NBA Legend Kobe Bryant, 41, Died Sunday In Helicopter Crash Along With Daughter And Seven Other Passengers
From CNN
NBA legend Kobe Bryant, 41, died Sunday in a helicopter crash. Bryant was one of nine people who died when the helicopter they were in crashed on a hillside in Calabasas, California. Among the victims was Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Millions of people never met him, but the sudden death of Kobe Bryant and eight others has left a country in mourning. The 41-year-old NBA legend died in a helicopter crash under foggy conditions in Calabasas, California. Visibility was so low Sunday morning that Los Angeles police had grounded its helicopters, spokesman Josh Rubenstein said.
The helicopter crashed into a hillside, killing all nine people on board — including Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The official cause of the crash has not been determined. As fans around the world grapple with Bryant’s death, new clues are emerging about what happened shortly before the crash. The helicopter was operating under “special visual flight rules,” according to an air traffic control conversation with the pilot, captured by website LiveATC.net. An SVFR clearance allows a pilot to fly in weather conditions worse than those allowed for standard visual flight rules (VFR). The Burbank Airport control tower allowed the helicopter to proceed northeast, following the Interstate 5 highway, using the SVFR clearance. “Maintain special VFR at or below 2,500” the pilot confirmed to the controller. Later in the flight, the pilot apparently asked for “flight following,” a service in which controllers are in regular contract with an aircraft. The controller was recorded telling the pilot “2 echo X-ray, you’re still too low level for flight following at this time.” That could mean the helicopter was too low to be seen on air traffic control radar. While authorities try to determine what went wrong, investigators are struggling to find clues in difficult conditions. “It’s a logistical nightmare in a sense because the crash site itself is not easily accessible,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. The effort to recover the victims’ bodies has started but could take days, given the terrain and the condition of the site, Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner Jonathan Lucas said.
Children and Parents Were On Board
Bryant was traveling to a basketball game with Gianna, who was scheduled to play Sunday afternoon. They were joined by Orange Coast College (OCC) baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and his daughter Alyssa, Altobelli’s brother told CNN. Alyssa was Gianna’s teammate, OCC assistant coach Ron La Ruffa said. And Altobelli would routinely travel with his daughter for her basketball games. OCC President Angelica Suarez said she was devastated by the loss of “a member of our OCC family.” “Coach Altobelli was a giant on our campus — a beloved teacher, coach, colleague and friend,” Suarez said in a statement. “This is a tremendous loss for our campus community.” Another parent, Christina Mauser, was also killed in the crash. Mauser was an assistant girls basketball coach for a private school in Corona del Mar, California. “My kids and I are devastated. We lost our beautiful wife and mom today in a helicopter crash,” her husband Matt Mauser wrote on Facebook.
Fog Blanketed The Area
The crash occurred under foggy and cloudy conditions with extremely low visibility, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. Pictures taken shortly after the crash showed the density of the fog. Witnesses said the helicopter plummeted quickly before crashing on the hillside, Los Angeles County fire Capt. Tony Imbrenda said. It was not immediately clear whether the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter radioed a distress signal, Imbrenda said. Local authorities are working with the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration to try to determine the cause of the crash. Sikorsky, the helicopter manufacturer, tweeted its condolences. “We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by today’s Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California,” the company said. “We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities … Safety is our top priority; if there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will inform our S-76 customers.” The helicopter was built in 1991 and was most recently registered to Island Express Holding Corp., according to the FAA. Calls to Island Express were not answered Sunday.
A Nation In Shock And Mourning
Devastated fans flooded an area near the crash site as well as Staples Center in Los Angeles, the city where Bryant spent his entire 20-year NBA career. Born in Philadelphia, Bryant quickly soared to become one of basketball’s greatest champions. He won five NBA championships, before retiring in April 2016, capping his career by scoring 60 points in his final game. Former Lakers Coach Phil Jackson called Bryant a “chosen one — special in many ways to many people.” Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and his three other daughters — the youngest of which was born in June.
CNN’s Aaron Cooper, Artemis Moshtaghian, Chloe Melas, Chuck Johnston, Darran Simon and Jon Passantino contributed to this report.
San Diego Theatres Hosts Venue Security Training
By Barbara Cosio Moreno
The stage of the San Diego Civic Theatre was transformed into a classroom for important security, safety and crowd management training.
On Thursday, January 16, 2020, Mark Herrera, Director of Education and Life Safety for the International 
Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), and Greg Overstreet, Director of Security at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, led a “class” of 150 in situational awareness and venue security.
Organized by the staff of San Diego Theatres, which manages and operates the Civic and Balboa Theatres, along with partner presenter Broadway San Diego, the day-long training brought together attendees from the San Diego Opera, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, Classics 4 Kids, CSC Security, the San Diego Concourse, Horton Plaza Mall, the San Diego Downtown Partnership, Pechanga Sports Arena, SDSU Viejas Arena and IATSE Local 122.
“Preparedness beats paranoia,” said Herrera. “I am proud to see that the San Diego Theatres team, its key stakeholders and partners, are investing the time to collectively and collaboratively strengthen their security posture through community wide training. It’s an honor to deliver this training to an awesome group of dedicated professionals with a passion to make their respective environments safe.”
Herrera has completed over 300 live training programs throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada for all venue types to include key stakeholders from their respective communities. The course is designed to enhance situational awareness by providing training to enhance mental preparation, response and mitigation to safety issues.
Overstreet led the class to earn their Trained Crowd Manager certification. He was able to supplement the lesson through real-life scenarios and examples he’s experience in his role as a security director.
“Having someone of Mark Herrera’s caliber training us on situation awareness and plans of actions helps our staff serve San Diego better,” said Brendan Farley, Director of Operations for San Diego Theatres. “This training from IAVM provided an opportunity to have our C-level to our front line event staff on the same page. The reality of today’s safety and security is our team – our staff, our clients, and our neighbors – needs to be informed, engaged and involved when and if a situation arises.”
San Diego Theatres is a 501c3 nonprofit arts organization that manages, markets, operates and maintains the San Diego Civic Theatre in the heart of downtown and the historic Balboa Theatre in the Gaslamp Quarter. Our mission is to deliver exceptional performing arts and educational experiences, foster collaboration and partnerships, and create an accessible place for all people to enjoy the arts.
Barbara Cosio Moreno is Director, Marketing & Communications for San Diego Theatres.
In Memoriam: John Graham, ASAE President & CEO
From ASAE Statement
It is with great sadness that the American Society of Association Executives announces the passing of its President and CEO John H. Graham IV, FASAE, CAE, after an extended battle with cancer. On behalf of ASAE’s Board of Directors, staff, members, industry partners and other stakeholders, we extend our deepest sympathies to John’s family.
While no words can adequately express our deep sorrow at losing our leader, the ASAE team is profoundly grateful 
for the opportunity to know and work with John. Graham was a transformative leader for ASAE and a mentor to many in the association community. During his tenure, which began August 1, 2003, ASAE more than doubled its membership and developed a wealth of innovative products and services to benefit association professionals and their partners. Graham leaves behind an organization marking its centennial in 2020, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of ASAE’s work moving forward.
In his acceptance of the 2013 Association TRENDS’ “Association Executive of the Year” award, Graham touched on why he found association management such a personally rewarding profession.
“Whatever our personal journeys have been – however we came to embrace associations as our life’s work – we can take great pride in the advancement of this profession,” Graham said. “Our organizations comprise an incredibly innovative, vibrant and diverse sector, and we see innumerable examples every day of how associations effect positive change – not just for the industries or professions they serve, but for society at large. America is quite simply a better place to live and work because the association community is leading the way in areas like professional development and credentialing, standard setting, community assistance, research, and volunteerism.”
Before ASAE, Graham served the American Diabetes Association in Alexandria, VA, for 24 years, the last 13 as chief executive officer. In his tenure as CEO, ADA quadrupled in size, from $50 million to $200 million in annual revenues and successfully moved from 53 independent, separately incorporated affiliate organizations to one nationwide organization with one staff, one budget and one plan. Before joining ADA, Graham served the Boy Scouts of America for nine years. In May 2015, he was recognized by the Boy Scouts of America as a Distinguished Eagle Scout. Graham served on the Association Committee of 100, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; as chairman of the Mobile Giving Foundation Board of Directors; on the Board of Directors of the Lambda Chi Alpha Foundation; and as President of the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.
The Graham family will hold a private service for John in Pennsylvania and a memorial service in Washington, DC, will follow.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to organizations that were particularly important to him, including:
The National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Attn: Development Department, 9190 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814 or www.ncacbsa.org/grahammemory.
The Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America, 1485 Valley Forge Road, Wayne, PA 19087 or donations.scouting.org/#/council/525/appeal/1676.
VCS Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 194, Herndon, VA, 20172 or VCSCancerFoundation.org.
Arrangements are by R. L. Williams, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., 3440 Skippack Pike at Cedars Rd., Skippack, PA. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.RLWilliamsFuneralHome.com.
With John’s passing, the ASAE Board has announced that Susan Robertson, CAE, will continue to serve as interim president and CEO of ASAE.
John Graham, ASAE President & CEO, Dies… John H. Graham IV, FASAE, CAE, has died after an extended battle with cancer. Graham’s tenure as the head of ASAE began on Aug. 1, 2003, and with Graham at the helm the association more than doubled its membership. Graham was previously the CEO of the American Diabetes Association. His family will soon hold a private service in Pennsylvania. A memorial service in Washington, D.C., will be held at a later date, ASAE said.
Amarillo Civic Center Complex Marketing Administrator Earns Citizenship
By Melinda Landry
Amarillo (TX) Civic Center Complex Marketing Administrator Han Owens has fulfilled a dream in earning United States citizenship.
“The process is hard because you have a gazillion paperwork to do,” the newly minted citizen said. “You can’t help but to wonder and worry because your loved ones are here and you don’t want to leave them here.”
Han, who grew up in Taiwan, came to the United States as a high school exchange student in Denton, Texas. She 
stayed to attend, and later graduate from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. After she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2011, she started a job with the ACCC and got married in 2012. Han’s new goal was to become a citizen of the United States. She applied for the Green Card process and said that she never expected that she’d spend the rest of her life in the U.S., receiving citizenship. Han passed her naturalization test in November and completed her Oath of Allegiance at a Naturalization Ceremony on January 7, 2019.
Han is married to Texas native Nathan Owens. The couple has a two-year-old daughter named Addelyn Rose and two dogs, Raiden and Samantha.
The Amarillo Civic Center Complex staff is proud to be a part of Han’s legacy.
Melinda Landry is Event Manager for the Amarillo Civic Center Complex.
Orange County Fills Top Job at Nation’s 2nd Largest Convention Center
By Scott Powers
The Orange County Convention Center, operating for nearly two years under interim and acting leadership, will be taken over by the former leader of the Austin Convention Center, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced.
Mark Tester, who was described as someone who literally grew up in the convention industry and eventually rose 
to leadership positions in Chicago and Austin, Texas, was announced as the new executive director of the Orange County Convention Center, which is the second-largest in the country behind Chicago’s McCormick Place. He will start February 10.
“I believe Mark Tester’s goals of creating high-end customer service and driving economic impact through sales and marketing aligns perfectly with my expectations for what the Orange County Convention Center can be, both now and in the future,” Demings said in a news release.
The center, which has 2 million square feet of exhibition space, has been under interim and acting leadership since late winter 2018 when Kathie Canning left the executive director’s position. For part of that period, former Mayor Teresa Jacobs held open a search for a new leader for Demings, who was elected in August 2018 and took office in December 2018.
The center is growing. Orange County has embarked on a $605 million expansion and improvement that will create a new grand concourse and a multipurpose venue that will bring the total exhibit space to 2.3 million square feet.
Tester’s father operated destination marketing organizations and later, convention and trade shows. After entering the industry himself, Tester spent 13 years working in the Chicago convention community. There he held senior positions at both the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau [now Choose Chicago] and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the owner and manager at that time of McCormick Place, the nation’s largest convention facility. In 2008 he became director of the Austin Convention Center.
“I greatly appreciate the support of Mayor Demings and the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, and look forward to working with the strong team at the OCCC,” Tester said in the release. “I have always had great admiration for the phenomenal work of the OCCC and its employees, and look forward to my role in Orlando, the nation’s premier destination for conventions.”
Scott Powers is an Orlando-based political journalist.