Washington, D.C
5 figure skating icons talk ‘significant loss' after DC plane crash: ‘This one just felt so unfair'
A quintet of American figure skating legends paid tribute to the 28 members of the skating world who died when an American Eagle flight collided with a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., in January.
Nathan Chen, Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano and Peggy Fleming were among those on hand for “Legacy on Ice,” a skating exhibition that took place on March 2 in the nation’s capital, which honored the victims of the Jan. 29 crash that claimed the lives of 67 people. The event raised money for families of the victims, as well as the crash’s first responders.
Eleven of the victims were skaters between the ages of 11 and 16.
“This one just felt so unfair and different because it’s children. And it’s coming from the development camp, which means that they’re the promise,” 1984 Olympic gold medalist Hamilton told TODAY in an interview with his fellow skating icons that aired March 3.
“The loss is significant, but at the same time, the other kids in that training camp will remember these skaters forever,” 1988 Olympic gold medalist Boitano added.
Husband and wife coaching team Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, who won a world championship in pairs in 1994, were among those who died in the crash. Their only child, Maxim, 23, who has taken over coaching their athletes, performed in honor of his parents.
“That’s something that’s cathartic and helps him through it,” Boitano said.
The skating world has endured tragedy before, when the entire U.S. figure skating team died in a plane crash in Belgium in 1961.
“The 1961 crash really affected me. My coach passed away in that plane crash. I was 12,” Fleming said.
Fleming said this more recent crash was a stark reminder of what had happened in 1961.
“But we rose up,” she added.
The skating legends said athletes in the sport are adept at knowing how to come together to move forward in the face of adversity.
“I think this is a really important time for us all to be together as a community,” 2022 Olympic gold medalist Chen said.
“It’s a big part of our identity, is we fall down, we get up. We get injured, we get up,” Hamilton said.
“And we help each other get up, you know?” Boitano added.
The skaters say they hope “Legacy on Ice” will show those affected by the crash that they have a community that is there for them.
“You’re not alone,” Hamilton said.
“Yeah, really showing that there will be a legacy that their memory continues on with, and will continue to be a part of our figure skating family,” 1992 Olympic gold medalist Yamaguchi added.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
Washington, D.C
AAPI Data Releases 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, Highlighting the Growing Influence of AAPI Communities Across All 50 States and Washington, D.C. – AAPI Data
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amanda Ong
press@aapidata.com
AAPI Data Releases 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, Highlighting the Growing Influence of AAPI Communities Across All 50 States and Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC – Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and AAPI Data today released the 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, a comprehensive set of demographic and voter data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Updated every two years, the fact sheets provide policymakers, advocates, researchers, journalists, campaigns, and community organizations with essential data on the nation’s fastest-growing racial demographic and voter bloc.
“AAPI voters are shaping elections nationwide, yet our communities are still too often overlooked or misunderstood,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. “These fact sheets give organizers, policymakers, media, and advocates the context they need to build more informed, effective, and inclusive engagement strategies and to better understand AAPI communities’ growing impact on American democracy.”
“Our communities are growing rapidly in places well beyond the Northeast and the Pacific West,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, Founder and Executive Director of AAPI Data. “It is critical for news media, funders, and civic engagement organizations to use these updated findings to ensure accuracy and efficacy in their work.”
The 2026 State Fact Sheets include state-specific information on:
- AAPI population and eligible voters
- Population growth trends
- Citizenship and immigration data
- Language access and English proficiency
- Economic indicators, including poverty and health insurance coverage
- Geographic concentrations by county
- Voter demographics and civic engagement
The fact sheets are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and include both monoracial and multiracial AAPI populations. Together, these data provide a more complete picture of AAPI communities and equip decision-makers with the information needed to better serve and engage one of the country’s fastest-growing populations.
The 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets are available for free and may be downloaded individually by state or as a combined report at: https://apiavote.org/policy-and-research/aapi-demographics-by-state/. The factsheets can also be found on the AAPI Data website: https://aapidata.com/demographics/2026-aapi-voter-state-fact-sheets
About AAPI Data
AAPI Data is a national research and policy organization producing accurate data to support community narratives that drive action toward enduring solutions for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Learn more at aapidata.com.
About APIAVote
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen and sustain a culture of civic engagement. See our website for more information at https://www.apiavote.org/
Washington, D.C
Kronenwetter mom in D.C. to remember son, victims of internet crimes
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAW) – It’s a day for gathering and remembering victims of internet crimes.
The parents of Bradyn Bohn, the D.C. Everest teen who was a victim of sextortion, are in Washington, D.C. for the event.
A sign with Bradyn’s picture, his name, ‘forever 15′– along with too many more– sit outside the capitol.
It’s the inaugural ‘Social Media Victims Remembrance Day.’ A number of lawmakers were on hand. Bradyn’s mom, Brittney Bird, says Congress needs to choose families over big tech.
“My first thought is it’s absolutely heartbreaking,” she said. ”None of us should be here. These groups have been doing this for coming up on four years now. And there hasn’t been a change. If four years ago there would have been a change, my son would be here. Countless children would still be here. It’s heartbreaking, but at the same time there’s strength in numbers. So there’s that strength. And it gives us hope, you know, that things will change and that we’ve got each other.”
Bradyn died by suicide in March 2025 after a sextortion scheme. The efforts of his parents helped lead to the creation of Bradyn’s Law, signed into law last December. It established sextortion as a new crime, and imposes severe penalties on perpetrators.
Click here to download the WSAW news app or WSAW First Alert weather app.
Click here to submit a news tip or story idea.
Copyright 2026 WSAW. All rights reserved.
Washington, D.C
First Nebraska civics bee champion crowned, will head to Washington, D.C. for national competition
The state competition, which was put on by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, had three rounds. The first two rounds included 20 multiple choice questions about various historical documents, court cases and civics concepts.
In the final round, the top five students gave short pitches about the essays they submitted on improving a problem in their community. Bernal wrote about the Tyson Plant closure after she visited Lexington in December.
“Things were really starting to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, the Tyson plant is actually closing,’” Bernal said. “Around two weeks later, during the first day back from winter break, my social studies teacher said we’re going to be writing an essay about a problem we see in our community. I thought, ‘Wow, this is something really positive I could use my voice for.’”
In her essay, Bernal said she wanted to bring awareness to the closure and host job fairs for those impacted. Other topics included student mental health, impacts of flooding and the childcare crisis.
Tara Lea, executive vice president of partnerships and programs for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said more than 500 students submitted essays across Nebraska, making the state fifth in the nation for participation and first per capita.
“We had no idea what to expect when we signed up to do this,” Lea said. “We were just excited all 50 states were doing it. We were proud to be one of them, but Nebraska showed up.”
-
World1 minute agoWill the UK rejoin the European Union? MEPs debate Brexit on The Ring
-
News26 minutes ago
Federal judge bars Trump from implementing proof of citizenship requirement to vote
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoClue may identify SUV in Long Beach hit-and-run that left woman injured
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoIlitch Companies creates gaming platform, expands beyond Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoFirst of its kind queer museum in San Francisco Chinatown amplifies Chinese LGBTQ artists
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoThese children were sold for sex. Then the system failed them again
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoHard Rock Cafe lets Downtown Miami lease lapse after 30-plus years
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoFederal judge in Boston bars Trump from implementing proof of citizenship requirement to vote – The Boston Globe