These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Virginia Scandals:** Virginia’s attorney general became the second top Democrat in the state to admit to wearing blackface decades ago. Mark Herring apologized for darkening his skin while dressing up as a rapper in college. His apology follows the state’s governor admission that he wore blackface to imitate Michael Jackson after his yearbook page emerged showing a man in blackface and another in a KKK robe. Meanwhile, the woman who accused the lieutenant governor of sexually assaulting her in 2004 went public with details about the alleged encounter. Read more [here](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/06/virginia-scandals-governor-attorney-general-1154315). * **Hot in Here:** Last year was hot. According to data released by NASA, 2018 was the fourth-hottest year on record since record-keeping began in 1880. The last five years have been the five warmest on record. A NASA scientist says “the planet is warming” and the cause is an increase of greenhouse gases. Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2019/02/06/692060375/2018-was-earths-fourth-hottest-year-on-record-scientists-say). * **ISIS Fight:** Sec. of State Mike Pompeo attempted to reassure allies that withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria does not signal “the end of America’s fight” against ISIS, and rather amounts to a “tactical change.” In the State of the Union address, President Trump said the terrorist group has been almost completely defeated. Read more [here](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/pompeo-reassures-allies-commitment-defeat-isil-190206151647837.html). * **Bird Strikes:** Birds strike planes more than 40 times a day, according to FAA data acquired by USA Today. In 2018 alone, civilian flights reported 14,661 collisions with wildlife. The most well-known bird strike happened ten years ago when Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger safely landed a plane on the Hudson River. Read more [here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/02/06/bird-strikes-airplanes-wildlife-federal-aviation-administration-data-sully-sullenberger/2613893002/). * **JCPenney:** JCPenney is getting out of the home appliance business. The ailing department-store chain says it will stop selling major home appliances at the end of the month, and also announced that furniture will only be available for purchase online. The company hasn’t turned a profit since 2010. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/06/investing/jcpenney-appliances/index.html). * **Tipping:** Instacart, the grocery delivery app, has reversed a policy that sparked uproar online when it was revealed that the company was using customer tips to subsidize the wages of its gig workers. The about-face follows successful campaigns for better pay from Uber and Lyft drivers and Postmates deliverers. Read more [here](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/after-scrutiny-instacart-will-end-its-controversial-tipping). * **Blackface Sweater:** Gucci has stopped selling a sweater that critics say resembles blackface. The black wool sweater that covers the nose and has a red cut-out for the mouth was selling for nearly $900. The company has apologized. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/gucci-apologizes-stops-selling-890-blackface-sweater-n968681). * **Spotted:** What appears to be Jennifer Lawrence’s engagement ring. The photo was snapped before the actress recently announced to fans that she’s engaged to art gallery director Cooke Maroney. Read more [here](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6674969/Jennifer-Lawrence-flashes-HUGE-ring-finger-confirming-engagement.html). * **Grande & Grammys:** Ariana Grande, who was supposed to be performing at the Grammys, won’t even be attending the awards. Grande reportedly pulled out after an argument with producers over which songs she would perform. Read more [here](https://variety.com/2019/music/news/ariana-grande-not-attending-grammys-after-disagreements-with-producers-1203129734/). * **Name Taster:** A Glasgow woman has a unique talent ーwhich is actually a medical condition ー that leads her to "taste" something every time a word is spoken. After Julie McDowall went public on social media with her condition, called synaesthesia, she’s reportedly been bombarded with millions of requests. Read more [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-47129953). Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Dow, S&P Hit Record Close Amid 'Santa Claus Rally'
Stocks closed mixed on Wednesday, but two indexes - the Dow and the S&P 500 - ended the session with a new record. Akshata Bailkeri, Equity Analyst at Bruderman Asset Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she says there is a consensus for robust consumer spreading in 2022, especially as the Omicron variant is proving to be milder than other COVID-19 strains.
Walmart Draws Ire of Chinese Consumers Over Xinjiang Products
John Quelch, Dean of Miami Herbert Business School, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says the retail giant is acting in accordance to President Biden's new law banning goods from China's Xinjiang region. Quelch also elaborates on the importance of China in Walmart's overall strategy.
What to Expect From the Federal Government on Cannabis Legalization in 2022
Cheddar's Chloe Aiello has our cannabis year-in-review, breaking down how several states legalized adult recreational use and greenlit medicinal use in 2021. She noted that while a cannabis legalization and decriminalization bill was introduced in Congress this year, potential FDA involvement in the industry, as well as a 25 percent excise tax, killed any chance the bill had of moving forward. Aiello also speculated that some form of cannabis reform could be rolled out in 2022, as the midterm elections draw closer.
Stocks Close Mostly Lower as S&P Falls From Record
Jim Worden, Chief Investment Officer at Wealth Consulting Group, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says the period between Christmas and New Year's is difficult to predict due to a lack of institutional volume, with the Omicron variant adding even more uncertainty on Wall Street.
Gas Prices to Rise in 2022 amid Soaring Demand, Omicron Spread
Prices at the pump this year reached a seven-year high, and a new forecast from GasBuddy shared with CNN predicts that gas prices will only continue to rise in 2022 and that the national average could even reach $4.00 a gallon; however, analysts at GasBuddy say anything could happen when it comes to gas prices in the future, as the pandemic has made it difficult to make any predictions about the economy. Consumer Energy Alliance federal policy advisor Michael Zehr joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Load More