FAA investigating Delta jet fuel-dumping on schoolkids

CUDAHY, Calif. (AP) — Federal authorities will investigate why an airliner with engine trouble dumped jet fuel over a densely populated area of Southern California while making an emergency return to the airport, dousing dozens of schoolchildren in a smelly vapor.

Delta Air Lines Flight 89 to Shanghai, with 181 passengers and crew on board, turned back to Los Angeles International Airport only minutes after taking off Tuesday.

The pilot reported a compressor stall in the right engine — damage to a jet turbine that can occur through malfunction or when a foreign object such as a bird hits an engine. The damage can reduce engine thrust or, in worst cases, lead to a fire. Planes can take off weighted down for their journey, but if they must land early because of an emergency, it can be necessary to dump fuel so that the aircraft is lighter to avoid damage.

Air traffic control asked the aircrew if they wanted to return to LAX immediately or remain over the ocean “to hold and burn fuel,” according to a recording of the radio communications.

“We’re going to go ahead,” the pilot or co-pilot responds. “We’ve got it back under control. … We’re not critical.”

“OK, so you don’t need to hold or dump fuel or anything like that?” the controller asks.

“Ah, negative,” the pilot responds.

But the plane did later dump fuel, possibly while preparing to make a final turn before descending.

The fuel sprayed out of the plane in two lines and descended at midday in the city of Cudahy and nearby parts of Los Angeles County, about 13 miles east of the airport. It fell on five elementary schools, officials said.

The fuel, described by fire officials as a vapor, caused minor skin and lung irritation to 56 children and adults but nobody was taken to the hospital and the only decontamination required was soap and water, officials said.

Delta Air Lines said the aircraft landed safely after releasing fuel, “which was required as part of normal procedure to reach a safe landing weight.”

Diego Martinez, a sixth-grader at Park Avenue Elementary in Cuday, said he and his classmates were outside for physical education class when they saw the airplane flying low overhead.

“It was very close,” he said.

Shortly afterward, the air filled with the pungent odor of fuel.

“It was very strong, the odor,” the 12-year-old said.

Diego wasn’t doused but some of his friends complained that their skin was itching.

Some teachers at Park Avenue had headaches from the smell, said Antonio Buenabad, area representative for the United Teachers Los Angeles union.

“They were anxious to get home and shower because the stench was very strong,” he said of the teachers.

The internet was quickly clogged with people questioning the decision and suggesting that the pilot could have shut down the engine, retained the fuel and landed with one working engine at some risk of damage to the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating.

“There are special fuel-dumping procedures for aircraft operating into and out of any major U.S. airport,” the FAA said in a statement. “These procedures call for fuel to be dumped over designated unpopulated areas, typically at higher altitudes so the fuel atomizes and disperses before it reaches the ground.”

However, pilots can deviate from the rules in an emergency for safety reasons, said Doug Moss, a retired airline captain and owner of AeroPacific Consulting, LLC, an aviation consulting firm based in Reno, Nevada.

The pilot could have stayed over the ocean to dump his fuel but that could have taken a half-hour up to an hour, Moss said.

Moss said when there is a compressor stall, the crew can’t determine how much damage was done internally to the engine.

“The fan blades may have separated and cut into the fuel lines, leaving an uncontrollable fire as a future possibility,” Moss said.

“He’s flying an airplane with a damaged engine that may be on fire,” Moss said. “So he has to make the decision: Do I spend the time to dump fuel or do I put this thing on the ground as soon as I can? You’re not going to kill anyone by dumping fuel.”

“There’s no dereliction of duty. Everybody’s trying to do the best they can but it’s a fast-paced, dynamic ballgame and there’s not a lot of time to think … lives are at stake,” Moss said. “He got it on the ground safely. Unfortunately, there was collateral damage. People got gas poured over them.”

Cornell said 31 children and adults were affected by the fuel dump at Park Avenue school and another 12 at 93rd Street Elementary school. The rest of those affected were at other schools.

 

Group decries China on human rights

NEW YORK  (TNS) — China poses an increasingly dire threat to the international human rights system, Human Rights Watch said in its annual report released on Tuesday.

The Chinese government under President Xi Jinping “has constructed an Orwellian high-tech surveillance state and a sophisticated internet censorship system to monitor and suppress public criticism,” HRW director Kenneth Roth said in the report.

“Abroad, it uses its growing economic clout to silence critics and to carry out the most intense attack on the global system for enforcing human rights since that system began to emerge in the mid-20th century,” he added.

Roth described how China uses its influence at the United Nations to block measures to protect persecuted people and avoid discussions of its mass detention of Muslims in Xinjiang province.

“If not challenged, Beijing’s actions portend a dystopian future in which no one is beyond the reach of Chinese censors, and an international human rights system so weakened that it no longer serves as a check on government repression,” Roth wrote.

The HRW chief was at the U.N. headquarters in New York to release the report after being denied entry to Hong Kong, where he was initially planning to launch it.

China’s Foreign Ministry said Roth, a U.S. citizen, was barred over his organization’s support of protesters in Hong Kong.

“I had hoped to spotlight Beijing’s deepening assault on international efforts to uphold human rights,” Roth said in a statement. “The refusal to let me enter Hong Kong vividly illustrates the problem.”

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam declined to comment on Roth’s denied entry, saying in a Tuesday news conference that her administration does “not comment on individual cases.”

Lam added that the “immigration authorities will deal with each case based on the existing legislation and the existing immigration policy, taking into account the actual circumstances of the case.”

Hong Kong political expert Phillip Bowring said that though he was not aware of any relevant change in the legislation, “the authorities have long had powers to deny entry to nonresidents without giving reasons.”

At the launch event for HRW’s report in New York, a diplomat from China’s mission to the U.N. lashed out at Roth.

“Given what you said, I think it’s clear to all why you have been barred such entry,” Xing Jisheng told Roth.

The Chinese diplomat said his country rejected the report’s contents, which contained “prejudices and fabrications” about Beijing.

The report also failed to mention that China had lifted 700 million people out of poverty, the diplomat said.

Roth replied that it was easy to make claims of falsehoods, but that HRW worked carefully to report the facts.

HRW’s annual report reviews human rights practices around the world. While this year’s report spotlights China, it also points out rights abuses in countries including Syria and Yemen, where warring parties disregard rules designed to protect civilians.

A look back in time

A new dress code adopted by the Iola High School Student Council goes into effect Jan. 25. According to the code, girls should not attend school with their hair pinned up and they should not wear scarves in the classroom. Sweatshirts are considered to be gym clothing and not appropriate for classroom wear. Plain T-shirts, commonly considered to be underclothing, shall not be substituted for shirts unless tucked into the trousers and worn only during warm weather. All clothing shall fit properly, being large enough to provide freedom of movement and to avoid an appearance of undue tightness. Jeans and slacks are eliminated altogether for girls. All extreme haircuts or bleaches that attract attention to the point of disrupting classroom work are prohibited. Principal Floyd Smith said these rules are less strict than in most SEK schools. 

*****

All IHS sophomores are to take a mental maturity test. Virgil Albertini, the sophomore English teacher, will administer the test. The Kansas State Department of Public Instruction under the National Defense Education Act is supervising the examination.

*****

Actual construction of the brick structure which will house the famed courthouse clock will be started in the next day or two by Andrew Walden, Iola bricklayer and contractor. The walls will be constructed of Iola Red Sand Face brick, which also were used for the walls in the courthouse museum. Since the clock was taken down last February, the dismantled clock has been stored in the old jail on Jefferson. Allen Countians may again hear the chiming of the hour by early summer.

20 points from Isiah Moss lead No.6 KU past Sooners

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Isaiah Moss made the transition from reserve to starter look easy.

The graduate transfer scored 20 points in his first start for Kansas and helped the sixth-ranked Jayhawks beat Oklahoma 66-52 on Tuesday night.

Moss stepped in for leading scorer Devon Dotson, who sat out with a hip injury, and made 6 of 11 3-pointers. Moss was well prepared to move into the starting five — he had started every game he played in the previous two seasons at Iowa.

“We learned in shootaround that Devon wasn’t going to play,” Moss said. “Devon is a big part of our offense. So we knew that all the guards would have to step up. We did that tonight. I felt like I got some momentum going hitting some early shots and just felt comfortable tonight.”

Udoka Azubuike had 16 points and 14 rebounds and Marcus Garrett added 15 points for the Jayhawks (13-3, 3-1 Big 12), who bounced back from a loss to Baylor last Saturday.

It wasn’t pretty, but Kansas coach Bill Self was fine with that. His Jayhawks overcame a sluggish first half to shoot 50% from the field after the break.

“We scored 66 points and it felt like we were on fire tonight,” Self said. “That’s how hard it is to score in this league. It could be a first one to 60 and I know that’s not very exciting to everyone. That is the type of grind-out game that the NCAA Tournament games typically are.”

Kristian Doolittle had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma (11-5, 2-2), but he made just 5 of 18 shots. De’Vion Harmon scored 13 points and Brady Manek added 10 points for the Sooners.

Oklahoma shot 31% from the field, including 8 of 29 from 3-point range.

“I thought we did a great job defending OU’s scorers on the perimeter,” Self said. “That was probably the biggest thing for us.”

Oklahoma struggled to deal with Azubuike, a 7-foot, 255-pound center.

“We knew we had a mismatch with them inside,” Azubuike said. “They have a bunch of guys who like to shoot the ball. So we had to move our feet and get out on them. Our bigs are what make us go.”

The Sooners had won home games against the Jayhawks the previous two years, and it looked like they might get another one. Kansas led 28-27 at the break after a back-and-forth first half.

Kansas controlled the early part of the second half, but a 3-pointer by Doolittle cut Kansas’ lead to 49-45. Garrett answered with a 3-pointer, and then Azubuike dunked to put Kansas in control for good.

Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger and the Sooners couldn’t find any answers in their second straight loss.

“There are no shortcuts to making the improvements we need to make,” he said. “I like a lot of the looks we had, but we obviously need even better looks. I thought we went through a stretch in the second half where they simply rebounded the ball better than us. We were looking, searching through a list of things.”

 

BIG PICTURE

Kansas: The Jayhawks were solid without their scoring leader. Dotson averages 18 points per game, but the No. 2 scorer heading into the game was Azubuike with 12.6.

Oklahoma: The Sooners became too dependent on the 3-point shot, taking nearly half their shots from beyond the arc. They couldn’t find scoring elsewhere when outside shots weren’t falling, going 11 for 33 inside the 3-point line. Oklahoma could have used a win against a highly ranked team.

 

OUT OF RETIREMENT

Top Daug returned as an Oklahoma mascot on Tuesday after being retired for 15 years. The mascot is most associated with Oklahoma’s run of success under coach Billy Tubbs starting in the mid-1980s. Top Daug was retired in 2004 and was brought back once, for a men’s game in 2008 as a part of a 1988 Final Four reunion.

 

STAT LINES

Oklahoma had just five turnovers, and no Sooner player had more than one.

 

UP NEXT

Kansas: Visits Texas on Saturday.

Oklahoma: Hosts TCU on Saturday.

WNBA to hike average salary

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA and its union announced a tentative eight-year labor deal Tuesday that will allow top players to earn more than $500,000 while the average annual compensation will surpass six figures for the first time.

The contract, which begins this season and runs through 2027, will pay players an average of $130,000 and guarantees full salaries while on maternity leave. The collective bargaining agreement also provides enhanced family benefits, travel standards and other health and wellness improvements.

“I call it historic,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a phone interview. “The CBA guarantees substantial (financial) increases. The way we are paying these players is different than the past. … The top couple players are tripling (in pay) where they were. Other players are making $200,000-300,000. The average will be over $130,000. Everyone gets an increase here.”

Principal deal points have been ratified by the players and the league’s Board of Governors, and lawyers are finalizing the language. The deal calls for 50-50 revenue sharing starting in 2021, based on the league achieving revenue growth targets from broadcast agreements, marketing partnerships and licensing deals.

“I was adamant on the 50-50 target,” Engelbert said. “The league and players work together to market this league so we can share revenue with the players. We have to hit some targets.”

The salary cap will go up 31% to $1.3 million in the first year — up from $996,000 — and another $750,000 in prize money for special competitions arrives in 2021. Under this deal, the maximum base salary would increase to $215,000 from $117,500.

“You can pay your stars. That’s how the league grows,” Engelbert said.

This will be the fifth CBA for the WNBA, which launched in 1997. Like the last one, there is a mutual opt-out provision after six years.

The CBA also proposes a minimum of $1.6 million in offseason league and team marketing agreements that would create up to $300,000 in additional annual cash for select players.

The rookie scale for the Nos. 1-4 picks will rise to $68,000 — an increase of about $15,000 from this year — plus the ability to qualify for league-guaranteed money under the marketing agreement.

“It was a collaborative effort,” WNBA players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike said. “I think that we really all had the same things in mind and had different way of getting there. We really put our heads together and came up with some ideas.”

Ogwumike said the labor pact provides more financial incentive for players to stay in the offseason instead of playing overseas. Former league MVP Breanna Stewart tore an Achilles tendon overseas last year and missed the entire WNBA season. Diana Taurasi sat out a season a few years ago because her Russian team was paying her more than $1 million and wanted her to rest.

“This agreement is reflective of the game growing and the league growing and then the revenue share will grow,” Ogwumike said. “Revenue sharing is putting your best foot forward.”

Engelbert said the additional money needed to fund the CBA will come from a variety of sources.

“Teams and owners are stepping up. The league is stepping up,” said the commissioner, who started last July.

She also touted the new “Changemakers” program, with key sponsors supporting the WNBA in its transformation across marketing, branding and player and fan experiences. AT&T, Nike and Deloitte are the inaugural three business partners.

“We’re hoping to lift, not just women in sports and women in basketball, but women in society,” Engelbert said.

The league will also expand its schedule by a few games and add an in-season Commissioner’s Cup tournament this year.

The WNBA also will work with the NBA and its developmental league and college basketball to promote players for coaching opportunities. Engelbert said players can get paid at the market rate even if the NBA franchise is affiliated with a WNBA team. This was an issue last year when Washington Mystics guard Kristi Toliver could earn only $10,000 as an assistant for the Wizards because of pay restrictions in the previous CBA.

Other highlights of the CBA include:

— Travel improvements where players are given premium economy airline tickets as well as individual rooms on road trips. In the past, players flew coach and some shared rooms.

— A more liberal free agency system that allows players to become unrestricted free agents sooner beginning next year if they aren’t given the “core” designation by their team. It also drops the number of times a player can be so designated from four to three beginning this year and down to two beginning in 2022.

— Players receive their full salary while on maternity leave, are given two-bedroom apartments for players with children as well as workplace accommodations that provide privacy for nursing mothers.

— The league is also introducing family planning benefits of up to a $60,000 reimbursement for veteran players for costs directly related to adoption, surrogacy and fertility treatment.

— Enhanced mental health benefits and resources.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora fired in sign-stealing scandal

BOSTON (AP) — Alex Cora has already been identified as a ringleader in an illegal system of sign stealing when he was with the Houston Astros.

The Red Sox didn’t wait to see what punishment Major League Baseball might give him for possibly bringing a similar scheme with him to Boston.

Cora was fired by the team he led to the 2018 World Series title on Tuesday night, one day after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said he was “an active participant” in the Astros’ cheating when he was a bench coach in Houston.

Manfred mentioned Cora by name 11 times in a nine-page report, saying he “originated and executed” the scheme in which Houston used a center field camera to decode catchers’ signals to pitchers, then banged on a trash can to relay the signs to batters so they would know what type of pitch was coming.

The Astros fired manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow, making that announcement an hour after Manfred suspended them for the 2020 season for their roles in the cheating scheme. Cora met Tuesday with Boston management and they issued a release saying they had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

“Given the findings and the commissioner’s ruling, we collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward,” the team said in a statement attributed to owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, CEO Sam Kennedy and Cora.

The team called a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to address the scandal, which leaves it without a manager less than a month before pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training.

Bench coach Ron Roenicke, who spent five years managing the Milwaukee Brewers, is the most experienced member of the current coaching staff; former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek has also been mentioned as a possible replacement.

In suspending Luhnow and Hinch, Manfred said he was withholding Cora’s punishment until completing a separate investigation of accusations the Red Sox stole signs in 2018. That investigation will continue; Cora and the Red Sox could both face additional penalties.

“We agreed today that parting ways was the best thing for the organization,” Cora said in a statement released by the team. “I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward.”

New Mets manager and former Astros player Carlos Beltrán also was implicated by Manfred in his report Monday — the only player mentioned. Manfred decided that no players would be disciplined for breaking rules prohibiting the use of electronics to steal catchers’ signs in 2017 after levying penalties against Boston and the New York Yankees.

The Mets declined comment on Beltrán’s status.

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost the 2017 World Series to the Astros and again in 2018 to the Red Sox.

“All clubs have been asked by Major League Baseball not to comment on today’s punishment of the Houston Astros as it’s inappropriate to comment on discipline imposed on another club,” Los Angeles said in a statement Monday night. “The Dodgers have also been asked not to comment on any wrongdoing during the 2017 World Series and will have no further comment at this time.”

A member of Boston’s 2007 championship club, Cora was hired in November 2017 to take over a Red Sox team that won back-to-back AL East titles in 2016-17 but failed to advance in the postseason under John Farrell.

Cora guided the team to a franchise-record 108 regular-season victories in 2018 and its fourth World Series title in 15 years. The Red Sox beat a pair of 100-win teams in the Yankees and Astros in the AL playoffs, then defeated the Dodgers in a five-game World Series to make Cora the first Puerto Rican manager to win a championship and the fifth manager to guide a team to a title in his first season.

He was rewarded by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski with a new contract adding an extra guaranteed season in 2021, a deal that included a club option for 2022.

Dombrowski was fired in September after the Red Sox stumbled toward an 84-78 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015. He was replaced this offseason by former Tampa Bay Rays executive Chaim Bloom, who will lead the search for a new manager.

“This is a sad day for us,” Henry, Werner and Kennedy said in a statement. “Alex is a special person and a beloved member of the Red Sox. We are grateful for his impact on our franchise. We will miss his passion, his energy and his significant contributions to the communities of New England and Puerto Rico.”

The scandal — but not the severity of the punishment — is reminiscent of the New England Patriots’ sign-stealing scheme in 2007, in which the team videotaped opposing coaches to decipher their signals. The NFL fined the Patriots $250,000 and docked them a first-round draft pick, and also fined coach Bill Belichick $500,000.

Texas Rangers All-Star pitcher Mike Minor eagerly took a jab on Twitter at Cora, who insinuated Minor wasn’t “playing the game the right way” when the left-hander encouraged a teammate to drop a popup against Boston during his final start of 2019 so Minor could pursue his 200th strikeout of the season.

“But but he plays the game the right way…” Minor wrote.

Cora’s departure means 10 of the 30 major league teams will start the 2020 season with a new manager. Boston’s new manager will be its fifth in 10 seasons.

Red Raiders hold off K-State

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — No. 23 Texas Tech went on the road and held strong late to grind out a Big 12 victory.

Kyler Edwards scored a career-high 24 points, Davide Moretti had 14 and the Red Raiders used a late push to beat Kansas State 77-63 Tuesday night.

Texas Tech (11-5, 2-2 Big 12) led by 15 during the first half, but the Wildcats rallied and led 46-45 with 13 minutes remaining. Kevin McCuller scored nine of his 10 points in the final 11:30 to help steady the Red Raiders. Jahmi’us Ramsey also had 10 points.

“These Big 12 games are so hard to win especially on the road,” Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said. “I have so much respect for coach Bruce Weber and what he’s done here,”

Cartier Diarra scored 19 points, Xavier Sneed had 14 and Montavious Murphy added 11 for Kansas State (7-9, 0-4).

This is only the second time Texas Tech has won at Kansas State since 2007.

The Wildcats shot 47.2% but only had 36 attempts due to 20 turnovers. Texas Tech also shot 47.2% from the field.

“Our guys care and obviously are frustrated,” Weber said. “But we fought back in this game and. Told our guys to play with passion and I think they did.”

The Red Raiders scored 30 points off those turnovers and made seven 3-pointers.

Kansas State shot almost as many free throws as field goals, making 25 of 34 attempts from the line.

It took Kansas State over four minutes to score in the game. In their last game against Texas, the Wildcats didn’t score a point in the second half until the 12-minute mark.

“I think we need come out and stay focused,” Murphy said. “We play good defense, but sometimes they hit the shot because we break down.”

Texas Tech outrebounded Kansas State 31-23 as the Wildcats posted their lowest number of rebounds in a game this season.

 

STARTERS INJURED

Kansas State guard Mike McGuirl did not play due to a concussion and Texas Tech guard Terrance Shannon Jr. missed the game due to a back injury.

 

BIG PICTURE

Kansas State: The Wildcats got down early but fought back in the second half. The big hole proved costly.

Texas Tech: Despite having 16 turnovers and battling foul trouble, the Red Raiders were able to hold off a pesky Wildcat team.

 

UP NEXT

Kansas State hosts West Virginia on Saturday.

Texas Tech goes home to take on Iowa State on Saturday.

Moran joins effort to dismiss impeachment case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran has joined other Republicans in cosponsoring a resolution that would allow senators to dismiss the House’s articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

Moran announced Monday that he is cosponsoring the resolution with Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley. Fifteen other Republicans also are cosponsors, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The resolution is Hawley’s response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s delay in sending the two impeachment articles to the Senate for a trial after the House approved them last month. 

Pelosi sought to pressure senators into calling witnesses but plans to send the articles in coming days.

Hawley proposes to allow the Senate to dismiss impeachment articles if the House doesn’t send them over within 25 days of its approval. 

In a statement, Moran said Pelosi had used the articles “for political gain.”

“Our Constitution guarantees a fair and speedy trial to defendants, and Congress must provide these same guarantees to public officials facing impeachment,” Moran said.

One article charges Trump with abusing power by pushing Ukraine to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden and holding back U.S. military funds to the country as leverage. The second charges him with obstructing Congress by blocking witnesses and testimony in the House probe.

 

Jim Hill

James “Jim” William Hill, age 74, of Colony, died Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at Anderson County Hospital, Garnett.

He was born May 19, 1945, in Rockford, Iowa, to Myron C. and Yvonne (Clark) Hill.

He served in the U.S. Navy.

Jim married Jacquelyn (Sutton) Tush on Feb. 20, 1981 in Welda.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; three stepsons, Chris Ernzen, David Tush and Terry Tush; and other relatives.

He is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn Hill of the home; one son, Myron Hill of Merriam; two stepsons, Ronald Tush of Iola, and Michael Tush of Savonburg; one stepdaughter, April Hackathorn; and other relatives.

Cremation is planned and no services will be taking place at this time.

Billy Culp, Jr.

Billy Edward Culp, Jr., age 45, of Iola, died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He was born Jan. 31, 1974, to Bill Culp, Sr. and Barbara (Allen) Culp.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include two sons Brandon and Alex; and other relatives.

Graveside inurnment will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Humboldt.