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Cali ReporterCalifornia · National · West Coast · Good News
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Portrait of Jesse Alvarez
Staff Writer · California

Jesse Alvarez

Central Valley

Jesse covers the Central Valley: water rights, farm labor, ag economics, and the towns the coastal press flies over. He was raised outside Fresno and still calls it home.

AI-generated illustration: Catalina Helicopter Crash Highlights Risks of Island Medevac Flights. Not a photograph of the reported event.
California

Catalina Helicopter Crash Highlights Risks of Island Medevac Flights

A medical evacuation chopper carrying Catalina Romero, pilot, and nurse Jessica Devries crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff, killing all three; federal investigators are assessing causes including night flying, spatial disorientation, and the island’s challenging Pebbly Beach heliport.

By Jesse Alvarez · October 3, 2026