Good Morning! It’s Hump Day! We are halfway through the work week and well on our way to an eventful Memorial Day weekend. What are your plans?

Expect a few road closures and traffic delays beginning today as the city prepares for Speed Street. The three-day festival kicks off tomorrow with performances by Midnight Star and Rose Royce. Sunday, NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca Cola 600, goes down at The Charlotte Motor Speedway. Have you ever been to a NASCAR event? Please visit our homepage and participate in the Qcity reader poll.

In case you haven’t heard, Oprah’s final show airs today! Who’s watching?

The weatherman says today will be another steamy one. Expect plenty of sunshine with a high of 92°. Temperatures will remain relatively warm tonight with a low of 68°.

Here’s what is brewing in the news:

Casey Anthony Murder trial begins

Casey Anthony's lawyer Jose Baez dropped a few bombshells in his opening statements yesterday as her trail began. He claims that Anthony did not kill her daughter Caylee Anthony; she drowned in the family's swimming pool a month before she was reported missing in the summer of 2008.

ABC News reports that Baez also claimed that Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, found the body in the backyard pool and indicated that he helped dispose of the body. The defense lawyer even suggested George Anthony planted evidence to implicate his daughter and deflect suspicion from himself.

Baez alleged that after pulling Caylee from the pool, George Anthony screamed at Casey Anthony, "Look what you've done. Your mother will never forgive you. You'll go to jail for the rest of your life."

Anthony faces a battery of charges including first degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse and providing false information to law enforcement. She could face the death penalty if convicted.

Anthony's defense team is also alleging that the 25 year old was sexually abused by her father and brother and hid her daughter's death like she hid the secret of her alleged sexual abuse.

Watch trial video at ABC News
***

Dove Visible Care ad, Racist?

The design of this Dove Visible Care body wash advertisement is under attack for what many say is racist imagery, reports The Root.

Some are offended that the women featured in the ad are arranged from dark to light and from thickest to thinnest with the black woman standing in front of the bad skin (before) sample and the blond-haired-white woman standing in front of the good skin (after) sample.

They say it suggests that using Dove will lighten your skin or that lighter skin is better.

One blogger wrote the ad implies that, "Dove body wash turns Black Women into Latino Women into White Women."

Question: Share your opinion. Is this ad racist or is this just a bunch of nonsense?

Read more at The Root
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NASCAR driver cited for reckless driving

Days before he is set to drive in NASCAR's longest race, driver Kyle Busch was flagged for speeding and reckless driving in Iredell County, reports The Charlotte Observer.

Busch was stopped yesterday after a an Iredell County Sheriff's deputy clocked him driving 128 mph in a 45-mph zone, according to the sheriff's office.

Busch was driving a yellow Lexus LFA sports car, and his wife, Samantha, was a passenger.

Read more at The Charlotte Observer

*** This is your chance to speak out. Use the comment section to share what's brewing on your mind this morning.

Got news to share with Qcity readers? Email us at editor@qcitymetro.com.
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