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Record heat waves continue, 100 million affected

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 20 states are seeing dangerously hot temperatures this week, impacting nearly 100 million Americans, according to the National Weather Service.

The heat index will be over 100 degrees from the Plains to the Southeast with little relief at night.

An excessive heat warning has been issued from southern inland California to Arizona. Temperatures in this region could reach 110 degrees over the next few days.

Record temperatures also continue in the Midwest, South and the Carolinas.

In Nashville, the recorded high was 97 degrees on Tuesday. In Fayetteville, North Carolina, the mercury hit 100 degrees.

Chicago on Tuesday experienced its warmest weather since 2012, with temps reaching 98 degrees.

The temperature stayed at and above 80 degrees for 48 hours in Kansas City.

If the temperature in Detroit reaches 97 degrees on Wednesday, it will be the hottest recorded June temperature in the city since 2012.

Other cities seeing high temps are Charleston, Columbus and Pittsburgh as the heat wave continues to creep east.

A red flag warning continues in Nevada, where dry conditions and extreme heat perpetuates the opportunity for wildfires.

The National Weather Service said much of the Midwest will continue to remain above normal temperatures into the end of the week.

Such heat is dangerous and abnormal for even the hottest regions in the country.

As the heat wave continues, schools are shutting down to protect students and staff.

Five school districts in southeast Michigan are canceling classes or adjusting dismissal times as the Detroit area braces for Wednesday’s heat.

David Mustonen, director of communications and marketing for Dearborn Public Schools in Michigan, told ABC News the district will be closed for Wednesday. He said the decision to close was necessary.

“It really had to do with the heat index being so high,” Mustonen said. “It’s just not the best condition for learning.”

Mustonen said the district’s protocol is to close if the heat index reaches 105, which will likely happen on Wednesday.

“For the students and our staff, this was just the right decision,” Mustonen added.

Schools in other metropolitan areas are adjusting their schedules amid the heat.

Pittsburgh Public Schools will only be open for half days on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the district’s website. School lunches will still be provided at Pittsburgh Public Schools during the half days.

The American Heart Association has warned that temperatures over 100 degrees can be dangerous; high temperatures cause dehydration and increase stress on the heart.

The association recommends that individuals stay hydrated, avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages and avoid the outdoors during the peak sun hours of about 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The return of the Jedi: Hayden Christensen thanks ‘Star Wars’ fans for “incredible” Obi-Wan Kenobi role reprisal

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(SPOILERS) On Wednesday, the penultimate episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi dropped on Disney+.

And as many fans had hoped since news broke Hayden Christensen was returning to the Star Wars fold after the prequels, “Part V” shows the actor in flashbacks as Anakin Skywalker — before he turned to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader.

Christensen was almost at a loss for words to ABC Audio about his return. “It’s been incredible,” the actor enthuses. “I can’t sort of tell you how meaningful it is to me.”

He adds, “You know, the fans have just been very supportive, and they’re the reason why I get to come back and play in this world again. And I can’t thank them enough.”

The new episode explores the bond between Skywalker and Kenobi as student and master, in a sequence that takes place before the events of Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

The two became battle brothers as the galaxy erupted in the Clone Wars, which were explored in detail in the Emmy-winning animated series that shares the conflict’s name.

For Christensen, the series became a great way to research the character for the flashbacks in Kenobi.

“It was really interesting to get to see these other storylines and these characters at a different time in their lives…You know, it all helps in terms of just understanding the character then and re familiarizing myself as much as I could.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi of course also allowed Christensen to step back into Darth Vader’s menacing black armor for the first time since the closing moments of Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

As then, it drew a crowd on set.

“Vader definitely gets a response from people,” the actor says with a laugh. (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Process begins to get vaccines to kids under 5, the last remaining group

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Parents with young kids are one step closer to getting them vaccinated following a grueling wait for the last remaining group to be authorized for a vaccine.

The process for authorization and recommendation from the regulatory agencies kicked off Wednesday with a meeting of the Food and Drug Administration’s committee of independent experts.

The committee is scheduled to review the data on both the Moderna vaccine for kids under 6, which is a two-dose vaccine, and the Pfizer vaccine for kids under 5, which is a three-dose vaccine.

Though kids have generally had less-severe cases of COVID-19 than older adults, there have still been nearly 500 deaths in kids under 5 and over 30,000 hospitalizations in the U.S.

“We are dealing with an issue where I think we have to be careful that we don’t become numb to the number of pediatric deaths because of the overwhelming number of older deaths here. Every life is important. And vaccine-preventable deaths are ones that we would like to try to do something about,” said Dr. Peter Marks, who runs the vaccine division at the FDA.

“Granted, it’s a population that has been much less affected than the older populations, particularly the oldest population, but one nonetheless that has also been affected. And I think for those who have lost children to COVID-19, our hearts go out to them, because these are — each child that’s lost essentially fractures a family,” Marks told the committee on Wednesday.

Officials from Pfizer and Moderna stressed Wednesday that their vaccines are safe and effective at protecting young children against COVID-19.

Both companies reported mild reactions to the shots. Among young children, fevers and pain at the injection site were the most common symptoms reported following the shot, with most post-vaccination symptoms resolving in a matter of days.

“These pediatric groups represent a more vulnerable population, so it is particularly important to minimize reactions, including fever, while achieving an immune response likely to provide protection against COVID-19,” said Dr. William Gruber, senior vice president of vaccine clinical research and development at Pfizer.

Neither Moderna or Pfizer reported any cases of myocarditis among the youngest children.

And the impact spans wider than the statistics. Parents with kids too young to be vaccinated have dealt with constant child care interruptions from COVID-19 scares and two years of mitigation strategies even after most people in the country dropped their masks.

Once the FDA committee votes on Wednesday, the process moves to FDA leadership to officially authorize the vaccines. If that happens, the administration can start shipping out vaccines to states.

Then, on Friday and Saturday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisers will meet to review the data on both vaccines.

The final step in the process is a recommendation from CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, after which shots can be administered in doctors’ offices, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and other locations.

Vaccines are expected to be available as early as the week of June 21, if the review processes find the vaccines safe and effective.

The Biden administration estimates that 85% of children under the age of 5 live within 5 miles of a potential vaccination site, an administration official said.

But it will be an uphill battle to convince parents to vaccinate their young kids, if polling is any indication. A recent survey from KFF found that just 1 in 5 parents are eager to vaccinate their kids right away.

Federal officials said they plan to lean into existing networks to get vaccine information out to families, like the American Academy of Pediatrics, mom blogs and PTAs, as well as groups specific to communities of color, like the League of United Latin American Citizens.

“We have learned from our previous campaigns, and one of the most important lessons that we’ve learned is that we know who people listen to when making decisions, and there are trusted people in their lives,” a senior administration official said.

Biden marks Pride Month with executive order combatting conversion therapy, supporting LGBTQ kids

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The federal government will be instructing states on ways to expand access to health care and suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ people and will be releasing school policy samples that work to better include such students, among other steps in support of the community including a campaign against conversion therapy, senior administration officials said Wednesday.

President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Wednesday directing the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education to take such measures as part of what his administration said was a broader push, during Pride Month, “to stand up to the bullies targeting” the LGBTQ community.

The White House singled out hundreds of new bills, nationwide, that would impose restrictions on LGBTQ people or issues, such as a law in Florida outlawing discussion of gender and sexuality in certain classrooms and various state bans — either proposed or already passed into law — on transgender children being able to receive certain medical treatments.

“President Biden is addressing these harmful, hateful, and discriminatory attacks head-on – not only by speaking up for America’s families, but taking action,” the White House said in a statement.

The new executive order will urge additional policy guidance, increase administrative protections and make the federal government available as a partner to states; it will also raise public awareness around what the administration said were ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ people, like the prevalence of conversion therapy that seeks to change a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

“Children who are exposed to so-called ‘conversion therapy’ face higher rates of attempted suicide and trauma,” the White House said. “[M]any people in the United States and around the world are still subjected to this practice.”

A new HHS initiative will work to reduce youth exposure to conversion therapy by clarifying that programs receiving federal funds cannot engage in the practice, as directed by the president’s order.

Spotlighting the practice’s harms is another component of the initiative, and HHS will offer guidance to health care providers through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The order also seeks to address some of the barriers before LGBTQ children and families.

The White House said that while LGBTQ parents are “7 times more likely to adopt a child,” the foster care system makes it challenging for them to adopt children.

“President Biden is charging HHS with strengthening non-discrimination protections,” according to the White House.

Another HHS initiative will work to ensure that children receive foster care placements in environments supportive of their sexual orientation, the administration said.

The president will announce his executive order at a White House Pride Month celebration in the East Room on Wednesday afternoon. He will be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses, Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff, as well as Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The White House’s focus on LGBTQ issues — specifically those affecting children — comes weeks after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a controversial ban on discussion of “sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms or in older grades if it is not “age appropriate or developmentally appropriate.”

Critics denounced the law as an overly broad “Don’t Say Gay” ban; DeSantis and its supporters said it prevented children from being exposed to what they called inappropriate content.

ABC News reports similar legislation is working its way through legislatures or already enacted into law in Alabama and Ohio.

ABC News’ Armando Garcia contributed to this report.

Federal Reserve hikes interest rate by 0.75%

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Reserve raised interest rates significantly on Wednesday, hiking it 0.75%, escalating a strategy of increased borrowing costs that aims to dial back historic inflation.

The rate hike of 0.75% marks the largest increase since 1994. The dramatic rate increase follows new inflation data that showed a reacceleration of price increases to levels not seen for more than four decades, dashing hopes that inflation had reached its peak.

A rate hike of 0.75% brings the interest rate to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%

The Fed also indicated that more rate hikes will follow in the coming months.

An increase to the benchmark interest rate raises borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, which in theory should slash inflation by slowing the economy and eating away at demand. But the strategy also risks tipping the economy into a recession. The rate hike will likely increase everything from credit card fees to mortgage rates.

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.5% last month, and central bankers had signaled the same increase for June. But a persistent surge in costs appears to have prompted a reevaluation. The consumer price index, or CPI, stood at 8.6% year-over-year in May, a significant increase from 8.3% the month prior, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday.

President Joe Biden has touted the economic recovery from a coronavirus-induced downturn, but acknowledged that many American households are struggling with high costs.

“Jobs are back, but prices are still too high,” he said during a speech in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Republican members of Congress have criticized Biden for the price hikes, suggesting they stem from his mismanagement of the economy. Biden has attributed high prices to the disruption of food and gas markets that has resulted from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling the sky-high inflation “Putin’s price hike” — a term the administration has used repeatedly.

Miley Cyrus, Alanis Morissette to perform at tribute concert for late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died in March at age 50 when the band was on tour in Colombia, is being saluted with two all-star tribute concerts in September — and Miley Cyrus and Alanis Morissette are on the bill for one of them.

Miley and Alanis are among the many, many stars who’ll be performing at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 27. Mark Ronson is also on the bill, as are Joan Jett and members of KISS, Queen, The Police, Rush and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Another concert with some of the same performers will take place September 3 at London’s Wembley Stadium, though Alanis and Miley aren’t part of that show.

The concept of the show is that Hawkins’ “bandmates and his inspirations” will be “playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.” So where do Miley and Alanis fit in?

Well, from 1995 to 1997, before Hawkins joined Foo Fighters, he was Alanis’ drummer on her tour supporting her album Jagged Little Pill. He also appears in her videos for “You Oughta Know,” “All I Really Want” and “You Learn.”

As for Miley, she and Hawkins were friends; he played on her 2021 album Plastic Hearts. She and Foo Fighters headlined the Lollapalooza Chile festival on March 18 and 19. After Hawkins died on March 25, she filled in for Foo Fighters at Lollapalooza Brazil and dedicated her show to him.

Tickets to both shows go on sale this Friday, June 17 at 9 a.m. local time. Proceeds will benefit charities in the U.K. and U.S. chosen by the Hawkins family.

For more info, visit FooFighters.com.

Mick Jagger “feeling much better” after COVID diagnosis; Rolling Stones reschedule Amsterdam concert

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Good news from Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who says he’s recovering well after testing positive for COVID-19, which forced the band to postpone two shows on its current SIXTY tour of Europe.

“Thank you all so much for your well wishes and messages the last few days,” the 78-year-old rock legend writes in a message posted on his social media pages. “I’m feeling much better and can’t wait to get back on stage next week!”

Jagger also reveals that the first of the postponed shows, a June 13 concert in Amsterdam, “has been rescheduled for July 7,” adding that a new date for the postponed June 17 gig in Bern, Switzerland will be announced “ASAP.” The Rolling Stones also posted details about the new Amsterdam date on their social media sites.

The next scheduled concert on The Stones’ 60th anniversary tour is a June 21 show in Milan, Italy.

Road rage incident leads to hate crime charge

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEWBURGH, N.Y.) — A man was arrested Tuesday following an alleged racist road rage incident against a father and son in Newburgh, New York.

Robert Mclymore, who is Black, told New York ABC station that he slowed to let a car pass in front of him on June 11. William Ryan, 60, a white man, was driving behind him and began shouting racist slurs at Mclymore, who was driving with his son.

Ryan began waving a box cutter at the two of them and tried to rear-end the car, according to Mclymore.

The driver allegedly followed Mclymore into a restaurant parking lot and claimed to be an off-duty trooper while giving Mclymore the middle finger, he said. Mclymore caught the incident on his cellphone.

Mclymore told WABC that he is actually a police lieutenant and pastor in the neighboring town of Wallkill.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” Mclymore told WABC about the incident. “I couldn’t believe the racial epithets, him saying that he was a cop or a trooper, most of all him doing what he did and he’s an older gentleman.”

Ryan has been charged with second-degree menacing as a hate crime, a Class E felony, according to the Newburgh Police Department. He is being held in police custody until his arraignment on Wednesday evening.

“There is no place for hate in our community,” Newburgh Police Chief Anthony Geraci wrote in a statement. “Mr. Ryan will be held accountable for his criminal actions and deplorable speech. His racists (sic) threats were not only harmful to the victim in this case but echoes deep within our City.”

Federal Reserve expected to dramatically hike interest rate

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates significantly on Wednesday, escalating a strategy of increased borrowing costs that aims to dial back historic inflation.

Central bankers are expected to consider a rate hike of 0.75%, which would mark the largest increase since 1994. The potentially dramatic rate increase follows new inflation data that showed a reacceleration of price increases to levels not seen for more than four decades, dashing hopes that inflation had reached its peak.

The Fed is also expected to indicate that more rate hikes will follow in the coming months.

A rate hike of 0.75% would bring the interest rate to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%.

President Joe Biden has touted the economic recovery from a coronavirus-induced downturn, but acknowledged that many American households are struggling with high costs.

“Jobs are back, but prices are still too high,” he said during a speech in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The first teaser trailer for Harry Styles’ ‘My Policeman’ is finally here

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Only a few months to go before Harry Styles‘ new movie, My Policeman, arrives in theaters, and to hype fans further, Amazon released the first teaser trailer on Wednesday.

The teaser flips through some of the more emotional moments of the upcoming drama, which features Harry as a closeted officer named Tom. The R-rated film also stars The Crown’s Emma Corrin as a schoolteacher named Marion and The Last Kingdom’s David Dawson as a museum curator named Patrick.

The teaser shows a conversation between Patrick and Tom, as the latter describes how a painting of the ocean makes him feel. “I can sense the waves. You know how strong they are, like swimming in rough surf. You feel they could crush you or take you under,” he describes. “You just have to let it take hold of you.”

The movie is about a forbidden love between Tom and Patrick, as the movie is set in 1950s England when homosexuality was prohibited. While Tom marries Marion in an attempt to fit into society, Patrick suffers the consequences when he is outed.

My Policeman is based on the book of the same name. After it debuts in theaters on October 21, it will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on November 4.

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