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Month: May 2026
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The Haines Borough Assembly meeting on May 12 will include the first reading of the FY27 budget. The Chilkat Valley News’ Will Steinfeld and KHNS’ Melinda Munson sat down to talk about the budget process.
Melinda Munson: The budget process has started, and it will make its first appearance at the assembly meeting. Can you walk us through that process?
Will Steinfeld: Where we’re at right now is this is the first official chance for residents to weigh in on the borough’s budget plan for the upcoming year. The whole budget has to go through by June 15. But before that happens, there’s all these public hearings. There’s going to be at least two, maybe a third. And there’s likely going to be a whole bunch of amendments to the budget by assembly members that will change what the plan is going forward.
I think what the Assembly is really looking for here is the optimal mix of services for residents, given the money that the borough is taking in. And that’s a hard question to answer … What is that optimal mix of services? So, I think when people weigh in and come to assembly meetings and tell assembly members what they want to see from their government, I think that at least has some role to play in what the final budget plan is.
So last year, the school ended up getting more money than was typical. And after a lot of citizen comment, the pool got more money than was originally budgeted. Nonprofits did not get any money. What are the things that we’re watching for in this year’s budget discussions?
One thing I’ve heard in recent weeks is Borough Manager Alekka Fullerton has encouraged assembly members to hey, if you think there are changes you want to propose to this budget, try and make them early. Make them at this first public hearing, instead of waiting right till the end. In that way, residents have time to see what these changes are, hear the debate and then tell assembly members what they think.
And the Haines Economic Development Corporation is on the agenda. What is the HEDC, exactly, and what will they be talking about?
Haines Economic Development Corporation – they recently dissolved. They had been doing economic development work – a lot of studies and research about the local economy, providing data. They’re back now. They’ve reorganized their board, and they’re supposed to get money from the borough to continue doing work, at least similar to what they’ve been doing.
Last assembly meeting, a kind of broad range of assembly members seemed hesitant about giving them more money. Or outright have said, you know, I don’t think we should give them more money until we figure out what’s going on with all nonprofits.
The one update for this week is the mayor has come out and said he is going to veto any cuts to HEDC funding. The mayor has that power to veto legislation. His rationale for that is, he says the borough has a special tax that they levy that’s supposed to go toward economic development. And right now, HEDC is the avenue we have to spend it. And the mayor says if we’re going to tax citizens, we owe it to them. We have responsibility to them to spend it in the way that we promise. So that’s his reasoning.
There’s a new tour permit on Tuesday’s agenda for a boat tour. Give us some details about that.
This is one that got a lot of public input, outcry, maybe you could call it, last time it was heard. AMG owner Sean Gaffney is coming to the Assembly to ask for a new permit for a boat tour that would go into Lutak Inlet. Residents around Lutak last time expressed a lot of worry about noise, disturbance to wildlife and themselves, their neighborhood. And the Assembly approved part of Gaffney’s proposal, but for this Lutak Inlet portion said, please resubmit and come back to us.
So Gaffney is back this week. He has written up a whole number of kind of conditions, or stipulations he would have on these tours that seem like they’re aimed at addressing the concerns that have come up. So talking about limiting the frequency of these boat trips, the distance the boats would be from shore, trying to talk about boat speed and reducing noise. We’ll see if that lands with residents, and which side the Assembly decides to come down on.”
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As the biggest-ever edition of the global showcase, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament hosted by three countries — the United States, Mexico and Canada — with 48 teams competing across 16 host cities. Here’s what you need to know about the tournament: 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET). [WHEN AND WHERE: Full Schedule for 2026 FIFA World Cup] Who Is Hosting The 2026 FIFA World Cup? For the first time ever, there will be three countries hosting the World Cup — the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Only once in the tournament’s history have there been co-hosts, with the 2002 edition being held in South Korea and Japan. Eleven cities will be hosting the tournament in the U.S. including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area. Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver, will also host games with three Mexican cities — Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City — also included. For 2026, the majority of the 104 matches will be held in the U.S., with 78 games spread across 11 cities. Canada (two cities) and Mexico (three cities) will have 13 matches each. Where Is The 2026 World Cup Final Being Played? The 2026 World Cup final will be played at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The venue, which opened in 2010 and is also known as MetLife Stadium, is the home of two NFL teams — the New York Giants and New York Jets. The 2026 World Cup final will take place on Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET. What Is The USA’s Schedule For The 2026 World Cup? Christian Pulisic and the United States now know their path to glory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after learning their group stage opponents, which stadiums they will play at and the times for the games. Which Teams Have Qualified For The 2026 World Cup? The list of the 48 teams, separated into 12 groups, is as follows:Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
It’s starting to feel real. In less than a month, fans from around the globe will be tuning in and filling up iconic stadiums for the most popular sporting event in the world: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And a lot will happen between now and June 11. Rosters will be finalized. Teams will begin to assemble for their final tune-up matches. Fans will start to plan out their days and circle which games and star players they’ll follow along through it all. To get you started, here are five key storylines to get you set with just 30 days to go before the world hangs on to every goal and moment. Who Can Win The 2026 World Cup? Just eight nations — Brazil (five times), Germany (four), Italy (four), Argentina (three), France (two), Uruguay (two), Spain and England (once each) — have ever lifted the FIFA World Cup on the men’s side. Will a ninth be crowned on July 19? For all the pomp and circumstance leading up to the biggest World Cup of all time, it will quickly be forgotten as the action gets underway across three countries and 16 cities as the 48 participating teams embark on a marathon group stage. Upsets will happen. But the business end of the 39-day tournament promises to feature many of the usual suspects: France is FIFA’s top-ranked team and the bookies’ co-favorite to win it all, along with reigning European champions Spain. Argentina, the current World Cup holder and South American champion, will defend the title it narrowly won over France in Qatar in 2022. Brazil is overdue; the record five-time World Cup winner last won in 2002 and has never gone more than 24 years between titles. Interestingly enough, it hoisted the trophy the last time the U.S. held the final in 1994. England is looking for its first major men’s trophy since claiming its lone World Cup exactly 60 years ago this summer. The Three Lions have the third-best odds. After that, who knows? Portugal is stacked, but is it capable of becoming the first new World Cup winner since Spain finally scaled the mountain in 2010? Same goes for Belgium, whose so-called golden generation has one last chance to redeem itself after not even reaching the 2022 knockout round. Or how about the Netherlands, a three-time runner-up that lost to Argentina on penalties four years ago in the quarterfinals? We won’t have to wait much longer to find out. USA, Canada And Mexico: How Far Can The World Cup Host Countries Go? There’s no question about it: Playing at home helps. There’s a reason that, for decades, no World Cup host nation had failed to survive the first round (South Africa and Qatar missed out in 2010 and ’22, respectively). At the Stade de France just outside of Paris in 1998, Les Bleus won the first of their two World Cups. Four years later in 2002, South Korea reached the semis as co-hosts, losing 1-0 to Germany in Seoul. And back in 1994, a hosting American team just hoping to avoid embarrassment shocked the world by beating Colombia before being eliminated by eventual champs Brazil in the knockouts by the same razor-thin margin. Expectations are far higher for the current U.S. squad. After missing the 2018 event, a new generation led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams qualified for Qatar and reached the round of 16. Now, on home soil, the bar is higher. The USA’s 2002 quarterfinal run was almost a quarter-century ago now. Is this squad good enough to emulate it? Fellow co-hosts Canada and Mexico have goals of their own. While the Canadians have never won a World Cup game, reaching the knockouts is a must. Mexico will host World Cup games for a record third time, with the iconic 1970 and 1986 editions also held south of the U.S. border. Mexico hasn’t reached the quarters since the latter; losing in the round of 16 seven straight times between 1994 and 2018. Returning to the last eight is the clear goal. Still, simply advancing would be an improvement, as El Tri didn’t make it out of its group in 2022. Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo’s Last Dance … Although he still hasn’t officially confirmed his participation for Argentina, Lionel Messi — who’ll turn 39 during the World Cup group stage — will surely captain the Albiceletse if he’s healthy. Cristiano Ronaldo definitely will lead Portugal; even at 41, he remains a key player for coach Roberto Martinez. For both living legends, there is a lot at stake this summer. Messi was supposed to retire from the international game after 2022, then changed his mind after willing his country to its first World Cup win since 1986 and cementing his status as the global game’s GOAT. No way he wants to sully that image with a dud of a showing in the country where he now plays his club ball as the face of Inter Miami. The stakes for Ronaldo are even higher. As the international men’s soccer’s all-time scoring and appearance leader, the World Cup trophy is all that’s missing from CR7’s otherworldly résumé. Clinching it wouldn’t just equal the feat Messi pulled off four years ago. It would also deliver Portugal its first title — and return Ronaldo to the GOAT conversation for decades to come. … And Welcome to Erling Haaland And Lamine Yamal If the 2026 World Cup represents a swan song for Messi and Ronaldo, consider it a launching pad for two of soccer’s burgeoning megastars. [FIFA WORLD CUP: Full World Cup Game-by-Game Schedule] Yamal is already being compared to Messi, for obvious reasons: The 18-year-old is also a graduate of Barcelona’s famed La Masia development academy and a slick-dribbling left-footed attacker. And while this will be the Spaniard’s maiden World Cup, he helped La Roja win UEFA Euro 2024 before his 17th birthday by scoring a crucial and spectacular semifinal goal. A hamstring injury in April has kept him out of action for Barcelona, but he is expected to be back at some point this summer on the big stage. At 25, Haaland is no kid. The Premier League and Champions League winner with Manchester City has been scoring at will at the highest level for years; in 49 appearances for his native Norway since his 2019 debut, the striker has an astonishing 55 goals. Like Yamal, this is also Haaland’s first World Cup. If the two newcomers are at their electric best this summer, don’t be surprised if both Haaland and Yamal are household names in America by August. Debut Squads and Long-Absent Teams Back on Biggest Stage The 16-team expansion of the 2026 World Cup was always going to spawn Cinderella stories. Last October, the tiny West African archipelago of Cape Verde — population 525,000 — became the smallest nation ever to reach a men’s World Cup. The record stood for a month, when the Caribbean island of Curaçao (pop. 155,000) qualified in November. Jordan and Uzbekistan will also join the party for the first time this summer. Haiti and Congo DR return for the first time since 1974. Iraq is back after 40 years. Scotland, Norway and Austria have waited 28 years. Türkiye, who will join the U.S. in Group D, is capable of sticking around late into the competition despite not qualifying since 2002 — when it went all the way to the semifinals. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
As much as modern World Cup squads are typically constructed using a forensic examination of data points collected over a four-year cycle combined with the gut feelings of experienced national team coaches and their staffs, the United States’ roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was always going to be different. USA boss Mauricio Pochettino was hired less than two years ago. For much of his tenure, he has been, for various reasons, without whom many would consider some of America’s most essential players, including forward Christian Pulisic, midfielder Weston McKennie, midfielder Tyler Adams, and wing back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson. Out of necessity, Pochettino scoured the fringes of the U.S. player pool, unearthing and/or handing opportunities to the likes of winger Max Arfsten, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, right back Alex Freeman and goalkeeper Matt Freese. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager brought in a whopping figure of 70-plus players during his first 18 months on the job. Now, he must settle on his final 26-player roster before it is officially unveiled in two weeks on May 26. And then, exactly one month from Tuesday, Pochettino will announce his lineup for the Stars and Stripes’ June 12 World Cup opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles. Here’s my latest USA roster projection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Nobody could’ve foreseen Freeman or Freese, who were uncapped this time last year, emerging as projected World Cup starters when Pochettino took over. Things change quickly. And with the tournament almost here, the coach could favor roster candidates who are in top form with their clubs right now over several of those he summoned for the national team’s most recent camp in March. For every team, there’s almost always at least one roster surprise. Timing is everything when the main event finally arrives. Who will make the full squad? Let’s break the full roster down: STRIKERS Starter: Folarin BalogunBackups: Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright Just missed out: Josh Sargent, Patrick Agyemang (injured) The ruptured Achilles tendon that Agyemang suffered on April 6 playing for Derby County made Pochettino’s decision for him; it’s possible he would’ve also picked Pepi and Wright as Balogun’s World Cup understudies even if the 6-foot-4 Agyemang had been available. Now there’s seemingly no doubt, though Pochettino’s sparing use of Pepi is notable. Despite being healthy, the rangy striker from El Paso, Texas, went unused in two of the USA’s four most recent games, logging just 34 minutes off the bench. Yet he’s heading into the World Cup in top form. On May 10, Pepi bagged his 18th goal of the season for PSV Eindhoven. The 23-year-old has started the last four games for the Dutch champions, scoring in each. ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS Starters: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie Backups: Brenden Aaronson, Diego Luna, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman Just missed out: Jack McGlynn, Alex Zendejas This is assuming Pulisic isn’t hurt, of course. The country’s most celebrated attacker missed AC Milan’s loss to Atalanta on May 10 with a glute injury. The ailment isn’t considered serious, however. More concerning is the 27-year-old player’s 19-game goalless streak for club and country dating to Dec. 28, 2025. Fortunately, McKennie is showing no signs of wear as the World Cup approaches. The Juventus live-wire man in the middle, who’s also 27, started his 30th match of the Serie A campaign in 1-0 win over Lecce on May 10. Aaronson has made 28 starts for Leeds United, which secured another season in the Premier League. Luna scored for Real Salt Lake on May 9. As did Reyna, who finally chalked up his first tally of the 2025-26 season for Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach. Here’s where things get interesting. Pochettino’s assistant coach Jesús Pérez was in Los Angeles on May 10 watching McGlynn against LAFC. The Houston Dynamo man promptly scored a banger — a strike similar to his missile last year in an exhibition loss to Türkiye, which will also be the Americans’ final World Cup group stage opponent. McGlynn added a second well-taken goal later in the contest. Last year, someone I trust told me that Pochettino “loves” McGlynn. The New York native from Queens apparently (and literally) still has a shot. If he makes it, it wouldn’t be the first time a Houston midfielder has reached the World Cup on the strength of his magical left foot: see Brad Davis in 2014. But who goes out if McGlynn sneaks on? This is a zero-sum exercise. If current form matters, it could be Tillman, who has played just 70 total minutes for Bayer Leverkusen since March 21. Reyna has 88 minutes during the same span and was included in the last two camps when he was featuring even less frequently for his club. Zendejas probably feels like he’s making a better World Cup case than either Tillman or Reyna. Wearing the captain’s armband for Club América on May 10, Zendejas scored twice and added an assist against Pumas in Mexico’s Liga MX quarterfinals. While McGlynn and Zendejas still feel like World Cup long shots, I also wouldn’t be shocked if one of them is the surprise pick this cycle. HOLDING MIDFIELDERS Starters: Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann Backups: Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, Aidan MorrisJust missed out: Johnny Cardoso (injured), Yunus Musah, James Sands (injured) Adams is near the height of his powers. On May 10, Pochettino was in attendance at London’s Craven Cottage to watch the heart-and-soul destroyer help Bournemouth beat Fulham and extend its unbeaten streak in the Premier League to 16 games. Adams played the final 47 minutes for the visitors. While Adams is one of the first names on Pochettino’s lineup sheet, the spot next to him is more uncertain than ever. Cardoso has been officially ruled out of the World Cup after Atlético Madrid confirmed on May 11 he’ll have surgery on his ankle. Tessmann is also hurt, though The Athletic reported that the muscle strain that ruled him out of Lyon’s final two games of the Ligue 1 season isn’t expected to impact his World Cup availability. The obvious winner here is Morris, who suddenly goes from the roster bubble to seriously contending for a starting spot versus Paraguay. First, Morris will try to vault Middlesbrough into the Premier League in the second-tier playoff decider against Southampton on May 12. WING BACKS Starters: Sergiño Dest, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson Backups: Max Arfsten, Tim Weah Just missed out: Joe Scally, John Tolkin A week after returning from the hamstring problem he suffered in March, Dest made his first start since the layoff, going 65 minutes in PSV’s 4-1 win over Go Ahead Eagles on May 10. That’s great news for a USA team that needs all the attacking help it can get. Pochettino saw Jedi go the distance against Bournemouth, which is also great news. Robinson also played 90 in a May 2 loss to Premier League-leading Arsenal Injury forced Weah to miss his club match on May 10. But as with Pulisic and Tessmann, it’s not serious, with L’Équipe reporting that Weah could return for Marseille’s May 17 season finale with Rennes. Natural lefty Arfsten has three goals and five assists in his last eight MLS games for the Columbus Crew. Scally has a strong case, especially given his experience playing multiple defensive roles with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He’s probably the next choice if anyone else goes down. CENTER BACKS Starters: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Alex FreemanBackups: Mark McKenzie, Auston TrustyJust missed out: Miles Robinson After missing three games with a tight groin, Ream returned to Charlotte’s lineup on May 9. That means Pochettino’s preferred captain should be fully match fit when the USA’s pre-World Cup training camp opens in Fayetteville, Georgia on May 27. Freeman’s late-season emergence with La Liga power Villarreal is also a huge boost, increasing the chances of Pochettino opting for a three-man central defense with him on the right, Ream on the left and Richards anchoring the middle. McKenzie has been a consistent call-up ever since Pochettino arrived. He made his 27th start this term for French club Toulouse in a 2-1 win over a Tessmann-less Lyon on May 10. As for Trusty, his timing couldn’t be better. While he’s been playing regularly and well for Celtic in Scotland, Robinson has just returned from the injury that had sidelined him for four of FC Cincinnati’s previous five MLS matches. GOALKEEPERS Starter: Matt FreeseBackups: Matt Turner, Chris Brady Just missed out: Roman Celentano, Jonathan Klinsmann, (injured), Diego Kochen, Patrick Schulte The conventional wisdom is that Freese, Poch’s starter in 13 of the Americans’ last 15 games dating to last summer and superb despite a 2-0 loss to Portugal on March 31, will keep his place and man the U.S. goal on June 12. U.S. assistant Miguel D’Agostino watched the Harvard grad post his second clean sheet of the 2026 MLS campaign on NYCFC’s 3-0 victory over Columbus on May 10. Still, Turner is doing everything possible to outmaneuver Freese and reclaim the job that was his at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar; with a 79.4 save percentage for the New England Revolution as of May 11, the veteran backstop has been the best American keeper by far this season in MLS.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
Hannah Harper has officially been named the Season 24 winner of American Idol. During tonight’s three-hour finale, she secured a spot in the Top 2 alongside Jordan McCullough. After closing out her run with two more standout performances, the show’s host Ryan Seacrest revealed that Harper had received the most votes from America.
Week after week, Harper turned heads on the Season 24 competition with performances that showcased her powerhouse vocals, humble storytelling and growing confidence.
With each round, she continued to earn praise from the judges and secure America’s votes, which ultimately earned her spot in tonight’s three-hour season finale. As her journey comes to a close, we’re looking back at her rise and how she quickly became one of the standout voices of the season.
Harper made a memorable debut on the show when she auditioned with an original song inspired by the realities of motherhood, titled, “String Cheese.” Ahead of her performance, fans got to learn a bit about her musical upbringing, which included taking part in her family’s bluegrass gospel band for seven years. After her dad quit his job at the lead mine to pursue music full time, the entire family moved into a 40-foot-long, bright red tour bus and took their talent on the road. She returned to Missouri in 2016, settled down with a family of her own and eventually found herself turning back to music.
Underwood quickly dubbed Harper her “favorite person” and even shed a few tears after hearing her powerful story.
“Some days I wanna cry, run away and hide/ But I’d worry about their еvery need/ And when I’m ovеrwhelmеd and touched out
Thеy come climbin’ up on the couch/ Sayin’, “Mama, can you open my string cheese?”/ And I smile because I know meetin’ their needs fills my soul/ And being their mama is who I’m meant to be,” Harper sang on the chorus.
Underwood noted, “well, that’s about the most relatable song I’ve ever heard.”
Luke Bryan added to the praise by comparing Harper to iconic country music females like Kacey Musgraves, Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss while Lionel Richie agreed and said she could learn a thing or two lesson Parton’s career.
The Missouri native earned a golden ticket and continued onto Hollywood Week in Nashville, where she performed a cover of “A Little Past Little Rock” by Lee Ann Womack. Harper admitted to the show’s host, Ryan Seacrest that she was feeling the nerves after messing up the lyrics a few times, however the judges felt her delivery was good enough to send her into the Top 30.
This group of hopeful contestants then traveled to Disney’s Aulani resort in Hawaii for the first Ohana Round, where Harper performed a rendition of Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” dedicating it to her late grandfather.
“I’m really excited about the Ohana round to have the chance to honor my grandpa. He was a patriarch. So many branches of talented people that came from him. He played music until the day he died,” she shared at the time.
Harper’s performance struck an immediate chord, bringing her family to tears and earning a standing ovation from the audition. Plus, Bryan once again gave her the highest compliment as he compared her vocals to that of Parton.
“Gosh, there are so many parallels with your voice and Dolly [Parton] and it’s just so beautifully country,” he said.
After earning a spot in the Top 20, she sang “Ain’t No Grave” by Bethel Music & Molly Skaggs (also recorded by Johnny Cash), and stepped out of her comfort zone by ditching her guitar for the first time. This bold decision paid off as she received rave reviews from the judges at the end of the night.
“Great song choice. Your voice gave me chills the entire time. We got a glimpse of a fire that is in you that I feel like the more you go through this whole process, I hope to see more of. You remind me a lot of myself when I was on the show,” Underwood noted. “When I would be on stage, I’d be like…’What are you doing out there, hand? What’s going on? Why are you pointing?’ And all of a sudden it’s like things would kind of start falling apart because I would start thinking about what I was doing.”
This group of contestants then headed out of Hawaii and made their way to Los Angeles to kick off the live performances with Songs of Faith Night. Harper delivered an emotional rendition of “At the Cross (Love Ran Red)” by Chris Tomlin and then learned she would be advancing in the completion as one of the 12 finalists.
The next week she took on “Heads Carolina, Tails California” as part of the 90s Judges Song Contest episode, adding her own flair to the beloved country hit. This performance earned the stamp of approval from the artist who made the song famous, Jo Dee Messina.
Messina documented herself watching from home and joked, “Okay, Hannah, you’re not allowed to sing it better than me!”
This week fans also saw Harper received the ultimate surprise when Messina joined her on stage during her hometown show to perform the hit song together
@jodeemessina Loved this so much! Be sure to tune in to @AmericanIdol on Monday to watch me surprise @hannahharperofficial in her hometown 💜 #americanidol #hannahharper #jodeemessina ♬ original sound – Jo Dee Messina
Harper once again had the chance to step outside of her comfort zone during Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-themed episode. She landed a spot in the Top 9 after a standout performance of “Landslide.”
One of Harper’s favorite nights of the season was the Disney themed episode as served as a moment of “redemption” for her journey. The Season 24 contestant opened up to the guest judge of the week, Jennifer Hudson, about how her previous performance of “Heads Carolina, Tails California” sparked criticism online with users claiming her performance level doesn’t match the talent of her voice.
With that feedback in mind, Harper made a strong effort to go add some choreography to her delivery of “Almost There” from Princess and the Frog.
“Two weeks ago, I had all this choreography planned for ‘Heads Carolina, Tails California’ and I went out there and I froze like a statue…And then as soon as I got online, everyone’s like, ‘Her voice is okay, but she sucks at performing.’ And I was like, ‘Yes, she does. They’re not wrong.’ This week is my redemption moment,” she proudly stated.
Her powerful vocals once again stood out, earning a standing ovation from the judges, her fellow contestants, and the live audience.
“It made my heart smile. It made me smile watching you grow into…You kind of started with this Reba McEntire attitude thing and then you grew into your character, and you didn’t overdo anything. You did it perfectly,” Bryan told her.
This performance earned her enough of American’s votes to move forward in the Top 7.
Next came the highly-anticipated Taylor Swift night. Harper took this opportunity to respond to the criticism she had received online by performing a stripped-back version of Swift’s “Mean.”
The following week she teamed up with Idol alum Kellie Pickler for a rendition of Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing” for the semifinals/reunion episode, which helped secure Harper a place in the final three.
All these performances and unforgettable moments with Hannah Harper leads us to tonight, the three-hour season finale of American Idol on Monday, May 11. The episode featured a slew of star-studded performances from past contestants as well as the finalists. Harper teamed up with Lee Ann Womack for an emotional duet of the iconic hit, “I Hope You Dance,” and later had a full circle moment as she brought her original audition song, “String Cheese,” back to the stage.
The hopeful singer stood beside runner-up Jordan McCullough before ultimately claiming the coveted title. The biggest smile spread across her face as tears filled her eyes while she took in the life-changing moment. There wasn’t much time to celebrate, though because just moments later, she delivered her final performance of the season, reprising yet another song she previously sang, Chris Tomlin’s “At the Cross (Love Ran Red).” As confetti poured through the room, Harper became so overwhelmed with emotion that she struggled to make it through the song. She celebrated with the entire Season 24 hopefuls by her side.
Immediately following the win, the singer/songwriter took to social media to celebrate with a heartfelt message, reflecting on the “wild, beautiful journey” she has experienced.
“Thank you to every single person who believed in me, prayed over me, voted, and helped carry this dream farther than I ever could’ve imagined. Y’all changed my life. I’m beyond thankful for the doors the Lord has opened and for the opportunity to walk this path.”
She ended her statement by letting fans know that she will be hitting the road soon and that they should keep an eye out for details regarding tour dates.
This might be the end of Hannah Harper’s American Idol journey, but this is just the start of a brand-new chapter.
“…somehow we’re just getting started,” she added.
The post Hannah Harper Wins ‘American Idol,’ Relive Her Unforgettable Journey appeared first on Country Now.
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The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears swept the team titles at the Haines Invitational Track and Field Meet this past weekend in another warmup before Southeast teams travel to Juneau for the 2026 Capital City Invitational on Friday and Saturday, a preview for the May 22-23 Region V championships at Ketchikan.
At Haines, the Crimson Bears won the boys team title with 52.5 points, nipping Haines’ 49.5 and Skagway’s 34. The JDHS girls won with 86 points, Haines tallied 35 and Skagway nine.
Haines sophomore Isaac Jones won the boys 100 meters in 12 seconds flat, edging JDHS junior Krew Ridle who leaned in for 12.2 and senior Sarah Jones the girls 100 in 13.6, just in front of JDHS sophomore Shandiin Frommherz in 14.0. Skagway senior Royce Borst won the boys 200 in 24.7 and S. Jones repeated in the girls with a 29.5 win.
JDHS came to the front of the distance events with sophomore Addie Hartman winning the girls 400 in 1:08.4, junior Kaia Mangaccat the 800 in 2:37.0 and the 1,600 in 5:35.7 and senior Lua Mangaccat the 3,200 in 13.43.4. On the boys side, sophomore Anderson Murry won the 800 in 2:27.7, classmate Emmett Hightower the 1,600 in 5:24.2 and classmate Carson Kautz the 3,200 in 11:36.6.
JDHS senior Meliame Tupou won the shot put with 28’10 and the discus with 83’0. JDHS freshman Vince Nizich won the boys long jump with 17’7.5 and Harman the girls high jump with 4’7, and freshman Eleanor Peterson the girls triple jump with 27’10.5.
Following are Haines Invitational event winners and/or JDHS placers:
100m boys – 1 I. Jones, HNS 12.0; 2 Ridle 12.4; 4 fr William Westmoreland 13.0; 6 so Jarry Maghinay 13.1; 7 so Ethan Ward 13.4; 9 jr Isaiah Carrillo 13.6; 11 so Osian Morris 14.0; 12 so Lucas Wyatt 14.1.
100m girls – 1 S. Jones, HNS 13.6; 2 Frommherz 14.0; 3 so Mya Hayes 14.8; 4 sr Isabella Reyes-Boyer 15.4; 5 So Lydia Goins 15.4; 7 fr Adeline Janson 15.7; 7 fr Bailey Israelson 15.7; 14 fr Lucy Wall 17.0; 17 so Kaylee Frickey 18.5.
200m boys – 1 Borst, SKG 24.7; 5 jr Krew Ridle 25.5; 8 Nizich 26.6; 9 Westmoreland 26.7; 11 Ward 27.2; 12 Carrillo 27.7; 14 Wyatt 28.5; 16 Maghinay 29.1.
200m girls – 1 S. Jones 29.5; 3. Goins 33.5; (prelims Frommherz 29.2; Hayes 31.6; Reyes-Boyer 32.0; fr Clara Van Kirk 33.2; Israelson 33.3); 12 L. Wall 35.4.
400m boys – 1 so Brody Ferrin, HNS 58.2.
400m girls – 1 Hartman 1:08.4; 3 Frommherz 1:11.5; 4 so Kira English 1:21.0; 5. Van Kirk 1:22.6.
800m boys – 1 Murray 2:24.7; 2 Hightower 2:31.0; 3 jr Gage Keller 2:36.4.
800m girls – 1 K. Mangaccat 2:37.0 2 so Nevah Lupro 3:00.6 / sr Della Mearig 3:00.6 4 L. Mangaccat 3:01.8; 5 English 3:03.1; 6 Peterson 3:14.1; 7 fr Emmalynn LaPlante 3:15.7.
1,600m boys – 1 Hightower 5:24.2; 2 Keller 5:30.5; 3 Kautz 5:33.2; 4 so Lucas Nelson-Vallejo 5:38.0.
1,600m girls – 1 K. Mangaccat 5:35.7; 2 Mearig 6:32.5; 3 L. Mangaccat 6:34.4; 4 Lupro 6:35.7; 5 jr Ellie Jo Wall 7:13.7; 6 LaPlante 7:18.5; 7 Peterson 7:19.8; 8 sr Zoe Lessard 7:31.1.
3,200m boys – 1 Kautz 11:36.6; 2 Murray 11:42.5; 4 Nelson-Vallejo 12:29.1; 5 so Finnan Kelly 13.22.6.
3,200m girls – 1 L. Mangaccat 13:43.4; 2 LaPlante 14:49.6; 4 EJ Wall 15:00.0; 5 Lessard 16:08.2.
4×100 Relay boys – 1 Skagway (sr Brenden Moncibaiz, jr Luke Tronrud, sr Camden Lawson, Borst) 50.2; 2 JDHS (Ridle, Nizich, Maghinay, Westmoreland) 53.4; 3 JDHS (Wyatt, so Heleman AitaotoTela, Hightower, Morris) 54.5.
4×100 Relay girls – 1 JDHS (Reyes-Boyer, Goins, Hayes, Frommherz) 1:00.1; 3 JDHS (Van Kirk, Janson, L. Wall, Israelson) 1:05.8.
4×400 Relay boys – 1 HNS (Jones, sr JC Davis, fr Evan Knight, Ferrin) 4:07.6; 3 JDHS (Hightower, Murray, Keler, Kautz) 4:55.9.
4×400 Relay girls – 1 HNS (so Ava Rosenberry, fr Sophia Heddin, jr Talis Swaner, so CC Elliot) 5:15.5; 2 JDHS (Mearig, Lupro, Lessard, K. Mangaccat) 5:42.1; 3 JDHS (EJ Wall, LaPlante, Frickey, Peterson) 6:02.4.
Shot Put boys – 1 AitaotoTelea 34’9.75; 3 sr Ames Patterson 32’0; 9 sr Zach Prather 22’10.
Shot Put girls – 1 Tupou 28’10; 2 sr Isabelle Martin 24’8.5; 9 sr Eva Goertzen 16’10.5; 10 fr Fiona Koelsch 16’7.5.
Discus boys – 1 sr JC Davis HNS 122’6; 3 Patterson 102’10.5; 5 AitaotoTelea 82’5.5; 10 Prather 63’5.5.
Discus girls – 1 Tupou 83’.0; 2 Martin 80’6.5; 7 Goertzen 50’8.75; 10 Koelsch 45’10.5; 12 Frickey 31’3.
High Jump boys – 1 Borst SKG 6’0; 5 Nizich 5’o; 6 fr Maximus Sean Sangster 4’10.
High Jump girls – 1 Hartman 4’7.
Long Jump boys – 1 Nizich 17’7.5; 3 Sangster 15’10.5; 5 Maghinay 14’6.5.
Long Jump girls – 1 Rosenberry HNS 13’2.5; 2 Hartman 13’1.5; 3 Goins 12’9.5.
Triple Jump boys – 1 so Wade Lloyd HNS 38’6; 5 Sangster 30’6.
Triple Jump girls – 1 Peterson 27’10.5.
This story was originally published by the Juneau Independent.
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American Idol finalist Hannah Harper joined forces with country icon Lee Ann Womack during the Idol finale to perform Womack’s iconic hit, “I Hope You Dance.”
Their performance of the beloved country ballad had fans swaying and singing along, including Harper’s parents who appeared to be sobbing as they watched their daughter share the stage with the legendary singer.
Lee Ann Womack’s vocals sounded as powerful and timeless as ever, while Hannah Harper held her own alongside the country star as fog rolled across the stage, adding to the emotional atmosphere.
Harper previously turned heads with a performance of Womack’s “A Little Past Little Rock” during Hollywood Week, which was dubbed Music City Takeover this season.
Sadly, she got caught up in the moment and forgot some of the words, but the judges were pleased with how she handled the situation.
This special performance of “I Hope You Dance” came just a year after Womack celebrated the 25th anniversary of the song.
The chart-topping ballad became both the lead single and title track of I Hope You Dance, released in 2000. The song went on to become one of Lee Ann Womack’s signature hits, taking home several major honors, including CMA Single of the Year, a GRAMMY for Best Country Song, and Song of the Year awards from the ACM, NSAI, and BMI. It has also achieved double platinum certification in digital and retail sales.
Written by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers, “I Hope You Dance” quickly caught Womack’s attention after she heard the demo. She immediately connected with the song and recorded it only a few months after it was written.
“Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Womack shared on social media in honor of the milestone anniversary. “I Hope You Dance” quickly became a cultural phenomenon as it was one of the most successful singles across multiple genres. To this day, it remains a staple and is often played at weddings.
Hannah Harper was a frontrunner in the competition from the start. She went viral with her audition, featuring a heartfelt performance of her original song, “String Cheese,” documenting her battle with postpartum depression after the birth of her first child.
Since then, she has covered songs like “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill, Landslide by Fleetwood Mac, “Mean” by Taylor Swift, and many more.
Last week, Harper had the opportunity to share the stage with Kellie Pickler, joining together to perform “A Broken Wing” by Martina McBride.
During her hometown visit, Hannah Harper was shocked when country hitmaker Jo Dee Messina surprised her on stage during her performance of “Heads Carolina, Tails California.” Harper was visibly stunned as the pair finished the song together.
Tonight, Hannah Harper was revealed to be among the Top 2 alongside Jordan McCullough. The winner will be revealed at the conclusion of the episode.
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FOX released three top-tier college football games on Monday, locking in a trio of fall matchups that will unquestionably shape the 2026 national championship race. The loaded slate includes Oklahoma-Michigan, Michigan-Ohio State and the Big Ten Championship Game. I expect this group of games to feature ranked teams, a CFP semifinalist and a Heisman Trophy contender. The Big Ten has ruled college football in recent years, producing the last three national champions. Once again, the conference is set to take center stage. Here are my bold predictions from the three blockbuster games on FOX: Bold prediction: The outcome will tilt early-season perception in the Big Ten–SEC debate At a time when the Big Ten’s grip on college football has never been stronger and the SEC is still sorting out what it means to be the sport’s second-best league, a Michigan win in one of the most highly anticipated non-conference games of 2026 could prove decisive for a conference where it’s supposed to “just mean more.” Oklahoma has made more College Football Playoff appearances than Michigan, yet the Sooners have never won a postseason game, even when they earned the right to host one last December, falling to an SEC opponent (Alabama) and a team it had beaten on the road the season before. Michigan, meanwhile, enters a new era under its third head coach in four years, trying to reinforce its identity as the program that first broke through among the Big Ten’s three consecutive national champions. Still, Oklahoma has never lost to Michigan, having met twice, and the Sooners have historically fared well against Big Ten teams. No Big Ten program owns a winning record against Oklahoma, and head coach Brent Venables already has wins over Nebraska and Michigan from a year ago. Given how the College Football Playoff selection committee increasingly weighs non-conference matchups between Power 4 programs, especially those from the sport’s premier conferences, the winner of this game could be the one that earns another shot at the CFP. Bold prediction: Michigan-Ohio State will feature at least one Heisman finalist The Game has featured at least one College Football Playoff participant in each of the last seven years, produced five of the last seven Big Ten champions, and included two of the last three national champions. It has become appointment viewing not just because of its history, but because of its direct impact on the national title race. I don’t expect that to change, even with Kyle Whittingham assuming the controls at Michigan. With new offensive coordinators at both programs — Arthur Smith at Ohio State and Jason Beck at Michigan — there could be some schematic shifts on both sides. But there will be no drop-off in talent on the field. Each roster features at least one player with legitimate Heisman Trophy potential, and at least one future finalist will be on the field in this game. Is this the year Ohio State accomplishes something it hasn’t done since 2014: win The Game, the Big Ten Championship, and the national title? That question will begin to take shape in earnest on Nov. 28. Bold prediction: The Big Ten Championship will reveal a CFP semifinalist The Big Ten champion has reached the College Football Playoff semifinals every year since 2019. Not even the SEC can say that. Whether it’s been Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, or Indiana, the league’s champion has routinely been among the sport’s final four teams, both in the eyes of the selection committee and on the field. What remains to be seen this year is whether any team can unseat reigning champion Indiana.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports