Washington, D.C

Lawton veteran returns from Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight to Washington

Published

4 weeks ago

April 23, 2026

Lawton veteran returns from Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight to Washington

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – A Lawton veteran returned home after visiting Washington, D.C., as part of the Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight.

Dr. Don Sullivan, a Cold War and Vietnam veteran, was chosen for the honor flight and said the experience “turned out to be wonderful.”

Sullivan was stationed in the D.C. area years ago and had seen the memorials before, but this visit was different.

“It gives you the opportunity to see things, even if you’ve been there before, gives you the opportunity to see things in a different light,” Sullivan said.

One-day tour of memorials

During the one-day trip to Washington, Sullivan and 66 other veterans visited the major war memorials, key national monuments and attended the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.

“The memorials are wonderful. They’re just awesome and to see all of them in one day, it truly is overwhelming,” Sullivan said.

For this April Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, his son accompanied him as his guardian.

“I didn’t particularly need a guardian, but I wanted him to have the experience,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan served with the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam.

“I served in what was called MAC-V, the military assistance command Vietnam. All of my team survived,” Sullivan said.

Emotional visit to the wall

Though he had seen the wall before, the impact was just as vast.

“I never failed to tear up,” Sullivan said. “Though I know not a name on there, you cannot go to the Vietnam memorial and not become emotional or even thinking of it, you know.”

There was one memorial he had not been to: the Military Women’s Memorial.

“If they want to be hugged, they have a hug from me because I know what they went through, and I was pleased to see that memorial, which does depict a nurse tending to a soldier,” Sullivan said.

The trip made him appreciate the support Oklahoma shows for its veterans.

“One thing that I really got out of this is how fortunate we are here as veterans to be living in Lawton, Oklahoma and to be in Oklahoma,” Sullivan said. “In Lawton, you walk through the park you see memorials.”

Welcome home

When he got off the flight after the day-long tour, he received the welcome home he and other Vietnam veterans deserved decades ago.

“Whooping and hollering and clapping and saying thank you thank you thank you. For some of us who came home from Vietnam to San Francisco or whatever, and literally were just ignored and denigrated, that was a terrific homecoming experience,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said he looks forward to seeing the Gulf War Memorial that is currently under construction in Washington.

The Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight is every October and April. All veterans are eligible to apply. Selection priority is given to those who have served in previous conflicts and those who are terminally ill.

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Washington, D.C

Mayor shares ‘grave concern’ about federal police pursuits in DC

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2026

Press Room

Mayor shares ‘grave concern’ about federal police pursuits in DC

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has “grave concern” about federal police pursuits after a chase in Southeast D.C. two weeks ago ended in a crash that left a man paralyzed and another two months ago near the Tidal Basin that killed an 18-year-old.

Prior to August, when President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington and ordered federal law enforcement surge, U.S. Park Police officers only pursued suspects if a violent felony had taken place or the suspect was known to be in possession of a firearm.

A change in policy implemented at the beginning of the federal surge, as described by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

According to the general orders published on the U.S. Park Police website, Park Police may pursue vehicles when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public.

Just after 11 p.m. May 3, firefighters responding to a horrific crash found a red Audi in the woods near the intersection of 9th Street and Southern Avenue in Southeast.

According to a court affidavit, a federal task force working in Southeast stopped the driver for “speeding and changing lanes without caution.” The driver, identified as Blake Washington, suddenly accelerated around the agents and took off at speeds exceeding 100 mph, according to the affidavit.

Shortly after federal agents began to pursue the vehicle, it hit a car with a man and woman inside, the affidavit says.

A court affidavit says the man was knocked unconscious and doctors said he had a 50% chance of walking again.

“Here’s the thing with car chases: People get hurt, and it’s not always the bad guys, and nobody should be speeding for minor crimes in the city,” Bowser said.

The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed one of its officers was a passenger in the vehicle that initiated the pursuit and they are investigating for any role they had in the chase.

On March 12, U.S. Park Police officers saw a stolen car on Hains Point and began a pursuit. A tire deflation device was deployed, police said, but the car continued at a high rate of speed before crashing into a tree near the Tidal Basin.

Josue Chavez, 18, died, and two passengers were injured.

News4 has been unable to reach Chavez’s family.

U.S. Park Police denied requests to talk to News4 about the pursuit policy. The U.S. Marshals Service also declined to comment.

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Washington, D.C

Gregory Barbaccia and Amy Gleason among senior federal speakers at Washington D.C. conference

Published

15 hours ago

May 18, 2026

Press Room

Gregory Barbaccia and Amy Gleason among senior federal speakers at Washington D.C. conference

By Richard Johnstone on 18/05/2026 | Updated on 18/05/2026

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, where Government Service Delivery 2026 will be held. Photo by APK via Wikimedia Commons under CC 4.0

Senior leaders from across the US federal government will come together in Washington, D.C. this June for Government Service Delivery 2026, a conference focused on improving how government delivers services through technology, data and digital transformation.

The event, hosted by Global Government Forum, will bring together federal CIOs, senior officials and international government leaders to share practical insights on how public services can become more efficient, secure and user-centred.

Confirmed speakers include:

Gregory Barbaccia, Federal Chief Information Officer, Office of Management and Budget (subject to final approvals)
Amy Gleason, Acting Administrator, U.S. DOGE Service (USDS) and Strategic Advisor, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (subject to final approvals)
Michael Lynch, Deputy Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration

The conference, taking place on June 11 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, will provide a rare opportunity for federal leaders to share insights directly with an audience of government practitioners.

Government Service Delivery 2026: Find out more and register here

Sessions will explore key challenges and priorities across government, including:

Implementing artificial intelligence in public services
Strengthening cybersecurity and resilience
Improving the use of data in government decision-making
Delivering greater efficiency in IT procurement
Tackling fraud and risk across public services
Building a workforce equipped for digital government

Additional speakers from across US federal government include:

Brian Epley, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Commerce
Sonny Bhagowalia, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Pavan Pidugu, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Transportation
Dawn Zimmer, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Energy
David Shive, Chief Information Officer, U.S. General Services Administration
Eric Sidle, Chief Information Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development

The conference will also feature international perspectives from senior leaders including:

Dario Genua, Secretary of Innovation, Science and Technology, Argentina
Katarzyna Zajkowska, Director of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Digital Affairs, Poland
Emily Middleton, Interim Director General for Digital Transformation, Government Digital Service, UK
Gulsanna Mamediieva, Adviser to the Vice Prime Minister, Ukraine
Elsa Pilichowski, Director for Public Governance, OECD

View the full list of speakers here

About Richard Johnstone

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Washington, D.C

Storm Team4 Forecast: Near-record heat expected to start off week

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Storm Team4 Forecast: Near-record heat expected to start off week

4 things to know about the weather:

Hot Monday
Potentially record heat Monday and Tuesday
Dry start to the week
Showers, then milder end of week

After a hot end to the weekend, the heat continues to crank up for the start of the new workweek. Highs on Monday and Tuesday will be near record levels, possibly tying or beating them. Temperatures will elevate to the mid to upper 90s.

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

Wednesday will also be hot, but a cold front will come and bring showers and storm chances, then knock temperatures down for the end of the week. Highs will be in the 60s by Friday.