Latest news with #JohnMorgan
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Al Lawson says David Jolly lacks statewide support to win Florida governor
David Jolly is on notice: He has three months to prove he's built a coalition capable of winning the governor's mansion or Jolly will face a challenge from Al Lawson Jr., the Democratic dean of North Florida politics. Jolly, a former Republican Congressman turned Democrat, is seeking to revive a lifeless Florida Democratic Party that has lost seven consecutive gubernatorial races. The 52-year-old from St. Petersburg seeks to unify the Democrats' different factions. His candidacy so far helped pushed state Sen. Jason Pizzo to leave the party and mount an independent bid. It has Democratic mega-donor John Morgan waiting until next August to decide whether to run a self-financed campaign. And, in recent weeks, two of the Democrats' most significant voting blocs – women and Blacks – have pushed back at the Jolly campaign, revealing potential potholes for him on the campaign trail. Lawson, 77, represented Tallahassee and North Florida at both the state Capitol and in Washington for 32 years until Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature redistricted his panhandle seat out of existence in 2022. He recently cast shade on a Jolly announcement that 60 elected and former elected Democratic officials endorsed his candidacy. Lawson said he too was asked to sign the endorsement but that he wanted to wait to see if anyone else would enter the race; the election is more than a year away. 'All these officials call me and tell me he might be our best shot, but your best shot does not mean you are going to win,' Lawson told the USA TODAY Network – Florida. A week ago, a Lawson email surfaced indicating Lawson thinks Jolly is failing to unify the Democratic base. The former Florida Senate Democratic leader wrote that African Americans were not 'happy' with the Jolly campaign. African Americans are 16% of Florida registered voters and gave more than 85% of their votes to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections. The Lawson email emerged a week after a score of female Democratic influencers and elected officials quickly patched over concerns about Jolly's commitment to abortion rights. The Florida Women's Freedom Coalition political committee painted Jolly as a threat to abortion access. Women are 62% of Florida voters and 56% of the total Democratic base. Now nearly a week after his email surfaced, Lawson said he was still fielding calls from across the state, asking what was going on with the race and what his intentions are. He did not mention racial politics or follow up on his criticism that Jolly used to be a Republican in an interview, but he now has the impression that Jolly lacks statewide name recognition, such that 'nobody outside of Tampa knows who he is.' 'And that's a steep incline to climb. Maybe we need a good primary,' Lawson said. Lawson said he is still taking calls from supporters, talking to party officials and elected Democrats and watching the Jolly campaign. Come November, depending on what the polls indicate, he will make a decision whether to enter the race. It could set up an interesting scenario about whether Al Lawson could force David Jolly out of the Democratic primary. When Jolly launched his campaign earlier this year, he said he had benchmarks for polls and fundraising to meet by February 2026. Those numbers, he said, will determine his campaign's fate. Lawson's entrance into the race could affect polling and fundraising. Jolly said he has 'great respect' for Lawson and took the opportunity to smooth over the criticism from the veteran leader. 'My job as the candidate leading the Democratic coalition is to gain the support of Floridians across the state, including Al Lawson, to win the governorship,' Jolly said. James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@ and is on X as @CallTallahassee. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Al Lawson signals '26 bid for governor if Jolly can't unite Democrats
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jackson Parish Hospital teams up with TruBridge to support financial operations
Jackson Parish Hospital, a critical access facility in Louisiana, US, has re-established its partnership with healthcare solutions company TruBridge to enhance its financial operations. With Under this strategic alliance, the 25-bed facility will implement TruBridge's technology driven, Complete Business Office (CBO) services. This move aims to improve the hospital's operational efficiency and financial health, encompassing revenue cycle management, billing, coding and claims management. The decision to return to TruBridge comes after a period of collaboration with another vendor since 2019. Jackson Parish CEO John Morgan said: 'The expertise at TruBridge is unlike any other that we experienced elsewhere. 'We see them as a leader in the community and critical access space and believe they understand our needs.' This renewed partnership builds upon a previous seven-year relationship. TruBridge is known for improving fiscal sustainability and securing efficient and accurate claims processing for health systems across the US. Its CBO services provide hospitals, ranging from critical access to 400-bed facilities, with solutions to stabilise operations, optimise cash flow, and achieve financial outcomes. TruBridge Financial Health general manager Merideth Wilson said: 'We are pleased to partner with Jackson Parish Hospital once again. Our shared mission to empower communities through fiscal sustainability is central to our relationship. 'Strong financial outcomes are integral to patient outcomes, and we're committed to helping communities thrive.' Earlier this year, TruBridge unveiled a partnership that integrated Microsoft Dragon Copilot with its electronic health record solution, aimed at boosting operational efficiency for hospitals and health systems throughout the US. Prior to this, Lady of the Sea General Hospital entered into a collaboration with TruBridge, focusing on enhancing patient care and the revenue cycle. "Jackson Parish Hospital teams up with TruBridge to support financial operations" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
South Wales Argus
17-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
College ‘buzzing' with excitement over new engineering campus
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, which led the project, has handed the facility over to Coleg Gwent. It will be kitted out over the summer with state-of-the-art robotics, advanced manufacturing technologies, and immersive digital tools. The 21,808 sq ft campus will offer hi-tech training and education in robotics, and advanced manufacturing in fields such as automotive, aerospace, and information technology. The council secured £10.8 million funding from UK government and £4.8 million from the Welsh Government's Tech Valleys programme to transform the former Monwel Hankinson factory site in Ebbw Vale. Cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning Rebecca Evans said: 'This fantastic new facility forms a key part of our vision to transform the South Wales Valleys into a globally recognised hub for innovation, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable technologies.' Cllr John Morgan, BGCBC cabinet member for economy and place, said: 'Hive has faced some challenges during its build, and I want to commend everyone involved for their commitment and vision in delivering this hugely important project." Nicola Gamlin, principal of Coleg Gwent, said: 'We're proud to take ownership of the state-of-the-art HiVE facility, a landmark development for education and skills in Blaenau Gwent and beyond. We're excited to welcome our first cohort of learners this September.' The learning starts even before HiVE however, with the HiVE Hub Programme in local schools, which is being funded by Welsh Government Tech Valleys and UK Government. The programme aims to create meaningful and sustainable links between the college and Blaenau Gwent schools to support high quality and inspirational learning experiences.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Morgan Takes a Grown-Up Look at Regret With ‘Kid Myself': ‘There's a Lot of Details of My Story in This Song'
The past is dead. Mental health professionals sometimes cite that mantra as a reminder to live in the present. But people aren't particularly good at doing that — and country music, of course, mirrors life, often encouraging listeners to rummage through the old cobwebs and reconsider the leftover business lurking there. More from Billboard Michaël Brun Talks Bringing BAYO Fest to Barclays Center Amid Trump Travel Ban & Increased ICE Presence in NYC Billboard Vietnam Launches With Ho Chi Minh City Event Pharrell Gifts Beyoncé a Louis Vuitton Handbag Straight Off Fashion Show Runway It's how John Morgan's 'Kid Myself' operates, with an adult male drifting back in his mind to a time when he was young and stupid and likely let a good one get away. It's a little nostalgic and a bit melancholy, though not entirely either of those things. It's mostly just regretful, and the musical vibe of 'Kid Myself' fits that attitude to a T. 'This song is somewhat of an apology letter,' Morgan says, recalling a relationship he left behind in North Carolina. 'I wasn't able to be what they probably deserved.' It's not only about Morgan's experience. 'Kid Myself' is also his title. He logged it in the list of possible hooks he keeps on his smartphone, and it was waiting for him when he wanted a solid idea to present during his first co-write with Tyler Hubbard on June 8, 2024. 'I've obviously been a big fan of his for a long time with [Florida Georgia Line] and have heard a lot of good things about his writing as well,' Morgan says. 'So I was like, 'I got to bring at least one good idea.'' The night before, he scrolled through that list of titles, and 'Kid Myself' caught his eye. He tossed the words around in his mind and realized it lent itself to a classic country flip: 'I was just a kid myself' and 'I don't want to kid myself.' Then he played his guitar a bit, looking for a progression that matched the regret the title insinuated. 'It's not an F.U. kind of hook,' he says. 'I'm just telling facts of what it was at the time.' Morgan and Hubbard showed up the next day at the home studio of Jordan Schmidt ('God's Country,' 'wait in the truck'). Morgan didn't push his idea on them — in fact, they spent more than an hour chasing another song that didn't quite pan out. Finally, Morgan confessed that he wasn't feeling it and wanted to see what they thought about 'Kid Myself.' 'Kudos to John for speaking up,' Schmidt says. 'All of us want to write great songs and we respect one another, and if somebody in the room is like, 'Hey, I don't think this is it,' it's rare that you're going to get a lot of pushback from people.' Schmidt started building a track around Morgan's acoustic guitar progression, and they filled in the chorus using the hook as bookends. It opens with the guy recalling when he was 'just a kid myself,' lamenting how badly he handled the end of the relationship and working toward some acceptance that he destroyed whatever interest she once had for him: 'I don't want to kid myself.' 'I don't think he had the whole chorus sussed out,' Hubbard says. 'But he definitely had enough of an idea, concept and melody to get us going, to really hang the dartboard and give us a direction to shoot toward.' The verses maintained the same reflective tone as that chorus, drifting back lyrically to a time when the two people were young and carefree. She, however, grew up while he kept hanging out at bars, and by the end of the opening verse, he recognizes that he just couldn't give her what she deserved: 'a ring and a house with a dog and a couple of kids.' That last part inadvertently provides an extra interpretation to 'Kid Myself.' When Morgan sings the last line of the chorus — 'I don't want to kid myself' — he phrases it, 'I don't wanna kid myself.' Listeners who aren't staring at the lyrics are apt to hear it as 'I don't want a kid myself,' which would suggest they argued about what a family would look like or that he even impregnated her and abandoned her. It's not Morgan's story, but it is an interpretation he briefly considered when they cut the demo. 'I'm in the vocal booth, and [Jordan] just kind of let me vamp on the end for one pass,' Morgan says. 'I started saying that very thing — I was like, 'I don't want a kid myself/ Got a couple kids myself.' We were just joking around, but we all kind of looked at each other like, 'Should we try to fit that in there?' And I think we just came to the conclusion that there was already enough turns and we didn't want to confuse the listener.' Hubbard was impressed with Morgan's performance in the vocal booth. 'There's a lot of artists, myself included, that aren't first-takers [who] can just get in there and crush it on first take,' he says. 'John's one of those guys. I was blown away. This dude can really, really sing.' Schmidt hired guitarist Jonny Fung to add a few parts to an intentionally sparse demo. 'With a song like this, the music really helps set the tone and the melodies,' Schmidt says. 'The whole song is kind of based around the four and the five chord, and it never really resolves. That's kind of like the whole tone of the lyric, too, so it all fits together nicely in this tension.' Night Train Records founder Jason Aldean told Morgan, based on that demo, that 'Kid Myself' should be the next single. Morgan and producer Brent Anderson (Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch) created the foundation for the master version, working a day or two at a time between Morgan's tour dates at Anderson's home studio. Anderson recorded bass and drum placeholder parts, and they experimented with guitar and keyboard sounds on top of that. 'There kind of wasn't really any rules,' Anderson says. 'It was just me and him there, ordering Uber Eats, and my wife keeps bringing us whatever kind of cookies or anything else. You're just down there throwing stuff at a wall until you listen back and go, 'Man, I'm really proud of that.' ' Morgan played a solo as well that had a lonely, '80s Britpop sound. The actual notes weren't nearly as important as the tone. '[Writer-producer] Derek George has a Telecaster that I, for all intents and purposes, have stolen,' Anderson says with a laugh. 'I tell him all the time, 'Man, I'm going to give that back.' 'It's OK, just get it back when you can.' I've had it for a year, and I have no intention of giving it back.' They brought in steel guitarist Mike Johnson to create the final instrumental piece of the puzzle, and they had drummer Rob Ricotta and bassist Caleb Bates — both members of Morgan's touring band — replace the placeholder rhythm section. Morgan was intentionally emulating Aldean, who uses his own band in the studio. Ultimately, Night Train/Broken Bow released 'Kid Myself' to country radio via PlayMPE on May 28 as a follow-up to his Aldean collaboration, 'Friends Like That,' which peaked at No. 2 on Country Airplay. 'There's a lot of details of my story in this song, and so I felt like it represented me really well as an artist,' Morgan says. 'I'm still on the front end of showing people who am I as an artist and what makes me different than everybody else.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Big E announces Court of Honor Stage lineup
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Big E has announced its lineup for its Court of Honor Stage performances. The popular venue, situated in front of the Coliseum, hosts four daily shows at 12, 2, 5 and 8 p.m. during the fair, Sept. 12-28. All shows are free with admission to The Big E. A limited number of premium seats are available for select shows. Free seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The lineup is as follows: Tonic, Sept. 12, 8 p.m.; John Morgan, Sept. 14, 8 p.m.; The Stylistics, Sept. 15-16, 2 p.m.; The Marshall Tucker Band, Sept. 17, 8 p.m.; Aldo Nova, Sept. 18, 8 p.m.; B.o.B, Sept. 19, 8 p.m.; Firefall, Sept. 20, 8 p.m.; Five for Fighting, Sept. 21, 8 p.m.; Seals & Crofts 2, Sept. 22-23, 2 p.m. Sister Hazel, Sept. 24, 8 p.m.; Elliot Lurie of Looking Glass with Yacht Rock Gold Experience, Sept. 25, 8 p.m.; Finger Eleven, Sept. 26, 8 p.m.; MKTO, Sept. 27, 8 p.m.; Queensrÿche, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. More additions to the Court of Honor Stage schedule and The Big E Arena are expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks. The Amateurs Silverthorne Theater Company launches 2025 summer season with 'The Amateurs' by Jordan Harrison, a play about a theater troupe on the run from the black plague in the 1300s. As the rag-tag troupe at the play's center races across Europe to outrun the plague, they perform such favorites as 'The Seven Deadly Sins' and 'Noah's Flood.' 'The Amateurs' will be staged at the Mainstage Theater in Emily Dickinson Hall on the campus of Hampshire College, where the company is in its second summer season in residence. Show dates and times are June 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., and June 14, 15 and 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets available now at 'The Amateurs' is the first of two shows in Silverthorne's summer season. Tony-award winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's 'The Comeuppance,' about a group of thirty-somethings gathering for their 20th high school reunion, will be presented in July. Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival Out Film CT will host the 38th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival June 20-28. The majority of the festival will be screened at the festival's longtime home, the historic and elegant Cinestudio on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford. The closing night film will be at the Connecticut Science Center in downtown Hartford. In addition, there will be some virtual-only exclusives for film fans to enjoy at home. Associated social events include the opening night after-party (Friday, June 20), the centerpiece film free pre-reception (Wednesday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m.), and the closing night celebration (Saturday, June 28). Information on pricing for festival passes, which are on sale now, is available at Call & Response AMHERST — GalleryA3 in Amherst will exhibit the works of Evelyn Pye at an exhibition titled 'Call & Response' July 3 to Aug. 2. An opening reception will take place Thursday, July 3, 5–7 p.m. An art forum is scheduled to take place July 17, 7:30 p.m. In two series of related oil paintings on wood panel that together form 'Call & Response,' Pye explores human dimensions of time, space, and scale through a profusion of indoor plant life punctuated by a discrete infusion of domestic detail. GalleryA3 is located at 28 Amity St., 1D, in Amherst, Hours are Thursday to Sunday, 2-7 p.m. Earls and Pearls WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Irish Cultural Center will present the harmonies of the Earls and Pearls, a select group of vocalists from the former Dan Kane Singers, as they sing a collection of popular songs from across the decades. A special summer barbecue buffet is included in ticket purchase. The musical dinners take place at the ICC's Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub, at 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield. The two performance dates are Thursdays, June 19 and June 26. Doors open at 4 p.m.; music starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 for ICC patrons and $50 for the general public. Ticket includes music performance, the buffet, and server gratuity for food. A full bar will be open for purchase. Learn more and purchase tickets online at or call the restaurant at 413-342-4358. Suffield Players auditions SUFFIELD, Conn. — The Suffield Players are recently announced auditions for their upcoming October production of 'A Rock Sails By,' directed by Lisa Parker. Performance dates are Oct. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. at Mapleton Hall in Suffield. Auditions will take place a Mapleton Hall Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, at 7 p.m. Callbacks — by invitation only — will take place Monday, June 17, at 7 p.m. Those auditioning will be asked to fill out an audition form prior to their audition. Visit to access the form and find more information. Roles are available for a range of adult characters. All experience levels are welcome. Bring a headshot and resume if available. Audition material will be provided at the audition or check the website for advance sides and character breakdowns. For questions, contact suffieldplayers@ Read the original article on MassLive.
