Daily Republic: Sunday, April 2, 2023 by mcnaughtonmedia

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Special ed. students enjoy friendly competitions A4

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SUNDAY | April 2, 2023 | $1.50

DAILYREPUBLIC.COM | Well said. Well read.

Easter starts early this year with hop into swimming pool Susan Hiland

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Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Former prisoners of war held in captivity in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War take part in a historic marker

dedication during the Operation Homecoming 50th Anniversary Ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, Friday.

Travis marks 50th anniversary of Operation Homecoming Todd R. Hansen

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FAIRFIELD — Retired Navy Capt. Charlie Plumb remembers when “the Rat” came to the prisoner of war cells to tell them they were going home – ordering them to get on to a waiting bus. “He looked like a rat, and he was a rat,” Plumb said of the camp commandant. Plumb, donning his Naval dress uniform, was the keynote speaker Friday at a dedication ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of Operation Homecoming at Travis Air Force Base. The visitors terminal was renamed Operation Homecoming Terminal, and a plaque will mark the spot just off the flightline where 258 of the 591 returning POWs disembarked at Travis, many rushing into the arms of their waiting families.

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Navy Capt. Charlie Plumb, Ret., is greeted after speaking during the Operation Homecoming 50th Anniversary Ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, Friday. The flight that brought the prisoners home was reenacted recently, March 24-29. The Heritage Flight included ceremonies at each stop, and special coins that had been struck and on that flight, were handed out to the POWs at Travis.

Fairfield Councilman Doug Carr, the son of a career Air Force serviceman, was at the base when the first flights landed. “My dad was a retired technical sergeant, an MP, and he did security on the flightline,” Carr said, adding that as he stood outside the terminal for the plaque dedication, he realized he was standing in almost the exact same place 50 years earlier. The memories flooded over him. “I talked to the mayor of Dixon (Steve Bird), and he was a little bit older, maybe four or five years older, and he was there, too,” Carr said. Carr said he remembers not wanting to go, but his father made him and gave him a little American flag to wave. On Friday, he met some of those prisoners who touched mainland America for See Travis, Page A9

Shocked and defiant: How Trump is responding to unprecedented indictment The Washington Post Hours after a Manhattan grand jury voted Thursday afternoon to indict Donald Trump, the former president joined with his wife, Melania, his in-laws and conservative radio host Mark Levin on the patio of his private Mar-a-Lago Club for a preplanned dinner. Advisers to his 2024 presidential bid sat nearby, and Trump chatted with both groups, as well as

club members offering their encouragement. At one point, Trump showed off his soonto-be-released book of letters between himself and celebrities and world leaders. At another, he began calling congressional Republicans, promising to fight the indictment and relishing in their declarations of support. Yet in the immediate aftermath of the grand jury’s decision related to

hush money paid to an adult-film star, Trump was not happy, said one person with direct knowledge of his reaction. Others described Trump as “upset,” “irritated,” “deflated” and “shocked,” though some noted that he also remained “very calm” and “rather stoic, actually.” Trump – who played golf at his Palm Beach estate Friday, with plans to play again over the weekend – is expected

VACAVILLE — Amelia Payne, 7, of Vacaville could barely contain her excitement, bouncing next to the pool on Saturday for her first underwater Easter Egg Hunt. She was eager to win a golden egg, which would have given her some extra sweet treats, like a stuffed animal and free tickets for the pool. The lucky few who managed to pluck a “golden egg” from the water won a prized basket filled with goodies. “I didn’t want to jump in today,” said dad Taylan Payne. “It’s too cold” The Underwater Easter Egg Hunt at the Walter Graham Aquatics Center is a Vacaville tradition, with the Easter Bunny making an appearance along with some fun games for the kids to enjoy outside the pool. Kids jumped in the pool – which had about 1,000 eggs tossed into it, thrown around by a mermaid and merman. In the water, they collecting the eggs in Easter baskets, which they brought to an overflowing table of goodie bags for a prize. “We planned for a 100 people today, so far we have 63 and that is a good turnout,” said pool manager Brooklyn Casey. “I thought it was going

to rain so I wasn’t sure but it would have gone on either way.” She hopes that the event is something unique for kids to look forward to at Easter time. Casey has been working at the pool since 2014 and really loves her job. In 2019 she was the mermaid in the water throwing eggs into the middle of the pool for kids to go get. “I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she said. “Part of this is just being able to give back to the community.” Those who were not swimmers could participate in the hunt in the Activity Area while all others took to the pool. The annual event is for kids 12 and younger. The 8-year-old-andunder crowd had to have a parent with them in the pool. Tabatha Shannon sat in the shade waiting for her kids to finish. It is the first time she brought her kids down for the event. Aiden and Maryah Estrada were two of the lucky participants that won the golden egg. “It was very exciting to do something new and be out here,” Shannon said. “This is a way to be a part of the community, too.” She did not get in the pool with the kids. “It is more enjoyable to see them having fun,” she said.

to fly to New York on midday Monday. He will spend the night at his Trump Tower home before surrendering himself in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. “He’ll do Trump,” said David Urban, a longtime Trump adviser who is not working on his 2024 campaign. “He’ll show up. He’ll be indignant.” The playbook Trump executed in the immediate aftermath of an See Trump, Page A9

WEATHER 60 | 38 Sunny. Five-day forecast on B7.

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic

The Underwater Easter Egg Hunt was a hit with the kids at the Walter Graham Aquatics Center in Vacaville, Saturday.

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