Daily Briefing: More turbulence for Boeing

Boeing's executive answered lawmakers' questions about the airline manufacturer's precarious record on safety. A Juneteenth flight will honor Black veterans on Wednesday. Ralph Lauren is back with iconic Olympic uniforms for Team USA.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. 📱 We've launched a 2024 Olympics WhatsApp channel! Sign up for text updates from Paris.

Another complaint shines a light on Boeing

A new whistleblower complaint gave Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun new concerns to address when he testified before a Senate committee this week.

The latest whistleblower suggested that Boeing improperly stored, tracked and documented parts that were damaged or otherwise out of specification. The complaint alleges that Boeing tried to conceal evidence of this obfuscation from the Federal Aviation Administration and that mismanaged tracking of the faulty parts likely led to their installation on 737 Max jets.

  • What's going on at Boeing? Boeing has been under scrutiny for years, and the pressure seems only to be increasing, with manufacturing quality at the center of the current wave of attention.

  • Whistleblower Sam Mohawk said managers retaliated against him as a result of forwarding his concerns.

  • Calhoun said he's aware of the complaints and told the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on Tuesday the company has a strict no-retaliation policy — but he acknowledged he has not met with any of the whistleblowers personally.

Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun addresses relatives of Boeing airplane crash victims on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., June 18, 2024.
Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun addresses relatives of Boeing airplane crash victims on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., June 18, 2024.

'Say Hey Kid'

Willie Mays, the "Say Hey Kid" of 1950s and 1960s Giants fame, a home run slugger and center field star for most of his 23-year Major League Baseball career, died Tuesday at 93 after a short illness, the San Francisco Giants announced. Mays was expected to be honored Thursday evening at a Giants-St. Louis Cardinals game at Birmingham's Rickwood Field in Mays' hometown. The site marks where Mays played in the Negro League before his major league debut in 1948, one year after Jackie Robinson broke the league's color barrier. But Monday, he indicated he would not be able to make it and would enjoy the game from home. Read more

Willie Mays waves to the crowd while riding in a car during the 2012 World Series victory parade.
Willie Mays waves to the crowd while riding in a car during the 2012 World Series victory parade.

More news to know now

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

California wildfires force evacuations of thousands

A group of wildfires in California are scorching several areas, forcing evacuations of thousands from their homes and threatening the state's world-famous vineyards. The blaze, dubbed locally as the Point Fire, started Sunday and put wineries and residents in famous Healdsburg on edge. Elsewhere in California, firefighters are battling many other wildfires, including a massive blaze burning outside Los Angeles, prompting more than 1,000 people to evacuate. Read more

A firefighter watches a prescribed burn as the Max Fire burns in Lancaster, California.
A firefighter watches a prescribed burn as the Max Fire burns in Lancaster, California.

Black veterans take 'honor flight' to celebrate Juneteenth

On Wednesday, a group of 26 Black veterans will fly to Washington, D.C., to commemorate Black service members on Juneteenth. The group will travel from Atlanta to visit the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and other landmarks in a "day of honor" to recognize their service. The attendees of this week's trip include a 101-year-old veteran, three recipients of the Purple Heart, including one who also received a Bronze Star and four women. Read more

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USA TODAY Exclusive: Fauci on becoming a hero − and a villain

During the worst global pandemic in a century, Anthony Fauci became the nation's communicator in chief, a hero to many Americans as a straight talker even when his candor put him at odds with the nation's commander in chief. But some on the far-right accuse him without evidence of incompetence and corruption and even of being at the center of fantastical conspiracy theories about how COVID started in the first place. Fauci opens up about his career in his new memoir, "On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service," published Tuesday. Read Fauci's exclusive interview with USA TODAY.

Photo of the day: Team USA looking sharp

Team USA knows one thing is for certain this summer: They'll be bringing their best style game to Paris for the 2024 Olympics. The closing ceremony outfit includes an eye-catching sporty racecar-driver-style jacket designed by Ralph Lauren, the Team USA outfitter for the ninth consecutive Olympics. See more photos of the team's uniforms.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boeing, Willie Mays, wildfire, heat, weather, Paris Olympics, Juneteenth: Daily Briefing