UPDATE: Las Vegas officials voted on Wednesday to approve the construction of a six-story parking garage next to eight large fuel tanks at Harry Reid International Airport. The Clark County Commission said the garage can be built if developers meet safety and security requirements imposed by the Clark County Department of Aviation.
EARLIER:The Clark County Commission is scheduled to vote on Wednesday, November 5, on whether to approve a controversial proposal for a new parking garage at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport. The proposal raises safety concerns due to its proximity to eight large jet fuel tanks, the nearest being less than 100 feet away.
This aerial photo shows the distance between a proposed six-story parking garage, currently occupied by a Sky Chefs building, and the Las Vegas Airport’s east-side “fuel farm.” (Image Google Earth)
The 2,200-car structure would be situated on 3.8 acres just north of Terminal 1, a space currently occupied by airline food supplier Sky Chefs, whose building is slated for demolition. Terminal 1 is home to Las Vegas’ busiest airline, Southwest.
The garage is being proposed by land American Nevada Co., a legacy developer known for master-planned communities and commercial developments throughout Las Vegas. It was founded in 1972 by Hank Greenspun, the late publisher of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper, and his wife, Barbara.
According to a county staff report obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal,the Clark County Department of Aviation, which runs the airport and would also need to approve the project, has raised “numerous safety and security concerns.”
A rendering of the parking garage proposed by American Nevada Co. (Image: TRC Parkitects)
The main one is that the new structure would provide an “elevated, direct line of sight” to the tanks.
According to the staff report, the developer will be required to build a solid wall obscuring views to the tanks and airfield from any part of the parking structure — especially its roof. In addition, the garage must be surrounded by a “vehicle crash mitigation rail” capable of stopping a 15K-pound vehicle doing 50 mph.
A fuel tank on the west side of the airport was targeted by Stephen Paddock during the Route 91 Harvest Music festival massacre that claimed 58 lives on the night of Oct. 1, 2017. Two bullets, fired from the gunman’s perch on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay, hit the tank but caused little visible damage, according to reports at the time.
Hank Greenspun’s descendants maintain close ties to local politics. Clark County Commission chair Jim Gibson was the president and CEO of the online travel agency Vegas.com from 2010-2013, when it was owned by the Greenspun Corporation.
A public comment session is scheduled to be held at the commission meeting on Wednesday.
Fiery Kentucky plane crash leaves at least 9 dead, trail of destruction
OUT THE WINDOW. RIGHT NOW, AT 11, A DEADLY PLANE CRASH AND EXPLOSION NEAR THE LOUISVILLE AIRPORT HAS LEFT SEVEN PEOPLE DEAD AND NEARLY A DOZEN INJURED. THERE’S STILL A SHELTER IN PLACE A MILE AROUND THE AIRPORT. TONIGHT. OUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN SPREAD OUT AROUND THE LOUISVILLE AIRPORT ALL NIGHT LONG. THEY’VE HEARD FROM FAMILIES AS WELL AS CITY AND STATE LEADERS, AND THEY WORK OUT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. WE’LL CHECK IN WITH THEM IN JUST A MOMENT. VICKY IS ALSO LIVE AT THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY TONIGHT. AND VICKY, THIS HAS BEEN A HORRIFIC COUPLE OF HOURS IN LOUISVILLE. OH, IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN. RICK. TRAGIC, HEARTBREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. OUR COMMUNITY MOURNS THE LOSS OF AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE AND AT LEAST 11 OTHERS INJURED. ALL OF OUR HEARTS AT WLKY GO OUT TO THE VICTIMS, THEIR LOVED ONES AND FAMILIES. I AM STANDING OUTSIDE THE DEPARTURE AREA HERE AT THE AIRPORT. I RIGHT BEHIND ME IS RUNWAY 17, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE IT OFF IN THE DISTANCE. THE FLAMES ARE STILL GLOWING OUT THERE. WE’RE WATCHING THE FIRST RESPONDERS. YOU SEE THEIR LIGHTS OUT THERE BEHIND ME. THIS IS WHERE FLIGHT 2976 WAS LEAVING LOUISVILLE. IT WAS DEPARTING FOR HONOLULU. IT’S A UPS FLIGHT. THERE WERE THREE CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD AS THE PLANE STARTED ROLLING DOWN THE RUNWAY. IT APPEARS BY THE VIDEO THAT THE LEFT ENGINE BURST INTO FLAME, WERE SET ON FIRE, AND THEN THE PLANE BURST INTO FLAME. WE WERE TOLD THREE CREW MEMBERS WERE ON BOARD. THE PLANE WAS FULL OF FUEL AND THAT WAS PART OF THE IMPACT. TWO BUSINESSES WERE DIRECTLY HIT. THEY ARE THE KENTUCKY PETROLEUM AND GRADE A AUTO PARTS. THE CRASH, OF COURSE, HAS LEFT MANY PEOPLE HERE WORRIED. THE MAYOR IS. EXCUSE ME, THE MAYOR HAS JUST WALKED UP. WE’RE GOING TO GET HIM ON HERE. MAYOR GREENBERG, IF YOU WOULD COME ON IN NOW, WE WILL TALK TO YOU. YOU UPDATED THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE EARLIER. WHAT IS THE LATEST UPDATE NOW? THE LATEST IS WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, VICKY. WITH THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS THAT WE HAVE, I’M GOING TO HEAD RIGHT FROM HERE TO GO TO THE FAMILY REUNIFICATION CENTER TO SPEAK WITH FAMILIES THAT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONES RIGHT NOW, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THEM IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, THAT WE CAN. ANY UPDATE YOU CAN GIVE US ABOUT THOSE FAMILIES ARE THE ARE THE IS IT PACKED? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE REPORTING THERE. YEAH. I’M GOING TO HOLD OFF ON GIVING NUMBERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT UNTIL I GET THERE. OKAY. FIRST RESPONDERS STILL ON THE SCENE. YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHTS BEHIND US. THE THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE DEFINITELY STILL ON THE SCENE. THE FLAMES HAVE COME DOWN. THE FIRES ARE UNDER CONTROL RIGHT NOW. AND SO THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO START ALL THE SEARCH OPERATIONS THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO INITIALLY, JUST BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE FLAME. YOU LOOK AT THE DEBRIS FIELD, YOU SEE SOME OF YOU I’M SURE YOUR VIEWERS HAVE SEEN THOSE OVERHEAD SHOTS. WE’RE FORTUNATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE’S NOT EVEN MORE WE KNOW ABOUT. I’M CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE VICTIMS THAT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YET. I DON’T KNOW THAT’S THE CASE, BUT I’M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, SEEING HOW BIG IT IS. SO WE’LL WE’LL STAND BY AND WE’LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION THROUGH THE NIGHT OR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG NIGHT, A LONG COUPLE OF DAYS. IT IS. AND YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, I HOPE EVERYONE JUST CONTINUES TO KEEP THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS, THE VICTIMS THAT ARE RECOVERING AT U OF L HEALTH. EVERYONE IN THE UPS FAMILY IN THEIR IN THEIR THOUGHTS. AND AS YOU STATED, EVERYONE’S IN OUR HEARTS TONIGHT AND YOU SAID LOUISVILLIANS ARE VERY RESILIENT. WE ARE INDEED. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. WE KNOW PEOPLE WANT A LOT OF ANSWERS, AND WE’RE GOING TO GET PEOPLE ANSWERS AS QUICK AS WE CAN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US AGAIN TONIGHT. YES. THANKS, VICKY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GETTING A LOT OF UPDATES NOW FROM CITY STATE OFFICIALS AND AIRPORT OFFICIALS. NORMAN SEAWRIGHT IS STANDING BY LIVE. HE IS HERE AT THE AIRPORT ALSO. NORMAN, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM AIRPORT OFFICIALS? WELL, RIGHT NOW, VICKY, WE’RE HEARING THAT TWO THINGS RIGHT NOW. WE CAN TELL YOU ABOUT, FIRST UP, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WILL BE HERE TOMORROW TO START DOING THEIR INVESTIGATIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, OF COURSE, FIREFIGHTERS FROM LOUISVILLE METRO, FROM AROUND THE COUNTY, FROM EVEN OUTSIDE THE COUNTY ARE WORKING ON CONTAINMENT. NOW, YOU MENTIONED AN OIL FARM. THERE ARE TANKS FULL OF OIL AND OTHER SORTS OF LIQUIDS THAT COULD BE FLAMMABLE. AND WHAT WE’VE BEEN TOLD BY THE FIRE CHIEF, BRIAN O’NEILL HERE IS THAT THEY ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT STAYS CONTAINED. ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD EARLIER IN THE DAY, PART OF THAT WAS SOME OF THE RELEASE SAFETY VALVES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TANKS DO NOT RUPTURE. SO THEY ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT. THEY’RE WORKING ON THE HOTSPOTS, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM WHERE VICKY IS RIGHT NOW. AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE PREPARING FOR THE NTSB TO COME IN AND HOPEFULLY FIND SOME ANSWERS. I’VE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THE AVIATION COMMUNITY, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE HEARTBROKEN. THEY THEY’RE JUST DEVASTATED. THIS IS SCARY FOR ANYONE WHO, OF COURSE, LIVES AROUND HERE AND KNOWS ANYBODY IN THIS INDUSTRY. SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO SEE ANY OF THIS DEBRIS LYING ABOUT IN THE AREA. FIRST THINGS FIRST. DON’T TOUCH IT. REPORT IT, DON’T TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT’S NOT SAFE. BUT ALSO DON’T TOUCH IT BECAUSE THE NTSB WILL NEED THAT TO HELP RECREATE THE ACCIDENT. FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. AND THIS IS WHAT WE HEARD, OF COURSE, FROM THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY EARLIER ON TONIGHT IN THEIR BRIEFING, WE ARE ALSO ASKING THE PUBLIC IF THEY WERE TO FIND ANY DEBRIS IN THE AREA TO PLEASE AVOID TOUCHING THIS DEBRIS AND REPORT TO THE REPORT THE DEBRIS AS WELL. THEY CAN TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE, WHICH IS LOUISVILLE, KY DOT GOV BACKSLASH EMERGENCY SERVICES. WE ARE ASKING EVERYONE TO PLEASE FOLLOW THE AIRPORT’S X PAGE AT FLY LOUISVILLE FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES. AND FOR RIGHT NOW, AS WE KNOW, THE AREA OF SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER IS JUST DOWN TO ONE MILE AROUND THE AIRPORT. EVERYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THAT IS DEEMED TO NOT BE AS AT MUCH AT RISK FOR RIGHT NOW. BUT AGAIN, NTSB WILL BE HERE IN THE MORNING. THEY WILL BE EXPECTED TO TALK TO US SOMETIME BEFORE NOON, AS THEY TOLD US IN THIS BRIEFING AS WELL, VICKY, THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HEARING OVER HERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NORMAN. NOW, GOVERNOR BESHEAR ARRIVED IN LOUISVILLE JUST HOURS AFTER THE CRASH. HE AND OTHER LOCAL LEADERS ARE NOW WORKING TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. DEANDRIA TURNER HEARD FROM THEM TODAY. SHE’S LIVE NOW AT THE BIG FOUR BRIDGE, WHICH IS NOW LIT UP YELLOW FOR UPS DEANDRIA TURNER. VICKY. THAT’S RIGHT. IT’S JUST A SIMPLE GESTURE TO HONOR THOSE SEVEN LIVES THAT HAVE LOST AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES RIGHT NOW, AND EVEN THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE LIVES HAVE CHANGED FOREVER BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST THEIR LOVED ONES. IT’S TO HONOR THOSE AND FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL RECOVERING. AND NOW AGAIN, WE DID SPEAK TO GOVERNOR BESHEAR EARLIER TODAY. THEY TOLD US THE PLANE WAS CARRYING 250,000 GALLONS OF JET FUEL, AND NO HAZARDOUS CARGO WAS ON BOARD. BUT THE LOCATION OF THE CRASH CREATED DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS EARLY ON ON, CREWS SAY THAT THEY’RE STILL IN LIFE SAVING PHASE, WHICH MEANS THEY’RE DOING ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL EVERYONE WHO’S BEEN INJURED AND IMPACTED, THEY’RE KNOCKING ON DOORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET EVERYONE OUT AND INTO THE HOSPITAL. WE WERE AT THE HOSPITAL EARLIER WHERE THEY WERE AT A CODE YELLOW, WHICH MEANS THEY WERE READY FOR A DISASTER. AND ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO THEY WERE OUT OF THAT CODE YELLOW. THEY ARE TREATING 11 PATIENTS AT DIFFERENT U OF L HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. THE NTSB WILL LEAD THIS INVESTIGATION, AND OFFICIALS STRESSED THAT EVERYONE REALLY NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER DURING THIS TIME. AND ALSO THEY TALKED ABOUT JUST HOW LOUISVILLE IS. SO PERSEVERANCE, HOW WE PERSEVERE OVER EVERYTHING. AND WE PERSIST. AND EVEN THROUGH THIS TRAGEDY WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. CITY OF LOUISVILLE, TO JOIN THEM IN PRAYING FOR THE VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO BRAVELY RUSHED TO THE SCENE TO SAVE PEOPLE AND ARE STILL ACTIVELY WORKING TO PUT THE PUT THE FIRE OUT. OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS TRAGIC INCIDENT. THE MAYOR’S OFFICE IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH FIRST RESPONDERS, FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS TO RESPOND AND SECURE THE AREA. AND VICKY, STATE AND CITY LEADERS ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO PLEASE BE PATIENT AND TO PLEASE HAVE GRACE WITH THEM AS THIS IS AN ONGOING AND EVER CHANGING INVESTIGATION FOR DAYS AND WEEKS AND MAYBE EVEN MONTHS TO COME. FOR NOW, THE BIG FOUR BRIDGE DEANDRIA TURNER WLKY NEWS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ANDREA. OF COURSE, ONCE AGAIN, THE AIRPORT IS CLOSED TONIGHT. IT IS EXPECTED TO OPEN AGAIN TOMORROW. THE COURTS. THE PLANE CRASH HAS AFFECTED MANY FAMILIES AND MANY FLIGHTS OUT OF HERE. JAMIE MAYES IS LIVE HERE ALSO AT THE AIRPORT TONIGHT. JAMIE, ARE THERE STILL PEOPLE INSIDE WAITING FOR FLIGHTS? MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE? CARRYING FIREARMS THROUGH THE TSA. ALL OF THOSE DEPARTING FLIGHTS THAT WERE EXPECTED TO LEAVE OUT OF SDF HAVE BEEN CANCELED. I SPOKE WITH A FEW PASSENGERS EARLIER TODAY WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE EXPECTING TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT TODAY, BUT INSTEAD ARE CHOOSING TO SOME. SOME OF THEM ARE CHOOSING TO SPEND THE NIGHT HERE. YOU CAN SEE A FEW OF THOSE PEOPLE BEHIND ME HERE, JUST SITTING, WAITING, HOPING THAT AT SOME POINT TOMORROW MORNING THEY’LL BE ABLE TO LEAVE OUT OF SDF. EARLIER TODAY, TSA WAS TURNING PASSENGERS AWAY UPSTAIRS AS PEOPLE WERE NOT ABLE TO BOARD THEIR FLIGHTS. WE SPOKE TO PEOPLE WHO CAME IN AS FAR AWAY AS FRANCE, WHO SAID THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NEXT STEPS. MANY PEOPLE TOLD ME THEY DIDN’T MIND WAITING ON THEIR FLIGHTS. GIVEN THE TRAGEDY THAT HAS UNFOLDED THIS EVENING. I FEEL BLESSED THAT IT WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, OUR PLANE, BUT FEEL SO SORRY FOR THESE PEOPLE. AND SDF SAYS ANYONE WHO WAS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE OR DEPART HERE FROM THE AIRPORT IS ASKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO CHECK THEIR FLIGHT SCHEDULES. REPORTING LIVE. I’M JAMIE MAYES WLKY NEWS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. JAMIE, BACK OUTSIDE HERE AT THE AIRPORT, THERE ARE MORE REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS HERE THAN ANYONE ELSE RIGHT NOW. IF YOU ROLLED UP TO THE AIRPORT, AT FIRST GLANCE, YOU’D THINK NOTHING’S GOING ON. BUT JUST AS SOON AS YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CAR, YOU IMMEDIATELY SMELL THE JET FUEL, AND ONCE AGAIN, YOU SEE THOSE HOT SPOTS BURNING IN THE DISTANCE BACK FROM THE RUNWAY, BACK THE CRASH SITE NOW, FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE STILL HERE AT THIS HOUR, AND THEY WILL BE HERE FOR HOURS, TIRELESSLY. A TRAGIC SCENE. BUT RICK, ONCE AGAIN, AS WE’VE SAID MANY, MANY TIMES, LOUISVILLIANS ARE RESILIENT AND WE COME TOGETHER IN TIMES LIKE THESE. CERTAINLY DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICKI. WELL, LMPD HAS SET UP A REUNIFICATION CENTER FOR FAMILIES AT THE LMPD TRAINING FACILITY THAT’S ON TAYLOR BOULEVARD, WLKY’S MADISON ELLIOTT IS THERE FOR US TONIGHT. MADISON. RICK, WE’VE SEEN FAMILIES COMING IN LOOKING FOR HELP TO REUNIFY WITH THEIR LOVED ONES WHO MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS RIGHT NOW. THIS IS WHERE LMPD IS ASKING FAMILIES TO COME VERSUS GOING TO THE HOSPITAL, BECAUSE HOSPITALS RIGHT NOW ARE JUST NOT SET UP TO HANDLE REUNIFICATION DURING THIS TYPE OF EMERGENCY. SO THEY’VE BEEN ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY TO COME HERE. WE JUST SPOKE WITH THE SALVATION ARMY NOT TOO LONG AGO. THEY ARE ONE OF THE MANY PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT TO ASSIST LMPD AND TO ASSIST FAMILIES HERE TO PROVIDE SNACKS, WATER AND REALLY COMFORT DURING THIS VERY TRAGIC TIME AS THEY TRY TO GET ANSWERS ABOUT WHERE THEIR LOVED 1ST MAY BE AND HOW THEY ARE DOING. AND JUST AS THEY ARE WORKING HARD HERE TO HELP FAMILIES, MANY TRAVELERS WE CAUGHT UP WITH WHEN WE WERE AT THE AIRPORT EARLIER AS WELL ARE WORKING TO NOW GET HOME. MANY WERE STRANDED SITTING ON THE TARMAC FOR MANY HOURS AND DID NOT GET OUT OF LOUISVILLE TONIGHT AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED, AND WE SPOKE TO GROUPS FROM BOTH ORLANDO AND BOSTON TONIGHT WHO WERE JUST TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY HOME, BUT SAY THEY WERE ON THE PLANE WHEN THEY SAW ALL OF THESE FLAMES. THE PASSENGER IN FRONT OF US. YEAH, BECAUSE THEY KEPT ON SAYING, HOLD UP, HOLD UP, HOLD OFF. AND THEN WE SAID, WHAT’S ALL THAT SMOKE? YOU KNOW, AND WE NOTICED THE SMOKE COMING IN THE SKY. WE COULD SEE IT THROUGH OUR WINDOWS OF THE PLANE. AND THEN SOMEONE POSTED IT FROM ANOTHER AIRPLANE ON INSTAGRAM. SO WE SAW IT. IT WAS PRETTY. YEAH, WE SAW IT ONLINE. PEOPLE STARTED CHECKING THEIR PHONES. SO THAT THERE IS A GROUP YOU JUST HEARD THEY WERE TRYING TO GET BACK TO BOSTON TONIGHT, SO THEY’LL BE STAYING HERE ANOTHER NIGHT IN LOUISVILLE. WE’RE NOT SURE WHEN FLIGHTS WILL BE GETTING BACK UP AT THE LOUISVILLE AIRPORT AT THIS POINT. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMEBODY THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH, THIS IS THE PLACE LMPD THEIR TRAINING ACADEMY. THIS IS THE REUNIFICATION CENTER WHERE THEY WANT FAMILIES TO COME. AMERICAN RED CROSS WILL BE HERE. VICTIM SERVICES IS HERE AS WELL AS CHAPLAINS ARE HERE TO PROVIDE COMFORT DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME. FOR NOW, WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU, RICK. ALL RIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH, MADISON. EARLIER THIS EVENING, WE SPOKE TO A UPS EMPLOYEE WHO SAYS THAT SHE WITNESSED THE MOMENT TRAGEDY STRUCK. I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MY DAD ASKING ME, WAS I OKAY? AND I LITERALLY HAD JUST WALKED IN THE HOUSE FROM WORK. AND I JUST ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS WAS JUST CALLING ME, ASKING ME IF I WAS OKAY. THEY TOLD ME ABOUT IT AND I JUST STARTED CALLING MY. EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES AND STUFF AND JUST MAKE SURE THEY WAS OKAY AND STUFF. BUT AND THEN THAT’S WHEN I CAME OVER TO, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I WAS TOLD FROM MY GROUP THAT IT WAS ONE OF OUR PLANES. I’M SOME SOME ARE SAYING IT’S SPIRIT. I’M NOT FOR SURE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, I JUST A LITTLE SHAKY BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW HOW TOMORROW’S GOING TO GO. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO GO TO WORK TOMORROW. YOU GOT TO THINK ABOUT PLANES FALLING OUT THE SKY, BEING IN THE BUILDING. AND I DON’T KNOW, IT’S A LITTLE SCARY FOR ME AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH, UPS WORLDPORT HAS HALTED ALL OPERATIONS AS FIRST RESPONDERS CONTINUE INVESTIGATING THE CRASH. NEXT DAY. AIR SUPPORT HAS ALSO BEEN CANCELED AND NO EMPLOYEES WILL NEED TO REPORT TO WORK TONIGHT. IN A STATEMENT, THE COMPANY SAID THEY’RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE NTSB A
Fiery Kentucky plane crash leaves at least 9 dead, trail of destruction
A UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least nine people and injuring numerous others. At least 16 people are still missing.The plane crashed about 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Video showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Video also revealed portions of a building’s shredded roof next to the end of the runway. The death toll had risen to at least nine on Wednesday morning, and four of those killed were not on the plane, officials said.Among 11 people who were hurt, some had “very significant” injuries, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, adding he expects the death toll to increase. “Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” he said. Sister station WLKY reports that at least two people are in critical condition and at least eight have non-life-threatening injuries. There are at least two others missing from a nearby auto shop.UPS’s largest package handling facility is located in Louisville, and the company announced on Tuesday night that it had halted package sorting at the center, without specifying when it would resume. The hub employs thousands of workers, has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.The governor said a business, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, appeared to be “hit pretty directly,” and a nearby auto parts operation was also affected.Beshear said he didn’t know the status of the three crew members aboard the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991. Because of the long trip, it was fully fueled, leading to the large fire. It spread easily to nearby facilities, like a large recycling center.UPS said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation. WARNING: Video below shows the fiery crash. Viewer discretion advised.A video taken by Leirim Rodríguez shows several massive balls of flames exploding into the sky in a row, followed by large billowing clouds of black smoke. Rodriguez told the AP she and her husband just happened to be in the area at the time of the explosion.Destyn Mitchell said she was working as a host at an Outback restaurant, about a 15-minute drive from the crash, when she heard a “very loud boom.” About 20 people were in the restaurant.”The mood in the restaurant was very shaken up,” Mitchell said. “Everyone is really concerned. People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under 30 minutes and packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home.”The Associated Press contributed to this story.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
A UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least nine people and injuring numerous others. At least 16 people are still missing.
The plane crashed about 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Video showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Video also revealed portions of a building’s shredded roof next to the end of the runway.
The death toll had risen to at least nine on Wednesday morning, and four of those killed were not on the plane, officials said.
Among 11 people who were hurt, some had “very significant” injuries, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, adding he expects the death toll to increase.
“Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” he said.
Sister station WLKY reports that at least two people are in critical condition and at least eight have non-life-threatening injuries. There are at least two others missing from a nearby auto shop.
UPS’s largest package handling facility is located in Louisville, and the company announced on Tuesday night that it had halted package sorting at the center, without specifying when it would resume. The hub employs thousands of workers, has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.
The governor said a business, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, appeared to be “hit pretty directly,” and a nearby auto parts operation was also affected.
Beshear said he didn’t know the status of the three crew members aboard the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991.
Because of the long trip, it was fully fueled, leading to the large fire. It spread easily to nearby facilities, like a large recycling center.
UPS said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation.
WARNING: Video below shows the fiery crash. Viewer discretion advised.
A video taken by Leirim Rodríguez shows several massive balls of flames exploding into the sky in a row, followed by large billowing clouds of black smoke. Rodriguez told the AP she and her husband just happened to be in the area at the time of the explosion.
Destyn Mitchell said she was working as a host at an Outback restaurant, about a 15-minute drive from the crash, when she heard a “very loud boom.” About 20 people were in the restaurant.
“The mood in the restaurant was very shaken up,” Mitchell said. “Everyone is really concerned. People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under 30 minutes and packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home.”
A UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least seven people and injuring numerous others.Watch aerial footage of the initial scene in the video player above.The plane crashed about 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Video showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Video also revealed portions of a building’s shredded roof next to the end of the runway. The death toll had risen to at least seven Tuesday night, and four of those killed were not on the plane, officials said.Among 11 people who were hurt, some had “very significant” injuries, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.“Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” he said. Sister station WLKY reports that at least two people are in critical condition and at least eight have non-life-threatening injuries. There are at least two others missing from a nearby auto shop.The governor said a business, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, appeared to be “hit pretty directly,” and a nearby auto parts operation was also affected.Beshear said he didn’t know the status of the three crew members aboard the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991. Because of the long trip, it was fully fueled, leading to the large fire. It spread easily to nearby facilities, like a large recycling center.UPS said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation. According to the FAA National Airspace Status System, the Louisville airport will be closed until 7 a.m. ET Wednesday.“We don’t know how long it’s going to take to render that scene safe,” said Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey.WARNING: Video below shows the fiery crash. Viewer discretion advised.A video taken by Leirim Rodríguez shows several massive balls of flames exploding into the sky in a row, followed by large billowing clouds of black smoke. Rodriguez told the AP she and her husband just happened to be in the area at the time of the explosion.Destyn Mitchell said she was working as a host at an Outback restaurant, about a 15-minute drive from the crash, when she heard a “very loud boom.” About 20 people were in the restaurant.“The mood in the restaurant was very shaken up,” Mitchell said. “Everyone is really concerned. People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under 30 minutes and packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home.” The Associated Press contributed to this story.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
A UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least seven people and injuring numerous others.
Watch aerial footage of the initial scene in the video player above.
The plane crashed about 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Video showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Video also revealed portions of a building’s shredded roof next to the end of the runway.
The death toll had risen to at least seven Tuesday night, and four of those killed were not on the plane, officials said.
Among 11 people who were hurt, some had “very significant” injuries, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.
“Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” he said.
Sister station WLKY reports that at least two people are in critical condition and at least eight have non-life-threatening injuries. There are at least two others missing from a nearby auto shop.
The governor said a business, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, appeared to be “hit pretty directly,” and a nearby auto parts operation was also affected.
Beshear said he didn’t know the status of the three crew members aboard the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991.
Because of the long trip, it was fully fueled, leading to the large fire. It spread easily to nearby facilities, like a large recycling center.
UPS said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation.
According to the FAA National Airspace Status System, the Louisville airport will be closed until 7 a.m. ET Wednesday.
“We don’t know how long it’s going to take to render that scene safe,” said Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey.
WARNING: Video below shows the fiery crash. Viewer discretion advised.
A video taken by Leirim Rodríguez shows several massive balls of flames exploding into the sky in a row, followed by large billowing clouds of black smoke. Rodriguez told the AP she and her husband just happened to be in the area at the time of the explosion.
Destyn Mitchell said she was working as a host at an Outback restaurant, about a 15-minute drive from the crash, when she heard a “very loud boom.” About 20 people were in the restaurant.
“The mood in the restaurant was very shaken up,” Mitchell said. “Everyone is really concerned. People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under 30 minutes and packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home.”
Flight operations were temporarily suspended at Germany’s Bremen airport after a drone was spotted near the site, police said on Sunday evening.
The drone was seen at around 7:30 pm (1830 GMT), which led to take-offs and landings to be halted immediately, a police spokesman said.
Air traffic was resumed at 8:22 pm, he said.
It was initially unclear who controlled the drone.
According to local outlet buten un binnen, a flight from London had to be diverted to Hamburg due to the disruption, while a London-bound flight was unable to take off on time.
It comes after operations were suspended for about two hours at Berlin’s international airport pn Friday following a drone sighting.
The number of incidents involving drones of unknown origin is increasing in Germany and beyond.
Operations at Germany’s second-largest airport in Munich were disrupted by drone sightings at the beginning of October.
Drones are banned within a 1.5-kilometre radius of German airports to prevent interference with take-offs and landings. Sightings can force partial or full suspension of operations, and illegal flights near airports are treated as dangerous interference with civil aviation and can be severely punished.
Drones also recently caused the temporary closures of several Danish airports.
Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities around the country were again causing delays at airports on Friday as the government shutdown neared the one-month mark.U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers would start to see more flights delayed or canceled as the nation’s controllers continue to work without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.“Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters Thursday outside the White House after a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders to talk about the shutdown’s impact on U.S. travel.The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, New York City, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Airports in Boston, Nashville, and New York City were experiencing delays averaging two hours or longer.Staffing shortages can happen at regional control centers overseeing multiple airports, as well as in airport towers, but they don’t always result in flight disruptions.Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” Thursday across the U.S. aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading.On Thursday, many major U.S. airports reported below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times, according to Cirium. The data does not distinguish between the different causes of delays, such as staffing shortages or bad weather.Staffing-related delays at Orlando’s airport on Thursday, for example, averaged nearly four and a half hours for some time, according to the FAA.Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. That leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage, and other expenses unless controllers call out.Duffy said controllers are also struggling to get to work because they can’t afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.“For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.Last weekend, a shortage of controllers led to the FAA issuing a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.
Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities around the country were again causing delays at airports on Friday as the government shutdown neared the one-month mark.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers would start to see more flights delayed or canceled as the nation’s controllers continue to work without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.
“Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters Thursday outside the White House after a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders to talk about the shutdown’s impact on U.S. travel.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, New York City, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Airports in Boston, Nashville, and New York City were experiencing delays averaging two hours or longer.
Staffing shortages can happen at regional control centers overseeing multiple airports, as well as in airport towers, but they don’t always result in flight disruptions.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” Thursday across the U.S. aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading.
On Thursday, many major U.S. airports reported below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times, according to Cirium. The data does not distinguish between the different causes of delays, such as staffing shortages or bad weather.
Staffing-related delays at Orlando’s airport on Thursday, for example, averaged nearly four and a half hours for some time, according to the FAA.
Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. That leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage, and other expenses unless controllers call out.
Duffy said controllers are also struggling to get to work because they can’t afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.
“For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.
Last weekend, a shortage of controllers led to the FAA issuing a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.
Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.
Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.
A man installs storm shutters at a business in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Melissa in Portmore, St. Catherine parish, Jamaica, on October 25, 2025. Deadly storm Melissa strengthened Saturday afternoon into a Category 1 hurricane, with rapid intensification expected over the weekend as it cut a worryingly slow course toward the Caribbean island of Jamaica, forecasters said. (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images)
RICARDO MAKYN
AFP via Getty Images
A major international airport in Jamaica will close on Saturday night as Hurricane Melissa closes in on the island, officials announced.
The Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston will be shut down at 9 p.m. after the departure of the final scheduled flight of the night.
Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay is open for now but may close later today, said Transport Minister Daryl Vaz. It is unclear when airports will be fully operational, as Melissa is set to make landfall sometime this weekend.
Meanwhile, a JetBlue Airways spokesperson confirmed that all flights scheduled for Sunday and Monday to and from Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport and Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport have been cancelled.
Sangster International Airport reported multiple cancellations but noted that additional flight sections have been added to accommodate travelers leaving the island, according to a press release issued Saturday morning.
At least seven Air Canada flights scheduled between Saturday and Tuesday have been cancelled, while JetBlue has cancelled 14 flights between Sunday and Tuesday. Caribbean Airlines has canceled two flights on Saturday and Sunday. Southwest has also cancelled eight flights planned for Sunday. Cancellations may change based on conditions and airport operations.
American Airlines plans to cancel all flights to and from Kingston, Jamaica on Sunday, Laura Masvidal, a spokesperson for the carrier said. Flights in and out of Montego Bay will operate regularly. “We have a travel alert in place for those traveling to and from Jamaica,” she said.
To assist affected passengers, Air Canada has added two extra flights on Saturday, and American Airlines has increased capacity on two of its Saturday departures.
A spokesperson for Miami International Airport said there is one delayed departure to Montego Bay and that “isn’t necessarily because of the storm.”
Miami Herald staff writer Jacqueline Charles contributed to this report.
This story was originally published October 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM.
ENGLEWOOD — Metro Denver budtender Quentin Ferguson needs Regional Transportation District bus and trains to reach work at an Arvada dispensary from his house, a trip that takes 90 minutes each way “on a good day.”
“It is pretty inconvenient,” Ferguson, 22, said on a recent rainy evening, waiting for a nearly empty train that was eight minutes late.
He’s not complaining, however, because his relatively low income and Medicaid status qualify him for a discounted RTD monthly pass. That lets him save money for a car or an electric bicycle, he said, either of them offering a faster commute.
Then he would no longer have to ride RTD.
His plight reflects a core problem of lagging ridership that RTD directors increasingly run up against as they try to position the transit agency as the smartest way to navigate Denver. Most other U.S. public transit agencies, too, are grappling with a version of this problem.
In Colorado, state-government-driven efforts to concentrate the growing population in high-density, transit-oriented development around bus and train stations — a priority for legislators and Gov. Jared Polis — hinge on having a swift public system that residents ride.
But transit ridership has failed to rebound a year after RTD’s havoc in 2024, when operators disrupted service downtown for a $152 million rail reconstruction followed by a systemwide emergency maintenance blitz to smooth deteriorating tracks that led to trains crawling through 10-mph “slow zones.”
The latest ridership numbers show an overall decline this year, by at least 3.9%, with 40 million fewer riders per year compared with six years ago. And RTD executives’ newly proposed, record $1.3 billion budget for 2026 doesn’t include funds for boosting bus and train frequency to win back riders.
Frustrations intensified last week.
“What is the point of transit-oriented development if it is just development?” said state Rep. Meg Froelich, a Democrat representing Englewood who chairs the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee. “We need reliable transit to have transit-oriented development. We have cities that have invested significant resources into their transit-oriented communities. RTD is not holding up its end of the bargain.”
At a retreat this past summer, a majority of the RTD’s 15 elected board members agreed that boosting ridership is their top priority. Some who reviewed the proposed budget last week questioned the lack of spending on service improvements for riders.
“We’re not moving the needle. Ridership is not going up. It should be going up,” director Karen Benker said in an interview.
“Over the past few years, there’s been a tremendous amount of population growth. There are so many apartment complexes, so much new housing put up all over,” Benker said. “Transit has to be relied on. You just cannot keep building more roads. We’re going to have to find ways to get people to ride public transit.”
Commuting trends blamed
RTD Chief Executive and General Manager Debra Johnson, in emailed responses to questions from The Denver Post, emphasized that “RTD is not unique” among U.S. transit agencies struggling to regain ridership lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson blamed societal shifts.
“Commuting trends have significantly changed over the last five years,” she said. “Return-to-work numbers in the Denver metro area, which accounted for a significant percentage of RTD’s ridership prior to March 2020, remain low as companies and businesses continue to provide flexible in-office schedules for their employees.”
In the future, RTD will be “changing its focus from primarily providing commuter services,” she said, toward “enhancing its bus and services and connections to high-volume events, activity centers, concerts and festivals.”
But agency directors are looking for a more aggressive approach to reversing the decline in ridership. And some are mulling a radical restructuring of routes.
Funded mostly by taxpayers across a 2,345 square-mile area spanning eight counties and 40 municipalities — one of the biggest in the nation — RTD operates 10 rail lines covering 114 miles with 84 stations and 102 bus routes with 9,720 stops.
“We should start from scratch,” said RTD director Chris Nicholson, advocating an overhaul of the “geometry” of all bus routes to align transit better with metro Denver residents’ current mobility patterns.
The key will be increasing frequency.
“We should design the routes how we think would best serve people today, and then we could take that and modify it where absolutely necessary to avoid disruptive differences with our current route map,” he said.
Then, in 2030, directors should appeal to voters for increased funding to improve service — funds that would be substantially controlled by municipalties “to pick where they want the service to go,” he said.
Reversing the RTD ridership decline may take a couple of years, Nicholson said, comparing the decreases this year to customers shunning a restaurant. “If you’re a restaurant and you poison some guests accidentally, you’re gonna lose customers even after you fix the problem.”
The RTD ridership numbers show an overall public transit ridership decrease by 5% when measured over the 12-month period from August 2024 through July 2025, the last month for which staffers have made numbers available, compared with the same period a year ago.
Bus ridership decreased by 2% and light rail by 18% over that period. In a typical month, RTD officials record around 5 million boardings — around 247,000 on weekdays.
The precautionary rail “slow zones” persisted for months as contractors worked on tracks, delaying and diverting trains, leaving transit-dependent workers in a lurch. RTD driver workforce shortages limited deployment of emergency bus shuttles.
This year, RTD ridership systemwide decreased by 3.9% when measured from January through July, compared with that period in 2024. The bus ridership this year has decreased by 2.4%.
On rail lines, the ridership on the relatively popular A Line that runs from Union Station downtown to Denver International Airport was down by 9.7%. The E Line light rail that runs from downtown to the southeastern edge of metro Denver was down by 24%. Rail ridership on the W Line decreased by 18% and on R Line by 15%, agency records show.
The annual RTD ridership has decreased by 38% since 2019, from 105.8 million to 65.2 million in 2024.
A Regional Transportation District light rail train moves through downtown Denver on Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Light rail ‘sickness’ spreading
“The sickness on RTD light rail is spreading to other parts of the RTD system,” said James Flattum, a co-founder of the Greater Denver Transit grassroots rider advocacy group, who also serves on the state’s RTD Accountability Committee. “We’re seeing permanent demand destruction as a consequence of having an unreliable system. This comes from a loss of trust in RTD to get you where you need to go.”
RTD officials have countered critics by pointing out that the light rail’s on-time performance recovered this year to 91% or better. Bus on-time performance still lagged at 83% in July, agency records show.
The officials also pointed to decreased security reports made using an RTD smartphone app after deploying more police officers on buses and trains. The number of reported assaults has decreased — to four in September, compared with 16 in September 2024, records show.
Greater Denver Transit members acknowledged that safety has improved, but question the agency’s assertions based on app usage. “It may be true that the number of security calls went down,” Flattum said, “but maybe the people who otherwise would have made more safety calls are no longer riding RTD.”
RTD staffers developing the 2026 budget have focused on managing debt and maintaining operations spending at current levels. They’ve received forecasts that revenues from taxpayers will increase slightly. It’s unclear whether state and federal funds will be available.
RTD directors and leaders of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, an environmental group, are opposing the rollback of RTD’s planned shift to the cleaner, quieter electric hybrid buses and taking on new debt for that purpose.
Colorado lawmakers will “push on a bunch of different fronts” to prioritize better service to boost ridership, Froelich said.
The legislature in recent years directed funds to help RTD provide free transit for riders under age 20. Buses and trains running at least every 15 minutes would improve both ridership and safety, she said, because more riders would discourage bad behavior and riders wouldn’t have to wait alone at night on often-empty platforms for up to an hour.
“We’re trying to do what we can to get people back onto the transit system,” Froelich said. “They do it in other places, and people here do ride the Bustang (intercity bus system). RTD just seems to lack the nimbleness required to meet the moment.”
Denver Center for the Performing Arts stage hand Chris Grossman walks home after work in downtown Denver on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Riders switch modes
Meanwhile, riders continue to abandon public transit when it doesn’t meet their needs.
For Denver Center for the Performing Arts theater technician Chris Grossman, 35, ditching RTD led to a better quality of life. He had to move from the Virginia Village neighborhood he loved.
Back in 2016, Grossman sold his ailing blue 2003 VW Golf when he moved there in the belief that “RTD light rail was more or less reliable.” He rode nearly every day between the Colorado Station and downtown.
But trains became erratic as maintenance of walls along tracks caused delays. “It just got so bad. I was burning so much money on rideshares that I probably could have bought a car.” Shortly before RTD announced the “slow zones” last summer, he moved to an apartment closer to downtown on Capitol Hill.
He walks or rides scooters to work, faster than taking the bus, he said.
Similarly, Honor Morgan, 25, who came to Denver from the rural Midwest, “grateful for any public transit,” said she had to move from her place east of downtown to be closer to her workplace due to RTD transit trouble.
Buses were late, and one blew by her as she waited. She had to adjust her attire when riding her Colfax Avenue route to Union Station to manage harassment. She faced regular dramas of riders with substance-use problems erupting.
Morgan moved to an apartment near Union Station in March, allowing her to walk to work.
She still hoped to rely on RTD for concerts and nightlife, and to reach DIA for work-related flights at least once a month. But RTD social media posts have alerted her to enough delays on the A Line that she no longer trusts it, she said. To reduce her “anxiety” and minimize the risk of missing her flights, she shells out for rides — even though these often get stuck in traffic.
She and her boyfriend recently tried RTD again, riding a train to the 38th and Blake Station near the Mission Ballroom. They attended “an amazing concert” there, she said, and felt happy as they walked to the station to catch the train home.
A man on the platform collapsed backward, hitting his head. He was bleeding. She called 911. Her boyfriend and other riders gathered. She ran across the street to an apartment building and grabbed paper towels. RTD isn’t really to blame, but “I just wish they had a station platform attendant, or someone. I do not know head-injury first aid,” Morgan said.
The train they’d been waiting for came and went. An ambulance arrived. They got home late, the evening ruined, she said.
“His head cracked open. He had skin flaps hanging off his head. This was stuck in my head, at least for the rest of the night.”
FILE – In 2023, Donald Trump’s private plane takes off from Palm Beach International Airport.
Jose A. Iglesias
jiglesias@elnuevoherald.com
The Secret Service found what officials are calling a “suspicious stand” near a part of Palm Beach International Airport frequented by President Donald Trump.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on a post on X that agents are investigating the stand. Patel said the stand was located near the Air Force One landing zone.
According to CBS News, the Secret Service said it found “items of interest” before Trump’s arrival on Friday. The agency, the report says, did not detail what was found but shared a photo of a platform in a tree.
A “suspicious stand” was found near a part of Palm Beach International Airport frequented by President Donald Trump. Secret Service
“There was no impact to any movements and no individuals were present or involved at the location,” Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said.
Trump traveled to South Florida for the weekend, according to CBS News. Trump’s mansion and resort Mar-a-Lago is in West Palm Beach.
This story was originally published October 19, 2025 at 4:37 PM.
Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.
Patrice Williams has relied on Obamacare health insurance subsidies since 2021, and she’s getting nervous that her payments could more than double if the U.S. Congress doesn’t reach a funding agreement by the end of the year.
Potentially rising healthcare costs, upcoming holiday travel plans, and stalled environmental cleanup projects are on the minds of Houstonians who say they don’t just want the federal government shutdown to end; they want assurance that the services they rely on will remain in place.
The shutdown was announced October 1 when the U.S. Congress failed to reach a funding agreement that would keep governmental agencies like the Veterans Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, military bases, and national parks operating at full capacity.
The impasse occurred because most Congressional Democrats want to extend enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. When the credits were approved during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were intended to be temporary, and some Republicans are pushing back that they can’t continue to fund billions in affordable healthcare while the federal government is in debt to the tune of trillions.
A “continuing resolution” that would have kept the government open for seven weeks passed the U.S. House late last month, but Senate Republicans need 60 votes to pass a spending bill through the upper chamber. Only 48 Senate votes were cast in favor of the continuing resolution prior to the September 30 deadline.
A likely scenario to end the shutdown would be that some Democrats switch their votes, and if that happens, there may be a negotiation scenario in which the Republicans agree to reconsider tax credits at the end of the year, Rice University economist John Diamond has said.
As the shutdown hit the two-week mark, Houstonians grew increasingly worried.
Kevin Strickland, right, talks to Houston Progressive Caucus founder Karthik Soora at a Houston Progressive Caucus event on Sunday. Credit: April Towery
Williams said she’s on a fixed income and doesn’t “have a lot of wiggle room” when it comes to budgeting. Kevin Strickland, who spoke to a reporter at a Houston Progressive Caucus gathering on Sunday, expressed a similar sentiment.
“I’m self-employed, so I’m screwed,” he said. “I have [Affordable Care Act] insurance. My premium will triple. I’m not eligible for Medicare for several more years.”
Dr. Audrey Nath, a pediatric neurologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said she’s worried about the shutdown’s impact on affordable healthcare, particularly because it comes on the heels of $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed in July.
“Close to $1 trillion was cut from Medicaid in order to perpetuate corporate tax cuts,” Nath said. “What I and many other physicians, healthcare workers, and Medicaid recipients talked about as this bill was getting passed was that this takes a very real human toll. Two out of five women who have babies are on Medicaid. We have elderly people in Medicaid-funded nursing homes. Where are they going to go?”
Dr. Audrey Nath said she’s concerned about Houstonians losing affordable healthcare. Credit: April Towery
Homeless shelters don’t have medical equipment, added Nath, who is running for a nonpartisan seat on the Houston ISD school board in November.
“We just need a functioning healthcare system,” she said. “I spoke to a friend of mine who is a specialist at a rural hospital in Texas. He said they’ve got maybe 14 days of liquid cash on hand to stay afloat if they were to stop getting payments. When you have massive cuts like that, people are going to lose coverage. Rural hospitals will close. If you are a wealthy person with private insurance, if the hospital is gone and you have a heart attack in a little town, it doesn’t matter who you are. We are all affected by this.”
“I think it was strategic and tactical to paint Medicaid as this niche thing for poor people or able-bodied men who don’t feel like getting a job,” she added. “In reality, the proportion of Medicaid recipients who aren’t working or in school or caretaking is really quite low. Now, for the government to be shut down, and for there to be even whispers that it’s freeloaders who want healthcare, it’s disgusting. It’s so far from what the reality is.”
Corisha Rogers said President Donald Trump’s policies are not serving working-class Americans, “especially with the rising costs of healthcare.”
“Millions of people will be affected in terms of healthcare,” she said.
The shutdown is also taking a toll on airports, where “essential” employees like air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents, are going to work without the promise of a check.
They should be able to receive back pay in a lump sum once the government reopens, but past shutdowns have prompted “sickouts,” where employees don’t show up, usually because they’re seeking part-time work so they can pay their bills. Trump has also indicated that furloughed employees will be laid off during the shutdown.
“And it will be Democrat-oriented, because we figure, you know, they started this thing,” the President said last week. “It’ll be a lot.”
Flight Aware, software that tracks American airport activity, showed four canceled flights and 87 delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday. During the same time frame, there were no canceled flights and 70 delays at William P. Hobby Airport. A spokesperson for the Houston Airport System, which manages IAH, Hobby, and Houston Spaceport, referred questions about the shutdown to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Frequent business travelers have said they’ve spotted a third-party security team doing checks rather than TSA, and the delays are expected to get worse as the shutdown continues.
During the 35-day shutdown from December 2018 to January 2019, flights across the country were delayed and canceled. This time around, residents are growing concerned about holiday travel. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is typically the busiest day of the year for American airports.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at a press conference last week that air traffic controllers have already started calling in sick.
“They’re not thinking about the airspace. They’re thinking about, am I going to get a paycheck?” he said.
Williams said she’s not purchasing plane tickets anytime soon but she has a daughter and grandchildren in Louisiana that she hopes will come to Houston for Christmas.
“Lord willing, this mess will be over long before Christmas,” she said.
Houstonians can voice their frustration with the shutdown and the Trump administration this weekend. More than 2,500 “No Kings” protests are scheduled across the country on Saturday, October 18, including one from noon to 2 p.m. at Discovery Green and one from 2 to 6 p.m. at Houston City Hall. The No Kings movement aims to “send a clear and unmistakable message: we are a nation of equals, and our country will not be ruled by fear or force,” according to organizers.
Officials with Air Alliance Houston said at an October 11 event that they’re worried about stalled Environmental Protection Agency projects, which already take a long time to start, much less complete.
“There is a lot of heartburn and heartache in our communities,” said Air Alliance Communications Director Brenda Franco. “We’re seeing the effects that this current administration is having on communities that have been neglected.”
Air Alliance Houston sued the federal government in June, claiming that the Trump administration illegally terminated environmental justice grant programs despite a Congressional directive to fund them.
“Here in Houston — one of the most polluted cities in the country — our grant would have helped people who live day-to-day with air pollution to have a meaningful say in the environmental decisions that affect their lives,” said Air Alliance Houston Executive Director Jennifer Hadayiaat the time the grant was rescinded. “Now, communities like ours will not receive the critical support needed to make change, support that we legally and contractually received.”
Although the shutdown doesn’t have a direct effect on the pending lawsuit over grant funding, it does mean more delays for already-approved cleanup projects like the one at San Jacinto River Toxic Waste Pits in East Harris County. The EPA reported that about 90 percent of its workforce will be furloughed during the shutdown.
Both political parties are blaming each other for the shutdown, with some Republicans suggesting that the Democrats are attempting to offer discounted healthcare to undocumented persons.
“They have made a decision that they would rather give taxpayer funded benefits to illegal aliens, than to keep the doors open for the American people,” said Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, the day after the shutdown.
U.S. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, said on the Houston Matters radio show earlier this month that government employees could go back to work immediately if Republicans would compromise.
“There are a couple of critical things that Republicans aren’t doing,” she said. “One, protecting the healthcare of Americans across the country whose bills, insurance premiums and expenses are about to go through the roof. We all know it’s coming, so it’s really important that we address that now. And, two, make sure that the Trump administration spends the money as we’ve directed, which has not happened all year. That’s really the stalemate.”
While Trump is referring to the stalemate as a “Democrat shutdown,” Fletcher pointed out that Republicans control the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate, and the White House.
“They have the ability to bring a bill to the floor at any time to have averted this situation and to end it,” she said. “The Democrats have laid out priorities. The biggest thing we have said is that we’ve got to deal with the fact that the actions that this Congress and this White House have taken this year have caused a healthcare crisis.”
And for Patrice Williams and other Houstonians, the clock is ticking.
“I thank God that I’m healthy right now, but that could change instantly,” she said. “I’m praying to God they do the right thing.”
The government has embarked on an ambitious programme to rehabilitate and modernise airports across Zimbabwe in a move aimed at enhancing air transport infrastructure, boosting tourism, and attracting critical foreign investment, Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona has announced.
Speaking at the 2025 Built Environment Conference and Expo, Mhona said the multi-billion-dollar initiative will see Charles Prince Airport on the outskirts of Harare upgraded to full international status, alongside other major aviation projects.
“In the aviation sector, the government has embarked on an ambitious programme to rehabilitate and modernise airports to enhance air transport infrastructure, boost tourism, and attract investments,” Mhona said.
He added that the recently refurbished Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport will be re-purposed to focus primarily on domestic air traffic, streamlining operations and optimising capacity.
Among the key projects earmarked are the expansion of Charles Prince Airport, the construction of a new Mutare International Airport, and the development of Kariba International Airport.
“Charles Prince Airport is going to be an international airport. We are going to have one of our biggest airports at Charles Prince. Land has already been availed by government through the Airports Company of Zimbabwe to enable expansion,” Mhona said.
He confirmed that feasibility studies are already underway and that the upgraded Charles Prince Airport will feature three to four runways once completed.
Beyond aviation, Mhona said government’s broader transport strategy seeks to transform Zimbabwe from a landlocked nation into a land-linked regional hub, facilitating trade and economic integration across southern Africa.
“Our concerted efforts in upgrading road infrastructure are now visibly manifesting through the strategic road corridors approach, with the North-South Corridor, the Beira Development Corridor, and the Limpopo Corridor anchoring connectivity as we position Zimbabwe as a key transit nation,” Mhona said.
He explained that the ongoing road and border post upgrades aim to cut transit times, improve logistics, and create a more business-friendly environment.
Major projects in the pipeline include the Beitbridge-Masvingo-Harare-Chirundu Road, the 31.2km Christmas Pass bypass, the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, and the modernization of Chirundu and Forbes border posts, as well as the construction of four new highway interchanges.
Mhona emphasised that partnerships with the private sector would be crucial in sustaining infrastructure growth, but stressed the need for commercial viability to attract investment.
“It is vital that we adopt a business-minded approach to infrastructure service provision. Services must attract access fees that make infrastructure self-maintaining and sustainable. Without these commercial viability potentials, private capital might not be adequately attracted to the sector,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed that Zimbabwe’s strategic location gives it a pivotal role in regional trade, and the current infrastructure overhaul is designed to unlock new economic opportunities while boosting the country’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
The Denver Board of Ethics has cleared Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington of using his position for private gain when he flew himself and eight other executives to Madrid on a spring trip that cost about $18,000 per person.
But the board members said in a written decision that even if Washington technically followed city policy, they were “appalled” by the amount of money he approved spending for an aviation conference — and by his “seemingly cavalier attitude in responding to this complaint.”
The decision, issued Friday, came five months after CBS News Colorado revealed the cost of the tickets and other travel expenses after filing a request under the Colorado Open Records Act. Soon after the story came out in May, someone anonymously filed an ethics complaint about the report.
“While the Board of Ethics believes that officers, officials, and employees of the City and County of Denver should be better stewards of public funds, the Board must apply the facts to the law as it stands,” according to the ruling document.
In an interview with the board’s executive director, Washington said he wouldn’t have allowed the purchase of the airline tickets if he knew how much they would cost, according to the decision. But the board found that when Washington approved the expenses, the estimates he saw were mostly in line with the actual costs.
“Mr. Washington’s statement that he was unaware of the actual costs of the airfare is concerning,” the members wrote in the statement.
The airport’s travel policy allows employees to fly business class on flights longer than eight hours, and on this trip all nine flew business or first class. The group’s round-trip flights ranged in price from about $9,300 each for three officials to nearly $19,200 for the airport’s chief operating officer, Dave LaPorte. Washington’s flights cost about $12,000.
The board also took issue with Washington saying it was a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to attend the Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference, since it happens annually. Washington said the higher-class seats were necessary so that the executives could “hit the ground running” when they arrived, even though almost none of them had speaking engagements until one to two days after they arrived in Madrid.
The board found that Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s Chief of Staff Jenn Ridder also approved the estimated expenses but said she was compelled to do so because the costs came from the airport’s own budget, rather than the city’s general fund. The airport operates off revenue it generates, including from airlines and passengers.
Washington described the three-day conference, which began April 8, as an opportunity to learn from the “best in aviation” and a chance to bring ideas back to Denver.
The Board of Ethics is an independent agency established by the city charter that investigates ethics complaints and issues opinions on ethical responsibilities.
A sighting of a suspected drone briefly shuttered a Danish airport on Friday for the second time in a few hours, after the country’s prime minister said the flights were part of “hybrid attacks” that may be linked to Russia.
Drones have been seen flying over several Danish airports since Wednesday, causing one of them to close for hours, after a sighting earlier this week prompted Copenhagen airport to shut down.
That followed a similar incident in Norway, drone incursions in Polish and Romanian territory and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets, which raised tensions in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“Over recent days, Denmark has been the victim of hybrid attacks,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a video message on social media on Thursday — referring to a form of unconventional warfare.
She warned that such drone flights “could multiply”.
Investigators said they had so far failed to identify those responsible, but Frederiksen stressed: “There is one main country that poses a threat to Europe’s security, and it is Russia.”
Moscow said Thursday it “firmly rejects” any suggestion that it was involved in the Danish incidents. Its embassy in Copenhagen called them “a staged provocation”, in a post on social media.
Denmark’s Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard earlier said the aim of the attack was “to spread fear, create division and frighten us”.
He added that Copenhagen would acquire new enhanced capabilities to “detect” and “neutralise drones”.
Denmark will on Friday join other EU countries, mostly along the eastern border with Russia, in the first talks on proposals to build a “wall” of anti-drone defences in the face of the tensions with Moscow.
– Russia sabotage warning –
Drones were spotted on Wednesday and early Thursday at airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own, police said.
Aalborg airport, located in northern Denmark, was initially shut down for several hours, and closed again for about an hour from late Thursday into early Friday morning due to another suspected sighting.
“It was not possible to take down the drones, which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours,” North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said about the initial Aalborg incident.
The head of Denmark’s military intelligence, Thomas Ahrenkiel, told a news conference the service had not been able to identify who was behind the drones.
But intelligence chief Finn Borch said: “The risk of Russian sabotage in Denmark is high.”
Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told a news conference the flights appeared to be “the work of a professional actor… such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time”.
He said it had posed “no direct military threat” to Denmark.
Frederiksen said Thursday that she had spoken with NATO chief Mark Rutte about the incidents.
Lund Poulsen said the government had yet to decide whether to invoke NATO’s Article 4, under which any member state can call urgent talks when it feels its “territorial integrity, political independence or security” are at risk.
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country stood ready “to contribute to the security of Danish airspace”.
Copenhagen is set to host a summit of European Union leaders next week.
– ‘Feel rather insecure’ –
Police said investigations were under way with the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces.
The drone activity shook some in Denmark, including 85-year-old Birgit Larsen.
“I feel rather insecure. I live in a country where there has been peace since 1945. I am not really used to thinking about war,” she told AFP in central Copenhagen.
Others were less concerned.
“It’s probably Russia, you know, testing the borders of Europe. They fly close to the borders and stuff and try to provoke, but not threaten,” said 48-year-old Torsten Froling.
The drone flights came after Denmark announced it would acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, as Russia would pose a threat “for years to come”.
You’ve been there before. At the airport, minutes before boarding when you’re suddenly struck with the urge to use the bathroom. Traveling alone, with a bag and a carry-on, it just feels like too much hassle to lug it into the bathroom stall with you. What do you do?
An average person might ask their seatmate at the gate to watch their belongings while they rushed to relieve themselves. They might simply reply “sure,” and keep an eye on your bag for you. What many don’t know, however, is that the simple request bears more weight than you think.
Woman asks people to watch her bag at airport
A woman drew the ire of the internet after she posted a TikTok about her experience at the airport. Cara, who goes by @theovonswife_ on the platform, shared a video explaining how she asked a woman to watch her purse and carry-on while she ran to the bathroom that was “10 steps away.” Cara was flabbergasted when the woman told her no.
“I legitimately thought she was joking at first, so I laughed,” Cara wrote in the text overlay. “She indeed was not joking so I just took my purse [because] I felt uncomfortable.”
The comments on Cara’s video have been turned off, but that hasn’t stopped other creators from making responses to her clip. One of them, @knotkiddingny, explained exactly why the woman who rejected Cara was in the right.
The Mary Sue reached out to Cara via email for comment.
Why can’t someone watch your bag at the airport?
The creator promises to break down the “airport rule,” and explains, “If someone gives you a bag to watch and you agree to it, then an officer comes by and says, ‘I need to check what’s in
that bag.’ There could be chemicals in it, drugs, stolen property, weapons, maybe a bomb.”
She says that you wouldn’t know whether that bag actually went through TSA or if it came from another plane or private jet.
“It could’ve been smuggled in by airport employees,” she continues. “You have no idea. But guess what, you are now 100% responsible for everything in that bag.”
The TikToker says that because of this, they can immediately arrest you. She argues that this isn’t just about “terrorism” and that the rule predates 9/11.
“This is about crime prevention,” she says. “And I don’t know why you guys think that all criminals look like the hamburglar.”
She called Cara “stupid” and her Southern Hospitality “phony” before urging viewers to watch the movie “Brokedown Palace.” (The 1999 film is about people who get arrested while smuggling drugs during their vacation in Thailand.)
What’s the airport rule about unattended luggage?
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) considers any unattended luggage a security risk. At the airport, there are frequent announcements over the intercom to report any unattended luggage. While there is no official literature from TSA about strangers watching your bags specifically, folks are strongly encouraged to report unattended luggage. Plus, as the TikToker said, you never know what someone is carrying.
Viewers take the ‘airport rule’ seriously
Several viewers under @knotkiddingny’s clip were on her side, saying no one should take the “airport rule” lightly.
“I even side eye my husband when he asks me to watch his bag when he goes to the bathroom,” one person said. “Like, after 24 years, do I REALLY know you?”
Another wrote, “Leaving my bag with a human I don’t know has never crossed my mind. I don’t trust people.”
One top comment read, “The bathroom stalls in airports are literally longer so that you can bring your bag in with you. it’s unpleasant, but just do it.”
Gisselle Hernandez-Gomez is a contributing reporter to the Mary Sue. Her work has appeared in the Daily Dot, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and more. You can follow her on X at @GisselleHern. You can email her at [email protected].
A woman expecting a short honeymoon flight to Mexico was left stunned at the airport after learning her husband had secretly planned an entirely different, far grander surprise—a dream honeymoon to the Maldives.
The moment, captured in a TikTok video posted by Luckaia Strand (@luckaiastrand), has gone viral, racking up more than 4.1 million views since it was shared on September 9.
Text overlaid on the video reads: “POV [point of view]: Your husband pulls off the best honeymoon surprise of all time.”
In the caption accompanying the post, she shared more details: “I thought we were getting on a 4hr flight to Mexico, instead we got on a 16hr flight to DUBAI! Maldives here we come!! MY DREAM HONEYMOON!”
The viral moment highlights how important honeymoon travel remains to many newlyweds.
According to a study by wedding planning website The Knot, which analyzed data from 17,000 couples in the United States who got married in 2024 as well as from couples getting married this year, around 69 percent of couples opt to take a honeymoon after their wedding.
The study noted that the main motivation for most couples is “to spend quality time with their significant other and create new memories together,” with time of year and weather playing key roles in where they choose to go.
In 2024, 41 percent of honeymooners stayed within the U.S., while 18 percent headed to the Caribbean and 17 percent traveled to Europe. Domestically, Florida and Hawaii tied as the top destinations, each chosen by 17 percent of couples, the study found.
The cost of a honeymoon varies significantly by destination, with couples spending an average of $5,300. Those who traveled domestically in the U.S. spent around $3,400, while international honeymoons averaged $6,800. The study also found that just over half of all couples paid for the trip themselves, while others received help from family or wedding guests.
‘This Isn’t Real Life’
In the case of the wife in the viral TikTok video, the Maldives—often cited among the world’s most luxurious honeymoon destinations—was a total surprise.
Her husband’s detailed months-long deception delivered a honeymoon she hadn’t dared to expect.
The viral clip begins with the wife innocently posing for a photo at the airport near a large window overlooking a plane. Her husband can be heard off-screen saying: “So cute, say cheese.” Moments later, he adds: “I gotta tell you something Kaia.”
“What?” she asks, and he responds: “We’re not going to Cancun [in Mexico].”
Confused, the wife presses further: “What do you mean? Where are we going?”
Her husband points to the plane behind her and says: “That’s our plane, we’re getting on that plane.” When she asks “Why?” he delivers the full reveal, saying: “We’re going to the Maldives.”
Still in disbelief, she replies: “No, we’re not,” prompting him to confirm: “We really are, I promise.”
“You’re lying,” she says. “I’ve been lying to you for nine months,” he replies.
As the realization sinks in, the wife says: “We’re getting on that plane?…I’m shaking, this isn’t real life,” as the video ends.
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
A stock image of a smiling couple looking at a phone while seated next to suitcases at an airport. A stock image of a smiling couple looking at a phone while seated next to suitcases at an airport. Getty
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DALLAS, Texas: Southwest Airlines is tightening its rules for plus-size passengers, introducing a new requirement that travelers who need an additional seat must purchase it when booking rather than waiting until they reach the airport.
The policy change takes effect January 27, the same day the airline will introduce assigned seating, ending its long tradition of open boarding.
Currently, plus-size customers can either pay for an extra seat in advance with the option of requesting a refund later or ask for an extra seat at the airport at no cost. Under the new system, passengers will still be eligible for refunds, but only if the flight is not full at departure, both tickets were bought in the same booking class, and the request is filed within 90 days. Refunds are no longer guaranteed.
Southwest said in a statement that the update is part of a broader overhaul of policies tied to the transition to assigned seating. “To ensure space, we are communicating to customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking,” the airline said.
Passengers who don’t purchase an additional seat ahead of time will be required to buy one at the airport. If the flight is sold out, they will be rebooked on another flight.
The change is Southwest’s latest move. In May, the airline ended its “bags fly free” policy, another once-defining perk that set it apart from rivals. The airline has also announced plans to charge more for legroom and add red-eye flights.
Jason Vaughn, an Orlando-based travel agent who runs the Fat Travel Tested website, said the policy will affect all passengers, not just plus-size travelers. “I think it’s going to make the flying experience worse for everybody,” he said, adding that the current system offered comfort while ensuring adequate space for all.
He described the move as another blow to longtime loyalists, comparing it to brand changes at Cracker Barrel that angered some of the restaurant’s customers. “They have no idea anymore who their customer is. They have no identity left,” Vaughn said.
The airline has struggled with performance issues and faces pressure from activist investors to boost revenue and profits, prompting a wave of policy changes.
The traffic management program started at about 7 a.m. Wednesday. By 7:30 a.m., 126 flights headed in and out of DIA had been delayed, and three were canceled, according to flight tracking software FlightAware.
FAA officials said the ground delay is scheduled through 1 p.m., but it could be lifted earlier if conditions clear up.
As of 7:30 a.m., flights were being delayed an average of 40 minutes. Those delays were expected to jump to more than an hour between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., according to the federal agency.
Southwest delayed 71 flights Wednesday, followed by 25 from SkyWest and 20 from United. Five other airlines delayed between one and three flights, according to FlightAware.
SkyWest canceled two flights, and United canceled one.
A federal judge has ordered the State of Florida to halt all new construction and dismantle infrastructure at a migrant detention camp in the Big Cypress National Preserve within 60 days, following a lawsuit from environmental groups.The injunction was issued after Friends of the Everglades, Inc. and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit arguing that the project violates environmental laws and threatens sensitive ecosystems.The lawsuit, filed on June 27, seeks to halt construction until compliance with federal, state, and local laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) assumed control of the airport on June 23, and construction commenced without a prior environmental assessment.Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the federal government had requested and would fully fund the center. Plaintiffs contend that the camp’s construction risks harming wetlands, wildlife, and air and water quality in the preserve, which is critical for endangered species and is located near Everglades National Park.A Motion for Preliminary Injunction was filed to prevent development until NEPA and APA compliance.FDEM Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruett said, “Florida is funding the project, expecting federal reimbursement, and believes the environmental impact will be minimal due to the airport’s existing infrastructure.” Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani served as an expert witness on this case, and below is her statement in response:“Today’s injunction is a resounding victory for Florida’s environment and for justice. The Everglades is one of the most unique and fragile ecosystems in the world, and the idea of carving it up for a sprawling detention camp was both reckless and cruel. This ruling protects our wetlands, our wildlife, and our water supply, while also affirming that we cannot sacrifice human dignity for political gain. Florida deserves solutions that protect people and the planet — not projects that devastate both.”WESH 2 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. We have not heard back yet.
FLORIDA, USA —
A federal judge has ordered the State of Florida to halt all new construction and dismantle infrastructure at a migrant detention camp in the Big Cypress National Preserve within 60 days, following a lawsuit from environmental groups.
The injunction was issued after Friends of the Everglades, Inc. and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit arguing that the project violates environmental laws and threatens sensitive ecosystems.
The lawsuit, filed on June 27, seeks to halt construction until compliance with federal, state, and local laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) assumed control of the airport on June 23, and construction commenced without a prior environmental assessment.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ISSUED ON THE EVERGLADES IMMIGRANT DETENTION CAMP!
The State of Florida must halt ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION, cannot bring *any* new detainees, and in 60 days they must dismantle the fencing, lighting and other infrastructure as the population diminishes. pic.twitter.com/bUqdPHOlQB
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, PhD 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) August 22, 2025
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the federal government had requested and would fully fund the center. Plaintiffs contend that the camp’s construction risks harming wetlands, wildlife, and air and water quality in the preserve, which is critical for endangered species and is located near Everglades National Park.
A Motion for Preliminary Injunction was filed to prevent development until NEPA and APA compliance.
FDEM Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruett said, “Florida is funding the project, expecting federal reimbursement, and believes the environmental impact will be minimal due to the airport’s existing infrastructure.”
Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani served as an expert witness on this case, and below is her statement in response:
“Today’s injunction is a resounding victory for Florida’s environment and for justice. The Everglades is one of the most unique and fragile ecosystems in the world, and the idea of carving it up for a sprawling detention camp was both reckless and cruel. This ruling protects our wetlands, our wildlife, and our water supply, while also affirming that we cannot sacrifice human dignity for political gain. Florida deserves solutions that protect people and the planet — not projects that devastate both.”
WESH 2 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. We have not heard back yet.
Emotional farewells are a common sight at airports, but travelers leaving the New Zealand city of Dunedin will have to be quick. A new three-minute time limit on goodbye hugs in the airport’s drop-off area is intended to prevent lingering cuddles from causing traffic jams.“Max hug time three minutes,” warn signs outside the terminal, adding that those seeking “fonder farewells” should head to the airport’s parking lot instead.Video above: This trick could save up to $500 on your next flightThe cuddle cap was imposed in September to “keep things moving smoothly” in the redesigned passenger drop-off area outside the airport, CEO Dan De Bono told The Associated Press on Tuesday. It was the airport’s way of reminding people that the zone was for “quick farewells” only.The signs had polarized social media users, De Bono said.“We were accused of breaching basic human rights and how dare we limit how long someone can have a hug for,” he said, adding that others had welcomed the change.The signs were meant as an alternative to those at other airports warning of wheel clamping or fines for drivers parked in drop-off areas. Some in Britain have imposed fees for all drop-offs — however brief.Dunedin’s airport — a modest terminal serving a city of 135,000 people on New Zealand’s South Island — preferred a “quirky” approach, De Bono said.Three minutes was “plenty of time to pull up, say farewell to your loved ones and move on,” he said. “The time limit is really a nicer way of saying, you know, get on with it.”A 20-second hug is long enough to release the wellbeing-boosting hormones oxytocin and serotonin, De Bono said. Anything longer was “really awkward.”But passengers need not worry unduly about enforcement. “We do not have hug police,” De Bono said.Visitors might, however, be asked to move their lingering embraces to the parking lot, where they can cuddle free of charge for up to 15 minutes.
Emotional farewells are a common sight at airports, but travelers leaving the New Zealand city of Dunedin will have to be quick. A new three-minute time limit on goodbye hugs in the airport’s drop-off area is intended to prevent lingering cuddles from causing traffic jams.
“Max hug time three minutes,” warn signs outside the terminal, adding that those seeking “fonder farewells” should head to the airport’s parking lot instead.
Video above: This trick could save up to $500 on your next flight
The cuddle cap was imposed in September to “keep things moving smoothly” in the redesigned passenger drop-off area outside the airport, CEO Dan De Bono told The Associated Press on Tuesday. It was the airport’s way of reminding people that the zone was for “quick farewells” only.
The signs had polarized social media users, De Bono said.
“We were accused of breaching basic human rights and how dare we limit how long someone can have a hug for,” he said, adding that others had welcomed the change.
The signs were meant as an alternative to those at other airports warning of wheel clamping or fines for drivers parked in drop-off areas. Some in Britain have imposed fees for all drop-offs — however brief.
Dunedin’s airport — a modest terminal serving a city of 135,000 people on New Zealand’s South Island — preferred a “quirky” approach, De Bono said.
Three minutes was “plenty of time to pull up, say farewell to your loved ones and move on,” he said. “The time limit is really a nicer way of saying, you know, get on with it.”
A 20-second hug is long enough to release the wellbeing-boosting hormones oxytocin and serotonin, De Bono said. Anything longer was “really awkward.”
But passengers need not worry unduly about enforcement. “We do not have hug police,” De Bono said.
Visitors might, however, be asked to move their lingering embraces to the parking lot, where they can cuddle free of charge for up to 15 minutes.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) will suspend all commercial and cargo operations ahead of Hurricane Milton, beginning at 9am on Tuesday.
The Tampa airport will remain closed to the public until it can assess any damage after the storm. TPA plans to resume services as soon as it is safe to do so later this week, but passengers should check with their airlines regarding flight schedules.
Tampa International Airport and its partners will use the time ahead of the suspension to prepare the airfield and terminals, including the securing of jet bridges, ground equipment and any remaining aircraft before the storm arrives. The three other public airports managed by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority – Peter O. Knight, Tampa Executive and Plant City Airports – will also close in a similar timeframe.
TPA, including the Main Terminal and Airsides, will not be open for public use and is not equipped to function as a shelter for people or vehicles. The Airport is in an “A” evacuation zone and will not be staffed to assist others with supplies or assistance, nor will emergency services be able to respond to calls or transport individuals to or from the Airport.
For the same reason, parking garages will also be closed to the public during the suspension of operations, and people are asked not to bring vehicles to the Airport for parking.
Travelers are urged to heed emergency management advisories and pay close attention to public safety alerts. Currently, Hurricane Milton is forecast to bring potentially catastrophic storm surge, high winds and heavy rain to Tampa Bay and all of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The Tampa airport anticipates reopening after Hurricane Milton once a damage assessment that will begin as soon as it is safe to do so. TPA will closely coordinate the reopening of the Airport with its partners, including the Transportation Security Administration and airlines, based on roadway safety, facility readiness and staffing. Any changes to the timing will be promptly communicated.
The airport provided these important reminders for passengers:
Please contact your airline for the latest flight information. TPA will announce if flight operations are affected by the storm, but airlines are responsible for their schedules.
Monitor the weather closely. Please stay up to date on forecasts for your area and any regions to which you may be traveling to or from.
Follow TPA social media for the latest updates. Our account on X (formerly Twitter), @FlyTPA, will be the place to find the latest updates.
TPA will notify the public of our timeline to reopen when the decision to do so safely has been made.
But even as October kicks off, the cool weather reprieve is ending, and Southern California is going to see temperatures climb into the extreme range again, forecasters say.
“There is some potential for record-breaking heat,” said Todd Hall, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Highs in some areas could soar into the triple digits.
Temperatures this week in Southern California are expected to be about 10 degrees above normal, according to the weather service. Parts of Los Angeles County will begin to see high temperatures starting Tuesday, with Wednesday the hottest day of the week, Hall said.
Palmdale and Lancaster are among the areas that could see records fall.
Hall said L.A. County usually sees warm weather this time of year, but the Santa Ana winds have not yet arrived, and cloudy weather has kept the region cooler.
Last October, the state faced a heat wave that drove temperatures across Southern California 15 degrees above normal and brought record heat to Northern California.
Hall said that after the heat peaks on Wednesday, cooler temperatures should arrive later in the week.
Woodland Hills is expecting a high of 105 degrees on Wednesday, and Burbank could see 97, Hall said. The weather service issued an excessive heat advisory beginning Tuesday through Wednesday evening for the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, with temperatures reaching as high as 106.
Other parts of Southern California will also face triple-digit temperatures. Ojai is expected to hit 105 on Tuesday and Wednesday, while residents in Paso Robles could see temperatures reach 108. San Luis Obispo will see temperatures as high as 100 on those days as well.
Hall advised residents to be cognizant of the hot weather and avoid outdoor activity, or confine their activity to the early morning hours.
There is also an elevated fire risk with the rising temperatures, Hall said. But there are no high winds in the forecast that could drive the fire risk even higher.
Firefighters are still working on fully containing three Southern California wildfires. The Airport, Bridge and Line fires started near the beginning of September and have been burning for weeks.
The Airport fire in Orange and Riverside counties has burned 23,526 acres and is 95% contained. Authorities have made daily progress, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The Bridge fire in L.A. and San Bernardino counties has burned 54,878 acres and is 97% contained.
The most active fire remaining is the Line fire in San Bernardino County, which was 83% contained but had a significant flare-up on Sunday, as the Victorville Daily Press reported. The county Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation order Sunday afternoon for the community of Seven Oaks.
Cal Fire said the Line fire was still burning actively in Bear Creek on Sunday and producing a lot of smoky conditions because of dried-out fuels. Relative humidity in the fire area was expected to range as low as 12%, with winds gusting to about 15 mph. Cal Fire said it had strengthened the containment line on the ridge and had at least 10 helicopters working in the area.
