1. TRUMP'S LEGAL UPDATES
The secrecy around the federal affidavit that led to the search warrant served on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home is about to lift — partially. A federal judge ordered the Justice Department to put forward its proposals for potential redactions on the affidavit before it is released to the public. Meanwhile, the former CFO of the Trump Organization, Allen Weisselberg, pleaded guilty to tax evasion in a deal that could make him the star witness in a case against the former president's businesses.
Allen Weisselberg leaves court after pleading guilty to tax violations. [AP Photo/John Minchillo]
2. MONKEYPOX VACCINES AT PRIDE EVENTS
With the supply of monkeypox vaccines limited, U.S. health officials are putting aside 50,000 doses for gay pride events happening over the next two months, including large gatherings in New Orleans and Atlanta. While the majority of cases have so far been among men who have sex with men, sample sizes remain small, and public health officials stress that anyone can get it. There have been at least 13,500 infections in the U.S., the most of any country at the moment. 
People line up to receive the monkeypox vaccine at a clinic in New Jersey. [AP Photo/Seth Wenig]
3. RETAIL RECESSION OR RECOVERY?
The biggest retailers in the U.S. released their quarterly earnings this week, and economists had their eyes peeled for signs of whether a recession is coming down the pike. Unfortunately, clear-cut answers were hard to come by amid a jumble of mixed messages. Home Depot is doing pretty well. Walmart and Target are feeling the pinch, but see better days ahead, and retail sales overall were flat in July. In conclusion: There's short-term uncertainty but long-term optimism. That is until the next batch of economic data comes in, and the debate rages on.    
4. SMART BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING
  Whether you're getting ready to send the kids back to school or you yourself are gearing up to head back to class, we have a few money-saving tips from smart-shopping expert Trae Bodge. On average, parents shopping for elementary through high school kids are expected to spend about $864 on supplies and for college students, $1,199. Bodge said looking for deals on coupon sites, shopping used and refurbished goods, and simply waiting until the mad rush dies down are all great ways to save money on back-to-school shopping
A parent shops for school supplies at a Target store in North Miami. [AP Photo/Marta Lavandier]
5. MAJORITY OF TEXANS BACK LEGALIZATION
Most Texans now support cannabis legalization. According to a poll from UT Tyler and The Dallas Morning News, 55% of Texans support or strongly support cannabis for adult use, and 72% support cannabis for medical use. But legislation in the Lone Star State hasn’t kept up. Texas currently has a limited medical marijuana program, and possession is a criminal offense.  
6. UNION NEWS: BARISTAS & STRIPPERS
Union activity is on the rise, from Starbucks to strip clubs. The latest: The majority of the dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood, Calif., have filed a petition to hold a union vote. If they are successful, they would be the first strippers in the U.S. to receive union representation. In other news from the shop floor, or rather cafe floor, a federal judge has ordered Starbucks to reinstate seven employees who were fired after they attempted to unionize their Memphis, Tenn., store. Starbucks said it fired the workers for good reason and will appeal the court order.   
A federal judge ordered Starbucks to reinstate fired employees in Memphis. [AP Photo/Adrian Sainz, File]
7. DESHAUN WATSON OUT 11 GAMES
It seems the Deshaun Watson saga could finally be winding down, until he hits the field of course. The NFL and Watson's camp have agreed to an 11-game suspension after a judge initially ruled the Cleveland Browns QB would be suspended for six games for violating the league's code of conduct policy. With the deal in place, Watson is expected to return to play against his former Houston Texans on Dec. 4.  
8. MAKING TENNIS ACCESSIBLE
With racquet sports' growing popularity in the U.S., Break the Love — a social sports platform that allows people to arrange coaching sessions, find opponents and reserve courts — wants to open access to NYC tennis courts to a wider range of people. In a partnership with AMEX, the duo is offering 10,000 reservations at over 500 NYC-area courts through the duration of the U.S. Open.  
9. IN ENTERTAINMENT
Jonah Hill is set to release a documentary on mental health titled Stutz but don't expect him to publicize the project. He says that staying away from the promotional run is helping to protect his own mental well-being. In other news, the Lord of the Rings franchise sold all of its rights, even as new projects are slated for release. And the search for a new James Bond is ongoing despite the rumor mill circulating names like Idris Elba and Tom Hardy as the new 007.  
10. 'DE-EXCITING' THE TASMANIA TIGER
Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences is attempting to "de-extinct" the Tasmanian tiger after nearly 100 years in the evolutionary graveyard. The company announced that it is partnering with the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research Lab at the University of Melbourne in Australia to restore to life the "beloved Australian marsupial." In 2021, this same company said it was trying to bring back the woolly mammoth, which is still a work in progress. 
**LOVE **HATE **ATE
One thing we hate: When nobody replaces the empty tissue box.
One thing we ate: Finishing up some saltwater taffy.
ALL NEW 'NYC REVEALED' THIS SUNDAY!
  • Don't forget to watch an all-new episode of NYC Revealed this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Cheddar News or Cheddar.com!
  • Want to start from the beginning? Check out The Secrets of the Empire State Building.
  • Keep an eye on our YouTube Playlist for all the new episodes. 
  • And h/t to our colleagues for this preview on Instagram! (Can't make those pigeons talk!)