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Texas confirms death of monkeypox patient, but cause of death still under investigation

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(HARRIS COUNTY, Texas) — An adult resident of Harris County, Texas, who had been diagnosed with monkeypox, has died, state health officials announced on Tuesday.

The patient was severely immunocompromised, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, and died at a Harris County hospital.

The official cause of death is still unknown. Although this person was a presumptive positive for monkeypox, it is still unknown whether the person’s death was due to or related to monkeypox, officials said.

“What we’re looking to be able to determine is the specific cause of death. We know that this patient had monkeypox as a diagnosis, what we do not know for sure is that the patient passed away from monkeypox,” county officials said during a press conference on Tuesday.

The case is currently under investigation to “determine what role monkeypox may [have] played in the death,” according to state officials. An autopsy is in progress, and the final report will be available in the next few weeks, according to the Harris County Department of Health.

“Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those with weakened immune systems,” Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner, said in a statement. “We continue to urge people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the disease.”

Local officials in Harris County reported that they have been collaborating with state and federal health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to investigate the case.

“We are sharing this information to err on the side of transparency and to avoid potential misinformation about this case,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wrote in a statement. “The best way for us to fight this virus is through vaccines. Our goal is still to get as many people who qualify vaccinated as quickly as possible — I have always felt that vaccines are the key to reducing spread.”

Officials urged anyone who is immunocompromised to consider getting vaccinated, as they are at higher risk of severe disease.

“Monkeypox can affect those who are immunocompromised, and because of that, we would certainly encourage anyone who fits the criteria, including being immunocompromised, to seek vaccination,” officials added.

In a statement to ABC News, a representative from the CDC wrote that the agency is aware of the reported death and working with Texas officials to investigate.

“Our thoughts are with the family during this heartbreaking time,” the representative said.

Officials from the CDC cautioned that the strain of monkeypox responsible for the current outbreak is “rarely fatal,” and most people who become infected with this form of the disease will likely survive.

However, officials wrote that people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill or dying.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, officials from the White House’s Monkeypox Response Team further emphasized that “only a handful” of monkeypox deaths have been reported globally throughout the current outbreak.

“It’s serious and our hearts certainly go out to this family who’ve lost a loved one, and while we are doing further investigation to find out what role monkeypox may have played, it’s important to focus that we have mitigation measures in place to prevent monkeypox,” said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, CDC monkeypox response incident manager.

So far, the majority of cases in the current monkeypox outbreak have been detected in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men. However, officials stress that anyone exposed to the virus can become infected with monkeypox.

Across the globe, nearly 49,000 cases of monkeypox have now been reported, including 18,100 cases in the U.S. — the most of any country, according to the CDC.

Monkeypox primarily spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact with infected people’s lesions or bodily fluids, according to the CDC. The virus can also spread through bedding and towels contaminated by infected lesions.

In addition to lesions, which can appear like pimples or blisters, the most common symptoms associated with monkeypox are swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

ABC News’ Sony Salzman and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.

Shindown’s Brent Smith surprised with city key during show in Tennessee hometown

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Shinedown‘s tour made a stop Sunday in frontman Brent Smith‘s hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, where he received a surprise honor.

During the show, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs — also known to WWE fans as the wrestler Kane — got up onstage and presented Smith with a key to the city. The key was created by students of South-Doyle High School, which Smith graduated from in the ’90s.

Shinedown posted video of the key presentation on Facebook alongside a caption from a “speechless, humbled and beyond grateful” Smith.

“Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined a moment like this, as I watched Kane take the stage, and proceed to address the crowd, and present me with the Key to the city of my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee,” Smith writes. “Thank you to the Mayor. I am honored beyond belief. Thank you also to South-Doyle High School for creating the key. I appreciate you so much. I LOVE YOU KNOXVILLE.”

Shinedown is currently on tour in support of the band’s new album, Planet Zero, which dropped in July.

Peter Gabriel’s daughter Anna releasing celebrity-packed photo book

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Anna Gabriel, Peter Gabriel‘s oldest daughter, will publish a photo book titled Eye-D on October 6 that features close-up images of the eyes of dozens of famous music artists and other celebrities, including her father.

Among the many other stars who appear in the book are Debbie Harry, Sting, Mick Fleetwood, Annie Lennox, Paul Simon, the late Tom Petty, U2‘s The Edge, Michael Stipe, Robert Plant, Graham Nash and Nile Rodgers.

“I wanted to offer fans a different way to view their favorite artists, people who have made an impact not only on my life, but millions around the world,” says Anna about the book. “I hope viewers find something new and unexpected each time they look into these eyes. From shooting Michael Stipe, a friend for many years, in his apartment, to Annie Lennox in a hotel room in New York, to Johnny Depp backstage at a show — I have many stories that accompany the photos.”

You can preorder Eye-D now at ACCArtBooks.com.

To celebrate the book’s publication, Morrison Hotel Gallery locations in Los Angles and New York City will host exhibitions of Anna’s photos on October 6 and October 20, respectively.

Before the L.A. exhibit opening, a book signing will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. PT that will also feature a special musical performance.

Meanwhile, on October 20 Anna and her father will appear in conversation at Rizzoli Bookstore at 6 p.m. ET.

In addition to being an accomplished photographer, Anna is a video director whose credits include the 2004 Peter Gabriel documentary Growing Up on Tour: A Family Portrait, and his concert films Still Growing Up and Taking the Pulse.

Jackson, Mississippi, water shortage crisis may cost billions of dollars to fix: Mayor

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(JACKSON, Miss.) — Staffing shortages, system issues and multiple equipment failures have led to a crisis where Jackson, Mississippi, residents have lost running water for an indefinite amount of time, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Lumumba attributed the city’s water crisis to a lack of maintenance over the last few decades, adding that it will cost billions of dollars to fix the issue.

“This is a set of accumulated problems based on deferred maintenance that’s not taken place over decades,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba estimated it would cost at least $1 billion to fix the water distribution system and billions more to resolve the issue altogether.

“The residents of Jackson are worthy of a dependable system, and we look forward to a coalition of the willing who will join us in the fight to improve this system that’s been failing for decades,” Lumumba said.

At least 180,000 people will go without reliable drinking water indefinitely in Jackson after pumps at the main water treatment plant failed this week, officials said.

A major pump at Jackson’s O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant was damaged, forcing the city to use backup pumps, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference Monday evening.

Reeves declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday and activated the state’s National Guard to help officials deal with the ongoing water emergency.

“The state is marshaling tremendous resources to protect the people of our capital city,” Reeves said at the conference.

Residents will not have reliable running water in the state’s capital until the problem is fixed, officials said.

Reeves said the water shortage would make it more difficult for Jackson to produce enough water to fight fires, flush toilets and other essential needs.

Residents have lined up on roads and highways throughout the city to get to water distribution sites.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Mississippi has not formally asked the federal government to help bring in water but is ready to help “in any way that we can” when that request is made.

“We stand ready and we are eager to assist further as soon as we receive an official request from the state,” she said on Air Force One Tuesday.

Officials are warning the city’s residents not to drink the water because it’s raw water from the reservoirs being pushed through the pipes.

Jackson has been under a boil water notice since July 29.

In February 2021, freezing temperatures caused water and power outages in Jackson.

A day after the current water crisis was announced, Jackson’s Public Works Director Marlin King was reassigned to another role, Lumumba said.

King now serves as the deputy director of public works, while the former director of planning and development, Jordan Hillman, will fill King’s old position, according to ABC News Jackson affiliate WAPT.

ABC News’ Darren Reynolds and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.

‘The Conners” Michael Fishman says he “was told” he wouldn’t be coming back for season 5

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It seems Michael Fishman‘s exit from The Conners wasn’t as smooth as first thought.

The news Monday that he was leaving the show on which he played D.J. Conner seemed to indicate he’d be stepping behind the camera more; he had directed five episodes of the reboot.

However, in a lengthy statement to People, he noted, “While I was told I would not be returning for season 5, Lanford was a valuable place to grow up, learn, and develop,” Fishman said referring to the show’s setting.

“As I venture into the world to build the future, I send tremendous love and success to everyone involved in production,” he continued.

Fishman also shared, “It has been my honor to play D.J. Conner…I am proud of the work I did as part of Roseanne and The Conners. Especially the privilege of playing a Military Veteran, Interracial Spouse, and the father of a Bi-racial child, portrayed by the amazing Jayden Rey.”

Rey was also let go from the series, though could return as a guest.

Ben Kingsley returning to the MCU in Marvel Studios’ ‘Wonder Man’ series

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Oscar winner Ben Kingsley will once again play the man who would be king, hack actor Trevor Slattery, in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Wonder Man series.

Variety was first to break the news, about which Marvel is staying mum.

Kingsley first played Slattery in 2013’s Iron Man 3: a washed-up, drugged-out actor who was tasked with portraying a fearsome terrorist known as The Mandarin. In 2014’s Marvel One-Shot short All Hail The King, fans catch up with Slattery behind bars, enjoying his celebrity status as a onetime supervillain — until he’s sprung from prison to be punished by the actual Mandarin.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe catches back up with Trevor in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, where as it turns out he was spared execution and acts instead as something of a court jester for the fearsome group known as the Ten Rings.

The Wonder Man project reunites Kingsley with Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi.

While the Disney+ series won’t necessarily follow the character’s comic origins exactly, Wonder Man was the alter ego of weapons manufacturer Simon Williams. Williams blames fellow iron monger Tony Stark for his father’s company going under and eventually gets superpowers from Baron Helmut Zemo, the baddie played by Daniel Brühl in the MCU.

Incidentally, ABC Audio recently spoke with Marvel Studios producer Brad Winderbaum, who cut his teeth on the One-Shots. A flashback to Kingsley in Caged Heat, Trevor’s failed 1980s TV pilot in All Hail the King, was a high point.

“That Caged Heat video, that trailer for Trevor Slattery’s television show is one of my favorite things we’ve ever put on screen,” Winderbaum laughed.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Elon Musk adds new reason for termination of Twitter deal

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The ongoing acquisition drama between Elon Musk and Twitter continues.

On Monday, Musk’s counsel sent a letter to Twitter’s general counsel and head of legal, Vijay Gadde, citing “an additional notice of termination.” Twitter responded on Tuesday by denying the allegations.

In July, Musk backed out of the $44 billion sale agreement he made with Twitter. He did so because he said Twitter provided “false and misleading representations” of multiple forms of user data including the quantity of “false or spam accounts” on the social media platform. Twitter is working to force the deal, which values the company at a share price that is roughly 25% above this week’s value.

Now, Musk’s legal team has another reason for terminating the deal, this time involving information published in The Washington Post. The newspaper obtained a whistleblower complaint filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Peiter “Mudge” Zatko against Twitter.

Zatko, a hacker and the former head of security for Twitter, alleges multiple forms of misconduct at the social media company. In Monday’s letter, Musk’s counsel, law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, argued that if Zatko’s allegations against Twitter are correct, “the Musk Parties [have] the right to terminate the Merger Agreement.” The letter singles out aspects of Zatko’s complaint including the allegations that Twitter is “uniquely vulnerable to systemic disruption” and that “the platform is built in significant part on the misappropriation and infringement of third party intellectual property.”

In a statement released to the public, Zatko’s lawyers said the security expert believes “Twitter has been, at all relevant times including today, in violation of numerous laws and regulations.”

Twitter responded by both reaffirming its view that Zatko’s complaint is “riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies,” and adding that Musk continues “to knowingly, intentionally, willfully, and materially breach the Agreement.”

“I think that the Skadden letter was an interesting but maybe risky strategy,” David Bernstein, who specializes in mergers and acquisitions with Goodwin Procter LLP, told ABC News. “There is an underlying implication that there is a weakness in the original termination.”

Neither Musk’s lawyers nor Twitter’s legal counsel at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz immediately responded to ABC News’ requests for comment.

On Oct. 17, Twitter and Musk are set to face off in front of the Delaware Court of Chancery for a five-day trial. Twitter would like Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick to compel Musk to buy Twitter at the originally agreed-upon amount, whereas Musk is hoping to avoid the purchase.

Bernstein believes there is a chance that Monday’s letter from Skadden hurts Musk’s case. Because this latest letter is not supplementing the original argument for termination but rather adding a totally separate reasoning, it could be perceived as an admission that the spam account argument is not as strong as Musk had hoped.

“I’m not saying that it totally abandons the first [notice of termination],” Bernstein explained. “I’m saying that it seems to me to indicate some doubt about the strength of the first termination.”

McCormick’s decision will likely be handed out before the end of 2022.

Michael Peña and Jesse Williams on the Owen Wilson of it all in ‘Secret Headquarters’

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

While he has what most would consider a glamorous job, Owen Wilson is just Dad to his three kids. That’s one of the reasons he was so interested in Secret Headquarters, which is now streaming on Paramount+.

Wilson plays Jack, a divorced father trying to hide his secret identity as a superhero from his tween son Charlie — who happens to idolize The Guardian, the very hero he discovers is his dad.

“That was one of the things that sort of stood out to me sort of with the script,” Wilson told ABC Audio.

“… I know growing up, kind of looking up to my dad and kind of idolizing him. And then …you get to the teen years and there’s a … kind of a challenge. And I think that’s sort of genuine in this …”

Marvel movie vet Michael Peña plays Ansel Argon, a wannabe supervillain trying to get his hands on the item that gives The Guardian his power; former Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams plays his tech whiz.

However, according to the pair, Wilson already has a superpower.

“When he first showed up, and he sounded exactly like Owen Wilson, then you think like, ‘Wow, this dude is special,'” Peña said.

“You know, he has the distinct way of saying the R’s and stuff. And I, I caught myself watching more than, like, being in the scene. And you’re like, ‘That’s Owen Wilson, dude!'”

Williams agrees. “Anything he says, it’s funny. He could read a menu!”

Peña then cracked himself up imitating his co-star. “‘I got a bird, you know, his name’s Tyrone!'”

“‘Wow,'” the actor said, laughing, imitating a phrase Wilson has uttered in seemingly every film.

Peña then gave another example, “Real. It’s real, you know,” anything with an R, you know?”

Biden calls out ‘MAGA Republicans’ as he talks police funding, crime prevention

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WILKES-BARRE, Penn.) — President Joe Biden continued his sharpened attacks on the Republican Party as he visited Pennsylvania on Tuesday, criticizing “MAGA Republicans” for their response to the Mar-a-Lago search and Jan. 6 as he highlighted his administration’s policing and crime prevention efforts.

“A safer America requires all of us to uphold the rule of law, not the rule of any one party or any one person,” Biden said as he spoke at Wilkes University.

“Let me say this to my MAGA Republican friends in Congress: Don’t tell me you support law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on Jan. 6,” he continued. “For God’s sake, whose side are you on?”

Biden, once apprehensive about directly criticizing his Oval Office predecessor, has ramped up his rhetoric ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, recently accusing some in the Republican Party of “semi-fascism.”

The president also addressed Republican criticism of the FBI in the wake of the search warrant executed at Donald Trump’s Florida estate, including their calls to defund the bureau. Biden’s comments on the search have been limited, besides stating he had no prior notice about the search and leaving questions of national security risk to the Justice Department.

“Now it’s sickening to see the new attacks on the FBI, threatening the lives of law enforcement agents and their families for simply carrying out the law and doing their job,” Biden said. “There’s no place in this country for endangering the lives of law enforcement.”

Biden on Tuesday also touted his “Safer America Plan,” unveiled in July, which calls on Congress to add $37 billion for the training of 100,000 additional police officers, to clear court backlogs and to establish new grants for communities to prevent violent crime and ease the burden on police officers in responding to non-violent situations

“I’ve not met a cop who likes a bad cop,” Biden said. “There’s bad in everything. There’s lousy senators and lousy presidents and lousy doctors and lousy lawyers. No, I’m serious. But I don’t know any police officer that feels good about the fact that there may be a lousy cop. I’m tired of not giving them the kind of help they need.”

In addition to making the case for the additional funding, Biden discussed the need to build on the bipartisan gun safety legislation passed earlier this summer by enacting a ban on assault weapons. The gun safety law, while the first major piece of reform in decades, didn’t go as far as Democrats and gun control advocates had hoped.

“The NRA was against it which means a vast majority, the vast majority of Republicans in Congress couldn’t even stand up and vote for it, because they’re afraid of the NRA,” he said.

Biden’s speech in Wilkes-Barre was his first of three stops in the battleground state in a week.

Meanwhile, Trump will also be in Pennsylvania this week for his first rally since the Aug. 8 search.

The former president will be campaigning for Republicans in two key Pennsylvania races: the gubernatorial election and the U.S. Senate contest.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, who is running for governor, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is running for Senate, will be in attendance at Trump’s rally in Wilkes-Barre. Trump has endorsed them both.

Biden on Tuesday gave a shout out to the two Democrats going up against Mastriano and Oz: Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman, respectively.

“Josh Shapiro is a champion for the rule of law as your attorney general, and he’s gonna make one hell of a governor,” Biden said. “I really mean it.”

Fetterman, he said, will make “a great United States senator.”

ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.

Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president, dies at 91

August 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has died “after a serious and long illness,” the Central Clinical Hospital reported.

He was 91 years old.

Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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