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1st group of refugees start arriving under ‘Uniting for Ukraine’ program

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Biden administration is officially welcoming the first group of refugees coming to the U.S. under the “Uniting for Ukraine” program, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday.

So far, about 6,000 Ukrainians of the 19,000 who applied have received authorization to travel to the U.S. after passing background checks and biometric screenings, DHS said in a statement.

The program requires Ukrainians to have a private sponsor in the U.S. who must also complete a background check and prove they have the financial means to support those granted refuge.

The program is part of President Joe Biden’s promise to allow 100,000 Ukrainians to seek refuge in the U.S. Other legal pathways are also still available through the State Department that will count toward the 100,000 objective.

“We are proud to deliver on President Biden’s commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression to the United States. The Ukrainian people continue to suffer immense tragedy and loss as a result of Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on their country,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement last month. “DHS will continue to provide relief to the Ukrainian people, while supporting our European allies who have shouldered so much as the result of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.”

Before “United for Ukraine” was established, about 20,000 Ukrainians without prior authorization entered the U.S. along the southern border, according to a DHS court filing.

With the pre-authorization program up and running, authorities have taken a harder line on admitting Ukrainians who show up at the border without proper documentation. That shift left dozens stranded on the Mexican side of a border crossing near San Diego and potentially many more elsewhere along the border, the San Diego Union Tribune reported last month.

More than 5.8 million refugees have fled Ukraine, according to the UNHCR, with the majority traveling to eastern European nations including Poland and Romania.

West Virginia 2002 primary election results

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — West Virginia voters head to the polls Tuesday to vote in primaries for the House of Representatives and state legislature, as well as other statewide and regional offices. Early voting in the state ended Saturday.

Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.

State significance

The Republican primaries for the House of Representatives in West Virginia are significant because they will help determine which party controls the House and will put the impact of congressional redistricting on full display.

As a result of redistricting — and a decline in the state’s population — West Virginia lost one of its three House seats. Both existing districts lean strongly Republican, but now there is one fewer seat for Republicans to hold onto, according to analysis from FiveThirtyEight.

Redistricting also means one of the House races features a rare matchup between two incumbent lawmakers. Republicans Reps. David McKinley and Alex Mooney are facing off against each other and three other challengers in the primary for the newly drawn 2nd Congressional District.

The McKinley-Mooney matchup is another test of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement power. Trump has backed Mooney, who has echoed the former president’s false claims about the 2020 election. But McKinley, who voted for President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill, has the support of Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.

Escaped inmate, jail employee apprehended in Indiana

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(EVANSVILLE, Ind.) — Florence, Alabama, jail employee Vicky White and murder suspect Casey White were apprehended in Evansville, Indiana, on Monday, ending a 10-day manhunt, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton announced.

After Inmate Casey White, 38, and Lauderdale County Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White, 56, were spotted at a hotel, Casey White and Vicky White led police on a car chase in that ended with a wreck, Indiana authorities said. Vicky White, who was driving the Cadillac, has been hospitalized with “very serious” injuries from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Vanderburgh County, Indiana, sheriff’s office.

“Can’t clarify how long they have been in Evansville … lucky we stumbled upon them today,” Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding said Monday.

He said the pursuit only lasted a few minutes.

“We got a dangerous man off the street today,” Singleton said.

Casey White and Vicky White, who are not related, fled the Lauderdale County Jail on April 29.

Authorities said they believe Vicky White willingly participated in the escape, which took place on her last day before retirement.

The duo fled Alabama in a Ford Edge and ditched the car in Williamson County, Tennessee — about a two-hour drive north of Florence — just hours after the jail break.

On Monday, U.S. Marshals said investigators were in Evansville, Indiana, following up on a tip after a 2006 Ford F-150 believed to have been used by Casey White and Vicky White was found abandoned at a car wash on May 3. Police were alerted to the vehicle on Sunday.

At the time of his escape, Casey White was facing two counts of capital murder for allegedly stabbing a woman to death in 2015, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Vicky White has been charged with forgery and identity theft for allegedly using an alias to buy the Ford Edge used to facilitate the escape, according to the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office. A warrant was also issued for Vicky White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape.

No one was injured as a result of the escape, Singleton said.

The pair will be brought back to Lauderdale County to be arraigned, Singleton said.

“He’s not getting out of this jail again,” Singleton said. “I assure you that.”

ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.

Florence + the Machine adds NYC & LA dates to fall ’Dance Fever’ tour

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After playing intimate warmup shows in New York City and Los Angeles the last couple weeks, Florence + the Machine has now added much bigger shows in both cities.

The NYC dates will take place September 16 and 17 at Madison Square Garden, while the LA performances will be held October 14-15 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Sam Fender and Noga Erez will open the NYC shows; Wet Leg and Griff will support in LA.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 13.

The newly added shows fall in the middle of Florence’s upcoming fall tour in support of their new album, Dance Fever, which arrives on Friday.

For the full list of dates, visit FlorenceandtheMachine.net.

Listen to Peter Gabriel singing on new Arcade Fire song, “Unconditional II (Race and Religion)”

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Peter Gabriel appears on the brand-new Arcade Fire song “Unconditional II (Race and Religion),” from the band’s latest studio album, WE, which was released Friday.

On the track, Gabriel delivers harmonies alongside lead vocals by Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne.

In recent interview with the Montreal Gazette, Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler said about the collaboration, “[Gabriel] came to the studio and we had a day to work on it. He does this thing where he double-tracks his voice, high and low. As soon as he put the high vocal down, I was like, ‘Oh s***, that’s Peter Gabriel.'”

You can check out “Unconditional II (Race and Religion)” now at Arcade Fire’s official YouTube channel. The track and the album also are available via various digital and physical formats.

Gabriel previously recorded an Arcade Fire song, the Neon Bible track “My Body Is a Cage,” for his 2010 covers album Scratch My Back.

Hospital admission totals tick up after weeks of rising COVID-19 cases

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Following weeks of increasing infection rates, a growing number of Americans are heading into the hospital in need of care.

On average, nearly 2,400 virus-positive Americans are being admitted to the hospital each day, up by 17% in the last week, according to federal data. Forty-one states and territories have reported increases of 10% or more in their daily number of COVID-19-related hospital admissions.

In the U.S., there continues to be an uptick in the overall number of patients requiring care for COVID-19, with now about 19,100 patients hospitalized across the country. Overall, the total remains significantly lower than every other COVID-19 surge. In January, there were 160,000 patients hospitalized with the virus.

The U.S. is reporting more than 68,000 new cases every day, up by 20% in the last week, and 52% in the last two weeks. The nation’s daily case average has more than doubled in the last month.

Over the last week, nearly every state in the county — 45 states and territories — have seen increases of 10% or more in their daily COVID-19 infection rates.

Last week, counties across the Northeast moved into the “high” risk category for COVID-19 risk, after weeks of increasing cases and hospitalizations.

The “high” community-level transmission suggests there is a “high potential for health care system strain” and a “high level of severe disease.” Thus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear a mask in public indoor settings, including schools.

As infection rates continue to increase across the country, some health experts are questioning how much higher totals are than initially reported.

“We’re probably missing a lot,” David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News last week. “I would not be surprised to find out that our confirmed case count is under-counting the total number of cases by a factor of two or three. I think it’s quite possible that we’re having right now, as many cases as we were during the, you know, the delta wave of August or September, certainly not what we had this past winter, but we probably are having a lot more cases than what’s currently being reported.”

While some epidemiologists suggest that hospitalization data has become less reliable, as states stop reporting key metrics, health experts said they are more reliable than case numbers.

“We see that the number of hospitalizations being reported has again increased by about 20 to 30% from the low back in April. So while we may not have a perfect read on those numbers, they are more reliable than the case counts,” Dowdy said.

Despite increases in other metrics, the average of daily COVID-19-related deaths remains at a persistent plateau. The average currently stands at 340 fatalities a day. That is still much lower than during the omicron peak in early February, when the U.S. was reporting more than 2,600 deaths every day.

The U.S. is also now less than 2,500 deaths away from hitting 1 million COVID-19 related deaths, putting the nation on track to reach the milestone in the next week.

‘The Late Show’ pausing taping episodes while Stephen Colbert has a “recurrence of COVID”

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

While he resumed taping of The Late Show last week after testing positive for COVID, Stephen Colbert is back to isolation.

“Stephen is experiencing symptoms consistent with a recurrence of COVID,” The Late Show‘s Twitter feed announced Monday. “Out of an abundance of caution for his staff, guests, and audience, he will be isolating for a few additional days. The Late Show will not be taping new episodes until further notice.”

Colbert himself, who is vaccinated and boosted, replied to the post, noting, “WORST. SEQUEL. EVER.”

Warren Haynes to perform at 20th anniversary Little Kids Rock benefit next week

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples and Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik will be honored Ex-Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Warren Haynes is among the artists slated to perform at the 20th anniversary benefit for the Little Kids Rock charity, which will take place May 17 in New York City.

Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit with the goal of restoring and expanding music-education programs in public schools.

Also at the event gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples and Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik will be honored, respectively with the Peace & Freedom Award and the Rocker of the Year prize.

The event also will include performances from Run-D.M.C.‘s Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels, pop singer Jon Secada and The Voice‘s season-three winner Cassadee Pope.

This year’s benefit will be held at New York City’s Terminal 5, beginning at 6 p.m. ET in May 17. Tickets and tables can be purchased now at LittleKidsRock.org.

To raise additional funds for Little Kids Rock, a silent auction will launch on Tuesday, May 10, at the organization’s website.

Proceeds raised by the benefit and the auction will go toward funding Little Kids Rock programs, teacher training and instrument donations.

Music notes: Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, Camila Cabello and more

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Olivia Rodrigo revived the ’90s by covering No Doubt‘s hit “Just a Girl” during the Philadelphia stop on her SOUR Tour. A fan caught video of the surprise cover of the Gwen Stefani-led band’s 1995 hit. Olivia previously covered Avril Lavigne‘s “Complicated” on tour, and the pop-punk singer crashed her Toronto show. Fans are hoping Gwen will do the same.

It’s now easier to get your hands on Lady Gaga‘s Haus Laboratories Beauty Line. The Grammy winner announced on Instagram that “select” Sephora stores will start selling the beauty line on June 9. In all, Haus will be coming to over 500 locations and will be releasing “new products this fall.”

Camila Cabello is headlining the opening ceremony of the 2022 UEFA Champions League, which kicks off May 28 in Paris. “I’ve got lots of surprises in store for you,” Camila teased to her soccer-loving fans. According to the press release, Camila will perform a medley of her hits during a carnival-themed celebration.

Sara Bareilles is playing the Baker’s Wife in a limited engagement of the musical Into the Woods, which runs until May 15 at the New York City Center. She told Variety, “Blink and you’ll miss it.” She adds that, while rehearsals for the limited run were grueling, seeing the cheering audience “reminds you that all of the stress is worth it.”

Nick Lachey celebrated the 16th anniversary of his sophomore solo album, What’s Left of Me. He joked on Instagram, “My second solo album, #WhatsLeftOfMe is officially old enough to have a driver’s license.” Nick added that it was “hard to believe” his work is that old. The album’s title track peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mavis Staples, Goo Goo Dolls’ Johnny Rzeznik to be honored at Little Kids Rock benefit next week

May 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples and Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik will be honored at the 20th anniversary benefit for the Little Kids Rock charity, which will take place May 17 in New York City.

Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit with the goal of restoring and expanding music-education programs in public schools.

Staples, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Blues Hall of Fame inductee, will be presented with the Peace & Freedom Award at the gala. With her family group The Staple Singers, Mavis marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., performed at President John F. Kennedy‘s inauguration, and topped the charts. Later on, she sang at the White in front of President Barack Obama and was recognized as a Kennedy Center honoree.

Rzeznik will be honored with the Rocker of the Year prize at the event. Johnny has served as lead singer and guitarist for The Goo Goo Dolls for over 30 years, during which time the band has enjoyed plenty of chat success, including scoring three top-10 hist on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1990s — “Name,” “Iris” and “Slide.”

The event also will include performances from ex-Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Warren Haynes, Run-D.M.C.‘s Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels, pop singer Jon Secada and The Voice‘s season-three winner Cassadee Pope.

This year’s benefit will be held at New York City’s Terminal 5, beginning at 6 p.m. ET in May 17. Tickets and tables can be purchased now at LittleKidsRock.org.

To raise additional funds for Little Kids Rock, a silent auction will launch on Tuesday, May 10, at the organization’s website.

Proceeds raised by the benefit and the auction will go toward funding Little Kids Rock programs, teacher training and instrument donations.

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