On Today’s Show

Some people spent part of their New Year’s Eve trapped on a Washington state highway after tumbleweeds blocked their route, with vehicles trapped in a pile of tumbleweeds that stood up to 15 feet (4.57 meters) tall.

The state Department of Transportation used snow plows to clear the scene.

It took about 10 hours to clear the road. No injuries were reported.

______________________________________________________________________________

Cut your cost of living and make some money doing it if you’re willing to relocate to Topeka, Kansas. The city’s new Choose Topeka campaign is offering up to $15,000 to people to move there, and the money will be awarded after one year of residency.

Incentive funds are available for between 40 and 60 new resident workers during the program’s 2020 run. The estimated population of Topeka is 125,904, down nearly 2,000 residents as compared to April 2010 data. They’re not alone other cities paying people to move there include Tulsa, Oklahoma, Chattanooga, Tennessee., Hamilton, Ohio, and the state of Alaska.

______________________________________________________________________________

ENTERTAINMENT

Jimmy Fallon told a story about a time when Vince Vaughn got in a fight with a stranger after he kicked the guy’s bathroom stall door open trying to scare Will Ferrell, who they were hanging out with.  Will was outside on the phone.

Friends has left Netflix’s streaming platform, leaving the iconic show without a home for now. Come Spring, it will be available via WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, which snagged exclusive streaming rights to all 236 episodes under a deal estimated to be worth $425 million. HBO Max is bowing in May, and is available at $14.99 a month.

Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are back for the sequel of the wildly successful A Quiet Place. The first trailer for John Krasinksi’s A Quiet Place: Part II has dropped, with the Abbott family setting out further in a post-apocalyptic world. A Quiet Place: Part II is set to bow March 20.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TODAY IS……………….

• “National Buffet Day”, Well!  That should put an end to a lot of New Year’s resolutions!
  A buffet of buffet facts:
  ➢ The concept arose in mid-17th century France, when gentleman callers would arrive unexpectedly at the homes of ladies they wanted to woo.
  ➢ It was during the expansion of railroads throughout Europe that the smorgasbord buffet increased in popularity.
  ➢ The all-you-can-eat buffet made its restaurant debut in 1946, by the mid-1960s, virtually every casino in Las Vegas sported its own variation.

2008 [12] Oil reaches $100 US per barrel for the first time (today it’s about $61)

2009 [11] A rare, unrestored 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Coupe is found in the garage of English surgeon Harold Carr, who’d died 2 years previous (a month later, it sells at auction in Paris for a whopping $4.4 million … thereby thrilling his heirs)

_____________________________________________________________________________

COUNTRY MUSIC NOTE

PBS show Austin City Limits debuted with Willie Nelson as the first guest in 1975. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

RANDOM REPORT

1.  Canada has more lakes than every other country combined.

2. If you’re driving 60 miles per hour and you sneeze, your eyes are closed for 50 feet.

3. There are 40 different ingredients in a McDonald’s Chicken McNugget.

4. 7-Eleven started in Dallas in 1927 as a store that only sold ice.  Eventually it expanded to sell milk, bread, and eggs . . . and then evolved into the first convenience store.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

GOOD NEWS

Donations to help a Canadian boy with an ultra-rare degenerative disease have passed the $1-million mark. Two-year-old Michael Pirovolakis could be paralyzed by age 10 due to hereditary spastic paraplegia-50 (SPG50), a genetic defect in which the body fails to produce a certain protein essential for development.

The Toronto toddler, diagnosed with the condition in April, is one of just 60 people in the world with SPG50. Those with it gradually lose muscle tone, leading to possible paralysis. There is no cure or treatment, only physiotherapy to try and slow the disease’s progression.

Michael’s dad Terry Pirovolakis said there was disbelief when donations passed the $1-million mark on the way to an ambitious $3 million target to find a treatment for Michael and other children.

Through consultations with medical experts at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and across the world, Michael’s parents learned that gene therapy has shown some success.

Michael’s parents found researchers in the U.S. who have agreed to create a treatment to help replace Michael’s missing gene.

Medical scientists estimate that they need a minimum of $3 million to fund a research initiative to develop gene therapy to cure SPG50 and three other similar conditions.

Terry thanked all those who have raised money through a long list of fundraising events including golf tours, bake sales and a danceathon.

______________________________________________________________________________

BIRTHDAYS

[52] Cuba Gooding Jr, actor

[45] Dax Shepard, actor/wed to actress Kristen Bell since 2013

[37] Kate Bosworth, actress

______________________________________________________________________________________

NEW LAWS AND CHANGES FOR 2020

As we usher in another decade, a number of new laws and rules will come into effect in 2020 that may have an impact on your way of life.

CANADA-WIDE

Federal tax changes

The basic amount most Canadians can earn tax-free is going up on Jan. 1, to $13,229. The increase is being phased in over 4 years until it reaches $15,000 in 2023.

For Canadians in the lower income brackets, the changes could result in tax savings of up to $140 in 2020.  For those earning more than $150,473 annually, those savings will be clawed back or not offered at all.

ONTARIO

No more out-of-country health insurance coverage

The Ontario government’s move to scrap its out-of-country health insurance takes effect on Jan. 1.  This means that Ontarians who fall ill while travelling can no longer claim the $400 a day maximum coverage for inpatient emergency care and the $50-a-day maximum allowed for emergency outpatient services (such as an MRI or a CAT scan) that, until now, were provided by OHIP.

The provincial government has defended its decision by saying that the OHIP coverage was minimal and “inefficient,” given the high cost of medical care abroad – and especially in the United States — that usually requires private travel insurance.

E-scooters on roads

As part of a five-year pilot project, the Ontario government will let municipalities decide whether to allow e-scooters on their roads.

Operating e-scooters is currently only allowed on private property in the province. The pilot project started January 1^st.  E-scooter drivers will have to be at least 16 years old and wear a helmet.

Restrictions on advertising vaping products

On Jan. 1, Ontario will ban the promotion of vaping productss in convenience stores and gas stations, in response to growing concerns about the health effects of vaping on young people.

The province will still allow vaping to be promoted in specialty stores and cannabis shops, which are only open to those aged 19 and older.

Dogs on restaurant patios

Starting Jan. 1., Ontario will give restaurants and bars the option to allow dogs on their patios.

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Plastic bag ban

The province will join Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in banning retail plastic bags.  While no exact date of enforcement has been set for the ban, the provincial government says that, by mid-2020, shoppers should bring their own reusable bags to grocery stores and other retailers.

______________________________________________________________________________

Boy Gets Magnifying Glass for Christmas, Sets Lawn on Fire

A Texas couple thought a magnifying glass would be an innocent Christmas gift for their pre-teen son — until he accidentally set the lawn on fire with it. They got their 12-year-old son a magnifying glass for reading. But the parents were stunned when he ended up starting a small fire on Christmas Day.

“We discovered he and his two brothers went out on the driveway and burned a couple holes in some paper. Everything was under control until the boys came running into the house telling us that a corner of the lawn was on fire and the Christmas lights were melting!” She posted photos and a video of the family trying to douse the smoking, blackened lawn.

Luckily, no one was hurt, but the brothers have some hefty chores ahead of them in a few months.

 __________________________________________________________________________________________

FASTING
Have you ever tried NOT to eat for 18 hours? It might not be easy, but doing so regularly could help you live longer. A review of past studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that intermittent fasting can reduce blood pressure, help with weight loss and improve longevity.

How does it work? Alternating between fasting and eating can improve cellular health by forcing cells to use up their fuel stores and convert fat to energy.

The report suggests that physicians prescribe fasting as a method of prevention or treatment for obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Side effects? As you might imagine, patients tend to feel hungry and irritable while fasting, but that usually passes after two weeks when the body becomes accustomed to a new eating schedule.

 _________________________________________________________________________________________

THURSDAY JANUARY 2^ND                                             

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

[52] Cuba Gooding Jr, actor

[45] Dax Shepard, actor/wed to actress Kristen Bell since 2013

[37] Kate Bosworth, actress

——————————————————————————————————————————-

1. NHL

The Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 yesterday (January 1st) in the NHL’s Winter Classic. A sellout crowd of more than 85,000, the second-largest ever at an NHL game, was on hand at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas for the 12th annual outdoor New Year’s Day game.

Former NBA Commissioner David Stern died on Wednesday (January 1st), three weeks after suffering a sudden brain hemorrhage. He was 77. Stern served 30 years as the NBA’s longest-ever commissioner before being replaced by Adam Silver in 2014, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014. He’s regarded as one of the best commissioners in sports history, turning the NBA into a national powerhouse and popular global brand

Pitcher Don Larsen, who threw the only perfect game in World Series history for the New York Yankees in 1956, died yesterday (January 1st) of esophageal cancer. He was 90.

2. Sports in 2019 had some repeat championships, and for some, it was the first championship their team had ever had.  Here are SOME of the biggest moments in sports this past year.

3. A record jackpot of $70 million will up for grabs in Friday’s Lotto Max draw.

The total prize pool, which will reach approximately $80 million, will also consist of approximately 10 lots of $1 million.

4. JJ Barrows says that as a kid, she thought Alaska was an island, since Hawaii and Alaska were always on maps, appearing as if they were off the coast of California.

• “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS/Global): Sen. Kamala Harris, Lady Antebellum, Peter Jackson (R)
• “What Is Jeopardy!? Alex Trebek and America’s Most Popular Quiz Show” (ABC):

A behind-the-scenes look at the taping of the quiz show; an exclusive interview at home with Trebek and his wife Jean; a look at the show’s most memorable moments and contestants; hosted by Michael Strahan.

• “The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU” (NBC): Stars and special guests including Dick Wolf, Mariska Hargitay and Ice T celebrate prime-time television’s longest-running drama for its record-breaking 21st season; exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage

 _________________________________________________________________________________________________

LUKE COMBS ‘YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SONGS’

Luke Combs has had a successful year and a lot of that can be contributed to his song writing. He has a group of about 10 friends that he’s been writing with since he moved to Nashville and is constantly writing more. Luke tells us – he never really stops writing: [I don’t think you can ever have too many songs, it’s like having too much gas in your gas tank. I mean you can I guess, but eventually it just spills out and you just put it in the tank until you need it. So, I think writing songs is king of like that for me. I have a bunch, I don’t have to go, “Man, there’s a new album deadline that’s coming up and I don’t have any good songs.” It’s just very comforting to have them sitting there.]

FAST FACTS

Luke met most of his songwriter friends, hanging out at Tin Roof Bar and Loser’s Bar in Nashville.

Luke’s next show is January 18 – Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado.

KENNY CHESNEY SHARES ‘CHILLAXIFICATION TOUR’ AMPHITHEATER DATES

Kenny Chesney has announced the 18 amphitheater stops on his 2020 Chillaxification Tour, and it begins in West Palm Beach, FL on May 7th. The trek waps up on August 26th in Columbia, MD, and all shows will feature opening act Michael Franti & Spearhead. The Chillaxification Tour will also include 22 stadium shows which have already been announced.

Kenny tells us there’s something special about open air venues. [“You know just being in the outdoor environment, I do feel like that’s the thread, that’s the foundation of how we built this, and where are fans really connect better with me, and where I connect better with them and it’s just the common denominator of what we do.”]

Tickets to select shows go on sale on Friday, Jan. 24th at Megaticket.com.

KEITH URBAN USHERS IN NEW YEAR WITH STEVIE NICKS

Keith Urban ushered in the New Year in Nashville on Tuesday (Dec. 31st) night for the fourth year in a row in the city’s downtown, playing for a reported crowd of more than 175,000 people. He was joined by Ashley McBryde, Jason Isbell, the Struts, Amanda Shires, Bren Joy, Kalie Shorr, the Fisk Jubilee Singers and rock icon Stevie Nicks.

Keith and Stevie teamed up for a version of her 1981 duet with the late Tom Petty, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” along with “Second Hand News” and “Edges of Seventeen.”

He was also joined by his wife, Nicole Kidman, and their two daughters on stage during the Music City Note Drop at midnight.

Categorised in: Mornings

This post was written by Dave Palmer