Page 8113 – 105.7 WDNY

Florida trying to block money Biden sent to school districts fined for mask mandates

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Days after the Biden administration reimbursed two Florida school districts whose board members lost their salaries for mandating masks for students, the state’s top education official is trying to strip the districts of the money.

In a series of memoranda, Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran recommended Monday that the Florida Board of Education, which meets Thursday, withhold “state funds in an amount equal to any federal grant funds awarded” to districts that defy Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on school mask requirements.

Corcoran said he found probable cause that 11 school districts, including Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, violated state laws by implementing a mask mandate.

He also recommended that the Board withhold the salaries of the board members in each district, a punishment already handed down in late August to officials in Alachua and Broward counties.

In response to that crackdown, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the Alachua and Broward districts hundreds of thousands of dollars to make up for the lost paychecks. The money was issued through the Project SAFE grant program, which was created last month to reimburse school districts that lose state money for implementing coronavirus mitigation strategies.

The Florida Department of Education has not announced that it has begun withholding salaries from school board members in other districts requiring masks.

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona indicated in August that districts punished by Florida for requiring masks for students would be eligible for grant money. “I want you to know that the U.S. Department of Education stands with you,” he wrote in a letter to superintendents.

The 11 districts that Corcoran said violated the law will be under the microscope Thursday, when the Board of Education meets to decide whether to implement the commissioner’s recommendations and punish them.

District officials in Alachua and Broward counties questioned the legality of blocking federal funding on Tuesday.

“We’re always concerned when funds are withheld from public education, but we’re particularly concerned about the state interfering with federal funding. This will almost certainly have to be settled in court,” Dr. Carlee Simon, superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools, said in a statement to ABC News.

Dr. Rosalind Osgood, chair of the school board in Broward County, called Corcoran’s recommendations to the Board of Education “extremely displeasing” and said her district was complying with the law “and saving lives.”

“Our students and staff need academic support, mental health support and job security. The way that the Governor and Commissioner of Education have handled this issue has caused added trauma, unemployment and a major disruption in school board operations,” Osgood said in a statement to ABC News.

Take a closer look at Matt Damon and Adam Driver suiting up for battle in ‘The Last Duel’

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

20th Century Studios has released a nearly five-minute-long peek at Ridley Scott‘s new film The Last Duel, which stars, and was co-written by, childhood friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

The film from the Gladiator Oscar winner is based on real events: Damon plays a respected warrior named Jean de Carrouges, who faces off against Adam Driver‘s Jacques Le Gris, who is accused of assaulting de Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite, played by Killing Eve Emmy winner Jodie Comer.

The accusations set de Carrouges against his friend, the playboy Count Pierre d’Alençon, and the conflict eventually is settled by mortal combat between the warrior and Driver’s Le Gris.

The clip shows Le Gris and de Carrouges being suited up for that final showdown, which begins with jousting, and goes into hand-to-hand combat. The sneak peek cuts away without revealing any major spoilers.

The Last Duel opens October 15.

20th Century Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Volvo recalling over 400,000 cars due to air bag defect that left 1 dead

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Volvo is recalling over 460,000 cars due to an air bag defect that could result in passenger injury.

The recall affects older sedans, including 2001-2009 S60s and 2001-2006 S80s.

According to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the driver’s air bag inflator “may explode during deployment,” which could result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. There has been at least one death due to the defect, according to the documents.

“Our investigations have identified an issue where driver airbag inflators may under certain circumstances be subjected to excessive pressures during deployment potentially resulting in an inflator rupture,” a Volvo spokesperson said. “The excessive pressure can occur if the inflator has been subjected to elevated levels of moisture and high inflator temperatures frequently during its lifetime.”

To remedy the issue, Volvo will contact owners of cars subject to the recall. Dealerships will replace the driver’s air bag for free.

“You are my rock”: Gabby Barrett and Cade Foehner celebrate wedding anniversary

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

It’s all in the family for Gabby Barrett as she and husband Cade Foehner celebrate their second wedding anniversary.

To honor the special occasion, Gabby shared a photo on Instagram of her and Cade posing in front of a sunset photo background, with Cade cradling their 10-month-old daughter, Baylah May, in his arms.

“Happy 2nd Anniversary my love. You are my rock. You are my number 1 always,” Gabby writes alongside the photo of the happy family.

The couple, who met as contestants on season 16 of American Idol, wed on October 5, 2019 in Cade’s home state of Texas. Cade served as inspiration for Gabby’s hit song, “The Good Ones,” which became her second consecutive #1 country single.

They welcomed Baylah, their first child, in January.

Summer Walker announces new album, ‘Still Over It’, with a trailer featuring JT from City Girls

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Summer Walker has announced her second album, Still Over It, with help from JT of City Girls.

The “Playing Games” singer is promoting the project, to be released November 5, with a humorous trailer inspired by the cover of her 2019 platinum debut album, Over It, which featured her talking on the phone. In the clip, Summer’s speaking with JT, who is incarcerated. The 28-year-old rapper was arrested in 2017 for identity theft on fraudulent credit card charges and sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.

Summer threatens women who have been dissing her, and JT responds, “Girl, you know you are crazy…You’re going to end up in here with me.” Walker ends the conversation saying, “I can’t wait ’til you get out. We’re going to have so much fun.”

The 2019 Soul Train Best New Artist award winner from A-T-L hyped the album by presenting the Atlanta Falcons with custom-made Still Over It jerseys Sunday before their home game against Washington.

Fans can pre-order Still Over It now, and purchase exclusive Still Over It merchandise, on Summer’s website.

‘Squid Game’ pop-up store leads to massive street brawl in Paris

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

With Netflix’s Korean import series Squid Game burning up the streaming service, some fans took the “Hunger Games meets Saw” series a little too seriously, ending up in a massive brawl on the streets of Paris on Sunday.

Videos surfaced of the fans going, well, Squid Game with each other when they realized they weren’t getting into a pop-up, interactive version of the show — despite waiting in a 700-foot-long line for hours.

The Daily Mail posted video of the melee, which left some fans fleeing for cover, and others swinging at each other with their fists and whatever else was handy.

Squid Game shows poverty-stricken characters competing in a sinister series of kids’ games, all vying for a huge prize — or, failing that, a bullet in the head.

In real-life, the Parisian pop-up had hopefuls competing in games like those seen in the show — like trying to perfectly trace simple shapes — minus the firing squad if they fail.

The show has also spawned countless copycats from fans on TikTok as well.

Justin Timberlake asking $35 million for his LA mansion

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Justin Timberlake asking million for his LA mansion

What goes around comes around…but at a much higher price. Justin Timberlake is selling the LA mansion he bought in 2002 for just over $8 million for a whopping $35 million, reports The Wall Street Journal.

JT bought the 10-acre property before he married Jessica Biel; the couple now have two sons, Silas and Phineas. He and Jessica renovated the house and added a 85-foot zero-edge swimming pool.

The 13,000-square-foot home also has seven bedrooms, a gym, a screening room, a tennis court, a guesthouse and an outdoor entertaining space that wraps around the entire house.

JT and Jessica also own homes in New York City, Montana and Justin’s home state of Tennessee. As for why they’re selling, the couple’s real estate agent told The Wall Street Journal that they’ve been spending less time in LA lately.

‘House of the Dragon’: Check out ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel preview

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

HBO has dropped the first real peek at its Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.

“200 Years before the fall of the throne. A dynasty reigned,” a title card reads, setting the scene for the snippets of sword-and-armor action.

“Gods. Kings. Fire. And blood,” a character says. “Dreams didn’t make us kings. Dragons did.”

Based on George R.R. Martin‘s Fire & Blood book, set hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon is a deep dive into the history of GoT‘s House Targaryen, ancestors of Game of Thrones‘ tragic heroine, Daenerys Targaryen, who was played by Emilia Clarke.

House of the Dragon stars Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka the Sea Snake, former Doctor Who and The Crown star Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

The series also stars Paddy Considine, Fabien Frankel, Eve Best and Sonoya Mizuno.

House of the Dragon debuts on HBO Max in 2022.

Olivia Rodrigo addresses criticism of her music’s originality: “All music is inspired by each other”

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Olivia Rodrigo has added artists including Taylor Swift and Paramore to the songwriting credits of a few of her SOUR tracks. In a new cover story with Teen Vogue, the 18-year-old addresses the criticism surrounding her music’s originality.

“I think it’s disappointing to see people take things out of context and discredit any young woman’s work,” Olivia says. “But at the end of the day I’m just really proud and happy to say that my job is being a songwriter.

“All music is inspired by each other,” she adds. “Obviously, I write all of my lyrics from my heart and my life first. I came up with the lyrics and the melody for ‘good 4 u’ one morning in the shower.”

In August, Olivia added Paramore’s Hayley Williams and ex-guitarist Joshua Farro as co-writers on the track for its similarities to “Misery Business.”

She previously added Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent as co-writers on her track “Deja Vu,” because the song apparently borrows its bridge from Taylor’s “Cruel Summer.” She also added Taylor and Jack to her song “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back,” because it interpolates Taylor’s song, “New Year’s Day.”

“Every single artist is inspired by artists who have come before them,” Olivia says. “It’s sort of a fun, beautiful sharing process. Nothing in music is ever new. There’s four chords in every song. That’s the fun part — trying to make that your own.”

Class-action lawsuit filed against energy companies following Huntington Beach oil spill

October 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against the companies who run the oil line that dumped hundreds of thousands of crude oil off the coast of California over the weekend.

The federal lawsuit, filed Monday in the Central District of California Western Division, claimed the companies in charge of operating the rig and connected pipelines caused harm to people, wildlife and the local ecosystem by failing to prevent the spill from the platform about 4.5 miles from shore, known as “Elly.”

The lawsuit also accuses the defendants of failing to warn or provide the public with “adequate and timely notice of the hazards and their impacts.”

“At the time of this complaint’s filing, deceased animals were washing up covered in oil on the shorelines of the Affected Area and a large ecological reserve nearby had suffered tremendous damage,” the lawsuit stated, defining the “Affected Area” as the stretch of coast between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach and the defendants as Amplify Energy Corporation its subsidiary, the Beta Operating Company and other affiliates that may also hold responsibility.

A maximum of 144,000 gallons leaked into the Pacific Ocean after a pipe broke Saturday morning, according to officials. By early Sunday morning, the oil had reached the shore, fanning out over an area of about 5.8 nautical miles and entering the Talbert Marshlands and the Santa Ana River Trail, according to the city of Huntington Beach.

As a result, nearby beaches were closed to facilitate the cleanup and prevent residents from inhaling toxic fumes from the crude oil. Dana Point Harbor, about 30 miles south of Huntington Beach, became the latest location to close on Tuesday morning.

Hundreds of people are participating in cleanup efforts, both on land and in the ocean.

The main plaintiff, Peter Moses Gutierrez, is a disc jockey who frequently performs on Huntington Beach, according to the lawsuit. Gutierrez expects to lose a “substantial amount” of business in the foreseeable future as a result of the spill, the complaint alleges.

Gutierrez and other plaintiffs claim they have also been exposed to toxins from the oil, according to the lawsuit.

The nearly 18-mile Elly pipeline and the facilities that operate it were built in the late 1970s and early 1980s, according to the lawsuit.

The pipeline was likely leaking before the damage was discovered Saturday morning, Orange County supervisor Katrina Foley stated over the weekend. Officials from a division of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife stated in a report that they were notified of an “observed sheen” off the Huntington Beach coast at 10:22. p.m. on Friday, according to documents obtained by ABC News.

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the leak on Saturday morning, Amplify CEO Martyn Willsher told reporters.

Officials are looking into whether a ship anchor struck the underwater pipeline, damaging it, Willsher told reporters at a news conference Monday.

The Beta Operating Company has been cited 125 times for safety and environmental violations since 1980, The Associated Press reported, citing a database from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. It has been fined a total of $85,000 for three incidents.

The plaintiffs are requesting a jury trial to determine whether the defendants violated state laws and whether the defendants breached a duty and caused harm to the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit. The jury will also be asked whether restitution and compensatory or consequential damages should be awarded to the plaintiffs.

Representatives for the Amplify Energy Corporation did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment. Calls to the Beta Operating Company were not answered.

ABC News’ Jenna Harrison, Bonnie Mclean and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

+ More