Local and state officials plan to fight a decision by the Air Force to permanently prohibit hikers, bicyclists, and horse riders from using a public road that crosses Vandenberg Air Force Base property to reach Point Sal Beach, reports the Santa Maria Times. The action apparently took effect in January, but local California officials found out “weeks” later. A statement from Vandenberg released last week noted “extreme safety concerns in the area.”
The Air Force has begun flying its CV-22 Ospreys again. But that is just the start of a multi-step process to return the fleet to normal operations following a deadly crash last year, the service says.