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‘Out of control’: Buyers paying thousands over sticker price for new cars

January 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Looking to buy a new Kia Telluride sport utility vehicle? Expect to pay $48,509 — more than $3,700 above the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

Luxury SUVs like the Range Rover ($117,890) and Cadillac Escalade ESV ($102,584) are selling for $3,000 to $6,000 over MSRP, according to Edmunds, which compiled a list of the top 10 vehicles with the largest market adjustments in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Markups on sports cars are even more dramatic: dealers are asking (and getting) 5% over MSRP for the Corvette Stingray ($86,511) and 8% for Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 ($91,611).

“People are accepting these prices without complaining … they’re going with it and making the plunge,” Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds’ executive director of insights, told ABC News. “Dealer markups are happening all over the board. Manufacturers don’t really have control over it.”

The automotive industry has not been immune from the price hikes impacting nearly every industry. Desperate consumers are starting to surrender to the new reality: discounts, incentives and negotiating are so 2019.

In December, consumers paid on average $709 more than the suggested transaction price, Caldwell said, noting that the upward march in prices really took hold in August.

“We have not seen this happen before on an aggregate level,” she said.

And markups are impacting nearly 90% of car buyers, according to one estimate, forcing some automakers to threaten a dealer crackdown.

‘Out of control’ luxury markups

It’s the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the boxy, ultra-luxe ute driven by celebs and socialites, that may be the most extreme example of dealership markups. The base G-Class costs $174,650 though new owners are shelling out an additional $30,405 on average — if they’re lucky to get one at all. Caldwell said she knows of one woman who recently paid $50,000 above MSRP for a G-Class. Some Mercedes dealerships are even asking $337,000 for a 2021 AMG G 63 G-Class — more than $150,000 above the MSRP, according to Caldwell.

“This woman thought she got a good deal,” said Caldwell. “Consumers feel pressure to buy right away because inventory is so low.”

Some owners of the ultra-luxe G-Class have paid $150K above the six-figure sticker price.

And it’s not just the G-Class getting the markup treatment. The Mercedes GLS SUV and GLC Coupe SUV are also seeing massive price hikes. A Mercedes-Benz spokeswoman declined to comment when reached by ABC News.

Marc Van Hengst, a brand ambassador at the Jack Daniels Porsche dealership in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, called the car market “out of control” and said he disapproves of the outrageous prices dealers are charging.

“I don’t like to do markups. It’s bad for business and will scare people away,” he told ABC News.

Van Hengst said he sees prospective customers coming into his dealership and pleading with management for a 2022 911 GT3 — the hottest Porsche on the market now among enthusiasts. The 502-horsepower GT3 sprints from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and comes with a starting price tag of $161,100. A quick search on Cars.com pulls up listings for $307,740 — $339,000 — even $349,900.

“You get a lot of performance [in the GT3] which a lot of people will not use at all … but people want the performance,” Van Hengst said. “The internet makes it seem like it’s the most desirable Porsche of all.”

Tyson Jominy, vice president of data and analytics at J.D. Power, said 87% of consumers are currently paying above MSRP, which is already at a record high. The average new vehicle price is now $45,283 versus $35,000 in December of 2019, according to J.D. Power. The global chip shortage and supply crunch have led to surging prices, Jominy said.

“There are some crazy markups and the higher price point you go the crazier they are,” he told ABC News. “Automakers have never seen anything like this. But some of them are telling dealers to cool it with markups. It’s not in their best interest long term.”

He added, “The higher markups are like a tax on rich people.”

Cracking down

Ford and General Motors are actively trying to stop dealerships from heavily marking up the price of new vehicles.

Steve Carlisle, president of GM North America, addressed customer interest for the upcoming Corvette Z06, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Hummer EV, GMC Sierra EV and Cadillac Lyriq in a letter sent to the automaker’s dealer network on Jan. 18, writing in part:

“Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that in connection with some of these announcements and launches, a small number of Dealers have engaged in practices that do not support a positive sales experience for our customers. This puts our collective interests at risk and generates negative press that reflect poorly on GM’s brands and your dealerships. Specifically, it has come to our attention that some dealerships have attempted to demand money above and beyond the reservation amounts set in GM’s program rules and/or have requested customers to pay sums far in excess of MSRP in order to purchase or lease a vehicle … GM will be forced to take action if it learns of any unethical sales practices or brokering activities that undermine the integrity that customers expect from the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac brands.”

A GM spokesperson confirmed the letter to ABC News, adding, “We want every customer to have a great experience. The majority of our dealers know this; however, we want everyone on the same page.”

In a tersely worded memo, Ford instructed dealers not to raise the price of its new F-150 Lightning electric truck nor demand that customers already on the reservation list make additional deposits or payments.

“It has come to our attention that a limited number of dealerships are interacting with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation,” the memo stated.

A Ford spokesperson told ABC News in response to the memo: “The all-new F-150 Lightning represents a leap ahead in innovation for Ford trucks and is critical to the Ford brand and our dealerships as we move into a segment we’ve never competed. We are competing with others who have a direct model and we need to be very mindful of how customers perceive Ford and our dealer network. How our dealers treat customers has major implications not only on an individual dealer but the reputation of Ford and our dealers as a whole. We want to show customers how our Ford dealer network provides a better experience than anyone out there.”

Automakers displeased with excessive markups could penalize wayward dealers in the future with fewer allocations.

“Markups can sour the relationship with the customer,” Caldwell said.

Even the unloved compact car has seen its price skyrocket as consumers frantically snap up SUVs. Drivers who may have shunned sedans before are willing to buy any vehicle at this point, Jominy pointed out.

“We’re seeing very limited inventories and high prices in this market for the foreseeable future,” he said.

Promising COVID-19 antiviral pill, Paxlovid, in scarce supply, as doctors, patients compete for access

January 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Dr. Albert Lam, a geriatrician who works with nursing home patients in Palo Alto, California, was excited to be among the first to prescribe the new antiviral pill Paxlovid after one of his patients tested positive for COVID-19.

Hailed as a “game-changer” in the pandemic, Paxlovid is a drug made by Pfizer that if taken within five days of being diagnosed reduces the chance of hospitalization and death by 88% for people who are at high risk of severe illness.

The treatment has proved so promising that President Joe Biden included it in a Jan. 4 televised speech on the omicron variant, announcing that the first batch had shipped on Christmas Eve. While production would take “months,” Biden said it was in “full swing” and promised the drugs were on their way.

“The United States has more pills than any other country in the world, and our supply is going to ramp up over the coming months as more of these pills are manufactured,” Biden said.

Lam’s patient, a woman in her 80s with a history of cancer, got the drug within 24 hours and responded well.

Since then, however, the doctor hasn’t been so lucky.

Whereas nursing homes were first in line to get COVID vaccines last year, Lam now regularly scours a publicly available federal database to see if a Paxlovid prescription pops up near his location. This week, his home state of California got 9,560 doses — about 24 prescriptions for every 100,000 people.

Five weeks after federal regulators approved Paxlovid and began distributing it to states, few people can find it — omicron’s aggressive rise has quickly outstripped supplies.

According to an ABC News analysis of federal data on Paxlovid in more than 3,100 U.S. counties, three-quarters didn’t have any of the drug on hand as of Jan. 27, and about three-fifths had no access to a provider offering Paxlovid.

States are given amounts based on population, but some face more demand than others. Among the states that have the lowest rates of Paxlovid treatment on hand are Alabama, California, Florida, Idaho, New Jersey, New Mexico and Texas, according to data released by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Race also seems to be a factor in access, at least for now: Urban counties with majority nonwhite population have the lowest average of doses on hand, whereas counties with less than 10% of its population being nonwhite have the highest average of treatments on hand.

Scarcity isn’t the only problem. Doctors and pharmacists told ABC News the process of obtaining the drug is opaque, even arbitrary.

In Nevada, for example, Paxlovid primarily goes to long-term care facilities like nursing homes. But in neighboring California, state officials use a complex formula that factors in rising case numbers with other risk factors. In the District of Columbia, a few Safeway grocery stores are the primary distributors, although city health officials have asked doctors to give priority to high-risk individuals.

Dr. Christian Ramers of the Family Health Centers of San Diego, a network of clinics for low-income patients, said his clinic was able to secure its first shipment of 100 treatments of Paxlovid two weeks ago as part of a Biden program aimed at improving health equity.

But the staff also had to set up a system, using federal guidelines, to decide who gets the drugs first because there just weren’t enough. Often, that’s meant prioritizing people who initially refused a vaccination and now are at much greater risk of dying.

“The volume has been just mind-blowing for the last three to four weeks — just absolutely insane,” he said. That spike “to us means hundreds to thousands of people vying for about … 40 to 50 treatment slots per day.”

For now, he said, the reality is “if you’re vaccinated and you’re under age 65 and you don’t have a medical condition, you’re not going to get Paxlovid.”

Adding to the confusion is that many doctors are nervous about prescribing the drug for many high-risk patients because of potentially dangerous interactions with other commonly used medications, including cholesterol-lowering drugs and certain anti-depressants. Advocates say more data should be collected on people in their 80s and 90s.

But there aren’t a lot of other options.

“It is a little disappointing, and it makes me wonder: Could we do more?” said Erin Karara, a pharmacy consultant who works with nursing homes and long-term care facilities. “I mean, we’re seeing entire wings of nursing homes or facilities converted to COVID units. … It’s a lot of people affected by it.”

For its part, both the White House and Pfizer said the drug was never expected to roll out in large numbers right away, in part because of the time it takes to secure raw materials and to scale up manufacturing.

The current plan calls for 265,000 courses of treatment in January, gradually ramping up to 10 million by the end of June and 20 million by the end of September.

This week, Pfizer told ABC News it plans to increase its production of Paxlovid overall to 120 million courses of treatment globally — some 3.6 billion pills total.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said producing the drug can’t be compared to its COVID vaccine.

“It is very different, the situation,” Bourla said at anindustry conference. “Any decent manufacturer of medicines can make it. But the chemistry, it is complicated, and it takes time to synthesize the active substance.”

Some conservatives still have been quick to criticize Biden’s handling of the rollout, with The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board deriding it as “Biden’s Operation Snail Speed,” writing, “Why didn’t it order more treatments sooner?”

According to one senior administration official, the White House did everything it could, including promising to Pfizer last July it would spend at least $1 billion on the drugs if it worked. This informal “handshake agreement” was intended to be a powerful incentive for the company, which doesn’t use government money to develop new products, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

By then, Pfizer had already spent months preparing its supply chain and developing the drug. It agreed to allow the U.S. to receive the world’s first shipments.

A company official declined to confirm details of private discussions with the White House before the drug became available.

“Thanks to this at-risk preparation — drawing on our deep expertise — we have already shipped hundreds of thousands of Paxlovid courses in the U.S.,” a spokesperson told ABC. “We continue to work quickly to ship courses in accordance with our agreed delivery schedule.”

Two years into the pandemic, doctors still have few ways to treat COVID-19 with vaccines as the most effective option. Treatment options dwindled further this week when federal regulators pulled authorization of two types of monoclonal antibodies that had been widely used in the pandemic, including the kind given to then-President Donald Trump.

The antibody cocktails, made by Eli Lilly and Regeneron, were found to be useless against omicron, now 99.9% of all U.S. cases.

Two remaining drugs, Remdesivir and Sotrovimab, have to be administered intravenously at a medical facility. Molnupiravir, the new antiviral pill from Merck and Ridgeback Therapeutics, found to be 30% effective at preventing hospitalization and death, is authorized only for high-risk patients who can’t access other treatments.

That leaves Paxlovid — if a person can find it and take it early enough, and if the medication doesn’t put them at risk because of other drugs they are taking.

This week, the Southern Nevada Health District in Las Vegas announced it received 120 prescriptions last week and was willing to offer the medication to anyone older than 12 who is at high risk of COVID and tests positive through their clinic.

“If we can identify and treat people early in the course of their illness who otherwise may have ended up in the emergency department or hospital … we can potentially reduce the impact on our hospital system,” said Dr. Cort Lohff, chief medical officer of the public health agency.

Lam, the doctor in northern California, said he’s hopeful access will improve, particularly for nursing homes and long-term care residents.

“Frankly,” he added, “I think that if we were able to target those advanced therapeutics for the most at-risk populations, I think we would really make a bigger difference in terms of our death rate.”

Powerful nor’easter slams East Coast bringing heavy snow and strong winds to millions

January 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Tens of millions of Americans across more than a dozen states are under winter weather alerts Saturday morning from South Carolina to Maine.

Snowfall rates upwards of 2 inches per hour are hitting Atlantic City, New Jersey, and other parts of the Jersey Shore at times, while eastern Connecticut is seeing a rate as fast as 3 inches per hour.

A plow clears a walkway in the snow during a Nor’easter storm in New York, Jan. 29, 2022.

In addition to the snowfall, strong wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph are expected along parts of the Northeast coastline.

Some states have declared emergencies as they brace for the worst of this storm system coming Saturday afternoon.

Whipping winds, treacherous travel, potential power outages and frigid temperatures are all concerns associated with the winter nor’easter. Nearly 120,000 customers are without power in Massachusetts, and over 3,550 flights have been canceled within, into, and out of the United States Saturday, according to Flightaware.

In Connecticut, airports are “down at this point,” Gov. Ned Lamont said during a briefing midday Saturday. Metro-North is running on limited hourly service, and Amtrak is not operating, officials said.

Snow totals, treacherous conditions

Parts of Connecticut to Maine may see up to 18 to 24 inches of snow, with the possibility of up to 30 inches near Boston Metro — a potential recordbreaker. For the city of Boston, the most snowfall in one day in January on record is 22.1 inches on Jan. 27, 2015, and the most snow fall in one day on record overall is 23.6 inches on Feb. 17, 2003.

There are extremely hazardous travel conditions for coastal New Jersey; Suffolk County, New York; Rhode Island and coastal Massachusetts where the heaviest snow totals and whiteout conditions with gusty winds will persist.

The I-95 corridor north of New York City toward Boston and Portland, Maine, are under major impacts, with whipping winds gusting 45 mph to 70 mph near the Boston Metro.

Below-zero wind chills

Parts of the Great Lakes and New England will experience bitterly cold temperatures with wind chills near 25 below zero.

The Northeast will feel frigid Saturday night as wind chills plunge to 2 and 5 below zero in New York City and Boston, respectively.

Cold weather is even heading south to Florida with temperatures in the 30s.

Coastal concerns

There are coastal concerns about storm surge and tidal influence especially along the coastal towns in Suffolk County, New York, which could see 4- to 8-feet waves during high tide Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Boston may also get battered with largest wave swells at 15 to 20 feet.

A worker clears snow in Times Square during a Nor’easter storm in New York, Jan. 29, 2022.

However, there is one silver lining to this winter storm: The storm system remained easterly, meaning less heavy snow and weather-related snarls for states west of Interstate 95.

The storm system is expected to move out of New York City by the afternoon and from Boston by the evening.

ABC News’ Victoria Arancio, Daniel Peck, Hilda Estevez and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.

COVID-19 live updates: US cases down nearly 25%

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.6 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 879,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 63.6% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latest headlines:
-US cases down nearly 25%
-New Hampshire to sell rapid COVID-19 tests at liquor stores
-NIH trial finds mixing and matching boosters is safe and effective

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

Jan 28, 8:22 pm
Sen. Romney tests positive for COVID-19

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney tested positive for COVID-19 Friday, his office said.

“He is currently asymptomatic and will be isolating and working remotely for the recommended period of time,” his office said.

His wife, Ann Romney, has tested negative for the virus. Both are fully vaccinated and boosted, his office said.

Jan 28, 5:06 pm
240 million free at-home tests ordered so far: White House

About 60 million American households have ordered 240 million free at-home COVID rapid tests since they became available on Jan. 18, White House officials said Friday.

The Biden administration plans to ultimately mail 1 billion free at-home rapid tests to Americans.

Additionally, the federal government has sent out “tens of millions of masks” since Biden announced last week that the government would provide 400 million N95 masks for free at pharmacies and community health centers across the country, White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

Jan 28, 1:32 pm
US cases down nearly 25%

Federal data shows that the U.S. is now reporting an average of almost 600,000 new cases per day — a nearly 25% drop in the last two weeks, according to federal data.

Just nine states are reporting at least a 10% increase in cases: Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Washington and West Virginia.

All other states and territories are reporting a decrease in new cases or are at a plateau.

Nationwide, hospitalization rates are also declining, according to federal data. Just under 145,000 COVID-19-positive patients are currently in U.S. hospitals, down from 160,000 patients reported last week.

It’s not clear how many of these patients were admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 and how many coincidentally tested positive for the virus after they were admitted for other reasons.

The national daily death average now stands at nearly 2,300 — a 30% jump in the last two weeks.

ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos

Jan 27, 3:54 pm
San Francisco dropping masks in ‘stable cohorts’

San Francisco officials are ending indoor mask mandates for “stable cohorts” where everyone is up to date on vaccinations, like people in an office or gym setting.

The city’s health officer Dr. Susan Philip called this change, which begins Feb. 1, doable due to San Francisco’s highly vaccinated and boosted population.

“Other COVID-19 safety guidelines in these settings remain in effect and include a means for others who do not or cannot meet the vaccination requirements to join the group with the added safety of showing a negative test and wearing a mask,” San Francisco’s health department said.

ABC News’ Matt Fuhrman

Boston risks losing ‘disproportionate’ number of educators of color with city’s vaccine mandate

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — There’s growing concern among union leaders in Boston that a “disproportionate” number of educators of color may leave their jobs because of a vaccine mandate for city employees.

“We are very concerned about the possibility of losing a disproportionate number of educators of color in Boston over the vaccine policy,” Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang told ABC News.

Last month, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced that all city employees would be required to have their first shot of COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 15 and complete the cycle by Feb. 15, unless granted a dispensation for medical or religious reasons. However, the Jan. 15 deadline was subsequently extended to Jan. 24 and again to Jan. 30.

City employees who refuse to comply will be placed on unpaid leave.

But with the vaccination policy set to go into effect next week, the Massachusetts Appeals Court on Thursday issued a temporary pause of Boston’s requirement for city workers after serious pushback from unions.

Over the past several months, teachers unions across the country, including in Chicago and New York City, have pushed back on similar mandates.

In a statement released Thursday, the BTU said it will not enforce Boston’s mandate by putting teachers on leave — at least until there’s a decision on the appeal. According to the union, over 96% of all members are vaccinated, including over 98% of teachers.

As of Friday, about 367 BTU members remained unvaccinated — disproportionately, Tang told ABC News, educators of color.

“Our union has worked extensively with the school department and community groups, especially over the last few years, to attract and retain a diverse staff that is reflective of the community that our schools serve,” Tang added.

According to city data, more than three-quarters (75.3%) of Boston’s students are Black or Latinx, compared with just over a third (33.7%) of teachers.

“Losing educators, especially in the middle of the school year, presents major difficulties across a wide array of issues,” Tang said. “We are committed to working with the district as best we can to not lose any educators.”

The union has proposed another extension on implementing the mandate, and it’s filed a formal complaint against Boston Public Schools and the city for “failing to bargain in good faith.”

A representative from Boston Public Schools pointed to the more than 80 clinics hosted by the district to help vaccinate staff and students.

“We have been working hard to ensure all of our employees understand the city’s policy and to increase access to vaccines,” a representative told ABC News.

Several other Boston unions, including those representing police and firefighters, also have pushed back on the mandate.

But Wu has repeatedly stood by that decision, insisting it’s necessary for the safety of the city, where about 95% of city employees have been vaccinated.

“Vaccination is our most powerful tool in this ongoing public health emergency, and we look forward to filing our response with the court,” Wu’s office said in a statement to ABC News.

Snow storm to hammer East Coast with blizzard conditions

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Millions of Americans are bracing for a snow storm that’s expected to hammer the East Coast with blizzard conditions this weekend.

Blizzard warnings are in effect from coastal Virginia up to Maine, including several major cities such as Ocean City, Atlantic City, Boston and Portland. Seventeen states, from the Carolinas to Maine, are on alert for a strong nor’easter to blast coastal areas with heavy snow and gusty winds.

The snowfall is forecast to start on the East Coast late Friday night and continue into Saturday evening in New England, before the storm exits the area, according to ABC News meteorologists.

Snowfall totals are estimated to be higher than previously expected due to a number of factors. The storm is expected to move closer to shore, bringing heavy bands of snow inland, with a snowfall rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour. Moreover, the light and fluffy nature of this snow will help it stack up higher than the wet, heavy snow that typically comes with coastal storms.

The latest forecast has 12 to 20 inches of snow for Boston, 6 to 12 inches for New York City, 4 to 6 inches for Philadelphia and 1 to 2 inches for Washington, D.C.

The frigid air in the forecast will allow the snow to accumulate quickly and create very slick conditions on roads.

Meanwhile, the wind chill on Saturday morning could make the temperature feel like it’s in the single digits for the Interstate 95 corridor and in the teens for the Carolinas, according to ABC News meteorologists.

There’s also the possibility of coastal flooding, from Maryland to New Jersey and into parts of Long Island and New England. With wind gusts forecast to be over 50 mph for many areas from Maine to New Jersey, the strong winds could blow ocean water onto the shore and create flooding.

Blizzard conditions headed to East Coast, Boston mayor declares snow emergency

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Millions of Americans are bracing for a snow storm that’s expected to hammer the East Coast with blizzard conditions this weekend.

The storm, set to begin Friday night, will stretch from the Carolinas to Maine.

Blizzard warnings are in effect from coastal Virginia up to Maine, including Atlantic City, Long Island, Connecticut, Boston and Portland. This marks the first blizzard warning for Boston and the Jersey Shore in four years.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has declared a snow emergency and warned residents to stay home.

The snowfall is forecast to start on the East Coast late Friday night and continue into Saturday evening in New England, before the storm exits the area, according to ABC News meteorologists.

Snowfall totals are estimated to be higher than previously expected due to a number of factors. The storm is expected to move closer to shore, bringing heavy bands of snow inland, with a snowfall rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour. The light and fluffy nature of this snow will help it stack up higher than the wet, heavy snow that typically comes with coastal storms.

The latest forecast has 12 to 20 inches of snow for Boston, 6 to 12 inches for New York City, 4 to 6 inches for Philadelphia and 1 to 2 inches for Washington, D.C.

The frigid air in the forecast will allow the snow to accumulate quickly and create very slick conditions on roads.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency. He warned residents to be mindful of heavy snow and high winds as well as the possibility of tidal flooding and power outages.

Wind gusts are forecast to be over 50 mph for many areas from Maine to New Jersey on…
There’s also the possibility of coastal flooding, from Maryland to New Jersey and into parts of Long Island and New England. With wind gusts forecast to be over 50 mph for many areas from Maine to New Jersey, the strong winds could blow ocean water onto the shore and create flooding.

Biden to Pittsburgh to push infrastructure improvements as local bridge collapses

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(PITTSBURGH) — Just hours ahead of President Joe Biden traveling to Pittsburgh to stress improvements needed for the nation’s infrastructure, a bridge in the area collapsed on Friday morning, coincidentally providing Biden an opportunity to tout how his bipartisan infrastructure law provides funding for badly needed repairs.

Biden was scheduled to make 2 p.m. ET remarks on Friday at Carnegie Mellon University, a few miles away from the collapsed bridge near Pittsburg’s Frick’s Park. Ten people were reported injured, according to local authorities.

The White House said not said whether Biden will visit the collapsed bridge, but he has been briefed on the situation.

“The President has been told of the bridge collapse in Pittsburgh. Our team is in touch with state and local officials on the ground as they continue to gather information about the cause of the collapse. The President is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time. The President will proceed with trip planned for today and will stay in touch with officials on the ground about additional assistance we can provide,” the White House said in a statement.

While the president’s domestic agenda has taken the back burner over the past week in the face of threats from Russia on the Ukrainian border and major Supreme Court news, Biden’s appearance puts the spotlight back on his victory in getting the bipartisan infrastructure law passed.

The legislation would provide $1.63 billion to Pennsylvania in federal funding for bridges alone, the third-highest figure for any state. Pennsylvania has 3,353 bridges in poor condition, the second most after Iowa, according to administration data. The bridge program will provide $27 billion across the country.

Pennsylvania, Biden’s home state, has long been a politically symbolic state for him.

Pittsburgh was where he kicked off his 2020 candidacy, and the Keystone State ultimately cinched his presidency. He also unveiled what became the bipartisan infrastructure law there last March.

But several of Pennsylvania’s high-profile Democratic candidates told ABC News, while they support the president and his policy efforts, they also won’t be in attendance for Friday’s event in Pittsburgh, citing “scheduling conflicts.”

A campaign spokesperson for Attorney General Josh Shapiro — who is likely to become the Democratic gubernatorial nominee — tells ABC News the Attorney General is “focused on the issues that matter to Pennsylvania families” but won’t be in Pittsburgh on Friday.

“Like every American should, Josh wants our president to be successful and we’ll continue welcoming President Biden to his home state of Pennsylvania as he touts small businesses and jobs that have been saved by the bipartisan American Rescue Plan and the tens of thousands of Pennsylvania jobs that will be created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” the campaign spokesperson said.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a leading candidate in the Democratic Senate primary, told ABC News, “It’s great that President Biden is coming to Pittsburgh to talk about infrastructure. If infrastructure is Elvis, then Pittsburgh is Graceland. It’s great to come to the city that helped build America to talk about rebuilding America. I’ll be in Harrisburg on Friday meeting with Democrats from across the commonwealth at State Committee and talking about the 2022 midterm election.”

Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Penn., running for Senate in the state, will meet with Biden.

With Pennsylvania’s primary elections are still months away, the unfavorable poll numbers looming over the Biden administration could factor into how Democrats interact with the president on the campaign trail.

Bridge collapses in Pittsburgh, three hospitalized

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(PITTSBURGH) — A bridge has collapsed in Pittsburgh Friday morning, sending three people to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

Three or four vehicles were on the bridge at the time and everyone in those cars has been extricated, Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones said.

Ten people reported minor injuries including the three victims hospitalized in non-life-threatening condition, Jones said.

First responders trying to help in the icy conditions were among the injured, he said. Responders rappelled down about 150 feet to reach the collapse site, Jones said.

Crews are working to make sure there are no victims under the collapsed bridge, Jones said.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald called the bridge a major artery for the city.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation, Jones said.

This incident comes as President Joe Biden heads to Pittsburgh to tout his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is set to provide $1.63 billion to Pennsylvania in federal funding for bridges, the third highest figure for any state. The bridge program will provide $27 billion across the country.

Pennsylvania has 3,353 bridges in poor condition, the second most after Iowa, according to federal data.

But the Biden administration has repeatedly said it is up to local officials to determine which bridges receive how much money.

Biden has been informed about the bridge collapse and will continue with Friday’s planned trip, White House officials said.

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

ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky contributed to this report.

How the metaverse could impact the world and the future of technology

January 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Facebook’s announcement in October that it was further embracing the metaverse and rebranding itself as Meta set off a firestorm. While experts say the metaverse is still many years away, the explosion of the term has many asking, what is the metaverse?

The metaverse aims to innovate the way people interact with each other on the internet, interacting in a way previously only thought possible in science fiction.

“The metaverse is essentially a massive, interconnected network of virtual spaces,” Rabindra Ratan, associate professor of media and information at Michigan State University. told ABC News Live. “In theory, we’ll be able to move from one virtual world to another in the metaverse, but we’ll be wearing virtual reality goggles or maybe augmented reality.”

Technologies like virtual reality, a computer-generated simulation of a 3D image or environment, and augmented reality, superimposing a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, will play a significant role in bringing the metaverse to life.

The metaverse could potentially use virtual reality, or augmented reality as we know it now, to immerse users in an alternate world. The technology is still being developed, but companies like Meta say they are building and improving these devices. Meta’s Oculus Quest, now in its second model, is one such device.

“When you’re in the metaverse, when you’re in a virtual reality headset, you will feel like you’re actually sitting in a room with someone else who can see you, who can see all of your nonverbal gestures, who you can respond to and mimic,” Ratan said.

Immersive worlds and creating online avatars is nothing new, as games like Grand Theft Auto Online, Minecraft and Roblox have already created virtual universes. Meta’s announcement last October aims to go beyond entertainment, and create virtual workspaces, homes and experiences for all ages.

“What’s happening now is the metaverse for social media without gaming,” Ratan said. “The new metaverse is designed to support any type of social interaction, whether that’s hanging out with your friends or having a business meeting.”

While the excitement around the concept of a metaverse is rapidly growing, Ratan said bringing that vision to reality is still many years away.

“People are building it in slow bits and pieces,” Ratan said. “We don’t know exactly how people are going to use the metaverse.”

Experts say companies are making sure they are prepared once the change takes place.

“I think no one really knows exactly what shape it’s going to take, but they need to make sure that they’re at the forefront of it,” Arun Maini, a tech YouTuber from England with over 9 million subscribers.

The possibilities of a virtual world, where everything is supported by lines of codes, could open new revenue streams for companies diving into this new venture. The opportunities are limitless, and based on how Americans have adopted an increasingly digital life, the change is already taking place. Walmart announced earlier this month it would step into the virtual world, providing currency and allowing customers to buy and sell NFTs.

“Over the next five years, you’re going to see Metaverse technology become real, concrete and sampleable,” said CNET Editor-at-Large Brian Cooley. “I think it’s going to be impressive, but I think it’s going to have many flavors, not just one.”

A Pew Research study from March 2021 found that 31% of Americans were almost always online, while 79% were online several times a day. Maini said the recent patterns show how people are starting to shift away from physical to virtual goods based on the time spent on apps and games.

“In the metaverse, you will still have those stupidly expensive designer Gucci trainers to be able to show that, ‘Oh yeah, look, I’m doing well for myself,’ even if really it’s just a line of code,” Maini said.

The efforts required to make that world a reality, however, could be extensive. Many people in the U.S. still don’t have access to high-speed broadband connections, and the price of reliable VR hardware could be high. But for Maini, he said the hardware is becoming more affordable and accessible as new technologies are developed.

“Like every day, the promise of this virtual land is increasing. So like a person’s willingness to pay is going up and up and up. And if at the same time that hardware is getting cheaper, there probably will be a point where there’s like mass adoption,” Maini said.

With a high demand, the need for innovation is even higher. Meta announced on Jan. 24 it’s developing a new AI supercomputer, describing it as a building block toward bringing the vision of a metaverse into reality.

“The AI Research SuperCluster, or RSC, will help Meta’s AI researchers build better models that can learn from trillions of examples; work across hundreds of different languages; seamlessly analyze text, images and video together; develop new augmented reality tools and more,” Meta said in a statement.

“Ultimately, the work done with RSC will pave the way toward building technologies for the next major computing platform — the metaverse, where AI-driven applications and products will play an important role,” the statement continued.

Virtual interactions offers enticing financial opportunities for big businesses, but they also raise concerns over the impact on users and safety of its users.

Meta continues to face scrutiny for alleged harmful effects on young users and how it monitors hate speech across its apps, including Instagram. With millions of users able to join different platforms, Maini said moderation is important.

“If you’re trying to moderate something of that level of freedom, then you’re going to have to be moderating in a way that’s like incredibly invasive,” Maini said. “So we either end up in a situation where it’s complete chaos and everyone’s allowed to do everything and you know, there’s racism, sexism, abuse and all that kind of stuff, or there’s incredibly tight moderation and no one’s allowed to do anything.”

With the speed at which technologies are being developed and companies are implementing innovative ideas around immersive reality, it’s only a matter of time before the metaverse becomes a reality.

“The experience of the web will be different in many ways than it is now,” Ratan said.

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