Multiple people killed when plane crashes into Tierrasanta neighborhood
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, May 23rd.>>>>
Multiple people were killed when a private plane crashed into a Tierrasanta neighborhood.More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….########
The new pope has made his first American bishop appointment by filling a vacancy in San Diego.
He selected Michael Pham for the role.
Pham was born in Vietnam and ordained a priest in San Diego in 1999.
He became an assistant bishop in 20-23, and was in charge of ethnic and intercultural programming for the diocese.
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A new audit has found the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG, failed to reform no-bid contracts as promised.
SANDAG awarded at least 74-million dollars in contracts to single vendors without going through a competitive bidding process between 20-22 and 20-23.
Auditors found one email giving blanket approval to 50 no-bid contracts at once, violating SANDAG’s own policies.
The audit flagged potential favoritism for three companies and changes to contracts that inflated project costs – in one case more than 3-thousand percent.
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Looking for something to do over Memorial Day Weekend?
Check out the Valley Center Stampede this afternoon and tomorrow morning for all the classic rodeo competitions, including barrel racing.
Saturday, the Santee Street Fair and Craft Beer Festival celebrates 15 years.
Sunday, thousands are expected to flock to Vista’s Strawberry Festival.
And you can honor fallen military members Monday at tribute events at the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, USS Midway Museum, and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
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A SMALL, PRIVATE PLANE CRASHED INTO A MILITARY NEIGHBORHOOD IN TIERRASANTA EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING.
REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS OFFICIALS HAVE CONFIRMED AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD.
The Cessna Citation 550 crashed around 3:45 Thursday morning. One home was badly damaged and several cars burned. Scott Wahl is San Diego’s police chief.
“I can’t quite put words to describe what this 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.” The Federal Aviation Administration says six people were on board the plane. Music agency Sound Talent Group told the Associated Press that three of its employees died in the crash. At least eight other people were injured while evacuating. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. The board expects to have a preliminary report in about two weeks. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
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A NEARBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAME A GATHERING POINT FOR THE DISPLACED FAMILIES.
REPORTER JACOB AERE SPOKE WITH A FAMILY WHO HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOME BEFORE THE SUN WAS UP.
Dozens of military families evacuated to Miller Elementary school, about a mile from the crash site, in Tierrasanta. Zachary Adams and his wife Nicole Morehouse are both active duty navy officers. “I've been in the navy for almost 14 years, she's been in it for about 15. Never had something like this happen before – terrifying.” They evacuated from their home with their four children. He says the neighborhood’s tight community bonds … and military background was helpful. “Every other neighbor that was awake at that point started going door to door – everybody was waking everyone up. It's a lot like how we do it on the ship when there's an emergency, and how we train.” Some of the streets in the evacuation zone have been reopened for people to return home. But for those who still can't … Redcross and Liberty military housing are offering overnight lodging. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
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MILITARY REPORTER ANDREW DYER SAYS THE NAVY IS WORKING TO REHOUSE THE DISPLACED FAMILIES.
INCLUDING TWO WHOSE HOMES WERE DESTROYED.
THE NON-PROFIT SAY SAN DIEGO RUNS A MILITARY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER IN TIERRA SANTA JUST UP THE ROAD FROM THE PLANE CRASH SITE. MONICA MOON IS THE CENTER’S DIRECTOR. SHE’S BEEN WORKING WITH EVACUATED FAMILIES. “IT'S REALLY LIKE THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND REALLY RALLYING TO SUPPORT THE THE FAMILIES. WERE AFFECTED. I'M SEEING SERVICE MEMBERS. I'M SEEING, SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.” NAVY REGION SOUTHWEST SPOKESPERSON JAY DELAROSA SAYS UP TO 40 MILITARY FAMILIES COULD BE DISPLACED FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS. WHEN THEY RETURN IS UP TO THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES ON THE GROUND. “THEY HAVE DETERMINED OR DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A FIELD OF DEBRIS FROM THE AIRCRAFT THAT IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY DON'T QUITE KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT. SO THAT THAT COULD BE A LIMITING FACTOR AS FAR AS ALLOWING THOSE FAMILIES, TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.” THE NAVY SAYS TWO MILITARY HOUSING UNITS WERE DESTROYED AND THEY’RE WORKING TO GET THOSE TWO FAMILIES BACK INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. ANDREW DYER, KPBS NEWS
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KPBS HAS CONFIRMED WEATHER INSTRUMENTATION AT THE AIRPORT WAS NOT WORKING AT THE TIME OF THE PLANE CRASH.
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SCOTT RODD SAYS THE PILOT AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HAD TO RELY ON A WEATHER STATION MILES AWAY.
A thick fog covered much of San Diego as the small Cessna plane approached Montgomery airport around 3:30 in the morning. The conditions were challenging. And then an air traffic controller told the pilot that weather instruments at Montgomery Field Airport were not working. Specifically, the airport’s Automated Surface Observing System — or ASOS [“A-sauce”] — which provides critical weather information to pilots. “...The Montgomery ASOS is out of service…” The flight log shows the plane approaching the small airport…and then the updates stop. The Cessna crashed into a neighborhood with military housing about two miles from the runway. KPBS confirmed with the National Weather Service that the airport’s ASOS stopped reliably transmitting weather information two days ago. The airport instead was relying on weather updates from a station miles away at the Marine Corps airfield in Miramar. “The lack of an ASOS adds to the hazardous conditions for operating at that airport.” Thomas Anthony is director of the Aviation Safety & Security Program at the University of Southern California. “There would not be a current weather observation for that airport. It would rely upon nearby airports. But again that would represent only an approximation of the weather at Montgomery Field.” The city of San Diego operates Montgomery Field airport. A spokesperson for the city said the airport was not notified of any weather instrument outages. Scott Rodd, KPBS News
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THE CRASH CAME AS THE CITY IS STILL RECOVERING FROM ANOTHER DISASTER.
IT’S BEEN 16 MONTHS SINCE THE JANUARY 22ND FLOOD DEVASTATED THE SOUTHCREST COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE NOW FIFTY-THREE LAWSUITS AGAINST THE CITY WITH MORE THAN 1,500 PLAINTIFFS.
REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN CATCHES UP WITH ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS.
Jessica Calix says before the flood … this South Crest neighborhood was a tight-knit community. “I miss this neighborhood.” She says a lot of homes and apartments here have not been rebuilt. Calix is now part of a lawsuit against the city, alleging it failed to maintain Chollas Creek by removing trash and debris, leading to the devastating flood. “We need support. And unfortunately, this seems to be the only way that we're going to possibly get it. We need support recovering because, no one is whole. We're all still recovering, overwhelmed with debt, and the infrastructure has not been repaired.” The city is facing 53 lawsuits that a San Diego Superior Court judge has combined into a mass tort with more than 15 hundred plaintiffs. The concern now is how the city’s budget woes will affect the lawsuits going forward. Alexander Nguyen, KPBS News.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. The podcast will take a break for Memorial Day weekend. We’ll be back Wednesday. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
