The event will be on Sunday, March 2, at 3 p.m. at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Olympians Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton and Johnny Weir are among those participating. The show will raise funds to support victims’ families, first responders and aviation professionals, U.S. Figure Skating said.
More than a dozen of the victims killed in the Jan. 29 plane crash were young skaters, their parents and coaches returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
The plane, which departed from Wichita, was about to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, sending both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River.
Sixty-four people were on board the plane and three soldiers were on the helicopter. No one survived.
“As we begin to heal from this devastating loss, we look forward to honoring the enduring memories of these athletes, coaches and family members who represented the best of the figure skating community,” U.S. Figure Skating interim-CEO Samuel Auxier said in a Wednesday statement announcing the tribute show.
“We can think of no better way of celebrating their legacies than through the sport they loved,” Auxier said.
Tickets will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 10, on Ticketmaster.
(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday is forecast to be the coldest in 40 years.
An arctic front will pass by Washington, D.C., on Sunday night and winds will pick up out of the northwest, ushering in arctic air.
Monday’s temperature will be at its highest — about 25 degrees — when the clock strikes Inauguration Day at midnight. Throughout the course of the day, the temperature will slowly fall.
When Trump is sworn in at noon, the temperature will be about 18 or 19 degrees. Due to the wind, the wind chill — what temperature it feels like — will be between 5 and 10 degrees.
By 7 p.m., when the inauguration balls begin, the temperature will be near 13 degrees with a wind chill of minus 1.
The coldest January Inauguration Day on record was 1985 for President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration.
The temperature that morning fell to a low of 4 degrees below zero. The temperature was just 7 degrees at noon, moving Reagan’s swearing-in ceremony inside and canceling the parade.
The daytime high was only 17 degrees.
The warmest January inauguration was also for Reagan, in 1981, at a balmy 55 degrees.
The warmest inauguration ever was 89 degrees on Aug. 9, 1974, when President Gerald Ford was sworn in following President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
Inaugurations used to be held in March until the 20th Amendment was ratified in 1933, stating that the president’s term began at noon on Jan. 20.
One of the most memorable January inaugurations was President John F. Kennedy’s in 1961. A snowstorm struck D.C. the night before, and the 8 inches of snow forced people to ditch their cars and created a massive traffic jam.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed agency officials to review and remove content related to climate change from its public websites, according to internal emails obtained by ABC News.
The directive instructs web managers to identify, archive, or unpublish materials mentioning climate change by “no later than close of business this Friday,” according to the emails.
In an email sent Thursday, USDA Director of Digital Communications Peter Rhee detailed the process, requiring staff to “identify and archive or unpublish any landing pages focused on climate change” and track related content in an attached Excel spreadsheet for review.
“OC will review the submitted materials and make determinations on next steps,” Rhee wrote, referring to the department’s Office of Communications.
A separate email sent to website managers at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) emphasized the urgency of the request.
“USDA and ARS OC are requesting you comply with the instructions below from USDA’s Office of Communications,” the email read, instructing ARS staff to submit their content audit by 3 p.m. ET Friday to meet the department’s deadline.
USDA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.
According to the spreadsheet provided to website managers and obtained by ABC News, content is being categorized into three levels of urgency. Pages dedicated entirely to climate change are marked as “Tier 1,” while those where a significant portion of the content relates to climate change are labeled “Tier 2.”
Pages where climate change is mentioned in passing but is not the main focus should be identified under “Tier 3,” according to the spreadsheet.
“For each piece of content, include the title, link, and your recommendation on how the content should be handled,” the email reads.
The USDA has long been involved in climate research and in studying how rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns impact agriculture. The department’s website includes extensive resources on climate science, carbon sequestration, and adaptation strategies for farmers.
A USDA webpage published in 2022 provides information on “Climate Change Adaptation and USDA.”
“Producers, ranchers, forest landowners, and communities across the country are facing challenges posed by the effects of climate change,” the webpage states. “Some of these effects are familiar but occurring more frequently or intensely while others are new and unprecedented.”
The directive to remove mentions of climate change from websites follows President Donald Trump’s executive orders reversing key climate policies, which include withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, expanding fossil fuel production, weakening environmental protections, and revoking EV incentives.
Critics warn these actions will accelerate climate change and disproportionately harm vulnerable communities.
The aircraft went down in the frigid Potomac River, breaking into multiple pieces. The flight — which had departed from Wichita, Kansas — was approaching Reagan National Airport at the time of the collision, officials said. There were no survivors in the crash, officials said.
There were 64 passengers aboard the plane, and three Army soldiers in the helicopter, according to officials.
Among those lost in the crash were 14 people who were returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, according to Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director for the Skating Club of Boston.
“Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family,” Zeghibe said in a statement.
Here’s what we know about the victims so far:
Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova
Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, a married couple, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston.
Naumov and Shishkova, who were figure skating coaches, were world champions in pairs competition in 1994.
They joined the club in 2017, Zeghibe said.
Jinna Han and Jin Han
Jinna Han, a figure skater, and Jin Han, her mother, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston.
Spencer Lane and Christine Lane
Skater Spencer Lane and his mother, Christine Lane, were among the victims, the Skating Club of Boston said.
Doug Lane, Spencer’s father and Christine’s husband, told WCVB he and his wife adopted Spencer from South Korea.
Spencer Lane, 16, “just had amazing athletic abilities,” and once he got interested in something, “you couldn’t stop him,” his father said.
The teen decided to try skating three years ago after seeing Nathan Chen in the Olympics and “committed himself to it,” his dad said.
Christine Lane, 49, who worked as a graphic designer, was “such a beautiful person” who “just connected with everyone,” he said. She had just gotten her real estate license, and was also a talented quilter and volunteered at a local animal rescue, he added.
His wife would “do everything for her children, including fly to Wichita, Kansas, for a week,” Doug Lane said. “She just gave parenting her all.”
Alexandr Kirsanov
Alexandr Kirsanov was a coach of two of the youth ice skaters on board, his wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News.
“I lost everything,” Gudin said. “I lost my husband, I lost my students, I lost my friends.”
Gudin said Kirsanov traveled with two youth skaters to attend a development camp in Kansas this week. Gudin, who also coaches students with her husband in Delaware, said she stayed home to be with their other skaters.
She last spoke with her husband as he boarded the flight on Wednesday, she said.
“I need my husband back,” Gudin said. “I need his body back.”
Samuel Lilley
Samuel Lilley, the first officer on board American Airlines Flight 5342, recently got engaged, his sister, Tiffany Gibson, told ABC News.
“He was an amazing person. He loved people. He loved adventure. He loved traveling. He was excited. He was young. He was so young, and he was excited about life and his future and getting a dog and a house and kids. And it’s just, this is just tragic,” she said.
Samuel Lilley’s former brother-in-law, Greg Gibson, remembered him for his passion for flying and willingness to help others.
Samuel Lilley died on the same flight path his father, Timothy Lilley, flew for years. Timothy Lilley flew Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, transporting passengers over the Potomac River from his base in Virginia.
“We were stationed in Virginia, and [Timothy Lilley] flew that same route back and forth to the Pentagon, over and over and over again until he retired,” Tiffany Gibson said.
Ryan O’Hara
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp identified one of the victims as Ryan O’Hara.
Kemp offered his condolences to the family of both O’Hara and Lilley, who he said were both from Georgia.
“Both of these young Georgians shared a passion for flight and for serving others, and this terrible tragedy is that much more difficult knowing their lives were cut so unexpectedly short,” he said in an X post. “Marty, the girls, and I ask that all Georgians join us in keeping their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers.”
Ian Epstein
The family of Ian Epstein, the flight attendant onboard American Airlines Flight 5342, is remembering him as a cherished father, husband, brother and stepfather.
“Ian Epstein was full of life. He loved being a flight attendant because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. But his true love was his family. He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother! He will be truly missed. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support we’ve received, but at this time we would ask for privacy as we process and grieve our loss,” his family said in a statement.
Wendy Jo Shaffer
The family of one victim, Wendy Jo Shaffer, confirmed she had been on the plane.
“We are devastated. Words cannot truly express what Wendy Jo meant as a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife and most importantly, a mother. The family is requesting privacy at this time,” the family said in a statement.
Brielle and Justyna Beyer
Brielle Beyer, 12, and her mother, 42-year-old Justyna, were both killed in the crash, according to Andy Beyer, Brielle’s father and Justyna’s husband.
Andrew is left with the couple’s 6-year-old son, he said.
Andy Beyer said his wife and daughter were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas.
Brielle was a member of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia and beat cancer when she was just 4 months old.
“She was just such a fighter in everything she did,” Andy Beyer said of his daughter, in an interview with ABC News. “She just lived life to the fullest with everything.”
He added, “She was so proud of herself in figure skating for the progress she had made … Making that team was one of her life goals. And she achieved it. And she was just so, so proud of herself.”
He remembered his daughter’s passion and beautiful singing voice.
“She just lit up the house with her wonderful voice,” he said.
Andy Beyer said his wife and daughter had been away for six days for the figure skating camp.
“I missed them… Figure skating at that level, it’s a lifestyle,” he said. “It’s a full family commitment.”
Elizabeth Keys
Elizabeth Keys was a Washington-based attorney who caught an early flight home to go on a date for her birthday with her long-term boyfriend David, who remembered Elizabeth for being the person who always “pushed you to be the best version of yourself.”
Sean Kay
Sean Kay was traveling with his skating coach Alexandr Kirsanov after attending the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp. His death was confirmed in a statement by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.
Angela Yang
Angela Yang was traveling with her skating coach Alexandr Kirsanov after attending the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp. Her death was confirmed in a statement by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.
Casey Crafton
Casey Crafton was a father to three sons and husband from Salem, Connecticut. His death was confirmed in a statement by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.
Grace Maxwell
Grace Maxwell was an engineering student from Wichita, Kansas who was aboard American Airlines 5432, according to a statement from Cedarville University.
University president Thomas White described Grace as a “thoughtful, quiet student leader” who helped teach other undergraduates about engineering.
She recently signed up to create a hand-stabilizing device to help a disabled child feed himself without assistance from others.
“Grace was a quiet person with a keen interest in helping others through engineering,” said Tim Norman, her adviser.
Olivia Ter
Olivia Ter, 12, was a treasured member of the Tucker Road Ice Rink in Fort Washington, Maryland, who inspired her peers and coaches, according to a statement from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
She was one of four elite skaters from her region to attend the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas, and earned praise for her ” talent, determination and sportsmanship.”
“The impact of Olivia’s life will continue to resonate in our youth sports community, and she will be sorely missed,” stated Bill Tyler, director of the commission’s Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Kiah Duggins
Kiah Duggins was a civil rights attorney and an incoming Howard University professor.
Duggins was a Wichita, Kansas, native and attended Wichita State University, received a Fulbright grant, attended law school at Harvard and worked as a civil rights attorney.
In the fall, Duggins was planning to begin teaching as a professor at Howard University School of Law.
“As a civil rights lawyer, she dedicated her career to fighting against unconstitutional policing and unjust money bail practices in Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C,” a statement from the university said.
Duggins worked to challenge police misconduct, fight cash bail policies, and pursued prison industrial complex abolition, according to her professional biography. She also was a White House intern during the administration of former President Barack Obama.
Lindsey Fields
Lindsey Fields, the president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers, was flying from Wichita to D.C. to “advocate for excellence in life science education,” according to the organization.
She was a professor and biology department chair at Butler Community College in Kansas, where she taught anatomy and physiology.
She loved to garden and had a keen interest in wildlife, including restoring native prairie plants, according to her professional biography.
“This is a tremendous loss,” the National Association of Biology Teachers said in a statement. “Please keep Lindsey, the other victims, and their families in your hearts.”
Donna Smojice Livingston, Peter Livingston, Everly Livingston and Alydia Livingston
Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband Peter Livingston, and their daughters Everly Livingston and Alydia Livingston all died in the crash, according to Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Everly and Alydia were the famed duo behind the “Ice Skating Sisters” Instagram account, and their last photo depicted them near the ice in Wichita.
Jesse Pitcher, 30
Pitcher was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 5.
“May God bless each of our fallen Brothers, and all those who knew and loved them,” the union said in a statement Friday.
Charles ‘Charlie’ McDaniel, 44
McDaniel was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Jonathan Boyd, 40
Boyd was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Michael ‘Mikey’ Stovall, 40
Stovall was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Alexander ‘Alex’ Huffman, 34
Huffman was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
