The weekend's Nowak news

021207_nowak.jpgSo let's be honest: All weekend, you were sitting around thinking, "Sure, I'd like to know who the father of Anna Nicole's daughter is, but what I really wonder is: What's going on with Lisa Nowak?" Fortunately, the media provided a heathy dose of astronaut-related updates over the weekend. Here's what you might have missed:

  • On Thursday, some friends had dropped by Nowak's Clear Lake home for a visit, according to an AP report carried by KHOU. The AP couldn't get access to the coffee klatsch, but it did catch up with one of Nowak's friends, Ellen Ochoa, who echoed everyone else's shock at hearing the news of Nowak's arrest. "My first question was, are we sure it’s the person that works at NASA? Could there be some mistake?" Ochoa said.

  • KTRK and KPRC were there Friday to catch Nowak heading to the Johnson Space Center for her daily psych evaluation, then returning home. According to Channel 13, Nowak and her escort, astronaut Steve Bowen, had to wait several minutes before getting into the JSC, though it's not clear why. Also Friday, astronaut Bill Oefelein, the apple of Nowak's eye, asked for some time off from NASA. "NASA really doesn't track where its employees go on vacation. And, so, we don't have an official monitoring of that, so I can't tell you where he is," James Hartsfield, a spokesman for the agency, said.

  • Also on Friday, KHOU carried the news that Nowak's husband Richard returned to work for the first time since her arrest. Richard Nowak works for Barrios Technology, a NASA contractor; last year, he was named one of the best controllers and computer engineers in the International Space Station's control center.

  • In its Sunday edition, the Chronicle carried a dramatic retelling of Lisa Nowak's story. "Nowak became one more larger-than-life figure from a community that has seen more than its share. What she apparently could not see, or did not care to, were the reverberations from her act: the ruination of a career; the scandal dropped on the space agency's doorstep; the damage inflicted on her family, especially her teenage son and younger twin daughters; and to a lesser extent the shockwaves that would sweep through her friends and co-workers and leave them grasping for answers," Mike Tolson wrote. It almost sounds like movie-trailer material, doesn't it?

  • Ah, of course: That's because Nowak's story has already been optioned for a TV movie. Granada America took the rights to a New York Times article written by John Schwartz, who will be a researcher on the film project. We can't wait.

  • Last night in Cocoa Beach, Fla. (which you may remember as the residence of Maj. Tony Nelson and Jeannie), an Italian restaurant held a fundraiser for Nowak's family. "We stand by our friends in time of need, and it's a time of need," Tony Bless, co-owner of Silvestro's restaurant, told the AP. About 70 people attended the event.

  • And finally, the Chronicle reported that Nowak missed church for the second straight week yesterday. The Rev. Dominic J. Pistone Jr. of St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church told the Chron that Nowak is in the church's prayers: "It's a perfect example of what St. Paul said, that when one member suffers, we all suffer," Pistone said. "When one person is honored, we all rejoice. That's the same here."

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    By Jim Parsons in on February 12, 2007 10:19 AM Comments 7 Likes Likes

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