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More wildfires explode in the West as historic heat continues

• No Comments • National News

ABC NewsBy MAX GOLEMBO, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Several new wildfires have exploded in the West due to lightning and bone dry conditions on the ground.

There are currently at least 28 wildfires burning in California alone which puts the national total to more than 100 wildfires.

Here is the latest information on the recent fires:

  • The Holser fire in Lake Piru, Ventura County is 1,200 acres and 15% contained. Two firefighters have suffered minor injuries and there has been an evacuation order for 26 residences.
  • The Hennessey fire in Napa Valley near St. Helena is 2,400 acres and 0% contained with 205 structures threatened and evacuation orders issued.
  • The Lake fire in Lake Hughes is 19,026 acres and 38% contained with mandatory evacuations still in place and 21 structures destroyed so far and 4,570 structures still threatened.
  • The Loyalton fire near the California and Nevada border in Sierra County is 39,725 acres with just 10% of it contained so far. Five structures have been destroyed, six have been damaged and mandatory evacuations are in place.
  • The River fire east of Salinas is 3,793 acres and 10% contained with six structures destroyed, two damaged and 1,500 more threatened with evacuation orders issued.
  • The Butte Lightning Complex fire near Oroville is made up of 26 fires in total and is 0% contained more than 1,130 acres.

Meanwhile, dozens of record highs were broken Monday in the West from Montana down to southern California.

Here are some of the records from Monday: The hottest temperature was in Death Valley at 127 degrees, Phoenix, Arizona reached 115 as well as a record-breaking 41 days this summer with temperatures above 110 degrees. Tucson, Arizona, hit 109, Las Vegas peaked at 112, Palmdale, California made it to 111, Salt Lake City reached 102, Denver got up to 98, Boise, Idaho, hit 102 and even Billings, Montana, broke a record high reaching 100 degrees.

Lightning along with gusty erratic winds continue to be the biggest threat for development and spread of new fires.

Looking ahead, some slight weakening of this western high dome is forecast which should slightly lower the temperatures for most of the West.

Even though it will turn not as hot, gusty erratic winds and a dry lightning threat will continue through the rest of the week.

Elsewhere, the tropical Atlantic that is getting active, and two tropical waves are moving east and could form into a Tropical Depression in the next day or so.

One tropical wave is currently over the eastern Caribbean and has a 60% chance of forming into a depression over the next few days but is also not really a threat to the U.S. at the moment.

The second tropical wave, still far in the Atlantic, could form into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours and currently has a 90% chance of becoming one.

Models currently take the system over the northern Caribbean over the weekend and it has to be watched closely as the weekend draws closer.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

'Dancing with the Stars' unveils its premiere and list of pro dancers returning this season

• No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC(LOS ANGELES) — As television shows resume production following shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars delighted fans on Tuesday with big news — it’s coming back in less than a month.

In a big reveal on ABC’s Good Morning America, it was announced that DWTS will be “waltzing its way into the ballroom” and onto televisions everywhere starting Monday, September 14.  

The show, which is entering its 29th season, will launch with a two-hour premiere party starting at 8 p.m. ET.

In addition, this season’s roster of pro dancers was also announced, containing a mixture of familiar and brand new faces.

Of course, fan favorites such as Val Chmerkovskiy and recent Mirror Ball Trophy winner Alan Bersten are returning for another exciting season.  In addition, newbies Britt Stewart and Daniella Karagach will be making their debut by dancing with celebrity partners for the first time.

The pro dancers joining season 29 are, in alphabetical order, Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Cheryl Burke, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater and Britt Stewart. 

Along with the new blood joining this season’s pro dancers, fans will also be entertained by a new host on DWTS.  

It was previously announced that Tyra Banks will be replacing outgoing hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews and will usher in “a fresh take on the competition,” according to the official press release.

As for those dying to know which celebrities will be joining the roster this season, you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer “to find out with whom their favorite professional dancers are paired.”

Dancing with the Stars returns Tuesday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.  Episodes will be made available the following day on demand and on Hulu.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ryan Reynolds announces $610 million deal with Diageo

• No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy Aviation Gin(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Ryan Reynolds is on his way to becoming $610 million dollars richer. 

On Monday, Diageo, one of the world’s largest producers of spirits and beers, announced they would be purchasing Aviation Gin, which is co-owned by Reynolds, in a deal worth an estimated $610 million.

According to the press release, the estimate is based on an upfront $335 million payout with an additional potential $275 million that will be disbursed over a 10-year period based on performance. 

In a statement made by the Deadpool star, he said, “A little over two years ago, I became an owner of Aviation Gin because I love the taste of Aviation more than any other spirit. What I didn’t expect was the sheer creative joy learning a new industry would bring. Growing the brand with my company, Maximum Effort Marketing, has been among the most fulfilling projects I’ve ever been involved with. I want to thank Diageo for their incredible team and passion. We’re so excited for the next chapter of Aviation Gin, which, I promise, will require just as little reading.”

Aviation American Gin is the second largest super premium gin brand, as well as one of the fastest growing brands within the category in the United States. 

Diageo is the same company that acquired George Clooney and Rande Gerber’s Casamigos tequila brand back in 2017 for $1 billion.

The British-based company also worked with Diddy in 2007 to sell Ciroc vodka, in addition to producing Johnny Walker whiskey, Ketel One vodka, and Captain Morgan rum. 

In a typically on-brand, sarcastic tweet mentioning the news, Reynolds left an “out of office” memo in which he pretends he didn’t not to have gone over the fine print in the deal — and that he realized too late the $610 million wouldn’t be paid out in a lump sum.

“Thanks for your email. I am currently out of the office but will still be very hard at work selling Aviation Gin. For quite a long time, it seems,” the message began.

“In related news, I just learned what an ‘earn out’ is… And I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone I told to go f**k themselves in the last 24 hours. My lawyers just explained how long it takes to achieve an ‘earn out’… so… turns out I’m not as George Clooney as I thought. The point is, to those listed below, I’m sorry… and I’ll indeed be needing your help in the coming months and years. Thanks in advance!

He mentions, “Mom, Blake, Peter, Diageo CEO, The Rock, George Clooney, Southern Glazer’s, Betty White, TGI Friday’s, Baxter, Calisthenics, AMC Theaters, Total Wine, The Number 8, Don Saladino, Darden, The Head of Alfredo Garcia, Soothing Lavender Eye Pillows.”

By Danielle Long and Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ellen cans three top producers amid workplace culture investigation

• No Comments • Entertainment News

FOX via Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Three senior producers accused of creating a toxic work environment behind the scenes of Ellen Degeneres’ long-running daytime talk show, were fired on Monday, according to Variety.

During an emotional videoconference with the show’s staff, Degeneres announced that executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman, and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman, were ousted from the show in the wake of a damning Buzzfeed article alleging racial insensitivity, sexual misconduct and other problems at the show.

Leman and Glavin have also reportedly been removed as EPs on other DeGeneres-produced shows, including NBC’s Ellen’s Game of Games.

Ellen veterans Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner and Derek Westervelt, who have been with the show since its inception in 2003, will remain as executive producers alongside DeGeneres.

Sources tell industry trade that DeGeneres apologized to the staff, saying she was “not perfect” and realized that in the effort for the show to run as a “well-oiled machine,” sometimes leaders were not as sensitive to “human beings” as they should have been.  She added that reading disturbing allegations about the atmosphere on the show was “heartbreaking.”

At the same meeting, Connelly and Lassner revealed that an internal investigation launched by WarnerMedia, in which more than 100 people connected with the show were interviewed, found no evidence of “systemic” racism on the show, although they admitted that more needed to be done in terms of diversity and inclusion, according to Variety.

Additionally, DeGeneres and others vowed that the entire staff — including DeGeneres herself — will participate in diversity and inclusion workshops.

Degeneres also announced that the show’s resident DJ, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, was promoted to co-executive producer.

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan hilariously roast each other over their music

• No Comments • Country Music News

Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty ImagesIt was The Voice versus American Idol on Monday when Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan became tangled up in a brief but hilarious war of words about their music.  

Shelton cast the first stone when he doctored a news infographic claiming that people shouldn’t mix Bryan’s singing with driving because it causes people to fall asleep at the wheel.

“Wow! Just catching up on the news… Shocking!,” the “God’s Country” crooner scoffed on Twitter when sharing the bogus screenshot. “I have noticed some fatigue when @lukebryanonline comes on.”

Bryan, 44, was obviously not going to take that insult lying down, calling the fake study “Interesting” before deftly clapping back with, “Your girlfriend is the only reason people are listening to your last two singles.”

The songs the “One Margarita” singer is referencing are “Happy Anywhere” and “Nobody But You,” which features Gwen Stefani, Shelton’s girlfriend and fellow judge on The Voice.  

Both songs went on to top the country digital sales charts.

Of course, Shelton returned fire one last time by teasing, “Hey don’t hate just cause I know how to work the system!!!”

Unfortunately for fans delighting in the comedic musical spat, the argument ended just as quickly as it started, with the two opting to leave their conflict unresolved.

However, Shelton did return his focus to his music about an hour later, encouraging fans to stream “Happy Anywhere” in a subsequent tweet.

This isn’t the first and definitely not the last time the two country superstars have roasted each other.

Last year, the two tossed in a few hilarious digs when they interviewed the other on Good Morning America and jokingly gave themselves the new moniker, “Bluke.”

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By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.