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Arizona special House election could be a tipping point on releasing the Epstein files

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Tuesday’s special election for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District will likely narrow Republicans’ slim majority in the House and deliver the decisive vote on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

The heavily blue district will vote to replace the late Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who served 22 years in Congress before passing away at 77 in March from complications with cancer treatments.

His daughter, former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, is favored to win against Republican Daniel Butierez, who lost to the elder Grijalva last year by nearly 27 percentage points.

Tuesday’s election will likely deliver the decisive signature to allow a vote on compelling the Department of Justice to release all records related to Jeffrey Epstein. The bipartisan discharge petition was put forth by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna.

After Democrat Rep. James Walkinshaw won his special election in Virginia earlier this month, the newly sworn-in congressman brought the discharge petition to 217 signatures, inching it closer to the required 218 needed to force a vote on the matter.

Both Grijalva and Butierez told the Arizona Daily Star last week that they would sign the petition if elected.

This election also has broader implications in the overall makeup of the House of Representatives. House Republicans currently have a narrow majority with 219 seats, while the Democrats hold 213.

Some Republican states are also following President Donald Trump’s call to pick up seats by redrawing their congressional maps to produce more GOP-friendly districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

Grijalva seeks to continue her father’s legacy of environmental justice and public education, in addition to focusing on protecting Medicaid.

“I’m not running on my last name, it just is my last name,” she told ABC News ahead of the Democratic primary earlier this year. “So my dad left really big shoes to fill, but I stand on my own two feet in my more than two decades of public service to Arizona, and I’m proud to be supported by leaders and organizations that are leading the progressive movement.”

She was challenged in the crowded Democratic primary by 25-year-old progressive activist Deja Foxx, who would have been the first Gen-Z woman in Congress. Grijalva defeated Foxx by over 40 points. Butierez won the Republican primary with nearly 61% of the vote over two other candidates.

Butierez is a business owner who is focused on curbing illegal immigration and drug flow into the region. Speaking to KGUN about how he was once homeless, imprisoned, and addicted to drugs, Butierez believes these experiences allow him to understand his community’s needs and utilize a firsthand perspective to address these issues.

ABC News’ Lauren Peller, John Parkinson, Brittany Shepherd, and Rachael Dziaba contributed to this report.

Trump says NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace.

The comments came as Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Pressed on whether the U.S. would back up NATO allies in such a situation, Trump said “it depends on the circumstance.”

Poland and Romania reported violations of their airspace earlier this month by Russian aircraft, prompting NATO to scramble fighter jets in response. Estonia on Friday said three Russian jets entered its airspace, which Russia has denied.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, who had been critical of Trump’s approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin in peace negotiations, responded quickly to Trump’s comments that NATO allies should shoot down Russian drones in their airspace.

“Roger that,” Sikorski wrote on X.

NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday reaffirmed the group’s commitment to defend allied territory but stopped short of saying any Russian aircraft that violates allied airspace would be shot down.

“Decisions on whether to engage intruding aircraft, such as firing upon them, are, of course, taking in real time, are always based on available intelligence regarding the threat posed by the aircraft, including questions we have to answer like intent, armament and potential risk to Allied forces, civilians or infrastructure,” Rutte said.

In his speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump criticized Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine.

“It’s not making Russia look good. It’s making them look bad,” Trump said.

Trump said the United States is prepared to enact severe tariffs on Russia should Moscow not be ready to make a peace deal, a threat he’s made for weeks.

But he said other countries need to pull back on buying Russian oil and energy products “otherwise we’re all wasting a lot of time.”

“Europe has to step it up. They can’t be doing what they’re doing. They’re buying oil and gas from Russia while they’re fighting Russia. It’s embarrassing to them,” Trump said.

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy said he supported the idea when he met with Trump later Tuesday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a bilateral meeting with Trump, said she wants Europe to abandon its use of Russian energy by 2027 or earlier.

“President Trump is absolutely right on it,” she said. “We have reduced already massively the gas supply from Russia, completely gotten out of Russian coal and massively also reduced the oil supply. But there’s still some coming to the European continent.”

“We want to get rid of it,” she said.

Trump said he believed targeting Russia’s economy would help lead to the end of the war.

“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote on his social media platform after his bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy. “Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!” he added.

ABC News’ Hannah Demissie and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.

Missing elk hunters were killed by lightning that struck nearby tree: Official

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(CONEJOS COUNTY, Colo.) — Two elk hunters found dead last week were killed when a tree they were standing near was struck by lightning, a coroner confirmed to ABC News.

The two bodies found near the Colorado-New Mexico border last week have officially been identified as Andrew Porter, 25, and Ian Stasko, 25, Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin told ABC News.

The bodies were found Sept. 18 after a dayslong search.

While the two hunters were not directly hit by lightning, the electricity traveled down through the tree and then struck Porter and Stasko, according to Martin.

“Do not stand under a tall tree during a lightning storm,” Martin advised.

The two bodies were otherwise “basically in perfect condition,” Martin said.

“I couldn’t believe they were that good of a condition after being in the wilderness for seven days,” he said.

The two hunters were first reported missing on Sept. 13 after they failed to check in with family.

After nearly a weeklong search, the bodies were found 2 miles from the Rio De Los Pinos Trail Head on Thursday morning, according to the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators responded to the Rio De Los Pinos Trail Head Sept. 13 to search for the hunters, finding their vehicle at the trail head, according to the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office.

The hunters were in the San Juan Wilderness Area west of Trujillo Meadows Reservoir. The Trujillo Meadows Reservoir is a 69-acre wildlife area in the Conejos Region, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Investigators found a vehicle that had camping gear and backpacks — but not the hunters — which concerned authorities due to heavy rain and bad weather, according to officials.

‘I’m giving my opinion’: Trump deviates from scientific evidence, own FDA, in autism remarks

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump rambled and ad-libbed through an announcement meant to caution pregnant women about the possible links between the use of Tylenol and autism in children, his comments went beyond the available scientific evidence, and even the language of his own health department.

He made clear he was aware he was, at times, speaking for himself.

“You know, I’m just making these statements from me,” he said at one point. “I’m not making them from these doctors, because when they talk about different results, different studies, I talk a lot about common sense.”

Trump’s remarks deviated from the more measured guidance offered by his health agencies in subsequent news releases and op-eds.

“Don’t take Tylenol,” he boomed multiple times during the hour-long event on Tuesday.

“You’ll be uncomfortable. It won’t be as easy, maybe. But don’t take it if you’re pregnant. Don’t take Tylenol,” he said.

In a statement from Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, the company said it believes research shows that acetaminophen does not cause autism.

“We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers,” the statement read. “Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy. Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives.”

Major medical groups immediately pushed back on Trump’s claims, pointing out Tylenol is considered the only safe painkiller during pregnancy, and pointing out the possible dangers of untreated pain and fever during pregnancy, including a higher risk of stillbirth.

Trump told pregnant women they should “fight like hell not to take” the drug, used to treat fevers in pregnant women, acknowledging that “there may be a point where you have to, and you’ll have to work that out with yourself.”

As blunt and simple as Trump made it sound, however, the evidence around Tylenol and autism is not yet fully formed, a fact stated by the Food and Drug Administration in a press release Tuesday.

“It is important to note that while an association between acetaminophen and neurological conditions has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature,” the agency said in the press release, which announced it would push for a label change for acetaminophen, Tylenol’s main ingredient.

Meanwhile, in a joint op-ed in Politico, the heads of the FDA, the National Institutes of Health and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, wrote that they “recognize the literature continues to evolve and evidence from family control studies have failed to find a correlation.”

“Furthermore, acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter medication approved to treat fevers during pregnancy, and high fevers in pregnant moms can pose a risk to their unborn child as well, such as neural tube defects,” they added.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) warned the administration’s claims were “irresponsible” and could scare pregnant patients away from taking the drug, even when it’s medically prudent.

“Today’s announcement by HHS is not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children. It is highly unsettling that our federal health agencies are willing to make an announcement that will affect the health and well-being of millions of people without the backing of reliable data,” said Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, ACOG president, in prepared remarks.

At times on Tuesday, Trump suggested that childhood vaccinations could contribute to autism, a theory long promoted by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, but which has been discredited by researchers.

“I’m not a doctor, but I’m giving my opinion,” he said.

“Vaccines do not cause autism,” read a statement from the American Academy of Family Physicians in the wake of Trump’s remarks. “Decades of rigorous research have failed to provide credible scientific evidence linking vaccines to autism. Vaccines are among the most effective tools we have to keep people, especially infants and children, healthy and out of hospitals. Continued claims about a vaccine-autism link risk public health by causing people to delay or defer vaccination out of fear.”

Fed Chair Powell says rising inflation and slow hiring pose ‘challenging situation’

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned a recent uptick of inflation, alongside a hiring slowdown, poses a “challenging situation” for central bankers as they aim to steer the U.S. economy through a “turbulent period.”

The Fed, which opted to cut interest rates last week, is guided by a dual mandate to keep inflation under control and maximize employment. Speaking at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, in Providence, Rhode Island, on Tuesday, Powell said a sharp cooldown of hiring over the summer had shifted the balance of risks toward greater concern over the labor market.

“The downside risks to employment have risen,” Powell said.

The remarks came days after the Fed cut interest rates for the first time this year in an effort to boost hiring. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), a policymaking body at the Fed, projected two additional quarter-point rate cuts over the remainder of 2025.

Still, Powell voiced concern about the trajectory for prices, saying “uncertainty around the path of inflation remains high.”

“Two-sided risk mean there is no-risk free path,” Powell added.

The central bank last week delivered a policy long-sought by President Donald Trump, though the size of the rate cut fell short of a larger reduction preferred by Trump.

The announcement marked a flashpoint in the monthslong pressure campaign directed at the Fed by Trump.

In recent weeks, Trump has moved to fire one member of the Fed’s board of governors and secure Senate confirmation for another. Both officials were among the 12 policymakers who cast votes on the interest-rate decision, though their status remained uncertain days before the Fed meeting.

The race to reshape the Fed comes after Trump railed for months against the central bank and Powell for declining to heed his call for lower interest rates. Last week, Powell said the Fed remains “strongly committed to maintaining our independence.”

Stephen Miran, a top White House economic advisor who joined the Fed board last week, cast the lone dissenting vote. Miran voted in favor of a larger half-point rate cut.

Trump recently moved to fire board member Lisa Cook, who sued Trump over her attempted ouster, saying the decision violated her legal protections as an employee at the independent federal agency. Trump said he removed Cook over mortgage fraud allegations against her, which Cook has denied.

Last week, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Fed to let Cook continue serving in her role as a governor of the Federal Reserve System as her lawsuit moves through the courts. The Trump administration appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.

In recent months, the economy has suffered a sharp hiring slowdown alongside a rise of inflation, setting the conditions for what economists call “stagflation.”

The economic conditions have put Fed policymakers in a bind. If the Fed raises interest rates as a means of protecting against tariff-induced inflation, it risks tipping the economy into a downturn. On the other hand, if the Fed lowers rates to stimulate the economy in the face of a hiring slowdown, it threatens to boost spending and worsen inflation.

Woman convicted in Graceland fraud scheme sentenced to nearly 5 years in federal prison

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(MEMPHIS) — A Missouri woman was sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison on Tuesday for what prosecutors called a “brazen” attempt to fraudulently put Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate up for auction.

Lisa Findley, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Memphis, Tennessee, in February.

A federal judge sentenced her to 57 months in federal prison, with three years supervised probation, saying he wanted impress upon Findley the seriousness of her crime.

“It was brazen,” U.S. District Judge John Fowlkes told Findley at her sentencing at the federal courthouse in Memphis.

When asked by the judge if she had anything to say prior to being sentenced, Findley declined to speak.

No members of the Presley family were present at the sentencing hearing.

Findley has been in custody since her arrest in August 2024.

In the plea agreement, Findley admitted the government’s factual basis in the case is “true and accurate,” and that had the case gone to trial the evidence would have established her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss one count of aggravated identity theft that was previously filed against her.

The mail fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

In the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to recommend Findley be sentenced to 57 months in federal prison.

“There is a strong need to deter the defendant from future criminal conduct and to protect the public,” prosecutors wrote in a recent court filing, arguing a “substantial period of incarceration is appropriate.”

Federal prosecutors said Findley formulated a “brazen scheme” to try to “extort a settlement from the Presley family.”

“The defendant boldly attempted to extort funds from the estate of L.M.P. [Lisa Marie Presley] by the creation and filing of a false and fraudulent Deed of Trust,” they stated in the court filing.

As part of the scheme, prosecutors said Findley forged the signatures of Elvis Presley’s late daughter Lisa Marie and Florida notary Kimberly Philbrick in order to claim Lisa Marie Presley did not pay back a $3.8 million loan from a purported company called Naussany Investments that listed Graceland as collateral.

Naussany Investments, an unregistered entity that prosecutors said Findley was behind, filed public notices in May 2024 stating it would auction off Graceland at the front of the Shelby County Courthouse.

A Shelby County chancellor issued a temporary injunction at the eleventh hour that prevented such an auction from taking place, citing an affidavit from Philbrick that stated her signature was forged and she never met Lisa Marie Presley.

Philbrick spoke exclusively to ABC News, telling “Good Morning America” in August 2024 and “IMPACT x Nightline” in October 2024 that she never notarized anything for Lisa Marie Presley and has no idea how her name got involved in the scheme.

When Findley realized she was under investigation, prosecutors say she “attempted to deflect responsibility onto fictitious third persons.”

“Fortunately, the defendant’s scheme was unsuccessful,” prosecutors stated in the court filing.

15-year-old detained in El Paso shooting that left 5 teens wounded: Police

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

A 15-year-old boy was detained for questioning in a shooting that left five teenagers wounded on Monday night near a playground at an El Paso, Texas, apartment complex, authorities said.

A barrage of gunfire erupted just before 9 p.m. local time at the Commissioner’s Corner apartment complex in east El Paso, Officer Adrian Cisneros, a spokesperson for the El Paso Police Department, told ABC News on Tuesday morning.

“The information that we have is that a group was getting together to get into a fight or some type of altercation when a male started shooting into the group,” Cisneros said.

Cisneros said investigators are aware of a video taken at the apartment complex that surfaced on social media and captured what sounded like 12 gunshots being rapidly fired. But Cisneros said it remains unclear how many shots were fired in the incident.

Police officers and firefighters responded to the scene and found five people, three males and two females ranging in age from 15 to 17, suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Cisneros.

One of the victims, a 17-year-old girl was possibly in critical condition, and four others sustained non-life-threatening injuries, Cisneros said.

Cisneros asked that anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information on who is responsible to contact investigators.

He said a 15-year-old boy was detained and was still being questioned Tuesday morning.

Trump addresses United Nations General Assembly

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump is now delivering remarks to the United Nations General Assembly, as world leaders convene in New York for the body’s 80th session.

It is Trump’s first speech to the annual gathering since his return to office.

“Six years have passed since I last stood in this grand hall and addressed a world that was prosperous and at peace in my first term. Since that day, the guns of war have shattered the peace I forged on two continents, an era of calm and stability gave way to one of the great crises of our time,” Trump said as he opened his remarks.

Trump’s speech is expected to center on “touting renewal of American strength around the world,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.

“The president will also touch upon how globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order, and he will articulate his straightforward and constructive vision for the world,” Leavitt said.

Later Tuesday, Trump will participate in bilateral meetings with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the leaders of Ukraine, Argentina and the European Union. He will also hold a multilateral meeting with leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war are likely to dominate the U.N. General Assembly this week.

Several prominent world leaders, including key U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom and Canada, are moving to formally recognizing Palestinian statehood as international alarm builds over Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza and an ongoing hunger crisis in Gaza.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron declared at the U.N. General Assembly that France will now recognize a Palestinian state.

“The time for peace has come,” Macron said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke virtually before the U.N. General Assembly on Monday after the Trump administration revoked his U.S. visa last month to attend the conference in person.

Abbas called on Hamas to surrender their weapons and he condemned the killings on Oct. 7, 2023. He also expressed readiness to work with Trump to implement a peace plan and called for a “permanent ceasefire.”

Trump has said he wants the war in Gaza to end, but has disagreed with other nations on the issue of Palestinian statehood.

“He feels this does not do anything to release the hostages, which is the primary goal right now in Gaza; does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close,” Leavitt said on Monday.

“And frankly, he believes it’s a reward to Hamas,” Leavitt continued. “So he believes these decisions are just more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies. And I think you’ll hear him talk about that tomorrow at the U.N.”

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for those gathered at U.N. General Assembly to put “strong political pressure” on Russia.

“There is a real need for strong pressure on Russia, new joint steps from everyone in the world who believes that international law must work again,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump’s expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin since their summit in Alaska last month yielded no breakthroughs. Last week, Trump said thought the war would be one of the easiest global conflicts to solve “because of my relationship with President Putin.”

“But he’s let me down,” Trump said. “He’s really let me down.”

Last week, while meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the U.K., Trump signaled he could do more to pressure Russia, but said other countries need to pull back on buying Russian oil first.

“I’m willing to do other things, but not when the people that I’m fighting for are buying oil from Russia. If the oil price comes down, very simply, Russia will settle, and the oil price is way down.”

ABC News’ Mariam Khan contributed to this report.

3 people face deadly conduct charges after coach found shot when gunfire erupted during Texas youth baseball game

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(KATY, Texas) — Three people face deadly conduct charges after they allegedly fired upon a youth baseball tournament in Katy, Texas, and shot a coach when trying to hit targets in the area, local authorities said.

Corbin Geisendorff, the assistant coach for the Texas Colts, told ABC Houston affiliate ABC13 that the scene on Sunday was terrifying.

“There was bullets flying everywhere. It wasn’t one shot,” Geisendorff said. “There’s bullets flying everywhere off the poles, onto the field. It’s just unbelievable.”

The Waller County Sheriff’s Office found the 27-year-old coach shot in the shoulder at The Rac baseball complex in Katy when they responded to multiple firearms complaints around 10 a.m. Sunday, according to authorities.

The coach was airlifted to a nearby hospital and has since been released, officials said. His exact condition is unclear.

Video of the incident shows players and coaches running for cover during a match after they hear shots ring out.

According to the sheriff’s office, three people were shooting at targets in the area.

Geisendorff recalled his interaction with the injured coach, who was working for another team.

“I actually went over to the gentleman and saw him, like, right there. I prayed over him,” he said. “There was a gentleman who was already there. They used a belt to tourniquet his arm, you know, stop the bleeding really quick.”

Coaches present at Sunday’s shooting said they heard gunshots the previous morning, but they sounded distant.

The Rac complex issued a statement on Facebook on Sunday night, saying all activities on the fields were suspended until further notice.

“We are taking every step possible to ensure this does not happen again on our property. Any future practices or games at the facility are at a pause until law enforcement and our internal investigation has been completed to ensure the safety of all that visit the facility,” the statement read.

Local authorities have identified three people of interest but have not made any arrests. They said they do not believe it was a targeted shooting.

Harris admits she was ‘reckless’ in not challenging Biden’s decision to run for reelection

September 23, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris, on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, said she does regret not personally challenging former President Joe Biden’s decision to run for reelection.

In an interview with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Michael Strahan, Harris said it was “reckless” of her to not raise her concerns with Biden choosing to run for reelection.

“Do you regret not voicing your opinion in that moment?” Strahan asked Harris, who wrote in her campaign memoir “107 Days” out Tuesday that the reelection decision was Joe and Jill Biden’s to make.

“Yes,” Harris said, “and I, and I actually have reflected on that, and I’ve written about that.”

“Would that have mattered if you did?” Strahan asked Harris.

“I don’t know,” Harris replied. “I don’t know, but I can only take responsibility for myself and on reflection, you know, and I talk about it in the context of asking a question of myself, ‘was that grace to not bring it up to him, or was it reckless?’

She added, “And on my part, I do reflect on that and feel that it was — it was a recklessness about not raising it with him.”

She said she felt raising her concerns with Biden would be seen as “self-serving.”

“I talk about what was going through my head, right? And what was going through my head to not bring it up was that it would come off as being very self-serving, and therefore maybe lack the credibility that it deserved. But I do think about it. I do think about it,” she said.

“And I also say, though, and I speak extensively about this, my concern about him running for reelection was completely separate from my admiration and knowledge about his capacity to serve as president United States, which was consistent and never wavered,” Harris added.

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

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