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Incarcerated women train service dogs to detect disabling conditions

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Natalie Tapio has been living with a chronic seizure disorder, but with her service dog Dexter by her side, managing her condition has become a little easier.

He will alert her when she’s about to seize.

Tapio started experiencing catatonic seizures, a form of epilepsy, in 2014, which caused periods of semi-consciousness that rendered her unable to move. Eventually, she was suffering multiple, potentially debilitating seizures a day, that would happen at any time. Tapio’s doctors soon identified abnormal brainwaves after performing an EEG.

“The seizures were so unpredictable and silent, usually, and so there always has to be someone very attentive close by,” Tapio said. “[My] mom and I were basically inseparable. She would come into the bathroom with me when I needed to bathe or do anything. Really … wherever I went, she went.”

Her life changed three years ago after she learned about seizure alert dogs and eventually met Dexter.

“[Dexter] will alert me and then dial a dog phone, which has my parents’ phone numbers on it, and then [he] retrieves a pouch which will have any necessities for me, like medication, water [and] my cell phone,” she said.

Lisa Tapio, Natalie Tapio’s mother, found out about seizure alert dogs through a family member and began to research them, eventually coming across Little Angels. After Natalie Tapio submitted her medical information, she was accepted into the program.

Once Dexter was paired with Tapio, his first task was learning to paw her leg, alerting her when she was on the verge of a seizure. To do this, Lisa Tapio was asked to collect her daughter’s “seizure scent” by swabbing Natalie’s hands and the inside of her cheeks before, during and after a seizure. Dexter was trained with those scents and in 2018, he was ready to meet his new owner.

Dexter was raised by what some might consider an unlikely group of trainers: inmates at the California Correctional Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California. Some of the inmates there are volunteers with Pups Uplifting Prisoner’s Spirits, or PUPS. The prison program is run by the non-profit Little Angels Service Dogs, a nationwide team that trains service dogs to help people living with disabilities and disabling conditions.

It was at the prison that ABC News met the group of women, all convicted felons, who’ve been training the dogs that might one day save people’s lives. Many of the women said the program has presented them with an opportunity for personal redemption.

“This isn’t just about training a dog,” said Amy Davis, an inmate at the prison. “[We] are training service dogs that save lives, and it’s about what the service dogs do to us to help us grow and continue to grow, and to heal our own wounds. You can’t be in this program and not grow. It doesn’t work [like that].”

Through the PUPS program, inmates have helped train dogs that have assisted medical technicians, people with autism, people with psychiatric conditions and those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Dana Froomin, the prison program manager for Little Angels Service Dogs, admitted that she was initially concerned for the dogs safety when she was tasked with starting the PUPS program in 2017. Her concerns waned, she said, when she met the inmates, and has found the work to be rewarding.

The dogs graduate from their training after 12 to 18 months and then are sent to one of two Little Angels ranches in San Diego, California, or New Hampshire. Once they arrive, they go through advanced training to perfect their skills before they are eventually paired with a recipient or released from the program.

Any inmate can apply to participate in the program, says Froomin. Once they submit an application, they are selected based on three main criteria: physical and mental health, commitment level and their interests. Once selected, inmates sign on for a two-year commitment where they care for and train a dog.

“When I got here, I realized that these are women with stories, and they’re heart-wrenching stories, and they were so open and honest,” said Froomin. “It changed me because I realized that the dogs weren’t just changing the recipients’ lives, they were changing [the inmates’] lives, and then they changed mine.”

Inmate Amber Ingram, the lead trainer in the program, believes that PUPS helps her to deal with the guilt and shame she feels after she was convicted for the second-degree murder of her 5-year-old son, Braeden. Ingram said she her son was killed by an abusive boyfriend.

Ingram said that she protects the dogs no matter what and it is her way of not only remembering her son but honoring him, too.

“I can’t allow anything bad to happen to this dog,” she said. “If someone were to want to kick my dog, I’m jumping in front of it.”

To Natalie Tapio, Little Angels and the women at the PUPS program are saving lives, she said.

“People with epilepsy often have this constant kind of cloud over their head or worry in the back of their mind of, ‘When will the next seizure happen? Where will I be? What will I be doing,’” she said. “I don’t need to have that anymore, and so that’s very freeing.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to backlash over ‘Tax the Rich’ Met Gala gown

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., responded Monday night to backlash sparked by her controversial Met Gala gown emblazoned with the words “Tax the Rich,” saying she intended to carry the message into a wealthy space and borrowed the dress because “while the Met is known for its spectacle, we should have a conversation about it.”

The New York congresswoman dominated talk about the gala on social media, with people calling her a hypocrite for wearing her economic justice message on the back of a fancy dress while attending a charity event attended by New York and Hollywood elites with tickets that cost $35,000 a pop.

Republicans on social media questioned why Ocasio-Cortez would attend an event for society’s elite if she wants to tax the rich.

Sen. Rich Scott, R-Fla., said in a tweet Tuesday that Ocasio-Cortez “wants to tax the rich but took time out of her busy schedule to hob knob with NY and Hollywood elites who paid $30k to attend the #MetGala (and deduct it from their taxes).”

Larry Elder, the conservative talk radio host running against Gov. Gavin Newsom in California’s recall election, tweeted the headline of an article about Ocasio-Cortez’s dress with the accompanying hashtag “#WeveGotACountryToSave.”

Florida’s Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez also took to Twitter Monday night saying, “Only in America where a self-described Democratic socialist can wear a $10k “tax the rich” dress, pay $30k for a ticket, and be praised as a champion for the poor. Champagne socialists like AOC are far removed from reality.”

Ocasio-Cortez was quick to respond, explaining on social media that New York City elected officials are often invited to the gala and attend “due to our responsibilities in overseeing our city’s cultural institutions that serve the public” — pointing out that she was one of several of the city’s politicians in attendance.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., were also present at the annual event, which was canceled last year due to the coronavirus.

Ocasio-Cortez also made note on her Instagram account that the dress was borrowed from designer Aurora James, who attended the gala along with the congresswoman.

James is the founder of Brother Vellies, a clothing brand focused on traditional African designs and sustainability, and the 15 Percent Pledge, a nonprofit that challenges major retailers to commit a minimum of 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses, according to their respective websites.

In an interview during Vogue’s livestream of the gala, Ocasio-Cortez and James explained the idea behind the controversial dress.

“We really started having a conversation about what it means to be working-class women of color at the Met, and we said, ‘We can’t just play along, but we need to break the fourth wall and challenge some of the institutions,'” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And while the Met is known for its spectacle, we should have a conversation about it.”

Ocasio-Cortez, on Instagram, said, “The time is now for childcare, healthcare, and climate action for all. Tax the Rich.”

On CNN Tuesday morning, James reiterated that the concept behind the gown was to bring the message of economic justice to a gathering of the wealthy.

“The Met Gala is obviously one of the most exclusive events in the world, and we wanted to come and deliver a message. And I think when we talk about inclusion and gaining access to closed rooms for people of color, when you finally get a seat at the table you have to decide what the message is that you want to deliver,” James said. “I think for the congresswoman, I think for myself, economic equality and economic justice is sort of top of mind.”

Former officers involved in George Floyd’s death plead not guilty

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(MINNEAPOLIS) — Four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd pleaded not guilty to charges in federal court Tuesday.

Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao have been charged with violating Floyd’s constitutional rights in ways that “resulted in bodily injury to, and the death of, George Floyd,” according to the federal grand jury indictment.

The hearing may address some of the pretrial motions, including requests from Lane, Kueng and Thao asking to separate their cases from Chauvin’s. Chauvin was convicted in Floyd’s murder in April 2021 and his fellow ex-officers argue that they would not get a fair trial if connected to Chauvin.

Floyd was killed in May 2020 when he was placed under arrest on the suspicion that he was using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a convenience store.

Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. He was sentenced to 22 and-a-half-years in prison.

Judge Peter Cahill rejected Chauvin’s request for a new trial in June.

The federal indictment accuses Chauvin, Thao, Kueng and Lane of depriving Floyd of his rights when they witnessed him “in clear need” of medical care but instead “willfully failed to aid Floyd.”

Thao and Kueng are charged with violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure. All four officers are also charged with depriving Floyd of his rights when they failed to provide him with medical care. The officers acted “with deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm,” the indictment said.

Lane, Kueng and Thao also face a state trial on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter and have entered not guilty pleas on those charges as well.

While Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck at times during the arrest, Kueng kneeled on his back and Lane held down Floyd’s legs, according to evidence presented in state court. Thao blocked bystanders from getting involved.

The indictment also accuses Chauvin of violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure or force by a law enforcement officer.

Following Chauvin’s murder conviction, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Justice Department has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the City of Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Police Department said it would investigate unconstitutional or unlawful policing in the city.

SCOTUS allowing Texas to mostly ban abortions ‘very bad’ but not political: Justice Breyer

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Justice Stephen Breyer said Tuesday the Supreme Court’s recent 5-4 decision allowing Texas to effectively ban abortion across the state was “very bad” but not politically motivated.

“We don’t trade votes, and members of the court have different judicial philosophies,” Breyer, the court’s most senior liberal justice, told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“Some emphasize more text. … Some, like me, probably emphasize more purposes. And the great divisions are probably much more along those lines than what we would think of as political lines,” Breyer said.

“I thought that was a very bad decision and I dissented,” he said.

The court’s denial of the request from Texas abortion providers to temporarily put state law SB8 on hold also drew sharp criticism from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who wrote in dissent that the court chose to “ignore its constitutional obligations … the sanctity of its precedents and of the rule of law.”

Breyer explained that “a rule of law means you sometimes follow decisions you don’t like.”

The 83-year-old justice has published a new book — “The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics” — defending the Supreme Court as a nonpartisan institution whose power depends on credibility among Americans of all viewpoints.

“That’s a treasure, and it’s been built up over many many years,” Breyer told Stephanopoulos.

“I am worried if people don’t understand it,” he said, “they won’t have trust in our institutions. And if they don’t have trust in institutions, it becomes difficult if not impossible to live in a society of 331 million people of tremendous diversity.”

Breyer, the court’s oldest member, has come under intense pressure from progressives to step down while Democrats control the Senate and White House.

He told GMA that he is thinking about retirement but has not yet made a decision on timing.

“There are many different considerations,” Breyer said. “I do not intend to die there on the court; I hope not.”

Young people experiencing ‘widespread’ psychological distress over government handling of looming climate crisis, researchers say

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Children and young people around the world are experiencing increasing anxiety over the fate of the planet — specifically climate change and how lawmakers are handling the looming crisis, according to new research.

Scientists who surveyed 10,000 young people, ages 16 to 25, across 10 countries, found “widespread psychological distress” among them, and, for the first time, discovered that the anxiety was significantly related to perceived government inaction, according to a study published Tuesday in Lancet Planetary Health.

Nearly half of all young people surveyed, more than 45%, said their feelings about climate change negatively affect their daily life and functioning, according to the study.

Another 75% of those surveyed said they feel the future is frightening, while 64% said governments are not doing enough to avoid a climate catastrophe.

Of the young people surveyed, 58% said governments are betraying hem, while 61% said governments are not protecting them, the planet or future generations.

The study is the largest to ever research climate anxiety among children and young people and is the first to investigate how government action on climate change is related to widespread psychological distress among the youngest members of society, according to the authors.

“Climate change has significant implications for the health and futures of children and young people, yet they have little power to limit its harm, making them vulnerable to increased climate anxiety,” according to the researchers.

The results of the study were not surprising and indicate a lack of trust toward the government as well as the perception of institutional betrayal, Lisa Van Susteren, a general and forensic psychiatrist and co-author of the study, told ABC News. The findings are also “as much a measure” of climate denial among adults as they are a measure of kids’ anxiety, Van Susteren said.

“Kids are very media savvy. They’re not living in a cave,” Van Susteren said. “They have heard about what the future looks like. They’ve heard the warnings.”

Scientists warned of the dire situation the planet faces in the annual Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released last month.

“This report tells us that recent changes in the climate are widespread, rapid and intensifying, unprecedented in thousands of years,” said IPCC Vice Chair Ko Barrett, senior climate adviser for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Young people have been at the forefront of the climate fight for some years — with 18-year-old activist Greta Thunberg becoming a household name in 2018, and hundreds of thousands of young people around the world taking part in an organized global climate strike in 2019.

As an expert witness, Van Susteren performed psychological evaluations on the young people who were plaintiffs in Juliana V. United States, the 2015 federal lawsuit brought about by 21 youths who accused the government of failing to adequately combat climate change. She described it as “one of the most difficult experiences” in her career.

“You can clearly see that theirs depths of despair just are off the charts and are in part attributed to the sense that the future holds little promise,” Van Susteren said.

The case was dismissed in January 2020, but lawyers representing the plaintiffs intend to appeal the dismissal, they announced in February.

The researchers concluded that climate change and inadequate governmental response are associated with climate anxiety and distress in children and young people globally. Continued government inaction on climate change could lead to a public health crisis among the youth, the researchers warned.

Van Susteren described a “healing effect” that could take place if lawmakers and industry professionals were to do “the right thing” to significantly curb greenhouse gas emissions.

“They’re not going to heal with words alone,” she said. “They’re going to heal because of actions that are taken.”

Remote workers spur housing boom in smaller US cities, drive up prices

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Travis and Emily Elwood never imagined that they would call Billings, Montana, home.

The couple moved here from Portland, Oregon, last year when the pandemic forced them to reevaluate their priorities.

“I think humans just… are creatures of habit,” Travis Elwood told “Nightline.” “The pandemic coming in and forcing a change, versus one that you volunteer for, really just shook things up and everybody’s day-to-day lives and just kind of opened their eyes. [The massive change] broke off those chains and shackles [that] kind of held them in place.”

He and his wife are part of a great reshuffling taking place in the U.S. According to American real estate company Zillow, more than one in ten Americans have moved in the past year.

“For a long time, people have thought to move closer to cities because that’s where jobs are and if you wanted to minimize your commute, you wanted to get as close as possible. Now, as a result of the pandemic, a lot of workers have been untethered from their offices. And so that means they can broaden their search horizons for real estate,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com, told ABC News.

“They’re looking for good value further away from those downtown cores. And that’s led to home price increases,” she added.

The Elwoods had long talked about leaving Portland for a more affordable city.

“Rent for like a small apartment is quite astronomical. I mean, you’re looking $1,700 to $1,900 a month for a two-bedroom apartment,” Travis Elwood said.

When his wife began working remotely, the change gave the couple financial security — and they decided to take the plunge.

“We never in Portland would have been able to afford a house there, at least nothing like what we have now,” Emily Elwood said. “We were making pretty good money, but we just realized we were never going to buy there.”

Billings happened to have almost everything they were looking for.

“We wanted to change, so we wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a side step from where we were and something that was different, provided us new or different opportunities than-than we originally had,” Travis Elwood said.

The Montana city is #1 on the Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com emerging housing markets index

“I think people are kind of waking up to what many of us here have known,” Bill Cole, the mayor of the city, told “Nightline.” “Covid reminded us that life is not all about jobs and money. It’s about relationships, quality of life, and being part of a community. And Billings has those intangibles.”

Hale explained the Wall Street Journal /Realtor.com Emerging Housing Markets Index is designed to track real estate markets that are going to be attractive for investment.

“[It’s] looking at a lot of different data indicators on things like amenities and quality of life, like low commute times, things like decent wages and low unemployment rate,” Hale said. “That makes these areas well rounded places where you’d actually want to live. And if you invest in real estate in these markets, you can expect a good return.”

Rounding out the emerging markets index list is Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. These locales show that smaller, more affordable cities are becoming some of the most popular places to live in the country.

The Elwoods traded in their two-bedroom apartment for a four-bedroom house with a backyard for their two dogs.

“Our mortgage here is actually less than what we’re paying and rents in Portland,” Emily Elwood said.

Her husband found a local job almost immediately. Billings has a population of less than 200,000 people, but its unemployment rate hovers around 3% — lower than the national average of 5.2%.

“I had a handful of offers in my first week here, so within my second week of being in Montana, I had a job,” he said.

Husband and wife realtors Megan and Jason Wood sold the Elwoods their home.

“Living in Billings and living in south central Montana is all about being close to the mountains and having the access to the river and the desert and some of the other nice outdoor activities,” Jason Wood told “Nightline.”

Like many mid-sized cities, Billings is experiencing a pandemic real estate boom.

“Pre-pandemic in 2019, there was about three-and-a-half months worth of inventory sitting on the market. Today, we have about three weeks worth of inventory,” Megan Wood said.

Houses are flying off the market.

“Houses are moving very quickly here. So you have three, four or five days to get an offer in and get an offer accepted,” her husband said.

While still less expensive than many cities, prices are going up. The average single-family home price in Billings and the surrounding area was $376,248 in June, up almost 28% from a year earlier.

“Homes in Billings are definitely going above asking price at the moment,” Megan Wood told “Nightline.” “The median for the month of July, the median amount over the asking price was about 6% sales price versus the list price.”

It seems new homes can’t be built quickly enough to keep up with demand. Almost all the homes in the subdivision, which range from $350,000 to $700,000 are already sold.

“The demand for houses is very, very high this year. We’re selling houses as soon as they’re done or even before they’re done,” Chad Wagenhals, Builder/Realtor at CDW Construction said. “We probably get a house framed and within the first two weeks, the house is sold. So if the house goes on the market, it’s usually sold in two or three days, if not two or three hours.”

With remote work freeing many people from their daily commute, families looking to stretch their dollar and their square footage are being up the suburbs, too.

“It’s crazy. It’s absolutely crazy,” real estate agent Pat Davis said. She’s been selling homes in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City for 30 years. “We have a lot of young people coming in with children that are looking for these types of homes, starter homes, three bedrooms, looking for it to entertain their families and have them come out.”

Davis just listed a house in Montclair, New Jersey, for $639,000. The town has become a magnet for families who want to live in the suburbs but still have easy access to New York City. With its direct trains, highly rated schools and quaint downtown area, it has much of what home buyers are willing to pay top dollar for.“What we’re seeing is a lot of families with young children, two and younger,” Pat Davis said.

Davis says the house went into contract for more than asking price, after just 13 days on the market.“We did a weekend open house on Saturday, Sunday. We had over 50 people come through,” Davis said.

Not everyone can afford this. The boom has locked out many first time buyers across the country, who are losing their dream homes to all-cash, above-ask offers.

“It’s really tough to compete in a market like this,” Davis said. “If you’re a first time home buyer and you don’t have the down payment money, if you’re using one of the products that’s available for people that are first time home buyers, that don’t have a lot of down payment money… They’re just not able to compete in this marketplace.”

“On the flip side, the one thing that is a positive for first time buyers is that they tend to take out larger loans,” Hale said. “They’re borrowing more money. And so low mortgage rates really help to benefit first time home buyers. But in today’s competitive market, the biggest challenge for many is finding a home that’s right for them and then winning the offer.

The Elwoods had to pay over asking price to close the deal on their house.

“We ended up having to put, you know, about $30,000 more or above the asking price. And even with that, we are one of 10 offers that came in,” Travis Elwood said. “So [that] really shows how crazy the house market has gotten over the last few months and so forth.”

But the couple says their new life in Billings makes it all worth it.

“I’d do it a hundred times over,” he added. “Thankfully, we’ve been blessed that it has come out in the best case.”

“It feels like home here,” Emily Elwood said.

South Korean President appoints BTS as special envoys before their visit to the UN

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Dick Clark Productions

(SEOUL, South Korea) — K-pop group BTS was appointed as “special presidential envoy for future generations and culture” by South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday.

After the ceremony, Moon presented each member of the group with diplomatic passports and fountain pens.

Moon thanked BTS for its participation in the Permission to Dance challenge for the hearing impaired and congratulated the group on winning three awards at the MTV Music Awards.

As part of their first official duties as special envoys, BTS will be accompanying Moon in his visit to the United States from Sept. 19 to 23. Moon and BTS will attend the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York for the second meeting of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG Moment). The SDG Moment aims to reinforce the international community’s efforts to resolve global challenges, including poverty, hunger and climate issues.

The theme of the 76th General Assembly is “building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations.”

At the upcoming session, BTS will give a speech and a video clip of their performance will be played. BTS is also expected to deliver a message of consolation and hope to youth all over the world.

According to the Korean government, BTS’ attendance is expected to “serve as a meaningful opportunity to expand communication with future generations around the world and draw their sympathy on major international issues.”

BTS member RM said in a statement, “It is an honor to be able to do something with a title special presidential envoy for future generations and culture. We were always contemplating on ways to give back the love we received, and we are honored to have the opportunity given by the president to be special envoys.”

This is not the first time that Moon and BTS visited the United Nations together. In 2018, RM delivered a speech titled “Speak Yourself,” sharing a message about self-empowerment and love, while Moon discussed denuclearization efforts.

In 2020, BTS delivered a speech online for the 75th session of the UN General Assembly to encourage people amid the pandemic.

Nicholas makes landfall as Category 1 hurricane in Texas: Latest forecast

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Nicholas made landfall in Texas early Tuesday as a Category 1 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm.

The storm had been riding on the water, parallel to the Texas coast, causing it to strengthen from a tropical storm into a hurricane late Monday prior to hitting land early Tuesday. Nearly 200,000 customers were without power in the Lone Star State when Nicholas made landfall after midnight, and that figure soared to nearly 350,000 before dawn as the storm moved inland.

Hurricanes have 74 miles per hour or higher winds, and on Monday night, Nicholas reached sustained winds of 76 mph with higher gusts, according to the National Weather Service. The hurricane roared ashore Tuesday at around 12:30 a.m. CT on the eastern part of Texas’ Matagorda Peninsula, about 10 miles southwest of Sargent Beach. Maximum sustained winds at that time were 75 mph with higher gusts at landfall, according to the National Weather Service.

But by 4 a.m. CT, the National Weather Service said Nicholas had already been downgraded to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Hurricane watches and warnings in the region were discontinued, while tropical storm warnings were in effect from Sabine Pass to Cameron, Louisiana, from Matagorda to Freeport, Texas, and from Matagorda to Cameron, Louisiana.

Although Nicholas is forecast to weaken further over the next couple of days as the storm moves over land, the National Weather Service warned that it could still cause life-threatening flash floods across the Deep South.

Heavy rain, flash flooding, dangerous storm surge, isolated tornadoes and strong gusty winds were expected in Texas and Louisiana. A high-risk alert for “life-threatening” flash flooding was in effect for portions of southeast Texas overnight.

The high-risk areas stretch from Matagorda to Galveston to Port Arthur. Rain totals are predicted to be between 6 and 12 inches to isolated maximum amounts of up to 18 inches, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

Some spots across southeast Texas, southern-central Louisiana and southern Mississippi could see near 10 inches of rainfall through Thursday. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Louisiana on Monday night ahead of Nicholas’ arrival.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 17 counties and has prepped resources, including boat teams and rescue aircrafts, to assist any affected areas.

In Houston, the heaviest rain will come Monday night, and flash flooding is possible.

In Harris County, which encompasses Houston, Judge Lina Hidalgo warned Monday afternoon: “We could get 10 to 15 inches of rain over the next 24 hours or so — and that would be very, very concerning.”

All public health testing and vaccination sites will stop operations in Harris County. Schools in Houston will be closed on Tuesday.

“What I need each resident of this county to do today is to get to where you are going to be by 6 p.m. tonight and stay there,” Hidalgo said.

Nicholas is slow-moving and will likely remain in Texas from Monday to Wednesday, according to the latest forecast.

Rainfall totals will be the highest around Galveston, which could see more than 10 inches.

Storm surge could be as high as 5 feet south of Galveston.

On Tuesday, Nicholas is forecast to bring heavy rain to eastern Texas and into Louisiana. By Wednesday, some of the heavy rain will begin to reach New Orleans.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency in anticipation of Nicholas. Residents are still recovering from devastating hurricanes Laura and Ida.

During a news conference on Monday, Bel Edwards warned residents to take the storm seriously, even though it hadn’t reached hurricane status. More than 119,000 customers are currently without power in Louisiana and 1,425 people are still living in shelters there due to Ida, according to the governor.

“I know that bracing for another storm while we’re still responding to and trying to recover from Hurricane Ida is not the position that we wanted to be in, but it is a situation that we are prepared for,” Bel Edwards said.

The rainfall could be as intense as 2 inches per hour.

“The most severe threat to Louisiana is in the Southwest portion of the state, where recovery from Hurricane Laura and the May flooding is ongoing. In this area heavy rain and flash flooding are possible,” the governor said in a statement. “However, it is also likely that all of South Louisiana will see heavy rain this week, including areas recently affected by Hurricane Ida. This tropical storm has the potential to disrupt some power restoration and recovery work currently underway.”

Tropical Storm Nicholas updates: Heavy rain slams Texas, Louisiana

September 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Nicholas is pounding the South with rain after roaring ashore in Texas early Tuesday as a Category 1 hurricane.

In the Houston area, 410,000 customers were without power Tuesday morning. In Harris County, all public health testing and vaccination sites have stopped operations and Houston schools are closed.

Rain totals reached 8 to 9 inches south of Galveston, where flash flooding was reported. Storm surge in Port O’Connor, Texas, was at nearly 4 feet.

The heavy rain is moving from the Houston area into Louisiana and Alabama where flash flood watches have been issued, including in New Orleans. Southern Mississippi could also see heavy rain and flooding.

Slow-moving Nicholas does not bode well for Louisiana, which has already been hard hit by hurricanes this year. The storm is expected to stall in the state early Wednesday, sitting there for days with heavy rain.

Six to 10 inches of rain is expected in Louisiana, including in New Orleans, with isolated totals reaching 15 to 20 inches.

The heaviest rain will arrive in New Orleans Tuesday night into Wednesday when life-threatening flash flooding is expected.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards requested a federal declaration of emergency ahead of landfall, which was granted by President Joe Biden. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 17 counties.

COVID-19 live updates: Over 243,000 kids test positive in one week, nearly setting new record

September 14, 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 660,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.6 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 63% 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. All times Eastern:

Sep 14, 8:15 am
Putin goes into self-isolation due to COVID-19 among inner circle

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will self-isolate “for a certain period,” after a member of his entourage tested positive for COVID-19.

Putin made the comment during a telephone call with Tajikistan’s president, while excusing himself from attending a regional summit there this week, the Kremlin said Tuesday in a readout of the call.

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the Russian leader is “completely healthy” and that the self-isolation will not affect his work. Putin will continue to participate in meetings via video but will not meet with people in person while he self-isolates.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Putin has effectively been in a form of isolation, with most people being required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days before meeting with him.

Putin hinted at the issue of COVID-19 among his inner circle on Monday but still went to several public events, including a meeting with Russian Paralympians, attending military exercises conducted in coordination with Belarus and a meeting with Syria’s president.

“Even in my entourage, problems are arising with this COVID. We need to sort out what is happening there really,” Putin said while meeting with the Paralympians. “I think I, myself, will soon have to go into quarantine. A lot of people are sick around [me].”

Putin’s self-isolation has prompted speculation that he may be using it as a convenient excuse to not attend the summit in ex-Soviet Tajikistan in person. Chinese President Xi Jingping has also dropped out of the summit.

Sep 13, 9:42 pm
Lee County schools superintendent reverses mask mandate

The superintendent of schools in Lee County, Florida, informed parents and staff Monday night that he is reversing the mask mandate he imposed for students and will now let parents opt their children out of wearing face coverings.

In a letter, the superintendent, Ken Savage, said that last week’s ruling by an appeals court allowing the state to continue sanctioning mask-requiring districts, led him to reverse course.

“Last Friday, the 1st District Court of Appeal instituted a stay, which means the Florida Department of Education can continue to enforce its interpretation of the parental opt out until this matter is ultimately resolved. Therefore, starting on Tuesday, September 14, the School District of Lee County will require face coverings, while allowing parents to opt-out without a medical exemption,” Savage said in statement.

Lee County was one of at least 13 districts in Florida defying Gov. Ron DeSantis and requiring masks for students unless they provided a doctor’s note exempting them from wearing one.

Savage implemented a mandate on Sept. 1, effective for 30 days, while the district tracked coronavirus-related numbers.

Sep 13, 6:22 pm
DeSantis threatens Florida cities that issue vaccine mandate with $5k fine

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is threatening to sue cities in the state that have issued vaccine mandates, for up to $5,000 per infraction.

The governor, who early Monday repeated falsehoods about the COVID-19 vaccines, said hours later, at a press conference, that he’s willing to sue the cities because he does not want vaccine mandates to threaten Floridians’ jobs.

“We are not gonna let people be fired because of a vaccine mandate,” he said.

Meanwhile, over 11,215 patients remain hospitalized in Florida with COVID-19, according to the Florida Hospital Association.

As of Monday, 75% of the state’s eligible population has had one vaccine dose, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sep 13, 9:01 pm
Judge issues temporary order to allow mask mandates in Iowa schools

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that ordered Iowa officials to stop enforcing a law passed in May that prevents school boards from enforcing mask mandates.

Judge Robert Pratt said the parents who are suing Gov. Kim Reynolds and state and local education offices, have demonstrated that an “irreparable harm exists” if masks aren’t used and required.

The judge said he looked at data on the effectiveness of masks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and agrees with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics on mask wearing in schools.

The order will stay in effect until the court issues an order for a preliminary injunction.

Thomas Ahart, the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, called the judge’s decision “welcome news.”

“I will reinstate a mask mandate – as we had in place for most of last school year — for all students, staff and visitors to Des Moines Public Schools,” he said in a statement.

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