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Brian Laundrie flew home to Florida in early August, family attorney says: Live updates

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A massive search is continuing in Florida for Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old woman who went missing on a cross-country trip and who authorities confirmed as the body discovered in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.

The search for the 23-year-old Laundrie is centered around North Port, Florida, where investigators said Laundrie returned to his home on Sept. 1 without Petito but driving her 2012 Ford Transit.

Laundrie has been named by police as a “person of interest” in Petito’s disappearance. Laundrie has refused to speak to the police and has not been seen since Tuesday, Sept. 14, according to law enforcement officials.

The search for Laundrie is the latest twist in the case that has grabbed national attention as he and Petito had been traveling across the country since June, documenting the trip on social media.

Petito’s parents, who live in Long Island, New York, reported her missing on Sept. 11 after not hearing from her for two weeks.

Here are the latest developments. All times Eastern:

Oct 06, 6:42 pm
Authorities to allow Laundrie’s father to assist with search, attorney says

Steven Bertolino, the Laundrie family attorney, told ABC News Wednesday that authorities are going to allow Chris Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s father, to assist with the search at the Carlton Reserve.

Investigators don’t currently have more details on when he will join the search.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office told ABC News they provided aerial support Wednesday for a search of the area.

-ABC News’ Whitney Lloyd and Alondra Valle

Oct 05, 11:11 pm
Brian Laundrie left parents’ home to hike day earlier than parents originally told investigators

Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino confirmed to ABC News Tuesday night that the family now believes Brian Laundrie left to hike the Carlton Reserve on Monday, Sept. 13. Previously, they had told investigators he left on Tuesday, Sept. 14.

“The Laundries were basing the date Brian left on their recollection of certain events. Upon further communication with the FBI and confirmation of the Mustang being at the Laundrie residence on Wednesday September 15, we now believe the day Brian left to hike in the preserve was Monday September 13,” Bertolino said.

Oct 05, 4:50 pm
Brian Laundrie flew home to Florida in early August: Family attorney

An attorney for the family of Brian Laundrie confirmed to ABC News on Tuesday that the wanted fugitive flew home to Florida from Salt Lake City on Aug. 17 and flew back to Utah six days later to rejoin his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, on their cross-country road trip.

Steven Bertolino said Laundrie flew home to “obtain some items and empty and close the (couple’s) storage unit to save money as they contemplated extending the road trip.” Bertolino said the couple paid for the flights together as they were sharing expenses.

Laundrie’s trip back to the Tampa area came five days after he and Petito were stopped by police in Moab, Utah, when witnesses reported the couple was engaged in a domestic violence incident in Moab.

LA passes 1 of the strictest COVID-19 vaccine mandates in US

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles will soon require that people show proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter many indoor establishments.

It will be one of the strictest vaccine rules in the country when it goes into effect next month.

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved the ordinance, which will apply to indoor restaurants, bars, gyms, shopping malls, entertainment venues (such as the Staples Center and movie theaters) and personal care establishments (including nail salons, spas and hair salons) starting Nov. 4.

Retail establishments, including grocery stores and pharmacies, are not included.

The ordinance passed with 11 votes — one vote short of the 12 needed to go into effect immediately.

The ordinance allows for medical and religious exemptions. In lieu of vaccination, patrons must show proof of a negative COVID-29 test taken within 72 hours.

The new law differs from orders previously issued in Los Angeles County. Starting Thursday, the county will require at least one dose or proof of a negative test for customers and staff at “high-risk settings” including indoor bars and nightclubs, with both doses by Nov. 4. The order doesn’t apply to indoor dining, though vaccine verification is recommended.

Some council members voiced concerns about the burden on small businesses to enforce the law. Nury Martinez, the City Council president, said the ordinance will help Los Angeles “finally get back on track to normalcy.”

“Angelenos deserve to see the other side of this pandemic — where we can return to walking around without masks, without restrictions, and without fear,” Martinez said on Twitter last week, ahead of Wednesday’s vote.

In Los Angeles, which is home to some 4 million people, nearly 70% of residents ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to city data.

New York was the first city nationwide to require vaccination for customers and staff at many indoor businesses this summer. For customers ages 12 and up, proof of at least one vaccine dose is required for indoor dining, workouts and entertainment. The city’s mandate, which went into effect mid-September, does not include retail or personal care, and does not offer a testing option.

Supreme Court justices gripped by case of 9/11 detainee: ‘We want a clear answer’

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A U.S. Supreme Court case about state secrets and brutal CIA black-site interrogations after 9/11 took an abrupt turn Wednesday when a trio of justices demanded answers from the Biden administration about why the plaintiff — Al-Qaeda suspect Abu Zubaydah — is still held without charges in a military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, even though the war in Afghanistan has concluded.

“I don’t understand why he’s still there after 14 years,” said a clearly exasperated Justice Stephen Breyer.

The controversial wartime detention of alleged terrorist combatants was not the immediate focus of the case but was raised after more than an hour of oral arguments by Breyer and Justices Neil Gorsuch and Sonia Sotomayor.

The justices had all been wrestling with how to balance the government’s need to keep secret the foreign location of Zubaydah’s interrogation — in an effort to protect national security interests — and the detainee’s need to obtain testimony from two former CIA contractors about what happened when he was in their custody.

Zubaydah is pursuing a claim against Polish officials in Polish court for their alleged complicity in his harsh treatment at a CIA black site in the country, as outlined in a U.S. Senate report, and wants on-the-record testimony about what happened there. The U.S. government has never formally confirmed, nor denied, the existence of a site in Poland and contends testimony from the contractors could compromise secrets.

Justice Gorsuch suggested one “off-ramp,” or solution, to the entire case could be allowing Zubaydah to speak for himself about how he was treated, especially since many details have already been declassified in a 2014 Senate Intelligence Committee report.

Zubaydah, who was captured in Pakistan in 2002, was waterboarded 83 times, spent 11 days in a coffin-size confinement box and was subjected to “walling, attention grasps, slapping, facial holds, stress positions and sleep deprivation,” according the report.

“Why not make the witness [Zubaydah] available? What is the government’s objection to the witness testifying to his own treatment and not requiring any admission from the government of any kind?” Gorsuch asked acting Solicitor General Brian Fletcher, representing the Biden administration.

“I understand there are all sorts of rules and protective orders,” he continued, “I’d just really appreciate a straight answer to this: will the government make Petitioner [Zubaydah] available to testify as to his treatment during these dates?”

Fletcher, apparently caught off guard, explained that he could not offer an answer without first consulting with the Defense Department. He pledged to comply with the justices’ request. Under terms of his detention, Zubaydah is allowed to communicate only with his legal team.

“Well, gosh,” replied Gorsuch, “this case has been litigated for years and all the way up to the United States Supreme Court, and you haven’t considered whether that’s an off-ramp that — that the government could provide?”

The exchange was a remarkable moment that united justices from across the ideological spectrum.

Justice Sotomayor joined Gorsuch’s argument, saying, “We want a clear answer. Are you going to permit him to testify, yes or no?”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was participating virtually in the argument because of a COVID-19 diagnosis last week, attempted to throw the government a lifeline. “Is the US still engaged in hostilities under the AUMF against Al-Qaeda?” he asked.

“That is the government’s position, that notwithstanding withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, we continue to be engaged in hostilities with Al Qaeda and therefore that detention under law of order remains proper,” Fletcher replied.

It is unclear whether the terms of his detention could or would be modified to allow him to testify publicly about his treatment in CIA custody.

The government insists any official testimony that implicates Poland as the location of a CIA black site would breach the trust of our allies and harm future intelligence agreements.

Zubaydah says his pursuit of a case in Polish court could benefit from an eyewitness account of what happened to him, even though many details are already in the public domain. “I want to shine a light on what happened,” said his attorney David Klein.

A majority of the justices appeared inclined to show deference to the government’s national security concerns about formally confirming Poland as a black site location, but they were also skeptical of a sweeping assertion of state secrets privilege that prevents Zubaydah from providing his own account in a court of law.

The justices are expected to hand down a decision in the case by the end of June 2022.

Body cam footage shows Minneapolis police allegedly ‘hunting’ anti-police brutality protesters

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(Minneapolis, MINN.) — Newly released body camera footage shows Minneapolis police officers allegedly celebrating the “hunting” of anti-police brutality protesters just five days after the murder of George Floyd.

In one video, a protester yells: “We’re unarmed! This is America. We can say what we want!”

In response, an officer appears to shoot at the protester with rubber bullets.

Floyd’s death set off months of protests against police violence and racism. The city of Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed by then-MPD officer Derek Chauvin, set a curfew in response to the unrest.

The body cam footage released to the public by the court captures the police department’s enforcement of the 8 p.m. curfew: Officers firing rubber bullets at numerous people out on the streets in an attempt to forcefully clear them of demonstrators. Some officers can be seen and heard celebrating and even fist-bumping over their successful hits.

In the recording, one officer can be heard saying: “You guys are out hunting people now. It’s just a nice change of tempo.”

Shortly after, another officer comments: “F— these people.”

In another video, an officer says: “I would love to scatter [the protesters] but it’s time to f—— put 100 people in jail and just prove the mayor wrong about his white supremacist from out of state,” referring to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s comments about white supremacists and out-of-state instigators.

The officer later adds, “This group is probably predominantly white because there’s not looting and fires.”

Due to an ongoing internal investigation into the actions of officers seen in the videos, the Minneapolis Police Department declined ABC News’ request for comment.

The footage was introduced as part of the criminal case against Jaleel Stallings, who was accused of trying to kill police officers but has since been acquitted of all charges, according to his attorney Eric Rice.

The 27-year-old faced two counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault and three other charges for firing a gun at an unmarked police van. No officers were injured.

Stallings argued that he fired at the unmarked police van in self-defense. In an affidavit, Stallings said that other people were running from the unmarked van and warned him of people shooting from the vehicle. He said that after being hit by a rubber bullet himself, he used his gun to shoot the vehicle in an attempt to scare the attackers off.

Biden and China’s Xi plan to meet virtually this year after aides’ ‘meaningful,’ substantive’ talks

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping will hold a virtual meeting before the end of this year, according to a senior U.S. administration official.

That’s the key outcome of six hours of meetings Wednesday between two of their top aides – national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs.

The virtual summit comes amid high tension in the critical relationship between the world’s two largest economies, including over trade and regional challenges like Taiwan. China has sent scores of military planes into Taiwan’s air defense zone in recent days, raising concerns about potential conflict.

The two men and their delegations met in Switzerland, where they had what the senior administration official described as a “more meaningful and substantive engagement than we have had to date below the leader level.”

They attributed that to the long phone call Biden and Xi had last month, saying Sullivan and Yang had been “empowered directly” by their leaders to have a more honest back-and-forth, away from cameras and off talking points, per the official.

There had been hopes that Biden and Xi could meet in person on the sidelines of the COP26 climate conference or the G20 summit this fall – but Xi will not attend either in person.

So far, there are no other details confirmed about the meeting – one of several tasks ahead of the two leaders’ advisers after these engagements.

This is a developing story. Please check back in for updates.

Former Tesla worker speaks out after winning $137 million lawsuit

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Former Tesla worker speaks out after winning 7 million lawsuit

(NEW YORK) — Owen Diaz, the former Tesla employee who sued the electric car company over allegations of racism, is opening up about his experience.

“[Tesla] decided not to follow through, they decided to kill investigations,” Diaz said on “Good Morning America” Wednesday. “Tesla, as a company, as a whole, needs to wake up. You know you can’t keep treating workers like this.”

Diaz was hired as a contract elevator operator at Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California. He worked there from June 2015 to July 2016. Diaz claimed fellow workers called him the “n-word,” was told to “go back to Africa” and saw racist and derogatory images in the factory’s bathroom stalls.

Diaz said he complained to Tesla about his treatment but his supervisors failed to stop the abuse. He left the company four years ago, filing a lawsuit in October 2017 that claimed “Tesla’s progressive image was a facade papering over its regressive, demeaning treatment of African-American employees.”

Now, after receiving one of the largest awards in a racial harassment case in the history of the United States, Diaz said he feels justice was served. A San Francisco federal jury awarded him $137 million on Monday.

“It’s God’s justice that this happened, you know, and allowed me to talk for people who can’t talk for themselves. A lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck to paycheck. They have to take choose to either take the abuse that these billion-dollar companies are putting out or feed their families,” Diaz said.

Mr. Diaz’s attorney, Lawrence Organ of the California Civil Rights Law Group, spoke to “Good Morning America” as well and said the verdict “makes Tesla take notice of these horrid conditions, and hopefully it will make them change and make other companies change and realize, racist conduct has no place in the workplace.”

In an internal email to employees, Valerie Capers Workman, Tesla’s vice president of people, said Tesla of 2015 and 2016 “is not the same as the Tesla of today.” Tesla published Workman’s email in a blog post on its website following the verdict.

“While we strongly believe that these facts don’t justify the verdict reached by the jury in San Francisco, we do recognize that in 2015 and 2016, we were not perfect. We’re still not perfect. But we have come a long way from 5 years ago,” Workman said in her email.

Tesla had responded to Diaz’s complaints of harassment by firing two contractors and suspending a third contractor, according to Workman.

This is not the first time Tesla faced claims of a hostile, racist work environment. The company had to contend in court with similar lawsuits, including a class-action civil rights lawsuit filed in 2017 in Alameda County Superior Court. That case is still pending.

In August, a court ruled that Tesla must pay a million-dollar fine in the case of Melvin Berry, a former black employee, who was allegedly subjected for years to racial insults from his colleagues. Tesla has denied all claims.

Tesla employees are bound by mandatory arbitration contracts when they start their jobs, preventing them from suing the company. Diaz was a contract worker.

Diaz said he knows that his case is “bigger than him.”

“This is not really about me. This is about a verdict that a jury made to let Tesla know that they’re being put on notice to clean up their factories,” he said.

Nearly 200,000 COVID-19 rapid test kits recalled over concerns of false positives

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Ellume is recalling nearly 200,000 rapid at-home COVID-19 antigen tests out of concerns over an abnormally high rate of false positives observed from certain lots of its tests.

Roughly 427,000 test kits, including thousands sent to retailers and some provided to the Department of Defense, have been impacted by the issue.

About 195,000 of these kits are still unused and subject to the recall. About 202,000 have already been used, the company said. Of those, there have been around 42,000 positive results, of which as many as a quarter of those positives could have been inaccurate. However, the company said it’s difficult to determine an exact ratio.

Ellume is removing the affected product from store shelves and said distributors should cease distribution and quarantine those products immediately.

This recall yanks hundreds of thousands of rapid COVID-19 tests off the shelves at a time when demand for these tests has already skyrocketed. Amid shortages, many of the major retail pharmacy stores announced they are limiting purchases to contend with supply constraints.

Meanwhile, Ellume is notifying consumers, retailers and distributors affected by the recall. It’s warning those consumers who have tested positive to take confirmatory tests, as their initial Ellume results may have been incorrect.

Ellume CEO Sean Parsons apologized for the incident, acknowledging how much rides on accurate test results during this pandemic.

“We understand that trust is central to fulfilling our purpose as a company, and we recognize that this incident may have shaken the confidence of some of those who trusted Ellume to help them manage their health and to take back a bit of control of their lives during this pandemic,” Parsons said in a statement. “To those individuals, I offer my sincere apologies – and the apologies of our entire company – for any stress or difficulties they may have experienced because of a false-positive result.”

“You have my personal commitment that we have learned from this experience, we have implemented additional controls to ensure our product meets our high quality standards and we are going to do everything in our power to regain your trust,” Parsons said in the statement.

Ellume said it has identified the root cause as an issue in variation with one of its test kit’s components, and said it has “implemented additional controls” and are “continuing to work on resolving the issue that led to this recall.”

While the recall was triggered by false positives, the company said the reliability of negative results from its kits is unaffected by this issue: approximately 160,000 tests from affected lots produced negative results.

California signs ‘Momnibus Act’ to support Black moms and infants, pay for doulas, extend Medicaid coverage

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the “Momnibus Act” into law on Monday to address racial disparities in maternal and infant health, a victory especially for families of color.

The law will create a fund to grow and diversify the midwifery workforce, extend California’s Medicaid coverage for doulas — trained professionals who support mothers through pregnancies — and extend Medicaid eligibility for mothers experiencing postpartum depression from two to 12 months.

The law is part of a sweeping effort to change stark numbers in the state.

Black women in California are four to six times more likely to die within a year of pregnancy than white women, according to data from 2014 to 2016 compiled by the California Department of Public Health. Nationally, Black and American Indian women are two to three more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared with white women, according to a 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

In California, even though the state’s infant mortality is lower than the national average, Black babies still die at more than double the statewide average, lawmakers said in the bill.

Mashariki Kudumu, director of maternal and infant health initiatives for the March of Dimes in Los Angeles, helped work on “Momnibus.”

“We know in California, there’s about nine counties that don’t have an obstetric provider, areas known as maternity deserts. Especially during COVID, we’re seeing hospitals shut down their maternity units. Getting care has been a barrier for a lot of people during this time. And so being able to have more midwives that can provide prenatal care throughout the state, especially in these maternity deserts, will be a great benefit,” Kudumu said.

“Everyone deserves a healthy and joyous and dignified pregnancy birth. And this bill really does help do that,” she added.

The bill was authored by Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner with support from statewide maternal health and racial justice groups.

A major part of the “Momnibus Act” is to have a committee improve data collection and reviews of maternal deaths in the state, including interviews of affected family members affected, to better study what contributes to maternal and infant mortality rates. The committee plans to publish findings and recommendations every three years.

Some of the bill’s provisions already had been included in the 2021-22 state budget, including the establishment of a guaranteed income pilot program for pregnant low-income Californians and extensions of Medicaid coverage.

The legislation applies to all women who need but can’t afford the services, regardless of immigration status.

Tiffany Sagote, an obstetric medical assistant in San Francisco who’s pregnant with her third child, told ABC News the law is “super special for women of color who have often been overlooked in health care, professionally and emotionally, during such a beautiful milestone in our life.”

“The most exciting thing,” she added, “is receiving an extension of postpartum management with Medi-Cal, like mental health services, which at times are often cut short for women of color … there is an idea in the Black community where, like, needing help is kind of taboo or a sign of failure. But in reality, it is the best thing to help us maintain a solid foundation and give our children the best version of ourselves.”

She said having diverse doulas and midwives will help expectant mothers be able to advocate for themselves, especially when they aren’t listened to.

“I have unfortunately experienced it myself, seen and dealt with racism and mistreatment in the health care field that leads to the statistics among black mothers and infants,” Sagote continued. “Having more access to Black and Indigenous doulas will help mothers not feel intimidated to stand up for themselves in a medical setting.”

Kudumu said the bill’s services will lessen stress among mothers of color or those who come from low-income backgrounds.

“We know Black women have a preterm birth rate that’s higher than other women in California. Adjusting some of the reasons behind that — in terms of stress, in terms of racism, economic opportunities — is important,” she said.

Nourbese Flint, executive director of the Black Women for Wellness Action Project, joined the signing ceremony with her 7-week-old baby and called the bill signed on Monday her “second baby.”

While she called the law “a win,” she said that “there’s still more work to do.”

Stacey Stewart, president and CEO of March of Dimes, said the organization is pushing for a federal version of California’s “Momnibus,” a version of which was reintroduced this session with the support of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

“California passing its ‘Momnibus’ is also a model for what other states can do as well. And we hope we hope other states will look to California for that leadership,” Stewart said. “If fully implemented, and fully funded [on a federal level], we should have every expectation that there should be a significant increase in health outcomes for moms and babies of color.

Active shooter situation reported at Texas high school

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(ARLINGTON, Texas) — Police are investigating an active shooter situation reported at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas, the school district said.

An unknown suspect apparently shot multiple people before fleeing the scene, according to an internal police briefing. The number of victims was not immediately clear.

First responders gather outside Timberview High School in in Arlington, Texas, after rep…

The school is on lockdown, the Mansfield Independent School District said. The scene is secure, according to the internal briefing.

Arlington police said they are conducting a “methodical search.” ATF officials are at the scene.

Arlington is located between Fort Worth and Dallas.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Retailers announce early holiday deals; how to avoid shopping delays, product shortages

October 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Holiday shopping season has kicked off earlier than ever.

Amazon announced Monday it is offering “Black Friday-worthy deals” and early access to deep discounts across every category.

Target launched its own “Deal Days” promotion from Oct. 10 – 12 that boasts savings on thousands of items online, through their app and in nearly 2,000 stores. The major retailer also launched a holiday price match guarantee, according to its website.

Jennifer Smith, a logistics and supply chain reporter for the Wall Street Journal said retailers are in a unique position this holiday shopping season.

“They’re balancing, on the one hand, the need to make sure they have items in stock when people do start shopping with wanting to make sure that they have plenty of time to get them because it could take a little bit longer, particularly for e-commerce, for things to arrive at your home,” she told Good Morning America.

October typically marks the busiest shopping month of the year as retailers stock up for Black Friday, but with just three months ahead of Christmas, the supply chain in the U.S. has faced massive pandemic-related shipping issues, shortages and delays.

Microsoft reported issues getting parts needed to build its new Xbox consoles.

“There are multiple kind of pinch points in that process. And I think regretfully it’s going to be with us for months and months, definitely through the end of this calendar year,” XBOX’s head of gaming Phil Spencer said in a statement.

Nike has felt the recent supply crunch and as first reported by NBC, is working to shift footwear production out of Vietnam where factories remain closed due to COVID restrictions to places like China and Indonesia in an attempt to prevent further delays.

Fast fashion clothing companies like H&M and BooHoo said their profits are likely to suffer because of rising supply chain costs and bottlenecks in major ports coast to coast.

Other retailers have attempted to alleviate product shortages by flying in goods by air freight, while Target, Walmart and Home Depot have chartered their own ships to avoid backlogged ports and to make sure they’re stocked for holidays.

The CEO of MGA Entertainment Inc., one of the world’s largest toymakers, said supply issues are the worst he’s seen in over 40 years.

“You have the jams you have all the backlog, logistic problems and inflation, they’re all gathered up,” Isaac Larian told GMA. “So it’s going to be a tough couple of years, in my opinion.”

Like many other experts have urged, Larian added, “my kind of advice is — please shop early.”

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