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Trump shows off multimillion-dollar White House helipad and adds his signature

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed his name on one of the slabs of a new multimillion-dollar granite helipad being built on the White House South Lawn as he showcased the ongoing construction project for the first time.

“It’s very exciting, very exciting, and I think it will be here for a long time,” Trump told reporters as he gave them a tour and touted the project, which will feature the U.S. seal.

But questions are mounting about who is paying for the project and if taxpayers might be on the hook.

Trump announced the helipad in July from the Oval Office, and said that Sikorsky, the manufacturer of the Marine One fleet that carries the president, would pay for the build.

“They are paying for the cost of it. It’s about $5 or $6 million. They’re paying the full cost,” Trump said at the time.

On Wednesday Trump reiterated that Sikorsky was footing much of the bill with additional “donations from numerous people, including me.”

A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky’s parent company, told ABC News in a statement last month that its contribution was “made to the National Park Service.”

They added that their work with the administration was being “guided by rigorous ethics and compliance standards.”

Trump said crews were working nearly around the clock to bring the project in for a landing, starting as early as six in the morning and wrapping at midnight.

In addition to landing Marine One, the helipad would be used for when foreign dignitaries come for state visits and as a cocktail space ahead of events at the ballroom he’s constructing. He has in the past said it could also be used for news conferences.

The president said his signature, and that of those leading the project, will be on the back of the head of the eagle, which is part of the U.S. seal, and would not be visible once the project is complete.

ABC News has asked the White House Historical Association whether there are any past instances of a president inscribing their own name on a project on the grounds.

The president has said the landing zone is being built to allow newer Marine One helicopters that ferry the president to make trips to the White House.

“This is a helipad at the highest level. It can land any helicopter in the world, no matter how big, no matter how powerful, no matter how strong,” he said.

Lockheed Martin delivered a new fleet of Sikorsky helicopters to the Air Force in 2024, but the White House has had to keep using the older fleet for South Lawn departures and arrivals because they burn the grass. The newer helicopters have been used at other locations.

A construction worker told the president that the helipad could be completed by “the 21st,” though it was not clear if that was of August or September. Trump is slated to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept. 24.

“Oh, so we might make it for President Xi? That would be great,” Trump said. He later added, “Not imperative, but it would be very nice to have it done.”

He also admitted that work was delayed for a week after he asked for the helipad to be raised to account for a slope in the lawn.

“Sorry to take an extra week and a half, but lifting it up was one of the best things we’ve ever done, right? Trump said to the construction workers standing around him.

‘Massive’ Russian missile strike on Kyiv kills at least 15 people, Zelenskyy says

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

LONDON — A “massive” Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv on Wednesday night killed at least 15 people and injured more than 40 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post to social media on Thursday.

“Throughout the night, our emergency services have been working at the sites of Russian strikes,” Zelenskyy wrote. “The attack was massive — the Russians prepared for a long time and combined different types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones to inflict as much damage as possible on civilian infrastructure.”

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched an unspecified number of ballistic missiles into the country overnight as well as 46 cruise or air-to-ground missiles of various types. Russia also launched 168 drones, the air force said.

“The main direction of the attack was the Kyiv region,” the air force wrote in a post to Telegram. It added that 41 cruise missiles of various types and 145 drones were shot down or otherwise suppressed, with munitions reported impacting across 28 locations.

The air force did not say whether any ballistic missiles were shot down. Earlier this month, the air force stopped publishing the number of ballistic missiles fired or intercepted in Russia’s nightly barrages.

Around the capital, Zelenskyy said that residential buildings, a children’s hospital and school were among the sites damaged. The president also reported overnight Russian attacks in the southern Odesa and northern Chernihiv regions.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in posts to Telegram that damage was reported in the Sviatoshynskyi, Solomianskyi and Darnitskyi areas of the city, including fires at warehouses and residential buildings.

Recent months have seen an expansion of Russian missile attacks all across Ukraine, as officials in Kyiv warn that Ukrainian stocks of anti-missile interceptor munitions are dangerously low and, in some cases, exhausted.

Ukraine is working on its own ballistic missile interceptor program — the FREYJA — but officials in Kyiv have said they do not expect the weapon to be operational until 2027.

Zelenskyy on Thursday again appealed to foreign partners to route more ammunition to Kyiv. “Unfortunately, while Moscow is investing in ballistics and escalation, there isn’t always the necessary response from the world to such attacks,” he wrote.

“As long as Ukraine lacks sufficient anti-ballistic defenses, Russia will not seriously consider peace. We are doing everything we can to ensure protection, and work on the FREYJA program continues every day. However, interceptors for ‘Patriot’ systems are not yet available, and they are needed every day,” Zelenskyy wrote.

In a later post, the Ukrainian leader said that the country’s defense against ballistic missiles is “entirely dependent on the supply of missiles for ‘Patriot’ systems to Ukraine, and therefore, it depends on our partners.”

“We cannot simply stand by idly and watch as the Russians destroy lives with ballistic missiles. Ukrainian soldiers can operate effectively when the courage and professionalism of our people are supported by the appropriate assistance from our partners,” Zelenskyy added.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported a “horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv,” in a post to X. “This was one of the most brutal Russian attacks to date, with ballistic missiles raining down on our capital one after another,” he wrote.

Russia’s Defense Ministry described the overnight attack as having targeted “military industrial enterprises, a transport and logistics hub and warehouses in Kyiv and the Kyiv region.”

The Defense Ministry also said that it shot down at least 726 Ukrainian drones over 18 Russian regions plus Crimea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. At least 28 drones were shot down over the Moscow region, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Telegram.

Let there be Foo: Foo Fighters to open for AC/DC in St. Louis

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

In between dates on their own stadium tour, Foo Fighters are taking a detour on the “Highway to Hell.”

Dave Grohl and company will be opening for AC/DC during the “Back in Black” legends’ upcoming show in St. Louis on Sept. 8. They will be filling in for The Pretty Reckless, who have been supporting AC/DC’s ongoing U.S. run.

“Foo Fighters are taking a special one-off detour from their Take Cover Global Stadium Tour to fill in for their friends The Pretty Reckless as special guests of AC/DC for one night only in St. Louis,” a press release reads. “The performance brings two generations of rock’s biggest live acts together for a one-night-only event, with the Foo Fighters opening for [AC/DC’s] September 8 St. Louis tour stop.”

The Foos tour, meanwhile, continues Saturday in Los Angeles. The trek supports the “Everlong” outfit’s new album, Your Favorite Toy.

In brief: ‘Club Kid’ trailer and more

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Scary Movie is headed to streaming. The sixth installment in the horror comedy film franchise makes its debut to Paramount+ on Sept. 3. The movie brings the core four back together 26 years after the original film’s debut. Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris and Regina Hall return alongside cast members such as Dave Sheridan, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri and Chris Elliott …

The trailer for Club Kid has arrived. A24 released the official trailer for its upcoming film from writer-director-star Jordan Firstman in his directorial debut. The movie does not have an official release date, but the studio says it’s coming soon. It follows a New York City club promoter whose 10-year-old son he never knew existed shows up at his door. Reggie Absolom, Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva also star …

An Outer Banks prequel is in the works. ABC Audio has learned that its creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke are developing a prequel series set 20 years before the events of the popular young adult adventure show. Netflix declined to comment when reached by ABC Audio. The show, which has the working title of Kildare, is based on a concept the creator trio have been working on for several years …

In brief: ‘Club Kid’ trailer and more

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Hearing on Karmelo Anthony’s bid for new trial in track meet stabbing set for Thursday

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(FRISCO, Texas) — A Texas judge is set to hear arguments Thursday on whether Karmelo Anthony should get a new trial, two months after a jury convicted and sentenced him to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing a fellow student at a high school track meet.

The hearing comes a day after the Collin County judge who presided over the murder trial was removed from further proceedings in the case.

Prosecutors called the deadly stabbing “unjustified” and “plain and simple murder,” while the defense argued that Anthony acted in self-defense when he stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco in April 2025.

After hearing four days of testimony, a Collin County jury found Anthony, 19, guilty of murder following three hours of deliberation on June 9. The same jury sentenced him to 35 years in prison after several more hours of deliberation.

Anthony’s attorneys claimed in a motion seeking a new trial that the teen was “coerced” into waiving his right to testify, stemming from a purported dispute between defense attorneys and prosecutors about whether his testimony would be covered by an agreement limiting some character evidence in the trial. Defense attorneys alleged this denied him a “complete defense.”

The defense also alleged that Collin County Judge John Roach improperly instructed the jury and that his courtroom restrictions, which limited public access to the proceedings, denied Anthony a fair trial.

In a statement to ABC Dallas affiliate WFAA ahead of this week’s hearings, Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye said Anthony’s new attorneys “filed a motion containing several inaccurate characterizations of the trial proceedings.”

“I and the entire prosecution team conducted this trial ethically and in full compliance with the Court’s ruling and any agreements with defense counsel,” Wirskye added.

A new judge will preside over Thursday’s hearing, after Judge Sid Harle granted the defense’s motion to recuse Roach from any further matters in the Anthony case.

In his order issued Wednesday, Harle wrote that there were grounds for recusal “in that the evidence adduced at the hearing is such that the respondent judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.”

Retired Kaufman County District Judge Michael Chitty has been assigned to oversee the case.

In the defense motion seeking to recuse the trial judge from the post-trial proceedings, Anthony’s attorneys questioned both Roach’s impartiality in the case and his courtroom restrictions.

The motion cited what it called “problematic comments” Roach made during an interview following the verdict, in which it said the judge “endorsed the jury’s guilty verdict” and defended his courtroom restrictions. It also pointed to a public letter Roach released following the trial, in which he stated that those who worked on the case “contributed to ensuring the process was conducted fairly.”

Anthony’s attorneys said Wednesday that they are “pleased” with Harle’s decision to recuse Roach and “look forward to presenting the merits of Karmelo’s motion for a new trial to a fair and independent judge.”

Ahead of the high-profile trial, Roach imposed a gag order and barred any electronics from the courtroom during the proceedings due to the attention the case had garnered.

“Due to the significant public and media interest in this case, the Court finds that specific procedures are necessary to ensure the Defendant’s right to a fair and impartial trial, the orderly administration of justice, the safety and security of all participants, and reasonable public access consistent with constitutional requirements,” Roach wrote in a May order.

On Wednesday, Chitty ordered that the trial procedures will remain in effect at this time for future proceedings in the case.

Pregnant woman has been held for weeks following immigration lawyer scam, family says

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(DILLEY, Texas.) — Last month, Kelly Ocampo believed she received good news: Her 21-year-old pregnant sister had finally been granted bond and was going to be released from the family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas.

The letter she received from a lawyer to whom she had paid more than $3,000 was written on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement letterhead and stated that the ICE bond for Maria Alejandra Gomez-Quiroz was approved.

“This notice confirms that the immigration bond ordered by the Immigration Court has been successfully paid through an official payment method authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS),” the letter stated.

When Ocampo received the letter, her sister had been in detention for a few weeks. But now, a month after she believed the bond was approved, her sister — who is five months pregnant — is still in federal immigration custody.

“It was a scam,” Ocampo told ABC News.

Ocampo believes she was scammed by an individual posing as an immigration attorney, and said her sister has now been detained for over 40 days. Ocampo and her family spent all their savings on the alleged lawyer to try to get her sister released, she said.

ABC News reached out to the person Ocampo says claimed to be a lawyer, but did not receive a response.

Ocampo told ABC News that her sister and partner were fleeing violent guerrillas in Colombia and were planning on applying for asylum in the U.S.

Gomez-Quiroz was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol at the border in June.

She is one of at least 500 people detained at Dilley and one of four pregnant women being held there as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown, according to lawmakers.

Her detention comes as a federal district judge in California has ordered the appointment of a special master and independent monitor to examine “time in custody” at the Dilley facility to ensure that the government is complying with guidelines established in previous legal settlements.

Immigration lawyers have argued that the administration is detaining people longer than allowed by previous court settlements.

Immigrant advocacy groups have also said that arrests and detentions of pregnant women violate an ICE directive stating that the agency should not “detain, arrest, or continue to detain individuals known to be pregnant, postpartum, or nursing” except under exceptional circumstances.

ABC News previously reported on a different 21-year-old pregnant woman who has been detained at Dilly for more than 50 days with her 2-year-old son.

Immigrant advocates, medical professionals and lawmakers have previously raised concerns about conditions at the South Texas facility.

The order from the California judge also calls for the special master and independent monitor to monitor compliance with “adequate access to medical care” at Dilley.

DHS officials have previously disputed any allegations of substandard medical care at the detention facility.

A spokesperson for DHS said Gomez-Quiroz was convicted of illegal entry on July 6 and stated that she remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of her removal proceedings.

In response to concerns from Gomez-Quiroz’s family that she has been experiencing lower abdominal pain, a DHS spokesperson said, “It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment a person enters ICE custody.”

“She’s been very depressed,” Ocampo told ABC News. “My mom is desperate … this is a very hard situation.

Producer Butch Vig reflects on 35th anniversary of ‘Nevermind’: ‘It changed my life’

August 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Here Nevermind is now, three-and-a-half decades later.

Nirvana’s massive 1991 album will celebrate its 35th anniversary in September. The RIAA Diamond-certified Nevermind made worldwide stars out of the trio — made up of frontman Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl — while launching the generation-defining grunge scene of the ’90s.

Needless to say, Nevermind also had a huge impact on Butch Vig, who produced the album.

“It was a zeitgeist moment for me, making that album,” Vig tells ABC Audio. “It changed my life. Everyone, including the band and everyone close to the band, Nevermind changed their life, and I’m very thankful for that.”

Thirty-five years later, Vig doesn’t put on Nevermind and listen to it himself, though he doesn’t have to go far to hear its songs, which include the iconic anthem “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “In Bloom,” “Come as You Are” and “Lithium,” out in public.

“It’s nice that [Nevermind is] out there in the world, that it’s omnipresent,” Vig says. “I go into a coffee shop and there’s a kid there with a Nevermind T-shirt on or a Nirvana T-shirt on.”

Nirvana followed Nevermind with 1993’s In Utero. They disbanded a year later following Cobain’s death by suicide in 1994.

Today, the legacy of Nevermind continues to live on, even in new ways. The album track “Something in the Way,” for example, experienced a resurgence when it was used in the 2022 movie The Batman.

“It’s one of those albums that just has connected with so many people, and continues to do that,” Vig says. “There’s something in there, this incredible energy and power and mystery.”

“[There are] so many things going on in Kurt’s voice when he sings, and it still affects people,” he continues. “That’s a cool thing.”

Keke Palmer shares the valuable lesson she learned from Queen Latifah

August 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Keke Palmer has survived years in the game, and her longevity is partially due to advice she received from Queen Latifah. During an appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, she shared that she learned from her mentor the importance of letting her work speak for itself.

“People are watching even when you don’t think they’re watching,” Keke said, recalling a lesson she learned from Queen. “It’s not what you say. It’s what you do.” She noted that Queen once referred her for a role after seeing her work ethic, professionalism and more.

“I just remember thinking in that moment, ‘Wow, my work ethic precedes me,’” she continued. “The way that I continue to move into the game, it’s going to count for something at some point.”

Keke and Queen previously worked together on Barbershop 2: Back in Business as well as 2012’s Joyful Noise and Ice Age: Continental Drift. They are also set to appear on NBC’s The Voice: Celebrity, with Keke serving as host and Queen taking on a judge’s role.

Cynthia Erivo to be honored at American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Fall Gala

August 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Cynthia Erivo’s talent will be honored at the American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Fall Gala: Angels and Demons.

The theatre will recognize “her extraordinary contributions to the performing arts” and “her ability to inspire audiences through storytelling that transcends disciplines,” according to a press release.

“Few artists possess Cynthia Erivo’s extraordinary ability to transform themselves through performance,” Susan Jaffe, artistic director of American Ballet Theatre, said in a statement. “Whether through music, theater, or film, she brings an uncommon combination of artistry, emotional honesty, and fearless imagination to every role. Those are qualities we deeply value in ballet and strive to cultivate in every artist who takes our stage. Cynthia’s commitment to her craft and her ability to forge profound connections with audiences make her an inspiring artist and an especially meaningful honoree for American Ballet Theatre.”

The American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Fall Gala is set to take place Oct. 29 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Erivo previously appeared in the American Ballet Theatre’s first digital gala in May 2020, performing “America the Beautiful” alongside a video of their dancers.

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