Army suspends 2 helicopter crews that flew near Kid Rock's Nashville home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The crews of two AH-64 Apache helicopters thathovered next to Kid Rock's swimming poolwhile he clapped and saluted on Saturday have been suspended from flying pending a investigation of their actions, a U.S. Army spokesperson said on Tuesday.

US Kid Rock Army Helicopters

The suspension is a discretionary, but not unusual, step when an investigation is underway, Maj. Montrell Russell said.

"The Army has confirmed that on March 28, two Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell conducted a flight in the Nashville area that has attracted public and media attention," according to a statement from the Army on Tuesday. The Army is reviewing "the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements."

Kid Rock, an entertainer who is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, told WKRN-TV on Monday that it's not uncommon for helicopters from nearby Fort Campbell to fly near his home. He said he is a big supporter of the military and he's performed for troops overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.

"I think they know this is a pretty friendly spot," he said. He noted that last Thanksgiving he was at Fort Campbell, a sprawling Army base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with Vice President JD Vance. "I've talked to some of these pilots. I've told them, 'You guys see me waving when you come by the house?' I'm like, 'You guys are always welcome to cruise by my house, any time,'" he said.

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Kid Rock posted two short videos on social media Saturday. Each shows a helicopter hovering alongside his swimming pool while the entertainer claps, salutes and raises his fist in the air. One post included a caption by Kid Rock disparaging Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic.

In the videos, Kid Rock stands next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty and a sign by the pool that reads, "The Southern White House." His home on a hill overlooking Nashville was built to resemble the White House.

The helicopters were on a training mission when they stopped by Kid Rock's house, said Maj. Jonathon Bless, public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division. The helicopters also flew over a "No Kings" protest against Trump in downtown Nashville, but Bless said their presence had nothing to do with the protest.

Kid Rock said he thought it was "really cool" that they stopped to hover at his house.

"If it makes their day a little brighter for their service to our country, protecting us, I think that's a great thing," he said.

Asked about possible repercussions for the crews, he said, "I think they're going to be all right. My buddy's the commander in chief."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

March 31, 2026

Army suspends 2 helicopter crews that flew near Kid Rock's Nashville home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The crews of two AH-64 Apache helicopters thathovered next to Kid Rock's swimming poolwhile h...

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Man found dead inside police SUV after 3 days. 'We want answers,' family says

Video released by the Azusa Police Department this week shows the moment a man was freed from jail before he stepped into an unoccupied police car where he was found dead days later.

The surveillance video released Monday shows Eric Valencia, 37, after he was released from jail on March 23 around 1 p.m., according toKABC.He walked up to a parked patrol car outside the station. Valencia got into the back of a SUV andshut the door behind him.

Valencia had been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and child endangerment on March 20 and held over the weekend before being released, said Azusa Police Chief Rocky Wenrick at a news conference.

"Mr. Valencia was released from custody with no apparent signs of distress," Wenrick said during the conference,according to KABC."Surveillance video shows Mr. Valencia unlawfully entering the rear seat area of patrol unit 37."

Valencia was initially pulled over for driving without headlights on and police suspected he was under the influence based on signs of watery, bloodshot eyes and the smell of alcohol in the car, Wenricktold Fox during an interview.

Two children, ages 3 and 11, were in the car with Valencia, Wenrick added. Valencia had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit during his arrest.

Valencia was freed on March 23 and given his property, cellphone and food, according to Wenrick. His body was found inside the unlocked SUV three days later when Wenrick told the fleet maintenance crew to take the patrol cars to get washed.

Valencia's cellphone was found in working order and he never called 911 for help, according to Wenrick.

Officials explained out-of-service vehicles are often parked for days or weeks while awaiting equipment installation. Typically, law enforcement vehicles cannot be unlocked from the back seats.

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"We're gonna do our best in the investigation to figure out why Mr. Valencia walked out and got in the vehicle," Wenrick said. "Hopefully we'll be able to provide closure to the family and for our own sake of knowing why that decision was made and why he did what he did."

Valencia's sister-in-law Julia McCormick told NBC4 that his family wants closure.

"Come to find out that he was here in a car the whole time. The whole time," she said. "We want to know what happened. Please, please, we want answers."

Authorities said that the department's out-of-service cars are parked outside while they're waiting for equipment to be installed. Law enforcement vehicles can't normally be unlocked from the back seat.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is conducting an investigation and the cause of death wasn't available.

Valencia's family told KABC that Valencia lived less than a mile away and didn't have any medical conditions.

"They never even called me back. No one at the police department ever called me back to let me know that he was found on Thursday morning. The only phone call I got was from the coroner's investigator to let me know he was already passed," a family member said.

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This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

March 31, 2026

Man found dead inside police SUV after 3 days. 'We want answers,' family says

Video released by the Azusa Police Department this week shows the moment a man was freed from jail before he stepped into...

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FAA reduces SFO arrivals, setting up delays amid runway work and safety concerns

Travelers can expect roughly one quarter of arriving flights to be delayed by at least half an hour at San Francisco International Airport over the next six months after the Federal Aviation Administration this week cut a third of its arrivals because of safety concerns and runway construction.

A temporary runway project and permanent FAA rule change announced Tuesday means San Francisco's airport will go from 54 plane arrivals an hour to 36 arrivals. It is not yet clear if any flights will be cut.

A deadly runway crash betweenAir Canada jet and a fire truckat New York's LaGuardia Airport in March is the latest air-traffic safety calamity, but the aviation administration said the rule change was unique to SFO and it was not triggered by broader safety concerns. The San Francisco safety concerns are unique to that airport because of how close the parallel runways are and how complicated the airspace is with several surrounding airports.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said officials decided that SFO's longstanding practice of landing two planes at the same time on closely spaced parallel runways that are just 750 feet apart — along with congested airspace — was too dangerous. He could not say why the practice had been allowed.

SFO operates on two sets of parallel runways. The north-south runways are out of commission for six months for a repaving project that is responsible for nine of the 18 flight per hour reductions. The rule change will affect the remaining nine flights.

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It is unclear how the airport will handle the delays.

United Airlines said it is reviewing the rule change to see if any changes need to be made to its flight schedule, a spokesperson said by email.

Alaska Airlines said in an email that the situation was changing by the day, with 15 flights delayed out of SFO on Monday and none experiencing delays on Tuesday.

The San Francisco Bay Area is served by three major airports, including San José Mineta International Airport and Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, and smaller ones.

Associated Press writer Janie Har contributed reporting from San Francisco

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

March 31, 2026

FAA reduces SFO arrivals, setting up delays amid runway work and safety concerns

Travelers can expect roughly one quarter of arriving flights to be delayed by at least half an hour at San Francisco Inte...

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Pope Leo XIV urges an Easter end to the US-Israel war on Iran, calling for dialogue

VATICAN CITY (AP) —Pope Leo XIVexpressed hope that theU.S.-Israel war on Irancould be finished before Easter in remarks to reporters as he left the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome on Tuesday.

APTOPIX Italy Pope

"I'm told that President Trump has recently stated that he would like to end the war,'' the U.S.-born pope said. "I hope that he's looking for an off-ramp.''

"Hopefully he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing, which would be a significant contribution to removing the hatred that's being created, that's increasing constantly in the Middle East and elsewhere."

Leo called on all world leaders to return to dialogue and look for "ways to reduce the amount of violence,'' so that "peace, especially at Easter, might reign in our hearts.''

Leo's remarks came during Holy Week, the most sacred period of the year for Christians.

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"It should be the holiest time of the year. It is a time of peace, a time of reflection. But as we all know, again, in the world, in many places we are seeing so much suffering, so many deaths, even innocent children,'' Leo said. "We constantly make the call for peace, but unfortunately, many people want to promote hatred, violence, war.''

On Palm Sunday, the pontiff said God doesn't listen to the prayers of those who make war or cite God to justify their violence, as he prayed especially for Christiansin the Middle Eastduring Mass in St. Peter's Square.

Leaders on all sides of the Iran war have used religion to justify their actions. U.S. officials, especiallyDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth,have invoked their Christian faith to cast the war as a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes with military might.

Russia's Orthodox Church, too, has justified Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a"holy war"against a Western world it considers has fallen into evil.

As Holy Week continues, Leo will carry out the Holy Thursday foot-washing tradition in the basilica of St. John Lateran, where popes have performed it for decades. On Friday, Leo is due to preside over the Good Friday procession at Rome's Colosseum commemorating Christ's Passion and crucifixion, and will carry the cross himself. Saturday brings the late night Easter Vigil, during which Leo will baptize new Catholics, followed a few hours later by Easter Sunday when Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.

Leo will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square and then deliver his Easter blessing from the loggia of the basilica.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

March 31, 2026

Pope Leo XIV urges an Easter end to the US-Israel war on Iran, calling for dialogue

VATICAN CITY (AP) —Pope Leo XIVexpressed hope that theU.S.-Israel war on Irancould be finished before Easter in remarks t...

Read More

Army suspends 2 helicopter crews that flew near Kid Rock's Nashville home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The crews of two AH-64 Apache helicopters thathovered next to Kid Rock's swimming poolwhile he clapped and saluted on Saturday have been suspended from flying pending a investigation of their actions, a U.S. Army spokesperson said on Tuesday.

US Kid Rock Army Helicopters

The suspension is a discretionary, but not unusual, step when an investigation is underway, Maj. Montrell Russell said.

"The Army has confirmed that on March 28, two Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell conducted a flight in the Nashville area that has attracted public and media attention," according to a statement from the Army on Tuesday. The Army is reviewing "the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements."

Kid Rock, an entertainer who is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, told WKRN-TV on Monday that it's not uncommon for helicopters from nearby Fort Campbell to fly near his home. He said he is a big supporter of the military and he's performed for troops overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.

"I think they know this is a pretty friendly spot," he said. He noted that last Thanksgiving he was at Fort Campbell, a sprawling Army base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with Vice President JD Vance. "I've talked to some of these pilots. I've told them, 'You guys see me waving when you come by the house?' I'm like, 'You guys are always welcome to cruise by my house, any time,'" he said.

Advertisement

Kid Rock posted two short videos on social media Saturday. Each shows a helicopter hovering alongside his swimming pool while the entertainer claps, salutes and raises his fist in the air. One post included a caption by Kid Rock disparaging Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic.

In the videos, Kid Rock stands next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty and a sign by the pool that reads, "The Southern White House." His home on a hill overlooking Nashville was built to resemble the White House.

The helicopters were on a training mission when they stopped by Kid Rock's house, said Maj. Jonathon Bless, public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division. The helicopters also flew over a "No Kings" protest against Trump in downtown Nashville, but Bless said their presence had nothing to do with the protest.

Kid Rock said he thought it was "really cool" that they stopped to hover at his house.

"If it makes their day a little brighter for their service to our country, protecting us, I think that's a great thing," he said.

Asked about possible repercussions for the crews, he said, "I think they're going to be all right. My buddy's the commander in chief."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

March 31, 2026

Army suspends 2 helicopter crews that flew near Kid Rock's Nashville home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The crews of two AH-64 Apache helicopters thathovered next to Kid Rock's swimming poolwhile h...

Read More