Author: Gesi Lloyd

She was 19 years old and had already lived through more than most people ever will. Her family grew up under repression and torture in the Democratic Republic of Congo before making the decision to leave everything behind. The journey to the United States was supposed to be the hardest part. It was not. During the crossing, the family’s youngest child, 8 years old, died. His death marked the most devastating point of a passage that had already cost them enormously. When they finally arrived in Maine, they carried that grief into a new country that did not yet feel…

The Philadelphia Eagles moved quickly on the second night of the NFL draft Friday, acquiring edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for two third-round picks, then immediately signing him to a four-year, $100 million extension that includes $50 million in guaranteed money. Philadelphia sent the No. 98 pick in this year’s draft and a third-rounder in 2027 to Minnesota. The Eagles also received a 2026 seventh-round pick in the deal. Greenard passed his physical Friday night and attended the Celtics-76ers NBA playoff game in Philadelphia before the night was over. What drove the deal on both…

Dylan Harper did not start Friday night’s game. He did not need to. The San Antonio Spurs rookie came off the bench in Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers and delivered one of the more quietly stunning performances of this young playoff season, scoring 27 points in a 120-108 victory that gave San Antonio a 2-1 series lead. Victor Wembanyama was not on the floor. The Spurs won anyway. Harper, the No. 2 pick in last June’s draft, scored 22 of those 27 points in the second half, including 12 in the third quarter and 10 in the fourth.…

Atlanta is taking the World Cup off the field and into the streets. Mayor Andre Dickens and Showcase Atlanta announced a $150,000 Community Engagement Grant this week, a program designed to fund free, public watch parties and community festivals across the city’s six zones during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. The goal is straightforward: no one in Atlanta should miss out on the tournament just because they don’t have a match ticket. What the grant covers Selected organizations in Atlanta Community will receive between $3,000 and $4,000 in direct funding to cover local programming costs, along with a…

Dominique Malonga received her FIBA clearance letter on April 22, according to ESPN, resolving months of eligibility uncertainty and confirming she will be available for the Seattle Storm when their season opens on May 8. The clearance from the International Basketball Federation came after a prolonged contract dispute with Turkish club Fenerbahçe had cast doubt over whether she would be ready in time. Malonga was selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, one of the highest-profile picks in recent memory for the Storm. Getting her onto the court before the season begins represents a significant development for a…

Thousands of acres are burning across southern Georgia and northern Florida this week, driven by a combination of severe drought, high winds, and dried vegetation that has turned large stretches of the region into a wildfire landscape. The crisis has moved fast. A significant fire in Atkinson County, Georgia, has destroyed approximately 90 homes since igniting earlier this week, and multiple counties have responded by implementing burn bans that mark the first such restrictions in Georgia’s recorded history. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for 91 counties, a figure that reflects how broadly the conditions have spread…

There may be a Gator chomp mixed into a SKOL chant before the 2026 season is over. The Minnesota Vikings used the 18th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, handing interim general manager Rob Brzezinski his first major decision and his first major question mark all in one pick. Brzezinski did not ease into the role. He swung. A pick that split opinion immediately Banks arrives in Minnesota as one of the most physically imposing prospects in this draft class. At 6 feet 6 inches and 327 pounds, he is the kind…

The Cowboys walked into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft holding two picks and walked out with what many analysts are calling the best haul of the night. Through a pair of calculated trades, Dallas added two defensive players, collected extra draft capital and somehow ended the evening in a stronger position than when it started. Texas fans had two teams to watch Thursday night. The Houston Texans also made a move, trading up with the Buffalo Bills from No. 28 to No. 26. But it was Dallas that dominated the conversation long after the picks were in.…

Jada Pinkett Smith is asking a federal judge to make Bilaal Salaam pay for the privilege of losing part of his lawsuit against her. Court documents filed this week show the actress and producer is seeking $48,975 in attorney fees from Salaam, a man who describes himself as a former associate of her husband, Will Smith. The request follows a judge’s decision to dismiss significant portions of Salaam’s $3 million emotional distress claim against her. The legal saga stretches back to the aftermath of one of the most scrutinized moments in recent awards show history. In March 2022, Will Smith…

Presidential elections command national attention, wall-to-wall coverage, and record turnout cycles. Local elections, which determine who controls school budgets, who sets community policy, and who decides which candidates even appear on future ballots, routinely draw about 20% of eligible voters. The gap between those two numbers tells a story that civic advocates have been trying to correct for years. The consequences of that gap are not abstract. They show up in classroom sizes, in school closures, in the direction a political party takes heading into a state race. The decisions made by locally elected officials land closer to daily life…