Latest news with #JohnF.KennedyAirport
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Richard Gere Returns to U.S. After Facing Fury From Paul Simon's Daughter Over Demolition of Her $10.75 Million Childhood Home
Hollywood superstar Richard Gere has returned to the U.S. from his home in Spain—just weeks after he was publicly slammed by the daughter of music legend Paul Simon over his decision to sell her historic childhood home, which has since been demolished. Gere, 75, was pictured strolling through John F. Kennedy Airport on Aug. 7 with a suitcase in tow, keeping a low profile in sweatpants, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap. Photos published by the Daily Mail showed the "Pretty Woman" star wheeling his own luggage through the terminal, while also carrying a bright yellow tote bag and a guitar. Gere's return to the U.S. comes nine months after he and his wife, Alejandra, relocated to Spain from their home in Connecticut—a move that the actor revealed they made so that his spouse, who hails from the European country, could be closer to family. Yet their move became mired in controversy in July when Lulu Simon, the daughter of crooner Paul and his wife, Edie Brickell, issued a withering takedown of Gere—who purchased her childhood home from the singer in 2022. In May, exclusively revealed that the developer to whom Gere then sold the home for $10.75 million in November 2024 was razing the property in order to make way for a nine-plot subdivision. This news appears to have enraged Lulu, 30, who blasted the decision in several posts shared to her Instagram Stories last month. "Just in case anyone was wondering if I still hate Richard Gere—I do!" she wrote alongside a picture of herself flashing a peace sign at the camera. "He bought my childhood home," she went on. "Promised he would take care of the land as [a] condition of his purchase. Proceeded to never actually move in and just sold it to a developer as nine separate plots. "Hate! Him!" she concluded the post, which also featured a news story about Gere's real estate deal. Lulu then continued her tirade with a rather sinister warning for Gere, sharing an image of the actor surrounded by photos of her late pets, while writing: "I hope my dead pets buried in that backyard haunt you until you descend into a slow and unrelenting madness." Both posts were deleted around 18 hours after they were first shared, and Lulu has not commented publicly on the messages since. Gere has also remained silent over the controversy, and in the weeks since appears to have been soaking up his quiet life in Madrid with his wife and their children. Meanwhile, the demolition of the six-bedroom mansion in which Lulu spent her childhood is already well underway, after local salvage company Hudson Valley House Parts of Newburgh, NY, was called in to save the most historic parts of the 1938 dwelling back in May. At the time, the company's founder, Reggie Young, told that he felt it was "a real shame" the house was being razed, noting: "Once the stuff is gone, it's never coming back." Still, Young and his team managed to salvage several of the most stunning features in the home, including two steel nautical-motif, midcentury bay windows; a limestone mantel and a marble mantel; Colonial window sashes; a complete cerused oak library with a bowed fireplace and wall paneling with built-ins; exterior stone steps with an iron railing and a portico; and the entire entryway with the arched jamb, door surround, and paneled walls. The company shared images and video of that process online—with several users lamenting the destruction of such an historic estate. "This is like watching a horror movie," one person wrote. "So sad this is being dismantled but grateful you're saving it for a new use." Gere purchased the home from the "Mrs. Robinson" crooner and his wife, Edie Brickell, in the summer of 2022 and had originally planned to turn a large portion of its expansive grounds into a farm, according to details shared during a local planning and zoning commission meeting in 2023. But in April, those plans seemed to have been put on hold when Gere told Vanity Fair Spain that he wanted to relocate his entire family to the European country so that his Spanish-born wife could be closer to her family. "It is a beautiful place, the food is extraordinary and the people exude sensitivity and generosity, as well as a strong will to laugh and enjoy," he told the outlet. "I'm looking forward to going there. "For Alejandra, it will be wonderful to be closer to her family, her lifelong friends and her culture. She was very generous in giving me six years living in my world, so it is only fair that I give her at least another six living in hers. "I love Spain and the ability of the Spanish people to live transmitting joy and happiness." While it's unclear why Gere—who turns 76 on Aug. 31—has returned to the U.S., his wife has previously explained that the couple were always planning to retain a residence in the actor's home country, revealing that they were only ever planning to make Spain their home "for a few years." At the time, she added that they had already signed their kids up for summer camp in the U.S., which may explain Gere's return this month. "For a few years [we'll live in Spain], and then come back. But we're always coming back. We'll come back here in the summer because we have the kids at camp. We just have to balance our lives there and here," she told the Daily Mail. Gere also confirmed during his interview with Vanity Fair Spain that he was holding onto property in the U.S., telling the outlet that they owned a dwelling "in the countryside near New York," although he did not specify where. Over the years, Gere has bought and sold numerous homes in the greater New York area, offloading a 50-acre Westchester estate for $28 million back in May 2022. TV-series runner Ryan Murphy was later revealed as the buyer. Six years earlier, he had listed his Hamptons property, a picture-perfect home in Sag Harbor, NY, which was initially listed for $65 million. Two years later, he wed Silva, and the pair have since welcomed two sons together. Gere also has an older son, Homer, now 24, from his marriage to second wife Carey Lowell, while Silva shares a son, Albert, 11, with her ex-spouse, Govind Friedland. Since their big move, Gere has gushed about how much he "loves" their new life—while also slamming the way in which the U.S. has changed under the leadership of President Donald Trump, leading many to suggest that he might never return. In an interview with Spanish publication El Pais, he further elaborated on those views while discussing his views on kindness. "If each of us were kind to each other, the world would be different and better. Not all of us respond to wisdom, but we all respond to kindness," Gere told the publication. "Even in the case of Trump, I'm sure there is something kind about him. People say he's charming in private. "Yet the world he's created around himself is violent, crude, and ignorant. Many of the things he's doing we've never seen before." When asked whether he believes that Trump's second term in office could "irreversibly change the values of U.S. society," the actor admitted that he "worries" about it—claiming that the president is "cut off from" society's natural sense of empathy. Solve the daily Crossword
NBC News
15-07-2025
- Climate
- NBC News
Flash flood warning issued for NYC, N.J. declares emergency as heavy rains soak area
New Yorkers in basement apartments were told to be ready to leave and New Jersey's governor declared a state of emergency after heavy rains in the northeast caused flash flooding, officials said. Western Union County, New Jersey, was experiencing life-threatening flash flooding by storms that were nearly stationary Monday evening, the National Weather Service office for the New York City region said. 'Please stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel,' New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in announcing he was declaring a state of emergency due to the heavy rainfall. 'Stay safe, New Jersey.' Cars drive trhrough flooded roads in New York City on Monday. Courtesy Sophia Maltese All five boroughs of New York City were under a flash flood warning Monday night. Emergency management officials warned residents of basement apartments to be ready to leave. 'If you live in a basement apartment, stay alert. Flash flooding can happen with little warning, including overnight,' New York City Emergency Management said on X. 'Keep a phone, flashlight, and Go Bag nearby. Be ready to move to higher ground.' Video on social media showed people wading out into floodwaters above their knees Monday in New Providence, New Jersey, around 10 miles west of Newark. Early rainfall reports Monday evening in New York City included 1.67 inches in Staten Island and 1.47 inches in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City Emergency Management said on X at around 7:30 p.m. — and it cautioned more rain was forecast Monday night. LaGuardia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport both reported flight disruptions due to the weather, and John F. Kennedy Airport warned of possible problems. All three airports led in cancellations Monday night on tracking website FlightAware. Standing water on the Cross Bronx Expressway caused the traffic artery to be closed in both directions at Macombs Road, emergency officials said. There was also standing water on FDR Drive that was causing delays Monday night, as well as standing water on Harlem River Drive, the city warned. New York City Transit said it was working on flooding at multiple subway stations in Queens. E, M and R trains were "severely disrupted," the agency said. The Staten Island Railway suspended service in both directions in the southern part of the borough because of floods. The National Weather Service warned earlier Monday that showers and thunderstorms could bring rainfall rates of up to 2 inches an hour, and up to 3 inches in total could fall in the New York City area. "Much of this could fall in only 3 to 4 hours, causing isolated to scattered instances of flash flooding," the weather service said. At around 7:40 p.m., the weather service warned that an additional 1 to 2 inches, on top of the rain that already fell, could hit the city. Jamaica, Flushing, Rockaway Beach, Great Neck, John F. Kennedy Airport and Bayside were among the New York City areas expected to see flooding, the weather service said in the flash flood warning issued Monday. Phil Helsel
The Hill
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Woman denied entry at JFK describes ‘nightmare' stay at New Jersey ICE facility
NEW YORK CITY (WPIX) — Jane can only remember crying twice during her hours-long detention after being denied entry into the United States from Switzerland. The first time was when she was chained to a chair at John F. Kennedy Airport after six hours of interrogation. The second was when she realized her menstrual cycle had started inside Elizabeth Detention Center, a privately owned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility criticized for poor conditions since it opened in the 1990s. 'The way I felt, I smelled, I looked — dehumanizing,' Jane, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Nexstar's WPIX. 'They treat us worse than animals.' What was meant to be a birthday trip after a battle with cancer had quickly turned into a nightmare when Jane was denied entry into the United States and detained at the New Jersey facility. Documents on ICE letterhead reviewed by WPIX confirm Jane was detained and released from Elizabeth Detention Center this year. Jane's experience left her scarred with recurring nightmares and bruises, she said. But as the daughter of political refugees and a language teacher, Jane has found new purpose. 'I had to experience this to be able to show people the ugly truth of America,' Jane said. 'They took away from me my biggest love, they took away New York from me in such an ugly way. But I saw it, and I saw what this country's doing with innocent girls.' When Jane landed at JFK, she immediately noticed a different scene: What was normally a one-hour customs process was taking two hours. After she was asked routine questions, Jane's passport was handed to a second officer, whom Jane was told to follow. 'OK, great, now it's my turn,' she recalled thinking. 'That's when the whole s—show began.' Until she arrived at the detention center hours later, Jane was never told where she was headed. Jane was told she was denied entry because officers suspected she planned to work in the United States, something not allowed with the Visa Waiver Program that Jane has used without issue for years. The visa waiver is offered to only 42 countries, including many in Europe, and requires travelers to waive their right to contest a deportation, according to the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. At the airport, multiple Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers combed through her luggage, phone, laptop, bank accounts and social media. They repeatedly accused her of lying, Jane said. Travelers like Jane have fewer rights when interacting with immigration enforcement at airports, including having no right to an attorney, according to the Immigration Law Center. This was made abundantly clear to Jane. Ultimately, Jane said she was put in hand, foot and belly restraints before being taken to Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Jane's loved ones had contacted the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The department this year raised issue with U.S. officials about the treatment of Swiss nationals attempting to enter America, according to a spokesperson for the Swiss FDFA. In a statement to WPIX, a spokesperson for CBP said that a decline in illegal immigration has allowed the department to renew 'thorough vetting and interviews' at ports of entry. 'A visa is a privilege, not a right, and only those who respect our laws and follow the proper procedures will be welcomed,' a CBP spokesperson said. Jane was checked into Elizabeth Detention Center, a 300-bed, windowless facility operated by a private company called CivicCore. It was the only ICE detention facility in New Jersey until this year, when the controversial Delaney Hall opened in Newark. What Jane saw at Elizabeth matched the horror stories she had heard. Cold, dry, dimly lit, and filled with cries, the conditions were 'inhumane,' she said. 'First, I was scared, but then, these girls, so kind, so nice, so empathetic,' Jane said. 'I told the girls when I left, 'Girls, I will try to use my voice, I don't know how yet, but I will try to use my voice to show America what is going on behind closed doors.'' Jane immediately became a translator for the women in Elizabeth, given that she speaks many languages. She met women from Haiti, Germany, Nigeria and Honduras, some of whom had been there for a year. In an act of kindness, one woman gave Jane a feminine napkin she had after agents said there were none left. In a recent New York Times report, the Department of Homeland Security denied claims that detention centers across the country are experiencing overcrowding and poor conditions, such as people lacking access to medication and feminine products and sleeping on bare floors. Jane was held at Elizabeth for 13 hours. She said she was again put in restraints, taken back to JFK, and walked through the airport in handcuffs, accompanied by ICE agents and a police officer. Her belongings were given to the flight attendants and returned to her once the flight had taken off, Jane said. She cried the whole way home. A spokesperson for the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said it has seen a huge spike in requests for help this year. 'Since March 2025, the FDFA Helpline has responded to approximately 170 inquiries related to entry into the United States, which is about three times higher than during the same period in 2024,' the spokesperson told WPIX in June. There are currently over 57,800 people in ICE detention, according to the most recent federal department data. The last time ICE had over 50,000 people in detention was 2019. In February and March, the most recent federal data available, CBP denied 329 people entry into the U.S. at JFK. 'Lawful travelers have nothing to fear from these measures, which are designed to protect our nation's security. However, those intending to enter the U.S. with fraudulent purposes or malicious intent are offered the following advice: Don't even try,' a spokesperson for CBP said. In Jane's case, legal action against the U.S. would be futile, according to Pascal Ronc, an attorney in Switzerland who advised Jane. 'International proceedings against the U.S. are pointless, as the U.S. has never recognized the jurisdiction of an international human rights court,' Ronc said. Jane thinks about the people she met at Elizabeth every day. The moment she checked out is burned into her memory, as she watched a group of men enter the facility. 'They are just about to start their nightmare,' Jane said. 'I'm about to get out and go back to my safe, beautiful Switzerland, and these poor guys — who knows how long, and what they have to endure.'
National Observer
26-06-2025
- Climate
- National Observer
One more sizzling hot day for the eastern US before temperatures plunge
A record-smashing heat wave broiled the US East for another day Wednesday, even as thermometers were forecast to soon plunge by as many as 30 degrees in the same areas. The day's heat wasn't expected to be as intense as Tuesday, when at least 50 heat records were matched or broken and 21 places hit triple-digit temperatures. About 127 million Americans remained under National Weather Service heat advisories, down from the previous day. Sizzling temperatures sent utilities scrambling to keep the air conditioning and lights on amid massive demand for power. 'It's still going to be, I think, pretty bad across the East,'' meteorologist Bob Oravec of the Weather Prediction Center said Wednesday morning. 'I think today is probably the last day of widespread record potential. It might not be quite as hot as yesterday by a few degrees. But still, high temperatures are expected in the upper 90s across a good section of the East." The weather service warned of 'extreme heat" for a stretch of the country from North Carolina to New York and west to West Virginia. Highs could approach triple digits from New York to Richmond, Oravec said. Temperatures again broke 100 on Wednesday at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and in Newark and Baltimore. Temperatures Wednesday morning were 'a little bit warmer than expected' because of northwesterly winds bringing 'warm leftovers from yesterday,' said former NOAA chief scientist Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist. Nantucket, Massachusetts, was above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) when its forecast high was 82. Weather whiplash The high pressure heat dome that has baked the East was forecast to break. A cold front began moving south from New England, bringing with it clouds and cooler temperatures — not only cooler than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), but cooler than normal. That air mass drawing on cool ocean waters will send temperatures plummeting by the end of the week in Philadelphia, which hit a record high of 101 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, said Ray Martin, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Air temperatures will be in the low 70s Fahrenheit (20s Celsius). 'It's going to feel like a shock to the system, but it's not anything particularly unusual,' said Martin. Boston's forecast high for Friday is 34 degrees lower than what it hit Tuesday. 'It's going to feel like a different season," Oravec said. However, it won't last. After one or two days, slightly hotter than normal temperatures are forecast, but not anywhere near the highs from earlier this week, Oravec said. Weather whiplash from one extreme to another occurs more often as the world warms overall from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, scientists said. Records smashed Tuesday was likely the peak of the heat, with Baltimore the king of swelter. The city's high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) smashed a previous record by four degrees. At night, when the human body needs cooling, temperatures only dropped to 87 Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). Baltimore was hardly alone. A dozen weather stations were 101 degrees or higher, including two New York airports. Boston hit 102, breaking its old record by seven degrees. Augusta, Maine's 100-degrees also broke its old record by seven degrees. Every coastal state from Maine to South Carolina hit 100 degrees somewhere, with Georgia and Florida clocking in at 99 on Tuesday. As temperatures rise 'things become less reliable and more unstable,' said Climate Central Chief Meteorologist Bernadette Woods Placky. The heat meant more demand for power. The nation's largest power grid operator, PJM Interconnection, on Monday recorded its highest demand since 2011, with only a slight drop off Tuesday and Wednesday, spokesman Dan Lockwood said. 'We have an aging grid infrastructure already in United States, so you can see the impacts of that heat on that infrastructure," said Kate Guy, senior research fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy. The aging system is less capable of transmitting power at the voltages needed, she said. 'At the same time, you're seeing a really big spike in demand. This is what they (utilities) are increasingly experiencing because of climate change," Guy said. "Frankly, with each year is increased, historic temperatures and that intense heat arriving earlier than ever, just putting an immense pressure on the electrical grid.' Extreme heat caused the road to buckle in two locations on an interstate highway in northern New Jersey. State transportation officials say the impact on the concrete roadway in Morris County on Tuesday afternoon forced some lane closures as temporary repairs were made. Crews then began work to replace the damaged areas and repave those sections. Some downtown Chicago streets will close Wednesday night to repair pavement that has buckled due to hot temperatures amid an ongoing heat wave in the city. 'Pavement failures or blowouts occur when prolonged high temperatures cause the road to expand and buckle up or blow out, resulting in uneven driving surfaces,' the Illinois Department of Transportation said in a statement. In Chesapeake, Virginia, a heat-related malfunction prompted a bridge to remain stuck in the open position. Isabella O'Malley in Philadelphia; Alexa St. John in Detroit; Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine; Bruce Shipkowski in Trenton, New Jersey; and Christine Fernando contributed to this report.
DW
25-06-2025
- Climate
- DW
Extreme heat wave hits eastern United States – DW – 06/25/2025
Several cities in the eastern United States have faced record high temperatures due to a climate phenomenon known as the "heat dome." A brutal heat wave has gripped the eastern part of the United States as tens of millions of people sweltered in record high temperatures on Tuesday. A climate phenomenon called a "heat dome" has sent temperatures soaring to dangerous triple digits in some cities while also trigerring extreme humidity. A heat dome occurs when high pressure in the upper atmosphere traps heat and humidity, increasing temperatures in the lower atmosphere. New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport reported a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) shortly after noon — the first time since 2013. Temperatures in Central Park were forecasted to reach 99 F (37 Celsius), beating the area's previous high of 96. Cities like Boston and Batlimore also saw temperatures rising to 101 degrees Fahrenheit. "It looks like today is probably the worst day for widespread heat records," news agency Reuters quoted Bob Oravec, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, as saying. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Hospitals in some places saw people arriving with heat-related illnesses. The scorching heat also caused disruptions to public transport, including delays of Amtrak trains. As over 150 million people received heat warnings, utilities called on customers to conserve power. Meanwhile, electronics stores in the region reported a huge spike in the sale of air conditioners and fans. The National Weather Service said that the heat would not subside entirely by the weekend but swathes of the eastern US could see improved conditions in the next few days.
