fox News.

Karl Rove condemns QAnon as ‘a group of nuts and kooks,’ says Trump ‘ought to disavow them’ (html) | Fox News.

Trump addresses QAnon conspiracy theory for the first time: ‘I heard that these are people that love our country’ (html) | Fox News. ‘I don’t know much about the movement besides that they like me very much,’ the president said.

Steve Bannon calls his arrest ‘a political hit job,’ says effort was in support of Trump, 08-21-2020 (html) – ABC News. “This was to show support for President Trump,” Bannon said. Steve Bannon jokes with group’s co-founder about misusing donors’ contributions. The former White House chief strategist, who was charged with fraud in connection to a crowdfunding campaign to build part of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, pleaded not guilty.

Pentagon: Use of surveillance planes in protests was legal, 08-21-2020 (html) | Detroit News. Washington – The use of National Guard reconnaissance planes in four U.S. cities to monitor the widespread protests earlier this year didn’t violate rules against the military collecting intelligence on Americans, a Pentagon report has concluded. The investigation by the Air Force inspector general found that the planes were used to gather information about crowd size, crowd flows and fires but they did not monitor individuals. The probe was ordered by Defense Secretary Mark Esper in response to questions within the department and Congress about whether the military illegally conducted surveillance of American citizens during the unrest after the death of George Floyd.

Democrats in Congress want to know why drones were surveilling protesters in Detroit, other cities, June 19, 2020 (html) | News Hits Metro Times.

State of Michigan: United States Space Force, Spaceport & Space Related Manufacturing & Jobs Related Opportunities

Michigan spaceport launch facility sees growing opposition, August 8, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. Not everyone is thrilled about proposed rocket launch site in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. An undeveloped, three-mile stretch of land along the Lake Superior about 16 miles north of Marquette in the Upper Peninsula, has been picked to host a vertical launch site. Anything that’s close to Lake Superior is concerning. It should be concerning to everybody, anybody who cares about this lake should be concerned about the largest of the Great Lakes, which is such a precious irreplaceable resource.

Michigan Health is at Stake, and BTW So is Democracy

As feds keep coming to Detroit, tensions and skepticism grow 08-26-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

DOJ requests Michigan data on COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes 08-26-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. Feds to Whitmer: Turn over COVID-19, nursing home data. She blasts back response. The governor agreed to provide the data, but blasted the request, labeling it a partisan stump aimed at helping President Donald Trump’s re-election bid.

Nursing home deaths in Michigan part of Department of Justice data request 08-26-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Michigan Appeals Court Upholds Governor’s Emergency Powers, August 21, 2020 (html) | Michigan News | US News.

Michigan appeals court backs Whitmer’s use of emergency powers amid coronavirus pandemic (html) | Fox News.

GOP strategist Bob LaBrant defends Whitmer’s use of emergency powers, Augsut 21, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. Do not strip Governor Whitmer or a future governor of the necessary tools found in the emergency powers law that has served the people of Michigan well for the past 75 years just to score some cheap partisan points. The ill-conceived Unlock Michigan petition drive is literally a threat to Michigan’s health.

Whitmer’s emergency actions upheld by Michigan Court of Appeals, 08-21-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Michigan Court of Appeals backs Whitmer on coronavirus emergency powers, 08-21-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Just Plain Sad or Just Plain Weird in Michigan

Man running naked along I-94 hit and killed, police investigating 09-11-2020 (html) – mlive.com

Police searching for man who handed off newborn to random person entering Michigan hospital 09-11-2020 (html) – mlive.com

A Michigan county tells its residents to ignore coronavirus restrictions and ‘return to normal life’ 09-09-2020 (html) – mlive.com

Paramedics sue for licenses after ‘dead’ woman found alive 09-10-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Nurse practitioner sentenced to probation for Medicare fraud, re-using rectal devices on patients 09-09-2020 (html) – mlive.com

Ex-Macomb prosecutor Smith to plead guilty to obstructing justice 09-09-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Woman suspected estranged husband after her parents fatally beaten with hammer as they slept 09-08-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Man dies after crashing vehicle into Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) building in Taylor 09-08-2020 (html) | Click on Detroit. Police say driver may have suffered medical emergency prior to crash.

Wayne County Man Charged In Wildlife, Drug, Money Conspiracy 09-04-2020 (html) | WWJ Newsradio 950. Six tons of shark fins were among the agents’ discoveries. Agents also discovered 18 totoaba fish bladders “illegally harvested from the endangered species,” according to the DOJ.

Michigan man sentenced in bathub drowning death of 1-year-old girl 09-07-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Records show resigned deputy lied twice about incidents 09-07-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

‘Habitual’ suspect in Detroit slaying has pleaded guilty to homicide before 09-07-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Man sentenced to 25-50 years in drowning death of Midland toddler 09-06-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Man sentenced in Michigan mall assault that drew President Trump’s attention 09-06-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Teen gets prison in fatal shooting of friend at Fenton-area home 09-06-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Detroit Police cannot use striking weapons, chemical agents, rubber bullets against protesters, judge orders 09-05-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Judge bars Detroit police tactics against ‘peaceful protesters’ 09-05-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Michigan family ordered to move pool away from lake that isn’t there 09-05-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Wyandotte woman faces 7 felonies in alleged DoorDash shooting 09-04-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

State suspends 2 medics who treated woman wrongly declared dead 08-28-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Paramedics’ licenses suspended after mistakenly determining woman died 08-28-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Michigan woman allegedly shot at DoorDash driver over $10 meal 09-04-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Michigan Attorney General moves to dissolve 10 nonprofits posing as popular charities 09-04-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Michigan gov’s residence seeing security upgrade, $1.1M maintenance 09-04-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Family calls for justice for 1-year-old beaten to death & his twin brother 09-04-2020 (html) | WXYZ.

Case saying woman defrauded nearly $500,000 in vets’ money bound over 09-02-2020 (html) | Hometown Life.

Oakland County man found living with wife’s corpse, 11 pets 09-04-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Lansing schools pay out $500K over student suicide caused by bullying 09-02-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Woman declared dead by paramedics found to be alive at Detroit funeral home: “They were about to embalm her” 08-25-2020 (html) – CBS News. “They would have begun draining her blood to be very, very frank about it,” the family’s lawyer, Geoffrey Fieger, told WXYZ-TV.

Lawyer: Woman found alive at Detroit funeral home had been in body bag for 2 hours, 08-25-2020 (html) | Detroit News.

‘Dead’ woman discovered alive in body bag at funeral home, August 24, 2020 (html) | US news | The Guardian

Dead Woman, 20, Found to Be Alive at Funeral Home, August 24, 2020 (html) | PEOPLE.com

Woman found alive after being taken to Detroit funeral home, August 24, 2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Attorney for woman found alive at Detroit funeral home: ‘They were about to embalm her’, Augst 24, 2020 (html) | WXYZ. DETROIT (WXYZ) — A 20-year-old woman believed to have died was found breathing at a Detroit funeral home.

Sources reveal who declared Southfield woman dead before she was found breathing at funeral home, 08-24-2020 (html) | Click on Detroit.

Detroit funeral home realizes woman declared dead is actually alive, 08-24-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

How Southfield mother found out her daughter, declared dead hours before, was still alive, 08-24-2020 (html) | Click on Detroit. Southfield paramedics say 20-year-old woman was showing no signs of life.

Woman pronounced dead by Southfield Fire Department found breathing at Detroit funeral home, 08-24-2020 (html) | News Hits | Metro Times.

‘Dead’ woman found to be breathing at Detroit funeral home, 08-25-2020 (html) | Daily Telegraph.

Details emerge after woman found alive in body bag at funeral home, 08-25-2020 (html) – ABC News. A 20-year-old Michigan woman who was declared dead by paramedics and placed in a body bag for nearly three hours was discovered alive when a funeral home employee unzipped the bag and found her staring up at him.

Google News – Detroit woman found breathing after being declared dead (html) – Overview.

State of Michigan employee accused of stealing $1.1M in jobless funds, feds say, 08-25-2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. An employee of the State of Michigan and a Detroit woman have been charged with stealing unemployment insurance money meant to help Michiganders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Woman accused of using shock collar on 12-year-old stepdaughter sentenced in Genesee County Michigan, 08-25-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

Woman found alive at Detroit funeral home after being declared dead, August 24, 2020 (html) | Click on Detroit.

Attorney for woman found alive at Detroit funeral home: ‘They were about to embalm her’, August 24, 2020 (html) | WXYZ.

Woman found alive after being taken to Detroit funeral home, August 24, 2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Woman pronounced dead by Southfield Fire Department found breathing at Detroit funeral home, August 24, 2020 (html) | News Hits | Metro Times.

Detroit funeral home realizes woman declared dead is actually alive, August 24, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press.

Mich. man drowns waiting for rescue after boat runs out of gas, August 24, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. Ten people die each day from unintentional drowning in the United States, making it the fifth-leading cause of unintentional injury death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 80% of these people are male, reports the organization.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) Astronaut Jeanette Epps to Become First Black Woman to Join International Space Station (ISS)

Astronaut Jeanette Epps Joins First Operational Boeing Crew Mission 08-25-2020 (html) | NASA. NASA has assigned astronaut Jeanette Epps to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission, the first operational crewed flight of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on a mission to the International Space Station.

Epps will join NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Josh Cassada for a six-month expedition planned for a launch in 2021 to the orbiting space laboratory. The flight will follow NASA certification after a successful uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 and Crew Flight Test with astronauts.

The spaceflight will be the first for Epps, who earned a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1992 from LeMoyne College in her hometown of Syracuse, New York. She completed a master’s degree in science in 1994 and a doctorate in aerospace engineering in 2000, both from the University of Maryland, College Park.

NASA’s Jeanette Epps set to be first Black woman to join long-term ISS crew 08-27-2020 (html) – CNET.

Astronaut Jeanette Epps to become first Black woman to join an International Space Station crew 08-27-2020 (html) | CNBC.

First Black Woman Astronaut Will Join International Space Station Crew 08-27-2020 (html) | BET.

NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps to Become First Black Woman to Join ISS 08-26-2020 (html) | PEOPLE.com. “I’m super excited to join Suni Williams and Josh Cassada on the first operational Boeing crewed mission to the International Space Station,” Epps said.

NASA’s Jeanette Epps could become first Black woman to live on ISS 08-26-2020 (html) | USA Today.

Jeanette Epps set to become first Black female astronaut on ISS in 2021 08-26-2020 (html) | Fox News. Epps, who joined the astronaut corps in 2009, has been assigned to NASA Boeing Starliner-1.

NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps to make rookie spaceflight aboard Boeing’s Starliner 08-25-2020 (html) | Space.

Google News – NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps to join Boeing’s Starliner (html) – Overview.

Jeanette Epps (html) – Wikipedia.

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References and Further reading.