JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 888

Baton Rouge: A one-year-old boy, Ian Castellanos, was reported abducted after a gray 2013 Toyota Tundra was stolen from a gas station about 7:00 a.m. Wednesday; authorities issued an AMBER Alert after receiving the request from the Baton Rouge Police Department around 8:18 a.m.

By 9:15 a.m. a Baton Rouge police officer located the described truck and found the child inside, and the AMBER Alert was canceled by 9:28 a.m.; officials said the vehicle was still running and the suspect had not been taken into custody at that time.

Washington — Gen. Dan Caine said Wednesday that U.S. forces struck more than 13,000 targets in Iran during nearly six weeks of fighting and that logistics for Operation Epic Fury included about six million meals, roughly 950,000 gallons of coffee, and two million energy drinks amid a fragile pause in hostilities.

Officials this week reported substantial damage to Iran’s air defenses, navy and weapons facilities, while ACLED data shows Iranian strikes persisted since Feb. 28; the ceasefire announced by President Trump and Iran aims to pause fighting to resume negotiations, with Pentagon briefings and independent monitoring ongoing this week.

Pittsburgh — The Pittsburgh Pirates signed 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract on Wednesday, less than a week after his major league debut. The agreement includes escalators that could increase the total to $150 million and is described as the largest in club history.

The team said the deal reflects belief in Griffin and the organization; owner Bob Nutting and GM Ben Cherington issued statements this week. Griffin, the No. 9 pick in the 2024 draft, sprinted through the minors with a .333 average and will remain with the franchise through the 2034 season.

Washington — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on April 8 that Operation Epic Fury, launched Feb. 28, delivered a decisive battlefield outcome against Iran and forced Tehran to accept a two-week ceasefire, announcing the claims during a Pentagon briefing alongside Joint Chiefs leadership.

The Pentagon official outlined extensive strikes and asserted major damage to Iran's missile, air and naval capabilities; President Trump secured the temporary ceasefire conditioned on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. officials said Tehran must surrender enriched uranium or face further action.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to make a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month, while continuing to evaluate quarterback options; GM Omar Khan said in February at the NFL combine the team still seeks a 'next franchise guy' and is working with Will Howard.

PITTSBURGH — Aaron Rodgers appears likely to return for 2026, keeping veteran depth while trade rumors around Tanner McKee persist this week; the front office must also prioritize contract extensions for Joey Porter Jr. and decide between Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington in the coming offseason ahead of the salary-cap cycle.

Washington: On April 8, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States will engage with Iran after what he called a 'very productive Regime Change,' stating there will be no uranium enrichment and pledging U.S. cooperation to dig up and remove buried nuclear material.

The statement also warned that any country supplying military weapons to Iran would face immediate 50% tariffs; it follows a two‑week ceasefire agreed on Tuesday and sets Islamabad negotiations for Friday to discuss a 15‑point framework and potential tariff and sanctions relief.

United States: American Ocean Minerals Corporation announced on Wednesday it will merge with Nasdaq-listed Odyssey Marine Exploration in an all-stock transaction valuing the combined company at about $1 billion, and the merged firm will operate as American Ocean Minerals Corp., seeking a Nasdaq listing under the ticker AOMC.

The deal includes more than $150 million in private placement funding and a $75 million pre-public financing, is expected to leave the combined company with roughly $175 million cash, requires Odyssey to divest PHOSAGMEX prior to closing, and is expected to close late in Q2 or early Q3 2026.

Bushnell, Florida. On April 2, a CSX train clipped a Sumter County school bus carrying 29 students after the bus moved forward at a railroad crossing; law enforcement reviewed video evidence and cited driver Yvonne Hampton for failing to stop, leading to an arrest.

This week the Sumter County Sheriff announced Hampton faces 29 felony child-neglect charges and was cited for failing to stop; the school district confirmed the driver is no longer employed, investigators cited school and social media video as evidence and continue their review.

Savannah, Georgia — A local group hosted a Data Center Town Hall this week after proposals for new data centers near Savannah prompted public scrutiny of energy, water, noise and land-use impacts. The meeting follows statewide growth: Georgia now hosts nearly 200 data centers with over 100 additional facilities planned or under construction.

Meanwhile, this week Nevada’s largest utility, NV Energy, warned proposed data centers could triple Las Vegas-area electricity demand, potentially jeopardizing the state’s 50% renewable-by-2030 mandate; utilities nationwide are revising resource plans, delaying some retirements and scheduling hearings and impact assessments.

Atlanta — Delta Air Lines reported a $289 million loss in its first quarter on Wednesday, saying adjusted earnings were $0.64 per share and revenue totaled $15.85 billion, exceeding Zacks estimates; in Medina, Ohio, RPM International reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $51.4 million and $1.61 billion in revenue.

This week both companies noted adjusted results topped analysts’ estimates, prompting revised investor expectations; Delta provided EPS guidance of $1.00 to $1.50 for the quarter ending in June, and market watchers will monitor upcoming reports and analyst updates in the days ahead.