Inducted by Long Island’s own Billy Joel, Bill Medley and the Righteous Brothers joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2003. Now 82, Bill sat down to chat with WHLI’s Rob Rush before he plays a show in nearby New Jersey.
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision for The Society of Singers/AP Images
By RIO YAMAT AP Airlines and Travel Writer
If you have upcoming travel plans anytime soon, you might notice fewer options on the airport’s departure board.
Airlines are scaling back flights at dozens of major U.S. airports to ease the pressure on air traffic controllers, who have been working unpaid and under intense strain during the ongoing government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe. Many controllers have been putting in long hours and mandatory overtime while lawmakers are at a standstill over how to reopen the government.
Major hubs like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among those affected, and the ripple effects could mean more cancellations, longer delays and fuller flights for travelers across the country. The cutbacks will impact hundreds if not thousands of flights daily.
Here’s what to know about the FAA’s order — and what you can do if your plans are disrupted:
Is my airport on the list?
There’s a good chance it is. The list spans more than two dozen states.
It includes the country’s busiest airport — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia — and the main airports in Boston, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco and Salt Lake City.
Multiple airports will be impacted in some metropolitan hubs, including New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington.
How long will this go on?
It’s hard to say. Even if the shutdown ends soon, the FAA has said it would not lift the flight restrictions until staffing at airport towers and regional air traffic centers makes it safe to do so.
“It’s going to take time to work through this,” said Michael Johnson, president of Ensemble Travel, an association of travel agencies in the U.S. and Canada.
That’s why, he said, it’s important to plan ahead — whether you’ve already booked flights or you’re just starting to make holiday travel plans.
Know before you go
Airlines say they will let their customers know if their flight is called off.
Still, it doesn’t hurt to check your airline’s app or a flight-tracking site for updates before you leave for the airport. It’s better to be stuck at home or in a hotel than stranded in a terminal.
My flight was canceled. Now what?
“Take a deep breath. Don’t panic,” Johnson said. “There are options available. They may not be ideal, and they may be inconvenient, but you have options.”
If you’re already at the airport, it’s time to get in line to speak to a customer service representative. While you’re waiting, you can call or go online to connect to the airline’s reservations staff. It can also help to reach out on the social platform X because airlines might respond quickly there.
Now might also be the time to consider if it makes sense to travel by train, car or bus instead.
Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, said the shutdown is different from when a single airline is having problems and travelers can just pick another carrier.
“The longer the shutdown drags on, it’s unlikely that there will be one airline running on time if the rest of the them are failing,” Potter said.
Can I get a refund or compensation?
The airlines will be required to issue full refunds, according to the FAA. However, they aren’t required to cover extra costs like meals or hotel stays — unless the delay or cancellation was within their control, according to the Department of Transportation.
You can also check the DOT website to see what your airline promises for refunds or other costs if your flight is disrupted.
Should I just stay home for the holidays?
Not necessarily. You might just need a little more planning and flexibility than usual.
A travel adviser can help take some stress off your plate, and travel insurance may give you an extra safety net.
Johnson also warned that flights could sell out fast once the shutdown ends.
“There will be a flurry of booking activity,” he said. “So try to get ahead of it and make sure that you’re protected.”
Booking an early flight can also help, says Tyler Hosford, security director at risk mitigation company International SOS. If it gets canceled, you still “have the whole day” to sort things out.
Other tips
Travel light. Limiting baggage to a carry-on means one less airport line to deal with, and if your plans change unexpectedly, you’ll already have everything with you.
Give yourself extra time at the airport, especially if you’re an anxious flyer or traveling with young children or anyone who needs extra help getting around.
And be nice. Airline agents are likely helping other frustrated travelers, too, and yelling won’t make them more willing to help. Remember, the cancellations aren’t their fault.
“An extra ounce of kindness to yourself and to others at this time of year, with all of the disruptions, will go a long way,” Johnson said.
CHICAGO (AP) — New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart left Sunday’s 24-20 loss at Chicago after he was hit hard on a designed run in the third quarter.
Dart was still in the game on a drive late in the third, but he was replaced by Russell Wilson at the start of the final period. The Giants said the rookie quarterback was being evaluated for a concussion.
“As he was going back out on the field, just didn’t seem right, so called the trainers over and said, ‘Let’s get him out and make sure he gets looked at,'” Giants coach Brian Daboll said.
Dart was 19 for 29 for 242 yards. He also had six carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first QB in NFL history with at least one rushing TD in five consecutive games.
The 22-year-old Dart was shaken up after he was hit by Bears defensive lineman Austin Booker and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson on a run with 5:05 left in the third, resulting in a fumble.
After the ensuing Bears drive ended in a field goal, Dart was on the field for the final two plays of the third. He threw a 3-yard pass to Wan’Dale Robinson that was wiped out by a penalty, and then handed the ball off to Tyrone Tracy for a 4-yard gain.
Wilson came in for the first play of the fourth. The veteran quarterback went 3 for 7 for 45 yards in his first appearance since Oct. 9. He also rushed for 12 yards on two carries.
The timing of the conversations that led to Dart’s departure was unclear. Daboll said the QB wasn’t immediately checked right after his fumble. He wasn’t sure if the discussions started after that play or during the break before the fourth, but he said they would never put a player on the field that they thought was hurt.
“I don’t know the exact play that it happened for him relative to getting hurt or not getting hurt,” Daboll said. “I don’t know the play. … I just know that when he was going back out there, we were sitting around the huddle. I saw him, I got (head athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes) over there to check him out.”
On Wilson’s first drive, New York drove down to the Chicago 1. But Devin Singletary was stopped for a 1-yard loss on second down and Wilson gained 1 yard on a third down carry.
The Giants ended up settling for Younghoe Koo’s 19-yard field goal and a 20-10 lead with 10:19 left. The Bears were flagged for having too many men on the field on Koo’s kick, but the Giants decided to decline the penalty.
“Us getting all the way down to the 1, I thought that was a good drive,” Wilson said. “We’ve got to find a way to get a touchdown there, I feel like.”
Wilson began the season as New York’s starter, but he was replaced by Dart after the Giants got off to an 0-3 start. New York had a 17-10 lead when he entered against Chicago, but he wasn’t able to close it out.
Asked if Wilson would start next weekend against Green Bay if Dart can’t go, Daboll was noncommittal. The Giants also have Jameis Winston at quarterback.
“We’ll see,” Daboll said. “I mean right now we just had a tough one here. We’ll take a look at everything.”
As many as 350 Wendy’s locations across the United States may shut down before the end of the year, following a wave of closures throughout 2024.
Interim CEO Ken Cook said Friday that the company is targeting “consistently underperforming” restaurants in an effort to “boost sales and profitability at nearby locations,” CNN reported.
Wendy’s operates roughly 6,000 restaurants nationwide. Cook’s statement that a “mid single-digit percentage” of domestic locations would close translates to an estimated 200 to 350 restaurants potentially being shuttered, according to the outlet.
It’s not yet clear which locations will be affected, and the company has not released details on how many employees may lose their jobs. It’s also unknown whether workers at closing stores could be offered positions at nearby Wendy’s restaurants.
A 70-year-old man died after a boat capsized in rough waters near the Fire Island Inlet Friday afternoon, according to Suffolk County Police.
Police say the incident happened around 4:10 p.m. on November 8, when 68-year-old Christopher Sicignano was operating a boat that overturned in the choppy inlet. Sicignano and his passenger, identified as David Johnson, 70, were thrown into the water. Investigators say neither man was wearing a life jacket at the time.
A passing boater spotted the capsized vessel and called for help. Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene.
Sicignano was brought to the Robert Moses State Park Boat Basin and later taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Johnson was transported by the Coast Guard to their station in Babylon and then taken to Good Samaritan Hospital. He was pronounced dead.
Police have not announced any additional details as the investigation continues.
By SCOTT BAUER and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s administration is demanding states “undo” full SNAP benefits paid out under judges’ orders last week, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed those rulings, marking the latest swing in a seesawing legal battle over the anti-hunger program used by 42 million Americans.
The demand from the U.S. Department of Agriculture came as more than two dozen states warned of “catastrophic operational disruptions” if the Trump administration does not reimburse them for those SNAP benefits they authorized before the Supreme Court’s stay.
Nonprofits and Democratic attorneys general sued to force the Trump administration to maintain the program in November despite the ongoing government shutdown. They won the favorable rulings last week, leading to the swift release of benefits to millions in several states, and the Trump administration belatedly said the program could continue.
On Friday night, however, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused the two rulings ordering the SNAP disbursement while the nation’s highest court considered the Trump administration’s appeal. That led the Department of Agriculture on Saturday to write state SNAP directors to warn them it now considers payments under the prior orders “unauthorized.”
“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” Patrick Penn, deputy undersecretary of Agriculture, wrote to state SNAP directors. “Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.”
Penn warned that states could face penalties if they did not comply. It was unclear if the directive applies to states that used their own funds to keep the program alive or to ones relying on federal money entirely. The Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a Republican, on Sunday called the directive “shocking” if it applies to states, like hers, that used their own money to prop up the program.
“It’s one thing if the federal government is going to continue its level of appeal through the courts to say, no, this can’t be done,” Murkowski said. “But when you are telling the states that have said this is a significant enough issue in our state, we’re going to find resources, backfill or front load, whatever term you want, to help our people, those states should not be penalized.”
Democratic Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts said SNAP benefits were processed and placed on EBT cards before the U.S. Supreme Court order Friday night, in line with the previous guidance from the USDA. She said that if Trump attempts to claw back the money, “we will see him in court.”
“Massachusetts residents with funds on their cards should continue to spend it on food,” she said in a statement Sunday. “President Trump should be focusing on reopening the government that he controls instead of repeatedly fighting to take away food from American families.”
Democrats have hammered Trump for targeting the anti-hunger program during the government shutdown, contending the administration could have maintained it even with other parts of the government idle. More than two-dozen states represented by Democratic attorneys general on Saturday warned in a court filing that, even before the Supreme Court put the rulings on hold, the Trump administration was refusing to reimburse them for legally-ordered SNAP payments.
Wisconsin, for example, loaded benefits onto cards for 700,000 residents once a judge in Rhode Island ordered the restoration of benefits last week, but after the U.S. Treasury froze its reimbursements to the state, it anticipates running out of money by Monday, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration warned in a lengthy statement on Sunday.
The lack of money could leave vendors unpaid and trigger escalating legal claims, the states warned. “States could face demands to return hundreds of millions of dollars in the aggregate,” the states’ filing at the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals says.
That situation “would risk catastrophic operational disruptions for the States, with a consequent cascade of harms for their residents,” the filing concludes.
Evers issued a quick response to the Trump administration’s demand to undo the payments. “No,” the governor said in a statement.
“Pursuant to and consistent with an active court order, Wisconsin legally loaded benefits to cards, ensuring nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including nearly 270,000 kids, had access to basic food and groceries,” Evers said. “After we did so, the Trump Administration assured Wisconsin and other states that they were actively working to implement full SNAP benefits for November and would ‘complete the processes necessary to make funds available.’ They have failed to do so to date.”
Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland said in an interview on CBS on Sunday that “in the past six days, we’ve received four different measures of guidance” from the Trump administration. He fumed over the latest that threatened to punish states that paid the full benefits.
“There is a chaos, and it is an intentional chaos, that we are seeing from this administration,” Moore said.
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Riccardi reported from Denver and Bauer from Madison, Wisconsin. John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Lisa Mascaro in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
By GEOFF MULVIHILL and MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press
A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. gave President Donald Trump’s administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, though it’s unlikely the 42 million Americans — about 1 in 8 — will see the money on the debit cards they use for groceries that quickly.
The order was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit, a decision that would leave some recipients getting nothing for this month.
“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial SNAP payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”
McConnell was one of two judges who ruled last week that the administration could not skip November’s benefits entirely because of the federal shutdown.
It has been a week of twists and turns for SNAP beneficiaries
Last week’s rulings ordered the government to use one emergency reserve fund containing $4.6 billion to pay for SNAP for November but gave it leeway to tap other money to make the full payments, which cost between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month.
On Monday, the administration said it would not use additional money, saying it was up to Congress to appropriate the funds for the program.
The next day, Trump appeared to threaten not to pay the benefit s at all unless Democrats in Congress agreed to reopen the government. His press secretary later said that the partial benefits were being paid for November — and that it is future payments that are at risk if the shutdown continues.
Late Wednesday, the USDA, which runs the program, said in a filing in federal court in Rhode Island that it had done further analysis and found that the maximum benefit will be 65% of the usual amount.
Speaking at the Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts Thursday morning, Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the Trump administration is sending mixed messages: “Come on. You know, you’re going to partially fund food for Americans? You’re going let people starve?”
By JOSH FUNK and RIO YAMAT Associated Press
U.S. airlines began canceling hundreds of flights Thursday due to the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce traffic at the country’s busiest airports starting Friday because of the government shutdown.
Close to 500 flights scheduled for Friday were already cut nationwide, and the number of cancellations climbed steadily throughout Thursday afternoon, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions.
The FAA order to cut flights at 40 of the busiest airports across the U.S. includes New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, but the impact will disrupt travel at many smaller airports, too.
The FAA seeks to reduce service by 10% across “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the shutdown. The move also comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown.
Airlines will phase in the 10% reduction in their flight schedules at the airports across more than two dozen states. Just hours before the reductions went into place, airlines were scrambling to figure out where to cut and some travelers began changing or canceling itineraries preemptively.
Travelers with plans for the weekend and beyond waited nervously to see if their flights would take off as scheduled.
The affected airports include busy connecting hubs and those in popular tourist destinations, including Atlanta, Denver, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as Dallas, Houston and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.
Flight cuts will begin gradually
Airlines will phase in the cuts at the direction of the FAA, eliminating 4% of flights at the 40 airports on Friday and working up to 10%, according to three people familiar with the plans who were not authorized to discuss them publicly.
United Airlines will cut 4% of its flights over the weekend based on FAA guidance, said company spokesperson Josh Freed.
The FAA had not yet published an official order as of Thursday afternoon and didn’t immediately respond to questions about implementation details.
Some airlines plan to focus on slashing routes to and from small and medium-sized cities.
“This is going to have a noticeable impact across the U.S. air transportation system,” industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said.
The flight reductions coming just weeks before the busy holiday season have travelers already changing their plans or looking at other options.
Fallon Carter canceled her Friday flight from New York to Tampa, Florida, where she planned to spend the weekend at the beach. She was worried about making it back to Long Island for her best friend’s wedding where she’ll be a bridesmaid.
“I don’t know if I get there, will I get home?” Carter said.
The FAA is imposing the reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the shutdown and have been increasingly taking sick days.
Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills unless they call out.
The FAA in recent weeks has delayed flights when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.
Airlines shuffling schedules
Airlines said they would try to minimize impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.
United, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines were among carriers that said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly, even if they purchased non-refundable tickets.
The head of Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.
The cuts also could disrupt package deliveries because two airports with major distribution centers are on the list — FedEx operates at the airport in Memphis, Tennessee, and UPS in Louisville, Kentucky, the site of this week’s deadly cargo plane crash.
The cuts could affect as many as 1,800 flights, or upward of 268,000 passengers, per day, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Airlines are used to dealing with canceling thousands of flights on short notice during severe weather, but the difference now is that these cuts during the shutdown will last indefinitely until safety data improves.
Shutdown already straining travel
The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and damaging confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman.
Kelly Matthews, who lives in Flat Rock, Michigan and frequently flies for work, said she has canceled most of her upcoming trips and understands why federal airport employees have stopped showing up.
“You can’t expect people to go into work when they’re not getting a paycheck for the continuation of over a month now,” she said. “I mean, it’s not a matter of them not wanting to do the job — but you can’t afford to pay for gas, your day care and everything else.”
Controller staffing worsening
The past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.
From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an AP analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will not seek reelection to the U.S. House, bringing to a close her storied career as not only the first woman in the speaker’s office but arguably the most powerful in American politics.
Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco for nearly 40 years, announced her decision Thursday.
“I will not be seeking reelection to Congress,” Pelosi said in a video address to voters.
Pelosi, appearing upbeat and forward-looking as images of her decades of accomplishments filled the frames, said she would finish out her final year in office. And she left those who sent her to Congress with a call to action to carry on the legacy of agenda-setting both in the U.S. and around the world.
“My message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power,” she said. “We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way.”
Pelosi said, “And now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.”
The decision, while not fully unexpected, ricocheted across Washington, and California, as a seasoned generation of political leaders is stepping aside ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Some are leaving reluctantly, others with resolve, but many are facing challenges from newcomers eager to lead the Democratic Party and confront President Donald Trump.
Pelosi, 85, remains a political powerhouse and played a pivotal role with California’s redistricting effort, Prop 50, and the party’s comeback in this week’s election. She maintains a robust schedule of public events and party fundraising, and her announced departure touches off a succession battle back home and leaves open questions about who will fill her behind-the-scenes leadership role at the Capitol.
Former President Barack Obama said Pelosi will go down in history as “one of the best speakers the House of Representatives has ever had.”
An unmatched force in Congress
An architect of the Affordable Care Act during Obama’s tenure, and a leader on the international stage, Pelosi came to Congress later in life, a mother of five mostly grown children, but also raised in a political family in Baltimore, where her father and brother both served in elected office.
Long criticized by Republicans, who have spent millions of dollars on campaign ads vilifying her as a coastal elite and more, Pelosi remained unrivaled. She routinely fended off calls to step aside by turning questions about her intentions into spirited rebuttals, asking if the same was being posed of her seasoned male colleagues on Capitol Hill.
In her video address, she noted that her first campaign slogan was “a voice that will be heard.”
And with that backing, she became a speaker “whose voice would certainly be heard,” she said.
But after Pelosi quietly helped orchestrate Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, she has decided to pass the torch, too.
Last year, she experienced a fall resulting in a hip fracture during a whirlwind congressional visit to allies in Europe, but even still it showcased her grit: It was revealed she was rushed to a military hospital for surgery — after the group photo, in which she’s seen smiling, poised on her trademark stiletto heels.
Pelosi’s decision also comes as her husband of more than six decades, Paul Pelosi, was gravely injured three years ago when an intruder demanding to know “Where is Nancy?” broke into the couple’s home and beat him over the head with a hammer. His recovery from the attack, days before the 2022 midterm elections, is ongoing.
Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Pelosi faced a potential primary challenge in California. Newcomer Saikat Chakrabarti, who helped devise progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political rise in New York, has mounted a campaign, as has state Sen. Scott Wiener.
While Pelosi remains an unmatched force for the Democratic Party, having fundraised more than $1 billion over her career, her next steps are uncertain. First elected in 1987 after having worked in California state party politics, she has spent some four decades in public office.
Madam speaker takes the gavel
Pelosi’s legacy as House speaker comes not only because she was the first woman to have the job but also because of what she did with the gavel, seizing the enormous powers that come with the suite of offices overlooking the National Mall.
During her first tenure, from 2007 to 2011, she steered the House in passing landmark legislation into law — the Affordable Care Act, the Dodd-Frank financial reforms in the aftermath of the Great Recession and a repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy against LGBTQ service members.
With Obama in the White House and Democratic Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada leading the Senate, the 2009-10 session of Congress ended among the most productive since the Lyndon B. Johnson era.
But a conservative Republican “tea party” revolt bounced Democrats from power, ushering in a new style of Republicans, who would pave the way for Trump to seize the White House in 2016.
Determined to win back control, Pelosi helped recruit and propel dozens of women to office in the 2018 midterm elections as Democrats running as the resistance to Trump’s first term.
On the campaign trail that year, Pelosi told The Associated Press that if House Democrats won, she would show the “power of the gavel.”
Pelosi returns to the speaker’s office as a check on Trump
Pelosi became the first speaker to regain the office in some 50 years, and her second term, from 2019 to 2023, became potentially more consequential than the first, particularly as the Democratic Party’s antidote to Trump.
Trump was impeached by the House — twice — first in 2019 for withholding U.S. aid to Ukraine as it faced a hostile Russia at its border and then in 2021 days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Senate acquitted him in both cases.
Pelosi stood up the Jan. 6 special committee to probe Trump’s role in sending his mob of supporters to the Capitol, when most Republicans refused to investigate, producing the 1,000-page report that became the first full accounting of what happened as the defeated president tried to stay in office.
After Democrats lost control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections, Pelosi announced she would not seek another term as party leader.
Rather than retire, she charted a new course for leaders, taking on the emerita title that would become used by others, including Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California during his brief tenure after he was ousted by his colleagues from the speaker’s office in 2023.
Oscar-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri took time out of his busy schedule to chat with WHLI’s Rob Rush. Listen here:
(Katy Winn/AP Images for Gibson Guitar)
The first trailer for the Michael Jackson biopic has been released! It hits theaters April 24, 2026.