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First dog to test positive for COVID-19 in North Carolina dies

• No Comments • National News

DenGuy/iStockBy JON HAWORTH, ABC News

(RALEIGH, N.C.) — The first dog to test positive for COVID-19 in North Carolina has died.

The dog, who had been demonstrating signs of respiratory distress, was brought to the NC State Veterinary Hospital on Aug. 3 at approximately 6 p.m. after the owner noticed the onset of distress earlier in the day.

The dog ended up succumbing to the acute illness and the owner alerted staff at the veterinary hospital that a member of the family had previously tested positive for COVID-19 but was later tested negative.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), samples from the animal were then collected to be tested for the novel coronavirus and sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories where the dog was confirmed to have had COVID-19.

“A necropsy was performed to try to determine the animal’s state of health at the time of death and the cause of death, and the complete investigation is ongoing,” said the NCDHHS in a press release.

The family along with state health officials from NCDHHS and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services were immediately notified of the positive result.

According to the Charlotte Observer, citing a spokeperson from NC State University, the dog was identified as an 8-year-old Newfoundland but the release from NCDHHS did not identify the dog or information about the owners and where the family lived.

“There is no indication at this time that dogs can transmit the virus to other animals, so there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Doug Meckes.

The CDC says that there is currently no evidence that pets play a significant role in the spreading of COVID-19.

“Based on the information available, the risk of animals spreading the virus to people is considered to be low,” said Dr. Carl Williams, State Public Health Veterinarian.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Unmasked crowd takes over NYC bus for wild pop-up party captured on video

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wdstock/iStockBy AARON KATERSKY and KARMA ALLEN, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — New York City officials are trying to use social media to track down the culprits behind an illegal pop-up party on an MTA bus.

Social media users documented the wild party on video, capturing dozens of people as they took over the bus at around 4 a.m. Sunday in the borough of Queens.

The horde descended on MTA bus #7239 as the driver took it out of the Grand Avenue Depot, according to the MTA. The bus was impeded by double-parked cars when the crowd rushed past the bus operator as he tried to stop them.

Dozens swarmed onto the bus for about 30 minutes of partying, smoking and dancing. Several partygoers got naked as others twerked in the background, all in defiance of the MTA’s mask requirements and social distancing orders.

By the time a supervisor arrived within 30 minutes, the crowd had run off, the MTA said.

MTA officials said the group “violated multiple health and safety laws” and put the bus operator at risk, according to a statement.

“That rambunctious crowd put the bus operator and themselves at risk when they violated multiple health and safety laws and rules by taking over a bus for mask-less smoking and lewd activities without regard to social distancing,” the statement said. “An internal review is underway and the bus was later fully disinfected.”

The driver was not injured and the bus sustained no property damage.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Dwayne Johnson tops 2020's highest paid actors list, who else made the cut?

• No Comments • Entertainment News

Kevin Winter/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — On Tuesday, Forbes published its 2020 list of the highest paid actors and, for the second year in a row, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has landed the No. 1 spot. 

Not only did Johnson snag the coveted top slot, he did so by a landslide — earning an estimated $16 million more than the second spot. The Forbes estimated figures are based on money earned between June 1, 2019, and June 1, 2020, which cuts into the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns, but still the actors on this list have racked in plenty. 

One thing a lot of the men have in common, Johnson included, is Netflix. Many of them have signed very lucrative deals with the popular streaming platform — we’re talking some that carry an eight-figure paycheck.

With that begin said, here are the Top 10 highest paid actors of 2020:

1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: $87.5 million

2. Ryan Reynolds: $71.5 million

3. Mark Wahlberg: $58 million

4. Ben Affleck: $55 million 

5. Vin Diesel: $54 million

6. Akshay Kumar: $48.5 million

7. Lin-Manuel Miranda: $45.5 million

8. Will Smith: $44.5 million

9. Adam Sandler: $41 million

10. Jackie Chan: $40 million

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

"I Called Mama" takes Tim McGraw on a tearful journey back to his beginnings in Louisiana

• No Comments • Country Music News

Big MachineFor Tim McGraw, “I Called Mama” is much more than just his latest top ten hit. It’s a tribute his mother Betty.

“My mom, she… found out she was pregnant with me her senior year in high school, so she had me young,” Tim explains. “She didn’t get to graduate because I came along.”

“And then she went through some terrible things early in my life,” he continues. “So I have a lot of memories of all those things and I know how resilient my mom is, and how tough she is, and how strong of a woman she is, and how well she raised us under the circumstances.”

Though he’s a superstar now, Tim still has vivid memories of his humble beginnings in Louisiana.

“I can remember us being on our own — my mom and my two sisters — and her working three jobs probably, just to try to keep the basics,” he recalls, choking back tears. “She made no money, really.”

“I can remember walking through the kitchen one night, getting up late, and… she had her head down on the table at like two in the morning with bills everywhere and was crying, and she didn’t see me. But for her that was probably a hundred different nights that I didn’t know about.”

“But that’s something that really resonates with me and sticks out with me,” Tim reflects. “And I think about that when I hear this song.”

At the age of 11, Tim learned that professional baseball player Tug McGraw was his dad, and went on to develop a relationship with him before his death in 2004.

“I Called Mama” is the lead single from Tim’s new album, Here on Earth, which comes out August 21. 

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney+ 'Rogue One' prequel series reportedly casts '6 Underground' star

• No Comments • Entertainment News

Ajona in “6 Underground” – Christian Black/Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — Actress Adria Arjona, recently seen in Netflix’s hit Ryan Reynolds action film 6 Underground, will soon be going to that galaxy far, far away, according to a report from Deadline. 

The publication says Arjona has been cast opposite returning player Gabriel Luna in the Disney+ prequel series Star Wars: Rogue One.  The series centers on Luna’s Rebel spy character Cassian Andor, introduced in the 2016 film.

Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One, is returning to write the pilot for the show, and direct some episodes as well.  Alan Tudyk, who motion-performed Cassian’s towering droid sidekick K-2SO will also return, as will Genevieve O’Reilly, who played Rebel Alliance leader Mon Mothma in the film.

Marvel movie vet Stellan Skarsgard and Poldark‘s Kyle Soller also are on board, but Disney is officially mum on their characters — or, for that matter, the report of Arjona’s casting.

Even before The Mandalorian earned 15 Emmy nominations, Disney+ was forging ahead with other small-screen projects in the Star Wars universe, including a much-anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring returning Jedi Ewan McGregor.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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