An NBC News helicopter crashes while covering a deadly bus accident in Los Angeles, killing the pilot, a photojournalist and a person on the ground.
Plus, the House votes for a third time to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to continue military action against Iran without congressional approval — with seven Republicans now joining Democrats.
And the Kennedy Center abruptly closes its main building for a planned two-year renovation, but Trump says the work won’t happen if courts continue blocking his name from the building.
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NBC News helicopter crashes while covering a deadly bus crash, killing three
A devastating crash in Los Angeles occurred when an NBC News helicopter went down while covering another deadly accident.
The NBC Los Angeles chopper was over the scene of a fatal bus crash Tuesday evening when it went down in a parking lot in Chatsworth, San Fernando Valley. The pilot and photojournalist on board were killed, along with a third person on the ground. Emergency responders took two other people to the hospital.
The accident the crew had been covering was already deadly — two people had been killed in a bus crash.
Angel City Air, an aerial production company affiliated with the station, operated the helicopter. NBC Los Angeles lost contact with the chopper while it was on the air just before 7 p.m. PDT.
The two people on board were Angel City Air photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw.
More than 70 firefighters responded.
With two deadly crashes at the same scene, Los Angeles officials noted how many people are now dealing with the aftermath.
“This has been a deeply traumatic day for far too many people. We need to recognize that trauma, and we need to make sure that the people who need our support in the days ahead receive it.
There are serious questions about what happened tonight. We share a commitment with our city partners, with our partners at Metro, federal agencies, and our public safety agencies to fully understand what happened.”
Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles City Supervisor
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are now investigating the helicopter crash alongside the LAPD.
House votes to curb Trump’s war powers, with seven republicans backing the effort to end hostilities
For the third time, the House has voted to end U.S. military action against Iran that is conducted without congressional approval. This time, more Republicans have joined Democrats to limit Trump’s war powers.
Seven Republicans joined all Democrats in voting Tuesday night, passing the resolution 220 to 204.
That’s up from four Republicans who backed a similar House measure in July.
The resolution directs Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress specifically authorizes them.
The vote comes as the war approaches seven months, far longer than Trump initially said the fighting would last. The measure would still need to clear the Senate, and it’s unclear whether the chamber will take it up.
A similar House resolution passed in July has yet to reach the Senate. Even if this one reaches the president’s desk, Trump is expected to veto it.
This is likely the House’s last vote on war powers on Iran before the midterms, but it may not be the last Iran-related vote before lawmakers leave Washington.
Massie moves to impeach Pete Hegseth
The House could vote as soon as Wednesday on a Republican effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced the articles Tuesday. He has accused Hegseth of “high crimes and misdemeanors” over the Iran war and other military operations.
Massie spent hours on the House floor reading his 34-page resolution, arguing that Hegseth has abused the powers of his office.
“He will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties and the rule of law. Peter Bryan Hegseth thus warrants impeachment and trial. Removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.”
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky
Massie has been among the most vocal Republican critics of the Iran war. He said he didn’t inform House leaders he was about to force this fight.
“I didn’t give anybody a heads-up,” Massie said. “When they found out I was doing the Epstein discharge petition, they canceled two weeks of Congress, and I think if they found out I was going to do this, they might have canceled even more days.”
Massie and Hegseth already have a history. Hegseth campaigned for Massie’s Republican primary opponent in May, and that opponent went on to defeat him.
The Trump administration continues to back Hegseth. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Hegseth “follows the law” and is doing a “phenomenal job.”
House leaders have to act on Massie’s resolution by Thursday, just before lawmakers leave Washington for an extended recess through the midterms.
Congress splits over new AI guardrails
People building some of the world’s most powerful AI systems warn that the technology is moving too fast and could eventually slip beyond human control. That warning has now reached Capitol Hill.
There’s a lot of talk about what to do, but so far, Congress hasn’t agreed on how far to go. The divide was on full display Tuesday.
Attorney General Todd Blanche sided with Trump, who has called fears of AI taking over the world a “hoax.” Blanche said the timing, two months before the midterms, is political.
“This should not be breaking news. That this AI issue, which suddenly came up two months before an election, is being discussed, and the president calls it a hoax. The way this has come around today, not three months ago, I mean, I was watching the news today, and every Democratic senator suddenly raced to a microphone to talk about AI after being eerily silent for months and months and months. So, to talk [about] the timing of this as being nothing but an effort to influence the midterms, I shouldn’t have to say that out loud.”
Todd Blanche, U.S. Attorney General
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress shouldn’t rush into new AI restrictions. But he is open to some guardrails, including independent audits and more transparency from the companies developing the technology. He also said Trump plans to bring top AI executives to the White House within the next week.
“They can self-police. They can self-regulate. They don’t need the government to tell them to slow it down; if they want to slow down, they should. But we cannot, we cannot have a moratorium on the development of AI because then we will lose our edge to China, and that has serious national security implications for every American family,” Johnson said.
Democratic senators have pressed Congress to move faster. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said lawmakers shouldn’t leave for another recess without acting.
“These new models are scary. We’re dealing here with real peril, not science fiction. And, so there should be an urgency. We should not break for any kind of recess without dealing with AI.
We’re way past trusting big tech; that era of voluntary self-regulation is gone. We need a regimen of oversight, much as we do with pharmaceutical drugs or other potential dangers. And we need to do it now.
When it comes to new technology, Congress is seldom ever in front of the parade, lagging far behind. And, so the president tells us, not to worry. That’s not enough.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Some movement toward a middle ground exists. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he wants a “light touch” that addresses the most serious AI threats without stifling development.
But so far, Congress hasn’t agreed on what that looks like or when it will act.
Kennedy Center closes for two-year renovation after judge blocks efforts to add Trump’s name
The Kennedy Center’s Trump-led board voted Tuesday to close the building for a two-year renovation. The center closed immediately after administrators warned that keeping it open could put lives at risk.
But Trump said the $250 million renovation won’t begin until an appeals court rules on the dispute over placing his name on the building.
A federal judge has blocked the name change, ruling that the board lacks the authority to rename the presidential memorial without Congress. Trump said he’ll appeal. If the courts ultimately rule against the center, he said the renovation won’t happen.
While that project is now on hold, another Trump project is complete. The president shared a photo of the new White House helipad, calling it a “work of art” and said it was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. It’s the latest in Trump’s broader makeover of the White House and its grounds.
Work also continues on the new ballroom, built on the site of the demolished East Wing. Trump has also pushed projects beyond the White House, including work around the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and plans for a triumphal arch.
Corn mazes across 20 farms pay tribute to Dolly Parton’s legacy
Dolly Parton is once again larger than life, now featured in cornfields across the U.S. and Canada.
This fall, 20 farms have turned their cornfields into massive Dolly-themed mazes to celebrate her music, career and charitable efforts. The organizers selected Dolly for this year’s country music corn maze campaign months before her passing in August, turning the project into a tribute afterward.
Maize, a Utah-based company that designs farm attractions nationwide, crafted these mazes. Past honorees include Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan and Lainey Wilson.
At one Connecticut farm, five acres of corn have been shaped into Dolly’s likeness. But turning that famous look, specifically her hair, into a maze poses a particular challenge.
“She has a lot of it, and it comes to little tips, and you don’t know where the next little opening is going to be,” corn maze owner Danielle Gallop said.
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The MAiZE Press -
The MAiZE Press
Even in a cornfield, Dolly’s hair remains a complex feature to replicate.
This year’s mazes also give back, with part of the proceeds supporting Dolly’s Imagination Library. Visitors can enjoy Dolly trivia, photo opportunities and, most importantly, a map.
More from Straight Arrow:
Farm bankruptcies are up 46%. Can the family farm survive modern geopolitical shocks?
Wheat farmer Andy Juris finds his balance sheet agonizing.
The cost of necessities such as fertilizer zip along a continuous incline, while the price of wheat he grows in southern Washington State falls short of his expenses.
“A lot of the inflation that started post-COVID never really left agriculture,” Juris told Straight Arrow.
The price of diesel fuel, for example, hit a record high this month.
Juris’ farm is a short drive from the river that separates Washington from Oregon, where dried-out grass and wheat grow from level terrain bathed in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains. While western Washington is renowned for dense forests sustained by frequent rainfall and picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean, Juris said his part of the state is decidedly more desolate.
“We’re basically a desert that, in some places, doesn’t look any different than Death Valley,” he said.
The farmer grows dryland wheat, so named for its climate, and counts himself among the fortunate ones.
