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Relatives receive remains of loved ones who died in migrant tragedy

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Three members of the Olivares family left their homes in Veracruz, Mexico, for a better life in America. Instead of finding the employment they hoped would lead to a better future, they were among the 53 migrants who were found dead in a tractor-trailer that was left abandoned in the sweltering heat on a back road outside of San Antonio, Texas.

The site is now a roadside memorial, marking the spot where, on June 27, dozens died in the highest death toll of any suspected human smuggling attempt in United States history.

Thousands of miles away, families of the victims are just now starting to say their final goodbyes.

The family of brothers Jair Olivares, 19, and Giovanni Olivares, 16, and their cousin Misael Olivares, 16, had to fundraise in Mexico to pay for funeral costs while mourning their loss.

“They wanted to build a house and start a business. Here there is work, but it is very poorly paid… that’s why they went to look for a better life,” Valencia, the mother of Jair and Giovanni Olivares, told Reuters.

The family said they had agreed to pay a smuggler $10,000 for each teen.

Jair and Giovanni Olivares’ father said the last text message he received from his 19-year-old son was that the teens were in the trailer and hoping the smuggler would return for them shortly.

In the small town of Tzucubal, Guatemala, Maria and Casimiro Guachiac waited for weeks to have their son’s body sent back to them from the U.S.

Their son, Pascual Melvin, was just 13 years old.

Maria Guachiac said that before her son left, he said he was going to the United States to study, find a job and build a house.

Pascual Melvin was not alone. He was traveling with Wilmer Tulul, his cousin, who was also 13 years old and died in the trailer.

Both boys grew up in the town of Tzucubal, an indigenous Mayan community located in the area of Sololá, nearly 100 miles from Guatemala City where more than 70% of the population lives in poverty, according to the most recent census data in Guatemala.

Both boys left to find work in the United States to help their families.

The last time Casimiro Guachiac spoke to his son was three hours after the boys had arrived in San Antonio. Relatives in the United States had helped arrange the boys’ journey and said they agreed to pay the smugglers $6,000 for each boy before they arrived in San Antonio.

Guachiac said that his son had told him they were in a trailer, but that was the last time he heard from him.

In Honduras, funerals also are being held for those lost in the trailer tragedy. Brothers Fernando Jose Redondo Caballero and Alejandro Migue Andino Caballero and Margie Tamara Paz, a girlfriend of one of the brothers, died in San Antonio.

Many of the families of the victims, and those who survived, are afraid of speaking out. They say they fear retaliation from the unlawful organizations that orchestrated the trip. Many families say they still owe smugglers money, despite the journey ending in tragedy.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Adolfo Búcaro Flores said that the human smuggling industry is “sophisticated” and “transnational.”

“We formed a task force with the United States, Mexico and Honduras, working together with the district attorneys and the intelligence officers to be able to dismantle the organized crime industries,” Búcaro told ABC News Live Prime.

According to Búcaro, smugglers charge up to $15,000 to shepherd migrants across the border.

“We know that the numbers are growing, but it doesn’t just depend on the side of the government,” Búcaro said.

Four arrests have been made in the migrant deaths and two of the alleged smugglers, Homero Zamorano, Jr. and Christian Martinez, face charges that may result in life in prison or the death penalty. Both remain in federal custody and have not yet entered pleas.

The families in Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico are left praying to find peace and justice as they lay their loved ones to rest.

“I hope that in the United States, we’ll have justice,” said Maria Guachiac.

‘Minions’, ‘Thor’ push monthly box office past $1 billion for the first time since the pandemic began

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

‘Minions’, ‘Thor’ push monthly box office past billion for the first time since the pandemic began

It took a bunch of yellow mumblers and the gods of thunder to do what hasn’t been done since the COVID-19 pandemic began: push the domestic box office past the billion dollar mark for a single summer month.

July began with Minions: The Rise of Gru becoming a blockbuster right out of the gate. Perhaps due in part to the “Gentleminions” TikTok trend, the movie starring the voice of Steve Carell opened to more than $100 million in the States, setting a July 4 box office record. That movie has since passed $300 million on these shores.

Thor: Love and Thunder opened July 8 to $143 million, on its way to a domestic haul of $280 million as July comes to a close.

Also still boosting the box office for the month of July is the year’s biggest film, Top Gun: Maverick. That film has made $637 million domestically and nearly $1.3 billion worldwide.

The Wrap points out that also contributing to July’s $1.1 billion finish was the late June release Elvis, which has made more than $70 million here, as well as last weekend’s $49 million opening of Jordan Peele‘s Nope.

Report: Taylor Swift allegedly took 170 private plane flights so far this year

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Climate activists were in an uproar over Kylie Jenner‘s 17-minute plane flight last week, but a new report says they should be directing their outrage at none other than Taylor Swift.

Rolling Stone obtained a new report from Yard, a sustainability marketing firm, that tracked celebrities’ private jets and the number of flights they took. Out of all the celebs, Taylor’s private jet was up in the sky the most this year — recording 170 flights since January.

It is not known if the “Shake It Off” singer was on every one of these flights, however.

Yard says Taylor’s plane was in the air for an overall time of 22,923 minutes — or about 16 days — this year alone, which dumped roughly 8,293.54 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere. Yard estimates that’s more than 1,800 times the average person’s total emissions output.

So, how did Yard create its study? They utilized flight data from Celebrity Jets and ADS-B Exchange to track which celebrities were flying where. It should be noted that the Celebrity Jets Twitter said Taylor flew from Burbank, California, to Albany, New York, on Friday.

After Yard totaled up how often a certain celeb was up in the air, they calculated the amount of emissions poured out using estimates from the U.K. Department for Transportation.

The Grammy winner’s jet is on top of Yard’s list, but who else is in the top three? The plane owned by boxer Floyd Mayweather claims the title of emitting the second-largest amount of emissions for his private flights while Rapper Jay-Z‘s jet comes third.

It should be noted this data is based on these celebrities’ planes, so it is not known if these celebrities were on all the recorded flights.

Nashville notes: Chase Rice, Dylan Scott + more

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Chase Rice has a new song out, called “Key West & Colorado.” The song is a preview of an upcoming new album.

Dylan Scott just put out a new song called “Lay Down With You.” It’ll be on the track list of his upcoming new album, Livin’ My Best Life, which comes out August 5.

Ronnie Dunn’s new album, 100 Proof Neon, is out today. Among the songs on the track list is a collaboration with Parker McCollum called “Road to Abilene.”

Vince Gill has canceled three upcoming shows set for this week and this weekend after his wife, singer Amy Grant, was hospitalized following a biking accident. According to Billboard, two shows in Charlotte, North Carolina and one in Tysons, Virginia are affected.

DaniLeigh announces first major headlining tour in US

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Following the release of her new EP My Side, DaniLeigh has announced a new tour.

The 4 Velour Tour, her first major headlining tour of the U.S., will hit 21 cities over five weeks. The trek kicks off September 9 at the Observatory in Santa Ana, California, and concludes with a hometown show at Novo in Los Angeles on October 13.

Tickets are on sale now. You can purchase tickets and find the full list of dates at IAmDaniLeigh.com/tour.

Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio setting sail with ‘The Wager’

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Martin Scorsese is once again working with Leonardo DiCaprio for another based-on-real-life project for Apple, this one called The Wager.

ABC Audio has confirmed that the pair, who recently wrapped work on the theater-and-Apple TV+-bound Killers of the Flower Moon, will once again team up, this time for the drama set in the 1700s.

Based on David Grann’s highly anticipated new book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder, the film will follow the crew of the British naval ship HMS Wager, which was shipwrecked while on a secret mission to recover gold from a Spanish galleon.

“Wrecked on a desolate island off the tip of South America, the captain and crew must struggle to survive and maintain order while battling not only the most extreme elements but their own human natures,” Apple teases.

Considering the real story, that’s actually underselling it.

It’s likely DiCaprio will be playing the doomed mission’s Captain David Cheap, who was mutinied by some of his crew. While some escaped the island without him, others were imprisoned by the Spanish, while still others managed to return home to England and reported their captain dead. Years later, Cheap made it back himself and was eventually cleared of wrongdoing.

DiCaprio and Scorsese also worked together on The Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, and Shutter Island.

Watch music video for David Lee Roth’s new Van Halen tribute tune

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

On Wednesday, David Lee Roth posted a previously unreleased solo song called “Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway” on his official website and YouTube channel. The song pays homage to Van Halen, and now Roth’s main collaborator on the track, one-time DLR Band guitarist John 5, has debuted a music video for the tune.

The clip, which you can watch now on John 5’s YouTube channel, features archival performance footage, home movies and rare photos of Van Halen during the band’s early years.

In a message accompanying the video, John 5 writes, “Honored to be a part of this amazing piece of history. When I wrote the song with Dave, I knew it was something very special. I created this video on the tour bus as a tribute with [director] Mike Savage. Very proud to share it with everyone.”

As previously reported by the Van Halen News Desk fan site, “Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway” is one of a number of songs that Roth recorded with guitarist John 5 several years ago. Over the last couple of years, Diamond Dave has released a number of other tunes from those sessions, including “Somewhere over the Rainbow Bar and Grill,” “Giddy-Up!,” “Low-Rez Sunset” and “Pointing at the Moon.”

“Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway” is available now via select streaming services.

Police investigating death at Smoky Mountains theme park

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(GATLINBURG, Tenn.) — There is an ongoing investigation after a woman was found dead in an apparent suicide at a theme park in the Smoky Mountains, police said.

The woman, Jessica Rhea Ford, 40, was found on Thursday night beneath the Scenic Chondola at Anakeesta, according to a statement from the Gatlinburg police.

The City of Gatlinburg said that they are continuing the investigation as an apparent suicide, in part due to witness statements holding that the victim jumped from the chairlift.

The Gatlinburg Fire & Rescue Department responded to the scene at 7:41 p.m. for an incident on the park’s chairlift. The woman’s body was found shortly thereafter.

Sevier County Medical Examiners’ Office responded to the scene and pronounced the victim dead.

The office told ABC News that the body of the deceased was taken in for an autopsy Thursday night, and is still being examined.

The office said that they cannot offer any further information on the cause of death until the investigation of the incident is complete.

The incident remains under investigation, the city of Gatlinburg said.

The Gatlinburg Police Department has not yet responded to ABC News’ request for further details.

“A tragic incident occurred this evening. 911 was called immediately. Our hearts are with the family of the deceased,” Anakeesta said in a statement.

The area the victim was found was underneath the chairlift that brings guests to and from attractions on the mountain, according to police.

WVLT News spoke to two witnesses on scene.

Jeffrey McConnell told WVLT News he was visiting the Gatlinburg attraction with his fiancée and three children.

According to McConnell, the woman, who he described as being in her late-20′s, fell from the chairlift once it was about three-quarters of the way up the mountain.

McConnell told WVLT News that other visitors tried to alert the woman that her safety railing was up before the fall happened, but she did not respond.

Jay Deuro, another witness who spoke with WVLT News, said the Anakeesta staff kept the rides going despite the fall.

On his way back down, McConnell told WVLT News that staff told visitors to “not look down” as they got onto the chairlift.

A spokesperson from Anakeesta told ABC News that staff only operated the chairlift long enough for riders to exit before shutting it down. The spokesperson added that staff used its transportation fleet to allow the guests to exit the mountain top.

“We mourn this tragic loss of life. Our deepest sympathies are with the family,” the spokesperson said.

Shakira facing 8 years in prison for tax evasion

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Shakira faces up to eight years in prison in her ongoing criminal tax fraud case, reports Spain newspaper El Pais.

After a Spanish judge found there was “sufficient evidence” that Shakira failed to pay the country roughly $15 million in taxes, in addition to her rejecting a plea deal offered by prosecutors, the “Waka Waka” singer will stand trial.

Spanish authorities claim Shakira failed to pay taxes on the income she earned between 2012 and 2014. The Grammy winner faces six charges, including using an offshore company to conceal her earnings.

Spain considers anyone who’s lived in the country for over six months a resident.

Shakira, who purchased a house in Barcelona back in 2012, insists she hasn’t lived in Spain long enough to satisfy the country’s tax requirements, although she did declare Spain as her main residence for tax purposes in 2015. The singer also insists she paid off the tax money she owes and the additional interest.

With her case now heading to trial, prosecutors requested she be sentenced to an eight-year, two-month prison sentence — in addition to a hefty €23 million fine — should she be found guilty.

Her PR firm, Llorente y Cuenca, previously said in a statement obtained by ABC News that Shakira will be vindicated, adding she “trusts her innocence and chooses to leave the issue in the hands of the law.”

It is not known at this time when the trial will be held. Prosecutors say they will speak with Shakira, in addition to 37 witnesses connected to the case.

What the potential JetBlue and Spirit merger could mean for consumers

July 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As JetBlue prepares to begin its takeover of Spirit Airlines in a $3.8 billion deal, many are left wondering what the future holds for both airlines and their loyal customers.

The JetBlue-Spirit agreement still faces a shareholder vote and regulatory approval, which could prove difficult if federal officials believe the deal would reduce competition and increase fares. Spirit is known for its barebones and deeply discounted fares, while JetBlue is more of a full-service airline.

“I think it’s bad news for travelers,” Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, said in an interview with ABC News. “Competition between airlines is the single biggest determinant of how many cheap flights you see on any given route.”

Keyes said Spirit is an “anchor” in the airfare market and its low fares tend to drive down ticket prices offered by mainline carriers.

“Your Delta fares, your American fares are actually cheaper if they’re on a route where they’re competing with Spirit, because they need to drop those fares to try to compete and get more customers,” Keyes said.

JetBlue’s CEO Robin Hayes said the acquisition could be a “solution to the lack of competition” in the U.S. airline industry, saying in a press release, “Spirit and JetBlue will continue to advance our shared goal of disrupting the industry to bring down fares from the Big Four airlines.”

While experts say the Spirit shareholder vote should pass, JetBlue is expected to face regulatory hurdles.

“[The Department of Justice] will try to model what will happen with one fewer airline. What will that do to route structure, to load factors, capacity and fares,” Ravi Sarathy, professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business, told ABC News. “And they’ll also try to model whether this will improve overall air quality and flight service quality.”

Sarathy said the merger could help improve JetBlue’s product. With the $3.8 billion purchase, JetBlue would also gain Spirit’s Airbus fleet and its pilot staffing – both in high demand as airlines face the ongoing pilot shortage and delayed aircraft deliveries amid supply chain disruptions.

“The question will be, do Spirit passengers want better service, or are they really more concerned about the lowest possible cost of flying?” Sarathy said. “That remains to be seen.”

JetBlue offers lie-flat seats on some transcontinental routes and to London, while Spirit does not have a first/business class cabin. JetBlue also offers free, seatback in-flight entertainment and snacks; Spirit does not have inflight televisions or free food. It’s unclear how the two airlines would blend their products if a merger is approved.

Spirit shareholders are expected to vote next month on the merger. If that vote passes, a review from the federal government could take months if not years.

ABC News’ Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.

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