Page 7116 – 105.7 WDNY

Second guilty plea made in alleged kidnapping plot of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.) — A second man charged in a bizarre plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pleaded guilty Wednesday and has agreed to testify for the prosecution at the federal trial of four other defendants.

Kaleb Franks, 27, of Waterford, Michigan, admitted in U.S. District in Grand Rapids that he and other members of the Wolverine Watchmen, a Michigan-based self-styled “militia” group, hatched the plot to abduct Whitmer at her summer home in 2020 because they were upset by the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.

The plot, which allegedly included plans to use semiautomatic assault-type weapons and to bomb a bridge near Whitmer’s vacation home, was foiled by undercover law enforcement officers who infiltrated the group.

“Did any law enforcement officers suggest kidnapping the governor?” U.S. Magistrate Judge Phillip Green asked Franks during Wednesday’s hearing.

Franks replied, “No sir.”

Franks admitted in court that the kidnapping plan originated solely with him and the others charged in the conspiracy.

Lawyers for the other men facing trial in March filed a motion to dismiss the charges, arguing they were entrapped. The judge rejected that motion.

Franks’ guilty plea comes after another man charged in the case, Ty Garbin, 25, pleaded guilty last year to firearms charges and conspiracy charges of providing material support for terrorists. Garbin was sentenced in August to 75 months in prison.

Garbin is also expected to testify for the prosecution in the upcoming federal trial for Adam Fox, 40, Barry Croft Jr., 45, Daniel Harris, 24, and Brandon Caserta, 33. Eight other men face charges in state court stemming from the kidnap plot.

Franks admitted being deeply involved in the kidnap plot, participating in meetings and training sessions, and surveillance conducted on Whitmer’s vacation home in his signed plea agreement.

After the plot was thwarted, Whitmer alleged in an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America that the plan included more than kidnaping her.

“This was a very serious thought-out plot to kill police officers, to bomb our capitol, killing Democrats and Republicans alike, and to kidnap and ultimately put me on trial and kill me as well,” Whitmer said on GMA. “These are the types of things you hear from groups like ISIS. This is not a militia; it is a domestic terror organization.”

Portugal. the Man premieres new song, “What, Me Worry?”; next album due out in June

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Portugal. the Man has premiered a new song called “What, Me Worry?”

The track is the first single off the “Feel It Still” outfit’s next album, the follow-up to 2017’s Woodstock. It’s set to be released this June.

“While recording this album and hanging in LA, we got into a conversation with [producers] Jeff Bhasker and Ryan Tedder about how much we missed laughter,” says frontman John Gourley. “The last few years it’s been so easy to forget the fun in what we do.”

“We talked about childhood memories of laughing at the world and ourselves while flipping through Mad magazine,” Gourley continues. “We missed those days and remembered that we all make music. So we took that afternoon to make a song about it.”

“What, Me Worry?” is available now for digital download. You can watch its accompanying video streaming now on YouTube.

Portugal. the Man will give “What, Me Worry?” its TV debut February 23 on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!

In other news, Portugal. the Man has launched a new initiative called Night Out in an effort to make concerts more accessible to fans with disabilities. For select shows on their upcoming tour with Alt-J, PtM will be giving away pairs of ADA accessible tickets that will provide transportation to-and-from the venue, a concierge service and a meet-and-greet with the band.

Portugal. the Man’s tour with Alt-J launches February 25 in Pittsburgh.

Watch full, official video of Bring Me the Horizon’s BRITs performance with Ed Sheeran

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A full, official video of Bring Me the Horizon‘s surprise performance alongside Ed Sheeran at Tuesday’s BRIT Awards is streaming now on YouTube.

As previously reported, the “DiE4u” outfit joined the British pop star to open the ceremony with a hard-rocking rendition of Sheeran’s single “Bad Habits,” complete with heavy guitars and screams from Horizon frontman Oli Sykes.

While we don’t know what inspired the collaboration, we’re hoping it’s because of Sheeran’s reported love of death metal. You may remember that Sheeran was quoted by the U.K. tabloid The Sun as being a big fan of the band Cradle of Filth, and saying that he wouldn’t “be opposed” to making his own metal album.

As it just so happens, Bring Me the Horizon collaborated with Cradle frontman Dani Filth on a song off their 2019 album, Amo. Perhaps the BRIT Awards will be the catalyst that leads to an Ed Sheeran metal record.

Bring Me the Horizon, meanwhile, has previously dipped into the pop world for collaborations with Halsey.

Katy Perry shoots down reports she secretly wed Orlando Bloom

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Katy Perry insists she’s still a bride-to-be and has yet to take that trip down the aisle. After reports surfaced that she and fiancé Orlando Bloom secretly tied the knot, the “Roar” singer cleared the air.

During an appearance on the Australian-based Kyle and Jackie O show Wednesday, the hosts asked Katy if she’d secretly jumped the broom or if she’s, quote, “just dragging this out?”

Katy responded, “Well, no.” Katy explained that her nuptials have been repeatedly delayed by the pandemic, saying, “It’s a destination location, you know, we’re still trying for it to work out. But, every couple of months it’s like, new variant! New variant! New variant!”

It’s been previously reported that Katy, 37, and Orlando, 45, had planned to marry in Japan.

Katy added that once the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer an issue, she and the Pirates of the Caribbean star will “go party.”

The two became engaged in February 2019 and welcomed a daughter, Daisy Dove, in August 2020.

Nelly appears in sex video “never meant to go public”; issues a public apology to the woman involved

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After igniting social media on Tuesday with a NSFW sex video, Nelly has issued a public apology to the woman in the clip

A video of the “Hot in Herre” rapper engaged in oral sex with a female appeared on his Instagram Story, and after going viral, it was deleted.

“I sincerely apologize to the young lady and her family, this is unwanted publicity for her/them,” Nelly said in a statement to TMZ. “This was an old video that was private and never meant to go public.” A rep for the three-time Grammy believes the video was posted after his account was hacked.

Nelly was also trending last month when he criticized Madonna for exposing her buttocks on Instagram. He inspired a male/female social media battle when he commented about her photo, “Somethings just should be left covered up.”

Eric Church plans an epic Memorial Day Weekend stadium show in Milwaukee

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

In between stops on his Gather Again Tour, Eric Church is mounting a special Memorial Day Weekend event in Milwaukee.

The “Hell of a View” superstar will play the city’s American Family Field, a stadium with seating capacity of over 40,000. To make the event even more special, he’s bringing supporting acts Brothers Osborne and Parker McCollum along for the ride.

For Eric, the Milwaukee date is a homecoming of sorts: It dates back to a very early gig he played in the city, when he was a young artist performing for a crowd of less than 100 people by the volleyball courts at a bar called Kelly’s Bleachers.

“Back in 2006, I think I was first-of-six booked at Country Thunder, but it was the big stage,” he recalls. “Sinners had just been released…and the next year I remember playing Kelly’s Bleachers and half the room was there to see us play, the other half had no idea who we were. The next time we played, those 378 people brought friends…and that never really stopped. This time I’m bringing friends with me, too.”

Tickets go on sale February 18 at 10 a.m. CT.

Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Imagine Dragons & more taking part in F-COVID charity initiative

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Nine Inch Nails, Metallica and Imagine Dragons are taking part in a new charity initiative called F-COVID.

Created by the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund charity organization in partnership with fundraising platform Fandiem and concert database Bandsintown, F-COVID seeks to raise money for musicians and music industry professionals that continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the music industry, shutting down touring, festivals, and live performances,” a press release reads. “Though we are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, the financial damage from missing two years of touring and work is unprecedented. Sweet Relief created the F-COVID fundraising campaign to help provide immediate assistance to artists and crews who have been financially devastated by the pandemic.”

The campaign is raffling off a number of unique prizes, including a signed guitar that Nine Inch Nails smashed onstage during a 2007 concert, and VIP passes to the NIN-headlined Primavera Sound Los Angeles festival, tickets to Metallica’s upcoming sold-out show in Las Vegas, and an autographed Imagine Dragons guitar.

The more you donate to the initiative, the more entries you’ll receive in the raffle.

Other artists participating include Social Distortion, Clairo, AWOLNATION, Billy Idol, Oliver Tree, Bad Wolves, Chicago and The Zombies.

For more info, visit Fandiem.com.

Nine-year-old girl in critical condition after apparent road rage shooting: Police

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(HOUSTON) — A 9-year-old girl is in critical condition after she was hurt in an apparent road rage shooting in Houston, police said.

The suspect, believed to be in a white GMC Denali pickup truck, apparently cut off the girl’s family several times on the Southwest Freeway Tuesday night, Houston police said.

At about 9:10 p.m., the pickup truck pulled behind the family’s vehicle and someone in the pickup truck fired shots, hitting the 9-year-old, police said.

No arrests have been made. Police ask anyone to call the police department at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Lionel Richie recalls overcoming critics who said he and his music weren’t “Black enough”

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Lionel Richie is one of pop music’s legendary artists, but there was time when critics were more focused on his race than his talent.

The recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee opened up to People about his complicated transition from fronting the hit-making 1970s R&B/funk band The Commodores to becoming a solo act. “It was really a great period in my life, but it was confusing,” the Grammy winner admitted.

Lionel’s 1982 eponymous solo debut produced the hit “Truly,” while his Grammy winning 1983 follow-up, Can’t Slow Down, produced five top-10 singles and the #1 hits “Hello” and “All Night Long (All Night).” Yet despite his success, Lionel said his Black identity was questioned.

“Hey man, the music’s not Black enough. Lionel’s not Black enough. What’s a Black guy doing writing a waltz?” Richie recalled being told. “No one had ever questioned my Blackness before. Like, do you know who you’re talking to?”

Richie says he grew up “around amazing people” in Tuskegee, Alabama, nearby the HBCU Tuskegee University. “William L. Dawson, who wrote the Negro Folk Symphony, would stop by the house. Alfred ‘Chief’ Anderson was one of the dads in the community. He’s the one who took Eleanor Roosevelt up in a plane to prove that Black folks could fly,” says Richie. “They wanted us to be better. There was that saying, ‘Failure is not an option.'”

Because of his upbringing, Richie refused to be pigeon-holed. “I said, ‘I’m not trying to be the greatest Black writer of all time. I’m trying to be the greatest writer of all time that happens to be Black,'” he remarked. “I passed my goal a long time ago when someone said to me, ‘You have 40 years of records that will survive you.'”

COVID-19 live updates: Massachusetts lifts school mask mandate

February 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.7 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 909,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 64.2% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Feb 09, 11:01 am
Massachusetts lifts statewide school mask mandate

Massachusetts is lifting its statewide school mask mandate effective Feb. 28, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Wednesday.

“Everyone now has the tools and the knowledge to stay safe,” Baker said, citing availability of vaccines, distribution of tests and the relative lack of serious illness among kids. “It’s time to give our kids a sense of normalcy.”

Baker said the state fully supports an individual’s decision to continue to wear a mask and he asked school districts to do the same, echoing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who told school districts to crack down on any bullying that results from continued mask wearing.

Baker said Massachusetts ranks 2nd in the nation for the highest number of vaccinated kids.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky

Feb 09, 8:29 am
England to lift all COVID-19 restrictions a month early

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Wednesday his plans to lift all remaining pandemic-related restrictions in England in less than two weeks.

Addressing lawmakers in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, Johnson said he hopes to scrap England’s COVID-19 restrictions as soon as Parliament returns from its upcoming recess on Feb. 21.

“I can tell the House today that it is my intention to return on the first day after the half-term recess to present our strategy for living with COVID,” Johnson told lawmakers. “Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions, including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive, a full month early.”

Johnson first announced his plans to end all of the so-called Plan B measures last month, starting with mask mandates. He told lawmakers at the time that the legal requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate would be allowed to expire when the regulations lapsed on March 24, but that the date could be brought forward.

Although Johnson is the U.K. prime minister, his government is only responsible for COVID-19 restrictions in England because public health legislation is devolved to national governments within the U.K., meaning that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for their own pandemic-related policies.

Feb 09, 7:55 am
US reported more cases, deaths than any country last week, WHO says

The United States reported the highest number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths from the disease last week out of any country in the world, according to a weekly epidemiological update released Tuesday by the World Health Organization.

More than 1.8 million new cases were reported in the U.S. during the week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, a 50% decrease compared to the previous week. Over 14,000 new fatalities were also reported, a 15% decrease, the WHO said.

France had the second-highest number of new cases with more than 1.7 million, a 26% decrease, while India had the second-highest number of new deaths with nearly 8,000, a 69% increase, according to the WHO.

Meanwhile, the global number of new cases during that same period decreased by 17% compared to the previous week, while fatalities increased by 7%, the WHO said.

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