Community Chat Board - Barefoot Beach Community - Bonita Springs FL
Astronauts Splash Down After Extended Space Mission
Four astronauts, part of the Crew-9 mission, have returned to Earth after spending over nine months at the International Space Station. Their spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon, successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida. This return marks a significant moment in human spaceflight as it concludes one of the longer duration missions, involving international cooperation and showcasing the capabilities of private space industry partnerships with governmental space agencies.
Crew-9 mission returned from the International Space Station yesterday, March 17, 2025. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, undocked from the station at 1:05 a.m. EDT on March 18, 2025. However, their splashdown off the coast of Florida is scheduled to occur later today, March 18, 2025, at approximately 5:57 p.m. EDT, weather permitting. So, while they began their return journey yesterday by undocking, the full return process, including reentry and splashdown, will complete today.
Saint Patrick's Day
NASA's stuck astronauts welcome replacements who arrived to space station on SpaceX capsule
The Crew-10 astronauts' SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule docked to the space station at 12:04 a.m. on Sunday
Spending bill to avert shutdown successful
The House-passed short-term spending bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), would keep spending levels the same as fiscal year (FY) 2024 until Oct. 1.
ICE arrests 32K in Trump's first 50 days
ICE agents made 32,809 enforcement arrests in Trump’s first 50 days. Nearly half were convicted criminals, and DHS said about a third have pending criminal charges.
California exploiting Medicaid 'loophole' to pay billions for illegal immigrants' healthcare
Medicaid spending is supposed to be jointly financed by the federal government and states. However, states are increasingly designing Medicaid money laundering schemes that result in massive federal expenditures without any state financial obligation. This scheme enriches insurers, attracts illegal immigrants to the United States, and adds mountains to the federal debt, all at the expense of working Americans.
Trump Proposes No Tax for Earners Below $150,000
President Donald Trump is considering a new tax policy where individuals earning less than $150,000 annually might not have to pay taxes, according to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. This proposal is part of broader discussions on fiscal strategy as the 2017 tax cuts face expiration. The policy aims to shift taxation burdens away from internal revenue to external sources, like a 'membership fee' from other countries trading with the U.S.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has recently directed its staff to shred and burn classified and personnel documents, following an announcement by Senator Marco Rubio about the cancellation of 83% of its contracts.
This action has raised concerns about potential cover-ups of mismanagement or corruption, especially as legal actions are underway to potentially intervene in the destruction of records. Critics argue this could be an attempt to erase evidence of wasteful spending, while routine destruction of classified materials is also part of established procedures.
U.S. Education Department Cuts Workforce by Nearly 50%
The U.S. Department of Education has announced a reduction of nearly 50% of its workforce. This action follows statements from Education Secretary Linda McMahon, indicating these cuts are steps towards potentially dismantling the department as per President Trump's directives. Employees have been told to vacate their offices by 6 PM today, with the layoffs officially starting on Friday, March 21.
