Omar King AJC 2 Thursday 20240404

This program is intended for a print and paired audience and is brought to you by the Georgia Radio Reading Service, GARS. Welcome to our reading of the AJC, I'm Omar King for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Today is Thursday, April 4th, 2024. Our first article comes to us from the living section, from the comics. Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau. The scene opens as a daughter speaks to her father. You can't marry mom, that's a terrible idea. The father says, why? Because dumping you is much easier for mom now. If you get married, it would involve a long, messy divorce. Messy? What's messy? All I'd want is my half. Oh what have I done? This concludes the first comic, Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau. The next comic, Prickly City by Scott Stantis. The scene opens with a young lady speaking to her canine friend. She explains to the canine, we love our stuff. Pictured, you can see the young girl and the canine in about three boxes. In the next frame, and when we have too much stuff, we rent places to store our stuff so we can collect even more stuff. The young lady explains to her canine friend, with about four boxes surrounding them. The canine finally asks, how did your species make it this far? The young lady explains, with stuff, now surrounded by about ten boxes. This concludes our comic section. The last comic read was Prickly City by Scott Stantis. Next we will read from the horoscopes section. Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis. Aries March 21st through April 19th. You're so consistently impressive that by now, Exceeds Expectations is your brand. Of course, it's easier to pull off when you're also under promise. Taurus April 20th through May 20th. Emptiness is the source of fullness and vice versa. Embracing emptiness will allow you to be receptive to the richness of life and to experience true fulfillment. Gemini May 21st through June 21st. Friends who don't agree can be the luckiest relationship you have. Somewhere between your different points of view lies an answer that has in more agreeable company eluded you. Cancer June 22nd through July 22nd. Once you thought you needed more money, hottest tickets, or better company, when you really needed a sense of purpose, today's meaningful work makes you feel more like yourself and simultaneously connect to all. Leo July 23rd through August 22nd. It would be impossible for experiences to play out as you project because reality involves more factors that could be contained in your mind. Virgo August 23rd through September 22nd. If you invest too little in a relationship, it will still take your energy and give nothing in return. For this to be worth your while, either ramp up your commitment or get out completely. Libra September 23rd through October 23rd. You'll meet people who check a lot of boxes for you. People who like similar activities, have compatible communication styles with yours, and who prefer compromise over conflict, resolution over drama, which is key for a lasting tie. Scorpio October 24th through November 21st. This is the moment to involve yourself in a positive and gradual change. Be like the methodical tortoise, setting a pace for the long game. Small steps ever forward will add up to the win. Sagittarius November 22nd through December 21st. How do you know if you're in alignment with the natural flow of things? For starters, it won't require big amounts of effort. Think of yourself as a sailboat. Rotate your sail until you catch the wind. Capricorn December 22nd through January 19th. Charity is among your key values, and you'll happily give to those who are not in a position to give back, but among those who are fully able to reciprocate, some are not so inclined. Many will want your attention. Who's earned it? Aquarius January 20th through February 18th. Responsibility isn't always burdensome. In a strange way, one duty can prop up another one. You'll take on more and thrive because of it. Your rewards could come as soon as this evening. Pisces February 19th through March 20th. Everyone remembers things differently, and each will be convinced of their own rightness, so there's no use arguing about it. Focus on telling your story, your way. To the people whose reactions matter to you. If today is your birthday, the wide variety of your experiences will stretch beyond your dreams. Virgo and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are 7, 10, 4, 41, and 5. Returning to the comics section, Luanne by Greg Evans and Karen Evans. The first character holds a box of cereal, and she says to her friend, let's think about how we could brand ourselves. The friend replies, well, I've tried Tiff as Nails, Tiff Storage, Table for Two, Tease Tease, all duds. The first character says, I successfully branded myself with Bets and Guns, but it was too hard on me. The friend replies, seems like between us, we could create a brand that... She interrupts, got it, we'll start a biz branding the unbranded. The friend says, so we brand ourselves as Branders? This concludes the comic, Luanne by Greg Evans and Karen Evans. Our next comic is Garfield by Jim Davis. Garfield's daily exercise log. Garfield sits at his laptop as he types, tick, tick, tick, 1,000 push-ups, 250,000 sit-ups, 500,000 leg lifts, 1,000,000 steps, tick, tick, tick. Garfield says with a sly smile, if you're gonna lie, lie big. This concludes the reading of Garfield by Jim Davis. Our next comic is Crankshaft by Tom Batyuk and Chuck Ayers. A woman says, I suppose you're selling seats for the Eclipse too. A man replies, yes, but only after they purchase a seat license online. Somewhere in the distance, they see a man pushing port-a-potties. The woman says, port-a-potties? The man replies, for now. I plan to cut a hole on the top and sell them as private viewing booths. The man's granddaughter says, Grant says, we're going to be squillionaires. This concludes the reading of Crankshaft by Tom Batyuk and Chuck Ayers. Our next comic is Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pestis. The scene opens with a crocodile as he steps to the counter at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The crocodile says, Hi, me Larry the Croc. You reject my application for hunting rifle, kill zebra, neighbor. Me want know why. The man behind the counter replies, Larry the Croc, Larry the Croc, ah yes, here's your application. It appears your answer to the first question was deemed unsatisfactory. The first question was, have you been convicted of a felony? His answer was, no, but me can try harder. You guys real nitpickers, the man behind the counter says. Have you thought about fighting with sticks and stones? This concludes the reading of Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pestis. Our next comic is Curtis by Ray Billingsley. The scene opens with Curtis and his mom as Curtis sits at the kitchen table. His mom says, Your dad doesn't spend money freely because of his childhood. Curtis with a question mark on his face. His mother continues, His father had a gambling habit and often lost rent and grocery money. Curtis continues to stare. His mother says, His family spent time living in a shelter. He vowed not to let it happen to his family. Curtis finally replies, He never told me. His mom replies, It's a side of him he didn't want you to know. That concludes the reading of Curtis by Ray Billingsley. This also concludes the reading of our comics for today. Our next article comes to us from The Living Section. Visible's New Premium Plan Features Won't Cost Extra by Clark Howard from the Save More, Spend Less and Avoid Ripoffs. Visible currently offers two cell phone plans, Visible $25 per month and Visible Plus $45 per month. Until now, the key difference between the two has been 50GB of premium data and access to Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network of Visible Plus. Now the Premium Plan has even more features available for the same monthly price. Here are a few new features Visible announced for new and existing customers on the Visible Plus plan. Global Pass for International Travel. For $10 a day, Visible members can now use service internationally in 140 countries. The day pass includes unlimited talk, text and 2GB of high speed data. Visible Plus members can activate one day of Global Pass per month for free through the Visible app. Premium Mobile Hotspot. Visible Mobile Hotspot speed was previously capped at 5Mbps. Now Visible Plus includes increased mobile hotspot speeds of up to 10Mbps. Unlimited Data. Unlimited Data. When roaming in Canada and Mexico, another international perk, Visible Plus members now have 2GB of full speed roaming and data per day. Previously only 0.5GB. Followed by unlimited 3G speeds in Canada and Mexico. Next new feature, SmartWatch Connectivity. Visible Plus members now have SmartWatch service for no extra fee. Each of these features is available to new and existing members with the Visible Plus plan. In addition to these features, Visible also announced the company will be extending its Connection Protection Program to all subscribers. According to Visible, the program allows members facing layoffs to apply to receive service on us for up to 3 months. You can learn more about Connection Protection by Visible on the company's website. If you aren't familiar with Visible, it's a prepaid cell phone service program provider that Verizon Wireless owns. Customers on Visible phone plans have access to Verizon's wireless network as a carrier runs on the same towers. Visible offers only 2 cell phone plans, but they both can be great options for lowering your monthly phone bill. This concludes the article, Visible's New Premium Plan Features Won't Cost Extra, by Clark Howard from the Save More, Spend Less, and Avoid Ripoffs. Our next article from the Living section is titled, How to Make Your Emerald Zoysia Thrive, by Walter Reeves of Gardening. Question 1. I had Emerald Zoysia installed over freshly tilled soil last August. It looked great then, but it naturally turned brown during the winter. What are the best maintenance practices to keep it looking good in the future summers? From Gus Calloway of Decatur. The answer, Emerald Zoysia is an excellent grass. It grows so thickly that it chokes out weeds, but it can have problems with thatch accumulation due to the high amount of slow to decompose silica in the blades. Proper lawn maintenance helps avoid problems. First, you need to exact measurements of the lawn's area and some bathroom scales. Zoysia like to be fed a little at a time, in doses of half pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Decide on the fertilizer you'll use. It should not contain weed killer or weed preventative. Take first number on the bag and divide 50 by that number. The result is the number of pounds of your fertilizer that will deliver half pound of actual nitrogen to 1,000 square feet of lawn. Example, if you choose to use 2904 fertilizer, 50 divided by 29 equals 1.7, so you should apply 1.7 pounds of 2904 to every 1,000 square feet each time you fertilize. Calibrate the spreader for 2904 by putting it on the smallest setting and spreading 1.7 pounds of fertilizer over a measured 1,000 square feet. Adjust the spreader to apply your chosen fertilizer at the rate you're calculated for it. Apply after full green up, then mid-late June, then August. Don't fertilize after September. Sharpen your mower blade at least twice each season. Keep the grass 2 inches high and it will look great. Question 2. I have a mow problem in my cabin in North Carolina. Any thoughts about getting rid of cute pesky residents? I have sod roller and I sometimes drag behind my mower. Jeremy Scott via email. Answer, I have seen a lot of cabins in the mountainous areas of North Georgia and North Carolina. Fescue is the most common lawn grass and if there are a few weeds, many times the owner's attitude is so. In my opinion, mow control in lawns like those simply isn't warranted. Poisons and traps have to be tended daily for any hope of control. Most cabins are only used on weekends. My advice would be different if you had a manicured lawn. You can use the sod roller when you're there to make the mow roofs collapse, but I think that's enough. For any more gardening questions, you can email Walter at GeorgiaGardener at Yahoo.com. Listen to his occasional garden comments on Green and Growing with Ashley Froska, Saturday mornings on 95.5 WSB. Visit the website WalterReeves.com or join his Facebook page at Georgia Gardener for his latest tips. This concludes the reading of the article titled How to Make Your Emerald Zozia Thrive by Walter Reeves the Gardener. Our next article from the living section comes to us from Gianne Phillips, Dear Abby, Coworker becomes an outlet for others' trauma. Dear Abby, It seems I am a human landfill into which people dump their trauma. I'm not sure how this happened. It started three years ago when an estranged friend called me and talked for more than an hour about what had led to him getting fired from his job. I was touched that he had reached out, and I expected us to resume our friendship, but he wasn't interested in much more communication. Later, a work acquaintance invited me to lunch and began unloading the awful trauma she had endured 40 years ago. It was one-way conversation, with not even enough pause for me to politely reaffirm what was being said. We never spoke after that because I left the company. Now, a new coworker I haven't made any personal connection with calls me a few times a week to trauma dump. I try to change the subject, but her stories of abuse and peril never stop. In fact, I can put her on speakerphone while I loudly go about my business at home, and she'll continue talking. When she finally has had enough, she then abruptly ends the call. I finally decided I'm done answering her calls. What I can do is to ensure I am no longer seen as the trauma landfill. This comic was left by Dunn With It in Pennsylvania. Dear Dunn, This keeps happening because you are caring, empathetic, and a polite person who has the patience to allow these people to dump on you. The next time it starts to happen, say this, This must have been terrible, but I am not equipped to advise you about it. This is something that should be addressed by talking to a therapist, or in the case of the former coworker who called you, HR. After that, be less available. The next Dear Abby begins. Dear Abby, Last year, a dear friend was attacked by dogs and killed. My family enjoys hiking on public trails. Lately, however, our walks have not been enjoyable. I become nervous and very upset whenever I encounter dogs off leash. I usually end up expressing my fear and asking the owner to put their dog on a leash. My 16-year-old daughter is not comfortable when I do this. Her view is that the owners have trained their dogs well enough to be off leash. I disagree. When I disagree, I tell her that animals are unpredictable, and I am speaking out because my friend was killed by dogs. Please help us understand the best way to handle this situation, which ends up in conflict. This comment came from Walking Scared in Wisconsin. Dear Walking, Your daughter's view is naive. Although the majority of dog owners are responsible and socialize and train their pets, not all of them do so, and the result can be tragic. Your friend's death is an example. When your daughter decides to hike, she should always have someone with her and carry pepper spray or gel to ward off a possible attack, not only by canines, but also humans. Sorry, that's a reality these days. As for you, you might be better off emotionally if, for the time being, you get your cardio exercise on a treadmill in a gym or at home. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.dearabby.com or PO Box 69440, Los Angeles, California, ZIP Code 90069. This concludes the Dear Abby article, written by Jeanne Phillips, titled Coworker Becomes an Outlet for Others' Trauma. That concludes our reading of the Living section. Moving on to the Metro section. History Center Releases Trove of Land Use Plans by Matt Reynolds. Records show how city policies affected Black Atlantans. The Atlantan History Center is making available historical records spanning eight decades so researchers can examine city policies on land use and the impact on Black Atlantans. Researchers visiting the center's Kenan Research Center will be able to look at four batches of city planning records from 1920 through 1997, including meeting minutes of official decisions from the Department of City Planning, which oversees housing, buildings, design, and zoning, according to a post on the center's website. These minutes document public opinion about civil development, growth, and gentrification, as well as research into city decisions, financial and project planning, ordinance proposals, and finalized legislation, the center said. It added that researchers can use the records to understand what Atlantans thought about these decisions and how some, usually Black Atlantans, suffered under government policy while others, usually white Atlantans, benefited. The first batch of records, from 1920 to 1974, revealed recommendations from the Atlanta-Fulton County Joint Planning Board to city officials and the mayor on the city's growth and development, including the establishment of what would become the municipal market in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood. The market became known as the Sweet Auburn Curb Market because of the popularity of Black sellers who, because of Jim Crow laws, were forbidden from doing business inside and had to sell goods from the street. A second batch of records, from 1923 to 1997, has Board of Zoning Adjustment Meeting Minutes documenting Atlanta's Merchandise Mart's appeal against the board's decision to stop construction. The mart designed by Atlanta's architect John C. Portman Jr. was eventually built in 1961 on Peachtree Street downtown. Zoning Review Board Committee Meeting Minutes are part of another series of records from 1954 to 1984, and that includes a discussion of city zoning ordinances, rezoning, and special use permits. A fourth series of records, from 1957 to 1973, could give researchers a close-up look at how officials evaluated living conditions in city neighborhoods and managed housing programs. According to the Center's website, those records show how the planning and the development committee reviewed redevelopment of Butler Street, McDaniel Street, Atlanta University Center, Washington-Rawson, and Georgia State College, which later became Georgia State University. Specifically, there are minutes pertaining to the Butler Street Urban Renewal Area project to improve housing and increase green spaces, plans to redevelop Buttermilk Bottom, and the construction of the Northeast Expressway, I-85, to post states. In October, the National Historic Publication and Records Commission, which is affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration, awarded the Kenan Research Center almost $138,000 for its research work and land use around Atlanta. At the time, the Center said the grant would allow researchers to tell stories about the impact of segregation and redlining on black Atlantans to provide essential insight into regional and national trends related to the land and home ownership and race relations. This concludes the reading of an article titled, History Center Releases Trove of Land Use Plans, by Matt Reynolds. Records show how city policies affected black Atlantans. The next article is a story from Douglas County. Remove Metro Atlanta Judge State Judicial Watchdog Urges, by Rosie Mannins. Douglas County Probate Judge Faces 30 Ethics Charges. Douglas County's probate judge should be removed from office in response to a host of ethics charges. A panel of Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission has said in a report, Christina Peterson, who became a probate judge in an uncontested November 2020 election, has been fighting the ethics charges since they were filed by the director of the state's judicial watchdog in July 2021. At one point, Peterson faced 50 separate charges, accusing her of violating the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct, but 20 have been withdrawn or dismissed. Peterson, a University of Georgia School of Law graduate who practiced as an attorney for several years before taking the bench, was accused of inappropriate social media posts, unnecessarily jailing and fining a woman who sought to amend her marriage license and letting wedding participants into Douglas County's courthouse after hours without permission. She was also abusive toward a fellow judge and other county officials, obstructed access to public records, and had improper contact with a litigant, among other things, the judicial commission alleged. Peterson's actions demonstrate a troubling pattern of ineptitude and misconduct. The panel wrote in a 54-page report Sunday, she is not fit to serve. The Georgia Supreme Court will decide whether Peterson remains on the bench. Peterson's attorney, Lester Tate, said they reject the panel's recommendation and look forward to arguing the case before the court. Throughout the Exix case, Peterson has said that she has faced unfair criticism as the first black probate judge in Douglas County. During a trial before the commission panel last year, Peterson admitted making mistakes in her first year as judge while learning the ropes and said she was trying to do better. Peterson acknowledged that it was harsh of her to jail and fine the woman who sought without an attorney to amend her marriage license in 2021. She also expressed regret about sending an April 2021 email to David Emerson, who at the time was the chief judge of Douglas County Superior Court, questioning his judicial authority and competency record show. The commission, which is tasked with investigating complaints of judicial misconduct, has twice sought Peterson's suspension. Both requests were denied by the state Supreme Court. In its report, the panel said Peterson has been disingenuous, if not outright dishonest, during the investigation process. It said her testimony during last year's trial was untruthful and invasive. This persistent unwillingness to apply to herself the rules that apply to everyone else is deeply troubling, the panel said. Moreover, she has demonstrated a steadfast unwillingness to accept moral accountability in nearly all the episodes of misconduct. Given Peterson's stance that the ethics case against her has been unfair, biased, and intentionally obstructive to her career, no sanction less than removal from office will have a meaningful impact, the panel said. Peterson's actions in the courtroom and outside demonstrate a consistent and persistent pattern of misconduct, compromise, of intemperance, judicial incompetence, and danger to the rights of litigants, it said, and so she must go. Courtney Veal, the commission director who has led the ethics case against Peterson, said the panel's report speaks for itself. Veal said she looks forward to the final ruling by the state Supreme Court. Peterson and Veal have 20 days to file responses to the panel's report. It's unclear when the court will make a decision. Peterson has qualified for a re-election this year as Douglas County's probate judge. She is being challenged in the Democratic primary in May by Douglasville attorney Valerie Vai. No Republican candidates have qualified in the race. After becoming a lawyer in 2013, Peterson worked at a private law firm and then as a prosecutor in Douglas and Fulton Counties. Records show she has no prior experience as a judge. This concludes the reading of the article titled, Remove Metro Atlanta Judge State Judicial Watchdog Urges. Douglas County Probate Judge Faces 30 Ethics Charges by Rosie Mannance. This also concludes the reading from our Metro Atlanta section. Next, we read from the obituary section. Jenny Ross, Ms. Jenny Smith-Ross of Southwest Atlanta, passed away on April 1st, 2024. Services entrusted to Murray Brothers Cascade Chapel. Donald Sykes, age 66, of Lithonia, Georgia, passed March 29th, 2024. Services pending. Gregory B. Leavitt and Sons Funeral Home, Decatur, Georgia. Geraldine Webb, Ms. Geraldine Webb passed March 20th, 2024. Funeral services will be held April 6th, 2024 at 11 a.m. Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, 2340 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur, Georgia. There will be a viewing at Gregory B. Leavitt Funeral Home on April 5th, 2024 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. At 4347 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur, Georgia, 30034. A repass will be held at Magnolia Room Cafeteria, 4450 Hugh Howell Road, Interco, Georgia, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This concludes the reading of the obituary section. From the sports section, Hawks 121, Pistons 113, Triple Threat. Johnson's triple-double leads Hawks to sixth win in seven games. For the first time in his young career, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson can say he notched a triple-double. The feat came in a 121-113 win over the Pistons on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena. Here are five observations. Number one, finally. Johnson has flirted with a triple-double several times this season. It felt good to finally get one, he said. I think I got close a couple times, but to end up getting one was pretty cool. The Hawks forward crept up on the accomplishment quietly, dishing out eight assists and grabbing seven rebounds, with over two quarters to play in the game. He eventually grabbed two more rebounds while also dishing out a ninth assist and hovered around there for several possessions. But Johnson never sought out each of his stats. Number two, a stellar game. Sitting at 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, he grabbed a rebound and looked poised to record the triple-double in one possession. But Johnson worked within the game's flow and eventually the moment came around again. With 927 to play, Johnson grabbed his 12th rebound of the game, got out in transition, and quickly pushed the ball to the wing where he found Garrison Matthews wide open for a three. Matthews hit the shot and the arena erupted. In that moment, he became the first Hawks player to record a triple-double since November 5th, 2022, when DeJuanse Murray did so against the Pelicans. Johnson tied his career high in points with 28. He grabbed 14 rebounds, just two shy of his career best, and surpassed his personal record in assists with 11. Tonight was a stellar game, Hawks coach Quinn Snyder said. You mentioned the assist. He was just to let the game come to him. There are a number of times he was just finding people. Number three, that was efficient. In addition to his dishes, Johnson helped the Hawks to an efficient night from the field. He, along with DeAndre Hunter, shot over 65% overall, with the pair knocking down over 50% of the three-point attempts. Johnson shot a blazing 71.4% from the floor and had slammed down a few dunks in transition. Hunter, who scored 26 points, had seven rebounds and four assists, made all but five of his 16 attempts, and looked comfortable pulling up from mid-range. For the fourth time in six games, he hit over 40% of his shots. He's the guy that sometimes his attempts can fluctuate, Snyder said on Hunter. I just want him to be aggressive, and I think when he's aggressive, he's got a clear head. And again, that's where, you know, everybody sharing it puts guys in positions where there's clarity on what their reads are. Number four, Flynn on fire. For the most part, the Hawks had a solid defensive outing, holding the Pistons, other than Malachi Flynn, to 36% shooting from the field. But with the rest of the Pistons having a rough shooting night, it made Flynn's efficiency all the more glaring. The Pistons guard scored 50 points, knocking down 18 of 25 shot attempts from the floor, and looked unstoppable while doing it. Though the Hawks threw several defenders at him, he blew past them, hit shots off screens, pulled up to create space, and just attacked the basket. Prior to Wednesday's game, Flynn averaged just 4.6 points in 62 games. Some of the players that have scored 50 or more points this season include Devin Booker, three times, Joel Embiid, three times, Giannis Antetokounmpo, two times, Jalen Bronson, two times, Luka Doncic, two times, Tyrese Mackenzie, two times, Stephan Curry, Zach Levine, Carl Anthony, Townes, and now Flynn, all with one time. Fifth, they're in the play-in. The Hawks have clinched a berth in the play-in tournament for the third straight year with Wednesday's win over the Pistons. The team needed either a win or the Nets to lose to solidify their spot. With their win, the Hawks have evened things up with the Bulls. Both teams have six games left, but the Bulls own the tiebreaker after going 2-1 against the Hawks in the regular season. The Hawks' remaining games include the Mavericks at the Nuggets, a home game versus the Heat, and then the Hornets before finishing on the road at the Timberwolves and Pacers. This concludes the reading of an article titled Triple Threat by Lauren Williams from the sports section. Next, we will read an article on men's college basketball. The article is titled Alabama Sharpshooter is No Longer Overlooked After Two Seasons in MAC, Sears Leads Tide on First Final Four Turn by John Zenner by the Associated Press. From Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Nate Oates admits it. He whiffed on Mark Sears out of high school. It's okay, though. So did every major college coach. It is why Alabama's undersized, high-scoring point guard wound up at Ohio State before finally getting a chance to return to his home state. Nobody is overlooking the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Sears now, a sharpshooter with the quickness to dart by defenders. He has led the Crimson Tide to its first Final Four heading into Saturday night's game against top-seeded UConn in Glendale, Arizona. I probably screwed up, not offer him out of high school, Oates said. Not probably. We did screw up. We didn't make the same mistake twice. Sears spent two seasons at Ohio, emerging as one of the Mid-American Conference's top players. Then the Muscle Shoals native was in the transfer portal and coveted by the same programs that once didn't consider him good enough or big enough. A player who jotted down goals as a kid that included playing in the SEC and making the Final Four picked Alabama, where he's now the only player from the state on the team's roster. A surprise as the team's number two scorer behind Brandon Miller last season, Sears, has been a revelation during his Final Four run. This concludes the reading of an article from the sports section titled, Alabama Sharpshooter is No Longer Overlooked. After two seasons in MAC, Sears leads Tide on first Final Four run by John Zenner of the Associated Press. From Pro Football, an article, Bills trade wide receiver Diggs to Texans. Buffalo gets a 2025 second-round draft pick in a package deal via the Associated Press. The Buffalo Bills are trading their top receiving threat, Stephan Diggs, to the Houston Texans in a deal that was agreed to Wednesday. The Bills acquired the Texans' second-round pick in the 2025 draft, a pick Houston acquired in a trade with Minnesota. Houston also acquired Buffalo's sixth-round pick in this year's draft and a fifth-rounder in 2025. Diggs' departure from Buffalo leaves quarterback Josh Allen without his favorite target. It breaks up a tandem that has rewritten the team's passing records since the receiver's arrival in a trade with Minnesota in March 2020. Together, they transformed a Bills offense into becoming one of the NFL's most potent while helping Buffalo win four straight AFC East titles. For the Texans, Diggs gives the offense another playmaker to the team with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Collins led Houston with 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns last season. The Texans went worst to first in the AFC South under first-year coach D'Amico Ryan and AAP Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud. Houston also has traded for running back Joe Mixon, along with a host of improvements on defense. After the deal, the Texans were 15-1 odds to win the Super Bowl next season on FanDuel Sportsbook. Diggs, who is 30, has nine years of NFL experience and has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his past six seasons. In his first season in Buffalo, he became the Bills' first player to lead the league in both yards receiving, 1,535 yards, and catches, 127. Diggs' production began slipping in the second half of last season, which coincided with Buffalo firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and promoting Joe Brady, who placed a renewed emphasis on the running attack. Diggs finished the season with 107 catches and 1,183 yards, both lows during his tenure with the Bills, and eight touchdowns. Diggs has four seasons left on his contract. Chiefs agreed to a one-year deal with running back Clyde Edwards Hilaire, who has appeared in 48 games since he was a first-round draft pick in 2020, running for 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 89 passes for 765 yards and seven touchdowns over four seasons. Also, Chiefs wide receiver Rasheed Rice said Wednesday he was taking full responsibility for his part in a weekend wreck involving speeding sports cars that caused a chain-reaction six-vehicle crash on a Dallas highway and resulted in minor injuries to four people. Rice was leasing a Lamborghini SUV that police said was speeding along with a Corvette on Saturday. Police said occupants of the Lamborghini and Corvette left the scene without providing information or determining whether anyone needed medical attention. Today, I met with Dallas PD investigators regarding Saturday's accident. I take full responsibility for my part in this matter and will continue to cooperate with the necessary authorities," Rice wrote on Instagram. I sincerely apologize to everyone impacted. This concludes an article on Pro Football. For the Bills trade of wide receiver Diggs to Texans, Buffalo gets a 20-25 second-round draft pick in a package deal via the Associated Press. From Pro Basketball, Ken Embiid's return gives East Playoffs race a jolt. 76ers hoping star center can lift them above playing line. By Ben Gulliver via the Washington Post. Joel Embiid's first game action for the Philadelphia 76ers in more than two months culminated with a game-deciding stop. Matched up against Oklahoma City Thunder's guard Josh Giddey with less than 30 seconds remaining in a one-possession game. The reigning NBA MVP snatched an ill-advised crossover dribble and took off in transition. Fouled before he could finish the layup on the other end, Embiid converted a pair of free throws to help put away a 109-105 home victory Tuesday. The contest between the 76ers and the Thunder unfolded with less than perfect attendance. Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey out with the hip and Oklahoma City's shy Gilgis Alexander out with the quad and Jalen Williams' ankle set out with minor injuries. But those absences only brightened the spotlight on Embiid who posted 24 points on 6-for-14 shooting, 7 assists and 6 rebounds and 3 steals in 29 minutes. His in-game pickpocketing of Giddey brought the crowd to his feet and perhaps more importantly injected a jolt of energy in what has been a forgettable final lap of the Eastern Conference playoff race. With the number one seed Boston Celtics sailing in front of the competition and the number two Milwaukee Bucks still working out the kinks following a mid-season coaching change, the East's landscape has lacked juice since Embiid underwent surgery to address a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee in early February. The Cleveland Cavaliers currently occupy the third seed and the New York Knicks' fifth have been hampered by injuries to Donovan Mitchell and Julius Randle, respectively. While the Conference's high volume of basement dwellers ensured there wouldn't be any interest around the play-in tournament cut line, the Orlando Magic's fourth joined the playoff mix ahead of schedule and the Miami Heat's seventh. The East's reigning champions can never be counted out, but Embiid's absence robbed the Conference of its biggest personality while severely undermining one of the top threats to the Celtics and Bucks. Considering the challenging circumstance, Embiid and the 76ers are best cast as spoilers and an early exit in the play-in tournament or the first round shouldn't engender the same vitriol as their infamous second round collapses of the past. For once, Embiid enters the postseason without much to lose. This concludes the reading of a Pro Basketball article titled, Can Embiid's Return Give East Playoff Race a Jolt? 76ers Hoping Star Center Can Lift Them Above Play-in Line by Ben Gulliver of the Washington Post. That concludes our reading of the second hour of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This has been Omar King for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Thank you for listening to GARS.