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Biden braces Americans for higher energy prices if Russia invades Ukraine

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — With fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine remaining a “distinct possibility,” President Joe Biden is sending a stark warning to Americans about what he says could be very real economic consequences at home — especially at the gas pump.

“I will not pretend this will be painless,” Biden said Tuesday while preparing Americans to be prepared for higher energy prices in the U.S. if Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to attack Ukraine and the Biden administration in turn puts its “powerful” sanctions in place.

The average price of a gallon of gas reached $3.51 on Wednesday, according to AAA, up roughly a dollar from a year ago and the highest level since October 2014. And in just the last month, prices in more than a dozen states have jumped 25 cents.

Russia is the second largest oil producer in the world, and if it invades and U.S. sanctions then keep its oil from the world market or make it more expensive, and ABC News Chief Business Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis reports some analysts predict prices at the pump in the U.S. could jump as much as 50 cents.

Pres. Biden says Russian invasion of Ukraine could impact energy prices.

“I will not pretend this will be painless…We’re preparing to deploy all the tools and authority at our disposal to provide relief at the gas pump.” https://t.co/D9IPWPkiUh pic.twitter.com/OzJrnsBQx4

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 15, 2022

Polls show Biden already is being blamed for higher gas prices as part of the worst inflation in nearly 40 years — more than 7% last year — and it’s a big political problem for him and Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections.

ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega pressed the White House on what Americans should be ready for.

“Worst case scenario, what should they expect if this happens,” Vega asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday.

“If Russia decides to invade, there could be consequences here at home, and that could have an impact on energy prices, which could have an impact on prices at the gas pump,” Psaki said.

“He also wanted to be very clear and direct with the American people about what the impact could be and the fact that in his view, defending democracy and liberty is never without costs, but we need to convey to the American people exactly what that could look like.”

Psaki said “all options are on the table” to help bring down the price of gasoline and President Biden has been trying to get ahead of a major impact by shoring up supplies with allies and energy producers.

“We are taking active steps to alleviate the pressure on our own energy markets and offset rising prices,” said Biden.

Several Democratic senators have introduced legislation to temporarily suspend the 18.5 cents per gallon federal gas tax for the remainder of the year to help bring the price at the pump down.

The White House has not taken a position on the proposal.

In January, senior administration officials said they had been working with countries in North Africa, Asia, Europe and Asia to “ensure the continuity of supply” and lessen the price shock that comes with a shortage.

President Biden discussed global energy supplies with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on Feb. 9 and when he hosted Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani at the White House on Jan. 31.

Despite the outreach and calls to pump more oil, Saudi Arabia has decided to abide by a five-year-old deal between OPEC+ countries and will not increase its production to full capacity, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Gavin DeGraw to release new music since 2016, unveils new tour

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Gavin DeGraw delighted fans Wednesday with a major announcement — he’s about to release new music for the first time in almost six years. The “Not Over You” singer revealed he is also heading back on tour this spring to support his forthcoming new album.

Gavin is heading out on the 20-date Full Circle Tour, which will take him to the nation’s biggest cities starting in Los Angeles, California, on April 19. He will hit up cities like Austin, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts, before wrapping things up in New York City on May 21.

“I’m very excited to announce my Full Circle Tour,” he said in a statement obtained by ABC Audio. “Each night I’ll be performing my upcoming album Face the River in its entirety. These songs are very close to my heart. I look forward to sharing them with you.”

This is the first time Gavin announced the title of his upcoming album, and he promises more info on its upcoming release is on the horizon. Face the River will be his first album in nearly six years, following 2016’s Something Worth Saving, which featured the hit “She Sets the City on Fire.”

Tickets for the Full Circle Tour go on sale this Friday on Gavin’s official website.

Weezer, Stone Temple Pilots, Death Cab for Cutie & more added to 2022 Beale Street Music Festival lineup

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Artists including Weezer, Stone Temple Pilots and Death Cab for Cutie have joined the lineup for the 2022 Beale Street Music Festival, taking place April 29 to May 1 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Chevelle, Spoon, Grouplove, Rival Sons, Counting Crows, Grace Potter and Ayron Jones are also among the new additions to the bill.

Previously announced artists include headliners Foo Fighters, as well as The Smashing Pumpkins, Lindsey Buckingham, Modest Mouse, Dirty Honey and The Glorious Sons.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit MemphisinMay.org.

CDC to loosen mask guidance as early as next week as COVID case numbers drop

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected as early as next week to loosen its guidance on indoor masking as COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to drop and the White House considers a new nationwide strategy to move past the pandemic.

In a press briefing Wednesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency was looking at new metrics for relaxing pandemic guidance, including masks, and would deliver that updated guidance “soon.”

The idea would be that local communities could relax COVID restrictions, such as indoor masking, based on such factors as ICU bed capacity. While Walensky hasn’t offered specifics on what the benchmarks might entail, she has said hospitalization levels are a key barometer.

“We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen,” Walensky told reporters.

The upcoming guidance comes as an increasing number of Democratic governors have already announced plans to lift mask mandates at the end of February or in March. Those decisions have largely been seen as a political calculation, driven by pandemic fatigue among voters.

The CDC has urged states to continue to recommend masks so long as the case number remain high, even as it considers new benchmarks. NBC News first reported on the timing of the expected guidance as early as next week.

“Omicron cases are declining, and we are all cautiously optimistic about the trajectory we are on,” Walensky said Wednesday. “Things are moving in the right direction that we want to remain vigilant to do all we can so that this trajectory continues.”

The White House denied any political involvement in the timing of the CDC’s upcoming announcement. President Joe Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address on March 1 in which he’s expected to lay out his own detailed plan to move the nation forward.

When ABC News asked at the press briefing if the Biden administration had pressed the public health agency for new guidance by the end of the month — ahead of Biden’s speech — a White House official insisted the CDC had not been given a timetable.

Jeff Zients, Biden’s chief COVID coordinator, said: “CDC is clearly in the lead here on the substance and the timing of masking guidance.”

Report: Trey Songz accused of sexual assault in new allegations

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Following three separate allegations of sexual assault in four months, Trey Songz is again being accused of the same crime.

The “Bottoms Up” singer is being accused of raping a woman at his home in a new $20 million sexual assault case. The woman claims that she had a consensual sexual relationship with the singer, but that changed on March 24, 2016 when he allegedly became a “savage rapist,” she said in the lawsuit, according to TMZ.

A representative for Songz denied the allegations.

“The attorney who drafted this suit was credibly accused of trying to pay a woman to falsely accuse Trey,” the rep said in a statement. “That same attorney has filed this suit on behalf of an anonymous client. It isn’t hard to see what’s happening here, and it is a shame for genuine victims of sexual assault.”

The woman involved in the new lawsuit claims that in 2016, Songz raped her after she told him she did not want to have anal sex. The woman also alleges that she went to the hospital and was too frightened to name the artist after she was examined. She said the examination found that there was “severe anal tearing that could require surgery.”

Ariel Mitchell, the lawyer for Jauhara Jeffries, the woman accusing the singer of assaulting her in 2017 in another case, denied she attempted to bribe witnesses.

“This is nothing more than bullying and an attempt to silence counsel and the many victims who have been assaulted by defendant Songz and will be vigorously defended in court,” Mitchell told TMZ. “I will further be exonerated as I was when this allegation was previously made by defendant Songz’s prior attorney.”

In January, a third woman, Dylan Gonzalez, also accused Songz of rape.

John DiMaggio on Hulu ‘Futurama’ flap: “[T]he entire cast” deserves to be “paid more”

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Veteran voiceover actor John DiMaggio didn’t exactly quote his Futurama robot character, Bender, about biting his shiny metal posterior, but he made it clear why he didn’t sign onto Hulu’s just-announced continuation of the show.

As reported, original cast members including Katey Segal, Phil LaMarr and Billy West signed on to the new project, but DiMaggio declined, over what was called a salary dispute.

On Twitter, DiMaggio, who also voiced Jake the dog on the beloved Emmy-winning animated series Adventure Time, explained the situation.

“Bender is part of my soul & nothing about this is meant to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama family,” the actor noted in part, adding, “it’s about self-respect.”

“I don’t think only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does,” John wrote, explaining he’s “tired of an industry that’s become far too corporate and takes advantage of artists’ time & talent.”

While DiMaggio admits he’s “still hoping for the best” in the situation — and show creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen are reportedly trying to get him back into the fold — the actor expressed, “Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business….Some accept offers and some hold their ground.”

In the meantime, Hulu was reportedly searching for a soundalike for Bender Bending Rodriguez.

DiMaggio also added, “Thanks again for the love everyone,” explaining he’s about to start shooting AMC’s Interview with the Vampire series, “and very grateful to be!”

The six-time Emmy-winning Futurama ran on Fox from 1999 to 2003, then re-launched on Comedy Central from 2008 to 2013. The show saw West playing Phillip J. Fry, a slacker pizza guy who gets accidentally frozen in the year 2000, only to wake up in a very different 2099.

Evanescence announces rescheduled dates for Within Temptation European tour

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Evanescence has announced the rescheduled dates for the band’s long-delayed European tour, alongside Within Temptation.

The international outing is now set to kick off in November of this year, with dates stretching into December. Previously purchased tickets will be valid at the rescheduled dates.

Evanescence and Within Temptation first announced the tour in 2019 ahead of its scheduled launch in April 2020. Then, of course, came the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed the trek back first to the fall of 2020, and then to the fall of 2021, and then for a third time to March 2022. Things looked promising for the tour to finally launch in March when Evanescence announced a fourth delay just last week.

“We know you understand that many things are still outside of our control,” Amy Lee and company said in a statement. “But we are very optimistic that we WILL be performing these shows, and we kindly ask that you bear with us one more time while we arrange the tour so it can actually happen.”

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Evanescence.com.

Bottoms up: Thomas Rhett adds a second tequila to his Dos Primos brand

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

ABC

Thomas Rhett is expanding his tequila business.

The singer’s Dos Primos tequila line now features a Reposado variant, an easy-to-drink libation made from 100 percent blue agave sourced from Los Altos and Jalisco, Mexico. The Reposado joins the Dos Primos Tequila Blanco, which rolled out in 2021.

Dos Primos is Spanish for “two cousins,” and the name is fitting: Thomas started his tequila line with his cousin, Jeff Worn. Adding the Reposado to their repertoire is something the two men have been hoping to do for a long time.

“When Jeff and I started the Dos Primos Tequila company four years ago, we knew we wanted to continue to expand our tequila family,” Thomas says. “…Similar to our original goal, we’ve worked hard to make [the Reposado] as versatile as possible, and seamlessly fit into any activity, regardless of the time of year.”

The new tequila variety will be available starting March 2022. For more information, visit the company’s website.

Coachella drops all COVID-19 precautions ahead of 2022 festival

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(INDIO, Calif.) — Coachella is dropping all COVID-19 restrictions ahead of this year’s festival.

“In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022,” a statement on the Coachella website reads.

The update comes after organizers announced last October that Coachella 2022 would require attendees to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test. That was amended from the initial policy announced by Coachella organizer Goldenvoice and its parent company, AEG Presents, which required full vaccination for admittance.

While no COVID-19 protocols will be enforced at Coachella ’22, its website notes that the policy is subject to change, depending on “applicable public health conditions.”

Additionally, the site now includes a “COVID-19 warning,” which cautions that the virus is an “extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.”

“There is an inherent and elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place or place where people are present and there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to COVID-19,” the site reads.

Coachella ’22 takes place April 15-17 and April 22-24, and will be headlined by Billie Eilish, Ye — the artist formerly known as Kanye West — and Harry Styles .

The festival hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the pandemic.

“I can’t live…in hiding and shame”: Linda Evangelista comes forward about cosmetic surgery nightmare

February 16, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Supermodel Linda Evangelista has broken her silence about a cosmetic surgery nightmare that had her living “in seclusion” for nearly five years.

In a People cover story, Evangelista explains, “I loved being up on the catwalk. Now I dread running into someone I know. I can’t live like this anymore, in hiding and shame. … I’m willing to finally speak.”

The 56-year-old had gone under a non-invasive procedure called CoolSculpting, which uses paddles to freeze fat cells under the skin. The super-cold temperatures are supposed to cause fat cells to shrink.

However, Evangelista suffered an apparently rare side-effect that left her “brutally disfigured,” and “permanently deformed,” she said.

She explains that within three months of the procedure, the fat in the areas she tried to shrink — under her chin, her thighs, and under her arms — began to swell and go numb.

“I tried to fix it myself, thinking I was doing something wrong,” she confesses. “I got to where I wasn’t eating at all. I thought I was losing my mind.”

She explains she saw a doctor in 2016 and was diagnosed with Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, or PAH — “And he told me no amount of dieting, and no amount of exercise was ever going to fix it,” says Evangelista.

Dr. Alan Matarasso, a New York City cosmetic surgeon not involved in Evangelista’s care, tells People, “Patients go in to have something reduced, and now it’s enlarged. And the problem…is that, in some instances, it may not go away…”

For its part, CoolSculpting insisted to the magazine that its FDA-cleared treatment “has been well studied with more than 100 scientific publications and more than 11 million treatments performed worldwide,” and that rare side-effects like PAH are documented in its patient information.

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