Seen through algae-laden green water, a tear in the recently applied sealant can be seen on the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The cost to repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has ballooned to more than $14.65 million — exceeding the original estimated cost of the no-bid contract by more than $4 million, according to federal contract data.
In addition to the repainting by Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the National Park Service paid $1.74 million to Green Water Solutions, an Ohio-based company, earlier this year to install a “nano bubble” system to kill algae, using a similar no-bid contract to speed up the work in time for Fourth of July celebrations.
Between the two companies that received separate contracts for the resurfacing and filtration systems, the project is set to cost more than $16 million. The status of the payments to the contractors was not immediately available in the federal government’s contract database.
The Interior Department said in a statement via X, “The advanced nanobubbler technology very effectively killed the algae that has plagued every Lincoln Reflecting Pool reopening—most infamously Obama’s reopening—since 1922. The Reflecting Pool water is crystal clear, and our National Park Service team is now vacuuming up the dead algae resting on the bottom of some parts of the Reflecting Pool—just like the destroyed Iranian Navy resting on the bottom of the Persian Gulf.”
Trump has repeatedly defended the project, though the new paint job — described in the contract documents as a “seamless, monolithic, waterproof, antimicrobial, and anti-algae system suitable for continuous submersion” — and appears to be peeling, and an algae bloom has overtaken the reflecting pool.
“As a developer, I’ve probably built more than 100 swimming pools in different buildings I built, and I have some really good pool builders,” Trump said in April about the project. “They’re great people. I have such great respect for contractors that are good and such disdain for contractors that are bad. They charge you more money and they give you a bad job, but we — we don’t accept it.”
In the two weeks since the repainting of the reflecting pool was completed, Atlantic Industrial Coatings was also awarded two payments totaling $1.54 million, a total of $14.65 million since it began the project. Contracting documents offered few details about the extra payments, other than saying the work was within the scope of their original agreement and describing it as ” PAINT LINCOLN REFLECTING POOL.”
The millions of dollars being paid to the contractor are taxpayer funds. ABC News has sent repeated requests to Atlantic Industrial Coatings for comment.
The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest of Oscar Sanchez-Munoz. (FBI)
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — The FBI said it’s offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect in a string of shootings in Kansas City, Missouri.
Oscar Sanchez-Munoz, 22, is not only the suspect in Tuesday’s five shootings, but he is also wanted for allegedly shooting at a car days earlier in Wyandotte County, Kansas, the FBI said.
On June 11, an adult and a child were driving in Wyandotte County when their car was struck by gunfire, police said.
Then on Tuesday evening, five shooting incidents — including one that was deadly — unfolded in close succession from west to east along the Interstate 70 area, according to Kansas City, Missouri, Police Chief Stacey Graves.
The four surviving victims — three adults and one teenager — told officers they were driving when one or more shots were fired into their cars, Graves said.
The teen was hospitalized in stable condition, one adult suffered life-threatening injuries, and the other two surviving victims had non-life-threatening injuries, Graves said.
An Uber driver taking passengers to the Kansas City World Cup game was among the victims, Graves said, and responding officers drove the fans to the match.
A motive is not known, Graves said.
On Tuesday night, Sanchez-Munoz allegedly barricaded himself inside a house in Independence, Missouri, east of Kansas City, and engaged in a standoff with police, authorities said.
At about 12:45 a.m., police reported the house was on fire, and firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze, Graves said. When responders entered the house, Sanchez-Munoz was not there, Graves said.
Sanchez-Munoz is considered armed and dangerous, authorities said, and they urge anyone who sees him to call 911.
Stock image of handcuffs. (Westend61/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — The man arrested and charged after a 3-year-old boy wound up in a crocodile enclosure at a British zoo was released on bail Friday as the investigation continues, police said.
The unidentified 30-year-old suspect from Norfolk was released after investigators said he “was assessed as unfit for police interview,” according to the Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a family-run farm and zoo located in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, when the unidentified boy “ended up in the crocodile enclosure,” police said.
The boy sustained “serious injuries” while in the enclosure and was pulled out by staff from the zoo. He received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to the hospital, according to the police.
He was listed in critical but stable condition as of Friday. The suspect, who will remain on bail until September, is not known to the victim, according to police.
The suspect was arrested under suspicion of attempted murder.
Johnsons of Old Hurst said its tropical house, which is home to multiple species of crocodiles and other reptiles, will remain closed until further notice “out of respect to the family.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today,” Johnsons of Old Hurst said in a statement on social media Thursday.
-ABC News’ Meredith Deliso contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Several flash flood emergencies continued to hit Gulf states Thursday night into Friday morning as the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, wreaked havoc, resulting in at least one death and serious damage in several cities.
And the forecast shows more heavy rain and extreme weather heading toward the region this weekend.
In Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry declared a statewide emergency in response to the storm, citing widespread rainfall, severe storms and flooding concerns across the state.
The emergency order follows reports of tornadoes and more than a foot of rain in some areas over a 24-hour period. State officials said the storm has caused dangerous conditions, including flooding, downed trees and damage to homes and businesses.
A flash flood warning in Dallas escalated Friday to “considerable” with 2 inches per hour rainfall rates and at least 4 inches of rain fallen so far, according to the National Weather Service.
The city’s emergency management department reported that multiple roads in downtown Dallas were impassable due to high water, especially under overpasses.
Several flash floods took place overnight Thursday in Seminary and Sanford, Louisiana, where homes and businesses were taking in water due to more than 10 inches of rainfall, according to the NWS.
Water rescues took place overnight as vehicles were stranded and left in flood waters.
Parts of Louisiana reported more than 20 inches of rainfall, according to the NWS. Plaucheville and Moreauville were hit especially hard, with more than 100 homes flooded, NWS noted.
Some cars in these neighborhoods were seen floating down roads.
Meanwhile, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said crews were at the scene of the Anchor Lake Dam, located near the city of Carriere, in southern Mississippi, to monitor the conditions there but reported the dam “has not been breached” and was functioning as designed.
However, about 30 homes had been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
In a social media post Thursday, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said the dam was being monitored.
“At this time, according to MDEQ, the system is functioning as designed – water is flowing through the primary and auxiliary spillways. However, there is very little storage capacity remaining and there is additional precipitation predicted. If that happens, it could quickly overwhelm the spillways and compromise the structure,” he said.
Reeves also said a county road crew worker was killed during cleanup operations in Franklin County, in southwestern Mississippi.
The Pearl River County Office of Emergency Services said in an update late Thursday that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality had identified areas of erosion around the dam caused by the recent heavy rainfall but “expressed a high level of confidence in the dam’s structural integrity.”
The agency lifted an evacuation order for homes near the dam later Thursday night, but officials urged residents to pay attention to alerts.
Earlier, the NWS said a flash flood emergency was issued for Anchor Lake Dam and areas downstream on the East Hobolochitto Creek.
The NWS had earlier reported that the Anchor Lake Dam had failed, citing local emergency management, though it later issued an update that the dam “is being monitored for possible failure.”
A rare High Risk, level 4 of 4, for life-threatening flood potential was in place over southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and western Florida panhandle along the central Gulf Coast Thursday, the NWS said.
Historically, a third of all flood-related fatalities and 80% of all flood-related damages occur in such high-risk areas, according to NWS data.
On Friday, the NWS issued a level 3 of 4 flash flood risk in place for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle, as rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour are possible.
A flood watch extends from eastern Louisiana through central Georgia through Friday.
Forecasters are also watching the soil conditions in these areas.
Since some locations saw over a foot of rain in the last 24 hours, any additional heavy rain on the ground will quickly lead to heightened flash flood risks, according to the NWS.
One of the reasons for the continuing flood threats across the South is how incredibly moist the atmosphere is overhead, which is translating into dangerous heat indices.
Feels-like temperatures are soaring above 110 degrees from Texas to Florida.
New Orleans is under a heat advisory today for heat indices up to 110, Houston up to 112 and Corpus Christi up to 114.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Anchor Lake Dam has not failed, as previously reported by the National Weather Service, and to correct the spelling of the Anchor Lake Dam.
ABC News’ Jason Volack and Jack Moore contributed to this report.
In this mugshot released by Franklin County Jail, 19-year-old Tycen Proper is shown. He was charged by federal prosecutors in Ohio in the alleged UFC plot foiled. (Franklin County Jail)
(KNOX COUNTY, Ohio) — A series of phone calls from a concerned mother helped set in motion what turned out to be a nationwide investigation that uncovered an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House last weekend and led to the arrest of one of the suspects, according to authorities.
ABC News obtained phone calls made to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio, including one by the mother of 19-year-old Tycen Proper, whom federal prosecutors have charged with conspiring against the United States, attempted murder of an officer of the U.S., and firearms crimes in connection with the alleged plot.
Authorities said Proper’s mother first called her cousin, who happens to be the chief deputy of the sheriff’s office, on June 10 — just four days before the White House event was set to take place. The deputy chief later called the dispatch center to describe his conversation with Proper’s mother and asked if a Danville, Ohio, police officer was available to go to her house and talk with her, according to the recordings obtained by ABC News.
“They are having some issues with their son, and I think, I don’t think anybody’s in immediate danger, as in this second, but I know she has concerns with weapons and ammo, and particularly a mindset that her oldest boy is in right now,” the cousin said.
“She’s probably going to call you,” the cousin added, “But in case she doesn’t, maybe dispatch him [a Danville police officer] up there right away so that he can get a handle on what’s going on. She called me on my phone all panicky, and I’m like, ‘Well, I’m at home, there’s nothing I can do, but I’ll call and get somebody on the way.'”
The dispatcher immediately issued a radio call to send an officer to Proper’s home, saying that the mother had “concerns about her son and having problems with him. She did mention something about guns and ammo and wanting somebody to check out,” according to the call recording.
A short time later, the mother called dispatch and said she wanted to file a report about her son to have it on record. The dispatcher asked if her son was there.
“Yes, we just got all of his guns and ammo out of his room and put it, got it out off our property. He just came inside and he’s probably going to discover it’s not in his room,” Proper’s mother replied.
“What’s going on, though? Is he like, is he suicidal? What’s going on?” the dispatcher asked.
“Oh no, he’s just … I don’t … we don’t even know what he’s wanting to do. He’s wanting to leave this weekend and go with a group of people to help, like, fight the corrupt government,” Proper’s mother replied, according to the call recording.
By the end of the evening, Proper had been taken to Knox Community Hospital for an emergency medical admission, according to police records. Those records indicate he had a history of suicidal ideations.
According to body camera footage from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, also obtained by ABC News, after Proper left with deputies, his mother continued sharing her concerns with authorities.
“He’s texting somebody. If you go ahead and get a hold of his phone or his text messages, it’s all in there,” she tells authorities, according to the body camera footage. “It’s all on his phone. I saw him on Google Maps, he had a little pin dropped in it. I saw on Google maps, Washington, D.C.”
Describing a conversation to police she said she had with her son, she said he told her, “It’s a hit-and-a-run type of thing. I’m, like, Oh, that doesn’t sound good.”
The following day, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office contacted the FBI, which searched Proper’s iPhone, according to charging documents.
“During a preliminary search of the device, investigators observed chats on Signal groups that laid out detailed plans to conduct an attack in Washington D.C. with several unidentified confederates,” charging documents stated. “In the chat, detailed imagery of the National Capitol Region and maps of the area were shared to a group of which PROPER was a member, highlighting sniper locations, potential drone launch locations, and other detailed tactical planning.”
Later that day, investigators interviewed Proper at the medical facility where he had been taken where he “admitted to planning with others a coordinated attack against the United States government during the UFC event scheduled to take place on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, June 14, 2026,” according to the charging documents.
The phone calls from Proper’s mother provide insight into what began as a local police investigation and quickly turned into a nationwide investigation involving the FBI, Secret Service and ATF that resulted in the arrests of five people in four states, including Proper.
“My client takes the allegations against him very seriously and we are going to take the case one step, and one day, at a time as we move the case forward,” Joseph Patituce, attorney for Proper, said in a statement to ABC News.
According to police records obtained by ABC News, the guns, ammunition and other tactical gear that was taken from Tycen Proper’s room by his family was located at the home of his grandfather and turned over voluntarily to the to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for safekeeping. Those items would eventually be the subject of a federal search and seizure warrant.
Authorities are still working to identify and locate other people whom they say may have been involved in the alleged plot.
Major Oak, RSPB Sherwood Forest Nature Reserve, Nottinghamshire, May 2026 (Ben Andrew/RSPB)
(LONDON) — A giant, ancient oak tree located in the the Sherwood Forest — the iconic setting of the “Robin Hood” legend — has died, one of the U.K.’s top bird and wildlife conservation charities said.
Famous for its enormous trunk — about 36 feet in circumference — and gnarled branches, the Major Oak was believed to be about 1,200 years old, according to the RSPB Bird & Wildlife Conservation Charity.
The tree had been in “visible decline” for several years, the charity said and failed to produce any leaves this spring.
“Whilst the tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heart-breaking for everyone — from the many people over the years who have looked after this magnificent tree to the millions who have travelled here to see it — we know the Major Oak will have a lasting legacy, first and foremost because it is so inextricably linked to Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest,” Hollie Drake, senior site manager at RSPB Sherwood Forest, said in a statement.
The organization said it couldn’t determine the exact cause of the tree’s demise.
Among the factors cited were poor soil and a weakened root system as well as “well-intentioned efforts to preserve the tree’s impressive shape” over the years, including metal bracing and coverings that prevented the tree from aging naturally, the organization said.
The group also cited the effects of climate change and recent heat waves and drought.
While the tree has died, the organization said the oak will remain standing in its place in the park, “continuing as an emblem in the landscape and providing valuable decaying wood habitat.”
In addition, acorns and cuttings from the tree have already been grown into saplings.
“There are Major Oak saplings planted in locations right around the world, so we are planning work to ensure that its offspring will grow and generate their own acorns — and legends — for centuries to come,” the organization said.
Vice President J.D. Vance takes a question from a reporter during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on June 18, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday directly contradicted what is in the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, touting it as a “win-win” and insisting Iran will only reap financial benefits if they “change their behavior.”
“They don’t get anything unless they change their behavior,” Vance said during a briefing at the White House Thursday morning.
That conflicts with what U.S. officials had said was in the MOU, which states that “immediately upon signing,” the Treasury Department will allow the export of Iranian crude through waivers — a financial windfall for Iran, which has faced sanctions for years. Vance digitally signed the MOU with Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf before President Donald Trump physically signed it Wednesday.
ABC News pushed Vance on the financial rewards that Iran is already receiving simply for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. As part of the agreement, the U.S. is removing its naval blockade of Iranian ports, and Iran will allow commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed after the war started, to be restored to pre-war levels. ABC News asked how Iran is allowed to sell their oil freely without making any new concrete nuclear commitments.
“They’ve made very concrete nuclear commitments. They have committed to the destruction of the highly enriched [uranium] stockpile that they have in their possession,” Vance said, adding that lifting the Strait of Hormuz blockade has promoted “the free flow of energy … across the world.”
However, Vance’s comments conflict with what the deal says. There is no firm commitment from Iran to get rid of their nuclear stockpile — just a commitment to negotiate “the disposition” of it over the next 60 days.
Also, allowing Iran to freely sell oil on the global market now is an economic windfall for Iran, which could generate more than $60 billion a year in revenue, experts told the Wall Street Journal.
Furthermore, Vance defended the oil waivers by arguing the U.S. will gain insight into Iran’s economy.
“So by lifting the blockade, that’s the significant thing that has changed. And by lifting the sanctions, we’re actually going to be able to see a little bit where their financial system actually sends money and receives money. That’s a real benefit to the American people. And that’s really the only thing that has changed by the change in sanctions,” Vance said.
He also repeatedly stressed that U.S. taxpayer money will not flow directly to Iran — “not a single penny, by the way, from the United States of America under any circumstance.” But a final deal could still allow Iran to reap huge financial benefits, including the unfreezing of assets and a $300 billion reconstruction account for Iran — the details of which will be sorted in the 60-day period.
Pressed on whether Iran can be trusted to change its behavior, Vance asked “isn’t it worth trying?”
Democrats — and some Republicans — have expressed concerns about the MOU. Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, said Iran “took Trump to the cleaners” in negotiations over the MOU in remarks on the Senate floor Thursday. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said of the MOU on Thursday: “Iran’s left stronger, we’re left weaker.”
“You know, I’ve seen skeptics of the deal. People say ‘the Iranians will never change their behavior.’ Well, maybe that’s true. And if so, they don’t get any of the benefits of the bargain. But isn’t it worth trying? Isn’t it worth seeing whether this incredibly weakened position that the president of the United States has put the Iranians under, whether that motivates them to change their behavior, not just vis a vis the West, but vis a vis the Middle East,” he said.
Iranian Supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Thursday that Iranian officials entered the agreement from a position of strength, portraying the U.S. president as having pushed aggressively for the deal out of desperation.
President’s House Site, Memorial Wall. The names of the nine enslaved members of President Washington’s household who lived at this site. (NPS)
(WASHINGTON) — As the city of Philadelphia fights to preserve the slavery memorial at the President’s House, a federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration can remove and replace the exhibit at the site of President George Washington’s former home.
The Thursday ruling comes after the Trump administration stated in a court filing on Wednesday that it removed panels at the exhibit — some of which were restored in February following a judge’s order — because they allegedly “disparage” Americans.
The outdoor memorial, “From Enslavement to Emancipation,” is located at Independence National Historic Park. The exhibit tells the stories of the nine people enslaved by Washington.
The unanimous appeals court decision tosses a February district court ruling that ordered the National Parks Service (NPS) to restore the panels that were removed from the site. NPS took down the outdoor memorial in January before it was partially restored in February after a district court ruling, but not all materials were returned to the site.
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that while the city had standing to sue, the lower court wrongly interpreted the contract claims brought by the city and determined that they don’t have merit.
“In sum, the City has standing to sue because it alleges that its contractual rights were violated, but we should not, as the District Court did, mistake that jurisdictional determination for a conclusion that the City’s underlying statutory and contract claims have merit. They do not,” the appeals court ruling said.
ABC News reached out to the city of Philadelphia but requests for comment were not immediately returned.
Asked about the appeals court ruling and about a potential timeline for replacing the exhibit, a spokesperson for the Interior Department on Thursday provided ABC News with a three-word statement: “Trust in Trump.”
The city of Philadelphia argued in a lawsuit filed in January that by removing the panels “without notice,” NPS violated various congressional laws, as well as a 2006 agreement NPS made with the city and laid out the terms for building the exhibit, which opened to the public in 2010.
Amid pending litigation, NPS shared proposed changes to the panels at the slavery memorial that were published on its website in April.
The images shared by NPS don’t show photos of the original panels, but share proposed new panels and revised text. Of note, are proposed changes to the panels titled “Presidents Washington and Adams on Slavery,” and “The Constitution and Slavery.”
The appeals court’s ruling said, “These new panels are full of historical context. They highlight the momentous events that took place in the President’s House and the other sites at Independence National Historical Park. They acknowledge the evil of slavery, including its injustices and hypocrisies, and, by telling the story of the nine slaves that Washington kept in the President’s House, remind us of their essential humanity.”
The ruling added, “Given all these developments, we cannot agree with the District Court that the exhibit removal six months ago was NPS’s last word on the matter.”
Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), the advocacy group founded by attorney Michael Coard in 2002 to advocate for the building of the memorial, criticized the [proposed changes in an April statement, calling the replacement panels “deeply offensive.”
“The National Park Service’s most recent posting of proposed replacement panels at the President’s House Slavery Memorial is deeply offensive and represents yet another troubling attempt to distort and censor American history,” the group’s statement said, criticizing NPS for not consulting with ATAC before proposing the new panels.
“What we are seeing now is not restoration–it is revision,” ATAC’s statement added. “It is an attempt to sanitize history and present a version of the past that is more comfortable, but far less truthful.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Interior Dept. told ABC News in a statement on April 9 that the changes underscore the administration’s commitment to “celebrating and acknowledging the full breadth of our nation’s history.”
“The hard work and sacrifices of the men and women who built this nation deserve to be remembered and honored,” the spokesperson said. “By telling the full story, every triumph, every challenge, and every step towards a more perfect union we strengthen our shared understanding and ensure that future generations inherit not just the land we love, but the truth of the journey that brought us here.”
The Interior Department told ABC News in several statements that the removal of the exhibit was made in compliance with a March 27, 2025, executive order in which President Donald Trump ordered the Interior Dept. to remove content that cast the United States’ “founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.”
In the public filing on Wednesday, which stems from a separate lawsuit challenging the removal of materials at national parks across the country, the Interior Department indicated that while most glass panels at the slavery exhibit were restored in February after a judge’s order, the “large format metal panels were damaged and not restored.”
The government did not specify in the list the process for recreating the metal panels, writing “TBD” in that section.
A global map of the shadow path for the August 12, 2026, total solar eclipse. (NASA)
(NEW YORK) — Some lucky stargazers in the United States will have an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the next solar eclipse, according to astronomy experts.
On Aug. 12, a partial solar eclipse will be visible from some parts of the U.S., from Alaska to North Carolina, according to NASA. Most of Canada, much of Europe and northwestern Africa will also be able to see the partial eclipse, according to NASA.
Those in the U.S. and southern Canada will only see a small “bite” taken out of the solar disk as the moon clips the sun, NASA said.
But the full show — a total solar eclipse — will pass over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic Ocean, Portugal and northern Spain, according to the National Solar Observatory.
A sunset eclipse will even be visible for viewers along the western part of the eclipse path, from mainland Europe to Africa, according to NASA. A sunset solar eclipse occurs when the sun is setting while still partially eclipsed.
After Aug. 12, the next total solar eclipse will be visible on Aug. 2, 2027, in southern Spain and North Africa.
The difference between a total and partial solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon slips in front of the sun. Viewers located in the center of the moon’s shadow then experience a total solar eclipse, according to NASA. The moment of totality is when the moon completely covers the sun.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when watchers are inside the moon’s shadow but outside the path of totality, according to NASA.
When the solar eclipse will occur
In the U.S., the maximum of the partial solar eclipse will occur in Anchorage at 8:21 a.m. local time but midday on the mainland. The maximum will occur in Bangor, Maine, at 1:53 p.m.; in Boston at 1:55 p.m.; in Detroit at 1:36 p.m.; in New York City at 1:54 p.m.; and in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., at 1:53 p.m., according to NASA.
The total solar eclipse will occur at midday in a small, remote region of northern Russia. From Greenland to Iceland, totality will occur from late afternoon to early evening.
In Spain and northwestern Portugal, the sun will be fully eclipsed during the late evening, shortly before sunset, according to NASA. A sunset solar eclipse is a “rare spectacle,” according to Space.com.
How to watch the eclipse safely
Anyone who plans to watch the partial solar eclipse will need safe solar viewing glasses to protect their eyes, according to NASA.
UV radiation, whether from natural sunlight or artificial rays indoors, can damage the surface tissue, cornea and lens of the eye, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
The only time viewers can look directly at the eclipse without eye protection is during the brief moments of totality, when the moon completely covers the sun. It is never safe to look directly at a partial solar eclipse without eye protection.
Viewers can also use handheld solar viewers and other safe solar filters that block out most of the Sun’s light and prevent eye damage.
An indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector to cast images of the Sun, can also be used to see the partial phases of the eclipse, NASA said. The device has a small opening that projects an image of the Sun onto a nearby surface.
It is not safe to look at the eclipse through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer because the concentrated solar rays could burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury, NASA said.
A dog was shot by a police officer inside this condo building on Jordan Avenue, in Los Angeles. (KABC)
(LOS ANGELES) — The Los Angeles Police Department said it’s investigating an incident in which an officer shot and killed a dog while answering a 911 call, which turned out to be a false alarm over a woman celebrating the New York Knicks’ historic championship win on Saturday.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement Wednesday that the department is thoroughly investigating the incident, which he called “incredibly tragic,” and vowed transparency.
Around 8:55 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to a 911 call of a woman screaming inside a condo in Canoga Park, the LAPD said.
The LAPD said that while officers were speaking with a resident in the apartment at the center of the 911 call, a “large dog was barking by her side at the officers.” The dog was wearing a Knicks shirt, witnesses told KABC.
The woman closed her door momentarily after officers asked her to secure the dog, who was named Jameson, police said. After she reopened it, the dog exited the apartment and allegedly “charged at one of the officers,” prompting one of them to open fire, according to the LAPD.
Cell phone video circulated online of a woman crying over the dog’s body, shouting “We were just celebrating the Knicks.”
The neighbor who called police told KABC that they felt guilty about calling 911, but sincerely thought the woman was in trouble.
McDonnell sympathized with Jameson’s family.
“The loss of a pet is deeply personal. For many, a dog is not simply an animal; it is a companion, a source of comfort, and a member of the family,” McDonnell said in his statement.
“There is no incident more serious than when an officer fires a service weapon. For this reason, the LAPD has a specialized division of investigators specifically trained to handle these types of incidents. A thorough, multi-layered examination of this weekend’s incident in Canoga Park is already underway, but it will take time to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability,” he added.
A memorial for Jameson was formed outside the condo and an online fundraiser has raised thousands of dollars for its family.
Local activists have called for more details about the incident, including body camera footage from the officers who responded to the call.
“The tragic killing of Jameson was unnecessary and unwarranted,” Najee Ali, a senior organizer with the Los Angeles National Action Network, said during a news conference Tuesday.
“We demand immediate accountability, which can only happen through the prompt release of the body-worn camera footage and the names of the officers responsible for shooting and killing Jameson,” he added.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also released a statement on Wednesday, saying that a thorough investigation will be conducted.
“Every life lost to violence is a tragedy, and we know that the devastating loss of Jameson will be felt by his family forever,” she said.
