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Flu-related hospitalizations highest in 10 years

October 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Flu season is making an early comeback as flu-related hospitalizations are the highest in over a decade for this point in the season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been an estimated 880,000 cases of lab-confirmed influenza illnesses, 6,900 hospitalizations and 360 flu-related deaths nationally this season, according to data released on Friday.

Just this past week, there were 2,332 newly-admitted patients in hospitals, over a third of the total 6,900 flu hospitalizations this season already.

H3N2 is the predominant viral strain currently spreading. Previous seasons with mostly H3N2 viruses have been of higher severity, particularly for older adults and young children, the CDC says. It’s still too early to tell if this trend will continue.

The U.S. has not seen this high of a burden since the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. The national public health agency uses this as a metric to estimate a season’s severity based on laboratory-confirmed cases, doctor visits, hospitalizations and deaths.

Hospitalization rates are highest in adults over the age of 65 and young children, a level consistent with prior flu seasons for older adults, but a relatively new high for children.

This early flu season is additionally concerning with the pediatric surge of respiratory illnesses like RSV already filling up 75% of pediatric beds and surges of activity at the nation’s emergency departments.

“What worries me is the fact that we’re seeing flu [cases] increase. We have a lot of kids admitted right now with RSV…and you layer on a subset of kids who now are going to end up with flu,” said Dr. Melanie Kitagawa, medical director of the pediatric ICU at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Pediatric hospital beds in 9 states and Washington, D.C., are already above 80% capacity, with another five states over 90%, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Experts note that the pediatric surge is something that has been steadily growing over time with an already overtaxed healthcare system.

“This has been kind of a problem that’s been brewing for even several years. We know that hospital beds when it comes to the ability to care for children have decreased especially in our rural communities,” said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine physician at the Gaza Children’s Hospital in Rochester, New York.

The potential for a COVID-19 surge, which we have not seen yet, could compound the threat.

Currently, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have slightly increased over the past week. There are still nearly 400 deaths from the disease daily.

Experts say that vaccines and therapeutics are available for both the flu and COVID.

“Many doctors will prescribe an antiviral, such as Tamiflu. And that will reduce their likelihood of developing the complications of influenza and help keep them out of the hospital,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Flu vaccination coverage among children and pregnant people has decreased during the past two years. Lower coverage and little flu circulation during the pandemic may have reduced population immunity, especially in young kids, which could lead to more flu illnesses this season, and potentially more severe illness, the CDC says.

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older and the COVID booster is recommended for anyone over the age of 5. The best time to get your shots is before Halloween – or as soon as possible, health officials say.

Ex-Capitol Police officer convicted of covering up efforts to help Jan. 6 rioter avoid prosecution

October 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A federal jury Friday returned a guilty verdict on one count of obstruction of justice against a former Capitol Police officer charged with aiding a rioter who participated in the Jan.6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Michael Riley, a 26-year veteran of the Capitol Police, was charged last year after he allegedly encouraged a participant in the attack to delete social media posts that showed the person joining the pro-Trump mob storming the Capitol.

Investigators said Riley reached out to the rioter, Jacob Hiles, over Facebook on Jan. 7, and encouraged him to delete posts that showed him inside the Capitol the day before.

“I’m a capitol police officer who agrees with your political stance,” Riley’s message said. “Take down the part about being in the building, they are currently investigating and everyone who was in the building is going to be charged. Just looking out!”

Riley was found guilty on one count of obstruction related to his attempts to cover up his messages with Hiles after news reports surfaced of Hiles’ arrest.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on a second count related to Riley’s communication with Hiles on Jan. 7.

He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

New York City salary transparency law set to go into effect

October 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A New York City law will require companies with at least four employees to post salary ranges in job listings in an effort to increase pay transparency starting Tuesday.

Employers advertising jobs in the city who have at least one employee currently located there must include a “good faith salary range,” according to the New York City Commission on Human Rights, which is enforcing the law. Employers must include a minimum and maximum salary.

There is no fine for a first-time offense, though companies and employment agencies found to violate the law could face civil penalties of up to $250,000 if not corrected within 30 days of receiving notice of the violation.

Temporary staffing agencies are exempt from the law because they already disclose this information under the New York State Wage Theft Prevention Act.

Starting November 1, 2022, the NYC Human Rights Law requires employers to include a good faith pay range in all job postings – another step toward pay equity for New Yorkers.

Read our fact sheet to learn more about pay transparency. #DisplayThePayNYC https://t.co/QOu3ETw0NE

— NYC Human Rights (@NYCCHR) October 28, 2022

The new law, which passed the New York City Council late last year, was set to go into effect in May, though the start date was delayed following criticism from business groups and companies who said they were not consulted about the legislation beforehand and that the language of the law was vague.

The law was also amended to waive a penalty for a first-time violation and clarify that it would not apply to jobs that cannot or will not be performed in New York City, among other changes.

The city follows other jurisdictions that have passed laws to increase pay transparency. Among them, Colorado, Connecticut and Nevada started mandating salary ranges on job postings last year, and similar salary requirement laws will go into effect in California, Rhode Island and Washington state in 2023.

Several companies have already started complying with the New York City law, including Amazon, American Express, Citigroup and Zillow.

Pay transparency advocates who were involved in the new law called it a “game changer for the city’s workers,” in particular those who face wage disparities, including Black and Latina women.

“With salary ranges out in the open, employers must think critically about how they set pay at the front end of their process before they insert unconscious biases. At the same time, women and people of color have more leverage to advocate for themselves and more information to make better decisions about jobs and industries to pursue, helping to combat occupational segregation,” Beverly Cooper Neufeld, president of PowHer New York, and Seher Khawaja, senior attorney for economic empowerment at Legal Momentum, wrote in an opinion piece published in the New York Daily News on Thursday.

The chambers of commerce in each borough and the Partnership for New York City, an organization that represents the city’s business leadership, had unsuccessfully pushed for the law to exempt industries with severe labor shortages, as well as only require minimum salary postings for highly compensated jobs.

“New York City is a highly competitive labor market, where most employers are committed to gender and racial pay parity,” they wrote in a joint letter in April, arguing that the inclusion of a salary range is “not necessarily the most appropriate tool for the New York labor market.”

Another UFO report comes out next week, some incidents still unexplained

October 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The enduring debate about whether UFOs are caused by extraterrestrial beings will once again be front and center next week as U.S. intelligence agencies will provide Congress with an updated report on UFO incidents over the past year.

Meanwhile, it appears that other more recent incidents are being attributed to weather balloons, other airborne clutter, and foreign surveillance, according to a U.S. official.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines has until Monday to provide Congress with its first annual unclassified update on Unexplained Aerial Phenomena, the new term for UFOs, that includes all new UAP incidents over the past year and any previously unreported incidents.

The report was required by the 2022 Defense Bill that mandated that the DNI provide an annual declassified update and a classified annex by Oct. 31 of every year through 2026.

The update follows the DNI’s first-ever report released in June 2022 that listed 144 UAP incidents, only one of which could be explained. At a congressional hearing earlier this year Pentagon officials said that the number of UAP incidents under investigation had risen to more than 400.

While it is unclear how many new reports will be included in the upcoming update, a U.S. official told ABC News that the most recent UAP incidents can be explained as a mix of weather balloons, airborne clutter, and foreign surveillance. But the official stressed that other incidents still cannot be explained.

The official added that it cannot be determined who is behind the foreign surveillance but the most likely candidates would be China and Russia since they have the most interest in monitoring the U.S. military.

“There is no single explanation that addresses the majority of UAP reports,” Sue Gough, a Defense Department spokesperson, said in a statement. “We are collecting as much data as we can, following the data where it leads, and will share our findings whenever possible. We will not rush to conclusions in our analysis”

“In many cases, observed phenomena are classified as ‘unidentified’ simply because sensors were not able to collect enough information to make a positive attribution,” said Gough. “We are working to mitigate these shortfalls for the future and to ensure we have sufficient data for our analysis.”

Analysis of more recent UAP incidents is helped by the amount of information and data available as compared to older incidents.

The U.S. official told ABC News that two of the three videos declassified by the Pentagon in 2020 and recorded from the sensors aboard fighter aircraft now have plausible explanations.

In the “Go Fast” video Navy pilots are heard exclaiming how fast an object is moving above the water. According to the U.S. official, the leading assessment from experts is that what the pilots saw on their video screens was actually an optical illusion of an object that was not moving very fast at all. The illusion was created by the angle and height at which the object was viewed by the sensors as it moved above the water.

The “gimbal” video taken in 2015 by a jet fighter crew that shows an object rotating in the clouds. The official says it’s now believed that the object’s strange movements and observed spinning was caused by the sensor aboard the plane that captured that image.

There is no assessment for what is being seen in the third video commonly referred to as the “Flir” video that was taken in 2004.

The general public’s appetite for UFOs is sure to continue, and just last week NASA announced the 16 people who would serve on a new panel tasked with studying UAPs. Their report, based on unclassified information, is slated to be released in mid-2023.

Natural Born Chart Leader: Highly Suspect earns third #1 ‘Billboard’ single

October 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Highly Suspect‘s “Natural Born Killer” has hit #1 on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

The track, the lead single off the rock outfit’s new The Midnight Demon Club album, gives Johnny Stevens and company their third leader on the chart, following “16” and “My Name Is Human.”

In an Instagram post celebrating the accomplishment, Stevens writes, “A massive thank you to our MCID ride or die fans and family that continue to give us love and support throughout the years as we quest onward. Much love to you all and thank you again.”

The Midnight Demon Club, the fourth Highly Suspect album and follow-up to 2019’s MCID, was released in September. Highly Suspect’s current U.S. tour in support of the record will conclude November 5 in Houston.

Elton John, Mick Jagger, John Fogerty among stars paying tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis

October 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Following the passing of Jerry Lee Lewis on Friday at age 87, a variety of well-known musicians and other celebrities have taken to social media to post message paying homage to the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer.

Among the famous artists who have paid tribute to Lewis are Elton John, The Rolling Stones‘ Mick Jagger and former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty.

“Without Jerry Lee Lewis, I wouldn’t have become who I am today,” Elton writes. “He was groundbreaking and exciting, and he pulverized the piano. A brilliant singer too. Thank you for your trailblazing inspiration and all the rock ‘n’ roll memories.”

Jagger’s tribute reads, “God bless you Jerry Lee … Your songs lit up my life!”

As for Fogerty, he posted a message that reads, “Sad to hear of the passing of Jerry Lee Lewis. I love his music and I was hugely influenced by his records and live performances which were always full of fire and inspiration! No one could touch him! God Bless you, Jerry Lee.”

John accompanied the note with a video clip of him performing with Lewis, as well as audio of a duet the two did on the CCR classic “Bad Moon Rising.”

Here are some more celebrity tributes to Lewis:

Ringo Starr: “God bless Jerry lee Lewis peace and love to all his family.”

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood: “R.I.P. JLL the KILLER -What a man.”

KISS‘ Gene Simmons: “Sadly, One of the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll has passed. A rebel to the end. RIP, Jerry Lee Lewis.”

George Thorogood and the Destroyers: “We are saddened to hear about the passing of the great Jerry Lee Lewis, your music and influence will shine on forever.”

Slash: “RIP #JerryLeeLewis”

Dennis Quaid, who portrayed Lewis in the 1989 biopic Great Balls of Fire: “Jerry Lee was a Christian, an American icon and the greatest piano player in the world. People will be listening to ‘Great Balls of Fire’ and ‘Whole Lot of Shakin” 500 years from now. I will miss him. God bless you Jerry Lee.”

Bryan Adams reveals he almost asked Nile Rodgers to produce his biggest album

October 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Bryan Adams is the guest on the latest episode of Chic guitarist and famed producer Nile Rogers‘ Apple Music 1 podcast Deep Hidden Meaning Radio, which premieres Saturday, October 29, at 11 a.m. ET.

During the interview, Adams reveals that he’d considered contacting Rodgers about producing what became his chart-topping 1984 album, Reckless, and says Nile’s music inspired one of the album’s big hits.

Bryan explains that Bob Clearmountain was lined up to produce Reckless, but then got very busy and it looked like he wouldn’t be available.

“There was a moment there where I was like, ‘Wow, who do I want to work with?’ And I thought of you,” he tells Rodgers. “And so I put together a song which I thought you would dig and it’s called ‘Somebody.’ You could have produced the album. So I had this riff … And I thought, ‘That’s Nile, that’s my interpretation of Nile.'”

As it turned out Clearmountain was available to work on the album. “Somebody” went on to reach #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Adams also tells Rodgers the story of how he was struggling to get the right sound while working on his hit “Summer of ’69.” He wound up using a young, unknown drummer named Pat Seward, who he saw playing in a bar and realized could deliver the energy that the track had been lacking.

“Pat came in, we cut the track and it was just, like, bang,” Bryan recalls.

Meanwhile, the two-CD deluxe version of Adams’ latest studio album, So Happy It Hurts, was released on Friday. The expanded collection includes a 12-track bonus disc featuring tracks that appeared on Adams’ 2022 Classic and Classic Pt. 2 digital albums, which boasted newly recorded versions of many of Bryan’s best-known tunes.

Listen to 1972 Beach Boys rarity “Carry Me Home” from upcoming ‘Sail On Sailor’ box set

October 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The Beach Boys have released the rare 1972 song “Carry Me Home” as an advance track from their upcoming archival box set, Sail On Sailor – 1972, which focuses on two of the band’s albums — 1972’s Carl and the Passions – “So Tough” and 1973’s Holland.

“Carry Me Home,” which was written and produced by late Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, was recorded during the Holland sessions. The haunting ballad, which features vocals by Dennis and Blondie Chaplin, is about a soldier dying in the Vietnam War. The track, which was frequently bootlegged over the years, will get its first official release as part of the box set.

Sail On Sailor – 1972 will be released on November 18 and can be preordered now. It will be available as a five-CD set, as a vinyl package featuring seven LPs and one EP, and via digital formats.

The 105-track collection features newly remastered versions of the two albums, as well as 80 previously unreleased recordings.

Among the latter are unreleased outtakes, radio promos, alternate versions and mixes, isolated backing tracks and more from the recordings sessions, as well as live performances from the era.

The collection includes the Mount Vernon and Fairway (A Fairytale) EP, which was originally included as a bonus disc with Holland, and a full previously unreleased concert The Beach Boys played at Carnegie Hall in November 1972.

Carl and the Passions and Holland peaked at #50 and #36, respectively, on the Billboard 200. The highest-charting single released from the albums was Holland‘s “Sailor On Sailor,” which reached #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a popular radio track.

The Sail On Sailor – 1972 collection also be released in abbreviated versions, including a two-CD set and a two-LP/one-EP package.

‘Yellowstone’ inspires fashion line

October 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

If you can’t get enough of the Paramount Network series Yellowstone, Lucky Brand has your number: The clothing company has launched a Yellowstone-themed fashion line.

The merchandising line includes everything from branded “in universe” T-shirts inspired by the show’s Dutton Ranch to tees emblazoned with phrases like “Never Drink and Ride a Buffalo” and “I Only Love Cowboys and Dreamers.” And “branded” is also literal in some cases, as the family’s hooked “Y” cattle brand is featured prominently in many of the offerings.

The line is priced from $50 to $199 and also includes sweatshirts, hoodies, cardigans and jeans.

Might as well giddyup to get yours in time for the season 5 debut of the hit Kevin Costner-led show on November 13.

New Music Friday: Rihanna, Alicia Keys, SZA, Chlöe and more

October 28, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The hottest new tracks and videos for the Halloween weekend.

Rihanna,“Lift Me Up” — RiRi not only released her first song in six years, “Lift Me Up,” she also followed up with its music video on Friday.

The clip features the nine-time Grammy winner standing before a bonfire on the beach as the sun sets. Interspersed between Rihanna performing the song are clips from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

“Lift Me Up” is the lead single off the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Music From and Inspired By soundtrack. The track is also a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who starred as T’Challa/Black Panther.

Alicia Keys, “December Back 2 June” — The 15-time Grammy winner dropped this original holiday track from her first Christmas album, Santa Baby, which will be released on November 4.

SZA, “Shirt” — The Oscar nominee dropped her long-awaited single with a video featuring LaKeith Stanfield from Judas and the Black Messiah.

Chlöe, “For The Night” featuring Latto — The 24-year-old singer teams up with the A-T-L rapper for her fifth single. Chlöe co-directed the video, which takes her fans behind the scenes of a day in her life, including a festival performance.

Kodak Black, Kutthroat Bill: Vol.1 — The Florida MC dropped his fifth solo album with 19 tracks, including his new single, “300 Blackout.”

Ashanti, “Falling For You” — The member of the Hollywood Walk of Fame released her second single of the year and tells her partner, “No more falling for your games.”

Jeezy, “Put The Minks Down” featuring 42 Dugg — The Snowman teams up with the Detroit rapper as they parade a fleet of exquisite cars around the Motor City.

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