PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
|
Listen To This Story
 |
Uber and Lyft to Pay Out $328M to New York Ride-Share Drivers (Maria)
The author writes, “The ride-share companies Uber and Lyft have agreed to a historic settlement totaling $328M after being accused of withholding wages and benefits, such as mandatory paid sick leave, from drivers. The news, announced by the New York state attorney general’s office, comes after a multi-year investigation following a complaint filed by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) union, alleging the companies were committing wage theft and passing on taxes and fees to drivers rather than passengers. The attorney general’s office said it was the largest wage-theft settlement it has ever won. At $290M, Uber will pay the bulk of the settlement and Lyft will pay $38M to current and former drivers.”
Next Week’s Elections Will Test Voter Mood Ahead of 2024 (Dana)
From The Bulwark: “Democrats are riding anger over abortion rights to the polls next week in off-year elections around the country and, in some places, nervous Republicans are purging voter rolls in anticipation. In multiple special elections this year, Democrats have crushed it — galvanizing the same post-Dobbs energy that helped them in the 2022 midterms to overperform the relative partisanship of districts by an average of 11 points. But off-year contests attract fewer voters — and different voters — than the presidential election will next year. And a big night next week in Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky does not portend victory for Democrats a year from now, as President Biden remains deeply unpopular.”
Senate Confirms First Woman to Lead Navy, Key Joint Staff Vacancies (Sean)
The author writes, “The U.S. Navy finally has a new top officer — Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the service — after the Senate sidestepped a months-long hold by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville. The Senate voted on Thursday, 95-1, to confirm Franchetti as the chief of naval operations and Gen. David Allvin to be the Air Force’s chief of staff. Lt. Gen. Chris Mahoney was also confirmed, 86-0, to be the Marine Corps’ assistant commandant — and allowing him to step in for Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, who was hospitalized with a heart attack on Sunday after doing both jobs for months. But hundreds of military promotions remain in limbo, thanks to Tuberville’s hold.”
Brazil Scientists Developing New ‘Vaccine’ For Cocaine Addiction (Sean)
The author writes, “Scientists in Brazil, the world’s second-biggest consumer of cocaine, have announced the development of an innovative new treatment for addiction to the drug and its powerful derivative crack: a vaccine. Dubbed ‘Calixcoca,’ the test vaccine, which has shown promising results in trials on animals, triggers an immune response that blocks cocaine and crack from reaching the brain, which researchers hope will help users break the cycle of addiction. Put simply, addicts would no longer get high from the drug.”
Can We Save the Redwoods by Helping Them Move? (Laura)
From The New York Times: “The largest trees on the planet can’t easily ‘migrate’ — but in a warming world, some humans are helping them try to find new homes.”
Memphis Stores Using Classical Music to Fight Crime (Al)
From WREG Memphis: “You may hear some Memphis Walgreens stores before seeing them. The drugstore chain has begun blasting classical music in some of its parking lots to drive away loiterers. ‘At various locations, we have implemented a recorded music loop that plays outside of the store to help deter loitering on the premises. We take steps to ensure the music is only loud enough for the immediate area around the store and cannot be heard by residents in surrounding neighborhoods,’ Walgreens said.”
A $7.5-Million Find: Overlooked Getty Estate Sale Map Turns Out to Be 14th Century Treasure (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “[Alex] Clausen was deep in a virtual tour of an estate sale for oil heir Gordon Getty and his wife, Ann, an avid collector who died in 2020. Tucked between a George II mahogany breakfront secretaire bookcase and a series of manuscript and watercolor maps showing the waterways of Venice, Clausen found a type of antiquated nautical map known as a portolan chart. The chart, which the estate sale dated between 1500 and 1525, caught his eye: ‘It wasn’t like the chairs, lamps and things that surrounded it,’ he said. The estimated price, between $100,000 and $150,000, seemed fitting for a portolan chart from the 16th century. But something didn’t quite fit. The map seemed older.”
