Shark Scoop is a weekly roundup of five stories that examine developments in global, national, and local news, as well as a top headline in entertainment and sports.
By: MELISSA FISHMAN / STAFF WRITER New York Legalizes Recreational Marijuana
New York just became the 15th state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the legislation Wednesday. The legalization of cannabis comes with many positive changes within the state, including the immediate cleansing of the records of those arrested on marijuana possession charges. A plan has also been put into effect that will funnel 40 percent of tax revenue into communities who have had high percentages of minorities that were arrested for possession of the plant in the past.
The First Week of the Derek Chauvin Trial Begins
Criminal Court proceedings began on Tuesday, when former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, sat down to be tried on charges of manslaughter, second-degree murder, and third-degree murder in the death of George Floyd. The trial, currently being overseen by Judge Peter A. Cahill, saw emotional testimony from Darnella Frazier, the now 18-year-old girl who posted the viral video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, her 9-year-old cousin, and Floyd’s ex-girlfriend Courtney Ross.
15 Million Vaccine Doses Ruined in Factory Mishap
On Wednesday, a factory owned by partners to vaccine-powerhouses Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca, announced that 15 million doses of their vaccines were contaminated. The company in question, Emergent BioSolutions, has now been forced to delay rollouts of the vaccine while the Food and Drug Administration investigates the incident. However, the delay does not affect any Johnson & Johnson vaccines being delivered this week or next, nor does it affect President Biden’s plan to immunize all adults in the United States by May, according to The New York Times.
Lil Nas X Makes Waves with New Music Video and “Satan Shoes”
Lil Nas X, the rapper who grew to fame with the 2019 song “Old Town Road,” released a new single this week titled “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” to audiences with mixed reviews. The song has since garnered controversy over “explicit” imagery in its music video. The video also serves to promote pairs of limited edition so-called Satan Shoes, which bear the Nike logo, that the singer is selling at $1,018 per pair. Nike is now suing him due to the fact that the shoes were not created with an official Nike partnership.
Yankees Lose to Blue Jays in Opening Day Game
In their first game of the 2020 MLB season, the Yankees faced a heartbreaking, extra-innings loss Thursday at home game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The game, which went into the 10th inning, was a 3-2 victory for the Blue Jays, with an RBI Double from Randal Grichuk to score the winning run. This game also marked the first time in over a year that the Yankees played for a live crowd, with 10,850 spectators in the Bronx.