San Diego, CA
WWII soldier to be buried in San Diego after 79 years thanks to DNA analysis
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — An American soldier killed in Europe during World War II will finally be buried in San Diego now that his remains have been identified thanks to advanced DNA analysis.
According to a press release from the U.S. Army, Tech Sgt. Matthew L. McKeon, a native of Euclid, California, was killed in action during a battle with German forces in the Hürtgen Forest on Nov. 9, 1944. The 25-year-old soldier’s remains could not be recovered during the battle, and despite the American Graves Registration Command’s efforts between 1946 and 1950, McKeon’s remains were not able to be identified.
He was officially declared nonrecoverable on Dec. 15, 1950.
Fast forward to 2021, and a historian from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency found a lead while studying unresolved American losses in the Hürtgen area. They determined that one set of unidentified remains recovered near there in 1946 possibly belonged to an American servicemember who went missing from combat in Nov. 1944, the Army’s press release says.
In June 2021, the remains were disinterred from their burial site at Ardennes American Cemetery, where they were buried in 1950, and sent to the DPAA lab at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for identification.
“McKeon was accounted for by the DPAA Jan. 12, 2023, after his remains were identified using dental, anthropological, mitochondrial DNA, Y chromosome (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA analysis,” the Army says.
McKeon’s name is engraved on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery, along with others who are still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name at the American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margraten, Netherlands, to show that he has finally been accounted for.
McKeon’s remains will be interred at the Miramar National Cemetery on May 23.
During the war, McKeon was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
San Diego, CA
Clairemont residents concerned over 12-unit bonus ADU project
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) – Clairemont residents are pushing back against a proposed ADU development that includes a dozen units on one property. Similar projects have popped up across the city under San Diego’s “bonus ADU” program.
Residents on Shoshoni Avenue say the city needs to balance the need for housing with the character and safety of neighborhoods.
This particular development at 4602 Shoshoni Avenue would include the main house, converting the garage into an ADU, and then five two-story structures with 10 ADUs in the backyard.
“If this thing goes up, our neighborhood will completely change forever,” said Michelle Schroeder, a resident on the street of 30 years.
The neighborhood is predominantly one-story single-family homes and the street itself is a narrow cul-de-sac. There would be no requirements to provide parking for the development. Congestion on the street and ability for emergency vehicles to reach houses on the street are some concerns being raised.
“Our safety is big time. The City needs to come out and do some research here,” said Kevin Morefield who lives next door to the property in question.
The large lot lends the space for developers to take advantage of the city’s bonus ADU program. For every one “affordable” ADU, they can build an additional ADU. The maximum amount allowed is determined by zoning and space on the property.
“When they built Genesee Avenue and Chateau Drive, they backfilled my backyard, this backyard, all the way down and if you go look just halfway down Genesee, you’ll see it starting to crumble,” said Morefield.
Morefield’s family has been at the property since 1955 and says the land may not even be safe to build on based on the backfill.
However because housing is so needed, the City of San Diego says as long as these types of projects comply with ADU regulations, state and local law requires approval.
“The inspectors are really going to have to take their care with signing the permit because if something happens there in the future, it’s going to be their problem not just the developer, not just the owner of the land,” said Mike Schroeder.
“We’ve been fighting for four years is to get the council to come back and take a look at what they’ve done,” said Paul Krueger, volunteer with nonprofit Neighbors for a Better San Diego.
The nonprofit has been tracking these projects closely. To date, the City says it’s approved about 130 density bonus projects, creating 255 “affordable” ADUs.
“One of the biggest failures of this program. They wrote the law to allow to qualify as a moderate-income unit, which means a single person with $89,000 a year is who they’re pegging the rent in the affordable unit,” Krueger said.
These neighbors are now calling on Mayor Todd Gloria and councilmembers to take action.
“Start listening to us. I want them to stop this project and come look at it for themselves,” said Michelle Schroeder.
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell represents the Clairemont area. Her office provided a statement that reads:
“I share the concerns that many residents have expressed about whether our communities can support the increased density that these bonus ADU projects may bring. I am apprehensive about how the increase in density could impact our neighborhoods and place strain on our existing infrastructure and services. I have always opposed changes to parking requirements, especially in places where the public transportation infrastructure is not currently able to serve every resident. I will continue to work on ways to mitigate the impacts of increased density on our neighborhoods, while still meeting the community’s need for more housing.”
The City says the project is currently still in review. The mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
A lawyer for developers SDRE Homebuyers said they plan to issue a formal statement in the future, but could not answer questions in time for this report.
San Diego, CA
Butts on Things San Diego Comic-Con 2024 Exclusives & Debuts
Do you like big butts and you cannot lie? Well, brother, you can’t deny that Butts on Things brings the goods.
Artist Brian Cook, creator of Butts on Things, is back for another cheeky appearance at the con. Stop by Booth #4417 (the same spot as last year) to say hi and giggle over his delightful derrière designs, including pins, luggage tags, and more.
[UPDATE June 28]
Show off your “booty-ful” taste with Butts on Things Shoe Charm 4-Pack. It comes with four charms (shoes not included) to attach to your Crocs or other favorite footwear, including a pineapple butt, a taco but, a donut butt, and a shooting star butt. Pick it up for $14 when it makes its debut at the con.
Looking to add some fruity flair to your travel accessories? Pick up his Pineapple Butt Luggage Tag, which will be debuting at the convention. You can make your bag the butt of every joke at the airport by picking it up for $10.
San Diego, CA
SANDAG breaks ground on new bikeway
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Local leaders and bike advocates joined SANDAG Thursday to break ground on a brand new bikeway in San Diego.
The group gathered at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA around 10 a.m. to celebrate the start of construction for what’s been dubbed the Imperial Avenue Bikeway.
The 3.5-mile path, according to SANDAG, will help create safer streets for people who walk, bike, drive and take transit through the southeastern area of the city limits.
With the construction will come improvements to Imperial Avenue between 17th Street and 47th Street. This is expected to enhance connectivity for people of all ages and abilities.
The Imperial Avenue Bikeway is part of the Regional Bike Plan Early Action Program, an initiative approved by the SANDAG Board of Directors in 2013. The $25 million project is funded by a combination of state and local funds.
-
News1 week ago
NYC pastor is sentenced to 9 years for fraud, including taking a single mom's $90,000
-
News1 week ago
Read the Ruling by the Virginia Court of Appeals
-
News7 days ago
Tracking a Single Day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump classified docs judge to weigh alleged 'unlawful' appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith
-
News1 week ago
Supreme Court upholds law barring domestic abusers from owning guns in major Second Amendment ruling | CNN Politics
-
Politics7 days ago
Supreme Court upholds federal gun ban for those under domestic violence restraining orders
-
Crypto1 week ago
Factors Driving the Evolution of Cryptocurrency Markets
-
World1 week ago
Orbán ally-turned-rival joins EPP group in European Parliament