(WASHINGTON) — Four people are in critical condition following an apparent lightning strike at a Washington, D.C., park, authorities said Thursday evening.
D.C. Fire and EMS said it had responded to Lafayette Park, located in front of the White House, and was treating the four patients that were found in “the vicinity of a tree.”
Two men and two women were transported to area hospitals with “life-threatening injuries” after the apparent lightning strike, D.C. Fire and EMS said.
Officials said it’s still unclear what the adults were doing prior to the lightning strike, if they knew each other and why they were in the park. The identity of the victims could not be confirmed while the investigation is still ongoing, officials said.
Uniformed U.S. Park Police officers and members of the Secret Service were also on the scene and immediately rendered aid to the victims, an EMS official said during a news conference.
The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area Thursday evening.
ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson contributed to this report.
Marilyn LeBlanc-Downey and her son, Skip Bailey, remember Ferris LeBlanc as a brother, uncle and father figure. – ABC News
(NEW ORLEANS) — The New Orleans City Council is reviving an effort to locate the lost remains of several victims of an arson that killed 32 people at a popular French Quarter gay bar in 1973.
The fire at the UpStairs Lounge was the largest mass murder of LGBTQ citizens in United States history until the Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016.
The council passed a motion on Thursday directing the city’s property management and legal departments to “take any and all appropriate steps necessary” to “facilitate the recovery” of three unidentified fire victims and one identified victim, Ferris LeBlanc, who were buried in an unmarked graves somewhere in the city’s potter’s field.
LeBlanc, a World War II veteran, has yet to be located despite a years-long effort led by his family to find his remains and return them to California for a military burial.
“Poor record-keeping and indifference continue to hamper the efforts of surviving family members to reclaim the bodies of victims and to provide them the dignity of a proper burial,” wrote Councilmember JP Morrell, whose office is spearheading the effort, in the motion. “The Council believes the City has a moral obligation to take all steps within its power to facilitate the recovery and dignified interment of the victims of the UpStairs Lounge massacre.”
LeBlanc’s family told ABC News that they are encouraged that the city’s leaders are taking action on their behalf.
“The council has promised to get to the bottom of this issue and do everything they can to help us bring an end to this story,” LeBlanc’s family wrote in a statement. “We are cautiously optimistic for this renewed interest and are hopeful it will end in a positive resolution.”
In 2018, five members of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s office were tasked with the search for LeBlanc’s remains shortly after the release of an ABC News documentary investigating the city’s response to the fire and highlighting pleas from LeBlanc’s family — including his sister Marilyn LeBlanc Downey — for help.
But after several months of searching, officials were unable to locate his remains, telling ABC News they “remain stymied by lost or incomplete records,” and the inquiry was quietly discontinued.
On the eve of the tragedy’s 49th anniversary, however, as the New Orleans City Council issued a formal apology to the victims, survivors and families affected by the fire, Councilmember Morrell pledged to take up the search.
“The City of New Orleans’ lack of response to the deadliest fire in our history has kept individuals from mourning their loved ones, but today we took a step in the right direction,” Morrell said in a statement on June 23. “Moving forward, my office will be working with the family of Ferris LeBlanc, a WWII veteran who died in the fire, to exhume his remains and properly memorialize him with full military honors.”
Survivors, family members, first responders, activists and journalists interviewed by ABC News agreed that the city’s response to the tragedy exposed pervasive prejudices toward the gay community in the otherwise famously tolerant city, an attitude that resulted in, among other indignities, the burial of several unidentified victims in unmarked graves in the city’s potter’s field — LeBlanc among them.
According to Robert Fieseler, author of Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, shock and sympathy were quickly replaced by ignorance and apathy when people learned “what kind of bar had burned down and who the victims had been.”
“The deadliest fire in New Orleans history provoked not an outpouring of grief for the dead,” Fieseler told ABC News, “but instead, among mainstream residents, humiliation for the release of the dead’s secrets: their unconventional sexual tastes, at a time when the mere discussion of homosexuality was taboo.”
It was the failure of the city’s leaders and institutions to recognize and respond to the tragedy in 1973 that prompted a rare public statement of “historic regret” in 2022.
“The City Council deems it not only necessary but past due to formally apologize,” reads the resolution, adopted unanimously last month, “for the way that those who perished were not adequately and publicly mourned as valuable and irreplaceable members of the community.”
Local media hailed the move as a “small but significant step” in the healing process that acknowledged the city’s “indifference, if not hostility, toward the gay community” at the time, the painful legacy of which lingers to this day.
“We will continue,” LeBlanc’s family wrote in a statement. “We all hope for the day when this story will end as it should.”
(BLOOMINGTON, Minn.) — Shoppers were sent running for safety at the Mall of America Thursday, after police said shots were fired at the Minnesota shopping center.
Police responded to an “active incident” on the northwest side of the mall Thursday evening, the Bloomington Police Department tweeted, saying at that time that “numerous officers are on scene.”
Within an hour, the police department said officers had secured the scene. A suspect has not been apprehended, and no injuries have been reported, police said.
Bloomington Police Department Chief Booker Hodges said during a press conference that shots were fired near the Nike store, and that officers on the scene within 30 seconds.
“After looking at video, we see two groups getting into some type of altercation at the cash register of the Nike store,” Hodges said. “One of the groups left but instead of walking away, they decided to display a complete lack of respect for human life — they decided to fire multiple rounds into a store with people.”
The individuals responsible have not yet been located, the chief said.
“This is an isolated incident,” the department said on Twitter. “The suspect fled the MOA on foot and officers are in the process of interviewing witnesses.”
The Mall of America alerted via Twitter that it was on lockdown “following a confirmed isolated incident” at one of its tenant spaces.
Footage taken by shoppers showed people sheltering in place, including a large crowd in the basement of the mall.
The lockdown has since been lifted. Shoppers on the mall’s second level have been asked to wait for an escort, while all others were advised to leave.
The mall will be closed for the rest of the evening.
The shopping mall is located in Bloomington, a suburb of the Twin Cities.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Oakland 8, LA Angels 7
Houston 6, Cleveland 0
Tampa Bay 6, Detroit 2
Toronto 9, Minnesota 3
Texas 3, Chi White Sox 2
Kansas City 7, Boston 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 5, Milwaukee 4
St. Louis 4, Chi Cubs 3
St. Louis 7, Chi Cubs 2
LA Dodgers 5, San Francisco 3
Colorado 7 San Diego 3
Philadelphia 5, Washington 4
NY Mets 6, Atlanta 4
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON
Las Vegas 27, Jacksonville 11
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Connecticut 77, Phoenix 64
Dallas 82, Las Vegas 80
(NEW YORK) — Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert, shared her tips for saving on groceries with Good Morning America, to help consumers keep costs down at checkout.
Consumer prices on food experienced the largest annual increase in over four decades since February 1981, with costs skyrocketing 10.4% in the 12-month period ending June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Within the “food at home” category — grocery store food products purchased for cooking or eating at home — prices rose 12.2% over the last year, the largest increase since 1979.
Top tips to stay on a budget in the grocery store:
Eat vegetarian
“You might find that poultry, meats, and fish have increased more in price than vegetables and other items, like rice and pasta,” Bodge said. “If that’s the case in your area, you could save a bundle by eating [vegetarian meals] a couple of nights a week.”
Use coupon sites to save
“You might think of coupon sites for clothing and tech, but not for food, when in fact coupon sites like CouponCabin.com have offers for grocery delivery, like $25 off $35 or more at Instacart or $55 off $99 or more,” she said of the simple at-your-fingertips savings option.
Don’t buy pre-cut produce
Buy fruits and vegetables whole and prepare them at home. “You’re paying for labor when you buy pre-cut,” she explained.
Look low and high on store shelves
“You’re more likely to find better deals on the lowest and highest shelves. Brands pay for prime real estate at eye level, but there are hidden gems in less visible spots,” Bodge suggested.
Read between the price tags
“You can determine whether or not an item is a good deal by comparing the cost-per-unit rather than the actual price,” she said, explaining that the sticker price doesn’t always reflect the total value.
Look out for “shrinkflation”
“Many brands are shrinking the size or weight of their products and charging the same price,” Bodge said, adding that shoppers should always check the unit prices when selecting items.
Join loyalty programs
Bodge advised using rewards programs — sticking to the stores where you shop most often — which may “offer a free way to earn points towards future purchases.”
“They offer exclusive deals and some will even allow you to qualify for free things, like a free turkey at Thanksgiving or a free gas card,” she said.
Credit cards with grocery perks
“Using the right credit card to buy your groceries could earn you some serious cash back. Cards with annual fees typically have more generous cash-back [offers], like 4% or more on food from American Express Gold, but there are some fee-free cards that offer this, including the Bread Cashback American Express from Bread Financial, which offers 2% cashback on all purchases,” she said. “Another good fee-free card is the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa, which allows you to earn 5% on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases.”
Buy frozen
“In certain cases,” Bodge said, this tactic “can be a big money-saver.”
“I find this especially with fish and certain vegetables,” she added. “Plus, frozen has a longer shelf life.”
Buy generic
“You can save 20% or more by doing this and you’ll find that many of the ingredient listings match the brand name word for word,” Bodge said. “In fact, store brands or generics are often made in the same factories as the name brand.”
Buy seasonal produce
“You will do much better on price, versus buying things that need to be imported,” Bodge said. “Also, check out your local CSA — community-supported agriculture is a food system for farmers and producers to connect directly with consumers. This is a great way to support local farmers and the pricing is often very good.”
Bodge, however, recommended against “buying at farmers markets if you’re on a tight budget.”
Only buy in bulk on most-used items
“If there are certain items that you go through quickly, like toilet paper, pastas, canned goods or snacks for your kids’ lunches, buy them in bulk if you have a Costco or Sam’s Club membership,” Bodge suggested. “You can also often buy in bulk on Amazon and on a site like Boxed.com.”
Jason Aldean is currently in the midst of his Rock N’ Roll Cowboy tour and his two young children are along for the ride for some shows.
The singer explains that he and his wife, Brittany, bring 4-year-old Memphis and 3-year-old Navy out on the road about one weekend every month.
“They get a little worn out being on the bus,” the singer tells ET Online. “So we try to bring them out at least once a month for a weekend, and one week I’ll go out by myself, and then one week it’s just me and [Brittany].”
Jason — who is also dad to two teenage daughters, Keeley and Kendall, from a previous relationship — says anyone who steps on his bus can immediately tell whether or not his toddlers are out on tour with him that weekend.
“It usually looks like a disaster when they’re on the road with me,” he jokes. “There’s toys and stuff everywhere. But when they’re not on the bus, it’s actually pretty clean, I have to say.”
The Rock N’ Roll Cowboy Tour continues through the end of October.
There’s no question about it: Jackson Dean’s song “Don’t Come Lookin’” being featured on the Yellowstone soundtrack definitely gave him a leg up toward country music success.
“It played a massive, massive part in it,” the singer affirms, citing one recent appearance he made at Hwy 30 Fest in Idaho, when he was one of the only acts in the lineup who didn’t hail from Texas.
“We were, like, the black sheep,” he remembers, but adds that he had an in with the crowd. “Massive, massive Yellowstone fans at that festival. It was great. It was really awesome.”
Multiple fans who recognized him from the soundtrack for the TV series approached him at that show. “I had probably 30 people come up to me and be like, ‘Hey man, we know you from Yellowstone. And that’s how we found you.’”
Jackson’s already had a song feature in the hit TV series, and the singer says he’s not opposed to participating in the show in an on-screen capacity, too. After all, there’s plenty of precedent for country stars scoring acting gigs on Yellowstone: Lainey Wilson is on the upcoming season, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are the co-stars of 1883, the recent Paramount+ prequel.
“You know, I mean, if Kevin Costner wants to shoot a bad guy — I mean, I can play a good bad guy,” the singer continues. “I am not opposed at all, in any way, shape or form.”
For now, Jackson is enjoying a career as a rapidly rising country star. “Don’t Come Lookin’” is currently nearing country radio’s top 10.
Trivium frontman Matt Heafy is performing at the 2022 Gamescom video game convention.
The show will be promoting the upcoming game Metal: Hellsinger, a rhythm first-person shooter that finds players shooting enemies to the beat of original music sung by a variety of big-name metal artists, such as Heafy, System of a Down‘s Serj Tankian and Lamb of God‘s Randy Blythe.
Along with Heafy, Metal: Hellsinger contributors including Arch Enemy‘s Alissa White-Gluz and Refused‘s Dennis Lyxzén will perform during the Gamescom concert, as well.
You’ll be able to watch the show live online on August 25 at 1 p.m. ET via MetalHellsinger.com.
Metal: Hellsinger will be released September 15 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
If you thought you were paying a lot for your mortgage, just wait until you hear how much Adele is paying!
According to documents obtained by The New York Post, the singer took out a $37.7 million mortgage for the Beverly Hills mansion she bought for $58 million earlier this year. She has the standard 30 years to repay the loan, the deed says. That means she’d be paying an estimated $227,000 per month, including property taxes and interest.
The estate was previously owned by Sylvester Stallone. It sits on 3.5 acres and measures a sprawling 18,500 square feet. It boasts eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, and includes a ton of amenities like a screening room, gym, cigar room, infinity pool, spa, eight-car garage and art studio.
Back in May, Adele posted a photo of her and boyfriend Rich Paul standing in front of the home with the keys, hinting that the two had moved in together.
Adele is set to kick off her rescheduled Las Vegas residency this November.
As promised, Drake has rescheduled the highly anticipated Young Money reunion show. The rapper, who was forced to cancel the initial concert following his COVID-19 diagnosis, has set the new date for Saturday, August 5.
“Negative test…positive outcome…,” Drake wrote on Instagram alongside an updated advertisement. “this was the only date available until the fall and because the family is so solid everybody is flying back in to make it happen for you all…SEE YOU SATURDAY…young moulaaa.”
The Young Money concert was originally slated to take place on August 1, the third day of his OVO Fest. After a successful start to the weekend, Drake tested positive and regretfully canceled the show, promising to reschedule to “the SOONEST date possible.”
The “Sticky” rapper has since kept his word; he’ll reunite onstage with Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne this weekend.
