(NEW YORK) — The dangerous wildfires erupting across large portions of the Western U.S. are bringing major health risks to the residents.
The Dixie Fire near the Feather River Canyon in Northern California is now the second-largest fire in state history after it sparked last month. Whether you live in California, Oregon or Montana, here are some tips from doctors:
Dr. Zab Mosenifar, a lung specialist at Cedars-Sinai medical director of the Women’s Guild Lung Institute, says those in immediate danger are the residents within 25 miles of a fire.
Small particles in the air can travel hundreds of miles, and depending on the winds, particles can float for up to two weeks after a fire has been extinguished, Mosenifar warned.
Those especially in danger are children, the elderly and people with chronic respiratory problems, Mosenifar said.
“Breathing in smoke, spot and particulate matter in high concentration and/or for prolonged periods of time can result in short or long term lung damage,” said ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton.
“People who smoke, vape or have asthma are at higher risk for problems,” Ashton said.
“I recommend that anyone in the area wear an N95 particulate mask if possible,” she added.
Ashton urges residents with persistent coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing or chest tightness to seek medical attention and to wear goggles for eye protection.
“If your eyes are hurting or vision is impaired, seek medical attention immediately and do not rub your eyes as this could cause more damage,” she said.
Mosenifar recommends that residents use an air filter in their home or set their air conditioner to recirculate the air.
The Eagles have added a new date to their current touring schedule, but there are different parameters for attending this particular concert.
All attendees of the November 5 show at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena will need to provide proof of vaccination in order to attend. Children under the age of 12 will be allowed to attend if they provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 48 hours of the show.
More details about this requirement are available at ClimatePledgeArena.com. The website notes, “This is a decision taken by the band supported by the Climate Pledge Arena team to ensure they, along with fans and staff, feel safe.” As of now, no other concerts scheduled for the arena will require fans to be vaccinated.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 13 at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. VIP Packages will be available starting Thursday, August 12 at 10 a.m. PDT.
The Eagles concert is part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers’ upcoming tour, which kicks off August 22 with two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It will feature the band performing its classic album Hotel California in full, accompanied by an orchestra and a choir, followed by a set of the band’s greatest hits. Right now, the November 5 date is the final one on the tour.
Tracee Ellis Ross says it wasn’t always a perfect union between her and black-ish co-star, Anthony Anderson, who plays her character Rainbow’s supportive husband Dre on the ABC series.
Ross tells Entertainment Weekly that there was a time when she actually “hated” Anderson.
“He did something while we were working [and] I thought it was totally inappropriate!” recalls Ross, referring to when they co-hosted the Vibe Awards on UPN in 2005.
“I made a fart joke!” responds Anderson, before Ross injects, “You made a fart joke at my expense on stage!”
“I was like, ‘Not appropriate! I don’t know you that well!,” she continues. “What are you thinking?’ And I held this resentment forever.”
However, it’s safe to say that time has healed all wounds. Ross says she and Anderson have long since mended those fences.
“And now, look — I love this man!,” she says. “This man is like the best TV husband ever.”
(New York) — Pet adoption rates soared during the pandemic. According to a Rover.com survey from January, 49% of Americans said they got a new dog amid the pandemic.
With travel picking back up, pet parents are looking to bring their fur babies on vacation. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Understand the rules of flying with Fido
Last year, the Department of Transportation revised its rule on traveling with service animals, no longer classifying Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s) as service animals – opening the door for airlines to begin charging for ESA’s.
Currently, most U.S airlines charge customers $125 per flight to bring pets inside the cabin.
Dr. Marie Bucko, a veterinarian, said it’s important to first ask yourself if bringing your pet on your next trip is what’s best for them.
“Your pets are part of the family so it’s understandable that you would want to bring them on a family trip,” Bucko said in an interview with ABC News. “Sometimes it’s not so simple and there’s a lot to think about before bringing pets on vacation with us.”
Bucko said it’s important to take the time of distance of your flight into consideration.
“We certainly don’t want any of our fur babies to get sick on a flight,” Bucko said.
If you feel your pet is up for the plane, make sure your airline will allow them on board.
“Check with the airlines because they may have restrictions on breed and on size and most airlines also require a certificate of veterinary inspection which is like a health certificate more or less,” Bucko said.
If your pet is traveling in the cabin, Bucko said make sure you have an appropriately sized carrier and work on desensitizing your pet to it.
“At the airline or a local pet store you can kind of look into those dimensions and what their restrictions might be,” Bucko said.
2. Pack extra time so your pet can go potty at the airport
Once you arrive at the airport, Bucko said find out where the pet relief areas are located.
“Make sure that you arrived at the airport early enough to exercise your pet bring them to that relief area,” she advised.
After you’ve gone through security, Bucko said its important to let the flight crew know your flying with your pet.
“Your best bet is notifying the flight attendants as soon as you get on that either your pets are with you or they’re in the cargo hold,” Bucko said. “Just having an open line of communication with them as soon as you step onto that flight and say, ‘look I have my pet with me and is there anything that you need from me?’ in order to make this flight easier for all of us.”
3. If you can swing it, some are flying their pets private
Some pet owners are willing to shell out lots of cash to make their pets more comfortable. Luxury Aircraft Solutions, a jet charter company, said in June it saw almost 74% more people traveling with pets than in June 2019.
Daniel Hirschhorn, managing director of Jetmembership.com, said his customers are typically booking charters to move their pets around the country. He said taking your pet on a private jet is more costly than a commercial flight.
“Generally speaking, it’s significantly more expensive to do a private charter, even with those additional fees,” Hirschhorn said. “People spend a lot of money on their pets, they’re part of the family and if they need to get them somewhere they’re willing to pay up.”
Unlike a commercial plane, Hirschhorn said animals don’t need to be crated on Luxury Aircraft Solutions jets.
4. If your pet’s not up to flying, consider taking them on the road
Traveling with a pet by car is more economical for most people. Similar to travel crates, you can also work with your pet to get them used to the car.
“If you don’t often take your pet in the car you can start with short trips to fun destinations like a dog-friendly park or a play area to really get your pet used to riding in a car,” Bucko said.
If your pet gets sick on the road, Bucko said its best to talk with your veterinarian before your next road trip.
“The best piece of advice that I have for you is to talk with your veterinarian about alternate travel suggestions and even medications to keep them comfortable.”
5. Consider pet-friendly destinations for your next vacation
No matter how you decide to get there, make sure your destination will welcome your furry friend.
Emily Kaufman, a travel expert, said she’s seen an uptick in hotels and resorts creating special offers so owners can bring their pets on vacation.
“We don’t want to leave pets behind as we start venturing out,” Kaufman said. “So, we’re seeing new pet owners with new experiences wanting to share those with their pets.”
Most hotels will accept cats and dogs for an extra fee. Kaufman said to look for chains that have dedicated pages for pets on their websites.
“Those places are super welcoming for pets,” Kaufman said. “They usually give you an amenity, kind of a welcome gift, like a guide to where dog parks are in good walking areas.”
(DENVER) — After an investigation into an alleged use of a racial slur during Sunday’s game, the Colorado Rockies have concluded a fan was yelling for the team’s mascot Dinger, a purple dinosaur.
The investigation began after the Miami’s Bally Sports Television broadcast picked up the fans yelling for the mascot during Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins when Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson, who is black, was at bat.
“After a thorough investigation that included calls, emails and video clips from concerned fans, media and broadcast partners, the Colorado Rockies have concluded that the fan was indeed yelling for Rockies mascot Dinger in hopes of getting his attention for a photo, and there was never any racial slur that occurred,” the team said in a statement Monday.
The fan was not identified.
In a statement on Sunday, the team said they were “disgusted at the use of a racial slur” during Brinson’s at-bat.
Brinson went 2-4 in the game with two RBI’s. Colorado won 13-8.
(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Risking financial consequences from the state of Florida, the superintendent of Leon County Schools refused Monday to allow parents to opt their children out of the district-wide mask mandate.
The decision directly defies an emergency rule issued Friday by the Florida Department of Health, which mandates that school districts requiring masks for students let parents opt out without providing a reason.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, in an executive order issued on July 30, gave the state education commissioner the green light to deny money to districts that don’t comply with rules to protect “parents’ rights … to make health care decisions for their minor children.”
Some of Florida’s largest school districts, seemingly spooked by the threat of losing money, are allowing parents to opt their children out of mask mandates .
Superintendent Rocky Hanna, however, is forcing the state’s hand.
He cited the need to keep students safe, as Florida reports increased numbers of infections of COVID-19 and hospital admissions in children.
The state has the highest number of confirmed pediatric hospitalizations from the virus, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services.
“If something happened and things went sideways for us this week and next week as we started school, and heaven forbid we lost a child to this virus, I can’t just simply blame the governor of the state. I can’t,” Hanna said.
He added, “If there’s an out and I didn’t take the out, and I didn’t do what was best for the children here in Tallahassee and Leon County, that’s on me.”
Parents in Leon County can submit a physician-signed form citing a medical need for their child to forgo a mask at school. They can also transfer their child to another school district via the Hope Scholarship, a program designed to protect bullied students which now, thanks to a new state rule, shields students from “COVID-19 harassment,” like mask mandates.
DeSantis’ office implied in a statement following Hannah’s announcement that any funding consequences would not affect students.
Instead, according to DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw, “The State Board of Education could move to withhold the salary of the district superintendent or school board members, as a narrowly tailored means to address the decision-makers who led to the violation of law.”
On Monday, Alachua County, home to Gainesville, confirmed that the district will also deny parents the chance to opt their children out of mask mandates without a medical reason.
“We want the same thing the governor wants. We want kids in their classrooms,” Jackie Johnson, the county’s communications director, told ABC News.
“The issue is we’ve got such a dramatic increase in the number of employees testing positive or having to be quarantined because of COVID. We certainly run the risk, if that trend isn’t reversed, of not having enough people to run our school safely,” she continued.
In a statement issued last week, Carlee Simon, the superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools, said two employees of the district had died of the virus within days of each other.
Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker are back at it again. And by “it,” we mean recording another album.
The “Bloody Valentine” rocker has announced a new record called Born with Horns. It’ll be executive-produced by the Blink-182 drummer, who held the same title for MGK’s last album, 2020’s Tickets to My Downfall.
In honor of the new collaboration, both Kelly and Barker both got matching tattoos that read “Born with Horns” across their forearms.
We don’t yet have a released date for Born with Horns, but its first single is set to debut alongside a video this Wednesday, August 11, at 9 p.m. PT.
On Friday, Tim McGraw will premiere the music video for his new track, “7500 OBO,” and the singer has a special surprise to share: The clip stars his youngest daughter, Audrey.
Tim broke the news on Instagram this week, sharing a snapshot of himself and Audrey standing together in front of a blue Ford F-150. Tim also reminded fans to tune into YouTube to watch the premiere. After the video airs, YouTube Premium subscribers will have access to a special afterparty featuring an interview and performance.
“7500 OBO” is the latest single to come off of Tim’s Here on Earth album, which came out in 2020. The song tells the story of “an ‘06, stick-shift dark blue F-150” that he just can’t bear to keep due to the memories and heartbreak that he associates with it.
Audrey is the youngest of Tim’s three talented daughters with his fellow country star wife, Faith Hill. Earlier this year, the singer also shouted-out his fatherly pride to daughter Maggie after she graduated from Stanford University, while his third daughter, Gracie, has demonstrated plenty of her own musical talents on social media videos.
For their part, Tim and Faith are also expanding their skill sets: The musical couple will star in a prequel to the Yellowstone TV series, it was announced last week.
Ronnie Wood and his Ronnie Wood Band have released two additional tracks from his upcoming live album Mr. Luck — A Tribute to Jimmy Reed: Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
One track, “Shame, Shame, Shame,” a Reed song from 1963, is one the Rolling Stones used to play live during their early days. Wood’s live version features ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, as well as Paul Weller, former frontman of The Jam and Style Council, on vocals. The other track, “Roll and Rhumba,” is an instrumental.
The live album, originally recorded in November of 2013, is due out September 17. In addition to Weller and Taylor, it also features Bobby Womack and Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall.
“Jimmy Reed was one of the premier influences on the Rolling Stones and all the bands that love American blues from that era until the present day,” says Wood in a statement. “It is my honor to have the opportunity to celebrate his life and legacy with this tribute.”
The 18-track Mr. Luck — A Tribute to Jimmy Reed: Live at the Royal Albert Hall will be available digitally, on CD, on vinyl, and on limited-edition dual-tone smoky blue vinyl.
Elliot Page is being honored for his loyal advocacy to the LGBTQIA+ community.
At the upcoming Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQIA+ Film Festival,Elliot will be bestowed with the Outfest Annual Achievement Award, the highest honor at the festival that works to elevate empathy for the queer community, careers in entertainment, and spotlights LGBTQIA+ stories and voices.
Elliot came out as transgender last year and later shared that he identifies as queer and nonbinary. As an actor, he’s appeared in critically acclaimed films including Juno, Inception and the X-Men series. He’s been nominated for two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award, among many others.
“It gives me great honor to be the recipient of this year’s Outfest Annual Achievement Award and represent the LGBTQ+ community. Now more than ever, it is so important for our voices to be amplified and represented in film and media, and for people to hear our stories,” Elliot shares in a statement.
The Umbrella Academy star will will be presented with the award by Kieran Medina, lead programmer of Outfest LA’s Annual Trans & Nonbinary Summit, at the Closing Night Gala on August 22 at the Orpheum Theatre.
