Latest news with #PugetSound
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Yahoo
Blue Angels sued for killing Seattle woman's cat. What Pensacola has to say about that
A Seattle, Washington, woman has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Navy's elite high-flying aerobatics squadron, the Blue Angels, blaming them for killing 'the greatest cat that ever lived' with the 'sonic assaults' they inflict during their annual August show over Puget Sound. Lauren Ann Lombardi filed the lawsuit in federal court alleging that her 14-year-old cat 'Layla,' which she loved like a daughter, died as a result of the Blue Angels 'auditory carpet bombing.' The suit says the elderly cat's health started deteriorating after the Blue Angels' show in August 2024 and their most recent show was the final straw. 'Layla's final days on Earth were marred by sadistic suffering – cowering in terror beneath furniture while her ailing heart struggled against the Blue Angels's relentless noise pollution,' the lawsuit reads. 'Layla died knowing only fear when she should have known only love.' The lawsuit says when Lombardi took to social media to take the team to task for what she said was deadly, excessive noise, the Blue Angels blocked her and denied her constitutional rights to free speech and left her 'unable to voice her grief or otherwise hold her government accountable for its role in her family's suffering.' Lombardi specifically names Cmdr. Adam Bryan is his capacity as commanding officer of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, Lt. Ben Bushong in his capacity as public affairs officer for the Blue Angels, and defendant 'J. Doe,' in their capacity as social media administrator of the Blue Angels, and who is responsible for managing the Blue Angels' social media accounts and blocked her on the social media outlet Instagram. While Lombardi says she 'respects and supports' the United States Armed Forces and their mission, her criticism of the Navy's flying team was specific to environmental and constitutional harms caused by their demonstration practices and 'subsequent censorship activities.' Pensacola loves the Blues: Blue Angels crazy? That's us, and we have Blue Angel schools, streets, churches as proof 'Layla was the greatest cat that ever lived, and her final days on this Earth were pockmarked by debilitating terror brought on by the actions of the United States Government,' Lombardi states in the lawsuit. She said for the past several years, even before Layla's health began to deteriorate, she sent multiple critical messages to the Blue Angels social media account including: 'Stop with your 'F***** b****** you are terrorizing my cat and all the other animals and wildlife. F*** off,' and 'Nobody gives a f*** about your stupid little planes.' In addition, Lombardi said she left multiple comments on @usnavyblueangels posts or tagging their handle on other accounts' posts, directing other users to sign a petition titled 'We All Want to Feel Safe: No More Blue Angels Over Seattle.' Around Aug. 5, 2023, the Blue Angels blocked Lombardi's account from any further interactions. In response, Lombardi sent them a direct message calling them 'cowards' which appeared to send but was never delivered due to the blocking. Money for Blues' hangar repairs: U.S. House greenlights $15 million for Blue Angels hangar repairs, S. Navy Blvd project She said the move to block her impacted her ability to grieve over her lost cat and denied her First Amendment right to free speech. The lawsuit is making national headlines and fans in Pensacola, the home of the Blue Angels, are reacting. Responding to a Seattle Times article about some Seattle residents seeking to stop future Blue Angels air shows, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves stated on his X account: 'Come on back to Pensacola this weekend then! Some of my favorite noise!" The comment was accompanied by an American flag and a salute emojis. Others on social media reacted to the story by defending the Blues including against the occasional opposing comment. One social media user replied to a recent Blues Angels Instagram post saying they should 'stop killing people's cats.' Another user replied, 'Respectfully it's not their problem and the cat was old and had a heart condition. The Blue Angels aren't going to stop their shows because of scared pets or people with PTSD or people who don't like loud noise.' Lombardi said in the lawsuit she has and continues to suffer frustration and distress over Layla's loss and "prevention from participating in public discourse about subsequent Blue Angels performances and their impact on vulnerable populations." She is asking the court to declare that the Blues blocking her from their official Instagram account as unconstitutional and to award her costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, as well as "any additional relief as may be just and proper." The News Journal reached out to the Blue Angels for comment, but they did not respond by deadline. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Blue Angels sued for kiling Seattle woman's cat
Associated Press
23-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Hal Bennett Window Cleaning Surpasses 3,500 Homes Served, Demonstrating Passion and Professionalism in Puget Sound
Hal Bennett cleans windows, gutters & roofs in South Puget Sound. 20 years, 3,500+ customers, eco-friendly cleaning, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. 'Having served 3,500 families and businesses, our team shows how much we value our neighbors. We strive for crystal-clear windows, flawless gutters, and professional service every time.'— Head of Hal Bennett Window Cleaning WA, UNITED STATES, July 23, 2025 / / -- Hal Bennett Window Cleaning has a big reason to celebrate. This is a big step for a local company. They have now helped more than 3,500 customers in the South Puget Sound area. This large number demonstrates their commitment to delivering exceptional work for every home and business they visit. For twenty years, the team has mixed a love for their work with professional, friendly service. They treat every customer like a neighbor. The team has been a trusted name in the community. They serve towns like Gig Harbor, Tacoma, and Puyallup. They also help people in Bremerton and Silverdale. Their main services include cleaning windows inside and out. They also clean gutters, wash roofs, and remove moss. This part of the country gets a lot of rain. So, clean gutters and roofs are very important. These services help keep homes safe and dry all year long. The company is locally owned and loves serving its neighbors. The company also cares about the planet. They use cleaning soaps that are safe for the earth. These cleaners are not harmful to your family, pets, or plants. This gives homeowners great peace of mind. It makes them a good choice for people who want a clean home and a healthy yard. Every team member is trained and insured. They are also careful and respectful of your home and garden. You can trust them to do the job right. Getting a price is easy and free. Hal Bennett Window Cleaning offers free estimates so you know the cost upfront. There are no surprise fees. They also stand by their work with a 100% happy customer promise. If you are not happy with the job, they will make it right. That is their guarantee for streak-free windows and clear gutters. To do the best job, the team uses modern tools. They have special long poles that use pure water to clean high windows. This leaves them with no streaks. For gutters, they use strong vacuums. This cleans them out fast and leaves no mess behind. This means a faster, cleaner job for you. These tools help the team work safely and get the job done right. About Hal Bennett Window Cleaning Hal Bennett Window Cleaning is a local company that loves to help its community. For over 20 years, they have provided top-quality service to more than 3,500 homes and businesses in the South Puget Sound. They clean windows, gutters, and roofs with earth-friendly products. The team promises to do a great job every time. You can call them today for a free quote and let them make your home shine. Hal Bennett Window Cleaning Hal Bennett Window Cleaning +1 253-225-6454 [email protected] Visit us on social media: Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Submarine USS Connecticut Severely Damaged In Pacific Crash To Return To Service In 2026
The USS Connecticut, one of the U.S. Navy's prized Seawolf class nuclear attack submarines, is set to finally return to service late next year. The Navy previously indicated it could rejoin the fleet this fall. Connecticut is currently at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington State for repairs and other work after suffering major damage, particularly to its bow, from a collision with an underwater seamount in the South China Sea in 2021. USS Connecticut hit the seamount in October 2021, and limped first to Guam, and then to San Diego in southern California, before making its way north to the Puget Sound area. A subsequent Navy investigation into the incident highlighted a weak command environment and lax attitudes toward the performance of key tasks as putting the submarine on a path to the accident, which you can read about in more detail here. The submarine's Commanding Officer Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani, Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin, and Chief of the Boat Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers were relieved of duty following the mishap. 'USS Connecticut (SSN 22) is in Dry Dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) in Bremerton, Washington, undergoing an Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA), which is a major maintenance availability that all submarines undergo during their maintenance life cycle,' a Navy spokesperson told TWZ last week. 'The damage USS Connecticut sustained in October 2021 is also being repaired during this EDSRA. Connecticut is expected to return to service in late 2026. PSNS & IMF and Naval Sea Systems Command are continuing to prioritize investments in materiel, infrastructure, and personnel to meet the needs of the fleet.' The EDSRA formally began in February 2023. The following month, the Navy told Naval News that the availability was 'notionally sized at 31 months duration,' which would have had Connecticut returning to service in September 2025. The estimated cost of the repairs is unknown. Congress approved an initial trench of $40 million for 'emergency repairs' and an additional $10 million for a new bow dome in 2021, but this is just a small part of the full expected price tag. Why the repairs are taking longer than initially expected is unclear. As TWZ wrote back in 2023 after the Navy released pictures of Connecticut docking at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard: 'As for the USS Connecticut, as the images show, her state remains relatively the same, at least in terms of what is visible, compared to when she arrived over a year and a half ago. Her sonar dome is still missing and, clearly, the boat has been idle for some time, with huge sections of its anechoic coating missing from its sail.' 'Major repairs to the submarine's bow, sonar, and other underside structure components will be challenging as the Seawolf class is long out of production. On top of that, just three boats were ever built, with one being a heavily modified sub-type in its own right, the highly secretive USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23). In the past, similar damage has been fixed by leveraging spare parts and entire sections of decommissioned submarines of the same class. That simply is not an option in this case.' The small size of the Seawolf class fleet is a byproduct of post-Cold War U.S. defense spending drawdowns. The truncated purchase plan made each one extremely expensive – approximately $3.1 billion apiece in 1983, or nearly $9.4 billion in 2025 dollars – and they remain the most costly attack submarines ever built. Given the advanced capabilities the boats offer, the Navy utilizes them for a variety of specialized tasks, for which they are in very high demand. The aforementioned USS Jimmy Carter is a distinct subtype of the design further optimized for underwater espionage missions, and features a 100-foot-long Multi-Mission Platform (MMP) hull extension, which you can read more about here. The Navy highlighted the challenges of sustaining the class in its 2025 Fiscal Year budget request, in which it asked for an unspecified amount of funding to purchase a spare Seawolf bow dome to hedge against an incident like this happening again in the future. 'The Seawolf Class submarines sustainment strategy did not include the provisioning of replacement bow domes; therefore, no replacement bow domes for these in-service submarines are within the Navy's inventory,' the budget documents explained. 'This program would procure one Seawolf Class bow dome for use in the event replacement is required. Funds in FY25 are to purchase a bow dome which has a three plus year lead time.' With the EDRSA, the Navy is also taking the opportunity to conduct a deep overhaul of USS Connecticut, which could include the integration of various upgrades. The Navy's 2026 Fiscal Year budget request puts additional emphasis on getting Connecticut finished before the end of next year. USS Seawolf is due to start its own lengthy maintenance availability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard next April and is scheduled to then return to service in June 2029, according to the budget documents. For at least a time, the Navy now looks set to have just one Seawolf class submarine, the USS Jimmy Carter, operational. It is worth noting here that the Navy continues to struggle with completing major maintenance availabilities for submarines and surface warships on time, despite efforts to reverse that trend, in large part due to shipyard capacity and related workforce issues. This reflects a broader and ever-more worrisome disparity between the United States and its chief global competitor, China, when it comes to naval shipbuilding. The Navy's work toward a next-generation nuclear attack submarine, or SSN(X), underway since at least 2018 and seen in part as a successor to the Seawolf class, has also been pushed back. The service announced last year that the expected timetable for the start of production of those new boats had shifted to the right from the mid-to-late 2030s to the early 2040s. That schedule remains unchanged in the Navy's 2026 Fiscal Year budget request, which is seeking nearly $623 million in additional funding for the SSN(X) program. All of this further stresses the importance of getting Connecticut back in service regardless of the costs involved, and doing so as quickly as possible. If the current schedule holds, the submarine will be back in service roughly five years after the collision in the Pacific. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Major Tech Company Announces More Layoffs
The ever-developing world of artificial intelligence has companies making major changes all across the board. Microsoft announced layoffs in May, cutting 6,000 workers, which was nearly 3% of its global workforce. Now, Microsoft has decided to lay off more workers, per Matt O'Brien of The Associated Press. "The tech giant began sending out layoff notices Wednesday that hit the company's Xbox video game business and other divisions. The company declined to say how many people would be laid off but said that it will comprise less than 4% of the workforce it had a year ago." O'Brien said. The layoffs will affect teams globally, including those in the sales division. The company released a statement on the decision to lay off more workers. 'We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace." In June, Microsoft cut 300 workers in Redmond, Washington, and another 2,000 in Puget Sound lost their jobs recently, so this is yet another domino effect for the tech guru that owns Xbox, Windows, LinkedIn and more brands. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives guessed why Microsoft made the decision, per O'Brien. 'They're focused more and more on AI, cloud and next-generation Microsoft and really looking to cut costs around Xbox and some of the more legacy areas,' Ives said. 'I think they overhired over the years. This is Nadella and team making sure that they're keeping with efficiency and that's the name of the game in Wall Street.' This latest batch of layoffs is estimated to affect 9,000 workers in another monumental Tech Company Announces More Layoffs first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 2, 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
CBS News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Puget Sound orcas threatened by salmon decline and shrinking protections, conservationists say
The orcas lurking beneath the surface of Washington state's Puget Sound are some of nature's most magnificent, imposing and endangered species. Stefanie Stockwell and Mindy Roberts, both longtime advocates for wildlife conservation, took CBS News on a search for the Southern Resident killer whales. Unique to these waters and once thriving, there are now believed to be just 73 left. "Their numbers have declined because their food source is going down. The Chinook salmon that they mostly rely on, their population is crashing because of habitat destruction," said Roberts, the Puget Sound program director for Washington Conservation Action. Stockwell is a clean water advocate with Communities for a Healthy Bay, based in Tacoma. The Chinook salmon, or King salmon, was added to the list of endangered species last year. Under the Endangered Species Act's definition of harm, both the killer whales and King salmon, and the habitats in which they live, are protected. "It means including not just directly killing an animal, but also doing damage to its home. So where it lives, where it eats, where it breeds," Roberts said. The Trump administration has proposed changing the definition of harm to exclude damage to habitat, which would pave the way for industrial development, including logging and mining, where endangered species live in the U.S. Lance Winecka is the executive director of the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group that has revitalized South Prairie Creek to help increase the salmon's ability to breed. "Projects like this won't receive the federal investment that I think is necessary to really give these salmon a chance to thrive and survive," Winecka said. That could potentially deprive a food source for both the orcas and bald eagles — one of the Endangered Species Act's biggest success stories that also calls the Puget Sound area home. Although the bald eagle's population has made a significant rebound, "the coast is never clear," said Art Wang, a regional director of the National Audubon Society and former elected state representative in Washington. "There are threats to the bald eagle still, in terms of everything from loss of habitat, loss of fish, loss of salmon," Wang told CBS News. When asked what it means to exclude its habitat from the definition of harm, Wang replied, "It means the potential destruction of the species." Despite the uncertainty, conservationists try to hold on to optimism. "I've lived in Tacoma now for over 25 years, and I've seen changes. It's now vibrant. But that's why we just can't lose momentum on that recovery and particularly habitat that takes years and decades to recover," Roberts said.
