Page 363 – 105.7 WDNY

FAA lifts temporary halt in El Paso tied to potential military drone action, source says

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(EL PASO, Texas) — Flight restrictions put in place and then lifted for El Paso, Texas, by the Federal Aviation Administration were taken as a preemptive measure by the agency amid a potential operation by military drones in the area, a source told ABC News.

The FAA said in a statement that there is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.

Hours after issuing the flight restrictions, the FAA published an updated statement saying the temporary closure of airspace over El Paso had been lifted.

“Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones,” an administration official told ABC News. “The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel.”

The earlier notice said no flights could operate beginning early Wednesday within a 10 nautical mile radius of El Paso Airport, including from the ground up to 17,999 feet. The restrictions will remain in effect until Feb. 21, the notice said. This excludes the Mexican airspace.

El Paso Airport authorities told ABC News in a statement, “The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST). Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance.”

The airport says airlines have been advised of the restrictions, and travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines on the latest flight information.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, described the notice as “unprecedented,” saying it “has resulted in significant concern within the community.”

“From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas,” Escobar said in a statement. “There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations.

The airspace has been defined as “national defense airspace,” according to the FAA. Pilots who violate these restrictions could be intercepted or detained for questioning by law enforcement.

Failure to comply with these restrictions could result in the FAA imposing a civil penalty or revoking the pilot’s license. The federal government can also pursue criminal charges or even use “deadly force” against an aircraft if it poses an imminent security threat, according to the notice.

ABC News has reached out to the FAA for additional information behind these restrictions as well as to airlines about disruptions to their operations.

El Paso is home to one of the largest cargo facilities near the border, so these restrictions could have a significant impact on shipments as well. ABC News has also contacted air cargo carriers for any information.

Escobar said her office has “urged the FAA to immediately lift the Temporary Flight Restrictions placed on the El Paso area.”

“I will continue to make information public as I learn it,” she said.

Janet Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation 1814’ inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Janet Jackson’s blockbuster 1989 album Rhythm Nation 1814 is one of 14 inductees into the Grammy Hall of Fame this year. The Hall of Fame honors recordings that are at least 25 years old and “exhibit qualitative or historical significance.”

Rhythm Nation 1814, the follow up to Janet’s breakthrough 1986 album Control, is the only album in history to have seven singles reach the top five of the Billboard Hot 100: “Miss You Much,” “Escapade,” “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “Black Cat,” “Alright,” “Come Back to Me” and “Rhythm Nation.” Of those seven singles, four hit #1. The album has sold an estimated 12 million copies worldwide.

Other inductees this year include Heart’s Dreamboat Annie album, 2Pac’s album All Eyez on Me, Radiohead’s OK Computer and recordings by Lucinda Williams, Selena and Nick Drake. With these new inductees, the Grammy Hall of Fame now includes 1,179 recordings.

All the recordings will be honored at the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala on May 8 in Beverly Hills, California.

Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Radiohead’s OK Computer has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The distinction honors recordings that “exhibit qualitative or historical significance and are at least 25 years old.”

Other 2026 inductees include albums by Heart, Janet Jackson, 2Pac and Funkadelic.

“It’s a privilege to recognize these influential recordings as the 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame inductees,” says Record Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. “Each selection reflects the creativity, craft and cultural impact that recorded music can carry across decades. We’re honored to help preserve these works and celebrate the artists and communities behind them, so their legacies continue to inspire generations to come.”

OK Computer, Radiohead’s third studio effort, was released in 1997, and found the band experimenting more with their sound following their first two guitar-driven records. It spawned the singles “Paranoid Android” and “Karma Police,” and was nominated for the album of the year Grammy.

OK Computer was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2014.

Tupac, Janet Jackson, Eric B. & Rakim records inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Classic recordings by Tupac, Janet Jackson and hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim will be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame this year.

The Recording Academy announced Wednesday, Tupac’s All Eyez on Me along with Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 will be added to the iconic Hall of Fame catalog. Eric B. & Rakim’s 1987 hit “Paid in Full” also joins the roster.

Other inducted recordings include “Trouble in Mind” by ’20s blues singer Bertha “Chippie” Hill and “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song” by children’s song creator Ella Jenkins.

“It’s a privilege to recognize these influential recordings as the 2026 Grammy Hall Of Fame inductees,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said. “Each selection reflects the creativity, craft and cultural impact that recorded music can carry across decades. We’re honored to help preserve these works and celebrate the artists and communities behind them, so their legacies continue to inspire generations to come.”

The Grammy Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy in 1973. The full 2026 roster includes 14 new titles, making the grand total 1,179 inducted recordings. The full list can be viewed on the Grammys website.

The 2026 class will be honored at the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala happening at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on May 8.

Cody Johnson extends Live 26 Tour to the UK and Ireland

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Now that Cody Johnson’s Live 26 Tour is officially underway, he’s extending it with six international shows this fall.

The CMA male vocalist of the year set the tour in motion Feb. 6 with two sold-out dates in Birmingham, Alabama, his first since being forced to come off the road in October because of a burst eardrum.

Cody’s run across the pond starts Oct. 24 in Manchester, England, and wraps Nov. 5 in Dublin, Ireland, with Parker McCollum and Emily Ann Roberts set to open. Tickets go on sale Friday.

“The Fall” hitmaker continues his U.S. dates Friday in Champaign, Illinois, before playing Louisville, Kentucky, on Valentine’s Day.

Billy Corgan reflects on one-year anniversary of ’The Magnificent Others’ podcast

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is marking the one-year anniversary of his podcast, The Magnificent Others.

Among the guests Corgan has interviewed since the series premiered in February 2025 are Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Yungblud and Sharon Osbourne.

“Given the tremendous support for my show’s first season, the goal now is to expand the reach and scope of our guests to something far more universal and dare I say, spiritual,” Corgan says in a statement. “For even if one does not believe in the oft-discussed ‘higher power,’ there’s no denying the might of the human spirit at work.”

Indeed, Corgan told ABC Audio upon the podcast’s launch in 2025 that he hoped to eventually widen the types of guests he interviews.

“Obviously music and the arts is the easiest lane for me to jump into, but I would love to get to the point where I’m talking to authors, and historians and scientists,” Corgan said.

Even if he still sticks to mostly interviewing musicians, Corgan doesn’t envision running out of potential guests anytime soon.

“As far as the list of people I have, just musicians alone, it’s hundreds long,” he said. “I mean, there’s so many people I would love to talk to.”

Hiring increased sharply at outset of 2026, blowing past economists’ expectations

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Hiring increased sharply at the outset of 2026, the year’s first jobs report said, blowing past economists’ expectations and besting sluggish performance from the previous year.

The U.S. added 130,000 jobs in January, according to the report, which marked a sharp increase from 50,000 jobs added in the previous month.

The unemployment rate dropped to 4.3% in January from 4.4% in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said. Unemployment remains low by historical standards.

The labor market slowed sharply last year, prompting interest rate cuts at the Federal Reserve and concern among some observers about the nation’s economic prospects.

The BLS provided a significant downward revision for job gains in 2025, meaning hiring came in lower than the agency had previously estimated.

The U.S. added 181,000 jobs last year, which amounts to an average of about 15,000 jobs added per month, the BLS said. That updated estimate stands well below a prior count of 584,000 jobs added last year.

The performance in January registered well above the lackluster hiring of a typical month last year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics delayed the release of the January data due to a partial government shutdown last week, which helps explain why the jobs report was issued on a Wednesday in the middle of the month, rather than its customary release on the month’s first Friday.

The jobs report arrived weeks after a series of job cuts that slashed tens of thousands of workers combined at a handful of name-brand companies.

Amazon said last month it planned to cut about 16,000 employees as it seeks to “strengthen” its business by reducing “layers” and “bureaucracy” within its workforce.

A day earlier, UPS announced it plans to cut as many as 30,000 employees this year. Pinterest also unveiled an effort to slash 15% of its staff, according to a securities filing. The company boasts about 4,500 employees worldwide, a securities filing shows.

So far, the cooling labor market has avoided widespread job losses, making the recent flurry of layoffs an outlier, analysts previously told ABC News. The high-profile cuts reflect trends in tech and some other sectors, however, where companies have reversed a pandemic-era hiring blitz and pivoted in response to artificial intelligence.

The Fed slashed interest rates three consecutive times last year in an effort to boost the flagging labor market. In January, the Fed opted to hold interest rates steady, taking a cautious approach due in part to elevated inflation.

The benchmark rate stands at a level between 3.5% and 3.75%. That figure marks a significant drop from a recent peak attained in 2023, but borrowing costs remain well above a 0% rate established at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, Fed Chair Jerome Powell appeared to view the economy in a favorable light, saying it is expanding at a “solid pace” during a Jan. 28 press conference.

“While job gains have remained low, the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization,” Powell added.

Futures markets expect two quarter-point interest rate cuts this year, forecasting the first in June and a second in the fall, according to CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.

Bondi faces lawmaker grilling over Epstein files, targeting of Trump foes

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to face a grilling Wednesday when she testifies before the House Judiciary Committee amid multiple controversies.

She will likely be questioned about her handling of the Epstein files, the Justice Department’s targeting of President Donald Trump’s political foes, and the FBI raid seizing 2020 ballots in Georgia amid the president’s baseless claims of election fraud.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have been sharply critical of the Department’s incomplete release of the Epstein files and extensive DOJ redactions after some viewed unredacted files at the agency beginning Monday.

Other questions could involve her department’s failure to secure indictments against six Democratic members of Congress who made a video last fall telling service members they could refuse illegal orders, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

She could also be grilled about her efforts to revive cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York’s Democratic Attorney General Tish James after indictments against them were tossed.

Bondi is also set to face questions about the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro — something administration officials have said was a law enforcement operation. Given that, questions have been raised about why the attorney general was not present to discuss the matter at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago news conference announcing the raid..

The attorney general has testified on Capitol Hill only a handful of times.

In her most recent testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, she appeared to use prepared lines of attack against Democratic lawmakers who demanded she answer their tough questions.

Nancy Guthrie case: Person released as search for ‘armed individual’ continues

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

A man was briefly detained and then released Tuesday evening in connection with the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case, according to an ABC News’ affiliate KNXV and a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.

In a day filled with a number of developments in the case of the suspected abduction of the mom of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI, detained the individual in a location south of Tucson, the source said, and law enforcement searched a location associated with the individual.

In a statement on social media, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said deputies “detained a subject during a traffic stop.”

A court-authorized search related to the investigation was carried out by the sheriff’s department, with assistance of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team, at a location in Rio Rico, Arizona, about 60 miles south of Tucson, the department said. The operation lasted several hours, according to the department.

The developments, more than a week into the disappearance case, came on the heels of a series of eerie images being released by law enforcement of a masked man approaching Nancy Guthrie’s front door and as investigators continued to search in her neighborhood.

Earlier Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel released images and video of an “armed individual” in connection with the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.

The images showed someone wearing a mask, gloves, a backpack, armed with a holstered handgun, at the front door of Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted on Feb. 1.

“[L]aw enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance,” Patel said in his post.

The Guthrie family was shown the images before their public release, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

Savannah Guthrie posted the images to her Instagram account, with the message, “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.”

Anyone with information is urged to call 911, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Report: Billy Joel takes Long Island home off the market

February 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Billy Joel seems to have taken a break from trying to sell his Long Island estate.

The New York Post reports that the “Piano Man” has pulled his compound in Oyster Bay, Long Island, named MiddleSea, off the market.

Joel originally put the 26-acre estate up for sale in 2023, while it was undergoing renovations. He was asking a little less than $50 million for the property, but got no buyers. Then last year Joel attempted to sell it in three different pieces, the 14-acre main house, at a price of $29.9 million, plus two three-acre buildable lots at $4.95 million each.

The new approach didn’t work either, so the main house was dropped to $25 million, with still no takers.

The Post says the home is now no longer up for sale, although there’s no word on whether the rocker plans to relist it at a later date.

The property, which Joel bought in 2002 for $22.5 million, includes a 20,000-square-foot home with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. It also has a spa, ballroom, pool, tennis court, bowling alley and more. It’s the home he’s seen being interviewed in for much of the HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes.

+ More