Reggie Jackson’s three homers in 1977 sealed his “Mr. October” legend. From Oakland to New York, and now STEM philanthropy, his story blends power, pressure, and purpose.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 18, 2025
A night that named a legend
On Oct. 18, 1977, Reggie Jackson stepped into Yankee Stadium history. He saw three first-pitch strikes. He launched all three into the seats. The third flew to deep center, off the black batter’s eye. The Yankees clinched the World Series. The crowd roared “Reg-GIE!” and a nickname stuck forever: Mr. October.
That moment didn’t come easy. Jackson had joined New York after a stormy year in Baltimore. The Yankees clubhouse ran hot: big egos, bigger expectations. Manager Billy Martin benched him in the ALCS, then called his number late. Jackson answered with a key RBI single. He carried that momentum into the World Series—five home runs in the final three games, eight RBI, and a record 25 total bases. He owned October.
Built for big stages
Reginald “Reggie” Martinez Jackson played 21 MLB seasons. He starred for the Kansas City/Oakland A’s, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and California Angels. He was a 14-time All-Star, the 1973 AL MVP, a five-time World Series champion, and a two-time World Series MVP. He finished with 563 home runs and a reputation for rising when it mattered most.
Reggie Jackson Jersey – Courtesy Wikipedia
He also led the league in strikeouts—proof that taking big swings cuts both ways. But teams got better around him. Across two decades, Jackson’s clubs finished first 11 times and endured only two losing seasons. The A’s won three straight titles from 1972–74. The Yankees won back-to-back in 1977–78. The Angels won division crowns in 1982 and 1986. New York retired his No. 44 in 1993; Oakland retired his No. 9 in 2004. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1993.
The early fight: talent, tests, and grit
Jackson grew up in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, the son of Martinez Jackson, a former Negro Leagues infielder. At Cheltenham High, Reggie starred in four sports. Football nearly ended his athletic career—neck fractures, weeks in the hospital, a bleak prognosis. He came back anyway.
Major programs recruited him for football. He chose Arizona State, aiming to play both football and baseball. The pros soon called. In the 1966 draft, the A’s took him second overall. He signed, climbed quickly, and debuted in 1967. Two years later he clubbed 47 homers and chased Ruth and Maris for a summer.
Oakland greatness, Oakland grit
With the A’s, Jackson helped build a dynasty. From 1971–74, Oakland stacked division titles and won three straight World Series. He hit, he ran, he argued, he won. He blasted a transformer with a thunderous 1971 All-Star homer in Detroit. He stole home to help clinch the 1972 AL pennant—tearing his hamstring in the process and missing the Series the A’s still won.
Oakland was talent and turbulence. Owner Charlie Finley staged a “Mustache Day.” Teammates brawled. Arbitration battles made headlines. Through it all, Jackson produced—254 homers in nine A’s seasons—and forced the sport to deal with a star who wouldn’t shrink.
The Making of Mr. October
New York magnified everything. The media glare was constant. Quotes cut both ways. A June 1977 dugout confrontation with Billy Martin played out on national TV. Yet when the stakes rose, Jackson delivered. He crushed a walk-off-style dagger against Boston in a tense September race. Then came that three-homer masterpiece in Game 6. In 1978, he did it again—homers when needed most, a second straight title, and a legend cemented.
Legacy: power, pressure, contradictions
Jackson’s career tells a full American sports story. He won big. He failed big. He spoke his mind. He shouldered heat others couldn’t. He made teammates and cities better. He was the first to hit 100 home runs for three different franchises. He stacked rings and records while carrying the burdens of fame, race, and expectation in a volatile era.
Giving back: the Mr. October Foundation
After baseball, Jackson advised the Yankees for years, then joined the Astros as a special advisor in 2021. Off the field, he leaned into service. The Mr. October Foundation focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM education and career pathways for underserved youth. The mission is practical and urgent: connect students to real-world skills in engineering, advanced manufacturing, medical fields, and the trades.
Reggie Jackson Classroom – Courtesy Mr. October Foundation
Since 2014, the foundation has partnered with STEM 101, launching first in the Bronx (2015) and expanding to Detroit, Oakland, and St. Louis. The program’s three pillars—Create & Innovate, Career Pathways, andSolutions-Based Learning—turn curiosity into competence. The outcomes are clear: stronger post-secondary readiness, a visible path to good jobs, and a rising interest in STEM compared to peers. It’s the same formula that made Mr. October: preparation, courage, and timely impact.
Remembering where he stood—and stands
Jackson has always been candid about the business and the bruise of the game—about race, pressure, and the costs of being first in certain rooms. At baseball’s Rickwood Field tribute in 2024, he spoke bluntly about the insults and exclusions he faced early in his career. Those memories still cut. Yet his story arcs toward construction: hitting through hecklers, winning through chaos, building programs that open doors for kids who will build what’s next.
Why Mr. October still matters
Reggie Jackson is more than a night of three swings. He is a career of big moments and a life of bigger meaning. He pushed baseball forward. Now he’s pulling students forward—toward the labs, shops, clinics, and plants where the next American breakthroughs will be made. That’s clutch, too.
DeKalb residents packed the Porter Sanford Center to learn how data centers impact energy, water, and community life—and what new policies could mean for local neighborhoods.
By Milton Kirby | Decatur, GA | October 17, 2025 (Updated October 21, 2025)
On Wednesday evening, a packed house at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center bore witness to an important community discussion: the town hall event titled “Helping Residents Understand Data Centers”, hosted by DeKalb County Government in collaboration with County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson, Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton. The goal — to shed light on data-center development across metro Atlanta and engage residents directly in shaping policy and zoning.
In her opening remarks, CEO Cochran Johnson emphasized the event’s purpose: “Our goal is to ensure residents have access to accurate information and can engage in meaningful discussion before decisions are made,” she said, stressing that the conversation was “about education, transparency, and community understanding.” With the meeting also live-streamed on DCTV to reach broader audiences, it underscored the County’s intention to leave no stone unturned.
The timing is telling. In July the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved a temporary moratorium on new data-center approvals, citing the need for deeper research, policy development and public engagement — extended recently through December 2025. The town hall forms part of that process: a chance for residents to hear from experts directly, ask questions, weigh the potential benefits and pitfalls of data-center development in their communities, and help shape the regulatory framework that will guide what comes next.
Photo by Milton Kirby – DeKalb CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson
What is a data center—and why does it matter?
It may sound technical, but the concept is clearer when you break it down. A data center is fundamentally a physical facility where computing equipment, storage systems, networking gear and infrastructure are housed to store, process and manage data and applications. According to Cisco Systems, “at its simplest, a data center is a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical applications and data.” This includes the servers, storage drives, routers and switches, firewalls, as well as the power, cooling and backup infrastructure that keeps everything running — often 24/7.
In practice, the modern facility is an industrial-scale enterprise. It might host cloud-computing platforms, serve as the backbone for AI and machine-learning workloads, support massive “hyperscale” operations (for companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft) or even serve as regional hubs, connecting telecommunications infrastructure.
Because nearly every service you use—online banking, streaming video, storing and sharing images, remote work, emergency services—runs through some portion of this infrastructure, data centers are essential to our digital lives. They are the silent—but massive—buildings behind the scenes.
As the panel at the Porter Sanford meeting made clear, the reason data centers are increasingly under scrutiny is that, while they provide digital backbone benefits, they also raise real questions about land use, infrastructure stress, environmental impact, community equity and local benefits.
The Town Hall Discussion: Experts, Residents & Real Questions
To assist residents and officials in considering these questions, the County brought together an array of specialists:
Demond Mason of Newton County
Shane Short of the Walton County Development Authority
Ahmed Saeed of Georgia Tech
Céline Benoît of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
Danny Johnson of the Atlanta Regional Commission
Juliana Njoku of DeKalb’s Department of Planning and Sustainability
Under the guidance of CEO Cochran Johnson, the panel addressed core topics such as: energy and water use; required infrastructure (power grid, water, cooling, fiber and roads); economic impact and job creation; community benefit and quality-of-life concerns; and the evolving role of data centers in a world of AI, cloud computing and remote everything.
Residents asked pointed questions: how many jobs will actually be created? Will their electricity bills go up? What about the noise, the land-use conversion, the water demand? Many admitted they came to the event unsure of how a data center operates yet left with a clearer understanding of the mechanics and implications.
The Upsides: Why Data Centers Can Be Good for Local Communities
During the discussions, several clear benefits emerged.
Economic development and tax revenue Data-center construction can bring substantial investment into a region. Some counties have seen increased property values, boosted infrastructure spending, and attraction of technology-sector ecosystem growth. The panel cited examples such as Loudoun County in Virginia, where data-centers supported these spill-over benefits.
Infrastructure-upgrade spillover Because data centers require robust utilities—electricity grids, fiber-optic networks, road access—they can serve as catalysts for broader infrastructure improvements that benefit whole communities: better broadband, improved roads, enhanced power reliability.
Foundational digital backbone As noted above, data centers are critical for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital entertainment, remote work, telehealth and emergency services. Local proximity to such infrastructure can help position a region for the future economy.
Community partnership opportunities Some operators are increasingly conscious of their role as community partners: training programs, community benefit agreements, technological access, local hiring efforts. When these partnerships are handled proactively, the hosting community sees more than just a facility in its backyard.
In short: with the right planning, regulation and transparency, a data-center project can be more than an industrial site—it can become an asset for a community.
The Concerns: Real Risks that Need Guarding Against
However, the discussion also surfaced multiple legitimate concerns—several of which resonated with many residents.
Massive energy consumption Data centers are extremely energy intensive. Analysts project that U.S. data-center power demand could triple by 2030 if current trends continue, driven in large part by AI workloads. That means pressure on local grids, higher utility infrastructure costs, potential for increased electricity costs for residents, and stronger reliance on fossil-fuel generation in some cases.
High water usage and cooling demands In many facilities, water is used for cooling (evaporative systems, cooling towers). One study found that a single 100-megawatt data center could use up to two million liters (more than half a million gallons) per day in water-stressed regions. In drought-prone areas this becomes a key local water-resource risk.
At the town hall, panelists explained that not all data centers cool the same way. Some rely on open, or free-flowing, water systems—in which water continuously cycles through equipment and then exits the facility, often as warm discharge into municipal systems. While cheaper to build, these systems consume far more water and can increase strain on local supplies.
By contrast, closed-loop cooling systems recirculate water within sealed pipes or tanks, losing only small amounts through evaporation. Though more expensive upfront, they dramatically reduce total water consumption and are now considered a best practice in water-sensitive areas. Experts noted that some advanced centers are moving toward hybrid or air-cooled designs that reduce or eliminate water use entirely.
Understanding which system is being proposed for any new facility, several panelists said, should be one of the first questions local residents and zoning boards ask. “The type of cooling system tells you a lot about the facility’s environmental footprint,” one expert explained. “A closed-loop system signals a commitment to sustainability.” These distinctions matter deeply for regions like metro Atlanta, where droughts and high summer demand already put pressure on shared water resources.
Pollution, noise and land-use impacts
Backup diesel generators, used for power outages and often regularly tested, release pollutants (particulate matter, nitrogen oxides) that affect air quality and health, particularly in nearby communities. (businessinsider.com)
Noise from cooling fans, servers, power infrastructure and HVAC systems can disturb neighborhoods. One source put it this way: “It’s like being on a tarmac with an airplane engine running constantly … Except that the airplane keeps idling and never leaves.” (en.wikipedia.org)
Large data-center campuses require significant land—sometimes in competition with housing, agriculture or conservation. Zoning change and land-use conversion may alter neighborhood character and environmental justice concerns.
Job and benefit-share questions While data-center construction may bring many temporary jobs, once operational the facility often requires relatively few permanent employees (security, maintenance, facility management). Critics argue that the number of long-term, well-paid jobs may be low compared with the scale of incentives offered and the local infrastructure costs borne.
Infrastructure and regulatory burdens Upgrading the local power grid, improving transmission lines, reinforcing water systems, may require large investments—sometimes partially funded by local utility customers. Without strong policy frameworks, the host community may bear disproportionate share of cost or risk. There is also concern that data centers are sometimes located in communities that already face higher pollution burdens—raising environmental-justice flags.
Unequal distribution of benefits and burdens Some research suggests that while benefits concentrate (large corporations, landowners, utility companies), many of the burdens (environmental impact, utility cost increases, land conversion) fall on less-advantaged communities. (businessinsider.com)
What the Experts Emphasised: Keys for DeKalb County to Watch
From the town-hall panel, several watch-points and recommendations stood out.
Promised local benefits must be specific and enforceable. What are the actual jobs, training programs, property-tax contributions, community-benefit agreements?
Who bears the costs? Not just jobs and tax revenue, but what about added strain on the grid, water usage, infrastructure upgrades, noise mitigation, environmental monitoring?
Transparency, community engagement and ongoing monitoring. Projects must not just be approved and forgotten; ongoing oversight, community liaison and impact measurement matter.
Strong regulatory framework. Zoning, environmental review, utility oversight, noise/air-quality mitigation—all must be in place before large-scale approval.
Local context matters. The impact varies depending on water-stress region, grid capacity, land-use pressures, community vulnerability, equity considerations. A data center in one region can be far more challenging than in another.
Balance of economic opportunity and sustainability. It’s not simply “data centers good = jobs”; the full spectrum of benefits, burdens and trade-offs must be weighed.
Back to DeKalb: What Happens Next
For DeKalb County, the town hall was a milestone in a broader process. With the moratorium in place through December 2025, county staff, planners and officials will be synthesizing resident input, expert findings, fiscal and infrastructure impact studies, and crafting zoning and operational standards tailored for data-centers. Residents were encouraged to stay engaged: future meetings, updates and resources will be posted through official County channels.
Many attendees left the event expressing appreciation. One resident noted that she had arrived “not sure how a data center worked or why we should care” but departed with “a much clearer understanding of the issues, the trade-offs, and what questions I now want to ask.” Another stressed the importance of “making sure our neighborhood doesn’t get the downsides while someone else reaps the benefits.”
In the coming months the County will need to reconcile competing priorities: attracting investment and economic opportunity, preserving infrastructure capacity, protecting environmental and community health, ensuring fairness and equity, and shaping land use in a way that serves residents’ interests.
Final Thoughts: A Balanced Outlook
Data centers are undeniably a critical part of the 21st-century digital economy. They support cloud services, remote work, streaming, AI, healthcare, financial systems — indeed, much of modern life. If well-located, well-regulated and community-integrated, they can bring growth, infrastructure upgrades and strategic advantage to a region.
But the side-effects are non-trivial. Massive power draw, high water usage, potential air-quality and noise impacts, infrastructure cost burdens, limited long-term job gains, and land-use conversion all demand thoughtful planning and hard questions. The research is clear: impacts vary greatly depending on region, regulatory strength, benefit-sharing and community engagement. For example, while global studies show data centers may account for over 1 % of global electricity use currently and could double in the next few years, localized effects on utility grids, water systems and neighborhoods can be acute.
For DeKalb County, the next phase is crucial. The conversation has begun; now comes the work of translating dialogue into policy. The County will need to ensure that the benefits of any data-center project genuinely accrue to residents, that the costs are clearly allocated, and that long-term quality of life—environmental, infrastructural, social—is protected.
As CEO Cochran Johnson said in her opening remarks: this is about education, transparency, and community understanding. The residents of DeKalb have signalled they intend to be part of the process — and the success of future data-center development will depend on that engagement being genuine, sustained and meaningful.
In the end, the question isn’t simply whether to approve data centers—it’s how, under what terms and with what safeguards such a facility sits in a community. If DeKalb County can insist on rigorous criteria, clear community benefits, and strong oversight, it may capture the promise of 21st-century digital infrastructure while avoiding its pitfalls. The town hall was a strong first step in that direction.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts warned of “potential disaster” in determining that the number of votes received should impact a candidate’s ability to pursue legal action related to mail-in ballots.
The High Court heard arguments on Wednesday in a challenge to an Illinois law that allows the counting of late-arriving mail-in ballots. The lawsuit was filed by U.S. Representative Michael Bost, a Republican from Illinois.
Lower courts threw out the case, ruling that the late votes likely had little effect on the results in his district.
“What you’re sketching out for us is a potential disaster,” Roberts told an attorney representing the Illinois State Board of Elections, CNN reported. “You’re saying if the candidate is going to win by 64 percent, no standing. But if the candidate hopes to win by a dozen votes … then he has standing.”
llinois was among 18 states that accepted mail-in ballots received after Election Day 2024, as long as they were postmarked on or before that date, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March that aims to require votes to be “cast and received” by Election Day, but the action has been challenged in court.
What To Know
Bost filed the lawsuit in 2022, arguing that state law violates a federal statute setting a uniform day for federal elections. The Republican also says that all candidates should have default standing to challenge election rules, without having to prove that they could shift the result of their own race. Illinois officials counter that a candidate must show that the law would cause them to lose their race. The state’s solicitor general said that reviving the case could lead to more lawsuits and “cause chaos” for election officials.
Multiple justices expressed concerns that basing a candidate’s right to sue on electoral prospects could force judges to assume a political role. Roberts said it would push courts to make political decisions during “the most fraught time for the court to get involved in electoral politics.”
Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised concerns that requiring candidates to wait until after an election to have standing could mean that judges are asked to invalidate votes that have already been cast. “If we’re not thinking ahead to that, we’re going to walk into something,” he said.
Justice Elena Kagan characterized the legal claim as a “suit in search of a problem,” arguing that a large number of lawsuits are filed by voters, political parties and others around every election cycle.
What People Are Saying
Kagan, during arguments in Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections: “You’re asking to create a whole new set of rules when everything has been proceeding just fine.”
Paul Clement, attorney for Bost, during arguments: “A longer campaign is a more expensive campaign, and that classic pocketbook injury is sufficient to give Congressman Bost standing. There is no need to make the standing inquiry here any more complicated than that.”
What Happens Next
The High Court is expected to issue its ruling by June.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Early voting in Georgia runs through November 1, with local and statewide races on the ballot, including mayoral and Public Service Commission elections.
By Milton Kirby | Decatur, GA | October 14, 2025
Early voting began today in Georgia and in several states across the country, marking the start of a critical three-week stretch before the November 4th General Election.
In DeKalb County, residents can now cast ballots for a range of key races — from statewide offices to local leadership posts that will shape the future of communities across metro Atlanta.
On the ballot this year is the Statewide Special Election for the Public Service Commission, along with municipal general elections in numerous cities, including Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, and Doraville.
Atlanta voters will select a Mayor, City Council President, City Council members, Board of Education representatives, and Municipal Court Judges. These races are expected to draw strong turnout as city leaders continue to navigate housing affordability, infrastructure expansion, and public safety reform.
Election officials across Georgia are encouraging voters to take advantage of early voting to avoid long lines on Election Day. Polling places and sample ballots are available through the state’s My Voter Page.
Georgia’s 17-day early voting period will run through Friday, November 1, with mandatory Saturday voting in every county.
This year’s election season arrives as lawmakers and advocacy groups continue to debate possible adjustments to Georgia’s early voting laws — a discussion that could shape voter access and participation for years to come.
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Dear Shadow Ball: I am 63 years old and Black. I have only heard snippets about the Negro Leagues during my lifetime. I now have an interest in educating myself about the leagues. How do you suggest that I start — I imagine reading your column is one place and I will read your column and engage, but I want to really dig in deep.
Secondly, are any of the players still alive? Ready to Dig in Deep – Ansonville, NC
Dear Ready to Dig in Deep: Thanks very much for that question and your imagination is in keeping with my expectations and intent for this column. I hope that questions like yours and future inquiries submitted by others allow me to “really dig in deep” and permit me to educate readers about the rich history of the Negro Leagues. I expect from time to time I may recommend books, articles or websites that further serve to provide that education about the other half of Major League baseball.
With regard to your second question, some background is necessary. On December 16, 2020, Major League Baseball declared seven specific Negro Leagues and time spans as Major Leagues. I will limit my answer to those leagues. They are as follows:
Negro National League I 1920-1931
Eastern Colored League 1923-1928
American Negro League 1929
East-West League 1932
Negro Southern League 1932
Negro National League II 1933-1948
Negro American League 1937-1948
Sadly, at the time of that 2020 announcement, only three players survived. Since then, Willie Mays has passed on leaving only Reverend William Greason, 101, who pitched for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948 and Ronald Teasley, 98, who played outfield for the 1948 New York Cubans still alive. So only two – Greason & Teasley remain from those Negro Leagues designated as a Major League. Just to be clear, the Negro American League continued on, no longer recognized as major, until 1961. A couple dozen or more of those players are still with us and continue to share rich stories with us.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week
“Who was the first 20th century player to break the color barrier and get into the major leagues, two bonus questions, what year, what team? A third bonus question, how long did he play in the majors?
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a Negro Leagues history expert and longtime SABR member, known for his trivia wins and founding the Jerry Malloy Conference and Commemorative Nights. You can send questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
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Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will invest $50 million over 10 years to help nearly 10,000 Atlanta HBCU students complete degrees through need-based “gap scholarships.”
The initiative, beginning in 2026, aims to close financial gaps that often prevent students from completing their degrees. The foundation estimates the funding will help nearly 10,000 students earn their diplomas over the next ten years.
Photo by Milton Kirby Morris Brown College
“These grants are a material investment in hope,” said Fay Twersky, president of the foundation. “Our goal is to help more students earn their degrees, launch successful careers, and become alumni who give back — creating a cycle of opportunity that benefits young people and communities across the nation.”
Closing the Financial Gap
Each of the four institutions will distribute the funds independently. Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spelman are expected to receive about $16 million each, while Morris Brown, which currently enrolls about 350 students, will receive a smaller share.
Scholarship awards will range from $500 to $10,000, depending on financial need. The funds will primarily support juniors and seniors in good academic standing who have exhausted all other sources of aid, including federal Pell Grants, state programs, and loans.
A Legacy of Giving
Founded in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta FalconsandAtlanta United, the foundation has donated more than $1.5 billion to date. Blank, who has signed The Giving Pledge and holds a net worth of more than $11 billion, has long focused his philanthropy on education, health, and community development.
Past contributions to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) include$10 million for the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab at Spelman College; $6 million to improve athletic fields at Clark Atlanta, Albany State University, Miles College, and Savannah State University; $3 million to help Morris Brown digitize a hospitality credential; and $400,000 for Morehouse College’s golf program and new football helmets at both Clark Atlanta and Morehouse.
Broad Economic and Social Impact
According to the foundation, Atlanta’s HBCUs collectively contribute more than $1 billion annually to the region’s economy and outperform other institutions in helping students from lower-income families move into higher-income brackets.
“This monumental investment will empower our students to remain focused on their academic studies and ensure that their talent, ambition, hard work, and integrity — not financial hardship — will determine their futures,” said Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, president of Morehouse College.
Rooted in Values
Blank traces his philanthropic philosophy to his mother, Molly Blank, who taught him the Jewish principle of tikkun olam — repairing the world through kindness. “You only pass through life once, so make it count,” she often told him — words that continue to shape the foundation’s mission.
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, headquartered in Atlanta, supports initiatives across Georgia and Montana, as well as programs for veterans, mental health, democracy, youth development, and environmental sustainability. Its leadership reaffirmed in 2023 a commitment to accelerate philanthropy over the next decade to address urgent social challenges.
Through strategic giving and community engagement, the foundation continues to embody its founder’s guiding principle: repair the world, one opportunity at a time.
The reason for the indictment? James is accused of having falsified a mortgage application on a property purchased in Virginia. The extent of the harm she is alleged to have caused? About $18,000.
Whether the prosecution will ultimately be able to prove the case against James remains to be seen. What seems more likely is that James will be able to get the case dismissed, because it could be classified as an unconstitutional selective prosecution.
James is charged with having engaged in mortgage fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The case appears to rest on flimsy and conflicting evidence at best, has been brought on grounds that are rarely prosecuted and was filed over the objection of career lawyers within the Justice Department who did not think there was probable cause to bring the case.
What the government will have to prove in establishing the charges before a jury is that James knowingly lied when she claimed that she intended to use the home as a secondary residence at the time of the application. That is something the prosecution will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Other evidence that James appears to be able to present will likely contradict that case. It will be up to the jury to decide if the prosecution can meet that burden. But there is a good chance a jury will never hear this case.
Donald Trump has railed against and threatened to prosecute James once he retook power, after she brought a civil action against him for … mortgage fraud. James won that case in New York and secured a nearly $500 million judgment against Trump, several members of his family and some of his businesses. That damages award has been overturned on appeal, and what damages should be paid is an issue that is pending final resolution. The underlying verdict that Trump committed fraud still stands, however.
While James has professed her innocence, she has another potential response to this indictment: that the prosecution itself violates the constitutional prohibition against what is known as selective prosecution.
The concept of selective prosecution is one recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court. It occurs when a prosecution is brought for an improper purpose and an improper discriminatory effect. Courts generally recognize that prosecutors have wide discretion to prosecute cases as they see fit — but that discretion is not without limits. Still, establishing a claim of selective enforcement requires the defendant to meet a fairly high bar. From the publicly available information about her case and others, James would appear to be able to make out a good case that this action against her qualifies as a selective — and therefore unconstitutional — prosecution.
According to the Supreme Court, a selective prosecution claim is available to someone who says that the prosecution “had a discriminatory effect” and “was motivated by a discriminatory purpose.” For example, that the prosecution was brought based on the defendant’s race or gender, or as a form of punishment for asserting a protected constitutional right.
It is hard to escape the conclusion that James is being prosecuted simply because, in carrying out her functions as a state attorney general, she enforced the law against the person who is currently president.
A prosecution of a state official for doing their job in enforcing federal law would fly in the face of critical free speech and federalism principles — in violation of the 1st and 10th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Again, a claim of selective prosecution is hard to establish. Still, the evidence for James to try to make out this claim is in plain sight, but even that evidence may be but the tip of the iceberg. In September, the president took to Truth Social to implore Attorney General Pam Bondi to commence prosecutions against several of his enemies. (It seems quite possible that this message was not meant to be a public communication.)
Are there more communications like that that were not made public? What was the scope of the investigation into mortgage fraud by James and others? Why were these investigations even commenced? Was it simply a case of presenting a list of individuals to the Justice Department with the directive to find a crime, any crime? What steps has the administration taken to investigate the allegations that others in the administration engaged in similar conduct?
If James can present some initial evidence that the case against her constitutes an unconstitutional selective prosecution, she will then be able to explore some of these other factual questions.
From publicly reported information, the criminal case against James appears to rely on a somewhat flimsy evidentiary basis. At the same time, what we do know already from publicly available information, with some of it containing the public statements and missives of the president himself, the evidence that this was a selective prosecution may be overwhelming.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
MARTA closes Five Points’ Peachtree entrance October 13 as part of its $230 million transformation to enhance safety, connectivity, and community space in downtown Atlanta.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 12, 2025
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will take another major step in its ongoing Five Points Station transformation project this Monday, October 13, as crews close the Peachtree Street entrance and the federal employee tunnel to prepare for demolition of the concrete canopy.
Starting October 13, all passengers will need to use the Forsyth Street entrance, which will serve as the only access point to the city’s central transit hub during this phase of construction.
What Riders Need to Know
The following service changes remain in place:
Alabama Street and Broad Street Plaza entrances remain closed.
Restrooms are closed.
Customer service offices have temporarily relocated and will eventually reopen at Ashby Station.
All bus routes continue boarding on Forsyth Street.
Rail service and transfers remain unchanged.
Elevators will stay open for passenger access and transfers.
While elevators will continue to operate, riders should expect temporary escalator and stair closures in the coming weeks as MARTA crews install scaffolding and overhead protection. Signs will be posted throughout the station to direct customers during the transition.
A $230 Million Rebuild in Motion
MARTA officials describe the closure as a key step toward transforming Five Points into a modernized, vibrant city center with improved transit connectivity, enhanced safety, and expanded community spaces.
The first phase involves removal of the aging concrete canopy, followed by the construction of a new, open-air canopy designed to brighten and expand the station. Later stages will include a centralized bus hub, a new pedestrian connection to Broad Street, and community-oriented features such as public art and urban agriculture spaces.
The total project cost is estimated at $230 million, funded primarily through the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax, with additional support from a $25 million Federal RAISE Grant, $13.8 million from the state of Georgia, and the MARTA core penny.
MARTA says the upgrades are aimed at strengthening the system’s role in downtown revitalization while improving daily experiences for thousands of riders.
For updates and construction details, visit itsmarta.com.
“It’s just the continuation of his hatred toward Black women and Black people,” former Obama White House aide Michael Blake tells theGrio.
President Donald Trump‘s vow to go after his political enemies came to a head on Thursday when his Justice Department announced the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
James, who was charged with mortgage fraud, maintains that she did not commit any crime and slammed the president for his “desperate weaponization of our justice system” and “grave violation of our constitutional order.”
While the targeting of James is being condemned as part of a growing trend of political retribution in which Trump is using his second term presidency to go after Democrats he deems his political enemies, others see another trend: the targeting of prominent Black women in politics.
“It’s just the continuation of his hatred toward Black women and Black people. From Tish James, to Lisa Cook, to Fani Willis, over and over again, this is Donald Trump,” said Michael Blake, a former Obama White House aide who serves as CEO of KAIROS Democracy Project. He told theGrio, “You can’t be surprised when a man calls for political revenge that he takes these kinds of actions.”
Blake slammed the “cowardice” of Republicans in not speaking out against Trump’s use of the Department of Justice to try to or threaten to jail his political enemies.
“You have a Republican Party that refuses to fund the government because they want to take your health care away. You have a president who cares not about helping you with groceries but cares about grudges,” he said.
“It is quite appropriate and fitting that in his latest act of cowardice, of going after Tish James, where he fired someone because they wouldn’t go after her, but the very next day, he lost on the Peace Prize he thought he was going to get. Justice was actually served.” Here is a list of the Black women that President Trump and his administration have gone after since taking office this year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: NY Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at Manhattan Federal Courthouse on February 14, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Letitia James
On Oct. 9, the Trump Justice Department announced that it had indicted Letitia James, New York’s first female and African American attorney general.
James is accused of committing mortgage fraud over a Virginia property she owns. According to the New York Times, the Eastern District of Virginia alleges that James falsely claimed in loan documents that she would use a home she purchased in Norfolk as a secondary residence. Instead, the indictment alleges, she used it as a rental investment property and received loans with “favorable terms that would save her close to $19,000.”
James called the indictment “baseless” and has maintained she did nothing wrong.
Citing the president’s own statements, New York’s top prosecutor said the charges brought by the Trump administration are nothing more than “political retribution” for her successful prosecution of Trump for business fraud.
“He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as a New York State Attorney General,” said James, who noted that Trump fired a U.S. attorney who refused to bring charges against her, only to replace the prosecutor with someone who is “blindly loyal not to the law but to the president.”
James said she stands “strongly” behind her office’s litigation against the Trump Organization.
“We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence, not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court’s finding that Donald Trump, his company and his two sons were liable for fraud,” she asserted.
On Oct. 9, the Trump Justice Department announced that it had indicted Letitia James, New York’s first female and African American attorney general.
James is accused of committing mortgage fraud over a Virginia property she owns. According to the New York Times, the Eastern District of Virginia alleges that James falsely claimed in loan documents that she would use a home she purchased in Norfolk as a secondary residence. Instead, the indictment alleges, she used it as a rental investment property and received loans with “favorable terms that would save her close to $19,000.”
James called the indictment “baseless” and has maintained she did nothing wrong.
Citing the president’s own statements, New York’s top prosecutor said the charges brought by the Trump administration are nothing more than “political retribution” for her successful prosecution of Trump for business fraud.
“He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as a New York State Attorney General,” said James, who noted that Trump fired a U.S. attorney who refused to bring charges against her, only to replace the prosecutor with someone who is “blindly loyal not to the law but to the president.”
James said she stands “strongly” behind her office’s litigation against the Trump Organization.
“We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence, not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court’s finding that Donald Trump, his company and his two sons were liable for fraud,” she asserted.
While a grand jury indicted James, it is no indication that the U.S. government will come out victorious in the case against James. Prosecutors have incredible sway in grand juries, which are conducted in secrecy, and defense lawyers are not permitted to present their evidence.
James said, as a woman of faith, she knows that “faith and fear cannot share the same space,” adding, “I’m not fearful; I’m fearless.”
“As my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. We will fight these baseless charges aggressively,” she said.
FILE – Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a news conference, Aug. 14, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Fani Willis
In late September, the Trump Justice Department subpoenaed records related to the travel history of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who, in 2023, indicted Trump and 18 others for engaging in a “criminal enterprise” to illegally return Trump to office after his 2020 defeat.
Willis accused Trump, who peddled false claims that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” from him due to voter fraud, of “attempts to interfere in the administration of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.”
The Georgia prosecutor accused Trump and his co-defendants of taking “various actions in Georgia and elsewhere to block the counting of the votes of the presidential electors who were certified as the winners of Georgia’s 2020 general election.”
Trump infamously called Georgia Secretary of State Raffensberger after the 2020 election to demand that he “find 11,780 votes,” which would have reversed his loss in the state.
Willis’s case against Trump hit a snag after defense attorneys asked a judge to remove Willis from the case because of a romantic relationship with the case’s special prosecutor, Nathan Wade. After much scrutiny into their personal lives, Wade resigned, and Willis was allowed to continue leading the case.
In December 2023, an appeals court disqualified Willis, citing that the trial court “erred by failing to disqualify DA Willis and her office.” Willis appealed the decision and asked to be reinstated; however, Georgia’s Supreme Court denied her appeal.
Willis’s criminal prosecution of Trump was one of four criminal cases against him, two of which were led by special prosecutors appointed by the DOJ. The two federal cases related to Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election and the withholding of classified documents were dropped upon his re-election.
Though the case in Georgia was stalled due to Willis’s disqualification, Trump was found guilty in another criminal case brought by New York Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 21: Lisa DeNell Cook, nominee to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, testifies during a Senate Banking nominations hearing on June 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. If confirmed, Cook would be the first Black woman to sit on the Board of Governors in its 108-year history. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The accusations against Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Fed board–first lodged by Bill Pulte, Trump’s director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency–launched a criminal investigation by the Justice Department.
Cook, who has not been charged with a crime, has maintained she did no wrong and successfully challenged Trump’s attempted termination in federal court.
The effort to unseat Cook gave Trump an opportunity to reshape the Federal Reserve’s seven-member board, which was designed to be an independent economic policy body that is free from politics. No president has fired a sitting Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history.
A federal judge ruled that the removal of Cook was illegal and reinstated her to the position. An appeals court upheld that decision. The Trump administration appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to remove Cook. The nation’s highest court allowed Cook to remain as board governor as it prepares to hear oral aguments in the case in January 2026.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 06: U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) speaks on Elon Musk’s government interference at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on February 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
LaMonica McIver
U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., was indicted by the Trump administration on June 10 for an encounter she had with federal agents outside an ICE facility in Newark, where she was conducting a congressional oversight visit.
McIver, a 39-year-old freshman congresswoman, faces up to 17 years in prison for a May altercation outside of a Newark ICE detention facility, where she and two other members of Congress were joined by Mayor Ras Baraka.
The encounter with federal agents was chaotic, as McIver attempted to shield Baraka from being arrested for trespassing. Baraka’s charges were ultimately dropped, and the judge overseeing the case scolded the U.S. Attorney of New Jersey, Alina Habba, for bringing the “hasty” and “embarrassing” prosecution.
McIver was ultimately still charged in a historically rare criminal case for a sitting member of Congress.
“The facts are on my side…I have no doubt that I will be victorious,” McIver previously told theGrio shortly after leaving a New Jersey courthouse where she was arraigned in June for her three-count indictment, for which she is accused of “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers.”
“Me being the one person picked out to be charged, definitely speaks to me being a young Black woman, and basically speaking up and speaking out about what they were doing and how they treated us,” McIver told theGrio. The congresswoman dismissed her prosecution as an “intimidation tactic” to “humiliate” her.
In August, McIver’s defense attorneys moved to dismiss the case against her, accusing the Trump Justice Department of selective and vindictive prosecution. She also argued that she cannot be charged for official acts.
What’s more, McIver said that the DOJ is demonstrating “unconstitutional differential treatment” by pursuing charges against her after dropping cases against over 160 other Jan. 6 defendants who were accused of the same crime. Trump pardoned more than 1,500 accused Jan. 6 rioters on the first day in office during his second term.
“There is a simple difference between this prosecution of Congresswoman McIver and the 160 cases involving assault against federal officers on January 6 that the Justice Department has dismissed: it is all about politics and partisanship,” a dismissal motion reads.
By Milton Kirby | Birmingham, AL | October 12, 2025
The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) will convene its 2025 Annual Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, from October 31 to November 1, uniting farmers, policymakers, and civil rights advocates from across the country for two days of education, empowerment, and strategy.
This year’s theme focuses on building capacity and identifying resources for small-scale, limited-resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and landowners. The conference’s hands-on training sessions and educational workshops are designed to provide practical tools, proven techniques, and access to vital programs that strengthen the economic resilience of Black farmers and rural communities.
Prominent Voices in Attendance
Among the confirmed attendees are civil rights attorney Ben Crump, NBFA President John Wesley Boyd Jr., and Kara Brewer Boyd, the organization’s First Lady and national outreach coordinator.
John Boyd Jr., a fourth-generation farmer, civil rights activist, and founder of the NBFA, lives in Boydton, Virginia, with his wife Kara. He operates a 1,500-acre family farm cultivating soybeans, corn, wheat, and produce, while raising beef cattle, American Guinea Hogs, Nigerian Dwarf goats, and chickens.
A lifelong farmer and advocate, Boyd spent 14 years as a Perdue Farms breeder and many more as a tobacco farmer before forming the NBFA in the early 1990s. His leadership has brought him to the table with national and international agricultural leaders, working to eliminate discrimination in federal farm programs and expand opportunities for underserved farmers. Boyd’s story has been featured in the History Channel docuseries The American Farm, chronicling his fight to sustain his family’s land against the odds.
Conference Highlights
Hosted at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex, the 2025 event celebrates the 35th anniversary of the NBFA’s founding. Over two days, attendees will participate in sessions focused on climate resilience, federal lending access, rural broadband expansion, hemp and specialty crops, and youth engagement in agriculture.
Workshops will be paired with a Farm Expo, women’s leadership roundtables, and networking receptions designed to connect attendees directly with USDA officials, lenders, and private sponsors.
“The NBFA has been the voice of our community for 35 years,” said Boyd. “This conference is about more than policy—it’s about passing on the tools and land that sustain us.”
Opportunities and Deadlines
The Annual NBFA Conference offers marketing, exhibitor, and sponsorship opportunities for partners who share its mission to build an equitable agricultural future.
For sponsorship, exhibitor, or advertiser information, contact Kara Boyd at nbfa.kara@gmail.com. Reservation deadline: Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
