Daniesha Watson/photo/Iowa City Press-Citizen Volume 82 sat down with Daniesha "Day Day" Watson, the 2026 Iowa High School Girls' Wrestling Champion (130 lbs), along with her parents, to discuss athletic legacy, the evolution of girls' wrestling, and her journey to becoming a state champion. Check out the interview below! Vol 82 : So, Day Day, let everyone know your background in wrestling! Day Day : I got into it through my older brothers. They were involved in the Future T

Anthony "Elmo" Cole was extremely transparent while reflecting on his younger life and some of its infamy. After years of self-discovery, he's resurfaced to share his truths about how he fared after the harrowing events that cost him his freedom and disrupted several lives in his hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. In several conversations, Anthony reminisced about being in his prime as a young, "street popular" loner who sold heavy narcotics in Waterloo—something he said he doesn't

Jenn is a beautiful person; she’s truly a whole vibe. Here, she shares her story about becoming a quadriplegic, how the Grammy...

Ricky Donnell Ross, also known as “Freeway Rick” is an author and formerly convicted drug trafficker. He is known for establishing a drug empire in Los Angeles in the early to mid 1980s. He was sentenced to life in prison, but was later released after his case was overturned. I’ve known Freeway Rick for nearly ten years, so whenever I visit L.A., I always reach out to see if he’d like to meet up. Interacting with Rick is always fun! He's highly optimistic and we always have i

The legalization of marijuana has provided plentiful opportunities for venture capitalists who wish to enter the weed industry. And the west coast is especially booming with opportunities in this newly legalized industry. But some creative entrepreneurs are turning to hemp (the plant from which marijuana and CBD are made) for purposes far beyond the typical medicinal, recreational or medical realm. Many investors have ensued in the arms race that requires them to pay a huge p

Volume 82 recently caught up with business woman, fashion stylist, designer, fashion forecaster, and Iowa native Nicole Sallis about the highs and lows of sustaining herself as a creative. Having survived the arduous fashion industry in New York City for nearly twenty years, Nicole dropped some interesting jewels with us! Volume 82: How many years have you worked in fashion? Nicole: I've worked in fashion for about 17 years. When I moved to New York, I was still in college

It's no surprise that the entertainment industry continues to be enthralled with the lifestyle that came with selling crack-cocaine during the '80s and '90s. The “crack era” is a time period that is as historically significant as the protests of the 1960s, the Great Depression, and the Harlem Renaissance. It’s an unforgettable time that created an unpredictable rise and fall for Black American communities. During the '80s and '90s, it was typical for young black drug dealers

Chris Pearson is a former strength and conditioning trainer for the Raiders NFL team. He later partnered with former NFL and MLB athletic...

If you’ve ever brushed arms with JJ Moses, chances are you’ve experienced his warm, down-to-earth personality. And if you’ve known him for longer, then you already know that JJ has always been focused and driven. After ending his career with the NFL, people were still drawn to JJ for reasons beyond his athletic abilities. While serving as an usher and active member of Joel Osteen’s megachurch(Lakewood Church) in Houston, producers for Oprah Winfrey’s LifeClass TV series asked

The Sunday afternoon that I connected with Albert “Alpo” Martinez (or Po, as he told me I could call him), I had just interviewed and finished a photoshoot with his friend, Ms. Tee , the author of the books Harlem Heroin(e) and No Snitching . Ms. Tee and I decided to meet up with Po at Melba’s, a popular restaurant in Harlem. We were already seated and having a good time when he arrived. As I saw him driving down the street on his maroon Harley Davidson motorcycle, I had to r

While having many emotionally charged discussions with Azie Faison, I quickly realized he is deeply introspective.. Our conversations...

While speaking with Myriel "Squally Loc" Amos, he shared an interesting memory about being incarcerated. Squally said that he had a huge emotional trigger when he attended a doctor's appointment for a torn ACL at a hospital outside the prison grounds. He explained that while he was waiting to be seen for his appointment he saw a mother with her young child. Although it's quite normal to see a parent with their child in public, it wasn't for Squally. Seeing the mother with he

Michael "Bear" Mcgee sat down and talked with us about his transition in Hollywood as a bodyguard at Top Dawg Entertainment for ScHoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, and SZA into becoming an actor. Vol 82: You were a bodyguard for Top Dawg Entertainment, right? Bear: Yes. That was pretty much my only bodyguarding job. Vol 82: How long were you their bodyguard? Bear: About four years? Vol 82: You worked for Top Dawg when the artists were becoming big acts, right? Bear: Yes Vol 8

When rapper Nas spit the verse "most critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winner" on his track "Hate Me Now," we had no idea that a little...

Led by his wife, Winndye Hoover, Larry Hoover's family continues their relentless campaign to get him released from prison. In 1973 while serving as the leader of the Gangster Disciples gang in Chicago, Hoover was sentenced to prison for murder. While serving time, he became a model prisoner. During this bid, Hoover developed a relationship with Dr. Clemens Bartollas, a University of Northern Iowa sociology professor. Their relationship grew and eventually enabled Hoover to