Comment on Dawn of an era: Staley and South Carolina now set the standard

The Jan. 26 police shooting of a 36-year-old double-amputee in southeastern Los Angeles is the latest killing of a Black man to set off protests about police violence. Activists and the family of Anthony Lowe Jr. took to the Huntington Park Police Department headquarters on Monday to condemn the killing. “They murdered my son in a wheelchair—with no legs,” Lowe’s mother Dorothy said. Last week, five police officers were charged with second-degree murder for beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols in Memphis—leading to his death days after.

Comcast Corp. is no longer accepting new subscribers to the free version of its Peacock streaming service, the latest sign that big media companies are trying to wring more money from their online TV forays. The service, which features original programming, as well as content from the company’s NBC TV network and Universal film studio, launched with great fanfare in mid-2020.

Hong Kong on Wednesday made possession, consumption, and distribution of cannabidiol, or CBD, illegal. While some governments across the world have legalized or moved toward decriminalizing cannabis, including Thailand last year, cannabis itself remains illegal in most countries, with related offenses often punishable by long prison sentences. Still, products containing the cannabis-derived compound CBD have become increasingly popular in recent years, touted to have therapeutic benefits.

The last new Boeing 747 left the company’s factory on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for the iconic airplane that captured the world’s attention and brought more affordable air travel to millions of passengers. With its impressive size and graceful appearance, the 747, known as the “Queen of the Skies,” has been one of the most recognizable and versatile aircraft since its first flight in 1969.

It's the first year of Iowa's official George Washington Carver Day on Feb. 1. Carver was Iowa State's first Black student and later, first Black faculty member.       

Reynolds said she would use $440,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to clear a backlog of grants for veterans in need of financial assistance.