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Military Helicopters Are Descending On Downtown This Week
If you hear helicopters roaring overhead in downtown L.A., it could be military aircraft during a training exercise for Camp Pendleton Marines. The two-week training begins today and will end on December 16, CBS LA reports. An expected 2,400 members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit will be practicing raids using modified M-15s that shoot paintballs. These raids will occur in numerous uninhabited, undisclosed locations. For safety reasons, these areas will be not be accessible to the public during the exercises.
It might sound exciting, but Capt. Brian Block told the AP that "it's not going to look like Apocalypse Now by any stretch of the imagination."
There will be additional training exercises at other California military bases and in Arizona and Las Vegas.
The military coordinated their training with the LAPD, who gave a heads up to local property owners and tweeted out a notice this morning.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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