Yusef Salaam ... has won a Democratic primary for a seat on the New York City Council, all but assuring him of eventual victory.

His outsider campaign prevailed over two political veterans — New York Assembly members Inez Dickens, 73, and Al Taylor, 65 ... Democratic socialist Kristin Richardson Jordan, the incumbent council member, dropped out of the race in May ...

While all three candidates focused on promoting affordable housing, controlling gentrification and easing poverty in Harlem, Salaam capitalized on his celebrity ...

Salaam moved to Georgia shortly after he was released [in 2002] and became an activist, a motivational speaker, an author and a poet. He returned only in December to launch his campaign.

The ruling by [National Labor Relations Board] Judge Robert A. Ringler found that the company and local store managers in Pittsburgh abused their power and unlawfully targeted workers organizing with Pittsburgh Starbucks Workers United.

Three of the fired workers were part of the union’s 5-member bargaining unit, a fact that Ringler suggested was not a coincidence.

As workers at Starbucks stores nationwide have racked up organizing victories, the company has been hit numerous times with NLRB rulings that found unlawful labor practices.

Phidippus clarus, the brilliant jumping spider. This is a female, which is beautiful in my opinion, but the males are mostly black and have iridescent blue chelicerae (mouth parts that look like fangs). Behind this spider you can see a line of web, a sort of safety harness that had been attached before jumping to this spot.

I felt very fortunate to spot this spider as I've never seen any of this species before, to my knowledge. I didn't even know they lived here until last summer, when I found this one. I hope to see a male one day and maybe even get a good picture.

I haven't seen this buddy since fall, and over winter I lost a lot of plants (including the vine pictured). We've been hoping he'd come back this year, but no sightings so far. We do get a ton of frogs in the yard/neighborhood and check their markings whenever we can, but no luck! I hope he's thriving in the fields nearby.

"Gulf Coast Toad" is the common name for at least two species; this is Incilius nebulifer.

And for those who don't know: "toad" is not a formal classification, so this little guy, like all toads, is also a frog!