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‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill passes Florida Senate

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — The Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by LGBTQ activists, has now been passed by both the Florida Senate and House. The bill would limit what classrooms can teach about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Under this legislation, these lessons “may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

The bill would also allow parents to sue schools or teachers that engage in these topics.

If the bill is ultimately signed into law, it would go into effect July 1. Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he supports the bill, though he hasn’t explicitly said he will sign it if it crosses his desk.

LGBTQ activists and advocates slammed the decision to move the legislation forward, saying it will harm queer youth by shunning representation and inclusion from classrooms. They also say erasing the presence of the LGBTQ community from lessons implies students should be ashamed or should suppress their gender identity or sexual orientation.

In a recent interview on ABC News’ podcast “Start Here,” Florida state Rep. Joe Harding defended the bill, which he introduced. He said the bill would not prohibit people from talking about gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms, as the bill once stated, but that it would ban curriculum and lessons.

“What we’re preventing is a school district deciding they’re going to create a curriculum to insert themselves,” Harding said.

He said the decision to talk about these topics should be left to the parents.

“Families are families,” Harding said. “Let the families be families. The school district doesn’t need to insert themselves at that point when children are still learning how to read and do basic math.”

The Biden administration has denounced the bill as anti-LGBTQI+.

“I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community — especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill — to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are,” President Joe Biden said in a Feb. 8 Twitter post.

Similar bills have been seen in several other states including Tennessee, Indiana, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Alanis Morissette announces 2022 North American ‘Jagged Little Pill’ tour with openers Garbage

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Alanis Morissette has announced another North American leg on her ongoing 25th anniversary Jagged Little Pill tour, and Garbage will once again be along for the ride.

The headlining outing launches July 12 in Montreal, and will wrap up August 6 in Mountain View, California. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 11, at 10 a.m. local time.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Alanis.com.

Released in 1995, Jagged Little Pill has been certified Diamond by the RIAA for over 10 million U.S. sales, and spawned hit singles in “You Oughta Know,” “Hand in My Pocket” and “Ironic.”

Morissette launched the first leg of the anniversary tour, which also featured support from Garbage, in 2021 after a year-long pandemic delay.

In addition to the Alanis dates, Garbage will be supporting Tears for Fears on their upcoming U.S. run, kicking off in May.

Maren Morris’ ’Humble Quest’ features a song about her son: “He’s precious”

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Maren Morris has a particularly special song on her new album, Humble Quest.

The singer revealed that the song “Hummingbird” is about her son, Hayes, who turns two on March 23. “He’s doing good,” Maren tells Entertainment Tonight about her son that she shares with husband Ryan Hurd. “He’s precious. He’s honestly the sweetest kid. I don’t know how we got so lucky with such a sweet baby, but he is.”

While fans will have to wait to hear “Hummingbird,” Maren has dropped two tracks from the album: lead single “Circles Around This Town” and the follow-up, “Background Music.” The former track was co-written with Ryan, and while the couple doesn’t have plans to soon release another duet following the success of “Chasing After You,” Maren says that her husband’s handprint is an important part of the project.

“Maybe we’ll do another duet someday, but he actually is all over my album. He is singing and writing all the songs, so it kind of feels like in any capacity, we’re going to be collaborating, no matter what. We’re married and have a child,” Maren explains about their partnership. “It’s been a long time coming. The record’s been done for a while, so, I’m just ready to give birth to it.”

The superstar singer just announced a nationwide headlining tour in support of Humble Quest that runs from June through December.

Mandy Moore announces new album, unveils upcoming summer tour

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Before Mandy Moore captured our hearts on the hit NBC drama This Is Us, she was a major pop star. This summer, the actress will be returning to her musical roots.

Mandy announced Tuesday that she not only has a brand-new single, “In Real Life,” out now, but she’s also following up with an all-new album and will be heading out on her first tour in over a decade. The album, titled In Real Life, will be released on May 13 and is available now for pre-order.

“So much of this record came from future-tripping on the next chapter of my life and what it might look like: what parenthood would feel like, how it would change everything, and all the excitement and trepidation that comes with that,” Mandy said of her new single. “At the same time it was about celebrating and acknowledging where we were at the moment and really trying to be completely present in the everyday — which is maybe the hardest part of the human condition.”

Mandy said that theme is present in her upcoming studio effort, explaining, “Even though this album is very specific to me and my experience — there’s songs about my baby, my husband, my father, my friends — I hope everyone’s able to see their own lives in it. I hope they’re able to come along on the journey with me, and put themselves in the driver’s seat.”

Mandy’s upcoming tour kicks off June 10 in Atlanta, Georgia. She’ll visit 26 locations in all. Tickets are on sale now on her official website.

Alanis Morissette unveils upcoming North American tour; new music coming Friday

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Alanis Morissette snagged fans’ attention on Monday when cryptically teasing a big announcement — and now we know what it is. The “Ironic” singer is adding North American dates to her upcoming world tour.

“Yesssssssss! The Jagged Little Pill celebrations continue this July + August with a bunch of shows around the US + Canada with @Garbage,” Alanis announced via Instagram story.

The tour will celebrate the 25th anniversary of her breakthrough album, Jagged Little Pill. The North American dates kick off July 10 with a pit stop at Ottawa Bluesfest. The Grammy winner will traverse Canada and the U.S. for 14 dates before wrapping August 6 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.

Alanis also announced rock band Garbage will join her on a few select dates. She’ll announce two other special guests in June.

Tickets for the upcoming tour will be made available starting Friday, March 11, at 10 a.m. local time on Alanis’ personal website. Citi cardmembers will be able to access a special presale beginning Wednesday, March 9, at 10 a.m. local time. American Express members will also be able to access Front of the Line presale tickets at the same time. Alanis encouraged those interested in accessing the presale to “sign up to my mailing list for the code, which will be sent by 11 pm et/ 8pm pt tonight.

To celebrate her upcoming tour, Alanis also will release a brand-new single on Friday, called “Olive Branch.”

Yungblud announces new single, “The Funeral”

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Yungblud has announced a new single called “The Funeral.”

The track is set to arrive this Friday, March 11, and is available to pre-save now.

Yungblud has been teasing “The Funeral” over the past few days with cryptic social media posts, including one of a handwritten letter reading, “You are cordially and graciously invited to my funeral.” Another reads, “Nobody came what a shame shame shame.”

“The Funeral” follows Yungblud’s 2021 single, “Fleabag,” which currently sits in the top 10 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart. The U.K. rocker’s most recent album is his 2020 sophomore effort, Weird!

Senate passes Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, Biden to sign into law

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After more than 200 failed attempts at passing anti-lynching legislation, the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act was unanimously passed Monday night.

The bill, which finally designates lynching as a federal hate crime, is headed to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“While this will not erase the horrific injustices to which tens of thousands of African Americans have been subjected over the generations, nor fully heal the terror inflicted on countless others, it is an important step forward as we continue the work of confronting our nation’s past in pursuit of a brighter and more just future,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor, according to ABC News.

In a 422-3 vote, the House approved the bill last month, after being blocked in 2020 by GOP Sen. Rand Paul. The senator supported the bill this time, saying, “I’m pleased to have worked with Senators Cory Booker and Tim Scott to strengthen the final product & ensure the language of this bill defines lynching as the absolutely heinous crime that it is, and I’m glad to cosponsor this bipartisan effort.”

The maximum prison sentence under the Anti-Lynching Act is 30 years.

The bill is named after Emmett Till, a Black teenager who was brutally beaten and killed in Mississippi in 1955 after being accused of offending a white woman. His death and his mother’s decision to hold an open-casket funeral, to show her son’s terrible injuries, became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights era.

Biden announces ban on Russian oil imports, other energy products

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. will ban imports of Russian oil and other energy products, but will not be joined in doing so by many European allies and partners.

The move is expected to trigger sharply higher gasoline and other energy prices in the U.S. and worldwide.

Speaking from the White House, he said it means “the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.”

The decision was made in “close consultation” with U.S. allies, some of whom he said would not be “in a position” to do the same but he stressed the alliance remained united.

Biden has been under growing political pressure from both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill to go forward with a ban even though the White House initially resisted, saying it wasn’t in the U.S. “strategic interest” to limit the world’s energy supply and drive up gasoline prices.

On Monday, top lawmakers announced they had come to a deal on bipartisan legislation that would punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, by banning the import of Russian oil and other energy products — as well as suspending normal trade relations with Russia and a House vote was expected this week.

Biden’s announcement is likely to cause gasoline prices in the U.S. — already at record highs — to soar even higher.

“I’m going to do everything I can to minimize Putin’s price hike here at home,” Biden said.

About 8% of U.S. imports of crude oil and petroleum products came from Russia last year, according to preliminary U.S. government data; 3% of U.S. oil came from Russia.

White House officials also say the impact on Russia, which sent just 1% of its oil exports to the U.S. in 2020, would not be great — especially when its oil and gas sector is already “de facto sanctioned” because of harsh restrictions on Russian banks.

There is less appetite in Europe for a ban on Russian oil and gas imports, since European nations rely heavily on Russia for their energy needs — nearly half of Russian oil exports go to Europe, according to U.S. government figures — and analysts say a ban would raise Europe’s energy prices significantly.

Emmett Till Antilynching Act heads to Biden’s desk

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act, which would make lynching a hate crime under federal law, now heads to President Biden’s desk.

The Senate unanimously passed the bill on Monday.

Congress has failed to pass anti-lynching legislation over 200 times. The bill is the first legislation of its kind in more than 100 years that has a chance at being signed into law.

“While this will not erase the horrific injustices to which 10s of 1000s of African Americans have been subjected over the generations, nor fully heal the terror inflicted on countless others, it is an important step forward as we continue the work of confronting our nation’s past in pursuit of a brighter and more just future,” said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Senate floor.

Lynchings were used to murder and terrorize the Black community in the U.S., predominantly in the South, from the 1880s to 1960s, the NAACP states. The Equal Justice Initiative, a racial justice advocacy and research organization, has documented nearly 6,500 racial terror lynchings in America between 1865 and 1950.

An offense can be prosecuted as a lynching when the offender conspires to commit a hate crime that results in someone’s death or serious bodily injury under this bill. This includes kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to kidnap, abuse, or kill.

A perpetrator can be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for lynching alone, raising the maximum sentence by 20 years from previous versions of the legislation.

The act is named after 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was kidnapped, beaten and lynched in Mississippi in August 1955 after being accused of whistling at a white woman.

His death remains a symbol of racism and brutality against Blacks in the U.S.

“If Emmett Till was still with us, his family might call him granddad,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said in a tweet. “Tonight, after decades of delay, Congress passed the bill named for him. When President Biden signs it, lynching will become a federal hate crime. I’m thinking of our ancestors and our babies tonight.”

Black Americans remain the most targeted group in the U.S. when it comes to reported hate crimes. They made up 2,871 of the 8,263 reported hate crimes in 2020 — or 34% — according to the FBI.

“By passing my Emmett Till Antilynching Act, the House has sent a resounding message that our nation is finally reckoning with one of the darkest and most horrific periods of our history and that we are morally and legally committed to changing course,” said Rep. Bobby L. Rush, D-Ill., after the House passed the bill.

ABC News’ Rachel Scott contributed to this report.

Prince Andrew case dismissed by stipulation

March 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Attorneys for Prince Andrew and his accuser Virginia Giuffre filed notice Tuesday morning in the Southern District of New York court informing the court that the parties have officially settled the case.

The court document states the case has been dismissed, “with prejudice” and that “each party” will bear their own costs and fees. “It is so stipulated,” the document concludes.

The stipulation for dismissal awaits a signature from the judge.

Last month, Prince Andrew agreed to settle a sexual assault lawsuit from Giuffre.

The sum of the settlement was not disclosed, and a letter to the court said that Prince Andrew “intends to make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.”

Giuffre had alleged that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her to Prince Andrew, who she claimed took advantage and sexually abused her when she was under 18.

Prince Andrew had repeatedly denied the allegation and attacked Giuffre’s credibility and motives.

Giuffre and Epstein settled a civil lawsuit for $500,000 in 2009, which was the basis for Prince Andrew’s argument to have the case dismissed.

Epstein died by suicide at the at Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan in 2019. He had been set to stand trial for allegedly sexually abusing dozens of girls in New York and Florida.

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