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House Oversight opens investigation into baby formula shortage: Exclusive

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The House Oversight Committee is launching an investigation into the nationwide shortage of baby formula, and demanding records and information from four of the largest manufacturers.

“The national formula shortage poses a threat to the health and economic security of infants and families in communities across the country — particularly those with less income who have historically experienced health inequities, including food insecurity,” Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., wrote in letters to Abbott Nutrition, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Nestle USA and Perrigo, obtained first by ABC News.

The committee is investigating potential price gouging and the steps the companies have taken to address the shortage impacting families across the country.

“We have asked for a briefing by the end of the month, and we’ve asked three basic questions: Do they have the supply to meet the demand? Is there a supply chain problem that can be corrected? And what can we do to make sure this doesn’t happen again?” Maloney told ABC News.

President Joe Biden spoke to major retailers and manufacturers on Thursday about how to boost supplies for American consumers, according to senior administration officials, as some retailers have limited the number of formula purchases each customer can make.

“While we are a small player in the infant formula market, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to help get parents and caregivers the formula they need so their babies can thrive,” a Nestlé spokesperson told ABC News. “We have significantly increased the amount of our infant formula available to consumers by ramping up production and accelerating general product availability to retailers and online, as well as in hospitals for those most vulnerable.”

The White House has also called the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to investigate potential price gouging. The Food and Drug Administration could also announce ways the U.S. can import more formula from abroad.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans blamed the Biden administration for the shortage, which is due in part to Abbott halting the production of four formulas at its production facility in February due to bacterial infections that led to two infant deaths.

The company said it could restart production in two weeks, subject to FDA approval, but that it could take more time for production to boost domestic supplies. The company said investigation found no evidence linking the infections to the plant.

“This should never happen in the United States,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, a member of House GOP leadership and mother of an eight-month-old boy.

Republicans Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma and Randy Feenstra of Iowa have also proposed legislation to streamline the import of formulas produced overseas.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has also scheduled a hearing on the topic later this month, and could ask regulators and representatives from Abbott to testify, according to a committee aide.

Abbott Nutrition, Mead Johnson Nutrition, and Perrigo have not responded to ABC News’ request for comment.

What abortion funds are and how they work

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As a growing number of states continue to pass strict abortion laws, Americans are facing more barriers when it comes to accessing the procedure.

However, one of the greatest obstacles pregnant people are often met with is the cost of obtaining an abortion.

An abortion can cost anywhere from $0 to more than $1,000, and it’s not just the medical costs that patients face, according to a study from the Guttmacher Institute, a research group focusing on sexual and reproductive health.

Those seeking an abortion may also have out-of-pocket costs for traveling out of town — or, in some cases, out of state — as well as food, lodging, gas, coordinating child care and accessing medication.

Now, with the Supreme Court potentially set to overturn or severely gut Roe v. Wade, attention has turned to abortion funds, which can help arrange and pay for abortion care, as well as other costs associated with the procedure.

What is an abortion fund?

An abortion fund is a nonprofit organization that provides direct funding to those seeking an abortion who may not be able to afford it.

Some funds completely or partially cover the costs strictly related to the procedure, such as for pills for medication abortions — which make up more than half of all abortions in the U.S. — or for an in-office procedure.

“We also provide what we call practical support,” Chasity Wilson, executive director of the New Orleans Abortion Fund, which helps provide funding for people living in the Gulf South, told ABC News.

This includes surrounding costs such as transportation to and from abortion clinics, translation services, gas, lodging and child care — and emotional support.

In addition to local funds, there are 92 abortion funds — as of October 2021 — that are members of the National Network of Abortion Funds, which helps connect organizations across the country.

How do they work?

Some funds, such as the NOAF, allow women to call directly to ask for help paying for an abortion.

“The patient reaches out by calling our hotlines,” Wilson said. “Sometimes we also participate in solidarity funds when another fund that provides these services may reach out and say, ‘Hey, we have a person whose procedures cost $1,300 so we can spend $500, how much can you help?'”

Other funds, such as the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project — a nonprofit that helps provide funds to people seeking abortion services or emergency contraception — speak directly with clinics and providers.

“We have a network of over 700 clinics, doctors and hospitals that are networked with our fund that contact us on a daily basis to let us know that they have a patent in need of an abortion and that patient needs funding,” Sylvia Ghazarian, executive director of WRRAP, told ABC News. “When a clinic calls us, we return the call and make a pledge commitment to that clinic.”

Ghazarian said the fund will then receive the invoice from the clinic and cover the cost within the week.

WRRAP’s statistics from 2021 showed that 73% of the fund’s patients were people of color and 76% received public assistance. Additionally, NOAF’s 2021 report found that 71% of patients were Black or African American and about two-thirds were on Medicaid.

“A lot of these populations have traditionally less access to health care, but by no means does this mean these are the populations that receive abortions most frequently,” Wilson said.

Who can access them?

Some abortion funds have no requirements. Ghazarian said WRRAP helps provide funding for abortions across the U.S.

Other funds help specific groups of women based on where they live, their racial/ethnic makeup, or how far along they are in their pregnancies.

For example, the Midwest Access Coalition helps cover costs for people seeking abortions in the Midwest, while the Northwest Abortion Access Fund does the same for those living in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Women’s Fund provides support for Native or Indigenous Americans seeking to end their pregnancies.

Others, like the Brigid Alliance, help fund those who have to travel long distances to receive late-term abortions.

How do abortion funds get their funding?

Most abortion funds receive support through individual donations. Since the leak of the draft opinion, first reported by Politico, there has been a substantial increase in donations to abortion funds across the country.

The National Network of Abortion Funds told Good Morning America it received more than $1.5 million in donations within three days of the leak reporting.

Ghazarian said news of the leaked draft has left many patients confused. She said she spoke with an abortion clinic earlier in the week that was receiving calls from patients asking if their abortion appointments were still on.

Because of this, another part of WRRAP’s work is community outreach so people can know what the abortion laws are in the part of the country they live in.

“We’re trying to generate information out there not just to clinics but to communities, so that individuals know we’re still here and we will still support them no matter what,” Ghazarian said.

Family to sue Kenosha police after accusing officer of kneeling on 12-year-old girl’s neck

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(KENOSHA, Wis.) — The family of a 12-year-old girl has taken the first steps towards suing a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who they say kneeled on the girl’s neck while trying to stop a fight she was allegedly involved in.

Video of the incident, which took place during lunchtime in the cafeteria at Kenosha’s Lincoln Middle School on March 4, was captured by students and went viral.

The family intends to file a lawsuit against Shawn Guetschow, who was off duty at the time of the incident, as well as Kenosha Police Chief Eric Larsen, the City of Kenosha, and the Kenosha Unified School District, according to a Notice of Claim obtained by ABC News.

“The claimants’ damages include the violation of the claimants’ rights, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent injury, past and future medical expenses, and punitive damages,” according to the document.

The claim further alleges that the girl, who is identified only as “Jane Doe” because she is a minor, “suffered a traumatic brain injury.”

Attempts to reach Guetschow were unsuccessful and it is unclear if he has retained an attorney.

ABC News reached out to the Kenosha Professional Police Association, the police union that represents the officer, but a request for comment was not immediately returned.

“The allegations within the Notice of Claim are unfounded,” attorney Sam Hall Jr., who represents the school district told ABC News in a statement on Thursday. “The Kenosha Unified School District will vigorously defend itself and its employees in the event that litigation is initiated in this matter.”

When asked about the intent to take legal action, a spokesman for the Kenosha Police Department told ABC News on Wednesday that “it appears that the ‘Notice of Claim’ has been made available to mainstream media; however, we have yet to see anything.”

The family’s attorney, Drew DeVinney, told ABC News on Wednesday that the family’s decision to file a lawsuit is “in response to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s decision to criminally charge Jane Doe.”

Asked about the nature of the charges, the Kenosha Police Department did not return a request for comment, but in March police confirmed to ABC News that a charge of disorderly conduct was referred to juvenile court for Jane Doe, as well as the other student involved in the fight.

A video taken by one of the students at the school was obtained by ABC News and shows the officer, who was later identified as Guetschow, responding to a fight between two students.

The 12-year-old girl, who is in the sixth grade, appears to push the officer and then he pins her to the ground and appears to kneel on her neck, according to the video. It is unclear what happened before or after.

Amid a national push for police reform after Floyd’s death, Wisconsin banned the use of police chokeholds in June 2021 except in life-threatening situations or when a police officer has to defend themselves. Chokeholds include various neck restraints.

Guetschow, who was working part-time as a security officer for the Kenosha Unified School District, resigned from his role with the school district on March 15, Tanya Ruder, chief communications officer for the Kenosha Unified School District, previously confirmed to ABC News.

In his resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, Guetschow cited the “mental and emotional strain” that the public attention surrounding the incident has brought on his family, as well as what he says is “the lack of communication and or support” that he has received from the district.

Kenosha police Lt. Joseph Nosalik confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that Guetschow is still employed by the police department and is currently on desk duty amid the investigation. He is not facing any charges.
Kenosha officer accused of kneeling on girl’s neck resigns from school district

“She’s humiliated, she’s traumatized. Every day I gotta hear, ‘Daddy, I don’t wanna go to school,'” the girl’s father, Jerrell Perez, said at a press conference in March.

The investigation launched into the incident by the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha Unified School District is ongoing.

Justice Department opens grand jury probe into Trump’s handling of documents

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice has opened a grand jury investigation related to former President Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents, following the revelation in February that he had brought boxes of documents home to his Mar-a-Lago estate when he left the White House.

At least one subpoena has been issued to the National Archives, and interview requests have been made to some former aides who were with Trump during his last days in office, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The news was first reported by the New York Times.

“President Trump consistently handled all documents in accordance with applicable law and regulations,” a spokesperson for Trump said in a statement following news of the probe. “Belated attempts to second-guess that clear fact are politically motivated and misguided.”

Officials with the Department of Justice declined to comment on the matter.

National Archives officials had previously confirmed in a letter to the House Oversight Committee that some of the documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago were marked “classified,” and said they had referred the matter to the Department of Justice.

A total blood moon eclipse is happening this weekend. How to watch

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Stargazers all over the world will have an opportunity to see a blood moon over the weekend as a lunar eclipse moves into Earth’s orbit.

The penumbral eclipse, when the moon is completely immersed in the penumbral cone of the Earth without touching the umbra, the inner part of Earth’s shadow, is expected to begin Sunday just after 9:30 p.m. ET, according to NASA. The penumbral eclipse results in only part of the moon going dark.

The partial eclipse, when the moon appears to move into the umbra and part of the moon inside the umbra will appear very dark, will occur just before 10:30 p.m. ET.

Totality will begin just before 11:30 p.m. ET, when the entire moon is inside Earth’s umbra and transforms to a coppery-red hue. Totality will end before 1 a.m. Monday, and the penumbral eclipse will end at 2:50 a.m.

Residents in the eastern half of the U.S. and all of South America will be able to observe each stage of the lunar eclipse, and totality will be visible in much of Africa, western Europe, Central and South America and most of North America, according to NASA.

A dark environment away from bright lights will make for the best viewing conditions.

The lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon align, and the moon passes into Earth’s shadow, according to NASA. “Blood moon” is the term to describe the part of the total lunar eclipse in which all the Earth’s sunrises and sunsets project onto the moon’s surface as it passes through Earth’s shadow, darkening it and giving it its crimson color.

Rayleigh scattering, the same phenomenon that gives the sky its blue color and makes sunsets red, is what causes the moon to turn red during the eclipse. Red light, which has longer wavelengths than blue light, is seen during a lunar eclipse because the only sunlight reaching the moon passes through Earth’s atmosphere, according to NASA.

“It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon,” according to the administration.

The more dust or clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere at the time of the eclipse, the more red the moon will appear.

During the eclipse, cloud cover is expected from Dallas to Chicago, while scattered clouds will range from Atlanta to New York. NASA will broadcast a livestream of the total lunar eclipse.

The next total lunar eclipse will occur on Nov. 8. After that, another total lunar eclipse will not occur until March 13, 2025.

Russia-Ukraine live updates: Russian troops suffer ‘significant’ loss in Donbas

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.

The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, attempting to capture the strategic port city of Mariupol to secure a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

May 13, 3:10 am
Russian troops suffer ‘significant’ loss in Donbas, UK says

Russian troops suffered “significant” loss while attempting to cross a river in the disputed Donbas region of war-torn eastern Ukraine, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said Friday in an intelligence update.

“Ukrainian forces successfully prevented an attempted Russian river crossing in the Donbas,” the ministry said. “Images indicate that during the crossing of the Siverskyi Donets river west of Severodonetsk, Russia lost significant armoured manoeuvre elements of at least one Battalion Tactical Group as well as the deployed pontoon bridging equipment.”

“Conducting river crossings in a contested environment is a highly risky manoeuvre and speaks to the pressure the Russian commanders are under to make progress in their operations in eastern Ukraine,” the ministry added. “Russian forces have failed to make any significant advances despite concentrating forces in this area after withdrawing and redeploying units from the Kyiv and Chernihiv Oblasts.”

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released images purportedly showing a wrecked pontoon crossing over the Siverskyi Donets river, with a number of damaged or destroyed armored vehicles on both banks.

“Artillerymen of the 17th tank brigade of the #UAarmy have opened the holiday season for [Russian forces],” the ministry said in a post on Twitter, alongside the photos. “Some bathed in the Siverskyi Donets River, and some were burned by the May sun.”

The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Strategic Communications Directorate also tweeted images of the scene, purportedly showing the smoking wreckage after artillery units and land forces “destroyed all attempts by the Russian occupiers to cross the Seversky Donets River.”

May 12, 5:11 pm
Sen. Rand Paul single-handedly delays $40B in aid, pushing vote to next week

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., single-handedly sidelined the $40 billion emergency Ukraine aid bill until next week in an effort to force lawmakers to include funding for a new watchdog effort to police how the billions in taxpayer dollars are spent.

In a very rare moment, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined forces.

“There is now only one thing holding us back: the junior Senator from Kentucky is preventing swift passage of Ukraine aid because he wants to add — at the last minute — his own changes directly into the bill. His change is strongly opposed by many members from both parties,” Schumer said Thursday. “He is not even asking for an amendment … he is simply saying, ‘my way or the highway.'”

But Paul stood his ground, highlighting the nearly $60 billion that the U.S. will have given to Ukraine if this package passes.

After Paul blocked an effort to expedite passage, Schumer reiterated that Paul will not get his desired changes without a vote and blamed Paul for slowing aid.

The aid bill has enormous bipartisan support and is expected to pass by sometime next week.

-ABC News’ Trish Turner and Allie Pecorin

Biden to announce $10 billion from American Rescue Plan for policing, public safety

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Biden to announce billion from American Rescue Plan for policing, public safety

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden will announce Friday that $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan has been committed to police departments and public safety across the U.S.

“A very big amount of what we’re talking about today is the fact that state and local government have already committed at least $6.5 billion to various different forms of public safety, CVI [Community Violence Intervention], to preventing layoffs of police officers and vital services, and adding needed equipment,” senior administration officials said on a call with reporters Thursday night.

Biden is set to meet with mayors and police chiefs at the White House Friday and underline those investments during remarks from the Rose Garden at 3 p.m. E.T.

These funds show what has been reported from cities through the end of 2021. The COVID-19 relief law included $350 billion for state and local governments to reduce violence.

A senior administration official said Biden wants to call on communities to use these funds “now” because “we are approaching another summer and want to stress the priority of using these dollars for public safety and violence prevention.”

Ahead of Biden’s meeting today, the White House highlighted how cities are using the ARP funds to boost police budgets and protect communities.

This includes Houston, where the city’s $52 million plan puts $32 million toward mental health, domestic violence response and victim service efforts, as well as $11 million in police overtime, $3 million toward a new community violence intervention and prevention program, and $1 million for a gun-buyback initiative.

Kansas City, Missouri, was able to hire up to 150 police officers, as well as increase pay for officers and civilian staff using ARP funds. The city also budgeted $12.4 million for its Violent Crimes Division.

In Detroit, the city began using ARP funds in July 2021 and has continued to expand public safety initiatives in its $110 million plan, according to the White House, including $30 million for enhanced police patrols, $12 million for community outreach gun violence prevention programs and $11 million for expanded mental health co-response.

Cities such as Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have invested funds in new police equipment and cars, respectively.

Scoreboard roundup — 5/12/22

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Baltimore 3, St. Louis 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Oakland 5, Detroit 3
Houston 11, Minnesota 3
Houston 5, Minnesota 0
Texas 3, Kansas City 1
NY Yankees 15 Chicago White Sox 7

NATIONAL LEAGUE
NY Mets 4, Washington 1
Cincinnati 4, Pittsburgh 0
Philadelphia 9, LA Dodgers 7

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Miami 99, Philadelphia 90 (Miami wins 4-2)
Dallas 113, Phoenix 86 (Series tied 3-3)

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Boston 5, Carolina 2 (Series tied 3-3)
Tampa Bay 4, Toronto 3 (OT) (Series tied 3-3)
St. Louis 5, Minnesota 1 (St. Louis wins 4-2)
Edmonton 4, Los Angeles 2 (Series tied 3-3)

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’s Manuel Garcia-Rulfo on the significance of playing the lead as a Mexican actor

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The Lincoln Lawyer is driving on to a TV set near you this weekend –- the Netflix series about a lawyer who works out of the back of his various Lincoln cars is based on the wildly popular book series, which was made into a movie starring Matthew McConaughey in 2011. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo Garcia-Rulfo stars in this latest version, and he tells ABC Audio he plays it different than McConaughey, though he loves him.

“I remember watching the film, Matthew McConaughey’s film, back in the day, when it came out and loving it, loving what he did. I mean, it’s Matthew McConaughey, he’s amazing,” the actor gushes. “I especially remember the character, because I wasn’t familiar at the time with the books… what a great character.”

Stepping into the lead character’s shoes as a Mexican actor is a dream come true for Garcia-Rulfo, who says, “That’s the great thing about America…it doesn’t matter where you come from, you can make it.”

“I think I was very thankful to be playing not the cartel,” he continues. “It’s such a cool thing to be a lead as a Mexican actor, to be playing that is really, really something.”

“When I when I got [the lead role], I’m like, wait, am I playing the lawyer? You know, like, is this the lead, are you sure?” the actor recalls. “It’s so important. It’s it was such a pleasure. And I’m really thankful for that.“

Although thankful for the role, if Garcia-Rulfo were a lawyer he wouldn’t be working out of the backseat of a moving car like his character does.

“I get car sick very easy,” he admits. “Like I can’t read, you know? No I couldn’t do it.”

Zedd announces headlining shows in New York, Colorado and San Francisco

May 13, 2022 by WDNY Radio

We don’t know when we’re getting new music from him, but when it comes to performing live, Zedd is back in full force.

Following the announcement of his Zedd in the Park event in Los Angeles on July 8, “The Middle” mastermind has announced several headlining shows. He’ll perform at New York’s Brooklyn Mirage on August 12 and 13; at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, on August 31; and at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on October 8.

The general on-sale for the shows starts today, Friday, at 10 a.m. local time via Zedd.net. Zedd is also playing the after-party of the Billboard Music Conference this Saturday night, taking place at Zouk at Resorts World in Las Vegas.

So far this year, Zedd has released two singles: “Follow” with Martin Garrix and “You’ve Got to Let Go If You Want to Be Free” with Disclosure. Over the last few years, Zedd has teamed up with Katy Perry for the song “365” and with Shawn Mendes for a remix of “Lost In Japan.”

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