Trailblazer Before the Spotlight: Claudette Colvin, Pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 86

Nine months before Rosa Parks, Colvin’s courage on a Montgomery bus helped ignite a movement—and changed American history

MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Long before the civil rights movement captured the nation’s attention, Claudette Colvin took a stand that helped bend the arc of history.

Colvin, whose arrest in 1955 for refusing to surrender her seat on a segregated Montgomery city bus helped lay the legal and moral groundwork for desegregation, died Tuesday at age 86, according to the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation. She died of natural causes in Texas, the organization confirmed.

At just 15 years old, Colvin boarded a city bus on March 2, 1955, riding home from high school. When white seating filled, the driver ordered Black passengers to give up their seats. Colvin refused—an act of defiance that came nine months before Rosa Parks would spark international attention with a similar stand.

“My mindset was on freedom,” Colvin said in a 2021 interview. “History had me glued to the seat.”

Her arrest did not immediately galvanize a mass protest, but it amplified the growing frustration Black residents felt over daily indignities and unequal treatment on Montgomery’s buses. That tension ultimately culminated in the yearlong Montgomery Bus Boycott, a watershed campaign that elevated the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to national prominence and marked the launch of the modern civil rights movement.

Trump Waters Down Colorado’s Population Trend in Veto Fight, Data Tell a Different Story

President Donald Trump says Coloradans are leaving “in droves” as he vetoes a major water project, but census data, state demographers, and multiple moving-company reports complicate that claim — and fuel speculation of political retribution.

President Donald Trump’s decision to veto a bipartisan water infrastructure bill for Colorado has ignited a political and factual dispute over one of the state’s most sensitive metrics: population growth.

In vetoing legislation that would have funded the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC) — a long-planned project designed to deliver clean drinking water to southeastern Colorado — Trump argued that the bill would “force Federal taxpayers to bear even more of the massive costs of a local water project.” But in public comments and social media posts, the president added a second justification: his assertion that people are leaving Colorado “in droves.”

Available data tell a more nuanced story.

Indiana vs. Miami: CFP National Championship Set for Jan. 19 as Hoosiers Chase History on Hurricanes’ Home Turf

No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers meets resurgent Miami Hurricanes in a generational College Football Playoff title game at Hard Rock Stadium, marking the dawn of a modern champion in the 12-team era.

The second College Football Playoff National Championship of the 12-team era is officially set — and it is one of the most compelling title matchups college football has seen in decades.

On Monday, Jan. 19, No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami will battle for the national championship inside Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Hurricanes. It will mark Indiana’s first-ever appearance in a national championship game, while Miami returns to the sport’s biggest stage for the first time since the 2002–03 season.

It is a collision of momentum, mythology, and modern roster-building — a fitting finale for a playoff format designed to crown the best team, not just the biggest brand.

Alabama Gymnastics Makes History: Crimson Tide Posts Program-Best Season Opener, Tops Clemson on the Road

Freshman stars shine as Alabama Crimson Tide opens 2026 with a record-setting 197.475, outlasting Clemson Tigers in a marquee road showdown.

The 2026 season could not have started any louder for Alabama gymnastics.

Competing in a hostile environment at Littlejohn Coliseum, the Crimson Tide delivered a statement performance, defeating Clemson 197.475–196.550 and setting a new program record for the highest season-opening score in school history. The total eclipsed Alabama’s previous best opener by .350, signaling both elite preparation and championship-level potential from the very first meet.

Alabama’s performance was balanced, composed, and explosive across all four events, with a freshman class that immediately looked at home on the national stage.

‘TELL IT LIKE IT IS’ Sports Get To Know: Emma Wehry Brings Experience, Resilience and Final Four Ambitions to Auburn Gymnastics

Former West Virginia standout and two-time WCGA Scholastic All-American Emma Wehry arrives on the Plains as a polished competitor, proven student-athlete, and culture fit ahead of the 2026 season.

As the countdown to the 2026 collegiate gymnastics season continues, Auburn Gymnastics is welcoming a transfer who embodies both competitive excellence and personal clarity. Emma Wehry, a junior transfer from West Virginia, arrives on the Plains with high-level experience, academic distinction, and a renewed hunger to compete after overcoming injury.

A native of Klingerstown, Pennsylvania, Wehry spent three seasons at West Virginia, competing in 2023 and 2024 before sitting out last season due to injury. When healthy, her résumé speaks loudly: a career-high 9.9 on vault (achieved three times in 2023), a 9.875 on bars at Illinois in 2024, and a career-best 9.9 on beam at Minnesota. She also competed all-around during the 2024 campaign, showcasing her versatility.

But numbers only tell part of the story.

Air Force Unveils Acquisition Overhaul, Names New Portfolio Executives to Execute Hegseth Warfighting Mandate

New portfolio acquisition executives gain sweeping authority to accelerate weapons procurement, cut bureaucracy, and expand access for non-traditional defense firms

WASHINGTON | The Department of the Air Force is taking its first concrete steps toward a sweeping acquisition overhaul, naming five senior leaders to oversee the service’s most critical modernization portfolios as Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs)—a move aimed at dramatically accelerating how new capabilities reach warfighters.

The announcement marks the opening phase of a broader transformation aligned with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to replace what he has described as the Pentagon’s sluggish procurement bureaucracy with a faster, more agile “Warfighting Acquisition System.”

“These moves are a generational opportunity for the Department of the Air Force,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement. “They allow us to holistically reform our enterprise—from requirements, to acquisition, to test—to deliver warfighting capability faster and more efficiently.”

Sikorsky Converts Iconic Black Hawk Into Fully Unmanned ‘U-HAWK’ as Army Eyes Autonomous Lift

Reconfigured UH-60 sheds cockpit, gains 20% more payload volume, and showcases multi-mission autonomy at AUSA as Sikorsky pivots toward drone-enabled Army aviation

WASHINGTON | Sikorsky has taken one of the U.S. Army’s most recognizable aircraft and pushed it decisively into the unmanned era. The company this week unveiled a fully unmanned Black Hawk, designated the S-70 UAS and nicknamed the “U-HAWK,” at the Association of the United States Army annual conference—signaling a major leap in autonomous rotary-wing aviation.

Unlike earlier demonstrations of optionally piloted flight, the U-HAWK has been completely reconfigured as a pure unmanned aircraft, with no cockpit or flight controls. The transformation, executed in less than 10 months, underscores Sikorsky’s push to modernize the Army’s workhorse helicopter for a future increasingly defined by autonomy, logistics at scale, and contested operations.

From Optionally Piloted to Fully Uncrewed

Sikorsky’s latest advance builds on years of experimentation with its Matrix autonomy architecture. At last year’s AUSA, the company remotely flew an optionally piloted Black Hawk from the show floor in Washington while the aircraft operated in Connecticut.

This year’s reveal goes further.

Peachy Night in Atlanta: Indiana Destroys Oregon 56–22, Storms Into National Championship Game

Pick-sixes, blocked punts, and a flawless playoff run propel undefeated Hoosiers past Oregon in a Peach Bowl rout at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

ATLANTA | What unfolded Friday night inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium was not just a College Football Playoff semifinal. It was a statement.

The Indiana Hoosiers delivered a 56–22 demolition of the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl, punctuating an unprecedented postseason surge that has Indiana playing the most dominant football in the country.

From the opening seconds, this game tilted sharply in cream and crimson.

Eleven seconds into the contest, All-American defensive back D’Angelo Ponds jumped a read, intercepted Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, and raced untouched for a pick-six that detonated the stadium and stunned the Ducks.

Moments earlier, All-America linebacker Aiden Fisher had been prowling the field with a visible edge, setting a physical tone that would define the night. Oregon never recovered.

The Hoosiers’ dominance wasn’t limited to star power. Thirty-four minutes in, All-Big Ten center Pat Coogan alertly recovered a fumble after quarterback Fernando Mendoza scrambled 18 yards. That recovery set up a third-quarter touchdown pass to E.J. Williams Jr., effectively ending Oregon’s last gasp.

Troy Track & Field Returns to Action at UAB Vulcan Invite After Strong Indoor Opener

Fresh off a standout performance at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker, the Trojans bring 20 athletes back to the Crossplex for a key early-season test

TROY, Ala. | The Troy Trojans are back on the track. After a brief holiday break, Troy Track & Field resumes its indoor season this weekend as the Trojan women travel to Birmingham for the UAB Vulcan Invite, set for Friday, January 9, at the Birmingham Crossplex.

The meet marks Troy’s second appearance of the indoor campaign and a return to a venue where the Trojans were successful earlier this season.

Troy opened its indoor slate at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker last month, highlighted by a first-place finish from sophomore Rachel Whyte in the 300 meters. Whyte clocked a winning time of 39.59, setting the tone for a productive early showing by the Trojans.

The opener also featured breakthrough performances across the roster. Junior Kristianna Ware posted a new personal best in the triple jump, finishing fourth at 11.75 meters, while sophomore Haley Wilson secured a fifth-place finish in the 400 meters with a time of 57.96.

Those results provided a strong foundation as Troy looks to build consistency and depth early in the indoor season.

AUM’s Tamora Brown Drops 41, Warhawks Fall 99–95 in Overtime Thriller vs. West Alabama

Season-high offensive night, historic efficiency, and a late comeback push Auburn University at Montgomery to the brink in Gulf South Conference showdown

MONTGOMERY, Ala. | The Auburn University at Montgomery Warhawks delivered one of their most electric performances of the season Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to finish the job. Powered by a career night from sophomore Tamora Brown, AUM pushed the University of West Alabama Tigers to the limit before falling 99–95 in overtime at the AUM Athletics Complex.

Brown was nothing short of sensational, pouring in a season-high and career-best 41 points, along with seven steals in 38 minutes, as the Warhawks (2–12, GSC 2–6) showcased their offensive ceiling in a game that swung wildly in momentum and intensity.

Fast Start, Strong Response

AUM opened the game grinding for points in the first quarter, tallying 11 total as Brown scored the Warhawks’ first bucket of the night. Ameyah Gray knocked down a three, while Samya Brooks and Nevaeh Small added timely contributions to keep AUM within striking distance early.

The game flipped decisively in the second quarter, as the Warhawks exploded on both ends of the floor. AUM outscored West Alabama 26–6, seizing control behind perimeter shooting and defensive pressure. Gray drilled two threes, Andie Flatgard added another, and Small’s layup gave AUM a 30–29 lead. Brown closed the half with six straight points, sending the Warhawks into halftime up 37–31.

Pryor Powers Aggies Past Florida, 74–66, to Secure First SEC Win

Ny’Ceara Pryor stuffs the stat sheet as Texas A&M clamps down defensively, silences Gainesville crowd

GAINESVILLE, Fla. | Led by a brilliant, all-around performance from Ny’Ceara Pryor, the Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball broke through in Southeastern Conference play Thursday night, knocking off the Florida Gators women's basketball 74–66 at Exactech Arena to earn their first SEC victory of the season.

Pryor delivered one of the most complete outings by any guard in the league this year, finishing with 18 points, 12 assists, six steals, and five rebounds. The Aggies (8–4, 1–2 SEC) rebounded from a heartbreaking overtime loss at Georgia by jumping on Florida early and never relinquishing control.

Fast Start, Full Control

Texas A&M set the tone immediately, torching the nets in the opening quarter while locking down defensively. The Aggies shot 64.7% (11-of-15) in the first 10 minutes, buried four three-pointers, and surged to a 26–16 lead.

Behind Pryor’s court vision and Fatmata Janneh’s dominant presence inside, Florida went more than six minutes without a made field goal to close the quarter. Janneh poured in nine first-quarter points and finished with a season-high 22 points and nine rebounds, giving the Aggies a physical edge from the outset.

Despite early foul trouble for both Pryor and Janneh, Texas A&M maintained composure. The teams played evenly in the second quarter, allowing the Aggies to carry a 39–29 advantage into halftime.