Latest news with #Texas-native
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
'American Idol' crowns season 23 winner: See his inspiring message
"American Idol" has crowned its season 23 winner! Jamal Roberts, a 27-year-old PE teacher from Meridian, Mississippi, emerged as the winning singer on Sunday. Roberts said he was still processing his big win in an Instagram post following the finale. "From my first step on that stage to this unbelievable moment, I never dreamed a kid from my hometown would one day be called American Idol," Roberts wrote in a caption. "This journey has been bigger than me, and I'm so grateful for every person who believed in me when I was just chasing a dream." The father of three also said he hopes his victory on "American Idol" can serve as an inspiration for his kids. "Most of all, I hope my girls see this and know that with faith, hard work, and heart, anything is possible," Roberts continued. "To my city, my family, and everyone out there grinding for something greater, this is our victory." "Now, I get to make music with the best in the world and share my story," he added. "But this isn't the end… it's just the beginning. From the bottom of my heart…. THANK YOU! None of this happens without y'all. 💙" Roberts sang a rendition of Tom Odell's "Heal" in the reality show's grand finale and came out on top from a pool of 24 contestants. Fellow contestant John Foster, an 18-year-old college student from Addis, Louisiana, was the runner-up, while Denton, Texas-native Breanna Nix came in third. Among the grand finale highlights was a performance by pop star Jessica Simpson, who returned to the stage after over a decade away and was joined by former contestant Josh King. Simpson performed her song "Blame Me" from her new album "Nashville Canyon: Part 1." "My 13yr old, Maxwell, has never seen me singin' on TV and her pure pride, love and support is the very reason why I AM BACK 😭," Simpson wrote in an Instagram story post afterward. "Mommy LOVES you! You are my guidin' light forever foralways. I am strong because of you my sweet daughter."
Indianapolis Star
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Indianapolis Star
Fever's Sophie Cunningham on scalloped potatoes, meatloaf: 'Back in the Midwest & I love it.'
INDIANAPOLIS — Seems like Sophie Cunningham is pretty fired up to be back in the Midwest. "Heck yeah," the Missouri-native said during Indiana Fever media day Wednesday. "After practice (Tuesday), they had scalloped potatoes and meatloaf and I was like, 'I am back in the Midwest and I love it. I'm all here. I'm for it. I'm for it.'" Cunningham, a Missouri-native and University of Missouri graduate, spent the past six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, who drafted her in the second-round of the 2019 WNBA Draft. The Fever acquired the 6-1 shooting guard as part of a four-team deal at the end of January. Cunningham said she's heard from approximately 400-800 people about tickets. "I kinda forgot what it's like to be back home with family and friends," she laughed. Cunningham's not the only one with plenty of loved ones eager to come watch her play. Rookie Bree Hall, a second-round selection from South Carolina, expects to have "tons of family and friends" at Gainbridge for Saturday's preseason opener. The 6-1 guard grew up in Dayton and regularly traveled to Indy for AAU tournaments growing up. Being back in the midwest is nothing new — a welcome change, if anything — for Cunningham and Hall. That is not the case for most of their fellow newcomers, who are experiencing our way of life for the first time after spending most of their lives in other regions of the country. Yvonne Ejim, a 2025 third-round pick from Gonzaga, was told to "bring a jacket" — fair — to which she replied: "It's summertime, I don't think I'll need a jacket." (Oh no...) "(They also said) go out there and explore, and I like to do that stuff," Ejim continued. "So, really good advice from them." Makayla Timpson, another rookie (second-rounder from Florida State) compared the weather here to Tallahassee, Florida. "It rained one day then it was sunny, so right now it's pretty good," she said. "But I know it gets cold. I'm really not excited about the cold. … I don't like snow." With respect to the people, this quote from Jaelyn Brown was in response to her first week with the Fever organization, but I'd like to think it applies to midwesterners, too. "Everyone is very genuine here. It's real and authentic," Brown said. "I love everybody's demeanor. We want the best out of everybody and that's what I live for." A number of the newcomers have had the opportunity to explore downtown Indy. Sydney Colson, a Texas-native, has heard good things about Carmel, while Ejim said she's been strolling downtown, looking for food places, coffee shops and whatever she can find. "It's been good so far," she said. Asked her favorite places to visit so far, Brianna Turner cited: The Garage Food Hall, Sidedoor Bagels — "They have really good bagels," she said — Leviathan Bakehouse and Hasuno Sushi. "Obviously I love food," Turner laughed. "I'm a really big foodie, so if anyone has any recommendations, please let me know." (Sushi House downtown also got a shoutout.) The Midwest experience will continue Sunday when the Fever travel to Carver Hawkeye Arena to take on the Brazil National Team. "It's going to be fun to be back in that Midwest mentality with people who are all about their sports teams," said Cunningham, whose college career ended with an NCAA tournament loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes at CHA. "I'm excited for it." The Indiana Fever play their first preseason game Saturday against the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump officials struggle to explain tariff strategy but claim Americans won't feel ‘big effect'
CNN's Jake Tapper clashed with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Sunday as she and other Cabinet-level officials hit the interview circuit to reassure Americans in the wake of a stock market plunge as the fallout from 'Liberation Day' continues. The Texas-native and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were the face of the Trump administration's PR offensive on Sunday. The White House battled a wave of negative headlines surrounding two days of steep market losses and the criticism of free trade advocates in both parties who claim that the president's actions will crash the US economy. Tapper questioned the USDA director over one of the more questionable aspects of President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff rollout — an imposed duty of 10 percent on exports from the Heard and McDonald Islands, a pair of uninhabited rocks off the coast of Australia used for legal purposes for occasional small-scale exports. "Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?" asked Tapper. US imports from the island chain in 2024 totaled just under $14,000, according to the World Bank. "Well, I mean — come on Jake, obviously here's the bottom line: we live under a tariff regime from other countries,' the secretary responded. The CNN host interjected: "The McDonald islands is not imposing--' "I mean, come on. Whatever,' Rollins said. 'Listen, the people that are leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic, the smartest people I've ever worked with. I did not come up with the formulas, I'm the [Agriculture] Secretary." Rollins, interviewed on State of the Union, also struggled to answer when pressed on whether Trump's implementation of tariffs ranging from 10 percent to 49 percent on virtually every US trading partner would be permanent measures kept in place throughout his four years in office — or whether the White House was open to negotiation. 'We're two business days into this new American order,' Rollins said. 'So I think we have a lot to be determined. But the president is resolute in his focus, in his boldness, in his fearlessness, and in his relentlessness to ensure that we are putting America first by using these tariffs.' America's economic mood was clearly darkening over the weekend. On Sunday, as Rollins and Bessent gave interviews, 'Black Monday' trended on X/Twitter, and CNBC's Jim Cramer tweeted that he saw the country on course for a 1987-style crash if present trends continued into the resumption of trading Monday morning. 'Like I said this morning--odds now favor the October '87 pattern if we do not get constructive comments from Trump this weekend,' the Mad Money host said on Friday. On NBC's Meet the Press, Bessent tried to dissipate some of those fears. 'I reject [...] the assumption,' Bessent told Kristen Welker. 'There doesn't have to be a recession. Who knows how the market is going to react in a day, in a week.' He added: 'In terms of the market reaction, look, we get these short-term market reactions from time to time. The market consistently underestimates Donald Trump. I remember that in 2016, the night President Trump won, the market crashed. And it turned out he was going to be the most pro-business president in over a century, maybe in the history of the country. And we went on to very high after-inflation returns for the next four years.' However, even the Commerce Secretary couldn't predict how long sustained losses on Wall Street would continue. The director of Trump's National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, was also trying to put out fires on Sunday as he told ABC's This Week: 'I don't think that you're going to see a big effect on the consumer in the U.S., because I do think that the reason why we have a persistent long-run trade deficit is these [foreign countries] have very inelastic supply.' Trump himself spend the weekend at his Florida properties once again. Amid a barrage of re-truths of positive coverage of his tariff actions in conservative media, the president told Americans on Saturday: 'THIS IS AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION, AND WE WILL WIN. HANG TOUGH, it won't be easy, but the end result will be historic. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!' Unnerving some, he also re-truthed one supporter's claim that a stock market crash was intentional — part of a plan to help the Federal Reserve refinance America's debt. Meanwhile, those same talking heads in conservative media enjoying the president's favorable gaze spent Saturday and parts of Sunday attempting to explain away the crowds of thousands and, in some cases, tens of thousands who descended on cities including Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City and more on Saturday for a nationwide day of 'Hands Off' protests against Trump, his DOGE baron Elon Musk, and the rapid reorganization of the federal government under the second Trump presidency. Among the speakers at Saturday's demonstration on the National Mall was Jamie Raskin, a rising star in the Democratic Party who served as an impeachment manager during the president's second impeachment. 'No moral person wants an economy-crushing dictator who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing,' Raskin said on Saturday while addressing the crowd about the effects of the president's actions on the US economy. As business leaders know, he claimed: 'There is no prosperity with stupid trade wars against the whole world. There's no prosperity with stock market collapse and mass unemployment. There's no future with presidents who have the politics of Mussolini and the economics of Herbert Hoover.'
Globe and Mail
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
From Advertising to Art Galleries: Artist Suzanne Edmonson Paints a Playful Perspective to L.A.'s Art Scene
Texas-native with a California vibe, Suzanne Edmonson traded ad campaigns for canvas, bringing a sharp storyteller's eye to L.A.'s art scene. Her background in advertising fuels her knack for bold, personality-packed paintings—playful, vibrant, and laced with a wink. Drawing from her photography, she flips everyday moments into offbeat masterpieces with a fresh, irreverent charm. Her work doesn't just hang on a wall—it starts conversations and leaves the audience grinning. When most people think of Los Angeles, they envision the glamour of Hollywood, the buzz of TV production, and the allure of its star-studded streets, but beyond the silver screen, L.A. pulses with creativity that extends far beyond film. The city is also brimming with world-class museums like The Getty and LACMA, tucked-away galleries in eclectic neighborhoods, and innovative spaces where both established and emerging artists showcase their work. The city's art scene offers something uniquely accessible with the intimate charm of local exhibitions. Suzanne Edmonson, a Texas native turned proud Angeleno, has carved her own distinctive niche as an artist in this community. Her journey as an artist has taken her from local galleries to international exhibitions, including showcases in Tokyo and solo shows at L.A.'s Gallery 825. Her Faerie Tales: The Secret Life of Animals show featured her unique collection of whimsical paintings in oilexploring the ways animals might see themselves, their place in society, and the boundless dreams they may secretly harbor. Animals often take center stage in her paintings and have a delightful fusion of personality, whimsy, and realism. Her dogs, for instance, aren't just dogs; they are the kind of characters who might sip whiskey at a speakeasy. Her cats aren't just lounging—they steal cigarettes, exuding an effortless, cool swagger. And then there are her endearing Texas donkeys framed in vibrant yellow or a blue Lone Star State sky and often adorned with unique attire. Before fully dedicating herself to fine art, Edmonson had a successful career as an art director in the fast-paced world of advertising where she honed her sharp eye for balance in composition and subtle use of lighting by working alongside some of the industry's top photographers. 'In advertising, everything had to feel deliberate but never forced,' she says. 'That's something I learned on production sets and now bring into my art—it's about creating a story without making things seem obvious." Photography continues to play a significant role in Edmonson's artistic process, as she takes the photos she's captured and then reinterprets them with her signature style of playful realism on the canvas. Suzanne Edmonson's transition from advertising to fine art felt like a natural progression. 'I always had a painting going, no matter how busy I was,' she says. 'It wasn't a choice—it was something I had to do.' Her unwavering passion for creativity ultimately laid the foundation for her move from a career in advertising to the more personal realm of fine art. Despite her growing recognition, Edmonson remains grounded, creating from her home studio. 'I love being part of the art community in L.A.,' she says. "There's always something inspiring happening, but my favorite place to create is right at home. My little studio gets the most beautiful morning light and my cats are usually curled up nearby, watching me paint." She begins each portrait with the eyes, 'The eyes tell you everything,' she says. 'They carry the soul, the humor, the mischief.' It's this approach that has made Edmonson a favorite among collectors who appreciate not just a likeness, but an emotional connection with the subject. This ability to breathe life into her subjects has led to her work being featured on the sets of Hollywood productions like Criminal Minds and the Frasier reboot. Through a local curator specializing in film and television, her art has been seamlessly integrated into the on-screen storytelling of various TV shows and movies, lending her distinct style to the visual language of pop culture. In one of the largest cities in the U.S., Edmonson's unique art stands out for its subtle, whimsical charm. Each piece is a portal into a world where dogs, cats, and even donkeys aren't just creatures, but characters with their own stories to tell. Edmonson shares glimpses of her latest work and artistic process on Instagram and her original oil paintings are available for those looking to add something special to their collections. She enjoys working with clients and welcomes inquiries about custom projects through her website to create exclusive commissioned works, adding a personalized touch with her artistic vision. Media Contact Company Name: Suzanne Edmonson Artist Contact Person: Suzanne Edmonson Email: Send Email Phone: 818-850-2601 Country: United States Website:
