LSU star Angel Reese declares for WNBA draft via Vogue photo shoot, says ‘I didn’t want to be basic’

Bayou Barbie is WNBA bound. LSU star Angel Reese, who is known for her eyelash extensions, painted fingernails and ferocious play in the paint, formally declared for the WNBA draft on Wednesday. Her announcement comes two days after the Tigers’ season ended with a loss to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Elite Eight round of the women’s NCAA Tournament .

Reese, who has expressed an interest in working in fashion and modeling, announced her decision via a photo shoot in Vogue , saying she was inspired by tennis great Serena Williams announcing her retirement in 2022 in a similar manner.

Reese, who publicly had left open the option of returning for another year at LSU, acknowledged having made up her mind to turn pro before March Madness began.

“Of course, I like to do everything big,” Reese told the magazine. “I didn’t want anything to be basic.”

“I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” added Reese, who also has expressed interest in playing professionally in Europe during the WNBA offseason. “I’ve won a national championship, I’ve gotten (Southeastern Conference) Player of the Year, I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to be a pro — and to be one of the greatest basketball players to play, ever. I feel like I’m ready.”

Reese, a dynamic, 6-foot-3 forward who can run the floor, guard the perimeter and block shots anywhere, likely will join Clark, the expected No. 1 pick by Indiana, as one of the top players drafted on April 15. Draft analysts have projected Reese as a seventh or eighth overall choice. An undeveloped outside shot is among the few questions about her game as she leaves college.

Reese grew up in Baltimore and began her college career at Maryland, where her brother, Julian, plays for the men’s team. She transferred to LSU in 2022 and the Tigers won the program’s only national title in Reese’s first season.

“She helped transform our program,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said. “We are all indebted to Angel Reese for the contributions she has given to this program, helping us win our first national championship, and the contributions she made on our university as a whole.”

Reese registered 61 double-doubles for the Tigers in two seasons. Only Sylvia Fowles had more double-doubles at LSU.

Reese averaged 20.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game at LSU, including seven games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. Reese became the first SEC player since Vanderbilt’s Wendy Scholtens in 1989 and 1990 to lead the league in both scoring and rebounding in consecutive seasons.

This season, Reese was named the SEC Player of the Year. Reese has played four college seasons but was among those athletes granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA because their careers overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: AP News

Maryland U.S. Senate debate canceled after David Trone refuses to commit

WBAL-TV partnered with NBC Washington, “Meet the Press,” and Maryland Public Television to bring Maryland voters a televised debate featuring the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate.

That debate was scheduled for April 23.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks accepted WBAL-TV’s invitation, but U.S. Rep. David Trone’s campaign refused to commit to the debate. So, at this time, that debate has been called off.

Statement from Angela Alsobrooks’ campaign

Alsobrooks’ campaign manager, Sheila O’Connell, released a statement, saying: “Angela is committed to ensuring voters across Maryland have the opportunity to see the choice they have on the ballot in May. Angela continues to gain momentum as we approach the primary, earning key endorsements and growing her grassroots movement in Maryland. Voters know she’ll best represent us in the Senate.”

Statement from David Trone‘s campaign

“David has already participated in or committed to more than a dozen public forums and a televised debate. We look forward to continuing to campaign in every county in Maryland to talk about the issues that matter with the people who matter most: Marylanders.”

Baltimore City races

WBAL-TV is pleased to report that it and Maryland Public Television will bring voters a debate featuring the top Democratic candidates for Baltimore mayor at 7 p.m. on April 17. WBAL-TV is also hosting a debate featuring the candidates for Baltimore City Council president that will stream on April 18 on WBALTV.com and the WBAL-TV app, as well as the Very Local app.

Baltimore police seek person in connection with fatal shooting of 17-year-old

Baltimore police detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify a person seen on camera in connection with a fatal shooting occurring on April 1. Commissioner Richard Worley said police responded to the 200 block of East Pratt Street in downtown Baltimore at around 8 p.m. Monday evening for a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they found a 17-year-old male that was shot. Four to five suspects fled the area. The victim was pronounced dead at a hospital. Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott also reported to the scene.

“Make this easy on yourself and turn yourself in, because we will find you. This is not a game to us, this is very serious when we talk about taking lives,” Scott said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 410-369-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.

Sen. Ben Cardin talks Baltimore Key Bridge replacement commitment

“We need to make sure that we have the commitment moving forward to replace the bridge with the type of bridge befitting of our community,” Sen. Ben Cardin said as he plans to meet this week with the Office of Management and Budget.

There’s a limit to how much money is appropriated for these types of projects, and Cardin says Congress has to appropriate those funds.

“The Congress has come together to make sure the resources are there so that infrastructure can be replaced,” Cardin said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that the federal government will pick up the lion’s share of the cost of a new key bridge.

“There are pots of dollars that are unleashed under emergency declarations, and those funds are flowing,” Cardin added.

Source: WBAL

Trump’s lawyers push for recusal of Judge Juan Merchan in hush money case

Donald Trump’s lawyers are again asking Judge Juan Merchan to recuse himself from the former president’s New York hush money trial, seven months after the judge declined a similar request by defense lawyers. Defense lawyers filed a letter Monday arguing that Merchan’s daughter’s work for the digital consulting firm Authentic Campaigns creates an “ongoing financial interest” tied to the former president’s criminal trial.

“Under these circumstances, Your Honor has an interest in this case that warrants recusal, there is an unacceptable risk that the Court’s family relationships will influence judicial conduct, and the Court’s impartiality ‘might reasonably be questioned,’” defense lawyer Todd Blanche wrote, asking for permission to file a motion in support of recusal.

Responding in a filing Tuesday, prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office argued that the defense request for Merchan’s recusal was factually flawed, failed to provide new information, and should be immediately denied.

“There is simply nothing new here that would alter this Court’s prior conclusion that nothing about this proceeding will directly benefit Authentic or this Court’s family member, let alone this Court,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said.

Trump’s lawyers made a similar effort to have Merchan recused from the case last year based on $35 in political contributions he made to Democrats in 2020 — including a $15 donation to Joe Biden — as well as his role overseeing the 2022 Trump Organization trial, and his daughter’s work as a political consultant.

Merchan declined to recuse himself in an August 2023 ruling, writing that “this Court has examined its conscience and is certain in its ability to be fair and impartial.”

“Defendant has failed to demonstrate that there exists concrete, or even realistic reasons for recusal to be appropriate, much less required on these grounds. The speculative and hypothetical scenarios offered by Defendant fall well short of the legal standard,” Merchan said about the allegations related to his daughter’s work.

Merchan relied on a May 2023 opinion issued by New York’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics, which determined that his “impartiality cannot reasonably be questioned” based on his daughter’s work.

Source: WBAL