(NEW YORK) — A storm is bearing down on the southern Plains and Texas, where residents are bracing for severe weather, including flash flooding.
On Wednesday evening, when the storm moves in, there’s a chance for damaging winds, hail and even an isolated tornado in Texas.
On Thursday, the storm will fully blossom in the South, bringing the threat of tornadoes and damaging winds from Houston to Jackson, Mississippi.
Flash flooding could be an issue from Dallas to Little Rock, Arkansas, to Memphis, Tennessee, to Paducah, Kentucky.
A flood watch has been issued for three states — Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri — where some areas could see up to 5 inches of rain from Wednesday night to Thursday night.
The same storm system will move into the Northeast on Friday, bringing rain to the Interstate 95 corridor and the potential for ice and snow to higher elevations in Pennsylvania, New York and New England.
(PHILADELPHIA) — An 18-year-old man who was celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game on Sunday has died after he fell from a light pole during the celebrations, officials said.
Temple University announced the death of first-year student Tyler Sabapathy, 18, who sustained critical injuries over the weekend and died on Tuesday.
The tragedy happened Sunday night at 15th and Market streets in Center City Philadelphia where video shows the teen above on the street pole before he fell onto the concrete sidewalk flat on his back, hitting his head, according to ABC News’ Philadelphia station WPVI.
He was taken to Jefferson Hospital with a brain injury and pronounced dead two days later.
Sabapathy was a Toronto native and accomplished gymnast with over 120 medals, was majoring in exercise and sport science at Temple’s College of Public Health, school administrators said. He was also a dedicated member of the university’s club gymnastics team.
“It is with deep sadness that we write to share news of the death of first-year student Tyler Sabapathy. Over the weekend, Tyler sustained critical injuries and ultimately passed away this afternoon,” said John Fry, Temple’s president, and Jodi Bailey, vice president for student affairs, in a statement obtained by ABC News.
“The loss of a promising 18-year-old man like Tyler is both tragic and traumatic. There are no words that can make sense of it, and the entire Temple community mourns his passing. Our hearts go out to Tyler’s family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved him,” the statement continued.
“He no doubt had a bright future ahead of him, and it is so tragic that we will not be able to see how he would have made his mark on the world,” school administrators said. “As a member of the university’s club gymnastics team, Tyler displayed exceptional self-discipline and work ethic, spending countless hours a week training and honing his craft. He was loved by his teammates, friends and coaches here in Philadelphia.”
Philadelphia police had an internal briefing on Tuesday to review Sunday’s response and discuss what strategies they will use during the next possible celebration, which could be in just two weeks, according to WPVI.
City officials did not say if they greased the poles on Sunday, adding that they don’t want to release public safety tactics, WPVI said.
Meanwhile, Temple University said grief counselors will be available for students and staff.
“We extend our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to those closest to Tyler, especially his parents and siblings,” school officials said. “He will be deeply missed.”
(MIAMI) — A tree trimmer died after getting caught in a wood chipper while trimming trees at a town hall near Miami, officials said.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning when the Ocean Ridge Police Department responded to Ocean Ridge Town Hall — some 60 miles north of Miami — for “an accident involving one employee from a contracted tree trimming vendor,” according to a statement from the town of Ocean Ridge on social media.
“Upon arrival, Ocean Ridge officers found one person had died from injuries sustained in the accident,” officials said. No other individuals on scene sustained injuries.
Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were immediately notified and were en route to the scene, according to the town of Ocean Ridge.
The identity of the victim has not yet been disclosed by authorities.
The investigation is currently ongoing at this time and Boynton Beach Fire Rescue is providing grief counseling to town employees and vendor staff, officials said.
(FAIRBANKS, ALASKA) — An Air Force F-35 fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on Tuesday as the pilot ejected safely, officials said.
The aircraft incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon at approximately 12:49 p.m. and resulted in “significant aircraft damage,” according to a statement released by 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
The impact site is known to be on base within the fence line of Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, officials confirmed.
In video of the crash, the aircraft can be seen falling from the sky while the pilot ejects from the plane before the crash.
“The pilot is safe and has been transported to Bassett Army Hospital for further evaluation. Emergency crews are responding,” authorities said.
Military officials said that stopping on the Richardson Highway, the road adjacent to Eielson AFB, “poses a safety risk and impedes recovery efforts” and reminded people that federal law prohibits any photography along that stretch of highway.
“Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security,” said Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing. “I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.”
(NEW YORK) — America’s fourth and eighth grade students’ sliding reading scores worsened in 2024, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which has been dubbed the nation’s report card.
“The nation’s report card is out and the news is not good,” National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy G. Carr said on a call with reporters on Tuesday.
“Students are not where they need to be or where we want them to be,” she said. “Our students, for the most part, continue to perform below the pre-pandemic levels, and our children’s reading continues to slide in both grades and subjects.”
“And, most notably, our nation’s struggling readers continue to decline the most,” Carr added.
The report card, released every two years by the Department of Education, is the largest assessment of students’ performance in public and private schools across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. It paints a grim picture of scores in critical subjects, underscoring urgent challenges for schools, policymakers and families seeking to improve performance.
Compared to 2022, this year’s average reading scores dropped by 2 points for both fourth and eighth grade assessments, according to the NCES data conducted between January and March 2024. That adds to the 3-point decrease for both grades in 2022. Forty percent of fourth graders read below NAEP basic levels, and about a third of eighth graders read below the basic level.
“The continued declines in reading scores are particularly troubling,” National Assessment Governing Board member Patrick Kelly said, adding: “Reading is foundational to all subjects, and failure to read well keeps students from accessing information and building knowledge across content areas.”
Despite the decline in reading, there was some recovery in math in 2024, but the increase has not returned students to pre-pandemic levels.
Mathematics scores climbed by 2 points for fourth graders and did not change for eighth graders from the 2022 findings. As ABC News reported two years ago, the 2022 declines in math were the largest drops in NAEP’s history.
But Peggy Carr stressed this is not solely a pandemic story. Reading scores have been declining since 2017. Among the lowest-level achievers, scores are now at the worst point since 1992.
The report card does not provide causes for the declines in scores. On the call with reporters, officials said data shows there has been a decline in students who say they’re reading “for enjoyment,” and teachers are not focusing as much on “essay responses” to questions.
The pandemic exacerbated the problems facing education in reading, math and history, according to NAEP’s 2022 assessments. Fourth grade and eighth grade students saw their largest declines ever in math, and eighth grade students received the lowest history scores since 1994, when the history assessment was first administered.
NCES data also found that while chronic absenteeism has decreased since the last assessment, student attendance is contributing to the dismal numbers. NCES defines chronic absenteeism as missing at least 10% of the school year.
“The data are clear: Students who don’t come to school are not improving,” Carr emphasized on the call.
The call also outlined a bleak outlook for the country’s lowest-performing students.
“There’s a widening achievement gap in this country and it has worsened since the pandemic, especially for grade eight,” Carr said.
It’s important to note NAEP is a challenging assessment, according to Carr. Students’ results are scored as basic, proficient or advanced. Below basic scores do not mean a child can’t read; however, Carr noted it is still worrying that scores continue to fall.
This comes as the K-12 education debate turned political during the pandemic when schools shuttered for in-person learning and parents were exposed to their child’s curriculum. Conservatives have made it a culture wars issue and denounced public schools for indoctrinating kids with inappropriate gender and critical race theory.
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, the Chairman of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, told ABC News that these results hurt vulnerable children the most, as the previous administration kept schools shuttered longer than the public health guidance.
The chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan, said the report exposes the nation’s failing education system.
“This is clearly a reflection of the education bureaucracy continuing to focus on woke policies rather than helping students learn and grow,” the Republican congressman wrote in a statement to ABC News.
NCES officials on the call also warned that if President Donald Trump delivers on his pledge to shutter the Department of Education, they’re unsure if it will impact future assessments.
“We don’t know what will happen to NCES or NAEP,” Carr said when asked by ABC News. “We are hopeful that people will see the value in these data and what we are doing for the country.”
(WASHINGTON) — A person arrested outside of the Capitol with a knife and two potential incendiary devices told officers they wanted to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and also leveled threats against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, according to newly unsealed charging documents.
Ryan English allegedly approached officers outside the Capitol on Monday and said, “I’d like to turn myself in,” and then told the officers they were in possession of knifes and two Molotov cocktails, according to charging documents. Officers searched English’s clothes and found a folding knife, a lighter and two 50 milliliter bottles of vodka with a cloth on top.
English told officers they were there to “Kill Scott Bessent,” who was confirmed by the Senate on Monday as the new treasury secretary. English also had a note stating, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters,” according to charging documents.
After English was taken into custody, English told officers they traveled to Washington, D.C., from Massachusetts on Sunday with the intention of killing Johnson and/or Hegseth, whom English called a “Nazi,” documents said. They also expressed a desire to burn down the conservative Heritage Foundation, documents said.
On the way to D.C., English stopped at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and saw Reddit posts mentioning Bessent’s confirmation hearing, which “altered” their plans, according to the charging documents.
English then bought the bottles of vodka, which they said they intended to ignite and throw “at Bessent’s feet,” the documents said. English said if they were able to get close enough to Bessent, they would’ve stabbed him with a knife, the documents said.
English told officers that when they traveled to the Capitol to conduct surveillance, English surmised they “would have to kill, at least, three U.S. Capitol Police Officers to get to Bessent and kill him,” according to the charging documents. English “expressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop,” the affidavit said.
English faces charges of carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device on Capitol grounds and unlawful receipt, possession and/or transfer of a firearm.
(VALLEJO, Calif.) — A California school was forced to cancel classes until further notice after its copper wiring was stolen, knocking out power to the property.
Repairs at the Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy are expected to take about a week, but if the school needs to be closed for longer, the district will arrange alternate student placements, according to the school.
“Students have been set up with alternative learning hubs or can complete work at home for the time being,” the school told ABC News in a statement.
The school will open alternative learning hubs on Wednesday to continue learning,
“Alternative learning hubs will open at six school sites: Cooper, Dan Mini, Federal Terrace, Highland, and Patterson Elementary Schools, as well as Loma Vista Environmental Science Academy. These hubs will provide academic instruction and resources, with educators from elementary and middle schools supporting students as they complete independent study work prepared by their teachers,” the school announced.
Parents and guardians were sent an online form that they can use to sign up for the alternative learning hubs.
“We are committed to ensuring that our students’ education remains as uninterrupted as possible,” Vallejo City Unified School District Superintendent Rubén Aurelio said. “The dedicated staff at Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy has worked rapidly to prepare learning materials and establish a system that keeps our students engaged during this temporary closure.”
Free breakfast and lunch will be provided at all the hubs.
For families not attending a hub, staff will be available at Solano Widenmann on Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to distribute independent study materials.
Vallejo Police did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for a comment on the investigation.
(NEW YORK) — South Carolina schools are facing a lawsuit over restrictions on what can be taught about racial inequality in K-12 public schools.
The state’s Budget Proviso 1.79 states that no state funding should go toward certain “concepts” touching on race or sex — including unconscious racism, sexism or other form of oppression.
Among the restrictions, the budget prohibits anything that causes “an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex” or that “fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex.”
It also restricts “teaching certain literary or historical concepts” of “historical or past discriminatory policies.”
The language mirrors other “divisive concept” or anti-“critical race theory” legislation seen in more than a dozen states nationwide, which have impacted the lessons, discussions, books, and programs schools and students can engage in.
The Legal Defense Fund and Tyler Bailey of Bailey Law Firm, LLC, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of South Carolina educators, students, the local NAACP conference and author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to challenge these restrictions.
Plaintiffs argue that the restrictions are a form of “censorship” in a state with a deep-rooted racial history including the 1739 Stono slave rebellion, the racially motivated Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015, and the state’s role in the Confederacy.
Plaintiffs say the vague guidelines violate the free speech of teachers and students, infringing on “accurate, comprehensive education on race-related issues” for South Carolina students.
“We must provide an education that prepares them as citizens to read widely, think critically, and understand that complex issues have multiple, varied perspectives,” said plaintiff Ayanna Mayes, a high school librarian, in a written statement.
She claimed, “The State of South Carolina is muzzling and tying the hands of the brilliant, highly trained educators it has certified and dis-serving its bright, talented students.”
In a statement to the South Carolina Daily Gazette, a spokesperson for the state’s education department defended the restrictions and argued that the state is dedicated to teaching the good and bad of history.
“This meritless lawsuit does not diminish our dedication, nor does it identify any shortcomings or legal defects,” a spokesperson told the outlet in a statement. “The South Carolina Department of Education will continue to seek meaningful opportunities to build bridges across divisions, honor the richness of our shared history, and teach it with integrity, all while ensuring full compliance with state law.”
The state Department of Education, Gov. Henry McMaster, and the Lexington County School District Three, all named in the lawsuit, have not yet responded to ABC News’ requests for comment.
School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties told ABC News it cannot comment on pending litigation.
A student plaintiff in the case said in a written statement that South Carolina’s decision to eliminate Advanced Placement credit for its African American Studies course among the other restrictions has impacted her educational trajectory.
“Understanding this history is crucial for my future medical career, as it will help me better diagnose, treat, and care for patients of color,” said the student plaintiff in a written statement. “Without this knowledge, healthcare disparities can worsen, leading to inadequate treatment and even death.”
Plaintiff Mary Wood, an AP English teacher, said the budget proviso prevents “citizens armed with truth and empathy, who think critically and challenge oppressive systems which benefit few and harm many.”
In full, the budget proviso states: “(1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; “(2) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; “(3) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his race or sex; “(4) an individual’s moral standing or worth is necessarily determined by his race or sex; “(5) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex; “(6) an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex; “(7) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race; and “(8) fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex. “Nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any professional development training for teachers related to issues of addressing unconscious bias within the context of teaching certain literary or historical concepts or issues related to the impacts of historical or past discriminatory policies.”
(NEW YORK) — Presidential immunity does not protect Donald Trump from having to pay tens of millions of dollars in damages after being held liable for defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, a lawyer for Carroll told a federal appeals court in a filing Monday.
After being awarded an $83.3 million defamation judgment from a jury last year, Carroll on Monday urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to uphold the judgment against Trump, after Trump asked the court to toss out the verdict because he had immunity as president.
“Dissatisfied with the outcome of the judicial process, Trump now asks this Court to set aside that jury verdict on the theory that he was actually immune from judicial review all along,” Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan wrote in the filing.
In 2023, a jury held Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. A year later, a different jury in a separate trial ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83 million in damages for defaming her in a 2022 social media post in which he called her allegations “a Hoax and a lie” and said “This woman is not my type!”
A federal appeals court upheld the $5 million judgment in December, and Trump’s appeal of the $83 million judgement is ongoing.
In September, Trump attorney D. John Sauer — who Trump nominated in November to serve as the new solicitor general — told a federal appeals court that the $83 million judgment should be thrown out based on a flawed jury instruction, a series of “highly prejudicial errors” during the trial, and because presidential immunity protects Trump from liability for public statements made as president.
“Presidential immunity forecloses any liability here and requires the complete dismissal of all claims,” Sauer wrote.
In her reply brief filed Monday, Kaplan pushed back against Trump’s assertion of immunity, arguing that statements Trump made about Carroll as president would clearly fall outside of his official responsibilities.
“If there were ever a case where immunity does not shield a President’s speech, this one is it,” Kaplan wrote. “Donald Trump was not speaking here about a governmental policy or a function of his responsibilities as President. He was defaming Carroll because of her revelation that many years before he assumed office, he sexually assaulted her.”
Carroll’s attorney argued that the $83 million judgement was justified to deter Trump from further defamatory statements, a risk that Kaplan said the jury saw firsthand. Trump attended most days of the 2024 trial, criticizing Carroll as a liar from his seat in the courtroom and sparring with the judge who oversaw the case.
“Throughout the trial, the jury had a front-row seat to Trump’s relentless campaign of malice, including his repeated defamation of Carroll at press conferences he held and in statements he posted on social media while the trial was ongoing,” Kaplan wrote.
Subway survivor Joseph Lynskey speaks with ABC News. ABC News
(NEW YORK) — A man who was pushed onto New York City subway tracks in the path of an oncoming train is recounting the harrowing, near-death experience that left him with a fractured skull, four broken ribs and a ruptured spleen.
“I just thought, ‘I’ve been pushed and I’m going to die,'” Joe Lynskey, 45, told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in a broadcast exclusive interview.
Lynskey had just finished a New Year’s Eve brunch with his friends when a stranger pushed him onto the tracks at the 18th Street station in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.
“It happened in a flash,” he said.
“The next thing I knew, I was flying through the air, and I saw the two lights of the train in my face and I could make out the shape of the conductor,” Lynskey said. “And then I crashed into the tracks and I smacked my head open on the ground.”
Lynskey survived the initial push, but he knew he was still in life-threatening danger due to the subway system’s electrified rail, known as the third rail.
“If you touch it at all, you will die immediately,” he said. “You cannot move. Don’t kick your feet, don’t struggle.”
Lynskey said he started screaming for help, and about 90 seconds in a woman responded to him and tried to keep him calm.
After about four minutes, Lynskey said he heard the sirens from rescuers rushing to the scene.
“They dragged me a few feet to the opening between the two subway cars and they told me to raise my hands above my head,” he said. “Two firefighters on the platform pulled me up onto the platform — and I heard my ribs crack. It was unbelievably painful.”
Lynskey spent seven days in the hospital, including five days in intensive care, as he recovered from his fractured skull, broken ribs and ruptured spleen.
The 23-year-old suspected of pushing Lynskey, Kamel Hawkins, fled the scene and was apprehended later that day. He was indicted on charges including attempted murder and has pleaded not guilty.
Asked what he would say to Hawkins, Lynskey replied, “I’m choosing not to focus on the anger or resentment or negativity.”
“I’m focusing on healing, recovering, getting myself back to my life,” he said.
Lynskey said that his experience is “a powerful reminder that this can all be taken away from you at any moment, and you have to keep going. Life is too short.”
Hawkins is next due in court on April 16.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called the attack “a brutal and unprovoked act of violence.”
“Every day, we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who threaten the safety of New Yorkers utilizing our transit system,” Bragg said in a statement.
