JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 842

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On Thursday night, the New York Giants used two top-10 picks in the NFL Draft, selecting linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5 and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. The moves followed a prior trade that sent defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals and left the Giants with multiple early selections this week.

The selections immediately reshape the Giants’ roster plans: coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen said they stuck to their board this week, and the Browns traded the No. 6 pick to the Chiefs for additional draft capital on Thursday. The team still lists defensive tackle depth and Day 2 playmakers among its priorities as draft coverage moves into the next rounds.

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic 98-83 on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena, leveling their first-round playoff series at 1-1. The top-seeded Pistons built a decisive third quarter and ended an 11-game home postseason losing streak that dated to May 26, 2008, reversing the setback from the Game 1 loss on April 19.

DETROIT — Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds, and five teammates scored in double figures as the Pistons outscored the Magic 38-16 in the third quarter on Wednesday. The teams will travel to Orlando for Game 3 on Saturday, where both clubs will seek to gain momentum and compete for series control.

Philadelphia — The Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, taking a 3-0 lead in the first-round series. Trevor Zegras, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler scored in a six-minute second-period span after an early Evgeni Malkin power-play goal gave Pittsburgh a brief lead.

The victory moved the Flyers within one win of a series sweep, and Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday in Philadelphia. Dan Vladar stopped 28 shots; the game featured a second-period melee that produced multiple minor penalties and yielded Flyers power-play goals that shifted momentum decisively.

Shreveport. Federal prosecutors charged 56-year-old Charles Ford on April 21, 2026, alleging he possessed the firearm used by suspect Shamar Elkins in the April 19 mass shooting that killed eight children and wounded others. Authorities say Elkins fatally shot seven of his children and a cousin; investigators continue to examine how Elkins obtained the weapon.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller this week described the charges as arising from the investigation into how the shooter secured the firearm; an affidavit states a woman gave a Mossberg pistol to Ford while hospitalized last year. If convicted on felon-in-possession and false-statement counts, Ford faces federal prison terms as investigators pursue additional evidence and witness statements.

Warren, Ohio. Unemployment rates changed markedly across several jurisdictions during February, with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reporting declines in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties this week; Trumbull was 6.6 percent, Mahoning 6.2 percent and Columbiana 5.4 percent compared with January figures while Youngstown and Warren also showed month‑to‑month decreases.

Dawson County, Nebraska, however, saw an estimated surge to 16.9 percent unemployment in February after the closure of a Tyson plant that eliminated roughly 3,200 jobs and raised the county's unemployed to about 2,128; Indiana held at 3.3 percent in February with 85,672 job postings, and Ohio reported an increase in initial weekly claims for the April 12–18 period.

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 101-94 on Tuesday in Game 2, taking a 2-0 series lead, as Marcus Smart defended Kevin Durant and pressured him across 18 possessions. Durant returned from a right knee injury and scored 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting but had multiple turnovers, while LeBron James led L.A. with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Los Angeles' win and Smart's multiple steals and corner three swung momentum, and the team emphasized hustle and defense in closing minutes, per The New York Times and ESPN. LeBron praised Smart's composure, and ESPN Research noted Durant committed three turnovers while defended by Smart; both teams will adjust strategies this week as the series moves forward.

Washington — Early Wednesday, a WMATA work vehicle struck the rear car of a stationary Silver Line train at the Metro Center station just after midnight, officials said. Twenty-seven customers were aboard the final Silver Line run of the night; Metro reported 11 passengers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and that staff were not seriously hurt.

Metro crews transferred uninjured riders to another train and shifted operations to single-tracking, prompting service advisories and transfer recommendations toward the Orange Line. Metro Center remained closed while crews investigated; the station reopened around 5:15 a.m., but delays and single-track operations continued through the morning as investigators examined the scene and assessed impacts.

Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points with nine assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns 120-107 on Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round Western Conference playoff series. Jalen Williams left in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury after scoring 19 points, and did not return to the game.

This win followed Oklahoma City's 119-84 Game 1 victory on Sunday and featured team shooting of 47.3 percent and 21 forced turnovers, statistics WKMG and Sportsnet reported. Coach Mark Daigneault described adjustments as a 'menu' approach this week; medical evaluation will determine Williams' recovery timeline and any immediate rotation changes.

Washington — The Trump administration is engaged this week in advanced discussions to provide up to $500 million in government-backed financing to Spirit Airlines as the carrier navigates a second Chapter 11 bankruptcy. President Trump signaled support on Tuesday and directed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to review possible options while reporters cited multiple outlets reporting talks.

The package under discussion, reported Wednesday, could be structured initially as a loan and include warrants that potentially give the government up to a 90 percent stake if converted; officials say the step aims to preserve roughly 14,000 jobs and stabilize fares. Democratic lawmakers voiced opposition this week, and DOT officials said no final decision has been reached as review continues.

Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a redistricting referendum that shifts authority over congressional maps to a Democratic-majority mechanism, altering how districts will be drawn going forward. The statewide vote endorsed transferring map-making power to the General Assembly or a bipartisan commission, a change framed by supporters as corrective and criticized by opponents as politically motivated.

The decision could flip as many as four Republican-held U.S. House seats and influence control of Congress in subsequent elections; analysts and party leaders have publicly framed the outcome as pivotal for the 2026 cycle. This week the state Supreme Court began reviewing the plan's legality, and if the commission deadlocks courts may be asked to implement new maps.