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CDC: COVID guidance was ‘confusing and overwhelming,’ organization needs overhaul

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — A scathing review of how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention handled COVID-19 has found that its approach toward the pandemic failed to meet the moment of crisis, and offered a series of changes intended to revamp the agency and make it more nimble.

“For 75 years, CDC and public health have been preparing for COVID-19, and in our big moment, our performance did not reliably meet expectations,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement on Wednesday.

A fact sheet outlining the review, obtained by ABC News and confirmed by the CDC, said that the “need for change came through loud and clear.”

Walensky ordered the review in April after the CDC had come under frequent fire for its muddled and inconsistent messaging on COVID mitigation measures.

During interviews with roughly 120 agency staff and key external stakeholders, the review found that it “takes too long for CDC to publish its data and science for decision making,” that its guidance is “confusing and overwhelming” and that agency staff turnover during the COVID response “created gaps and other challenges for partners,” according to findings obtained by ABC News.

And while Walensky also defended, in part, the overwhelming job of handling the pandemic, the center said the country’s public health infrastructure is “frail.” The review also revealed the CDC’s “operating posture” was “not adequate to effectively respond to a crisis the size and scope” of COVID.

The CDC’s goals going forward will focus on improving “accountability, collaboration, communication, and timeliness” within and outside the agency, the report said.

“As a long-time admirer of this agency and a champion for public health, I want us all to do better and it starts with CDC leading the way,” Walensky said in a statement.

As part of the suggested solutions, Walensky committed to sharing scientific findings and data faster, rather than at the typical speed for academic publication.

“Produce data for action” rather than “data for publication,” said a CDC briefing document summarizing the changes.

The new recommendations also put a large emphasis on improving public health communications to the American people. “The website is not easy to navigate,” the document said.

To spearhead the next steps towards the agency’s overhaul, Walensky intends to appoint former Obama administration Deputy Health and Human Services Secretary Mary Wakefield to oversee the shift and “help implement the vision.”

The review also outlines plans to create a new executive council reporting to Walensky, which will “determine agency priorities, track progress, and align budget decisions, with a bias toward public health impact.”

Walensky did not provide a timeline for the changes, but said she will provide regular updates internally.

“None of these challenges happened overnight,” CDC said in a statement. “The work ahead will take time and engagement at all levels of the organization.”

ABC News’ Eric M. Strauss contributed to this report.

Traffic deaths for 1st quarter of 2022 highest in 20 years, NHTSA says

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Traffic deaths for the first quarter of this year were the highest since 2002, according to early estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The agency estimates 9,560 people died from motor vehicle crashes during the first quarter of this year — up 7% from the same time in 2021.

Traffic-related deaths have been on the rise since the onset of the pandemic. In 2019, NHTSA reported 36,355 people died on U.S. roads — a number that grew to 38,824 in 2020 and 42,915 in 2021, despite less cars on the road.

“The overall numbers are still moving in the wrong direction,” said NHTSA administrator Steve Cliff.

“We’re talking about three years in a row of traffic deaths, not just being up but being up significantly,” Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the non-profit Governor’s Highway Safety Association said in an interview with ABC News.

Adkins said the surge is due to multiple factors — including less traffic enforcement on roads and prevalence of dangerous behaviors among drivers.

“States are telling me all across the country that speeds are up, drivers are just continuing to speed,” Adkins said. “We really need to bring some of the same attention to speeding that was brought to drunk driving and distracted driving. If we were to get drivers to slow down even a little bit, that make a big difference.”

Cliff said states should “double down” on traffic safety, saying, “Through the bipartisan infrastructure law, there are more resources than ever for research, interventions and effective messaging and programs that can reverse the deadly trend and save lives.”

Gwyneth Paltrow to join season 14 of ‘Shark Tank’

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Gwyneth Paltrow is joining Shark Tank.

The actress and Goop founder will star in the hit ABC series as a guest shark for the show’s 14th season.

Paltrow will join Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary.

Other guest sharks for the season include DoorDash CEO and co-founder Tony Xu, Good American CEO and co-founder Emma Grede, entrepreneur Peter Jones, fashion designer Kendra Scott and Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky.

Shark Tank season 14 will premiere on Friday, September 23, on ABC and will stream on Hulu.

Jane’s Addiction posts video featuring original bassist Eric Avery

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Is Jane’s Addiction hinting at a reunion with Eric Avery?

In a tweet Wednesday, the “Been Caught Stealing” rockers posted a video featuring Avery jamming on a bass alongside frontman Perry Farrell. Sadly, the video doesn’t feature the audio from the session, just the hiss of static feedback.

Avery is an original member of Jane’s Addiction and played with the group through their 1991 breakup. He eventually rejoined Jane’s from 2008 to 2010, but he didn’t play on either of the band’s reunion records, 2003’s Strays and 2011’s The Great Escape Artist.

If Avery is indeed back in Jane’s, that raises the question of what becomes of Chris Chaney, who’s played bass in the band since 2011. There’s also uncertainly surrounding guitarist Dave Navarro, whose “long bout” with COVID-19 forced Jane’s to scrap their set at this year’s Welcome to Rockville festival. Jane’s was also set to play Lollapalooza last month, but was quietly removed from the lineup. In both cases, Jane’s was replaced by the reunited Porno for Pyros, which is also fronted by Farrell.

Meanwhile, Farrell recently told Spin that new Jane’s material is in the works, and the band is set to embark on a U.S. tour with The Smashing Pumpkins in October.

Stay tuned.

Garth Brooks to give the first concert at newly opened Thunder Ridge Nature Arena

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, a newly constructed venue at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge in the Ozarks of Missouri, is opening with a bang: Garth Brooks will perform the arena’s first concert.

The event will take place October 1 at 7 p.m., embracing all the natural beauty that the venue boasts. Fans can look out at the nearby Table Rock Lake and Boston Mountains of Arkansas as they enjoy Garth’s performance.

Garth will head to the Ozarks after he wraps his Stadium Tour, which concludes with five sold-out dates at Dublin’s Croke Park stadium.

Tickets to Garth’s Thunder Ridge Nature Arena show go on sale August 26. The surrounding land has been set aside in a not-for-profit foundation, so sales will go toward conservation efforts on the land.

As he’s done for his Stadium Tour shows, Garth is keeping the ticket price for his upcoming concert under $100. Tickets go for $98.95, all inclusive.

Rod Stewart vacations with 7 of his 8 kids for first time since 2015

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

When it comes to blended families, Rod Stewart‘s an expert: He’s got eight children by five different women, so you can imagine how hard it must be to get them all together for anything, let alone a vacation. But he and his wife, Penny Lancaster, managed to pull it off for the first time in seven years.

The luxurious Italian vacation brought together seven of Sir Rod’s kids: Ruby, Renee, Liam, Kimberly, Sean, Alastair and Aidan. The only one missing was Sarah, who was raised by adoptive parents and didn’t meet Rod, 77, until later in life. They do have a relationship, but it’s not as close as the others.

Rod’s daughter Ruby, whose mother is model Kelly Emberg, has posted numerous photos of herself and her half siblings with Rod and Penny on Instagram. She wrote, “Our last family vacation was in 2015, so this one was well overdue. We all live in different places now and sometimes we miss some pretty important milestones in one another’s life. It can be difficult getting us all together, but the incredible @penny.lancaster managed to do it this time.”

She added, “I am beyond grateful for this mixed batch of personalities that is the Stewart Clan. I don’t know where I’d be with out you lot…Thank you dad for reminding us of the importance of family and Thank you Penny for always bringing us together again.”

Penny and the various siblings also posted their own snaps of the trip to the Amalfi coast, the island of Elba and other locations.

A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in shooting of A$AP Relli

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A$AP Rocky is claiming his innocence in the shooting case of fellow Mob member A$AP Relli, ABC News confirmed. The rapper, born Rakim Mayers, appeared at his court hearing Wednesday, during which his lawyer, Sara L. Caplan, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Rocky was arrested in April over allegations he shot a victim at an obscure location in Hollywood. He was later released on a $550,000 bond, and his former friend Relli has identified himself as the victim of the shooting.

Born Terell Ephron, Relli claimed he scheduled a meeting with Rocky, who allegedly showed up with two men and the gun he used to shoot at him. He is suing the rapper for assault, battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He will be protected by a newly ordered court injunction.

The order, Rolling Stone reports, bans Rocky from “possessing any firearms or ammunition” and “contacting or coming within 100 yards of Ephron.” He is allowed to travel for work but must first clear dates with the court.

Rocky’s next court hearing is set for November 2. He faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and up to nine years in prison if convicted.

Young Thug’s canceled concert leads to new lawsuit

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Young Thug is facing legal consequences after he was forced to cancel a concert due to his current incarceration.

As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, Thugger was scheduled to perform at an Atlanta show hosted by A-1 Concert Entertainment on June 18 and was given a portion of his payment — $150,000 — upfront. He was to receive the other half after his 45-minute set, which he was, unfortunately, unable to do as he is behind bars.

As previously reported, Thug was arrested in May and accused of violating Georgia’s RICO Act. He’s since been hit with additional charges, and his requests for bond have consistently been denied.

A-1 Concert Entertainment is suing the rapper for $150,000 in damages — the same amount used to secure his performance. A rep from Thug’s YSL Touring company says the money will be reimbursed.

Mark Hoppus talks future of Blink-182: “I’m open to whatever the next phase of Blink is”

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

As Mark Hoppus continues to get back on his feet following his battle with cancer last year, he’s “hopeful for the future” of Blink-182.

“I keep writing music, and I’m open to whatever the next phase of Blink is,” Hoppus tells People, adding, “I’m just damn glad to be here.”

Fans have been theorizing lately that the next phase of Blink would feature Tom DeLonge rejoining the band following his departure in 2015. However, Hoppus threw cold water on those rumors, posting on his Discord page that Blink currently has “nothing to announce.”

Still, Hoppus notes that he’s built a stronger relationship with DeLonge in recent years, and recalls when DeLonge and Blink drummer Travis Barker visited him just before he started chemotherapy.

“It was the first time that all three of us were in the same room in, like, five years,” Hoppus shares. “It’s actually better than it used to be. There was no agenda. There were no lingering grudges. It felt very back to what it should be: three friends sitting in a room.”

Elsewhere in the People interview, Hoppus reveals that he fell into depression after initially being diagnosed with cancer.

“I was in our living room crying and telling my wife, ‘I don’t know if I can do this,'” Hoppus says. “She was like, ‘Well, what are you going to do, kill yourself?’ And that’s exactly what I was thinking. It was pretty dark.”

“It was a total snap-out-of-it moment,” he continues. “I was like, ‘What a s***ty thing to say.’ But also, what a kind thing to say, like, ‘Snap out of it, you f***ing baby. You have a beatable form of cancer. It’s going to suck to get there, but get there.’ I had to do the work.”

If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Taylor Swift once asked to make a cameo in the ‘Twilight’ movies

August 17, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Did Taylor Swift almost appear in one of the Twilight movies? According to one of the directors, the answer is yes — but it’s a little more complicated than that.

Chris Weitz, who directed The Twilight Saga: New Moon, appeared on The Twilight Effect podcast to talk about his brush with the Grammy winner. Turns out Taylor, like most girls during the height of the Twilight saga, was a fan of the series.

In 2009, as New Moon was being made, Weitz said the singer asked if she could make a brief cameo in the upcoming flick.

“Taylor Swift and I had the same agent at the time and he said, ‘Taylor would like to be in this movie — not because of you, but because she’s a Twihard,” he recalled. “But she will be, like, someone at the cafeteria, or the diner, or whatever. But she just wants to be in this movie.”

Weitz turned down the opportunity, which he said was “the hardest thing” to do. “The moment that Taylor Swift walks onto the screen — for like five minutes — nobody’s going to be able to process anything,” he reasoned.

“I kicked myself for it, too,” Weitz admitted. “I was like, ‘Wow, I could have been hanging out with Taylor Swift!'”

He joked that Taylor must have thought he was a “jerk” to reject her at the time, but he ultimately thinks he made the right call. “Sometimes you make decisions you think … is for the best of the film,” said Weitz.

New Moon was released in theaters in November 2009 and grossed $709.8 million in the box office. It should be noted that Taylor was dating star Taylor Lautner, who played Jacob, at the time. They called it quits that December.

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