Page 7117 – 105.7 WDNY

More than 100 million Americans have received first COVID booster shot since August

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 100 million Americans have received their first COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Boosters first became available in August 2021 for immunocompromised Americans before federal officials gradually lowered the age requirement.

Since then, nearly half of those in the U.S. who are eligible — aged 12 and older — have received their first booster as well as two-thirds of people over the age of 65. As of April 18, an average of 85,000 Americans are receiving a booster dose every day, a nearly 9% increase from the 78,000 getting their first booster dose one month ago.

When broken down by state, Vermont has the highest percentage of fully vaccinated residents with a booster at 60.2% followed by Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine and Michigan, respectively.

CDC data also shows 55 million Americans have received a booster dose from Pfizer-BioNTech and 43 million have received a Moderna booster. Only 1.5 million Americans have gotten a booster from Johnson & Johnson.

The new figures come as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the U.S. Currently, the seven-day rolling average sits at 44,000 new infections — the highest number seen since March 3, according to the CDC.

Over the past few months, doctors have been stressing the importance of getting an additional shot, particularly as immunity from a primary vaccine series wanes and more infectious variants spread.

Additionally, Pfizer and Moderna have released data in the past showing efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines against infection declines after a few months, but a third dose boosts antibody levels.

About half of Americans eligible for a booster shot — approximately 91 million people — have yet to receive it, the CDC data shows.

“While vaccination milestones deserve celebration, our booster campaign has fallen far short of a success storm,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “Despite targeted public health messaging and wide availability of vaccines, getting to over half the eligible population boosted took many months to achieve.”

He added that experts predict new variants will emerge and without enough people boosted, it “enhances the risk of a significant surge that overwhelms our health systems.”

The CDC does not have data on how many Americans have received a second booster dose.

However, during a meeting last month of the CDC’s advisory committee, it was revealed that only about 4.3 million people over the age of 50 have received a second booster since they were authorized a few weeks ago.

“I was just trying to protect all of us”: Megan Thee Stallion emotionally recalls 2020 shooting incident

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NOTE LANGUAGE) Despite being the victim of a gun shot to the foot in July of 2020, Megan Thee Stallion says she lied to the police about the incident, in order to protect the Black people around her.

In an exclusive interview with CBS Mornings‘ Gayle King, the rap megastar recounted the scary incident, detailing her thoughts the moment her alleged shooter, rapper Tory Lanez, order her to “Dance, b****,” before pulling the trigger of a gun a “couple times.”

Regardless of the fear that Lanez “could shoot me and kill me,” Megan says she told authorities immediately after the shooting that she simply “stepped on glass.”

“I don’t remember everything they said to me, but I remember them asking me, ‘What’s happening? What– what happened to you?’ And I didn’t want them to kill any of us or shoot any of us,” she told King.

“Why did you say that, why didn’t you say–,” King inquired, to which Megan The Stallion responded, “For some reason, I was just trying to protect all of us because I didn’t want them to kill us.”

In her first-ever TV interview since the altercation, Megan emotionally recounted the night’s events, detailing the argument — which involved multiple people, including her best friend, Kelsey Nicole — that started it all. She said once the arguing in the car escalated, she attempted to remove herself, asking the driver to “pull the car over.”

“So I get out of the car and it’s like everything happens so fast. And all I hear is this man screaming. And he said, ‘Dance, b****.’ And he started shooting. And I’m just like, ‘Oh, my God.’ Like, he shot a couple of times.”

When King asked if Megan was “afraid for her life,” Megan answered, “I was really scared ’cause I had never been shot at before.”

Megan says she received backlash for lying to police about her injuries, but again, she said it was to save them all from what she thought could’ve turned into an even more traumatic incident.

“I’m the one who said I stepped on glass. I was lying to protect all of us. And I, sometimes I wish I really would have never said that,” she admitted.

“I wish I would have told– But if it saved all of us from dyin’, then that’s just probably what it was meant.”

After Megan named Lanez as the shooter in an Instagram live in August 2020, the Canadian rapper was charged with assault. If convicted, he could face up to 22 years in prison.

With final tour now over, ‘Genesis Reference Manual’ coming in September

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Now that Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks have wrapped up what they say is their final tour, a new book that claims to be the definitive source on all things Genesis is coming this fall.

Called Genesis Reference Manual, the tome, which begins with the band’s 1968 beginnings and ends with their final London shows in 2022, lists all known concerts, recordings and media appearances, as well as those of its individual members’ solo careers. It’s billed as the “final word on one of the world’s most enduring and successful bands.”

The solo career chapters alone should be quite extensive, since in addition to singers Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, both Banks and Rutherford, plus former guitarist Steve Hackett, have all released multiple solo albums. In addition, Rutherford has released many albums with his side project, Mike + the Mechanics.

And speaking of Hackett, he wrote one of the forewords for the book, as did original Genesis lead guitarist Ant Phillips, and Richard McPhail, one of the band’s tour managers.

The book, written by Alan Hewitt, is due to be published on September 23. You can order it from Wymer Publishing‘s website.

Trump held in contempt of court for failure to comply New York AG’s subpoena

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump has been held in civil contempt for his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the New York attorney general’s office.

Story developing…

Maddie & Tae “couldn’t be more excited” for new CMT Next Women of Country tour dates

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Maddie & Tae have locked in new dates for the CMT Next Women of Country Presents: All Song No Static Tour.

Originally scheduled to launch in January, the duo had to postpone the headlining tour after Taylor Kerrwas placed on immediate bed rest while pregnant with daughter Leighton. The new run of shows begins on September 15 in Taylor’s home state of Oklahoma, followed by a stop at the House of Blues in Dallas in Maddie Marlow‘s native Texas.

Throughout September and October, the hitmaking pair will perform at theaters in cities including New York, Atlanta, Houston, West Hollywood and more. Joining them on the tour are two Next Women of Country inductees, Abbey Cone and Sacha.

“We have been waiting so long to say this…. we’re going on tour!” Maddie & Tae write in a celebratory post. “We couldn’t be more excited to see all of your faces again! The amazing @abbeycone and @sachaofficialmusic are joining us and we hope you do, too!”

Maddie & Tae took home the award for Group/Duo Video of the Year at the CMT Awards for their song, “Woman You Got.” Visit their website for a full list of tour dates.

Six killed, including firefighter and three kids, in residential fires in two cities

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Deadly fires broke out in Philadelphia and New York City on Sunday taking the lives of six people in total.

The first blaze was in Philadelphia, on both floors of a two-story row house. It was reported at 2 a.m. Sunday, and crews were at the scene in two minutes, the fire department said.

Four people, including three children, were killed, while one resident escaped and survived, the fire department said.

There’s no evidence of working smoke alarms, Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said at a news conference.

Thiel, appearing frustrated, said this blaze brings the city’s total number of fire fatalities for the year to 21.

“I have personally in the past six years witnessed more than 100 people zipped in body bags in this city from fatal fires. And yes, I’m tired,” he said. “It’s too much.”

Hours later, on Sunday afternoon in New York City, firefighter Timothy Klein was fighting a three-alarm fire at a home in Brooklyn when a ceiling collapsed, trapping and killing him, the FDNY said.

One other person was also found dead inside, the FDNY said.

Klein, 31, was a six-year veteran, the FDNY said.

Klein “died risking his life to save others,” Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said. “His family has a rich history of service in the FDNY, and he bravely followed in their footsteps. The hearts of the entire Department are with the Klein family and with the members of Engine Company 257 and Ladder Company 170.”

Jewel opens up about suffering from panic attacks

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Jewel revealed Monday that she suffered panic attacks when she competed on the sixth season of The Masked Singer.

Appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the “Intuition” singer explained that she’s experienced panic attacks since age 15, adding she “didn’t know what they were” at the time. “And then, when I was homeless, they hit a whole new level,” she shared. “So I started inventing tools and techniques to help me with them.”

Those exercises worked and Jewel said that for “a while,” she didn’t have panic attacks, until she competed on and won The Masked Singer. “I had my first panic attack in ages,” she shared, adding she felt “a little claustrophobic” in the intricate costume she had to wear to shield her identity.

Jewel said she turned to social media to “help kids with anxiety disorders” by “posting more about it just to help people understand what they are and the things they can do to help.”

Kelly Clarkson then revealed she had her first panic attack when she “was pregnant and I had one while driving.” She recalled feeling “terrified,” and says she “froze” because she didn’t know what was happening.

“Your brain literally goes offline,” Jewel added. “It’s not rational… the reasoning part of your brain literally goes offline.” Jewel also explained that a person can bring their mind back “online” by touching, tasting and smelling things, so that the brain has “to deal with the information.”

The Mayo Clinic defines panic attacks as a “sudden episode of intense fear” when there is no danger or trigger to cause it. Symptoms include pounding heart rate, chills, nausea, cramping, shaking and chest pain. A person can feel like they’re having a heart attack or dying, it adds. The cause is largely unknown.

Roger Daltrey now admits that The Who were “too f***ing loud”

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

In 1976, The Who set a Guinness World Record for the loudest concert in history when they were measured at 126 decibels, which is close to a jet engine taking off. But today, singer Roger Daltrey says he regrets the band’s high-volume shows.

Speaking to the U.K. paper The Independent, Daltrey says his hearing is “terrible, terrible,” adding that without his hearing aids, “everything’s a mumble.” He notes, “It’s a penalty for what we did in our lives. We were too f***ing loud.”

But despite his and Pete Townshend‘s hearing issues, The Who is back on the road, and in June, Daltrey will mount a solo U.K. tour called Who Was I. One reason, he says, is to help out his band and crew financially.

“Musicians have had a real rough two years, really rough,” he explains. “Most of them are self-employed, they got no furlough, no anything. It’s been brutal on them. So if I can go out there and employ 10 musicians [and] 10 road crew for a month, I’m gonna do it.”

Daltrey is also hard at work on his long-planned Keith Moon biopic, which he’s working on with author Nigel Hinton.

“It’s been quite a journey,” he says. “I’ve had so many scripts written, by very eminent scriptwriters, but they just did not get it. They did not get him, they did not get the music business. It’s been very difficult, but I’m quietly confident that we’ve got something special.”

And while Townshend recently said he hopes to retire from the road, Daltrey’s not interested. He notes, “I’m going to do it as long as I can, but then one day it will give me up and I won’t be able to do it. Simple as that.”

‘Batman ’66’ meets ‘The Batman’: Special effects house swaps Robert Pattinson for Adam West

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Holy identity theft, Batman! The visual effects YouTubers known as the Corridor Crew have struck again, this time using their digital know-how to insert the late Adam West and the Rogues Gallery from the kitchy 1966 movie Batman into the trailer for Matt Reeves‘ hit The Batman.

The gang grabbed clips of West, his Penguin, Burgess Meredeth, and Frank Gorshin‘s classic Riddler, and digitally inserted them into the coming attraction. For good measure, Burt Ward‘s Robin also makes an appearance, as does the Batcopter, and the classic Batmobile, which has been swapped for the muscle car driven by Robert Pattinson in the hit reboot.

The results are both impressive and hysterical: A clip of West dancing in the old film, for example, was recycled to appear as if he’s taking down a hallway full of gunmen. Meanwhile, Colin Farrell‘s impressive turn as Penguin was swapped with footage of Burgess Meredith’s constant quacking as the same character.

The Corridor gang’s video went viral over the weekend, with nearly 775,000 views and counting as of late Monday morning. And Reeves himself weighed in Monday, saying, “HA! This is amazing!”

The Corridor Crew’s YouTube channel specializes in analyzing — and sometimes improving — visual effects as seen in classic, and sometimes not so classic, films.

“My 30s rule”: Carly Pearce rings in 32nd birthday

April 25, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Carly Pearce is feelin’ 32!

On Sunday, the singer celebrated her 32nd birthday on the road, all smiles as she posed outside of her tour bus with festive pink balloons displaying the numbers 3 and 2. “My 30s rule so far. Hi, 32!” Carly wrote alongside the photo.

Among her peers wishing her a happy birthday in the comments were Chris Lane and Runaway June‘s Natalie Stovall, along with Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale, for whom Carly used to be a backup singer. “Happy birthday queen,” Lucy praised.

Since entering her 30s, Carly has released her critically acclaimed album, 29, followed by the equally well-received 29: Written in Stone. She was also named Female Vocalist of the Year at both the CMA Awards and ACM Awards in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Her current single with Ashley McBryde, “Never Wanted to Be That Girl,” is moving its way toward the #1 spot on the country charts.

Carly will spend the summer opening for Kenny Chesney on his stadium-sized Here and Now Tour.

+ More