New York could elect its first Republican governor in two decades, with a new poll showing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman within striking distance of Governor Kathy Hochul heading into 2026. Hochul leads Blakeman 47 percent to 43 percent among registered voters, a gap narrow enough to fall within reach of any late-breaking shift in […] The post Republican Bruce Blakeman trails Hochul by just four points in New York governor's race appeared first on American Almanac .
New York could elect its first Republican governor in two decades, with a new poll showing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman within striking distance of Governor Kathy Hochul heading into 2026. Hochul leads Blakeman 47 percent to 43 percent among registered voters, a gap narrow enough to fall within reach of any late-breaking shift in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one. Ten percent of voters remain undecided. The poll, conducted by Red Oak Strategic on behalf of a pro-Blakeman super PAC, paints a picture of a Democratic incumbent weighed down by poor favorability numbers and a Republican challenger buoyed by an enthusiasm gap that cuts sharply in his favor. If those numbers hold, or tighten further, New York…Open
Federal prosecutors now allege that the son of a waste company owner secretly recorded dozens of videos of California politicians in compromising situations, a trove they say was stockpiled for potential blackmail as part of the corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. The new allegations landed in a prosecutorial filing made public Friday, […] The post Feds say trash company boss filmed Bay Area politicians in alleged blackmail scheme appeared first on American Almanac .
Federal prosecutors now allege that the son of a waste company owner secretly recorded dozens of videos of California politicians in compromising situations, a trove they say was stockpiled for potential blackmail as part of the corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. The new allegations landed in a prosecutorial filing made public Friday, when the government responded to a defense motion seeking to exclude evidence at trial. Among the details: Andy Duong, son of California Waste Solutions head David Duong, had his phone seized by authorities in June 2024. On it, prosecutors said they found dozens of videos "showing various public officials dancing at clubs, drinking alcohol, or engaging in party-like behavior." The…Open
The publisher of the Daily Mail is demanding a $13.3 million interim payment from Prince Harry and his fellow claimants after they lost their high-profile privacy lawsuit, a financial reckoning that could push the total bill past $45 million. Associated Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Daily Mail, argued in court that the Duke of Sussex […] The post Daily Mail demands $13.3 million from Prince Harry after privacy lawsuit collapse appeared first on American Almanac .
The publisher of the Daily Mail is demanding a $13.3 million interim payment from Prince Harry and his fellow claimants after they lost their high-profile privacy lawsuit, a financial reckoning that could push the total bill past $45 million. Associated Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Daily Mail, argued in court that the Duke of Sussex and his co-claimants should begin covering legal costs immediately, starting with the multimillion-dollar advance while the court calculates the final tab. ANL attorney Anthony White made the case that the high-profile group, which includes Elton John, 79, Elizabeth Hurley, 61, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, owes the publisher for an 11-week court battle that ANL says cost it more than $45 million in…Open
The Television Academy will honor Michael J. Fox with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, recognizing decades of advocacy that turned a personal diagnosis into a multibillion-dollar research effort. Fox, the Canadian-American actor who won three consecutive Emmys in the 1980s for his role as Alex P. […] The post Michael J. Fox to receive Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at 2026 Emmys appeared first on American Almanac .
The Television Academy will honor Michael J. Fox with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, recognizing decades of advocacy that turned a personal diagnosis into a multibillion-dollar research effort. Fox, the Canadian-American actor who won three consecutive Emmys in the 1980s for his role as Alex P. Keaton on NBC's Family Ties, has spent the past quarter-century building The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research into the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's science. The foundation has supported more than $3 billion in research programs and set a 2026 goal of $700 million in new commitments to fund scientific research and grants, The Hollywood Reporter reported . The…Open
Country music icon Willie Nelson is urging Texans to resist the spread of AI data centers into rural communities, warning that the massive facilities threaten farmland, water supplies, and the way of life in small towns like his hometown of Abbott, Texas. Nelson posted a pointed message on Facebook and Instagram this week, calling on […] The post Willie Nelson, 93, rallies rural Texas against AI data centers threatening farmland near his hometown appeared first on American Almanac .
Country music icon Willie Nelson is urging Texans to resist the spread of AI data centers into rural communities, warning that the massive facilities threaten farmland, water supplies, and the way of life in small towns like his hometown of Abbott, Texas. Nelson posted a pointed message on Facebook and Instagram this week, calling on Americans to "fight against data centers invading our land." The 93-year-old, who still owns property and farmed land in Abbott, a Hill County town of just 352 people spread across six-tenths of a square mile, said the facilities have no place near small communities that depend on open land and local agriculture. The statement lands amid a growing backlash across Texas, where roughly 250 data centers have…Open
Universal Studios will send guests through 45 years of Ozzy Osbourne's solo career in a new haunted house opening this fall at both its Hollywood and Orlando parks, a tribute to the heavy-metal icon who died last year. The attraction, titled "Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness," marks the latest addition to the annual Halloween Horror […] The post Universal's Halloween Horror Nights honors Ozzy Osbourne with haunted house tribute on both coasts appeared first on American Almanac .
Universal Studios will send guests through 45 years of Ozzy Osbourne's solo career in a new haunted house opening this fall at both its Hollywood and Orlando parks, a tribute to the heavy-metal icon who died last year. The attraction, titled "Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness," marks the latest addition to the annual Halloween Horror Nights lineup. Universal announced the experience on July 29, describing it as a "living horror movie" that draws on all 13 of Osbourne's solo albums and traces his journey from Birmingham, England, to global stardom. Sharon Osbourne and son Jack Osbourne worked with the parks' creative teams to shape the project, and both issued a joint statement backing the result. Halloween Horror Nights opens at…Open
King Charles III's longtime principal private secretary will step down next year, but royal watchers say the move changes nothing about the deep credibility gap Prince Harry must bridge before any real reconciliation can happen. Sir Clive Alderton, one of the most senior figures in the British Royal Household, will leave his post as principal […] The post Sir Clive Alderton's exit won't fix Prince Harry's trust problem with the Royal Family appeared first on American Almanac .
King Charles III's longtime principal private secretary will step down next year, but royal watchers say the move changes nothing about the deep credibility gap Prince Harry must bridge before any real reconciliation can happen. Sir Clive Alderton, one of the most senior figures in the British Royal Household, will leave his post as principal private secretary to King Charles and Queen Camilla in May 2027, Page Six reported this week. The announcement immediately sparked speculation that Harry, 41, might find the palace doors easier to open without the courtier he once mocked in print. That speculation ran into a wall almost as fast as it started. Royal insider Kinsey Schofield, speaking exclusively to Page Six on Tuesday, dismissed the…Open