On Today’s Show

➢ About 190,000 ceiling fans sold by Home Depot have been recalled because the blades can detach while the fans are in use. The Consumer Product Safety Commission instructs buyers to “immediately stop” using the fans. Made by King of Fans, the 54-inch fans are labeled Mara and are finished in matte white, matte black, black or polished nickel. King of Fans is offering free replacements.

➢ December has brought us some pretty epic celestial events most notably the cosmic miracle known as the Christmas Star but there’s one more sight you’ll want to catch before you say goodbye to 2020. December’s Full Cold Moon is rising as of this evening and it’s going to be pretty special. Not only is it the final full moon of the year, but it’s also known for its high trajectory across the sky, which means it’ll sit above the horizon for longer than any other full moon. While the moon will reach peak illumination at 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, you should start to see it just before sunset.

➢ This is very Grinch-like behavior. A grandmother in Scott County, Tennessee has been accused of stealing her grandchild’s Christmas gifts from under the tree and pawning it for cash. During an investigation, police found one of the stolen items, a Nintendo Switch, had been pawned at the Winfield Pawn Shop by 43-year-old Amy Best. Best was charged with theft under $1,000 and is being held. Other gifts that were stolen are still missing, but police are still investigating.

➢ A 4-year-old girl starring as Mary in her school’s nativity play ended up giving everyone the entire audience while trying to show her mum her sore finger. Mom Kizzi Parry-Griffiths says she was shocked when her daughter Daisy suddenly put up her middle finger while her little classmates sang on. Photos of the performance show little Daisy standing on stage, and proudly holding up her middle finger and smiling at her mom. Kizzi said, “They were all singing along, and all of a sudden she starts looking at me and putting her middle finger up,” apparently to show that she was wearing a band-aid.

➢ Twenty young golden retrievers are thrilled to be in Miami right now. Actually, they would be thrilled to be anywhere. The puppies were flown in from Asia by Golden Rescue South Florida, which had been contacted by a rescue group anxious to save them from the meat trade. Several international organizations contributed to the effort, which cost $60,000. All had families waiting for them in Miami.

TODAY IS……………….

TICK TOCK DAY

1813 – The British burned Buffalo during the War of 1812.

1851 – The first American Young Men’s Christian Association was organized, in Boston

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COUNTRY MUSIC NOTE

DECEMBER 29^TH, 2001  Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)” spends the first of five weeks at #1

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LONG RANGE FORECAST:
Better times are ahead, and after suffering through the pandemic and the economic woes it has created, we definitely deserve it.

In his new book “Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live”, Yale professor and social epidemiologist Dr Nicholas Christakis writes that what’s happening in the world may seem very alien and unnatural, but plagues are not a new thing.

In his observations of disease over millennia, he says we should remember this: plagues and pandemics end. They ended even before we had vaccines to respond to them. And what happens after that?

Often there is a period in which people seek out extensive social interaction, which Christakis predicts will be like a second “roaring 20s” just as after the 1918 flu pandemic”. He says, “In 2024, all of those [pandemic trends] will be reversed.

People will relentlessly seek out social interactions.

His vision of 2024 and beyond is filled with the experiences we’ve pined for while in isolation: packed stadiums, crowded nightclubs and flourishing arts.

FOUR RANDOM FACTS

1. The design of Apple’s earbuds was inspired by the look of the Stormtroopers in “Star Wars”.

2. You’ve promised that you won’t use Apple’s Music app to make nuclear or chemical weapons, and you don’t even realize it.  There’s a line in the terms and conditions you agreed to that prohibits it.

3. Canadians are so polite that this is necessary:  In Ontario there’s a law that saying “Sorry” is not an admission of guilt.

4. People always picture Godzilla being GREEN . . . but in the Japanese movies, he was NEVER green.  He was always charcoal gray.

GOOD NEWS

A Massachusetts artist said he used nearly 2 tons of snow to create an 8-foot tall sculpture for the winter solstice.

Dave Rothstein unveiled his piece, titled Winter Solstice Snow Lantern-An Ode To Mother Nature, in the front yard of his home.

The sculpture features bricks of snow arranged in a tower with a light inside causing it to glow.

Rothstein said he is inviting the public to come see the sculpture while it is still standing. “I’ve been sculpting snow for 20 years but my main passion is introducing the winter arts to other people and getting people excited about winter and playing in their yards,”

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BIRTHDAYS

(73)      Ted Danson

(48)      Jude Law

9-1-1 CALLS IN 2020

Over the past year in Winnipeg, they received calls about an angry squirrel, a missing playlist and a fight with the city over recycling.

Here’s an example of another call

“I’m just working on this new phone, I just wanted to know if it would be connected,”

“Oh, okay, you’ve reached 911, do you have an emergency?” the operator asked.

“No, I just wanted to know if it would work.”

“So you don’t need police, fire, or ambulance?”

“No, not right now.”

“Okay, yup, it’s working.”

“Thanks, bye.”

The injustice of parents came up in 911 calls this year — a teenager in Toronto called 911 because his mother had unplugged the wifi.

Another example provided by Toronto Police was a woman who called 911 because she “was a prisoner in her own home because of an angry squirrel in a tree.”

A couple of the Saskatchewan calls featured perceived failures at customer service.

One caller told 911 operators that a cup of coffee they had just purchased was cold, while another caller wanted back-up for a dispute, they were having with a gas station attendant. The source of the fight? The attendant “had refused to remove the customer’s debit card from the debit machine for the customer.”

Another Saskatchewan caller wanted to know if 911 could give them recommendations for a good restaurant to eat at, as they were from out of town and didn’t know what was open.

Which brings us to our final 2020 example, from Saskatchewan:

“A caller called upset as they got a ticket under the Emergency 911 System Act,” Saskatchewan RCMP reported. “This caller called 911 again to dispute the ticket.”

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Disneyland changes ‘scary’ Snow White ride, adds new, happier ending

One of Disneyland’s oldest rides is getting less “scary.” Based on the classic animated film, Snow White’s Scary Adventures has been undergoing a renovation remake that includes giving it a happier ending and a less-scary name.

The Disney Parks YouTube channel released a sneak peek at the overhauled attraction, which will now be called Snow White’s Enchanted Wish. The ride, which debuted when the California theme park first opened in 1955, last underwent a major renovation in 1983. Originally, the second half of the ride heavily featured the witch, and ended with the villain being vanquished by a thunderbolt.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 29^TH

1. 1. A 94-year-old man has been charged with second degree murder in connection with his 89-year-old wife’s death in Wallaceburg.

Chatham-Kent police said they were called to the scene on Margaret Avenue at approximately 3:30 a.m. on December 26, 2020 for a report of a sudden death.

Police said when officers arrived at the scene, they found an 89-year-old woman in the residence without any vital signs. Investigators said despite life-saving efforts, the woman was pronounced deceased at the residence.

Officers said “through their investigation, officers determined that the woman’s death was a homicide.”

2. The Buffalo Bills improved to 12-3 beating New England 38 – 9

One-time first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins has been released by the Washington Football Team. The decision, announced by head coach Ron Rivera on Twitter, came hours after Rivera said that Taylor Heinicke rather than Haskins will get the start if Alex Smith is unable to play in the regular-season finale. Last week, Haskins was stripped of his captaincy and fined a reported fined $40,000 for attending a party without a mask. Then, he got some of the blame for the team’s 20-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, which cost Washington a chance to secure the division. Haskins was replaced with Heinicke late in that game.

3. (73) Ted Danson         (48)   Jude Law

4. Kenny Rogers – His 1978 signature song ‘The Gambler’ is one of 29 songs and albums which to be added o the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021. Also up for induction: Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris’ “Trio” album, and Ronstadt’s 1987 album “Canciones de Mi Padre.”

No winning ticket was sold for the $6.4 million jackpot in Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw.

However, the guaranteed $1 million prize was won by a ticket holder in British Columbia.

The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw TOMORROW will be approximately $9 million.

No winning ticket sold for the $12 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw.

The jackpot for the next draw TONIGHT will be approximately $17 million.

BRAD PAISLEY REPLACES TAYLOR SWIFT ON FAMOUS NASHVILLE

Brad Paisley has replaced Taylor Swift on a mural of country music legends in downtown Nashville. Taylor, who was formerly depicted sitting perched on a barstool between Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash has been painted over. Now, it’s Brad sitting on the same stool.

USA Today noted, the decision to replace her came about (at least in part) because of the disapproval of the country fans who hang out in downtown Nashville.

Tim Davis, the artist of the mural who painted it said, “I have heard many complaints here in Nashville about Taylor being on the wall with country legends since she is currently focused mainly on pop.” He went on to say, “By and large, the people of Nashville love her, as do I.”

Davis adds that it was the bar owner’s decision, not his. He is currently raising money via a Go Fund Me page to paint a mural dedicated exclusively to Taylor Swift.

Country music legends on the mural include Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw, and several others. The mural is located on the outside wall of a Nashville bar.

DAN + SHAY SURPRISE THREE HOMELESS FAMILIES WITH HOMES OF THEIR OWN

Dan + Shay surprised three homeless families by helping them get homes of their own. The two of them worked closely with Safe Haven Family Shelter in Nashville and Ashley Home Store to provide the families with fully-furnished homes.

In an interview with People.com, Dan Smyers said, “It was very emotional watching these families’ reactions when they saw their homes for the first time. I speak for both of us when I say it was life-changing.”

Dan + Shay were inside each home when the new occupants walked through the door for the first time. The Surprise was captured and posted online.

The giveaway was tied into promotion for their holiday hit, “Take Me Home for Christmas.”

OLD DOMINION MEMBERS DON’T AGREE ON BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIE

While bandmembers of Old Dominion are home with their families for the holidays, we talked to three of them earlier about their favorite Christmas movies. Between Matt Ramsey, Geoff Sprung, and Brad Tursi, we got three different answers and four different movies. Starting with Matt [Matthew: Christmas Vacation is the must-watch movie for me… holiday season or not, that’s one of my favorite movies period. Geoff: Mine has become Elf, especially now that I have got a little kid to watch it with. That’s mine. Brad: I’d say It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story, the two that I always end up seeming to have my eyeballs on.]

Matthew released a Christmas song for charity earlier this month.

100% of the profits from “It’s Christmas and We’re Still Here” are to be donated to the My Hometown Fund.

Categorised in: Mornings

This post was written by Dave Palmer