Photo: Courtesy Mighty Writers When Richard “Tre” Jenkins was a kid, he never imagined he’d attend an Ivy League school. “It never occurred to me,” the 18 year old tells PEOPLE. “I was homeless for two years … we were hopping from different hotels and staying in homeless shelters.” Jenkins, of Philadelphia, along with his mother, Quiana McLaughlin, and two brothers, bounced around for years before they finally got a home of their own when Jenkins was about 13....

Teresa Giudice spent months preparing tocompete in the bikini division of a bodybuilding competition— and the experience didn’t let her down.“She has been training for this bodybuilding competition since December,” a source tells PEOPLE. “She wanted a new challenge and pushed herself to the extreme. Right now she is in the best shape of her life.”“She has lost a bunch of weight,” the source continues, adding that theReal Housewives of New Jerseystar, 46, is “even more fit than when she got home [from prison]....

On Saturday, theReal Housewives of New Jerseystar appeared at BravoCon — alongside her costarsJackie Goldschneider,Margaret Josephs,Melissa Gorga,Dolores Catania, andJennifer Aydin— during which she defended Joe’s behavior on the hit Bravo reality series. The mom of four was responding to criticisms regarding Joe’s tough-guy attitude, especially on the couple’s recent bombshellWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohensit-down. “I’m used to Joe so to me, that was good Joe,” Teresa, 47, said. “I know how Joe is....

Just a day after watching her daughter graduate from high school from her hospital bed, a 51-year-old mother from New York passed away after a years-long batter with cancer.Just weeks before Cassidy De Leon prepared to graduate from Washingtonville High School, her mother, Elizabeth, was admitted to Vassar Brothers Medical Center after experiencing complications from stage IV colon cancer that spread to other parts of her body.“It wasn’t until last week where things took a turn for the worst,” Cassidy’s brother, Richard Pagan, 33, tells PEOPLE of the moment his mother was rushed to the emergency room at the end of May....

Terrence Howard is singing the praises of hisEmpirecostarJussie Smollett, in the wake of theapparent homophobic and racially charged attackon the actor. “I heard he’s getting better. You know, he’s angry,” Howard said. “But I know Jussie. Jussie’s anger will dissipate and he will forgive these people for what they did. But he won’t, and we cannot, forget their actions. They have to be forgiven because it was done out of ignorance....

Sery Kim.Photo: Kris Connor/Getty A Texas congressional candidate and former Trump administration staffer is facing criticism for racist remarks that shedoes not want Chinese immigrantscoming to the U.S. “at all,” blaming them for stealing intellectual property and spreadingCOVID-19. “I don’t want them here at all,” Sery Kim said in a forum for candidates of Texas' 6th Congressional District held last week. “They steal our intellectual property, they give us coronavirus, they don’t hold themselves accountable....

Photo: Facebook Brenton Estorffe, an Australian native living with his wife and children in the Houston suburb of Katy, died early on Wednesday, which was also his birthday. Investigators contend Estorffe was shot to death fighting off two intruders who forced their way into his home. Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls vowed to apprehend the killers during a press conference last week. The sheriff beseeched the public to be on the lookout for a light-colored, four-door sedan with a sunroof that was caught on surveillance video fleeing the scene....

Photo: GoFundMe Family membersidentified the deceased as Clayton Vaughn, telling ABC 13 that the man’s girlfriend, who was driving,was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. According to deputies from the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office, an 18-wheeler with a landscaping trailer was heading east on the Katy Freeway when the tire flew off, per ABC 13. After the Harris County District Attorney’s Office examines the evidence of the incident, the truck driver, if identified, could face charges for failure to stop and render aid....

Greg Abbott.Photo: Montinique Monroe/Getty ImagesWhile authoritiescontinue to searchfor a man accused offatally shooting five of his Texas neighbors— one of whom was a 9-year-old child — Texas Gov.Greg Abbottis facing criticism for referring to the victims as simply, “illegal immigrants.“On Sunday, Abbott took to Twitter to share information about a $50,000 reward for information about the suspect.“I’ve announced a $50K reward for info on the criminal who killed 5 illegal immigrants Friday,” Abbott noted....

Photo: KXAN A Texas family claims they lost custody of their children after doctors misdiagnosed their sick infant as being abused — a diagnosis that later turned out to be incorrect. The diagnosis set off a chain reaction for the Troy family. The infant, known as JJ, and his older brother were removed from the home and placed into foster care. Jason was charged with two felony counts of child abuse, which carried a potential sentence between five and 99 years....

Photo: Getty A Walmart in Texas has banned an unidentified woman from their store after she refused to pay full price for a cake that she ate half of before even making it to the register. On June 25, Wichita Falls Police received a call just after 8 p.m. concerning a woman who had allegedly eaten half a cake as she walked around the store, the department’s spokesperson, Officer Jeff Hughes, told theWichita Falls Times Record News....

Teyana Tayloris on the mend after landing in the hospital over the weekend. In a candidInstagrampost on Sunday, the “We Got Love” singer, 30, revealed that her body “shut down” during a stop on herThe Last Rose Petal…Farewell Tour. She shared a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed as she thanked her Connecticut fans for understanding the last-minute cancellation of her Mashantucket show on Saturday. She wrote, “Y’all know Petunia don’t miss no shows & most importantly, know I’ve been leaving it all on tha [sic] stage for a month straight 1000%....

Walt Disney World‘s much-buzzed-about new hot spot is finally open for business. After months ofanticipation, the Enchanted Rose—aBeauty and the Beast-themed bar and lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa—welcomed guests for the first time on Monday. Walt Disney World Specialty cocktails are the star ofthe menu, with an extensive list that includes two that are shaken tableside and a section dedicated to martinis. There are also three non-alcoholic mocktail options....