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Passenger allegedly assaults Alaska Airlines crew members, forces emergency landing at Boise Airport
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A 61-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly attacking at least one Alaska Airlines crew member on a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas, prompting an emergency landing at Boise Airport in Idaho.
Tracy Barkhimer, 61, of White Salmon, Washington, is charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery, according to the Boise Police Department.
During the flight, police said Barkhimer was showing “erratic behavior” and allegedly struck two airline employees who were attempting to calm her down.
Tracy Barkhimer, 61, is accused of assaulting a flight crew Tuesday, prompting an emergency landing. (Ada County Sheriff’s Office)
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Barkhimer was restrained, and the flight was diverted to Boise Airport.
Just before 1:30 a.m., officers in the airport division were notified about the emergency landing and met with two victims who requested and signed affidavits for the citizen’s arrest, according to police.
Following an investigation, Barkhimer was removed from the plane without incident, taken into custody and booked into the Ada County Jail, officials said.
The plane landed at Boise Airport before continuing on to Texas. (knowlesgallery/Getty)
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Following a medical evaluation, Alaska Airlines said its crew was cleared to fly, and the aircraft continued on after a 90-minute delay.
Alaska Airlines told Fox News Digital that only one of its flight attendants was assaulted, though police records indicate there were two victims.
At least one flight crew member was allegedly assaulted during the flight, according to police. The suspect was arrested by Boise police. (Zach Tuohy/Getty)
Barkhimer was banned from flying on the airline in the future, a spokesperson said.
“At Alaska Airlines, safety is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate violence of any kind against our employees,” Alaska Airlines wrote in a statement. “We are grateful to our crew for their professionalism, and we apologize for any concern or inconvenience this situation caused.”
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Top universities reject Trump’s ‘compact’ over academic freedom
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California rejected Trump’s “compact.”
To the surprise of perhaps no Californians, several California universities appeared in the top rankings of the world’s best universities in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings released on June 16.
Of the more than 2,250 worldwide research institutions that U.S. News & World Report evaluated for this list, six California universities ranked in the top 50 globally, with an even split among Northern and Southern California institutions.
The 2026 list includes universities from more than 100 countries, with the following countries receiving the most schools in the overall rankings:
- China: 409
- United States: 275
- India: 123
- United Kingdom: 93
- Japan: 86
Did your California alma mater appear among the top global universities?
U.S. News and World Report methodology
When determining a university’s placement on the list, U.S. News & World Report considered factors more relevant to research-oriented institutions than to undergraduate-focused metrics like bachelor’s degree graduation rates.
It focused on aspects like academic institutions’ research and reputation, number of publications, the quality of publications and citations. It considers other factors, including location, campus culture, the strength of particular programs, and cost, which are also very important.
“For students seeking universities with strong academic excellence and global recognition, the Best Global Universities rankings offer an essential comparative resource,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S. News.
“Our methodology focuses on a school’s research mission and scholarly impact, helping students identify institutions that are truly at the forefront of global knowledge creation.”
Out of the top 10 global universities, two California institutions made the list:
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Stanford University
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- Tsinghua University
- University of California Berkeley
- Yale University
- University College London
- Columbia University
How did California colleges rank in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Global Universities 2026 list?
Outside of the top 10 universities, California saw a handful of other institutions rank highly on U.S. News & World Report list.
Notably, the University of California – Los Angeles just missed the top 10 list, ultimately ranking as the 11th-best global university and the second-best public institution on the list. It was beaten out as the best public institution by its academic counterpart, the University of California, Berkeley, which was ranked the 7th-best global university.
Additionally, a number of University of California schools made the top of the list, ultimately reaffirming the quality of the institutions’ public campuses across the state.
“Research from the University of California is vital to work that benefits all Americans, from breakthroughs in the treatment of Parkinson’s to the science behind previously unimagined successes in fighting cancer and the development of quantum computers that will enable the critical advances of the 21st century,” the University of California said in a press release about its rankings.
Here’s the list of California universities that made the top 100 list:
- 3. Stanford University
- 7. University of California Berkeley
- 11. University of California – Los Angeles
- 22. University of California – San Francisco
- 23. (Tied) California Institute of Technology
- 23. (Tied) University of California – San Diego
- 74. University of Southern California
- 95. University of California – Davis
- 99. University of California – Irvine
- 100. University of California – Santa Barbara
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Organizers for the Pikes Peak or Bust Parade announced on Friday, June 19, that due to a lack of resources, the parade has been canceled.
Originally scheduled for July 11 in Downtown Colorado Springs, parade organizers said they could not secure the resources needed to produce the event at the level the community deserves.
“We know many of you were looking forward to the parade, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who offered their time, support, sponsorship, and enthusiasm,” said organizers.
While the parade will no longer be taking place on July 11, organizers said the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo will return on July 14 through July 18, and tickets remain on sale.
Organizers hope to see the Colorado Springs community at the rodeo, and they remain hopeful that the beloved tradition can return in the future.
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