In brief: Small jet from Idaho crashes in California
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – A small jet that took off from Idaho has crashed into a storage hangar and started a large fire after landing Sunday night at a Southern California airport, officials said.
The twin-engine Cessna Citation that took off from Hailey, Idaho, went off the right side of the runway at Santa Monica Municipal Airport at about 6:20 p.m. and struck the hangar, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
The fire destroyed the hangar, Santa Monica Fire Department spokeswoman Bridgett Lewis said.
The blaze did minor damage to two other buildings, Lewis said. It was not immediately clear how many people were on the plane or whether anyone was inside the hangar, and there was no immediate word on any injuries or deaths.
Fire Capt. John Nevandro told KNBC-TV the crash was “unsurvivable,” but firefighters had yet to confirm any deaths.
The jet, a Cessna 525A manufactured in 2003, is registered to a Malibu, Calif., address, and its corporate owner, Creative Real Estate Exchange, is based in Birmingham, Ala., and Atlanta, according to FAA public records.
The airport in Hailey serves Idaho’s Sun Valley resort area, which is a frequent destination for many celebrities, and the rich and powerful alike.
Garden Fresh recalls chicken, ham salads
MILWAUKEE – Garden Fresh Foods of Milwaukee has recalled 19,000 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and ham products because of possible Listeria bacteria contamination.
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service said the foods were distributed to retailers and food services nationwide. They include several kinds of chicken and ham salads sold under the Market Pantry, Archer Farms, D’Amico and Sons, Finest Traditions, Garden Fresh and Weis brands.
The agency said the problem was discovered through testing by the Food and Drug Administration.
There have been no reports of illnesses due to consumption of these products.
128-year-old National Aquarium closing
WASHINGTON – An aquarium that opened its doors to visitors in 1885 is closing its doors in the nation’s capital.
The National Aquarium is closing its Washington location after the last visitors leave today. Officials announced in May that the aquarium must move out of the U.S. Department of Commerce building due to renovations.
The 1,500 animals will be moved to other locations, including the National Aquarium in Baltimore, in the months ahead.
The aquarium’s Washington location has been housed at the site near the National Mall since 1932. For decades, it has drawn families and tourists to see fish, turtles, alligators and snakes in the basement of the massive federal building.
The aquarium’s board said it is exploring ways to maintain a presence in Washington, but a site hasn’t been determined.
Hotel drops drinks named for candidates
BOSTON – There was only one problem with a Boston hotel’s plan to offer alcoholic drinks named after two city mayoral candidates: One of them is a recovering alcoholic.
Officials at the Loews Boston Hotel canceled the promotion after being questioned recently by a Boston Herald reporter.
The hotel had planned to sell $8 drinks named after Democratic mayoral candidates John R. Connolly and Martin J. Walsh, and offer $4 nonalcoholic alternatives to them, in its bar, Cuffs. Walsh, a state representative, has openly discussed his past troubles with alcohol during his campaign.
Loews Boston had planned to keep a tab on sales of the drinks – dubbed the J.R. Connelly and M.J. Walsh – as an unofficial, pre-election indicator of who was winning the race, the Herald reported Sunday.
“Loews Boston Hotel acknowledges the insensitivity of this recent promotion and have canceled it effective immediately,” the hotel said in a statement after being questioned by the reporter.
Walsh’s campaign declined to comment.
Walsh and Connolly, a city councilor and former teacher, were the top vote-getters in a recent preliminary election before the Nov. 5 general election.