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Second Norfolk Southern train derails in Ohio, no hazardous materials released: Officials

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(SPRINGFIELD, Ohio) — No hazardous materials were involved after a Norfolk Southern train derailed Saturday near Springfield, Ohio, officials said, the second such incident in just over a month.

Norfolk Southern General Manager Kraig Barner said Sunday that 28 train cars of 212 overall derailed, including four empty tanker cars.

The railroad company told authorities that this incident did not involve hazardous materials. But officials acknowledged Monday that other cars on the train did have hazardous contents.

A spokesman for Norfolk Southern, who attended a press briefing with local officials, declined to say how close those cars were to the ones that derailed.

“I’m not going to speculate on how close of a call it was,” Connor Spielmaker said. “Obviously, safety at Norfolk Southern is a priority.”

“There were no hazardous material cars involved in the derailment and that’s what’s important,” he added.

Spielmaker said representatives from NTSB were on site Monday investigating the wreck.

The four empty tankers were previously carrying diesel exhaust fluid and an additive commonly used in wastewater treatment, according to Clark County, Ohio, officials.

At Sunday’s press conference, officials, including the Springfield fire chief, Clark County hazmat coordinator and Clark County health commissioner, reiterated that the empty tanker cars, as well as the other cars that derailed, did not release “any chemical or any hazardous material to the soil, to the air or to the water,” Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel said.

“We will be on-site ensuring that as cars are removed by Norfolk Southern that the soil is not impacted,” Vogel said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday that it’s investigating the new derailment near Springfield, and that investigators are expected to arrive Monday.

On Monday, a Clark County health official insisted that the derailment posed no risk to the public.

The incident comes a little over a month after a Norfolk Southern foreign train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing vinyl chloride, ethyl acrylate and isobutylene into the environment. Springfield is located about 218 miles southwest of East Palestine.

Norfolk Southern officials had conducted a controlled burn of toxic chemicals from the train a few days after the derailment.

Residents expressed concerns that they were exposed to high levels of the colorless gas vinyl chloride, which easily burns and is associated with an increased risk of several cancers including brain, liver and lung cancers, as well as lymphoma and leukemia, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Environmental Protection Agency officials have insisted that they haven’t found any chemical levels that posed a health concern, a claim that angered residents during a town hall in East Palestine on Thursday.

“Don’t lie to us!” one person yelled during the meeting, and others booed loudly.

Homeowners have complained of various symptoms, including eye and skin irritation, nausea and headaches. A medical clinic recently opened to address those with health questions and concerns.

ABC News’ Matt Foster, Sasha Pezenik, Mary Kekatos and Will McDuffie contributed to this report.

Boy Meets Congress: Ben Savage makes political run official

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Boy Meets World alum Ben Savage is officially running for Congress. In a post to Instagram, Savage explained he’s running for Rep. Adam Schiff‘s House seat. Schiff recently announced he’s running in the Democratic primary for recently retired California Sen. Dianne Feinstein‘s seat.

“I am a proud Californian, union member and longtime resident of District 30 who comes from a family of unwavering service to our country and community,” says the actor best known for playing Cory Matthews on the 1990s ABC coming-of-age sitcom and its 2014 Disney Channel spinoff, Girl Meets World.

The Golden State’s 30th Congressional District encompasses West Hollywood, Burbank and parts of Pasadena.

“I firmly believe in standing up for what is right, ensuring equality and expanding opportunities for all. I’m running for Congress because it’s time to restore faith in government by offering reasonable, innovative and compassionate solutions to our country’s most pressing issues,” said the actor and brother of Wonder Years‘ Fred Savage.

Before plugging his website, SavageForCongress.com, Ben said, “It’s time for new and passionate leaders who can help move our country forward. Leaders who want to see the government operating at maximum capacity, unhindered by political divisions and special interests.”

As reported in January, Savage submitted paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run as a Democrat.

In 2022, Savage unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the West Hollywood City Council.

Rihanna gifts bouquet of white roses to women who recreated her halftime show

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

A group of women who recreated Rihanna‘s Super Bowl halftime show have received a gift from the singer herself. Billboard reports Rih and Roc Nation sent the ladies at Arcadia Senior Living Bowling Green a bouquet of white roses alongside a note that reads, “You ladies’ dance was amazing.”

The viral dance captured the women putting their spin on Rih’s performance of “Rude Boy” from the Super Bowl halftime show. Similar to Rihanna’s dancers, the ladies dress in white and gradually move out the way to reveal the last woman, who, like Rih, dons all red as she dances and sings into her microphone.

As of this story, the post has over 30 million likes. It’s also been praised by Jay-Z, who sent the women a bouquet of red roses. “We love the TikTok here at Roc Nation,” he wrote in his note.

The Lumineers headlining new festival at Woodstock site

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

The Lumineers are headlining Woodstock. Well, sort of.

The “Ho Hey” outfit leads the lineup for the inaugural Catbird Music Festival, which will be held August 19-20 on the same site of the legendary 1969 Woodstock in Bethel, New York.

Other artists on the bill include Band of Horses, Trey Anastasio Band, Dispatch, The War on Drugs and James Bay.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit CatbirdMusicFestival.com.

The Lumineers are also launching a U.S. tour in August in continued support of their 2022 album, BRIGHTSIDE.

John Mellencamp to donate his archives to Indiana University

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

John Mellencamp is bringing his legacy to Indiana University. In case you missed it, it was announced during the recent Mellencamp Symposium on the Bloomington campus that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer would donate his archives to the school.

The collection will feature photographs, instruments, significant memorabilia and more, covering not only his music and artistry, but his social activism and philanthropy.

“John’s impact on music and American culture is immense,” IU President Pamela Whitten shares. “On behalf of Hoosiers everywhere, I am exceptionally proud of John’s lifelong association with IU and deeply grateful to him for selecting the university as the permanent home for his archives.” She adds, “His collection will be an incredible resource for arts scholars and a clear source of inspiration to our students. We are thrilled to honor him and celebrate his many contributions to music, art and IU.”

Mellencamp will be commemorated on the Bloomington campus with a sculpture that’s recently been commissioned to “symbolize the strong connection Mellencamp has to his southern Indiana roots.” There will be an exhibition of the rocker’s art at the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, debuting in the 2023-24 academic year.

De La Soul details “Me, Myself and I” video for Vevo’s ‘Footnotes’

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Vevo’s been celebrating hip-hop’s anniversary with Footnotes episodes featuring behind-the-scenes looks at some of the greatest videos from the genre. In the latest episode, De La Soul gives some insight into the making of their song “Me, Myself and I” and its accompanying video.

According to Posdnuos, the song was “written pretty quick” and allowed the group to address negative media, which had been calling them “hippies of hip-hop.” The video itself “underscored individuality and confidence in owning who you are and want to be,” and was influenced by the Twilight Zone.

“I’m a big Twilight Zone fan, so when it was time to figure out how to include [producer] Prince Paul in the video, we went with him being a hip-hop Rod Serling to set up the story,” he explained. “We did it in a comedic way playing off what was considered the conventional look for a hip-hop kid vs. a non conventional way of looking.”

A standout moment for Posdnuos was the scene where the teacher throws a record at a student’s head. “All the students were all fans of our music and were happy to have the opportunity to be in the video,” he said.

“Me, Myself and I” dropped in 1989, the year De La released 3 Feet High and Rising, which is now available on streaming services. If the video for the song was remade today, Posdnuos says it’d probably be about an individual who desires to “dress down and plain” in a world where “everyone is dressing so different and cool and loud.”

That someone would be “more focused on their inner growth than their outer independence,” he adds.

Harry Styles, in a dog costume, guest-stars in new Jenny Lewis video

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Harry Styles is a gracious host: Not only did he invite singer/songwriter Jenny Lewis to open for him on tour, he also made a cameo appearance in her new video.

The video is for Jenny’s song “Puppy and a Truck.” As she sings the song, we see her in bed, on her tour bus, on a beach, onstage and backstage. In many scenes her real-life puppy is with her, but there’s also a figure dressed in a dog costume hanging around. At one point, Jenny and the person in the dog costume skip down the beach together.

At the very end of the clip, the dog removes his head and — ta-dah! It’s Harry! He grins and makes peace signs to the camera as the video ends.

In a statement, Jenny says the experience of opening for Harry and meeting his “loving audience” “after such a long period of isolation … brought me back to life.”

Of course, Harry is no stranger to wearing a dog costume: In his 2020 Vogue cover story, his sister, Gemma, revealed, “Harry … had a little dalmatian-dog outfit, a hand-me-down from our closest family friends. He would just spend an inordinate amount of time wearing that outfit.”

To celebrate Harry’s birthday in 2021, his mom, Anne Twist, posted an adorable picture of little Harry wearing a black-and-white spotted dog costume and confirmed to a fan that it was the dog outfit that Gemma had referred to.

Emma Heming Willis asks paparazzi to give husband Bruce Willis “space” after dementia diagnosis

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Emma Heming Willis has a request for paparazzi regarding how they deal with her husband, beloved actor Bruce Willis, following his recent dementia diagnosis: “Keep your space.”

Heming Willis, 44, shared a video to Instagram over the weekend, reacting to a recent incident in which Willis, who turns 68 this month, was photographed and recorded while out for coffee with friends.

“If you are someone that is looking after someone with dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and just to navigate them safely — even just to get a cup of coffee,” she said.

“It’s clear that there’s still a lot of education that needs to be put forth,” Heming Willis continued. “So this one is going out to the photographers and video people that are trying to get those exclusives of my husband out and about. Just keep your space.”

Heming Willis said she understands the paparazzi are just doing their jobs, but asked that they tone down how they interact with the actor in public.

“Please don’t be yelling at my husband, asking how he’s doing, whatever. The woo-hooing and the ‘yippee ki-yays’ — just don’t do it, OK? Give him his space,” she said, referencing Willis’ famous line from Die Hard. “Allow for our family or whoever’s with him that day to be able to get him from point A to point B safely. That’s my PSA.”

Heming Willis’ post comes a few weeks after Willis’ family announced he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, known as FTD.

Heming Willis and Willis have been married since 2009 and share two children, daughters Mabel and Evelyn. Willis also has three adult daughters, Rumer Willis, Scout Willis and Tallulah Willis, whom he shares with ex-wife Demi Moore.

Billy F. Gibbons, Peter Frampton & more pay tribute to the late Gary Rossington

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Gary Rossington, guitarist and last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away Sunday at the age of 71. The news prompted several artists to take to social media to pay tribute to the legendary guitarist.

“Gary Rossington’s loss is especially profound to us as we’ve spent countless hours in his company on tour and elsewise,” ZZ Top‘s Billy F. Gibbons shares. “We facilitated getting Lynyrd Skynyrd on the bill with ZZ Top at a South Carolina date way back at the start of the band’s rise in ’73 and that was the start of an enduring friendship.”

He adds, “Gary’s extraordinary ability as a guitarist was nothing less than inspirational. It’s an old cliché about somebody who has paid their dues to call them a survivor and in this case it is literally true. He was the last of the breed and will be missed.”

Peter Frampton adds, “This cannot be! My heart breaks for Dale Rossington and the entire Skynryd family today. We have been friends since first touring together in the 70s. We will miss you my friend.”

Other tributes include:

Metallica’s James Hetfield – “RIP Brother Gary. Thank you for bringing me so much joy with your guitar playing and songwriting in one of my all time favorite bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd.”

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine – “Saddened to hear about the passing of the great Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The last surviving original member of the legendary band. Rest in Peace, Gary.”

Paul Rodgers – “Yesterday we lost our musical brother Gary Rossington, a man we all loved. Our thoughts are with his love Dale, their family and his many friends and fans. I am numb…this cuts deep.”

Bret Michaels – “I send this with all of my heart, prayers & condolences to the family, friends & fans of Gary Rossington. On behalf of my family, he brought a lot of great music & many great memories to so many people. May he rest in peace.”

John 5 – “Ever since I was a kid I have loved #LynyrdSkynyrd & Gary’s guitar playing. I was fortunate to make a lotta great music with Gary & the boys. We stayed friends for many years. I will miss you. Rest in peace brother. #GaryRossington #RIP.”

Passenger allegedly tries to stab flight attendant, open emergency door

March 6, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — A United Airlines passenger was arrested after he allegedly tried to open a plane emergency exit door and then allegedly tried to stab a flight attendant, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.

The incident took place during a Sunday flight from Los Angeles to Boston.

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, allegedly tried to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon after he was confronted about tampering with the door, federal prosecutors said. Fellow passengers tackled him and the flight crew helped restrain him, prosecutors said.

The incident began about 45 minutes before the flight landed, when the crew received an alarm about a disarmed door between the first class and coach sections, prosecutors said.

A “flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position … and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the ‘disarmed’ position,” prosecutors said.

After the door was relocked, a flight attendant told his colleagues that he saw Torres by the door and thought he tampered with it, prosecutors said.

A flight attendant then confronted Torres who allegedly “responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so,” prosecutors said.

Torres then allegedly attacked the flight attendant, according to prosecutors.

Torres was charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, prosecutors said. Torres made an initial appearance in court Monday and was detained. He’s set to return to court on Thursday.

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