National News

Winter storm moves east: 100 million Americans in path of snow, brutal cold

Winter storm moves east: 100 million Americans in path of snow, brutal cold

ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- At least 10 states from Louisiana to Delaware are under snow and ice alerts as this latest winter storm moves east.

On Tuesday, the storm brought 11 inches of snow to Missouri, 8 inches to Kansas and more than 2 inches to Oklahoma.

Freezing rain and sleet fell in Oklahoma and Arkansas, leaving roads extremely dangerous.

Airlines have cancelled roughly 700 flights on Wednesday as winter weather moves across the country. Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; and Nashville, Tennessee, have the most cancellations.

On Wednesday morning, the snow fell from Tupelo, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, to Lexington, Kentucky. Schools in Nashville are closed on Wednesday.

In Kentucky, where the death toll has risen to 14 from severe flooding that struck earlier in the week, this new storm is dropping 2 to 8 inches of snow.

In eastern Kentucky, some officials are unable to get equipment on the roads to clear the snow, Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday.

Further south, heavy rain was reported in New Orleans Wednesday morning.

By Wednesday afternoon, the snow is forecast to move into the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

The heaviest snow -- 5 to 10 inches -- will be from just northeast of Raleigh, North Carolina, to Norfolk, Virginia, and Ocean City, Maryland.

South of Raleigh and into South Carolina, an icy mix is possible.

This storm will end by Wednesday night.

But behind the storm is an Arctic blast.

Many cities recorded record low temperatures Wednesday morning, including: negative 25 degrees in Rapid City, South Dakota; negative 15 degrees in Billings, Montana; 1 degree in Wichita, Kansas; and2 degrees in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The wind chill -- what temperature it feels like -- is even colder, clocking in at minus 1 degree in Dallas; minus 16 degrees in Oklahoma City; minus 18 degrees in Wichita; and minus 25 degrees in Minneapolis.

The record cold temperatures will spread further south into the Gulf Coast on Thursday and Friday, with record lows possible in Dallas; Corpus Christi, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

It will warm up this weekend, and by next week, temperatures will climb to the 60s and 70s in the South.

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DOT says it has terminated approval for NYC's congestion pricing plan

DOT says it has terminated approval for NYC's congestion pricing plan

Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation said the Federal Highway Administration has "terminated approval" of New York City's congestion pricing plan, the first of its kind in the nation, which went into effect earlier this year.

The DOT shared a letter from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, in which he said a review found that the "scope of this pilot project as approved exceeds the authority authorized by Congress" under the Federal Highway Administration's Value Pricing Pilot Program.

"New York State's congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners," Duffy said in a statement on Wednesday. "Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It's backwards and unfair."

The head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it would challenge the reversal in federal court.

"Today, the MTA filed papers in federal court to ensure that the highly successful program -- which has already dramatically reduced congestion, bringing reduced traffic and faster travel times, while increasing speeds for buses and emergency vehicles -- will continue notwithstanding this baseless effort to snatch those benefits away from the millions of mass transit users, pedestrians and, especially, the drivers who come to the Manhattan Central Business District," MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement.

"It's mystifying that after four years and 4,000 pages of federally-supervised environmental review -- and barely three months after giving final approval to the Congestion Relief Program -- USDOT would seek to totally reverse course," he added.

Hochul also confirmed that the MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York "to preserve this critical program."

"We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king," she said in a statement. "We'll see you in court."

The congestion pricing plan, which launched on Jan. 5, charged passenger vehicles $9 to access Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours as part of an effort to ease congestion and raise funds for the city's public transit system. During peak hours, small trucks and charter buses were charged $14.40 and large trucks and tour buses $21.60.

On Donald Trump's first day in office, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy asked the president and his administration to "reexamine" the highly debated congestion pricing plan and its impact on the Garden State.

In a letter to Trump, Murphy requested that "New York's congestion pricing scheme receive the close look it deserved but did not receive from the federal government last year."

In his letter to Hochul, Duffy noted that Trump asked him to review the Federal Highway Administration's approval of the congestion pricing program upon assuming his position as secretary last month.

"In particular, the President expressed his concerns about the extent of the tolling that was approved by the Department of Transportation on highways that have been constructed with funds under the Federal-aid Highway Program and the significant burdens on the New York City residents, businesses, and area commuters (including those from New Jersey and Connecticut) who regularly use the highway network in the CBD tolling area," Duffy said.

Duffy also mentioned Murphy's letter to Trump, in which the governor "expressed significant concerns about the impacts that the imposition of tolls" on New Jersey commuters and residents.

The secretary also said there are pending legal challenges over the plan "which question whether the scope of the project exceeds the authority of VPPP." 

Duffy said the Federal Highway Administration will contact the New York State Department of Transportation "to discuss the orderly cessation of toll operations under this terminated pilot project."

Trump celebrated the DOT's move on Wednesday, saying on his social media platform Truth Social, "CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!"

Murphy thanked Trump and Duffy for their efforts to halt the program.

"While I have consistently expressed openness to a form of congestion pricing that meaningfully protects the environment and does not unfairly burden hardworking New Jersey commuters, the current program lines the MTA's pockets at the expense of New Jerseyans," he said in a statement.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman also expressed his gratitude to Trump and Duffy for their efforts to terminate what he called an "oppressive tax on the hard-working families of the metropolitan area."

"Taxing people for the privilege of being on a public thoroughfare, to me, is wrong," he said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which manages the city's subways as well as bridges and commuter rails, has said the toll would enable it to issue $15 billion in bonds to help fund capital projects.

In response to Murphy's letter to Trump, Hochul told reporters last month that if the congestion pricing plan is ultimately killed, "that comes with $15 billion more" the federal government will need to give to New York.

Hochul touted the success of the program on Wednesday, saying that congestion has "dropped dramatically" since the congestion pricing went into effect last month.

"Broadway shows are selling out and foot traffic to local businesses is spiking. School buses are getting kids to class on time, and yellow cab trips increased by 10%," she said. " Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day."

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2 dead after small planes collide in Arizona

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Family of DC plane crash victim files claim against FAA, Army for $250 million

Family of DC plane crash victim files claim against FAA, Army for $250 million

ABC News

(WASHINGTON) -- The family of a passenger who died in the midair collision near Washington, D.C., filed legal claims against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the United States Army, seeking $250 million in compensation for each claim.

The filings are likely the beginning of a lengthy legal battle stemming from the deadliest aviation incident in the U.S. over the last quarter century, killing all 64 aboard the American Airlines passenger jet and three servicemembers in the Blackhawk helicopter on Jan. 29.

"This was a disaster waiting to happen, and it just so happened that particular night. Everything came together to create this preventable tragedy," said Robert Clifford, a lawyer representing the family of Casey Crafton. "We want to get to the bottom of it, and this gets us going."

Crafton was on board the American Airlines regional jet returning from a business trip to his home in Salem, Connecticut, where he lived with his wife, Rachel, and his three young sons. Crafton worked as a technical support manager for an aviation consulting firm after studying aviation management at Bob Jones University.

"Casey was an incredible human being. He was a giver. He was a loving husband and father. He enjoyed coaching his boys on their youth soccer and little league baseball teams. They will be grieving him for the rest of their lives that will never be the same," Clifford said. 

Clifford Law Offices filed two forms yesterday required under the Federal Tort Claims Act to bring claims against both the FAA and Army, seeking $250 million for each claim. Each claim was filed on behalf of Rachel Crafton, Casey's wife.

Clifford described the $250 million number as a ceiling for the claim made "out of an abundance of caution."

"You can always go down, you cannot go up. And if you look at, you know, wrongful death claims across the country, it's not unheard of to have a number that high," he told ABC News. "You're talking about a father of three children and a loving wife. It's a substantial claim."

The firm has not filed claims against American Airlines, PSA Airlines, Sikorsky Aircraft or Collins Aerospace -- though it sent preservation letters to each -- as they await more information about the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation, according to the firm's press release.

Separately, Clifford Law said it has begun an "investigation into potential claims of willful neglect" by airlines operating in the airspace near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where the crash occurred.

The NTSB -- which is leading the investigation– has not yet identified a cause for the collision.

Clifford, who described the incident as "preventable," alleged that the airlines that fly in and out of Washington, D.C., failed to take "sufficient precautions to protect its passengers."

With the pre-case claim against the FAA and Army filed, each entity has six months to respond; after six months without a response or if the claims are rejected, Clifford Law could file lawsuits in federal court.

Spokespeople for the FAA and Army declined to comment on potential litigation.

"Out of respect for the deceased, their families, and the ongoing investigation, it is inappropriate for the Army to comment on any speculation regarding claims or potential litigation," Army spokesperson Maj. Montrell Russell said. "Our primary focus is on supporting the families and ensuring the safety of our Soldiers and the public."

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A woman gave birth to a baby through IVF. Then she had to give him up, lawsuit says

A woman gave birth to a baby through IVF. Then she had to give him up, lawsuit says

ABC News

(SAVANNAH, Ga.) -- A Georgia woman is suing a fertility clinic after an in vitro fertilization (IVF) mix-up allegedly led to staff implanting the wrong embryo and to her giving birth to another couple's biological child.

Krystena Murray, 38, of Savannah, said she selected a sperm donor who looked like her "with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes." She became pregnant and delivered a baby in December 2023, according to the lawsuit.

However, Murray, who is white and who, according to the complaint, had a white sperm donor, was shocked when she gave birth and the baby boy she delivered was African American, the suit states.

Murray bonded with the baby and wanted to keep him, despite knowing that the clinic, Coastal Fertility Specialists (CFS), had likely implanted somebody else's embryo, according to the lawsuit.

She requested a DNA test which confirmed her fears that the baby was not genetically related to her. When Murray contacted the clinic, staff alerted the baby's biological parents of the mix-up, according to the lawsuit.

The other couple sued Murray for custody, and she turned over the baby five months after giving birth. She said she has not seen him since.

"I questioned at first whether I was meant to be a mom, because I had tried for so long," she told ABC News. "This is something that actually happens, and it's devastating, and it can ruin someone's life, and realize that it is an actual possibility."

A lawsuit was filed on Tuesday afternoon in the State Court of Chatham County, in Georgia.

Murray said she had dreamed of being a mother. When she was asked at a young age what she wanted to be, her response was: a mom.

"They were actually referring to career but, my young mind, that's what I wanted to do with my life was to be a mom," she said. "I spent the majority of my younger years thinking I needed to have the perfect person or spouse to start a family and, once I started getting older, I realized that my priorities changed, and I wanted to pursue being a mother sooner rather than later."

For about 18 months prior to contacting CFS, she said she attempted intrauterine insemination without success. During a press conference on Tuesday, Murray said she contacted CFS, which operates clinics in Georgia and South Carolina, in either late 2022 or early 2023.

Over several months, Murray said she attended many appointments that included follow-up exams and blood tests. She also underwent daily injections over a two-week period to stimulate the ovaries to increase egg production, the lawsuit states.

Murray went through one egg retrieval surgery and became pregnant during her second transfer in May 2023, she said. She gave birth in late December 2023.

"So, the first time I saw my son, like any mom, he was beautiful and literally the best thing I've ever seen, but it was also immediately apparent that he was African American," Murray said during the press conference. "I would like to say my first thought is, 'He's beautiful.' My second thought was, 'What happened? Did they mess up the embryo, or did they mess up the sperm? And if they messed up the embryo, can someone take my son?' That was all within the course of the first 10 or 15 seconds of me seeing him."

Murray said she loved the baby and bonded with him, breastfeeding him and taking him to doctors' appointments, but she knew the clinic had made a mistake somehow.

She purchased an at-home DNA test and received results in late January 2024, confirming the baby was not genetically related to her, according to the lawsuit.

Murray's attorneys reached out to CFS in February 2024 to share Murray's fears, the lawsuit states. In March 2024, the clinic realized its mistake and reached out to the biological parents to let them know their embryo had been transferred into Murray, according to the lawsuit.

The biological parents sued Murray for custody of the child. Another DNA test confirmed the baby was genetically related to them, the lawsuit states.

Murray said she wanted to keep the baby and hired a family law attorney but, after a "tremendous amount of money and time," they told her that she would likely lose her case.

During a family court hearing in May 2024, Murray said she voluntarily turned the baby over to the other couple, marking the last time she saw him.

Murray said surrendering him over to his biological parents was "the hardest day of my life."

"I think about him every single day. There's not a day that I don't wonder what he's doing," she told ABC News. "I raised him for five months, but I didn't get to see his first steps. I don't know what his first words are. I don't know, what milestones he's hitting."

"I'm not privy to what type of person he's becoming or how he's growing and developing, and it is very hard, and I do think of him every single day and wonder how he is," she added.

According to her lawsuit, Murray said she doesn't know what happened to her own embryo, whether it was also mistakenly transferred to another couple or resulted in a pregnancy.

Murray said the process made her question motherhood, but she said she is currently getting treatment at another clinic and hopes she can become a mother soon.

Her lawsuit against CFS and some of its staff was filed by the law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane Conway & Wise for negligence, gross negligence, bailment, breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent concealment, battery, lack of informed consent, violations of the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act and violations of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The attorneys are seeking a judgment in excess of $75,000 as well as punitive damages, recovered attorney fees, recovered treble damages and all other costs. CFS did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

Murray's attorney, Adam Wolf, said he has represented more than 1,000 people against fertility clinics due to errors that allegedly occurred during their treatments. He described Murray's experience as a patient's "wildest fear."

"Having done this work for 13 years now, when you go into a fertility clinic, there's a risk that they might not get as many eggs as you had hoped, or create as many embryos as you wanted," he told ABC News. "You might come out of that process without having any embryos. But what you never think in your wildest fear is that your fertility clinic is going to transfer to you an embryo that belongs to somebody else. That is beyond the pale, and it should never happen at a fertility clinic."

He said he hopes this leads CFS to change its processes and procedures so a mistake like this doesn't happen again and that more safeguards are put in place across the fertility industry nationwide.

Murray said she hopes to bring more awareness by sharing her story and to let other patients going through something similar know they are not alone.

"You're not alone and use your voice. Don't be silenced," she said. "I feel like if we don't come forward and we don't speak our truth and we don't share our experiences, then there will never be change, and this will just be a repetitive cycle. And use your voice, if not for you, because we can't change the situation that we're in, then do it for someone else."

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