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ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said Thursday. The search was ongoing for other casualties, but officials did not believe there were any other survivors, which would make it the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years. “We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital.“ We don’t believe there are any survivors.” The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also found. “This morning we all share a profound sense of grief,” Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser said. Original story ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said Thursday. The search was ongoing for other casualties, but officials did not believe there were any other survivors, which would make it the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years. “We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital.“ We don’t believe there are any survivors.” The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also found. “This morning we all share a profound sense of grief,” Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser said. Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said. There was no immediate word on the cause of the Wednesday collision, but all takeoffs and landings from the airport were halted as dive teams scoured the site and helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in a methodical search for bodies. Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane’s fuselage. “We are going to recover our fellow citizens,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a somber news conference at the airport in which she declined to say how many bodies had been recovered. The person who told The Associated Press that there had been multiple deaths was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.” President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident” and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.” Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. Two of those coaches were identified by the Kremlin as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics. The Skating Club of Boston lists them as coaches and their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S. The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred before 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on a training flight while on approach to an airport runway. It occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol. Investigators will try to piece together the aircrafts’ final moments before their collision, including contact with air traffic controllers as well as a loss of altitude by the passenger jet. American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan National at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to data from its radio transponder. The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, manufactured in 2004, can be configured to carry up to 70 passengers. A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National and the pilots said they were able. Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway. Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided. The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river. Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center showed two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball. “I know that flight. I’ve flown it several times myself,” said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas. He said he expected that many people in Wichita would know people who were on the flight. “This is a very personal circumstance,” he said. The collision occurred on a warm winter evening in Washington, with temperatures registering as high as 60 degrees Fahrenheit, following a stretch days earlier of intense cold and ice. On Wednesday, the Potomac River was 36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts of up to 25 mph were possible in the area throughout the evening. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” for the crash and said the company was focused on the needs of passengers, crew, first responders and families and loved ones of those involved. Some 300 first responders were on scene. Inflatable rescue boats were launched into the Potomac River from a point along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport, and first responders set up light towers from the shore to illuminate the area near the collision site. At least a half-dozen boats were scanning the water using searchlights. “It’s a highly complex operation,” said D.C. fire chief John Donnelly. “The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders.” The U.S. Army described the helicopter as a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The helicopter was on a training flight. Military aircraft frequently conduct training flights in and around the congested and heavily-restricted airspace around the nation’s capital for familiarization and continuity of government planning. The crash is serving as a major test for two of the Trump administration’s newest agency leaders. Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as defense secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched immediately” by the Army and the Defense Department. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, said at a somber news conference at the airport early Thursday that his agency would provide all possible resources to the investigation. The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. Everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane was killed, including 45 passengers, 2 pilots and 2 flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50. An investigation determined that the captain accidentally caused the plane to stall as it approached the airport in Buffalo. Reagan Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced. The FAA has previously said it would be closed until 5 a.m. Friday. Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city. Reagan National is a popular choice because it’s much closer than the larger Dulles International Airport, which is deeper in Virginia. Depending on the runway being used, flights into Reagan can offer passengers spectacular views of landmarks like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. It’s a postcard-worthy welcome for tourists visiting the city. The collision recalled the crash of an Air Florida flight that plummeted into the Potomac on January 13, 1982, that killed 78 people. That crash was attributed to bad weather. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Meg Kinnard, Chris Megerian and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed to this report.

GURDON, Ark. – There is an issue that has reached southwest Arkansas that was reported by KARK, a television station in Little Rock regarding the incidents of ice picks being punctured into big rig tires. Three times in three different years the ice pick bandit has been caught on camera. First in Florida, Tennessee and most recently Arkansas. In Florida, the man was caught on camera by the Florida Highway Patrol with vandalizing truck tires up and down Interstate 75. Some truckers are reportedly calling the man’s actions attempted murder. Video provided to KARK by Clark County, Arkansas Sheriff Jason Watson shows the red truck he believes is linked to the suspect and the man who allegedly punctured 296 tires on 40 trucks at the Southfork Truck Stop between two attacks in September and early Jan. 20. Mark Watkins, an owner-operator in the Arkansas lot told the news outlet that it would cost him $10,000 to replace all 18 tires, as some in other states reportedly have. Attacks have reportedly occurred in Georgia between Atlanta and Gainsville, Fla., as well as other states including Tennessee, Texas and Missouri. KARK reports that the ice pick bandit is described as a white man 30 to 40 years old, and he or his copycats have evaded law enforcement in at least Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas. He is suspected of ruining at least 1,000 tires since June 2023. No one is sure of his motive. In some instances, brake lines and airbags are also punctured.

WASHINGTON — After the confirmation vote and the official swearing in, new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s first act in his new office was to sign a memorandum to rescind or remove certain fuel standards implemented by the Biden Administration. According to a release issued by DOT, Duffy’s memo directs the start of a process of “resetting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which DOT says “will ultimately lower the price of a car for American consumers and eliminate the electric vehicle mandate.” “I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by President Trump to lead this important Department and for the Senate in swiftly confirming my nomination,” Duffy said. “We are already hard at work executing the President’s vision to usher in a golden age of transportation by taking immediate action to remove government overreach and lower costs for hardworking Americans. The memorandum signed today specifically reduces the burdensome and overly restrictive fuel standards that have needlessly driven up the cost of a car in order to push a radical Green New Deal agenda. The American people should not be forced to sacrifice choice and affordability when purchasing a new car.” The memorandum signed by the Secretary directs the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to immediately initiate a rule-making to rescind or replace all existing CAFE standards. As a result of the regulatory costs, fuel economy standards have diminished the strength of America’s auto industry and denied Americans the full range of affordable vehicles they need.  DOT cited statistics from Cox Automotive that include: From March 2021 to March 2024, the cost of a car increased by a total of 15.5%, from an average of $40,881 to an average of $47,218. Current rule requires all passenger cars and light trucks to meet a standard of 50.4 miles per gallon (mpg) in Model Year 2031. This government mandate has dramatically increased the average price of a new car to nearly $48,000, driving up the cost and making it unaffordable for American consumers. The price of a car has continued to spiral. In March 2024, of the 275 new-vehicle models available for purchase, only eight had transaction prices below $25,000. By comparison in March 2021, more than 20 vehicles had transaction prices below $25,000.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — When disaster strikes, government emergency alert systems offer a simple promise: Residents will get information about nearby dangers and instructions to help them stay safe. As the deadly LA wildfires and other major emergencies have shown, alerts rely on a complicated chain of communication between first responders, government administrators, third-party companies and the public. Sometimes, the chain breaks. After the wind-driven wildfires broke out in Southern California on Jan. 7, evacuation orders for some neighborhoods — including the part of Altadena where the majority of deaths occurred — came long after houses were reported on fire. On Tuesday, Los Angeles County officials approved an outside review of how alerts functioned in the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire in response to residents’ demands. City officials declined to answer AP’s questions about a lag in some Palisades Fire alerts, though Fire Capt. Branden Silverman said responding to a fire and determining evacuation needs can take some time. It’s an increasingly common issue: After-action reports and investigations revealed issues with alert systems in other California blazes: in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people in Santa Rosa; the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people in Paradise; the Woolsey fire, which started the same day and killed three in Malibu; as well as in Colorado’s 2021 Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes outside Denver; and in Hawaii’s 2023 Lahaina Fire, which decimated that historic town and killed 102. It could take months to know why some evacuation orders lagged in the Los Angeles fires. Several residents who lost homes in the Eaton Fire told The Associated Press they received no notifications about their neighborhoods. For others, the first warning was an urgent text message in the middle of the night. Susan Lee Streets, who signed up for the alert app Nixle, did not get any alerts specific to her west Altadena neighborhood before she and her family left of their own accord around 10 p.m. after losing power and cell reception. “If we had even been informed that houses and other structures were burning down, we would have known better what was happening,” she said. “We almost went to sleep that night with two kids and a dog and two cats in the house.” Only after 3 a.m. did an alert hit her phone. Destroyed along with the house are the Christmas ornaments she saved for her children, and countless other family keepsakes. “We lost everything, everything,” Streets said, breaking into tears. Tricia Wachtendorf, director of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, said alerts have to be specific and clear. Research has shown that for them to be effective, people have to hear, understand, believe, personalize and confirm them before they react. “Just because you send the message at 3 a.m. doesn’t mean someone is hearing it,” Wachtendorf said. The hours between midnight and 3:30 a.m. appear to have been particularly challenging for first responders in Los Angeles County, based on an AP review of scanner traffic recordings and data from CalFire, the state’s chief fire agency; the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA; and the Watch Duty app. Resources were stretched thin, and hurricane-force winds had grounded air support, limiting authorities’ ability to get a top-down perspective on the flames. Calls reporting burning homes were flooding in as embers blew onto roofs and yards. During one half-hour period, 17 new addresses were relayed to firefighters, even as some crews ran low on fuel. By 12:07 a.m., CalFire records show, dozens of neighborhoods had been ordered to evacuate because of the Eaton Fire, all of them east of Altadena’s North Lake Avenue. None of the neighborhoods to the west — where all of the 17 confirmed fatalities occurred, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times — had received evacuation warnings or orders, despite house fires being reported there more than an hour earlier. Over the next three hours, fire crews would go from begging for resources on the eastern flank of the blaze to radioing the command center to make sure it knew the fire was spreading west along the foothills near Sunset Ridge. Just before 3:30 a.m., evacuation orders expanded significantly, with residents in 12 areas of Altadena and elsewhere told to “leave now.” Jodi and Jeff Moreno first heard about the fire from a neighborhood app. But the first official warning only came around 2:30 a.m., when authorities yelled through a bullhorn to evacuate. The couple grabbed their three daughters, their dog and some important papers, and fled. There were no text alerts until after they were gone. “On the neighborhood apps, some people were going, some people were staying. It was a wide variety of responses. We were navigating it on our own,” Jodi Moreno said. “It’s hard for us to gauge where exactly is that fire, where are the embers blowing. … Those are things I would rely on people who are monitoring it” for information. Desperate for more information, both the Morenos and Streets downloaded the Watch Duty app, which maps evacuation zones and consolidates information from multiple sources into a single stream. Launched in 2021 and today covering 22 states, it became a lifeline for them. “The ideal system for warning people is informing them, right?” said Nick Russell, vice president for operations at Watch Duty. “There’s certainly diligence necessary in the execution of official evacuation warning and orders or shelter in place, whatever the condition might be,” he said. “But telling people why that discussion is taking place between law enforcement and fire is important. And that’s what we’re doing.” The process of issuing evacuation notices starts with firefighters or other personnel on the ground recommending action, Russell said. It then moves up the chain of command to sheriffs, who ultimately put out any order. During major emergencies that communication can be hampered by issues such as limited radio connectivity, wind noise or other technical problems. Incident command stations may have trouble synthesizing the large amounts of information they are getting from different agencies, something that is critical for understanding the scope of an emergency like a fire. In Los Angeles County, residents who sign up for emergency notifications through the AlertLACounty website are then directed to a list of 57 links to other specific neighborhood or city alert system signups, as well as a general one covering 19 other cities. The city of Los Angeles and the Sheriff’s Department also have alert systems. It is not clear how the overlapping systems, which use different software programs, work together, or whether officials coordinate. A 2024 Hazard Mitigation plan directed the city’s Emergency Management Department to assess gaps in alert and warning systems in areas with poor cellphone connectivity and then implement a solution to ensure alerts reach people. But that goal was given a “medium” priority level and a long-term timeline, with completion expected sometime in the next 10 years. Meanwhile the county’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, last updated in 2020, did not include a focus on emergency alerts or public notifications. Instead its high-priority goals had to do with educating people about wind’s impact on wildfire risk and with community wildfire protection. Officials at the County’s Coordinated Joint Information Center declined to comment other than to say that an independent review of evacuations and emergency notifications is planned and the Office of Emergency Management, County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department plan to fully engage with it.

A private investigator embroiled in a corruption scandal that rocked New Mexico’s law enforcement community for over a decade was the first to plead guilty to a slew of federal charges that include racketeering and bribery, according to court records released Friday. Ricardo Mendez took part in a yearslong scheme between a law firm he worked for that specialized in defending those charged with driving while intoxicated and the Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico State Police and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Mendez admitted that since 2008 he had been offering gifts and thousands of dollars in bribes to officers in exchange for having his clients’ cases dismissed. “I admit that, since at least 2008, this DWI scheme I participated in constituted an enterprise (the DWI Enterprise) that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that included multiple acts of bribery, chargeable under New Mexico state law, as well as multiple acts of interference commerce by extortion,” Mendez wrote in his plea. Dubbed the Driving While Intoxicated Enterprise, the scheme would allow offenders who drove while intoxicated to get off scot-free, Mendez admitted. Clients would pay Mendez or his associate an attorney retainer fee in cash, court records said. Then Mendez would pay officers in cash — $5,000 or more — or in the form of gifts or legal services to not appear in court as a necessary witness to the driving incident, resulting in the dismissal of the case, according to court records. As the scheme continued, officers started referring DWI cases to Mendez and his associate with the ask of increased payments. “I admit that when drivers avoid criminal culpability for DWI, they become more likely to drive while intoxicated in the future, and, the more often that a person drives while intoxicated, the more likely they are to have an accident,” Mendez said in his plea. According to documents obtained by the Albuquerque Journal, the probe began following a stop by one of the officers in August 2023. He allegedly told the driver that he should contact a specific attorney, who, if hired, would make sure the police department would not file a case in court. Prosecutors recommended a reduced prison sentence for Mendez as part of the plea deal. Albuquerque Police Department’s officers had the largest share of members, according to Mendez’s admission. Albuquerque Police Department Police Chief Harold Medina vowed to conduct an internal investigation last February. Since then, over a dozen officers have resigned, been placed on administrative leave, been terminated or been temporarily reassigned, per a DWI timeline from Albuquerque Police Department communications director Gilbert Gallegos. Dozens of cases have been dismissed. The Albuquerque Police Department has made administrative changes, including the creation of a DWI unit handbook. Two more Albuquerque Police Department officers were placed on administrative leave Friday as apart of the federal investigation. A deputy from Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office was placed on administrative leave Thursday. “Corruption has no place in law enforcement, and BCSO will fully cooperate with its federal partners,” said Sheriff John Allen in a statement. Allen also confirmed that he has been in contact with the FBI regarding the reported involvement of the deputy in the scheme. Mendez’s lawyer and Gallegos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Donald Trump surveyed disaster zones in California and North Carolina on Friday and said he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation’s central organization for responding to disasters. In fire-ravaged California, the state’s Democratic leaders pressed Trump for federal assistance that he has threatened to hold up, some setting aside their past differences to shower him with praise. Trump, in turn, pressured local officials to waive permitting requirements so people can immediately rebuild, pledging that federal permits would be granted promptly. Instead of having federal financial assistance flow through FEMA, the Republican president said Washington could provide money directly to the states. He made the comments while visiting North Carolina, which is still recovering months after Hurricane Helene, on the first trip of his second term. “FEMA has been a very big disappointment,” the Republican president said. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow.” Destruction in California Trump was greeted in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Trump critic whom the president frequently disparages. The duo chatted amiably and gestured toward cooperation despite their bitter history. “We’re going to need your support. We’re going to need your help,” Newsom told Trump. “You were there for us during COVID. I don’t forget that, and I have all the expectations we’ll be able to work together to get a speedy recovery.” Newsom has praised Trump before when looking for help from the federal government. In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, he called Trump “thoughtful” and “collaborative.” Trump flew over several devastated neighborhoods in Marine One, the presidential helicopter, before landing in Pacific Palisades, a hard-hit community that’s home to some of Southern California’s rich and famous. Accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, he walked a street where all the houses have burned, chatting with residents and police officers. It takes seeing the damage firsthand to grasp its enormity, Trump said after. The fires, which continue to burn, could end up being the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. “It is devastation. It really is an incineration,” Trump said. Trump meets with Newsom Trump’s brief but friendly interaction with Newsom belied the confrontational stance he signaled toward California earlier in the day. Even on the plane en route to Los Angeles, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was using Trump’s disparaging nickname for the governor, “Newscum,” and telling reporters “he has wronged the people of his state” and saying Trump was visiting to pressure Newsom and other officials “to do right by their citizens.” Trump said Los Angeles residents who lost their homes should be able to get back onto their properties immediately to clear them, adding several told him it will be months before they can rebuild. Mayor Karen Bass said residents should be able to return home within the week, but keeping people safe from hazardous materials is a top priority. She said the city was easing the process to get permits, but she was repeatedly interrupted by Trump as she tried to explain the city’s efforts. He downplayed the concerns about toxins, saying: “What’s hazardous waste? We’re going to have to define that.” Trump has a long history of minimizing the risks of asbestos. In his 1997 book, “The Art of the Comeback,” Trump called asbestos “the greatest fireproofing material ever used” and “100% safe, once applied,” and claimed the movement against the insulator was led by the mob, “because it was often mob-related companies that would do the asbestos removal.” Before flying to California, Trump reiterated that he wants to extract concessions from the Democratic-led state in return for disaster assistance, including changes to water policies and requirements that voters need to show identification when casting ballots. Trump Criticizes FEMA, Biden on hurricane relief Beyond Trump’s criticism of FEMA, he’s suggested limiting the federal government’s role in responding to disasters, echoing comments from conservative allies who have proposed reducing funding and responsibility. “I’d like to see the states take care of disasters,” he said in North Carolina. “Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.” Trump said Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the federal response have lingered. Although Whatley does not hold an official government position, Trump said he would be “very much in charge.” FEMA helps respond to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state’s ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents. Trump has criticized former President Joe Biden for his administration’s response to Helene in North Carolina. As he left the White House on Friday morning, he told reporters that “it’s been a horrible thing the way that’s been allowed to fester” since the storm hit in September, and “we’re going to get it fixed up.” In a small town in western North Carolina, residents told Trump about wading through waist-deep water to escape from their homes while fearing for their lives. Some have battled with insurance companies to get their losses covered. “We’ve come to North Carolina with a simple message,” Trump said. “You are not forgotten any longer. You were treated very badly by the previous administration.” FEMA has distributed $319 million in financial assistance to residents, but that hasn’t alleviated the feeling of abandonment among residents who are struggling to rebuild their lives. Water Policy Claims Trump has showered California leaders with disdain for water policies that he falsely claimed worsened the recent blazes. He said he would “take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn’t let the water flow.” In Los Angeles, he met with members of Congress and local officials from both parties in a meeting that was at times contentious. Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was “misinformed” about an agency that provides critical help to states when they are overwhelmed by catastrophe. In addition, Coen criticized the idea of attaching strings to assistance. “I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live,” he said. Trump tapped Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL with limited experience managing natural disasters, as FEMA’s acting director. Friday’s trip could prompt some uncomfortable conversations about climate change, which Trump has played down and denied. Both Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires were exacerbated by global warming. In Helene’s case, a study by international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution found that climate change boosted the storm’s rainfall by 10%. In California, the state suffered a record dry fall and winter — its traditional wet season — which made the area around Los Angeles more vulnerable to blazes. “This is just breaking our comfort zone of what is supposed to be normal,” said University of Oregon researcher Amanda Stasiewicz. After visiting North Carolina and California, Trump plans to hold a rally Saturday in Las Vegas.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is heading to hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday, using the first trip of his second administration to tour areas where politics has clouded the response to deadly disasters. The Republican president has criticized former President Joe Biden for his administration’s response in North Carolina, and he’s showered disdain on California leaders for water policies that he falsely claimed worsened the recent blazes. Trump is also considering overhauling the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some of his conservative allies have proposed reducing how much the agency reimburses states for handling floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and other calamities. The White House has asked California congressional members, including Democrats, to hold a roundtable at an airplane hanger in Santa Monica during Trump’s visit, according to a person briefed on the plans who demanded anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them. Any meeting could be contentious. Trump has suggested using federal disaster assistance as a bargaining chip during unrelated legislative negotiations over government borrowing, or as leverage to persuade California to change its water policies. “Southern California and California has always been there for other regions of the country in their time of crisis, and we expect our country to be there for us,” Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat from the state, said this week Trump has a history of injecting politics and falsehoods into disaster response. During his first term, he talked about limiting help for Democratic states that didn’t support him, according to former administration officials. While running for president last year, he claimed without evidence that Democrats were “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” of the battleground state of North Carolina. More recently, he’s falsely insisted that California water policies, specifically fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state, contributed to hydrants running dry in the Los Angeles area. “I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity on Wednesday. The president also suggested shifting more responsibility to individual states for managing disasters. “I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” he told Hannity, adding that “FEMA is getting in the way of everything.” Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was “misinformed” about an agency that provides critical help to states when they’re overwhelmed by catastrophe. In addition, Coen criticized the idea of attaching strings to assistance. “You’re going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government,” he said. “I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live.” The last time Trump was president, he visited numerous disaster zones, including the aftermaths of hurricanes and tornados. But he also often sparked controversy, like when he tossed paper towels to survivors of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. “If you’re a disaster survivor, no matter who you voted for, it’s always good when the president comes to town,” said Pete Gaynor, who headed FEMA during the first Trump administration between 2019 and 2021. “You can see him and hopefully talk to him about what you need in your community.” Laurie Carpenter, a 62-year-old retiree in Newland, North Carolina, said she’s looking forward to Trump visiting because she’s been disappointed by the federal response. She said there’s still debris and trash strewn around her part of the state months after Hurricane Helene. “If anybody’s going to do something about it, I think he will,” Carpenter said. Trump tapped Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL with limited experience managing natural disasters, as FEMA’s acting director. He also said that individual states should be in charge of directing response to natural disasters rather than FEMA, and that the federal government should only step in subsequently to provide funding. Biden vowed before leaving office that the federal government would cover all the costs of responding to the wildfires around Los Angeles, which could end up being the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. However, that promise won’t be kept unless Congress comes up with more funding. Friday’s trip could prompt some uncomfortable conversations about climate change, which Trump has played down and denied. Both Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires were exacerbated by global warming. In Helene’s case, a study by international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution found that climate change boosted the storm’s rainfall by 10%. In California, the state suffered a record dry fall and winter — its traditional wet season — which made the area around Los Angeles more vulnerable to blazes. “This is just breaking our comfort zone of what is supposed to be normal,” said University of Oregon researcher Amanda Stasiewicz. After visiting North Carolina and California, Trump plans to hold a Saturday rally in Las Vegas. Advisers said he will offer details on keeping a campaign promise to exclude tips from federal taxes, while reveling in having won Nevada in an Election Day upset. “I’m going to go to Nevada to thank them,” Trump said. He was the first Republican candidate to win the state since 2004, when George W. Bush beat John Kerry. Las Vegas’ 24-hour economy is fueled by the hospitality and service industries, where everyone from restaurant waiters to valet parkers to hotel maids relies on gratuities. However, exempting them from taxes would likely be difficult to implement and require an act of Congress to remain permanent. ____ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Seth Borenstein and Makiya Seminera contributed to this report.

CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) — Nearly 20,000 people were ordered to evacuate on Wednesday as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through rugged mountains near foothill communities north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds ahead of possible rain over the weekend. The Hughes Fire broke out in the late morning and within hours charred nearly 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) of trees and brush, sending up plumes of dark smoke near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week. Offramps along Interstate 5, a major north-south artery, were closed as flames raced along hilltops and down into wooded canyons. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft tried to prevent the wind-driven fire from crossing the interstate and toward Castaic, where most of the 19,000 residents were ordered to evacuate. Another 15,000 people in the area were warned to prepare to leave at a moment’s notice, according to the LA County Sheriff’s Department. Kayla Amara drove to Castaic’s Stonegate neighborhood to collect items from the home of a friend who had rushed to pick up her daughter at preschool. As Amara was packing the car, she learned the fire had exploded in size and decided to hose down the property. “Other people are hosing down their houses, too. I hope there’s a house here to return to,” Amara said as police cars raced through the streets and flames ripped through trees on a hillside in the distance. Amara, a nurse who lives in nearby Valencia, said she’s been on edge for weeks as major blazes devastated Southern California. “It’s been stressful with those other fires, but now that this one is close to home it’s just super stressful,” she said. To the south, Los Angeles officials prepared for potential rain even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Gusty weather was expected to last through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides and reinforce roads. Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and expedite sediment removal in fire-impacted areas. “As the fires have settled, new challenges lie ahead,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a Wednesday news conference. “Rains are in the forecast and the threat of mud and debris flow in our fire-impacted communities is real.” A 60% to 80% chance of a small amount of rain was forecast for Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely getting not more than a third of an inch (0.8 centimeters), according to Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the weather service’s Los Angeles office. However, up to an inch (2 1/2 centimeters) could fall in localized thunderstorms, which would be a worst-case scenario if enough falls on scorched slopes. “But even if the rain doesn’t materialize this time, it could be a good practice run for those communities because this will be a threat that they’ll have to deal with for months or years,” Kittell said Tuesday. Fire crews were filling sandbags for communities while county workers installed barriers and cleared drainage pipes and basins. In 2018, Montecito, a town 80 miles (130 kilometers) up the coast from Los Angeles, was ravaged by mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes burned bare by a huge wildfire. Twenty-three people died, and hundreds of homes were damaged. Red flag warnings for critical fire risk were extended through 8 p.m. Thursday in LA and Ventura counties. Officials remained concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires could break their containment lines as firefighters continue watching for hot spots, said David Acuna, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. Fire engines and water-dropping aircraft positioned strategically allowed crews to swiftly douse several small blazes that popped up in LA, San Diego and Riverside counties, officials said. Authorities urged residents to review evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits, and quickly report any new fires. Bass warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event. LA County public health director Barbara Ferrer cautioned that the ash could contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful materials. “Even a brief exposure can potentially cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems,” Ferrer said Wednesday, asking people to wear protective gear while cleaning up. The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued battling the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan. 7. Containment of the Palisades Fire reached 68%, and the Eaton Fire was at 91%. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday that his department was still investigating 22 active missing person reports in both fire zones. All of those reported missing are adults, he said. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the causes of the fires but has not released any findings. Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging Southern California Edison’s equipment sparked the blaze. On Tuesday a judge overseeing one of the lawsuits ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started. President Donald Trump, who criticized the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address Monday, has said he will travel to Los Angeles on Friday. Barger said Wednesday that details of Trump’s visit were still being worked out. Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalists Ethan Swope in Castaic, Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.

First he conquered country music, now he is diving into graphic novels about big rigs. In fact, it is called Big Rig. Variety Magazine reported that Post Malone has teamed up with Vault Comics for Big Rig, a graphic novel described as Evil Dead meets Mad Max: Fury Road. Platinum Dunes, the production banner run by Michael Bay and Brad Fuller, is also involved. The company is working with Malone and Vault on developing a feature adaptation. Based on an idea by Malone, Big Rig is written by Post Malone and Adrian Wassel, and is being drawn by Nathan Gooden, who previously illustrated Vault’s hit comic Barbaric. The comic will be published later this year, but in order to rev up interest, Vault will release the first chapter exclusively at local comic shops on Free Comic Book Day 2025. “This is going to kick ass,” said Malone in a statement. “It’s amazing working with Vault and Michael Bay. Turning this idea into what we have has been unbelievable. The team has been crushing it, and I can’t believe we get to be a part of Free Comic Book Day.”

After parts of Georgia received winter precipitation on Tuesday, the Georgia Department of Transportation is continuing their response. According to its website, GDOT states response teams continue to clear snow and ice from the roads. GDOT says crews are prioritizing routes heavily traveled by emergency vehicles. It also advises motorist to not drive if not necessary. Early Wednesday morning there were continued reports of black ice on interstates & state routes statewide. “Road conditions are deteriorating quickly and becoming dangerous to travel, especially parts south and east of I-85 and south of I-20,” GDOT stated in a Wednesday morning alert. On Tuesday night, GDOT updated that plow crews were out clearing up highways throughout the state. Georgia DOT stated its top priority is clearing the interstates. Most of our District 2 crews are on I-16, I-20, and Bobby Jones Expressway. Crews are also salting bridges on interstates and high-priority state routes. “Travel is strongly discouraged overnight. Road temperatures are falling below freezing and black ice is forming in some locations,” the release stated. “Please remember, plow teams are primarily focusing on interstates overnight, meaning most state routes will not be plowed until Wednesday. If you must drive, please use extreme caution, especially on bridges. Travel conditions are expected to be dangerous overnight into Wednesday morning as temperatures fall into the low 20’s and upper teens across the district.” Crews are staffed around the clock. All district maintenance personnel are working 12-hour shifts until the event ends. Temperatures are not expected to get much above freezing in Georgia on Wednesday and will plunge into the teens again Wednesday night.

COVENTRY, Vt. (AP) — A U.S. Border Patrol agent was fatally shot Monday on a highway in northern Vermont south of the Canadian border, authorities said. The death was confirmed by the FBI and Benjamine Huffman, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington. In a statement, the FBI said that in addition to the agent, a suspect in the shooting was killed and a second suspect was injured and taken into custody during the encounter on Interstate 91 in Coventry, about 20 miles (32 km) from the Canadian border. The FBI said there was no ongoing threat to the public. Huffman said the death occurred “in the line of duty.” The identity of the agent, who was assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector, was not immediately released. The sector encompasses Vermont and parts of New York and New Hampshire. Federal authorities did not provide additional details but said they would be released as they became available. A portion of Interstate 91 was closed in both directions for about two hours afterward. The northbound lane reopened just after 5 p.m. Besides federal authorities, the Vermont State Police was also investigating. The FBI responded from the Albany, New York, office. Huffman said the death would be “swiftly investigated.” “Every single day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm’s way so that Americans and our homeland are safe and secure,” Huffman said in a statement. Coventry is close to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Newport Station, part of the Swanton Sector. The area includes 295 miles (475 kilometers) of international boundary with Canada. In a joint statement, Vermont’s Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint sent condolences to the agent’s family and said Border Patrol agents “deserve our full support in terms of staffing, pay and working conditions.”  

WASHINGTON — In his inauguration speech on Jan. 20, President Donald J. Trump emphasized his commitment to rolling back federal regulations related to vehicle emissions, which he referred to as the “electric vehicle mandate.” “With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal and we will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry and keeping my sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers,” Trump said. “In other words, you’ll be able to buy the car of your choice. We will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could have dreamt possible just a few years ago. And thank you to the auto workers of our nation for your inspiring vote of confidence. We did tremendously with their vote.” The anticipated executive order, set to be signed shortly after his speech, is part of a broader strategy to reshape U.S. energy policy. By easing regulations, the administration aims to encourage traditional vehicle production and potentially reduce the emphasis on electric vehicle development. This decision could have significant implications for the auto industry, impacting manufacturing priorities and the future landscape of vehicle offerings. Greater Flexibility  According to Trump, his reasoning behind the move would benefit the U.S. auto industry by allowing for greater flexibility in production and potentially saving jobs within the sector. Trump assured consumers that they would have a wider selection of vehicles available to them, suggesting that the rollback would lead to more choices beyond electric vehicles. In campaigning for the presidency, Trump condemned the federal tax for EV buyers — up to $7,500 per vehicle — as part of a “green new scam” that would devastate the auto industry. His transition team is reportedly working on plans to abolish the tax credits and to roll back the more stringent fuel-economy rules that were pushed through by the Biden administration. It is far from clear, though, that the Trump administration could actually rescind the credits. Trump’s argument — one that most economists dispute — is that a rapid U.S. shift toward electric vehicles would lead to most EVs being made in China and would swell prices for America’s auto buyers. He has said he would redirect federal revenue recaptured from a canceled tax credit to build roads, bridges and dams. Direct Contrast to Biden-Harris Administration On Jan. 13 the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $635 million in grants to continue building out electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative fueling infrastructure with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s signature zero-emission refueling infrastructure programs. “The Biden Administration has made historic investments to support the EV transition and make sure it’s made in America,” said then U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These investments will help states and communities build out a network of EV chargers in the coming years so that one day, finding a charge on a road trip will be as easy as filling up at a gas station.” According to a media release, the grants fund 49 projects that will deploy more than 11,500 EV charging ports and hydrogen and natural gas fueling infrastructure along corridors and in communities across 27 States, four Federally Recognized Tribes, and the District of Columbia. Biden Supported EV Infrastructure  In September, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), along with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, announced via media release a Request for Information (RFI) from stakeholders about electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies and infrastructure needs for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. According to the release, this RFI “supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to build a convenient, affordable, reliable and Made-in-America national EV charging network. Decarbonizing freight transportation by advancing the deployment of commercial zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is a critical part of that strategy.” “This will inform how the federal government, including the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies, can support the development and timely build-out of a national EV charging network that balances the needs of rapidly evolving technology and infrastructure investments in freight and a multimodal transportation system. The goal is to collect information on the potential type and need for setting federal standards,” the release stated. Biden Makes Move in Final Days in Office In November, the Biden Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Energy would make a loan to Rivian Automotive. The loan would aid building a factory in Georgia that had stalled as the startup struggled to become profitable. The administration finalized the loan to Rivian just days before Trump’s inauguration. The $6.57 billion loan will finance an EV plant in Georgia where the company will make SUVs and crossover vehicles. In a press release, the DOE described the vehicles as “mass market” rather than luxury. The loan will support construction of a nine million square foot facility to manufacture up to 400,000 mass-market electric SUV’s and crossover vehicles with the aim of boosting the regional economy and helping build America’s clean transportation future. The Associated Press contributed to this article.