Washington, D.C
Hotline between military and air traffic controllers in Washington hasn't worked for over 3 years
A hotline between military and civilian air traffic controllers in Washington, D.C., that hasn’t worked for more than three years may have contributed to another near miss shortly after the U.S. Army resumed flying helicopters in the area for the first time since January’s deadly midair collision between a passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter, Sen. Ted Cruz said at a hearing Wednesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration official in charge of air traffic controllers, Frank McIntosh, confirmed the agency didn’t even know the hotline hadn’t been working since March 2022 until after the latest near miss. He said civilian controllers still have other means of communicating with their military counterparts through landlines. Still, the FAA insists the hotline be fixed before helicopter flights resume around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Defense department officials didn’t immediately respond to questions Wednesday about the near miss earlier this month and the steps it is taking to ensure helicopter flights in the area are safe. The FAA didn’t immediately answer follow-up questions after the hearing about how that hotline was supposed to be used.
FILE – Salvage crews work on recovering wreckage in the Potomac River at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Arlington, Va.
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File
“The developments at DCA (Reagan airport) in its airspace are extremely concerning,” Cruz said. “This committee remains laser-focused on monitoring a safe return to operations at DCA and making sure all users in the airspace are operating responsibly.”
The Army suspended all helicopter flights around Reagan airport after the latest near miss, but McIntosh said the FAA was close to ordering the Army to stop flying because of the safety concerns before it did so voluntarily.
“We did have discussions if that was an option that we wanted to pursue,” McIntosh told the Senate Commerce Committee at the hearing.
January’s crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter killed 67 people – making it the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001. The National Transportation Safety Board has said there were an alarming 85 near misses around Reagan in the three years before the crash that should have prompted action.
Since the crash, the FAA has tried to ensure that military helicopters never share the same airspace as planes, but controllers had to order two planes to abort their landings on May 1 because of an Army helicopter circling near the Pentagon.
“After the deadly crash near Reagan National Airport, FAA closed the helicopter route involved, but a lack of coordination between FAA and the Department of Defense has continued to put the flying public at risk,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth said.
McIntosh said the helicopter should never have entered the airspace around Reagan airport without permission from an air traffic controller.
“That did not occur,” he said. “My question – and I think the larger question is – is why did that not occur? Without compliance to our procedures and our policies, this is where safety drift starts to happen.”
The NTSB is investigating what happened.
In addition to that incident, a commercial flight taking off from Reagan airport had to take evasive action after coming within a few hundred feet of four military jets heading to a flyover at Arlington National Cemetery. McIntosh blamed that incident on a miscommunication between FAA air traffic controllers at a regional facility and the tower at Reagan, which he said had been addressed.
Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
GWBCC honors leaders in Black entrepreneurship and community building
The Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) will host its Juneteenth Awards Reception on June 30 to honor entrepreneurs for their efforts to sustain, build, and inform communities. The event will recognize Kristina Noell, Amanda Stephenson, Yusef Henriques, and others for their contributions to the economic and cultural fabric of the greater Washington region. The event is part of the chamber’s Art of Black Business series, which aims to support and recognize Black entrepreneurs.
The Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) will host its Juneteenth Awards Reception on June 30. The nonprofit’s mission is to support economic development in the Black community through education, enterprise and entrepreneurship.
“This celebration is more than an awards ceremony — it is a powerful reflection of the role Black businesses play in shaping the economic and cultural fabric of the greater Washington region,” said Aisha Bond, president and CEO of the GWBCC.
Honorees include Kristina Noell, the first African American woman to serve as a Business Improvement District executive director in Washington, D.C.; Amanda Stephenson, founder of the Fresh Food Factory, which combats food deserts in Ward 8; and Yusef Henriques, who launched a genomics startup in D.C. to advance health equity for Indigenous and African diasporic communities. Also recognized are chefs Mac McAlister and Pinkey Reddick, owners of Flavorture; B. Doyle Mitchell Jr., president and CEO of Industrial Bank; and Denise Barnes, owner and publisher of The Washington Informer.
The awards reception is a featured event in the chamber’s Art of Black Business series, which honors entrepreneurs for their efforts to sustain, build and inform communities.
The Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium, a program of the Department of Employment Services, and BuildWithin will also be recognized as the Business Partnerships of the Year. Held in the spirit of Juneteenth, the event is not only a moment of recognition but also a call to continue investing in Black entrepreneurship.
“Juneteenth reminds us of the legacy of our past, while the achievements of these honorees inspire our future,” Bond said.
The OKC Thunder announced Saturday night that it traded Dillon Jones and a 2029 second-round pick (via Houston) to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Colby Jones, who was immediately waived.
OKC traded five second-round picks to the New York Knicks for the draft rights to Dillon Jones (No. 26) in 2024. The 23-year-old forward just completed his rookie season with averages of 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 54 games.
Roster spots are becoming harder to earn on the NBA champion Thunder, which is set to bring back all of its rotational players. It also selected Thomas Sorber (No. 15 overall) and Brooks Barnhizer (No. 44 overall) in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Dillon Jones is entering Year 2 of a four-year, $13.5 million contract. Colby Jones is set to make $2.2 million this upcoming season with a team option for the 2026-27 campaign, which essentially means he’s on an expiring contract. OKC took the shorter deal of the two at the cost of a future second-round pick.
OKC moved $9.5 million under the luxury tax with the trade, according to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith. It also freed up a roster spot, which it’ll use on Sorber. Barnhizer will be on one of OKC’s three two-way contracts, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
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Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
Washington, D.C
Anti-Iran war protest in Washington, DC today? Here’s what we know about national march
Following President Donald Trump announced US airstrikes on Iran, a coalition of anti-war, Iranian, and Palestinian organisations came together to call for a national protest in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 28. But with a ceasefire now in place, organizers have announced that the mass mobilization is being suspended for now.
While the march has been postponed, the organizers have said they are on high alert and will remobilize if the conflict escalates again.
What did protesters demand?
The national march was meant to gain national attention in light of tensions looming large in the Middle East. Protesters were set to demand an immediate cessation of US military action against Iran and an end to US support for Israel’s military operation. Many feared the bombing was a misguided aggression that could escalate into a larger and deadlier war.
Also Read: Large barricades erected around White House and Treasury? Video sparks speculation
Who was behind the ‘Stop the war’ protest?
The protest was being organized by the ANSWER Coalition, National Iranian-American Council, Palestinian Youth Movement, The People’s Forum, CODEPINK, Democratic Socialists of America among many other organizations.
The coalition was calling for a massive turnout to deliver a clear message to the White House: Stop the war before it spreads.
However, videos on social media show construction crews erecting large anti-scale barricades around the White House and the US Treasury building. Netizens suggest the barricades and security could be related to July 4 celebrations; others speculate about the National March protest.
Donald Trump announced ceasefire
Trump announced the ceasefire between Israel and Iran on Truth Social. “CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.”
“During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, “THE 12 DAY WAR.” This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!” Trump added.
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