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‘Cruel prank’ at high school causes mass panic and culprits should be expelled, police say

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) — A “cruel prank” at a high school in Florida that created a panic in the cafeteria just a day after threatening graffiti was discovered in a bathroom stall has led authorities to press charges against the “pranksters” and recommend expulsion for all involved.

The troubling incident began last Thursday at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, when the Daytona Beach Police Department were made aware of a specific threat that had been written on one of the bathroom stalls in the school which caused them to start an investigation.

“The school and DBPD reviewed video and identified two students that had entered into the bathroom when the graffiti was discovered,” the Daytona Beach Police Department said in a statement released on social media. “These students were interviewed by law enforcement and denied any involvement … After a thorough investigation, it was determined that no threat existed, however we added additional law enforcement presence as a precaution.”

But it was on Friday when police say that two different groups of students decided to “capitalize on the threat from the day before” by collaborating with each other to incite a mass panic within the school.

Authorities allege that the two groups can be seen on surveillance cameras inside the school working together to get into specific positions at different locations inside the cafeteria in carefully timed movements, police say.

“Several female students walk towards the school administrator laughing and smiling, all the way, up until they reached the administrator, at which point one of the females tells the administrator that someone had a gun,” allege the DBPD in their statement. “At this same time, one of the male kids, already positioned near the exit to the cafeteria, waited until the female student made the statement, then looked at her and ran out of the building, causing a large crowd to follow him.”

Furthermore, police say that video of the individuals who they suspect orchestrated the entire incident indicate that neither the male nor female students “ever observed a gun or flinched as you would expect when shots had just been fired.”

“At no time in the video, does anyone stand on a table and present a gun, or fire shots,” authorities confirmed.

The Daytona Beach Police Department said that they have been working non-stop on this investigation since the incident by tracking down leads, reviewing video, identifying people who could be involved and conducting interviews.

“We have identified everyone involved and have interviewed nearly all of them, and so far, when presented with the video (which clearly shows the area and everyone’s movements), no one has been able to point out the guy on the table, a gun, or the moment the shots would have been fired,” said the DBPD. “Stories have changed from seeing the guy, or a gun, to ‘they just heard there was one.’ This entire incident appears to have been a cruel prank by several students that has now gotten out of control due to internet trolls, miss-informed people and in some cases, people that are not even in Florida, or have kids that go to school at Mainland.”

In spite of this incident ultimately being a false alarm, police have confirmed that they will increase their law enforcement presence at the school.

Authorities did not name those involved with the incident or say how many people they were charging but did say that the “pranksters” have charges pending for making a false report concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner against a person or persons, which is a second-degree felony in the state of Florida.

The Daytona Beach Police Department also confirmed that expulsion from the school will be recommended for all involved.

Police concluded their statement by reminding people not to re-share posts on social media containing unverified information and asking witnesses with information to come directly to them rather than posting it on social media.

Said the Daytona Beach Police Department: “We cannot locate every single post online and this only delays our response and investigation.”

In Brief: Legendary filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard dead; Sofia Coppola’s ‘Elvis and Me’, and more

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

HBO Max announced on Monday that it has renewed up Rap Sh!t, the comedy from creator Issa Rae and showrunner Syreeta Singleton, for a second season. The show follows two former high school besties — played by Aida Osman and KaMillion — who come together to form a rap group. “We’re so happy to play in the world of Rap Sh!t for another season with this incredibly talented team,” Rae said in a statement. Added Singleton, “This show and cast are one of a kind and I’m thrilled to get to do this again with them. We’re going bigger and harder”…

Euphoria‘s Jacab Elordi has been tapped to play Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola‘s upcoming film adaptation of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley’s 1985 bestselling memoir Elvis and Me, according to Variety. Mare of Easttown and Bad Times at the El Royale‘s Cailee Spaeny is also attached to star as Priscilla. The film will is set to start shooting in Toronto this fall…

Alyssa Milano, Virginia Madsen, Gina Torres, and Milana Vayntrub have signed on for roles in the feature-length anthology Give Me an A, Deadline reports. The project weaves together 15 short films and is a response to the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. A release date has not been announced…

Starz has ordered a pilot for a documentary-interview style show from Sean “Diddy” Combs and Joseph “Fat Joe” Cartagena, according to Deadline. Fat Joe will host the series, which will see him sit down with celebrities and high-profile guests. LeBron James and Maverick Carter‘s SpringHill will produce the project…

Iconic French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard has passed away at 92. The film-critic turned so-called “enfant terrible” of French new-wave cinema influenced directors both in his native country, and on these shores, with filmmakers from Scorsese to George Lucas to Quentin Tarantino all drawing inspiration from the Breathless director. An honorary Oscar winner in 2010, Godard was active for more than five decades, helming everything from features to documentaries and shorts, with three releases in 2018 alone…

CPI rises 8.3% in August, consumers still squeezed by high prices

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Inflation data released on Tuesday revealed that prices rose slightly in August, worsening the cost woes for U.S. households as the Federal Reserve readies to decide on another interest rate hike next week.

The data calls into question whether inflation has peaked.

On a monthly basis, the consumer price index rose 0.1% in August, inching upward from the flat month-to-month movement in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The consumer price index, or CPI, rose 8.3% over the past year in August, a slight slowdown from 8.5% in July, according to the bureau.

The data arrives a little more than a week before Federal Reserve officials meet to determine what investors expect to be another borrowing cost increase aimed at fighting inflation.

The Fed has instituted a series of aggressive interest rate hikes in recent months as it tries to slash price increases by slowing the economy and choking off demand. But the approach risks tipping the U.S. into an economic downturn and putting millions out of work.

The rate increases appear to have slowed key sectors of the economy, sending mortgage rates higher and slowing the construction of new homes, for instance.

But other indicators suggest the U.S. economy continues to hum. U.S. hiring fell from its breakneck pace but remained robust in August, with the economy adding 315,000 jobs and the unemployment rate rising to 3.7% as more people sought work, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in early September.

Speaking at a conference held by the conservative-leaning Cato Institute, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that the central bank must act “forthrightly, strongly” to dial back inflation, leading many economists to expect another 75-basis point interest rate hike from the central bank later this month.

The Fed is performing a “delicate balancing act,” said Scott Schuh, an economics professor at the University of West Virginia. “The Fed is raising rates but trying to avoid an increase in the unemployment rate.”

“It seems somewhat reasonable to expect the inflation rate to continue to come down for the next few months and quarters,” he added.

Prices in some areas of the economy have already fallen significantly.

The national average price for a gallon of gas stood at $3.72 on Monday, having fallen well below a peak of $5.01 in mid-June, according to AAA.

Consumer expectations for inflation have fallen significantly too, according to data released by the New York Federal Reserve on Monday.

In August, the median of consumer responses showed that they expect inflation to fall to 5.7% in one year and 2.8% in three years, a New York Federal Reserve survey showed. Those figures were down from 6.2% and 3.2%, respectively, in July.

The latest price data will show whether inflation has continued to fall

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The release of inflation data on Tuesday will show whether near-historic inflation in the nation continues to slow.

The data, which will reveal how prices moved in August, arrives little more than a week before Federal Reserve officials meet to determine what investors expect to be another borrowing cost increase aimed at fighting inflation.

The most recent data from the consumer price index, or CPI, showed a slowdown of price increases. The CPI rose 8.5% over the past year as of July, a marked slowdown from 9.1% in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The August report is expected to show that the CPI rose 8% year-over-year in August, continuing its descent from the peak in June, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists.

The rate increases appear to have slowed key sectors of the economy, sending mortgage rates higher and slowing the construction of new homes, for instance.

“It seems somewhat reasonable to expect the inflation rate to continue to come down for the next few months and quarters,” he added.

Prices in some areas of the economy have already fallen significantly.

The national average price for a gallon of gas stood at $3.72 on Monday, having fallen well below a peak of $5.01 in mid-June, according to AAA.

Consumer expectations for inflation have fallen significantly too, according to data released by the New York Federal Reserve on Monday.

Suni Lee explains why gymnastics is her ‘happy place’

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — For Suni Lee, gymnastics is what she calls her happy place.

“I truly love gymnastics with everything in me,” the 19-year-old Olympian told ABC News’ Good Morning America.

In 2021, Lee took home a gold medal in the individual all-around at the Tokyo Olympics as well as a silver in the team competition and a bronze in the uneven bars.

Though it was her gold medal on the world stage that launched her into the public consciousness, her love for the sport began when her family introduced her to gymnastics at 6 years old.

“It was just amazing to me,” she said. “I loved being able to fly and just kind of do stuff that not a lot of people could do. It kind of made me feel unstoppable.”

Lee said she is thankful for her family and without their support, she could not be where she is today.

“My parents sacrificed so much for me,” she said. “I really have a really great support system.”

Lee said she knew she wanted to compete on the world stage from a young age.

“I would be like, ‘I want to go to the Olympics, and I want to win a gold medal,'” she said.

Lee, who is now competing for Auburn University, is often seen on the mat sporting a confident smile, which she attributes to her passion for the sport as well as Invisalign, for whom she is a spokesperson.

“If you put your mind to something and work really hard, you can do amazing things,” Lee said.

CDC warns a rare condition in kids could be on the rise this fall

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert on Friday that common respiratory viruses circulating this fall could lead to a rise in a rare, but serious condition that usually affects children called acute flaccid myelitis, AFM. This condition causes weakness that starts in the arms or legs and can lead to permanent paralysis or become life-threatening in severe cases.

AFM is known to occur every other year and is most common from August through November, according to the CDC. Before 2020, confirmed AFM cases were increasing in 2014, 2016, and 2018 growing from 120, 153 and 238 in these years.

The picture of AFM changed in 2020 when only 33 cases were confirmed. This is believed to be the effect of efforts aimed at mitigating COVID-like physical distancing and masking that led to fewer respiratory viral infections overall. As of early September 2022, 13 cases of AFM have been identified across five states.

But raising concern now is that a specific strain of a virus in the Enterovirus family that is linked to AFM, called EV-D68, has been reported in higher proportions compared to previous years on surveillance testing, the CDC said in the health alert on Friday. Because the neurological complications of AFM occur after the initial respiratory viral infection, there is concern that AFM cases could be on the rise in the coming weeks.

Prevention measures that slow the spread of many viruses can also prevent the viruses that are linked to AFM. The CDC recommends practicing routine hand washing, avoid sharing food or drinks with people who aren’t feeling well, sanitizing surfaces after use by someone who may be sick, and consider wearing a mask around others when experiencing cold-like symptoms.

What are early signs of acute flaccid myelitis

“The warning sign is often, you know, a child who’s recovering from a routine illness and then the recovery stops looking like what you would expect – they’re now getting worse again, and especially if they become weak,” Dr. Matt Elrick, assistant professor of neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute who specializes in AFM, told ABC News.

But Elrick said recognizing new weaknesses in kids may be easier said than done because kids may not tell you that they are having weakness in their arms or legs, and instead may say the affected limb hurts, stop using it altogether, or simply appear very tired. This vague onset can make early recognition difficult or delayed.

Still, Elrick said the threat of AFM should not cause panic among caregivers and AFM is rare, noting that asthma flare ups are a more common complication of these viruses compared to AFM.

“This is exceptionally rare even during an outbreak so it’s not something that should necessarily keep everyone up at night. But if your child has an illness and was recovering and is now getting worse again, or not behaving in the way that you might expect the normal recovery from illness to be, that’s a good reason to go see the pediatrician and sort out what’s going on,” Elrick said.

The CDC also said to see a health care provider immediately if you or your child have problems breathing or suddenly have limb weakness and to keep all asthma action plans up to date.

Michigan man fatally shot by police after allegedly killing wife and dog, wounding daughter

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Police fatally shot a Michigan man after he allegedly killed his wife and dog, and wounded his daughter, according to law enforcement officials.

Police responded to a call around 4 a.m. Sunday from a woman who had allegedly been shot by her dad, whom police identified as 53-year-old Igor Lanis, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.

After officers arrived at the home, they heard gunshots and began to approach the residence when the suspect emerged from the front door and began firing at them with a shotgun, police said.

A Walled Lake police officer and an Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy returned fire, striking and killing Lanis, according to authorities.

Officers said they saw the 25-year-old woman who called 911 at the front door “attempting to crawl from the home” before dragging her to safety, authorities said.

“She stated that her dad shot her and her mother,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “She was transported to an area hospital and rushed into emergency surgery.”

“Currently, the daughter has been stabilized, but obviously she has super traumatic injuries from a shotgun blast to her back and legs,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said during a news conference Monday.

Law enforcement officials searched the home and discovered the body of a 56-year-old woman who had been “shot multiple times in the back, and it appears that she was also attempting to flee out of the front door,” the sheriff’s office said.

The family dog had also been “shot multiple times and killed,” according to authorities.

The Oakland County Special Investigations Unit and the Walled Lake Police Department are conducting an investigation.

Rapper PnB Rock fatally shot during robbery at South LA restaurant: Sources

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — Rapper PnB Rock, an up-and-coming hip-hop artist from Philadelphia, was fatally shot Monday afternoon during a robbery at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in South Los Angeles, police sources told ABC News. He was 30 years old.

Although the Los Angeles Police Department did not officially name the victim, sources at the LAPD told ABC News on Monday evening that the rapper, whose legal name is Rakim Hasheem Allen, was the victim seen in social media videos of the incident captured by witnesses.

The rapper was at the South LA eatery with his girlfriend, according to his social media account, where he shared that he was eating at Roscoe’s in a since-deleted message.

Police said they received a call about a shooting at 1:23 p.m. ET and found a male victim with gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital. According to the LAPD, the victim and a woman were eating in the restaurant when they were approached by at least one suspect who pulled a firearm demanding property. The suspect shot the victim multiple times, removed property and left in a getaway car, according to police.

“What occurred was the victim, along with a female witness, were in this area eating at a restaurant when they were approached by at least one suspect, who brandished a firearm and demanded property from the victim,” LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz said during a Monday afternoon press conference. “The suspect then shot the victim multiple times, and removed property and then left the location in a getaway car.”

Muniz said that multiple shots were fired, and that others on the scene were not injured.

When asked about reports that Allen shared his location on social media ahead of the robbery, Muniz said, “We always are gonna look into the social media,” but added that police couldn’t “verify” that yet.

Police said they are examining surveillance video to identify potential suspects.

Allen released a number of hits that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured in XXL Magazine’s Freshman Class of rappers to watch in 2017.

USDA flags some HelloFresh meal kit ground beef for possible E. coli contamination

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Saturday over ground beef products in HelloFresh meal kits that were shipped in July over a possible E. coli contamination.

The meal kits containing the affected ground beef packages were shipped to consumers from July 2 to July 21, according to the alert.

Consumers should look for the Hello Fresh 10-ounce plastic vacuum-sealed packages containing “GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN/15% FAT” with codes “EST#46841 L1 22 155” or “EST#46841 L5 22 155” on the side of the packaging, the FSIS said.

“The ground beef packages bear ‘EST.46841’ inside the USDA mark of inspection and on the plastic ground beef package,” the statement read.

The FSIS said it isn’t issuing a recall because the affected products are no longer available for purchase, but the agency said it has concerns for anyone who still has the package in their freezers. If so, they are asked not to cook or eat the product and throw it away immediately.

The FSIS said it is investigating an E. coli outbreak and that raw ground beef is the probable source of the reported illnesses.

Miranda Lambert’s home goods line is all about memories

September 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

With her home goods line, Wanda June, Miranda Lambert is all about creating memories.

The line is named after Miranda’s mother Beverly June and her grandmother Wanda, and is inspired by the memories they made around the table, the singer hoping to pass this tradition on to those who purchase the goods.

Many of the pieces reflect the tableware she and her mother saw on their grandmothers’ tables, noting how her mom and grandma passed their hosting skills down to her.

“It’s based on memories,”Miranda shares. “You can walk in any of our places, kick off your shoes and make a drink. I get that from my mom and from my grandma…I feel like that’s what we’re doing with Wanda June. The whole line’s very cute and sassy, but it’s really about how this casserole dish holds a meal for a family that’s going to make a memory sitting on this table.”

Among the items are cake stands, crock pots, pillows, welcome mats and more that display southern phrases like “bless your heart” and “hey y’all,” the singer noting that her style is “friendly, warm and cozy.”

“There’s some sugar and spice in this home goods line but that’s because who I am as a person,” Miranda says.

Wanda June is available at Walmart.

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