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How your old cellphones and laptops can power new electric vehicles

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — That old laptop, cellphone and TV remote may have a newfound purpose: powering the next generation of electric vehicles.

Luxury brand Audi recently partnered with Redwood Materials, a battery recycling startup, to collect rechargeable batteries found in everyday consumer devices — phones, hearing aides, electric toothbrushes and video game controllers. At least 10 Audi dealerships in the U.S. have so far opted into the burgeoning program, with more expected to join in the coming months.

Devices dropped off at dealerships are shipped to Redwood’s Nevada facilities for the sorting, recycling and remanufacturing of cobalt and lithium — two minerals required for EV battery production.

Audi is the first automaker to partner with Redwood to “support the collection of household lithium-ion batteries alongside larger EV battery recycling efforts,” according to a spokesperson.

Five percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. last year were EVs, a percentage that will rapidly increase as less expensive models arrive on the market and Americans become more familiar with charging. Growing interest in EVs has accelerated the push for valuable minerals like cobalt, nickel and lithium that are extracted from overseas mines at heavy environmental and humanitarian costs.

Recycling of consumer batteries can reduce the forced extraction of precious minerals and create a domestic supply that meets the government’s and automakers’ EV goals, according to Alexis Georgeson, Redwood’s vice president of government relations and communications.

“The U.S. is one of the largest consumers of lithium-ion devices,” she told ABC News. “Consumers are itching to get rid of these devices. There’s a tremendous opportunity for recycling.”

According to Redwood’s data, Americans throw out 150 million phones each year and less than 5% of devices containing lithium-ion are recycled. Historically, consumers had to pay to ship their used devices to recycling centers, resulting in the “abysmal” recycling rate, Georgeson said. (Redwood offers free shipping but does not reimburse consumers for the cost of the device.)

Redwood says its “technology can recover, on average, more than 95% of materials like nickel, cobalt, copper, aluminum, lithium and graphite in a lithium-ion battery. These materials can then go directly back into the supply chain to make batteries for new electric vehicles and energy storage products.” The company announced on Thursday that it had secured a $2 billion Department of Energy loan to expand its campus and scale domestic battery cell production in the U.S.

Redwood also recycles “end-of-life” battery packs from automakers like Toyota, Ford, Volvo, Volkswagen and Audi. Lithium, nickel and cobalt are extracted and remanufactured into cathode — a core component of an EV battery. Tesla battery supplier Panasonic has partnered with Redwood for remanufactured anode foil — which Redwood makes from scrap taken from Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada.

“There is increased demand for automakers to get recycled content into their vehicles,” said Georgeson. “The new EV tax credit is contingent on automakers having domestically sourced their metals — whether that’s mined domestically or recycled domestically. The devices collected could end up back in a new Audi.”

The battery is the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, accounting for 30% to 40% of the cost, according to Arun Kumar, a managing director at consulting firm AlixPartners. Raw materials needed for an EV can total $6,719 compared to $2,423 for internal combustion vehicles.

According to a recent AlixPartners survey, 97% of battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners are likely to buy another one.

“Once people buy EVs the loyalty rate is off the charts,” he told ABC News. “There’s no chance these consumers are going back to vehicles with internal combustion engines.”

The U.S. does not want to depend on foreign nations like China to satiate its green ambitions, he argued, adding that it would be “bad” if the U.S. lags in battery capacity and minerals as sales of EVs take off. Recycled materials, however, can only meet 20% of the global demand for cobalt and lithium, Kumar noted.

China owns the largest share of lithium and nickel, according to AlixPartners data, and also controls mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which accounts for three-quarters of the world’s mined cobalt supply.

“We have to find mines locally in North America,” Kumar said. “The whole earth has enough materials to support growth in EVs. The extraction of minerals can be safer — we don’t want to degrade the environment.”

Boosting ownership of EVs and building out the nation’s charging infrastructure have become top priorities for the Biden administration. In August the president signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which incentivizes automakers to buy batteries and materials from domestic suppliers and U.S. allies. Half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2030 will be zero-emissions cars and trucks, according to Biden’s target.

Automakers like Mercedes, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen and Hyundai are now investing billions of dollars in battery factories in the U.S. The industry is planning to spend an estimated $1.2 trillion through 2030 to develop and build new battery-powered vehicles, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

Gernot Wagner, a climate economist and professor at Columbia Business School, applauds Redwood for trying to tap into this “large reservoir” of old devices and helping Americans “Marie Kondo” their homes and apartments to better the environment.

“There’s so much demand for these metals right now. Companies are looking anyplace for them,” he told ABC News. “It’s certainly true that many of us have too many old electric devices sitting around that we no longer use and don’t really know what to do with.”

Whether other companies adopt Redwood’s business model will depend on two factors, Wagner pointed out.

“If it pays, there will surely be new entrants. If it doesn’t — or this company is so successful to corner the entire market — there won’t be others,” he said. “Moving from internal combustion engines to EVs is fundamentally a good thing. We’ve got to make EVs work while also minimizing other impacts on the planet. It’s better to recycle than mine from scratch.”

From rain to snow, severe weather expected throughout the US this week

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 40 million Americans are at risk of experiencing storms this week, as a severe weather outbreak is possible in various parts of the U.S.

The mid-week weather outbreaks could bring damaging winds and tornadoes to people living in the Gulf to the Great Lakes and heavy snow to those in the Pacific Northwest.

Rain and snow will push into Portland, Oregon and Seattle on Monday, as well as New Mexico and Arizona.

By Monday afternoon, snow will reach southwestern Colorado, according to meteorologists.

Rain is expected from Austin, Texas, to Omaha, Nebraska, on Tuesday morning, with snow scattered throughout the Rockies and Cascades.

Tuesday evening will see rain move farther east, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border along the Mississippi River Valley.

Heavy snow will continue for the Rockies and even the Sierra mountain range in California, especially in northern Sierra, where they haven’t seen as much snow this season as the rest of the state.

This week’s snow will reach more than a foot in parts of the Southwest and Northwest, including parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Montana.

Storms in the South are expected on Wednesday evening, some of which may bring threatening wind and tornadoes to the area, which includes Dallas, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee.

Those storms could continue overnight into Thursday as they move east.

By Thursday morning, the possibly severe storms are projected to move from Jackson, Mississippi, to Cincinnati, Ohio. Snow is also expected from Kansas City to Omaha to Milwaukee on Thursday.

A line of storms may stretch to the Great Lakes, passing through Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland on Thursday evening.

Rain showers are expected on Thursday in the northeast from Washington, D.C. to Boston, with snow in Chicago and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

There may be some reprieve for millions of people on Friday, as the severe weather isn’t expected to continue once it reaches the East Coast.

Dunkin’ airs first ever Super Bowl ad, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Outside his packed resume of movie and television credits, Ben Affleck has become famous in meme form with his hands full of Dunkin’ iced coffee, doughnuts and more.

The Quincy, Massachusetts-based coffee chain, beloved by the Boston-raised actor, starred in a Super Bowl ad after weeks of hinting of an upcoming cameo — but a surprise appearance from Jennifer Lopez made the commercial all the better.

Affleck surprised Dunkin’ customers by working the drive-thru, helping local Bostonians get their caffeine fix: “Welcome to Dunkin’, we’re a very friendly establishment. America runs on Dunkin’. This is the Dunkin’ run partner. What do you need?”

In a twist, Lopez, who married Affleck last year, pulled up to the window.

“What are you doing here? Is this what you do when you say you’re going to work all day?” she asks in the commercial.

Earlier this week, the coffee brand posted a close-up shot of a Dunkin’ iced coffee with on-screen text that that read, “Something’s Ben Brewing” and Sunday’s date for Super Bowl LVII.

“Feelin’ like we could all use some Dunkin’ today,” the caption read.

Instagram users filled the comments with a range of ideas as to what it meant, with Affleck the resounding guess by many fans.

A representative for Dunkin’ told ABC News and Good Morning America that the teaser posts were all they could share ahead of the big game.

“We’re airing our first-ever Super Bowl ad this year, but you’ll have to tune in on Sunday to see what’s ‘Ben’ brewing,” Jill Nelson, chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

In the meantime, a photographer snapped a shot of Affleck sporting the black Dunkin’ t-shirt and matching visor complete with a headset as he leaned out the drive-through window of a Boston Dunkin’ location on Jan. 10.

Super Bowl 2023 commercials that aired during the big game

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Some people watched Super Bowl LVII for the big game, while others watched for the halftime show when superstar Rihanna made her long-awaited return to music and, of course, we can’t forget the commercials.

Companies from Bud Light to PopCorners teased their commercials and spent big money ahead of the game, with Variety reporting that advertisers could be shelling out between $6 million to $7 million for 30 seconds of commercial time — and their ads aren’t not lacking in star power.

Here are some of the most anticipated and buzzed-about commercials from Sunday’s game:

PopCorners and Breaking Bad stars

Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reprised their Emmy award-winning roles for PopCorners’ latest commercial airing during Super Bowl LVII.

The duo created PopCorners, a brand that makes probably addicting and definitely not illegal chips.

General Motors, Netflix and Will Ferrell

General Motors and Netflix have teamed up with comedian Will Ferrell to promote the car manufacturer’s latest line of electric vehicles. The ad shows Ferrell driving different EVs as he makes his way through multiple Netflix shows, such as Stranger Things, Bridgerton and Squid Game.

Have yourself a ‘Hamm and Brie’ sandwich with Hellman’s

Hellmann’s enlisted a “miniature” John Hamm and Brie Larson for its latest Super Bowl commercial, where they are inside a fridge with a jar of its famous mayonnaise. The ad also features Pete Davidson, who makes a “ham and brie” sandwich.

Bud Light and Miles Teller

Bud Light got Miles Teller, star of Top Gun: Maverick, one of the biggest movies of 2022, and his wife Keleigh Teller, an actress who’s appeared in a Taylor Swift music video, for its latest Super Bowl commercial.

The commercial shows the couple dancing to the catchy wait music while on hold.

Clueless with Alicia Silverstone

As if this commercial from Rakuten couldn’t be more iconic. The company recruited Clueless star Alicia Silverstone to reprise her role as Cher in this Super Bowl ad promoting the app’s cash-back feature when users go shopping.

Pepsi Zero Sugar’s master class in acting with Ben Stiller and Steve Martin

Pepsi, known for getting big talent for its Super Bowl commercials, got actors Ben Stiller and Steve Martin to promote its Pepsi Zero Sugar line.

The company released two teasers of Stiller and Martin and the two go back and forth on who’s the better actor.

Something’s Ben Brewing

Dunkin’ has enlisted A-list actor and Dunkin’ lover Ben Affleck for its new Super Bowl ad. The company unveiled the commercial, which shows Affleck surprising unsuspected drive-thru customers by taking their orders during Sunday’s game. The actor’s wife, Jennifer Lopez, also appears in the ad.

Uber Eats gets Diddy to create ‘one’ hit

Uber Eats brought on music mogul Diddy to help come up with one hit song for Uber One, its membership service that helps users save money when ordering food. In the ad, Diddy enlists Montell Jordan, Kelis and Ylvis to do Uber-centric versions of their hit songs.

Rémy Martin teams with the GOAT

Tennis legend Serena Williams stars in Rémy Martin’s new “inch by Inch” commercial advertising its cognac. The brand has released a few teasers featuring the 23-time Grand Slam champion ahead of Sunday’s big game.

Bookings.com books Melissa McCarthy for a vacation

Bookings.com has booked the hilarious Melissa McCarthy for its latest Super Bowl commercial urging people to use its site to reserve a vacation “somewhere, anywhere.”

Bradley Cooper and his mom attempt a T-Mobile commercial

Nine-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper stars alongside his mother, Gloria Campano, in T-Mobile’s Super Bowl commercial about them making a commercial for T-Mobile.

The two enjoy a funny back and forth while Campano ribs him the way only a mother can.

M&M’s get a little help from Maya Rudolph

M&M’s revealed its latest Super Bowl commercial with the hilarious Maya Rudolph, the news spokesperson for M&Ms, promoting “candy-coated clam bites.”

The commercial comes after the company paused advertisements with its “spokes candies” and announced it was enlisting Rudolph as the brand’s new face.

Eyes. Lips. Face. with Jennifer Coolidge

Emmy winner Jennifer Coolidge stars in e.l.f. Cosmetic’s first-ever commercial, which aired during Sunday’s game. The commercial featured a zany and somewhat clumsy Coolidge doing what she does best: bringing the laughs.

China accuses US of flying spy balloons into its airspace

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(HONG KONG) — China on Monday accused the United States of flying spy balloons into its airspace without permission more than 10 times since the start of 2022, further escalating tensions between the two countries.

“Since last year alone, U.S. high-altitude balloons have illegally flown over China’s airspace more than ten times without the approval of relevant Chinese authorities,” Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. “It is not uncommon for U.S. balloons to frequently take the opportunity to carry out close-in reconnaissance against China.”

When asked by reporters how Beijing had reacted to the alleged U.S. incursions into Chinese airspace, Wang said the responses were “responsible and professional.” He did not offer any additional details about the incidents.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told MSNBC on Monday that the allegation is “absolutely not true.”

“We are not flying balloons over China,” Kirby said.

The remarks came after the U.S. military shot down what it said was a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. The massive high-altitude object had drifted across the continental U.S. for several days, adding new tensions to the already strained U.S.-China relationship and prompting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a high-stakes trip to Beijing just hours before he was set to depart. Blinken called the balloon a “clear violation” of U.S. sovereignty and international law.

During a press briefing earlier this month, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon didn’t pose a physical or military threat and that, once it was detected, the U.S. took steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information. Ryder later disclosed that China had conducted four balloon surveillance missions over “sensitive sites” within U.S. territory during recent years, but did not disclose exactly where or when the incidents took place.

Speaking at a joint press conference with NATO’s top official last week, Blinken revealed that the U.S. had assessed the alleged Chinese spy balloon was part of an expansive surveillance program aimed at gathering intelligence from targets around the globe.

“Senior administration officials are on the Hill this week, and we already shared information with dozens of countries around the world, both from Washington and from our embassies,” Blinken said. “We’re doing this because the United States was not the only target of this broader program, which has violated the sovereignty of countries across five continents.”

Meanwhile, Beijing has accused Washington of overreacting and insisted the aerostat was a weather balloon of “civilian nature” that had accidentally blown astray, though Chinese officials have refused to name the company involved.

The U.S military has since shot down three other “flying objects” over North America. An official with the U.S. Department of State told reporters last week that Washington is looking into “taking action” against Beijing over the alleged Chinese incursions into U.S. airspace.

“The first thing the U.S. should do is to reflect on itself and change its course, instead of slandering and inciting confrontation,” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters on Monday.

Wang sidestepped questions over reports that the Chinese military was also preparing to shoot down a flying object off the coast of Qingdao in China’s eastern Shandong province.

“As for the other so-called UFOs you mentioned, I don’t know much about them,” he said. “What I want to tell you here is that the United States frequently launches advanced missiles to shoot down unidentified flying objects. This is an overreaction with too much force.”

ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds welcome 4th child

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Hello, party of six.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have welcomed their fourth child, Page Six confirms.

Lively seemingly confirmed the news on Sunday, sharing a carousel of photos which included one of herself with Reynolds and his mother and her baby bump noticeably missing.

“Puppy Bowl Sunday 2023,” she captioned the snapshots. “Been busy.”

Lively, 35, and Reynolds, 46, already share three daughters — eight-year-old James, six-year-old Inez, and three-year-old Betty.

In Brief: Vin Diesel back for new ‘Riddick’ film, and more

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Vin Diesel is reuniting with his Riddick writer-director David Twohy for the fourth installment of the action franchise, Riddick: Furya, according to Deadline. The plot for the new film reads like this: “Riddick finally returns to his home world, a place he barely remembers and one he fears might be left in ruins by the Necromongers. But there he finds other Furyans fighting for their existence against a new enemy. And some of these Furyans are more like Riddick than he could have ever imagined,” per Deadline. The Riddick series launched in 2000 with Pitch Black, followed by 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick and 2013’s Riddick…

Cody Longo, the actor best known for playing Nicholas “Nikki” Alamain in the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, was found dead in his home in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, his rep tells Variety, confirming a story first reported by TMZ. He was 34. Police were reportedly called to check in on Longo at the home by his wife while she was working at a local dance studio, according to TMZ. An official cause of death has not been revealed. Longo’s other credits include films like Ball Don’t Lie and the 2009 Fame reboot. The actor also secured recurring roles on shows such as ABC Family’s Make It or Break It and Nick at Nite’s Hollywood Heights…

After getting canceled at Netflix, Showtime has saved Uncoupled, picking it up the series for a second season and possibly more, according to Deadline. Uncoupled stars Neil Patrick Harris as a gay man in his mid-40s navigating the single life in New York City after he was unceremoniously dumped by his partner of 17 years. Tisha Campbell, Brooks Ashmanskas, Emerson Brooks and Marcia Gay Harden also star…

HBO has pulled the plug on Avenue C after two seasons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series starred Hugh Laurie as Ryan Clark, the captain of the titular spaceship that shuttles people to destinations all over the universe. The show’s second and now final season aired its finale on Nov. 28. Avenue C also starred Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Nikki Amuka, Rebecca Front, Lenora Crichlow, Suzy Nakamura and Ethan Phillips…

Super Bowl commercials were a mix of big stars and a touch of nostalgia

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

There was no shortage of A-list celebrities in this year’s Super Bowl commercials, which also featured a bit of nostalgia.

Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper and Will Ferrell were just a few of the stars hawking everything from Pepsi Zero Sugar and T-Mobile to General Motors.

Cooper teamed up with his mom Gloria to promote T-Mobile‘s 5G network, which didn’t go quite as well as the advertiser expected. Another T-Mobile spot featured John Travolta revisiting his Danny Zuko character from Grease, with some help from Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who performed an updated version of “Summer Nights” that touted the company’s home Internet service.

Affleck showed his love for Dunkin’ by working at one of their Massachusetts locations, only to get caught by his famous wife, Jennifer Lopez, who scolds, “Is this what you do when you say you’re going to work all day?”

Ferrell helped GM spread the message that Netflix is supporting the automaker’s move toward electric vehicles by featuring more of them in the streamer’s movies and TV shows.

Rockers Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Clark Jr., Joan Jett, Billy Idol and KISS‘ Paul Stanley were featured in an ad for the software company Workday calling out business executives for referring to themselves as “rock stars.”

Breaking Bad alums Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reprised their respective roles as chemistry teacher-turned-meth dealer Walter White and former-student-turned-apprentice Jesse Pinkman for PopCorners air-popped snack.

Halloween Ends‘ Danny McBride demonstrated how Downey Unstoppables kept clothes fresher longer.

Melissa McCarthy took a musical tour of hotels, vacation rentals and wigs on behalf of Booking.com.

A month after M&Ms candy named Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph as the new face of the company, replacing the spokescandies, we learned the move was just a gag, setting up a faux press conference in which the candies announced their return.

Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania teamed up with Heinekin for a campaign that focused on drinking responsibly.

Adam Driver discovered that Squarespace is a website that makes websites in the Big Game commercial.

Steve Martin and Ben Stiller appeared in a pair of Pepsi ads demonstrating the difference between “Great Acting” and “Great Taste.”

Clueless Star Alicia Silverstone returned as Cher Horowitz in a Super Bowl Ad for Rakuten.

Amy Schumer, Doja Cat and Giannis Antetokounmpo hawked the latest version of Google’s smartphone, the Pixel.

Snoop Dogg demonstrated how Skechers slip-on footwear helped him navigate his busy lifestyle.

Jennifer Coolidge teamed up with e.l.f. Cosmetics on the brand’s first-ever Super Bowl spot highlighting its viral Power Grip Primer.

As for the game, the Kansas City Chiefs outscored the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.

Super Bowl Superhero Trailers: Michael Keaton back as Batman in ‘The Flash’; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ gang’s “last ride”

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Sure, the Super Bowl was a big night for football, but it was a huge night for superhero movie fans, with coming attractions for two of the most-anticipated movies of 2023.

Recently, newly-minted DC Films co-CEO James Gunn called The Flash one of the best superhero movies he’s ever seen, and the brand-new trailer shows it might not have been hyperbole.

The sneak peek shows Ezra Miller, who returns as the title character, aka Barry Allen, using his abilities to travel back in time to save his mother. But tinkering with the past never ends well, as he’s reminded by none other than Batman — or, more accurately, Batmen: Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck.

Barry’s timeline-skipping unleashes Michael Shannon‘s General Zod from 2013’s Man of Steel. “I completely broke the universe…and now there’s no one to defend us,” Allen laments.

“Want some help?” Keaton says, before revealing himself in all his Dark Knight-suited glory.

Allen stammers, “You…you are…”

“I’m Batman,” Keaton says in a callback to the 1989 classic.

The trailer also shows both Batmen doing battle, and also the introduction of Kara Zor-El, the cousin of Superman, aka Supergirl, played by Sasha Calle.

Incidentally, the trailer for Gunn’s final Guardians of the Galaxy film also dropped during the Big Game, teasing the “last ride” of Chris Pratt‘s Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña‘s Gamora, Bradley Cooper‘s Rocket, and the rest of their misfit “family.”

The trailer introduces the bad guy, Peacemaker veteran Chukwudi Iwuji‘s High Evolutionary, who seeks “to create the perfect society” by subjecting living creatures, including a baby Rocket, to brutal experiments.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debuts May 5; The Flash runs into theaters June 16.

New Hampshire Supreme Court will consider challenge to Pamela Smart’s life sentence

February 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(BEDFORD HILLS, N.Y.) — The New Hampshire Supreme Court will decide on Tuesday whether to grant Pamela Smart a chance at a hearing that could put her on a path to freedom.

Smart was convicted in 1991 at age 22 of persuading her teenage lover, Billy Flynn, to kill her husband. She met Flynn, then a student, through her work in a New Hampshire school district. Soon after their affair began, Flynn fatally shot her husband, Gregg Smart, in the head.

The press flocked to Exeter, a small New Hampshire town, to cover the case against Smart. Her trial, three years before that of O.J. Simpson’s, was one of the first to be broadcast live — and Smart quickly became the center of a saga that led to a fervor for true crime and an era of televised trials.

Smart has now spent more than 32 years behind bars for conspiring to kill her husband. Flynn, who pulled the trigger, has been out of prison for nearly a decade.

Her accomplices, including three other teenagers who were charged as adults in the killing, cooperated with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to lesser charges. They have all been released from prison. Smart was convicted at trial of accomplice to murder in the first degree and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Smart’s Feb. 14 hearing will be the first time that she has had a chance to challenge the state’s repeated denials to make a case for her release.

Smart maintains that she did not ask Flynn to murder her husband — a factor the New Hampshire attorney general’s office and her prosecutor from trial have said disqualify her from mercy. Smart says she does feel responsible for Gregg Smart’s death but did not orchestrate his murder. Had she not had an affair, her husband would still be alive, she told ABC News.

If the court rules in favor of her on Tuesday, Smart will have a chance to stand before the governor and his executive council to ask for a commutation — which is a reduction of a sentence, often for good behavior, as opposed to a pardon which absolves someone of their crime.

For Smart, who has exhausted all of her opportunities to appeal her sentence, a commutation remains her only hope to one day get out of prison.

“In some respects the pieces are finally coming together,” Smart, now 55, told ABC News on a phone call from Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in New York two weeks before the hearing.

“It feels like the last straw, the last stand,” she said. “If this doesn’t work out, what is there after this?”

In 1993, Smart was transferred from a New Hampshire prison to Bedford Hills where she has been ever since.

When she arrived at the maximum security prison, she found many people there knew about her case. In 1995, those who hadn’t watched her trial learned about it from “To Die For,” a Hollywood film starring Nicole Kidman, who played Smart.

She says her reputation has followed her for years.

In one instance, she says, a prison guard in 2003 leaked photos of Smart to the National Enquirer of her kneeling on her bed in her underwear, which sparked a new wave of headlines.

“It was like a nightmare my first 10 years here,” Smart said.

It was during that time Smart leaned into her studies. She began working on the first of three graduate degrees — two master’s, in law and English literature, and a doctorate in ministry.

She also worked as a teacher’s aide and, for those who needed extra help on her cell block, she taped a tutoring schedule to the unit’s bulletin board.

When Bella Gonzalez, 17, first arrived at Bedford Hills, Smart encouraged her to sign up for a slot.

“She gave me a new word for my vocabulary every day,” said Gonzalez, who at first spoke very little English.

The two became close over their nearly 20 years in prison together. They played softball — Smart in center field and Gonzalez at first base — and they cried when Gonzalez’s mom died. They also wept when Smart lost her appeals.

Both young women confided in each other about their dreams of motherhood; for Gonzalez a possibility, for Smart a foregone conclusion.

In 2005, the first two accomplices in Gregg Smart’s murder were paroled. Vance Lattime Jr, the getaway driver who supplied the weapon, and Raymond Fowler, who helped plot the murder, were released from prison. That same year, Smart was denied her first request for a commutation hearing.

While incarcerated at Rikers Island, Kelly Harnett had already heard that Smart was an effective jailhouse lawyer. But when she arrived at Bedford Hills in 2015 she found it was impossible to get a meeting with her.

“People would even follow her into the shower” to ask about their cases, she said.

Later that year, Flynn and another accomplice Pete Randall, who held the knife to Gregg Smart’s throat, were released from prison.

In 2018, New Hampshire rejected Smart’s second attempt for a 15-minute hearing with the governor to review her sentence. By that point, all of Smart’s appeals had been denied. Her friends, including Gonzalez, had been released and gone home. Gonzalez later had a daughter; she named her Pamela.

During a recent interview at Bedford Hills, Smart said she worried her ailing mother, Linda Wojas, 81, who has fought to clear her daughter’s name, would die.

“One day someone is going to walk in here, sit down where you are, and tell me my mom is dead,” said Smart. “I just want to go home so she has one night knowing I’m free.”

In 2021, Smart compiled three decades of evidence to support what may be her last request for a commutation hearing. She said she handpicked hundreds of letters written by prison leadership and inmates who say she changed the trajectory of their lives. She turned in copies of her three degrees, and attached at least 28 certificates for completion of rehabilitation programs.

On March 23, 2022 — in less than three minutes — New Hampshire’s Executive Council unanimously recommended that Gov. Chris Sununu again deny Smart a hearing.

A commutation would “demean the value” of her slain husband, one member of the council reasoned. There was no mention of Smart’s rehabilitation efforts, the basis for Smart’s attorney’s argument on Tuesday when he will challenge the decision.

Smart thought back to the council’s brief comments.

“In two years, my release is still gonna ‘demean’ Gregg’s life. In four years. In 87 years. That can never change. So what’s the point?” she told ABC News. “If I’m not rehabilitated, when will I be?”

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