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Johnny Gaudreau’s widow speaks out about USA hockey’s emotional tribute at Olympics

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of professional hockey player Johnny Gaudreau, is speaking out about the emotional moment the U.S. men’s hockey team celebrated her husband and their children at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

As soon as USA beat Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on Sunday, the players brought two of Johnny Gaudreau’s kids onto the ice. Three-year-old Noa and Johnny Jr. — who turned 2 that same day — posed with their dad’s number 13 jersey as they sat in the arms of the new Olympic champions.

“They didn’t have to do that,” Meredith Gaudreau told ABC News Live on Tuesday.

“I was just very, very proud, and I’m very thankful to them for including my kids in it, and just honoring my husband the way they do,” she said. “It’s the classiest thing. They do all these really kind gestures and include our kids in everything, because I know that’s exactly what John would want.”

Meredith Gaudreau said she told her daughter, “Daddy’s friends want to take a picture with you and Johnny. … You get to do this because of daddy and they love and they miss him, too.”

“She was really excited,” she said. “… She’s started to put things together and she’s very, very proud.”

Johnny Gaudreau’s parents were also in the crowd to witness the special moment.

Johnny Gaudreau, a 31-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets star known as “Johnny Hockey,” died on Aug. 29, 2024, alongside his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, 29, a former pro hockey player.

The brothers were riding bikes in New Jersey on the eve of their sister’s wedding when they were struck by a driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, according to police. The suspected driver was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, evidence tampering and leaving the scene of an accident. He’s not yet gone to trial.

“Still every day is kind of a gut punch,” Meredith Gaudreau said. “So when the guys do what they can to still include John and our kids, it just means everything to me. You know, these guys are really good people, really good friends of ours. And I just consider them really great role models.”

She added that it shows “how much they love John and all the respect they have for him. … I am really proud of John for having that type of impact.”

Meredith Gaudreau said her third baby, Carter — who was born about seven months after his father died — didn’t travel with them to the Olympics, but watched the game from home.

“He doesn’t have a passport yet cause he’s only, almost 11 months old. So I felt so bad, but he watched along and he looks pretty good wearing number 13!” she said.

Matthew Gaudreau also left behind a wife, Madeline Gaudreau, who was pregnant at the time of his death. Their son, Tripp, was born four months after the crash.

Madeline Gaudreau told ABC News last year she wants her husband to be remembered as “a good soul. He was just a pure, happy, good soul, fearless.”

ABC News’ Kyra Phillips, Olivia Osteen, Drew Millhon, KellyMarie Braun and Bridget Perry contributed to this report.

Gibson Custom debuts new Mick Ronson-inspired guitar

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Gibson Custom is honoring legendary David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson with the release of a new guitar inspired by one of his iconic instruments.

The Mick Ronson 1968 Les Paul Custom Collector’s Edition, limited to just 100 guitars, is a replica of the rocker’s stripped finish 1968 Les Paul Custom. Gibson used aging techniques to give the replica the same wear, feel and sound as the original instrument. It even has mismatched volume and tone knobs like the original.

Available worldwide at Gibson.com, the guitar has a mahogany body, with an ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays. It comes with a custom case, and features a reproduction of Ronson’s signature.

Ronson, who passed away in 1993, was best known for his work with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. In addition to being a guitarist, he was a producer, arranger, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, and worked with such artists as Lou Reed, Roger McQuinn, John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan. He also released five solo albums.

Martin Short’s daughter Katherine Short dies at 42

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Katherine Short, the daughter of actor Martin Short, has died, ABC News has confirmed. She was 42.

A representative for Martin Short confirmed the news in a statement, saying, “It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short.”

The statement continued, “The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

The Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News that a call came into Katherine Short’s address at 6:43 p.m. PT Monday for a possible suicide. When LAPD and medics arrived, they found a deceased female and an investigation was opened.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that they responded to reports of a shooting at Katherine Short’s home. When they arrived, they found a woman deceased.

Katherine Short was one of three children the actor shared with his late wife, Nancy Dolman.

Dolman died on Aug. 21, 2010, from ovarian cancer. She and Martin Short were married for 30 years.

They also have two sons, Oliver Patrick Short, 39, and Henry Hayter Short, 36.

Martin Short has previously spoken about how his children were close, telling CNN in a 2013 interview that he was inspired by his own childhood to make sure his children were always close.

“When you have kids you have to just set down this bottom line of what can’t happen,” Martin Short said. “I’ve done it in my house and my parents did it in their house which was: Everyone has to like each other and get along. And if you don’t, you’ll get the wrath of the parents.”

According to People, Katherine Short earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gender sexuality studies from New York University in 2006.

She then earned her master’s in social work from the University of Southern California in 2010.

Following an internship at the pro bono law firm Public Counsel, training at the West L.A. Veterans Administration and a role at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, she worked in private practice as a licensed clinical social worker and also worked part time at the clinic Amae Health.

Katherine Short was also a mental health advocate and was involved with the charity Bring Change 2 Mind.

Over the years, Martin Short brought his daughter with him to several events. She appeared with him and Dolman at the afterparty for The Producers in 2003 and also attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party with her dad in February 2011.

If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.

Spanberger to hit on affordability in Democrats’ State of the Union response

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a rising star in the Democratic Party who captured the governor’s office last year by a large margin, will deliver the Democrats’ response Tuesday night to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, focusing on affordability and the chaos she believes the Trump administration has caused at home and abroad, her team told reporters.

Spanberger, who was inaugurated in January after serving three terms in the House of Representatives, will discuss lowering the persistently high costs of housing, health care, energy and groceries despite the administration’s insistence that some of these costs have come down.

The daughter of a law enforcement officer and a nurse, Spanberger focused relentlessly on affordability throughout her 2025 gubernatorial campaign. Despite the economy being the top issue Trump ran on in the 2024 election, it’s been one of the issues he’s struggled with the most during his second term, as Americans still haven’t felt the “Trump boom” they were promised.

In an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, 57% of Americans disapprove of how Trump’s handling the economy, and 64% disapproved of how he’s handling tariffs on imported goods.

Spanberger, a former CIA officer, will also address how the Trump administration is contributing to greater worldwide uncertainty.

Trump and his team have spent a large portion of his second term so far focusing on foreign policy, including Trump going head-to-head with some U.S. allies and becoming more aggressive on the world stage. A former federal law enforcement officer who worked on narcotics and money-laundering cases for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Spanberger will also address what critics call the chaos caused by the Trump administration, which continues its immigration enforcement efforts that Americans are seeing in their communities.

She is also expected to challenge Republicans in Congress for not standing up to Trump.

Several Democrats have invited survivors of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to attend Trump’s address, while others plan to skip the event altogether in protest.

The governor will give her speech live from Colonial Williamsburg, the restored 18th century capital where Virginian representatives voted for its delegation to Congress to propose independence for all 13 colonies from Great Britain, and later adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights — which influenced the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

Spanberger has been able to appeal to both Democratic and Republican voters. She won the governor election in November by more than 15% — the largest margin for a Democrat in the state since 1961 — winning counties that voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

There are at least two major counter events that several Democrats plan to attend, including MoveOn’s People’s State of the Union, which is promoting the participation of more than 20 members of Congress; and the “State of the Swamp” event by Defiance.org that features a handful of celebrities appearing by video or in person, such as Robert De Niro.

Spanberger prepared for her remarks by watching speeches other Democrats have delivered in response to Trump’s previous addresses to Congress.

Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella to be inducted into 2026 NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella will soon be part of another of Hall of Fame class. They are set to be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for “individuals or groups who have been pioneers in their respective fields and whose influence continues to shape their industry for generations,” according to a press release.

“As pioneers of hip-hop, Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella rewrote the rules and boldly claimed space in a genre that forever changed because of their voices, style, and undeniable talent,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson in a statement. “Inducting them into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame is a celebration of more than an iconic career – it’s a tribute to trailblazers who opened doors, and inspired generations in a way that still resonates today.”

Connie Orlando, executive vice president of specials, music programming & music strategy at BET, added that “Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella have built a legacy defined by confidence, authenticity, and cultural influence.”

“They reshaped how women are seen and heard in music, creating space for bold self-expression and empowerment,” she continued. “Inducting them into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame honors a career that continues to strengthen community, elevate culture, and connect generations.”

The 57th NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Deon Cole, will air live on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. Halle Bailey, Regina Hall, Ryan Coogler, Sterling K. Brown and Delroy Lindo are among those helping to present the awards.

Hear a clip of RAYE’s ‘Where Is My Husband!” follow-up song

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

RAYE is about to drop a new song on Friday, but you can hear a snippet of it now.

RAYE posted a TikTok video of herself lip-synching to the ballad while wearing a strapless black dress and a veil. She captioned it, “The 2nd song from my 2nd album,” adding #NightingaleLane. According to Setlist.fm, she’s been performing a new song of that title since she kicked off her tour in January.

“Somebody loved me once, and someday/ Somebody will again,” she sings. “Like the way you loved me/ on Nightingale Lane.”

The song will appear on RAYE’s upcoming album, This Music May Contain Hope, which is coming out March 27.

Carly Pearce stares off into the distance at what’s next

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Is Carly Pearce getting ready to announce her much-anticipated fifth studio album?

She scrubbed her Instagram account Monday, save for a lone picture of her sitting on the edge of a bed wearing a negligee, staring off into the distance.

On Tuesday, she announced a benefit via X that promises both her hits and music from her upcoming album.

The April 6 show at City Winery Nashville will feature an intimate acoustic performance with her full band. Presales start Wednesday for the concert to help Pet Community Center Nashville, which provides affordable vet care and lifesaving services for local pets.

Of course, Carly fans are familiar with how much she loves her two shih tzus, Johnny and June.

So far she’s released “Church Girl” and her current single, “Dream Come True,” from her upcoming project.

’90s news: Toadies release new song, Blues Traveler announces tour dates

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Toadies have premiered a new song called “The Charmer,” the title track off the “Possum Kingdom” band’s upcoming album.

“The Charmer” personifies frontman Vaden Lewis’ long struggle with low self-esteem.

“I was afraid that if I lose that part of me that has such self-loathing that I won’t be able to write
music anymore,” Lewis says in a statement. “I decided to take that apart and make it a character, The Charmer.”

The album The Charmer is due out May 1. It was recorded with late engineer Steve Albini, who died in 2024.

In other ’90s band news, Blues Traveler has announced a run of tour dates, beginning May 1 in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The newly scheduled shows also include a July 4 performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit BluesTraveler.com.

You can also catch Blues Traveler on their tour with Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors, kicking off in July.

‘One Battle After Another’ star Teyana Taylor talks 1st Oscar nomination

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

With the Oscars less than three weeks away, actress Teyana Taylor is feeling mixed emotions.

“Oh, my God, my stomach is in my booty. It’s that feeling you can’t even describe,” Taylor said on Good Morning America Tuesday morning.

Taylor is nominated for an Oscar for the first time as an actress in a supporting role for her portrayal of Perfidia in the drama/thriller One Battle After Another, which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti.

“No matter the outcome, I am blessed,” Taylor continued. “I’m just filled with so much gratitude to be a part of this moment and of this journey and of this chapter and of the conversation. So I’m very, very happy, nervous, but very happy.”

For Taylor, one of the highlights of One Battle After Another was getting to act alongside veteran actor DiCaprio, an experience the 35-year-old likened to attending a “super master class.”

“He’s been a great mentor and I really admire his leadership because he’s a legend, he’s an icon,” Taylor said. “So I’m really honored that I get to share scenes with him.”

In her prep to play Perfidia, Taylor said she followed an acting method she used previously for the role of Inez in the 2023 crime film, A Thousand and One.

“I identified her layers and then I color-coordinated those layers. So coming into Perfidia, seeing that she was even more [of a] complex character, I wanted to do the same thing,” said Taylor.

“If I feel like, OK, I’m in a moment of feeling vulnerable, maybe that color is pink … if I’m feeling rage, that moment is highlighted in red. So I literally color-coordinate [Perfidia’s] emotions,” she explained.

One Battle After Another, which is nominated for 13 Oscars, including best picture, was first released in September 2025. It is still in theaters and also available to stream.

The 98th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC and Hulu.

Miley Cyrus’ legal team asks for ‘Flowers’ copyright case to be dismissed

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

In 2024, a company that owns a portion of the rights to Bruno Mars’ song “When I Was Your Man” sued Miley Cyrus, claiming her song “Flowers” ripped off Bruno’s hit. Her legal team is now asking for the case to be dismissed.

In the Monday court filing, obtained by ABC News, Miley’s team asked to be granted a summary judgment, meaning the case gets rejected without having to go to a jury. Their argument is that the music and lyrics of the two songs are not similar enough to count as copyright infringement. Plus, they argue any similarities that do exist are covered under the fair use doctrine.

“Fair use” means that if you use elements from copyrighted material to comment on an original work — like making an “answer record” — it’s allowed under the law. As the case notes, “‘Flowers’ can reasonably be perceived as transformative commentary or criticism on [‘When I Was Your Man’].”

“‘Flowers’ is a wholly original song, and its songwriters strenuously deny copying [Bruno’s song] or any portion of it intending to comment on [it],” Miley’s lawyers write. “But that is irrelevant to fair use, which instead considers whether a reasonable observer could interpret ‘Flowers’ as commenting on [‘When I Was Your Man’].”

Since “Flowers” was released, many fans have felt that it was indeed a sort of answer record to “When I Was Your Man,” which Miley’s lawyers cover in the filing. They write, “Even Plaintiff acknowledges that ‘Flowers’’ upbeat lyrics have been perceived as responding to ‘Man”s despondent lyrics.”

Their final argument, though, is this: Because “Flowers” came out nearly a decade after “When I Was Your Man,” it “did not negatively affect the market or potential market” for Bruno’s song. In fact, the lawyers note that streams of Bruno’s song increased 20% after the release of “Flowers.”

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