Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Friday, February 26, 2021:

COVID-19: STAY VIGILANT

There’s been a number of promising developments on the pandemic lately, but it’s not over yet. Hospitalizations and deaths are still coming down, though there’s a worrying signal in the data: cases have stopped declining after going down steadily for weeks. The vaccination rate also had a bad week due to the reverberations from all the storms. But the fact that the number of new cases have stopped going down --  not just in the U.S. but globally -- suggests that the virus is shape-shifting in the form of these new more contagious strains. NY TIMES

SYRIA AIR STRIKE

The U.S. carried out airstrikes in Syria against an Iran-backed militia that the Pentagon says was responsible for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed a coalition contractor and wounded several Americans. It was the first military action taken by the Biden administration. According to the Pentagon, the strike was limited in scope and meant to “de-escalate” the “overall situation in both eastern Syria and Iraq.” AP

STIMULUS: MIN WAGE OUT

The $15 minimum wage hike will not be in the final stimulus package after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that it can’t be part of the budget reconciliation process. Instead, Sen. Bernie Sanders is floating the idea of a last-minute clause that would raise taxes on profitable companies that pay workers less than $15 an hour. Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are closing ranks against the bill ahead of its passage in the House, which could come today. The stimulus is widely popular -- about 7 in 10 Americans support it, including many Republicans -- and GOP lawmakers face some political risk in opposing it. Even without the minimum wage, Republican lawmakers say the bill is too big, too expensive, and full of giveaways for liberal constituencies that are unrelated to the pandemic. CNN

MINUTES FROM DISASTER

ERCOT, the big Texas utility, says the state power grid was 4 minutes and 37 seconds away from a complete collapse last week that would have caused a months-long blackout. The head of ERCOT told Texas lawmakers that the actions they took that left millions in the dark for days was better than the alternative: a catastrophic grid failure that would still be going on. President Biden is headed to Texas today to survey the damage from those storms. CHRON

RENT COMES DUE

The rent’s going back up. According to a nationwide analysis by Apartment List, rent prices just had their biggest month-to-month jump since the summer of 2019. The rental market in the cities hit hardest by the pandemic -- San Francisco, NYC, Seattle, Boston -- appears to have bottomed out and there are signs of a rebound ahead of the typically busy spring moving season. That means if you’re looking for a new place in a big city, act fast. MPA

PAYING FOR TWEETS

Twitter is making one of the most substantial changes to its service in years. The social platform will allow users to charge their followers for access to extra content, like bonus tweets and newsletters, similar to the direct-payment model popularized by Patreon. There’s also a new feature called Communities -- basically a riff on Facebook Groups -- in which users can create and join groups around specific topics. THE VERGE

GYMNASTICS COACH SUICIDE

Former U.S. Gymnastics coach John Geddert died by suicide hours after he was charged with 24 felonies, including human trafficking, racketeering and sexual assault, related to his work with young gymnasts. Geddert -- an associate of disgraced doctor Larry Nassar -- led the U.S. women’s team in their gold-medal run at the 2012 Olympics. NBC NEWS

GAGA DOGNAPPING

Lady Gaga is offering a $500,000 reward for the return of her two French bulldogs, Gustav and Koji, after they were stolen in an armed robbery that left her dog walker critically injured. The victim, Ryan Fischer, was shot four times when he tried to fight the assailants off. One of Gaga’s three dogs, Miss Asia, managed to escape. Purebred Frenchies can fetch thousands of dollars on the black market. No arrests have been made. TMZ

FRASIER'S BACK

Kelsey Grammar is reprising his role as the psychiatrist Frasier Crane in a Frasier reboot for Paramount+. ViacomCBS confirmed the rumors after it unveiled details of its upcoming streaming platform, of which Frasier will be a flagship series. Paramount+ will replace CBS All Access when it launches next week. The platform is also going to be the exclusive home to some big-screen movies, like Mission: Impossible 7 and A Quiet Place II, 45 days after they premiere. CNET

LEFTOVERS: REGRETS, I'VE HAD A FEW

If you’ve ever gotten a tattoo you came to regret, you’ve got nothing on Leah Holland. The 25-year-old Kentuckian won a TikTok challenge for “dumbest tattoo” for her ink, which reads: courageously & radically refuse to wear a mask. Holland said she liked the message of self-affirmation and got the ill-timed tat last March, two days before Kentucky recorded its first COVID case: SEE IT

Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

Share:
More In Culture
W. Kamau Bell on Key Takeaway From 'We Need to Talk About Cosby' Docuseries
After premiering at the 2022 Sundance Festival, Showtime is slated to drop the four-part docuseries "We Need to Talk About Bill Cosby" this Sunday. Director W. Kamau Bell joined Cheddar to discuss the sensitive project and about coming to grips with the reality of who Bill Cosby is following the numerous allegations of sexual assault. Bell said the biggest takeaway from the project is that survivors are not only looking for the 84-year-old comedian to be held accountable, they also want to prevent future assaults. "Maybe the key thing to learn is how do we create a society that is more supportive and accepting particularly women in this case who are survivors of sexual assault," Bell said.
What To Know About 2022 Tax Season
Tax season is now underway, and it's going to be a bit different than in years past. For starters, the deadline is April 18, instead of the typical April 15th, and many Americans will need to account for advance child tax credit payments, the return of the recovery rebate credit, and a special break for charitable contributions, among other things. Brent Weiss, Co-Founder and certified financial planner at Facet Wealth, tells us what we need to know about filing our taxes this year, and when we can expect to receive our returns.
College Enrollment Down Nearly 7% Since The Pandemic
College enrollment has been on a steady decline for years, and the pandemic hasn't helped. Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a 6.6% — more than 1 million students — drop in undergraduate enrollment, according to a recent report. Douglas Belkin, higher education reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joined Cheddar to discuss the long-term implications of students sitting out of college, and what institutions can do about it.
As Midterm Elections Loom, Biden's Approval Rating Continues Decline
As the midterm election looms, things aren't looking too promising for President Joe Biden. One year into his term as president, Biden is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president, threatening his party's control of the House in 2022. Brian Bennett, Senior White House Correspondent for TIME, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The Biden Administration: One Year Down, Three to Go
A full one year into his term as President of The United States, President Biden addressed the nation on Wednesday, facing questions on everything from inflation to chip shortages and covid-19. As Biden enters his second year in office, he is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president. Kate Davidson, Reporter, POLITICO joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
New San Diego Law Funnels Grocery Waste To Food Banks
San Diego has just implemented a new law that could set the stage for how the country deals with food waste. This new law hopes to make a dent in that. Businesses and groceries stores out in San Diego will need to put a plan in place to *donate edible food rather than toss it straight to the trash. Food Rescue Manager at Feeding San Diego, Kate Garret
Bronx Twin Parks Apartment Fire Leaves 17 People Dead
Earlier this month, New York City experienced one of the deadliest fires it has seen in decades. 17 people lost their lives in the Fordham section of the Bronx. This was due to a faulty space heater which reportedly began on the lower floor of the 120 unit building. Thanks to the F. D. N. Y. And heroic neighbors, many were able to get out in time. Unfortunately, the toxic smoke surged upwards through a safety door. Now, many advocates say negligence by policymakers and landlords has led to the deaths in black and brown communities from fires that honestly could have been preventable. Legislative Director of Citizen Action of New York, Rebecca Garrard, and the Chair of Journalism and New Media Studies at St. Joseph's College Theodore Hamm, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Clari Raises $225 Million to Deliver Predictable Revenue for Every Business
Revenue operations platform Clari recently raised $225 million in a Series F financing round led by Blackstone, bringing the company's valuation to more than $2.6 billion. Calri says more than 450 companies from around the world use its A.I.-powered platform to make their revenue operations more connected, efficient, and predictable. Clari CEO Andy Byrne joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Load More