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U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, co-chair of the House Military Veterans Caucus, led his bipartisan co-chairs in sending a letter to Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning asking him to grant an exception to the requirement that current and former service members who enlisted in the National Guard between 2006 and 2008 repay unauthorized bonuses.
Members of Congress in both parties vowed Tuesday to halt Pentagon efforts to force nearly 10,000 former California National Guard soldiers to repay bonuses they received in a deceptive scheme to get them to re-enlist for combat duty a decade ago.
More than $15 million in bonuses were paid fraudulently or mistakenly by state National Guard recruiters under pressure to meet recruitment goals during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Enticed by a promise they could earn $15,000 or more, thousands of California National Guard members accepted.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, Co- Chair of the House Military Veterans Caucus, led his bipartisan team in sending a letter to Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning asking him to grant an exception to the requirement that current and former service members who enlisted in the National Guard between 2006 and 2008 repay unauthorized bonuses.
Napa-based nonprofit ParentsCAN will receive $100,000 a year for five years from U.S. Department of Education as part of the Community Parent Resource Center grant to equip parents with the information, knowledge and skills they need to work with professionals to meet the early intervention, educational and transitional needs of children with disabilities.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, presented ParentsCan members with the check on Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced on Tuesday a COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant of $125,000 to the City of Lakeport. This will be used to retain a law enforcement officer who will serve as a liaison to Lakeport’s business community and neighborhood groups to support Lakeport’s crime reduction efforts.
The grant was made available through the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, otherwise known as COPS.
FIGHT IN KOREA? If you did, you should know that a grateful South Korea would like to give you a medal.
It’s called the Ambassador for Peace medal. Anyone who served in the Korean Conflict between June 25, 1950, and July 27, 1953, is eligible to receive one from the Republic of Korea.
Eligible also are vets who took part in UN peacekeeping operations on the Korean Peninsula through the end of 1955.
Kin of Korea vets who’ve died can arrange for medals to be presented posthumously.
“Meadow, search,” dog trainer Chelsey Darrow said, standing in the doorway of a mock apartment at Santa Rosa-based Canine Companions for Independence.
Her tail wagging like a metronome, the 2-year-old Labrador-golden retriever mix rushed in and — seconds later — issued two full-throated barks.
“Meadow, Meadow, you got her,” Darrow said, rewarding her canine pupil with dry kibble.
U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-05) and John Garamendi (CA-03) announced that low-interest Small Business Administration loans have been made available to business owners and homeowners impacted by the Clayton fire.
While there are no official estimates as to how many businesses and homeowners are eligible to receive these loans, the owners of the 203 homes and eight commercial structures that were destroyed may be eligible to receive these loans should they choose to apply and meet SBA criteria.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) today sent a letter to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Mel Watt to ask that the FHFA issue policy guidance that allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to fully participate in Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs nationwide.
The word “debt” loomed large in a literal way Thursday at Sonoma State University.
During the outset of a congressional town hall at the university’s student center, East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Pleasanton, told audience members they could text message a specific number with words describing the issues most important to them. Their answers would form a “word cloud” — in which the size of a word varies on how much it is used — projected on screens at either side of the stage.