Alaska, Jam Master Jay, and College Football's Wild Week
Oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge approved, two arrested in murder of hip hop pioneer, and much more!
Good morning. It's Tuesday, Aug. 18, and two suspects have been charged in one of New York City's most high-profile unsolved murders. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com. First time reading? Sign up here. NEED TO KNOW
Drilling in Alaska's ANWRThe Trump administration approved yesterday a directive allowing oil and gas drilling in a stretch of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The plans would open 1.5 million acres of the protected region's northern coastal plain for exploration. While that area represents roughly 8% of the refuge's total area, plans limit the surface footprint of facilities to 2,000 acres. However, critics counter (map, PDF) small footprint facilities could support a network spanning the entire area without exceeding the acreage limit. The approval follows a 2018 vote by Congress to allow drilling—the first Congressional approval since protections were put in place in 1980. Studies estimate four to 12 billion barrels of oil are recoverable from the area (the US consumes about 20 million barrels daily). The decision is expected to face legal challenges from opponents who argue development would irrevocably damage the country's largest stretch of protected wilderness. Suffrage Centennial Today marks the centennial celebration of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote in the US. Its passage was the culmination of a seven-decade-long battle waged by the women's suffrage movement (see timeline), which promoted civic action through organizations like the League of Women Voters. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, two of the more famous suffragettes, organized the first women’s rights convention in New York in 1848. In 1919, the House and Senate passed the amendment and in August 1920, it was ratified by Tennessee, the last of the 36 state approvals necessary to secure its adoption. Suffrage was the first step in a long journey for gender equality—which many Americans believe still has work to be done. Modern-day activists have focused on spotlighting and ending sexual harassment, achieving equal pay, and increasing female representation in political and executive positions, among other issues. See a list of virtual celebrations here. Jam Master JayNew York City officials announced yesterday the indictment of two men in connection with the 2002 murder of hip-hop pioneer Jason Mizell, also known as Jam Master Jay. The pair, 56-year-old Ronald Washington and 36-year-old Karl Jordan Jr., are alleged to have shot Mizell in a recording studio in Queens, New York. Washington, currently serving a federal prison sentence for robbery, was previously named a suspect in 2007, and is also a suspect in the 1995 killing of an associate of deceased rapper Tupac Shakur. As a DJ, Jay was one-third of Run-DMC, widely known as one of the most influential groups in hip-hop history. The trio is credited with transitioning hip-hop away from its disco and funk origins and toward a more aggressive style with sharp lyrics and distinct beats, while popularizing an underground fashion and cultural aesthetic with a mainstream audience. Their self-titled debut was also the first hip-hop album to achieve Gold status. Enjoy reading? Share 1440 with your three closest friends. A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
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Inside College Football's Wild WeekESPN | Staff. Over the course of five days, two of college football's five power conferences went from planning for full-contact practice to abruptly canceling their seasons. Then, when it looked as if the dominos would begin to fall, the remaining conferences decided to push forward—for now. (Read) Editor's note: Also check out this overview of coronavirus-linked myocarditis, which reportedly factored into the decision-making. How Corporate Kidnapping WorksNYT | David Yaffe-Bellany. A look at the shadowy cottage industry that helps kidnap—or retrieve, depending on the perspective—children taken to other countries by estranged parents. (Read, $$) INVEST FOR LESS
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