Latest news with #KathleenWong
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
This Arizona national park is among most popular in US. Here's many people visited in 2024
Arizona is home to one of the most popular national parks in the United States, according to recently released visitation data. Grand Canyon National Park had the third most visitors of any U.S. park in 2024, just behind Great Smoky Mountains and Zion national parks. Each year, millions of people from across the world come to northern Arizona to marvel at the wonder of nature. In 2024, more than 4.9 million people visited the park. This is about 200,000 more than in 2023; it is also the most tourists since before the COVID-19 pandemic when visitation plummeted. Here's what to know about the most visited national parks in Arizona and the United States. Arizona is home to three national parks, though there are 19 other national monuments and historic sites. Here is how the national parks ranked for visitation in 2024: Grand Canyon National Park: Ranked third in the U.S. with 4.9 million visitors. Saguaro National Park: Ranked 26th in the U.S. with 950,000 visitors. Petrified Forest National Park: Ranked 37th in the U.S. with 560,000 visitors. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee: 12.1 million in Utah: 4.9 million Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona: 4.9 million Yellowstone National Park in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming: 4.7 million Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado: 4.1 million Yosemite National Park in California: 4.1 million Acadia National Park in Maine: 3.9 million Olympic National Park in Washington: 3.7 million Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming: 3.6 million Glacier National Park in Montana: 3.2 million Roughly 1,000 National Park Service employees were laid off around Valentine's Day as part of the Trump Administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal government workforce. Park advocates like the independent National Parks Conservation Association and Coalition to Protect National Parks warned that fewer staff will lead to a reduction in the level of service and ability to protect and share park resources. Some parks have already trimmed hours or offerings, and some park visitors have already reported longer waits to enter parks ahead of their busy season. A National Park Service spokesperson told USA TODAY: 'As always, NPS will continue to provide critical services and deliver excellent customer service. Our teams are dedicated to staffing to meet the evolving needs of our visitors, ensuring memorable and meaningful experiences for all. We're committed to keeping access to national parks seamless, so that everyone can enjoy the beauty and wonder of these treasured landscapes across the country.' Hundreds of protesters showed up at Grand Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park and several other Arizona sites on March 1 as part of a series of nationwide rallies against the cuts. USA TODAY reporters Kathleen Wong and Eve Chen contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: This Arizona national park is among most popular in US
USA Today
30-01-2025
- General
- USA Today
DC plane crash: what to know about deadly incidents since 2001
A military Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger plane collided near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night, prompting a massive search and rescue effort near the nation's capital. American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, operated by PSA Airlines, was preparing to land at the airport before it "collided in midair" with the Army helicopter around 9 p.m. ET, authorities said. The flight had 64 people on board, according to American Airlines, and the military helicopter, which was on a training mission, had three soldiers on board, according to FOX News and POLITICO. A joint statement by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and DC Fire and EMS released shortly before 11 p.m. ET said that "there is no confirmed information on casualties at this time." The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Federal Airline Administration and National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is leading the investigation, according to a statement from the FAA obtained by USA TODAY. The FAA lists the DCA airport as being under a ground stop until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday but officials warned, "obviously, that will be fluid." The following are the last 10 fatal airline crashes, according to data from the U.S. National Transportation Board and the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network. 2009 A Colgan Air turboprop crashed on approach to landing in Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground. 2006 A Comair regional jet overran the runway when taking off from Lexington, Kentucky, and crashed, killing 49 of the 50 people on board. 2005 A Chalk's Ocean Airways turboprop crashed after takeoff from Miami, Florida, killing all 20 people on board. 2004 A Corporate Airlines turboprop crashed on approach to landing in Kirksville, Missouri, killing 13 of the 15 people on board. 2003 A US Airways Express turboprop crashed after takeoff from Charlotte, North Carolina, killing all 21 people on board. November 2001 In November, an American Airlines jet crashed after departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, killing all 260 people on board and five people on the ground. Sept. 11, 2001 A hijacked American Airlines jet departed from Boston and crashed into the World Trade Center building in New York, killing all 92 people on board. Around 1,600 people also died on the ground. A hijacked United Airlines jet that departed from Boston also crashed into the World Trade Center, killing all 65 people on board. About 900 people were killed on the ground. A hijacked American Airlines jet that departed from Washington-Dulles International Airport crashed into the Pentagon, killing all 64 people on board. Around 125 people died on the ground. A hijacked United Airlines jet that departed from Newark, New Jersey, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, killing all 44 people on board. Contributing: Reuters, Kathleen Wong, Thao Nguyen, Joey Garrison USA TODAY
USA Today
30-01-2025
- General
- USA Today
Reagan Airport closed until Friday after plane, Black Hawk helicopter crash near DC
The Federal Airline Administration announced late Wednesday night that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will be closed until at least 5 a.m. ET Friday after a passenger jet collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter above the airport. The airport is listed as closed on the National Airspace System Status website, which also lists a ground stop for the airport continuing until at least 5 a.m. ET Thursday. American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, operated by PSA Airlines was preparing to land at the airport before it "collided in midair" with the Army helicopter around 9 p.m. ET, authorities said. The flight had 64 people on board, and the military helicopter, which was on a training mission, had three soldiers on board, according to FOX News and POLITICO. A joint statement by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and DC Fire and EMS released shortly before 11 p.m. ET said that "there is no confirmed information on casualties at this time." A press conference is scheduled for 12:30 a.m. ET. This is a developing story Contributing: Kathleen Wong, Thao Nguyen, Joey Garrison USA TODAY
