These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Hurricane Florence Looms Large:** The storm has been downgraded to a Category 2, but it remains highly dangerous, with 110 mph winds as of Thursday morning. Authorities have warned of major flooding in the Carolinas as heavy rains and winds are expected to begin Thursday and persist for days. A 24-hour curfew is in place for Carolina Beach, an area less than five feet above sea level. Track the storm [here](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?cone). * **An E-cig 'Epidemic'?** The FDA announced a crackdown on e-cigarettes Wednesday, saying Juul and other similar device makers have 60 days to submit a plan to combat use of their products by minors ー or else they may be yanked from the market. FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb said the use of e-cigarettes has become an epidemic among teens and must be stopped. He said this effort is the “largest-ever coordinated initiative against violative sales in the history of the FDA.” Read the story [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/e-cigarette-use-epidemic-fda-chief-says-n908781). * **'60 Minutes' Boss Ejected from CBS:** Just days after CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves’s departure from the network, “60 Minutes” EP Jeff Fager was fired for violating company policy. CBS denied the accusations that Fager was fired for inappropriately touching women at company parties. Fager reportedly sent a threatening text message to “CBS News” correspondent Jericka Duncan about her coverage of his departure, saying, “there are people who’ve lost their jobs trying to harm me.” Read the full story [here](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fired-60-minutes-boss-jeff-fager-warned-cbs-news-reporter-there-are-people-whove-lost-their-jobs-trying-to-harm-me/). * **City ‘Life’ on Mars?** Paul Wooster, principal Mars development engineer for Elon Musk's SpaceX, detailed in August the company’s ambitious plan to build “multiple cities on Mars.” He said the first humans will live on the spaceships that bring them to the planet where they will learn to become self-sufficient, and ultimately “expand out” and build a “village, a town, a city and then multiple cities on Mars.” Musk has said his company plans to launch its first two rockets and corresponding spaceships to Mars in 2022. Read the latest [here](https://www.inverse.com/article/48612-spacex-engineer-details-ambitious-plan-to-build-multiple-cities-on-mars?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=cheddar&utm_campaign=swap). * **An ‘Impossible’ Patty From White Castle:** The chain made famous by stoners Harold and Kumar debuted its new veggie burger on Wednesday, the "Impossible Slider." The patty is made entirely from plants, but "bleeds" like a regular, medium-rare burger. After pilot program at White Castle branches in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago in April, the veggie burger will now be sold at all 377 locations in 13 states. Read the full story [here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/09/12/white-castle-impossible-burger-vegetarian/1277319002/). * **Former NBA MVP Out for Preseason:** Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook underwent arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday, causing him to miss the entire preseason and possibly the first few games of the regular season. Westbrook decided to have the “maintenance” procedure after experiencing swelling and stiffness in his right knee. The Thunder’s season opener against the Golden State Warriors will take place on Oct. 16, a tight turnaround for Westbrook and his recovery. Read the story [here](http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24655062/russell-westbrook-arthroscopic-knee-surgery-miss-oklahoma-city-thunder-first-games). * **2:30 am: Time to Wake Up, Work Out:** Mark Wahlberg has revealed the grueling regime he followed last year to prepare for his role as lead character James Silva in the film “Mile 22.” The actor said he would get up at 2:30 am, have a 30-minute prayer session, eat breakfast at 3:15, work out for 95 minutes, have another meal, play golf, and “cryo chamber recovery” –– all before 10:30 in the morning. The actor, 47, would also be in bed by 7:30pm. The hard work paid off, evidently; Wahlberg was named the highest-paid actor in 2017. See his full schedule [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45497348). * **Viola Davis Regrets Starring Role in Major Film:** Viola Davis on Tuesday revealed that she regrets starring in the 2011 film “The Help.” The movie, set in 1960s Mississippi, tells the story of an aspiring female author who writes from the POV of African-American maids who work for white families. Davis, who played maid Aibileen Clark, said: “I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard. I know Aibileen, I know Minny. They’re my grandma. They're my mom.” Davis also clarified that her regrets are not related to the cast or crew of the film. Read the rest [here](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/viola-davis-says-she-regrets-help-voices-maids-werent-heard-1142652). * **Rihanna’s Runway:** Curvy models, two pregnant women, and sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid all walked the runway at Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty lingerie fashion show on Wednesday at New York Fashion Week. The lingerie collection, launched this past spring, was conceived as a fashion option for all body types. See the video [here](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/twitter-went-crazy-rihannas-inclusive-diverse-fashion-show-072322322.html). Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Business
Michigan Judge Sentences Walmart Shoplifters to Wash Parking Lot Cars
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
State Department Halts Plan to buy $400M of Armored Tesla Vehicles
The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car company owned by Musk was the only one that expressed interest back in May 2024. The deal with Tesla was only in its planning phases but it was forecast to be the largest contract of the year. It shows how some of his wealth has come and was still expected to come from taxpayers.
Goodyear Blimp at 100: ‘Floating Piece of Americana’ Still Thriving
At 100 years old, the Goodyear Blimp is an ageless star in the sky. The 246-foot-long airship will be in the background of the Daytona 500 — flying roughly 1,500 feet above Daytona International Speedway, actually — to celebrate its greatest anniversary tour. Even though remote camera technologies are improving regularly and changing the landscape of aerial footage, the blimp continues to carve out a niche. At Daytona, with the usual 40-car field racing around a 2½-mile superspeedway, views from the blimp aptly provide the scope of the event.
Load More