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The Situation Before And After All Parties Conference (APC)

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Ever since  the  PML (N) Led  Coalition  Government  of Veteran Senior Leader and  Two times  Premier   Mian  Mohammad Shareef  came  to  Power  after  May 11 Elections  in which  they  got  heavy  mandate  from  the  Punjab  Province  where  as  PPPP  was  limited  to Sindh  after  losing the  grip  over  Punjab  Provincial  as well  as  Federal  Seats  during much  echoed  Elections  2013 which  brought  about  many upsets  and   people  started  to wonder  that  How  the  heavy weights  were  defeated  by  youth Leaders  of  PTI  in  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  where  PTI enjoys  simple  Majority  and running the  government  in coalition with the  Moderate  Religious  Party   Jamaat –e-Islami  .

Whereas Baluchistan saw  a  mix response  since  no party has been able to get any clear  majority and  the same Coalition government is  to decide  the  conflict ridden Baluchistan and face the challenging situation of law and order .As for as   the State of Baluchistan  Assembly  is  concerned ,after  assumption of  the Office of Chief Minister  of   Dr Abdul Malik  , A Nationalist Leader , the  situation  is very ambiguous as  the  cabinet is  yet  to be  inducted. So far , he  has  been  sole Leader  to  lead  the  Conflict ridden  and  now  the  Quake  Ridden  Baluchistan government  where  separatists  have  crippled  the  very roots  of  the  peace  and  people  have  been  living a  appalling life. Even the  Passengers  moving in and  from the  parts  of  the  country are  assailed   on the  National Highways as well as  inter Provincial Routes. As many as 300 innocent passengers have lost their life on ethnic backgrounds during their traveling to Quetta and other Balouch dominated routes. Most of the Killings are claimed balouch separatist Groups. This is a dreadful security and Law and Order situation in Baluchistan But the irony is that still the Malik’s Government going without the cabinet.

Sindh  is  the  same  as  it was  five years  ago  in PPP led Coalition government since  the  same  old  faces  except some  new  faces  made  their  way to the  Assemblies  . The PPP’s long time Coalition  party MQM ,  has  been  keeping  itself  away from the  state  of  Government affairs due  to  their inclination towards  PML  (N)  They have also made their participation in the Government  on conditional basis and their under trial Boss Altaf Hussain went further and  held Referendum on the  basis  that whether  they should join the  Government or  not in coalition with  PPP. Despite being offered  to Join the  Sindh Government on Multiple  Occasion by  PPP representation ,MQM is  deliberately  keep  itself  away  from the state of Affairs of PPP but their Governor is  holding the  key Position and many analysts are  of  the  view  that they will retain the position till  the  end  of  PML (N) government tenure .

ors ,rushing to Dubai ,meeting  Party chief at London , PML (N) Government  has not replaced Governor but rather  retained  the  Governor  of  Sindh  Dr  Isharatul Ibad  . Even he has  been tasked  to monitor  the  Targeted  Operation   led   by  CM  Sindh  Syed  Qaim Ali Shah and  initiated  on the  Federal Government  directives  after  they held  the  Cabinet meeting  at  Governor  House  of  Sindh at after  the  strong  demand  of  Traders and Karachi citizens .

It was  decided  that the  targeted  Operation will  be  initiated  and  turned down the  demand of  MQM  to Deploy  Army for Operation  in Karachi as law and  order Situation was  Abysmal and alarming. after  considering   the  Loc  tension  and  massive deployment of  Army in  Pak-Afghan  border  to  control  the  infiltration, It  was  decided unanimously that  the  Operation will be  carried  out by  Rangers  supported  by  Police  on the lines  of  impartiality  as  no  Office  of  any  Political  party  will be  assailed  on the grounds  of  partiality . So far , MQM has  been  frequently  complaining  against  victimization of  the  MQM  and  arrests of  its workers through Press Conferences   but on the  other  hand  the  rangers  and  Police  spokes persons  reject  such claims  and  add  that   the  action  is being taken  on the  strong intelligence  reports  and  criminal  records  .

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Coming  to  KPK  , we  have  experienced  the  worst  state  of  law and  order  situation  since  the  provincial  capital Peshawar  has  become  the  prime target  for  militant  activities  and series  of  Bomb Blasts  herald  the  clear  messages  that   the  terrorists are  running amok  and  the  Federal Interior  Minister  has  been  doing the  job of  just  a  viewer to watch what is  happening in KPK  and  they  do not  seem to be serious regarding security matters concerning the  safety of  precious  lives  of their  fellow  Pakistanis  .

Some  analysts  also  disclose  that  this  may be a  conspiracy  to  fail  the  PTI  Government in KPK  since  it is  very  first time  that  PTI  which is  very  new  in comparison to  the  Professional Political  players    such  as  Jamiat  Ulama –e Islam  , PML N  ,PPP  , ANP  and PKMAP  in respect  of  holding the  important  Government of  KPK may collapse due to challenging law and order situation and prevent them from establishing government in the centre due to long  standing problems  of  Talibanization and Suicide  Bombings   specially tribal belts.

The massive casualties have  already crossed thousands   and  PTI led  government is  between the  devil and deep  see  in controlling  heightened  law  and  order situation which  shows  no improvement  ever since  the  honeymoon period  is  over  as  in Pakistan  it is  rare  to enjoy the   honeymoons  .

If you enjoy the honeymoons, you will be assailed by the powerful goons. The  Most disturbing  is the  Drones  issue  since  drone strikes  are  counterproductive  and  inflict multiple  implications on the  country’s  sovereignty  , Economy  , law and  Order situation and  ignite  a  wave of  hatred  among the  tribal people  specially north Wazirstan . Pakistan has  protested  in United Nations  against  the  drone  strikes  since  they are considered  an attack on the sovereignty of  the Nations  but the  Pakistani pleas  have  not been given due  weightage  by  Obama Administration so far.

As  regards  the  APC  , It was  held  on 9th   September 2013  and  all the  main stream parties  , Chief Ministers and  Governors  of  all fours  provinces  , Chief Army Staff  General  Pervez  Kayani  and  ISI Chief  also  participated  in the  APC  . It  was  decided  after briefing from the  Members and Specially Armed forces Chief and  Intelligence Agency Chief  that  Dialogue  will be  initiated  with the  Taliban since  Pakistan is very peaceful country and  It will prefer  Dialogue  than  initiating iron hand  with the support of  ISI and  Pakistan Army  . But the APC kept the option of military action open in case the talks with Taliban Leaders fail.

All  the  Representatives  of  Main Stream  parties  appreciated the Efforts  and sacrifices  of  Pakistan Army   for the  Sake  of  bringing  Peace in the  region as well as  suppressing militancy  for  the defense  of  the  country  since  Militancy , Terrorism , Religious  Extremism  and  ethnic  Conflicts  have played havoc with the law and order situation and  rocked  the  very roots of  the  country . The  Rising  inflation  and  rapid  devaluation  of  Rupee  has  heralded   serious  repercussions for the  Pakistan having already  fragile  Economy  .  The  fading investments  in the Country  and  growing security concern  on  internal  as well as  External fronts  have  demanded  to  frame  Strict laws  for  the  extermination of  the  anti state elements  who are  mercenaries  and their only role  is  to destabilize  the  country by creating deteriorating law and order situation .

The Most Important  point which  revolves  in  every Pakistani’s  mind  that will  the  dialogue  breed  positive  results  and  who  will  guarantee that  TTP’s multiple  factions will come to terms with the  Government  and accept  the  writ  of   Government since  they do not accept the  accept  even  the  constitution of  Pakistan .  Even the Punjabi faction of Talibans enjoys their unique identity contrasting other Taliban entities.

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But  Before  the  dialogue  , there  should  be  a  ceasefire  and  there  should not be  any  attack  on Army convoy  , religious  Places  such as  Mosques  , Imam Bargahs , Temples and  Churches  . There should not be forced Disappearances or kidnappings by TTP Factions.

The above questions are  very  difficult  to be answered  keeping  in view  the  post  APC  scenario as many as  ten  Attacks  have made  including  attack  on Church  in which  innocent  Christians  were  killed . The  Peshawar has  become the  centre of  TTP  activities and  even  Legislators  have  lost their  precious lives  . The most alarming  message  was  the four bomb blasts  in the Provincial headquarters  of four provinces  at the same day by Suicide bombers raising concerns  for  the  success of  talks  with Taliban as was decided  during APC .

The  APC  success  lies  on the  above  questions  and  if  above  questions  go unanswered  then  such APC’s  will  have  the  same  tragic  end  as  was  of  earlier  one’s  on the  same  issues of  terrorism and  Militancy.  Even some  circles  in  Federal Government  specially  Interior  Ministry  are thinking of  revisiting their  Policy on  Security and  Dialogue  .

They have also  drafted  the national Security Policy which is  yet to get  the momentum  along with  strategy  of  Developing  Rapid Response  Force  to cope  with  Situation occurring  time to time  like  the  Sikandar  Solo drama who made  the Capital Police of  Islamabad  on Hold  for  Hours  and  posted  the message for the Security Policy makers  that he  has  displayed  live  show  , watched by millions  of  the  people around the world through live coverage of news channels  that  how a single  armed  person like Sikandar  with help  of  Sincere  wife  and  injured  kids  leaked  the  inefficiency of  Islamabad  Police  that  failed  to put hold  on single superman .

The Demoralized  Police  have  become  a laughing stalk for  the public  and  the concerns of  public  have to   a  level that  they have  lost their  belief on the  Police  completely and consider  taking their  own initiatives  for  self  security  . The Same  is the  situation in Karachi  , Peshawar , Quetta  , Punjab and  other parts of  the  Country.

Finally , the Government has  to rethink ,review  ,revisit and redraft the  policies  and  come  up with  renewed  , innovative  and  lasting solutions  specially the security  to restore  peace  in the country since  peace  is the  first step towards  the  development since  peace  has  multi dimensional  effects  on the country and  it makes the country a  friendly  place  to live  and  let  live  and  invest  the  funds and  contribute  in the  development of  their beloved country.

The PML (N) will  have  to take  bitter  decisions in  national interest to  bring peace  in the  region as Pakistan has  already  paid  heavy  price  for  being one of  the biggest  and important ally of  US  in war against  Terrorism emerging  after  9/11 Strikes  on  WTC . Pakistan has been facing multi faceted threats in the region including internal threats of militancy, Religious Extremism and Ethnic issues.

To cope with the long standing issues, PML (N) Government should take everyone on board, be it dialogue with TTP leaders or initiating operation against the Problem makers. The Security Personnel  should  be  trained  on modern lines and equipped  with sophisticated  weapons and  equipments  to tackle  with emerging  law and  order situation.

 


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Finance

Jennifer Garner’s Latest Projects: Business Ventures Beyond Hollywood

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Most celebrity business ventures are licensing deals wearing a founder’s costume. The name goes on the label, the cheque clears, and an operating company nobody has heard of does the actual work.

Jennifer Garner’s is not that. On 6 February 2026, she rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange as Once Upon A Farm went public at $18 per share with a valuation of $724 million.

The company she co-founded is now a listed public entity with audited financials, a board seat in her name, and a stock price that has since gone down. That last detail is the most interesting part of the story.

Key Takeaways

What Once Upon A Farm Actually Is

The company sells organic, cold-pressed refrigerated food for children — pouches, smoothies, applesauce and oat bars — through grocery retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

It was founded by serial entrepreneurs Cassandra Curtis and Ari Raz, with Garner and CEO John Foraker joining as co-founders two years later. Foraker’s background matters to the credibility of the operation: he ran Annie’s Homegrown for more than a decade and served as a president at General Mills.

Note: founding-date reporting varies between 2011 and 2015 depending on the source. Verify before publication.

The Financial Trajectory

MetricFigure
Annual revenue (yr ending Sept 2025)$225 million
Year-on-year growthOver 40%
CAGR since 2018More than 60%
IPO valuation$724 million
Capital raised$197.9 million
Shares sold by company~7.6 million
Shares sold by existing holders~3.4 million
Lead bookrunnersGoldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase

A compound annual growth rate above 60% sustained over seven years is not a celebrity endorsement outcome. It is a consumer packaged goods outcome — and CPG is one of the hardest categories in which to build distribution from scratch.

What Her Actual Job Is

This is where the Once Upon A Farm story diverges most sharply from the celebrity-brand template, because the terms are public.

The S-1 discloses that Garner serves on the public company’s board of directors and continues as co-founder and spokesperson — “Farmer Jen” — a role for which she was paid $1 million in the prior year, with $2 million to $3 million in expected annual compensation through 2028, separate from stock options and an IPO-linked bonus.

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She also worked the roadshow directly. Garner described the investor meetings to Forbes as rooms full of existing customers, noting that families already trusted the product.

That is a meaningful distinction for anyone assessing celebrity-backed companies. There is a difference between a founder who licenses a likeness and a founder who sits on the board, pitches institutional investors and has compensation disclosed in a registration statement.


The Mission Structure

Once Upon A Farm is a public benefit corporation — the “PBC” in its legal name — which means its charter permits management to weigh mission alongside shareholder returns.

Garner has framed the IPO itself as a mission decision. Selling to a major food conglomerate would have cost the existing team control of the business; a listing preserved it while raising capital.

The concrete expression of that mission is WIC certification. Getting products approved so low-income families can purchase them through the federal nutrition programme has been a stated priority, and the brand now holds that distinction in more than 20 states. Garner has called it the company’s north star.

It connects to a longer track record — she had been a trustee for Save the Children for several years before joining the company in 2017.

The Risks the Prospectus Discloses

A public listing forces disclosure that private celebrity ventures never face. Three risks stand out.

Tariff and sourcing exposure. The prospectus highlighted risks related to tariffs and trade barriers, particularly against Mexico and South America, from where the company sources a significant portion of its fruit and vegetable ingredients.

Key-person concentration. A brand built substantially on one founder’s public identity carries a risk no diversified CPG company does.

Acquisition framing. Ahead of the listing, Hedgeye analyst Bennett Cheer characterised the company as an acquisition “play” — a view that treats the IPO as a staging post toward a strategic sale rather than a destination.

The Post-IPO Slide, and What It Tells You

The stock’s path is the honest part of this story. Priced at $18, up 17% on day one, close to $25 within a week, then down roughly 15% for the year by August.

Garner’s stated response has been to ignore the daily price and focus on execution — her position being that the stock follows the mission rather than the reverse.

Whether or not one finds that convincing as investor communication, the underlying pattern is common and worth understanding. Consumer IPOs frequently pop on scarcity — the listing was described as a rare food offering that excited investors — and then reprice once the float settles and quarterly results replace the narrative.

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For investors, the lesson generalises. A founder’s celebrity generates demand at listing. It does not generate gross margin.

The Broader Commercial Portfolio

Beyond Once Upon A Farm, Garner’s commercial activity follows a consistent pattern: long-term brand relationships rather than one-off endorsements.

She has been the recurring face of Capital One’s advertising campaigns, continuing through 2026. She brokered Once Upon A Farm’s first sports sponsorship in 2024 — a multi-year deal making it Angel City FC’s exclusive children’s snack partner.

She was named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 class of 2026 at age 54, alongside continued acting work.

What This Means for the Global Market in 2027

Coverage of celebrity businesses stops at the launch. Here is what actually determines outcomes.

Public listing is the real test of a celebrity brand. Private valuations are negotiated; public ones are voted on daily. Expect more celebrity-founded consumer companies to attempt listings after this precedent — and expect most to trade below their debut.

Governance disclosure becomes the differentiator. Once Upon A Farm published its founder compensation structure. Investors evaluating the next celebrity IPO should ask for the same and treat its absence as a signal.

Tariff exposure is the underpriced risk in food CPG. Companies sourcing produce from Mexico and South America face input volatility that margin models built in a stable trade environment do not capture.

The PBC structure will be tested. A public benefit corporation’s mission commitments have not yet been stress-tested against a sustained share price decline. Once Upon A Farm may become the case study.

Acquisition remains the likely endgame. If the Hedgeye thesis holds, a strategic buyer eventually acquires the brand. The question for shareholders is whether that happens above or below the $18 listing price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What company did Jennifer Garner found?

Garner is a co-founder and chief brand officer of Once Upon A Farm, an organic children’s food company. She joined in September 2017 alongside CEO John Foraker; the business was originally founded by Cassandra Curtis and Ari Raz.

When did Once Upon A Farm go public?

The company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker OFRM on 6 February 2026, pricing at $18 per share for a valuation of $724 million and raising $197.9 million.

How much revenue does Once Upon A Farm generate?

The company reported $225 million in annual revenue for the year ending September 2025, representing growth of more than 40% year-on-year and a compound annual growth rate above 60% since 2018.

Is Jennifer Garner paid by Once Upon A Farm?

Yes, and the terms are disclosed. She was paid $1 million in the year before the IPO, with $2 million to $3 million in expected annual compensation through 2028, separate from stock options and an IPO-linked bonus.


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Analysis

Inside Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon Speech Requirements: Structural Reforms and Defense Strategy

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Pentagon commanders told to nominate troops meeting waist-to-height and grooming standards for the Sept 30 State of the Force address. What the memo says.

Executive Summary / Key Takeaways

  • Internal emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal show the Pentagon asked commanders to nominate service members meeting specific physical and grooming criteria to attend Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address on 30 September 2026.
  • Nominees must pass the Army fitness test, meet its waist-to-height ratio requirement, and maintain “impeccable” grooming and uniform standards with no exceptions.
  • Selection also weighs “demonstrated leadership quality and professional character,” with a clear record of integrity, discipline and selfless service.
  • Selected attendees may have the opportunity to take part in a physical training session with the secretary.
  • The event falls exactly one year after the Quantico address to senior officers, where physical standards were a central theme — making this a measurable one-year checkpoint on that policy agenda.

Attendance criteria for a cabinet secretary’s speech would normally be an administrative footnote. In this case the criteria are the policy statement.

The Pentagon has asked commanders to nominate troops to attend Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address, specifying that service members must meet waist-to-height requirements and exhibit “impeccable” grooming standards, according to emails reviewed by the Wall Street Journal and summarised by Newsweek and other outlets. Candidates will be selected based on demonstrated leadership quality and professional character, and will also have the opportunity to work out with the secretary.

The guidance was sent to Army commanders and specifies that nominees must pass the Army’s fitness test and meet its waist-to-height ratio requirement, with grooming standards applying without exception. Nominees are expected to be top performers within their units, with a clear record of integrity, discipline and selfless service, and to demonstrate strong presence, clear communication and sound judgment under pressure — serving as model representatives for peers and subordinates across the joint force. A Pentagon official declined to comment on the specific selection criteria.

2. Core Strategic Analysis

2.1 What the memo requires

RequirementStandard specifiedApplies toSource
Physical fitnessMust pass the Army fitness testNominated attendeesWSJ via Newsweek
Body compositionMust meet Army waist-to-height ratioNominated attendeesWSJ
Appearance“Impeccable” grooming and uniform standards, no exceptionsNominated attendeesWSJ
CharacterDemonstrated leadership quality, professional characterSelection criterionWSJ
RecordClear record of integrity, discipline, selfless serviceSelection criterionWSJ
Event date30 September 2026“State of the Force” addressWSJ
AdditionalPossible physical training session with the secretarySelected attendeesWSJ

2.2 The one-year policy arc

The address arrives exactly one year after Hegseth summoned senior generals and admirals to Marine Corps Base Quantico on 30 September 2025 for a speech centred on warrior ethos and combat readiness. Physical standards were a central theme of that address, which introduced new height and weight requirements across the armed forces. “It all starts with physical fitness and appearance,” Hegseth told the audience, framing his reforms as a matter of institutional standards and telling officers unwilling to enforce them to resign.

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Subsequent implementation showed the Quantico directives being treated as binding orders across the services, with wing-level distribution of memoranda and service-specific implementation guidance following. Reporting also noted the introduction of testosterone screening for service members over 30 as part of the broader fitness agenda.

That history is what makes the current memo analytically significant rather than merely unusual. It is the second consecutive September in which physical standards have been the organising theme of the department’s flagship internal address — which suggests a sustained programme rather than a one-off emphasis.

3. Structural Drivers and Competitor Gaps

Most coverage of this story has focused on the novelty of the attendance criteria. The more consequential questions for defence contractors, analysts and policy trackers sit one level down.

Retention and medical exemption policy. The grooming component intersects with a long-standing medical exemption framework. Many Black service members have historically received medical shaving waivers because the structure of their hair causes ingrown bumps, irritation and infection when shaved — a condition recognised in military medicine. How “no exception” language interacts with existing medical waiver policy is the practical implementation question, and it has direct workforce consequences across a force of roughly 2.1 million personnel.

Departmental renaming. Several outlets now refer to Hegseth by the title Secretary of War rather than Secretary of Defense, reflecting the department’s rebranding under the current administration. For procurement documentation, contract citations and regulatory filings, the nomenclature change is not cosmetic — it affects how policy documents are indexed and cited.

Signal versus substance for contractors. A standards-and-readiness agenda has budget implications that differ sharply from a platform-and-procurement agenda. Physical readiness, medical screening, training infrastructure and personnel systems are a different contracting universe from shipbuilding or munitions. Defence-sector analysts tracking where discretionary attention is going should read the repeated emphasis on personnel standards as a directional indicator.

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Selection mechanics as message control. Hand-selecting an audience by physical criteria produces an audience that visually embodies the policy being announced. Whether that is read as reinforcing standards or as staging depends substantially on the observer’s priors, and both readings have been advanced in coverage of the memo. The verifiable facts are the criteria themselves and the date.

4. Key Implications for Stakeholders

Defence contractors. The consistency of the personnel-standards theme across two consecutive years suggests durable budget attention in human-performance, medical screening and training services rather than a passing emphasis. Watch the FY2027 budget request for corroboration.

Political and policy analysts. The 30 September address is the clearest scheduled opportunity to assess what has actually changed in the year since Quantico. Substantive markers to watch: whether new force-wide requirements are announced, whether existing standards are revised, and whether the medical waiver framework is addressed directly.

Military intelligence and HR professionals. Implementation guidance, not the speech, is where the operational content will sit. Last year’s pattern saw memoranda distributed across wings with service-specific guidance following separately.

Journalists and researchers. Original documentation lives at Defense.gov. Given the volume of secondary aggregation around this story, primary releases are the appropriate citation source.

5. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What are the requirements to attend Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon speech?

Nominated service members must pass the Army fitness test, meet the Army’s waist-to-height ratio requirement, and maintain impeccable grooming and uniform standards with no exceptions. Commanders also weigh demonstrated leadership quality, professional character and a clear record of integrity and discipline.

Q2: When is the State of the Force address?

The address is scheduled for 30 September 2026 — exactly one year after Hegseth’s Quantico speech to senior generals and admirals, which also centred on physical standards and combat readiness.

Q3: Who selects the troops who attend?

Military commanders across the branches were instructed by internal email to nominate junior officers and enlisted personnel meeting the stated criteria. A Pentagon official declined to comment on the specific requirements.

Q4: Will attendees do anything besides listen to the speech?

The internal emails indicate selected troops will have the opportunity to take part in a physical training session with the secretary.


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Analysis

Remembering Eliana Moreno: The Legacy of NBC LA’s “Eli in the Heli”

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Key Takeaways

  • Eliana Moreno, longtime aerial reporter for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, died September 15, 2026, in a helicopter crash in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, while covering a traffic collision.
  • Her pilot, veteran aviator George Marciniw, and a third person on the ground also died in the crash.
  • Moreno had covered Southern California from the air since September 2010, becoming known to viewers and followers as “Eli in the Heli.”
  • She graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science, and had said she knew she wanted to be a TV journalist since age 11.
  • She was engaged to Robert Barrientos, having announced their engagement in October 2025, and is remembered by colleagues as a source of steadiness during breaking news coverage.
  • The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

A Career Built in the Air

Eliana Moreno spent 16 years reporting Southern California’s biggest breaking news stories from above — traffic collisions, wildfires, police pursuits, and everything in between — for NBC4 Los Angeles and its sister station, Telemundo 52. She worked for Angel City Air Inc., the company that operates News Chopper 4, from September 2010 until her death.

Colleagues at Telemundo described her as, in their words, “the best airborne reporter in all of Los Angeles,” praising both her professionalism and her role as a calming, dependable presence in the newsroom during chaotic live coverage.

Moreno had wanted to be a television journalist since she was 11 years old. Rather than starting in a smaller regional market, as is common in local news, she moved directly into the Los Angeles market immediately after graduating from Chapman University in 2010 with dual degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. Before that, she anchored and reported in both English and Spanish for outlets in Orange County, where she was born and raised.

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“Eli in the Heli”

Moreno’s Instagram handle, “Eli in the Heli,” became something of a personal brand among Southern California viewers who followed her aerial coverage and off-duty posts — sunsets over the city, long shifts during breaking news, and glimpses of life alongside her flight crew. In 2023, after working 76 hours over the course of several days covering a story, she wrote that she couldn’t complain because she had “the best job in the world.”

She and pilot George Marciniw began flying together in 2023 and developed a close working partnership, often crediting each other in the images and footage they shared publicly. Marciniw, who had more than 30 years of flight experience and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, frequently attributed the photos on his own social accounts to “his companion and colleague, Moreno.”

Personal Life

Moreno announced her engagement to Robert Barrientos on October 28, 2025. She was also a mother. Friends and followers have described her as someone who balanced the demands of a physically and mentally grueling job — she guest-spoke at local high schools and colleges to aspiring journalists in her time off — with a full life outside the newsroom.

The Crash

The helicopter crashed the evening of September 15, 2026, between two buildings in Chatsworth while the crew was providing live coverage of a fatal collision between a bus and an SUV just blocks away. Three people died, including a person on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating; no official cause has been determined at this time.

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A Community in Mourning

Tributes poured in from colleagues, viewers, and fellow journalists across Southern California within hours of the confirmation. NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 both issued statements honoring Moreno’s professionalism and her years documenting the region’s biggest stories from above.

Who was Eliana Moreno?

Eliana Moreno was an aerial reporter for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, known as “Eli in the Heli,” who covered Southern California breaking news from a news helicopter for 16 years. She died on September 15, 2026, alongside pilot George Marciniw in a helicopter crash in Chatsworth, Los Angeles.


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