California, New York look to expand abortion access, including to people from other states

California, New York look to expand abortion access, including to people from other states
California, New York look to expand abortion access, including to people from other states
Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — As a leaked draft Supreme Court decision shows the court may be ready to overturn the abortion rights guaranteed under Roe v. Wade, state legislators in New York and California are looking to increase access to reproductive services, including to people coming from other states.

The draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked to Politico earlier this week and confirmed as authentic by Chief Justice John Roberts, who ordered an investigation into its public release.

Roberts said in a statement the document “does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.”

State legislators in California have proposed a package of bills to address what they expect to be an influx in people seeking access to abortion in the state if Roe is overturned. New York lawmakers have also proposed legislation that would help people pay for abortions, even allowing taxpayers to contribute donations.

U.S. Senate Democrats, who have widely criticized the court’s apparent decision, are planning a vote on a proposed bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, next week which would codify Roe v. Wade, making it federal law. The bill would also outlaw all abortion legislation at the state level, including legislation that was in line with Roe. But it is unlikely to become law, despite passing in the House.

With the Supreme Court decision expected over the summer, lawmakers in Canada expressed concern over how the court’s apparent decision would limit access to abortion in Canada and the U.S.

“One of the concerning factors here is that there are many Canadian women who maybe don’t live near a major city in Canada, but will often access these services in the United States,” Karina Gould, Canada’s families, children and social development minister, told the CBC. “I’m very concerned about the leak yesterday. I’m very concerned about what this means, particularly for American women, but also for Canadian women.”

Gould said American women will be able to get abortions in Canada if Roe is overturned, in the interview.

“I don’t see why we would not,” said Gould “If they, people, come here and need access, certainly, that’s a service that would be provided.”

Those seeking abortions would also be able to get access in Mexico. Last year, Mexico’s Supreme Court rule to decriminalize abortion, deeming it unconstitutional to punish abortion.

Legislation proposed in New York

The New York State Senate has proposed a bill that would establish an access fund to pay for abortions and allows taxpayers to contribute to the fund on their state income tax returns. The bill is currently with the Senate Finance Committee.

Another proposed New York bill would require insurance policies providing maternity care coverage to provide coverage for abortions. The bill, currently with the Senate Insurance Committee, cited the federal government’s “hostility toward abortion” in its justification for the state’s need to enact such a law.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in a letter to Congress urging it to pass the WHPA, said the state can expect an “11 to 13% increase in out-of-state patients traveling to New York for abortion care,” if Roe is overturned.

Hochul said the state is preparing to provide access to abortion care for people from out of state.

“For New York State to fully step up and be able to accommodate everyone who needs care, we need significant federal support to bolster our provider network and accommodate these new patients. Following action to repeal the Hyde Amendment, Congress must make federal funding available to states like New York that expect an influx of patients from other states,” Hochul said.

Hochul also called for federal protections that would allow the U.S. Postal Service to ship abortion medication to all states and for the expansion of telehealth services to facilitate access to abortion.

“As many states work to close off avenues to safe abortion services within their borders, the demand for abortion-inducing medications through mail and delivery services is growing. The U.S. Postal Service is a critical partner to meet the current demand, and Congress must adequately fund the postal service to ensure patients can receive prescribed medical abortion medications, regardless of their zip code,” Hochul said.

In the letter, Hochul also called for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which she said has “prevented federal funds from being used for abortion services, including health insurance funds that support low-income Americans.”

New York is one of only 15 states to cover abortions with state Medicaid dollars and the state has passed a law that requires health plans to cover abortion services without cost-sharing, Hochul said.

The state has also allowed abortion telehealth services and has convened an Abortion Access Working Group, which will meet regularly with patients, providers and advocates to guide state abortion policy and respond to needs.

Legislation proposed in California

In anticipation of a Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the California State Legislature introduced a package of 13 bills in January in an effort to make California a “sanctuary or a refuge for individuals seeking abortions and reproductive health care,” California assemblywoman and chair of its women’s caucus, Cristina Garcia, told ABC News in an interview.

“We introduce a package of bills and I think the idea is: that a right without access is an empty promise,” Garcia said.

When crafting the bills, legislatures relied on a report from the Future of Abortion Council, a group made up of more than 40 organizations across the state, which gave recommendations to protect and expand access to abortion in California.

According to research from the Guttmacher Institute, overturning Roe, which would allow some states to ban abortions, would increase the number of women whose nearest provider would be in California from 46,000 to 1.4 million.

“That’s an over 1,000% increase for what we see here in California. And so we really need to shore up our access here to make sure we have enough providers that could perform these services,” Garcia said.

Among the aims of the package of bills, the legislature is trying protect the privacy of providers and patients coming in from out of state and widen the number of providers able to perform the procedure and where the procedure could be performed, Garcia said.

Legislatures are doing their best to move up the timeline for when these bills would pass, she said.

“While we were being proactive in January when we introduced the bills and we’re just letting them go through the regular process, we realized that we missed something in our planning. The fact that we expect something come June — July was like, oh, we should hurry up and add urgency, where appropriate, to our bills,” Garcia said.

One bill, which has already passed, eliminates copays, deductibles and any cost-sharing requirements for abortions for all state-licensed health care service plans or disability insurance policies issued after 2022. This would apply to covered spouses and dependents, and Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

The legislature on Friday placed urgency on a bill to protect patients and providers from civil actions and financial retaliation for abortion services that are legal in California. A second bill they are also looking to add urgency to would deny out-of-state subpoenas for patient information regarding reproductive health care granted in California.

“Our goal is to get that through and passed before the end of June, and then would go into effect July 1,” Garcia said.

The California Legislative Women’s Caucus is in the process of identifying which other bills should take priority in order attempt to pass them by the June 30 deadline, she said. Those bills, with urgency, would become law by July 1, according to Garcia.

Other bills could become law as soon as next year. For a bill to go into effect in the new year, it needs to pass the legislature by Aug. 31 and be signed by the governor by Sept. 30. Some of the bills in the package may have later starting dates, according to Garcia.

The package also aims to increase access to people in marginalized groups who have access problems, including Californians.

One of the proposed bills would make Los Angeles a safe haven for abortions, regardless of residency. The bill would also establish a Los Angeles County Abortion Access Safe Haven Pilot Program, with the goal of advancing reproductive healthcare, specifically abortions, according to the bill.

Another bill would use tax dollars to set up a website that would help connect people coming from out of state with groups providing support services for those seeking abortions. The services include airfare, lodging, ground transportation, gas money, meals, dependent childcare, doula support and translation services, to help a person access and obtain an abortion, according to the bill.

“The idea is to create a public-private partnership … so that people looking to come to the state could then be connected to the different groups are already providing that network of support: to help you with the travel, to help you to ensure that you’re at a good provider, [and] that you have lodging while you’re here,” Garcia said.

State legislators from Connecticut and Washington have also reached out to Garcia for advice on implementing similar protections in their states and Garcia has been connecting those legislators with different groups that they work with in California, she said.

Anti-abortion rights groups, such as Live Action, have criticized California’s laws, one of which they said would permit abortions through all nine months of pregnancy. This includes what Live Action’s president called “death by neglect” by failing to provide medical care during the perinatal period after a child is born.

“That should not be the right of California to do. They don’t have the right to endanger children in the womb that way,” said Lila Rose, the president and founder of Live Action.

Rose also criticized California’s governor for the state’s move to help pay for abortions.

“It’s really disgusting what [Governor] Gavin Newsom in California is doing announcing that California is actually going to pay for people to come to our state to have abortions, literally making it an abortion tourism state,” Rose said.

She added, “the solution or the response should be we need to work to help women and help children so that they can live as opposed to we’re going to encourage them to literally travel to kill their children or have their children be killed.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

NYC subway shooting suspect Frank James to face federal terror charge

NYC subway shooting suspect Frank James to face federal terror charge
NYC subway shooting suspect Frank James to face federal terror charge
John Lamparski/Getty Images, FILE

(NEW YORK) — A federal grand jury in Brooklyn has returned a two-count indictment against alleged subway shooter Frank James

The indictment expands the charges James is facing for allegedly shooting 10 people on a Manhattan-bound N train on April 12. No one was killed.

James is now charged with carrying out a terror attack against a mass transit system and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

If convicted of the terror charge, he faces up to life in prison. The second charge also carries the possibility of a life sentence.

No date was set for his arraignment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Mother of Gabby Petito files wrongful death lawsuit against estate of Brian Laundrie

Mother of Gabby Petito files wrongful death lawsuit against estate of Brian Laundrie
Mother of Gabby Petito files wrongful death lawsuit against estate of Brian Laundrie
Courtesy of Nicole Schmidt and Joseph Petito

(NEW YORK) — The mother of Gabby Petito has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the estate of Brian Laundrie in the latest legal action stemming from the homicide.

The lawsuit, filed in Florida on Friday, claims that Laundrie intentionally killed the 22-year-old travel blogger, and as a direct result of his conduct, Petito’s mother and father — Nicole Schmidt and Joseph Petito — “incurred funeral and burial expenses, and they have suffered a loss of care and comfort, and suffered a loss of probable future companionship, society and comfort.”

The complaint was filed by Schmidt, the administrator of Petito’s estate, against Barry Spivey, identified in the suit as the court-appointed curator of Laundrie’s estate.

Schmidt is seeking damages in excess of $30,000 and is demanding a trial by jury. ABC News has reached out to Spivey for comment.

This is the latest lawsuit involving the death of Petito, who disappeared last year while on a road trip with Laundrie, her fiance.

In a civil lawsuit filed in Florida in March against Laundrie’s parents, Petito’s parents alleged that Laundrie told his parents he had killed Petito before he returned home alone from their trip and that his parents were trying to help him flee.

Petito’s parents are seeking damages in excess of $30,000 in that complaint.

Attorneys for the Laundries denied the allegations and sought to dismiss the lawsuit. A jury trial in the case is scheduled to begin in August 2023.

Petito went missing in late August while on a trip through Colorado and Utah. Laundrie returned home to Florida on Sept. 1, investigators said.

Two weeks later, Laundrie was named a person of interest in Petito’s disappearance before he was reported missing on Sept. 17.

On Sept. 19, search crews discovered a body in Bridger-Teton National Park in Wyoming that was later determined to be Petito’s. An autopsy found she died from strangulation, officials said.

Search crews combed the Florida wetlands where Laundrie was last seen and found his remains in Carlton Reserve, near North Port, on Oct. 20.

The FBI released new details in the investigation of Petito’s death earlier this year, saying that Laundrie wrote in a notebook that he killed her.

ABC News’ Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.

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Northeast counties reach high COVID-19 risk level, meeting threshold for recommended indoor mask-use

Northeast counties reach high COVID-19 risk level, meeting threshold for recommended indoor mask-use
Northeast counties reach high COVID-19 risk level, meeting threshold for recommended indoor mask-use
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Although COVID-19 infection and hospitalizations rates have been steadily on the rise across the United States, nowhere have the increases been more significant than in the Northeast.

Across the New England and greater New York and New Jersey regions, infection rates are nearing their highest levels in three months. COVID-19 related hospitalizations are increasing too — with daily admissions levels more than doubling in the last month.

Overnight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its community risk levels, pushing many counties across the Northeast, particularly in New York and Massachusetts, to the “high” alert level. The “high” community level suggests there is a “high potential for healthcare system strain” and a “high level of severe disease”, and thus, the CDC recommends that people wear a mask in public indoor settings, including schools.

“If we were still using the original CDC COVID-19 risk classification, the northeast would be bright red, indicating uncontrolled community spread. This part of the country has some of the highest vaccination and booster rates, yet infections are still increasing,” Dr. Maureen Miller, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, told ABC News.

Although Manhattan and the rest of New York City are still considered “medium” risk, transmission rates have increased by nearly 33% in the last 10 days. Much of upstate New York is also now colored in orange for “high” risk.

Suffolk County, home to the city of Boston, as well as six other surrounding counties in Massachusetts are also now considered communities at “high” risk. Across the greater Boston area, wastewater levels are at their highest point since early February, with 20 to 29 year-old residents reporting the highest numbers of infections.

In many areas of Vermont and Maine, community levels have also reached the high or medium risk threshold, data shows. And across the region, six Northeast states — Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey — have the highest number of new cases, per capita, over the last week, of all 50 states.

“I do think that the wave we’re seeing is a real one, and probably much bigger than we appreciate. Since most cases of COVID-19 are not being reported — because people are testing at home or not at all — I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the number of daily infections now is higher than during delta, maybe even winter 2020-21,” David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News.

Health experts say the increases are driven by a confluence of factors, including the easing of masking requirements and other COVID-19 restrictions, as well as highly contagious omicron subvariants, most notably, BA.1.12.1. The subvariant is projected to account for about 36.5% of cases nationwide and 62% of infections in the New York-New Jersey region. BA.1.12.1 is estimated to be between 30% and 80% more transmissible than the original omicron strain.

“It is becoming clear that the latest version of omicron BA.2 and its offspring BA2.12.1 can evade immunity developed as a result of an original omicron infection. Vaccination for those who were infected–even with omicron–is still highly recommended to prevent the severe outcomes experienced primarily by the unvaccinated,” Miller said. “The big game changer in how this wave plays out is human behavior. There is now a huge body of evidence that proves that mask wearing helps slow the spread of COVID-19… I wear a mask every time I enter an indoor public place, from the supermarket to an airplane. Life can go on, but you need to be smart about it.”

Amid looming questions surrounding a potential return of mask and vaccine mandates, New York City Mayor Adams said Friday that officials are closely monitoring the increases, reiterating that the city will be ready to “pivot and shift” should reinstating mitigation measures be deemed necessary.

“We can’t control what this virus is doing. But we can control our response and we’re doing that,” Adams said Friday during an on-camera press conference. “Yes, we are concerned [about the numbers]. Yes, we are. But preparation, not panic, preparation, not panic. We are prepared as the city and we’re not going to panic.”

When asked whether the city would consider reinstating its mask mandate for K-12 schools and proof of vaccination requirement, Adams insisted that the city is “not there yet.”

“We’re going to pivot and shift like COVID pivots and shifts. Every morning we meet, and based on that outcome of our meetings, we’ll making an announcement where we’re going to go, if this stays at this level, we may pivot and shift and still do mandates, and we see an increase in hospitalization and deaths, that is alarming, we may shift. COVID pivots and shifts, I’m going to pivot and shift,” Adams reiterated. “No matter what happens, we’re going to make a determination after we have our morning meetings.”

Adams lauded the city’s high vaccination and booster rates, as well as access to at-home tests, which he said is helping to prevent a significant surge in hospitalizations and deaths.

Earlier this week, New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan told CNBC that if infections and hospitalizations continue to rise, masking and vaccination requirements certainly could return.

“It’s clear that if we moved into a high risk and high alert environment, we’d be seriously considering bringing those mandates back,” Vasan said on Tuesday.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Car linked to escaped inmate, corrections officer found in Tennessee

Car linked to escaped inmate, corrections officer found in Tennessee
Car linked to escaped inmate, corrections officer found in Tennessee
Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama

(FLORENCE, Ala.) — The car linked to escaped Florence, Alabama, inmate Casey White and jail employee Vicky White was ditched in Williamson County, Tennessee, just hours after the jail break, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities first spotted the car around 3 p.m. CT on April 29 — hours after the escape — and it wasn’t until Thursday night that the car was connected to the Whites, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Sharon Puckett told ABC News.

There’s no sign that murder suspect Casey White, 38, and Lauderdale County Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White, 56, are still in the area of Williamson County, which is about a two-hour drive north of Florence, the sheriff’s office added.

Authorities with the U.S. Marshals Service searched the area Friday morning but found nothing to indicate that the pair was still in Williamson County, Puckett said.

“We don’t believe they’re anywhere near us,” she said.

However, authorities are still canvassing the area for any witnesses and are looking into whether any cars were reported stolen around the time the Whites’ car was ditched, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said at a news conference Friday.

Nothing was left behind in the car, the sheriff said.

Vicky White withdrew approximately $90,000 in cash from multiple banks before allegedly fleeing, Lauderdale County, Alabama, District Attorney Chris Connolly told ABC News. He said the banks were local to the Lauderdale County area, but he could not say when she withdrew the money.

On April 18 — just days before she allegedly fled with inmate Casey White — Vicky White closed on the sale of her home for just over $95,000. Singleton has said that investigators suspect Vicky White is “flush” with cash from the sale.

It’s now been one week since Casey White and Vicky White went missing. The two are not related.

Authorities said they believe Vicky White willingly participated in the April 29 escape from the Lauderdale County jail.

The pair “may be armed with an AR-15 rifle, handguns and a shotgun,” the U.S. Marshals Service said.

There’s no indication anyone else was involved in the escape, the sheriff said.

Vicky White and Casey White disappeared after Vicky White allegedly told her colleagues that she was taking Casey White to the Lauderdale County Courthouse for a “mental health evaluation,” the sheriff said. He didn’t have a court appearance scheduled, Singleton said.

Vicky White also allegedly told her colleagues that she was going to seek medical attention after dropping the inmate off at court because she wasn’t feeling well, but Singleton said his office confirmed that no appointment was made.

Singleton said Friday that his message to Vicky White is: “Hopefully we find you safe.”

Singleton has described Vicky White, a 17-year veteran of the department, as “an exemplary employee” until now.

Vicky White has submitted her retirement papers and the day of the escape was her last day, the sheriff said.

At the time of his escape, Casey White was facing two counts of capital murder for the stabbing Connie Ridgeway in 2015, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Casey White was described by authorities as 6 feet, 9 inches tall and approximately 330 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes and numerous tattoos, “including some affiliated with the Alabama-based white supremacist prison gang Southern Brotherhood,” the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Vicky White was described by authorities as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and approximately 145 pounds, with brown eyes and blond hair, though the U.S. Marshals Service said Thursday that she may have tinted her hair a darker shade. She was also described as reportedly having a “waddling gait.”

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering up to $10,000 reward for information leading to Casey White’s capture and a $5,000 reward for information leading to Vicky White. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has offered a $5,000 reward each for information leading to the apprehension of either individual.

A warrant was issued for Vicky White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape.

ABC News’ Whitney Lloyd and Will McDuffie contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Missing corrections officer withdrew about $90,000 in cash from multiple banks

Missing corrections officer withdrew about ,000 in cash from multiple banks
Missing corrections officer withdrew about ,000 in cash from multiple banks
Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama

(NEW YORK) — Missing Florence, Alabama, jail employee Vicky White withdrew approximately $90,000 in cash from multiple banks before allegedly fleeing with an inmate suspected of murder, officials said.

Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly told ABC News the banks were local to the Lauderdale County area, but he could not say when she withdrew the money.

On April 18 — just days before she allegedly fled with inmate Casey White — Vicky White closed on the sale of her home for just over $95,000. Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton has said that investigators suspect Vicky White is “flush” with cash from the sale.

It’s now been one week since murder suspect Casey White, 38, and Lauderdale County Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White, 56, went missing. The two are not related.

Authorities said they believe Vicky White willingly participated in the escape from the Lauderdale County jail. The pair “may be armed with an AR-15 rifle, handguns and a shotgun,” the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Vicky White and Casey White disappeared on the morning of April 29, after Vicky White allegedly told her colleagues that she was taking Casey White to the Lauderdale County Courthouse for a “mental health evaluation,” the sheriff said. He didn’t have a court appearance scheduled, Singleton said.

Vicky White also allegedly told her colleagues that she was going to seek medical attention after dropping the inmate off at court because she wasn’t feeling well, but Singleton said his office confirmed that no appointment was made.

Singleton has described Vicky White, a 17-year veteran of the department, as “an exemplary employee” until now.

Vicky White had submitted her retirement papers and the day of the escape was her last day, the sheriff said.

The pair may be driving a 2007 orange or copper Ford Edge with minor damage to the left back bumper, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

At the time of his escape, Casey White was facing two counts of capital murder for the stabbing of Connie Ridgeway in 2015, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Casey White was described by authorities as 6 feet, 9 inches tall and approximately 330 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes and numerous tattoos, “including some affiliated with the Alabama-based white supremacist prison gang Southern Brotherhood,” the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Vicky White was described by authorities as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and approximately 145 pounds, with brown eyes and blond hair, though the U.S. Marshals Service said Thursday that she may have tinted her hair a darker shade. She was also described as reportedly having a “waddling gait.”

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Michelle Obama shares special Mother’s Day message honoring Marian Robinson

Michelle Obama shares special Mother’s Day message honoring Marian Robinson
Michelle Obama shares special Mother’s Day message honoring Marian Robinson
Olivier Douliery- Pool/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Michelle Obama is honoring her mom in a special way.

Ahead of Mother’s Day, the former first lady announced that an exhibit in the highly anticipated Obama Presidential Center in Chicago will pay tribute to her mother, Marian Robinson.

In a video Friday shared first with ABC News’ Good Morning America, Obama reflected on the close relationship she has with her mother and the values that Robinson instilled in her at a young age.

“Growing up with my mom was always an adventure,” Obama said. “It was trips to the library as a toddler to learn about ABCs; it was the entire family piling into our car to go to the local drive-in; and my mom inviting family over for New Year’s Eve, passing around her special hors d’oeuvres and toasting in the new year.”

“But above all else,” she added, “my mother gave me that nonstop, unconditional love that was so important for me to grow up. In so many ways, she fostered in me a deep sense of confidence in who I was and who I could be by teaching me how to think for myself, how to use my own voice and how to understand my own worth. I simply wouldn’t be who I am today without my mom.”

The exhibit, called “Opening the White House,” will focus on community and family while also making sure everyone who visits the presidential center “feels at home,” Obama said.

The upcoming exhibit will also feature scale replicas of the White House’s East Room, where the Obamas once held dinners, as well as the Blue Room and the South Lawn, where the family hosted garden tours and the Easter Egg Roll.

“This is just one part of the story we’re telling at the Obama Presidential Center,” Obama said. “I am so excited to announce that we will be dedicating a space at the Obama Presidential Center in her honor.”

In her memoir, Becoming, Obama opened up about her mother, whom she called the “first grandmother” because she lived with them in the White House. During their eight years there, Robinson would help Obama balance the demands of raising a private family in a very public house.

Obama ended her Mother’s Day tribute to her mom by saying that she hopes everyone will be able to see the exhibit when the presidential center opens to the public in 2025.

“In the years ahead, we want to welcome you to Chicago to see it — maybe even with your mom,” she said. “So Happy Mother’s Day everyone. And especially to you, mommy. Love you.”

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Jazz Fest returns to New Orleans after COVID hiatus, bringing ‘relief’ to musicians

Jazz Fest returns to New Orleans after COVID hiatus, bringing ‘relief’ to musicians
Jazz Fest returns to New Orleans after COVID hiatus, bringing ‘relief’ to musicians
Courtesy of Robin Barnes Casey

(NEW ORLEANS) — The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival kicked off in New Orleans last weekend after two years and three cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The energy is just out of this world. I feel like there’s just such an overwhelming feeling of like, love and camaraderie — from the musicians to the participants,” Robin Barnes, who is known as the Songbird of New Orleans, told ABC News.

Barnes is set to perform at the festival on Sunday, its closing day.

For New Orleans — considered by many as the birthplace of jazz — the festival is the city’s musical heartbeat.

The 10-day cultural festival attracts over 400,000 visitors to New Orleans each year and draws musicians from around the world and pumps an estimated $400 million into the local economy.

“The economical side of it is extremely significant,” Barnes said, adding that while tourism in the city ebbs and flows throughout the year, Jazz Fest is a “musical mecca” and its return is a “game changer” for musicians around the city.

“It’s almost just a breath of relief,” Barnes, who is part of the jazz duo Da Lovebirds with her husband Casey Pat, said.

“For musicians, with the gig economy, every gig is a paycheck … so coming from a pandemic, we’ve all had to learn to basically survive with no money,” she added.

And the sorrows for the jazz community amid the pandemic have been immense in other ways. The human toll of the virus touched every corner of the jazz world as dozens of jazz musicians and producers died of COVID-19, including New Orleans jazz legend Ellis Marsalis.

“I feel like the amount of loss or lack of having music during the pandemic was able to really just force us to have such a renewed appreciation and love for the music,” Barnes said.

Hurricane Ida, which also wreaked havoc in New Orleans in September, swept away the Karnofsky Tailor Shop and Residence, a historic jazz landmark that Louis Armstrong once considered a second home and many musicians affected by the destruction.

As Jazz Fest returned to the city, the New Orleans Public School Board reversed a 100-year-old rule banning jazz in New Orleans schools.

Kenneth Ducote, NOLA public schools historian, found the obscure rule and brought it to the board’s attention.

“There was no prior discussion. There was no analysis, there was no theory, theoretical analysis of jazz,” he told ABC News’ Good Morning America of the rule.

Although it was mostly unenforced, Ducote brought it to the school board’s attention which reversed the rule.

“It was really important for us to pass it because, to be honest, this is a policy that was rooted in racism,” Olin Parker, president of the New Orleans Parrish school board, told GMA.

Barnes, who is the mother of a 2-year-old daughter named Riley, said reversing the rule is a “symbolic” move that shows the community’s appreciation for jazz and its impact on New Orleans history.

As for Riley, who was born during the pandemic, Barnes said she is excited to have her daughter experience Jazz Fest for the first time.

Although jazz is the cornerstone of the event, the festival celebrates all the indigenous music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana and includes music from various genres, including blues, R&B, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, Afro-Caribbean, folk, Latin, rock, rap, country and bluegrass, according to the festival’s website.

This year’s headlining acts include The Who, Stevie Nicks, Willie Nelson, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band, Luke Combs, Lionel Richie, The Black Crowes, The Avett Brothers, Erykah Badu and Norah Jones.

Barnes said that the festival “encompasses the diversity” of New Orleans and so many people come because “there is something for everyone.”

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Parents face backlash after 6-year-old allowed to run full marathon

Parents face backlash after 6-year-old allowed to run full marathon
Parents face backlash after 6-year-old allowed to run full marathon
Genaro Diaz Melendrez / EyeEm/Getty Images

(CINCINNATI) — Crossing the finish line at a marathon is often a time to celebrate, but one running family is facing criticism after their 6-year-old was allowed to enter and complete the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati last weekend.

Rainier Crawford, 6, ran the 26.2-mile course with his five siblings and parents, finishing in 8 hours and 35 minutes.

“Some of the training was like, hard, but I falled sometimes but sometimes, when I did one, it was like, normal,” Rainier told Good Morning America.

Crawford’s father, Ben Crawford, wrote on Instagram that his youngest son did struggle physically during the marathon.

“He was struggling physically and wanted to take a break and sit every three minutes,” Crawford wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday. “After 7 hours, we finally got to mile 20 and only to find an abandoned table and empty boxes. He was crying and we were moving slow so I told him I’d buy him two sleeves [of potato chips] if he kept moving.”

Crawford added that he was impressed by his son’s abilities.

“I didn’t know if he was going to be able to do it so to be able to run alongside of him and to watch his little body, it’s pretty mind-blowing,” he told GMA.

The social media post has since sparked an outcry, with some saying the family did it for likes on Instagram and some going so far as to accuse the Crawfords of child abuse.

Kara Goucher, a two-time Olympian and long-distance runner, was among those speaking out, writing on Twitter Wednesday, “I don’t know who needs to hear this but a six year old cannot fathom what a marathon will do to them physically. A six year old does not understand what embracing misery is. A six year who is ‘struggling physically’ does not realize they have the right to stop and should.”

Organizers of the Flying Pig Marathon defended their decision to let every member of the Crawford family participate in the 2022 marathon.

“The intent was to try to offer protection and support if they were on our course (Medical, Fluid and Replenishment),” Iris Simpson Bush, the president and CEO of the marathon’s parent organization Pig Works, wrote in an open letter posted to the organization’s website.

The nonprofit also told GMA they knew the Crawfords would run the Flying Pig race despite the marathon’s age limitation, which usually only lets runners 18 and older participate, a factor that played into the decision to let the Crawfords run.

“Our requirement of 18+ for participation in the marathon will be strictly observed moving forward,” Bush added in the open letter.

Experts say a child’s growth plates, the tissue near long bones, isn’t fully developed at age 6 and an extreme activity like running a marathon could be dangerous for children.

Dr. Alok Patel told GMA that he would be concerned with letting a young child run a marathon.

“If a young child were to run a marathon, I’m worried about electrolyte abnormalities, nausea, vomiting, heatstroke, all these signs and symptoms that may not be that clear in a young child,” Patel said.

The Crawfords said they don’t pressure their children to do intense activities like run a marathon but follow their kids’ lead if they say they want to try it out.

“We really care about our kids’ emotional and physical health. But we also care about their agency and if they want to do something, and we, you know, assess the risks and figure out if it’s OK,” Kami Crawford, Rainier’s mom, said.

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Barry Morphew and daughters speak out for first time since murder charges were dropped

Barry Morphew and daughters speak out for first time since murder charges were dropped
Barry Morphew and daughters speak out for first time since murder charges were dropped
ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Days before the second anniversary of Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance, her husband Barry Morphew and the couple’s two daughters are speaking out for the first time since murder charges against Barry Morphew were dropped.

“We’ve been silent for a long time and we’ve decided that we finally want to break the silence,” daughter Mallory Morphew told ABC News in an exclusive interview airing Friday on Good Morning America.

Barry Morphew added: “I just love my girls and I love my wife and I just want her to be found.”

Suzanne Morphew, 49, vanished on May 10, 2020, which was Mother’s Day, authorities said. She reportedly left for a bike ride and never returned home, authorities said. She’s never been found.

Barry Morphew was arrested a year later, in May 2021, on charges including first-degree murder.

But last month all charges against Barry Morphew related to the alleged murder were dropped.

Prosecutors said in a filing that they believe officials are close to finding Suzanne Morphew’s body, and that proving she’s dead is “the most influential fact of consequence.” Prosecutors said examining Suzanne Morphew’s body could incriminate or exculpate her husband.

Prosecutors also cited the judge “severely limiting our expert’s testimony.”

“Even if the Court were to partially reconsider … the People would still be left without several key expert witnesses initially endorsed,” prosecutors said. “Without this crucial evidence, and without the victim’s body, the People cannot move forward at this time in good faith.”

The charges against Barry Morphew were dismissed without prejudice meaning charges can be refiled in the future.

Suzanne and Barry Morphew’s two daughters are both standing behind their dad.

“We just know our dad better than anyone else and we know he was not involved in our mom’s disappearance,” Mallory Morphew said.

The family hopes to begin the healing process and is focused on finding out what happened to Suzanne Morphew.

Mallory Morphew said, “These last few years have been the most painful thing that we’ve ever experienced. We just miss our mom so much and we want her to be found.”

The district attorney’s office told ABC News that investigators “have been diligently searching for Suzanne Morphew since she was reported missing … are continuing to do so.”

Prosecutors said in court filings that authorities believe they’re “close to discovering” the body but “weather has complicated efforts” because the area where she’s believed to be is buried under several feet of snow.

Daughter Macy Morphew added: “It’s been such an emotional rollercoaster and just traumatizing.”

Mallory Morphew said, “I just hope that [the district attorney] will step up to the plate and do everything she can to find our mom — because what they’ve done is not fair and we’re never going to stop looking for our mom.”

Barry Morphew’s attorney Iris Eytan claims the authorities have mishandled the case and is planning to file a complaint against the district attorney.

“Prosecutors need to be held responsible and they need to pay for the damage they’ve caused to Barry, which is, frankly, nearly irreparable at this point, because it’s hard for anybody to believe that Barry is not who they claim he was,” Eytan said.

Eytan added: “If you want to honor Suzanne, and you want to honor the daughters, go find Suzanne.”

ABC News’ Lindsey Schwartz, Jenner Smith and Doug Vollmayer contributed to this report.

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