Month: February 2026

Six days after a deeply uncomfortable incident at the BAFTA Awards in London, Hollywood found its footing Saturday night at the 57th NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena — and used the occasion to make something clear.

What are the NAACP Image Awards?

The NAACP Image Awards, now in their 57th year, are among the most prestigious honors in American entertainment. Presented annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the awards celebrate outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature. Unlike most major awards shows, the Image Awards are explicitly rooted in a mission — recognizing not just artistic excellence but the broader cultural impact of Black storytelling and Black artists in an industry that has historically marginalized them. Saturday’s ceremony was held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and hosted by comedian Deon Cole.

What Happened at the BAFTAs

On February 22, while Jordan and Lindo were presenting the visual effects award during the BAFTA ceremony in London, an audience member with Tourette syndrome involuntarily shouted a racial slur. The moment was captured on the BBC’s live broadcast.

The controversy that followed wasn’t directed at the man with the condition. It was directed at BAFTA. The ceremony had been broadcast on a time delay — meaning producers had the opportunity to edit the moment out before it aired. They edited other portions of the show, including political statements. The slur made it to air anyway. Warner Bros., the studio behind Sinners, reportedly requested it be removed.

Both Jordan and Lindo handled the moment with composure, pausing briefly before continuing their presentation.

The NAACP’s Answer

From the opening moments of Saturday’s ceremony, the NAACP Image Awards provided something the BAFTAs hadn’t: a room fully prepared to show up for Jordan and Lindo.

Host Deon Cole set the tone early, joking in his opening monologue that anyone in the audience with Tourette syndrome should “read the room” — a line that landed to knowing laughter.

When Scary Movie 6 actress Regina Hall took the stage to present the first award of the evening, she paused before announcing the winner. “Take a moment for the kings in the audience,” she said, nodding toward Jordan and Lindo, praising them for their “class.” The auditorium rose to its feet.

Quinta Brunson, accepting her award for best actress in a comedy series for Abbott Elementary, kept it simple. “We see you,” she told the Sinners cast and crew. “We’re behind you. Love you.”

@revolt

A standing ovation is EXACTLY what they deserve 🖤 Delroy Lindo thanked everyone at the NAACP Image Awards for their love & support after last week’s incident at the BAFTA Awards with Michael B. Jordan 🙌🏾 He attended the award show as a presenter alongside Ryan Coogler 🫂 #delroylindo #ryancoogler #michaelbjordan #sinners #naacpimageawards

♬ original sound – REVOLT

The most significant moment came roughly an hour into the ceremony, when Delroy Lindo took the stage alongside Sinners writer-director Ryan Coogler to loud applause. It was Lindo’s first public comment since the BAFTA incident.

“I’d just like to officially say — I appreciate, we appreciate, all the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend,” Lindo said. “It means a lot to us.”

Sinners entered the night leading all films with 18 nominations and left with 11 wins — including best actor for Michael B. Jordan and best motion picture. It was, by any measure, the dominant story of the evening.

This article contains spoilers for Survivor 50. Proceed at your own risk.

Survivor 50 has officially kicked off and given there are a whopping 24 returning players this season, I think it’s fair to say castaways will be dropping left and right. Here’s a running list of every castaway who has been voted out — or left the game — so far this season.

Episode 1: Jenna Lewis-Dougherty — Voted Out

The Season 1 representative was sadly the first voted out from the Cila tribe after they didn’t win the Immunity Challenge. Jenna wanted to target Cirie, but the tribe ultimately decided that her frantic gameplay was a bigger risk to keep around.

Episode 1: Kyle Fraser — Medically Evacuated

The Season 48 winner’s game came to a screeching halt after injuring his ankle while nobly helping his Vatu tribe during the first Immunity Challenge. While he tried to walk it off, host Jeff Probst later visited camp and told him they had to get him medical attention. It turns out Kyle did tear his Achilles tendon and had to have surgery just days later.

Survivor airs on CBS Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Related: Jeff Probst Says ‘Survivor 50’ Won’t Be a ‘Gentle Season’ (Exclusive)

If you have a front loading washing machine, then you know the struggle. Water collects at the bottom of the door gasket, and unless you remember to wipe it out with a rag and leave the door open to allow the gasket to dry out, you’re eventually greeted by the smell of mildew and a ring of black growth. 

Once mold takes root in that porous rubber, it’s notoriously difficult to remove. I’ve spent over a year using ACTIVE Mold Stain Remover, a specialized bleach-based gel, to keep my washing machine mold free. It is easily the most effective solution I’ve found.

Related: Clean Your Shower Door In Seconds With This Laundry Room Staple

Why it Works Better Than Liquid Bleach

The problem with standard household cleaners is that they run off of the gasket surface before it has a chance to penetrate and kill the mold. ACTIVE Mold Stain Remover solves this issue with its thick, gel-like consistency. ACTIVE comes in a squeeze bottle, so it’s easy to apply the gel exactly where the stains are. And since it’s a gel, it can sit on the rubber for hours, penetrating deeply into the mold to kill it. 

I typically let it soak in for about five hours, wipe it away with a rag, then run a quick wash cycle to rinse it everything out. If the mold is particularly widespread, I may do two separate applications. But even when it’s bad, it removes the mold and stain every time. 

Why ACTIVE Mold Stain Remover is Worth the Cost

At $20 for a 7-ounce bottle, ACTIVE Mold Stain Remover is a little on the pricey side for a cleaning product. However, considering that a replacement gasket costs $50 and requires a special spring expansion tool to install it, $20 for a bottle that will last you several years is a good investment.  

I’ve tried removing the gasket, soaking it in bleach, and scrubbing it with various household cleaners both store bought and homemade, but nothing has provided the same results with so little effort. In short, if you own a front loading washing machine, you should have a bottle of this on hand in your laundry room. 

A Few Pro Tips:

• Protect Your Clothes: ACTIVE MOld Stain Remover has a high concentration of bleach, so you don’t want to get it on your clothes. Run a rinse cycle after using it to prevent any residue from ending up on your favorite shirts. 
• Preventive Care: While ACTIVE Mold Stain Remover is great for removing mold, preventive care is also key. Wipe out any excess moisture in the gasket and leave the door open after you’re done doing laundry. 

Maintaining the proper pH in your soil is crucial for growing a lush and verdant lawn. If soil pH is off, essential nutrients like phosphorus nitrogen and potassium will be locked in the soil and inaccessible to your grass seeds and existing turf, resulting in thin, yellow, sickly looking grass and stagnant growth. Even worse. Soil that’s too acidic or alkaline will also promote weed growth. The best way to alter the pH of your soil is by adding lime to raise the pH (if it’s acidic) or sulfur if the pH is alkaline (too high). 

Related: 3 Reasons Your Seedlings Are Flopping Over

Before Your Get Started

Don’t assume the pH in your lawn is too low or too high or you could end up doing more damage than good. Your first step should be to purchase a soil test kit and test the soil to determine its pH, so you can apply the right amendments. 

How to Raise pH

If your lawn’s pH is below 6.0, you need to add lime to it to raise it. While there are various treatments you can use to raise the soil pH, lime is the most effective and easiest to apply. Go with pelleticized limestone, which you can apply with a broadcast or drop spreader.

Pro Tip: Use dolomitic lime, which contains calcium and magnesium, thus allowing you to increase the pH while also adding nutrients that are beneficial to your lawn in a single application. 

Apply between 25-50 lbs. of lime per 1,000 square feet for moderately acidic soil with a pH below 5.5-6.0. For highly acidic lawns with a pH below 5.5, apply 50 lbs. per square feet. Don’t apply more than 50 lbs. per 1,000 square feet to avoid damaging your lawn with too much lime. Be patient with the results. It takes about 3 to 6 months for a lime treatment to show any substantial change to your soil pH. 

How to Lower pH

If your soil pH is above 7.0, it’s too alkaline and you’ll need to add sulphur to lower it. To lower soil pH add between 0.5 and 1.0 pounds of elemental sulfur per 1,000 square feet. 

As with lime, it takes about three to six months for the bacteria in the soil to change the sulfur into acid, so wait about six months before retesting the soil. If you’re looking for a faster fix, you can also apply ammonium sulfate, which will lower your soil’s pH in a few days. Be cautious when using it as ammonium sulfate can be toxic in higher concentrations. 

FAQs

When is the best time to raise or lower the pH of my lawn?

Apply lime or sulfur in the spring or fall when temperatures are mild and your lawn will recover more quickly from the treatment. Fall is the best time to apply lime or sulfur as it gives the soil the entire winter for the pH change to take effect. 

How do I test my soil pH?

You can purchase soil test kits from your local home improvement store. When taking soil samples for the test, take soils samples that are 4 to 6 inches deep from several locations throughout your yard.

Your grass may spend the winter dormant, but that doesn’t mean it can’t suffer damage. When soil temperatures warm up beyond 50°F and air temperature consistently remains above 60°F, your grass will begin to show signs of awakening. Cool season grass starts growing in early spring as soon as soil temperatures rise above 50°F. When the grass starts growing, it’s time to start looking for signs of damage. 

Start by walking your lawn and giving it a thorough inspection. You’re looking for mold, compacted soil, and dead or brown patches. You might see grayish or pinkish mold, salt damage near the pavement, or soil that’s so hard that you can’t push a screwdriver into it. 

These are the signs of common winter damage:

• Snow Mold: Look for circular matted patches that are grayish white or pinkish. Since snow mold forms under heavy snow, you’ll be able to see it as soon as the snow melts away. If you find snow mold, treat it right away to prevent it from killing your grass while there’s still time. 
• Salt damage:Salt damage is the result of snow melt or rock salt that either you or your local government puts down to melt snow and ice in the winter. While salt does a great job of melting ice, it also can burn your grass. Look for burnt, brown grass, or soil that’s crusted over with salt along your driveway, sidewalks and curbs. 
• Vole damage: Voles, often confused with moles, because they too burrow underground can do a number on your lawn. While moles leave raised tunnels in your yard, voles leave shallow, winding 2-inch wide open trails around your lawn. 
• Soil Compaction: Look for compacted soil where the ground is compacted. Attempt to stick a screwdriver in the ground. If it won’t penetrate, the soil is too compacted for grass seed to take root. This compaction is often caused by the cycle of freezing and thawing in winter that can tighten up the soil. If the soil is compacted, you’ll need to aerate it to improve oxygen flow to the grass roots. 
• Dehydration: Grass that is brown or golden and fails to turn green when spring rains arrive is likely dead. Perform the tug test to determine if it’s dead or just dormant. If it’s the former, you’ll need to fill this bare patch by planting new grass seed. 
• Dessication: Grass that’s exposed to cold winter winds can dry out grass, denying it the moisture it needs to survive, leading to desiccation. Keeping your grass hydrated in winter is a way to prevent this. If not, dead patches will appear and you’ll need to reseed. 
• Thatch: Assess the thatch layer on your lawn. While thatch will break down normally, cold winter temperatures can prevent that process from happening, causing dead grass to accumulate on your lawn. A thatch layer thicker than 1/2 inch is considered too thick, preventing water, air and nutrients from reaching the soil. Dethatch the lawn using a motorized dethatcher or dethatching rake. 
• Bumpy Lawn: This condition happens as a result of crown hydration. This happens when temperatures rise, prompting your grass to start growing, before plummeting back to sub freezing temperatures. When the ground refreezes, the roots and crowns of grass plants burst and push up into the lawn, resulting in a bumpy lawn surface. When this happens, you’ll need to remove the dead grass and overseed to fill the bare spots. 

Related: This is Why Those Bare Patches On Your Lawn Keep Coming Back

Make Repairs Quickly

Once you spot damage on your lawn, repair them quickly. Dead grass leads to bare spots, which something will fill. If you don’t plant grass seed, weeds will quickly take over those bare patches. Get seed in the ground as soon as soil temperatures hit 50°F before crabgrass begins germinating when soil temperatures reach 55°F to 60°F.