1. ALICIA KEYS, MEGAN THEE STALLION, AND ROSALIA TO BE HONORED AT BILLBOARD’S 2019 WOMEN IN MUSIC AWARDS: Alicia Keys, Megan Thee Stallion, and Rosalía will be celebrated for their contributions to female empowerment during Billboard's 14th annual Women in Music event, the magazine announced Tuesday. The three performers will join previously announced honorees Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Alanis Morissette, Nicki Minaj, Brandi Carlile, and Roc Nation C.O.O. Desiree Perez during the December 12 event at the Hollywood Paladium. The ceremony is slated to be presented by YouTube Music and hosted by last year's Rising Star honoree Hayley Kiyoko. Billboard: “‘Women in Music is a celebration of artists and executives who are changing the world through their work. We are excited to honor Alicia Keys, Rosalía, and Megan thee Stallion, whose singular visions and voices are shifting our culture while inspiring fans to stay true to themselves,’ said Hannah Karp, Billboard’s editorial director.”
2. MEETING PLANNERS AND HOTELS ARE RECRUITING FOOD TRUCKS FOR UNIQUE EVENT EXPERIENCES: The popularity of food trucks, combined with today’s emphasis on experiential and authentic moments, is prompting hotels and meeting planners to use the vehicles to serve guests. For event organizers, recruiting food truck operators allows for the introduction of memorable and local bites, even if they wind up actually being served in the hotel and not out of a truck. For properties, using the vehicles can cut down on space hogging for banquets. New York Times: “‘The whole dining experience is changing,’ said Rashad Armstead, a chef who coordinates the logistics of the trucks for groups. ‘They’re all now leaning more toward the whole dining experience of the food-truck scene. ...The diner of this generation is different,' Mr. Armstead said. ‘We don’t want fancy food. We want good food.’”
3. SAY CHEESE! DHS WANTS A SNAP OF EVERY U.S. BOUND, OR EXITING, TRAVELER: Boarding flights in comfy sweats and with bed head might be a thing of the past if the Department of Homeland Security moves forward on a plan to photograph travelers. The agency posted a notice that it wants to take pictures of each and every traveler entering or exiting the U.S., including American citizens. The Points Guy: “Although the idea of mandatory photographs may be alarming to some people, it should be familiar to travelers with Global Entry as new facial recognition kiosks have been popping up around the country. This allows registered travelers to speed through immigration without the need for passport scanning or fingerprint recognition. The TSA has also been testing biometrics at airports including at Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport back in August, but those tests have been voluntary. Both American Airlines and Delta have also tested biometric boarding.”