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Wind-whipped Utah wildfire surpasses 31,000 acres, prompts evacuations

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A wildfire burning in Utah has grown to more than 31,000 acres, prompting mandatory evacuations of homes and campgrounds and completely closing a highway in the mountainous area.

Fueled by drought conditions and blustery winds, firefighters are waging twin battles against two major blazes, both measuring more than 48 square miles, officials said.

The Cottonwood Fire in Beaver County started Monday afternoon and spread rapidly, fanned by wind gusts of up to 50 mph, according to Utah Fire Info.

Overnight, the Cottonwood fire grew by nearly 7,000 acres “due to high temperatures, gusty winds, and extremely dry fuels,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement early Wednesday. The fire remains 0% contained.

The Cottonwood Fire ignited around 3:36 p.m. on Monday, threatening populated areas in Beaver County, according to officials.

Just after 9 p.m. local time on Monday, residents in the Eagle Point and Merchant Valley areas of Beaver County were ordered to evacuate immediately as flames bore down on the area, authorities said.

Evacuation orders remained in effect on Wednesday morning.

Fire officials said on Tuesday that they suspect the Cottonwood Fire is a human-caused blaze, but released no additional details, according to ABC affiliate station KTVX in Salt Lake City.

The Cottonwood Fire is one of 349 wildfires currently burning across Utah consuming more than 105,000 acres combined, according to Utah Fire Info.

The biggest active fire is the Iron Fire burning in Juab County, about 28 miles southwest of Provo. As of Tuesday, the Iron Fire had burned 31,314 acres and was 9% contained, said Al Nash, public information officer for the Great Basin Team 3, a federal agency in charge of the incident.

The fire has prompted numerous evacuations in the area, including the complete evacuation of the town of Eureka, which has a population of just over 600.

Kelly Wicken, a spokesperson for the Utah Division of Forestry, said the blaze started on private land and has now spread across Juab and two other counties, crossing onto federal land and shutting down a highway.

Before the fire, the National Weather Service had issued red flag fire danger warnings for a large part of the state.

Red flag warnings and fire weather watches are in place across southern and central Utah and through much of western and central Colorado, Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Strong winds and low humidity are expected to fuel the existing fires and enable new fires to spark and spread rapidly.

Judge blocks Trump administration from arresting migrants at immigration courts

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from arresting migrants at immigration courts, saying that officials violated the Administrative Procedures Act in enacting the policy.

U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts of the Northern District of California wrote in a blistering 71-page decision Tuesday that policies by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Executive Office of Immigration Review were “arbitrary and capricious” and violated the APA, and he issued nationwide injunction blocking the practice across the United States.

“Because the record before the Court demonstrates ICE and EOIR failed to provide reasoned explanations for their actions, the Court concludes that each of the challenged policies is arbitrary and capricious in contravention of the APA,” he wrote in his decision.

The Justice Department attempted to curtail the request to only the Northern District of California instead of a nationwide block.

Scenes of migrants being arrested at immigration courts across the country, including notably in New York City, drew scrutiny from local lawmakers and advocacy organizations, who said migrants were often arrested after their deportation cases were dismissed.

Deportation hearings in immigration court are legal proceedings initiated by the Department of Homeland Security in which an immigration judge determines whether a migrant should be removed from the United States. Often, an immigration judge will dismiss a case to allow the individual to pursue legal relief by seeking asylum, according to attorneys. Other times, DHS attorneys will request dismissals if the individuals are not a priority for removal.

In most cases, when a deportation case is dismissed, it is a positive outcome for a migrant. Immigration attorneys ABC News spoke with said the Trump administration has been using dismissals to detain people at immigration courts and place them into expedited removal without allowing them to fight their cases.

In previous years, ICE has prioritized conducting courthouse arrests of people who were considered risks to the public or were convicted or accused of certain crimes.

The Trump administration had argued that an executive order issued by President Donald Trump allowed for the agencies to enact the policy, but Judge Pitts disagreed.

“It is now clear that the lack of connection between ICE’s stated rationales for the 2025 courthouse-arrest policies and the expansion of arrests at immigration courthouses results not from merely unreasoned decision making but a complete lack of decision making. As the government recently revealed, contrary to its prior representations, ICE’s 2025 courthouse arrest policies do not cover immigration courthouses at all,” he wrote.

That is a reference to a case in New York, in which the DOJ notified a judge that it had been erroneously relying on an ICE memo to justify arrests at immigration courts, according to a court filing. In fact, the ICE memo does not apply to civil immigration enforcement actions in or near immigration courts, the DOJ told the judge in that case.

James Percival, the DHS general counsel, said Tuesday’s ruling is “anti-American.”

“When a judge sentences a defendant, the defendant is taken into custody. If an alien is ordered removed by an immigration judge, the same should happen,” he said in a post on X. “A district judge ordering otherwise is naked judicial activism in service of an anti-American, open borders agenda.”

Trump cancels signing of bipartisan housing bill until his SAVE America Act is passed

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is putting off signing a bipartisan housing reform bill until Congress passes his SAVE America Act.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Olympian Bode Miller arrested on drug possession charges

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller was arrested earlier this month on drug-related charges, according to court documents.

The American alpine ski racer was arrested in Idaho on two misdemeanor charges, including possession of a controlled substance and another for possession of drug paraphernalia, the documents noted.

Miller was released on a $5,000 cash bond, the records said. He pleaded not guilty to both charges after his arrest, according to the documents.

Miller’s agent referred ABC News to a statement posted to his Instagram.

“I was pulled over for accelerating while passing another vehicle on a highway in Idaho. My friend, who was traveling with me, had a small amount of cannabis and cannabis pipe in his possession which I was unaware of,” Miller wrote.

He noted that they fully cooperated with the officer, and expressed hope that the misdemeanor charges will be dropped “once the facts are reviewed.”

In a statement to ABC News, the lead prosecutor confirmed that Miller was issued a citation and the misdemeanor offenses, but declined to make additional comments.

Miller is considered as one of the greatest alpine skiers in U.S. history. He is a six-time Olympic medalist and two-time overall World Cup champion.

His success in the sport also helped popularize skiing in the U.S.

Miller is married to professional beach volleyball player Morgan Beck and the couple share six children together.

Iron Maiden shares statement on Paris power outage: ‘We share your disappointment’

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Iron Maiden has issued a statement regarding the band’s show in Paris Monday, which was cut short due to a power outage.

As previously reported, the La Défense Arena went dark in the middle of the set while Maiden was performing the song “2 Minutes to Midnight.” The power was eventually restored and Maiden retook the stage about an hour later, but between the delay and the venue’s curfew, the show ended without the band’s usual encore.

The incident was especially inconvenient since Maiden was filming the show for an upcoming concert film documenting their Run for Your Lives tour.

“Despite everything the audience and atmosphere last night were fantastic and, like every other challenge Iron Maiden have faced over the years, we’ll find a way to deal with and overcome the missing songs in the encore when it comes to the final film,” frontman Bruce Dickinson says in a post to Maiden’s website. “We know that many of you travelled long distances, waited patiently throughout the interruption, and were looking forward to experiencing the complete Run For Your Lives show. We share your disappointment. No one is more frustrated than the band and crew, who were eager to deliver the full performance you deserved.”

“What we will remember most from last night is the incredible spirit inside the arena,” Dickinson continues. “Your patience, understanding and unwavering support through an extremely challenging situation meant the world to us. The energy in the room was remarkable and is exactly what we have to come to expect from Paris, and a reminder of why we always love playing here.”

The Run for Your Lives tour, which celebrates Maiden’s 50th anniversary, will continue through Europe into mid-July before coming to North America in late August.

Watch the first trailer for ‘WHAM! 10 days in China’

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

We are getting our first look at the upcoming Wham! documentary, WHAM! 10 Days In China, which explores the duo’s 1985 concerts in China.

A trailer for the film has just been released, featuring archival photos and footage of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley becoming the first Western pop group to perform in China.

In addition to performance footage, the trailer shows the duo visiting sites, dealing with uncomfortable press conferences and more. It also delves into the impact the concerts had on fans, the political implications of the shows and touches upon the struggles Michael went through during the tour.

The film, which features restored, newly digitized and never-before-seen archival footage, is described in a press release as “the untold story of WHAM! at a singular moment in history, East meets West, pop meets politics, and two young stars coming of age on the world stage.”

WHAM! 10 Days In China will be screened in theaters on July 28. Tickets are on sale now.

Taylor Swift sings ‘Love Story’ at Travis Kelce’s Tight End University concert

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Taylor Swift and one of country music’s hottest stars teamed up for a surprise duet Tuesday night in Nashville, where Taylor’s fiancé Travis Kelce was holding his annual Tight End University event.

The surprise duet took place at Sports Illustrated and Tight End University’s Tight Ends & Friends Concert Presented by Reese’s, held at Nashville’s The Pinnacle. Award-winning country queen Lainey Wilson, whose own appearance was a surprise, welcomed Taylor to the stage to sing Taylor’s hit “Love Story.” When Taylor got to the part where she sings, “Pulled out a ring,” she flashed her own engagement ring.

The event included performances by other country superstars, including Luke Combs and Dan + Shay. Comedian Shane Gillis also put in an appearance, and Travis and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle did a keg stand onstage.

Travis, George and ex-tight end Greg Olsen founded Tight End University. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, George, who’s been invited to Taylor and Travis’ wedding, said he asked Travis if the couple is really getting married at Madison Square Garden, as has been rumored. George said that Travis “laughed at me.”

George told People of Taylor’s appearance at the concert, “She’s just such an awesome person to give us her time this close to their wedding. So we’re just so thankful that they’re here.”

Last year, Taylor also performed at the Tight Ends & Friends concert; she sang “Shake It Off.”

Camp Mystic, site of deadly Texas flooding, files for bankruptcy

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(HUNT, Texas) — Camp Mystic, the Christian all-girls sleepaway camp, filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday, according to court records.

The Chapter 11 filing comes nearly a year after the deadly flood that killed 25 girls and two teen counselors in the Texas Hill Country last year.

According to the Wednesday filing, Camp Mystic has a total debt that exceeds $10 million.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Former chief of staff to ex-NYC Mayor Eric Adams arrested, sources say

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Frank Carone, a former chief of staff to ex-New York Mayor Eric Adams, was arrested on Wednesday morning along with his brother Anthony and two others as part of a federal bribery case, sources familiar with the case told ABC News.

Carone and the others were expected to be arraigned in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday. Their indictment remained sealed on Wednesday, so the exact charges were not immediately known.

The case centers on a city contract issued during the Adams administration, sources told ABC News.

Carone helped with Adams’ transition into office in January 2022 and served as the mayor’s chief of staff until that December, when he departed the administration. He said as he departed that it had been an “honor keeping the trains running for this administration,” according to a press release from the time.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

FBI, NYPD search sites around city amid corruption investigation, sources say

June 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The FBI and New York Police Department conducted searches on Wednesday morning at various locations around the city as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption at the nation’s largest police department.

The investigation is targeting current and former police executives, sources familiar with it told ABC News.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch issued a statement confirming the searches, saying the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau was working alongside the FBI in executing search warrants “as part of a criminal investigation being pursued by the NYPD, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.”

“The investigation is ongoing and concerns conduct by former and current members of the NYPD,” she said.

The investigation is examining, among other things, promotions and assignments and how they were carried out, the sources said. Tisch in her statement did not identify potential suspects or charges.

“When I became Police Commissioner, I promised New Yorkers that under my leadership the NYPD would conduct itself with integrity and that there would be a thorough investigation of any claim that members of service failed to meet that standard,” Tisch said. “This investigation and our actions this morning are part of the ongoing effort to fulfill that commitment and hold the Department to its highest ideals.”

The investigation was targeting the current chief of Manhattan South, Jimmy McCarthy, who has been placed on modified duty, according to the NYPD. Another target is the department’s former chief spokesman, Tarik Sheppard, sources said.

FBI agents were spotted outside the Brooklyn home of Jeffrey Maddrey, formerly chief of Department, the highest ranking uniformed officer. It was not immediately clear whether Maddrey was a part of the investigation

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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