Latest news with #McDonough
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sen. Brian Strickland enters race to succeed Georgia's AG Chris Carr
The Brief State Senators Brian Strickland and Bill Cowsert have entered the race to succeed Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who is running for governor in 2026. Strickland, a McDonough attorney, launched his campaign Tuesday, highlighting his record on conservative policies like the heartbeat bill and constitutional carry. Cowsert, a former Senate majority leader, announced his campaign in April, pledging to prioritize public safety and crack down on illegal immigration and crime. ATLANTA - The race to become Georgia's next attorney general is beginning to take shape, with two Republican lawmakers officially in the running to replace Attorney General Chris Carr. What we know Carr, who is not seeking reelection as he pursues a bid for governor in 2026, leaves an open seat that is drawing early interest. On Tuesday, State Sen. Brian Strickland launched his campaign during an event at Liberty Plaza in Atlanta. Strickland, a McDonough attorney who has served in the state Senate since 2018, highlighted his record on conservative policies, including support for the "heartbeat bill," constitutional carry, and mental health reform. Standing alongside his wife, Lindsey, he told reporters he would work to uphold Georgia's conservative values if elected. GEORGIA POLITICAL STORIES Strickland is expected to face Athens State Sen. Bill Cowsert in the Republican primary. Cowsert, a former Senate majority leader, chairs the Senate committee investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her prosecution of former President Donald Trump. He announced his candidacy in April, vowing to tackle crime and illegal immigration. PREVIOUS STORY: Georgia Attorney General race: Sen. Bill Cowsert announces campaign As of Tuesday afternoon, no Democratic candidates had formally entered the race.
Epoch Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘The Last Rodeo': An Avoidable Misstep From Angel Studios
PG | 1h 58m | Drama, Sports | 2025 First, the good news: 'The Last Rodeo' is leading man Neal McDonough's third Angel Studio project in as many years, and it is slightly better than the last one ('Homestead'). The bad news: It's not nearly as good as 'The Shift,' where McDonough played a humanized incarnation of Satan.
UPI
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Neal McDonough: 'Rodeo' is 'Rocky' on a bull, 'Justified' family reunion
1 of 5 | Sarah Jones and Neal McDonough star in the new family drama, "The Last Rodeo." Photo courtesy of Angel Studios NEW YORK, May 23 (UPI) -- Neal McDonough says his new family drama, The Last Rodeo, reunited some of his favorite people from the iconic TV series, Justified. Directed by Jon Avnet and in theaters Friday, the film follows widower and retired professional bull-riding star Joe Wainwright (McDonough) as he returns to the ring to compete for the money to save his beloved grandson Cody (Graham Harvey) from the same type of brain cancer that killed his beloved wife Rose (Ruve McDonough). Helping him get back in the game -- over the objections of his worried daughter Sally (Sarah Jones) -- are Joe's estranged friends Charlie (Mykelti Williamson) and Jimmy Mack (Christopher McDonald). "The guy who cut my arm off [in Justified] happens to be now my best friend in this movie," McDonough, 59, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. "How does that happen? Because Mykelti Williamson, in real life, is one of my best, dearest friends on the planet. I love him. What a great actor! He's a thief. He stole every scene he was in with me. It was awful," McDonough laughed. Avnet said his relationship with McDonough and Williamson dates back more than 20 years to the crime drama, Boomtown. "That's when I cast Neal with [Justified writer-producer] Graham Yost and Mykelti and they got to know each other, so when we got to work together all on Justified, it was a reunion, and it gave us an economy of words and the ability to explore things," the filmmaker said. "These are real pros and they're just great." Even Jones guest starred on Justified in 2011. The only main cast member who didn't have some connection to the show was McDonald, but McDonough said he was quickly embraced by The Last Rodeo family. "He showed up swinging for the fences," McDonough recalled. "He walks in a situation, which he's never worked with Jon before and there's me and Mykelti in our own shorthand and then Jon and I have our own shorthand, and here he comes into this like, 'How do I fit into this party?' And you know what he did? He manned up and he crushed it. Chris McDonald is a beast." Avnet agreed. "He wants to make sure he knows the character," Avnet explained. "It's not like they walk in and they're fearless. They care and they worry and they work to overcome that because they want to be worthy of the characters, worthy of the friendship, worthy of the respect," Avnet said of his cast. McDonough wrote the film with Avnet and Derek Presley after he was away on a film shoot, missing his wife Ruve and wondering how he would survive if anything happened to the mother of his five children. "This idea from above came into my head -- write a film about Rocky on a bull, about a grandfather that has to save his grandson because he's dying of the same brain tumor that his wife died of," said McDonough, who is a devout Catholic. "I'm a pretty smart guy, but I didn't come up with that myself and, within a week, we had the first draft, within another week, Ruve helped me raise the financing and the distribution through the amazing Angel Studios," he added. "They said, 'Who do you want to direct it?' And I said, 'There's only one choice for me -- the greatest director I've ever worked with, a guy who has been a mentor to me, but, also, like a big brother to me for all these years, and that's Jon Avnet.'" Catch these two powerhouse actors in The Last Rodeo - a story about family, brotherhood, and rodeo! In theaters May 23! Get your tickets now at ️ The Last Rodeo Movie (@lastrodeomovie) May 22, 2025 Avnet -- whose credits include Risky Business, Less Than Zero, The Three Musketeers and Fried Green Tomatoes -- said the aspect of the story that most intrigued him was the loving, but tense relationship between Joe and his daughter. "I've got two daughters, two older sisters, my wife has two sisters, there are three women in her family, and [I know] dads don't do the greatest job often communicating with their daughters," Avnet noted. "It's hard to figure out how to fix that. So, that interested me very much, and I thought it's really universal message of the whole film." Avnet also wanted to take a closer look at the friendship with Charlie that Joe abandoned when he sinks into his grief over Rose's death and why Charlie forgives Joe after their long estrangement. "He's become a kind of narcissistic, self-involved character that really has gone inside and he's hurt so many people who love them and the sad circumstances that forces him to ride also gives him the opportunity to, perhaps, mend the friendship with Charlie and, perhaps, have a second shot with his daughter," Avnet said. The filmmaker also was happy to see his longtime friend -- who is frequently cast as villains on shows like Justified, Tulsa King and Yellowstone -- finally get to play the hero. "I believed he could be something he hasn't been in films before -- the leading man in the mold of Clint Eastwood or John Wayne or Gary Cooper or Jimmy Stewart," Avnet said. "I believed if i did my job well, the audience would see him the same way and because he has that gravitas and, what people don't know about him unless they're close friends with him, is he is so emotionally accessible. He's just there and I knew he could bring that out in this character in film." Avnet offers as an example an emotional scene in which thousands of people stand and pray for Joe's family when he walks into the bull-riding ring. "It's so moving and Neal says nothing," Avnet said. "You just see on his face this private guy, this tormented guy, this guy who never knew how to mourn the loss of his wife, standing there and seeing these strangers sending their prayers and love." But McDonough credited Avnet for polishing the script he handed off to him and weaving the whole story together through his thoughtful direction. "He pulled so many amazing things out of the actors and their performances and there's a trust that we have with Jon because he protects the actors," McDonough said. "More than anything, he wants the actors to have complete comfort on a set and the ability to do something different and to try things and to build characters and build moments." McDonough said he doesn't generally play heroes because he refuses to do intimate scenes with anyone but his spouse. Luckily for him, Ruve played his late wife Rose in flashback scenes, so McDonough finally gets to kiss the girl on screen. "I'm famous for one or two takes [filming a scene], but I think I got to 13 takes that day before my daughter London got so disgusted, saying, 'Dad, that's enough.' So, I had fun. This is my moment," he said. "I'm the most blessed dude that I know."
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Social Fuss Announces Social Media Content Outsourcing For Small Businesses
As social media remains increasingly important for local businesses wishing to expand their audiences and attract new customers, digital marketing agency Social Fuss has responded by revamping its website to better serve these needs. McDonough, United States, May 22, 2025 -- Following the launch, small business owners seeking ways to improve their social media presence and grow their followings on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok can explore the agency's marketing solutions via their sleek new website. More details can be found at The new Social Fuss website makes it easy for prospective clients to get familiar with the advantages of a customized content creation plan. A section of relevant stats highlights how crucial social media has become as a marketing tool. Social Fuss particularly highlights that an estimated 5.42 billion people use social media across the globe, while 68% of users have purchased products or services having seen an advert on social media. In light of these figures, the team seeks to help clients capitalize on this large audience with tailored content campaigns and regular posting schedules that keep brands in the public eye. 'We don't just post content. We post with a purpose,' a spokesperson explains. 'We turn social media into your superpowered growth engine. You get to stay focused on running your business while we handle the social content posting, calendar, and customer engagement.' To coincide with the site launch, Social Fuss has expanded its service offerings by introducing a complimentary 30-day trial for interested parties to experience firsthand the benefits of a dedicated social media campaign. This initiative is intended to support business owners who often find the promotional aspects of running a business challenging. 'Running a local business is tough enough—let Social Fuss take social media off your plate,' the spokesperson adds. 'We create content that connects with your audience, drives results, and helps your brand stand out from your competitors.' In particular, Social Fuss brings expertise in engaging customers in a client's preferred location by using the geo-targeting features of major social platforms. For example, Facebook's Ads Manager allows users to focus campaigns according to location, as well as demographics and behavioral patterns. Social Fuss also relies on geo-targeting to help businesses leverage local trends and optimize the timing of posts to coincide with events. Clients can choose from several subscription packages - from the Starter Plan at $199 per month for custom content, five posts per week, and performance stats to the flagship Pro option at $599 per month for all of the above and an extra 10 posts per week, and competitor insights. For more information, go to Contact Info: Name: Randy Sewell Email: Send Email Organization: Social Fuss Address: 3016 Keeneland Blvd, McDonough, GA 30252, United States Phone: +1-888-486-1398 Website: Release ID: 89160638 In case of identifying any problems, concerns, or inaccuracies in the content shared in this press release, or if a press release needs to be taken down, we urge you to notify us immediately by contacting [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our dedicated team will be readily accessible to address your concerns and take swift action within 8 hours to rectify any issues identified or assist with the removal process. We are committed to delivering high-quality content and ensuring accuracy for our valued readers.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House chairman asks Attorney General to investigate former VA leaders
House Republican lawmakers are asking Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether former Veterans Affairs leaders violated federal laws with their budgetary mistakes last year, potentially shifting the ongoing political dispute into the courts. 'If any criminal or civil violations occurred, those responsible must be held accountable,' House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., wrote in a letter to Bondi Tuesday. He asked for her office to look into 'the submission of false statements to Congress, obstruction of oversight, fraud, or misappropriation of federal funds.' Top Democratic leaders decried the move as 'a desperate political stunt' by Republican leaders attempting to distract from the current administration's planned cuts to VA staff and services. 'I am appalled by his recommendation and blatant weaponization of the judicial system,' said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., ranking member of Bost's committee. 'It is unprecedented, and the American people — especially our veterans — deserve better than sham investigations and political theater becoming the new normal.' Watchdog blasts VA leaders for exaggerating budget shortfall last year The conflict dates back to last summer, when then-VA Secretary Denis McDonough and other senior department leaders told lawmakers that funding for benefits and medical care could run out in October because of increased programmatic usage earlier in 2024. Congress approved $3 billion in emergency funding in September amid pressure from veterans groups and the White House, staving off any potential fiscal shortfall. But in late October, VA officials acknowledged their budget estimates were flawed, and that more than $5 billion in funding was available for the start of the new fiscal year. At the time, McDonough and other VA leaders said the moves were made 'out of an abundance of caution' and warned that any shortfall could have disrupted veterans' payouts. But Bost and other Republicans disputed that assertion, and accused White House officials of manufacturing panic about veterans benefits just weeks ahead of the November presidential election. In his letter to the attorney general's office, Bost said that VA leaders knew of their budgetary errors even before the emergency congressional vote, but did not share that information until after the extra money was approved. 'This delayed disclosure and the omission of available resources in key budget documents call into question the accuracy and integrity of [the department's] budget justification process,' he wrote. 'The suggestion that senior VA officials submitted materially inaccurate funding requests and failed to disclose critical budget information … warrant immediate and independent review by your office. These failures undermined the appropriations process, misled lawmakers, and - most importantly - put the benefits and services America's veterans rely on at risk.' Bost specifically singled out McDonough, former Under Secretary for Benefits Josh Jacobs and former Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal for potential charges. An inspector general review of the budget issues released last month found significant problems with VA's budgetary projections and accounting practices, but did not recommend criminal or civil actions against former department leaders. Democratic leaders have accused President Donald Trump of abusing his executive power to attack and harass political opponents. Takano called Bost's investigation request an extension of those same abusive practices. 'Former Secretary McDonough and his team led VA through one of its most successful eras in history,' he said in a statement. 'They deserve to be honored — not smeared by partisan attacks.' In addition to whatever actions the attorney general's office pursues, Bost promised continued investigation from his committee into the issue. Relationships between Republicans and Democrats on the committee — which typically has fewer partisan fights than other congressional panels — have grown increasingly tense over the last few years, with each side accusing the other of sowing division and panic among veterans.
