• Certification programs help system administrators stand out from their peers while expanding and validating their skills. 
• Certification training and testing help IT professionals earn professional credibility and more power to direct and control their career paths. 
• Numerous certifications are available, but several are exceptionally valued and respected. 
• This article is for system administrators and IT professionals who want to expand their knowledge and professional credibility through certification programs.

System administrators are the glue holding together business operations, ensuring smooth-running IT infrastructures. The role requires in-demand career skills that range from server and client configuration and maintenance to access controls, network services and application resource requirements. SysAdmins may even work with more user-facing products, like directory and name services, network addressing, database services, web and desktop applications, and email. They’re often the company “tech expert” – sometimes at several organizations simultaneously. 

System administrator certifications help IT professionals navigate their career paths, expand their knowledge and demonstrate their expertise to managers and employers. SysAdmin certs may even help you secure managerial and executive level jobs and higher pay.

Tip: If you’re a SysAdmin specializing in database services, consider exploring the best database certifications for database administrators and developers.

Best system administrator certifications

After examining various credentials, we developed this list of our five favorite system administrator certifications for 2022. These certifications are geared toward various experience levels, product interests and skill sets. They can foster your development within system administration, encourage you to explore new areas of expertise, and help you set and achieve career goals. 

1. Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert 

Many businesses operate within Microsoft ecosystems, making Microsoft certifications extremely valuable and sought after. However, Microsoft has overhauled its certification processes in recent years, replacing broad certificates like Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert with a wider variety of role-based certification options divided into the following roles: 

• Data engineer
• Data scientist
• Artificial intelligence engineer
• Security engineer
• DevOps engineer
• Functional consultant
• Developer
• Administrator
• Solutions architect 

Certifications come in beginner, intermediate, and expert levels, based on applicants’ experience. 

Various system administrators may find some Microsoft certifications more advantageous than others. However, the Azure Solutions Architect Expert is the most in-demand certification for a SysAdmin with IT operation experience.  

The Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is ideal for someone with extensive experience using Azure to solve problems and make decisions for a business’s tech needs. Candidates must have experience with every level of IT operations as well as DevOps. Candidates will be tested on their knowledge and ability to design solutions for data storage, identity, infrastructure and more using Azure. 

This certification combines elements of system administration, Azure implementation and solutions architect experience. Candidates should have one prerequisite qualification: the Azure Administrator Associate certification.  

Tip: If you have solutions architect experience, check out our list of the best enterprise architect certifications. Credentials at the architect level can lead to some of the highest-paid tech industry positions.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert facts and figures

2. Professional Oracle Linux 8 System Administrator 

Although Oracle is known for its database products and solutions, it also distributes Linux products geared for the enterprise and designed to support cloud environments. Oracle Linux is optimized for various Oracle products and platforms, such as:

• Oracle Exadata Database Machine
• Oracle Exalytics In-Memory Machine
• Oracle Exalogic Elastic Cloud
• Oracle Database Appliance

To support Oracle Linux, the company offers several Oracle Linux System Administrator learning paths. It also provides several standalone Linux administration courses. Oracle’s Linux certifications are considered among the best Linux certifications to earn. We’ll highlight the Professional Oracle Linux 8 System Administrator certification below. 

The OCP Oracle Linux System Administrator certification, currently at version 8, covers many tools and processes. Candidates must be well-versed in:

• Linux file systems
• Control groups
• Container concepts
• Advanced storage administration techniques
• Oracle cluster management 
• Using Ksplice Uptrack commands 

The certification also tests for knowledge of network bonding, task automation, security configuration and more. 

SysAdmins who support Oracle Solaris might also be interested in the Oracle Solaris System Administrator certification, which Oracle offers at the Associate and Professional levels. Oracle also offers a Cloud Database Migration and Integration Professional certificate. 

Professional Oracle Linux 8 System Administrator certification facts and figures

Did you know?: Oracle certifications are vendor-specific certifications to advance your networking career and are frequently sought after by SysAdmins.

3. RHCE: Red Hat Certified Engineer

In the realm of Linux system administrator certifications, Red Hat certifications stand out. Red Hat’s more senior-level certifications are especially popular among IT professionals and the firms that hire them. Those holding the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) credential qualify for highly competitive job roles, including the following:

• Senior Linux administrator
• Senior UNIX administrator
• Senior systems engineer
• Infrastructure systems engineer
• IT analyst 

The RHCE is considered a high-level credential that’s not easy to obtain. Candidates must first obtain the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) credential. The RHCE credential expands the RHCSA’s understanding of automation in multisystem environments. Candidates must then pass an intense, demanding, four-hour, hands-on, performance-based exam. Those who earn the RHCE can go on to earn the Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) in Infrastructure credential.

Candidates can choose a path based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8. RHCE certification is valid for three years from the date the certification was achieved. To maintain the certification, a credential holder must pass any RHCA exam or pass the RHCE certification exam again before the end of the three years.

Tip: See our Red Hat certification guide for additional Red Hat professional certifications based on software products, virtualization, storage and cloud-based solutions.

RHCE facts and figures

4. CompTIA Server+

CompTIA certifications, such as the A+ for hardware technicians, Network+ for network admins and Security+ for security specialists, are highly regarded in the computing industry. The CompTIA Server+ certification is no exception. 

Companies such as Intel, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Xerox and Microsoft recommend or require their server technicians to earn CompTIA Server+ credentials.

The Server+ certification exam focuses on fundamental, vendor-neutral server-related topics, including:

• Server hardware
• Operating systems
• Storage systems
• Networking
• The IT environment (documentation, diagrams and best practices)
• Security and disaster recovery
• Virtualization 
• Troubleshooting

Individuals seeking positions across the system administration world, including data technician, network administrator, IT technician and data center engineer, can benefit from CompTIA Server+ certification. This certification also provides new IT professionals with an excellent foundation for more specialized certifications.

Candidates for the Server+ certification take one exam: SK0-005. CompTIA recommends that candidates have at least two years of practical experience working with servers and either CompTIA A+ certification or comparable knowledge. This certification also stands out because it does not expire – certification is good for life. 

CompTIA Server+ facts and figures

Did you know?: CompTIA also offers some of the best computer hardware certifications as well as vendor-specific Dell certifications, help desk certifications and more.

5. VCAP-DCV Design 2022: VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Data Center Virtualization Design 2022

VMware certifications are must-have credentials for IT professionals interested in virtualization. With a comprehensive certification program encompassing all skill levels, VMware credentials are recognized globally as the best in their class of professional certifications.  

The latest incarnation of the VMware vSphere product is Version 8. VMware offers five credentials related to the vSphere product:

• Certified Technical
• Certified Professional
• Certified Advanced Professional (Data Center Virtualization Design)
• Certified Advanced Professional (Data Center Virtualization Deploy)
• Certified Design Expert 

VMware also offers a wide range of badges for specific product applications. We’re highlighting the intermediate certification: Certified Advanced Professional – Data Center Virtualization Design. 

Training is required for non-credential holders seeking to obtain the VCAP-DCV credential. VMware offers various training options to meet the training prerequisite: self-paced (on demand), live online and live classroom – some of which include virtual labs. Those possessing a valid VCAP-DCV Design certificate must attend a training course or pass the VCAP-DCV Design exam. 

VCAP-DCV Design 2022 facts and figures

Key takeaway: Earning the best IT certifications, including system admin certs, is an excellent career advancement tool for amassing and validating your skills and knowledge.

Beyond the top 5: More SysAdmin certifications

In addition to the five system administrator certifications we highlighted above, many other certification programs can help further the careers and professional development of IT professionals in system administration.

It makes sense to investigate the plethora of vendor-specific programs available for those who work with systems from companies like Brocade, Dell EMC, HPE, IBM, NetApp and Symantec. Many play into critical system specialty areas, such as storage, security and virtualization, while others offer a broad range of platforms for these and other technology areas. 

Here are some examples:

• IBM Certified System Administrator MQ V9.1: IBM Certified System Administrator MQ V9.1 is for SysAdmins who cover admin activities such as migrating, configuration, availability, performance tuning and problem determination.
• NetApp Certified Data Administrator (NCDA): NCDA is geared toward professionals who manage NetApp data storage controllers running the ONTAP operating system.
• ServiceNow Certified System Administrator: ServiceNow Certified System Administrator is aimed at professionals adept at configuring, implementing and managing ServiceNow systems.

Vendor-neutral certification programs also offer a variety of interesting and potentially valuable credentials. For example, Linux Professional Institute certifications are well known and widely recognized in IT shops and operations that depend on Linux servers to handle their workloads. 

Tip: Tech professionals may also want to consider certifications in adjacent fields, including big data certifications, starter cybersecurity certifications and project management certifications.

Job board search results (in alphabetical order by certification)

The following chart shows the results of an informal job search we conducted to deliver you an idea of the relative frequency with which our top five certifications appear in actual job postings. While all the certifications are popular, the CompTIA Server+ stands out as the clear favorite.

* When searching for VCP – Data Center credentials, we found most job descriptions didn’t indicate a specific version.

Although employers tend to pay SysAdmins less than some of their IT peers, such as network engineers and enterprise IT architects, a career in system administration is still worth pursuing. SimplyHired reports $79,283 as the national average salary for system administrators, with a range of $49,718 to $136,224. Indeed.com similarly reports that $76,942 is the average base salary for system administrators, while senior system administrators can expect an average salary of around $92,803.  

Building a dynamic IT skill set

IT systems are dynamic. They grow with companies and change with evolving technology. Therefore, it’s important for system administrators to nourish their skills. Certifications and training show you’re qualified to handle the responsibilities of your desired position while demonstrating your willingness to learn and grow. 

As you move through your career in system administration, you may want to branch into new specialties or software. Fortunately, in addition to receiving certifications, you can access many excellent courses and educational resources to help you continue to grow in your field. 

Ed Tittel and Kim Lindros contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.

In a Windows operating system, an Administrator account is an account that allows a user to make changes that require administrative permissions. An Administrator has more rights on a Windows OS as compared to the users with a local account. For example, the users with a local or standard account can access files and folders on their own user space, make system changes that do not require administrative permissions, install and uninstall programs, etc. On the other hand, an Administrator can change security settings, install and uninstall software, add and remove users, make changes to other user accounts, etc. In short, to perform the tasks that require administrative permissions, you should be logged in as an Administrator. In this tutorial, we will see how to log in as an Administrator in Windows 11/10.

Every Windows computer has a Local Administrator account that is created at the time of Windows installation. As described above, the Administrator has full access to the Windows device as compared to other standard users. The Administrator can also create new and delete the existing users and change the user account permissions. You can log in as an Administrator in Windows 11/10 by:

1. Using the existing Administrator Account
2. Enabling the built-in Administrator account
3. Creating a new Local Administrator account
4. Changing the local or standard into an Administrator account

Let’s see all these methods in detail.

1] Using the existing Administrator Account

If you are starting your PC then locate the Administrator account and use the password to login.

If you are currently not logged in as an administrator and want to change to an admin, open Start, click on the user icon, select Sign out and then log into the Admin account by using its password.

2] Enabling the built-in Administrator account

The Windows OS has a built-in Administrator account. In Windows 11/10 and Windows Server 2016, the built-in Administrator account is disabled at the time of Windows installation and another local account is created which is the member of the Administrators group.

The built-in Administrator account is also called the Super Administrator account. If we compare the built-in Administrator account with the Local Administrator account, the built-in Administrator account has elevated privileges. This means when you perform the administrative tasks, you will not get the UAC prompt. Apart from that, if you want to do some serious troubleshooting on your Windows machine or if you want to recover your main account or another user account, you can use the built-in Administrator account.

Because the built-in Administrator account does not show the UAC prompt, any application can have full control over your system. Therefore, running this account on a regular basis can be risky. You should enable the built-in Administrator account only if you have to do some troubleshooting or recover other user accounts. After performing your task, you should disable it.

As explained above, every Windows OS has a Local Administrator account which is created at the time of Windows installation. Hence, you have to sign in to that Local Administrator account in order to enable the built-in Administrator account. After enabling the built-in Administrator account, you can login as an Administrator in Windows 11/10.

3] Creating a new Local Administrator account

Every Windows 11/10 computer has a default Local Administrator account which is created at the time of Windows installation. Using that account, you can create another Local Administrator account for another user. To do so, open the Accounts page in your Windows 11/10 Settings and then click on the Family & other users option. Now, you have two options:

• You can create a Local Administrator account for your family member.
• You can create a Local Administrator account for a person who is not your family member.

Let’s see how to create a Local Administrator account for a family member and other users.

 Create a Local Administrator account for your family member

You can use this option if you have another Microsoft account and you want to add that account as an Administrator to your Windows computer.

1. On the Family & other users page in Windows 11/10 Settings, click on the Add account button next to the Add a family member option.
2. Enter the email address of the family member and click Next.
3. Select the role (organizer or member) and click Invite. After that, an invite will be sent to the email address.
4. Open the email address and accept the invitation. After accepting the invitation, that account will be added automatically to your Windows device.
5. Now, open the Family & other users page in WIndows 11/10 Accounts settings and select the newly added account.
6. Click Change account type and select Administrator in the drop-down and click OK.

Now, you can login as an Administrator in Windows 11/10 using that account.

Create a Local Administrator account for a person who is not your family member

If you do not have another Microsoft account, you can still create a Local Administrator account. This time, you have to add an account in the Other users section on the Family & other users page. The steps are as follows:

1. Open the Family & other users page in Windows 11/10 Accounts settings.
2. Click on the Add account button next to Add other user.
3. You will be prompted to enter your email address. Click on the I don’t have this person’s sign-in information link.
4. Now, click Add a user without a Microsoft account.
5. Enter your username and password. After that, select the security questions and type your answers.
6. Click Next.
7. Now, select the newly created account and click Change account type.
8. Select Administrator in the drop-down and click OK.

Now, you can use this account to login as an Administrator in Windows 11/10.

Read: How to rename built-in Administrator Account in Windows.

4] Changing the local or standard account into an Administrator account

If you already have created a local account on your Windows machine, you can change its type and use that account to login as an Administrator. The steps to change the local account to an Administrator account are as follows:

1. Open the Family & other users page in Windows 11/10 Accounts settings.
2. Select the local user account under the Other users section.
3. Click on the Change account type button and select Administrator in the drop-down.
4. Now, click OK.

How do I log onto my computer as an Administrator?

At the time of Windows installation, a Local Administrator account is created automatically. You can use that account to log onto your computer as an Administrator. Apart from that, you can also enable the hidden or built-in Administrator account or create an additional Local Administrator account.

We have explained all these methods above in this article.

How do I run Windows as an Administrator?

To run Windows as an Administrator, you should have an Administrator account. There are different methods by which you can create an Administrator account. In addition to this, you can also enable the built-in Administrator account. But it is not recommended to use the built-in Administrator account on a regular basis due to security issues.

This is all about how to log in as an Administrator in Windows 11/10.

Read next: How to fix the disabled Administrator account on Windows 11/10.

EXCLUSIVE — America First Legal is seeking answers about a planned Department of Education regulation on an obscure parental rights law after the group filed a series of complaints under the statute.

The conservative legal group led by former Trump administration senior adviser Stephen Miller filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the U.S. Department of Education, seeking records from the department related to the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, a little-known 1974 law that allows parents to access their child's school materials and opt-out of third party contractor surveys.

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT HIT WITH CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT FOR SEGREGATED TEACHER PROGRAM

The Biden administration has indicated that it plans to pursue a rulemaking process to change the rules surrounding the parental rights law. According to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the administration aims to release the notice of proposed rulemaking in August 2023 to "update, clarify, and Excellerate the current regulations by addressing outstanding policy issues," and "make changes related to the enforcement responsibilities of the office concerning PPRA."

The FOIA request seeks records after Feb. 2, 2022, the day that America First Legal released a legal toolkit that sought to educate parents about the provisions of the PPRA and how it could be used to assert parental rights.

"Given the importance of the PPRA and its existing regulations to parents seeking to exercise their Constitutional rights of oversight and control regarding their children’s education, this Freedom of Information Act request is crucial to provide transparency on the Department’s process and motivations for the proposed rulemaking, and to ensure the Department’s current political leadership is held accountable for any action that limits or impairs parental rights," the legal group wrote in the records request.

In the past year, the group has filed two lawsuits against school districts in Wisconsin and Ohio that relied, in part, on the statutory interpretation of the PPRA. In 2021, the legal organization also filed a complaint with the Education Department against Cedar Grove School District in New Jersey that alleged the school district had violated the law.

America First Legal senior adviser Ian Prior said the group will "vigorously" highlight the results of its investigation and push to maintain and increase protections provided to parents by the PPRA.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment is a key tool for parents dealing with school districts who refuse to be transparent and accountable, to parents seeking to exercise their fundamental constitutional rights to guide the upbringing of their children," Prior said in a statement. "As the Biden administration, teachers’ unions, and local school districts continue to shut parents out of key decisions related to their children’s education, it is paramount that the public have visibility into what changes the administration is planning and the reasons behind those proposed changes."

The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Department of Education for comment.

Sens. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., are looking for answers after a massive train derailment in Vance's home state resulted in a fiery wreck and hazardous chemicals having to be released into the air.

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Republican senators questioned whether the 150-car Norfolk Southern freight train was sufficiently staffed and whether Biden administration policies may have contributed to the situation.

"Current and former rail workers, industry observers, and reform advocates have pointed to precision-scheduled railroading (PSR), by which rail companies such as Norfolk Southern increase efficiency and drive down costs by moving more freight with fewer workers, as a potential contributor to the accident," the letter reads. "We have voiced concerns with PSR, as well as with this administration’s prioritizing of efficiency over resilience in its national infrastructure and transportation systems."

Fox News reached out to the Department of Transportation for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST NATIONAL REPORTER COVERING SMALL TOWN'S ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER

Rubio and Vance noted that the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, had a three-member crew of a locomotive engineer, conductor and a conductor trainee to manage the 150-car train. The letter said that according to security camera footage, there were "sparks or fire underneath at least one of the cars before the derailment" when the train was about 20 miles outside of East Palestine. They said that "a mechanical failure in one of the rail cars" may have been the cause of the derailment.

The Republicans questioned whether two crew members and a trainee were enough to handle the 150-car train, and they noted that "derailments have reportedly increased in recent years, as has the rate of total accidents or safety-related incidents per track mile."

BIDEN TORCHED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE TWEET VOWING ‘CLEANER AIR,’ ‘SAFER WATER’ AMID OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT FALLOUT 

While those numbers have gone up, labor costs have gone down, the senators said, adding that Class I rail companies have "shed nearly one-third of their workforce."

Rubio and Vance concluded by asking Buttigieg to deliver them information about what the Department of Transportation has done to protect against "reduced performance and resilience" from PSR, what effects PSR has had on U.S. steel rails, and PSR's effects on axle bearings' rate of overheating. 

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They also noted that the train that derailed had not been classified as a "high-hazard flammable train," even though it carried flammable material, and asked if the use of PSR warrants a potential change to how the classification is defined.

The senators gave Buttigieg 30 days to respond.

Two top Republican congresswomen from New York are demanding that the Biden administration answer questions about secretly transporting migrants across the US — after dozens of Colombian immigrants recently arrived in the small upstate community of Jamestown.

“We write following reports that your administration is actively settling migrants in Upstate New York communities,” upstate Reps. Claudia Tenney and Elise Stefanik — the number three Republican in the US House of Representatives — wrote in a Wednesday letter obtained by The Post.

New York GOP Congressmen Nick Langworthy, Michael Lawler and Marc Molinaro also signed the message.

The lawmakers cited a shocking Post report that over 30 migrants have been living in the city of Jamestown, located in rural Chautauqua County, since late last year.

Most of the migrants traveled to Jamestown on their own after learning about the safety of the city from fellow border-crossers in El Paso, Texas, several had previously told The Post.

But leaders of the city — which only has a reported population of 28,393 people — are panic that the influx of immigrants will quickly overwhelm Jamestown’s local services and infrastructure, especially because neither the migrants nor the city has received additional state or federal aid.

“[W]e wish to express our outrage at the secrecy with which your administration has and continues to carry out these national relocation operations,” the lawmakers wrote. “This unprecedented influx of migrants into the United States is an obvious sign of your administration’s failed policies at the Southern Border.”

Tenney and Stefanik submitted a list of six demands:

• The number of illegal migrants who were apprehended at the southern border and relocated to New York by the government since January 2021.
• A full list of which New York counties and municipalities the migrants were sent to and which areas can expect migrants to be sent there in the future.
• Documentation proving executive branch agencies notified those counties, municipalities and local law enforcement that migrants would be coming, or an explanation of why the government chose not to do so.
• Information on how the White House is monitoring the status and locations of the migrants it’s relocated since January 2021.
• The whereabouts of every migrant who has been relocated by the government to New York state since January 2021.
• A promise that the Biden administration will commit to notifying Tenney and Stefanik’s offices and local officials whenever illegal migrants are relocated to the state.

The pols requested a response from the White House by the end of the month and threatened to take action against the administration if it failed to do so, “including but not limited to withholding additional federal funding.”

“Rather than shifting the burden to the small communities we represent, that are not equipped to handle the influx, the answer is to secure the border,” they said.

“Already, your current policies have created a humanitarian and national security catastrophe which undermines the rule of law and empowers human traffickers and criminal gangs.”

The White House did not return an immediate request for comment.

The missive comes almost exactly one year after Stefanik submitted a letter to Biden demanding that he stop sending migrants to New York.

The crisis has only accelerated in the past year, especially in New York City.

At least 41,000 migrants have arrived in the Big Apple from the southern border since the spring, according to City Hall.

Mayor Eric Adams has said that housing and providing services to incoming migrants may cost the Big Apple as much as $2 billion as the city planned to open a sixth emergency shelter in Midtown for migrants.

One Senate Democrat is not happy about the Biden administration's decision to delay shooting down the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the U.S. for days last week before finally being taken down over the Atlantic Ocean.

During a Thursday Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, a stern Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., grilled a number of President Biden's defense officials over the balloon, telling them the administration "owes America answers," and asking why it was allowed continue on its flight path.

"Do we have a plan for the next thing that happens and how we are going to deal with it? Because, quite frankly, I'll just tell you I don't want a d--n balloon going across the United States when we potentially could have taken it down over the Aleutian Islands … or in some of the areas in Montana," Tester said.

SENATORS SAY ‘VERY DISTURBING POSSIBILITY’ US MANUFACTURING MAY HAVE HELPED BUILD CHINESE SURVEILLANCE BALLOON

"I understand public health, I understand doing damage, I understand that could have been a nightmare, but the truth is I've got a problem with a Chinese balloon flying over my state, much less the rest of the country," he added.

One of the officials, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Melissa Dalton, didn't directly answer the question, and instead said the administration "sent a very clear message" by shooting down the balloon in sovereign U.S. waters.

DOWNED CHINESE SPY FLIGHT LINKED TO GLOBAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM

Tester asked if there was a plan on how to handle another Chinese balloon should one enter U.S. airspace in the future, noting that no one knew for sure what sort of intelligence the Chinese were trying to collect. 

"That scares the hell out of me," he said.

Dalton responded that as U.S. intelligence learns more about the balloons and their capabilities, they would develop a better understanding how to handle such a scenario going forward.

This is the first instance in which Tester has spoken out on the Biden administration's decision to delay shooting down the balloon, which it said would have been a potential danger to people or infrastructure on the ground.

VULNERABLE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JON TESTER STILL WON'T COMMIT TO RE-ELECTION BID IN 2024

He has, however, previously taken a sharp tone over the situation as a whole, declaring it an "unacceptable" provocation from China that Americans deserved answers on from the Biden administration.

The Pentagon first announced it had detected the balloon on Thursday when it was flying over the state of Montana. It was allowed to continue flying until being taken down six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.

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Biden told reporters after the balloon shot down that he ordered it to be taken out on Wednesday, but that defense officials "decided that the best time to do that was when it got over water outside within a 12-mile limit." 

Earlier this week, senior military and national security official confirmed that the downed balloon was tied to a major surveillance program run by China’s military. The program relies on dated balloon technology along with modern signal surveillance techniques. The balloons travel through the upper atmosphere, hovering between 60,000 and 80,000 feet above Earth, above where commercial jets travel.  

Expect Fox News to confirm more information in the coming days.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

After issuing a subpoena to the city’s human resources director and holding a closed session on Tuesday, Anchorage Assembly leaders said they weren’t satisfied with the Bronson administration’s report and will continue to press for answers about the hiring of former Health Department director Joe Gerace.

Anchorage Chief Human Resources Officer Niki Tshibaka provided the report Tuesday night after being subpoenaed, but Assembly leaders said it provided little new information or details that were not already public.

“Unfortunately, the administration’s findings presented to the Assembly in executive session lacked details that would help our municipality understand and move beyond this troubling issue,” Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance said in a written statement late Tuesday night. “As a result, the Assembly will continue to monitor this issue and press the administration to provide answers.”

“The public has been seeking answers on the Gerace issue for months, and Assembly leadership sent a letter with questions to the administration in September 2022. After all this time, our community deserves to see the contents of this report,” LaFrance said.

On Tuesday, Assembly members voted to release the tapes of the meeting to the public. But by Wednesday afternoon, after consulting attorneys, Assembly leaders had begun to walk back the decision to immediately release the tapes. Vice Chair Chris Constant sent the city clerk a written motion to reconsider Tuesday night’s vote to immediately release the recording — and called upon the administration to instead make its report public.

“I want to offer the administration one last opportunity to release what the public should rightfully possess: A document and recording from which they can draw their own conclusions about the seriousness with which the administration endeavored to investigate the Gerace disaster,” Constant said in his email to the clerk. “Should the Administration opt to continue their charade and hide behind personnel rules as the reason for not releasing this so-called report, I intend to ask the body to proceed with litigation so that a judge can decide.”

Gerace resigned in August, just before the publication of an investigation that revealed he fabricated or exaggerated credentials and work history on his resume to the city.

Immediately after that, Mayor Dave Bronson said his administration was launching an investigation into the city’s hiring practices. But that investigation has been conducted by officials who oversaw Gerace’s hiring, and Assembly leadership also said its members would begin an inquiry.

The Bronson administration has given scant info to the public about its investigation. The administration and municipal attorneys had refused to release its findings without a subpoena and an executive session, citing a constitutional right to privacy for personnel records under the Alaska Constitution.

Assembly member Meg Zaletel had moved to immediately release the recording of Tuesday night’s executive session, and members voted 7-4 in favor of releasing the tape. But the move to reconsider that vote means no records will be made public yet. The Assembly will likely hold a reconsideration vote at its Feb. 7 meeting, Constant said.

On Monday, the Assembly voted unanimously to activate its chair’s subpoena powers. Chair LaFrance issued a subpoena to Tshibaka to appear in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday and bring with him all documents, communications and investigation materials or reports related to Gerace’s hiring, vetting and eventual termination.

In the hours before the executive session, Anchorage’s Acting Municipal Attorney Blair Christensen said she was resigning from the city. Christensen said she gave her resignation letter to the mayor on Monday, saying she has “a new opportunity.”

The Assembly has been seeking legal advice on how to publicly release the administration’s report, which Tshibaka gave members during the executive session. Attorneys in a memo advised that the Assembly take the matter to a court for a judge to decide what portions of the report should be public.

On Tuesday night, the Assembly’s attorney, Dean Gates, cautioned members against releasing the recording, because municipal attorneys have asserted Tshibaka’s written report is a protected document.

“The purpose and nature of our executive sessions discuss matters involving consideration of government records that by law are not subject to public disclosure. That privileged status was asserted, and I would not recommend releasing the tapes of our discussion and our consideration of the document until that document is actually released or no longer subject to privilege,” Gates told Assembly members Tuesday night before their vote.

The administration’s municipal attorneys have asserted that the document has “deliberative privilege,” he said, which is an exemption in public records laws that can keep pre-decisional materials out of the public eye.

Constant pushed back on Gates’ opinion, saying the administration “can argue we’re going to deliberate on this forever, and in this sense provide a couple of pages of writing and purport that that’s the result of an investigation. That’s a very interesting analysis.”

Whether the document is privileged or not may be a matter for a court to decide, Gates said.

“That might be where we’re headed. I’m not sure,” he said.

Members of the public made multiple accusations against Gerace in 2021 as the Assembly was considering confirming him. The allegations came largely from former colleagues and employees he had supervised at previous workplaces. Those accusations related to his behavior in the workplace, including sexism toward female employees, along with concerns about qualifications and safety.

Tshibaka at the time publicly defended Gerace, calling the accusations false and an attempt at character assassination.

Tshibaka is also at the center of a lawsuit against the city by the former director of Anchorage’s Office of Equal Opportunity, Heather MacAlpine. She was fired while investigating employee workplace complaints about the Anchorage Public Library’s deputy director, Judy Eledge. MacAlpine says a T-shirt supporting Eledge that Tshibaka later wore to a library board meeting supports her claim that she was fired over her investigation.

Tuesday’s developments in the Assembly’s inquiry on the Gerace matters follow several chaotic weeks in city government. recent upheaval within Bronson’s administration began in December, when Bronson fired former Municipal Manager Amy Demboski, who later publicly accused the administration of unlawful and unethical conduct, gender discrimination and a hostile work environment.

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