Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
Big Travel Weekend, Innocent Man Freed & Killer Asteroid
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and kiwico.com (Listen for the discount code)
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want reading about the latest happenings…
Holiday Travel Forecast
For a lot of Americans, today kicks off a busy Thanksgiving weekend. You can expect to see a lot of long lines at airports, traffic on the roads, and train tickets sold out. If you’re flying, TSA says you should get there early, and don’t forget to pack your mask. For drivers, you should expect traffic, especially in big metro areas. AAA says the middle of the day is going to be the most congested, so it’s best to leave after 9 p.m. today or before 11 a.m. tomorrow. Also, keep in mind, the weather across the country could impact travel plans, but it shouldn’t cause any huge delays like in previous years.
Read More: Chicago Tribune, CBS News, WaPo, CNN, AAA
Biden to Tap into Oil Reserves
Gas prices are up 61% from this time last year. But, there could be some relief coming soon. This week, President Biden told the Energy Department to release 50 million barrels of crude oil from the country’s emergency reserves. That is expected to drive prices lower in the next couple of weeks. However, critics say the reserve is meant for emergencies and to protect America's energy security, not to help people save a few bucks at the pump. Oil companies say the better, more long-term solution would be to focus on pumping more oil. The White House says it will restock the reserved oil in the next few years.
Read More: Fox Business, CNN, WSJ, USA Today, White House
Pharmacies Accountable for Opioid Crisis
In a groundbreaking case, an Ohio jury decided to hold big-name pharmacies accountable for the opioid crisis. It said Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart recklessly distributed pain pills, playing a hand in overdose deaths. This was the first verdict for pharmacy companies involving the opioid crisis, and it could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits still working their way through the courts. CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart all say they will appeal. Even if the verdict does stand, there is no word yet on how much the pharmacies could end up paying in damages. A federal judge is set to decide that in the spring.
Read More: WSJ, Axios, AP, NPR
Charlottesville Rally Trial Verdict
Remember the far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that turned violent in 2017? This week, a jury decided the organizers are responsible for counter-protesters getting hurt. Several people who got hurt that weekend sued, saying they suffered physical or emotional trauma because of what the organizers had planned. On the other side, the organizers argued they had a permit for the rally, and they blamed the police for not keeping the two groups separate. However, in this civil case, jurors sided with the counter-protesters, saying the organizers did conspire to commit violence. Those who sued should get about $26 million in damages.
Read More: Reuters, NPR, WSJ, NY Times
Kevin Strickland Exonerated
A man who spent more than four decades in prison for crimes he didn’t commit is going to be home for Thanksgiving. A judge exonerated Kevin Strickland this week. He was 18 when he was arrested for a deadly shooting in Kansas City, Missouri. A witness testified against Strickland, but she later recanted her testimony. Other men who admitted to the shooting also said Strickland wasn’t with them. Now that he’s a free man, Strickland says he has two things he needs to see: his mother’s grave and the ocean, which he’s never seen in person before.
Read More: Kansas City Star, Axios, WaPo, Fox News
Fundraiser for Kevin Strickland: GoFundMe
Samsung Building Texas Chip Factory
Samsung announced its largest U.S. investment ever: a new $17 billion chip-making facility. These computer chips, or semiconductors, help power everything from smartphones to game consoles to cars. There's been a global shortage of chips, so more manufacturers are now investing a lot of money to try to deal with it, and Samsung is joining the list. Their new location just outside of Austin, Texas is expected to create as many as 10,000 construction jobs and 2,000 high-tech jobs. Samsung says it plans to triple its chip production over the next five years. Construction is set to start early next year.
Read More: The Verge, WSJ, WaPo, Samsung, White House
NASA to Crash into Asteroid
A first-of-its-kind mission launched this morning with the hopes of answering this question: can NASA nudge an asteroid out of the way if it were headed straight for Earth and save humanity? It's called the DART mission, short for ‘Double Asteroid Redirection Test,’ and it means NASA will crash a spacecraft into an asteroid on purpose. Now that the DART spacecraft has launched, it’ll spend nearly a year traveling to an asteroid system more than 6.5 million miles away before crashing into its target at a speed of 15,000 mph. A follow-up mission is scheduled to launch in 2024.
Read More: NBC News, ABC News, WSJ, NY Times, NASA, YouTube
Strahan, Shepard’s Daughter Going to Space
Good Morning America co-host and former NFL star Michael Strahan is going to the edge of space next month. He’s catching a free ride with Blue Origin, the rocket company Jeff Bezos founded. This flight will mark the first time Blue Origin will have a full flight with all six seats filled. The daughter of the first American astronaut is going up for free, too, along with four paying passengers. The flight itself will only last ten minutes, but it’s enough to experience weightlessness. The mission is set for December 9th.
Read More: AP, Space.Com, TechCrunch, ABC News
Grammy Nominations
Some of the most popular musicians in the world were nominated for Grammys this week! The nominations came out yesterday. Already, a lot of people are debating who’s most deserving of the awards and who got snubbed. Jazz and R&B artist Jon Batiste scored the most with 11 nominations. Other top nominees include Justin Bieber, H.E.R., and Doja Cat. They each got eight nods. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo got seven nominations each. Also, rapper Jay-Z was nominated for three awards, making him the most Grammy-nominated artist in history. The 64th Annual Grammy Awards will air Monday, January 31st on CBS.
Read More: LA Times, NY Times, Variety, Reuters, WaPo, Grammy’s
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's iconic Thanksgiving Day Parade is back this year. Last year’s parade was not really a parade because of the pandemic. The route was just one block, not as many people were allowed to take part, and the public wasn’t allowed to watch in person. But this year, most things are back to normal. The parade has a 2.5-mile route, 15 giant character balloons, 28 floats, and large crowds. People can come to watch this year and, as usual, you can also watch on NBC.
Read More: NY Times, Today Show, ET, Macy’s
Native American Heritage Day
This Friday is Native American Heritage Day. The holiday is meant to encourage all Americans to honor the rich culture, tradition, and history of Native Americans. That said, some Native Americans are not happy the holiday falls on the day after Thanksgiving. They say the holiday takes a back seat to Thanksgiving and competes with Black Friday. But, other Native Americans call it a good first step, and they encourage people to observe the holiday, hoping it becomes more widely recognized.
Read More: Census.Gov, NLM, WRC, USA Today,
Work Wednesday: What’s Open/Closed on Thanksgiving
A lot of retail workers are getting off tomorrow. But, that means last-minute ingredients for your Thanksgiving feast might be hard to come by. Walmart, Costco, and Trader Joe's will be closed. And, Target says it’s not just closed this year–– it’s going to keep its stores closed on Thanksgiving from now on. Best Buy, Home Depot, Macy's, Kohl's, Petco, and many more are also shutting down for the holiday. So where can you go if you need something in a pinch? CVS, Walgreens, and Dollar General are among the stores that will be open. Some Whole Foods and Kroger stores will also be open, but it depends on the location.
Read More: WSJ, People, KNTV, CNN