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Once-in-a-generation storm to bring tornadoes, historic flooding

April 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A once-in-a-generation extreme weather event is underway, beginning with a tornado outbreak and continuing into the weekend with four days of dangerous flooding pounding the same region.

A rare high risk (level 5 of 5) for severe weather has been issued for Wednesday evening, warning of dangerous thunderstorms, destructive wind gusts and potentially strong, large-track tornadoes from Arkansas to Illinois.

The three areas of greatest concern into Wednesday evening are those in Arkansas, where there are large and extremely dangerous tornadoes on the ground, with Particularly Dangerous Situation, or PDS, tornado warnings in effect.

The first is near Lake City, where a tornado emergency has just been issued — impacting parts of Craighead and Poinsett counties and potentially crossing right into southern Missouri. The second, near Waldenburg, impacts parts of Craighead, Poinsett and Cross counties. The third, near Almrya, impacts parts of Monroe and Arkansas counties.

Additionally, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick C. Sheehan issued a state of emergency ahead of the major storms and significant flooding expected to slam the state. The governor also requested an emergency declaration, which would seek FEMA assistance ahead of the severe forecast.
The National Weather Service warned that those in the flood zone “should prepare now for the possibility of long duration and severe disruptions to daily life.”

There were at least four reported tornadoes — one in Missouri and three in Arkansas — on Wednesday, for a total of eight reported tornadoes across Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas over a 24-hour period.

Only one tornado has been rated: The National Weather Service said that an EF-1 tornado touched the ground for 17 miles near Vernon County, Missouri, with peak winds up to 98 mph, leaving thousands without power in the region.

Throughout Wednesday, there were numerous reports of strong winds gusts, wind damage and large hail stretching from Arkansas to Ohio.

The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management said late Wednesday that four injuries were reported in Craighead County linked to the extreme weather, but there have been no fatalities. However, over 35,000 are without power, the ADEM said.

A particularly dangerous situation, or PDS, tornado watch is in effect across parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana. Cities in the bull’s-eye include Jonesboro, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and Evansville, Indiana.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency.

“We’re really concerned about people’s safety, especially in the overnight, because when storms or tornadoes hit while people are asleep, that’s sadly when we’ve lost the most people,” he said in a statement. “So, everybody out there, be really careful.”

But the biggest threat from this weather event is the potentially historic rainfall.

Wednesday’s severe thunderstorm threat will diminish slightly after midnight, but the threat of severe storms will persist overnight. Then, a life-threatening flash flood threat will begin to ramp up into Thursday morning — bringing another very active, dangerous weather day for millions.

In Arkansas, the cities of Memphis, Jonesboro and Little Rock are under a moderate risk (level 3 of 4) for excessive rainfall on Wednesday night — and the flash flooding threat will become more extreme and widespread on Thursday. A rare high risk (level 4 of 4) for excessive rainfall will then go into effect, impacting Jonesboro, Paducah and the Memphis suburbs.

The flooding will last into Friday and Saturday.

The four-day event will leave 10 to 15 inches of rain or more over the bull’s-eye area from Jonesboro to Paducah. Seven to 10 inches of rain is possible from Little Rock to Memphis to Louisville, Kentucky, to Cincinnati.

The system will finally be on the move on Sunday.

ABC News’ Jason Volack contributed to this report.

15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California

April 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — Phoebe Beltran, 15, has always been a “water baby,” according to her mom, Bibi Beltran.

She has always had a love for swimming, she told ABC News, which was why she decided to participate in a junior lifeguard cadet program in Long Beach, California, on March 30.

In the middle of competing in the 1,000-yard swim test, she felt pain in her right arm.

“My initial reaction was, ‘I’m getting eaten in the middle of the water, it’s a shark, I’m going to die,'” Phoebe Beltran told ABC News.

Phoebe Beltran immediately screamed for help, which is when the animal — she later found out was a sea lion — let go of her arm.

She was assisted back to the shore and a lifeguard boat patrolling the water brought all the other swimmers to safety, according to the Long Beach Fire Department.

“As I was getting up onto shore, that’s when I stood up, the lifeguards saw that my arm was bleeding, they took me to the sand and started fixing me up before sending me to the ER,” Phoebe Beltran said.

Her mom heard the screams, but didn’t think it was her daughter until she saw her arm gushing with blood.

“I don’t have the words to explain the panic in a mom’s heart when they see their child like that,” Bibi Beltran said. “It was a rollercoaster of emotions.”

Phoebe Beltran had bites “localized to her arms and extremities” and was taken to the local hospital, but “did not require advanced treatment,” officials said.

She later found out the lifeguards determined the animal that attacked her was a sea lion.

Phoebe Beltran said she did not do “anything that provoked” the sea lion and she would not have swum next to it if she had seen the animal.

“It came out of nowhere, I was surprised by it and so were other people,” Phoebe Beltran said.

This incident comes after sea lions on the California coast have reportedly been displaying strange behavior, likely due to a harmful algae bloom impacting the region, according to marine researchers.

The sea lions are likely being poisoned by domoic acid, a neurotoxin within the algae blooms, which they ingest through the fish they eat, according to marine experts. Ingesting domoic acid can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans and marine mammals, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center.

“Instances of bites are quite a rare occurrence, but it is important for the public to maintain a distance of 150 feet from sea lions and other marine life on local beaches, exit the water immediately if approached by a marine mammal (do not engage) and call trained wildlife first responders if there appears to be a marine mammal in distress,” the center said in a statement to ABC News.

Justin Viezbicke, the California Stranding Coordinator for National Marine Fisheries Service, told ABC News that sea lions are not typically aggressive creatures and would normally “just run away” at the sight of humans, not attack.

“With this domoic acid poisoning, for some reason, it’s changing something in them that does create a situation where the sea lions have reacted, and that reaction has been either to bite or to chase after people or to exhibit behaviors that we would consider not normal,” Viezbicke said.

Common symptoms for domoic acid poisoning include lethargy, seizures, a bobbing and weaving of their heads and in some cases, aggression, Viezbicke said.

“Normal behavior is that they’re alert and aware of you,” Viezbicke said. “Oftentimes, with domoic acid, that awareness is really not there until you may be getting too close.”

Officials said the sea lion that attacked Phoebe Beltran had “no evidence” of being sick, just appearing to be aggressive. After the attack, the animal “left immediately and swam back out in the ocean,” the fire department said.

However, Phoebe Beltran still thinks this animal was ill.

“Knowing it happened out of nowhere, I deeply feel like it had something with it being sick,” Phoebe Beltran said. “It’s sad they weren’t able to catch it to help it and bring it back to its health, but hopefully it’s doing better on its own.”

Phoebe Beltran said her pain is “manageable,” but the emotional trauma from the incident is something she still struggles with.

“The physical wounds don’t seem that bad, but what happened took a toll on me mentally, so it’s just something I am working on getting over,” Phoebe Beltran told ABC News.

Despite the attack, Phoebe Beltran said she still plans on getting back in the water once she is completely healed, competing again for the junior lifeguard program and pursuing a career focusing on marine life.

“I came out really lucky to have my arm, it’s still working, it’s just scratches. [I hope people can] be more aware of what’s going on in the water, not to blame it on the sea animals at all,” Phoebe Beltran said.

ABC News’ Julia Jacobo contributed to this report.

Myanmar earthquake death toll tops 3,000 with hundreds still missing

April 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — The death toll from last week’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar rose to 3,085 people as of Thursday morning, according to an update released by the country’s military government.

Another 4,715 people have been injured and 341 others remain missing, the junta said.

The epicenter of Friday’s magnitude earthquake was near the northern city of Mandalay — Myanmar’s second-largest city. But severe damage has been reported across the country, with thousands of buildings razed, roads destroyed and bridges collapsed.

The earthquake also rocked Thailand, where at least 22 people have been confirmed killed and 35 others injured in the capital Bangkok, according to the city’s Metropolitan Administration.

Most of the casualties there were related to the collapse of a high-rise building that was under construction when the powerful quake struck the region.

Search and rescue teams have been working around the clock to find the 72 people who were reported as missing from the incident, Bangkok officials said, with hopes that some may still be alive beneath the heavy, thick layers of debris seven days later.

City officials expressed concern that it could rain Thursday, which might hinder ongoing search and rescue efforts.

“We hope that a miracle will happen,” the administration said in a situation update posted to Facebook.

“For those trapped beneath the debris, if they are still alive, the heat may not be a big issue because there are vents and it is not as hot as above,” it said. “The main problem is dehydration.”

World leaders blast Trump tariffs as markets slump

April 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Foreign stock markets tumbled on Thursday morning following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a raft of tariffs on America’s trade partners — including a minimum baseline tariff of 10% on all nations.

American trading partners reacted to Trump’s tariffs announcement with condemnation and concern, warning that the measures could touch off a far-reaching and costly trade war.

China — hit with 34% tariffs on top of 20% tariffs Trump previously announced — urged the U.S. to “immediately cancel its unilateral tariff measures and properly resolve differences with its trading partners through equal dialogue,” a Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement.

The tariffs will “endanger global economic development and the stability of the supply chain,” they added.

The European Union — now facing a 20% tariff — is prepared to respond,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “The universal tariffs announced by the U.S. are a major blow to businesses and consumers worldwide,” von der Leyen wrote in a post to X on Thursday.

“We’ll always protect our interests and values,” she added. “We’re also ready to engage. And to go from confrontation to negotiation.”

Asian markets led the global stock market slide on Thursday morning. Japan’s Nikkei index dropped 4% after opening, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slid 2.4%, South Korea’s KOSPI fell 2.7% and Australia’s ASX 200 fell 2%.

In Europe, the pan-continental STOXX 600 index fell 1.5% to a two-month low. Germany’s DAX fell nearly 2.5%, the French CAC 40 slipped 2.2% and Spain’s IBEX index dropped 1.5%. Britain’s FTSE 100 index lost 1.5%.

U.S. markets closed up ahead of Trump’s Wednesday Rose Garden presentation, but stock futures dropped on Wednesday night. Dow Jones futures plummeted 2.7%, S&P 500 futures sank 3.9% and futures tied to the NASDAQ 100 dropped 4.7%.

European leaders were quick to warn of potential knock-on effects.

In a Facebook post, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the tariffs targeted toward the European Union “wrong.”

She added, “We will do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States, with the aim of avoiding a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players.”

German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Wednesday should be remembered as “inflation day” for American consumers. “The U.S. mania for tariffs could set off a spiral that could also pull countries into recession and cause massive damage worldwide,” Habeck said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump “acted for his country, and that is his mandate. Today, I will act in Britain’s interests with mine.” The U.K. is facing a 10% tariff on all its goods.

“Clearly, there will be an economic impact from the decisions the U.S. has taken, both here and globally,” Starmer added. “But I want to be crystal clear: we are prepared, indeed one of the great strengths of this nation is our ability to keep a cool head.”

In Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo “once again conveyed to the U.S. government that the recent measures are extremely regrettable and have strongly requested that they be reconsidered.” Japan is facing 24% tarrffs.

The measures, he added, “could have a significant impact on economic relations between Japan and the U.S., and ultimately on the global economy and the multilateral trading system as a whole.”

South Korea’s acting President Han Duck-soo instructed the government to “pour out all of its capabilities at its disposal to overcome this trade crisis,” in a statement quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

Han described Trump’s measures — which included 25% tariffs for all South Korean goods — as “very grave” and warned of “the approach of the reality of a global tariff war.”

Smaller nations also railed against Trump’s measures. Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad criticized the 32% tariffs to be imposed on the Pacific island nation as “disproportionate” and “unfair.”

ABC News’ Jack Moore, Leah Sarnoff, Will Gretsky and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

What’s in Trump’s sweeping new tariff plan?

April 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new tariffs on Wednesday, which the White House dubbed “Liberation Day.”

“This is one of the most important days in my opinion in American history,” Trump said during a press conference at the Rose Garden, outside the White House. “It’s our declaration of economic independence.”

The fresh round of tariffs marked a significant escalation from previous levies slapped on some foreign goods in recent weeks.

The new tariffs feature two key policies: A uniform 10% tariff for all imports and “reciprocal” tariffs imposed on many nations that place duties on U.S. imports.

The universal 10% tariff amounts to a wide-ranging trade barrier that will touch every product that enters the U.S.

Trump said the measure would ensure foreign firms pay a price for benefits derived from the purchasing power of U.S. consumers.

“Foreign nations will finally pay for the privilege of access to our market,” Trump said.

In addition to the universal tariff, Trump said, the U.S. will impose tariffs on many countries that levy U.S. goods. Trump described such duties as “reciprocal tariffs,” though he noted that the U.S. would impose tariffs at half of the level of the trade barriers slapped on U.S. products.

“We will charge them approximately half of what they are and have been charging us,” Trump said. “We’re kind people.” He added later in his remarks, “This is not full reciprocal. This is kind reciprocal.”

The move departs from statements made by Trump in recent days vowing to impose reciprocal tariffs that match the trade barriers of other countries.

The reciprocal tariffs will target roughly 60 countries identified by the Trump administration as the “worst offenders,” White House officials said, noting that Canada and Mexico would be excluded from the reciprocal tariffs.

The White House calculated the cumulative cost of trade barriers imposed by each of the target nations, including tariffs as well as non-monetary measures. In each case, the U.S. will impose a reciprocal tariff rate at 50% of the level attributed to a given country.

For instance, Trump said, the U.S. estimated a total trade barrier rate of 67% for China, meaning the U.S. would impose a 34% tariff in response. The U.S. assessed a European Union trade barrier rate of 39%, Trump said, adding that the U.S. reciprocal tariff would register at 20%.

The universal 10% tariff is set to take effect on the morning of April 5, and the reciprocal tariffs will hit products on the morning of April 9, White House officials said.

Economists widely expect tariffs to raise prices for U.S. consumers, since importers typically pass along a share of the tax burden in the form of higher costs.

“For decades, the U.S. slashed our trade barriers on other countries while those nations placed massive tariffs on our products,” Trump said.

“This all happened with no response from the United States of America — none whatsoever,” Trump added. “But those days are over.”

After 6 months, 5 people still missing in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene

April 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NORTH CAROLINA) — Six months after Hurricane Helene destroyed communities across the Southeast, five people remain missing in North Carolina due to the storm, according to officials.

The missing include one person from Avery County, one from Mitchell County and three from Yancey County — all of whom have not been in contact since the Category 4 hurricane hit North Carolina in September, officials confirmed to ABC News.

Alena Ayers from Mitchell County has been missing since the hurricane’s start, according to Sheriff Donald Street.

Yancey County Sheriff Shane Hilliard said Lenny Widsawski, Yevhenii Segen and Tetyana Novitnia have also been missing since Helene devastated the area.

Avery County Sheriff’s Office could not confirm the name of the individual missing since the beginning of the storm.

Names continue to be removed from the list of missing, with one found as recently as last week.

On March 28, an individual who had been missing since Helene’s destruction was found and identified as 66-year-old Russell Wilber, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Wednesday.

Wilber was recovered in Avery County after he had “washed into the Toe River from a campground,” officials said.

As of Tuesday, there have been 107 “verified storm-related fatalities in North Carolina,” officials said.

On the six-month anniversary of the hurricane, North Carolina Rep. Dudley Greene filed “Alena’s Law,” which allows for a “presumption of death in instances where the disappearance and continued absence of a person coincides with a disaster declaration,” the bill said. It is still working its way through the House before a vote.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane. Days later, in Asheville, North Carolina, the storm caused historic flooding that devastated roads, bridges and structures.

The storm also ravaged through Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

More than 230 people have died from the storm, which has become the deadliest mainland hurricane since Katrina in 2005.

On March 27, “Good Morning America” returned to Asheville and announced $3 million in donations to the community from corporate sponsors including Lowe’s, Food Lion, Samsung, BetterHelp, Bojangles, Red Ventures, Armstrong Flooring, 84 Lumber, Family Dollar, Honeywell, Starbucks and Hanes.

Trump announces ‘historic’ tariffs as he says America’s been ‘looted, pillaged’

April 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) —

President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a long-promised, sweeping set of baseline tariffs on all countries and what he described as “kind reciprocal” tariffs on nations he claimed were the worst offenders in trade relations with the U.S.

“My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day,” Trump said from the White House Rose Garden, claiming the action will free the U.S. from dependence on foreign goods.

“April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed and the day that we began to make America wealthy again,” he said.

The new measures — which Trump described as “historic” — include a minimum baseline tariff of 10% and further, more targeted levies on certain countries like China, the European Union and Taiwan.

“We will charge them approximately half of what they are and have been charging us,” he said, adding, “because we are being very kind.”

“This is not full reciprocal. This is kind reciprocal,” he said.

Trump held up a chart with a list of nations and what the new U.S. tariffs against them will be. At the top was China, which Trump said was set to be hit with a 34% tariff rate as he claimed it charged the United States 67%.

The 10% baseline tariff rate goes into effect on April 5, according to senior White House officials. The “kind reciprocal” tariffs go into effect April 9 at 12:01 a.m., officials said, and will impact roughly 60 countries.

Trump described trade deficits as a “national emergency” and that his actions will usher in what he called “the golden age of America.”

“In short, chronic trade deficits are no longer merely an economic problem. They’re a national emergency that threatens our security and our very way of life. It’s a very great threat to our country,” he said.

Wednesday’s tariff announcement is a moment months in the making for the president, but one that comes with significant political and economic risk.

Some experts warn his moves could cause the economy to slide into a recession and markets seesawed ahead of Wednesday’s announcement, after weeks of turmoil as Trump’s tariff policy shifted and took shape.

The White House had been mum on details ahead of Wednesday’s event. One senior administration official said the situation was “still very fluid” after meetings on Wednesday morning and that Trump and his top advisers were trying to find some common ground where they agreed.

Some options debated in recent weeks, ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang reported, were a 20% flat tariff rate on all imports; different tariff levels for each country based on their levies on U.S. products; or tariffs on about 15% of countries with the largest trade imbalances with the U.S.

Wednesday’s tariffs build onto levies already imposed by the administration, including on steel and aluminum as well as certain goods from China, Canada and Mexico.

The actions have strained relations with Canada and Mexico, two key allies and neighbors. Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week the U.S. and Canada’s deep relationship on economic, security and military issues was effectively over.

Canada has vowed retaliatory tariffs and Mexico said it will give its response later this week. The European Union, too, said it has a “strong plan to retaliate.”

But Trump and administration officials are plowing full steam ahead, arguing America’s been unfairly “ripped off” by other nations for years and it’s time for reciprocity.

“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said on Wednesday.

The economy was the top issue for voters in the 2024 presidential election, with Americans casting blame on President Joe Biden for high prices and Trump promising to bring families financial relief.

The administration has painted tariffs as a panacea for the economy writ large, arguing any pain experienced in the short term will be offset by what they predict will be major boosts in manufacturing, job growth and government revenue.

“Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country, and you see it happening already. We will supercharge our domestic industrial base,” Trump said. “We will pry open foreign markets and break down foreign trade barriers. And ultimately, more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers.”

But economists say it will be American consumers who bear the brunt of higher costs to start.

It’s unclear how much leeway the public is willing to give Trump to get past what he in the past called “a little disturbance.”

Already, little more than two months into his second term, polls show his handling of the economy is being met with pushback.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey published on Monday found a majority of Americans (58%) disapprove of how Trump has been handling the economy.

On his protectionist trade negotiations with other nations, specifically, 60% of Americans said they disapproved of his approach so far. It was his weakest issue in the poll among Republicans.

Trump’s GOP allies on Capitol Hill have said they’re placing trust in the president, but acknowledged there will be some uncertainty to start.

“It may be rocky in the beginning but I think this will make sense for Americans and it will help all Americans,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday alongside other members of Republican leadership.

Democrats, meanwhile, pledged to fight the tariffs “tooth and nail” and were trying to force a vote aimed at curtailing his authorities to impose levies on Canada.

“Trump’s done a lot of bad things. This is way up there,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier on Wednesday.

ABC News’ Mary Bruce, Katherine Faulders and Fritz Farrow contributed to this report.

Democrats vow to fight Trump’s tariffs ‘tooth and nail’ as they slam ‘chaotic trade war’

April 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Democrats on Wednesday vowed to fight President Donald Trump’s tariffs “tooth and nail” and criticized his policies as having started an “absurd, crazy, chaotic trade war.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer held a news conference just hours before Trump’s big tariff reveal, where he urged Republicans to join Senate Democrats on a measure to block tariffs on Canadian goods.

“They know they’re a tax hike on the American people,” he said. “They know that the stock market is in turmoil, risking people’s retirements. They know that consumer confidence is down and the odds of a recession — something people hate, it’s harder to find a job, keep a job, maintain your weekly budget if a recession occurs — and now our greatest financial prognosticators are saying the chances of recession because of these tariffs, this tariff tax, goes way up.

“So, we’re going to fight these tariffs tooth and nail. Trump’s done a lot of bad things. This is way up there,” Schumer said.

Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who introduced the resolution to block Trump’s tariffs on Canada, said he expected a vote to occur between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET.

Unlike most legislation in the Senate, the resolution will only need a simple majority to pass. Just a handful of Republicans would need to side with Democrats to hit that vote threshold.

President Trump, in an early morning post on his social media platform, pressured Republicans to oppose the measure — going so far as to call out some specific members of his party by name.

“Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul, also of Kentucky, will hopefully get on the Republican bandwagon, for a change,” he wrote on his social media platform.

The president added the bill “is just a ploy of the Dems to show and expose the weakness of certain Republicans, namely these four, in that it is not going anywhere because the House will never approve it and I, as your President, will never sign it.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also preemptively slammed Trump’s tariffs, saying they will make goods more costly.

“This is not Liberation Day. It’s Recession Day in the United States of America,” Jeffries said. “That’s what the Trump tariffs are going to do.”

Top House Republicans, meanwhile, expressed confidence in President Trump ahead of this Rose Garden unveiling. Though they admitted their may be some “short-term pain” as a result.

“I trust the president’s instincts,” Speaker Mike Johnson said when asked by ABC News if he’s concerned. “We are fully supportive of his initiatives, and we’ll see how it all shakes out.”

“The president talked in the State of the Union that that may be some short-term pain, ultimately, long term we’re going to get more things made in America, and we’re going to get fair treatment of America by other countries,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

ABC News’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

Massachusetts county debuts jail program with focus on older adults

April 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(MIDDLESEX, Mass.) — To step inside the Older Adult Re-Entry unit, or OAR, at the Middlesex County, Massachusetts, jail is unlike entering any jail in the United States.

The walls are adorned in a soothing paint color, and there is fitness equipment, specially designed beds in cell units, better lighting so older inmates do not fall and a puzzle-making table to “stimulate the mind cognitively,” according to Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian.

OAR is designed for inmates who are over the age of 55 and need to get ready to reenter the public, but Koutoujian said older inmates have different needs than younger ones who get released into the community.

“We designed this unit from the ground up with the unique needs of this population in mind, from treatment programs focused on specific needs of this population, cognitive behavioral treatment, social enrichment, education and occupational therapy,” he said, adding that the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office worked with researchers from Boston University to have the older inmate population’s best interests in mind.

Older inmates make up about 10% of the jail’s population, and entry into the program is voluntary. OAR serves both those who are awaiting trial and those who are set to be released in the next few months or years. There are 20 inmates currently in the unit, which just launched in March.

He said OAR helps stimulate inmates minds with different classes and activities to prepare for their reentry into society.

“This is much more than just: This is how to get a job, this is how to get your driver’s license back, this is how to do these basic things that we deal with everywhere in our facility,” he explained. “This is about how to live your life so that you can live more happily, more safely and longer. [It] is much different than any other unit in the entire country for those very reasons.”

In working with researchers, Koutoujian found that older men need friendships to live healthy lives.

“We’ve seen much more research recently showing especially men, as they age, become more socially isolated. It impacts them mentally and physically and affects their mortality,” he said.

“I’m trying to make sure that they are more aware of so that it’s not just the fact that we’re giving them this lesson, but what are the activities they can engage in?” he added. “They can build new relationships, new friendships, new support systems, healthier social networks. That is a critical part to this population’s reentry.”

The sheriff said he believes the program, with the research and data OAR is collecting, can be replicated throughout the country.

“What do the incarcerated individuals in the unit get out of it? They get a great deal out of it, and let’s just say, what do the officers that are involved in this unit get out of it? They get a feeling of well-being, of partnership, of doing something good,” he said.

More cities, counties start to remove fluoride from public drinking water

April 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More cities and counties across the U.S. are moving to ban fluoride in public drinking water after Utah became the first state in the country to do so.

The Miami-Dade County commissioners voted 8-2 on Tuesday to stop adding fluoride to the public water supply.

Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, who sponsored the legislation, referred to fluoride as a “neurotoxin” and that studies show it “should not be in the water.”

Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo has previously recommended removing fluoride from public water supplies, citing potential harms, according to local ABC News affiliate WPLG.

In a statement last year, Ladapo claimed that “more research is necessary to address safety and efficacy concerns regarding community water fluoridation.”

Opponents, including Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava, argue fluoride is safe and essential for dental health.

“Miami-Dade County has been adding fluoride to the water for 60 years. It has been constantly verified, scientifically and medically, that it is safe. We know that it provides protection for dental care and prevents cavities. We use a very, very low level, well within the guidelines,” she said before the meeting, according to WPLG.

The measure also calls for the mayor “to create and implement a countywide public service campaign focused on dental hygiene and alternate sources of fluoride available in dental health products.”

The county has 30 days to halt fluoride use. It’s unclear whether or not the mayor will veto the legislation.

Local reports indicate that a town in Virginia has also voted unanimously to bar adding fluoride to its town water supply.

Meanwhile, an Ohio state representative has also proposed a bill prohibiting adding fluoride to public water systems.

Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in water sources such as lakes and rivers, and is even naturally present in some foods and beverages, according to the American Dental Association (ADA).

It is added to some dental products, such as toothpaste, to help prevent cavities.

High-quality studies show fluoride prevents cavities and repairs damage to teeth caused by bacteria in the mouth. Fluoride makes tooth enamel stronger and rebuilds weakened tooth enamel, the ADA says.

Fluoride also replaces minerals lost from teeth due to acid breakdown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, influential skeptics, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have long raised doubts about the benefits of fluoride.

In an interview with NPR in November 2024, Kennedy doubled down on his promise of persuading local governments to remove fluoride from their water supplies.

He has claimed that fluoride in drinking water affects children’s neurological development and that other countries that have removed fluoride from their water supplies have not seen an increase in cavities.

A large review paper published in January 2025 suggested a link between fluoride and lower IQ in children, but much of the underlying data was pulled from other countries, where fluoride exposure is far higher than levels used in drinking water in the U.S.

Some health professionals have also expressed concerns about excessive fluoride intake and potential toxicity.

Many doctors and dental associations, however, argue that fluoride in water is still a crucial, low-risk/high-reward public health tool, especially for children and adults who may not be able to practice regular dental hygiene.

The association calls community water fluoridation “the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.”

“Studies prove water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing dental decay by at least 25% in children and adults, even in the era of widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste,” the ADA states on its website. “So, by simply drinking fluoridated water, you are doing something good for your oral health.”

ABC News’ Sony Salzman and Jason Volack contributed to this report.

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