Latest news with #Debbie
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Congresswoman calls on federal government amid cuts and start of 2025 hurricane season
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – One congresswoman said the federal government has taken a chainsaw to federal agencies that help you before, during, and after a hurricane. 'Right now, I cannot report that the federal government is there in every way that they were there last hurricane season, unfortunately,' said Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14). Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Castor said the federal government has taken a chainsaw to federal agencies that forecast, track, and respond to hurricanes. In addition, she does not have the confidence that FEMA will be there like they were following Debbie, Helene, and Milton. Castor called it new territory. 'I've never seen it this bad before, and I've lived here for 40 years,' said Nancy Biddle, St. Pete Beach homeowner. NHC watching area off Florida coast for potential tropical development Inspectors have determined Biddle will need to make major changes to storm-proof her St. Pete Beach property against future hurricanes. She applied for the Elevate Florida program in February. She is waiting to hear if help is on the way or if funding cuts could leave her high and dry.'The back and forth whether FEMA should exist at all, does not lend itself having full confidence that they are going to be the partner on the ground that we saw in the aftermath of Helene and Milton,' Castor said. The congresswoman is looking to local leaders to build confidence that the help people need will be there is hurricane season, but she said it's not enough as Floridians, like Biddle, are still waiting for assistance.'This, unfortunately, is reflected in the monies that they are withholding from local communities like St. Pete, Pinellas, Tampa, and Hillsborough as well,' Castor state is relying on $400 million in federal funds to pay for Elevate Florida, which stopped accepting new applications on April 11, citing funding limitations. That same day, the Federal Emergency Management Agency eliminated $300 million in funding for another program meant to help make communities across Florida less vulnerable to storms. It was called the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, or BRIC. In a statement, a FEMA spokesperson wrote: 'The BRIC program was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program. It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters.''FEMA can be more efficient, but calls to eliminate it and then to take a chainsaw 2,000 experts who understand how to respond to disasters across the country… this is new territory,' said is running out for Biddle.'If this, as the government program has ended, we're kind of right back where we started,' said Biddle. As of last month, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said Elevate Florida had not yet been funded. FEMA has not yet responded to our requests about Castor's comments. 8 On Your Side also reached out for comment to Rep. Gus Bilirakis' (R-FL) office about the federal cuts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
STV News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
'She's the One': Superfan says kiss from Robbie Williams was 'surreal'
A Robbie Williams superfan was kissed by the singer during his recent show at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Debbie Allan, from Dundee, spoke to STV News about the surreal moment she was serenaded by Williams at his Scottish show on Saturday night. 'I did know that part of the show was him singing 'She's the One' to someone, he came down the stairs and picked someone next to us, but he wanted to sing to someone from Scotland, and he looked directly at me, and I said I'm from Dundee and he picked me,' the 41-year-old said. 'It was such a surreal moment, I can't believe he picked me for that part of the show. It was amazing.' Lindsay Ann Malone Debbie and Robbie at the Edinburgh Murrayfield show. Lindsay Ann Malone Debbie and her friends had been waiting outside Murrayfield since 6am before the doors opened at 4pm. 'It was quite a long day, but it went by quickly. We do it all the time, so it was just another queuing stint to us,' she said. Recalling the moment, Debbie said she 'couldn't stop staring' at the Angels singer. STV News Born and raised in Dundee, Debbie has been a fan of Take That and Robbie Williams since she was a teenager. STV News 'I just keep replaying the videos. I couldn't stop staring at him and just burst into tears. People might've been jealous, but everyone around me was so happy for me,' she added. Debbie's love for the singer goes back to her teenage years when she was a fan of Take That. Since then, she has been to around 35 of Williams' shows, travelling across Scotland, England, and even further afield. 'The furthest we've gone to see a show was Germany, but we do all the Scottish shows,' she said. She recalled paying £11 for a ticket in 1997 to see him perform at the Barrowlands in Glasgow. This time, she paid £170 for a ticket to the Murrayfield show, but she said the experience was 'priceless'. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
'No faith in the system' as mother waits year for epilepsy drug inquiry
Debbie Adams has been waiting a year to address an inquiry into the prescribing of epilepsy medicine containing Valproate to pregnant women. Her daughters, aged 13 and 11, were diagnosed with Fetal Valproate Syndrome (FVS) in 2020. This came after years of diagnosis for individual symptoms. Their youngest daughter also had double surgery for hip dysplasia at Temple Street Hospital. A letter advising that she needs a review as part of investigations into these surgeries has only added to the worries for Debbie and her husband. Last June, an inquiry was launched into the prescribing of valproate, which can cause serious birth defects and development disorders. Families were told the inquiry would begin "within weeks" but there is still no sign of it starting. Debbie chose not to attend the launch event. 'I wanted to get excited but the pessimistic side of me said 'how long are we going to be waiting?' and that's probably why I didn't go," she said. One year on, she is just tired. 'I've no faith in the system,' she said. This should not have happened. This has changed the trajectory of our family's life. She wants answers: why does she have a wall-planner in the kitchen covered with therapy appointments? 'The children have grown up like this and they think everybody's life is like this. We had different dreams for them,' she said, tearfully. The HSE now advises if a woman or girl becomes pregnant while taking valproate (brand name Epilim), their baby is at risk of serious birth defects and developmental and learning disorders. Debbie, who has been taking Epilim to control her epilepsy seizures, recalled speaking with her neurologist when pregnant with Isobelle. Debbie Adams took Epilim to control her epilepsy seizures. Picture: Moya Nolan 'I was warned about spina bifida and cleft lip and palate; they were the two things that I was aware of,' she said. She was relieved early scans showed no signs of these but does not recall discussion of wider risks under Fetal Valproate Syndrome (FVS). Isobelle and her sister Isla, who uses a mobility scooter, faced similar challenges as babies. 'My youngest was showing all the same delays — not crawling, not walking, not speaking, and I said this can't be normal to happen twice in the one house,' she said. She was reassured during a neurology appointment about any potential links to her medication. But soon afterwards, while in Portugal at a family wedding, she saw a report from the British parliament on Sky News. Devastating information They were talking about FVS, and she recalls racing out to find her husband to share the devastating information. Returning home, they met up with Karen Keely, founder of patient group OACS Ireland, which represents more than 130 families. 'It's a horrible reality,' she told the Irish Examiner,sitting in Karen's kitchen. 'You live in fear for them [the children] for when you're gone.' She pointed out that despite pledges to support affected families, they still had to battle long waiting lists and delays for therapies. She is aware of recent High Court cases taken by other families struggling for answers. 'For me that was like validation, it's happened, acknowledgement somewhere has taken place,' she said. Ms Keely said families feel "absolutely disgusted' by the delays to the inquiry. She said people want 'acknowledgement this has happened; harm has happened'. The Department of Health said when work on data protection issues are finished, 'it is anticipated that the public-facing elements of the inquiry will commence shortly thereafter". No definitive timeframe was given.
The Courier
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee reveals how she got a kiss from idol in front of 70k fans
A Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee has revealed her kiss from the star in front of 70,000 people nearly didn't happen. Debbie Allan, from Lochee, says her 'dream came true' when she received a peck from the singer during his gig at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. It was the highlight of their 10-minute interaction, which was displayed on the big screen on Saturday night. During this time the former Take That superstar sang Proclaimers classic Sunshine on Leith, held Debbie's hand, and even lightheartedly traded swear words with the 42-year-old. Pictures and video of the encounter have gone viral on Facebook and TikTok, with thousands empathising with Debbie's on-screen tears as she got up close and personal with the household name. But the once-in-lifetime meeting so nearly didn't happen, Debbie told The Courier. Debbie has been a Robbie Williams fan for more than 30 years and has seen him perform live around 35 times. These include all his Scottish shows, many in England, and even a gig in Munich, Germany. In the past few tours he has picked out a fan standing at the front to dedicate his song 'She's The One' to. So Debbie, with fellow Dundonian and superfan Paula Williamson, joined the Robbie Williams gig queue first thing in the morning in the hope of being picked out by the 51-year-old Stokie. But on Saturday at 10pm, having been at Murrayfield since 6am, Williams chose another woman standing nearby. 'He actually spoke to another girl first,' Debbie told The Courier. 'But she was from Germany and he wanted someone from Scotland. 'So I shouted 'I'm from Dundee'. 'That's when he came over.' The next 10 minutes were 'crazy', Debbie says. 'He came down, asked me where I was from and then he started singing Sunshine on Leith,' she said. 'He had his hand on my arm and I was holding his arm. 'I was quite happy and could have stood there all day – I wouldn't have cared. 'I was just holding him, looking at him and thinking 'Oh my God, I can't believe this is actually happening'.' After mischievously asking why Hearts fans tend to boo Williams' rendition of Hibs anthem Sunshine on Leith, the focus again turned to Debbie. 'He said to me, 'I never ask a woman how old she is…so what do you weigh?',' she recalled. 'And I told him to f*** off. 'He then cuddled me and said, 'That's why I love Scottish people. You ask them a question and they tell you to f*** off'. 'He gave me a direct kiss on the lips. It was so unexpected and I burst out crying. 'The camera was on me the whole time. 'The crying face was all over the screens. 'It was the most surreal experience ever.' Williams returned to the stage to sing She's The One, which topped the UK charts in 1999. But the spotlight hadn't left Debbie just yet. She explained: 'He dedicates that song to a fan. 'And even during the song he said things like 'wee Debbie'. 'There was still a camera on me the whole time. 'Then he waved at me after he sang it. 'I was crying.' Debbie had only once before made it onto a TV screen through her Robbie fandom. It was in February 1999, when she was asked why she was queuing so early for Williams' only Aberdeen gig. 'It was snowing and reporters were saying 'You can't be out queuing in the snow'. But we didn't care,' Debbie said. The scale of this exposure was minor compared to Saturday's experience. Debbie said: 'I've waited 30 years for a moment like that, it's just unbelievable. 'Every fan wants it to be them, and I hope that girl from Germany gets her moment when Robbie is next over there. 'For it to be me was unbelievable. It was surreal. 'Even after the gig, complete strangers were coming up to me, saying 'It's Debbie from Dundee'. 'It's been so emotional. 'Robbie is one of the best entertainers we have. 'He knows how to work the audience and is just unreal. 'I can't put into words what the guy means to me.' She added: 'I have followed him since I was 10 years old and to have this moment is like a dream come true. It's just amazing. 'Every time I watch the video and talk about it I'm crying. It's mental. 'I'm trying to save all the different videos but every one of them is just amazing. It's crazy.' The Courier's live news reporter James Simpson was among the 70,000 people at Murrayfield for the gig. The Dundonian admits Debbie's interactions with Williams put a lump in his throat. He said: 'Robbie asked if anyone else was from Dundee, and there was a good reaction. 'Robbie then had a bit of banter with Debbie and her pal, who was trying to film it or take pictures. 'Robbie then dedicated 'She's The One' to Debbie. 'It was brilliant. 'She was emotional and gave him a hug during the performance. 'I was delighted that a local person had been picked – she even got a smacker on the lips from Rob. 'Suffice to say, she looked chuffed.'
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Debbie Harry reveals poignant birthday plans following the death of her Blondie bandmate
Debbie Harry wants spent her 80th birthday remembering her Blondie bandmate Clem Burke. The 79-year-old rock star shot to fame as the lead singer of the 'One Way Or Another' hitmakers in the 1970s alongside drummer Clem - who died in April at the age of 70 - and wants to keep things relatively simple as she celebrates the life of her late co-star. She told People: "I hope to be with my friends and to celebrate the life of my drummer, Clem Burke, who recently passed, and celebrate my own life." Clem died following a "a private battle with cancer" and at the time of his death, the band noted that his "influence extended far beyond" that of the band. Debbie hasn't let thoughts of her upcoming birthday consume her but admitted recently that she often still feels as if she is 25. She added: "I don't walk around thinking every minute, oh my God, I'm going be 80 — but that's sort of how I feel. My mother used to say in her head she was 25 and I'm the same." However, Debbie doesn't want her life now to look like it did when she was 25 years old and instead has found a kind of "beauty" in the passage of time. She said: "But thinking about it all the time could be your downfall. And I don't really want the same kind of life I did when I was younger. I've done that! That's the beauty of ageing — you know what it's about. You have it in your heart and soul and your memory bank … or does that sound like an excuse? Should I go out and party every night Meanwhile, Debbie revealed that has kept "everything" from her time in Blondie and is hoping all her clothes and memorabilia from her heyday in an exhibition one day. She said: "I have everything. I have everything, and I hope to put on a little exhibition at some point!"
