State Politics
Oklahoma City to host 2028 Olympic Events
In a surprise move by the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee, Oklahoma City has been named the host of two events for the Olympic Games. Come Olympic season, OKC will be hosting the Olympic Canoe Slalom and Softball events, as Los Angeles does not have the necessary facilities locally.
LA28 stressed that the Oklahoma facilities were “built to international competition standards,” and that this move allowed the City of Los Angeles to save money on venues they would not continue to use after the Olympics.
Softball has a long tradition in Oklahoma City, which has hosted the Women’s College World Series every year except 1990. They already have these world class facilities in place, as well as an in-built and enthusiastic audience for the sport.
Oklahoma City also recently completed construction on Riversport Rapids, a world class canoeing and kayaking facility, in 2016. They currently offer consumer rafting experiences as well as training facilities for athletes. In preparation for the Olympics, they will also use it to host the Canoe Slalom World Championships in 2026.
While the plan is still awaiting approval from Los Angeles, LA28 has received approval from all relevant international bodies for the move. However it is unlikely that LA will deny the request considering the cost benefits laid out under the plan.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday that the infamous Rikers Island prison is “ready” to receive Former President Donald Trump. Trump is currently facing potential temporary incarceration following repeated violations of his gag order.
The judge overseeing Trump’s hush money trial, Judge Juan Merchan, made it clear on Monday that if the Former President continued to violate his gag order, he could be placed in jail. He called Trump’s repeated violations a “direct attack on the rule of law.”
Putting the Former President in jail could prove difficult for the New York City Department of Connection. Due to the high security required for his incarceration, the options could be very limited.
Despite Rikers Island’s poor reputation, city officials could be of the mind that they are best equipped to handle a prisoner of Donald Trump’s stature. Eric Adams told the media that “they’re professionals, they’ll be ready.”
Off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida, two teenagers were caught throwing heaps of trash into the ocean from their boat. The teenagers were partying on their speeding boat with their friends when they committed the offense. Wavy Boats, a social media account, first uploaded the viral video on April 30.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) led the investigation, which the Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were also involved in. The FWC wanted to send a message that the state of Florida “doesn’t tolerate this” and wants to “protect [their] environment.”
According to a South Florida newspaper, after turning themselves in on Friday, the two teenagers (unnamed) face “felony third-degree charges of causing pollution so as to harm or injure human health or welfare, animal, plant, aquatic life or property, which amounts to $50,000 in fines or up to five years in prison.”
Throughout the day, pro-Palestine protestors have been marching through the Upper East Side to interrupt the Met Gala. Over 1,000 protestors blocked traffic and drew a massive police presence to an already high-security event.
Most protestors began their march at Hunter College, and then continued up towards the Met. Protests were organized as part of the “Day of Rage” by activist group Within Our Lifetime.
The Met Gala is an annual event held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, attracting some of the world’s biggest stars. It also attracts lots of media attention, making it a prime target for the pro-Palestine protestors.
The group chanted common pro-Palestine phrases, calling for divestment and chanting against the NYPD, who arrived on the scene to stop the protests before they could make it to the Met Gala.
The majority of the pro-Palestine protestors were stopped at the 79th Street Transverse, just blocks away from the entrance to the Met. Many protestors were diverted into Central Park or onto Madison Avenue.
Counter protests were also present in the blocks surrounding the Met, waving Israeli flags in opposition to the pro-Palestine protestors.
The NYPD arrested several protestors as they attempted to shut down the demonstrations, although some protestors still do remain in the area.
This is a developing story, check back with The Youth Insight for updates.
