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Teen social media stars in uphill battle against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Ellie Zeiler is known by her 10 million TikTok followers for her fashion hauls, beauty hacks and viral dance videos.

Although her feed often includes endorsements for major brands, her latest partnership came from the U.S. government, which asked her for help encouraging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“They said they were starting this whole process of reaching out to influencers — people who were in the public eye … really wanting to stop these rumors and get the word out about the vaccine,” Zeiler told ABC News.

The 17-year-old, who was vaccinated in May, has continued to share her experience of getting the shot in an effort to ease the concerns of other young Americans, which are the least-vaccinated age group in the country.

“I feel great after. I feel like I have this armor around me,” she said. “I had no side effects.”

With the highly contagious delta variant continuing to impact communities and many children already beginning school, there is now a race to inoculate America’s youth.

Youth aged 12 to 15, 16 to17, and 18 to 24 have only 33.9%, 44% and 46.5% of their age group vaccinated, respectively, according to the CDC. Ages 25-39 have 50.8% of their demographic vaccinated.

President Joe Biden’s administration is reaching young people through their smartphones. They’ve enlisted some of the generation’s social media icons, like Olivia Rodrigo and Benny Drama to help get the word out.

Influencers like Zeiler are now helping inform the country about the realities of the vaccine.

“I think that that’s just the impact of social media — that anyone can do it — which is very, very special,” Zeiler said.

They aren’t just promoting vaccines, but fighting a growing tide of vaccine misinformation and unfounded conspiracies that have run rampant on social media.

“I was used to, in the beginning of the pandemic … being a friend for these people that followed me … giving them advice on whether it be fashion or friends or people … to [now, I] actually give them useful and straight up factual advice,” she said.

In an effort to encourage the vaccine and dispel misinformation, the Biden administration has organized interviews between Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, and a plethora of creators across social media platforms.

Many creators often rely on paid posts for their income, but many of those who have been working directly with the White House on the vaccine push are doing it for free.

“They’re doing it because they believe in it,” Taylor Lorenz, a tech reporter for The New York Times, said.

However, it can’t be forgotten that “promoting vaccination and working with the White House is a status symbol,” Lorenz said. “Dr. Fauci is a hugely viral figure. And by the way, you know, doing an interview with Dr. Fauci, that generates enormous engagement on their social channels. So these influencers are getting a lot from the deal, even if it’s not direct payment.”

This is not the first time the government has tapped digital creators to get messaging out.

“It didn’t surprise me,” Lorenz told ABC News. “Obama actually leveraged YouTube to promote the Affordable Care Act and encourage people to enroll in their health care program back in the mid-2010s and, obviously, Trump also leveraged influencers. He had very high-profile meme accounts. … This is kind of becoming more and more of a trend among politicians, I think, as they recognize that the media environment has shifted and these influencers are undeniably impactful.”

This trend among politicians has given way for a new generation of creators to organize.

Aidan Kohn-Murphy founded Gen-Z For Change, one of the organizations that Biden’s administration collaborated with to promote the vaccine.

The group has most recently been partnering with MadeToSave, an organization helping share information about the vaccine, the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services and the White House to combat misinformation and promote vaccination efforts.

Gen-Z For Change is an organization of over 500 creators, who have a combined following of about 432 million people and garner a total of 1.5 billion views a month.

Their efforts have gotten over 27.5 million views on COVID-19 related videos since the start of the pandemic.

“These numbers are huge, and I think for a long time, adults really struggled to contextualize them,” Kohn-Murphy told ABC News. “I think adults are realizing that these numbers … are actual things that you can put into action.”

Gen-Z For Change’s coalition of creators ranges from dancers to comedians to activists.

Missouri-based TikToker Alaysia Brandy, who goes by “Laysie B” online, has over 1.5 million followers. She began her online activism speaking out about social justice issues related to Black and LGBT communities. As the vaccine rolled out, she made it a point to ask Fauci about her community’s vaccination concerns.

“I know people do not trust the government,” she said, adding that she understands why there would be mistrust given the abuse that Black people have faced in the U.S.

“I understand the hesitation… But I also want to make sure that they are getting the research themselves and making sure they have reliable sources … even when I speak on these issues, I also leave [hyper]links in ways that you can go look at it yourself and see this information yourself.”

Brandy said she hopes to bridge the information gap that has resulted in concerns about getting the shot throughout communities of color. In her home state, fewer than 50% of the total population is fully vaccinated and only 28% of the Black community is part of that group.

“In my videos, I do speak in English and Spanish and make sure I have subtitles just because I want to reach the largest audience possible,” Brandy told ABC News. “And I want to make sure that you understand, like I completely understand where you’re coming from, and I’m not trying to make you feel any less than whatsoever. But I want to talk about this and I want to understand your concerns.”

She said she wants to make sure she addresses all the reasons someone might be wary of the vaccine.

“You can’t lump people in who are distrusting of the government because we have been treated so poorly our entire existence in this country, versus people who just don’t believe in science — because that’s two completely different groups,” Brandy said.

“It is definitely very hard to navigate,” she added. “But when it comes to people saying … ‘The vaccine is going to microchip you’ … you just want to immediately knock down and debunk the stuff that’s disinformation. … Let’s stop the fear mongering so they can actually address the real concerns.”

Lorenz pointed out, however, that the misinformation is only one part of the problem. She said there are influencers who also promote fallacies.

“The campaign is up against a huge tsunami of misinformation on social media. So you have people that are also influencers. They’re solely anti-vax influencers,” Lorenz said. “You have tons of other lifestyle influencers and other people who are promoting just absolute lies. … I mean, it’s actually shocking that people believe some of this stuff.”

She said that seemingly minor inaccuracies like explaining things out of context “can plant a seed of doubt in peoples’ minds, priming them for “absolutely crazy disinformation.” Gen-Z For Change makes it a point to coach its creators about different types of misinformation online. Kohn-Murphy said he brought misinformation and disinformation specialists to the organization, who taught them about the value of a “truth sandwich.”

“[It’s] kind of coming in with a very empathetic approach, explaining a little bit of the truth behind the vaccine and then kind of dislodging the rumors and the misinformation that the person might believe without making them feel small, because nobody ever wants to be told that they’re wrong,” Kohn-Murphy explained. “Then closing out with, again, an empathetic approach and linking them to sources where they can do their own research.”

Each creator that ABC News spoke to noted that some of the inaccuracies they saw online came from their followers’ own parents. Zeiler described this reality as “frustrating.”

“It kind of transferred over [from] what parents wanted, and what adults wanted, which I think [is] why the marketing strategy with the White House was so crucial and so important,” Zeiler said. “Now, I see my friends and people on TikTok who are scrolling through, and they get to be educated themselves before having … past thoughts about the vaccine that their parents created for them, and they get to make their own narrative.”

Brandy said that some of her followers are minors with anti-vax parents who still want to get the vaccine. She said they’ve had to try and convince their parents. “Just talking about how you can help your parents find this information on their own so that they receive it and being able to try to help ease their tensions,” she said.

Experts say it is an uphill battle for these creators. A study published in July by UC San Francisco researchers found that about one in four unvaccinated people aged 18 to 25 said that they “probably will not” or “definitely will not” get the COVID-19 vaccination.

Lorenz said pro-vaccine campaigns do well and can reach millions. However, she said “it’s no match for the stuff that Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok has allowed to spread rampantly for years.”

“They’re up against this very coordinated disinformation network,” she added. “It’s very hard. I think it might just be a drop in the bucket in the end. That’s not to say that it’s not worth doing, but that is all they have control over.”

Kohn-Murphy, on the other hand, believes that if they’re convincing “one person to get vaccinated” or “debunking one person’s misinformed belief” or helping one kid gather the courage to talk to their parents about getting vaccinated, then they’re successful.

A year from now, Brandy said she hopes the pandemic is a thing of the past. She said she wants to do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

“It’s definitely a motivation factor in constantly keeping a fire under me to make sure that I’m doing my part and using my platform and my voice to get that information out there to the audience,” she said.

Zeiler, meanwhile, expressed hope and purpose in the work that she’s been doing.

“I hope that I’m helping, especially when I get that one-on-one interaction where [someone tells me], ‘I got my first shot of the vaccine today because I saw your video,’ or, ‘Because I saw you,’ which is so crazy to say out loud,” she said. “But that is what makes me continue [to] want to do it.”

Detective sues Sig Sauer after she says her holstered P320 handgun nearly killed her

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Det. Brittney Hilton had no idea she had just been shot. All she said she felt at first was an incredible amount of pain, and a “very sick feeling.”

“I was cold at some points, shaking. The fear kind of takes over, the adrenaline takes over,” Hilton told ABC News. “I just said, ‘Am I going to die?’”

“I said, ‘Please just tell my kids that I love them and don’t let them find out on social media that I’ve been shot,’” she continued. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it to the hospital.”

Hilton, a mom of three who has been with the Bridge City, Texas, Police Department for 11 years, said the bullet came within one millimeter — the edge of a penny — from killing her.

But what Hilton said she also didn’t realize at first was that the bullet had come from her own service gun, a semi-automatic pistol called the P320. It was still holstered inside her purse, according to the police report.

Hilton is now suing gunmaker Sig Sauer over the December 2020 incident.

“Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have believed that my gun would just have shot me,” she said. “Gun owners don’t want to think that their gun can just go off without the trigger being pulled.”

Sig Sauer’s P320 is widely used by police departments across the country, and is a big seller in the civilian market, with about half a million sold nationwide.

But now, P320 is the subject of multiple lawsuits in connection with incidents like Hilton’s, where owners claim the weapon fired without the trigger being pulled.

Hilton said she was inside the Bridge City Police station when her gun went off. She still has the purse with the bullet hole in the bottom.

“I picked up my bag, my keys were on top,” she said. “As I walked around my desk, my purse swings out and it shoots out the bottom of my bag.”

It happened so fast, Hilton said, that she didn’t process what was going on at first, but she smelled the gunpowder.

“And then I took one step, and I felt this pain. It felt like a hot rod of metal had just been placed not only in my private, but through my leg,” she said. “and it [the bullet] exits out [of] my lower buttocks.”

Hilton said she still has pain from her injury.

“There’s never a point that I’m really not in pain unless I’m laying down,” she said.

Attorney Jeffrey Bagnell represents Hilton and several other police officers who have filed individual lawsuits against Sig Sauer over the P320.

“I think it’s a very, very serious safety problem for law enforcement and for the public at large,” Bagnell said. “I’m not aware of any other semi-automatic pistol today that has this problem.”

Hilton’s $15 million lawsuit said, “there have been 54 reported uncommanded discharges of the P320,” meaning the gun went off by itself, over the last five years in 22 states and Washington, D.C.

Sig Sauer did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment. The gunmaker has previously denied liability for these incidents and, in some cases, blamed the plaintiffs for negligence. The gunmaker said in an August 2017 press release that “the P320 meets and exceeds all U.S. standards for safety.”

After Hilton’s incident, the Bridge City Police Department had Sig Sauer examine the gun. In Sig Sauer’s response to the Bridge City Police Department after Hilton’s incident, the company contends that “a foreign object entered the trigger guard (causing) the pistol to discharge.”

Hilton disputes that, saying the gun was holstered in her purse and that it would be near impossible for something to wedge inside the holster and be enough to pull the trigger.

“I’m very pro-gun,” Hilton said. “But this gun is so dangerous, and it just scares me that there are so many out there that don’t know the potential it has to go off.”

There are currently 10 pending lawsuits against Sig Sauer for this particular firearm, all alleging the gun went off on its own. A number of those suing the gunmaker said they are in law enforcement with extensive firearms experience.

“It’s not credible to claim that people with this amount of training, this amount of skill are all shooting themselves,” Bagnell said. “These are experts. It’s happening all over the country. … you would have to conclude there’s a problem with the product, not with the people.”

Virginia Sheriff’s Deputy Marcie Vadnais was injured in 2018 when she said her P320 handgun went off on its own as she was removing the weapon from her belt, still in its holster. She said the bullet hit her in the thigh and shattered her femur.

Sig Sauer settled her lawsuit, without admitting wrongdoing, for an undisclosed amount of money the day after the jury heard Vadnais testify at the start of the trial.

Vadnais said she wants the gun off the market.

“I saw what it did to me. I saw what it did to my family. And I don’t want that to happen to anybody else,” she said.

Bagnell said he’s been pressing Sig Sauer to recall the P320 for years, noting that firearms are not subject to any federal safety regulations.

“If this were a car, a phone, a refrigerator, it would’ve been recalled long, long ago,” Bagnell said. “So I think it is unconscionable, given the number of incidents of this gun defectively discharging without a trigger pull would necessitate that someone order it to be recalled, and only Sig can do that.”

While Sig Sauer has continued to dispute that there is anything wrong with the P320, the company offered what it called a “voluntary upgrade” in 2017, saying, “the upgraded P320 has lighter internal components, including a new thinner-profile trigger and a lighter sear and striker. These upgrades will enhance the protection against unintended discharges if the pistol is dropped.”

Then the gunmaker began manufacturing all P320s with the upgrade.

Vadnais’ P320 handgun was not the upgraded version, however, Hilton’s P320 was the upgraded version and her lawyer is convinced the modifications have not fixed the problem.

“The defect has not been addressed,” said Bagnell.

Peter Villani is a veteran police officer with 35 years of experience, including as a firearms instructor and a Sig Sauer-certified armorer — someone who is certified to repair and inspect a firearm — of the P320. He said he believes there are design flaws and manufacturing issues with the firearm.

“I carry Sig. I own Sig. I just don’t own a [P]320, nor would I ever,” he told ABC News, referring to all models of the P320 pistol, including the upgraded version.

Villani, who is an expert witness for Hilton in her lawsuit, said he began investigating the P320 after an officer in his police department was injured by an upgraded version of the gun.

He also referred to body camera footage captured in 2016 that shows an officer’s P320 firing as he was getting out of his cruiser during a traffic stop.

“Something hit my leg,” the officer can be heard saying on the video. “I don’t know if I’m shot or what… I just for the life of me can’t figure out how that went off.”

A second officer whose body camera captured the incident responded: “Yeah, because there’s no– your seat belt wouldn’t have–“

“No, the trigger was completely covered,” the first officer said. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know… I’m glad you’re my witness.”

“When I see videos of police officers getting out of their car and their weapon discharges in their holsters … There’s a problem with the gun,” Villani said.

Firearms expert and ABC News consultant Joshua Harrison agrees there was a problem with the P320, but he believes it’s been fixed.

“There were a lot of changes. It was expensive, and they would not have done that for no reason at all,” Harrison told ABC News. “In my opinion, the only reason Sig would have done that is if they knew there was a safety problem with the original gun, otherwise they would not have done it.”

Harrison said if indeed there are cases of the upgraded versions of the gun firing on their own, it is unclear what would be causing them to do so.

“I have not seen enough to convince me that the upgraded version’s dangerous,” Harrison said. “I do not have an explanation for why the updated version should have these complaints from trained individuals. If it’s not legal momentum, then it would have to be some other mechanism of failure.”

Still, there are at least two police departments that had safety concerns about the P320 and replaced it with a different gun.

In Philadelphia, the transit police SEPTA swapped out its P320s for Glocks after one of its officers had a P320 go off unexpectedly in 2019. The bullet in that case narrowly missed the officer and a woman nearby.

In Stamford, Connecticut, an officer sued Sig Sauer after he says he dropped his P320 and it shot him in the knee. That department replaced all P320s in 2017.

Hilton said her department in Bridge City is ordering new guns, but in the meantime, many of its officers still carry the modified version of the P320 pistol.

“I have a lot of anxiety every day [over this],” Hilton said. “The fact that I carried my purse into my house every single day and my children were at home … Sig put their life at risk. Sig knows they put their life at risk.”

She said she continues to live with the physical and emotional scars from her incident.

“I think that this gun needs to be removed from the shelf,” Hilton said. “I hope it doesn’t take something fatal, and I’m hoping by bringing awareness to the public that maybe it’ll bring attention to Sig to say, ‘Hey, this gun’s an issue, and before it gets someone killed, take it off the shelf. Stop manufacturing this gun. Find a different solution.’”

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at age 80

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80.

A spokesperson for the musician confirmed the news of his death on Tuesday.

‘’It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts,” the statement read. “He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.”

“Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation,” the statement continued. “We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.’’

The Stones announced earlier this month that Watts likely wouldn’t be able to join the band when it kicked off its 2021 “No Filter Tour” of North America.

Fans were told he was recovering from an unspecified medical procedure.

Watts released a statement at the time about his absence from the tour: “For once my timing has been a little off. I am working hard to get fully fit but I have today accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while. After all the fans’ suffering caused by Covid I really do not want the many RS fans who have been holding tickets for this Tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation. I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me.”

A longtime jazz aficionado, Watts developed a rock-steady style and swing that was the perfect complement to The Stones’ blues and R&B-influenced rock.

Other than frontman Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards, Charlie was the only member of the band to appear on every Rolling Stones album.

Here’s just a small sampling of the classic Stones hits featuring Watts: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Paint It, Black,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “Honky Tonk Women,” “Brown Sugar,” “Angie,” “Miss You” and “Start Me Up.”

Watts was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Rolling Stones in 1989.

Outside of the band, Watts has released albums with various jazz, blues and boogie woogie groups, including Rocket 88, The Charlie Watts Orchestra, The Charlie Watts Quintet, The Charlie Watts Tentet and The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie.

In addition to his drumming skills, Watts was known for being a stylish dresser who enjoyed wearing tasteful suits. In 2006, he was chosen for Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List.

Contrary to The Rolling Stones’ bad boy image, Watts was a devoted husband who was married to his wife, Shirley, for over 56 years. The couple have one daughter, Seraphina, born in 1968.

In 2004, Watts was diagnosed with throat cancer, but after receiving radiotherapy treatment, the disease went into remission.

In a 2008 video interview posted on The Stones’ YouTube channel, Charlie reflected on his drumming style, noting, “My thing, whenever I play, is to make it a dance sound. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a blues or whatever, it should swing and bounce.”

Richards was one of the most passionate and vocal fans of Watts’ drumming. In a 2019 interview with U.K. newspaper The Sun, Richards gushed, “He’s absolutely amazing. It’s indescribable to find a drummer like Charlie Watts, exceptionally brilliant.”

Grandparents have adorable wedding photo shoot to celebrate 59th anniversary

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Two grandparents with one great love story celebrated 59 years of marriage by recreating their wedding day — complete with the bride’s original dress.

When Karen and Gary Ryan, both 79, got married in July of 1962 in Pocatello, Idaho, they said their wedding day looked very different to the ones we’re used to seeing today.

“It was so simple,” Karen told Good Morning America. “We went down the aisle, said our vows and went to the basement of our church for the reception.”

“I think we had punch and cookies. It was all over within an hour,” added Gary, who now has two sons and five grandchildren with Karen.

The couple’s daughter-in-law, Nikki, and granddaughter, McCall, each have their own wedding photography business and came up with the idea to stage a wedding photo shoot after the family found Karen’s wedding dress in storage at their current home in Handford, California.

The family was shocked when the wedding dress still fit her perfectly.

“I was really excited, but I just I couldn’t believe what was happening,” Karen said.

And after recent heart trouble for Gary, including a surgery this year to put in another stent, Nikki admitted they “didn’t think he was going to make it.” But after nursing him back to health, the family was determined to make every moment together count.

They still kiss every day, they still hug every day, they still tell each other ‘I love you’ every day, so it’s just really special.

“He’s on oxygen now, so he was really not doing very well the last few months, so we’re like, ‘If we could do this for their anniversary, and he can walk outside, then it’s going to be awesome.'”

The Ryans rented Gary a white tux to match the one he wore in 1962 and spent an hour one afternoon snapping photos of the couple and recreating special details from their original wedding day — and adding some modern traditions.

The couple did a “first look” during the shoot where Karen surprised Gary in her dress for the first time in nearly six decades.

“It was really emotional,” Gary said, adding: “She still looks pretty hot.”

The pair popped champagne and fed each other cake, true to their original reception all those years ago. Karen even wore the veil garter that came with her wedding dress.

“Just looking at the two photos, like that was them 60 years ago, and this is them now and they’re still just as in love. They just have so much fun together, always laughing, and they are such a solid team,” granddaughter McCall said.

The Ryans said one difference between weddings then and now is the price tag. The couple estimated their 1962 nuptials cost $500, a far cry from The Knot’s average 2019 wedding cost of $23,000.

“They spent $500 and they are still happy and in love,” said McCall.

“They still kiss every day, they still hug every day, they still tell each other ‘I love you’ every day so it’s just really special,” Nikki added.

Their biggest advice to other couples is to “just don’t take anything too seriously, unless it is serious. Just have fun in life.

Laverne Cox on why she ‘never’ wants to be a parent

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Laverne Cox is opening up to fans about her decision not to have children.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, the Emmy nominated actress made it clear that she isn’t interested in raising children because she is still working on herself.

“I see so many friends and colleagues becoming parents. I’m happy for all of you,” said Cox, 49, in a black and white text post. “I’m even happier for me, ecstatic even that I am NOT becoming a parent ever, never ever.”

She declared, “The thought brings me so much joy!”

“Enjoy the most important job on the planet, raising children. I’m enjoying watching you from a distance,” the “Promising Young Woman” star explained.

She said she is “doing the work of reparenting” her “inner child,” which she said is “more than enough work.”

Cox captioned the announcement, “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.”

Many of the actress’ fans and followers took to the comments to praise her honesty. Many also said they related to not wanting children and commended her for publicly stating it.

Spending out of control post-COVID lockdown? Here are five tips from a money expert

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — For people who were fortunate enough to be employed during the coronavirus pandemic, the past 18 months of lockdown have provided one silver lining, a boon to their wallets.

With dining out and happy hours cut to a minimum and commutes gone for people who could work remotely, the pandemic inadvertently became a money saver for people lucky enough to do so.

As restaurants, stores and beauty salons reopen and with some returning to the office, the urge to spend is back.

With the economy on the rebound, Americans are now spending an average $765 more a month than they did this same time last year, according to the MassMutual Consumer Spending & Saving Index.

Millennials and Gen Z are spending even more, dishing out an average of $1,016 more per month compared to last summer, with the majority of the money going toward travel and dining out, according to the index.

“Now, with the ability to travel and go out more freely, [people are] making big plans and possibly spending more than they normally would to ‘make up for lost time,’ as they see it,” Farnoosh Torabi, editor-at-large of CNET Personal Finance and host of the “So Money” podcast. “There may be a tendency to go overboard.”

On the flip side, people who struggled financially during the pandemic — a large percentage of the U.S. population — may have a harder time keeping up with increased expenses, according to Torabi.

Just over 50% of U.S. households have any type of savings account, according to an analysis released this month by Consumer Federation of America, an association of non-profit consumer organizations.

“People who suffered financial losses in the pandemic are likely having a hard time budgeting, especially in the face of inflation and rising costs,” she said. “Prices on everything from coffee to cars have gone up in recent months. There’s definitely some sticker shock going on.”

Here are five tips from Torabi to help find your footing financially in this next stage of the pandemic.

1. Keep your emotions separate from spending.

“It’s important to be mindful of your emotions related to spending and saving right now,” said Torabi. “The pandemic was traumatic and coming out of this experience, many of our emotions will linger.”

“Making financial decisions in a highly emotional state is never wise. So take time to reflect and reevaluate your goals and values, which may have changed dramatically over the course of the pandemic,” she said. “Get clear on any lifestyle changes you may want to make, the relationship or career shifts you may newly desire, and from here, start to design a new financial roadmap for yourself that’s aligned with all of that.”

“There’s no sense in rushing to make financial choices that don’t match your goals,” added Torabi.

2. Prioritize building your savings.

Torabi advises saving money as a top priority, even over paying debt.

“The pandemic woke many of us up to the fact that life is fragile and it can take very unexpected turns, and along with that, it reminded us of the importance of having a healthy savings cushion that can help us ride out several months of unemployment or financial loss,” she said. “That’s first and foremost.”

When it comes to prioritizing savings over debt, Torabi explained, “That may sound controversial to some, but if you are starting at $0 in savings, it’s important to dedicate as much of your paycheck as possible — and quickly — towards having a minimum 6 months of your bare-bones living expenses reserved in a savings account.”

“Pay the minimums on your debts every month, of course. But contribute any extra income towards your emergency savings first before any other financial goal,” she said. “Start small if you have to, but just start.”

Torabi also recommends making your savings payments automatic, like having it taken out automatically from your paycheck.

“When you earn a lump sum of cash for a holiday, birthday or tax refund, funnel it towards savings first, all until you save a minimum six months worth of your necessary monthly living expenses,” she said, also suggesting the app Digit, which helps users save small amounts of money, like $5 here and there.

3. Spend money on needs, not wants.

“Prior to the pandemic, we may have been spending money on items that didn’t really fulfill us or create meaningful value, things like subscription services or fancy clothes,” she said. “But we learned again what matters most like our affording health care, investing in a support system in your life and investing in experiences that create memories, as opposed to shiny objects that lose their luster after a while.”

4. Don’t spend to ‘catch up’ with people on social media.

“Pace yourself and be true to your financial reality, not your friends’ or what you see on social media that’s pressuring you to spend,” recommends Torabi. “Honestly, social media can be a costly influence, so if you find yourself triggered to spend because of ads or friends’ experiences on Instagram, step away from the app for a while. And take time to get clear on your personal goals.”

“From there, take it month by month,” she said.

5. Reverse-engineer your money goals.

“Think of creating a ‘new normal’ way of life for yourself that takes into account all the lessons and learnings of the last 18 months,” said Torabi. “If there’s an experience you really want to afford, then create a plan and start saving now. Reverse-engineer it. If you start saving a little today, you have a far better chance of achieving your goal in good time.”

Torabi said a similar approach can be taken when it comes to budgeting for eating out.

“If it helps, create financial ‘rules’ for yourself related to eating out like, ‘I will pack lunch three out of five days and leave two days of the week for eating out,'” she said. “Or reserve a budget ahead of time for lunches and coffee so that you can better plan for these expenses and not feel guilty.”

“I’d never say to someone, ‘Don’t have the latte,'” she added. “Instead, figure out what plans or trade-offs you can arrange to afford that more comfortably.”

Kathy Hochul takes charge to regain New Yorkers’ trust as she assumes governor’s seat

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As Kathy Hochul assumes office and becomes New York’s first female governor, she will have several ongoing challenges facing the state.

The still pressing COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s economic recovery, gun violence in New York City and the rollout of the newly approved recreational marijuana rules are just some of the areas that the new governor will likely have to address in the near future.

However, political experts say her most important task is regaining the trust of New Yorkers following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s exit. And they say Hochul’s already showing she’s up to the task with her rhetoric and actions over the last two weeks.

“She has established some goodwill because she’s been visiting people all over the district,” Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University, told ABC News.

Greer and other experts said that New Yorkers are looking at Albany to get back on track after the investigations into Cuomo’s sexual harassment allegations and handling of nursing home deaths from COVID-19.

Greer noted that Hochul is in the same position as Gov. David Paterson was in 2008 when he assumed office, following Elliot Spitzer’s resignation over a prostitution scandal that rocked state politics. Like Patterson, Hochul had decades of experience in New York state politics and will be making history.

The governor’s grace period may not be as long as other elected officials given the increased attention on the state from all over the world as it rides out the pandemic and moves to recover economically, Greer warned.

“She’ll be entering into a different type of spotlight and she’ll have to expect that she’s going to be scrutinized more,” she said.

Hochul acknowledged these issues during a news conference on Aug. 11, a day after Cuomo announced his plans to resign. She said she will “fight like hell” for New Yorkers and pushed on an agenda that focused on increasing COVID-19 vaccinations, and reopening state businesses safely.

Hochul, who said she was not close with Cuomo, told reporters that she would remove the stigma created by her predecessor’s scandals and aggressive reputation when it came to working with other state leaders.

“No one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment,” she said.

Sally Friedman, an associate professor of political science at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University of Albany, told ABC News that Hochul has backed up her rhetoric through her years engaging with all New York communities.

Since she was elected as lieutenant governor in 2014, she has traveled the state and shown up at events such as community block parties and advocated for several proposals such as equal pay and empowerment opportunities for minorities, Friedman said.

Friedman said there has never been any indication that Hochul has been a bully or was demeaning to anyone, unlike her predecessor, and that change of attitude will go a long way.

“It helps because she knows a lot of people, and she is liked,” Friedman said.

Hochul has kept up that schedule over the last two weeks with in-person events throughout the state. The governor was also active on her social media accounts, talking about recent news such as Hurricane Henri.

Hochul’s first major item as governor Wednesday will be meeting with the leaders of the New York State Assembly and Senate. The Buffalo native and upstate resident vowed to choose a lieutenant governor from the downstate region.

Friedman added that Hochul’s announcement that she would run for re-election next year would help her during her transition. Now constituents and other leaders won’t have to spend time pondering about her political future and can focus on policy, according to the professor.

“That’s a take-charge move and she did it quickly,” Friedman said.

At the same time, knowing Hochul will spend next year campaigning does open her up to more scrutiny, Greer said. Every action she takes in office will be brought up in addition to any of her past work during an election run, according to Greer.

“She’s taking a gamble on herself,” Greer said.

Hochul addressed one of her ideological changes during her Aug. 11 news conference after a reporter asked about her previous opposition to a state law that allowed undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses. The governor praised the law and said that her views on it changed like a lot of other New Yorkers.

Friedman said Hochul’s transparency is already a good first step to earning her trust with constituents.

No matter what the next few months may bring, the political experts said Hochul’s administration will be a defining moment not just for the state but also for women in politics. Friedman said Hochul is fully aware of her historic role and would work to ensure that it adds a positive chapter to New York’s history books.

“I know a lot of women are looking forward to seeing her take charge,” she said. “It’s going to be an exciting moment for the state.”

COVID-19 live updates: Three Houston-area emergency rooms shutter due to surge

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 629,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 60.2% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Aug 24, 6:43 am
Tokyo Paralympics kicks off amid COVID-19 crisis

The delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday as Japan grapples with a growing COVID-19 crisis that has showed no signs of slowing down.

Protesters calling for the Games to be canceled gathered outside the Olympic Stadium in Japan’s capital ahead of Tuesday’s opening ceremony. Like the 2020 Olympics, which ended on Aug. 8, this year’s Paralympics is taking place amid a state of emergency. More than a dozen Japanese prefectures, including Tokyo, are currently under emergency measures related to COVID-19. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were both postponed a year due to the pandemic.

Japan’s daily number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases has been breaking records in recent days and weeks, while the daily death toll has stayed below the record 216 fatalities reported on May 18. The Japanese government and the Tokyo metropolitan government issued a joint appeal on Monday to hospitals in the capital to admit more COVID-19 patients as cases rise.

“The delta variant’s strong infectiousness just isn’t comparable to previous ones,” Japanese Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said as he stood alongside Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. “We would like to have further support from the medical community to secure hospital beds for coronavirus patients.”

Aug 24, 3:59 am
3 Houston-area emergency rooms shutter due to COVID-19 surge

Memorial Hermann, one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in southeast Texas, said Monday it was forced to close three of its 24-hour emergency rooms in the Houston area “due to the continued COVID-19 surge.”

The emergency rooms inside Memorial Hermann’s convenient care centers in the Kingwood, Spring and Sienna neighborhoods will remain closed “until further notice.”

“Patients who are currently receiving care inside any of these Emergency Rooms will be safely discharged or transferred to another Memorial Hermann facility,” the health system said in an announcement on its website. “Members of our community who require emergent care should proceed to another nearby Emergency Center for assistance.”

Aug 23, 9:35 pm
Hawaii governor urges tourists to stay away

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is urging tourists to stay away from the state, which saw a huge number of visitors over the summer, due to the increase in COVID-19 cases.

“It is not a good time to travel to the islands. I encourage everyone to restrict and curtail travel to Hawaii,” Ige said at a news conference Monday.

The islands are dealing with a big COVID surge due to the delta variant, but have a limited number of hospitals. The governor even suggested that another full lockdown is on the table.

“Is a lockdown on the table? Yes, it would be if the number of cases continues to grow exponentially as it has in the last 10 weeks … then we will have to take action to limit and ensure that the hospitals aren’t overrun,” Ige said Monday.

Aug 23, 7:35 pm
CDC director touts FDA’s Pfizer approval

In an interview with ABC News’ Linsey Davis, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said she hopes unvaccinated Americans are spurred into action following Monday’s Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Walensky said the FDA is “the gold standard for the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines,” and the move was “powerful signal in the safety and effectiveness.”

“We have an extraordinary amount of data, and I’m really pleased that the FDA not just took their time and did the due diligence that needed to be done, but did it quickly and efficiently to bring this to the American people as soon as possible,” she said.

Walensky didn’t have a timetable for when the Moderna vaccine would get full approval since they haven’t submitted its data to the FDA yet.

She did say that the current expectation is that the Pfizer vaccine will be authorized for children ages 5 to 12 by November.

While Walensky said she prefers Americans voluntarily get their shots, she encouraged more vaccine mandates to spur people.

“We’ve already seen just today many come through so that people will recognize if they were on the fence and they just needed that extra push that these mandates will get them there,” she said.

Wisconsin’s Democratic Senate primary could be referendum on Biden

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Wisconsin’s next Senate election isn’t until Nov. 8, 2022, but already there are 11 candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in a party primary that could prove to be an early referendum on President Joe Biden.

Political observers told ABC News that generational changes and other factors at play in the August 2022 primary also have implications for next year’s midterm congressional elections.

Wisconsin is considered a state that can often swing either Democrat and Republican. In 2020, the state was split 49% for Biden and 49% for Trump, with Biden holding a narrow lead of around 20,000 votes, according to ABC News’ election results.

The seat up for grabs is now held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, and Democrats hope to flip it as they try to maintain control of the Senate.

There are currently 11 candidates in the Democratic primary:

Adam Murphy, a business consultant
Alex Lasry, an executive for the Milwaukee Bucks (on leave) and host committee chair for the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Chantia Lewis, an alderwoman in Milwaukee
Darrell Williams, Wisconsin’s Emergency Management Administrator
Gillian Battino, a radiologist
Kou Lee, a restaurant owner
Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Peter Peckarsky, an attorney
Sarah Godlewski, Wisconsin’s State Treasurer
Steven Olikara, founder and former CEO of the Millennial Action Project advocacy organization
Tom Nelson, County Executive of Wisconsin’s Outagamie County

Among the highest-profile candidates is Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who launched his campaign in early August.

One of Barnes’ competitors in the Senate primary, Wisconsin State Sen. Chris Larson, dropped out of the race and endorsed Barnes. When a candidate drops out, that can be a sign that party support is beginning to coalesce around a different candidate, Julia Azari, Assistant Chair of the Department of Political Science at Marquette University in Milwaukee, told ABC News.

“It seems like the progressive community in Wisconsin is behind Barnes,” Azari said.

Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry also is high profile — especially after the team’s championship win earlier this year — and has a formidable war chest. Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, meanwhile, has experience bridging partisan divides, as a Democrat elected in a county that has voted twice for Trump.

But given how well-known Barnes is in the state, is he a shoo-in as the party’s Senate pick?

Political science professor Barry Burden of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who directs the school’s Elections Research Center, told ABC News that “no one’s a shoo-in, nope. Barnes has a lot of advantages … but he has some liabilities, too.”

He said those include controversy over whether Barnes misled people over when he received his college degree, or complaints that he has not accomplished enough as lieutenant governor.

Another element at play: candidates such as Barnes, Wisconsin State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, and Millennial Action Project founder Steven Olikara are young and dynamic, Burden said.

That’s in contrast to older politicians such as Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Biden, Burden said, and something people in the party might be looking for.

But Azari cautioned against viewing the primary as being about generational divides.

“I think this is what is going to be important, ultimately, in the Senate race, which is a kind of balance between national partisan politics, and local concerns,” Azari said. “To the extent that this turns into a kind of generational war that we see on Twitter or in the Atlantic … that has not proved successful for Democratic Senate candidates.”

She cited former Sen. Russ Feingold’s defeat in Wisconsin in 2010, where he ran as a “maverick” in a way that was unsustainable for a national race.

However, Azari does think there is a generational shift at play in Congress, a shift to a generation that has not yet been been heard from at national levels; folks that are maybe a decade younger than the last round of younger emergent people, like [former Speaker of the House] Paul Ryan [from Wisconsin], 10 or 15 years younger.

Overshadowing the race — and tying it to the power of former President Donald Trump’s influence — is the overriding question of whether Johnson will run for reelection.

First elected in 2010, Johnson said in 2016 he would not serve more than two terms, but then said after the 2020 presidential election he was rethinking that, in case it helps Republicans keep the Senate seat, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

He has also been a staunch Trump ally, and the former president has already endorsed him — even though Johnson has yet to announce if he’ll run.

Trump’s endorsement “could mean financial support; it could mean he flies to Wisconsin and does a rally or other things,” Burden said, adding that at least, the endorsement puts more pressure on Johnson to run.

Both Burden and Azari said that Democrats’ campaigns seem to be focusing on targeting Johnson, and so they may have difficulty adjusting their campaigns if Johnson decides not to run.

And the questions surrounding Trump’s role in the race point to broader questions in 2022.

“To me it’s really interesting … to see the extent to which 2022 is a referendum on Biden’s presidency, which is sort of normal [during the] midterm [of the presidency]; and how much it continues to be a referendum on Trumpism, which is not normal,” Azari said. “And I think the political science field is pretty divided on this: the degree to which Trump and Trumpism kind of loom over the political system.”

“I think if you were to pick, randomly, ten political scientists who study this, you would get, you would get the whole spectrum of answers,” Azari said. That ranges from whether “Trump has completely taken over the party… to, Trump is not an important figure in the Republican Party — it is what it was turning into prior to Trump.”

Kathy Hochul sworn in as first female New York governor

August 24, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

(ALBANY, N.Y.) — Former Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was sworn in as New York’s first female governor at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

“Honored to be officially sworn in as New York’s 57th Governor,” Hochul tweeted from her new official governor account. The website for the governor of New York was also updated shortly after midnight.

Hochul was sworn in by the state’s chief judge, Janet DiFiore, in a private ceremony at the state capitol in Albany. A public swearing-in ceremony will be held for Hochul at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Red Room of the state capitol building, though she wasted no time in announcing the first two appointments of her administration, picking Karen Persichilli Keogh, a former senior aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton, as secretary to the governor and Elizabeth Fine, executive vice president and general counsel of Empire State Development (New York’s economic development agency), as counsel to the governor.

“I’m excited about this,” Hochul said last week during a visit to New York City’s Queens borough. “I’m excited about this opportunity. I’m very prepared for this.”

In a blistering farewell address to constituents on Monday, now former Gov. Andrew Cuomo blasted the state attorney general’s five-month investigation that found he sexually harassed multiple women, calling it a “political firecracker” that triggered an “unfair and unjust” rush to judgment against him.

The 63-year-old Cuomo later submitted his resignation in a letter Monday to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie, effective at 12 a.m., Aug. 24. “I hereby tender my resignation for the office of Governor of the State of New York,” Cuomo wrote. “It has been my pleasure to serve with you both.”

But in an address, Cuomo used the opportunity to slam the allegations against him and tout his accomplishments as governor.

“Let me say now that when government politicizes allegations and the headlines condemn without facts, you undermine the justice system and that doesn’t serve women and it doesn’t serve men or society,” Cuomo said. “I understand that there are moments of intense political pressure and media frenzy that cause a rush to judgment, but that is not right. It’s not fair or sustainable. Facts still matter.”

Cuomo, who has insisted he did not touch anyone inappropriately, announced his resignation on Aug. 13, ten days after State Attorney General Letitia James made public the results of an investigation she alleged found the governor sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former state employees, and had retaliated against one of his accusers.

“A firecracker can start a stampede, but at one point everyone looks around and says, ‘Why are we running?'” The truth is ultimately always revealed,” Cuomo said. “The attorney general’s report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic and it worked. There was a political and media stampede but the truth will (come) out in time. Of that I am confident.”

Cuomo also sought to establish a legacy beyond the allegations that drove him from office, saying, “No governor in the nation has passed more progressive measures than I have.” He listed his accomplishments, including a refurbished LaGuardia Airport, a new Penn Station transportation terminal in New York City and marriage equality as cornerstones to what he called a “new paradigm of government that actually works.”

He offered advice for the pandemic that made him a national figure for the empathy and seriousness he showed during his daily press briefings on the crisis. And he reminded listeners that under his leadership, “We faced up to the facts and we made the tough but necessary decisions.”

Cuomo acknowledged that Hochul would become governor and said, “I believe she will step up to the challenge.”

But he returned to the scandal that has led to his dramatic downfall.

“Now there are moments in life that test our character, that asks us are we the person we believe we are or are we the person we try to be at our best. You know me, I am a fighter and my instinct is to fight this because it is unfair and unjust in my mind,” Cuomo said.

“But you also know that I love New York and I serve you,” he said. “That is the oath that I took. And in this moment, I believe the right thing is that my service comes first. Prolonging this situation could only cause governmental paralysis and that is just not an option for you and not an option for the state, especially now.”

He began his last day on the job Monday with his top aid releasing a statement on his behalf, saying Cuomo “has no interest in running for office again.”

Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, issued a statement on Cuomo’s immediate plans when he leaves the job he claimed a decade ago, one once held by his late father, Mario Cuomo.

DeRosa said that Cuomo has spent nearly 25 years in public service, from being secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration in the 1990s to getting elected state attorney general in 2006 and serving as governor since 2010.

“And the way he does it, it’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said DeRosa, whose resignation on Aug. 8 as the most powerful unelected bureaucrat in state government will also take effect Monday night. “He looks forward to spending time with his family and has a lot of fishing to catch up on. He is exploring a number of options, but has no interest in running for office again.”

Over the weekend, Cuomo sought to show he was in control until the end as he presided over briefings on Tropical Storm Henri. He requested his emergency management team remain in place and said Hochul had been briefed despite her absence from the news conferences.

Attempting to keep reporters “on topic,” Cuomo asked that questions be limited to the storm.

“We’re dealing with an emergency, and New Yorkers want to hear about an emergency,” Cuomo said.

The first question he took was whether he still planned to resign on Monday.

“And, yes, my final day is [Monday],” Cuomo said.

Unlike Cuomo, who honed his political instincts at the hip of his father, Hochul’s political career began on a town council in Western New York. She briefly served in Congress and has been lieutenant governor for seven years.

Among Hochul’s first tasks will be appointing a new lieutenant governor, and she has said it would be someone from a New York City borough. She has signaled there would be “turnover” from the Cuomo administration, particularly among those in the Executive Chamber that were named in the state attorney general’s report as enabling Cuomo’s alleged harassment.

“I’m looking forward at the right time to introducing the members of my administration,” Hochul said.

Another priority is the pandemic and repopulating the depleted ranks of the state’s health department.

Hochul said the state has the authority to mandate masks in schools statewide and has said she believes “we will need mask mandates for children to go back to school … and that will have to be universal, it will be statewide.”

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