US NATIONAL NEWS
House Passes Bill Banning Certain Semi-Automatic Guns
Published
4 years agoon
By
Willie David
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Friday to revive a ban on certain semi-automatic guns, the first vote of its kind in years and a direct response to the firearms often used in the crush of mass shootings ripping through communities nationwide.
Once banned in the U.S., the high-powered firearms are now widely blamed as the weapon of choice among young men responsible for many of the most devastating mass shootings. But Congress allowed the restrictions first put in place in 1994 on the manufacture and sales of the weapons to expire a decade later, unable to muster the political support to counter the powerful gun lobby and reinstate the weapons ban.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed the vote toward passage in the Democratic-run House, saying the earlier ban “saved lives.”
President Joe Biden hailed the House vote, saying, “The majority of the American people agree with this common sense action.” He urged the Senate to “move quickly to get this bill to my desk.”
The bill comes at a time of intensifying concerns about gun violence and shootings — the supermarket shooting in Buffalo, N.Y.; massacre of school children in Uvalde, Texas; and the July Fourth shootings of revelers in Highland Park, Ill.
Voters seem to be taking such election-year votes seriously as Congress splits along party lines and lawmakers are forced to go on the record with their views. A recent vote to protect same-sex marriages from potential Supreme Court legal challenges won a surprising amount of bipartisan support.
Biden was instrumental in helping secure the first semi-automatic weapons ban as a senator in 1994. The Biden administration said that for 10 years, while the ban was in place, mass shootings declined. “When the ban expired in 2004, mass shootings tripled,” the statement said.
Republicans stood firmly against limits on ownership of the high-powered firearms during an at times emotional debate ahead of voting.
“It’s a gun grab, pure and simple,” said Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa.
Said Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., “An armed America is a safe and free America.”
Democrats argued that the ban on the weapons makes sense, portraying Republicans as extreme and out of step with Americans.
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said the weapons ban is not about taking away Americans’ Second Amendment rights but ensuring that children also have the right “to not get shot in school.”
Pelosi displayed a poster of a gun company’s advertisement for children’s weapons, smaller versions that resemble the popular AR-15 rifles and are marketed with cartoon-like characters. “Disgusting,” she said.
In one exchange, two Ohio lawmakers squared off. “Your freedom stops where mine begins, and that of my constituents begins,” Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur told Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. “Schools, shopping malls, grocery stores, Independence Day parades shouldn’t be scenes of mass carnage and bloodshed.”
Jordan replied by inviting her to his congressional district to debate him on the Second Amendment, saying he believed most of his constituents “probably agree with me and agree with the United States Constitution.”
The bill would make it unlawful to import, sell or manufacture a long list of semi-automatic weapons. Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said it includes an exemption that allows for the possession of existing semi-automatic guns.
Reps. Chris Jacobs of New York and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania were the only Republicans to vote for the measure. The Democratic lawmakers voting no were Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, Ron Kind of Wisconsin and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas.
For nearly two decades, since the previous ban expired Democrats had been reluctant to revisit the issue and confront the gun lobby. But voter opinions appear to be shifting and Democrats dared to act before the fall election. The outcome will provide information for voters of where the candidates stand on the issue.
Jason Ouimet, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement following the vote that “barely a month after” the Supreme Court expanded gun rights “gun control advocates in Congress are spearheading an assault upon the freedoms and civil liberties of law-abiding Americans.”
He said the bill potentially bans millions of firearms “in blatant opposition to the Supreme Court’s rulings” that have established gun ownership as an individual right and expanded on it.
Among the semi-automatic weapons banned would be some 200-plus types of semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15s, and pistols. The restrictions would not apply to many other models.
Democrats had tried to link the weapons ban to a broader package of public safety measures that would have increased federal funding for law enforcement. It’s something centrist Democrats in tough re-election campaigns wanted to shield them from political attacks by their Republican opponents they are soft on crime.
Pelosi said the House will revisit the public safety bills in August when lawmakers are expected to return briefly to Washington to handle other remaining legislation, including Biden’s priority inflation-fighting package of health care and climate change strategies making its way in the Senate.
Congress passed a modest gun violence prevention package just last month in the aftermath of the tragic shooting of 19 school children and two teachers in Uvalde. That bipartisan bill was the first of its kind after years of failed efforts to confront the gun lobby, including after a similar 2012 mass tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
That law provides for expanded background checks on young adults buying firearms, allowing authorities to access certain juvenile records. It also closes the so-called “boyfriend loophole” by denying gun purchases for those convicted of domestic abuse outside of marriages.
The new law also frees up federal funding to the states, including for “red flag” laws that enable authorities to remove guns from those who would harm themselves or others.
But even that modest effort at halting gun violence came at time of grave uncertainty in the U.S. over restrictions on firearms as the more conservative Supreme Court is tackling gun rights and other issues.
Biden signed the measure two days after the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down a New York law that restricted people’s ability to carry concealed weapons.
This story was first published on July 29, 2022. It was updated on August 1, 2022 to correct the name of the executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action to Jason Ouimet, not Jason Quimet.
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US NATIONAL NEWS
Frontier Airlines Flight to San Francisco Returns to Denver After Smoke Odor, Stranding 200 Passengers Ahead of Super Bowl 60
Published
1 week agoon
February 2, 2026
DENVER (FNN) — A Frontier Airlines flight carrying nearly 200 passengers bound for San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl 60 was forced to return to Denver International Airport late Sunday night after passengers reported a smoke-like odor inside the aircraft.
Florida National News (FNN) President and CEO J. Willie David, III was among those onboard Frontier Flight 2519, which departed Denver at approximately 10:29 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2026, en route to San Francisco. Super Bowl 60 festivities are scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 2.
SMOKE ODOR PROMPTS MID-FLIGHT RETURN
Passengers seated near rows 26 and 27 reported detecting an odor similar to smoke and immediately alerted flight attendants. Frontier crew members conducted an onboard assessment and escalated the concern to the flight captain.
Out of an abundance of caution, the captain made the decision to terminate the flight mid-route and return to Denver for further inspection. The aircraft landed safely at Denver International Airport, where Denver Fire Rescue personnel were standing by upon arrival.
Firefighters boarded the aircraft to inspect the cabin while passengers remained seated. No injuries were reported.
In a separate but related incident highlighting industry-wide concerns over cabin air quality, Frontier Airlines Flight 2519 previously returned to Denver following a reported fumes event that prompted pilots to declare an emergency. That aircraft also landed safely, and medical personnel were requested as a precaution for potential exposure. Frontier later arranged a replacement aircraft while the source of the fumes was investigated.
PASSENGERS STRANDED OVERNIGHT AT DENVER AIRPORT
With no additional outbound flights available overnight, nearly 200 passengers were stranded at Denver International Airport. Many slept on terminal floors as families waited with crying infants and exhausted travelers searched for updates.
Frontier later notified passengers that the delay was caused by a required aircraft change, rescheduling the Denver-to-San Francisco flight for 6:00 a.m. on Feb. 2, nearly eight hours after its original departure time.
Affected passengers were given the option to rebook, cancel for a refund, or receive a credit shell valid for five years. Frontier also issued a $50 travel voucher to impacted travelers as a goodwill gesture.
However, some passengers said Frontier Airlines did not go far enough with its goodwill gesture, arguing that their lives were significantly disrupted by the smoke odor, potential fume exposure and mechanical concerns.
Several travelers said the $50 flight voucher and $10 breakfast voucher fell short of compensating for missed events, overnight delays and extended time spent at the airport. Some also cited additional Frontier delays involving mechanical issues, including a separate flight from Kansas to Denver that was delayed for several hours the same night.
Passengers who experienced multiple disruptions described what they view as a pattern of operational and mechanical problems, raising broader concerns about reliability during high-volume travel periods. Frontier Airlines has not publicly commented on whether the incidents are connected.
SUPER BOWL 60 PLANS DISRUPTED, SAFETY PRAISED
David, who had already experienced a 10-hour layover prior to the incident, spent nearly 20 consecutive hours at Denver International Airport, missing the opening day of Super Bowl 60 week events.
“This is a nightmare built on delay after delay,” David said. “I’m stuck at Denver International Airport and will miss part of Super Bowl 60 week even before kickoff. That said, I applaud Frontier Airlines for prioritizing passenger safety. “I would rather be safe than unalive,” David said, adding that passengers deserve clean air onboard Frontier aircraft and a smoke-free cabin environment, without exposure to mechanical fumes that could pose potential health risks.
While the incident added to travel disruptions during one of the busiest sports weeks of the year, many passengers expressed appreciation for the flight crew’s decision to return to Denver, emphasizing that safety outweighed inconvenience.
HISTORY OF FUME AND SMOKE INCIDENTS IN AVIATION
Fume- and smoke-related incidents are a known concern across the commercial aviation industry. Airlines, including Frontier, have previously reported cabin air irregularities that prompted precautionary landings and inspections. Such events have occasionally led to passenger complaints and legal action industry-wide, underscoring the importance of immediate response protocols when odors or smoke are detected onboard.
Politics
Gov. Hochul Announces Statewide Preparations as Arctic Cold, Heavy Snow Threaten New York
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 23, 2026
ALBANY, N.Y. (FNN) — Extreme Cold Watches are in effect for the North Country from 7 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday as dangerously low temperatures threaten much of northern New York, state officials announced.
Wind chill values could make temperatures feel as low as minus 50 degrees Friday night and minus 30 degrees Saturday night, creating life-threatening conditions for anyone exposed for extended periods.
Winter Storm Expected to Bring Heavy Snow Statewide
A large winter storm system is forecast to impact New York beginning Sunday morning and continuing through Monday, bringing widespread snowfall across much of the state.
Forecasters predict 12 to 18 inches of snow for New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, Lower North Country, and parts of Central New York. Western New York and the Upper North Country could see 6 to 12 inches of snow.
State Agencies Mobilized Ahead of Storm
At the governor’s direction, state response agencies have been engaged in multi-day preparations to address the expected extreme cold and heavy snowfall. Crews are coordinating snow removal, emergency response, and public safety operations to minimize disruptions and ensure rapid assistance where needed.
Voting Changes and Telework Guidance Issued
Due to the expected weather conditions, early voting for the Feb. 3 New York City special elections has been suspended on Sunday, Jan. 25, and Monday, Jan. 26.
Additionally, all non-essential state employees have been directed to telecommute on Monday where possible to reduce travel and maintain safety.
Public Safety Alerts Available to Residents
New Yorkers are encouraged to stay informed by signing up for weather and emergency alerts by texting 333111, which provides real-time updates and safety information during severe weather events.
Sports
Green Day to Kick Off Super Bowl LX With 60th Anniversary Opening Ceremony
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 23, 2026By
FNN SPORTS
NEW YORK (FNN SPORTS) — The NFL announced that global rock icons Green Day will open Super Bowl LX with a high-energy opening ceremony celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
The performance will mark a milestone moment for the league, blending music, football, and Bay Area culture as the NFL honors six decades of championship moments.
Hometown Band to Honor Super Bowl Legends
As part of the anniversary celebration, East Bay natives and Grammy Award–winning rock band Green Day — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool — will usher generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field with a dynamic performance featuring the band’s most iconic anthems.
“We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard,” said Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. “We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun. Let’s get loud.”
Opening Ceremony to Air Across Multiple Platforms
The Super Bowl LX opening ceremony will air live at 3 p.m. PT on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, and Universo, transforming Levi’s Stadium into a celebratory stage ahead of kickoff.
“Celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history with Green Day as a hometown band, while honoring the NFL legends who’ve helped define this sport, is an incredibly powerful way to kick off Super Bowl LX,” said Tim Tubito, NFL senior director of event and game presentation. “Working alongside NBC Sports, we look forward to creating a collective celebration for fans in the stadium and around the world.”
Pregame Entertainment Lineup Announced
The opening ceremony will precede the previously announced Super Bowl LX pregame entertainment lineup. Charlie Puth will perform the national anthem, Brandi Carlile will sing “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones will deliver “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
