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Higher heating bills expected this winter amid energy market turmoil: Report

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Americans are expected to see higher energy bills when it comes to heating their homes this winter, according to a new analysis from the U.S. Energy Information Agency released this week.

The independent agency within the Department of Energy found that homes heated with natural gas could see prices 28% higher than last winter, while homes heated by electricity will see a 10% increase and propane heat will see a 5% increase. At least 90% of homes in the U.S. use natural gas or electricity for heat.

EIA said the supplies of fuels like natural gas, propane, or heating oil are low and could struggle to meet demand if temperatures are especially cold or supply chain issues make it difficult to deliver to where the fuels are needed.

Rusty Braziel, CEO & Principal Energy Markets Consultant for RBN Energy, said energy prices are dealing with several factors that are putting pressure on the market.

“It’s a whole different kind of market turmoil than we’ve ever seen before,” he said in a briefing with reporters.

“We’ve got a hot war in Europe, we’ve got sky-high prices, we got Russia’s use of energy as a weapon. We’re still recovering from a global pandemic. Our markets are absorbing a massive new energy transition and this economy is shaky, recession could be just around the corner. National politics are wacky, and producer discipline has basically reset the shale supply curve. So if that ain’t wild, I don’t know what is,” Braziel said.

The EIA report factors in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s forecast for a colder-than-average winter in some parts of the country. Officials said demand for energy could change if temperatures dip colder than predicted.

Energy costs are another factor that could lead to difficulty for many families dealing with the cost of living amid rising inflation. In 2020, 34 million U.S. households, about 27% of the country, reported having difficulty paying their energy bills or keeping their home at an unsafe temperature to avoid higher bills, according to an EIA survey.

The Department of Energy said there are multiple ways that households can reduce energy bills by switching to more energy-efficient appliances or lighting and making homes better at keeping heat in and cold air out by sealing air leaks around windows or other points where heat could escape. The Biden administration has launched programs that include more than $3 billion to help low-income homeowners “weatherize” or retrofit their homes to be more energy efficient.

The Inflation Reduction Act offers some tax credits to help with the up-front cost of installing more energy-efficient appliances or heaters. The advocacy group Rewiring America has a calculator where homeowners or renters can calculate what benefits they may be eligible to receive.

Nearly half of COVID survivors haven’t fully recovered six months later: Study

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Nearly half of COVID-19 survivors may have symptoms of long COVID months after they were first infected, a new study suggests.

Researchers from across Scotland looked at more than 33,000 patients over the age of 16 with a confirmed PCR test for COVID-19 in the past and tracked their symptoms.

Results, published in the journal Nature Communications Wednesday, found that six months later, of the more than 31,000 patients who had had symptomatic COVID, 6% reported not having recovered at all. An additional 42% felt they were only partially recovered.

Patients who reported no recovery were more likely to be women, to have been hospitalized when they had COVID, and to have multiple underlying conditions.

When the team looked at symptoms, they found the most common was tiredness, followed by headache, muscles aches, joint pain and difficulty breathing, respectively.

Patients with an asymptomatic infection were not at increased risk of experiencing symptoms months later.

What’s more, having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine prior to infection reduced the risk of some symptoms including change in taste and/or smell, poor appetite, confusion and difficulty concentrating.

“Our study is important because it adds to our understanding of long-COVID in the general population, not just in those people who need to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19,” lead author Jill Pell, a professor of public health at the University of Glasgow, said in a statement.

“By comparing symptoms with those uninfected, we were able to distinguish between health problems that are due to COVID-19 and health problems that would have happened anyway,” the statement continued.

Long COVID occurs when patients who have cleared the active infection still have symptoms lasting more than four weeks after recovering. In some cases, these symptoms can persist for months or even years.

Patients can experience a variety of lingering symptoms including fatigue, difficulty breathing, headaches, brain fog, joint and muscle pain, and continued loss of taste and smell, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The authors mentioned some limitations including that most of the participants were white because the study was conducted in Scotland, which has a 96% white population.

“Therefore, it is important that ethnic-specific outcomes are reported by other long-COVID studies with more ethnically diverse populations,” the authors wrote.

Additionally, some of the common symptoms were also reported among a control group who had never tested positive for COVID. The symptoms that were most strongly associated with COVID infection were breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations and loss of taste and smell.

Carrie Underwood tries her hand at the TikTok Full House challenge — tour edition

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Carrie Underwood’s Denim & Rhinestones Tour kicks off this weekend, but before shows start, she’s introducing fans to the crew behind the scenes with a fun TikTok challenge.

The Full House challenge, for those not in the TikTok know, involves reenacting the opening credits to the classic sitcom to introduce viewers to all the different members of a “family” — in Carrie’s case, her road family on tour.

We meet Mark behind the wheel of the tour bus, Jordan steaming milk at an espresso machine, Matt reclining in a bus bunk and many more — all stopping to give the camera their best cheesy, ‘90s sitcom wave and smile.

But no one perfectly captures the Full House vibe better than Carrie herself, who jumps out of a gear transporter case to wave at the camera.

No sitcom would be complete without the perfect shot of a group of people mid jump, and Carrie rounds up the whole gang for the final scene — and pulls it off perfectly.

The Denim & Rhinestones Tour launches on Saturday.

Lifetime to air Kirk Franklin Christmas movie this December

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Kirk Franklin‘s The Night Before Christmas is set to air on Lifetime this holiday season.

The network released a first look of the film this week: an image of stars Naturi Naughton and Luke James, who stand gazing at one another in front of holiday decor.

The movie follows an estranged mother and daughter, played by Naughton and Lorea Turner, who are caught in a blizzard on Christmas Eve and are forced to take refuge in a church. There, they meet others who are trapped inside. The group, including handsome youth pastor Adam, played by James, and a music teacher, Kirk, weathers the wintry storm together. Through music, faith and love, James and Franklin’s characters help the mother/daughter duo reconcile their differences. Together they put on an unforgettable Christmas performance.

Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas premieres December 10 at 8 p.m. on Lifetime.

“The biggest cherry on top”: CMT Artists of the Year reflect on the recognition after big-career year

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Courtesy of CMT

Carly Pearce, Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Walker Hayes and Luke Combs were the men and women of the hour at the 2022 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony on Wednesday night: all six artists were feted for their massive year at the forefront of the country genre.

“It feels like all the hard work is finally coming to fruition,” says Lainey, a first-time honoree who had her breakout year in 2022. “I mean, it’s been 11 years in the making.”

Lainey says CMT has always shown her support, even before her mainstream stardom. Fellow newcomer Cody Johnson echoes that gratitude for being honored at the show.

“They could have picked anybody. There’s a lot more people that are more qualified … and yet here we are,” he notes. “And I’m very, very honored to be here.”

Cody also points out the diversity in the room, saying, “Nobody sounds the same, and that versatility is what I feel like country music should be.”

Dustin Lynch agrees: He was on hand to honor Kane and says he admires how his fellow star has carved out his own lane, bringing new listeners to country music. “I think Kane’s done an amazing job at straddling genre lines and having success in different worlds,” he says.

Few artists have enjoyed more momentum in 2022 than Carly, who says she never stops feeling grateful for her seat at the country table.

“It’s just, like, the biggest cherry on top,” Carly says. “You think about just wanting to matter in country music … that’s all I wanted as a kid. And tonight solidifies for me that I’ve had a year where I matter, and that’s all I ever wanted.”

The CMT Artists of the Year ceremony will air Friday at 9 p.m. ET on CMT.

Get your “Bad Blood” pumping with new Taylor Swift workout program on Apple Fitness

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

You’ll soon be able to work out your body and emotions thanks to the new Apple Fitness+ Taylor Swift workout program.

The platform announced Thursday that it has designed a series of new workouts around her music, which includes her forthcoming Midnights album.

“Get ready to sweat, Swifties. In our next Artist Spotlight, you will be able to work out to the tunes of @taylorswift, including tracks from her monumental new album Midnights,” the platform revealed on Instagram.

Fans can jam to Taylor while will working out with Apple Fitness instructors on the treadmill, while doing high-intensity interval training or practicing yoga. For yoga, songs on the workout playlist include the Fearless (Taylor’s Version) deep cut of “Breathe” featuring Colbie Caillat, the Taylor’s version of “Wildest Dreams” and two mystery songs off the Midnights album.

The treadmill workout features more upbeat songs, such as her new versions of “Love Story” and “Red.” The playlist also includes some mystery Midnights tracks.

Finally, the HITT course features a shorter playlist, with songs like “You Need to Calm Down” and “22.”

It appears there are only three workout programs available right now, based on the Instagram reveal.

Taylor joins a growing list of artists who have their own Apple Fitness+ workout program. Previous artists to be highlighted by Apple include Elton John, Katy Perry, Queen and BTS.

Midnights arrives next Friday, October 21.

INXS’ third album, ‘Shabooh Shoobah,’ released 40 years ago this Sunday

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

This Sunday, October 16, marks the 40th anniversary of the release of INXS‘ breakout third studio album, Shabooh Shoobah.

Shabooh Shoobah was the Australian band’s first album to be released worldwide, and its first to garner major attention in the U.S., thanks in large part to popular videos for the singles “The One Thing” and “Don’t Change” that went into heavy rotation on the then-fledgling MTV.

Founding INXS keyboardist Andrew Farriss, who co-wrote most of the band’s songs with late frontman Michael Hutchence, tells ABC Audio, “Shabooh Shoobah, was a very important part of our career.”

Farriss recalls that when the band first toured the U.S. in 1983, in support of Shabooh Shoobah, they were surprised to find that many people were already familiar with their music, and he says he realized that it was because of the “national television exposure” INXS was getting thanks to MTV.

“The One Thing” became INXS’ first top-40 hit in the U.S., peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album reached #46 on the Billboard 200, and wound up being certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 in the States.

“The One Thing” video featured the band at a decadent dinner party, and included scenes of the charismatic Hutchence singing the tune in an outfit reminiscent of something The Doors‘ Jim Morrison might have worn.

Interestingly, Farriss says that when INXS played a music-themed TV show in Los Angeles during that early tour, Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek visited them backstage and asked to speak with Hutchence.

Andrew recalls that Manzarek told Hutchence that he’d seen the band on TV and “was overwhelmed,” adding, “You’re the first person I’ve ever seen that reminded me that much of Jim.”

Here’s Shabooh Shoobah‘s full track list:

“The One Thing”
“To Look at You”
“Spy of Love”
“Soul Mistake”
“Here Comes”
“Black and White”
“Golden Playpen”
“Jan’s Song”
“Old World New World”
“Don’t Change”

‘Rosaline’ stars discuss the film’s comedic take on ‘Romeo and Juliet’

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The film Rosaline, out October 14 on Hulu, is a reimaging of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, focusing on the character mentioned in the play as Romeo’s first love.

The character might not be familiar to you, just like it wasn’t for Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Rosaline.

“She’s mentioned and she’s talked about, but it’s not as nothing major,” she explains to ABC Audio. “And so I’m excited that in our movie, we really got to create her world and who she is.”

That’s not the only update to the classic story. Dever notes, “Even the guy that my dad is trying to set me up with…randomly has kind of a Southern accent…it makes no sense within the context of the era, [but] that’s what we’re doing with the story is we’re just having a lot of fun with it.”

Actress Isabelle Merced, who plays Juliet in the movie was also relieved to ditch the Shakespeare-ese.

Admittedly not much of a Shakespeare person, she says, “I wish I was. It’d probably be cool. But no I’m glad we did not have to do all that for this one.”

One of the themes of the movie, according to Dever: love is complicated.

“Sometimes you think you might be in love with somebody, and then it turns out to be either lust or infatuation, or you think that this is the person you are supposed to be and meant to be with for the rest of your life. And that doesn’t quite pan out always,” she says.

Adds Merced, “We have a tendency as Hollywood to represent love as some sort of perfect, unbreakable thing that triumphs above all…I think love’s a little bit more realistic than that…And I think that’s what Rosaline learns [and] what Juliet learns.”

Raleigh shooting: Five dead, including off-duty cop, others injured

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(RALEIGH, N.C.) — At least five people were killed, including an off-duty police officer, and two others were injured in a shooting along a nature trail in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday night, authorities said.

The suspect, who police said is a white male juvenile, has been taken into custody. There is no active, ongoing threat, according to Lt. Jason Borneo of the Raleigh Police Department, who told reporters that a motive will be determined over the coming days.

An injured officer has been released from the hospital and a second person remains in critical condition, Borneo said. A K-9 officer who has non-life-threatening injuries is among those injured, according to Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.

“When we lose one of our own, it is a tragic, heartbreaking day for all of us,” Borneo told reporters.

“We must stop this mindless violence in America and we must address gun violence,” Baldwin added.

At least three people were transported to WakeMed Health and Hospitals’ trauma center in connection with the incident, a hospital official told ABC News. There was no word on their current condition, and the hospital official did not know if others were injured in the shooting.

The shooting took place in the area of the Neuse River Greenway Trail near Osprey Cove and Bay Harbor drives, according to police.

“Residents in that area are advised to remain in their homes,” the Raleigh Police Department said in a post on Twitter.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he has instructed state law enforcement to “provide assistance responding to the active shooter in East Raleigh.”

“State and local officers are on the ground and working to stop the shooter and keep people safe,” he said on Twitter.

“Tonight terror has reached our doorstep. The nightmare of every community has come to Raleigh,” Cooper said during a second press conference Thursday night. “This is a senseless, horrific and infuriating act of violence that has been committed.”

North Carolina Department of Public Safety Secretary Eddie Buffaloe, Jr. also confirmed the department has made state resources available and is “working with local law enforcement to stop this shooter.”

North Carolina State Highway Patrol, North Carolina State Capitol Police and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement are assisting the Raleigh Police Department with the incident.

Scoreboard roundup — 10/13/22

October 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Houston 4, Seattle 2
Cleveland at NY Yankees (Postponed)

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON
Memphis 126, Detroit 111
Oklahoma City 118, San Antonio 112

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Buffalo 4, Ottawa 1
Philadelphia 5, New Jersey 2
Pittsburgh 6, Arizona 2
Toronto 3, Washington 2
Florida 3, NY Islanders 1
NY Rangers 7, Minnesota 3
Dallas 4, Nashville 1
Calgary 5, Colorado 3
Vegas 1, Chicago 0
Seattle 4, Los Angeles 1

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Washington 12, Chicago 7

+ More