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Century-old US airport to shut down to make way for taxpayer-funded park as critics push for housing

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A California airport that has operated for more than 100 years is set to close — and not without controversy.

The 227-acre Santa Monica Airport site is expected to be converted into open green space, sports areas and cultural facilities, according to the city of Santa Monica.

The city recently secured nearly $500,000 in funding to begin planning the transformation of about 20 acres of the airport site into park space, including trails, fitness areas and other public amenities, according to Los Angeles County documents.

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The airport is scheduled to close Dec. 31, 2028.

The closure follows decades of legal disputes and pushback from local residents, the city noted.

The airport has already operated under strict limitations in recent years, including restrictions on late-night activity.

“Although arrivals are permitted 24 hours a day, pilots are requested to avoid all operations between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Friday or until 8 a.m. on weekends,” the city said.

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In 2017, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the city reached a settlement that allows Santa Monica to close the airport at the end of 2028 after continuing operations through that date, the FAA said.

The agreement also allowed the city to shorten the runway as part of efforts to limit airport activity.

Once closed, the site will be redeveloped into a large-scale public space. 

Officials say the goal is to create a destination that serves both residents and visitors — while preserving open space in a densely populated area.

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Community input has played a major role in shaping the proposal, with the city hosting dozens of public meetings and collecting thousands of survey responses.

The proposal has sparked debate online. 

Residents took to the r/SantaMonica subreddit to sound off on the decision.

Some residents voiced support for a large park, pointing to the lack of similar green spaces in Los Angeles.

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“Compared to other major cities, L.A. is lacking this type of curated urban park,” one user wrote in a discussion about the project.

Others argued the land should be used in a different way.

“We desperately need more housing,” another commenter wrote, suggesting the site could accommodate both a park and residential development.

A third commenter said, “Would love a better way to connect to Ocean Park by foot or bike without 23rd St. Having it be a mix of high-density housing and a park would be great.”

Yet another resident suggested it could be used for “a half-dozen super-tall residential towers, with mixed commercial and retail uses on the first few floors, and the rest a ton of public park space with trails and bike lanes and recreation fields.”

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Indiana coach Cignetti sends message to star transfer with pre-practice dress code lesson

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In just his second season at the helm, Curt Cignetti led Indiana to its first national championship.

During the Hoosiers’ title run, Cignetti became known for his demanding coaching style. Indiana opened spring practice Thursday, and incoming transfer wide receiver Nick Marsh got a crash course in what it means to play for Cignetti.

Marsh, who transferred from Michigan State, arrived at practice in gold cleats. After noting Marsh’s productive two-year stint in East Lansing, Cignetti pivoted to the wideout’s footwear.

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“I didn’t love those gold shoes he came out in today,” Cignetti said. “He learned what getting your a– ripped is all about. I don’t know if that happened to him very often at Michigan State. That was before practice started.”

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Marsh totaled 1,311 receiving yards and nine touchdowns at Michigan State. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover also headlines Indiana’s transfer additions.

Cignetti added that the coaching staff has “more work to do with this group than the first two teams,” noting the group is still learning more about players the team will likely rely on next season.

Indiana went 16-0 en route to a thrilling win over Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship in January.

Cignetti framed his callout of Marsh’s cleats as an early message about expectations.

“That was a wake-up call,” Cignetti said of the receiver’s pre-practice cleats. “But he’s really worked hard, done a great job for us.”

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Appeals court pauses orders limiting federal agents’ use of tear gas at protests near Portland ICE building

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An appeals court paused a pair of lower court rulings in Oregon that restricted federal agents’ use of tear gas and other crowd-control munitions during protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted the Trump administration’s request for temporary administrative stays in two cases in a 2-1 ruling.

Anti-ICE demonstrators have held protests at the building since June, as part of protests across the country challenging President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

Two lawsuits were filed over federal agents’ crowd control tactics — one brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon on behalf of protesters and freelance journalists and another brought by the residents of an affordable housing complex across the street from the ICE building.

OREGON JUDGE LIMITS FEDERAL AGENTS’ TEAR GAS USE AT PORTLAND PROTESTS

The complaints argue that federal agents’ use of chemical and projectile munitions has violated the rights of plaintiffs — including a demonstrator known for wearing a chicken costume, a married couple in their 80s and two freelance journalists who said federal agents used chemical spray and projectile munitions against them.

The Department of Homeland Security has previously said that the agents have “followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.”

Earlier this month, the federal judges in Portland overseeing the separate cases both issued preliminary injunctions limiting federal agents’ use of tear gas, pepper spray and other chemical munitions unless someone poses an imminent threat of physical harm.

The agents were also ordered not to fire munitions at the head, neck or torso “unless the officer is legally justified in using deadly force against that person” and were told not to use pepper spray against a group in an indiscriminate way that would affect bystanders. Additionally, they were told to only target people who were engaging in violent unlawful conduct or actively resisting arrest, noting that trespassing, refusing to move and refusing to obey an order to disperse are acts of passive resistance, not active resistance.

“Plaintiffs provided numerous videos, which were received in evidence and unambiguously show DHS officers spraying OC Spray directly into the faces of peaceful and nonviolent protesters engaged in, at most, passive resistance and discharging tear gas and firing pepper-ball munitions into crowds of peaceful and nonviolent protestors,” U.S. District Judge Michael Simon wrote in his ruling on March 9 in the case brought by the ACLU.

“Defendants’ conduct — physically harming protestors and journalists without prior dispersal warnings — is objectively chilling,” he added.

JUDGE RULES FEDERAL AGENTS MUST LIMIT TEAR GAS AT PROTESTS NEAR PORTLAND ICE BUILDING

The Ninth Circuit panel said on Wednesday that oral arguments in the two cases will be consolidated and scheduled for April 7.

Earlier this year, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called on ICE to leave the city after federal agents deployed tear gas at a crowd of demonstrators outside the agency’s building. The mayor described the protests as peaceful and criticized federal officers’ use of pepper balls, flash-bang grenades and rubber bullets.

“Federal forces deployed heavy waves of chemical munitions, impacting a peaceful daytime protest where the vast majority of those present violated no laws, made no threat, and posed no danger to federal forces,” he said in a statement at the time.

“To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave,” he added, accusing federal officials of “trampling the Constitution.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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New Jersey middle school teacher charged with child sex assault after alleged sexual relationship with student

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A former middle school teacher in New Jersey was arrested on Thursday following allegations she had a sexual relationship with a student.

Ashley Fisler, 36, of Washington Township in Gloucester County, was charged with six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of second-degree official misconduct, according to Fox 29.

Each first-degree charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, and each second-degree charge carries a maximum of 10 years.

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The arrest of the former teacher comes after the victim, who is now an adult, reported the details to police earlier this year. The victim was a student in Fisler’s class at the time of the sexual relationship.

Fisler allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a student in 2021 while she was a teacher at Orchard Valley Middle School, the outlet reported.

The victim described to police multiple sexual encounters in Fisler’s vehicle and in her classroom, according to Fox 29.

Investigators later discovered text messages between Fisler and the victim that allegedly confirmed the sexual nature of their relationship, the outlet reported.

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Fisler taught social studies in the Washington Township school district from 2014 until June 2023, according to an online resume.

She is no longer employed as a teacher in Washington Township or in any other district, according to officials.

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