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States keep alcohol delivery options after pandemic as restaurants rebound

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — COVID-19 restrictions were designed to stem the tide of the biggest public health crisis in 100 years.

As the virus began to recede with mass vaccination, many of the most burdensome were relaxed or dropped altogether.

But there was at least one that many states, and their businesses, were more than happy to keep.

Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia had special provisions in place during the pandemic that allowed restaurants and bars to deliver alcohol orders to their customers.

Mike Whatley, the vice president for state affairs and grassroots advocacy for the National Restaurant Association, told ABC News to-go alcohol options increased restaurant sales on average 5-10% during the pandemic.

“Many restaurants are alive today because of cocktails to go,” he told ABC News.

All but 11 of those states have kept their alcohol to-go rules in place following the end of their governors’ emergency orders. Economic and political experts say those states that are on the fence should consider following suit if they want to ensure a stronger post-pandemic future for their restaurants.

Although most states have relaxed their limits on indoor capacity for businesses, restaurants and bars are still relying on takeout customers to improve their revenues, Whatley said. Restaurants still haven’t regained 1.5 million jobs lost before the pandemic, a 12% loss, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Nearly two-fifths of restaurant owners said they still can not afford rent, according to statistics from the association.

“Until every single person feels comfortable eating in a restaurant, we’re not going to be back to normal,” Whatley said.

Alcohol to-go gives customers more options to enjoy their meals, and most importantly, gives restaurant owners a way to sell their more profitable cocktails and spirit drinks, Whatley said.

Massachusetts state Sen. Julian Cyr told ABC News that his state’s temporary cocktails to-go rule was fully embraced by residents and business owners, so there was no question to extend it. Cyr introduced a bill that passed in the legislature extending the rule until May 2022.

“I think broadly we realized this was an industry that was really hurt and we wanted to do something,” Cyr told ABC News.

The senator, who previously worked a restaurant, said alcohol regulation is one of the toughest hurdles that business owners have to cross in Massachusetts and other states, since they have to get approval from both their local and state liquor authorities.

“I think more broadly, this is an industry where we don’t provide enough state investment from government,” Cyr said.

Experts say that red tape and years of precedent concerning alcohol laws are stalling other states from implementing more permanent delivery laws.

Kajal Lahiri, a distinguished professor of economics at SUNY Albany, told ABC News that alcohol laws in states have been linked to more conservative beliefs on drinking, such as no sales before noon on Sundays.

Lahiri contended that changing those laws, even for something as economically beneficial as cocktails to go, isn’t a big priority for state legislatures given the other recovery struggles.

“I think this slipped past [legislators’] priorities,” Lahiri told ABC News.

New York was one of the locations that, as of July, didn’t extend its alcohol to-go laws before Gov. Andrew Cuomo ended his COVID state of emergency. A bill was introduced during last year’s session to extend the regulation, but was never voted on.

Several restaurant advocates, including the New York City Hospitality Alliance, have called on the state legislature to pass legislation that would make alcohol to-go permanent.

Representatives from the New York State Assembly and Senate didn’t immediately return messages for comment.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, told ABC News that the governor would like to see the statehouse come up with a solution to alcohol on delivery.

“We know what a lifeline this was to the industry during this pandemic and are more than willing to work with the houses on a legislative solution,” Azzopardi said in a statement.

Lahiri, who has consulted with the state legislature on economic matters, predicted that New York and other states will join the other locations in extending the alcohol delivery laws.

Aside from the pressure applied by restaurants that need that service, Lahiri noted the pandemic has forced elected officials to reconcile that their older rules and regulations may be moot.

For example, canceling classes because of inclement weather was no longer necessary because of the rise in remote learning, Lahiri said. When it comes to restaurants, there are few cons to having them deliver their drink menu items.

“It is a new era and we have now realized the old ways of doing things aren’t the best,” Lahiri said. “I think it will be easy because we’ve lived with this. It’s not uncharted.”

Senators propose reclaiming national security powers for Congress

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A tri-partisan group of senators on Tuesday introduced legislation designed to claw back national security powers, delineated in the Constitution, from the executive branch that the Senate trio says have been flowing away from Congress after decades of inaction by lawmakers.

“The founders envisioned a balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government on national security matters. But over time, Congress has acquiesced to the growing, often unchecked power of the executive to determine the outline of America’s footprint in the world. More than ever before, presidents are sending men and women into battle without public debate, and making major policy decisions, like massive arms sales, without congressional input,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee a bill cosponsor, along with Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, and Mike Lee, R-Utah.

The three-pronged National Security Powers Act would place Congress in a more proactive role of having to affirm executive action on more controversial arms sales — particularly of lethal weapons, including air to ground munitions, tanks, and armored vehicles, as opposed to the current method requiring lawmakers to reject a sale with a veto-proof majority; would replace the 1973 War Powers Act with new policy that would require congressional authorization of military operations by a President after just 20 days instead of the current 60; and require that Congress approve a national emergency declaration after 30 days from presidential enactment.

“The president can declare a national emergency and act on that for a 30-day period, but after that, if Congress chooses not to enact a law to approve of the move, (called a joint resolution of approval) — that ability for the president would expire after 30 days,” according to a senior Senate GOP aide briefing reporters on the proposal.

President Donald Trump, in a highly controversial move in 2019, declared a national security emergency on the southern border to build his wall in that space. There was bipartisan support at the time to stop him but not a veto-proof majority. The Murphy-Sanders-Lee legislation would “flip the script” and put Congress in a position to more easily stop such executive action.

What senators also discovered at the time was that some 30 national emergency declarations were still in effect going back decades. The proposed legislation would sunset those declarations without explicit Congressional approval, putting a five-year limit on future moves.

The tri-partisan proposal comes as Washington is moving to rescind a 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) approved ahead of the Iraq war. There is also growing support to rework or possibly end the 2001 AUMF that led to America’s longest war in Afghanistan where U.S. troops have just been sent home. Under the newly-introduced legislation, those AUMF’s would expire, and all future AUMF’s would require an expiration date.

The new legislation, which is sure to spark heated debate among hawks and those who doubt Congress’ authority to rein in executive powers where national security is concerned — despite the Constitution’s delineation that Congress has the sole power to declare war — would more strictly-define “hostilities” as any that require U.S. troops, as opposed to the current unwritten rule that basically requires U.S. service member boots on the ground.

“Presidents of both parties have usurped Congress’s prerogative to determine if, when, and how we go to war. Now America’s global standing, treasure, and brave service members are being lost in conflicts the people’s legislators never debated. In areas where the Constitution grants broad powers to Congress, Congress is ignored. The National Security Powers Act will change that and return these checks and balances to our government,” Lee said.

It is unclear where support lies for the proposal in Congress, particularly among leadership, and Senate aides close to the matter say that there was no consultation with the White House or Administration officials.

Still, the group says the time to act is now.

“Before it’s too late, Congress needs to reclaim its rightful role as co-equal branch on matters of war and national security. The bipartisan National Security Powers Act will make sure that there is a full, open and public debate on all major national security decisions, such as war making, arms sales and emergency declarations,” Murphy said.

Blue Origin launch live updates: Jeff Bezos soars to the edge of space in historic flight

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos blasted to the edge of space and spent a few minutes outside Earth’s atmosphere Tuesday on the first crewed flight from his firm Blue Origin.

An elated Bezos could be heard calling it “the best day ever” after landing back on Earth.

The milestone launch in the modern commercial space race comes on the 52nd anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s moon landing in 1969, though the space-faring landscape has evolved by giant leaps since then as billionaires emerge as key players driving the new race to the cosmos.

Bezos, who holds the title of the richest man in the world per Bloomberg data, has said the spaceflight will fulfill a lifelong dream and he is also curious how it will “change” him.

Jul 20, 9:34 am

Crew exits capsule

After the capsule landed back on Earth, Jeff Bezos was seen through the window pumping his fists and giving a thumbs-up.

The Bezos brothers, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemon then exited the capsule with huge smiles on their faces and were greeted with cheers and hugs.

Jul 20, 9:26 am

Capsule lands back on earth

After an approximately 10-minute journey, the capsule floated back down to the earth via a parachute and touched down at approximately 9:23 a.m ET.

“It was so amazing, it was so amazing,” Daemen can be heard saying upon landing.

Jul 20, 9:22 am

Booster lands back on earth

The booster has returned to earth, landing successfully while the capsule carrying the crew has crossed the Karman line — the boundary between earth’s atmosphere and space.

“You have a very happy crew up here, I want you to know,” one of the astronauts can be heard saying.

Jul 20, 9:18 am

Capsule separates from booster, astronauts are experiencing ‘Zero-G’

Mission Control has confirmed the capsule has separated from the booster and the astronauts are now experiencing a few minutes of weightlessness.

Audio from the capsule captures the joyful moments the crew discovered they were in microgravity.

Jul 20, 9:13 am

New Shepard soars in first flight with humans aboard

The New Shepard spacecraft lifted off at around 9:12 a.m. ET, carrying the Bezos brothers, Funk and Daemen to the edge of space.

The spacetrip will be 11 minutes total.

Jul 20, 9:06 am

New Shepard is a ‘go’ for launch

The go poll is now complete, and New Shepard is officially a “go” for launch.

Jul 20, 9:02 am

Launch has been delayed by a few minutes

With the astronauts in the capsule and the hatch closed, there was a temporary pause in launch activities for approximately five minutes while Blue Origin staff did final checks. Launch activities have since resumed, and liftoff is just 11 minutes away.

Jul 20, 8:46 am

The hatch has been closed

The hatch for the New Shepard capsule has officially been closed, and the final checks are now underway ahead of the launch.

The Bezos brothers were seen waving and smiling through the windows of the capsule.

Jul 20, 8:46 am

Crew is buckling in their seats

The crew are now getting in their seats on the capsule and buckling-in ahead of the closing of the hatch. A communications check with each astronaut has also commenced.

Jul 20, 8:38 am

Led by Wally Funk, astronauts climb the crew tower

The astronauts, led by 82-year-old Funk, were seen climbing the tower and preparing to ingress the New Shepard capsule.

The crew arrived atop at the so-called astronaut safety shelter, with approximately 30 minutes to go before launch.

Jul 20, 8:24 am

Crew is en route to the launchpad

The four soon-to-be astronauts were spotted emerging from the astronaut training center around 8:15 a.m. ET and entering vehicles that will take them to the launchpad.

The Bezos brothers, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemon were greeted with cheers from Blue Origin staff as they cruised past mission control on the way to the launchpad. The launch remains on schedule for a 9 a.m. liftoff.

Jul 20, 8:12 am

Meet the history-making crew

The Amazon founder will be accompanied on the historic journey by his brother, Mark Bezos, as well as the oldest and youngest people ever to go to space, Wally Funk, 82-years-old, and Oliver Daemon, 18.

Funk is a trailblazing female pilot who trained to be an astronaut with the so-called “Mercury 13” program during the original U.S.-Soviet space race era but was then told they were only sending men to space at the time. Funk still blazed trails for women in aerospace, becoming the first female Federal Aviation Administration inspector.

Daemon is a Dutch student set to begin classes at Utrecht University this fall, and is the first paying customer for Blue Origin after the initial auction winner backed out. Daemon graduated high school in 2020, and has said he hopes his trip inspires other young people. Blue Origin said the anonymous bidder who paid $28 million won’t make it on Tuesday due to “scheduling conflicts.” The company has not disclosed how much Daemon paid for his seat.

Jul 20, 7:08 am

New Shepard rocket rolled out onto launchpad

Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket and capsule is now on the launchpad at the company’s “Launch Site One” facility in a remote area in the West Texas desert, about 25 miles north of the small town of Van Horn.

The reusable suborbital rocket system, which launches and lands vertically, was rolled out early Tuesday morning, before its scheduled take-off at 9 a.m. ET.

“The launch team completed vehicle rollout this morning and final preparations are underway,” Blue Origin tweeted at 6:53 a.m. ET.

Jul 20, 5:50 am

Bezos jokes he’s not having his ‘last meal’

Bezos joked with reporters that he did not have his “last meal” before taking off on his space travel company’s first flight with people on board.

As the Amazon and Blue Origin founder served food to members of the press gathered at the remote rocket launch site in the West Texas desert, one reporter jokingly asked: “Is this your last meal?”

“Hey, did somebody say ‘last meal?'” Bezos, wearing a cowboy hat and sunglasses, responded to laughter. “I don’t think we should put it that way. Let’s talk about it in a different way.”

Chicken thighs, mac ‘n’ cheese and black-eyed peas were on the menu — a “favorite” recipe by Bezos’ grandmother. He also handed out copies of the recipe.

“Now, if you don’t like this, just keep it to yourself,” Bezos said to more laughter.

Bezos told reporters that he and his three crewmates had finished their training.

“We’re going to have a little refresher early tomorrow morning,” he added. “We have an early wake up tomorrow.”

What is happening and how to watch

Liftoff of the inaugural Blue Origin flight is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET from a rural complex just north of Van Horn, Texas. In total, the flight will be 11 minutes, with approximately three minutes spent above the so-called Karman line that is defined by some as the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. After re-entry, the astronauts are set to descend back to Earth in their capsule with a parachute-landing in the west Texas desert.

ABC News will carry live coverage of the event, which will also be streamed on Blue Origin’s website. The live broadcast will begin at 7:30 a.m. ET. Unlike most spaceflights, there are no on-site public viewing areas in the vicinity of the launch site. The newly-minted astronauts are set to have a press conference shortly after landing back on earth.

There is no pilot aboard the fully-autonomous capsule. While Blue Origin’s New Shepard has flown 15 test flights, Tuesday’s will be the first with humans on board.

The definition of “space” has emerged as a heated debate point in the new space race, as Sir Richard Branson took heat for not passing the Karman line (roughly 62 miles above earth) during his Virgin Galactic spaceflight earlier this month. Neither Blue Origin nor Virgin Galactic’s flights will reach Earth’s orbit, however, the way Elon Musk’s SpaceX missions have. Musk, also a billionaire player in the new space race, on Twitter has called out this “big difference.”

While the modern space race has become the arena of the ultra-wealthy at a time when a global pandemic on earth has exacerbated inequities, some argue the rise of private sector involvement has saved NASA money and accelerated technological advances — which in the long-term has the potential to open up space tourism to all who have been curious about the cosmos.

Still, the billionaire daredevils using themselves as guinea pigs for their private space tourism firms have not had the same support astronauts garnered during the original U.S.-Soviet space race. Animosity was exacerbated by reports that Bezos and Musk have avoided income taxes. A Change.org petition calling for Bezos to stay in space has garnered headlines and more than 160,000 signatures.

In an interview with ABC News’ “Good Morning America” just one day ahead of the spaceflight, Bezos said he is curious how briefly leaving Earth will “change” him.

“I don’t know what it’s going to mean for me,” Bezos said. “I don’t know, I’m very curious about what tomorrow is actually going to bring. Everybody who’s been to space says it changes them in some way. And I’m just really excited to figure out how it’s going to change me.”

Blue Origin launch live updates: Watch Jeff Bezos’ historic spaceflight

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) —

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to blast to the edge of space and spend a few minutes outside Earth’s atmosphere Tuesday on the first crewed flight from his firm Blue Origin.

Bezos, who holds the title of the richest man in the world per Bloomberg data, has said the spaceflight will fulfill a lifelong dream and he is also curious how it will “change” him.

Liftoff of the inaugural Blue Origin flight is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET from a rural complex just north of Van Horn, Texas. Here are the latest updates on the flight.

Jul 20, 9:06 am

New Shepard is a ‘go’ for launch

The go poll is now complete, and New Shepard is officially a “go” for launch.

Jul 20, 9:02 am

Launch has been delayed by a few minutes

Jul 20, 8:46 am

The hatch has been closed

The hatch for the New Shepard capsule has officially been closed, and the final checks are now underway ahead of the launch.

The Bezos brothers were seen waving and smiling through the windows of the capsule.

Jul 20, 8:46 am

Crew is buckling in their seats

The crew are now getting in their seats on the capsule and buckling-in ahead of the closing of the hatch. A communications check with each astronaut has also commenced.

Jul 20, 8:38 am

Led by Wally Funk, astronauts climb the crew tower

The astronauts, led by 82-year-old Funk, were seen climbing the tower and preparing to ingress the New Shepard capsule.

The crew arrived atop at the so-called astronaut safety shelter, with approximately 30 minutes to go before launch.

Jul 20, 8:24 am

Crew is en route to the launchpad

The four soon-to-be astronauts were spotted emerging from the astronaut training center around 8:15 a.m. ET and entering vehicles that will take them to the launchpad.

Jul 20, 8:12 am

Meet the history-making crew

Jul 20, 7:08 am

New Shepard rocket rolled out onto launchpad

The reusable suborbital rocket system, which launches and lands vertically, was rolled out early Tuesday morning, before its scheduled take-off at 9 a.m. ET.

“The launch team completed vehicle rollout this morning and final preparations are underway,” Blue Origin tweeted at 6:53 a.m. ET.

Jul 20, 5:50 am

Bezos jokes he’s not having his ‘last meal’

Bezos joked with reporters that he did not have his “last meal” before taking off on his space travel company’s first flight with people on board.

Chicken thighs, mac ‘n’ cheese and black-eyed peas were on the menu — a “favorite” recipe by Bezos’ grandmother. He also handed out copies of the recipe.

“Now, if you don’t like this, just keep it to yourself,” Bezos said to more laughter.

Bezos told reporters that he and his three crewmates had finished their training.

“We’re going to have a little refresher early tomorrow morning,” he added. “We have an early wake up tomorrow.”

What is happening and how to watch

There is no pilot aboard the fully-autonomous capsule. While Blue Origin’s New Shepard has flown 15 test flights, Tuesday’s will be the first with humans on board.

In an interview with ABC News’ “Good Morning America” just one day ahead of the spaceflight, Bezos said he is curious how briefly leaving Earth will “change” him.

Man falls to his death while hiking with fiancée’s 9-year-old son above waterfall

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(ROOSEVELT, Utah) — A man has fallen to his death while hiking with his fianceé’s 9-year-old son above a waterfall.

The incident occurred at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, when 40-year-old Adrian Vanderklis of Roosevelt, Utah, was climbing near Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon with the 9-year-old son of his fiancée when the boy, who was uninjured, climbed down from where the pair had been hiking on his own to find his mother, according to a statement from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO).

“The woman reported that she could see her son, who was crying, but that she could not see her fiancé, and that she hadn’t seen him for ‘several hours,’” said the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities were subsequently alerted about the missing man and Utah County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue volunteers were dispatched to the scene along with a helicopter crew from the Utah Department of Public Safety.

The body of Vanderklis was discovered shortly after at approximately 7:45 p.m. on a “very steep, near vertical, slope about 1/3 of a mile west of Bridal Veil Falls at an elevation of about 5,800 feet,” according to the UCSO.

A team of Search and Rescue volunteers were able to get to Vanderklis and discovered that he did not survive his injuries sustained in the fall but had to call off the recovery operation of his body due to declining light.

“Darkness set in, making a recovery of Mr. Vanderklis’s body extremely dangerous,” said the UCSO. “The operation was called off late Saturday night due to darkness and resumed Sunday morning at 7:00. [Search and Rescue] volunteers were shuttled to the location of Mr. Vanderklis’s body. After securing him and preparing him to be hoisted off the cliff, the DPS helicopter crew returned and brought Mr. Vanderklis off the mountain. His body was taken to the Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy.”

Authorities said it is unclear what caused Vanderklis to fall but they think it is possible that he stumbled or slipped on some loose material where he was hiking. They also confirmed that the boy he was with did not see the accident occur but they believe he was killed immediately as a result of his fall.

“The Utah County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Vanderklis and his fiancée and her family,” said the UCSO.

The investigation into Vaderklis’ death is ongoing.

COVID-19 vaccines protect you better than infection, doctors say

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — With the delta variant surging in the United States, doctors are urging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated — including the more than 30 million people who have already had COVID-19.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting vaccinated after recovering from infection leads to even stronger protection compared to infection alone. Meanwhile, studies show currently authorized vaccines are likely to offer protection for at least eight months, and likely longer, but much less is known about how long you’ll be protected from reinfection after recovering from COVID-19.

Despite these recommendations, some high-profile political figures have insisted that prior infection is enough, and there’s no need to get a COVID-19 vaccine for those who have already recovered.

Most notably, in June, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) falsely tweeted that vaccination did not provide additional benefit after COVID-19 infection.

Understandably, some Americans, having now recovered from COVID-19, are left conflicted with the mixed messaging and are unsure what to do next.

“For those who have had COVID and are wondering whether or not to get vaccinated, I would absolutely encourage them to do so now to protect themselves and others,” said Dr. Simone Wildes, an infectious disease physician at South Shore Health and an ABC News Medical contributor.

While the benefits of vaccination after infection are well-documented, there are still many Americans who have neither been vaccinated nor infected, and they also have a choice to make.

Not only is getting a vaccine far safer than being infected with the COVID-19 virus, but studies also show that vaccine-induced immunity may be superior to post-infection immunity. In fact, a recent study published in Science Translational Medicine demonstrated that antibodies induced by the vaccine may better combat a wider range of new viral variants when compared to antibodies induced by infection.

“This is particularly important, as now we are seeing an increase in cases due to the delta variant,” Wildes said.

Experts agree that getting vaccinated after recovering from infection is safe — and the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19.

However, there are some important instructions the CDC has released for specific groups. Patients who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should wait for 90 days before vaccination. Children who were diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome should also wait for 90 days after the date of diagnosis.

As the delta variant becomes rampant in unvaccinated communities, and more and more Americans find themselves at a crossroads after infection, experts say it’s crucial for everyone to consider vaccination — even those who were previously infected.

Priscilla Hanudel, M.D., is an emergency medicine physician in Los Angeles and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.

Increasing pressure on CDC to revisit guidance on masks in schools

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden’s top COVID officials are set to testify before Congress on Tuesday as guidance on masks is splintering at the local level — with some cities and medical organizations recommending a return to universal mask wearing, despite federal guidance that vaccinated Americans can go without masks.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief White House medical adviser, said Monday that it was “reasonable” for a leading group of pediatricians to push back against federal guidance that vaccinated Americans can go without masks.

“The CDC always leaves open the flexibility at the part of local agencies, local enterprises, local cities and states to make a judgment call based on the situation on the ground. So, I think that the America Academy of Pediatrics — they’re a thoughtful group, they analyze the situation — and if they feel that is the way to go, I think that is a reasonable thing to do,” Fauci said in an interview with CNN after the AAP’s guidance came out.

The group on Monday called for schools to enforce universal masking mandates because so many children won’t be protected by fall and schools have no way of verifying COVID vaccine status yet. The AAP warned that the honor system has failed to keep many people safe in the face of the delta variant.

“AAP recommends universal masking because a significant portion of the student population is not yet eligible for vaccines, and masking is proven to reduce transmission of the virus and to protect those who are not vaccinated,” the AAP wrote in it’s Monday statement. “Many schools will not have a system to monitor vaccine status of students, teachers and staff, and some communities overall have low vaccination uptake where the virus may be circulating more prominently.”

People who are fully vaccinated — a term used to describe a person two weeks after their last shot — are still considered safe from serious illness or death, even if they are exposed to the delta variant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 99.5% of hospitalizations are people who weren’t immunized.

Because vaccinated people are considered to be safe, the CDC has said immunized adults and teens can go without a mask, including inside schools.

While CDC Director Rochelle Walensky didn’t directly respond to the AAP’s guidance on Monday, she spoke on a panel that afternoon and urged parents to vaccinate their children — a solution that grants children full protection from the virus but that hasn’t been accepted as eagerly by parents who are nervous to give their kids the vaccine.

“Being vaccinated will allow our kids to safely get back to the things they have missed — in-person school, playing with friends and participating in sports activities,” Walensky said at the panel on Monday.

But Walensky also argued that it could protect kids’ lives.

“Vaccinating our children is more than just a way of getting them safely back at school. It’s a way to save lives,” she said, citing the 489 pediatric deaths from COVID-19 and other risks to children who survive the disease, like longterm symptoms and multisystem inflammatories syndrome, “a rare but serious complication which is affected over 4,000 children in the United States, leading to more than 37 pediatric deaths,” she said.

The public health agency has noted, however, that local officials should still decide to enforce mask mandates if COVID cases climb and vaccination numbers are low. And the CDC said that schools can still embrace universal masking if they can’t verify vaccinations or have large numbers of students too young to qualify.

“In areas where there are low numbers of vaccinated people, where cases are rising, it’s very reasonable for counties to take more mitigation measures,” like the mask rule in Los Angeles, Biden’s surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday.

“And I anticipate that will happen in other parts of the country — and that’s not contradictory to the guidance the CDC issued,” he added.

Fauci, too, noted that guidance will have to be tailored to specific groups, whether that’s Los Angeles or school children, because the CDC’s guidance is broad and relies on data that isn’t always immediately available.

“That is an understandable, human reaction to really want to be more safe rather than sorry. And I believe that is the reason why they’re doing that,” he said, speaking about the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance for school children.

But Fauci also acknowledged that it created confusion to have different guidance for various settings.

“That does lead to some sort of confusion sometimes when people see an organization making one recommendation, in general, for the whole country, and then local groups, local enterprises, local organizations, in order to get that extra step of safety, say something different. And you’re right, that does indeed cause a bit of confusion,” he said on CNN Monday.

And it’s this approach — allowing states and local communities to decide and essentially putting Americans on the honor system — that’s in question after COVID cases have risen in nearly every state.

Dr. Jerome Adams, who was surgeon general under President Donald Trump, said he made a mistake early on in the pandemic urging people not to mask up because he feared a shortage of masks for health care workers. Adams said he’s afraid the CDC is making another mistake now by not putting more pressure on everyone to wear a mask.

“Instead of vax it OR mask it, the emerging data suggests CDC should be advising to vax it AND mask it in areas with cases and positivity- until we see numbers going back down again,” Adams tweeted.

“CDC was well intended, but the message was misinterpreted, premature, & wrong. Let’s fix it,” he added.

The Biden administration though is in a tough spot. The CDC had been under extraordinary pressure earlier this year to show skeptical Americans the benefits of vaccination, including being able to go without a mask and not having to quarantine after being exposed.

And so far, number studies have shown that all three vaccines – Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna – protect people against all known variants. The vaccines also are shown to provide more durable protection than a natural infection.

Also, any federal mandate for vaccines or masks would no doubt trigger a swift backlash among conservatives.

Responding to the former surgeon general calling on CDC to bring back masks, conservative firebrand Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas tweeted: “No. No. No. Hell no.”

For his part, President Joe Biden has suggested in recent remarks that he’s worried about the science of the vaccinations and masks, only the people who were choosing to ignore it.

“Look, the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated,” said Biden Friday.

And in a speech on Monday, he said, “Virtually all hospitalizations and deaths are occurring among unvaccinated Americans. These tragedies are avoidable. … If you’re unvaccinated, you are not protected.”

6 people hospitalized after house explodes in Plano, Texas: Officials

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(PLANO, Texas) — Six people were rushed to a hospital on Monday after a house exploded in a Dallas suburb, officials said.

The explosion occurred at around 4:40 p.m. local time in a residential neighborhood of Plano, Texas, about 20 miles north of downtown Dallas. The blast was felt up to a mile away by residents as well as staff at a public library, and homes across the street from the exploded house had windows blown out, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.

One resident was inside the home that exploded and was transported to a local hospital for their injuries. Five people who live in the house next door were also injured and taken to the hospital. Three of the wounded were admitted to a children’s hospital, Plano Fire-Rescue said.

One person who lives in the home on the other side of the exploded house was not injured by the blast, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.

In addition to investigators from Plano Fire-Rescue, representatives from Atmos Energy and Oncor Electric along with the Plano Police Department’s bomb squad were all on scene trying to determine the cause of the explosion. The scene was later turned over to the Plano fire marshal and his investigators, with Atmos Energy remaining on site but all other agencies departing.

“At this point, they do not know the cause and do not want to speculate,” Plano Fire-Rescue said in a statement on Monday night.

Electricity and gas was shut off for the entire block until about 9:30 p.m. local time, when Atmos Energy and Oncor Electric determined it was safe to reinstate power and gas except for the exploded house and the two next door, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.

Plano Mayor John Muns said investigators were “working diligently to determine the cause of the blast.”

“We are saddened by today’s tragedy of a house explosion in our city,” Muns said in a statement on Monday evening. “Several of our residents were injured. We are keeping them and their families close to our hearts and hoping for a swift and full recovery.”

Thrift shop provides trans, nonbinary people with clothing, community

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(CLEVELAND, Ohio) — Margie’s Closet opened on June 5 to help transgender, non-binary and gender-expansive people buy clothing at an affordable cost.

Located in Ohio, Margie’s Closet is the first thrift shop in the state designed to help the transgender community by offering clothing and emotional support. The store, founded by the organization Margie’s Hope, sells an extensive list of clothing, from chest binders for transgender men to $5 pairs of jeans.

Jacob Nash, co-founder of Margie’s Hope and Margie’s Closet, told “Good Morning America” that he came up with the idea for the store after listening to questions from individuals in the transgender community.

“There was some conversation, first through a friend of mine who … had some clothes that she wanted to donate to folks in the trans community, and wanted to know if I knew of any place that served the trans community specifically,” Nash said. “Then, at the support group that Margie’s Hope has [Trans Ally] … a lot of people talked about shopping online because they felt uncomfortable in the stores … and then they end up sending a lot back.”

As a response to these conversations, he opened a pop-up event where people donated clothing for transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive individuals. This event was extremely popular, Nash said, which inspired him to open up a store to sell this donated clothing.

“By the time we were done, we had so many clothes. We were like, ‘OK, so we obviously have a need here. What are we going to do?’” Nash said.

His dream became a reality when he discovered a space called Studio West 117, which was specifically created for the LGBTQ+ community, on the border between Lakewood and Cleveland that he found ideal to house the store.

“We toured the facility and realized that this would be perfect because we wanted to be able to provide folks within the transgender and nonbinary and gender-expansive community a space that they felt comfortable in [and] that they could get there everything [they] need[ed],” Nash said.

About six weeks after leasing the space, the store opened, just in time for Pride Month. So far, the turnout has been “phenomenal,” Nash said.

“We’ve had people coming in and purchasing items that are from the community, but also people that are supportive of the trans community that are coming in and saying, ‘We are coming here to shop because we want to support the community, the trans community, the nonbinary community,” Nash said. “It’s not just folks from the LGBTQ community that are coming in and shopping, or even donating, but it’s the whole community of Northeast Ohio.”

Monika Veliz, the executive manager of Margie’s Closet, agrees that the turnout has been “more than [they] could have hoped for.” She believes that the large numbers of people coming to the store can be contributed to local support and advertising.

“We realized that we can’t do this by ourselves, and the community realized that we can’t do this by ourselves, so everyone’s been really helpful,” Veliz said. “Surrounding businesses have been more than generous with welcoming us to the neighborhood. We’ve had, because of social media, and different platforms … people drive as far as from Cincinnati to Cleveland, from Bowling Green to Cleveland just to get to the store.”

This support is meaningful to Nash, but not because of the money made, making Margie’s Closet different from a typical business. In fact, the store offers opportunities for those who cannot afford the clothing to have access to $25 vouchers through community organizations or to ask for help from the store upfront. This is because Nash wants Margie’s Closet to care more about the people it helps than making a profit.

“We are trying, as our slogan goes, ‘building community one piece of clothing at a time,’ because it’s not about the clothing as much as it is building community, building family, building relationships and serving the population that is most needed,” Nash said. “If that means we give away product, then we give away product because it’s more about the people than it is about the money.”

When Veliz started working at the store, she did not realize this unique aspect of the store – that was, until she had a meaningful interaction with a transgender woman customer.

“She knew absolutely very little about women’s clothing, about her body type, her body shape, and she came into the store as we were closing. We actually stayed open an extra hour just for her so that I could help her pick up clothes and measure her and all that good stuff,” Veliz said.

“Up until that point, I thought it was just a business, if that makes sense…, but then I realized the importance we play in trans and nonbinary people who walk through our door,” Veliz added. “They’re looking for direction, they’re looking for… connection [and] community. That was the defining moment of what the store actually was for me.”

Baby comes home after 136 days in the NICU

July 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(EL PASO, Texas) — Abigail and Dominic Miramontez are thrilled to bring their son Austin home after 136 days in the NICU at an El Paso hospital.

Abigail Miramontez was 24 weeks pregnant and throwing a birthday party for her father when she felt was described as a “push” while making her dad’s cake. She quickly realized she needed to go to the hospital and found out when she got there that she was in labor.

“It was very scary,” Abigail Miramontez said. “I felt like it wasn’t real until he was born.”

Austin was born at just 2 pounds and 2 ounces. The couple was told their son would need to stay into the NICU at least until his original birth date to make sure he was healthy enough to go home with them.

At 2 weeks old, Austin had to undergo a procedure on his small intestines. From there, he was nursed to health by NICU doctors and nurses who Abigail Miramontez said she grew close to over the months of Austin’s stay.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Abigail Miramontez and Dominic Miramontez were not allowed to see their son in the NICU together — only one person could enter the room at a time. Abigail Miramontez said she drove to visit her son every day, while Dominic Miramontez, who is a truck driver, would come every chance he could when he was not working.

On July 13, 2021, the parents were finally able to take their son home after spending 136 in the NICU. Austin left the NICU weighing 9 pounds and 9 ounces.

“I was excited,” Miramontez said. “It’s actually been so much fun just having him here and being able to dress him up. When he was in the NICU, they wouldn’t even let us put clothes on him because of COVID.”

Miramontez said they’ve been able to introduce Austin to their family members safely and from a distance and that she’s excited that her son is finally home.

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