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Duchess Kate turns 40: What’s ahead for the royal

January 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Duchess Kate is starting 2022 with a milestone birthday.

The Duchess of Cambridge turns 40 on Jan. 9, a birthday she is expected to celebrate privately with her family.

Kate, the wife of Prince William and a mother of three, appears to be starting her new decade with a renewed focus on her royal role.

In the nearly 11 years since she wed Prince William at Westminster Abbey, she has become one of the most popular members of Britain’s royal family.

And in recent years, Kate has taken on an increasingly high-profile role in the royal family amid family changes.

At age 95, Queen Elizabeth II has scaled back her public engagements, particularly since a brief hospitalization in October. And Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s decision to step back as senior working royals has left William and Kate, now the only working royals of their generation, to pick up more duties.

The growing public profile has been a “significant transformation” for Kate, who was thrust into the public spotlight when she started dating William while in college, according to ABC News royal contributor Victoria Murphy.

“I think her desire to do a good job, be liked by the public and respected by the family was palpable in the beginning, and she was clearly very nervous when the spotlight was on her over public speaking,” said Murphy. “She built up her workload very gradually, taking on only a small number of patronages initially and taking time before making solo appearances and speeches.”

“But over the years, Kate has grown hugely in confidence, and is now a driving force behind how she and William work and the causes they take on,” she said.

It was Kate, for example, who had the idea to focus on mental health as a cause, according to Murphy, resulting in the very successful Heads Together campaign that launched in 2016 and continues to be a focus of William and Kate’s work to this day.

As the Cambridges prepare to one day become king and queen consort, Murphy says the public can expect to see Kate grow even more in her role as she zeroes in on causes close to her heart.

“I’ve always thought that Kate is a team player, cool-headed and a good listener, and that these things have stood her in good stead over the year,” said Murphy. “I think she also very much has the ability to compartmentalize, as it has been said the queen does, which is an important quality in handling the pressures of the public role.”

Since becoming a mom eight years ago, Kate has focused much of her attention on supporting new parents and young children.

In early 2020, just before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Kate launched a nationwide survey to explore what people in the U.K. think about raising children, with a focus on kids under age 5.

Then in June of last year, the duchess launched the Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood, which she said is designed to “raise awareness of why the first five years of life are just so important for our future life outcomes, and what we can do as a society to embrace this golden opportunity to create a happier, more mentally healthy, more nurturing society.”

At the same time, Kate and the Royal Foundation, William and Kate’s charitable arm, released “Big Change Starts Small,” a research report on early childhood development.

Kate has also focused much of her work on making sure the outdoors are included in kids’ early development. She helped design a “Back to Nature” garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019, and the next year was named joint president of the U.K. Scout Association, marking the first time a royal woman has held the title of president or joint president of the Scouts.

“I think what has changed in the last few years is that it has become really clear what Kate’s main areas of work are in a way that feels much more focused and immersive,” said Murphy. “She has always been interested in the outdoors and in young people, but the fact that she is making those areas cornerstones of her work have become a lot more obvious.”

Murphy said Kate’s commitment to the cause of early childhood education is particularly striking, noting, “It’s a challenging and very broad area but she has shown a real and serious commitment to it over a long period of time that I think has earned her a lot of respect from people who work in this field.”

During the pandemic, Kate offered support for parents and students and teachers, and spoke about the experience of quarantining with and leading virtual learning for her own children, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3.

The glimpse Kate provided into her and William’s home life is just one example of how the duchess’ growing confidence has allowed her to be more at ease, according to Murphy.

Kate and William launched a YouTube channel last year, where they share more behind-the-scenes content. And in 2020, Kate gave a rare interview to a motherhood-focused podcast, where she opened up about experiencing mom guilt.

“The [podcast] was a brave move because it could have backfired if people had been critical of the fact she has access to a lot more help than most,” said Murphy. “But it ended up being one of the best things she could have done because it really made it clear how hands-on a mother she is and the relatable way she is raising her three children.”

Kate has also been more public in recent years about her own passions, whether that is participating in sports, like the tennis game that Kate, an avid fan, played with U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu last year, or photography.

Kate, a college art major who is often the photographer behind family photos shared with the public, last year launched a photography project, “Hold Still,” to capture life during the coronavirus pandemic.

The photographs were compiled in a book in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery, of which Kate is a patron.

More recently, in December, Kate hosted her first Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, honoring people and organizations who supported their communities during the pandemic.

During the concert, Kate delivered a surprise performance, showing off one of her unknown passions, piano playing, when she accompanied singer Tom Walker.

“These things show a willingness to put herself out there and to let us see more of who she is and what she enjoys,” said Murphy.

And while Kate seems to be most in her element when outdoors or with kids, she is also happy to embrace the “glamorous side of royal life,” according to Murphy.

She stunned in a gold evening gown at the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie in September, and won praise the next month for wearing a recycled Alexander McQueen gown at the inaugural Earthshot Prize Awards.

“Over the years there has been much excitement when she has worn tiaras from the queen’s collection,” said Murphy. “And even a decade into her public role, she still easily commands all the front pages whenever she makes a red carpet appearance.”

CDC warns about rabies linked to bats after three Americans die in recent weeks

January 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning Thursday about the risk of rabies after three Americans — including a child — died from the disease over a six-week period last year.

All three patients contracted rabies after being exposed to bats.

This brings the total number of rabies cases in 2021 to five, which officials say is concerning considering there were no cases reported in the U.S. in 2019 and 2020.

“We have come a long way in the United States towards reducing the number of people who become infected each year with rabies, but this recent spate of cases is a sobering reminder that contact with bats poses a real health risk,” Dr. Ryan Wallace, a veterinarian and rabies expert in the CDC’s Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, said in a press release.

The deaths occurred between Sept. 28, 2021 and Nov. 10, 2021 with one case each in Idaho, Illinois and Texas, according to a report published by the CDC.

Two of the deaths were described as “avoidable exposures.” One involved a bat roost in a person’s home and the other involved a patient picking up the bat with bare hands.

None of the three patients, all male, received post-exposure shots that can prevent the rabies virus from infecting a person and causing symptoms to develop.

According to the CDC, one patient refused the shots due to a “long-standing fear of vaccines” and the other two did not realize they were at risk for rabies due to their exposures.

Once a person starts to develop rabies symptoms, which include fever, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, confusion and hallucination, it means the disease has progressed to the point where it is almost 100% fatal.

All three patients died between two and three weeks after their symptoms began.

In its report, the CDC suggested that the uptick in rabies deaths is because people may not be aware of the risks of the disease.

The CDC also warned people to never touch or handle bats, which are the leading cause of rabies in people — accounting for 70% of infections in the U.S. Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are other common causes in the U.S.

Infected bats spread the virus through their saliva, typically from a bite. However, the saliva can also enter the body through a cut or break in the skin.

If a person has come into contact with a bat, the CDC recommends calling the state or local health department so the animal can be trapped for testing. They should also immediately wash wounds with soap and water

The person should also not delay speaking to a health care professional or seeking urgent medical to determine whether or not they need post-exposure shots. Post exposure shots are highly effective in preventing death if given soon after exposure.

Fatal Philadelphia fire investigation getting help from national response team

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(PHILADELPHIA) — A National Response Team is being activated to help with the investigation into Wednesday’s devastating fire in Philadelphia.

A residential fire in a converted apartment building killed 12 people, including eight children. Officials initially reported 13 people had been killed while conducting search and recovery efforts.

When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke, heat and limited visibility on all floors.

The Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire along with help from the Philadelphia Police Department and the federal NRT, part of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The deployment of the NRT came at the request of the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office given the magnitude and the scope of the fire, the bureau said in a statement.

“We’re grateful for the assistance as we continue to investigate the heartbreaking fire on 23rd Street,” the Philadelphia Fire Department said in a tweet.

Firefighters were able to rescue one child from the fire, but the child didn’t survive.

“This is a very tragic event in which the community sustained such a great loss of life,” said Matthew Varisco, special agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to assist in any way possible.”

Only 1 in 10 adults eating enough fruits and vegetables, CDC finds

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — Most American adults are not getting enough of their fruits and vegetables, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with even greater disparities found for those living in poverty.

The report, published Thursday, found that only 10% of adults are eating the recommended daily serving of vegetables, and slightly more — 12.3% — are consuming enough fruit.

The recommendations are based on dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, which advise that adults incorporate 2 to 3 cups of vegetables and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit into their diet each day. Eating sufficient fruits and vegetables “can help protect against some chronic conditions that are among the leading causes of mortality in the United States,” the study noted.

Researchers identified notable regional and demographic differences.

Some 16% of Connecticut adults met fruit recommendations while only 8% of West Virginia adults did. Meanwhile, 16% of Vermont adults met fruit recommendations but only 6% of Kentucky adults did.

Women met the recommendations more often than men, while people over 50 met them more often than their younger counterparts, researchers found. Additionally, Black people reached the vegetable goal less often than white or Hispanic people.

Those living below or close to the poverty level were the least likely to meet vegetable recommendations, at 6.8%, the study found.

“Additional policies and programs that will increase access to fruits and vegetables in places where U.S. residents live, learn, work, and play, might increase consumption and improve health,” the study stated.

The study was conducted through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which has been collecting information on American fruit and vegetable consumption for over 30 years, and included 294,566 participants.

The survey included data from 2019, before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers noted that barriers to healthy foods, such as cost and limited availability and access, “might have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Among its recommendations, the CDC advised that states and communities can support community retail programs “to attract grocery stores and supermarkets to underserved communities to improve community food quality,” as well as promote participation in federal nutrition assistance programs that help low-income people buy healthy foods.

Pandemic-related supply chain issues have particularly impacted people in food deserts, Geri Henchy, director of nutrition policy for the Food Research & Action Center, told ABC News.

“People who live in communities that had issues around the availability of quality, affordable produce, those issues have gotten worse during COVID because of the supply chain problems,” she said.

MORE: How to help feed your community with virtual food drives, donations this holiday season
Henchy also agreed that promoting participation in federal food assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, will be key, especially after boosts to both during the pandemic.

This past fall, the average SNAP benefit increased by $36.24 per person each month, and the government extended increased fruit and vegetable WIC benefits through March. Those measures should have a positive impact on food and vegetable consumption, though “of course we have a lot of people who are eligible who aren’t in the programs,” said Henchy.

Just over 80% of eligible Americans participate in SNAP, while about half of those eligible for WIC participate, according to the most recent federal data.

ABC News’ Sony Salzman contributed to this report.

COVID live updates: 126,000 Americans hospitalized with COVID-19

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 832,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 62.3% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jan 06, 7:18 pm
Chicago cancels classes for 3rd day

Chicago Public Schools, the nation’s third largest school district, canceled instruction on Friday for the third day in a row amid an impasse over in-person learning.

Classes were first canceled Wednesday, and then again on Thursday, after a majority of the Chicago Teachers Union’s membership voted this week in favor of remote learning during a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The district said Thursday evening that all classes will be canceled on Friday, though some schools may be able to offer in-person activities for students.

“Our schools are the best, safest place for students to be during this pandemic, and we are working tirelessly to get everyone back in class every day,” Pedro Martinez, head of the school district, said in a letter to families, noting that they are continuing to work with the union “to resolve this situation.”

The teacher’s union is calling for more robust school COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

Jan 06, 6:43 pm
J&J says vaccine offers lower initial efficacy but more stable protection over time

Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine offers lower initial efficacy compared to Pfizer’s and Moderna’s, but protection against breakthrough infection remains more stable over time, according to a new study sponsored by the pharmaceutical company.

The study found that the J&J vaccine was 74% effective against breakthrough infection in the weeks following the shot. This level of protection held steady over the next three months and started waning after the fourth month.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, meanwhile, were 88% and 92% effective, respectively, against breakthrough infection in the weeks following the second dose, the study found. This level of protection started waning after the second month, falling progressively over six months.

Protection against severe illness remained more stable over time for all three vaccines.

The analysis, which has not been peer-reviewed, looked at data from 168 million people between Jan. 1 and Sept. 7 of last year. It covers a period of alpha and delta variant dominance, but the results could change now that the omicron variant is also present.

The data supports current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for booster shots after two months for the J&J vaccine to bring initial efficacy higher, and booster shots for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines after five and six months, respectively, to boost efficacy after a period of waning.

-ABC News’ Sony Salzman

Jan 06, 4:44 pm
Less than 0.1% of fully vaccinated adults get severe COVID-19: CDC

COVID-19 vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of severe illness and death from the virus, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday.

The study looked at 1.2 million fully vaccinated adults who received either two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Just 0.18% of patients had breakthrough COVID-19 infections, and 0.015% developed serious illness that led to hospitalization, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, intubation or death.

The small portion of people who did become seriously sick or die of COVID-19 after being vaccinated were primarily older adults, immunocompromised people or those living with multiple underlying medical conditions.

The study was conducted before the emergence of the omicron variant, which appears to more easily evade — at least partially — the protection offered by vaccines.

-ABC News’ Sony Salzman

Jan 06, 3:55 pm
About 126,000 Americans hospitalized with COVID-19

An estimated 126,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Of those patients, about one-sixth — or 21,000 — are in intensive care units.

The spread of the omicron variant is pushing the U.S. closer to the hospitalization record set last winter when 140,000 patients with the virus were hospitalized .

Meanwhile, the country is averaging 554,000 new COVID-19 cases every day, a five-fold increase from a month ago, federal data shows.

Over the last week, the U.S. has reported about 3.88 million COVID-19 infections, which averages out to about six Americans testing positive every second.

-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos

Jan 06, 2:34 pm
More than 800 LA firefighters, police officers test positive

More than 800 staff members at fire and police departments in Los Angeles have tested positive for COVID-19, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Thursday.

Currently, 505 police officers and 299 firefighters are quarantining after receiving positive results.

“These are big numbers. Numbers that are reflecting the staffing challenges that all of us face,” Garcetti said during a press conference outside a fire station.

He added that five out of six employees in both departments are fully vaccinated, complying with the vaccine mandate set in place for city employees.

Garcetti said that despite the number of officers and firefighters absent from work, the city is still protected.

“Both LAPD and LAFD have maintained staffing levels that are needed to keep Angelenos safe, and we have maintained staffing levels to make sure you, your family, our communities are safe,” he said.

Jan 06, 12:33 pm
WHO says global cases increased by 71% last week

Global cases of COVID-19 “increased sharply,” the World Health Organization wrote in its weekly epidemiological update published Thursday.

Cases of the virus increased 71% during the week ending Jan. 2 compared to the previous week, meaning there were 9.5 million new infections of COVID-19 reported around the world, according to the WHO.

The Americas saw the largest increase at 100% followed by Southeast Asia at 78% and Europe at 63%.

The United States saw the most COVID-19 cases last week followed by the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy.

The WHO added that there was a 10% decrease in the number of new deaths compared to the week prior with more than 41,000 virus-related fatalities recorded.

Jan 06, 11:17 am
1.3 million people in UK have long COVID, data shows

An estimated 1.3 million people in the United Kingdom are suffering from long COVID, according to new data published Thursday by the UK’s Office for National Statistics.

Long COVID is a condition in which patients who recover from the virus still experience symptoms for weeks — or even months or years — later.

The ONS said the figure, which is based on self-reported symptoms, equates to 2% of the population living with long COVID.

Fatigue was the most common symptom, reported by 51% of those surveyed. Other common symptoms included loss of smell (37%), shortness of breath (36%) and difficulty concentrating (28%).

About 64% said their long COVID symptoms made it difficult for them to carry out day-to-day activities.

Long COVID was most commonly reported in those between ages 35 and 69, females, people living in poorer areas or those working in health care or education, according to the ONS.

Jan 06, 4:05 am
American Medical Association criticizes CDC’s new guidance

The American Medical Association, the nation’s largest association of physicians, has criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new quarantine and isolation guidance for COVID-19, saying the recommendations “are risking further spread of the virus.”

The CDC updated its guidelines on Dec. 27, saying asymptomatic people who test positive for COVID-19 should self-isolate for five days rather than 10.

“The American people should be able to count on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for timely, accurate, clear guidance to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities. Instead, the new recommendations on quarantine and isolation are not only confusing, but are risking further spread of the virus,” the American Medical Association’s president, Dr. Gerald E. Harmon, said in a statement Wednesday night.

Harmon referenced data cited by the CDC in its rationale for shortening the isolation period, which estimates 31% of people remain infectious five days after a positive COVID-19 test, suggesting that data proves thousands of Americans could return to their lives while still infected.

“With hundreds of thousands of new cases daily and more than a million positive reported cases on January 3, tens of thousands — potentially hundreds of thousands of people — could return to work and school infectious if they follow the CDC’s new guidance on ending isolation after five days without a negative test,” Harmon said. “Physicians are concerned that these recommendations put our patients at risk and could further overwhelm our health care system.”

Harmon said a negative COVID-19 test should be required for ending isolation after a positive test, as reentering society without knowing whether an individual is still positive ultimately risks further transmission of the virus.

Although test availability remains an issue nationwide, Harmon also called on the Biden administration to ramp up production and distribution of tests, adding that “a dearth of tests at the moment does not justify omitting a testing requirement to exit a now shortened isolation.”

-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos

Jan 06, 3:16 am
Chicago cancels school for 2nd day

Officials in Chicago canceled all public school classes on Thursday amid discussions about classroom safety with the city’s teachers.

Classes had been canceled on Wednesday after a majority of the Chicago Teachers Union’s membership voted in favor of remote learning during a surge in COVID-19 cases. School officials called their action an illegal strike.

“In a time of crisis related to this pandemic, the worst possible thing we can do is abandon the science and data,” Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said on Twitter. “If you care about our students and families as we do, we will not relent. We are standing firm and fighting to get our kids back to in-person learning.”

Teachers were locked out of their remote classrooms on Wednesday, according to the union. Union leaders asked members to again try to log in on Thursday, urging them post photos on social media.

The union on Wednesday filed an unfair labor practice charge against the Chicago Board of Education.

“We have rights to safety and we’ve been at the bargaining table for 20 months to secure those rights,” Jesse Sharkey, the union’s president, said in a statement.

Chicago Public Schools are among the largest in the country, with about 340,000 students in 636 schools.

Jan 06, 2:43 am
TSA reports more than 3,000 employee cases

The Transportation Security Administration reported 3,037 current COVID-19 infections on Wednesday.

The agency’s infections have increased by about 16% in two days, according to TSA data.

The agency, which employs about 60,000, said it’s had a cumulative 15,191 COVID-19 cases. The agency said 12,154 employees have recovered and 33 have died.

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney

Jan 05, 9:02 pm
CDC signs off on Pfizer boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given the final go-ahead for children ages 12 to 15 to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster.

“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement endorsing the CDC advisory panel’s recommendation to expand booster eligibility.

The CDC recommends that adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 get a Pfizer booster five months after their second dose.

-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett

More than 90 million people, 37 states on alert for hazardous weather conditions

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 90 million people around the country are expecting hazardous weather on Thursday into Friday morning.

Thirty-seven states are under winter weather alerts for heavy snow, ice, brutal cold and wind Thursday night.

More than 2,000 flights on Thursday have been canceled as of 5:30 p.m., with airports in Nashville, Denver and Chicago the most impacted, according to FlightAware. Over 1,500 flights on Friday have also been canceled, with airports in New York, Denver and Newark, New Jersey, among the most impacted.

There were numerous accidents around the country Thursday, with some interstates closed from Oregon to Michigan as the wild weather moved across the country.

Police in Nashville are investigating a multi-car collision on Interstate 40 that blocked off all the westbound lanes, according to WKRN.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a winter storm advisory and advised people to avoid any unnecessary travel in several parts of the state. Two weather systems are expected to produce snow and gusting winds, resulting in snow, ice-covered roads and low visibility, according to a statement from her office.

“Areas in Western New York and the North Country are already experiencing lake effect snow and we’re anticipating up to six inches of snow in Downstate regions between tonight and tomorrow morning,” Hochul said in a statement.

A winter storm is headed for the Interstate 95 corridor, where earlier this week, weather conditions left people trapped on the highway for more than 24 hours in Virginia.

The I-95 corridor is expected to see 3 to 6 inches of snow, with localized amounts of up to 8 inches in Massachusetts and Maine.

Virginia state officials and agencies are strongly cautioning drivers to stay off the roads due to the wintry conditions.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Wednesday due to the winter weather.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also declared a state of emergency Thursday, amid heavy snowfall across the state.

“We are urging Kentuckians to stay off the roads if possible,” Beshear said in a statement. “The weather we are continuing to see across Kentucky is dangerous.”

More than half a foot of snow is possible in Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Dozens of schools announced they will be closed on Thursday due to weather conditions, according to Memphis ABC affiliate WATN.

The storm system is moving out of the central Plains and the Mid-South and will form into a coastal low, bringing a widespread snow event from Nashville, Tennessee, to Washington. D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.

A winter storm warning is in place for Boston and Nashville and a winter weather advisory is in place for Washington. D.C., Philadelphia and New York City.

Nashville could see several inches of snow.

Areas, including New York City, Boston and Philadelphia, are expected to get the first significant snow of the season.

Snow begins in D.C. Thursday evening and will continue overnight. Snow starts in Philadelphia after midnight and in New York City after 2 a.m. and into the Friday morning commute. Snow in Boston will begin before the morning commute and continue into the afternoon.

Behind the eastern snowstorm, an arctic outbreak is moving in with wind chills as low as minus 60 degrees in the northern Plains.

Brutal cold continues to spread from Montana to Illinois where wind chill alerts are in effect.

Near-zero wind chills are expected for Friday morning in Nashville and in the teens from Dallas to Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta.

ABC News’ Mina Kaji contributed to this report.

Vice President Harris was inside the DNC on Jan. 6 when pipe bomb was found outside

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris was inside the Democratic National Committee headquarters on Jan, 6, 2021, when a pipe bomb was found outside the building, a White House official confirms to ABC News.

She was then evacuated.

The news was first reported by Politico.

“On that day I was not only vice president elect, I was also a United States Senator. And I was here at the Capitol that morning, at a classified hearing with fellow members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Hours later, the gates of the Capitol were breached,” Harris said in remarks Thursday morning. “I had left, but my thoughts immediately turned, not only to my colleagues, but to my staff, who had been forced to seek refuge in our office, converting filing cabinets into barricades.”

Both the DNC pipe bomb and another placed outside the Republican National Committee were discovered after the vote counting had started — at 1p.m.

It’s still a mystery to federal officials who planted them.

The FBI has done over 900 interviews on the case alone, they have collected 39,000 video files and 400 tips regarding the identity of the suspect. The FBI and ATF are offering a reward of $100,000.

Alleged ‘ghost guns’ trafficker charged by feds

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As police across the country have grappled with illegal guns on American streets, an increasing number of those weapons are “ghost guns” they say — guns that lack serial numbers or other traceable components.

On Thursday, federal prosecutors in New York charged a Rhode Island man who they said trafficked dozens of ghost guns to the Bronx and the Dominican Republic.

Robert Alcantara has been involved in the sale or attempted sale of what appear to be more than 100 firearms, mostly “ghost gun” handguns that he purchased in incomplete form and then finished at a workstation at his house, Kiran Mathew, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said in a sworn complaint.

Alcantara is charged with conspiracy to traffic firearms and with making false statements about it when questioned by the ATF.

Alcantara showed off his skill at building ghost guns in a video the complaint said he posted to YouTube in 2019

The Justice Department reported last year that between 2016 and 2020, more than 23,000 weapons without serial numbers were recovered by law enforcement at potential crime scenes, including scenes connected to 325 homicides or attempted homicides.

An intelligence bulletin issued last year and obtained by ABC News said violent criminals and domestic extremists “likely favor use of (‘ghost guns’) in lethal attacks based on a review of recent incidents and investigations and the challenges of tracking un-serialized firearm components.”

Alcantara contributed to the proliferation by assembling these guns at a home workshop using components he purchased at gun shows, according to the complaint.

He was arrested in Rhode Island Thursday morning and made an initial court appearance in Providence.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Alcantara had a lawyer.

House Jan. 6 investigators contact ex-Oath Keeper featured in ABC News documentary

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — House investigators looking into the siege of the U.S. Capitol a year ago have contacted a former spokesman for the Oath Keepers militia, seeking to interview him about his time with the militia group and its founder, Stewart Rhodes, according to the former Oath Keeper, Jason Van Tatenove, and a congressional source familiar with the matter.

The request to interview Van Tatenhove, who says he left the Oath Keepers by 2018, suggests that House investigators are casting a wide net as they gather information about Rhodes as they wait to see if he will cooperate with their probe.

Van Tatenhove told ABC News that he plans to answer the panel’s questions, but he is first seeking legal counsel.

According to congressional sources, House investigators have been discussing Van Tatenhove for much of the day, after ABC News featured him in its new documentary “Homegrown: Standoff to Rebellion,” now on Hulu, and in a story online about his ongoing efforts to “atone” and “make amends” for his time with the Oath Keepers.

Investigators issued a subpoena to Rhodes two months ago, seeking testimony and documents from him, but Rhodes has yet to appear before them or provide documents.

“Prior to January 6th, Mr. Rhodes repeatedly suggested the Oath Keepers should engage in violence to ensure their preferred election outcome,” the committee said in a statement when issuing the subpoena. “On January 6th, Mr. Rhodes was allegedly in contact with several of the indicted Oath Keepers members before, during, and after the Capitol attack, including meeting some of them outside the Capitol.”

Rhodes, however, has said he wasn’t on Capitol grounds until after the violence began, and there’s no evidence he entered the Capitol building. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Nevertheless, according to an ABC News count, more than 20 people charged in the federal investigation of the Jan. 6 riots have alleged ties to the Oath Keepers.

The chairman of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., recently told ABC News that in order to “put the pieces of the puzzle together,” an upcoming hearing will explore the role of the Oath Keepers and other far-right organizations on Jan. 6.

Now an artist and writer in Colorado, Van Tatenhove served as a spokesman for the Oath Keepers between 2014 and 2018. He published stories and posted videos online that promoted claims of federal government overreach and highlighted Oath Keepers’ efforts to intervene in politically-charged matters around the country.

However he now describes much of what he promoted as dangerous “propaganda” that can create violent confrontations.

“And I think we saw the culmination of that come Jan. 6, when the Capitol riots happened,” he said.

Van Tatenhove left the group after it took what he said was “a very hard right turn,” associating with white nationalists and Holocaust deniers at the start of Donald Trump’s presidency.

“I became a propagandist for what they were doing. I feel awful about that now,” Van Tatenhove said.

Rhodes has insisted over the years that his organization is nonpartisan and that it only seeks to help people ensure their rights are protected.

ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.

Jan. 6 House select committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin speaks on the insurrection a year later

January 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — One year after the Jan. 6 insurrection, Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin reflected on the whirlwind period between the death of his 25-year-old son and the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump following the attack.

Raskin’s son, Tommy Raskin, died by suicide on New Year’s Eve 2020. The day after his son was buried, Raskin was on Capitol Hill when supporters of Trump stormed the Capitol.

“The day after we buried Tommy in a small family COVID-19 graveside service, we had the violent insurrection at the Capitol and the attempt to overthrow the 2020 presidential election by Donald Trump,” said Raskin, who wrote about the experience in his new book, “Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy.”

Soon after, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Raskin to be the lead impeachment manager in Trump’s impeachment trial.

“Speaker Pelosi asked me to be the lead impeachment manager over in the Senate for the trial, and I describe in the book, how to me that was throwing me a lifeline because I felt like I was drowning and that I might not ever do anything again,” said Raskin.

Raskin told ABC News Live that he felt compelled to take the role in honor of his late son.

“I felt like I had an obligation to do it, that Tommy would be completely with me the whole way,” said Raskin. “And this was a chance to try to stand up and articulate, not just my love, but our family’s love, of our Constitution and our freedom and our democracy and the idea of human rights — the opposite of everything that was on display on Jan. 6.”

Raskin is also a member of the Jan. 6 House select committee and is tasked with investigating the cause and who was behind the Jan. 6 insurrection, among other things.

After a year of gathering evidence and conducting voluntary interviews, he said he’s confident the committee will be able to produce results and prevent another attack in the future.

“We are getting the evidence we need in order to tell a comprehensive and fine-grained portrait about what took place and how it happened and what we need to do to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Raskin.

Unfortunately, Raskin believes that Jan. 6 wasn’t the end of something, but rather the beginning. He said he’s concerned about what political scientists call a “self-coup” on American democracy.

“Donald Trump decided to try to seize the presidency, and so there was a riot surrounding an insurrection, surrounding a coup against Vice President [Mike] Pence, who on that day was a great constitutional patriot and refused to bow down to Donald Trump,” said Raskin. “The apparatus of insurrection is in place every day in lots of states across the country to try to guarantee the victory of Donald Trump if and when he comes back again in 2024.”

Also, a year since his son’s death, Raskin has become a vocal advocate for mental health. He said his son had long struggled with depression and that his son had left a note before he died that read: “Please forgive me. My illness won today.”

“[Tommy] was overcome with this disease, and it’s no less of a disease than cancer or leukemia,” said Raskin. “Depression kills, and so we need to get people into treatment and get people the best medical treatment possible and then to continue to talk and to listen to people.”

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