JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 805

Louisville, Ky. -- Bob Baffert's California barn received a Flightline colt purchased for $10.5 million by owner Amr Zedan after a jaw‑dropping workout at an auction in Florida fewer than two weeks ago. The colt, immediately named Zedan, is a 2-year-old that now carries high hopes of making the 2027 Kentucky Derby. Baffert, who has housed six Derby winners in Barn 33, also plans to start longshots Litmus Test and Potente on Saturday and said, "When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping."

Trainers and owners described a broader strategy of buying many prospects to chase a Derby contender. Yahoo Sports identified 34 colts purchased at auctions in 2024 and 2025 for Baffert's Triple Crown program that cost $26.7 million in all. Examples include Faran, bought for $3.4 million and not yet raced, and Brant, a $3 million purchase who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity but was knocked off the Derby trail after a fifth‑place prep finish. Tom Ryan, SF Racing's bloodstock and racing manager, said partnerships often buy 20 to 22 yearlings a year and expect only a handful to develop into Derby options. He and others noted that one successful horse or a stallion prospect can recoup large sums, while many purchases find roles in other divisions or are transferred to different trainers. Ramiro Restrepo summarized the appeal by calling the Derby "the straw that stirs the drink."

Polk County, Florida — Law enforcement carried out Operation Child Protector VIII from April 20 through April 26, arresting 19 suspects after undercover detectives posed online as minors or guardians and arranged meetings in Polk County. Sheriff Grady Judd announced the weeklong sting this week, saying 16 suspects traveled believing they would meet children and additional suspects sent explicit images to investigators.

The arrests include a 68-year-old man described as a local Santa impersonator employed in marketing for a behavioral health organization, who is alleged to have offered to pay for sex with what he believed was a 13-year-old; officials say charges filed include traveling to meet a minor, attempted lewd conduct, and trafficking-related counts. This week prosecutors and deputies said they will review evidence collected and proceed with felony filings and potential court actions.

Nashville, Tenn. — This week Senator Marsha Blackburn called for a special session of the Tennessee legislature to redraw the state's congressional districts after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling removed a Voting Rights Act provision. Blackburn said the maps should be altered to convert the Memphis-based Democratic seat into additional Republican-leaning districts as she advances her gubernatorial campaign.

State Democrats immediately pushed back, with leaders saying a special session is unnecessary and urging focus on housing, childcare and healthcare. Advocacy groups warned the change would dilute Black voting power, while President Trump and Governor Bill Lee discussed correcting Tennessee maps; legal challenges and political mobilization have been signaled ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has ordered Wisconsin Emergency Management to submit an urgent request for federal assistance from FEMA after a series of extreme weather events battered the state throughout April. Officials report that combined tornado damage and severe flooding in multiple counties, including Juneau, Janesville, Shiocton, Ringle, Columbia, and Rock, now exceeds the state’s ability to respond. An EF3 tornado caused extensive destruction in Ringle, while catastrophic flooding has prompted National Guard deployments for rescue operations. The request initiates a federal preliminary damage assessment, the first step toward a potential Presidential Major Disaster Declaration, as flooding and infrastructure risks continue.

Barry Keoghan has publicly addressed long-running cheating allegations for the first time, speaking on the April 28, 2026 episode of the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast hosted by Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky, and Kristin Batalucco. The Irish-born, Oscar-nominated actor described how rumors that he was unfaithful to singer Sabrina Carpenter, which spread widely in December 2024, led him to withdraw from public life for nearly two years. He said an influencer, Breckie Hill, falsely implied she was involved with him before later admitting she had been trolling, but her retraction drew little attention. Keoghan detailed significant online abuse directed at him and his family.

United States – U.S. equities have been climbing in recent sessions, supported by expectations that the Federal Reserve may begin cutting interest rates later this year and by strong optimism around artificial intelligence. Nvidia, a central supplier of AI chips and a key driver of that optimism, is due to report first-quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 22, with its roughly $2.2 trillion valuation under scrutiny. The company’s shares were trading at $953.27 on Friday and, helped by the strength of U.S. stocks, could test all-time highs ahead of the earnings release. Despite a pullback in April, Nvidia’s stock remains up about 100% year-to-date, reflecting investors’ focus on its role in powering AI-related products and services.

United States – Nvidia’s financial performance has become a major reference point for broader market sentiment around AI. By year-end, Nvidia’s AI-focused Data Center division had increased annual revenue by 217% from the prior year, contributing to a 126% rise in company-wide revenue. Analysts expect the company to post about $24.5 billion in quarterly revenue, an increase of around 240% from a year earlier, while UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri projects up to $26 billion, with guidance for the current quarter in the $27 billion to $28 billion range. KeyBanc Capital Markets reports limited signs of a demand pause and expects Nvidia to top Wall Street estimates again, and Arcuri has said that concerns about a sharp slowdown in orders are overblown based on recent customer discussions and supply-chain checks indicating its Hopper AI chip remains effectively sold out through the end of the year.

Collierville, Tennessee: Fire crews responded after a home was struck by lightning and caught fire shortly after 4:30 p.m. on April 28, extending into the attic before firefighters extinguished the blaze and secured the roof with tarps. Additional separate incidents occurred in Omaha, Detroit and Spokane at various times, each requiring local firefighting response.

In Omaha, crews battled a garage fire shortly after 6:30 p.m. that spread to multiple units but caused no reported injuries; authorities continue investigating the origin. In Detroit, crews reported a two-story house fire near Corktown at about 6:45 a.m., knocked down in under ten minutes while investigators search for a cause. In Spokane, a mattress fire around 3 a.m. triggered sprinklers, forced evacuations, produced water and smoke damage, and led to some smoke inhalation treatments.

Washington — On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that drawing congressional districts predominantly on the basis of race violates the 14th Amendment, overturning a Louisiana majority-Black district. Justice Samuel A. Alito wrote that states may pursue partisan advantage but may not use race as the primary redistricting criterion. The decision arose in Louisiana v. Callais.

Atlanta and state capitals this week saw immediate political responses: Georgia Republicans urged lawmakers to redraw maps, Florida officials cited the ruling to justify proposed GOP-favoring maps, and legal and legislative actors signaled preparation for litigation and map changes ahead of upcoming election cycles. The outcome could affect representation and partisan balance in several Southern states.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette defended her plan to deliver South Carolina State University's commencement address, speaking at a virtual news conference Wednesday after students staged protests and a sit-in this week opposing her selection as the May 8 speaker; Evette said she was invited by university officials and would not back down.

This week, protesters at the historically Black university organized chants and a sit-in and met with SC State President Alexander Conyers, who discussed the decision and said he heard their concerns; on April 29 Evette reiterated her record supporting HBCUs and noted endorsements from state Republican leaders while student leaders disputed her characterization of their demonstrations.

Washington — Acting Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst told the House Armed Services Committee on April 29 that the United States' campaign against Iran has cost an estimated $25 billion so far, with the bulk of spending on munitions; he presented the figure while answering lawmakers' questions about operational expenditures.

The disclosure comes this week as lawmakers press for further detail and as the White House prepares to submit a supplemental funding request once total costs are assessed; Democrats and Republicans are citing the figure ahead of midterm elections, and the conflict — which began with strikes on Feb. 28 — remains covered by a fragile ceasefire.