VIDEO: Supporting the People of Moore, Oklahoma

President Obama's visit to Moore, Oklahoma.  President Obama tours the tornado damage in Moore, Oklahoma and promises them that like the Tuscaloosa, Joplin and Hurricane Sandy disasters before them, America will stand with them as they recover and rebuild. 

Busy Memorial Day Weekend

HOUSTON — A large influx of swimmers and boaters led to multiple search and rescue cases for Coast Guard crews and Houston-area response agencies this Memorial Day weekend.

In total, 10 search and rescue cases were logged from Friday to Monday, which tragically included four drownings. A summary of some of the efforts are:

Sector Houston/Galveston command center staff managed 10 search and rescue cases and 11 marine safety cases
Air Station Houston helicopter crews conducted more than 33 search-and-rescue flight hours
Station Freeport crewmembers conducted more than 27 search-and-rescue hours
Station Sabine towed a mariner’s disabled vessel to safety after they drifted too close to rocks near North Levy Road in Sabine Lake.
"In a two-day span the Coast Guard responded to four drowning deaths," said Lt. Spencer Roach, a command duty officer at Sector Houston/Galveston. “It is truly heartbreaking to see these patterns repeated every holiday weekend and underscores the need for constant vigilance while around the water. The Coast Guard operates the most sophisticated and accurate search-planning technology available, but even the best searches can't help you if you lack the basic safety gear such as life jackets, which will help you survive until we get there."

Many maritime incidents and deaths are preventable and with boating season well underway, the Coast Guard urges all boaters and mariners to do the following before heading out on the water:

Wear a life jacket at all times
File a float plan with family members or friends letting them know where you are headed and when you plan to be back
Check the weather prior to departing the dock
Have a marine band radio and visual distress signals on board
Have a registered 406MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
Have a Personal Locator Beacon
Do not boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Beach goers should follow additional precautions before entering the water. Don't swim alone and always swim where lifeguards are present. Pay close attention to and heed beach warning flags and signs.

For more information on beach safety, check out the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's site on rip currents at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.

For more information on boating safety please visit the Coast Guard's boating safety website at www.uscgboating.org.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLIC SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
PUBLIC SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

SECRETARY JOHN KERRY

Secretary Kerry has no public events scheduled.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS

8:30 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends breakfast meeting with AFL-CLO Delegation, in Paris France. 

10:00 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats holds a press interview, at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Media briefing room, in Paris, France.

10:30 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the OECD Ministerial – Keynote address in Paris, France.

11:00 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the OECD Ministerial – Economic Outlook in Paris, France.

12:45 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the New Approaches to Economic Challenges working lunch in Paris, France.

2:00 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the OECD Ministerial – Jobs, Equality and Trust in Paris, France.

3:00 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends as a panelist at the OECD Forum – The Enterprising State in Paris, France.

7:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the Ministerial Dinner (“The Comeback of Politics”) in Paris, France.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

12:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine attends the National Democratic Institute’s annual Madeleine K. Albright Women's Luncheon in Washington, D.C.

6:00 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine attends an “Evening with Geena Davis” hosted by former Senator Chris Dodd and the Motion Picture Association of America in Washington, DC.

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

3:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall participates in the Women in Diplomacy Series, at the Blair House in Washington, D.C.

7:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall attends a reception hosted by the spouse of the Ambassador of Norway to the United States, the Reverend Dr. Cecilie J. Strommen, in Washington, D.C.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICK BARTON
Assistant Secretary Barton is on travel to California May 28-30. 

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN AFFAIRS ROBERT BLAKE

10:30 a.m. Assistant Secretary Blake meets with the Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United States Ilhom Nematov at the Department of State.

11:30 a.m. Assistant Secretary Blake meets with the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States Jaliya Wickramasuriya at the Department of State.

2:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Blake meets with the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States Kairat Umarov at the Department of State.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS EstHER BRIMMER

12:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Brimmer attends the National Democratic Institute’s annual Madeleine K. Albright Women's Luncheon in Washington, DC.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS JOSE FERNANDEZ
Assistant Secretary Fernandez is on official travel May 19-31 to Mexico City, Mexico; Ankara, Turkey; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Madrid, Spain. 

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS ROBERTA JACOBSON
Assistant Secretary Jacobson accompanies Vice President Biden on foreign travel. Click here for more information.

ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS JOSEPH YUN
Acting Assistant Secretary of State Joseph Yun is on foreign travel to Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam, May 20-29, for bilateral and multilateral meetings with senior officials. 

ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR UZRA ZEYA

11:00 a.m. Acting Assistant Secretary Uzra Zeya meets with representatives of Human Rights First and Human Rights Watch at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RETA JO LEWIS

3:00 p.m. Special Representative Lewis participates in the Women in Diplomacy Series, at the Blair House in Washington, D.C.

SPECIAL ENVOY TO MONITOR AND COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM IRA FORMAN

Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Ira Forman is attending the 4^th International Conference of the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism from May 28-30 in Jerusalem. 

"Sunday Morning Fog" The Maine Windjammer Project

"Sunday Morning Fog" By Doug Mills

Heritage and the pinky schooner Summertime in the Sunday morning fog at North End Shipyard in Rockland.[07-11-2010]

www.mainewindjammerproject.com

The President's Schedule Today

President Barack Obama hugs Amy Simpson, principal of Plaza Towers Elementary School, outside what remains of the school following last week's tornado in Moore, Okla., May 26, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In the morning, the President will travel to New Jersey.

While in New Jersey, the President will visit the Jersey Shore to view the rebuilding and recovery efforts underway following Hurricane Sandy’s devastating impact along the coastline last fall, including the efforts by local businesses to prepare for the 2013 summer season.  The President, joined by Governor Chris Christie, will visit with families and business owners who have shown such resilience in the face of the destructive storm, highlight the extensive rebuilding efforts to date, and underscore his administration’s ongoing commitment to stand with the impacted communities as the important work of recovery continues.

The President will also deliver remarks at Asbury Park Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

In the afternoon, the President will depart New Jersey en route Washington, DC.

Later, the President will meet with Secretary of Defense Hagel in the Oval Office.

In the evening, the President will deliver remarks at the AAPI Heritage Month Celebration at the White House.


Vice President and Dr. Biden
In the morning, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will meet with President Anthony Carmona and Mrs. Reema Harrysingh-Carmona at the President’s Residence.

Later in the morning, the Vice President will travel to the Diplomatic Center. The Vice President’s arrival to the Diplomatic Center

At 10:50 AM LOCAL TIME/10:50 AM ET, the Vice President will meet with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

At 11:30 AM LOCAL TIME/11:30 AM ET, the Vice President will meet with Presidents, Prime Ministers and other senior ministry officials from the Caribbean region, including Prime Minister Winston Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda; Prime Minister Perry G. Christie of the Bahamas; Prime Minister Freundel J. Stuart of Barbados; Deputy Prime Minister Margarito Gaspar Vega of Belize; Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Walter of Dominica; Prime Minister Keith Mitchell of Grenada; President Donald R. Ramotar of Guyana; President Michel J. Martelly of Haiti; Minister of National Security Peter Bunting of Jamaica; Prime Minister Denzil L. Douglas of St. Kitts and Nevis; Deputy Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia; Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; President Desiré Delano Bouterse of Suriname; Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago; Vice President Margarita Cedeño de Fernández of the Dominican Republic and Secretary General Irwin LaRocque of CARICOM. The meeting will focus on energy, economic growth, and citizen security. There will be a pool spray with welcoming remarks at the top of this meeting. Following the meeting, the Vice President and Caribbean leaders will attend a lunch.

At 2:15 PM LOCAL TIME/2:15 PM ET, the Vice President, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, and President Martelly of Haiti on behalf of CARICOM will deliver statements to the press.

In the afternoon, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will depart Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, en route Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Vice President and Dr. Biden’s arrival in Rio de Janeiro at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport at 10:00 PM LOCAL TIME/9:00 PM ET

10:05 AM	The President departs the White House South Lawn
10:20 AM	The President departs Joint Base Andrews Joint Base Andrews
10:50 AM	The Vice President meets with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar
11:05 AM	The President arrives New Jersey Joint Base McGuire-Dix
11:30 AM	The Vice President tmeets with Presidents, Prime Ministers and other senior ministry officials from the Caribbean region
1:30 PM	The President delivers remarks Asbury Park, Asbury Park Convention Hall, New Jersey
2:05 PM	The President departs New Jersey Joint Base McGuire-Dix
2:15 PM	The Vice President, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, and President Martelly of Haiti on behalf of CARICOM deliver statements to the press
3:40 PM	The President arrives Joint Base Andrews Joint Base Andrews
3:55 PM	The President arrives the White House South Lawn
4:30 PM	The President meets with Secretary of Defense Hagel Oval Office
5:30 PM	The President delivers remarks The East Room
10:00 PM	The Vice President and Dr. Biden arrive in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport

MASSACHUSETTS 7-DAY FORECAST

MASSACHUSETTS 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Southwest wind 5 to 9 mph.
Tonight Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2am. Patchy fog after 2am. Low around 54. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Some of the storms could produce small hail and gusty winds. Patchy fog before 2pm. High near 76. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. West wind 11 to 15 mph.
Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 64.

Friday Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.

Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
Sunday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

VIDEO: Red Cross in Moore Memorial Weekend

WASHINGTON,  — The American Red Cross tornado relief effort in Oklahoma continued through the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Emergency aid stations and shelters will be open and disaster workers will be handing out food and relief supplies to those affected by this week’s devastating storms.

“The Red Cross is making sure that people in Oklahoma get the help they need today, Friday and over the holiday weekend,” said Trevor Riggen, vice president of Disaster Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. “We will have places where people can come to get food and emergency aid and also will have workers and vehicles going out in the community. The Red Cross also continues to provide health and mental health services to the people who need our help following this tragedy.”

Ten emergency aid stations are open where people can come to get food, relief supplies, health and mental health care and information about what other help is available. In addition, meals are available at feeding sites and being distributed throughout the community, along with relief supplies.

Five Red Cross and community shelters are open in Oklahoma following tornadoes over the past week, and more than 370 people spent Wednesday night in those shelters. The Red Cross has also:

Provided more than 16,000 meals working with its partner, the Southern Baptist Convention.
Distributed more than 2,800 relief items including personal toiletries and recovery items like coolers, buckets, gloves, dust masks, trash bags, flashlights, tarps, shovels, rakes and blankets.
Provided dozens of health and mental health contacts. Health services volunteers are working with the Medical Reserve Corps to visit the injured in local hospitals and helping people replace prescriptions and other medical items at emergency aid stations. Mental health workers are providing emotional support in shelters and emergency aid stations.
Mobilized more than 300 Red Cross workers from all over the country to help the people in Oklahoma.
Deployed 30 Red Cross emergency response vehicles to distribute food and relief supplies throughout neighborhoods.
Helped comfort those affected through its spiritual care teams.
The Red Cross tornado response is also continuing in Texas following the May 15 tornado. Wednesday night, more than 40 people stayed in Red Cross and community shelters in Texas. Red Cross volunteers are also providing food, relief supplies, emotional support and comfort as those communities recover.

HOW TO HELP Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations help provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters.