The Full Belmonte, 3/2/2023
Eli Lilly said it will cut prices for common insulin products by 70% and cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs at $35 a month.
Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images
“Eli Lilly, one of the biggest players in the US insulin market, announced a series of price cuts on Wednesday that would cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 for many people with diabetes. ‘Insulin costs less than $10 to make, but Americans are sometimes forced to pay over $300 for it. It's flat wrong,’ President Joe Biden said in a statement on Wednesday, calling the announcement ‘a big deal.’ Although insulin is relatively inexpensive to make, the cost has been a problem for many Americans for years. At least 16.5% of people in the US who use insulin report rationing it due to the cost. At the same time, demand for insulin has grown significantly as diabetes has become the fastest-growing chronic disease in the world, a 2022 study found.” [CNN]
The site of the derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, last month.
Ohio toxic train
“Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, will get the opportunity today to address the operator of a train that derailed while carrying toxic chemicals in their community nearly one month ago. The EPA has ordered Norfolk Southern to meet with residents to answer questions about long-term health effects following the wreck. Last month, Norfolk Southern -- which was also ordered to fully clean up the site -- backed out of a town hall with local officials, citing threats against its employees. In addition to mounting frustrations among residents, workers' unions are saying some crews involved in the cleanup have also reported symptoms. However, the EPA and local government officials have repeatedly said their tests show the air quality in the area is safe and the chemicals should dissipate.” [CNN]
"Coming" immigration storm
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
“President Biden's patchwork immigration policies are allowing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, Afghans, Venezuelans and others to stay in the U.S. — but could leave them in future legal jeopardy.
Why it matters: Biden has made unprecedented use of an immigration tool called parole to respond to migration crises. For many, it carries an ominous two-year expiration date, Axios' Stef Kight reports.
What's happening: The uncertainty is like that faced by DACA recipients— undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, whose protection under former President Obama's program is now in doubt.
More than 700,000 migrants and asylum seekers have been permitted entry into the U.S over the past two years at the discretion of Homeland Security officials through various forms of parole, according to Axios' analysis of government data.
How it works: The short-term fix allows people to enter the country. But parolees have to opt-in to a complicated legal process if they intend to stay legally.
If they don't apply within their first year, they could lose their shot at asylum altogether. Even if they do apply, just 14% of asylum decisions were approvals last fiscal year.
The big picture: The move to release migrants without court dates has driven outrage from conservatives opposed to ‘catch-and-release.’
Immigration attorneys point to confusion for clients.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told Axios at a reporters roundtable: ‘[I]f we do not have the parole program ... they have to come by land in the hands of smugglers.’” [Axios]
101 on COVID-origin debate
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
“U.S. intelligence agencies are split on how COVID originated, with new support this week for the theory that it arose from a laboratory leak.
Axios' Caitlin Owens and Alison Snyder explain the debate:
It boils down to whether it's more likely the virus spread from infected animals — likely at a live market in Wuhan, China, to people at and around the market — or that researchers at a lab in Wuhan accidentally became infected with a virus being studied and then spread it to others.
Supporters of each theory say the other has at least one gaping hole.
Leading scientists generally find the ‘natural ‘origin theory involving animals more likely, based on the current evidence.
Supporters of the live-animal-market theory argue that — similar to the first SARS pandemic in 2003 — COVID jumped from infected animals at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market to humans at the end of 2019.
Evidence for this theory was published in two papers last July in the journal Science, and placed some of the earliest human cases close to a section of the market where vendors of live wild animals congregated.
The theory is missing a key data point — samples from infected animals themselves. Proponents say those may not exist after the market and surrounding farms were cleared.
The other side: Lab-leak proponents argue Wuhan is a known international hub of coronavirus research — and there were earlier signs of biosafety problems at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The major hole in this case is that there's no known evidence that a lab in Wuhan had a virus that could have been the precursor to SARS-COV-2, critics say.
Scientists haven't ruled out direct infection from bats, either naturally or in the course of gathering samples for labs.” [Axios]
COVID-19 conspiracies soar after latest report on origins
FILE - Syringes with vaccines are prepared at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans' Community Resource Center where they were offering members and the public free flu and COVID-19 vaccines Oct. 28, 2022, in Lynwood, Calif. COVID-19's origins remain hazy. Three years after the start of the pandemic, it's still unclear whether the coronavirus that causes the disease leaked from a lab or spread to humans from an animal. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
“WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19′s origins remain hazy. Three years after the start of the pandemic, it’s still unclear whether the coronavirus that causes the disease leaked from a lab or spread to humans from an animal.
This much is known: When it comes to COVID-19 misinformation, any new report on the virus’ origin quickly triggers a relapse and a return of misleading claims about the virus, vaccines and masks that have reverberated since the pandemic began.
It happened again this week after the Energy Department confirmed that a classified report determined, with low confidence, that the virus escaped from a lab. Within hours, online mentions of conspiracy theories involving COVID-19 began to rise, with many commenters saying the classified report was proof they were right all along.
Far from definitive, the Energy Department’s report is the latest of many attempts by scientists and officials to identify the origin of the virus, which has now killed nearly 7 million people after being first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
The report has not been made public, and officials in Washington stressed that a variety of U.S. agencies are not in agreement on the origin. On Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News that the FBI ‘has for quite some time now’ assessed that the pandemic’s origins are ‘most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.’
But others in the U.S. intelligence community disagree, and there’s no consensus. Many scientists believe the likeliest explanation is that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 jumped from animals to humans, possibly at Wuhan’s Huanan market, a scenario backed up by multiple studies and reports. The World Health Organization has said that while an animal origin remains most likely, the possibility of a lab leak must be investigated further before it can be ruled out.
People should be open-minded about the evidence used in the Energy Department’s assessment, according to virologist Angela Rasmussen. But she said that without evaluating the classified report, she can’t assess if it’s persuasive enough to challenge the conclusion that the virus spread from an animal.
‘The vast majority of the evidence continues to support natural origin,’ Rasmussen told The Associated Press Wednesday. ‘I’m a scientist. I need to see the evidence rather than take the FBI director’s word for it.’….” Read more at AP News
Biden unsure how Supreme Court will rule on student loan forgiveness plan
“President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he’s ‘not confident’ how the Supreme Court will rule on his plan to wipe away $400 billion in student loan debt. Six conservative states and two borrowers sued over the program. The court won't issue a decision on the cases until later this year.
The Supreme Court held oral arguments in the student loan debt forgiveness cases on Tuesday. During the arguments, the Supreme Court’s conservative justices suggested the administration may have overstepped its authority by creating a program estimated to benefit more than 40 million borrowers.
•The White House has maintained that the president has legal authority in creating the program. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday defended the U.S. solicitor general’s argument in front of the Supreme Court, calling it ‘really strong.’
•Why Kavanaugh, Barrett may be key to student loan forgiveness cases: Both former President Donald Trump appointees lobbed tough questions at Biden's attorney. But they also posed unexpected questions more favorable to the administration – and that makes both jurists worth watching when the court hands down its decision later this year.
•Jean-Pierre declined to comment on Wednesday about a possible ‘Plan B’ if the Supreme Court does rule against the Biden administration, such as extending the student loan repayment pause.” [USA Today]
Representative Maxwell Frost speaks as student loan borrowers gather at Supreme Court the evening before the court hears two cases on student loan relief to state the relief is legal and needs to happen immediately on February 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. Jemal Countess, Getty Images for We The 45 Million
Transport minister resigns after Greek train wreck kills 43
“Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned Wednesday after a fiery head-on collision of passenger and freight trains near the town of Tempe in northern Greece. Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the two trains ran into each other at high speed just before midnight Tuesday, authorities said, killing at least 43 people and injuring more than 80 others. The official said it was his duty to step down out of ‘respect for the memory of the people who died so unfairly.’ Read more at USA Today
Students take part in a protest following a deadly train accident on February 28, 2023, near the city of Larissa, central Greece where 38 people died, outside the Hellenic Train headquarters, in Athens, on March 1, 2023. LOUISA GOULIAMAKI, AFP via Getty Images
President Biden is expected to issue the first veto of his presidency.
“Over what? The Senate passed a bill yesterday to revoke a Labor Department rule that allows (but doesn’t require) retirement fund managers to make investments based on criteria like climate change.
What that means: A two-thirds majority of Congress would be needed to override a veto.” [Washington Post]
Georgia star Jalen Carter charged with racing in fatal wreck
FILE - Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter speaks during media day ahead of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game between Georgia and TCU, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. Carter, projected as one of the top players in next month's NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing in conjunction with the crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has issued an arrest warrant, obtained Wednesday, March 1, by The Associated Press, which alleges Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by the recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, which led to the Jan. 15 wreck. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
“ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, projected as one of the top players in next month’s NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing in conjunction with the crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member.
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has issued an arrest warrant, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, that alleges Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by the recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, which led to the Jan. 15 wreck.
Carter had been due in Indianapolis on Wednesday for the NFL’s scouting combine, and he is expected to address the arrest warrant when he returns to Athens, according to Lt. Shaun Barnett of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department….
According to the arrest warrant, the investigation by Athens police found that LeCroy and Carter were operating their vehicles ‘in a manner consistent with racing’ after leaving downtown Athens at about 2:30 a.m.
The warrant says evidence shows the vehicles switched lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes, overtook other motorists and drove at high rates of speed ‘in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other.’
Police determined LeCroy’s Expedition was traveling at about 104 mph (167 kph) shortly before the crash. The warrant says LeCroy’s blood-alcohol concentration was .197 at the time of the crash. The legal limit in Georgia is .08.” Read more at AP News
Jury deliberations expected to begin in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial
“Jurors are likely to begin deliberations Thursday in the double murder trial of former South Carolina attorney Richard ‘Alex’ Murdaugh after the defense delivers its closing argument Thursday morning. Murdaugh, 54, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in connection to the 2021 fatal shootings of his wife and son. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters wrapped up his closing arguments Wednesday, pleading with the jury as he attempted to debunk what he called Murdaugh's ‘manufactured alibi.’ Read more at USA Today
A bullet hole is seen from inside of the feed room at the Murdaugh Moselle property on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Islandton, South Carolina. Andrew J. Whitaker, AP
Tenn. governor vows to sign anti-drag bill as photo surfaces
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee delivers his State of the State Address in the House Chamber, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
“NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Gov. Bill Lee says it would be ‘ridiculous’ to conflate a recently surfaced yearbook photo of him wearing women’s clothing in high school to drag show performances currently under attack in Tennessee and other GOP-led states.
Lee told reporters this week that he plans to sign legislation that would severely limit where drag performances can take place by banning ‘adult cabaret entertainment’ that is ‘harmful to minors’ from public property or locations where children might see the performance.
The bill does not explicitly include the words ‘drag show,’ but it does expand the definition of adult cabaret to include ‘male or female impersonators,’ as well as topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers and strippers.
On Monday, Lee was fielding questions from reporters about the legislation and other anti-LGBTQ bills when an activist asked him if he remembered ‘dressing up in drag in 1977.’
Lee was presented with a photo that showed the governor as a high school senior dressed in women’s clothing that was published in the Franklin High School 1977 yearbook. The photo was first posted on Reddit over the weekend.
‘What a ridiculous question that is,’ said Lee, who was visibly angry. ‘Conflating something like that to sexualized entertainment in front of children, which is a very serious question.’
When asked specific examples of inappropriate drag shows taking place in front of children, Lee pointed to the school building close to where he was talking to reporters.
‘I think the concern is right there in that building,’ Lee said. ‘Children that are potentially exposed to sexualized entertainment, to obscenity, and we need to make sure that they’re not.’
This is now the second time a yearbook photo of Lee has sparked controversy. In 2018, Lee said he regretted wearing a Confederate uniform during an ‘Old South’ party after confirming there was a photo of him doing so in Auburn University’s 1980 yearbook.
Meanwhile, Lee also confirmed that he plans on signing legislation banning most gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
The GOP-dominated Statehouse finished advancing the legislation last week, where it’s headed to Lee’s desk. The anti-drag show bill is expected to clear the Legislature this week.
Drag does not typically involve nudity or stripping, which are more common in burlesque, a separate form of entertainment. Explicitly sexual and profane language is common in performances meant for adult audiences. These routines can consist of stand-up comedy that may be raunchy — or may pale in comparison with some mainstream comedians.” [AP News]
Elizabeth Holmes has 2nd child as prison sentence looms
FILE - Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes, center, walks into federal court in San Jose, Calif., Nov. 18, 2022. Holmes is citing her recently born child as another reason she should be allowed to delay the start of a more than 11-year prison sentence while her lawyers appeal her conviction for duping investors about the capabilities of her failed company's blood-testing technology. The birth of Holmes' second child was confirmed in court documents filed Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in advance of a March 17 hearing about her bid to remain free during an appeals process that could take years to complete. (AP Photo/Nic Coury, File)
“SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is citing her recently born child as another reason she should be allowed to delay the start of a more than 11-year prison sentence while her lawyers appeal her conviction for duping investors about the capabilities of her failed company’s blood-testing technology.
The birth of Holmes’ second child was confirmed in court documents filed last week in advance of a March 17 hearing about her bid to remain free during an appeals process that could take years to complete.
The filing didn’t disclose the date of the birth or the child’s gender, but the news isn’t a surprise. Holmes, 38, was pregnant at the time of her Nov. 18 sentencing in the same San Jose, California, courtroom where a jury convicted her on four felony counts of fraud and conspiracy
The start of that trial had been delayed so Holmes could give birth to her first child, a son. Holmes had both children with her current partner, William ‘Billy’ Evans. She met Evans after her 2016 break-up with her former lover and business partner, Ramesh ‘Sunny’ Balwani, who was convicted on 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy in a separate trial….” Read more at AP News
Over 50 feet of snow in California with more expected this weekend
“Five months into this water year, counted Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, more than 44 feet of snow has fallen at the Central Snow Laboratory, a University of California, Berkeley field research station. That's more than double the median of 21.7 feet by this time of year. Even as spring looms the pace isn't slowing down; almost 12 feet of snow has piled up at Donner Pass in California's Sierra Nevada mountains in the past seven days. And even more is expected this weekend. Read more
•Yosemite National Park is closed indefinitely as parts of the park are buried in 15 feet of snow.
•Winter weather in the west, flooding conditions in the South:Thursday weather forecast. [USA Today]
The Hollywood sign stands in front of snow-covered mountains after another winter storm hit Southern California on March 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Mario Tama, Getty Images
Gas prices
“The average cost of a gallon of gas in the US stands at $3.37, according to AAA, down from $3.50 a month ago. That decline led many companies to end fuel surcharges, a move that has been met with mixed reactions. Fuel surcharges that were added in response to skyrocketing energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine went directly to ride-share drivers and were meant to help soften the blow of high gas prices. Beginning last March, Uber riders were paying an extra $0.45 or $0.55 in fees per trip and an additional $0.35 or $0.45 for Uber Eats food delivery, depending on the location. Lyft riders were paying a $0.55 surcharge per ride. Amazon also tacked on a $5 fuel and inflation surcharge on some merchants. The removal of surcharges means consumers have fewer fees -- but it also means drivers will have less of a cushion to pay for gas.” [CNN]
Taiwan
“The Biden administration has approved an estimated $619 million potential arms sale to Taiwan, including hundreds of missiles for F-16 fighter jets, in a move that will likely further inflame already heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing. The administration formally notified Congress on Wednesday of the proposed sale of F-16 munitions and related equipment. A State Department official said the potential sale is ‘consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and our longstanding One-China policy,’ wherein ‘the United States makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.’ In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson issued a statement today urging the US to cease military contacts with Taiwan and end the arms sales.” [CNN]
“Shattered dreams | Boris Johnson famously campaigned — and won power in the UK — on his pledge to ‘get Brexit done’ and has harbored dreams of a comeback since he was forced to resign last year amid a succession of scandals. But now, as Kitty Donaldson reports, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s success in securing a new settlement for Northern Ireland that eases the most contentious part of the Brexit deal has scuppered any chance of Johnson returning to power.” [Bloomberg]
“Targeting migrants | Less than five years after Tunisia became the first Arab nation to criminalize racism, rights groups now accuse President Kais Saied of stoking xenophobia against Black Africans to deflect attention from a growing economic and political crisis. Hundreds of migrants are seeking to flee the country after an unprecedented wave of violence, arrests and evictions, activists say.” [Bloomberg]
Protesters demonstrate against controversial remarks by the Tunisian president in Tunis on Feb. 25. Photographer: Fethi Belaid/AFP/Getty Images
Whiskey fungus lawsuit forces Jack Daniels to halt building project
Image caption,
The fungus coats surfaces of signs, buildings and trees near distilleries
By Max Matza
“A Jack Daniels building project is to be halted after a neighbour argued she was facing a plague of whiskey fungus caused by escaping alcohol vapours.
Christi Long, of Lincoln County, Tennessee, claimed her property was coated in the fungus, which appears as a black crust on surfaces.
It is a growing issue for people in the area, her lawyer told BBC News.
The fungus, which consumes ethanol fumes, grows on surfaces near bakeries and distilleries around the world.
Mrs Long, who runs an events venue next to several Jack Daniels warehouses, including one under construction, says the invading fungus has required her to spend thousands on power washing.
She is suing the local county zoning office, arguing it did not properly approve permits for the warehouses.
Some infuriated locals are now calling for Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, which is owned by Louisville-based company Brown-Forman, to install air filters to combat the problem.
Jason Holleman, a lawyer representing Mrs Long, says whiskey companies often speak about the evaporation process - dubbed ‘the angels' share’ - without mentioning the resulting mould that comes with it.
‘If you go on one of these distillery tours they will tell you about the angels' share that goes into the atmosphere,’ he says.
‘And unfortunately that also results in the devil's fungus.’
In a court order, Lincoln County Chancellor J.B. Cox instructed Lincoln County zoning officials to order construction to be halted after he ruled that the permitting process was never fully completed.
Mr Holleman said he anticipates asking the court to order Brown-Forman to stop using six recently-built warehouses, which are commonly known as barrelhouses, that are also near Mrs Long's property.
Image caption,
The fungus seen growing on a swing set
Brown-Forman spokeswoman Elizabeth Conway told the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper: ‘We respect the chancellor's ruling and look forward to working with Lincoln County on updated permits.’
‘The Jack Daniel Distillery will continue to comply with regulations and industry standards regarding the design, construction, and permitting of our barrelhouses in Lincoln Co.’
Brown-Forman did not respond to a BBC News request for further comment.
Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey was founded in Moore County, which neighbours Lincoln County, in 1866.
The fungus - named Baudoinia compniacensis - is named after the director of the French Distillers' Association that discovered it growing near cognac distilleries in the 1870s.
It has led to complaints and lawsuits from Scotland to Canada and the Caribbean.
Federal agents in Tennessee used to look for the fungus as a sign that illegal alcohol - moonshine - was being made nearby, Mr Holleman says.
The whiskey industry in Tennessee is growing, along with residential development, leading to more conflicts between distillers and homeowners.
According to the Herald-Leader, residents in at least three other counties have fought distillery expansions, arguing that the fungus would harm property values.” [BBC]
New colon cancer warning
Data: Siegel, et al., 2023, “Colorectal cancer statistics." Chart: Axios Visuals
“Alarming new findings offer more evidence of a puzzling rise in colorectal cancer in patients under 50 — and the challenges of reaching them with timely screening, Tina Reed writes for Axios Vitals.
Why it matters: Colon cancer is among the top causes of cancer death in the U.S.
Research published yesterday showed the uptick in new colorectal cases among younger patients, as well as an increase in colorectal cancers diagnosed at more advanced stages.
‘This is a pretty remarkable outlier, because incidence rates for most other cancers are either stable or going down,’ Arif Kamal, chief patient officer of the American Cancer Society, told Axios.
The research found the proportion of colorectal cancer cases among those younger than 55 years increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019.
Deaths from colorectal cancer dropped by 2% annually between 2011 and 2020 overall. But they increased between half a percent and 3% in individuals 50 and younger.
Variations in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality are tied to lifestyle factors — including smoking, an unhealthy diet, high alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and whether the person has access to screening, the report's authors note.
For instance, there are about 27 cases per 100,000 people in Utah — compared to more than 46 cases per 100,000 people in Mississippi.
There were an average of about 10 deaths per 100,000 people in Connecticut — and nearly 18 deaths per 100,000 people in Mississippi.
Between the lines: Screening rates among people ages 45 to 55 remain stubbornly low — despite the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowering the recommended screening age from 50 to 45 in 2021.
What you can do: Those who are 45 and older should get regular screenings for colorectal cancer.” [Axios]
SpaceX makes history
SpaceX Crew-6 mission launches early today from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters
“SpaceX launched four crewmembers to the International Space Station early today — a mission that affirmed the company's status as one of NASA's most vital partners, Axios Space author Miriam Kramer writes.
Why it matters: The launch included the first person from the Arab world going up for an extended stay. Dozens of spectators from the UAE watched as Sultan al-Neyadi lifted off from Cape Canaveral.” [Axios]
“Birds that once nested in Norway have been tracked to a new breeding ground 600 miles away in Russia, a possible adaptation to the climate crisis, scientists say. It’s the latest evidence that the planet’s animals are changing patterns to survive in a warming world.” [Bloomberg]
A pink-footed goose. Photographer: Arterra/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Kiss reveal last dates of their farewell tour, ending in NYC
FILE - Members of the band Kiss, from left, Tommy Thayer, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Eric Singer attend the premiere of A&E Network's ‘Biography: KISStory’ in New York on June 11, 2021. Kiss have announced the final shows of their last tour, planning to hang up their platform boots after two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York at the end of 2023. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
“NEW YORK (AP) — Rockers Kiss have announced the final shows of their last tour: The band plans to hang up their platform boots after two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York at the end of 2023.
The last leg of the band’s 17-date North American tour kicks off in October in Texas and hits California, Washington, Canada, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and then culminates in their hometown’s famous venue on Dec. 1 and Dec. 2.
‘Kiss was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started,’ said the band in a statement.
The band is currently made up of original members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as well as Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer. Their best-known songs include ‘Rock and Roll All Nite,’ ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You’ and ‘Detroit Rock City.’
Tickets will be available to the public on March 10 at livenation.com.” [AP News]