News 6 Mashup: March 1, 2021
Here are the top stories for the week of March 1, 2021, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:
First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, Prioritizes Military Children
First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, has hit the ground running in her first weeks serving in her new role. One of her first priorities: advocating for military children. Military Times reported that Dr. Biden has already met with the Military Child Education Coalition and has held several listening sessions with military children and military spouses.
“‘They’re proud of their families, but that doesn’t mean it’s not hard at times,’ she said. ‘Yes, military kids are resilient, but they deserve support, and we need to recognize that their experiences are both beautiful and challenging.’” Some issues that the groups shared with Dr. Biden included a need for a “smoother transition for military children with special needs” and the need to consider “military children’s education as a readiness issue and should be tied to basing decisions.” Additionally, there was discussion about “providing teachers with the tools” to help military children.
AAFES Opening Chiropractic Offices
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is planning on opening its first chiropractic offices this year. This move comes as part of AAFES’ Exchange wellness offerings. Chiropractic offices are just part of the initiative to offer wellness services on site. There are currently 139 optical and optometry clinics, 17 durable medical equipment shops, with seven more planned to open in 2021, and nine dental offices with an additional eight planned to open in 2021, according to a press release from AAFES.
More than 1,100 Sea Turtles Rescued in Texas
Heartwarming stories have been popping up from the tragic cold-weather crisis that Texas dealt with in mid-February. One such story landed on my desk—and I have to recognize the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi for their immediate response when they heard sea turtles had been spotted “floating listlessly” in the Gulf. “The reptiles were cold-stunned,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Russell Grizzard. Military.com said he was one of three Coast Guard rescue swimmers who swam in the “near-freezing water to find the turtles and bring them to safety.” When news spread, volunteers poured in to help. These included “Coast Guard members, troops’ spouses, and kids.” Many of the volunteers were also facing struggles with their own power outages and frozen pipes, shared Military.com, but they came out anyway. More than 1,100 sea turtles were saved because of their rescue efforts.
This Week in History
On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant. Yellowstone is widely regarded as both the first national park in the United States and in the world. This national gem stretches into three states and spans more than 2.2 million acres. It is known for its geothermal features; the most well known being Old Faithful geyser. Yellowstone is home to wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Many animal and plants that call Yellowstone home are endangered or threatened. Check out webcams and virtually explore Yellowstone.
Photo by White House
