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Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Navy Orders Forcewide Housing Inspections After Secretary 'Appalled' by Guam Barracks Conditions
Navy Secretary John Phelan visited Guam earlier this month and was "appalled" after seeing the conditions of an Air Force barracks where junior service members were living, prompting an ongoing Navy-wide inspection of more than 100,000 barracks units, according to a government watchdog and service officials. Conditions included exposed wires, corroded plumbing and dilapidated walls splattered with paint to cover mold; after Phelan's visit, more than 70 Marines and sailors were moved out of the Palau Hall barracks, a housing facility at Andersen Air Force Base. Another 77 airmen there are "in the process of being relocated" in anticipation of a $53 million renovation scheduled to start later this year, an Air Force spokesperson told on Friday. The Project on Government Oversight, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, obtained images of the squalid housing and correspondence sent by the Navy's head of installations, who ordered all regional commands to inspect their barracks by the end of May. Read Next: Air Force Wants Private Company to Take Over its On-Base Hotels The Navy official, Vice Adm. Scott Gray, noted that the Palau Hall barracks were "way outside of any reasonable standard" and that the conditions were "a failure of leadership across multiple echelons of command," according to the documents. Not all of the inspections have been completed, the Navy told Friday, but are expected to be finished by the end of June. Following his visit May 1-2, Phelan ordered Marines and sailors be moved out of the Air Force-owned barracks within 10 days and that new housing aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz be opened about a month ahead of schedule in response to the squalid conditions, according to POGO and confirmed by the Navy. "I actually thought the buildings were condemned," Phelan told POGO in an interview. "When we pulled up to them and saw what shape they're in, I was shocked." Days later, on May 5, Gray sent the email, with photos of the barracks conditions attached, directing the worldwide inspection and adding that "if you would not want a sailor's mother/family visiting them at the housing unit, then you have a problem that needs to be addressed. Fix It!" The inspections are meant to "ensure our sailors are residing in unaccompanied housing that meet living standards regardless [of] if they are Navy-owned or not," Leslie Gould, the Fleet and Family Readiness director for the service's installation command, told in an emailed statement Friday. Palau Hall is Air Force-owned, but it is not uncommon for troops from different branches to stay in cross-service housing. The Navy's inspection includes barracks where sailors are living, but that are operated by other branches. There are more than 104,000 unaccompanied housing units across the Navy, Gould said. They are given a "red, yellow or green" designator following a multi-leader inspection of the barracks' exterior, common areas such as kitchens and laundry rooms, and quarters, according to Gray's email. Within the "yellow" category, Gray urged leaders to apply the "Washington Post test," meaning that "if the pictures you have taken or the results of your assessment conducted of a particular facility were published online tomorrow, would you be able to personally justify sailors living there?" Gould said that housing facilities deemed to be "red" will result in a sailor being immediately removed from the barracks. Those identified as "yellow" will be prioritized for restoration. She said that there are currently no sailors or Marines living in Air Force-owned barracks on Guam, having been relocated to Blaz facilities, and that the Joint Region Marianas commander, Rear Adm. Brett Mietus, inspected all other barracks on the U.S. territory and found that they were not "below standards." René Kladzyk, a senior investigator at POGO and former reporter El Paso Matters in Texas, told in a phone interview Friday that her reporting stemmed from a tip the organization received this month. "I think it's pretty well known that the problems in barracks conditions are quite pervasive. It's not unique to Guam," she said. "When talking about barracks conditions, often we're talking about single, more junior service members who may be in a culture where they are kind of told or taught that they should just be willing to tough it out." "Exposed wiring has very real fire hazard risks. Mold can have a range of severe health impacts that often can be really hard to directly tie," she added. "It's worth mentioning that there are very serious dangers connected to not maintaining housing facilities." The Marine Corps announced last month that Marines and sailors began relocating into new barracks at Camp Blaz from Andersen, citing testimony from troops calling it a "huge upgrade," but did not disclose that the move was a result of poor conditions at Palau Hall. "Luckily, we were in a position to move them out of the Air Force barracks into the brand new built Marine Corps barracks," Capt. Brenda Leenders, a spokesperson for the Marine Corps, told on Friday, adding that "there are nine [barracks facilities] still in the construction phase" on Guam. Barracks conditions for junior troops have been squalid for years as many service leaders recognized that upkeep and funding for their living conditions fell by the wayside as pressing operational needs took priority during 20 years of the Global War on Terrorism. In 2023, the Government Accountability Office found that barracks across the services were infested by mold, rodents, raw sewage and general dilapidation, leaving tens of thousands of young troops in substandard living conditions. While many of the services have said they are continuing to prioritize and fund fixing and building new barracks, reported on Wednesday that the Pentagon will shift $1 billion meant for Army barracks maintenance and renovation to its southern border mission. The "One Big Beautiful Bill" legislation working through Congress, meant to help enact President Donald Trump's agenda, allocates another roughly $1 billion for barracks maintenance and improvements. But that funding would be split between the Army, Navy, Air Force and Space Force, resulting in "a net loss here for them on an uphill battle for quality-of-life initiatives," Rob Evans, creator of Hots & Cots, an app where service members can leave reviews about facilities, told on Friday. "They are all impacted by this, and I would love to hear some sort of steps forward on what the secretary of defense's agenda is for addressing this stuff because this will impact retention and this will impact recruiting," he added. The Air Force spokesperson said that the service "is committed to providing safe and adequate living conditions for its service members," adding that it is prioritizing barracks restoration as part of a "4-year Dorm Master Plan" and had allocated roughly $115 million to four dormitories at Andersen. They noted that Typhoon Mawar in 2023 caused severe damage to facilities there. The service has a $49.5 billion backlog in maintenance and repair efforts, Michael Saunders, the acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy, installations and environment, recently told Congress. In recent years, service leaders have tied troop quality-of-life conditions to urgent strategic efforts, recruiting and retention. Guam, located in the Western Pacific, is also a key strategic asset for the military's ability to project power amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China. "Maintenance and repair funding levels have not kept pace with the rising cost of construction, leading to compounding sustainment costs, widespread degradation, and increases in infrastructure issues that adversely impact mission execution," Saunders said in a statement to the House Armed Services Committee, noting that those conditions make "installations vulnerable to adversaries and [place] mission generation at risk." Related: Pentagon Diverts $1 Billion from Army Barracks to Fund Border Mission
San Francisco Chronicle
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Jefferson Starship talent agency co-founder among 6 killed in San Diego plane crash
The co-founder of the prominent music talent agency Sound Talent Group was one of six people killed when a small plane crashed in a San Diego neighborhood, the company confirmed. The crash occurred when the 1985 Cessna 550 Citation struck power lines in dense fog before plummeting into a residential area early Thursday, May 22, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The impact ignited a massive fire that destroyed several homes and damaged vehicles. Dave Shapiro, 42, was traveling with two employees from his agency, which represents artists including singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton, Canadian punk-pop band Sum 41 and San Francisco psychedelic rock group Jefferson Starship. 'We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues, and friends,' Sound Talent Group said in a statement Thursday. 'Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today's tragedy.' The agency also represents the grunge act Bush, whose frontman, Gavin Rossdale, is scheduled to appear at BottleRock Napa Valley this weekend. Authorities were still combing the crash site and recovering the bodies Thursday evening, but there were no known survivors. The FAA confirmed that six people were on board the plane. 'No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,' the band wrote on its Instagram page. A representative for the band referred to its social media post when asked about Williams' death by the Associated Press. Elliot Simpson, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said the crash occurred around 3:45 a.m. and scattered debris across several blocks in Murphy Canyon, a neighborhood of Navy-owned housing. He added that parts of the plane were found under power lines and on a road behind the homes. Jet fuel spilled into the streets, sparking at least six vehicle fires. 'I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,' San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a media briefing. The plane, which originated from Teterboro, N.J., was trying to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when the crash occurred. The accident left significant damage to homes, with one completely destroyed and others suffering extensive fire and structural damage, police said. At least 100 residents were evacuated as firefighters worked to contain the flames and secure the area.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Small plane hit power lines before deadly San Diego crash, NTSB confirms
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials confirmed Friday that a small plane that plummeted into a U.S. Navy-owned residential neighborhood in San Diego early Thursday, incinerating more than a dozen nearby homes and cars, hit high-tension power lines while approaching the airport for landing. The aircraft, a Cessna 550 Citation business jet, crashed around 3:45 a.m. in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, killing all six people on board, according to Dan Baker, the NTSB investigator in charge. While the identities of those killed have not yet been confirmed by authorities, Fox News Digital learned music executive Dave Shapiro and drummer Daniel Williams died in the crash. Two Planes Do 'Go-arounds' To Avoid Military Helicopter Near Reagan Washington National Airport After departing from Teterboro, New Jersey, the flight made a stop in Wichita, Kansas, and was inbound to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. The plane was approaching the airport's runway when it struck the power lines. Read On The Fox News App Baker said the male pilot did not report any problems to air traffic control and did not declare an emergency. NTSB investigators determined the automated surface observing system, which provides airport weather conditions to pilots, was "inoperative" at the airport at the time of the accident due to "an unrelated power surge." Air traffic control provided the pilot the weather conditions at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar before he began the approach to Montgomery Airport, Baker said. The weather at Miramar, which is four miles north of Montgomery Airport, was briefed as wind calm, with a half-mile of visibility and a 200-foot ceiling. San Diego Plane Crash Kills Rock Musician, Influential Music Exec NTSB investigators also determined there were notices to air mission, also called NOTAMs, in effect at the time of the accident that stated the runway's precision approach path indicator and approach light system with runway alignment indicator lights at the airport were "out of service." While the plane did not have a flight data recorder, Baker said a cockpit voice recorder may have been installed. Pilot Killed After Small Plane Crashes Into California Neighborhood Wreckage recovery will be done Friday afternoon, concluding the on-scene portion of the investigation. "We will continue to investigate pilot qualifications, training, flight history and other human factors that may have been involved in the accident," Baker said. "We will investigate the airplane's maintenance history and flight performance, and we will continue to investigate any other environmental issues that may have been a factor in the accident." FAA records show Shapiro was the plane's owner and held a pilot's license, though it is unclear if he was flying the aircraft at the time of the crash. Black Hawk Crew Likely Wearing Night-vision Goggles Before Deadly Dc Midair Crash: Ntsb Officials said only eight injuries were reported on the ground due to the swift action of military families helping each other escape homes and jump from windows. About 100 residents were displaced. Liberty Military Housing and the Red Cross are helping residents find accommodations. NTSB regional investigators, the Federal Aviation Administration, Textron Aviation and Williams International Engines are assisting with the investigation. Air traffic control and weather specialists from the NTSB are assisting article source: Small plane hit power lines before deadly San Diego crash, NTSB confirms
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
Music talent agent among dead after jet crashes into San Diego neighborhood
SAN DIEGO -- A private jet carrying a music talent agent and five others hit a power line in foggy weather early Thursday and crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, slamming into a home and killing multiple people on the flight. With the home engulfed in flames and jet fuel rolling down the streets, half a dozen vehicles ignited while residents in the neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing were shaken awake just before 4 a.m. by the thunderous crash and subsequent explosions. Out their windows, they saw a wall of fire. 'I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,' San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said. No one in the neighborhood died, but eight were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and injuries that were not life-threatening, including a person who was hurt climbing out a window, police officer Anthony Carrasco said. Dave Shapiro, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, and two employees were among those killed, the music agency said in a statement. Sound Talent Group has represented artists including American pop band Hanson, American singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton and the Canadian rock group Sum 41. Hanson is perhaps best known for its earworm 1990s pop hit, 'MMMBop.' Shapiro also owned Velocity Records. 'We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today's tragedy,' the agency said. Six people were on board the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Authorities were still combing the scene and recovering the bodies before releasing an official number and identifying the dead, though there were not believed to be any survivors aboard the flight. Daniel Williams, former drummer for metal band The Devil Wears Prada, posted on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he was boarding the plane with Shapiro. The band posted a tribute to Williams on their Instagram page. 'No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,' the band wrote. A representative for the band referred to their social post when asked about Williams' death. Parts of Shapiro's 1985 Cessna 550 Citation littered a large area, including fragments under the power lines and a section of wing on a road behind the homes, said Elliot Simpson of the National Transportation Safety Board. The home that was struck was destroyed, with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed, and about 10 others were damaged in Murphy Canyon, the largest neighborhood of Navy-owned housing in the country, officials said. Ben McCarty and his wife, who live in the home that was hit, said they felt heat all around them. 'My wife was screaming, and she's like, 'There's a fire,'' McCarty, who has served in the Navy for 13 years, told local ABC affiliate KGTV. When he walked toward the front of the house, he saw that the roof had fallen off and flames blocked their exit. They grabbed their children and dogs and ran to the back, where their neighbors helped them climb over the fence to escape. The plane also hit both of the couple's vehicles, which burned. 'It put my truck into our living room,' McCarty said. Other vehicles along the block were melted and scorched into burned shells. One stubborn car fire sent smoke billowing up for hours. Ariya Waterworth said she woke up to a 'whooshing sound' and then saw a giant fireball outside. She screamed for help as firefighters arrived and helped her get out with her two children and their family dog. One of the family's cars was 'completely disintegrated,' and the other had extensive damage. Her yard was littered with plane parts, broken glass and debris. 'I definitely do feel blessed, because we've been spared,' she said. At least 100 residents were evacuated. Hours after the crash, jet fuel rolled down Salmon Street. The smell of fumes lingered throughout the day, and officials said it was unclear when it would be safe for people to return. 'We have jet fuel all over the place,' Assistant San Diego Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said. Eddy added that the fog was so thick in the morning that 'you could barely see in front of you.' The flight took off from Teterboro, New Jersey, near Manhattan, at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and made a fuel stop in Wichita, Kansas, before continuing on to San Diego, according to Simpson. Based on the flight path, it was bound for Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it struck power lines about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) southeast of the airfield, Simpson said. Audio recorded by includes a brief transmission from the pilot saying he was on final approach to the airport and was about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) out at 3:45 a.m. NTSB investigators planned to spend Thursday and Friday at the scene gathering evidence, Simpson said. He welcomed video or other details from any witnesses. At that hour and in foggy weather, the plane was likely operating on an instrument flight rules plan, which is typically used during reduced visibility, said Barry Newman, a board-certified aviation attorney. However, for that airport, once an aircraft reaches 673 feet (205 meters), the pilot also has to rely on sight. 'If a pilot descends to that level and he can't see the runway, he has to call for a missed approach or divert to another airport,' Newman said. In October 2021 a twin-engine plane plowed into a San Diego suburb, killing the pilot and a UPS delivery driver on the ground and burning homes. It was preparing to land at the airport. And in December 2008, a Marine Corps fighter jet slammed into a house in San Diego's University City neighborhood, causing an explosion that killed four people inside. The Marine Corps blamed the crash on mechanical failure and human error. ___
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
San Diego plane crash kills rock musician, influential music exec
Dave Shapiro, a music executive in the heavy metal and hard rock scene, and drummer Daniel Williams were among those killed in a San Diego plane crash. Six people, including Shapiro and Williams, were on board the plane when it crashed into a neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing in San Diego early Thursday morning. There are not believed to be any survivors. Williams, former drummer for metal band The Devil Wears Prada, posted on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he was boarding the plane with Shapiro. The band has posted a tribute to Williams on their Instagram page. Jet Owned By Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil Involved In Fatal Plane Crash At Scottsdale Airport In Arizona "No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever," the band wrote. Shapiro had a pilot's license and was listed as the owner of the plane that crashed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. He was among the six people killed in the crash, along with two employees, the music agency Sound Talent Group confirmed Thursday. Read On The Fox News App "We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today's tragedy," the music agency he co-founded, Sound Talent Group, wrote in a statement. Shapiro co-founded Sound Talent Group in 2018 alongside Tim Borror and Matt Andersen. The agency represented a diverse roster of artists, including Pierce the Veil, Parkway Drive, Sum 41 and Vanessa Carlton. Shapiro was a strong advocate for independent musicians and a co-founder of the National Independent Talent Organization. He was included in Billboard's 2012 "30 Under 30" list that recognized rising stars in entertainment. Industry veterans say Shapiro paved the way for the formation of other independent agencies and helped many alternative bands find audiences in the mainstream. Tributes poured in from across the music industry, with many praising Shapiro's dedication to artists and his genuine character. Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley credited Shapiro with helping build the rock band back up during a "low point" in their career. "His opinion mattered so much to me," Whibley said. "He was that guy I would go to for advice on things." Nate Blasdell, former lead guitarist for the band I Set My Friends on Fire, said he was "absolutely heartbroken." "Dave was the first booking agent I ever worked with and he was a major part of my music career in my late teen years," he said in a post on X. Dc Plane Crash Victim And Kansas City Chiefs Superfan Planned Return Home For Family Super Bowl Party "He was truly the best in the game and one of the most respected people in the industry." In addition to his work in the music industry, Shapiro was a passionate aviator. He owned Velocity Aviation, a flight school offering lessons in San Diego and Homer, Alaska. The small aircraft crashed in a large San Diego military neighborhood Thursday morning. Eight people in the neighborhood were injured, but none died. The aircraft, a Cessna 550 Citation business jet, crashed around 3:45 a.m. in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, igniting multiple homes and cars in flames. The flight originated at Teterboro, New Jersey. After making a stop in Wichita, Kansas, it appeared to have been inbound to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter Homes were engulfed in flames, and jet fuel rolled down the streets, as half a dozen vehicles ignited while residents in the neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing were shaken awake just before 4 a.m. by the thunderous crash and subsequent explosions. Out their windows, they saw a wall of fire. "I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said, according to The Associated Press. No one in the neighborhood died, but eight were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and injuries that were not life-threatening, including a person who was hurt climbing out a window, police officer Anthony Carrasco said. Click To Get The Fox News App Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan and Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this article source: San Diego plane crash kills rock musician, influential music exec
