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What to know about monsoon season in the US

August 30, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Monsoon season — the weather pattern that has been creating inclement conditions in the western U.S. — is expected to last for another few weeks following a massive dust storm in the Phoenix region.

The North American Monsoon is an annual climate phenomenon that occurs in the Southwest U.S. during the warm summer months.

In the Southwest, strong heat from the sun causes a significant rise in temperatures during the summer. But, since bodies of water don’t rise in temperature as fast as on land, it causes an effect where moist air is drawn toward the hot dry air over land.

The monsoon season is a result of the moist air moving onto the hot land, which causes the atmosphere to become unstable. The monsoon is typically found in areas of large, elevated landmasses, like the Southwest, and in parts of India, near the Himalayan mountains.

Indian monsoons are associated with heavy rain lasting for months, but the North American monsoon behaves differently, according to Climate.gov. The monsoon generally involves daily patterns of mostly dry mornings with storms developing later in the day, with most of the heavy rain occurring in the afternoon and evening hours — also known as a diurnal cycle.

The Southwest experiences the monsoon when moisture from the Gulf of California and eastern Pacific is transported to California, southern Nevada and Arizona. The monsoon season typically develops around May or June but can increase substantially in July and August, especially if there are tropical systems in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

While the unstable atmosphere can produce thunderstorms, it is not one particular storm but rather an overall pattern that promotes them. A monsoon thunderstorm can be slow-moving and persistent, resulting in thunderstorms that drop very heavy rain in very dry parts of the region, which can lead to flash flooding.

Some of the thunderstorms can be strong and deliver heavy rain and frequent lighting, , according to Climate.gov. Periods of rainy days are often interspersed with drier periods during the North American Monsoon.

Much of the West has been experiencing monsoon conditions over the past week, bringing some of the wettest days of the year to the region.

The summer thunderstorms in the desert can produce very strong winds, which can kick up dust in the desert. The dust storm can have very strong winds that can do damage and reduce visibility, making travel nearly impossible. Dust storms can arrive suddenly in the form of an advancing wall of dust and have visibilities of one-fourth of a mile or less, according to the National Weather Service.

On Monday, the dust storms – also known as a haboob – engulfed the Phoenix metro area, creating low visibility and knocking out power for thousands of people. A cloud of dust hundreds of feet high could be seen moving over the region.

Flooding rains and more wind gusts followed the dust storm. The wind event — which saw gusts of up to 70 mph — was so severe that some flights out of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were grounded and air traffic controllers were forced to evacuate the tower.

Because of the sporadic nature of the thunderstorms, the severity and impact of the monsoon can vary season to season

In Tucson, Arizona, so far this monsoon season has only produced just under 2 inches of rain as of Friday, which is among the drier monsoon seasons on record. However, in 2021, the monsoon caused 12.79 inches of precipitation in Tucson.

Rainfall from the monsoon is very important for the region, according to Climate.gov. Arizona and New Mexico receive more than 50% of its average annual precipitation from July to September, during the monsoon season.

Once the summer months are over, and the land cools down, the monsoon season ends — typically in late September or early October in the Southwest. Wind patterns revert back to the westerly pattern, ending the monsoon.

Russia’s ‘massive strike’ on Ukraine overnight kills 1, injures 29, Ukrainian authorities say

August 30, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Russia carried out “a massive strike” on Ukraine overnight, launching 537 drones and 45 missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said Saturday morning.

Ukraine’s air defense systems took out most of the projectiles, but five missiles and 24 drones still struck seven locations, while the debris of shot down projectiles fell in 21 locations, according to the air force.

The southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia was particularly hard hit, with at least one person killed and 29 others injured, including three children, according to the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration. More than 40 houses and 14 apartment buildings were damaged as a result of the overnight attack, and some 25,000 households were without power Saturday morning, authorities said.

Some homes, businesses and infrastructure were also hit in the neighboring region of Dnipropetrovsk, according to the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the attack in a post on X, saying the “only way to reopen a window of opportunity for diplomacy is through tough measures against all those bankrolling the Russian army and effective sanctions against Moscow itself – banking and energy sanctions.”

“It is absolutely clear that Moscow used the time meant for preparing a leaders-level meeting to organize new massive attacks, he added. “This war won’t stop with political statements alone; real steps are needed. We expect action from the U.S., Europe, and the entire world.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine said early Saturday that its forces have struck two Russian oil refineries.

The targets were the Krasnodar Refinery in southwestern Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and the Syzran Refinery in the Samara Oblast, southeast of Moscow, according to Ukraine’s drone commander, Maj. Robert “Magyar” Brovdi.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also confirmed the attack, adding that the results of the strikes are still being clarified.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said its air defense systems shot down 86 Ukrainian drones late Friday into early Saturday, including 11 over Krasnodar Krai, without specifying any attacks on oil refineries. The ministry also didn’t mention the Samara Oblast, but the head of the region, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, said drones had attacked an industrial enterprise in Syzran early Saturday.

Earlier this week, Zelenskyy called for pressure on Russia, such as sanctions and tariffs, and said Ukraine is “counting on strong steps.” He urged a response from nations like China and Hungary, which have expressed sympathy with Russia’s position. “It is definitely time for new tough sanctions against Russia for everything it is doing,” he added.

“All deadlines have already been missed, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy have been spoiled. Russia must feel its responsibility for every strike, for every day of this war,” Zelenskyy said.

The latest barrage continued the nightly tempo of Russian strikes, though the scale of the attacks through August have so far been smaller than in July and June. In August so far, Russia has launched a daily average of around 118 drones and four missiles into Ukraine, according to Ukrainian air force data analyzed by ABC News.

The daily averages for July were around 201 drones and six missiles, and in June there were 181 drones and eight missiles.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed frustration this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the strikes, which continue despite White House efforts to broker a peace deal.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was “not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised.”

“The president is continuing to watch this intently. And this killing, unfortunately, will continue as long as the war continues, which is why the president wants it to end,” she said.

COVID cases, hospitalizations ticking up in the US but remain lower than last year

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — COVID-19 cases are ticking up in the U.S. as children head back to school and the country prepares to enter the colder weather months.

For the week ending Aug. 9, the COVID hospitalization rate was 1.7 per 100,000, double the rate from two months ago, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Additionally, for the week ending Aug. 23, 11.2% of weekly tests came back positive for COVID, up from 3.3% the prior two months, CDC data shows.

Despite the increases, metrics remain much lower than in previous years.

Hospitalization rates are about three times lower than at the same time last year and the percentage of weekly tests coming pack positive is about two times lower compared to the same period last year.

Additionally, over the past two months, roughly 200 Americans have been dying from COVID every week, according to CDC data.

There has been confusion over who may be able to receive a COVID vaccine after the Food and Drug Administration approved updated versions of those shots for those over age 65 and younger Americans who are at high risk for severe disease. Federal health officials have insisted that anyone who wants the shot can receive it.

CDC data shows test positivity has increased above 10% in much of the southwest and western U.S. as kids head to class.

“When the dust settles, I expect it to not be as bad as last year … but that still means that some people are getting sick,” Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News. “Fewer people are getting hospitalized, proportionately speaking, but some people are still being hospitalized.”

“The reason why we’re seeing the increase is because of the usual factors of more than six months since a lot of people got COVID [and] new variants,” he continued.

As of the week ending August 30, XFG, an offshoot of the omicron variant, is the dominant variant in the U.S., accounting for an estimated 78% of new COVID cases.

Meanwhile, NB.1.8.1 and LP.8.1, also omicron variant offshoots, make up 14% and 3% of estimated new COVID cases in the U.S., CDC data shows.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told ABC News that because the currently circulating variants are all members of this omicron family, there are no major mutations that make the virus more transmissible or more infectious.

“You can think of them all as cousins,” he said. “Now these cousins do share a couple of characteristics, one is that they appear to be fairly contagious and are quite capable of producing a great deal of mild disease. By mild, I mean not serious enough to get you into the hospital.”

Schaffner continued, “Fortunately, the vaccines that will become available this fall … should provide reasonable protection against serious disease caused by these variants.”

In a press release, Pfizer-BioNTech said its 2025-2026 COVID vaccine will target the LP.8.1 sublineage in line with FDA guidance to more closely match circulating strains.

It remains unclear how COVID vaccinations will be rolled out in the U.S. Recently, CVS said how it offers the shots will vary by state due to “the current regulatory environment.”

In 34 states, Americans can receive the COVID vaccine at a CVS pharmacy. In 13 states and in Washington, D.C., Americans can be vaccinated, depending on age, with a prescription. In three states – Massachusetts, Nevada and New Mexico – the COVID vaccine isn’t being offered.

Chin-Hong said he is worried about low vaccination rates as the country heads into respiratory virus season during the fall and winter months.

“As vaccination rates decline, from both people’s desire as well as structural barriers that are being put up by the federal government, it means that fewer people are going to get vaccines, even if people wanted to,” he said. “I’m worried that … it may mean that we would have some hospitalizations and deaths that we wouldn’t have seen normally if there was a simpler rule around vaccines.”

Schaffner said those who can receive the COVID vaccine should do so, along with the annual influenza vaccine, and advised those with risk factors for severe disease to be more cautious.

“You can get out your mask and put that on when you’re going indoors in crowded environments,” he said. “And if you’re really concerned, as I like to say, do some social distancing. Stream the movie rather than going to the movie.”

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud and Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report.

Upcoming ‘upgrade’ to Holocaust Museum exhibit on US response to Nazi Germany sparks some staff concerns: Sources

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — An exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum that takes a critical look at the United States’ response to Nazi Germany is slated to temporarily close after Labor Day for upgrades, sparking concern among some staff over what potential changes could be made amid President Donald Trump’s sweeping review of museums and their programming, sources tell ABC News.

On Sept. 2, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., is scheduled to temporarily close its “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit through Feb. 2026 to conduct an “upgrade,” according to an internal email sent to staff in June and obtained by ABC News.

The staff-wide email, sent after Trump signed an executive order in March directing federal agencies and the Smithsonian to eliminate what he called divisive and “anti-American” content from museums and national parks, informed staff that exhibit teams at the museum would work to “upgrade the gallery and the exhibition.”

“The current plan is to close the exhibition on September 2, 2025 (the day after Labor Day) and reopen on February 28, 2026 (just before the busy season),” the email read. “Once closed, Technical Services, Operations, Exhibit Experience, and Collections Services will work together to upgrade the gallery and the exhibition. Once the work is completed, ‘Americans and the Holocaust’ can remain open through 2032 with little to no additional support. Please feel free to reach out with questions and concerns.”

The email does not state specifically if or what would be upgraded or list any planned changes to the exhibit’s editorial content. It was sent to staff prior to the Trump administration’s recent letter to the Smithsonian Institution requesting a “comprehensive internal review” of eight of its museums. While the Holocaust Memorial Museum is not part of the Smithsonian Institution, it receives millions in federal funding as well as private donations.

Sources tell ABC News that news that the temporary closure of the “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit has increased concerns among some staffers who had been worried about the museums’ direction under the new administration, after Trump in April fired and replaced five Democrats appointed to the board of the museum.

The concern also comes as other Holocaust museums are facing criticism over editorial changes, including New York City’s Museum of Jewish Heritage, which reportedly removed images of Trump from an exhibit on hate speech last September. The museum’s vice chair told Jewish Currents that the exhibit opened just “prior to the election” and that she felt the museum “should not have any political candidates in any of our exhibits.”

When asked for comment, a spokesperson for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum confirmed the planned closure of the exhibit and told ABC News that “there are no changes to the editorial content.”

“The Americans and the Holocaust exhibition was originally scheduled to be open for five years and has now been on display for more than seven. As a result, the gallery and exhibition needed work such as HVAC systems repairs, upgrading audio visual equipment and interactive tables, renewing copyrights that expired, and other maintenance,” the spokesperson said. “Therefore in 2024 we made the decision to close it temporarily during our lower visitation season to do this work which will be completed over the next few months so that the exhibition can remain open into 2032.”

A White House official told ABC News, “There are no plans to review the Holocaust Museum” and said that the closure of the exhibit is unrelated to the administration’s review of the Smithsonian museums.

In its letter to the Smithsonian Institution earlier this month, the White House lists eight museums that will be part of its initial Smithsonian review, and does not include the Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Additional museums will be reviewed in Phase II,” the letter says.

The “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit, introduced in 2018 to mark the museum’s 25th anniversary, presents a critical look at how the United States responded to the Holocaust and how factors like “the Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism shaped responses to Nazism and the Holocaust in the United States,” according to the museum’s public website.

One section of the exhibit examines “Obstacles to Immigration” and details how the 1924 National Origins Act was “designed to exclude ‘undesirable’ European immigrants, especially Italians, Slavs, and Jews.”

“Jews who hoped to flee Germany and Nazi-occupied territories faced additional obstacles,” the exhibit currently reads. “The Nazi regime implemented policies intended to pressure Jews to leave, but forced them to surrender most of their assets before doing so. At the same time, those who wished to immigrate to the United States had to prove that they would not become an economic burden after they arrived, which usually required finding a U.S. sponsor.”

The exhibit states that world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein, “himself a refugee from Germany,” said in 1941 that the United States had created a “wall of bureaucratic measures” that prevented immigration.

One part of the exhibit asks, “Could the Allies have stopped the killing?” and states, “Beyond the military goal of defeating Nazism, the United States could have publicized information about Nazi atrocities, pressured the Allies and neutral nations to help endangered Jews, and supported resistance against the Nazis. These acts together might have reduced the death toll but would not have prevented the Holocaust.”

The exhibit also includes a copy of the Treasury Department’s report to then-President Roosevelt, which described the mass murder of Europe’s Jews as “one of the greatest crimes in history,” and states that “State Department staff had tried to ‘cover up their guilt’ through lies and misrepresentations.”

Since taking office, President Trump has sought to leave his mark on the museum, which sources say has heightened some staff concerns that an overhaul could be underway. His firing of Holocaust Museum board members appointed by President Joe Biden included the removal of Doug Emhoff, the former second gentleman of the United States, and led to Trump naming eight new board members.

Weeks after the new board members were put in place, staffers received the email informing them that the “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit would be closing in September.

In recent months, some Trump-appointed members of the museum’s board, known as the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, have publicly called for an overhaul of the museum. Board member Martin Oliner, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, penned a June op-ed titled “Make the Holocaust Memorial Council great again,” in which he said that “in its current form” the museum was not fulfilling its “important role.”

“Thankfully, U.S. President Donald Trump, who has made combating antisemitism a priority of his second term, appears to understand these challenges and has begun cleaning house at the museum,” the op-ed stated.

Oliner, wrote that “the museum was designed when it was thought that antisemitism was a thing of the past, and it has moved on to combating other types of hate,” arguing that “a planned $150 million renovation of the main exhibit hall could make the museum even more woke and disconnected, a liberal monument to the dangers of immigration enforcement and conservative politics.”

The museum needs to show that “antisemitism is the world’s oldest hatred” and “teach its visitors about the story of Jewish survival,” Oliner wrote.

FDA expands warning of radioactive shrimp as 2 more brands are recalled

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding its warning about radioactive shrimp, recalling more brands due to possible contamination.

The federal health agency said earlier this week nearly 18,000 bags of frozen Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp and 26,460 packages of cocktail shrimp, both from Seattle-based Aquastar Corp, were recalled because of potential contamination with the radioactive isotope Cesium-137 (Cs-137).

Earlier alerts had warned about contamination among Walmart’s Great Value shrimp and frozen shrimp sold by California-based company Southwind Foods.

The FDA said all of the brands were processed by the Indonesian supplier PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, operating as BMS Foods, and the company has been placed under a full import alert.

PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati was added “to a new import alert for chemical contamination to stop products from this firm from coming into the U.S. until the firm has resolved the conditions that gave rise to the appearance of the violation,” the FDA said in a press release.

The shrimp placed under recall alerts may have been prepared, packed or held in “insanitary conditions” during which they became contaminated with Cs-137, the FDA said.

No products have tested positive for Cs-137 in the U.S. marketplace at this time, and no illnesses have been reported to date, according to the FDA.

Cesium is a soft, flexible, silvery-white metal that becomes liquid near room temperature, but easily bonds with chlorides to create a crystalline powder, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Low-dose exposure to Cs-137, such as in water or food, over a long-term period of time can damage DNA within living cells of the body and increase the risk of cancer, the FDA says.

External exposure to large amounts of Cs-137, according to the EPA, can cause burns, acute radiation sickness and even death.

The recalled Kroger shrimp was sold between July 24 and Aug. 11 in 17 states. Impacted stores include Baker’s, Gerbes, Jay C, Kroger, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay Less Supermarkets and Pick ‘n Save.

The recalled shrimp weigh two pounds and are packaged in clear plastic bags with has a white label and green stripes on top of each bag. The affected codes include:

• UPC 011110626196, Lot code 10662 5139, Best Before 11/19/2027

• UPC 011110626196, Lot code 10662 5140, Best Before 11/20/2027

The recalled cocktail shrimp was sold only in Walmart stores in 27 states between July 31 and Aug. 16.

“The product was sold in refrigerated condition and has a 12-day shelf life and with various Best if Use By dates,” the FDA release read. “The affected Cocktail Shrimp 6oz is packaged in a clear plastic tray and has a red and white label.”

The recalled products contain the code UPC 19434612191 and the Lot Codes 10662 5106, 10662 5107, 10662 5124 and 10662 5125 at the bottom of the plastic tray.

The FDA warned consumers who have purchased affected shrimp not to consume the products and to dispose of them.

ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson and Sony Salzman contributed to this report.

Texas Gov. Abbott signs redrawn congressional map favoring Republicans into law after Trump push

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on Friday that he has signed the bill redrawing Texas’ congressional map into law, a milestone for the Republican-driven mid-decade redistricting in the Lone Star state that comes as other states also prepare to consider redrawing their congressional map.

Abbott, who signed the bill around a week after the state Senate passed it, shared a video on social media Friday showing the Republican putting his signature on the legislation.

He added right afterwards, “Texas is now more red in the United States Congress.”

States usually draw their congressional map once a decade, after the census, but President Donald Trump and the White House had pushed the state to redraw its map in order to help Republicans bolster their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026’s midterm elections.

Experts have said the new congressional map could allow Republicans to flip up to five seats; Republicans have said the new district borders were drawn based on political performance and other considerations allowed by law.

Democrats have said the maps unfairly target and marginalize voters of color.

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

What does the closure of the de minimis loophole mean for shoppers?

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A tariff loophole for low-cost shipments helped fuel an explosion of U.S. consumers purchasing shoes, sunglasses and a host of other items directly from sellers overseas. The Trump administration closed that exemption on Friday, bringing the era of duty-free online buying to an end.

President Donald Trump closed what’s known as the “de minimis” loophole, which allowed for duty-free import of goods valued at less than $800. Now, such imports will face tariffs based on the relevant rates for a given country of origin or product.

Peter Navarro, senior counselor to the president for trade and manufacturing, said on Thursday that the move would add up to $10 billion in tax revenue and help “save thousands of American lives by restricting the flow of narcotics and other dangerous and prohibited items.”

Analysts who spoke to ABC News predicted delays and price increases for shoppers, though the precise impact remains uncertain as retailers and customers adapt to the new tariffs.

Here’s what to know about how the closure of the de minimis loophole could impact consumers:

What is happening with the de minimis loophole?

The Trump administration on Friday closed the de minimis loophole, meaning imported packages below $800 will be subject to tariffs.

In May, the exemption expired for shipments from mainland China and Hong Kong, prompting e-commerce companies Shein and Temu to warn of price increases. The move on Friday extends the policy to imports from all other countries.

Low-cost imports brought via delivery services like FedEx and DHS will face country-specific tariff rates, which range from 10% to 50%. Tariffs targeting product types, such as steel and aluminum, may also be applied.

Packages delivered by a foreign postal service will be subject to tariffs levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which depend on a given country of origin.

Over the past 10 years, the number of shipments to the U.S. claiming the de minimis exemption soared 600%, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, said in January. Last fiscal year, there were more than 1.36 billion such shipments, which amounts to almost 4 million per day, CBP said.

A small loophole remains in the policy. Gifts valued at $100 or less will continue to be duty-free.

Will closure of the de minimis loophole cause shipping delays?

Yes, the closure of the de minimis loophole is expected to delay low-cost shipments from overseas, especially over the coming months as foreign sellers adjust to the rules, analysts told ABC News.

Postal service operators in more than 30 countries have limited or halted shipments to the U.S. in anticipation of the policy adjustment. The list includes significant trade partners like India, Mexico and Japan.

Under the new policy, foreign postal services are required to calculate the tariff cost prior to sending a parcel bound for the U.S., Henry Jin, a professor of supply chain management at Miami University, told ABC News.

“The administrative burden is tremendous,” Jin said.

Packages previously shipped in five to 10 days may take as long as 20 days to reach customers, Jin added.

“If you absolutely need something by a certain deadline, buy it well before,” Jin said. “Or else you will run the risk of not getting it in time.”

Will closure of the de minimis loophole raise prices?

Yes, analysts who spoke to ABC News expect closure of the loophole to raise prices.

The policy change essentially amounts to a new tariff applied to low-cost items, meaning importers will face an additional tax. Importers typically pass along a share of the tariff-related tax burden onto consumers in the form of price hikes.

In the case of imports shipped directly to customers, foreign retailers will retain a choice of whether to eat the added cost or slap it onto the bill paid by shoppers, Jin said. Suppliers may swallow some of the added cost by selling their goods at lower wholesale prices, Jin added, but such relief is likely to be minimal.

Additional compliance costs faced by retailers will also likely be passed along to consumers, analysts said.

“It will significantly raise the transportation cost on top of the cost of the tariffs, which will ultimately raise prices for consumers,” said Raymond Robertson, professor for trade, economics and public policy at Texas A&M University.

Powerball jackpot hits $1B for Labor Day weekend drawing

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Powerball jackpot hits B for Labor Day weekend drawing

Powerball jackpot hits $1B for Labor Day weekend drawing — A customer holds a Powerball lottery ticket after purchasing it at the Downtown Miami Souvenirs store on August 26, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — The dream of becoming America’s next billionaire is up for grabs this Saturday night as the Powerball jackpot climbed to $1 billion, sending ticket sales soaring across the nation ahead of the Labor Day weekend drawing.

Game officials increased the jackpot estimate Friday morning from $950 million after reviewing national ticket sales, Powerball said. The winner could opt for a cash payment of $453.1 million before taxes.

“We’re bringing extra excitement to Labor Day Weekend with a Powerball jackpot that’s climbed to a billion dollars!” Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO Matt Strawn said in a press release.

The game hasn’t seen a jackpot winner since May 31, when a California player claimed a $204.5 million prize. During this 39-drawing streak, the game has created 62 million-dollar winners and 608 tickets worth $50,000 or more.

Wednesday’s drawing saw six tickets match all five white balls — 9, 12, 22, 41 and 61 — with red Powerball 25, each winning $1 million or more.

Winners of Saturday’s jackpot can choose between annual payments or the lump sum. The annuity option provides one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9.

The game has generated more than $36 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries since its first drawing in 1992, Powerball noted. More than half of ticket sale proceeds remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold, according to Powerball.

The current jackpot ranks sixth among Powerball’s largest prizes. The record stands at $2.04 billion, won by a California player in November 2022, followed by the $1.765 billion prize claimed in California in October 2023.

Other notable jackpots include the $1.586 billion split among winners in California, Florida and Tennessee in January 2016, the $1.326 billion won in Oregon in April 2024, and the $1.08 billion claimed in California in July 2023.

Saturday’s drawing will be broadcast live at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee and streamed on Powerball’s website.

University of Miami football player Adarius Hayes charged with vehicular homicide in deadly May crash

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(MIAMI) — University of Miami football player Adarius Hayes has been arrested and charged with vehicular homicide following a monthslong investigation into a car crash that killed three people in Florida, police said Friday.

Hayes, 20, turned himself into the Largo Police Department and was transported to the Pinellas County Jail on Friday, police said.

Hayes was “traveling at a high rate of speed and maneuvering aggressively through traffic” shortly before colliding with another vehicle on May 10, Largo police said.

Three people, including two children, were killed in the crash, police said.

The two-vehicle crash occurred at an intersection in Largo, police said. Hayes was driving a Dodge Durango, which collided with a Kia Soul that was “lawfully executing a left-hand turn,” police said.

“It was discovered during the investigation that approximately five seconds prior to the fatal crash, Hayes made a rapid and dangerous maneuver, changing lanes from the curb lane to the median lane, crossing three lanes of traffic while overtaking other vehicles,” the Largo Police Department said in a press release. “Moments later, Hayes abruptly re-entered the curb lane, again crossing all three lanes without signaling.”

A search warrant on Hayes’ vehicle determined that he was traveling 78.9 mph in a 40 mph zone at the time of the crash, police said.

Two children who were traveling in the backseat of the Kia Soul were ejected from the car and were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The driver of the Kia Soul was transported with life-threatening injuries to an area hospital, where she died the following day, police said.

An adult front passenger in the Kia Soul was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and survived, police said.

Officers spoke with multiple eyewitnesses and reviewed video surveillance as part of their investigation into the crash, police said.

“The investigation concluded that Adarius Hayes’ egregious speed, aggressive and reckless lane changes, and complete disregard for surrounding traffic conditions demonstrated a willful and deliberate disregard for the safety of others, constituting reckless driving,” police said. “These actions directly led to the tragic deaths of the three victims.”

Hayes, who is a sophomore at Miami, was one of the top linebacker recruits in the country in 2024. A star at Largo High School, he was ranked as the 78th-best overall player in the country and sixth-best linebacker in the country by ESPN. He chose the Canes over such powerhouse programs as Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

He played sparingly as a freshman, mostly on special teams, but was expected to play a bigger role in 2025. Miami, ranked No. 10 in the country, hosts No. 6 Notre Dame in both schools’ first game of the season on Sunday.

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

Grief turns to hope as Minneapolis rallies behind kids hurt in school shooting

August 29, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(MINNEAPOLIS) — Over 100 people gathered across the street from the children’s ward at Minneapolis’ Hennepin County Medical Center to pray for the kids recovering there after they were shot at the Annunciation Catholic School this week.

Teachers, students and nurses, as well as police officers who had heard about the Thursday night candlelight vigil over their dispatch radios, all joined together for a moment of silence, united in a shared sense of grief and hope after Wednesday’s mass shooting.

“This is every nurse/mother’s worst nightmare, and worst fear come true,” a flyer for the vigil said. “We’d like anyone who is interested to come join us to light up [Minneapolis] with candlelight, love, and support, for the kids, their families and our staff.”

One of those victims is 12-year-old Sophia Forchas, who is in critical condition after undergoing surgery. It’s a tragedy that struck her entire family at once — her younger brother was inside Annunciation Catholic School at the time of the shooting and her mom is a pediatric nurse at the hospital where Sophia was admitted.

“Sofia’s mother was called into work, and only to find out when she arrived that her daughter was one of the victims, unfortunately,” Father Timothy Sas of St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church told ABC News.

“No priest is ever prepared enough to offer consolation for a moment like this,” he said.

He described Sophia as “luminous” and “bright,” an active student at school and in church.

“She’s pulled through, and we need about two, three days before they can understand what her future prognosis is,” he said.

The gunfire erupted during Wednesday morning Mass, when a shooter opened fire through the windows of the school’s church, killing an 8-year-old boy, Fletcher Merkel, and a 10-year-old girl, Harper Moyski.

Eighteen people — including 15 kids — were injured. All injured victims are expected to survive, police said.

The 23-year-old shooter, who previously attended the school, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. A motive remains unknown.

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