Washington, DC - I am sad for the eight people and their families who died and the many others injured because of the recent Amtrak disaster. Tragedy can happen regardless of ownership. I wish we didn't own Amtrak.

Washington, DC - The U.S. is still a religious country despite a new report that there's been a nearly eight percent decline over the past seven years among those who hold religious beliefs.  More than 70% of the population say they believe in God, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.

Los Angeles, California - A Guatemalan man charged with killing his ex-wife and their unborn child was removed to Guatemala May 8 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers in Los Angeles, California.

Imperial, California - A computer forensic analyst for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appeared on an episode of Public Broadcasting Service's "This Old House" May 6.

Washington, DC - On May 21, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta S. Jacobson will host a delegation from the Cuban government led by Josefina Vidal, Director General of the U.S. Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Assistant Secretary Jacobson and Director General Vidal will continue discussions on re-establishing diplomatic relations and re-opening embassies. A U.S. Embassy in Havana will allow the United States to more effectively promote our interests and values, and increase engagement with the Cuban people.

Moffett Field, California - NASA and the Silicon Valley chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) are partnering to cosponsor the 2015 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Traffic Management Convention: A New Era in Aviation, July 28-30, at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.