iStock/MarsBars(MARYLAND) — With some predicting a “Roaring ’20s” return when COVID-19 is behind us, an oral surgeon in Chevy Chase, Maryland is celebrating the little things he’ll be able to do after getting his vaccine.
Dr. Jared Abel waited until his scheduled vaccination day to take to Facebook to sing a COVID-19-inspired version of Frozen‘s “For the First Time in Forever,” but listing the things we’ll all be able to do after he — and everybody else — gets inoculated.
“For the first time in forever/I’ll be going out at night!” he sings. “For the first time in forever/I’ll have to use a comb.”
Although Americans are currently getting the vaccine, when it comes to COVID-19, it will take some time before we can, eh, let it go, Abel cautions.
“We still gonna have to wait/but eventually we’ll be able to congregate!” he sings triumphantly.
Frozen is owned by Disney, parent company of ABC News.
Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesBy EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Two Louisville police officers have been fired from the department for their roles in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor.
The terminations of officer Myles Cosgrove and Det. Joshua Jaynes were made official on Tuesday in letters from interim Police Chief Yvette Gentry, who held closed-door hearings with the officers and their attorneys on Monday.
Cosgrove, who fired the shot that killed Taylor per a ballistics analysis, and Jaynes, who prepared the search warrant, received pre-termination letters last week.
Gentry said Cosgrove violated use of deadly force procedure when he fired 16 rounds into Taylor’s apartment. Two rounds hit Taylor, one of which was fatal.
In Gentry’s termination letter to Cosgrove, she said he “did not describe target/threat isolation or target/threat identification but instead you describe flashes that you did not properly evaluate as a threat.”
Gentry wrote that Standard Operating Procedure says the “person against whom the force is used must pose ‘an immediate threat of death or serious injury.'”
Cosgrove’s shots went in three different directions “indicating you did not verify a threat or have a target acquisition,” she wrote.
Gentry said Cosgrove also violated Standard Operating Procedure by failing to activate his camera in recording mode.
“Despite your years of service, I cannot justify your conduct nor in good conscience recommend anything less than termination,” she wrote.
Cosgrove’s attorney, Jarrod Beck, said Dec. 29, “I can confirm that Mr. Cosgrove has received a pre-termination notice. Otherwise, we have no comment.”
Jaynes wasn’t at the shooting but prepared the search warrant for Taylor’s apartment.
In Gentry’s termination letter to Jaynes, she said he violated the Standard Operating Procedure for truthfulness. She accused him of being untruthful in the search warrant affidavit when he said he verified through a U.S. postal inspector that Taylor’s ex-boyfriend had been receiving packages at Taylor’s address.
“You did not have contact with a US Postal Inspector. You did not ‘verify’ this statement you swore to in the affidavit,” Gentry wrote. “I acknowledge that you believe you prepared the search warrant in good faith. However, you failed to inform the judge that you had no contact with the US Postal Inspector. Your sworn information was not only inaccurate; it was not truthful.”
Jaynes’ lawyer, Thomas Clay, said via email on Dec. 29, “I fully expect Mr. Jaynes will be terminated after the ‘hearing’ no matter what the evidence is to the contrary. We will appeal any disciplinary action taken against Mr. Jaynes because I believe the evidence shows he did nothing wrong.”
The officers have the right to appeal, the Fraternal Order of Police said.
Cosgrove and Jaynes had been on administrative reassignment following the March 13 shooting that killed the 26-year-old emergency room technician.
Taylor was shot after officers arrived at her door in the middle of the night trying to execute a “no-knock” warrant as part of an investigation into a suspected drug operation allegedly linked to her ex-boyfriend.
Taylor’s boyfriend, who said he thought intruders were trying to break in, fired a shot. The officers returned fire, fatally shooting Taylor.
One officer, Brett Hankison, was fired and the others were placed on administrative duty. Initially no charges were brought against the officers, igniting protests across the country.
Kentucky State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the officers were justified in their use of deadly force because Walker fired the first shot.
Months later, Cameron convened a grand jury that indicted Hankison on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for firing into the apartment directly behind Taylor’s, where three people were inside. Hankison pleaded not guilty.
Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who also fired into Taylor’s home, has not been dismissed by the department. Mattingly was shot in the leg during the raid.
None of the officers were charged in connection with Taylor’s death.
Capitol RecordsAs a beloved member of the former global superstar group the Bee Gees, you’d think Barry Gibb wouldn’t have a reason to be intimidated by anyone in the music industry. But in an interview with Billboard, he admits that working with some of his country collaborators on Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1 was “terrifying.”
Gibb said he was particularly awestruck during his recording session with Keith Urban — in part because of the superstar company the singer brought with him.
“He’s fantastic. I mean, he gave us a great gift because he brought [his wife] Nicole [Kidman] with him, and that was such a thrill,” Barry recounts. “I’m freaking out, you know. It’s not really about anyone being impressed by me or intimidated by me — it’s the other way around.”
Then there was his team-up with his old friend Dolly Parton, for “Words.” The two legends first joined forces four decades ago for a version of “Islands in the Stream,” and Barry says she was “as incredible as she always is” this time around.
“She’s such a humble person,” he points out. “I just don’t understand how people of that stature remain calm and humble and ready to have a laugh, you know?”
Greenfields is due out in full on Friday. In addition to Dolly and Keith, the project features appearances from Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town and many more country stars.
(NEW YORK) — The Heisman Trust awarded the coveted Heisman Trophy to University of Alabama senior DeVonta Smith Tuesday night. The Crimson Tide player is the first wide receiver since 1991 to win one of college football’s highest individual honors.
Smith delivered an inspiring message to young athletes during the virtual ceremony. You can watch the ABC News report, including Smith’s remarks below:
ABC(LOS ANGELES) — With children learning virtually at home and unable to physically see their friends, some are struggling to adjust to the new normal. Gwyneth Paltrow admits that her teenage kids are no different.
Appearing recently on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Paltrow opened up about how the pandemic has affected her children and revealed that her 14-year-old son, Moses, is “having the hardest time.”
“What’s great is that he’s a skateboarder, so he can do a lot of solo, outside exercise and work on skills and tricks and stuff like that, but I think it’s very hard to be 14,” the 48-year-old actress explained.
“It’s tough on the ones that are still in the most intense developmental stages, I sort of observe,” Paltrow furthered. “My son would have started high school in September. I think it’s hard socially.”
As for the Oscar Award-winner’s 16-year-old daughter, Apple, she says things have been a little easier.
“She kind of knows who she is and she’s got her friends,” said Paltrow.
Host Jimmy Kimmel expressed sympathy for Moses, reflecting on what life was like for him when he was 14.
“I wasn’t going anywhere anyway, really,” he joked, but admitted he’d always hang out at his friend’s house and “make crank calls” — an activity he knows wouldn’t fly in this day and age.
Overall, Paltrow says she appreciates how children have been able to adapt to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, telling Jimmy, “I’ve also been amazed how adaptable kids are during this time and how agile they’ve been. Hats off to all these kids around the world who are just getting through it.”
Paltrow shares Moses and Apple with ex-husband Chris Martin.
iStock/MarsBars(MARYLAND) — With some predicting a “Roaring ’20s” return when COVID-19 is behind us, an oral surgeon in Chevy Chase, Maryland is celebrating the little things he’ll be able to do after getting his vaccine. 
