10:54 AMHey gang, I’m headed to Asheville, N.C., for the weekend to watch a friend get married, dig for sweet vinyl, tour breweries, watch minor baseball and basically just act like I’m Crash Davis, which is the move. Should be fun.

If you haven’t been paying attention to Boko Haram, there is something resembling good news on that front. Earlier this week, a schoolgirl who was captured by the group was rescued. If you don’t recall, this is where the #BringBackOurGirls movement started a couple years back that suddenly had everyone in America tweeting about West African politics. That aside, the schoolgirl who was one of hundreds kidnapped was found with child. On Thursday, she got to meet the president of her nation, a small consolation indeed. ABC News’ Morgan Winsor has the story.

For all the political banter over bathrooms in this nation, there’s a separate matter regarding the issue that is at the core of the debate: signage. Beyond the specificity of urinals versus toilets, what the door to the facility says is, in fact, hugely important. Hence the clash in philosophies. And because of that, the people who make those actual signs are about to experience a serious boom due to demand from people who support gender-neutral bathrooms. And they come in different shapes and sizes — the signs that is. ABC News’ Susanna Kim breaks it down.

People go to sporting events for various reasons. Some do it to hang out with their friends, others to drink beer and some even like to watch the competitions. In all seriousness though, the potential added incentive of some free food tends to get people really excited. Just check out any basketball game where free chicken is on the line for missed free throws in the fourth quarter. In Major League Baseball, pizza is a big deal and also a fascinating index for where each local economy is per team. FiveThirtyEight’s Ben Lindbergh and Rob Arthur analyze how market forces affect which ballpark is most likely to get you a discounted slice.

Serena Williams is my favorite American athlete of all time. She recently supplanted Deion Sanders on this list, so in my eyes she can do little wrong. She dominates her opponents then uses whatever language of the country she’s in to gracefully accept her trophies. Even when she doesn’t win she’s awesome. Anyways, with the French Open coming up, we’re rolling back around to the time of year when people start questioning whether or not she’s motivated to play tennis. Sidebar: Have you seen her apartment in Paris? It’s tremendous. ESPN’s Johnette Howard explains how Serena has been rejuvenated.

Free Food

Coffee Break: Mascots have extremely difficult jobs. You have to jump and run around in a sweltering hot suit and entertain people who can’t even tip you. Beyond that, you’re not even allowed to talk. But how do people get that job? Well, they go to school, just like for anything else. Here’s how it goes when a reporter tries to do the same.

Snack Time: I can’t think of anything more peak hipster than an Apple store in Brooklyn. Maybe an artisanal tea and crumpet station INSIDE an Apple Store in Brooklyn. Hey, guess what? An Apple store is coming to Brooklyn.

Dessert: Here’s a lovely collabo between Willow Smith and Michael Cera of all people. Happy weekend, kiddos!

9:46 AMWednesday night’s season finale of Empire wasn’t exactly awful, but for the second season in a row, they ended with a dud. It feels like the writers can’t decide who they actually want the real star of the show to be.

The American incarceration system can really break your spirit. The war on drugs filled U.S. prisons with reckless abandon and, in some facilities, made life for not just the inmates but the guards extremely trying. There is violence, health risks and potential psychological trauma that comes with being the one responsible for making sure that people locked in cages don’t harm themselves or others. One place that’s particularly known for its brutality is Rikers Island in New York City. ABC News in a special report takes a look at what a day in the life of an officer there is like.

Dudes are often the worst. And when it comes to nearly anything in entertainment — gaming, movies, TV shows, sports — aimed at women, there’s always some guy around to explain why such a thing is problematic or boring, lest it affect their fragile male psyche. But because mainly television programs are judged based on the success of not just ratings, but online reviews too, the noxious words of the men watching them have very real effects on what gets done. FiveThirtyEight’s Walt Hickey analyzes how men are sabotaging shows that are not aimed at them.

“Not perfect grammar, always perfect timing” was a lyric boasted by the Beastie Boys’ Mike D on the 1989 song “3-Minute Rule.” It’s a pretty decent life strategy, if you ask me. But when it comes to the world of media, for some, it’s not good enough. Not all players use the best language syntax when talking to reporters. Some don’t speak English as their first language. As a result, there’s sort of an unwritten rule about quoting players in which it’s understood that you don’t embarrass an athlete for how he talks. Recently, in Houston, the opposite happened. ESPN’s J.A. Adande delves into why this practice exists.

If nothing else, Cam Newton’s stunt game is next level. The best player in the NFL isn’t just a force on the field, but he’s a stylish guy whose career after he leaves the league will probably be stellar. Remember those $900 Versace pants he wore to travel to the Super Bowl last season? Those were mega fresh. Now, he’s got a new shiny toy, in the form of a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Cutlass, a classic American muscle car. Only Cam’s is souped up to the max, including all sorts of actual bling in the paint and fabric of the interior. ESPN’s David Newton has the details of his ride.

Free Food

Coffee Break: What if I told you that Cypress Hill, Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine were joining forces to bring back political rap? Well, it might be happening. Reports say that B-Real, Chuck D and Rage sans Zach De La Rocha could be making this supergroup happen. The name? Prophets of Rage.

Snack Time: What do you get when a black family adopts a white baby? Well, for one, a hilarious premise for a movie and, secondly, one involving Lucien Jean-Baptiste, which is awesome. This should be funny.

Dessert: I love a good office prank and this battle taking over Canal Street is truly next level. More, please.

9:55 AMSince we’re here, just want to give appreciation to everyone who read, watched, shared, or otherwise tuned in Tuesday for our launch. It was an exhilarating day on many levels, so, very plainly: THANK YOU. We outchea.

Pardon my ignorance, but if Hillary Clinton is elected, will it be Ms. or Mrs. President? If we really think about it, there’s a conundrum there because — from my rudimentary understanding of the English language — Mrs. is used to describe a woman who has taken another’s name. In her case, it’s not a name but a title, and the other person actually was president, too. Ugh. Long story short, last night two states that are diametrically opposite culture-wise went to the polls to decide who’s going to the Oval Office in January. Clinton declared victory in Kentucky while Bernie Sanders took Oregon. ABC News’ Julia Jacobo has the details.

I happen to be from a city where the HIV/AIDS problem is extreme. Washington, D.C., if you aren’t familiar, has infection rates that are on par with West-African countries in terms of percentages. As a matter of public health, paying attention to this fact nationwide is a matter of interest. But a new research map that was presented Tuesday by researchers at Atlanta’s Emory University shows that the large majority of risk for contracting the virus lies with gay and bisexual men in the American South. That is a direct result of the quality of the health care systems in that region. ABC News’ Michael Nedelman explains.

When I saw Captain America: Civil War, I was very excited about the number of black superheroes that would be populating the big screen. Not one, not two, but three! In all seriousness though, the act of integrating characters of color into films based on comic books is an unsurprisingly complicated topic on many levels. Sidebar: There’s one INCREDIBLE scene in that film in which the words “you will be moved” are uttered, which had me falling out in the theater. Anyways, the man who is the lone black producer in Marvel’s film division has an incredible history. If you’re smart, you’ll let The Undefeated’s Kelley L. Carter tell you how the story goes at FiveThirtyEight.

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a world of hurt. Their team is garbage. They’re putting random sponsors on their uniforms. No one shows up for their games, and they’re clinging to a legacy that isn’t coming back anytime soon. Seriously, the Sixers are one of the top five most important franchises to black America as far as the NBA is concerned, and they’ve been floundering for the better part of a decade when it comes to relevance on the court. That said, they won the draft lottery Tuesday night. Yay! Hold your horses, though. Allen Iverson isn’t walking through that door. ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reports.

Free Food

Coffee Break: What do you do when you go to bed? Read a book, a magazine or, gasp, a newspaper? I read my phone. But there’s a new thing out that sort of forces one away from the latter. It’s a lamp that only works if your cellular device (I like that term because only airplane people use it) is off. I’m outfitting my whole crib with these.

Snack Time: Chance The Rapper isn’t the only one doing work in these late night music streets. Alicia Keys and Common performed on SNL last weekend and it was fun!

Dessert: I’ve been playing with this computer keyboard synthesizer toy all week. You should, too.

10:51 AMWhat’s up, kiddos. Today’s the day. This is what you’ll get every morning from me, so you don’t have to pay attention to the news if life takes you elsewhere. Newsletter life is quite the thrill, if you love unread messages in your inbox. Kidding, let’s do this.

Mississippi is making progress. On the day before the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the decision that desegregated schools across the nation with the goal of making learning an equal opportunity situation, a district in the Magnolia State is finally catching up. We’re 60 years removed from that monumental decision from the Supreme Court, but somehow, this place missed the memo. This particular location is almost two-thirds black from a student populace standpoint. Also, take some time to think about what the term “historically white” actually means. ABC News’ Meghan Keneally reports.

Speaking of states, when was the last time you were in Pennsylvania? It’s a fine state. My personal favorite place there happens to be a place called Breezewood. When it comes to electoral politics, however, the state is hugely important this year. Particularly if you’re a Republican. With Donald Trump trying to find a way to relate to “normal America” on his way to the Oval Office, the home of the 76ers and the Penguins might be the place he kicks off the actualization of that effort. FiveThirtyEight’s David Wasserman explains why that’s a possibility.

Full disclosure: I already miss Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan. When it was announced that the former New York Giants defensive lineman would be leaving the program for Good Morning America, I was legit upset that the best duo on daytime television was done. It got kind of awkward, but now, Kelly is doing her thing on her own, to an extent. There will be a long line of guest hosts to determine who’s ready. If we’re being honest, nobody can really replace Strahan, but that’s another story. ABC’s Joi Marie McKenzie has details on the new show.

When it comes to individuals in the NFL, there’s Marshawn Lynch and everyone else. The man who exploded on to the scene by running all over the New Orleans Saints in a playoff game has become larger than life due to his healthy disdain for outsiders and tremendously charming persona. I don’t even love football but I still can’t believe Pete Carroll didn’t give him the ball in the Super Bowl. Anyways, the man known as “Beast Mode” is obviously a very smart guy. The Undefeated’s Lonnae O’Neal spent some time peeling back the layers in Oakland.

Free Food

Coffee Break: Mental illness is something that is chronically underreported, under discussed and under treated in communities of color. So when singer Kehlani admitted that she was struggling with said issues a while back, it was rather revelatory. This week, she showed remarkable courage by stopping to talk about it during a live show.

Snack Time: I listen to a lot of Action Bronson out of habit, but I might enjoy watching him cook and shop more than I do listening to him rap. Turns out, that just like Noreaga, he had a run in with Michael Jordan, too! Enjoy.

Dessert: By the way, we’ve got a podcast, too. Myself, Jill Hudson and Justin Tinsley are the squad. Listen up.