Dems resistant to DC crime crackdown as questions linger about left-wing protest funding
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Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A grandmother's request to spend a few more minutes at a NYC beach ends in tragedy
As the lifeguards prepared to end their shift, a 77-year-old Russian grandmother visiting her family in Brooklyn was having such a good time at Manhattan Beach Park she called her daughter and told her to hold off on picking her up. 'It's breezy. It's good weather,' Liudmila Marchenko told her daughter. ''Give me an hour.' Minutes later, tragedy befell the beloved grandmother. Swimmers discovered her floating face down in the surf just as the lifeguards' shifts ended for the day on Monday, her daughter told the Daily News. 'Between our conversation with my mom, the call and the accident, probably 15 minutes,' said Natalia Sapunkova. 'People who were swimming around found my mom floating face down and called to lifeguards, but it happened at 6 o'clock, maybe 6:01 p.m., and, of course, lifeguards are finishing at this time.' Park Enforcement Patrol officers alerted lifeguards to Marchenko's danger in the waters off the park near Oriental Boulevard around 6:15 p.m., a spokesman for the Parks Department said. Lifeguards administered CPR to the victim while awaiting paramedics, who rushed the victim to Coney Island Hospital, where she was declared dead around 7 p.m., the Park spokeswoman said. Because the incident occurred after the beach was closed to swimmers, lifeguards were not on duty, the parks spokeswoman said. Marchenko, a resident of the southwest Siberian city of Kemerovo and a former accountant for the Russian state road and rail service, had flown into the country on July 15 to celebrate her daughter's birthday and spend time with her family living in Sheepshead Bay. A family friend recalled the festivities for Sapunkova's Aug. 1 birthday bash, where Marchenko spoke to the crowd, recited a poem and sang beautifully for her daughter. 'She made this speech, a beautiful speech, and she was singing a song dedicated to her daughter,' said Sofia Kozel. 'She gave me such an impression. She was very beautiful. Loved to live.' During her stay in the U.S., Marchenko decided she wanted to see the White House and her family took made a day trip to D.C. where they visited the National Gallery and posed for pictures outside the Washington Monument. But, for the woman hailing from a landlocked region of Siberia, her favorite destination was Brooklyn's southern coast, where she could spend hours bobbing in the surf, her granddaughter said. 'She was at the beach every single day. She would just stay in the water almost the whole entire day. In Russia, you don't really have a beach like that,' said 20-year-old Yana Sapunkova. 'Even though Coney Island and Manhattan Beach are a little dirty, it's still something compared to nothing. She really enjoyed it.' The victim's daughter said her mother had been at Manhattan Beach for hours when she rang around 5:45 p.m. on Monday and said she wasn't ready to depart the coast. 'She called me around 5:45 p.m. and I said, 'Okay, I'm home. Are you ready for pickup?' She said, 'No, give me more time.'' Natalia Sapunkova only wanted to give her mother another half hour, but that Marchenko haggled with her until she agreed to a 7 p.m. pickup. When she arrived, however, her mother wasn't answering her phone. Marchenko's daughter said she went searching for her mother near a flat rock on the beach that had become her usual spot. She found her bag, clothes, shoes and phone, but her mother was nowhere to be seen, Natalia Sapunkova said. After searching for an hour, Natalia Sapunkova contacted police who directed her to the 61st Precinct in Coney Island to fill out a missing person's report. It was there she learned of her mothers tragic fate after meeting two police officers who responded to the drowning. 'I can't accept it,' Natalia Sapunkova said. 'In my brain, in my mind, it's not acceptable. She's still with me.' The victim's granddaughter was attending a music festival in Pennsylvania when her mother called with the tragic news of her beloved grandmother's death. 'She was part of the reason why my childhood was as good as it was,' said Yana Sapunkova. 'I had such an amazing grandmother who always showed love to us.' Marchenko's daughter said she hopes other beachgoers take a lesson from her mother's death and stay on land when lifeguards are off duty. 'I hope this story will help someone be safe in the water,' said Natalia Sapunkova. 'If you want to swim so late after lifeguards, only you are responsible.' __________
Los Angeles Times
15 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
West Virginia sends hundreds of National Guard members to D.C. at Trump team's request
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of West Virginia National Guard members will deploy across the nation's capital as part of the Trump administration's assumption of control over policing in the District of Columbia in what it says is part of a nationwide crackdown on crime on homelessness. The move comes as federal agents and National Guard troops have begun to appear across the heavily Democratic city after Trump's executive order on Monday federalizing local police forces and activating about 800 D.C. National Guard troops. By adding outside troops to join the existing National Guard deployment and federal law enforcement officers temporarily assigned to Washington, President Trump is exercising even tighter control over the city. It's a power play that the president has justified as an emergency response to crime and homelessness, even though district officials have noted that violent crime is lower than it was during Trump's first term in office. A protest against Trump's intervention drew scores to Washington's Dupont Circle on Saturday afternoon before a march to the White House, about a mile and a half away. Demonstrators assembled behind a banner that said, 'No fascist takeover of D.C.,' and some in the crowd held signs that said, 'No military occupation.' Trump was at his Virginia golf club after Friday's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, announced Saturday that he was sending a contingent of 300 to 400 National Guard members. 'West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation's capital,' Morrisey said. Morgan Taylor, one of the organizers of Saturday's protest, said demonstrators who turned out on a hot summer day were hoping to spark enough backlash to Trump's actions that the administration would be forced to pull back. 'It's hot, but I'm glad to be here. It's good to see all these people out here,' she said. 'I can't believe that this is happening in this country at this time.' Protesters said they are concerned about what they view as Trump's overreach, arguing that he had used crime as a pretext to impose his will on Washington. John Finnigan, 55, was taking an afternoon bike ride when he ran into the protest in downtown Washington. A real estate construction manager who has lived in the capital for 27 years, he said that Trump's moves were 'ridiculous' because 'crime is at a 30-year low here.' 'Hopefully some of the mayors and some of the residents will get out in front of it and try and make it harder for it to happen in other cities,' Finnigan said. Jamie Dickstein, a 24-year-old teacher, said she was 'very uncomfortable and worried' for the safety of her students given the 'unmarked officers of all types' now roaming Washington and detaining people. Dickstein said she turned out to protest with friends and relatives to 'prevent a continuous domino effect going forward with other cities.' The West Virginia National Guard activation suggests the administration sees the need for additional manpower, after Trump played down the need for Washington to hire more police officers. Maj. Gen. James Seward, West Virginia's adjutant general — a chief aide to the governor and commanding general of the National Guard — said in a statement that members of the Guard 'stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region' and that the Guard's 'unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking.' Federal agents have appeared in some of the city's most highly trafficked neighborhoods, garnering a mix of praise, resistance and alarm from local residents and leaders across the country. City leaders, who are obligated to cooperate with the president's order under the federal laws that direct the district's local governance, have sought to work with the administration, though they have bristled at the scope of the president's takeover. On Friday, the administration reversed course on an order that aimed to place the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as an 'emergency police commissioner' after the district's top lawyer sued to contest. After a court hearing, Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, issued a memo that directed D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement regardless of any city law. District officials say they are evaluating how to best comply. In his order Monday, Trump declared an emergency, citing the 'city government's failure to maintain public order.' He said that impeded the 'federal government's ability to operate efficiently to address the nation's broader interests without fear of our workers being subjected to rampant violence.' In a letter to city residents, Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, wrote that 'our limited self-government has never faced the type of test we are facing right now.' She added that if Washingtonians stick together, 'we will show the entire nation what it looks like to fight for American democracy — even when we don't have full access to it.' Brown and Pesoli write for the Associated Press. AP writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.
The Hill
15 minutes ago
- The Hill
Sunday shows preview: Trump-Putin summit ends with no deal; DC resists police takeover
President Trump concluded his Friday summit in Alaska with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by his side as the two announced no peace deal for Ukraine. The highly anticipated face-off on American soil lasted over three hours as White House aides and long-term diplomats from Moscow led bilateral discussions at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. National security aficionados said Trump signaled a stark turn in U.S. foreign policy as Putin was referenced as a 'friend' of the president. Trump's set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday at the White House following calls to show more solidarity with the Eastern European ally. Few details about the president's closed-door meeting with Putin were disclosed, however, Trump said conversations were 'extremely productive.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio flew from Washington to the Last Frontier for Russia-U.S. talks of ending the war in Ukraine. Rubio will likely address advancements made during the summit and future objectives for the Trump administration during a Sunday appearance on ABC's 'This Week' in addition to separate interviews on both Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' and MSNBC's 'Meet the Press.' The secretary of state said security guarantees were necessary to finalize ceasefire negotiations and may also share updates on potential conditions for the agreement to appease both Kyiv and Moscow during the segment. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will likely hit on similar topics during his appearance on CNN's 'State of the Union' and Fox News' 'Fox News Sunday' while sharing prominent developments for peace talks after meeting with Moscow's leaders multiple times this year. Former national security adviser Jake Sullivan is likely to share insight on a strong shift from the Biden administration's approach to the conflict in Ukraine and compare the current war landscape seen under Trump during his appearance on ABC's 'This Week' and Fox News' 'Fox News Sunday.' Fiona Hill, who served as senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council during Trump's first term, will appear on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' Her comments will likely show similarities and differences between the president's attempts to coax Putin into ending the war after the Kremlin launched an invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. Hill could discuss if Putin's land grab attempts will succeed as ceasefire discussions excel and may also explain why Trump decided against secondary sanctions on Russia's trading partners amid a bipartisan push from lawmakers in Congress. As negotiations remain deadlocked overseas, the Trump administration has resumed its Washington takeover with full force. Hundreds of National Guardsmen descended on the nation's capital Monday followed by an additional deployment of soldiers from West Virginia on Saturday. The White House ordered officers with the Metropolitan Police Department to aid in local immigration enforcement efforts and crack down on crime, especially violent acts committed by youth. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has been a vocal critic of the president's immigration agenda and joined fellow Democratic lawmakers in condemning Trump's emergency order placing Washington under federal control. 'We haven't seen scenes like this in D.C. since the days after the current president incited an insurrection,' Van Hollen wrote in a Friday post on X, showcasing tanks outside of Union Station. 'What D.C. faces now is a president abusing his power and deploying troops under the guise of law and order. A dictator's playbook,' he added. The Maryland senator will likely expand upon his thoughts during an appearance on ABC's 'This Week.' These topics and more will be highlighted during this week's Sunday shows. Please see the full list of guests below: NewsNation's 'The Hill Sunday:' Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.); Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-Fla.); Former US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchinson ABC's 'This Week:' Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan; Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.); Former CIA chief of Central Eurasia Division Robert Dannenberg CBS 'Face the Nation:' Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska); Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.); Fiona Hill, former senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council; World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres CNN 'State of the Union:' U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff; Former Vice President Mike Pence (R) MSNBC's 'Meet the Press:' Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) Fox News 'Fox News Sunday:' U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff; Former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan; Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.),
