Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, February 4, 2021:

COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

The federal government will open its first mass vaccination sites in California as it moves to take a larger role in vaccine deployment under the Biden administration. The first site at Oakland Coliseum aims to do 6,000 shots a day starting Feb. 16. An early study of the AstraZeneca vaccine suggests it not only protects against infection but also reduces transmission. That shot has not been submitted to the FDA for approval, and the consensus is that it’s unlikely to get the go-ahead in the U.S. before April. Meanwhile, Dr. Fauci said there have been “no red flags” among the 10,000 or so pregnant women who have been vaccinated thus far. KAISER HEALTH NEWS

FUTURE OF GOP

House Democrats will force a full vote today on whether to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green of her committee assignments based on her past embrace of conspiracy theories and calls of violence. The freshman congresswoman from Georgia has endorsed the execution of top Democrats, suggested that the Newtown and Parkland school shootings were fake, and said a laser beam controlled from space by Jewish bankers was responsible for the California wildfires. Green was officially condemned by Republican leadership, but not punished -- and reportedly received a standing ovation from half the House GOP conference. At the same time, Rep. Liz Cheney survived an attempt by some House Republicans to strip her of her leadership position for voting to impeach President Trump. POLITICO

CAPITOL FALLOUT

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died from injuries sustained during the riot last month, has been laid to rest along America’s war dead at Arlington National Cemetery. Earlier, Sicknick’s remains were laid in honor under the Capitol Rotunda, where lawmakers and colleagues paid their respects. Investigators are reportedly having a hard time building a murder case against anyone for Sicknick’s death because they haven’t found the moment he was fatally injured on any video or photos from that day. Meanwhile, the Justice Dept. charged two more men with conspiracy for trying to block the certification of the election. CNN

DEEP FREEZE COMING

It’s about to get very cold. A blast of Arctic air courtesy of the polar vortex is bringing sub-zero highs to the Midwest this weekend before it spreads south and east. Based on current forecasts, every single state will clock below-freezing temps on Monday morning. The cold will linger too, probably at least through next week. CHECK YOUR FORECAST

AUTO SHAKEUP

Days after GM shocked the auto industry with its aggressive timeline for electrification, the German car giant Daimler announced a major restructuring in a move toward zero emissions. Daimler will take the Mercedes-Benz name and focus exclusively on battery and self-driving technology for passenger cars. It will spin off its truck unit into a separate company called Daimler Trucks, which will continue work on hydrogen fuel cell power. Many believe fuel-cell to be the future for the truck and bus industries because it’s lighter and faster to refuel. MOTOR1

CHEDDAR EXCLUSIVE: REDDIT HEARING

Rep. Maxine Waters, the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, told Cheddar that she plans to call Keith Gill -- the now famous Reddit trader known as DeepF--Value who made millions on his GameStop bet -- to testify to Congress, along with the CEO of Robinhood and a rep from GameStop. That hearing is scheduled for Feb. 18: WATCH THE INTERVIEW

ROBOT DOG

Boston Dynamics’ terrifying/mesmerizing robot dog Spot is getting an upgrade that will let it open doors, turn valves, pick up laundry and complete a number of other household tasks. The arm attachment snaps onto Spot’s “body” to give it more range of motion. These robots are no longer just the stuff of nightmares, either; the company is selling them to the public for $75K and says 400 have been shipped to date. SEE IT IN ACTION

GOLDEN GLOBE NOMS

Awards season is here, better late than never. The Golden Globes nominations are out, and Netflix is dominating the race this year. The streamer picked up 48 nominations, including six for David Fincher’s Mank and another six for The Crown. Emily in Paris got a nod for Best TV Series, but the hugely popular Bridgerton was shut out. HBO had a strong showing for The Undoing, and HBO Max was recognized for The Flight Attendant. The Globes will air Feb. 28, about two months before the Oscars. SNUBS & SURPRISES

MORGAN WALLEN DROPPED

Morgan Wallen, one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in country music, is one again in trouble after TMZ published a video showing him using the N-word as he returned to his house after a night out. Wallen’s label has suspended him and his music has been removed from radio and streaming playlists (Pandora took his catalog offline; Spotify and Apple just took his songs off their popular country playlists). Wallen, who was yanked from his SNL appearance in the fall after breaking COVID protocols, has apologized. TMZ

LEFTOVERS: CEASEFIRE

Before Tom Brady came along, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' biggest claim to fame was probably the 100-foot replica pirate ship in the end zone that fires fake cannons every time the Bucs score a touchdown or make a big play. By coincidence, the Bucs are both hosting and playing in the Super Bowl, but the NFL has put the kibosh on the pirate ship. The league says there will be no cannon fire on Sunday in order to make the game as neutral as possible. CBS SPORTS

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
Pressure to Settle $1 Billion Claim From Nassar Survivors Against FBI
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
Elevate Prize Foundation Wants to Create 'Fanbase for Good' With $10K Awards
The Elevate Prize Foundation is donating $10,000 to different grassroots organizations based on a theme every month to help scale their work, focusing on a different theme each time. Upcoming prizes will help uplift an organization supporting the LGBTQ community and one mobilizing to help end gun violence. The foundation's CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram joined Cheddar to discuss the initiative and why it's important to uplift these grassroots organizations. "We are identifying social entrepreneurs around the world to help them scale their work. but the ultimate purpose of that is to create the first-ever fanbase for good," she said. "We're trying to make good famous and by inspiring people to think about the role they can play in doing good in the world."
Stephanie Shojaee on Paving the Way for Women in Real Estate
With real estate being a largely male-dominated industry, Stephanie Shojaee, vice president and chief marketing officer at development company Shoma Group, joined Cheddar News to discuss how she took on the gender gap for women to achieve leadership roles, starting at her own company. “It's been very important to teach all the women that work here, especially the younger ones, that they shouldn't change themselves," she said. "You need to be happy with who you are and just keep breaking barriers."
Hot summer could lead to rolling blackouts
We are already starting to feel the effects of summer. Heat waves in Texas and California are already sending temperatures soaring. That could spell trouble for the nation's power supply. there are new concerns about outages in many areas of the country. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier explains the two main causes of blackouts, and what states are doing to keep the lights on and the air conditioning running.
U.S. traffic deaths hit 16 year high
If you have been on the road this past year, you've probably seen more accidents on the road than you ever have. You're not wrong. Traffic fatalities are not only increasing they are hitting historic highs. Almost 43,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2021. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier investigates - and finds out why.
U.S. Stocks Closed at Session Highs Tuesday
U.S. stocks close Tuesday at session highs after a subpar start to the trading day. Tim Chubb, Chief Investment Officer at the wealth advisory firm, Girard, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. 'We're starting to see the moderation of three core things -- we've seen the moderation of prices, we've seen the moderation of wage growth we've seen in the labor market, and we've also seen a moderation of job openings,' he says.
Gymnasts Seek $1 Billion From FBI Over Larry Nassar Case
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Kat Tat on Becoming 'Elite' Black Woman Tattoo Artist in Unwelcoming Industry
Tattoo artist Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson, famous for starring in the VH1 hit series "Black Ink Crew: Chicago," is also the first Black woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She joined Cheddar News to discuss her trailblazing work, the stigma BIPOC tattoo artists face in the industry, and the way the space has changed for artists of color since her start. "In the beginning, I remember walking into a tattoo shop just like, hey, I wanna learn, I wanna be a tattoo artist and kind of just being laughed at, not taken seriously," she said. "Even with the tattoo conventions, a lot of African American tattoo artists were almost scared to go to conventions because it's not a welcoming environment."
Load More