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Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson resigns: Sources

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson resigned on Monday, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

Richardson, who was temporarily installed in May after former Acting Administrator Cam Hamilton was essentially fired by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Richardson was also in charge of the department’s countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office. It is unclear if he will still stay on in that role.

It is unclear who will lead the disaster management agency.

Richardson told staff in an all-hands meeting in June that he was unaware hurricane season had started, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

It was unclear if Richardson was joking, but a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson argued he was.

When asked by reporters during a White House press briefing whether President Donald Trump was “still comfortable” with Richardson after his remarks, press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns and said FEMA is taking hurricane season “seriously, contrary to some of the reporting we have seen based on jokes that were made and leaks from meetings.”

Richardson’s comments followed an internal review indicating FEMA was “not ready” for the 2025 hurricane season in mid-May.

The DHS spokesperson denied FEMA is unprepared, saying “Despite meanspirited attempts to falsely frame a joke as policy, there is no uncertainty about what FEMA will be doing this Hurricane Season.”

“FEMA is laser-focused on disaster response and protecting the American people,” the spokesperson added.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed Richardson, posting on X that he is “unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet.”

“Trump’s FEMA chief is incompetent,” Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., added. “People will die.”

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

Appeals court denies full review of contempt case against Trump admin over El Salvador deportations

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A federal appeals court on Friday denied a request to reconsider an earlier decision that prevented a federal judge from investigating whether Trump administration officials acted in contempt for allegedly violating a court order when it deported hundreds of alleged gang members to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act in March.

The decision will allow Judge James Boasberg to attempt to proceed with the early stages of the contempt proceedings, including requesting evidence from the Trump administration about the decision not to turn around a plane bound for El Salvador after he ordered it be returned.

In a statement authored by three judges in the majority, the court described Boasberg’s actions as “a measured and essential response to what it reasonably perceived as shocking Executive Branch conduct.”

“The district court has every ability to set a new deadline for production of the information it sought regarding the probable contempt it identified or to proceed otherwise within his sound discretion,” the ruling said. “For its part, the government will have the full opportunity at the appropriate time to raise any defenses it may have. If it is dissatisfied with any appealable order the district court may enter, it will have the opportunity to seek review through the ordinary process. That is how our system of justice is designed to work.”

On Monday, Boasberg said the parties will discuss at a hearing on Wednesday how to proceed with the court’s contempt inquiry.

In the time between Boasberg’s original order and Friday’s decision, a whistleblower came forward to allege the Trump administration deliberately planned to defy Boasberg’s order. That new context could inform how Boasberg proceeds with the case.

“The facts the district court recounted present grave rule-of-law concerns. Obedience to court orders is vital to the ability of the judiciary to fulfill its constitutionally appointed role. Judicial orders are not suggestions; they are binding commands that the Executive Branch, no less than any other party, must obey,” the ruling said.

Lee Gelernt, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, told ABC News the ruling will allow the group to proceed before Boasberg.

“And now we have more evidence that the government deliberately violated the court’s order not to hand over the Venezuelan men to El Salvador,” Gelernt said.

The Trump administration in March invoked the Alien Enemies Act — an 18th-century wartime authority used to remove noncitizens with little-to-no due process — to deport two planeloads of alleged migrant gang members to the CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador by arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a “hybrid criminal state” that is invading the United States.

Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order and ordered that the planes be turned around, but Justice Department attorneys said his oral instructions directing the flight to be returned were defective, and the deportations proceeded as planned.

Boasberg subsequently sought contempt proceedings against the government for deliberately defying his order.

9 injured after home explodes from possible gas leak: Officials

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(CHINO HILLS, Calif.) — A suspected gas leak caused a home in California to explode, injuring nine people, officials said. An investigation is underway.

The explosion also forced an evacuation of nearby homes in the Chino Hills neighborhood Sunday night, according to authorities.

Jenny Smith, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, told ABC News that the explosion was caused by a possible gas leak.

“Deputies found a residence, in the 42000 block of Sierra Vista Drive, that had caught fire from a possible gas leak. There was damage to surrounding homes due to the incident. The fire department, SoCal Edison and SoCal Gas, were called and arrived on scene,” Smith said in a statement.

Smith added that none of the injuries sustained by the victims appear to be life threatening.

“The initial report was that nine people who were in the house were transported to a local hospital. No injuries appeared to be life threatening. The cause of the fire is still under investigation,” she added.

Members of the Chino Valley Fire District closed the impacted street and took multiple injured individuals to the hospital, according to a social media post.

“Firefighters found major damage to the reported house and minor damage to surrounding homes. Four patients were transported with varying injures to an area hospital,” the Facebook post read.

The Chino Valley Fire District also noted that the gas leak was contained by the end of the evening and evacuated residents could return to the their homes.

“Final Update 10:45 PM: The gas leak has been stopped. Crews will remain on scene to continue the overhaul and investigation. Residents will be allowed back into the unaffected homes at approximately 11:00 pm,” the post added.

One neighbor and her sister, who did not want to be identified, spoke to ABC Los Angeles affiliate KABC, saying that children had been injured.

“They were just screaming for help, saying, ‘Ow. It hurts! Help me!’ You know, barefooted in their pajamas. The little boy without a shirt, just in his sweatpants. It was hard,” a neighbor said.

“Their hair was burnt, they had blood on their faces,” the other neighbor said.

SoCal Edison and SoCal Gas did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

Suspects in deadly shooting of 10-year-old boy, 21-year-old woman in New Jersey urged to surrender

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEWARK, N.J.) — Officials are urging the suspects involved in the deadly shooting of a 10-year-old boy and a 21-year-old woman in New Jersey over the weekend to turn themselves in for committing the “heinous crime.”

“What you did was cowardly, heartless and unforgivable. You prove nothing but your own weakness,” Essex County Sheriff Amir Jones said during a press conference on Monday. “We are coming, there is no hiding, there is no running. There is no corner of this county that will keep you hidden. Turn yourselves in before we come knocking on your door.”

At approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, police received reports of multiple shots fired in Newark’s South Ward, officials said. A total of five people were injured in the shooting, with two of them later pronounced dead at a local hospital, officials said.

The victims were identified as 10-year-old Jordan Garcia and 21-year-old Kia Mae Scott, according to New York ABC station WABC.

“To hear the yelling and the wailing of those mothers in the hospital is something that I will never forget,” Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda said on Monday.

An 11-year-old boy, who is Garcia’s brother, was also injured in the shooting, but is in stable condition, officials said.

The two others injured in the shooting, a 60-year-old and a 19-year-old, remain in the hospital, with the 19-year-old in critical condition, officials said.

As of Monday morning, no suspects have been arrested in connection to the shooting, officials said.

“The best thing for them to do is turn themselves in immediately. The entire community is on alert. There is nothing that you can say or do that would justify a 10-year-old losing his life. The community is on alert and on lookout and we’ll make sure that justice is done in this community,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said on Monday.

A $10,000 reward is currently available for any information that leads to an arrest, Jones said, calling the shooting an “attack on everything this city and county stands for.”

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said the shooting goes “against the trend of downward crime” in the county and the city of Newark, which makes the incident more “vexing” and “difficult.” Stephens said there has been more than a 50% decrease in homicides in Newark this year compared to 2021.

There were 49 murders in 2022 year-to-date, with the number dropping to 46 in 2023, 37 in 2024 and 21 so far this year, according to data from the Newark Department of Public Safety.

A motive for the shooting and whether there were multiple suspects involved was not revealed on Monday.

Officials said they have obtained video surveillance from the night of the shooting and are continuing to canvas the area to find “as much as possible.”

Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-TIPS-4EC.

‘It’s time to bring the secrets out of the shadows’: Epstein survivors’ video message urges release of files

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The anti-trafficking group World Without Exploitation released a video PSA featuring a group of Epstein survivors advocating for the release of all Epstein files.

In the video released Sunday, the women are seen holding photos of their younger selves, as some of them recite their ages when they first met sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Some of the eleven women featured in the video cry or grow emotional as they speak.

“It’s time to bring the secrets out of the shadows. It’s time to shine a light into the darkness,” the women say.

The video concludes with on-screen text that reads, “Five administrations and we’re still in the dark.” Following the message is a plea to call Congress and demand the release of the Epstein files.

The House is set to vote this week on a bill to compel the release of the full Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump marked a sudden shift in his stance on the topic — calling for Republicans to vote in favor of the files’ release.

Trump had previously called the release of the emails a Democratic “hoax” and added “some stupid” and “foolish” Republicans had fallen for it.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters last week that emails related to convicted sex offender Epstein released by House Democrats “prove absolutely nothing, other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong.”

None of the documents previously made public contain allegations of wrongdoing by Trump.

Groups of Epstein survivors have called on Congress to make the files public in the past.

In September, a group of Epstein survivors shared their stories on Capitol Hill and called on lawmakers to support the release of the files. One of the women, Anouska De Georgiou, said the survivors want their voices to be heard.

“The days of sweeping this under the rug are over. We the survivors say ‘no more,'” she said.

A group of Epstein survivors plan to be in D.C. for a press conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who sparred with Trump over the handling of the Epstein investigation.

Cash price for popular weight loss drug Wegovy dropping 30% Monday, manufacturer says

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The cash price for popular weight-loss medications Wegovy and and the medication authorized for people with type 2 diabetes Ozempic are dropping by 30% in U.S. on Monday, according to Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company that manufactures both drugs.

The new monthly cost for either GLP-1 drug will be $349, down from its current price of $499, for customers who are not using insurance, the company said. The new pricing will be in place on Monday at 70,000 retail pharmacies and other places, including Walmart and Costco’s pharmacies, the drugmaker said.

The previous cash price for Wegovy matched that of a full dose of Zepbound, a competing drug from competitor Eli Lilly.

“As pioneers of the GLP-1 class, we are committed to ensuring that real, FDA-approved Wegovy and Ozempic are affordable and accessible to those who need them,” Dave Moore, Novo Nordisk executive vice president, said in a statement. “The US healthcare system is complex, with different types of insurance and various ways for patients to obtain their medicines. Our new savings offers provide immediate impact, bringing forward greater cost savings for those who are currently without coverage or choose to self-pay.”

Moore added that the price cut is “part of a larger strategy to expand access that includes building relationships with telehealth providers and major retailers, expanding coverage, and working with the Administration to lower costs for people living with chronic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes.”

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

Suspect sought as New York Jets player Kris Boyd in critical condition after shooting

November 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — New York Jets player Kris Boyd was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot on Sunday morning on a New York City street.

A 29-year-old male was shot in the abdomen just after 2 a.m. in front of a restaurant at 156 W. 38th Street in Midtown Manhattan, the NYPD confirmed to ABC News. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in New York, the NYPD said, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

Though the NYPD would not confirm that it was Boyd who was shot, the New York Jets said in a statement to ABC News that they are aware of the situation involving Kris Boyd and have no further comment at this time.

No arrests have yet been made in the shooting, which is under investigation, according to the NYPD. Police are searching for a man who was seen leaving the scene in a blue BMW, the NYPD said.

Police early on Monday released two images of a person of interest in the case. The NYPD described the person as a “male, medium complexion. He was last seen wearing a black cap, black sweatshirt, black pants, multi-colored sneakers, and carrying a black bookbag.”

The Jets did not play on Sunday. The team played Thursday night, losing to the New England Patriots.

In March, Boyd, a defensive cornerback and specialty teams player, signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract to play for the Jets, according to the team. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during team scrimmage in August and hasn’t played since.

A native of Gilmore, Texas, Boyd played college football for the University of Texas, and joined the NFL in 2019 as a seventh round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Texans before coming to the Jets.

Suspect identified in Kansas shootout that injured 4 law enforcement officers

November 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The suspect who was killed in a shootout over the weekend that left four Kansas law enforcement officers injured was identified on Sunday as a 22-year-old man, whose grandfather was also hurt in the incident, authorities said.

The suspect, Stephen M. McMillan, allegedly opened fire on officers who responded to a “domestic disturbance” call at his family’s rural farmhouse in Osage County, Kansas, at around 10:30 on Saturday morning, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

Three Osage County Sheriff’s Department deputies and a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper were shot in the confrontation that unfolded near Carbondale, about 16 miles south of Topeka, authorities said.

Two wounded deputies underwent surgery overnight at Stormont-Vail Regional Medical Center in Topeka and were listed in good condition, the KBI said in a statement on Sunday. The third deputy was discharged from the hospital, according to the KBI.

The injured highway patrol trooper was initially treated for a gunshot wound at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center and later transferred to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, according to the KBI. He has since been released, officials said.

McMillan’s 77-year-old grandfather, whose name was not released, remained hospitalized as of Saturday evening with a gunshot injury and is expected to survive, according to the KBI.

During a news conference on Saturday, Col. Erik Smith, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, said the shooting occurred after a woman at the farmhouse called 911 seeking help for a domestic disturbance that was unfolding.

Upon arrival, the officers encountered the allegedly armed McMillan standing outside the residence, authorities said.

“After being on scene for less than 10 minutes, gunfire erupted,” Smith said.

Five officers, including an additional highway patrol trooper who was not injured, opened fire on the suspect outside the farmhouse, killing him, according to KBI Director Tony Mattivi, who also said McMillan’s grandfather was injured during the exchange of gunfire.

A motive for the shooting remains under investigation by the KBI, Mattivi said.

Federal agents deployed to Charlotte for immigration enforcement, despite rejections from local leaders

November 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — A surge of federal agents arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday to take part in immigration arrests despite protests from the mayor and other local officials.

Eyewitnesses filmed and photographed several incidents where masked agents arrested residents. Paula Walker Coleman filmed one of the incidents at a parking lot and told ABC News she witnessed agents arrest another woman who was filming.

“She was close to their car recording and her hand hit their car while recording so they jumped out the vehicle. That’s why she was saying her hand was shaking and that’s what made her touch their car,” Coleman told ABC News.

The Border Patrol operations, led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection commander-at-large Greg Bovino and dubbed “Operation Charlotte Web,” have not yet had any major clashes with local police or people in Charlotte,” sources told ABC News.

“We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed. There have been too many victims of criminal illegal aliens and President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem will step up to protect Americans when sanctuary politicians won’t,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement.

Willy Aceituno, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Honduras, told The Associated Press he was forcibly taken into a Border Patrol vehicle and only released after showing his citizenship documents. Aceituno, who works in the Charlotte area, said he had been stopped twice by Border Patrol on Saturday, and agents smashed one of his car windows.

As word of the surge increased during the week, North Carolina officials dismissed arguments by the Trump administration that an increased federal presence was needed.

“We should all focus on arresting violent criminals and drug traffickers. Unfortunately, that’s not always what we’ve seen with ICE and Border Patrol Agents in Chicago and elsewhere in the country,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, said in a statement Friday.

Stein encouraged North Carolinians to record any “inappropriate behavior” and follow the law.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, also a Democrat, released a joint statement Saturday with Mark Jerrell, the chair of the city’s Board of County Commissioners, and Stephanie Sneed, the chair of the local board of education, where they expressed support for their constituents.

“It is critical for all residents to feel secure in our community and know they can live their lives without being fearful while walking down the street, going to school, work or the grocery store,” they said.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) said in a statement on Friday that it is not involved in any planning by the federal agents.

“CMPD officers are not authorized to assist with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) administrative warrants, which are civil in nature and not criminal,” the department said.

The North Carolina city of Asheville is also on alert for ICE-related activity in its city, Mayor Esther Manheimer said in a statement Saturday.

“We have learned that Asheville may be a targeted city,” she said. “We believe every person, regardless of immigration status, should feel safe in the community they call home.”

Ukraine’s Odesa forced onto backup power after overnight Russian attack: Officials

November 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Life support facilities and critical infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa were forced onto backup power by overnight Russian strikes on energy targets, Ukrainian officials said early Sunday.

“The enemy continues to deliberately strike civilian infrastructure in the southern part of the Odesa region,” Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, wrote on Telegram.

“Despite active air defense efforts, last night strike drones again damaged energy facilities, including a solar power plant,” Kiper added. “Fires that broke out were promptly extinguished by the State Emergency Service units. Fortunately, there were no casualties.”

“Resilience points have been deployed in the affected area,” Kiper wrote. “Life-support facilities and critical infrastructure have been switched to backup power.”

The Ukrainian Energy Ministry confirmed Kiper’s report, saying in social media posts that there was “a power outage” in Odesa as a result of Russian strikes.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched one ballistic missile and 176 drones into the country overnight, of which 139 drones were shot down or suppressed. Thirty-seven drones impacted across 14 locations, the air force said.

Moscow is intensifying its strikes against critical infrastructure — particularly energy targets — all across Ukraine coinciding with the onset of wintry weather, according to Ukrainian officials. Russian forces have targeted energy infrastructure throughout Moscow’s full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on Sunday that Kyiv is working to enhance its air defenses in cooperation with Western partners. “We have prepared new strong agreements with Europe to significantly strengthen our air defense, our resilience and our diplomacy,” he wrote on Telegram.

The president also said his government is bolstering its energy grid and securing more natural gas supplies in response to Russian attacks.

“We already have agreements in place for financing gas imports — and we will cover nearly 2 billion euros needed for gas imports to compensate for the losses in Ukrainian production caused by Russian strikes,” Zelenskky said in a statement posted to the presidential office website.

Zelenskyy announced a new deal for gas imports from Greece and said Kyiv is working with European Union, American, Norwegian, Polish and Azerbaijani partners to secure more supplies and arrange financing for additional imports.

On Saturday, Zelenskyy said in a statement that the government’s “winter support elements” include the fixing of electricity and gas prices for households, financing of gas imports and the building of equipment reserves for repairs after Russian strikes.

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