International – Tongan Volcano
An underwater volcano erupted near Tonga last Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022.
The eruption was the largest in its history and it may even be the largest volcanic eruption on Earth in the last 30 years.
“This is absolutely unique in my experience,” David Tappin, former chief geologist in Tonga, told 1News. “There hasn’t been an event from a volcanic eruption, and such an explosive eruption, previously. So, this is a big surprise.”
The same 1News YouTube video featuring Tappin also spotlighted civilian videos. In one, a coastal civilian documented smoke in the sky when the shockwave blasted across the waves. In another, a woman is trapped in a church as tsunami waves surge through the streets, leaving her stranded.
On Tuesday, Jan. 18, Tongan Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, said only two houses remain on the island of Fonoifua, two more than what remains for Mango, an island home to 36 people.
According to Sovaleni, the entirety of the Tongan population, over 100,000 people, have been affected by a “volcanic mushroom plume” covering the country’s entire 170-island archipelago, 36 of which are inhabited.
The New Zealand Foreign Ministry said to anticipate more eruptions, according to modeling by GNS science, a New Zealand geological research institute.
“The most likely scenario is for ongoing eruptions in the next several days to weeks, with ongoing tsunami risk to Tonga and New Zealand,” the Ministry said.
Initial photos from reconnaissance flights conducted by Australia and New Zealand depict the islands covered in ash. The ash also covered Tonga’s airport, delaying aid until two New Zealand naval ships could arrive.
Many sources of drinking water have also been polluted, a problem critical to rectify according to Katie Greenwood, Pacific Head of Delegation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
“Securing access to safe drinking water is a critical immediate priority,” Greenwood said, pointing to the increasing risk of diseases such as cholera.
Due to the possibility of a coronavirus outbreak, the World Health Organization decided against sending personnel aid, but will work to send supplies for communication, sanitation and repair.
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National – Flight grounded over mask policy
The London-bound American Airlines flight 38 returned to Miami when a customer refused to comply with the federal mask mandate.
Police were called while enroute back to Miami. Once at the gate, they escorted the passenger from the plane without incident. The passenger was “dealt with administratively by American Airlines staff,” Detective A. Colome said from the Miami-Dade Police Department.
The flight was subsequently canceled for all 129 passengers.
The Federal Aviation Administration logged 151 unruly passenger reports this year, of which 92 were mask related.
The FAA announced a zero-tolerance policy last year that skips warnings and goes immediately to penalties, including fines up to $37,000 per violation and jail time, although they lack the authority to initiate criminal prosecution.
The possible consequences for the disruptive passenger of flight 38 are unknown.
2021 was reportedly one of the worst years for unruly passengers, with 4,290 mask-related cases of 5,981 total. The FAA also tracked the yearly number of investigated cases since 1995, which averaged roughly 182 until 1,081 in 2021, a 494% increase.
On their website, the FAA notes the rate of unruly passenger reports has halved since its early 2021 peak.
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Local – Sugar Ray Leonard helps OKCPD fundraiser
Sugar Ray Leonard, an Olympic Gold Medalist and boxing legend, stopped by the Oklahoma City Police Department Thursday, Jan. 13 to pose for photos and show his support for Oklahoma City’s Police Athletic League fundraiser aimed towards inner-city kids.
On March 11, 1991, Oklahoma City joined the largest juvenile crime prevention program in the nation, the National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues.
The Police Athletic League was founded in 1914 in New York City, with the intention of creating a safe place for kids to play and to better the relationship between police officers and youth. Thirty-one years after joining, OKC PAL continues to fight for that same belief.
“Some kids, they kind of don’t like it at home,” said one sixth grader in an OKC PAL video. “PAL gives them the opportunity to do something else.”
PAL, intends to provide mentoring, leadership skills training and service opportunities through athletic programs for fifth and sixth graders.
“Somebody’s going to mentor these kids, whether it’s a gangbanger or whether it’s Coach Dawnson and myself, ” OKCPD Lieutenant Jermaine Johnson said. “We’re there to be positive role models to these kids.”
OKCPD Sergeant Mike Dawson said his focus is on forming connections, and he said PAL wants to be the kids’ family outside the house.
“I used to hate police,” another kid said in the same video. “I don’t know why, but I didn’t like them. But now that my coaches are police officers, I kind of like police officers.”
As a nonprofit program, PAL holds auctions and fundraisers like Fight Night to support their program.
Fight Night, an annual fundraiser for 13 years, includes both boxing and mixed martial arts. It typically raises $200,000 and has sold out in 2022. Sugar Ray Leonard said he would give his support at the event scheduled for Jan. 20.
More information regarding Fight Night can be found here, while further info about OKC PAL can be found at okcpal.org.
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