After holding his annual .Paak House charity festival in Los Angeles for three years, Anderson .Paak is proud to move his December 22 event to his hometown, Oxnard, California.
“I want to give back more to the city that gave me my character,” the two-time Grammy winner tells the Ventura County Star.
“When I was growing up, I used to shoot out to LA whenever I could,” he adds. “As I get older, I’m more appreciative of where I’m from.”
The fourth annual .Paak House festival benefits his non-profit Brandon Anderson Foundation, which supports underserved youth through access to the arts, after-school programs and more.
The 35-year-old singer will perform with his group The Free Nationals, and he will also present special surprise entertainment. He’s keeping the entertainment a secret, although he says attendees could expect artists like Jhené Aiko and Lucky Daye.
Anthony Anderson, Ty Dolla $ign, Snoh Aalegra, Raphael Saadiq, Goapele, The Game, Schoolboy Q, Cordae and Thundercat are among the celebrities who have appeared in the past.
2021 has been a big year for Anderson. “Leave the Door Open,” the debut single by Silk Sonic, his duo with Bruno Mars, is up for four Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance.
The smash hit also won an American Music Award for Favorite R&B Song, and Soul Train Awards for Song of the Year and Video of the Year.
In person tickets for .Paak House are sold out; however, tickets are available to watch the livestream, which begins this Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, at MomentHouse.com/paakhouse.
Two of Eddie Money‘s musical kids, son Dez and daughter Jesse Money, are celebrating the holiday season and paying tribute to their late dad by releasing a new version of his 1997 yuletide tune “Everybody Loves Christmas.”
The updated track, which has been renamed “Everybody Loves Christmas: A Song for Dad,” was recorded by Dez and Jesse, and also features some vocals by Eddie added from the original version of the tune. Dez produced the song.
According to a post on Money’s Facebook page, Eddie wrote “Everybody Loves Christmas” for Dez, Jesse and their brothers Zach, Joe and Julian when they all were children. The original studio version featured guest vocals by Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes, with whom Eddie famously duetted on his 1986 hit “Take Me Home Tonight.”
“Everybody Loves Christmas: A Song for Dad” is available now via digital-music sellers and steaming services. You also can purchase the track at EddieMoney.com. A t-shirt featuring the single’s cover art also is being sold at the website. Proceeds from sales of the shirt and other merch items on the website will benefit the Eddie Money USC Cancer Research Fund.
Money died in September 2019 from complications of esophageal cancer. He was 70.
Throughout December, Eddie’s family has been paying homage to the singer on his Facebook page by posting various archival photos taken of him with his wife, Laurie, and kids during the holidays.
(NEW YORK) — A Milwaukee County judge on Monday ordered Darrell Brooks Jr., the man charged in the Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade attack that left six people dead, to make an in-person appearance in February 2022 for an unrelated case.
Brooks, 39, is accused of trying to run over the mother of his child in Milwaukee on Nov. 2. He was on a $1,000 bail for this case when he allegedly drove his SUV into a Christmas parade in Waukesha on Nov. 21.
He is currently being held in Waukesha County Jail and has been charged with six counts of intentional homicide in the crash that injured more than 60 people.
Over a Zoom status hearing, Judge Michelle Havas also increased his bail to $200,000 to secure his next court appearance for this case. Brooks had to dial into the hearing since the jail didn’t have Zoom capabilities.
Matthew Torbenson, who appeared on behalf of the state, asked for an increase in cash bail to $200,000 for this case due to the “extraordinary” and “very serious nature” of alleged bail violations by Brooks.
On Nov. 11, Brooks was issued a no-contact order with the witnesses in the case who goes by the initial EAP and DW. Torbenson, in the Zoom hearing, announced that while in custody, Brooks had made 49 calls to the victim, out of which 25 made it through.
The defense, consisting of Attorneys Robert Hampton and William Rakestraw, argued against an increase in the bail because their client was already facing a $5 million bail charge in the Waukesha case, which would secure his appearance in court. The judge quashed this argument, saying that she has a “huge reason” to think Brooks won’t show up in court if his release is secured in another county such as Waukesha. She gave the hypothetical examples of someone stepping up to be his benefactor and paying off his $5 million bail as a possibility leading to such an outcome.
Toward the end of the hearing, Havas told Brooks that the no-contact order with the victim in the earlier case is still in place and that she would see him in court on Feb. 2, 2022, for his next appearance.
(NEW YORK) — Just three weeks after it was first discovered in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates that the highly transmissible omicron variant is the dominant variant in the United States, representing 73% of new coronavirus cases, as of Dec. 18.
The variant has now been detected in all but two states — Oklahoma and North Dakota. In some parts of the country — including the New York, New Jersey area, much of the South, the upper Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest, the omicron variant now accounts for more than 90% of new cases.
The significant increase is 70% higher than just one week ago, and more than 72% higher than two weeks ago, when omicron, also known as B.1.1.529, was estimated to account for just 0.4% of all new cases.
“This sharp rise in omicron was expected and is similar to what has been seen worldwide,” the CDC said in a statement Monday. “We know layered prevention strategies can slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The World Health Organization and the CDC have both identified omicron as a variant of concern.
Health officials and experts alike have warned that the omicron variant is a more infectious version of the disease, and is likely to cause a significant COVID-19 surge in the weeks and months to come.
“This virus is extraordinary. It has a doubling time of anywhere from two to three days,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the White House, said on Sunday during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union.
The country’s latest COVID-19 resurgence comes just a week before Christmas and the New Year, as millions of Americans are set to gather and travel for the holidays.
The U.S. is currently averaging more than 130,000 new cases a day, more than double the average from two months ago. Nationwide, nearly 70,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, and just under 1,200 Americans are still being reported lost to the virus every day.
Health officials continue to urge the public to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible, given concerns over waning immunity.
Early data from Moderna on Monday found that its current vaccine booster candidate increases antibody levels against omicron 37-fold. Earlier this month, Pfizer reported that its booster increased antibody levels 25-fold.
(NEW YORK) — A local benefit on Sunday raised around $24,000 to support Erick Tiegs, a survivor of the Christmas parade attack on Nov. 21 in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Tiegs, 16, was playing trombone in his high school’s marching band when a man plowed his SUV through the parade, killing at least six people. Darrell Brooks Jr., 39, was charged with six counts of intentional homicide in the crash that also injured more than 60 people.
According to Donald Tiegs, Erick’s father, the teenager survived several serious injuries, including a spinal fracture, multiple broken ribs and a fractured skull and femur.
The Muskellunge Club of Wisconsin, a fishing club that Tiegs’ father was a part of, hosted the benefit on Sunday in his support.
John Donald, the director of sponsorship and donation for the club, told ABC News that he co-organized the benefit with four colleagues and his wife, Holly Donald, as “an opportunity for us to give back to an awesome family that went through a very difficult time.”
Erick Tiegs, who attended Sunday’s benefit, told reporters that he’s healing and getting better every day.
“It’s fun seeing all these people,” he said. “And it’s cool to see that everyone here supports, and wants to support me.”
Around 175 businesses pooled in items valued at more than $30,000, which were auctioned off at a fundraiser on Dec. 19 held in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Others are still sending over cash checks to John Donald and his team in the form of donations, 100% of which will be sent to the Tiegs. John Donald said he expects the check to reach the family by the end of the week.
Local community members gathered to make bids on auction items, including guided tours in West Virginia and package trips to Canada, WISN reported.
While funds from the event are still coming in, Holly Donald told ABC News that the auction has raised around $24,000 in a check payable to the Tiegs.
“I don’t think any one of us could imagine being in their shoes,” John Donald told ABC News. “But I can tell you with the community that we have — and especially our tight-knit fishing community — if it were to happen to me, I guarantee they’d all step up and help me.”
(NEW YORK) — The fate of Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein who is facing charges related to the alleged abuse and trafficking of underage girls, has been placed in the hands of a 12-person jury.
Judge Alison Nathan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York instructed seven women and five men to begin deliberating on Monday, following closing arguments that highlighted three weeks of opposing testimony from Maxwell’s accusers, former Epstein employees, and various other associates of the once glamorous, globetrotting couple.
Maxwell and Epstein “were partners in crime who sexually exploited young girls together,” according to prosecutors, who described Maxwell in their closing arguments as “a grown woman who preyed on vulnerable kids, young women from struggling families.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe said the pair selected their victims carefully, suggesting that it was no accident the four accusers who testified — “Jane,” “Kate,” Carolyn and Annie — came from single-parent households. They were isolated, Moe said, and plied with gifts and promises of career assistance in what she called a pattern of grooming and abuse.
“Maxwell was a sophisticated predator who knew exactly what she was doing,” Moe said. “She ran the same playbook again and again and again. She manipulated her victims and she groomed them for sexual abuse. She caused deep and lasting harm to young girls. It is time to hold her accountable.”
But Maxwell’s defense attorneys said that “Ghislaine Maxwell is an innocent woman” — the victim of “straight-up sensationalism” by prosecutors who “pivoted” to Maxwell once Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019.
Defense attorney Laura Menninger urged the jury to find Maxwell not guilty on each count she faces, arguing that the government’s case relied on the “erroneous memories” of four accusers who Menninger said “inserted” Maxwell into accounts that initially included only Epstein.
Prosecutors “bombed,” Menninger said, and “failed to deliver the goods” to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, relying on “smoke and mirrors” to equate Maxwell with Epstein.
“Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein,” Menninger said. “She’s being tried here for being with Jeffrey Epstein. Maybe that was the biggest mistake of her life, but it was not a crime.”
In contrast, prosecutor Maurene Comey called Maxwell “essential” to Epstein’s abuse. In a theatrical flourish to finish the case, Comey during her rebuttal pointed to Maxwell, seated at the defense table in a light colored sweater and black mask, and said, “This case is about that woman.”
“It’s about the children that she targeted, the steps that she took to serve those children up to be abused,” Comey said.
Menninger, in response, said, “What you heard, and more importantly what you did not hear over the last three weeks, is going to convince you the only verdict is not guilty.”
Maxwell faces a six-count indictment for allegedly conspiring with and aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004. She has been held without bail since her arrest in July 2020 and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
If convicted, Maxwell could spend decades in prison.
grandson, I Prevail and nothing, nowhere. are playing the 2022 So What?! Music Festival, scheduled for May 27-29 in Arlington, Texas.
The bill also features Parkway Drive, blackbear, The Maine, Alexisonfire, Sleeping with Sirens, Simple Plan and Sum 41, along with hip hop artists including 24kGoldn, 2 Chainz, Trippie Redd, Tyga and Rae Sremmurd.
“This year’s So What?! lineup is us basically saying, ‘F*** a genre!'” says festival founder Mike Ziemer. “Everything is blending together more and more. There are so many hip hop artists collaborating with rock artists. Travis Barker is working with every type of artist.”
Ziemer adds, “This festival brings together all the hype and energy of what’s current and what’s exciting to the fan that misses Warped Tour but also attends Rolling Loud.”
Former Yes frontman Jon Anderson has partnered with the Patreon membership platform to offer fans access to brand-new songs, unreleased music and videos he’s created, livestreamed events, artwork and more.
“I am thrilled to embark on this journey with you as I create the next chapter of my life’s work,” Anderson explains. “After years of dealing with the runaround of big record labels, I have decided to partner with you, as those of you who enjoy my work have always been my greatest support and inspiration.”
He continues, “There are many great projects I have been working on including lots of new music, paintings, a book, and short stories. Your patronage will allow me to continue my work and will offer you priceless access.”
Three membership levels for Jon’s Patreon platform will be available — Silver, Gold and Platinum, costing $10, $50 and $100 a month, respectively.
A Silver membership offers early access to new songs and projects, livestreams of rehearsals and events, behind-the-scenes videos of Anderson working on various projects, early access to tickets for select concerts, and access to Jon’s general archives.
A Gold membership offers everything available to Silver members, as well as access to Anderson’s “Select Archives,” a monthly live interactive Q&A with Jon, and surprise gifts that you’ll receive throughout your first year of patronage.
The Platinum offers all the benefits available to Gold and Silver members, as well as access to Anderson’s “Gold Vault Archives,” pre-release previews of Jon’s work, access to participate in something called “Jon’s Opus Puzzle,” a private livestreamed concert with Anderson and more.
Jon shared more details about his Patreon pertnership in a recent Facebook post. Visit Patreon.com for more info or to sign up for a membership.
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.3 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 807,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 61.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest headlines:
-Northeast sees highest number of pediatric cases of entire pandemic
-WHO DG recommends canceling or delaying holiday events
-US daily cases have nearly doubled since October
-Dr. Jha on omicron surge, holiday travel, his prediction for next year
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Dec 20, 4:16 pm
London cancels New Year’s Eve celebration in Trafalgar Square
London has canceled its New Year’s Eve celebration for 6,500 people in Trafalgar Square due to the omicron surge, Mayor Sadiq Khan said Monday.
“With infections of COVID-19 at record levels across our city and the U.K., I’m determined to work closely with partners in our city to do everything we possibly can to slow the spread of the new variant and ensure our NHS services are not overwhelmed this winter,” Khan said in a statement.
Khan declared a major incident in London on Saturday due to a rise in cases and a 29% increase in hospital admissions in the last week.
ABC News’ Christine Theodorou
Dec 20, 4:00 pm
New York state breaks another case record
New York state broke its daily case record again on Sunday with an additional 23,391 positive cases, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
But the governor said she’s encouraged by reports of omicron waves spiking and receding fairly quickly in other countries.
“In terms of people’s own personal anxiety about it, just know that it’s very likely to be minor symptoms if you’re vaccinated and boosted,” she said.
ABC News’ Matt Foster
Dec 20, 3:45 pm
Northeast sees highest number of pediatric cases of entire pandemic
Nearly 170,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 last week, a roughly 28% jump in two weeks, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association released on Monday.
The Northeast saw its highest number of pediatric cases of the entire pandemic last week, with nearly 50,000 new cases.
On average, nearly 200 American children are being admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 each day, according to federal data.
Twenty-one million children ages 5 to 17 — about 40% of that population — have received at least one vaccine dose.
Severe illness due to COVID-19 remains “uncommon” among children, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association said. However, the organizations continue to warn that there is an urgent need to collect more data on the long-term consequences of the pandemic on children, “including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects.”
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Dec 20, 3:04 pm
University of Chicago to require boosters
The University of Chicago said students and employees must get a booster shot and have until the end of January to give proof or get an exemption.
The university hopes to fully return to in-person classes on Jan. 3.
Other universities like New York University and Notre Dame are also requiring boosters.
(NEW YORK) — Moderna announced Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine booster increases antibody levels against the omicron variant within a month of getting the shot.
In a lab study, the company gave 20 fully vaccinated participants a 50-microgram booster — the current dose authorized by the Food and Drug Administration — and another 20 received a higher dose of 100 micrograms. After 29 days, the volunteers gave blood samples, which were analyzed.
Results showed people who received the 50-microgram booster saw their levels of neutralizing antibodies increase by 37-fold compared to pre-boost levels, while those given a 100-microgram booster saw their antibody levels rise 83-fold.
Side effects after the booster doses were similar to those seen after the initial two doses, but the 100-microgram booster was slightly more likely to cause adverse reactions than the 50-microgram dose, the company said.
The results come as the omicron variant continues to spread around the world and shows an ability to — at least partially — evade the protection offered by vaccines.
In a statement on Monday, Moderna’s CEO, Stéphane Bancel, said the findings are “reassuring.”
“The dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases from the omicron variant is concerning to all. However, these data showing that the currently authorized Moderna COVID-19 booster can boost neutralizing antibody levels 37-fold higher than pre-boost levels are reassuring,” he said.
“To respond to this highly transmissible variant, Moderna will continue to rapidly advance an omicron-specific booster candidate into clinical testing in case it becomes necessary in the future,” he continued.
A spokesperson for the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company told ABC News it will be up to federal regulators to decide whether to authorize the 100-microgram dose of Moderna’s booster or keep it at the currently-used 50-microgram dose.
Because participants were only followed up for one month after getting the booster, it’s unclear if antibody levels remain high or if the increase quickly wanes.
Additionally, the tests were conducted in a lab and are not indicative of how well the booster, at either dose, stops the spread of omicron or reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death in people who get breakthrough infections in real-world settings.
Moderna said that, given how quickly the variant is spreading around the globe, the company will focus its “near-term efforts” on delivering as many doses of its authorized booster shot as possible.
The firm is also currently working on developing a booster specifically designed to combat the omicron variant, with clinical trials expected to begin early next year.
“Moderna is going to continue to evaluate an omicron-specific booster in early 2022, given the concerning immune escape features demonstrated by this variant of concern, as part of a more midterm strategy to address the ongoing pandemic,” the company’s president, Stephen Hoge, said on a conference call on Monday morning.
Earlier this month, health officials, such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, had suggested that developing an omicron-specific booster is not necessary.
However, Hoge said he believes it is “prudent” that Moderna’s scientists continue their work on creating a variant-specific booster due to fears that omicron could mutate even further.
