Category: U.S. News

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — A devastating collision in western Tennessee has claimed the lives of two students and left at least seven others injured when their school bus crashed Friday afternoon, according to state authorities.

The tragic incident occurred around midday on Highway 70 in Carroll County and involved three vehicles: a school bus, a Chevrolet Trailblazer, and a Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck, according to Maj. Travis Plotzer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. While investigators are still piecing together what happened, Plotzer indicated the state dump truck does not appear to have played a role in causing the collision.

The bus was transporting 30 people total — 25 students and five staff members — from Kenwood Middle School in Clarksville on an educational trip to Jackson, Tennessee, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System confirmed. Authorities are continuing to investigate what led to the crash.

During a press briefing, Plotzer confirmed the two student fatalities and said emergency crews airlifted at least seven injured individuals to area medical facilities. Hospital officials have not yet released information about the severity of those injuries.

“This is a parent’s worst nightmare,” Plotzer said.

Vanderbilt Health reported that four patients were transported to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, where they were listed in stable condition Friday evening.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County received 19 individuals for medical evaluation, according to hospital spokesperson Kim Alexander. All of those patients were examined and discharged, though Alexander noted it remained unclear how many had actually sustained injuries in the crash.

Dr. Henry Lee, the renowned forensic investigator who brought crime scene science into the national spotlight through his work on major cases including the O.J. Simpson murder trial, died Friday at age 87.

The forensic expert died peacefully at his Henderson, Nevada residence after battling a short illness, his family and the University of New Haven announced. Lee dedicated more than five decades to teaching at the Connecticut university.

Lee became a household name following his 1995 testimony in Simpson’s murder trial, where he challenged how investigators collected and processed blood evidence. His expertise was also sought in numerous other notable cases, including the JonBenet Ramsey killing in Colorado in 1996, Scott Peterson’s 2004 trial for murdering his pregnant wife Laci, and music producer Phil Spector’s 2007 murder trial.

However, Lee’s reputation faced challenges in recent years when a 2023 federal court decision held him responsible for falsifying evidence in a 1985 Connecticut murder case that resulted in two men spending decades behind bars.

The forensic pioneer was born in China as the 11th child in a family of 13, later relocating to Taiwan where he studied police administration and served as a police officer before advancing to captain. In 1964, he and his deceased wife immigrated to America, where he pursued graduate studies in forensic science and biochemistry.

Lee first gained national recognition through his investigation of Helle Crafts’ 1986 disappearance in Connecticut. Using microscopic bone fragments, a partial thumb, a tooth crown, and hair strands discovered near her residence, he helped prosecutors prove that Crafts’ husband had dismembered her body using a wood chipper. The case resulted in a murder conviction without recovering the victim’s body.

“Sometimes they compare me to Sherlock Holmes or Charlie Chan. Those are just fictional characters,” Lee stated in a 2000 interview when retiring as Connecticut State Police commissioner. “In real life, the scientists, detectives and public have to work together. … We don’t get commercial breaks.”

Despite continued involvement in prominent investigations, Lee’s career was tarnished in 2020 when a state judge overturned the 1985 murder convictions of two defendants. Their guilty verdicts had relied partly on Lee’s testimony identifying what he claimed were bloodstains on a towel. Post-trial testing during the appeals process revealed the stains contained no blood.

The 2023 federal ruling determined Lee’s testimony lacked any supporting evidence. Lee maintained his innocence regarding evidence fabrication claims, arguing that blood traces might have deteriorated during the two decades between the crime and when defense experts examined the towel.

Throughout his career, Lee remained primarily based in Connecticut, directing the state’s forensic laboratory. At the University of New Haven, he transformed the forensic science program from basic fingerprint equipment into a comprehensive academic department. He later established the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science at the university to train professionals and provide case consultation services.

“Dr. Lee was a remarkable individual,” stated University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen. “His contributions to our University as well as forensic science and law enforcement are extraordinary and unmatched. His legacy lives on in the generations of students and law enforcement professionals he impacted throughout his brilliant career.”

Lee authored or co-authored over 40 publications and was completing a book about missing persons investigations before his death. The university confirmed the final work is still planned for publication.

Flight operations came to a standstill at Washington-area airports Friday evening when aviation officials detected a suspicious odor at a critical air traffic control center in Virginia.

The mysterious smell prompted authorities to evacuate the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control facility, known as TRACON, which manages aircraft movements across multiple airports in the Washington metropolitan area. Aviation officials implemented ground stops at Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles, Baltimore, and regional airports in Charlottesville and Richmond starting at approximately 6:40 p.m.

This incident represents the second occurrence in 14 days where an unusual odor at the Warrenton, Virginia facility has caused significant flight disruptions.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the detected smell resembled burning and appeared similar to a previous incident on March 13 that also forced flight suspensions. During that earlier event, aviation authorities determined the source was a strong chemical odor caused by an overheated circuit board.

Flight tracking services reported that incoming aircraft were either circling in holding patterns or being redirected to alternate destinations. No departures occurred from the affected airports after 6:40 p.m., with officials indicating they expected to provide an update around 8 p.m.

Flight monitoring data showed significant impacts across the region, with 25% of flights experiencing delays at Baltimore and National airports, while Dulles reported an 11% delay rate.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A grand jury has indicted the pledge master of a Northern Arizona University fraternity on felony hazing charges connected to the alcohol poisoning death of an 18-year-old student during a January rush event.

Carter Eslick faces accusations that he compelled or required the excessive drinking that resulted in Colin Daniel Martinez’s death on January 31 at a residence off campus.

Police discovered Martinez unconscious at the house after witnesses attempted to revive him with CPR. He was pronounced dead at the location.

Medical examination results showed Martinez succumbed to alcohol poisoning, with his blood alcohol content measuring 0.425% — exceeding Arizona’s legal driving threshold by more than five times and reaching levels typically associated with death.

“The loss of a young person is always a tragedy,” stated Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker.

Josh Blumenrich, who serves as Eslick’s legal counsel, has not responded to requests for comment.

While authorities detained two additional Delta Tau Delta fraternity members alongside Eslick following Martinez’s death, Friday’s indictment targeted only Eslick.

Officials have not disclosed whether prosecutors will pursue charges against the remaining two fraternity members through grand jury proceedings.

According to legal filings, Martinez was one of four fraternity prospects who consumed two vodka bottles with the expectation of becoming sick. Some observers indicated the alcohol may have been mixed with water.

Court records reveal that throughout the evening, witnesses repeatedly repositioned Martinez while he slept, monitored his vital signs, and researched alcohol poisoning warning signs online.

Following Martinez’s death, the university immediately suspended the fraternity chapter. The national Delta Tau Delta organization subsequently decided to permanently close the NAU chapter.

Transportation Security Administration employees may finally receive their first complete paychecks in more than six weeks beginning Monday, following President Donald Trump’s executive order Friday directing the Homeland Security secretary to provide immediate payment.

However, industry analysts and union representatives warn that extensive security checkpoint delays at airports nationwide won’t vanish immediately and may continue through next week or beyond as TSA staff await overdue compensation, facilities evaluate personnel levels, and lawmakers remain deadlocked on Department of Homeland Security funding.

“Until checks are actually in hands, we might still see some of these staffing issues,” said Eric Rosen, director of travel content for The Points Guy, a travel information website. “But (the executive order) is a bit of good news, I think, for both TSA officers as well as the flying public. And hopefully, the money starts flowing quickly and people can get back to work.”

The timing concerns travel industry officials as educational institutions nationwide prepare for spring break periods, while holiday travel increases around Passover and Easter celebrations.

TSA staff members have gone without compensation since February 14, when the Department of Homeland Security funding expired amid congressional disagreements over federal immigration enforcement operations.

During the unprecedented partial government closure, numerous screening officers responsible for passenger and baggage inspections failed to report for scheduled duties. Several thousand absent workers daily created wait times lasting multiple hours and forced closure of expedited lanes at facilities in Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, New York, and other locations.

The president issued his executive directive after House Republicans turned down legislation approved by the Senate Friday morning that would have provided funding for TSA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency while excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.

Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA employee who publishes a travel newsletter called Gate Access, explained that officers he communicates with urgently need complete back pay because they face mounting bills, growing debt, plus penalty fees and interest costs.

Simultaneously, Harmon-Marshall noted he doesn’t anticipate significant improvement in airport personnel situations until workers feel assured of continued compensation without future income interruptions due to ongoing congressional disagreements.

“Hopefully, with this executive order, the relief does come,” he said. “I think that they just want to know how long, because if it’s only for a pay period, that’s not enough to bring them back. It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there.”

Passengers concerned about upcoming flight security processing should expect extended lines for approximately one to two additional weeks, Harmon-Marshall projected.

“This back and forth about all these decisions changing is confusing the TSA officers, so they’re possibly thinking like, ‘OK are we getting paid or are we not?’” he explained.

White House officials indicated that funds for TSA employee compensation would originate from major tax reduction legislation Trump enacted last year, which directed billions in additional resources to Homeland Security. These same funds have maintained ICE officer payments throughout the DHS closure.

Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the TSA worker division of the American Federation of Government Employees union, acknowledged that Monday pay for TSA personnel would provide relief but emphasized that Congress must reach agreement on legislation ending the DHS shutdown.

“I guess the action is good for the president, but on the flip side, we have a lot of people that don’t have anything, and I don’t know if this is gonna fix it,” Jones stated.

Facilities that experienced passengers waiting in screening queues that overwhelmed check-in areas or arriving excessively early for departures must determine whether to reopen checkpoints or fast-track service lanes they shuttered or combined due to insufficient personnel.

Some airports recorded daily TSA officer absence rates reaching 40%. Nationally on Thursday, more than 11.8% of scheduled TSA employees didn’t report for work, representing the highest rate recorded, the department announced Friday.

Nearly 500 workers among the agency’s approximately 50,000 officers have resigned since the shutdown began, according to DHS. TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill informed legislators Wednesday that some employees who missed recent shifts might also depart. Recruitment will likely become more challenging following the personal and public disruptions caused by the shutdown, she indicated.

“Not only is the shutdown decreasing the number of interested candidates, for those we are able to hire, they are required to complete four to six months of training before they are certified to work at checkpoints,” McNeill explained.

Aviation security specialist Sheldon Jacobson, whose research helped develop TSA PreCheck, believes travelers with planned trips shouldn’t worry excessively. The three- and four-hour delays in Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans represented extreme cases, he noted.

“At a lot of the airports I look at, the delays are pretty typical,” he observed.

Jacobson also pointed out that TSA officer resignations since mid-February don’t significantly exceed the position’s typical turnover rate of approximately 8%.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A federal judge has mandated that Florida’s remote immigration detention facility in the Everglades must dramatically improve legal access for those held there, following complaints that detainees couldn’t reach their lawyers.

U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell issued the preliminary injunction on Friday, requiring the facility nicknamed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to establish confidential, unmonitored phone access for legal calls without charge or delay. The ruling also mandates one working telephone for every 25 detainees and requires multilingual information to be available to both detainees and their legal representatives.

Legal representatives had previously told the federal court in Fort Myers that their clients couldn’t reach them through staff mobile devices and that lawyers were prohibited from making surprise visits to the remote location.

During January testimony regarding adequate legal representation at the facility, a state contractor claimed both communication methods and attorney visits were accessible to detainees and their lawyers.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which oversees the detention center, did not provide a response to media inquiries on Friday. The Everglades facility was constructed last summer at an isolated airstrip under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to align with President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement initiatives. Florida has also established a second immigration detention facility in the state’s northern region.

The legal challenge brought by former detainees alleges violations of their First Amendment protections. They contend that legal counsel must schedule visits three days ahead of time, contrasting with other immigration facilities where attorneys can arrive during standard visiting periods. The complaint also states that detainees are frequently relocated before scheduled attorney meetings and that scheduling obstacles have prevented legal consultations before critical court deadlines.

State officials named in the lawsuit have rejected claims of restricting attorney access, pointing to security protocols and staffing limitations as reasons for any difficulties. Federal defendants have similarly disputed allegations of First Amendment violations.

A Michigan school district has reached a settlement agreement with a Palestinian-American student who filed a lawsuit after being confronted by a teacher for not participating in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Plymouth-Canton school district will provide constitutional rights training to its staff and an insurance company will pay $10,000 to Danielle Khalaf and her father as part of the resolution, court documents show.

While the district avoided admitting wrongdoing, Superintendent Monica Merritt commended Danielle for her bravery in coming forward about what happened.

“Our mission is to foster a school environment that is safe, respectful and welcoming for all,” Merritt stated on Friday.

The controversy began in January 2025 when Danielle, who comes from a Palestinian family, chose not to participate in the pledge ceremony for three consecutive days to protest American backing of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Court documents indicate her teacher criticized her decision and questioned her respect for the country.

The educator allegedly told her, “Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country,” the legal filing states.

The incident caused Danielle to experience psychological distress, including sleep disturbances and damaged relationships with classmates, according to the lawsuit.

“It was terrifying at times, scary to face a teacher and overwhelming with the attention that came with the publicity. But it taught me the importance of speaking up for what I believe is right,” Danielle explained in a Thursday statement issued through the American Civil Liberties Union and Arab American Civil Rights League.

Census data shows Michigan ranks second nationally in residents with Middle Eastern or North African heritage, with over 300,000 people, trailing only California.

Under the settlement terms, the school district must also expunge any records from Danielle’s file that suggest her protest violated district rules.

HARTFORD, Conn. — Hartford’s mayor has terminated a police officer who shot and killed a man during a mental health emergency, despite three colleagues successfully working to calm the situation for several minutes beforehand.

Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced Friday the immediate dismissal of Officer Joseph Magnano following the February 27 fatal shooting of Steven Jones, a Black man who was holding a knife on a city street. This incident occurred just over a week after another Hartford officer killed a different person also experiencing a mental health crisis.

“In the body-worn camera footage of the incident, as well as publicly shared videos, I saw three officers work together as a team to de-escalate a mental health crisis in a way that exemplifies the best of our police department,” Arulampalam said. “The actions of Officer Magnano do not measure up to those standards.”

Police Chief James Rovella did not respond to requests for comment Friday, while the police union has maintained that Magnano’s use of force was justified and legal through social media statements. Magnano was a new hire still serving his probationary period, and his contact details were not available.

The state inspector general’s office continues investigating the shooting to decide on potential criminal charges against Magnano. Body camera video from all four responding officers was released earlier this month.

The crisis began when Jones’ sister, Audrey Jones, contacted 911 requesting assistance for her brother’s mental health emergency, informing dispatchers he possessed a knife and had injured himself.

Video evidence reveals Steven Jones standing on the street while three officers spent several minutes repeatedly asking him to put down the knife while assuring him of their intent to help.

“Steve, you’re OK. We’re going to make sure you’re OK,” Officer James Prignano tells him. “Just drop the knife. We’re going to go talk to somebody, OK?”

Jones remains silent throughout the recorded interactions.

Approximately 12 minutes after the emergency call, Magnano arrived and immediately drew his weapon while commanding Jones to drop the knife, warning him “You’re going to get shot.” A woman can be heard shouting, “Don’t shoot him!”

The footage captures Prignano gesturing to Magnano, seemingly directing him to step back. As Jones moved slowly toward Magnano, the officer issued a final warning before firing nine shots at Jones, roughly 30 seconds after exiting his patrol vehicle.

Jones succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital four days following the shooting.

The termination announcement came one day after Jones’ funeral service, which drew prominent civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family and has handled numerous high-profile police shooting cases involving Black victims nationwide.

“Steven had a mental health crisis,” Crump said at the funeral. “He needed a helping hand from the Hartford Police Department, but instead he got nine bullet holes in his body. That is a shame before God. And the status of your mental health and the color of your skin should not equal the death sentence.”

Sharpton described Friday’s firing as “a necessary first step” while emphasizing that “Jones’ family and the people of Hartford deserve full justice.” Both he and Crump advocated for changes to improve Hartford police protocols for mental health-related emergency calls.

On February 19, Hartford police also fatally shot Everard Walker in a separate incident involving mental health concerns. A family member had contacted the 211 health and human services helpline, and two mental health professionals requested police accompaniment to Walker’s residence, according to Inspector General Eliot Prescott’s preliminary findings.

During the apartment visit, Walker, two of his children, and officers became involved in a physical altercation when Walker brandished a knife, Prescott reported. Walker refused police commands to drop the weapon.

Body camera video shows Walker raising the knife as Officer Geovanny Rivera appeared to stumble backward. Officer Alexander Clifford then discharged multiple rounds at Walker, who died later at a hospital. Prescott is also investigating this shooting.

A vehicle accident has prompted the complete closure of Williamsville Road, blocking traffic between Route 13 and Gun and Rod Club Road.

Transportation officials are directing motorists to seek alternate routes while emergency personnel and cleanup crews address the crash scene.

No timeline has been provided for when the roadway will reopen to normal traffic flow. Drivers are advised to plan for delays and use alternative routes in the area.

A Palestinian woman from Paterson, New Jersey is speaking out after being released from immigration detention following more than 12 months in federal custody.

Leqaa Kordia, a young woman who had been held at an ICE facility in Texas, is now telling her story in her own voice after gaining her freedom. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had detained her for over a year before her recent release.

The case highlights ongoing issues surrounding immigration detention and the experiences of individuals held in federal custody for extended periods.

A federal judge in Kentucky has thrown out criminal charges against two former Louisville police officers who were accused of providing false information in the search warrant that led to Breonna Taylor’s fatal shooting.

U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson released a brief, one-page decision on Friday that dismissed the case against former officers Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, who played roles in preparing the controversial warrant.

The dismissal came after federal prosecutors filed a request with the court last week asking that the charges be dropped “in the interest of justice.” Prosecutors pointed out that the court had previously thrown out several felony counts against both Jaynes and Meany in earlier hearings.

The charges were originally announced in 2022 during a prominent press conference in Louisville by then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who stated “Breonna Taylor should still be alive today.” Garland explained that the officers who actually fired the shots that killed the 26-year-old Taylor were not aware of the “false and misleading statements” contained in the search warrant.

The fatal incident occurred when Taylor’s boyfriend discharged a single round at officers after they used a battering ram to force entry through her front door. Officers responded with gunfire, hitting Taylor several times as she stood in her hallway. Her death, combined with George Floyd’s killing in Minnesota, triggered extensive racial justice demonstrations across the country during the summer of 2020.

Jaynes had been facing accusations of conspiracy, falsifying documents, and misdemeanor violations of civil rights. Meany was charged with allegedly providing false information to federal investigators.

The search warrant for Taylor’s residence claimed she was accepting mail deliveries on behalf of a suspected drug dealer who was her former boyfriend. The paperwork stated that Jaynes had verified with postal authorities that packages addressed to the ex-boyfriend were being delivered to Taylor’s home. However, investigators subsequently discovered that Jaynes had never actually confirmed this information with postal inspectors. Meany, who held the rank of sergeant, had approved the warrant.

The Louisville Police Department terminated Jaynes in 2021 for providing false information regarding the warrant. Meany lost his job after being indicted in 2022.

Widespread reports of massive security delays and missed connections at American airports have prompted anxious travelers to arrive hours ahead of their flights. However, several airports experiencing normal operations are now asking passengers to dial back their early arrivals.

John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio, reports that overly cautious passengers — responding to congressional funding disputes that have created security checkpoint crowding — are actually worsening conditions by causing congestion during busy periods.

“Arriving too early can actually create longer lines right when we open,” the airport said in a social media post Thursday. “Spacing out arrival times helps keep things moving smoothly for everyone.”

The facility has published guidelines recommending passengers arrive just “90 minutes before departure is all you need.”

The challenge for air travelers is the unpredictability of which airports will experience severe security delays next.

A government shutdown affecting Transportation Security Administration personnel has extended checkpoint waiting periods to over two hours at several major facilities. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport has emerged as the most problematic location, with security waits reaching four hours.

These represent extreme situations. Numerous airports — including the Ohio facility — continue experiencing typical waiting periods. Airlines recommend passengers verify TSA delay information before heading to their departure airport.

The situation bears similarities to the “panic buying” behavior witnessed during early 2020 COVID-19 restrictions.

“It’s human nature. You don’t have control over what’s going on at an airport,” said Shari Botwin, a Philadelphia clinical social worker who counsels people about anxiety.

“There’s so much media attention about the chaos at airports,” she said. “They might not trust when someone says, ‘Well, you don’t need to come out early anymore.’”

NEW YORK — Federal agents and New York police have taken a New Jersey resident into custody Thursday after he was caught preparing explosive devices intended for the home of a well-known Palestinian activist, according to law enforcement officials.

The intended victim was Nerdeen Kiswani, a 31-year-old Brooklyn resident and Palestinian rights advocate who helped establish the organization Within Our Lifetime.

Late Thursday evening, Kiswani received a phone call from an FBI representative who told her that “a threat on my life was about to take place, and that they had apprehended the threat.”

Law enforcement officials report they detained Andrew Heifler while he was constructing Molotov cocktails intended for Kiswani’s residence. Federal documents reveal he had been planning the attack with an undercover agent for several weeks, even conducting reconnaissance at Kiswani’s home.

Heifler faces two federal firearms-related charges filed Thursday. Court records do not yet show legal representation or scheduled court dates for the defendant.

Federal documents show that in February, Heifler participated in a video conference that included an undercover law enforcement operative, discussing his desire to receive “self-defense” training and secure a location where he could practice with Molotov cocktails.

The following day, court papers indicate Heifler met face-to-face with the undercover agent and expressed his intention to damage Kiswani’s property. The documents refer to her as “Victim-1.” He revealed he possessed Kiswani’s home address and outlined his plans to create incendiary devices and leave the United States following the assault.

Initially planning to depart the country by late April, Heifler later informed the undercover operative he would postpone his departure until mid-May, court documents state.

On March 4, both Heifler and the undercover agent traveled to Kiswani’s neighborhood to “conduct surveillance” and planned the creation of twelve incendiary devices, according to the complaint. Beyond targeting Kiswani’s residence, Heifler proposed attacking two vehicles parked nearby with the explosive devices.

During Thursday’s operation, the undercover agent met Heifler at his Hoboken home, where he possessed a large container of Everclear alcohol and additional materials needed for creating the weapons, court papers show.

Federal documents indicate Heifler confirmed his plan to hurl some of the incendiary devices directly into Kiswani’s home while using others against nearby automobiles.

Following the construction of eight Molotov cocktails, federal agents executed their search warrant at the residence and seized all eight devices. FBI explosive specialists conducted preliminary testing that confirmed the presence of ethanol and determined the items qualified as destructive devices under federal law.

Kiswani, 31, described feeling stunned by the revelation but said the threat didn’t surprise her.

“I feel very blessed that they were able to thwart this, but it’s something that is a constant possibility for people who speak up on behalf of Palestine,” she said.

Federal aviation officials are examining a dangerous mid-air encounter that occurred Tuesday evening when a United Airlines aircraft nearly collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter while approaching John Wayne Airport in Southern California.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday it has launched an investigation into the 8:40 p.m. incident, which happened when the military chopper, returning from a training exercise, entered the commercial aircraft’s flight path. The United flight, carrying 162 passengers and six crew members, was forced to halt its descent and maintain level flight to prevent a crash.

This alarming incident occurs just over a year following the devastating collision between an American Airlines aircraft and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near the nation’s capital, which claimed 67 lives in what became the most deadly aviation disaster on American soil in over twenty years. That tragedy has led to increased examination of aviation protocols and safety measures designed to prevent aircraft conflicts.

Following the 2025 Washington crash, federal regulators implemented new policies this month mandating that air traffic controllers use radar technology to actively guide both helicopters and commercial planes around airport areas, replacing the previous system that relied on visual contact between pilots. Prior to the Washington incident, controllers had asked helicopter crews if they could see the passenger plane before clearing them to maneuver around it.

Regarding Tuesday evening’s close encounter in Santa Ana, California, the FAA stated it will examine whether the recently implemented regulations were properly followed.

United Airlines released a statement acknowledging the Tuesday event details.

“During final approach to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, pilots on United flight 589 were advised by air traffic control to watch for a military helicopter flying near the airport. They saw the helicopter, and also received a traffic alert, which they responded to by leveling the aircraft,” the statement read.

Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 indicates the United aircraft came as close as 525 feet vertically and 1,422 feet horizontally to the helicopter before the pilots leveled off following a collision warning alert.

Audio recordings from John Wayne Airport’s control tower, obtained through LiveATC.net, reveal a controller inquiring shortly after the near-miss whether the commercial pilot had been notified about the helicopter or given altitude restrictions. The pilot confirmed receiving a “resolution advisory,” which represents the most critical collision warning alert generated by the aircraft’s onboard safety systems.

“We’re going to be addressing that, because that was not good,” the air traffic controller responded.

A representative from the California National Guard confirmed the helicopter from Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos was conducting standard training operations and returning to its home base “at an assigned altitude while in communication with air traffic control.”

Officials have not disclosed whether any temporary flight path or training route modifications were implemented following Tuesday’s incident.

An airport representative stated that since the event occurred in airspace rather than on airport property, she could not provide additional details.

This recent near-collision happened just two days following a runway accident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, where an Air Canada aircraft struck a fire truck, resulting in the deaths of both pilots.

Federal education officials announced they will begin contacting over 7 million student loan borrowers on Friday, instructing them to choose alternative repayment options after the SAVE program was eliminated by federal courts earlier this month.

These borrowers, who had been participating in the Biden administration’s SAVE repayment program, have not been required to make loan payments since July 2024 while court proceedings unfolded.

Beginning July 1st, loan servicing companies will start sending notifications that give borrowers a 90-day window to pick a different repayment option, according to department representatives.

Under the Trump administration’s leadership, “The days of unlawful loan forgiveness are behind us,” stated Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent.

“Let me be clear, the Trump administration’s perspective is that when a student takes out a loan, they are responsible for repaying it,” Kent explained to The Associated Press.

The eliminated SAVE program was part of former President Biden’s efforts to ease student debt burdens for Americans. The plan offered favorable conditions compared to other options, limiting monthly payments to just 5% of a borrower’s discretionary income and providing debt cancellation for those who made payments for a minimum of 10 years while originally borrowing $12,000 or less.

During the legal proceedings, participants in the program were exempt from making payments. However, loan balances started accumulating interest after a court decision last summer halted the SAVE program’s implementation, resulting in higher debt amounts for some borrowers.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit officially eliminated the SAVE program earlier this month. The Education Department’s upcoming notifications will instruct borrowers to select a payment plan and begin making payments potentially as early as this summer.

Loan servicers will reach out to borrowers in phases, contacting a new group every two weeks. Those who participated in the SAVE program for the longest period will receive the first notifications.

An accomplished police dog has concluded his law enforcement career with Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources Conservation Police after serving for more than half a decade. K9 Bruno stepped away from active duty in early 2026, marking the end of an impressive service record that began in 2020.

Captain Chris Thomas expressed regret over losing such a valuable team member. “It’s a loss to the team,” Thomas stated. “Bruno recovered a lot of evidence for us. He located missing people, tracked trespassers, and solved breaking-and-enterings. He and [his partner, CPO Tyler Blanks] worked really well together.”

The 8-year-old canine’s retirement coincided with his handler’s career transition. Bruno has remained with Blanks’ family, adapting to his new role as a household companion after years of police work.

Blanks reflected on their professional relationship with deep appreciation. “Working with Bruno was something I looked forward to every day. The bond we built went far beyond a handler and K9—it was a true partnership,” Blanks explained. “He was highly driven, but at the same time loyal and in tune with me. Whether we were training or on a call, I always knew I could rely on him, and that kind of trust is hard to put into words. Working with Bruno for the last six years was definitely the highlight of my law enforcement career. I’d like to thank DWR for giving me that opportunity and a special thanks to Sergeant Howald for leading our team.”

Bruno joined the department as one of five canines who completed their training and began service in 2020. His impressive physical presence and distinctive character quickly distinguished him from his peers.

Thomas recalled Bruno’s remarkable strength and unique approach to training exercises. “He was such a big dog and he was solid muscle,” Thomas noted. “In our early wildlife detection training, I’d hide items in cinder blocks, and the dogs would have to work rows of cinder blocks. And Bruno would find the item and then just pick up the cinder block with his mouth and carry it off.” The memory was so memorable that Blanks kept a cinder block in his yard specifically for Bruno’s entertainment.

The retired police dog demonstrated both professional focus and an engaging personality that made him effective in various situations. “He’s very focused when there’s a job to do, but he also has a playful side that made him easy to reward and motivate,” Blanks remembered. “That balance made him an excellent K9. He would always get excited when I grabbed his search collar or tracking harness and put his toy in my pocket. He knew what job he was about to do before he got out of my vehicle. Bruno also loves people and enjoyed showing off his skills during K9 demonstrations at outreach events. His energy and friendly demeanor made demonstrations entertaining for a lot of people. He thrived off all the attention. Normally he would do an article search for a demonstration and at the end would do an army crawl through the crowd when everyone got to pet him.”

Bruno’s professional capabilities centered on tracking and evidence recovery. Throughout his career, he successfully located multiple firearms, shell casings, and other crucial evidence that assisted various local law enforcement agencies with serious investigations, including homicide cases, criminal activities, and hunting law violations.

“Every case was unique, and I enjoyed problem solving and working through each incident with him,” Blanks shared. “Every find was a proud moment for me and was proof that our training was exactly what it needed to be. We always trained for difficult scenarios which made the real world a little easier.”

One particularly challenging case highlighted Bruno’s exceptional abilities and determination. Blanks described tracking a repeat offender who had successfully evaded other police dogs and was familiar to law enforcement agencies.

“A county K9 had already attempted a track lost it after a quarter of a mile. The subject dropped his hat when he ran from deputies, so I had a scent article to start from,” Blanks recounted.

“This subject was notorious for running from law enforcement. Sergeant Howald tracked this subject just over four miles two or three days prior, and multiple times over the years. We tracked the first quarter mile and the other K9 handler told me this was where his dog lost the track. Bruno located the corner where the subject crossed a barbed wire fence and ran through a creek bottom. We tracked through water, woods, thick briars, cow pastures, and farm buildings for 3.8 miles. The track was hard and the subject had almost a two-hour head start on us. What stood out wasn’t the outcome, but how he worked—his determination, how he stayed locked on the task. It really showed what kind of K9 he was and reinforced why I trusted him so much.”

Bruno has adapted well to civilian life since leaving active duty. His daily routine now includes extended walks and swimming sessions at a nearby lake. The former police dog has also taken on a new responsibility as a regular passenger during school transportation runs for Blanks’ daughter.

“He has always been part of the family, but now he gets to have more freedom to just be a dog,” Blanks observed. “He loves extra attention and is included in just about everything we do. My daughter likes to set up article searches for him in the back yard, so he still gets to do what he enjoys.”

A Virginia conservation police officer is sharing heartfelt memories of his four-legged partner who recently passed away after years of dedicated service to law enforcement.

Major Frank Spuchesi of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources describes working alongside K9 Comet as among the most fulfilling experiences of his law enforcement career. The officer, who has a deep love for both dogs and law enforcement work, says the partnership made him excited to report for duty each day.

Comet’s journey began when Spuchesi met her in January 2012. The dog had been rescued from the Portsmouth region, and while her exact age and breed remained mysteries, her exceptional enthusiasm for play made her an ideal candidate for police work. By April 2012, both Spuchesi and Comet had completed their training at the inaugural DWR K9 academy. During the program, Comet demonstrated remarkable intelligence and unwavering persistence, refusing to give up on any assignment.

The canine officer received instruction in three specialized areas: tracking humans, searching for evidence, and detecting wildlife violations. Among these skills, Comet showed the greatest enthusiasm for evidence recovery work. Her first major case occurred in Goochland County shortly after graduation, when Officer Tim Dooley (currently First Sergeant) reached out for assistance with a trespassing incident involving illegal hunting and a convicted felon who had discarded a weapon.

The search began after midnight with no clear starting location. Spuchesi asked Dooley to guide them to where the property owner had last spotted the suspect. From that point, Comet began her systematic search pattern, creating wide circles throughout the forested terrain. As Spuchesi followed at a distance, Comet suddenly approached him in a crawling position and sat approximately ten feet away – her trained signal for discovering evidence.

When Spuchesi illuminated the area with his flashlight and saw nothing, he instructed her to continue searching. Comet departed, completed another wide search pattern, and returned to the identical location with the same alert behavior. After Spuchesi again failed to spot anything and jokingly called her names, Comet used her nose to push aside fallen leaves, exposing the hidden firearm they sought. This moment revealed to Spuchesi the exceptional abilities his new partner possessed. Over her career, Comet successfully located numerous weapons, ammunition casings, and shotgun components, providing crucial assistance in many investigations.

First Sergeant Tim Dooley captured a photograph of K9 Comet with the recovered weapon from her debut case. “I went to interview the suspect the following day, and I still remember the look on his face when I slid that picture across the table,” Dooley said. “I said, ‘I love dogs, don’t you,’ and he shook his head in disbelief and said, ‘Yeah, you got to.’”

Beyond evidence detection, Comet demonstrated exceptional tracking abilities, whether pursuing trespassing hunters to their hiding spots or locating lost individuals to bring them safely home. Despite her serious work responsibilities, Comet maintained a gentle temperament and enjoyed interacting with children during educational visits to schools. Students particularly enjoyed watching her locate concealed duck wings or sit next to classmates who had deer meat samples in their pockets.

Following her retirement in June 2018, Comet transitioned to life as a household companion while continuing to demonstrate her training skills for friends and relatives. Sadly, Comet died on March 13, leaving behind memories of a truly exceptional working dog.

The organization Paws of Honor provided financial assistance for Comet’s medical care and final expenses after her retirement. Those interested in supporting the DWR K9 Program can contribute through the Ward Burton Wildlife Fund’s Conservation Police K9 Fund.

NBC’s “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie will make her return to television on April 6, following a two-month break after her elderly mother’s kidnapping, she announced in an emotional interview that broadcast Friday.

The 52-year-old television host told her former co-anchor Hoda Kotb that she plans to approach her comeback with the mindset that “joy will be my protest” despite the ongoing tragedy affecting her family.

Guthrie acknowledged the challenge of returning to her usual upbeat television persona while dealing with such personal trauma, expressing uncertainty about whether she still belongs in that environment.

“I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not. But I can’t not come back, because it’s my family,” Guthrie explained during the interview. “I think it’s part of my purpose right now. I want to smile and when I do, it will be real and my joy will be my protest. My joy will be my answer. And being there is joyful and when it’s not, I’ll say so.”

Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared from her Tucson home on February 1. Law enforcement officials believe she was forcibly taken from her residence, and the FBI has released surveillance footage showing a masked individual near her front door on the evening she vanished.

The family is offering a $1 million reward for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s safe return.

During Thursday’s portion of her interview with Kotb, Guthrie revealed disturbing details about the crime scene that convinced the family this wasn’t a case of an elderly person wandering away. She described finding doors deliberately propped open, blood evidence on the front steps, and security equipment that had been deliberately damaged.

Guthrie said her brother immediately suspected their mother had been targeted for ransom money, and while the family has received multiple ransom demands, she believes only two were legitimate communications from the actual kidnappers.

The veteran news anchor admitted the possibility that her mother was targeted because of her high-profile television career is “too much to bear,” though she said the family doesn’t know for certain if that connection exists.

NBC announced Friday that Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie will resume her on-air duties April 6, marking her first studio appearance in over two months since her elderly mother’s kidnapping.

Guthrie has been away from the morning show since January 30, just two days before her 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona residence and was reported missing to authorities.

Speaking during a Friday broadcast interview, the veteran anchor acknowledged the emotional challenge of returning to work. “It’s hard to imagine doing it because it’s such a place of joy and lightness, and I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not,” Guthrie explained. “But I can’t not come back, because it’s my family. I think it’s part of my purpose right now.”

According to reports, Nancy Guthrie was last spotted by relatives on January 31 following an evening visit to the Tucson residence of her eldest daughter Annie Guthrie and Annie’s husband.

The family has been contacted with ransom demands since the disappearance and has posted a $1 million reward for any information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s safe return. The case remains under investigation.

A federal law designed to boost American manufacturing is creating unexpected roadblocks for affordable housing construction across the nation.

The Build America, Buy America Act requires federally-funded housing projects to use American-made components for nearly every element, from heating systems and light fixtures to small items like sink hooks and ceiling fans. However, housing developers report that many of these products have been manufactured overseas for years due to lower labor costs.

While builders can request exemptions, the approval process through the Department of Housing and Urban Development has become severely backlogged. HUD, which saw significant staff reductions under the previous Trump administration, has only approved a small number of projects.

This bureaucratic slowdown has resulted in construction delays and added hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs during what experts call a nationwide affordable housing emergency.

“They need to be treating this like the fire that it is,” stated Tyler Norod, president of Westbrook Development Corporation, which constructs affordable housing in Maine.

“We’ve sort of resigned ourselves that we’re just gonna build less units across the entire country during a housing crisis,” Norod added.

The impact reaches real people waiting for affordable homes. Diana Lene, a 76-year-old from Fargo, North Dakota, has spent five years on housing waitlists. Living on Social Security, her current apartment consumes most of her budget.

“It’s just maxing my budget down to pennies,” she explained. To manage expenses, she limits her driving and shops only for discounted food.

“I’m just trying to keep a roof over my head, but it’s getting more and more difficult,” Lene said. “I don’t like to live in fear, and yet sometimes it jumps in there.”

Lene hopes to move into an apartment being developed by Beyond Shelter, a nonprofit organization. However, CEO Dan Madler had to delay lumber purchases for his 36-unit project to ensure compliance with federal requirements. He also cannot locate American-manufactured ceiling fans and remains uncertain when HUD will grant necessary waivers.

President Joe Biden enacted the Build America, Buy America Act in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The legislation expanded existing efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing as the country recovered from pandemic-related economic challenges. The law, known as BABA, covers all infrastructure projects receiving federal agency funding, extending beyond just housing developments.

Denver-based developer Julie Hoebel reports spending more than $60,000 solely on consulting services to research suppliers and verify American-made materials, not including additional labor expenses.

However, her waiver requests submitted to HUD in November for approximately 125 materials needed for an 85-unit project remain unapproved.

“If they take much longer then we’ll come to a standstill,” she warned.

HUD currently requires at least six months to process many waiver applications.

Even supporters of the legislation acknowledge that HUD must accelerate waiver approvals and provide clearer guidance to the industry, similar to what other federal agencies have implemented.

HUD declined to respond to Associated Press inquiries about waiver delays that developers claim increase costs and concerns about process transparency. The agency issued a statement saying it remains committed to “ensuring that federal spending supports America’s industrial base” while “closely monitoring how compliance with these policies impact costs for builders.”

When asked in January whether delays and increased costs warrant exempting affordable housing from BABA requirements, HUD Secretary Scott Turner indicated the agency was examining the matter without providing specifics. “We are looking at this … with BABA as it pertains to HUD to provide flexibility to certain projects in certain places around our country,” Turner stated, adding that HUD is committed to ensuring developers receive “the flexibility they need as it pertains to building.”

Advocates maintain the legislation itself isn’t problematic.

Labor unions representing steel and manufacturing workers argue that taxpayer money should support American-made products and suppliers will adapt to meet demand for currently unavailable items.

“You’ve got a system in place that leans heavily on using imported materials to make a better profit,” said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “I don’t know if that serves the public good.”

Jennifer Schwartz, director of tax and housing advocacy at the National Council of State Housing Agencies, noted that no national data exists on BABA’s cost impact. She described the waiver process as “failing” because requirements were implemented before evaluating domestic manufacturing capabilities.

According to Kaitlyn Snyder, managing director of the National Housing and Rehabilitation Association, an affordable housing industry organization, suppliers will find it less difficult to increase raw material production domestically. However, manufactured products like appliances and elevators will require more time to become available.

“I don’t know that it economically, financially makes sense for people to be producing door hinges,” Snyder observed. “We are an advanced country and we’ve outsourced a lot of that stuff.”

The housing legislation passed by the Senate in March did not mandate that HUD address BABA implementation issues.

“The process isn’t working for affordable housing,” said Jessie Handforth Kome, who worked at HUD for nearly four decades until 2024. “People want to comply, but it’s unclear how to.”

Vermont developer Jessica Neubelt estimates spending an extra $150,000 just to confirm that iron and steel used in one project met American-made requirements. She expressed equal frustration over the hundreds of hours required, time that could be devoted to additional projects.

“I would like every member of Congress to sit in on a construction meeting,” Neubelt said. “The amount of detail that goes into figuring out if a specific thing is compliant or not is enormous.”

Representative Mike Flood, a Nebraska Republican, has pushed to exempt certain HUD funding from BABA requirements.

“Owning a home is the American dream, but it’s out of reach in a very big way and anything that adds cost to that isn’t allowing hardworking Americans to achieve the dream,” Flood told the Associated Press.

Roy Houseman, legislative director at United Steelworkers, dismissed concerns about cost increases as exaggerated.

“A lot of developers seem to have tried to throw things in and make statutory changes to policies that have been in place for basically five years now instead of making a good-faith effort to really push HUD,” Houseman said.

Union representatives point out that the law provides some flexibility.

Developers can receive exemptions for American-made products if they raise a project’s total cost by more than 25%. Additionally, a small percentage of a project’s material costs is exempt. However, most developers argue this percentage is insufficient to cover all items not manufactured domestically.

Some developers are exploring alternatives to avoid federal funding entirely. This approach presents challenges since federal dollars, while often representing a small portion of affordable housing project funding, can determine whether sufficient money exists to complete construction.

Kentucky developer Scott McReynolds plans to construct two four-unit projects small enough to avoid BABA requirements instead of applying for federal grants to build 20 to 30 affordable homes.

Finding American-made materials proves particularly difficult in the rural areas McReynolds serves.

“It’s a nightmare,” he concluded.

NEW YORK (AP) — A Manhattan museum’s confirmation of a historic Underground Railroad tunnel has sparked a preservation battle against a planned high-rise development that threatens the rare discovery.

The Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan’s NoHo neighborhood announced last month that researchers have confirmed the historical significance of a hidden passageway within the 1832 wealthy family residence. The breakthrough came after historians learned the property’s first owner, Joseph Brewster, was an abolitionist who aided freedom seekers.

Experts are calling this the first complete Underground Railroad location uncovered in New York in more than 160 years, and the revelation has dramatically increased visitor interest while intensifying opposition to a planned nine-story mixed-use structure on the adjacent lot.

“What our engineers are saying is that there really is no way that a building of that size is built immediately next door to the museum without causing significant structural damage to our historic building,” said Emily Hill-Wright, the museum’s director of operations.

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission continues deliberating the development proposal, while project consultants and architects maintain the museum would face minimal impact from construction.

This discovery emerges during a period when President Donald Trump’s executive order aims to eliminate slavery-related content and images from federal museums, parks and historical sites.

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton, based in New York, has framed the museum’s situation as a crucial battle for preserving African American and national heritage.

“When engineers tell me that an African American heritage site is in danger of structural compromise or any other sort of irreversible damage, I listen,” Sharpton said in a statement last week.

The concealed Underground Railroad route sits behind a 2-foot-by-2-foot wooden panel tucked beneath a dresser drawer on the building’s second floor. The pathway descends 15 feet through a shaft equipped with built-in ladder rungs. While workers discovered the passage during the 1930s museum conversion, only in 2024 did researchers establish that original owner Joseph Brewster supported the abolitionist cause.

“It’s not a dumbwaiter. It’s not a laundry chute,” Hill-Wright said. “We’re able to sort of cross off all of these other theories about what this might have possibly been used for.”

The confirmation has attracted preservationists, history enthusiasts and curious visitors from across the region.

“February was our highest month for visitors in over a year,” Hill-Wright said. “You almost get choked up because it is a very visceral experience to see it with your own eyes.”

Harriet Tubman established the Underground Railroad network after her own escape from bondage in 1849, eventually settling in Philadelphia. The secret operation helped countless enslaved African Americans reach freedom, and Tubman later served as a scout, spy and nurse for Union forces during the Civil War, personally leading 150 Black soldiers during a South Carolina gunboat mission.

When the Brewster residence was constructed, helping Underground Railroad participants violated New York City law and carried harsh consequences, according to Jacob Morris, director of the Harlem Historical Society. Historical records document attacks on abolitionists who sheltered escaped slaves.

“Bounty hunters were all over the place in New York City. They made their living on catching freedom-seeking Blacks,” Morris said. “If you got caught helping Blacks escape from slavery, a mob could come and burn down your house and beat you up. And maybe even tar and feather you or worse.”

Newly released federal documents reveal how Swiss banking giant UBS facilitated financial transfers that enabled Ghislaine Maxwell to purchase her secluded New Hampshire compound before her 2020 arrest on sex trafficking charges.

The Department of Justice files show UBS processed an $8 million transfer in November 2019 that ultimately funded Maxwell’s acquisition of “Tucked Away,” a $1.1 million estate spanning 156 acres in rural Bradford, New Hampshire.

The banking transaction took place three months after federal criminal investigators had served UBS with a grand jury subpoena demanding details about Maxwell’s financial activities as part of a child sex trafficking investigation. Despite being notified on August 1, 2019, that the bank would terminate her account within 30 days, UBS still processed the substantial money transfer that November.

Financial crime expert Tom Kirchmaier from the London School of Economics explained the significance of these revelations.

“Banks that are told of a secret criminal inquiry, as UBS was, typically do everything they can to find publicly available information to justify holding up the suspect’s money,” he said.

The federal subpoena, issued by the Southern District of New York on August 16, 2019, specifically mentioned a criminal “felony” investigation and requested confidentiality to avoid impeding the probe. Jeffrey Epstein had died in custody just days before the subpoena was issued.

UBS declined to provide comment regarding Maxwell or explain why the payment was processed, citing client confidentiality policies.

Maxwell received a 20-year prison sentence in 2021 after being convicted of recruiting and grooming underage girls for sexual abuse, as well as participating in some instances of abuse herself. Her legal team had argued she was being blamed for Epstein’s criminal conduct. Maxwell’s current legal representative declined to comment on the banking revelations.

Senator Ron Wyden, who has investigated financial flows related to Epstein’s criminal enterprise, criticized the banking industry’s handling of wealthy clients.

“The pattern we’ve seen from our investigations of Epstein and a lot of other high-net-worth criminals is that the banks look the other way because they know ultra-wealthy clients can pack up and take their money across the street any time they want,” Wyden stated.

“Ghislaine Maxwell wasn’t just some minor accessory to Epstein’s crimes, she was an essential part of his trafficking operation that reached all around the globe, and she’s accused of participating in abuse herself,” he added.

Maxwell’s arrest occurred at the remote property after FBI agents navigated a half-mile dirt road marked with “No Trespassing” signs. During the purchase process, she had assumed the identity “Janet Marshall” and told the real estate agent she was a journalist seeking privacy.

When federal agents apprehended her, they discovered a cell phone wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent tracking and a security detail composed of former British military personnel hired to protect her during her time in hiding.

Federal investigative documents from April 2022 trace the money flow from UBS to Maxwell’s New Hampshire refuge. The records show UBS transferred nearly $8 million on November 12, 2019, from a Montpelier Trust account established by Maxwell to a TD Ameritrade account managed by her then-husband Scott Borgerson.

The money subsequently moved through additional trusts before being used to purchase the Bradford property. Just days before the transfer, on November 6, 2019, UBS was still coordinating with the FBI regarding documents requested in the August grand jury subpoena.

Court documents filed by Maxwell’s accounting team in October 2020 estimated her and Borgerson’s combined assets at approximately $22.5 million. Much of this wealth originated from the 2015 sale of an Upper East Side Manhattan townhouse for $15 million, though the source of her ownership of that property remains unclear.

The Swiss bank managed various accounts containing cash, stocks, and other investments for Maxwell, assigning two relationship managers to handle her business. At its peak, UBS was overseeing $19 million in Maxwell assets, with $4.1 million remaining in accounts held by Maxwell and Borgerson as of October 2020.

Suspicious Activity Reports filed by financial institutions provide additional insight into Maxwell’s banking activities. Federal correspondence from April 2022 references a report suggesting the New Hampshire property “was purchased with proceeds from Human Trafficking,” though the reporting bank is not identified.

Following Maxwell’s arrest, UBS filed a Suspicious Activity Report covering more than $18 million in transfers from her accounts to Borgerson between December 2014 and July 2020.

British bank Barclays also maintained accounts for Maxwell, holding $2.4 million of her funds at the end of 2018. In the three weeks following Epstein’s July 2019 arrest, UBS received over $600,000 in deposits transferred from her Barclays account to cover credit card expenses.

Barclays declined to comment on its business relationship with Maxwell, while the Justice and Treasury Departments also declined to discuss the case.

The “Tucked Away” property has since been sold and is currently back on the market, with Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty marketing it as ideal for privacy-seeking buyers.

A former architect facing charges in the notorious Gilgo Beach serial murder case plans to enter a guilty plea next month, according to two sources with knowledge of his intentions.

Rex Heuermann, 62, who stands accused of killing seven women across a 17-year period, will reportedly reverse his previous not guilty plea during his scheduled April 8 court appearance, the sources told The Associated Press.

Both individuals, who have direct involvement in the case, requested anonymity since the plea change hasn’t been formally submitted to the court. One source revealed that both the victims’ relatives and Heuermann’s family members have received advance notice of this decision.

Heuermann’s legal team has not yet responded to requests for comment.

However, circumstances could still shift before the scheduled hearing. Heuermann retains the option to reconsider his decision, and any guilty plea must receive judicial approval.

The defendant has remained in jail since his July 2023 arrest and had maintained his innocence in previous court proceedings. His trial was originally set to begin in September. Newsday first broke the story about his planned plea change.

According to prosecutors, genetic evidence, mobile phone records, and materials discovered during a search of Heuermann’s Massapequa, New York residence link him to the victims, all young women who worked in the sex trade.

Investigators discovered multiple victims’ remains along a secluded section of shoreline parkway, while other remains were located in additional remote locations.

The seven victims have been identified as Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Sandra Costilla, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor and Megan Waterman.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney refused to provide comment when contacted Thursday evening, as did Gloria Allred, the California-based attorney representing several victims’ families.

The case first gained public attention in 2010 when officers searching for a missing person uncovered multiple sets of human remains in brush along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach.

Throughout subsequent years, investigators employed genetic testing and additional evidence to identify victims. In several instances, they successfully connected these remains to others found previously across Long Island.

Identifying Heuermann as a suspect required years of investigative work.

A revived examination of the cold case first flagged him as a possible perpetrator in 2022. Investigators connected Heuermann to a pickup truck that a witness reported observing when one victim vanished in 2010.

Subsequently, surveillance teams obtained a discarded pizza crust from Heuermann’s garbage, which enabled them to match his DNA to hair evidence found on one victim’s remains.

Mobile phone records further demonstrated that Heuermann had communicated with several victims shortly before they disappeared, while examination of his internet activity revealed a pattern of viewing violent pornographic content and researching details about the murder investigation.

In the previous year, investigators obtained computer files from Heuermann that they characterized as a planning document for the murders, featuring multiple checklists with instructions to minimize sound, clean victims’ bodies and eliminate evidence.

During recent proceedings, the presiding judge denied defense requests to exclude specific DNA evidence from trial proceedings and to separate the case into individual trials.

A sightseeing helicopter went down Thursday on a secluded stretch of beach along Hawaii’s Kauai island, leaving multiple people hurt, according to local fire officials.

The aircraft was transporting five people total — one pilot and four passengers — when it went down at Kalalau Beach, according to the Kauai Fire Department. The crash site sits along the island’s northern coastline on the Na Pali Coast.

Fire officials have confirmed that people were hurt in the incident, though the exact number of injured individuals and the extent of their injuries remains unknown at this time.

Aerial tours by helicopter have become a favored method for visitors to view the dramatic coastline of the Na Pali Coast, with its towering cliffs, pristine beaches and cascading waterfalls. The rugged terrain can only be reached on foot through challenging hikes or by watercraft.

THORNTON, Colo. — A mother from Colorado is praising recent court decisions against major tech companies after losing her teenage son to a deadly drug purchased through social media platforms.

Kimberly Osterman’s 18-year-old son Max passed away in 2021 after taking what he believed was Percocet, which he had arranged to buy from a dealer he met on Snapchat. The pill contained a lethal amount of fentanyl, and Max died the following morning.

“The truth is out, and it’s time that they are held accountable for the design of the platforms,” Osterman stated. “They put profits over safety.”

This week brought two significant legal victories that Osterman believes will pave the way for holding social media companies responsible for child safety. On Wednesday, a Los Angeles jury ruled that both YouTube and Meta — the parent company of Instagram and Facebook — are liable for creating platforms specifically designed to captivate young users in harmful ways. Both companies have expressed disagreement with the rulings and are considering appeals.

Meanwhile, a separate jury in New Mexico concluded that Meta deliberately damaged children’s mental health while hiding information about child sexual exploitation occurring on its platforms. Meta has announced plans to appeal this decision as well.

Before the Los Angeles trial commenced in January, Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount. TikTok also agreed to settle, with terms kept confidential.

Looking through family photo albums at her Colorado residence Thursday, Osterman reminisced about “the days before social media. The days before the infinite scrolling lured him in.” Pictures of Max surrounded by heart decorations and angel wings filled the shelves around her home.

Osterman described her son as academically gifted with a passion for lacrosse and wrestling. While she knew he used Snapchat to stay in touch with friends, she was unaware of the potential dangers he faced.

The drug dealer who sold the fatal pill to Max, Sergio Guerra-Carrillo, received a six-year prison sentence in 2023 on two distribution charges.

Currently, Osterman is pursuing her own wrongful death lawsuit, which is separate from the cases decided this week. She has joined Parents for Safe Online Spaces (ParentsSOS), an organization of parents who have experienced online-related child harm and push for stronger regulations.

The group supports the Kids Online Safety Act, proposed federal legislation that would mandate social media platforms take reasonable measures to prevent harm on sites likely to be used by minors.

Osterman advocates for stringent protective measures, including age verification technology to block anyone under 18 from accessing these platforms.

“You think your kids are safe in their home, in their bedroom, but that’s not the way it is with the current status of social media,” she explained.

When contacted Thursday, Snapchat did not provide immediate comment regarding Osterman’s situation. The company has previously stated it employs advanced technology to actively locate and eliminate drug dealers’ accounts while blocking search results for drug-related keywords.

While it remains uncertain whether these recent legal victories will result in significant changes, the verdicts signal an increasing readiness to hold major social media corporations accountable and demand substantial reforms. Technology oversight experts anticipate these decisions will encourage additional lawsuits and regulatory measures.

JACKSON, Miss. — Federal investigators have determined that two fatal natural gas explosions that leveled homes in Jackson, Mississippi during January 2024 occurred when underground utility lines became disconnected from their joints due to shifting clay soil conditions, according to a report released Thursday by federal safety officials.

The initial blast claimed the life of 82-year-old Clara Barbour.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that Atmos Energy Corp., the Dallas-based gas utility serving the area, had identified the gas leaks prior to the explosions but failed to classify them as requiring immediate attention. Federal investigators also concluded that the company inadequately assessed pipeline risks, delayed necessary repairs, and provided insufficient training to community members and emergency responders regarding gas leak protocols. The board called for enhanced regulatory scrutiny of the utility.

“Atmos has had significant safety shortfalls in recent years,” investigators stated. “Thus, Atmos’s multistate operations require broader oversight.”

Company representative Bobby Morgan responded that safety continues to be “our highest priority.”

“We will work diligently in the coming days and weeks to evaluate the findings as part of our ongoing safety efforts to further our vision to be the safest provider of natural gas services,” Morgan stated.

Atmos Energy provides natural gas service across Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The January 24 explosion and resulting fire in southern Jackson killed Clara Barbour and caused minor injuries to her spouse, Johnny Barbour. A second blast occurred three days afterward, approximately three-quarters of a mile from the first incident, completely destroying one residence and damaging an adjacent home. That explosion resulted in no casualties.

Federal investigators determined that both incidents involved gas supply lines that had become detached from their connections as surrounding soil shifted, creating hazardous gas accumulations that triggered the explosions.

The Jackson region sits above Yazoo clay, a soil type that swells during wet periods and shrinks during dry conditions. This soil movement not only damages building foundations and roadways but can also cause pipeline disconnections. The pipe connections installed by Atmos’s predecessor company lack resistance to separation forces, investigators found. The safety board recommended that Atmos locate and replace all such vulnerable connections.

The gas leak at the Barbour residence was first identified on November 17, 2023, when residents detected the chemical additive mixed into natural gas for safety purposes. An Atmos worker classified the leak as non-threatening, placing it on a repair schedule that could extend beyond one year. The leak at the second explosion site was discovered December 1 but received an even lower priority rating, with repairs scheduled within three years.

Following the explosion, the company reassessed Jackson-area leaks and identified several that posed greater risks than originally determined, the report noted.

Safety investigators criticized Atmos for inadequate threat assessment regarding expansive soil conditions, pointing out that regulators had issued warnings about this hazard since 2008. The NTSB had previously identified expanding soil as a contributing factor in a 2018 Atmos explosion in Dallas that resulted in one death and four injuries.

Investigators noted that Atmos maintained varying safety protocols across different states, and that implementing the more rigorous standards used in Kansas could have prevented the Mississippi explosions.

“Atmos’s siloed state operations, including leak monitoring procedures that differed by state, demonstrate that Atmos has not applied lessons learned in one state to the other states it operates in,” the board concluded.

A Gold Alert that was issued for Jill McLaughlin has been lifted after she was successfully found by authorities.

Officials confirmed that McLaughlin has been located and is safe, prompting the immediate cancellation of the alert that had been issued to help find her.

Gold Alerts are typically issued for missing adults who may be vulnerable due to various circumstances, helping to mobilize public assistance in locating individuals who have disappeared.

A California judge has decided that the individual found guilty of killing an elderly Thai man in a 2021 San Francisco attack that sparked nationwide anti-Asian hate crime awareness will not serve additional prison time.

Antoine Watson, now 25, received an eight-year manslaughter sentence Thursday for causing the death of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee. However, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Linda Colfax granted Watson credit for the five years he has already served while awaiting trial, and ruled the remaining three years could be suspended provided he complies with probation terms.

The victim’s daughter, Monthanus, shared her family’s frustration through a statement released by Justice For Vicha, the organization established in her father’s memory.

“We respect the court process. However, this is not about revenge — it is about accountability,” she said. “When consequences do not reflect the seriousness of the harm, it raises concerns about how we protect our seniors and public safety.”

Vicha Ratanapakdee was taking his regular morning walk through the peaceful neighborhood where he resided with his wife, daughter and her family when Watson rushed toward him and shoved him to the pavement. The elderly man lost consciousness and passed away two days afterward.

During his testimony, Watson told the court he was experiencing mental confusion and rage during the unprovoked incident, according to KRON-TV. He claimed he acted impulsively and was unaware that Ratanapakdee was Asian or elderly.

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju, whose team represented Watson, stated during proceedings that his client is “fully remorseful for his mistake.”

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Watson’s sentencing.

Security camera footage from a nearby residence recorded the assault and quickly circulated on social media platforms, sparking widespread advocacy efforts addressing the increase in anti-Asian violence linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, hundreds gathered in multiple American cities to honor the anniversary of Ratanapakdee’s death, demanding justice for Asian Americans facing harassment, attacks and killings at disturbing rates.

Although Asian Americans have historically faced prejudice and discrimination, such incidents intensified dramatically following COVID-19’s initial emergence in Wuhan, China in late 2019. The Stop AAPI Hate coalition documented over 10,000 hate incidents targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders between March 2020 and September 2021.

Despite the Ratanapakdee family’s belief that racial motivation drove the attack, prosecutors did not pursue hate crime charges and avoided presenting that argument during trial. Legal officials noted that hate crime cases require substantial evidence beyond circumstantial factors, often needing explicit statements from defendants.

STARKE, Fla. — A former Florida police officer who was set to be executed Tuesday for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl has received a temporary reprieve from the state’s highest court.

The Florida Supreme Court issued an execution stay Thursday for James Aren Duckett, 68, who was scheduled to die by lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. Duckett received a death sentence in 1988 following his conviction on charges of first-degree murder and sexual battery.

During his appeals, Duckett requested DNA testing that his legal team believes might prove his innocence. A lower court approved the testing request, but results are still outstanding. The state Supreme Court has given prosecutors until 5 p.m. Friday to provide an update on the DNA testing progress.

Should the execution stay remain in place beyond Tuesday, it remains uncertain when or if Duckett’s execution would proceed.

Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration, Florida executed a record-breaking 19 individuals in 2025 — more than any Florida governor has overseen in a single year since capital punishment resumed in 1976. The previous high was eight executions in 2014.

Court documents show Duckett served as a police officer in Mascotte, a small community located west of Orlando. On the evening of May 11, 1987, while Duckett was on duty, 11-year-old Teresa McAbee vanished after witnesses saw her enter his patrol vehicle at a local convenience store.

Authorities discovered McAbee’s body the following morning in a nearby lake, less than a mile from the convenience store. An autopsy revealed she had been sexually assaulted before drowning. Physical evidence including blood and hair connected her to Duckett. Investigators also found tire impressions at the lake scene that matched those used on Mascotte police vehicles. Both Duckett’s and McAbee’s fingerprints were discovered on his patrol car’s hood.

During the trial, three teenage girls provided testimony that Duckett had previously offered them rides and made inappropriate sexual overtures toward each of them.

Nationwide, 47 individuals were executed in 2025, with Florida leading all states due to numerous death warrants signed by DeSantis. Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas each carried out five executions, tying for second place.

Florida conducts all executions through lethal injection, using a three-drug protocol that includes a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a substance that stops the heart, according to state corrections officials.

Aviation disruptions across the United States may escalate far beyond lengthy security queues and canceled flights unless Congress resolves how to compensate Transportation Security Administration workers. Federal transportation leaders have cautioned that personnel shortages could force temporary shutdowns of smaller airports nationwide.

Although no particular facilities have been publicly identified as closure candidates, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and TSA leadership anticipate additional airport security personnel will resign or skip work shifts following Friday’s deadline, when TSA staff were scheduled to miss their second consecutive full paycheck since mid-February.

TSA employees have been mandated to report for duty without compensation since Department of Homeland Security funding expired on February 14.

“This level of disruption is unprecedented,” said Ha Nguyen McNeill, the agency’s acting administrator, referring to the financial pressure on TSA employees that has resulted in elevated absence rates. “We are being forced to consolidate lanes, and may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough officers.”

During Wednesday’s House committee testimony, McNeill declined to specify when potential closures might begin. She characterized the TSA workforce shortage as “a fluid, challenging and unpredictable situation.”

The head of the TSA workers’ union revealed Thursday that the agency compiled a roster of approximately 75 airports that could face closure to redistribute personnel to major transportation hubs experiencing extended security delays. This strategy could impact smaller facilities located near large airports, not exclusively tiny locations with minimal staffing operating single checkpoints.

“The agency has to look at it as, ‘Wow man, at the end of the day, we still have to do essential work and protect the American people.’ It becomes very difficult to do when you have this going on,” explained Johnny Jones, secretary and treasurer for Council 100 of the American Federation of Government Employees.

Approximately 11% of security officers across the country failed to report for scheduled duties this week, though certain airports experienced absence rates exceeding 40% on particular days, according to DHS data. Travelers waiting in enormous security queues have packed terminal areas and extended beyond building entrances at various times in Houston, New Orleans and Atlanta.

Thursday brought White House consideration of declaring a national emergency as an exceptional measure to compensate TSA employees, though specific implementation details remained uncertain.

Aviation security specialist Sheldon Jacobson, whose research helped develop TSA PreCheck, suggested that Trump administration officials appear to be raising airport closure possibilities as leverage to push Congress toward a DHS funding agreement.

“This is a situation that, once again, the politicians are trying to move the needle to get people to compromise by making threats. Are these threats realistic? Yes. Are they a good idea? No,” Jacobson stated.

Jacobson and fellow aviation analysts indicated this messaging also implies that deploying federal immigration agents to assist airports with security staffing challenges has proven unsuccessful.

White House representatives claimed ICE personnel helped decrease wait times through crowd monitoring and identification verification. TSA union representatives and other critics dismissed this approach as ineffective, contending that immigration agents lack necessary training and background.

Major airports employing hundreds of officers can shut down certain checkpoints and TSA PreCheck lanes while maintaining operations. The smallest among 440 U.S. airports with security screening lack this flexibility.

Smaller facilities operating only one checkpoint might require temporary closure if insufficient officers are available to staff them. This scenario could occur when multiple personnel fail to appear for any particular shift.

Small airports have “a smaller pool of people that you can draw from to keep the airport open,” noted Eric Chaffee, a Case Western Reserve law professor specializing in risk management, including aviation industry analysis. Larger facilities, conversely, are typically “much better able to absorb a handful of people calling out.”

These airport shutdowns would likely occur “unevenly,” Chaffee predicted — potentially affecting facilities from those with few gates to small regional centers. However, he cautioned that any temporary closure of small airports could create cascading effects throughout the broader air traffic network because it represents a “highly interconnected web.”

Aviation specialists emphasized consequences for the entire transportation system.

“Every airport, no matter its size, has some impact to the National Airspace System,” stated airport security expert Jeff Price.

University of Illinois professor Jacobson noted that airlines depend on passengers from small airports to complete their flight capacity at major hubs.

Others highlighted broader community impacts from smaller airport disruptions.

“Despite the fact that we’re talking about small regional airports, this is a big deal,” Chaffee emphasized, citing disruptions for businesses and travelers alike. “Ultimately, if this does occur, having to drive a half hour to an airport is a lot different than having to drive three hours to an airport.”

Should flight operations cease at smaller airports, nearby communities and their economies could suffer significantly, particularly hospitality and tourism businesses. Airport employees including custodial staff and restaurant and retail workers serving travelers could also face job losses.

Meanwhile, financial hardships would continue mounting for unpaid TSA officers.

Given numerous potential economic consequences from air travel disruptions, Jacobson warned “We are playing with fire right now when we are threatening such a large contributor to our GDP.”

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis resident who witnessed federal immigration agents fatally shoot Alex Pretti during a January confrontation joined other potential plaintiffs Thursday in speaking out about alleged excessive force during immigration enforcement activities in Minnesota.

Georgia Savageford, who goes by Wynnie, told reporters at a press conference that she watched from inside an officer’s vehicle as federal agents opened fire on Pretti.

“That day has changed me forever,” she said. “The trauma will haunt me for the rest of my life, and I will never be the same.”

Savageford explained she had been lawfully monitoring federal officers’ activities in Minneapolis following the January 7 shooting death of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. On January 24, she was conducting similar observation when an agent shoved her twice, causing her to fall.

“As I was going down, three agents proceeded to tackle me and drag me face-down into the middle of the street. They knelt on my back, twisted my arms and my legs to the ground, and handcuffed me. The cuffs were so tight I lost feeling in my hands, which resulted in temporary nerve damage,” she recounted.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE officials did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Minnesota state officials filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Tuesday seeking access to evidence needed for independent investigations into the fatal incidents.

According to Savageford, Pretti filmed her arrest and shouted at agents to stop their actions against her.

Officers placed her in a vehicle’s back seat, where she witnessed agents fatally shoot Pretti across the street.

“At that moment, I thought I was going to die too. I pleaded with the agents to understand why another life was taken, and to not take mine,” she said.

She described how agents told her to be quiet and stop acting hysterically. They transported her to an ICE detention facility, where she spent 12 hours in a cold cell with limited access to food, water, or restroom facilities before being released without charges.

“I did not know him, but I knew he had my back,” she said of Pretti. “I know the kind of heart he had. One that loves and protects without limits.”

Savageford’s testimony came during a press conference where civil rights lawyer John Burris of Oakland, California, and other attorneys outlined their preparation for potential class-action litigation over alleged excessive force against protesters and observers.

Burris, who focuses on police misconduct cases, previously secured an $11 million settlement from the Oakland Police Department in 2003 and helped obtain a $3.8 million civil jury award for Rodney King, who was beaten by Los Angeles police in 1991.

He announced that his team has submitted complaints to federal agencies involved in Minnesota’s enforcement operations on behalf of 10 individuals, including Savageford, marking the initial phase of what will likely become a broader class-action case.

“We have many others that are under investigation that have not completed the process. But I thought it was important for us to start this process now. Put the government on notice that we’re here,” Burris said.

Commemorative events honoring deceased farmworker advocate César Chávez face widespread cancellations, name changes, and delays following recent sexual misconduct accusations against the United Farm Workers Union’s former leader.

Labor advocate Dolores Huerta disclosed last week that she numbered among those alleging abuse by Chávez, who passed away over thirty years ago.

These accusations have triggered immediate consequences, with the United Farm Workers announcing they will avoid participating in any commemorations bearing their former leader’s name.

Multiple states had previously established observances around Chávez’s March 31 birth date as official holidays, and in 2014 President Barack Obama issued a proclamation designating March 31 as César Chávez Day.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Thursday transforming César Chávez Day into Farmworkers Day. The state Senate had passed this measure earlier that day with support from both parties.

Minnesota legislators pursued comparable measures Thursday, forwarding a bill to Governor Tim Walz that would eliminate Cesar Chavez Day from the state’s official calendar.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared last week his state would skip the holiday observance this year, instructing all state department leaders to follow this directive. Abbott additionally stated he would collaborate with legislators to eliminate the holiday from state statutes.

Colorado legislators are reviewing a bill to rebrand their voluntary state holiday as Farm Workers Day. Denver changed its yearly celebration to “Si Se Puede Day” while removing a Chavez sculpture from a municipal park. Grand Junction, Colorado, officials rechristened their event the “Si, Se Puede Celebration.”

“Sí, Se Puede” represents the farmworkers movement’s battle cry — Yes We Can.

Denver’s César Chavez Peace and Justice Committee scrapped a celebration scheduled for April 11.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson’s administration announced the state will not acknowledge Cesar Chavez Day, instead emphasizing Dolores Huerta Day on April 10, marking her birthday.

Utah maintains Cesar Chavez Day recognition, but the state’s legislative session concluded in early March, prior to the sexual abuse revelations. Removing or renaming the holiday would necessitate statutory changes.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has chosen not to acknowledge March 31 as César Chavez Day as she had done the previous two years, according to spokesperson Liliana Soto last week. Though not a state holiday, some Arizona communities observe it by closing schools or government facilities. Phoenix officials voted unanimously Wednesday to rename the city holiday Farmworkers Day.

Lansing, Michigan canceled its Legacy of César Chavez Dinner scheduled for March 25. The planned keynote speaker was Chavez granddaughter Julie Chavez Rodriguez, who served as campaign manager for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024.

“We remain committed to honoring the Latino community, and the service, dignity, and rights of farmworkers. We will be working on further events and celebrations in the future,” the city stated.

Milwaukee also scrapped its yearly celebration.

Arizona’s Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council delayed an annual César E. Chavez Community Breakfast, planning to reschedule it to highlight contributions and accomplishments of Hispanic county residents.

Tucson, Arizona rechristened its yearly celebration the “Comunidad y Labor Unity Fair.”

San Jose, Northern California’s largest city, is scrapping its César Chavez celebration, the mayor announced March 18. Matt Mahan stated the city would find ways to honor the farmworker movement’s legacy without celebrating “individuals who caused such profound harm to the community.”

The Hispanic Advocates and Business Leaders of Austin, Texas, announced that an annual march honoring Chavez scheduled for March 28 would not proceed. Several Austin city leaders also declared their support for renaming César Chavez Street.

AFL-CIO officials called the allegations shocking and stated the union federation would not participate in or endorse any César Chavez Day activities.

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with any victims of assault and abuse who have described experiencing what no one — especially children — should ever have to survive,” AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler and secretary-treasurer Fred Redmond stated. “No legacy can excuse it.”

The organization maintains its farmworker support and said the rights they have secured “cannot be erased by the horrific actions of one person.”

Numerous schools, streets and other locations throughout the United States bear Chavez’s name, including the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, California.

Dennis Arguelles, director of the National Parks Conservation Association in Southern California, explained that renaming the national monument would require congressional action. He stated the site should continue honoring the farmworker movement and leaders who advocated for dignity, improved working conditions and fair compensation.

The Los Angeles Unified school board approved plans Tuesday to rename schools and recognize Farmworkers Day on March 31 instead of César Chavez Day. The Los Angeles County Board of Commissioners approved similar measures.

The Lubbock Democratic Party in Texas called Wednesday for city leaders to rename César Chavez Drive to honor Dolores Huerta.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee City Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa said discussions will soon begin regarding a street named after Chavez.

Portland, Oregon city councilor Candace Avalos announced she would initiate a petition to rename a city boulevard after Huerta. City regulations require 2,500 signatures to begin a renaming process, Avalos wrote on social media, urging constituents to watch for ways to assist the effort.

U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján, a New Mexico Democrat, issued a statement Wednesday declaring abuse of any nature, particularly against children, is inexcusable and betrays the values Latino leaders have promoted for generations.

“His name should be removed from landmarks, institutions and honors,” Luján said regarding Chavez. “We cannot celebrate someone who carried out such disturbing harm.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — Federal prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against United Parks & Resorts, the company that operates SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks, alleging discrimination against disabled visitors through a policy that prohibits wheeled walkers with seats.

The Justice Department’s civil rights attorneys filed the complaint Thursday in Orlando federal court, requesting a jury trial to determine whether the theme park operator violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The legal action demands policy changes regarding rollators — the technical term for wheeled walkers — and seeks monetary compensation for guests who have been denied entry with the devices since the restriction took effect last November at facilities in Orlando and Tampa.

United Parks & Resorts rejected the federal allegations Thursday and indicated it would defend itself in court.

“The policy at issue was implemented to address repeated safety incidents involving misuse of rollators with seats and was designed to enhance guest safety while continuing to provide accessible options for all guests,” the company said in an emailed statement.

The theme park operator emphasized that its facilities provide alternative mobility assistance to guests at no charge.

According to the federal complaint, multiple guests using wheeled walkers — including two military veterans with mobility impairments — were turned away at security checkpoints and barred from entering the parks with their devices.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling Thursday, striking down the state’s mandatory life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder convictions. The justices determined these automatic sentences violate Pennsylvania’s constitutional protections against cruel punishment because they fail to consider each defendant’s individual circumstances and level of involvement.

The decision centers on Derek Lee’s case, who was convicted in a 2014 Pittsburgh homicide, but will impact approximately 1,000 other prisoners currently serving similar sentences for second-degree murder.

The court has delayed implementing its ruling for four months, allowing Pennsylvania’s legislature time to “consider appropriate remedial measures.” The justices noted in their decision that they were focusing on Lee’s specific case and not addressing whether the ruling should apply to past convictions.

“We will await any legislative action and we will prepare to act according to the Court’s opinion and any forthcoming legislation,” stated Rebecca Spangler, first assistant and chief of staff to the Allegheny County district attorney, in an email response.

Under current Pennsylvania law, individuals face second-degree murder charges when they participate in certain felonies that result in death, with life imprisonment without parole being the sole sentencing option.

Chief Justice Debra Todd explained in the majority opinion: “The mandatory penalty scheme of life without parole for all offenders convicted of second degree murder fails to assess individual culpability regarding the intent to kill, and mandates the same punishment regardless of that culpability.” She emphasized the law doesn’t differentiate “between the lookout, and the killer who pulls the trigger.”

This ruling follows years of nationwide efforts to eliminate mandatory life-without-parole sentences. Todd noted that advocacy organizations provided varying data on how many states impose mandatory life sentences without exceptions for felony murder cases, with estimates ranging from two to eleven states.

In a concurrent opinion, Justice Kevin Dougherty highlighted that second-degree murder defendants, unlike first-degree murder convicts, have “never been found by a judge or jury to have harbored the specific intent to kill” and might have had “any involvement whatsoever with the actual killing. He or she does not even have to expect or foresee that a life may be taken.”

Quinn Cozzens, a staff attorney with the Abolitionist Law Center representing Lee, said they had hoped the court would declare all life-without-parole sentences unconstitutional for second-degree murder cases. Instead, trial judges must now evaluate each defendant’s specific circumstances to determine appropriate sentences, which could still include life without parole.

The state’s public defenders’ association anticipates the ruling will spark new legal challenges and require additional investigation work as they develop “strategic litigation” to seek retroactive application of the decision.

In Lee’s case, jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder while acquitting him of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 44-year-old Leonard Butler. Butler died during a gun struggle with Lee’s co-defendant, Paul Durham.

Prosecutors maintained that addressing second-degree murder sentencing policies should remain with state lawmakers and executive officials. Todd noted that while the district attorney’s office “acknowledges that there may be persuasive arguments why a non-slayer should not be held to the same degree of culpability as the slayer, it stresses that these are policy decisions for the General Assembly.”

Cozzens called on legislators to “address this constitutional violation, given that the court granted them the opportunity to do so.”

State Representative Tim Briggs, a suburban Philadelphia Democrat who leads the House Judiciary Committee, announced plans to work with Senate Republicans on responsive legislation.

Briggs expressed support for retroactive application, wanting to give people serving life sentences “for being the getaway driver” the chance to “have their facts looked at again.”

“I think inaction leaves a lot of this up to the courts to decide. I don’t feel comfortable doing that,” Briggs explained. “We have a policymaking role here.”

Justice Sallie Mundy noted that Lee “willingly participated in an armed home invasion and robbery, and purposefully engaged in assaultive behavior in the form of tasing and pistol-whipping the victim.” She stated that Lee and Durham “arguably kidnapped the victims by forcing them into the basement” and that the county judge will determine whether Lee’s life-without-parole sentence remains appropriate.

Todd’s opinion referenced advocacy group data claiming that 73% of those convicted of felony murder in Pennsylvania were 25 or younger when the killing occurred, and just under 70% are Black individuals.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s biggest night is departing from Hollywood itself.

Starting in 2029, when the Academy Awards broadcast switches from ABC to YouTube, the awards show will also relocate from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, approximately 9 miles away.

Academy officials announced Thursday they have signed a decade-long contract with AEG, the company that manages the L.A. Live entertainment complex housing the Peacock Theater.

The venue change marks a significant shift, considering the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences specifically created the Dolby Theatre to serve as the Oscar ceremony’s permanent location. The awards show has taken place at that Hollywood venue since 2002.

The Peacock Theater sits adjacent to Crypto.com Arena, where the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings play their home games. The venue has previously welcomed major entertainment events including the Emmy Awards and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel announced Thursday that two siblings have been formally charged following the discovery of a homemade bomb at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

The Florida military installation serves as headquarters for both U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command, the latter of which has led military operations against Iran.

According to Patel’s statement posted on social media platform X, the investigation has resulted in charges against both a brother and sister. “A brother and sister have now been indicted. One is in custody for accessory and evidence tampering and the primary suspect is charged with explosives offenses and is currently in China,” Patel wrote.

The announcement reveals that while one sibling remains in federal custody facing charges related to tampering with evidence and serving as an accessory, the main defendant has apparently fled the country to China and faces more serious explosives-related criminal charges.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Federal prosecutors have filed charges against two siblings following the discovery of an explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa earlier this month, with one suspect having escaped to China.

Alen Zheng, 20, and his sister Ann Mary Zheng, 27, received separate federal indictments on Wednesday. While Ann Mary Zheng remains in federal custody, her brother has fled the country, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on social media.

The younger Zheng faces three federal charges: attempting to damage government property, unlawfully making a destructive device, and possessing an unregistered destructive device. The indictment directly references the suspicious package discovered at MacDill.

His sister faces charges of witness tampering and serving as an accessory after the fact in her brother’s case.

Neither defendant has legal representation listed in court documents.

The investigation began when authorities discovered a suspicious package outside the base on March 16, triggering an FBI probe. MacDill serves as headquarters for U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations across the Middle East, Central Asia, and portions of South Asia. The installation has maintained elevated security measures since hostilities began in Iran.

Separately, authorities arrested another individual this week for making threatening phone calls to the base following the device discovery, though investigators have not linked that suspect to any explosive devices. No connection has been established between the phone caller and the Zheng siblings.

NBC’s “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie revealed chilling details Thursday about her elderly mother’s suspected kidnapping from an Arizona residence, marking her first television interview since the February disappearance.

When 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished, investigators discovered her home’s rear entrances had been deliberately held open, while her cellular phone and handbag remained inside the residence, according to her daughter’s account during the broadcast.

The television personality explained that she and her siblings immediately recognized this wasn’t a case of their mother wandering away, given her severe mobility issues. Additional alarming evidence included blood traces near the front entrance and security equipment that had been forcibly removed.

“So we were saying, ‘This is not OK’” Guthrie said. “Something is very wrong here.”

Her brother quickly concluded their mother had become a kidnapping victim targeted for ransom money.

“I said, ‘What?’ And then, I mean, it sounds so, like, how dumb could I be? But I just, I didn’t want to believe. I just said, ‘Do you think because of me?’” Guthrie recounted, choking up and wiping away tears. “He said, ‘I’m sorry, sweetie, but, yeah, maybe.’”

Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was officially reported to authorities on February 1st. Law enforcement agencies suspect the elderly woman was forcibly taken from her Tucson residence against her wishes. Federal investigators have distributed security footage showing a disguised individual at the victim’s front entrance on the evening she disappeared. The family is offering $1 million for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s safe return.

The veteran morning show anchor acknowledged during the interview that while they cannot confirm her celebrity status motivated the crime, such a connection would be logical.

“Which is too much to bear, to think that I brought this to her bedside, that it’s because of me. And I just say, ‘I’m so sorry, Mommy. I’m so sorry,’” Guthrie said. “If it is me, I’m so sorry.”

Multiple fraudulent ransom demands were received, Savannah Guthrie revealed, though she and her siblings believed two specific communications were legitimate. The situation felt completely unreal to the family.

“How is it possible that we are having to make a video speaking to a kidnapper who took an 84-year-old woman in the dead of night, in her pajamas, with no shoes, without her medicine?” Savannah Guthrie asked.

While the security camera footage of the masked intruder was frightening, Guthrie expressed relief that the evidence existed after “cruel speculation” emerged suggesting family involvement in the disappearance. She cannot comprehend such theories.

“No one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law. And no one protected my mom more than my brother,” Guthrie said.

Despite tireless efforts by law enforcement, the family desperately needs resolution, Guthrie emphasized.

“We cannot be at peace without knowing and someone can do the right thing,” she said. “It is never too late to do the right thing and our hearts are focused on that.”

A new publication sheds light on the Defense Department’s classified efforts to develop artificial intelligence for military operations. Bloomberg reporter Katrina Manson has authored a book examining the Pentagon’s covert initiative to advance America’s AI warfare technology.

Manson’s work, titled “Project Maven,” explores the military’s push to integrate artificial intelligence into combat operations and highlights the dedicated Marine colonel who spearheaded these developments. The book provides insight into how the United States has been building its AI-powered military capabilities behind closed doors.

NEW YORK — Operations have resumed on the LaGuardia Airport runway where a deadly collision between an Air Canada aircraft and an emergency vehicle occurred, with the tarmac reopening Thursday morning.

Officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced the runway returned to service around 10 a.m. following comprehensive repairs and safety inspections. The facility and related infrastructure were thoroughly examined and verified to comply with Federal Aviation Administration safety standards before operations resumed.

Airport authorities noted that bringing the second runway back online at LaGuardia, among America’s busiest aviation hubs, will help return the facility to complete operational status. However, passengers are still being advised to verify their flight information directly with airlines.

Despite the runway reopening, LaGuardia continues experiencing the highest rate of flight disruptions nationwide, with over 300 cancellations recorded in the past day, data from flight monitoring service Flight Aware shows.

Both the damaged Air Canada aircraft and the emergency truck involved in the collision were removed from the accident scene Wednesday evening while federal investigators continue their probe into the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed Thursday that the fire truck has been secured at a confidential location for investigation purposes. When asked about the aircraft’s status, the agency directed inquiries to Air Canada, which has not yet provided a response to requests for information.

The carrier previously indicated the plane would be housed in a hangar facility and announced plans to begin returning passengers’ luggage and personal items to them shortly.

Air Canada’s chief executive Michael Rousseau issued an apology Thursday regarding his failure to communicate in French following criticism and resignation demands over his English-only condolence statement.

The tragic accident occurred Sunday evening when the Air Canada regional aircraft, arriving from Montreal with 76 individuals aboard, struck an airport fire truck that had received authorization to cross the runway while responding to an unrelated emergency on a different aircraft.

Medical facilities treated approximately 40 individuals for crash-related injuries, including two firefighters and a flight attendant who survived being ejected onto the runway while secured in her seat. The majority of those injured have been discharged from hospital care.

Spring has officially arrived in the nation’s capital as Washington D.C.’s iconic cherry trees have reached their peak flowering stage, bringing delicate pink blooms to a city typically dominated by stone buildings and political gravitas.

Thousands of cherry trees throughout D.C. have now opened their temporary blossoms, signaling the start of the city’s busy tourism period. However, visitors should act quickly, as these fragile flowers are vulnerable to changing weather conditions.

The National Park Service, responsible for maintaining 3,500 cherry trees citywide, determines peak bloom when 70% of Yoshino Cherry flowers have opened. This year’s timing aligns perfectly with the typical schedule, which usually occurs during late March through early April, though dates have ranged from March 15 to April 18 in previous years.

Beyond the natural display, the month-long National Cherry Blossom Festival started March 20 and continues until April 12, featuring live music, Japanese cultural activities, and fireworks shows.

Festival officials report that last year’s events attracted over 1.6 million international visitors, while their online bloom camera received more than 2.3 million views.

Weather conditions remain crucial for viewing opportunities. The Park Service notes that Yoshino trees generally flower for only a few days, with optimal conditions being cool and calm weather.

A single day of rain or strong winds can quickly end the brief pink display around the Tidal Basin and other locations, stripping away all the petals.

Fortunately, no late frost occurred this season, which could have prevented the trees from blooming entirely.

These celebrated cherry trees originated from a 1912 donation of 3,000 trees from Tokyo’s mayor, and Japan continues participating in their maintenance and festival activities.

In 2024, Fumito Miyake, minister for public affairs at the Japanese Embassy, announced his government’s contribution of 250 additional trees as a “birthday present” ahead of this summer’s 250th anniversary celebration of American independence.

Visitors this year face some viewing limitations at the Tidal Basin, where the most concentrated tree groupings exist. The National Park Service is conducting a three-year seawall restoration project in preparation for the summer anniversary, leaving portions of the basin blocked off.

The renovation required removing over 100 trees, which will be replanted after construction completion.

Fans of “Stumpy” — the twisted tree that gained internet fame — cannot visit their beloved landmark this year. Stumpy was among the trees removed for renovations, though cloned versions await planting once work concludes.

Organizers added a special memorial pedal-boat race last year to celebrate the city’s most recognizable tree.

Airport security operations across the nation are experiencing unprecedented challenges as the Transportation Security Administration grapples with severe staffing shortages, according to testimony delivered to lawmakers on Wednesday.

The agency’s acting director appeared before Congress to describe what officials are calling an emergency situation, warning that smaller airports may need to suspend operations entirely. The crisis stems from widespread departures and absences among security personnel who continue working despite not receiving paychecks.

Wait times at security checkpoints have reached record-breaking lengths as fewer officers report for duty each day. The combination of staff resignations and increased sick calls has created bottlenecks that are disrupting travel schedules nationwide.

Congressional leaders received stark warnings about the sustainability of current operations, with agency leadership indicating that without immediate resolution, some facilities may have no choice but to temporarily shut down security screening operations.

Metropolitan areas across the United States experienced significantly slower population growth in 2025, with border communities facing the most dramatic declines due to reduced immigration flows, new U.S. Census Bureau data revealed Thursday.

The latest population estimates indicate that most metro areas and counties saw diminished growth rates compared to the previous year, primarily driven by decreased international migration. This marks a sharp contrast to 2024, when immigrant arrivals helped urban communities bounce back from pandemic-related population losses.

Metro area growth rates nationwide fell from 1.1% in 2024 to just 0.6% in 2025.

The data, spanning the 12-month period ending in July 2025, captures the early phase of President Donald Trump’s second administration and the launch of stricter immigration enforcement policies. As America’s population ages and birth rates continue their two-decade decline, immigration has emerged as a crucial driver of community growth.

“With so little natural increase, migration determines whether an area grows or declines, particularly in the big metro cores that have continuous domestic out-migration and are dependent on immigration,” said Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire.

Border metropolitan areas from Arizona through Texas experienced the most severe population growth declines in 2025, Census data shows.

Laredo, Texas saw its growth rate plummet from 3.2% to just 0.2%. Yuma, Arizona dropped from 3.3% to 1.4%, while El Centro, California fell from 1.2% growth into negative territory at -0.7%. All three communities had flourished in 2024 due to substantial immigrant populations arriving.

“That pattern suggests a sharper rise-and-fall effect in border regions, where international migration plays a more central role in year-to-year population change,” said Helen You, interim director of the Texas Demographic Center.

Houston, Miami and Los Angeles counties remained the primary destinations for immigrants by raw numbers in 2025, mirroring 2024 patterns. However, these areas saw dramatic reductions in immigrant arrivals. Census data reveals nine out of every 10 U.S. counties recorded lower immigration levels in 2025 versus 2024.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which devastated Florida’s Gulf Coast communities in fall 2024, also triggered significant population shifts according to the estimates. The storms left behind tens of billions in property damage.

Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg, lost nearly 12,000 residents, ranking second nationally in population loss behind only Los Angeles County, which has shed residents throughout the decade. Pinellas County depends heavily on migration since deaths exceed births at the highest rate of any U.S. county.

Taylor County, a small community in Florida’s Big Bend region that suffered extensive hurricane damage, recorded the nation’s steepest county-level growth decline at -2.2%.

Hurricane-related displacement extended beyond Florida’s borders. In North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the county containing Asheville lost over 2,000 residents in the months following Hurricane Helene’s remnants, which destroyed homes and severed power and communications throughout mountain communities.

New York’s metropolitan area tumbled from leading national population growth in 2024 to 13th place in 2025 due to reduced immigration.

The Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas, consistent growth leaders this decade, claimed the top positions, followed by Atlanta, Phoenix and Charlotte, North Carolina metropolitan regions.

Mid-sized Florida and South Carolina metros posted the highest growth percentages. Ocala, Florida, situated 80 miles northwest of Orlando and renowned for horse farms, led nationally at 3.4%. Following were Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which has attracted retirees; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Lakeland, Florida, positioned between Tampa and Orlando; and Punta Gorda, Florida, located 35 miles north of Fort Myers.

Distant suburban counties attracted the most domestic migrants relocating within the United States.

Leading destinations included Collin County, Texas, near Dallas; Montgomery County, Texas, outside Houston; Pinal County, Arizona, beyond Phoenix; and Pasco and Polk counties surrounding Tampa.

The Census Bureau attributes rapid exurban growth to pandemic aftereffects. Escalating housing prices pushed residents farther from city centers, while remote work arrangements enabled many to perform jobs from home several days weekly.

Despite losing more residents to out-migration than gaining from in-migration, New York’s metro area added over 32,000 people through births. The New York region topped national rankings for natural increase, where births exceed deaths, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metros.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and several Florida communities with substantial senior populations—including Sarasota, Daytona Beach and Tampa metro areas—recorded the highest numbers of deaths exceeding births.

The two Texas metropolitan areas dominated natural increase rankings due to their demographic composition and status as the nation’s fastest-growing regions, You explained.

“Decades of domestic and international in-migration have produced relatively young populations, with a large share of residents in childbearing ages, alongside comparatively smaller proportions of senior populations,” she said.

Officials have successfully located James Dwyer and have lifted the Gold Alert that was previously issued to help find him.

The alert, which mobilizes law enforcement and community resources to locate missing vulnerable adults, has been deactivated now that Dwyer has been found safe.

No additional details about the circumstances of his disappearance or recovery have been released at this time.

HOUSTON (AP) — Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston has emerged as the prime example of how the partial government shutdown is creating chaos throughout America’s aviation system.

Extended security checkpoint delays have plagued airports nationwide, but Bush Intercontinental’s situation has been particularly severe. Passengers at Houston’s primary airport have faced warnings of four-hour waits to clear security checkpoints, as numerous Transportation Security Administration employees are skipping work shifts due to unpaid wages during the shutdown.

“And we’ve been in this airport since 8 o’clock in the morning. Very tired, queuing and queuing and very slow,” said Edgaer Fernando, a traveler headed to Guatemala, speaking on Tuesday.

Airport and union representatives have cited multiple factors explaining why Bush Intercontinental appears to be experiencing worse conditions than other facilities.

The explanations include Houston’s airport recording among the nation’s highest TSA employee absence rates due to financial hardships, increased passenger volume from the airport serving as United Airlines’ major hub, and a particularly busy tourism period for Houston.

Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airport, Houston’s two primary facilities, have both recorded some of America’s highest employee absence rates.

Though TSA workers nationwide had an 11% no-show rate on Tuesday, Bush Intercontinental saw nearly 40% of staff absent. Hobby Airport’s rate was even worse at 43%. Houston’s absence rates have consistently ranged from 35% to 40%, according to Johnny Jones, secretary and treasurer for Council 100 of the American Federation of Government Employees, representing TSA personnel across the country.

However, Bush Intercontinental handles significantly more traffic than Hobby, processing over 48.4 million travelers in 2024 versus Hobby’s 14.6 million passengers.

According to Jim Szczesniak, aviation director for the Houston Airport System, Bush Intercontinental typically operates 37 TSA checkpoint lanes. Currently, only one-third to half of those lanes are functioning, he explained.

“We worry conditions will only get worse at airports across the U.S. until Congress ends this shutdown,” Szczesniak stated in a Tuesday social media video.

TSA employees were already struggling with financial hardships and debt from the previous year’s shutdown, and with rising grocery and fuel costs, workers “are just tired of it,” Jones explained.

“There could be a million factors, but I can just tell you as simple as this: If everybody’s being paid, you wouldn’t have no lines,” Jones stated.

Houston’s airport ranks among America’s busiest and serves as United Airlines’ primary hub. Of the 48.4 million travelers using the airport in 2024, United Airlines accounted for 34.8 million.

“There’s high call outs, but it’s also the excessive origination point for a lot of flights,” Jones noted.

Given the substantial passenger volume, Houston’s airport may have faced staffing challenges even without the shutdown, since TSA hiring has been frozen nationwide for approximately one year, Jones said.

Beyond spring break visitors, Houston has welcomed numerous major events this month.

These activities include World Baseball Classic games and CERAWeek, a significant energy industry conference attracting over 10,000 global participants. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo attracted 2.6 million visitors, many from outside the metropolitan region, during its three-week run. Additionally, two NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 games are scheduled in Houston this week.

“While the delays are frustrating for travelers, they do not appear to be impacting tourism. In fact, Houston is experiencing the strongest month of March in terms of hotel rooms and reservations in the city’s history,” Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement.

Security wait times at Bush Intercontinental appeared to decrease on Wednesday, with TSA processing taking under two hours.

“Everyone’s trying their best. And thanks to all the TSA members who are here,” said Raj Chauhan, a traveler bound for Miami, on Wednesday.

Multiple safety technologies designed to prevent aircraft ground collisions malfunctioned during Sunday’s fatal crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, where an Air Canada aircraft struck a fire truck during landing.

Federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are working to understand how the accident occurred, which claimed the lives of both pilots and left dozens injured. An air traffic controller authorized the emergency vehicle to enter the runway merely 12 seconds before the aircraft with 76 passengers made contact with the ground. Despite urgent radio calls ordering the truck to halt, the impact could not be avoided.

Aviation experts expect investigators will uncover several contributing elements, as commercial aviation employs numerous protective measures specifically designed to minimize such incidents. Officials are conducting interviews with all personnel involved, analyzing debris, and testing equipment that may have played a role. The damaged aircraft was transported to a secured facility Wednesday for detailed inspection.

LaGuardia operates one of 35 sophisticated Airport Surface Detection Systems called ASDE-X across major U.S. airports. This technology combines radar information with transponder signals from aircraft and ground vehicles to provide air traffic controllers with real-time positioning data. The system triggers audible warnings when potential collisions are detected.

The warning technology has successfully prevented accidents in recent years. Last autumn, the NTSB recognized the system for averting a collision between a private aircraft and a Southwest Airlines plane in San Diego during August 2023. Controllers received the alert with enough time to prevent contact, even though the planes came within 100 feet of each other.

Similar success stories include a prevented collision involving a JetBlue aircraft in Boston during 2023, with the system earning recognition in multiple NTSB investigations since its late 1990s introduction. Earlier versions of this technology existed in the 1980s.

History’s most devastating aviation disaster occurred in 1977 when two Boeing 747s collided on a runway in Tenerife, Spain, resulting in 583 fatalities. Another significant runway accident happened in 1991 at Los Angeles International Airport, where nearly three dozen people perished when a landing aircraft struck another plane preparing for departure.

Currently, only the nation’s busiest airports have received the expensive ASDE technology, though the Federal Aviation Administration is implementing a more affordable version at 200 additional facilities. This newer system already operates at 54 airports as part of the FAA’s comprehensive strategy to eliminate runway incidents.

However, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy explained that the ASDE system at LaGuardia did not activate an alarm before Sunday’s crash because it struggled to forecast the collision.

Homendy highlighted concerns about LaGuardia’s emergency vehicles lacking transponders that would supply more accurate location data to the controller monitoring system. She noted that other airports have equipped their vehicles with these devices.

While the FAA has promoted transponder installation and provided financial assistance, the agency lacks comprehensive data on their prevalence. The ASDE system continues tracking all airport vehicles through radar even without transponders.

According to Homendy, numerous emergency vehicles positioned on the taxiway Sunday complicated the system’s collision prediction capabilities. These vehicles were responding to assist a United Airlines flight that had reported unusual odors causing flight attendant illness.

Rick Castaldo, who participated in ASDE system design and installation during his FAA career, explained that the technology performs better predicting collisions involving moving vehicles or aircraft. The computer cannot anticipate stationary vehicle movements, and the fire truck only began crossing after receiving controller approval 20 seconds before impact.

Even if the system had sounded an alert, it may not have provided much additional warning beyond the controller’s urgent radio call nine seconds before collision: “Stop, stop, stop, Truck 1. Stop, stop, stop. Stop, Truck 1.”

Castaldo revealed that during system development, officials worried about excessive false alarms potentially causing controllers to disregard legitimate warnings, so “they dumbed down the alerts so that you get them just in time to look up and see the accident.”

Despite controller authorization for the fire truck to proceed, embedded pavement lights should have illuminated red to warn the driver about the approaching Air Canada aircraft. Aviation safety specialist Jeff Guzzetti stated that the driver “should have known not to cross, even if the controller told them to cross, because the runway status lights were red — flashing red.”

Both the fire truck operator and controller were likely distracted by the emergency involving the other aircraft. Mike O’Donnell, who supervised airport safety programs and accident investigations during his 17-year FAA tenure, noted that truck radios were probably active with New York Fire Department communications as responders rushed to reach the United plane.

Homendy indicated that runway lighting systems appeared functional, though investigators must examine and test them for verification. These lights utilize ASDE system data to signal aircraft landing or departure activities and operate at 20 airports nationwide.

O’Donnell emphasized that none of these technologies are intended as foolproof solutions. Each system, combined with additional safety measures, aims to reduce crash probability rather than guarantee prevention of every disaster.

“It’s just one of several layers that are designed to reduce the risk of incursions,” explained O’Donnell, now president of his consulting firm. “It’s a broader framework. There’s other things. There’s procedures. There’s communication. There’s decision-making. All those other layers are there as well.”

NEW YORK — Cleanup operations concluded Wednesday at LaGuardia Airport as workers removed the damaged Air Canada aircraft involved in Sunday’s fatal runway collision, while the airline reported that most injured passengers have been discharged from medical facilities.

Air Canada announced that only four passengers remain hospitalized following the devastating crash that claimed the lives of two pilots. Approximately 40 individuals received medical treatment at local hospitals for various injuries, with some sustaining serious trauma. The airline has not released additional information about the four patients still receiving care.

The Montreal-bound aircraft was transporting 76 individuals, including crew members, when it struck a fire vehicle that had entered the runway. Moments prior to impact, air traffic control had authorized the emergency vehicle to traverse the runway.

Since Monday, debris from the accident had occupied the tarmac, shutting down one of two runways at the heavily trafficked airport.

Removal operations began around 5 p.m. Wednesday as airport personnel used specialized equipment to clear the wreckage. Two heavy-duty tow trucks worked together to upright the severely damaged fire vehicle, which had remained overturned since the collision.

Workers placed the aircraft’s rear section on a massive dolly and used two coordinated vehicles with extended cables to transport it. Earlier Wednesday, crews had cut away much of the completely destroyed nose section. The aircraft’s middle portion rested on its undamaged landing gear during the removal process.

Air Canada stated the aircraft will be relocated to a hangar facility. The carrier plans to begin returning personal items and luggage to passengers soon.

Following the impact, numerous passengers successfully evacuated the compromised aircraft, including a flight attendant who was ejected onto the runway while still secured in her seat but survived.

Officials have identified the deceased pilots as Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forest. Passenger Clément Lelièvre praised their “incredible reflexes” for preserving lives, highlighting how they applied maximum braking power upon landing.

Both Port Authority Police Department firefighters aboard the emergency vehicle survived the collision.

At just 16 years old, Walker Montgomery received a message on Instagram from what appeared to be a teenage girl who lured him into online sexual activity.

Hours later, the Mississippi teenager had taken his own life after falling victim to a sextortion scam.

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

Brian Montgomery will never recover from his son’s loss, but he joined other grieving parents in celebrating this week after Meta suffered defeats in two separate court cases where juries determined the company’s platforms ensnare young people without regard for their safety.

Montgomery views these rulings as long-overdue accountability.

“We’re talking about the most financially sound business that the planet has ever known. This will set an expectation,” Montgomery stated Wednesday following jury decisions in New Mexico and Los Angeles that found social media companies had failed in their duty to protect minors.

His sentiment is shared by numerous other parents who believe inadequate protections have left children vulnerable to harm.

Tuesday brought the initial victory when New Mexico jurors supported state attorneys who contended Meta — the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — placed profit margins ahead of user safety, resulting in a $375 million financial penalty.

A day later, a separate Los Angeles jury determined that both Meta and Google’s YouTube created their services to deliberately engage young people without considering potential harm to their wellbeing. Both companies released statements indicating they would review their legal alternatives, including possible appeals.

These decisions reflect a changing tide in how the public views social media corporations and their obligation to safeguard minors using their services.

Social media giants have long challenged claims that their platforms damage children’s psychological health through intentional features that create addiction while failing to shield users from predators and harmful material. Multiple state and federal lawsuits are proceeding to trial this year, and despite varying specifics, all aim to establish corporate accountability for platform activities.

Montgomery, who was not involved as a plaintiff in either lawsuit, believes legislative action must follow. “They’ve proven,” he said regarding the social media sector, “that they can’t regulate themselves.”

He described his son as an athletic outdoors enthusiast who went to sleep content before encountering a fraudster operating from Nigeria.

“We didn’t get to see him the next morning,” said the farmer and crop insurance agent, with a photograph from his son’s duck hunting expedition just months before his December 1, 2022 death visible on his office desk.

He now experiences conflicting feelings of hope and grief, recognizing that the progress he witnesses arrives too late for his family. “Walker’s not coming back,” he acknowledged.

In Dedham, Massachusetts, near Boston, Deb Schmill deeply comprehends the complicated emotions these legal victories generate. Her daughter Becca Schmill was 18 in September 2020 when she died from fentanyl poisoning after purchasing drugs through a social media site.

“That’s the painful part of all of this,” explained Schmill, who also was not a plaintiff in these cases. “If this could have been done five years ago, 10 years ago. Things would be so different.”

Her daughter’s fatal overdose occurred after the teenager was sexually assaulted by an online contact and subsequently became targeted by revenge pornography.

“She was a wonderful child, but she was just tortured,” her mother recalled.

Similar to Montgomery, Schmill has supported legislation designed to shield children from social media, gaming websites, and other digital platform dangers. The proposed Kids Online Safety Act received Senate approval two years ago but has not advanced through the House of Representatives.

Given likely appeals and potential settlement negotiations, these cases against social media corporations may require years to reach final resolution. Unlike regulatory approaches in Europe and Australia, technology oversight in America progresses extremely slowly.

“We know, the parents know better than anyone that when we are unable to hold the social media companies accountable, children die,” she emphasized. “And it’s just absurd that this is happening in our country.”

Even parents who haven’t experienced such devastating losses are becoming increasingly cautious. Charles Halley, dropping his son at an Alameda, California school, explained why his fifth-grade student doesn’t own a phone due to concerns about social media’s impact on children.

“The divisiveness, the beauty standard, consumerism, just everything that’s wrong with society kind of packaged up and marketed to kids,” he observed.

He noted that parents are becoming frustrated and organizing efforts to reduce these dangers, though he questions whether complete elimination is possible.

“People my age, younger, older, have seen what social media has done to our behavior, the way we deal with each other,” he said, referencing accidents caused by individuals unable to disconnect from their devices. “And I would just assume that the effect is magnified for kids whose brains are still developing, and it’s just a shame to see them exposed that way.

“That’s why I’m keeping my kid off social media.”

Federal authorities have arrested a Palm Harbor, Florida resident on charges of making threatening phone calls to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, following the discovery of a suspicious package at the military installation.

The 35-year-old suspect faces federal charges after allegedly placing threatening calls to the base on March 18, according to court documents filed in Tampa’s federal courthouse. His arrest occurred on Monday.

Court records indicate the individual contacted MacDill Air Force Base twice during the morning hours of March 18, delivering threatening messages to personnel who answered the calls. The threats appeared connected to a suspicious package discovered on March 16 outside one of the base’s gates. Base officials responded by implementing a complete lockdown and issuing shelter-in-place orders that remained in effect for several hours.

Federal investigators tracked down the suspect by tracing his phone number, collecting cellular tower data, and verifying his whereabouts in the days before the threatening calls were made, according to the criminal complaint.

The court filing reveals the man has previously made similar threatening communications. Following questioning by authorities, he was transported to a mental health facility under Florida’s Baker Act provisions, which permit involuntary psychiatric holds for up to 72 hours.

The FBI announced Friday that laboratory analysis revealed the suspicious package contained materials that could potentially be used as explosives. Additional testing of the package continues.

MacDill Air Force Base serves as headquarters for U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations across the Middle East, Central Asia, and portions of South Asia. The installation has maintained elevated security measures since the outbreak of conflict in Iran.

WASHINGTON — American military forces launched a deadly attack Wednesday against a suspected narcotics smuggling vessel in Caribbean waters, resulting in four deaths, according to Pentagon officials. The operation represents part of the Trump administration’s ongoing military offensive targeting suspected drug traffickers across Latin America, even as U.S. forces remain engaged in Middle East operations against Iran.

Wednesday’s fatal strike increases the total death toll from American military boat attacks to a minimum of 163 individuals since the administration began its campaign against what it terms “narcoterrorists” in early September.

U.S. Southern Command reported the operation targeted suspected drug smugglers operating along established trafficking corridors, following the pattern of previous military statements regarding numerous attacks conducted in Pacific and Caribbean waters. Military officials provided no proof that narcotics were actually aboard the targeted vessel. Social media footage displayed a moving boat before a massive explosion consumed it.

President Donald Trump has declared the United States engaged in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, defending these military operations as essential measures to reduce drug imports and prevent American overdose deaths. However, the administration has provided minimal evidence supporting its assertions about eliminating “narcoterrorists.”

Legal experts and policy critics have challenged both the constitutional authority for these naval strikes and their practical impact, noting that fentanyl responsible for numerous fatal overdoses typically enters America through overland routes from Mexico, where it’s manufactured using chemical precursors from China and India.

These Latin American maritime operations have persisted despite increased U.S. military focus on Middle Eastern conflicts, where American naval vessels and aircraft continue intensive strikes against Iranian targets while additional Marine units and 82nd Airborne Division soldiers prepare for regional deployment.

Defense Department officials revealed Tuesday that approximately 2,000 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division are being dispatched to the Middle East, expanding American military presence in the region while President Trump evaluates potential military strikes and diplomatic solutions concerning Iran, according to reports from the New York Times.

The deployment involves what’s known as the “Immediate Response Force,” a brigade of approximately 3,000 personnel capable of worldwide deployment within an 18-hour timeframe. Defense officials confirmed that the first wave includes Maj. Gen. Brandon R. Tegtmeier, who commands the division, alongside essential staff and two battalions containing roughly 800 soldiers each. Sources indicated that more elements from the brigade could be sent in upcoming days.

Marine forces are simultaneously being positioned in the area. Approximately 4,500 Marines are currently traveling to the region, and when added to the Army units, the total number of additional ground personnel deployed since hostilities started approaches 7,000. These forces are part of Operation Epic Fury, a comprehensive military effort involving around 50,000 troops stationed throughout the Middle East, Europe, and within American borders.

Military leaders have not yet announced the specific location where the paratroopers will be stationed, though they will be positioned strategically to address any developments concerning Iran. One potential assignment could involve operations at Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil shipping hub located in the northern Persian Gulf, where American warplanes recently conducted bombing missions against more than 90 military installations.

Additional reinforcements are scheduled to arrive shortly. Roughly 2,300 Marines from the 31st Expeditionary Unit are anticipated to reach the region later this week, while a comparable force from the 11th Expeditionary Unit departed southern California last week and should arrive by mid-April.

Military commanders explained that Marine units might be assigned to protect critical locations like Kharg Island or assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has mostly closed to merchant vessels. They noted that Marines would probably need to restore the island’s damaged airstrip initially before additional forces, including the 82nd Airborne soldiers, could be deployed if necessary.

Celebrated narrative nonfiction writer Tracy Kidder, who possessed the remarkable ability to transform ordinary subjects into compelling bestsellers, has passed away at the age of 80.

Random House, Kidder’s publisher for many years, announced his death on Wednesday, stating: “Tracy’s gifts for storytelling and tireless reporting are an enduring reflection of the empathy, integrity, and endless curiosity he brought to everything he did.”

Kidder earned both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award in 1981 for “The Soul of a New Machine,” a groundbreaking work that explored the inner workings of an emerging computer company during an era when few people understood or cared about Silicon Valley’s operations.

Reflecting on that experience, Kidder shared with The Associated Press: “It was like going into another country. At first, I didn’t understand what anybody was saying.”

Throughout his career spanning several decades, Kidder made it his practice to dive deep into unfamiliar territories, creating meticulously researched books on subjects that might not initially appear captivating to general readers.

His 1989 book “Among Schoolchildren” required him to spend an entire academic year observing a fifth-grade classroom, where he captured the unwavering commitment of an inner-city educator in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Four years later, “Old Friends” emerged from his observations at a nursing facility, where he documented both the harsh realities of aging in America and the inspiring way two companions preserved their dignity despite physical limitations.

Converting his observations from the Northampton, Massachusetts nursing facility into a compelling story presented unique challenges, Kidder explained to the AP.

“Not a lot happens, and yet I think when you read it, you feel that a lot does. Small things have to count for a great deal,” he explained.

Kidder’s 2003 work “Mountains Beyond Mountains” chronicled a physician’s mission to deliver healthcare services to Haiti. This book introduced Kidder’s writing to younger audiences as colleges across the country incorporated it into their curricula.

“Mountains Beyond Mountains changed my life—and the lives of so many others around the world,” author John Green, who wrote “The Fault in Our Stars,” posted on social media Wednesday.

The book’s influence extended beyond literature, inspiring the indie rock group Arcade Fire’s 2010 song “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).”

Throughout his writing career, Kidder deliberately avoided focusing on personal interests such as fishing or baseball, worried that spending extensive time writing about his passions might make him “feel sick of it.”

Born in New York City in 1945, Kidder pursued his education at Harvard University, where he joined ROTC hoping to avoid being drafted for the Vietnam War.

Following graduation, contrary to his expectations of receiving a Washington-based communications intelligence assignment, the 22-year-old Kidder found himself deployed to Vietnam. There, he led an eight-person rear-support radio research unit tasked with intercepting enemy communications to determine their positions.

This perplexing chapter of his life became the subject of his 2005 memoir “My Detachment,” a frequently amusing account that provided perspective on the support personnel who comprised the majority of the 500,000-plus American military members stationed in Vietnam during the peak deployment period when Kidder served from 1968-1969. For Kidder, who never experienced combat and knew enemies only as “dots on a map,” the conflict remained somewhat abstract.

Following his military service, Kidder and his bride, Frances Gray Toland, relocated to the Midwest so he could attend the University of Iowa’s renowned creative writing program. There, he embraced the New Journalism movement championed by authors such as Tom Wolfe and Truman Capote.

Kidder disliked being called a “literary journalist,” telling the Dallas Morning News in 2010 that he considered the label “pretentious.”

He also objected to the term creative nonfiction, saying: “It suggests we make things up.”

Rather, he viewed himself as someone who told stories.

“I don’t think of fiction and nonfiction as all that different, except that nonfiction is not invented,” he explained to the AP. “But I take exception to those people who think nonfiction should not appropriate the techniques of fiction … They belong to storytelling.”

Four individuals were killed Wednesday when American forces targeted a ship traveling through Caribbean waters, according to an announcement from U.S. Southern Command.

The military operation took place as the vessel was moving through the region, though additional details about the circumstances surrounding the strike have not been released.

U.S. Southern Command confirmed the incident and the resulting casualties in an official statement issued Wednesday.

A newly established shelter village in central Illinois is providing homeless individuals with temporary private accommodations and secure storage for their personal possessions. The facility, known as The Bridge, recently began operations as part of an innovative approach to addressing homelessness.

These shelter villages represent a different model from traditional homeless shelters, focusing on providing residents with individual private spaces where they can sleep safely and keep their belongings secure. The concept aims to offer more dignity and stability for people experiencing homelessness while they work toward finding permanent housing solutions.

The Bridge joins a growing number of similar facilities across the country that are experimenting with alternative approaches to emergency housing for the homeless population.