These are the headlines you Need2Know:
* **First Transgender Candidate for Governor:**
Vermont has made history by selecting Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman, to be the Democratic nominee for governor. This is the first time in the U.S. a transgender person has been nominated by a major party for governor. For more on Hallquist's politics, [click here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/15/christine-hallquist-wins-vermont-primary-becoming-first-openly-transgender-major-party-nominee-for-governor/).
* **Pennsylvania Reports on Church Sex Abuse:**
A grand jury report found that hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses molested more than 1,000 children over decades ー and senior church officials systematically covered it up. The Pennsylvania attorney general says the dioceses kept "secret archives" documenting the widespread sexual abuse. Read the story, [here](https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Pennsylvania-Catholic-Church-Child-Sex-Abuse-Report-Grand-Jury-490837551.html).
* **Twitter Suspends Alex Jones:**
The far-right conspiracy theorist and creator of Infowars has been banned from tweeting and can't produce content on the social platform for seven days. Jones's page won't be taken down, but he can't post, retweet, or favorite others' tweets. Twitter said that Jones violated its rules when he posted a link to a video that called for supporters to get their “battle rifles” ready to use against the news media and other critics. Last week, Apple, Facebook, Spotify, and Youtube took down some of Jones's content. For more, [click here](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/15/twitter-suspends-infowars-alex-jones-abuse).
* **Sarah Huckabee Sanders Apologizes for Jobs Claim:**
The White House Press Secretary said Tuesday that President Trump created three times as many jobs for African-American workers during his time in office than President Obama did in two full terms. Bloomberg News fact- checked her statement with Labor Department data, showing Sanders's claim was way off. She later [tweeted](https://twitter.com/presssec/status/1029536929342214144) a correction and apologized for the inaccurate statistic, but defended the administration for creating 700,000 jobs for African-Americans. For more on the jobs figures, [click here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/14/politics/sarah-sanders-african-american-jobs-trump-obama/index.html).
Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest.
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Markets opened higher on the first trading day of the new year as investors continue to watch inflation and the rapid spread of the omicron variant in the U.S. Frances Newton Stacy, Optimal Capital Dir. of Strategy/Market Analyst joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Markets opened lower this morning as investors rounded out a wild 2021. Jay Hatfield, CEO Infrastructure Capital Advisors, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss which sectors and industries to watch in the new year.
Markets opened higher as investors react to positive data on the labor front, with weekly jobless claims falling to 198,000 for the week ending December 25. Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the market open.
U.S. officials spoke to Russian leaders for nearly eight hours earlier this week, in hopes of reducing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Russia forced the west to the negotiating table by massing 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, sparking fears of an invasion, and then submitted a set of demands which the west rejected. Joel Rubin, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State & President at Washington Strategy Group explains what the rest of the week might look like, and why other European nations may be on the side of the U.S.
Chicago schools opened their doors again following a dispute between the teachers union and the city over as the omicron variant continues to surge, but the safety issues they fought over weren't just limited to the Windy City. Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, family medicine and urgent care doctor, joined Cheddar in discussing concerns of parents, teachers, and students as schools try to operate amid COVID and noted what she's been observing as the number of infections among children rises. "I am seeing them contract the illness from so many different aspects," she said. "It could be from a fellow classmate. It could be from a parent. All of those things really play in the effect of transmission as well as contracting the illness."
Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) is looking for clarification about a federal standard regarding THC impairment while driving. "I think in terms of marijuana, the fact that it's still a Schedule 1 narcotic — it's treated the same as heroin and cocaine — it means that we can't get standards developed," he said about the lack of cohesive regulations. The lawmaker also explained his previous opposition to cannabis legalization in Colorado when he was governor and why his position changed.
With Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C. 6th District), the House Majority Whip, talked about the importance of honoring the iconic civil rights activist. "As we consider the life and celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., let's think about who and what we are as a country, and whether or not we're going to give up on the ideals of this country or continue to press forward," he said. Clyburn also discussed the push for new voting legislation, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Act, as well as the fate of the Senate filibuster.
One year after the attack on Capitol Hill, America is still deeply divided and politically broken. Zoe Tillman, senior reporter for BuzzFeed News, breaks down President Biden's remarks on January 6, and why the country disagrees on its views over the violent insurrection.
While the pandemic caused financial troubles for many, the unique circumstances of the last two years proved helpful to many Americans. Whether it was the federal government's stimulus checks, expanded unemployment insurance, or general lockdowns, recent data reveals that the covid-19 pandemic helped many reach financial security. Neale Godfrey, Financial Expert and New York Times #1 Best Selling Author joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
U.S. markets opened higher despite red-hot inflation data which showed the highest surge in nearly 40 years. Jon Maier, CIO, GlobalX ETFs joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this historic report.
