Angel Reese to Atlanta Dream
By Tatum Trammell
On Monday, April 6, the Chicago Sky traded two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream. The Sky traded Reese in exchange for the Atlanta Dream’s first-round and second-round picks in 2027 and 2028. Angel Reese fans and Atlanta natives are stoked for her arrival to Atlanta Dream. From her debut at LSU to her two All-Star honors, to numerous brand deals, she is sure to take her talents even further with the Dream.
Artemis II Mission
By Harper Scully
On April 1, NASA successfully lifted off the Artemis II mission. Aboard the Orion capsule, four astronauts were launched into space for a journey around the moon, also called a lunar flyby. This is the farthest humans have traveled into space, and Artemis II broke the world record by traveling over 252,000 miles. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Koch is the first woman, Glover is the first person of color and Hansen is the first non-NASA astronaut to travel around the moon. Artemis II is the first successful mission to go around the moon in 50 years. The last mission was Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission has been successful so far, and minor issues such as malfunctioning toilets and communication loss have been resolved. Orion will land in the Pacific Ocean and will be recovered by the U.S Navy after 10 days on April 10th to conclude the mission.
Clay Fuller Wins Georgia Special Election
By Trey Voegtlin
This past Tuesday, April 7, following the resignation of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) on Jan. 5, 2026, the state of Georgia held a special election to fill her seat for the remainder of her term (which will end at the start of 2027). This election was interesting considering the unusually successful run that Democratic candidate Shawn Harris made during the campaign. Even though Harris did not ultimately win against his Republican challenger Clay Fuller, it was surprising that Mitchell made waves in the preliminary polls due to the typically red lean of Rome, Georgia. The win solidifies the ratio of seats in the House as 217(R) to 214 (D).
Gucci Mane’s Kidnappers Arrested
By Joy Ferguson
On April 1, 2026, Memphis-based rapper Pooh Shiesty (also known as Lontrell Williams Jr.) and Memphis-based rapper Big30 (also known as Rodney Lamont Wright Jr.) along with eight others, (Lontrell Williams, Sr., Kedarius Waters, Terrance Rodgers, Damarian Gipson, Demarcus Glover, Kordae Johnson and Darrion McDaniel) were arrested for the Jan. 10, 2026 kidnapping of Atlanta-based Rapper Gucci Mane. Gucci Mane, also known as Radric Davis, was kidnapped at gunpoint on Jan 10, 2026, using an AK-style pistol.
Big30 was granted a $100,000 bond and placed on house arrest on April 6, 2026, but the other suspects remain in federal custody as they await trial and could be sentenced up to life in prison. Mane was lured to a Dallas, Texas studio thinking he would discuss a contract for a record with Williams Jr., who is signed to Mane’s record deal, The New 1017 Records. He was then kidnapped during the business meeting and forced to sign a release form from the recording contract. The suspects also robbed Mane, taking valuable items such as his wedding ring, watch and earrings. Not only was Mane affected, so were two other victims. One was allegedly choked until losing consciousness, with his Louis Vuitton bag, Rolex watch, AirPods and wallet also being stolen off of him. Evidence from the crime scene was piled up, such as fingerprints matching up to two suspects, security camera footage and posts made by the suspects with the stolen items and more. Because this story is still active, you can follow Fox KDFW for live updates on the case.
Michigan Wins March Madness
By Shaw Gordon
On April 6, 2026, Michigan squared up against UConn in the championship game of March Madness. Michigan cruised through March Madness, beating Howard, Saint Louis, Alabama, Tennessee, Arizona and finally beating UConn 69-63 in the final. UConn cruised through its first game, easily winning, then had a scare against Duke. They were down 19 points at one point in the game, with Braylon Mullins hitting a game-winning shot to send them to the Final Four, then beating Illinois to go to the Championship game. Michigan adds to history with its second title ever and the first one for the program in 37 years.
Performance Ensemble Presents One-Act Play
By Alex Piazza
Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m. was the first night of three of Performance Ensemble’s one-act play. The play is called The Dining Room and is directed by Naomi Fleming ’26. The last showtimes are Friday at 4:15 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. The WA community is invited to watch the play, presented in the Black Box Theater. Tickets are $10 on GoFan.
Selective Service System Proposes Automatic Registration for Military Draft
By Kaden Bruton
On March 30, The Selective Service System (SSS) submitted a proposal to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that plans to automatically register draft-eligible men ages 18-25. Since 1980, the SSS has required men to register themselves, and failure to register may result in penalties such as fines and jail time. The rule change would allow the SSS to create the list using information compiled from other government databases. The last time the United States enacted a draft was during the Vietnam War in 1973. When White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, was questioned by mothers worried about the draft returning, she said that President Donald Trump “does not remove options off of the table.”
Trump Administration Files Emergency Motion to Continue Ballroom Construction
By Akiva Bryant
On April 3, the Trump administration filed an emergency motion against U.S. District Judge Richard Leon’s ruling to temporarily stop construction of the White House’s $400 million Ballroom. On March 31, 2026, Judge Leon decided on the ruling based on President Donald Trump facing a current lawsuit, filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, due to allegations of him exceeding his Presidential authority by demolishing the East Wing and constructing the Ballroom without Congress approval. In response, the Trump administration argues in the emergency motion that the order risks security issues, as the White House is left “open and exposed,” and is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President’s staff.” Additionally, the emergency motion states that “the President has complete authority to renovate the White House.”
