(GLENDALE, Calif.) — A California school district meeting where administrators voted to recognize Pride month, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, erupted into protests outside the venue involving several hundred people, according to the Glendale Police Department.
Protesters of the Glendale Unified School District policy to recognize Pride month were met by counterprotesters in support of the district’s decision. Physical altercations broke out, according to footage captured by ABC affiliate KABC.
The district has celebrated Pride month in years past, but a recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ political sentiment has led to growing tensions against the community.
According to the ABC affiliate KABC, the district said misinformation was spread on social media about the district’s effort to acknowledge LGBTQ+ identities.
“While most of the protest was peaceful, a small group of individuals engaged in behavior deemed unsafe and a risk to public safety,” the Glendale Police Department said in a statement.
At least three people were arrested for unlawful use of pepper spray and willfully obstructing officers in the course of their duties, police said. A dispersal order was given just after 6 p.m., according to officials.
Meeting attendees were told to shelter in place while police ordered the crowd to disperse.
Footage of the chaos captured by KABC showed protesters throwing punches and pushing one another.
The protests come just days after the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education also faced protests against its resolution to incorporate lessons and programs related to the LGBTQ+ community and history. Separately, a transgender teacher’s Pride flag was burned by an intruder at the North Hollywood elementary school in late May.
(NEW YORK) — It’s not just sensitive populations who are at risk in the current poor air quality conditions covering a large swath of the U.S. due to the wildfires burning in Canada.
Inhaling toxic smoke and ash from wildfires could weaken the immune system and cause damage to the body, including the lungs and heart, for anyone regardless of their health status.
Fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, is 30 times smaller in diameter than a human hair and cannot be seen by the naked eye. Exposure to concentrated amounts of PM2.5 can cause both short-term effects such as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing, sneezing; and shortness of breath, and long-term effects such as worsening of conditions such as asthma and heart disease, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Fine particles are able to enter the body through the eyes and lungs. Not everyone feels the same symptoms, and the pollution can exacerbate existing health issues, such as asthma and allergies, Peter DeCarlo, associate professor of environmental health and engineering, told ABC News.
Prolonged length of time and amount of exposure could lead to lung inflammation and impaired lung function that lasts long after the wildfire has ended. Studies have also shown a link between poor air quality and cardiovascular disease, including strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
The smoke — and fine particulate matter within it — has billowed south from more than 100 fires burning in Quebec, bringing hazy skies and dangerous conditions that could affect the health of millions of residents in much of the Northeast, Midwest and even as far south as Georgia and Alabama.
PM2.5 particles found in wildfires are 10 times more harmful than the same type of air pollution coming from combustion activity, a 2021 study conducted in California found.
Typically when air quality is poor, alerts are issued for sensitive groups, including very young children, the elderly, pregnant women and those who are immunocompromised or have pre-existing conditions. But there is currently so much particulate matter in the air that the air quality is deemed unhealthy for the entire population in affected areas.
“Breathing high levels of air pollution affects everyone but it affects some groups disproportionately,” DeCarlo said. “Like children with growing bodies and developing lungs, you definitely want to avoid their exposure — and elderly people, whose bodies are in decline.”
All populations should limit their time outdoors and limit exercise — even indoors, because the fine particulate matter is able to filter inside as well. If it is necessary to venture outside, everyone — especially vulnerable populations — should wear a mask, ideally an N95, health experts advise.
“Minimize exercise and any activity that makes you breathe harder,” DeCarlo said. “Obviously, the harder you breed the more air you’re you’re taking into your body with wildfire smoke to get in.”
Residents currently under air quality advisories should also run their air conditioner or air filters, if they have them, to filter out as many particles as possible, DeCarlo said. Make sure to keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.
Leaving the area may also be advisable for vulnerable populations to avoid heavy smoke for a prolonged period of time, health experts say.
Those who have asthma or other lung diseases should follow their doctor’s directions about taking their medication and their management plans. Patients are also instructed to call their doctor should their symptoms worsen.
Lower socioeconomic neighborhoods are at a higher risk as well because they often do not have ability to get away from the smoke — for both financial and social reasons, Kimberly Humphrey, a climate change and human health fellow at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told ABC News.
Climate change and the role warming temperatures is playing in lengthening the annual fire season will likely make wildfire smoke a more prominent public health concern in the near future, Dr. Vijay Limaye, a climate and health scientist at the National Resources Defense Council, told ABC News.
ABC News’ Mary Kekatos and Sony Salzman contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum on Wednesday jumped into the 2024 presidential race — becoming the 12th Republican candidate on the list, with a pitch to voters focused on lessons he learned out West.
“We need new leadership for the changing economy. We need a leader who understands the real work that Americans do every day,” Burgum said at a campaign kickoff event in Fargo, North Dakota on Wednesday.
“Someone who’s worked alongside our farmers, our ranchers and our small business owners; someone who’s held jobs where you shower at the end of the day, not at the beginning,” he said.
To cheers, he said, “We need a leader who’s clearly focused on three things: economy, energy and national security.”
He tied energy to both of the other topics. “It takes energy to get things done in America. Clean, reliable, low-cost energy brings manufacturing back to the U.S. and reduces our supply chain risks,” Burgum said. “U.S. energy policy can not be separated from either our economy or from our national security. Energy policy directly underpins both, and we need to stop buying energy from our enemies and start selling energy to our friends and allies.”
And Burgum harkened back to his roots when discussing national security: “Growing up in a small town, you learn quickly: The enemy isn’t each other. Our enemies aren’t our neighbors down the street. Our enemies are countries that want to see our way of life destroyed. … We should all be fighting to unite the country against our common enemies like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and the drug cartels.”
During his remarks, Burgum criticized President Joe Biden on various issues, including taxes, an “out of control border ignored by the White House” and economic struggles. However, neither Burgum nor other speakers ever referenced any other Republican candidates for president.
Burgum also blamed Biden for ongoing high inflation, saying, “Every small business owner and every family in our country is feeling the corrosive hidden tax on their lives driven by the Biden-induced inflation. Inflation is the worst; it hurts those the most who can afford it the least.”
Calling innovation the “driver of America,” Burgum also knocked the Biden administration for being “obsessed with creating mountains of federal red tape” and for actions that increased gas prices.
“Where we come from when something isn’t working, you stop and you try something new. That’s common sense. Joe Biden has got to go,” Burgum said to cheers and applause.
But he concluded his remarks on an optimistic note: “When we take the time to look, we can see that we are surrounded by the best of America. Working together, we will unlock the best of America in all of us.”
Burgum, a former software CEO elected in 2016, had teased his announcement with a video released on Monday.
Titled “Change,” Burgum’s teaser video shows him tracing his biographical roots: “I started a shoeshine business, worked at the grain elevator and as the chimney sweep, paid my way through college then earned an MBA from Stanford. I ignored those who said North Dakota was too small, too cold and too remote to build a world-class software company.”
A native of Arthur, North Dakota, Burgum founded Great Plains Software in 1983 and it was ultimately acquired by Microsoft in 2001; Burgum remained active in the company until 2007.
“I literally bet the farm to help turn a small startup into a billion dollar company in North Dakota. People thought I was crazy. A software company in North Dakota? But we ignored those who said North Dakota was too small, too cold, and too distant to build a world class software company. We did it anyway,” Burgum said during his campaign kickoff event.
Following Great Plains Software, Burgum went on to start the Kibourne Group, focused on real estate development, in 2006. He co-founded Arthurs Ventures, an investment firm, in 2008.
As a politician, Burgum successfully ran against the Republican Party’s preferred candidate in the 2016 gubernatorial primary and overwhelmingly won reelection in 2020. At his campaign kickoff on Wednesday, he said that he and his administration strengthened cybersecurity in the state, bolstered relations with tribal nations, made “record investments” in education and balanced the budget.
Still, he has acknowledged how his small-state background complicates his path on the national stage even though “there’s a value to being underestimated all the time,” he told The Forum newspaper in May.
At the time, he appealed to what he called the “silent majority” in the country who don’t sit on the extremes of any issue.
He seems set to approach the crowded GOP field, which includes former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others, as a small-town conservative focused on issues such as jobs, the economy and national security, while shrinking the government.
“Today, America is facing new challenges and how we respond will define our future,” he said in his teaser video. “We need new leadership for our changing economy. Innovation over regulation. Instead of shutting down American oil and gas, we should unleash energy production and start selling energy to our allies instead of buying it from our enemies. High taxes, red tape and inflation are choking every American.”
Burgum also invoked the power, he said, of a more moderate tone.
“In North Dakota, we’ve listened with respect and we talk things out,” he said in his video. “That’s how we can get America back on track. It worked in that tiny town where I grew up.”
Burgum is anticipated to travel to Iowa and New Hampshire, which will hold Republicans’ first two nominating contests early next year.
(NEW YORK) — Wildfires burning in Canada have prompted hazardous air pollution conditions in the U.S. this week, as smoke moves South and lingers over much of the Northeast.
While wildfires in California and other western states have prompted air quality warnings in the past, seeing them on the other side of the country has prompted questions about how much of a role climate change is playing in the event.
Here’s a breakdown of what we know about the connection between the wildfires in Canada and air quality.
Why is Canada’s wildfire season so bad this year?
Canada has had an epic and especially early start to the wildfire season with more than 1400% of the normal amount of acres burned for this time of the year.
More than 8.7 million acres have burned in Canada in 2023, an area larger than the state of Vermont. In an average fire season for Canada, closer to 6.2 million acres will burn due to wildfires.
For about a month, the U.S. and Canada have been in a barely moving blocking pattern called an omega block — it has broken down a few times, but briefly.
This has allowed persistent heat for Central Canada and The Great Lakes — and short surges of record heat for eastern Canada around Montréal and Nova Scotia.
What’s the connection between climate change and wildfires?
Wildfires are not caused by climate change, they are part of Earth’s natural cycles and are increasingly started by humans either intentionally or accidentally.
According to the National Park Service 85% of wildfires in the United States are started by humans, sometimes these are intentional but most often by accident. Canada says about half of their fires this year have been started by humans.
However. the conditions that make wildfires more intense and severe, including heat and drought, are strongly linked to human-induced changes in the climate.
Canada’s natural resources agency says climate change could potentially double the amount of area burned by the end of this century with potential economic consequences like lack of timber supply and changes in which tree species make up the majority of forests.
Damaged trees, dead trees, brush in the forests attributed to drought or invasive insects can also increase the amount of fuel for forest fires.
What do we know about climate change and air pollution?
The wildfires in Canada have prompted air quality alerts for the Northeastern U.S. and other parts of the country this week.
Climate change is expected to worsen air pollution conditions due to changes in rainfall and weather patterns that can increase the amount of pollutants like ozone or particulate matter like smoke that linger near the ground.
There is preliminary research that shows rising global temperatures can affect the jet stream’s flow making it weaker and therefore allowing air to sit stagnant for longer.
The jetstream exists, because there is a large difference in temperature between the poles and the equator. The jet is stronger in the northern hemisphere in winter because the temperature gradient is bigger. In summer, the jet is weaker.
Today, we see global temperatures rising overall, but the arctic and poles are warming 2-3 times faster than anywhere else. That means there is less temperature difference and scientists believe this may cause the jet to be weaker in all seasons.
The nonprofit organization Climate Central found that of 241 U.S. cities, 83% have seen an increase in the number of stagnant air days since 1973.
The Fourth National Climate Assessment published in 2018, found that more than 100 million people in the U.S. live in communities with air pollution above what’s considered healthy, and that climate change and more frequent, severe wildfires will make that air pollution worse.
However, steps to limit global warming like limiting greenhouse gas emissions can mitigate those impacts both by limiting future warming and releasing less pollutants into the air.
(WASHINGTON) — House business has been brought to a halt as the standoff continues between Speaker Kevin McCarthy and hard-line conservatives over McCarthy’s handling of the debt ceiling deal.
McCarthy, who said he was surprised by the House Freedom Caucus revolt Tuesday on a procedural move to prevent gas stove bans, said it’s his intention to hold more votes Wednesday, but none have been scheduled.
“We’re talking through it. I think we’ll get … through it,” McCarthy said.
The speaker added, “We can’t hold up the work for the American people. I can’t believe someone would want to hold up not allowing people to pick their own oven or stove they’d like to have.”
Several members of the House Freedom Caucus joined 208 Democrats in voting down a rule to take up legislation to prohibit the federal government from banning gas stoves. While the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in January it had no plans to ban gas stoves, similar efforts have advanced at the state level, such as a law in New York banning natural gas stoves and furnaces in most new buildings.
“I feel blindsided. … Yesterday was started on something else, ” McCarthy said, referring to a heated conversation between Rep. Andrew Clyde and Majority Leader Steve Scalise last week during the debt ceiling vote. McCarthy said it was a “miscalculation or misinterpretation.”
Members of the House Freedom Caucus were critical in holding up McCarthy’s speakership in January in exchange for concessions on House rules, including a stipulation that a single member could force a floor vote of no confidence in the speaker.
Last month, they came out adamantly opposed to the agreement between McCarthy and President Joe Biden to lift the debt ceiling and avert default and warned of a “reckoning” over the issue.
Tuesday’s vote was the first opportunity for the conference to express its dismay with the speaker, successfully blocking procedural step H.R. 463, which would have provided for the consideration of two resolutions aimed at staving off hypothetical federal gas stove bans.
McCarthy, though, offered a different take — branding the first rule vote failure in nearly 21 years as an opportunity to strengthen his speakership.
“I don’t think it [the rule] going down is a bad thing. … You all think that’s terrible; everything has to be perfect. I actually like to change things on its head,” he said, at one point comparing himself to Goldilocks in that he gets pushed on all sides.
McCarthy reiterated that he is not “worried” about his speakership as hardline conservatives continue to disrupt the GOP House agenda this week over the debt limit deal.
“We’ve been through this before. You know, we’re in a small majority. I didn’t take this job because it’s easy,” he said.
McCarthy said meetings are ongoing to find “a way that we come together.”
“The other thing too, I think a lot of you were beginning to not underestimate us when we had such a good victory last week. So, I think this kind of helps lower it again, so you’ll underestimate us, so we’ll have more victories. So, in the end, when I look back, this may be a very big positive thing,” he said.
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler and Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Kennedy Davenport, a drag queen, rejoiced when she learned last year that she would be featured on apparel in the forthcoming Pride collection at Target.
“You never imagine opportunities like this,” Davenport told ABC News, comparing the breakthrough to her previous role competing on the TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
For Davenport, elation turned to disappointment last month when Target announced it would remove some Pride products from stores in response to anti-LGBTQ harassment faced by employees, she said. Davenport says she does not know whether products with her image were removed.
“The bigwigs at Target should continue to take a stand with us and not be so quick to fold,” Davenport said, calling on the company to return the full Pride collection to their shelves. “I would love for Target to put on their boxing gloves and fight.”
Davenport is among five artists and organizations tied to this year’s Pride collection at Target who criticized the company’s response to the backlash in interviews with ABC News.
Critics acknowledged the difficult position faced by Target when anti-LGBTQ backlash nationwide boiled over last month into a boycott and reported employee harassment, including bomb threats at stores in Utah, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
However, some critics said, the decision to remove Pride products marked a retreat from the company’s longstanding support of the LGBTQ community that could further embolden extremists and imperil vulnerable people.
“The thing that’s so disappointing is that the leadership that Target has shown over such a long period of time seems to be wavering in a moment when the attacks on our community are increasing,” Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, the executive director of LGBTQ advocacy group GLSEN, which has partnered with the company for more than a decade, told ABC News.
Rob Smith, the founder and CEO of The Phluid Project, an LGBTQ-owned clothing company that has placed products in Target stores for three years, expressed disappointment over the decision to remove some products from the Pride collection nationwide rather than focus on specific stores at heightened risk of threats.
“It’s a big blanket decision that didn’t seem appropriate,” Smith told ABC News, noting that he does not think his products were among those removed. “I would’ve made a different decision if I was in charge.”
An LGBTQ designer who contributed products to this year’s Pride collection at Target — and requested anonymity because they did not want to be publicly identified speaking about the company — said the response to the backlash leaves them “questioning how committed to the LGBTQ community these companies really are and how much we can trust their word.”
Target, which has seen its stock decline about 13% since the boycott began last month, did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
In a statement last month, Target said it removed some products from this year’s Pride collection because the company “experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work.”
“Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year,” the company said in the statement.
More than 200 LGBTQ advocacy groups, including GLSEN and the Human Rights Campaign, signed a public letter on Monday calling on Target to make all Pride products available for sale online and in-store, reaffirm the company’s commitment to the LGBTQ community and ensure employee safety.
The boycott of Target follows a similar consumer protest against Anheuser-Busch InBev over a Bud Light promotion in April from a trans influencer. Bud Light sales have declined for seven consecutive weeks, and Anheuser-Busch’s stock has plummeted about 20%.
Meanwhile, the boycott of Bud Light gained momentum after the company’s initial response was perceived as conciliatory by some LGBTQ advocates, prompting frustration on the left.
MORE: The boycott against Bud Light is hammering sales. Experts explain why.
“It’s my hope that other corporations see what’s happening to Anheuser-Busch, see what’s happening to Target and choose a different path,” Willingham-Jaggers said.
To be sure, some of the people tied to this year’s Pride collection identified the root cause of the unrest as a rise in right-wing extremism centered on the LGBTQ community, which they said has put companies like Target in a difficult position.
“On the one hand, they risk losing sales from individuals who oppose the LGBTQ+ community,” a second designer who contributed to this year’s Pride collection told ABC News. “While on the other hand, they risk alienating the pro-LGBTQ+ community, which may result in a loss of sales as well.”
As of last month, more than 520 anti-LGBTQ bills had been introduced in state legislatures, including over 220 bills specifically targeting transgender and non-binary people, the Human Rights Campaign found.
Smith, who said he has been in contact with Target often since the decision to remove some Pride products, said he remains optimistic that the company will respond more forcefully to the backlash.
“Target has continually done a good job and been a good leader,” he said. “They just need a moment to reset and recalibrate.”
(NEW YORK) — Hazy and dangerous fumes from ongoing Canadian wildfires have engulfed the skies over most of the Northeast coast, prompting serious air quality alerts.
Thirteen states have issued those alerts as the thick fumes block the sky and send people indoors.
Canadian officials said firefighters are scrambling to put out the blazes in Quebec, where more than 160 forest fires are currently active.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Jun 07, 6:44 PM EDT
NYC air quality deteriorates to new record level: Mayor
New York City Mayor Eric Adams updated residents on the current situation with the dangerous air quality due to the Canadian wildfires.
He said the city’s Air Quality Index, or AQI, hit 484, the highest level on record, on Wednesday afternoon. Anything above 300 is considered hazardous, according to Zachary Iscol, the commissioner for the city’s Office of Emergency Management.
“Tomorrow things may improve but an AQI over 150 is still considered dangerous,” he told reporters.
Adams said all outdoor events in the city were canceled Thursday and urged private groups to do the same.
A person wears a face mask as smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets New York, June 7, 2023.
“The best thing is that [people] remain indoors,” the mayor said.
He reiterated advisories to close windows and to wear a mask if anyone has to travel outside.
Schools were already planned to be closed Thursday, and no decision has been made about the rest of the week, according to the mayor.
Adams said the current forecast shows the situation should improve at the end of the week but warned that the situation can change.
“It is difficult to predict the movement of the smoke,” he said.
Jun 07, 6:31 PM EDT
New York to distribute 1 million N95 masks Thursday, governor says
One million N95 masks will be made available for people at state sites in New York on Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday.
Officials will distribute 400,000 masks at MTA stations, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, state parks and the Javits Center, Hochul said.
Approximately 600,000 masks will be available from NYS Div. of Homeland Security & Emergency Services, the governor said.
Hochul has urged New Yorkers to stay inside due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
Jun 07, 4:35 PM EDT
MLB games postponed in NYC, Philadelphia
The MLB has postponed Wednesday night’s games between the White Sox and the Yankees, set to take place in New York City, and between the Tigers and Phillies, set for Philadelphia.
The Phillies-Tigers game was moved to Thursday and the Yankees and White Sox will play a doubleheader on Thursday.
The WNBA said Wednesday night’s game between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty, which was to take place in New York City, has been postponed due to the air quality.
Jun 07, 4:13 PM EDT
The forecast
More smoke is expected in the Northeast for the next few days.
The thickest smoke will drift south Wednesday afternoon and is forecast to envelop Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Wednesday night and Thursday. These cities may see AQI levels reach the most severe “hazardous” level over the next 24 hours.
On Thursday afternoon, another round of smoke is expected to move over Lake Superior and into Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York.
-ABC News’ Dan Amarante
Jun 07, 3:55 PM EDT
Why the poor air quality could cause a host of symptoms — even in healthy people
Exposure to concentrated amounts of fine particulate matter can cause both short-term effects such as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing, sneezing; and shortness of breath, and long-term effects such as worsening asthma and heart disease, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Fine particles are able to enter the body through the eyes and lungs. Not everyone feels the same symptoms, and the pollution can exacerbate existing health issues, such as asthma and allergies, Peter DeCarlo, associate professor of environmental health and engineering, told ABC News.
Click here to learn more.
-ABC News’ Julia Jacobo
Jun 07, 2:55 PM EDT
New York City tops list of world’s worst air quality rankings
New York City is topping the list of the world’s worst air quality rankings by a landslide, according to IQ Air, which monitors air quality worldwide.
New York City reached 392 on the AQI Wednesday afternoon, which is in the worst category — hazardous — on the U.S. government’s air quality tracker. Wednesday shattered New York City’s record for the highest AQI since records began in 1999.
Dubai and Delhi came in at No. 2 and No. 3 in the world with 168 and 164, respectively.
Jun 07, 3:34 PM EDT
New Jersey closes state offices early
New Jersey’s state offices closed early Wednesday as the air conditions worsened, Gov. Phil Murphy announced.
The governor has urged residents to limit their time outside.
Jun 07, 2:11 PM EDT
NY issues another Air Quality Health Advisory for Thursday
New York state officials have issued another Air Quality Health Advisory for Thursday for the entire state with the exception of the Adirondacks.
Jun 07, 1:47 PM EDT
How to stay safe from wildfire smoke
The most effective way to protect yourself during wildfire emergencies is to stay indoors or limit time outdoors when there is smoke in the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is especially important for those with heart or lung conditions who are at higher risk for adverse health effects.
If you can, try to avoid exercising outdoors until the air quality improves, especially those with underlying lung disease.
“People with asthma and people who already have lung disease or underlying lung problems, it can exacerbate that, it can irritate that. And if the air quality is bad enough, it can even cause some symptoms of feeling unwell and respiratory symptoms in people who are healthy,” said Dr. Stephanie Widmer, a member of ABC News’ Medical Unit.
Pregnant people should also try to avoid spending time outdoors, especially those who are further along, Widmer said.
You should wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth, fits tightly to your face and can filter out smoke or ash particles before you breathe them in, according to the CDC. N95 or P100 masks can help protect your lungs from smoke or ash.
-ABC News’ Nadine El-Bawab and Youri Benadjaoud
Jun 07, 1:06 PM EDT
FAA slows NYC air traffic due to low visibility
Due to low visibility, the Federal Aviation Administration has slowed flight traffic in and out of New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport.
A ground stop is in effect at LaGuardia, meaning some flights are being held at their origin airport to ease congestion.
The average delay at Newark is about 84 minutes.
-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney
Jun 07, 11:32 AM EDT
Worst air quality yet may be headed to NYC
The worst air in the U.S. Wednesday morning is in upstate New York from Syracuse to Binghamton, where the air quality has reached the worst level — “hazardous.”
That air will move toward New York City and Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Tuesday brought the worst air quality to New York City since the 1960s, officials said, with New York City Mayor Eric Adams calling it an “unprecedented event.”
The mayor urged New Yorkers to avoid going outside if they can.
Adams warned Wednesday, “Air quality conditions are anticipated to temporarily improve later tonight through tomorrow morning, but they are expected to deteriorate further tomorrow afternoon and evening.”
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Jun 07, 10:19 AM EDT
Poor air quality will last into weekend for Toronto
In Toronto, the poor air quality will last into the weekend, officials warned Wednesday.
“Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” officials said in a “Special Air Quality Statement.” “Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations. Continue to take actions to protect your health and reduce exposure to smoke.”
Jun 07, 9:32 AM EDT
NYC, DC public schools cancel all outdoor activities
Washington, D.C., public schools have canceled all outdoor activities, including athletic games, for Wednesday due to the poor air quality.
A “Code RED Air Quality Alert” has been issued for the nation’s capital.
New York City public schools also canceled outdoor activities.
“We urge everyone to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors,” NYC Public Schools tweeted.
Jun 07, 8:22 AM EDT
Long Island school district keeping students inside
In Port Washington, New York, on Long Island, the superintendent announced Wednesday that all students will stay inside during physical education and recess.
“This decision is aimed at minimizing exposure to the poor air quality and ensuring a safe learning environment for everyone,” the superintendent said.
Jun 07, 6:37 AM EDT
Air quality alerts issued for 13 states
Most of New England and much of the East Coast were under air quality alerts on Wednesday, with smoke from Canadian wildfires expected to reach as far south as South Carolina.
A new dose of very thick smoke was expected to drift into New York City and Philadelphia by Wednesday afternoon, lasting into the evening.
That smoke is then expected to move south into Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.
Conditions around New York City and in the I-95 corridor could improve Thursday evening, but get worse in western New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as the winds shift.
Jun 07, 12:49 AM EDT
NYC mayor says air quality expected to ‘deteriorate further’ Wednesday
The air quality in New York City worsened Tuesday evening and is expected to “deteriorate further” Wednesday afternoon and evening, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
“At this point, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for all five boroughs. While conditions are anticipated to temporarily improve later tonight through tomorrow morning, they are expected to deteriorate further tomorrow afternoon and evening,” Adams said.
“Currently, we are taking precautions out of an abundance of caution to protect New Yorkers’ health until we are able to get a better sense of future air quality reports,” he said.
Adams said students should still go to school on Wednesday, but New York City public schools won’t have outdoor activities.
“These recommendations may change based on updated air quality conditions that come in, but, in the meantime, we recommend all New Yorkers to take the precautions they see fit to protect their health,” he added.
Jun 06, 10:09 PM EDT
Smoke from wildfires visible over Yankee Stadium
Smoke from wildfires from Canada was visible on Tuesday night over Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, as the Yankees played the White Sox, video obtained by ABC News shows.
Wildfires burning in Canada are continuing to create poor air quality conditions in parts of the U.S., with smoke clearly visible during Tuesday night’s Yankees-White Sox game in The Bronx. https://t.co/yhKArhnaNtpic.twitter.com/Np8mJyVKCa
Jun 06, 10:01 PM EDT
New York City currently has the worst air quality in the world, data shows
New York City currently has the worst air quality than any other city on Earth, as smoke stemming from wildfires in Canada makes its way across the Northeast, according to the latest data from Swiss technology company IQAir.
The air quality index in NYC is at 196 as of Tuesday evening, followed by Doha, Qatar, and Delhi, India.
The next U.S. city on the list is Detroit, which currently places eighth, according to IQAir. Toronto, Canada, sat in ninth place as of Tuesday night.
Jun 06, 11:00 PM EDT
Who is at most risk from unhealthy air
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has specific guidance for vulnerable groups if the air quality in their area is deemed “unhealthy.”
While the agency warns that all people will experience adverse side effects from exposure to the unhealthy air, it said those with heart or lung disease, pregnant people, children and the elderly are most sensitive.
Those groups should consider moving all of their activities indoors until the air quality alert is lifted, the EPA said.
Jun 06, 11:02 PM EDT
Northeast covered in haze as forecasters warn of more smoke to come
Millions of people in New York City and other locations in the Northeast scrambled to keep themselves free of the smoky air throughout the day and evening Tuesday.
The city’s skyline was barely visible for most parts of the day, and the smell of the smoke was strong as commuters hit the evening rush.
Large cities with the lowest air quality include New York City; Albany, New York and Cincinnati, a map by Airnow, a website that publishes air quality data, shows.
Another large and dense plume of smoke will be moving down across parts of the Northeast on Wednesday, according to forecasters.
That batch of very dense smoke will push down across the Northeast throughout the day on Wednesday, giving some relief to New England and the Midwest.
(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump might never have become president without them. And his quest to regain the presidency might depend on what they do now to stop him.
With back-to-back announcements this week, former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joined a swelling roster of Republicans challenging Trump for the 2024 nomination.
They are embracing disparate but perhaps equally impactful strategies to defeat the man they were once so loyal to. Pence is seeking a more delicate way around Trump, paired with an effort to reclaim core tenets of the GOP, while Christie charts a path he describes as straight through Trump.
“Anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States,” Pence said Wednesday at his campaign launch in Iowa. “And anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president again.”
“There’s only one lane to the Republican nomination for president and Donald Trump is at the head of it,” Christie said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Wednesday. “And you have to go right through him and make the case against him.”
Both men know well how a scattered field contributed to Trump’s rise in late 2015 and early 2016. The Trump campaign greeted their candidacies as fueling a “race for second place,” in a reminder of how far they are behind not just Trump but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in early primary polls.
But Pence and Christie also know Trump himself well enough to identify possible vulnerabilities. Pence’s case is both more subtle and more radical — an attempt to reclaim the conservative movement from the man he saw hijack it eight years ago.
The Wall Street Journal editorial page summed his candidacy up in a way Pence could barely improve upon: “Meet Mike Pence, a tested conservative, heir to the Trump economy and the Reagan foreign policy, an evangelical Christian who cites the Word without seeming like a faker.”
Christie is taking a more combative and blunt approach that appeals more to political practicalities than ideology. He is pointing out that the GOP lost ground with Trump at the top of the ticket or indirectly on the ballot in 2018, 2020 and 2022 — and casting him as a policy failure who failed to tame government spending or even complete his signature southern border wall project.
“Eight years ago, you were entertained. I forgive you,” Christie said in New Hampshire Tuesday at his kickoff town hall event. “It’s not funny anymore. It’s not amusing anymore. It’s not entertaining anymore.”
Christie is speaking from a particular experience that’s unique in the field of more than a dozen GOP contenders. He’s the only one running against Trump now who already did that once before, and he carries reminders of how the non-Trump candidates largely ignoring him made him impossible to defeat.
Shortly after his own campaign fizzled seven years ago, Christie saw Trump’s nomination coming and endorsed him back in February 2016, making him the first major former rival to fall into line. Pence put his hopes behind Sen. Ted Cruz two months after Christie backed Trump publicly, though Pence notably refrained from attacking Trump.
Both would become fierce and powerful Trump loyalists. Pence, of course, joined the ticket, where he helped consolidate evangelical and other conservative voters behind Trump. Christie was a key sounding board and outside adviser who was particularly helpful to Trump on debate prep in both 2016 and 2020.
Christie broke publicly with Trump on election night 2020, when Trump began a torrent of misstatements that would carry through the infamous events of Jan. 6. That was the day that sparked the fateful fissure between Trump and Pence, with Pence refusing Trump’s entreaties to seek to overturn the election’s certification in Congress.
“President Trump’s reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol,” Pence said on Wednesday.
There are signs that the whiplash around Trump has hurt both men in their standing inside the Republican Party. A recent Monmouth University poll found Trump as the far and away front-runner and Pence and Christie viewed more negatively than any other major contenders, with 35% of Republicans viewing Pence unfavorably and 47% saying they have an unfavorable view of Christie.
There could be paths — albeit narrow ones — for both of the newest contenders, in different early-voting states. Pence is putting his chips on Iowa, the only early nominating battleground Trump didn’t capture in 2016. Christie is going all-in on New Hampshire, where GOP Gov. Chris Sununu’s decision to forego a race of his own leaves things wide open.
In its broad contours, the race is starting resemble 2016. A wide range of contenders are challenging Trump, who happens to be more popular inside the GOP than he was at the same point in that election cycle, in a dynamic that could carve up the non-Trump wing of a party that has changed substantially over the past decade.
But the entrance of Pence and Christie to the race points to one big difference this cycle. While Trump was largely ignored early on when he first got in, there’s no danger of that happening again. Some of those who know Trump best will be making sure of that.
(WASHINGTON) — A fresh batch of financial records for justices of the U.S. Supreme Court was published by the federal judiciary on Wednesday, which shed some light on their income and affiliations outside the court did not include key details that critics said will contribute to an elevated atmosphere of mistrust.
These highly anticipated disclosures, which cover all of 2022, arrive in the wake of revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas’ financial ties to Texas billionaire and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow, which critics have called an overt breach of rules and norms – and have prompted renewed calls for more robust transparency and enforcement.
But on Wednesday afternoon, when the records were published online, Thomas’ were not among them, suggesting that the conservative firebrand requested an extension. Justice Samuel Alito’s documents were also unavailable online. A court spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Even so, experts said that financial disclosures for the other seven justices would draw more attention than normal under the weight of plummeting public trust and questions about their ethical requirements.
“These will definitely be the most scrutinized Supreme Court disclosures since the disclosure law went into effect 40 years ago,” Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court, a leading Supreme Court watchdog, told ABC News. “That said, I think what people will take away from them is how many unanswered questions remain about the justices’ lives outside of the courtroom and their potential entanglements.”
The records released Wednesday offer a glimpse into the personal finances of the justices, including income they received last year from book sales, teaching gigs and investments. And this year in these disclosures, for the first time, justices will also have to share information about the sources of free trips, meals and hospitality, under new guidelines minted by the Judicial Conference, the body that sets and enforces policies for U.S. courts.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., in March called the new rules “big step toward closing the loopholes that kept the public in the dark about who was paying for justices’ lavish lifestyles.”
Chief Justice John Roberts defended the integrity of the court in May amid slumping public approval and growing political pressure to tweak the guidelines.
“I want to assure people that I am committed to making certain that we as a Court adhere to the highest standards of conduct,” Roberts said at the time.
But to critics, the new supplemental reporting requirements remain insufficient. Justices, for example, will not be required to put a dollar amount of reimbursements for travel expenses or meals, unlike members of Congress and other government officials.
“The public should know that sort of thing,” Roth said. “There’s a big difference between the Hardee’s star and a Michelin star, and between the Ritz and the Radisson.”
In April, ABC News reported on how some law schools have sought to leverage their financial resources for opportunities to access Supreme Court justices, often footing the bill for justices and their families to travel around the world for speaking engagements without the justices having to include most details of those trips on disclosure reports.
Advocacy groups and lawmakers have pushed to change that. A bill proposed by Whitehouse would require the court to adopt a “code of conduct” akin to what is imposed on members of Congress, who must report specific dollar amounts of gifts within a month of receiving them.
Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced a separate bill this week that would require the court to appoint an official to handle any violations of a code of conduct.
(NEW YORK) — Smoke from wildfires in Canada has spread across most of the U.S. Northeast, triggering air quality alerts in 13 states. The poor air quality extends as far south as the Carolinas.
Wildfire smoke and ash can irritate eyes, nose, throat and lungs, making you cough or wheeze and can make it hard to breathe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The most effective way to protect yourself during wildfire emergencies is to stay indoors or limit time outdoors when there is smoke in the air, according to the CDC. This is especially important for those with heart or lung conditions who are at higher risk for adverse health effects.
“People who are most at risk are [the] elderly, immunocompromised, young children and people who already have respiratory problems, people with asthma and things like that,” said Dr. Stephanie Widmer, a member of ABC News’ Medical Unit.
Kids with asthma should avoid playing outside and going to playgrounds until the air quality improves, Widmer said. It is best to stay inside and wear masks in the meantime.
If you can, try to avoid exercising outdoors until the air quality improves, especially those with underlying lung disease.
“People with asthma and people who already have lung disease or underlying lung problems, it can exacerbate that, it can irritate that. And if the air quality is bad enough, it can even cause some symptoms of feeling unwell and respiratory symptoms in people who are healthy,” Widmer said.
“Some people are more vulnerable than others, some people can be outside for longer than others. Try to limit your time outside as best as you can and if you can’t and if you’re not sure how long you’d be outside, throw on a mask,” Widmer said.
Pregnant people should also try to avoid spending time outdoors, especially those who are further along, Widmer said.
“A lot of times, very pregnant people are carrying almost a large weight that sometimes can compromise their respiratory ability. And sometimes they feel short of breath at baseline. So very poor air quality could worsen that,” Widmer said.
You should wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth, fits tightly to your face and can filter out smoke or ash particles before you breathe them in, according to the CDC. N95 or P100 masks can help protect your lungs from smoke or ash.
Those spending extensive time outdoors in smoky air or an ash-covered area should use a tight-fitting N95 or P100 mask to reduce exposure. Make sure the mask fits over your nose, under your chin and seals tightly to your face. Any leakage around your face will cause unfiltered air to enter and be inhaled, according to the CDC.
Because the particles are so small, Widmer said P100 masks may be more effective in filtering out the smoke particles. But an N95 mask is also a good option.
Wearing a mask while it is hot outside or you are physically active can increase the risk of heat-related illness. Make sure to take breaks often and drink water, according to the CDC.
When inside your house, choose a room closed off from outside air. You could set up a portable air cleaner or a filter to keep the air in this room clean even when it’s smoky in the rest of the building and outdoors, according to the CDC.
Keep an eye out for any signs of illness in pets too, including trouble breathing, fatigue, coughing or gagging, red or watery eyes, nasal discharge, inflammation of throat or mouth or reluctance to eat hard foods. Call your veterinarian if you notice any of these symptoms develop.
The CDC advises people avoid using candles, gas, propane, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces or aerosol sprays and don’t fry or broil meat, smoke tobacco products or vacuum.
Be on the lookout for coughing, wheezing, general shortness of breath and a general sense of not feeling well, Widmer said.
“If you don’t feel right, call your doctor,” Widmer said.
