Have you ever wondered where world-renowned chefs shop for groceries? World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés frequents this chain, especially for its vino.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Month: May 2026
An empty courtroom in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
The Alaska Legislature approved legislation to add a superior court judge to the state’s third judicial district. The new judge is to be based at the Palmer courthouse where the new position is intended to alleviate rising civil and criminal case workloads.
The Alaska Court System requested the legislation, House Bill 262, which would bring the total number of superior court judges from 45 to 46. Lawmakers approved the change by a combined vote of 57 to 0, with three House members absent. The bill now heads to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for consideration.
Officials with the court system said the state needs to add a judge because the four current superior court judges in Palmer are grappling with unsustainable workloads. That judicial district has the highest numbers of civil and criminal caseloads in the state – nearly 50% higher than the statewide average, with an average of 683 cases per year. That’s an average of 13 cases per week per judge.
Officials noted that adding a fifth judge to the Palmer courthouse would only bring average caseloads down to an estimated 546 cases per judge annually. “This would still exceed the statewide average number of cases per judge, and Palmer judges would still have the highest caseload per judge of any court in the state, but it would be a welcome and needed improvement,” said Nancy Meade, General Counsel to the Alaska Court System, in a statement requesting the bill.
The population of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough has grown 40% over the past twenty years, a major contributing factor to the rising need in legal services and case numbers at the Palmer courthouse, Meade said. In the same time period, the number of cases filed has risen by 55%.
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, carried the bill in the House, saying the high number of cases at the Palmer courthouse has spillover effects in Anchorage.
“Cases in Palmer take too long to be heard. In fact, some Mat-Su residents choose to file their cases in Anchorage so that they have a chance of being heard sooner. This means that Anchorage has more cases than they would otherwise have,” he said, speaking on the House floor ahead of the vote on April 22. “We need to fix this problem, so that we can better provide basic justice to all Alaskans,” he said.
The new judge position is estimated to cost $268,000 annually, according to a state fiscal note.
If the bill is signed by the governor, the new judge would be selected by a nomination process, including interviews and vetting by the Alaska Judicial Council. The council puts forth two nominees and the governor has 45 days to make a selection for superior court judge. New judges serve for an initial term of three years, after which they appear before voters in a retention election where voters can weigh in on whether the judge should remain on the bench by a yes-no vote. If approved by voters, judges’ subsequent terms are six years until mandatory retirement at age 70.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the vote count. The bill passed 57 to 0, with three House members absent.
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Mark Hamill is catching flak this week after he shared a meme depicting the funeral of President Donald Trump.
But the folks giving him a hard time might be missing some crucial context.
Hamill’s post appeared 11 days after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, so perhaps the timing was inappropriate — but despite claims to the contrary, the actor was clearly not wishing death on Trump.
“He should live long enough to witness his inevitable devastating loss in the midterms, be held accountable for his unprecedented corruption, impeached, convicted & humiliated for his countless crimes,” Hamill captioned the Bluesky post, adding:
“Long enough to realize he’ll be disgraced in the history books, forevermore.”
He later elaborated, perhaps feeling that many of his followers had missed his point:
“Accurate Edit for Clarity: ‘He should live long enough to be held accountable for his crimes.’ Actually, I was wishing him the opposite of dead, but apologize if you found the image inappropriate,” the Star Wars star wrote.
One of Hamill’s harshest critics was comedian Jamie Kennedy, who addressed the issue on his podcast this week:
“That is insane. That is brain rot gone beyond,” Kennedy said (via Page Six), adding:
“This is nuts. Luke Skywalker has lost it, dude. You’re like a big voice in the world, and you’re promoting that. Like what is wrong with you?”
Kennedy went on to blast Hamill as “crazy” and note that Trump was duly elected.
“You can call this guy whatever you want, but he’s the elected leader, so clearly he’s legally in, and he won, and he’s the elected leader,” Kennedy continued.
“That’s just crazy that he did that. Like that’s just nuts. Do you know how irresponsible that is? All the people that follow you. You can write something tasteful and say you don’t like someone, but to do that? It’s evil.”
The uproar is similar to the backlash that Jimmy Kimmel faced for allegedly joking about Trump’s death in the days before the Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.
Both Donald and Melania Trump called on Kimmel to be fired, but their demands fell on deaf ears.
For one thing, the joke — in which Kimmel referred to Melania as “an expectant widow” — aired several days before the Correspondents’ Dinner.
Additionally, Kimmel was not calling on Trump to be assassinated but was instead referencing the fact that he’ll soon be eighty and appears to be battling health issues.
Perhaps one day, we’ll have a non-octogenarian president, and entertainers can get back to roasting politicians for their policies.
Mark Hamill Blasted For Sharing AI Image of Donald Trump’s Dead Body Days After … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Today, May 28, 2026, marks Jelly Roll’s daughter Bailee Ann’s 18th birthday, just weeks after her high school graduation. As she steps into a new chapter and prepares for college, the country star shared a heartfelt message on social media, expressing his pride for all she’s accomplished and his excitement for what’s ahead.
Jelly Roll began his sentimental letter by sharing a story from when she was four years old, one that first showed him the power of her imagination and the impact she would have on his life.
“To my oldest child and my only daughter.. I honestly don’t even know where to begin this..I was renting a house right behind my father’s house. And when I say right behind my father’s house, I mean you could literally walk from my back door to his back door. One day when we were walking there, you stopped all of a sudden and said ‘dad how are we gonna get across that river?’ I was a little confused at first, and I looked back at you and in that moment, I could see the wide eyes of a little girl who is living in her beautiful imagination….”
He continued, “I immediately said ‘the river is gonna be a problem, cause it probably has alligators in it, but I’m more worried about those tigers on the other side.’ You told me in that moment, the bears were gonna be the real problem.. It took us almost 2 hours to walk less than 20 yards.. we wrestled the imaginary alligators, we ran from hyenas, we fist fought bears, we swam in the river, anacondas,…. Little did I know in that moment, your imagination was opening mine and that you were fixing to be the biggest impact on my life and the biggest part of my journey ever…”
Looking back on memories from her childhood years, it seems hard for the Antioch native to come to terms with the fact that his little four-year-old girl is now all grown up at 18 years old. He made sure to highlight her accomplishment of graduating high school, which “very very few people” in their family have done, including himself. On top of that, she has plans to continue her education with college.
“You are not only a high school graduate. You are soon to be a college student. When we talk about generational curses and breaking them, you literally are the epitome of that. You are kind, smart, caring, loving, adventurous, funny, sassy, honest. To put it plainly you were everything I have never been..”
Jelly Roll ended the letter by reflecting on her future and how proud he is of the woman she’s becoming, writing “Some people were born to walk. Some people were born to run, but very few were born to fly… You Bailee Ann were born to FLY! 18 looks good on you. I can’t wait until I’m posting about how proud I am with you graduating college. I can’t wait until I’m posting pictures from your wedding. I can’t wait to see the woman you end up becoming.”
The post Jelly Roll Writes Heartfelt Letter to Daughter Bailee Ann as She Turns 18 and Prepares for College appeared first on Country Now.
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Last summer, former Teen Mom villain Farrah Abraham had an announcement to make.
She was free of botox and fillers, she claimed. And she planned to scale back her infamous body modifications.
Well that lasted all of, what seven months? Let’s be generous enough to say eight.
Farrah has announced her planned jaw surgery. Despite her political aspirations, she’s getting NSFW with it.
She calls it ‘a really big surgery’
During a lengthy chat with Ryan Panozzo, the host of the Pillow Talk podcast, and fellow guest Kazumi Squirts, Farrah revealed her surgical plans.
“I’m getting ready for a really big surgery actually,” the former Teen Mom villain revealed.
“There’s, I guess, like a degenerative disc disease in my jaws,” Farrah claimed.
“I can’t use my jaw,” she alleged. “I can’t open my mouth up normally.”
Throughout the chat, Farrah appeared to be able to speak without difficulty. But we cannot claim to know what it means to be her, or what her jaw felt like during the friendly chat.
If you are not familiar, Pillow Talk is an extremely NSFW podcast.
Kazumi is a sex worker of some renown. The sponsor was a tech-driven sex toy.
The host at one point, with Farrah’s consent, displayed his penis for her assessment. (She rated it an 11 out of 10, for what it’s worth.)
So, when the former Teen Mom star spoke of her “oral dilemma” and said that she wanted to “just open my mouth for a hotdog” without jaw pain, Ryan pounced.
That is, he made a joke about Farrah having lost the ability to perform certain forms of oral sex.
‘I would crush everbody’s you-know-whats’
Farrah revealed that it had been two years since her last sexual encounter.
“I would crush everybody’s you-know-whats,” she warned.
For that and numerous other reasons, we’d recommend avoiding hooking up with Farrah.
We have no idea which “degenerative disc disease” allegedly afflicts her.
But, if she’s going under the knife, we hope that it goes smoothly.
Farrah has been in and out of so many doctor’s offices — and these are just the ones that we know about — that it is legitimately difficult to keep track.
However, The Ashley notes that Farrah has gotten at least three breast augmentations, a nose job, a chin implant (gone but not forgotten), butt injections, butt surgery, multiple vaginal rejuvenation procedures.
She has also had tissue extracted (liposuction) and alternative matter injected into her cheeks and lips (filler).
Farrah’s talk about walking back her many procedures last year sounded encouraging. And look, maybe this really is a medical necessity.
But we’re also going to have to wait and see what Farrah looks like after her recovery. Does she have TMJ or is she changing the shape of her face? Both?
Only time will tell.
Farrah Abraham Announces New Surgical Plans for Face After Swearing Off Fillers & … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Celebrity chefs need to eat too, and many like to dine at old-school restaurants. These are the favorite classic eateries of some all-time culinary legends.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — On Wednesday, reports overseas began to emerge that United States World Cup coach Mauricio Pochettino was interviewed by seven-time European champion AC Milan last week about their vacant managerial position. On Thursday, Pochettino and U.S Soccer CEO JT Batson addressed the news. “Mauricio and [his assistant coaches have] been incredibly transparent the entire process,” Batson told a throng of reporters here as Pochettino — whose contract expires after the tournament — led the Americans through their paces behind him at the federation’s National Training Center outside of Atlanta. “Even when we first met a couple summers ago, there were lots of other people interested in having Mauricio and [his] team join. He had standing offers from other places to come. He wanted to be here. He’s a big believer in what we’re doing in U.S. Soccer. He’s a big believer in soccer in America, and he’s a big believer in this men’s team.” Later in the day, Pochettino made it clear that he remains fully dedicated to the U.S. “People that question my commitment [are] people that want to create some problem,” he said. But he didn’t deny that he may have had informal conversations with suitors over the last two years, or that his representative(s) had fielded offers from interested parties. “We’ve had so many approaches, and we always say we finish the contract in July after the World Cup,” he said. Pochettino also confirmed that he turned down “bigger offers” to sign with U.S. Soccer in September 2024. “We wanted to come here,” he said. “When you have top-class talent,” said Batson, “Other organizations want them.” AC Milan, for whom American headliner Christian Pulisic has starred since leaving English club Chelsea for Italy in 2023, is without a manager after Maxi Allegri resigned earlier this week following the Rossoneri’s failure to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League. U.S. veteran Tyler Adams said the revelation that Poch is considering his future beyond the summer isn’t something he and his teammates are at all bothered by. “Our focus has to be here, on the World Cup,” said Adams. “There’s [players] in contract situations right now that have to figure out what to do, either before the World Cup [or] after the World Cup — it’s gonna be the same deal with coaches. He’s fully present with us every single day, finding ways to make us better, focusing on the trainings, just as we are.” The former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur boss reiterated that he’s open to signing an extension to remain at the helm of the USA’s men’s program. “If the federation wants to talk with me about the future, it’s similar, no?” Pochettino said. “It’s a similar thing.” Batson insisted Thursday that an extension remains a possibility. “We’ve had a number of very long discussions around what the next four years could look like,” he said. “We’re excited and they’re excited. But, of course, we’ve got to focus on the summer, which we’re doing. The World Cup co-hosts take on Australia and Türkiye in their final two first round games. Pochettino’s reported $6 million salary is underwritten in part by deep-pocketed U.S. Soccer donors. I asked Batson if that funding will be available over the next four-year World Cup cycle, or if it was contingent on the U.S. staging the planet’s marquee event this summer, along with North American neighbors Canada and Mexico. “We now are able to enter in big decisions where we’re able to focus on what’s right for soccer, knowing that we’re going to have the resources to be able to do that,” he said. “Whether it’s our great commercial partners, whether it’s because fans have been buying a lot of tickets and a lot of jerseys, or because we’ve been able to get great philanthropic support. “As we approach all these decisions, first and foremost will be what’s going to drive the best soccer outcomes,” he continued. “We’re confident we’ll have the resources to be able to do that.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
You’ll have to ask for a special ingredient on the side to mix with your butter, but diners say this is a total game changer. Learn how to upgrade this bread.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Each day, people spend hours scrolling through social media, liking, commenting, and consuming endless content while creators work to keep up with constant demand. For many artists like Nate Smith, the pressure can be even greater, with platforms often doubling as both a promotional tool and a way to determine how well a song will do.
Smith recently shared a candid perspective in a new Instagram video, explaining how difficult it can be to constantly feel the pressure of needing to post and stay visible online in order for a song to be considered successful in today’s standards. He has since wiped out every other post on his page except for this honest statement.
He started out by thanking everyone who has shown him support over the past few years, offering the utmost appreciation for those who have bought tickets to his shows and played his music.
“I appreciate you guys so much. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I appreciate you always supporting me, showing up to my shows, playing my songs. That means the world to me. I’m so thankful for you guys.”
He paused before admitting, “I don’t know where to go from here. I don’t know how to navigate this really weird world that we’re in right now.”
Nate Smith also speaks from an artist’s point of view about what releasing music looks like in today’s social media-driven world, where expectations can feel incredibly high. He explains that he’ll write a song he truly loves, feels eager to share it with fans, and posts a video of himself singing along.
Over the next few hours and days, he finds himself fixated on the numbers. As the views come in, he admits he can’t help but watch them closely, often feeling discouraged when the response doesn’t meet his team’s expectations.
“[I] watch as my team goes, ‘Ah, shoot. Yeah, that one only got 20,000. We’re not seeing a big poll on that song. Oh, man. Probably not a hit. Probably not a smash.’ And then my worth is all determined based on likes and all this stupid stuff.”
This cycle has proved to be mentally draining for Smith.
“I’m tired, you guys. I’m tired. I just want to make music. I just want to make music,” he emphasized. “I just want to play shows. I don’t want to play these games. That’s kind of what this all feels like. It feels like one big game and it’s old and it’s tiring and it’s mentally exhausting and I know I’m not the only person out there that feels like this.”
The California native was clearly correct in his last statement, as comments began to pour in from fellow artists all admitting to feeling the exact same way that he is.
Chase Matthew wrote, “Gosh I feel you bro. Hard to stay passionate about the art when it starts to feel like a machine.”
Mitchell Tenpenny agreed, pointing out, “We are all tired of this horseshit. Keep making music bro. I feel you 🙏🏼”
Caylee Hammack assured Smith he “ain’t alone in it” and used Alex Warren’s massive hit “Ordinary” as an example of how an artist’s intuition about a song is always something to pay attention to as supposed to the algorithm and numbers on social media.
“Alex Warren’s song ‘Ordinary’ was not going to be a hit according to his team. No one believed in it & it wasn’t hitting online. He created 11 pages to promote it on & finally once it went viral on booktok, his team pushed it. But he KNEW the entire time. No one else did until they saw numbers.
Listen to your gut, push those songs, focus on what makes you love music & the music will find its way to the fans. We love you🧡”
Drew Baldridge and Charly Reynolds jumped in to say, “PREACH.”
Hundreds of fans, singers and songwriters all confirmed that Smith is not the only one who is feeling this way.
Continuing his statement, the “After Midnight” singer said he strongly feels there has to be another way to navigate releasing music in today’s world.
“There has to be a different way and I’m over it. I’m over the reels. I’m over the weird teasing things and stuff like that. I’ve got some great songs that I want to share with you guys, but I’m not doing it this way. There’s just got to be another way.”
He went on to suggest alternative approaches, including debuting new music directly to fans at concerts so they can experience and record it in real time, or simply releasing songs he believes in without buildup or explanation online and simply letting the music speak for itself.
“I’m tired of this hamster wheel crazy, crazy, crazy thing that we’re doing out here. This isn’t what I got into music for. Yeah, that’s all I have to say,” he concluded.
While Smith says he’s still searching for answers, his honesty has resonated widely. For now, his only a desire to get back to the music itself and find a way to better navigate the pressures around social media while still staying true to himself.
The post Artists Rally Around Nate Smith After Candid Message About Mental Burnout and Social Media Pressures appeared first on Country Now.
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MACKINAC ISLAND, Michigan — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that she won’t run for president in 2028 — then backtracked on the statement later.
Whitmer’s initial declaration appeared to remove a marquee name from Democratic primary contention.
“I think there will be a robust group of people running for president,” she told a Detroit television station. “I will not be one of them in 2028, I can tell you that.”
The two-term governor, long seen as a potential contender for the Oval Office, appeared at first to be one of the first major candidates to remove themselves from what’s expected to be a crowded field of candidates looking to succeed President Donald Trump.
Whitmer, speaking from the state’s annual policy conference in Mackinac Island, is barred from seeking another term as governor due to term limits.
She said she was looking forward to taking “a little bit of a break” and had spoken with Democrats Gina Raimondo and Pete Buttigieg, as well as Paul Ryan, the former Republican House speaker, for guidance on transitioning out of the political arena.
A few hours later, she walked it back.
During a panel discussion, she said she needed to “correct the record” on her earlier remarks.
“I never thought I would run for governor, so I guess I should know better,” she said.
Then she added: “Never say never.”
Whitmer said during the panel that she hadn’t intended to make headlines about her political career. “At this juncture, I’ve got nothing to announce.”
Whitmer’s initial statement that she would not run — ahead of the midterms, where her successor will be elected in the battleground state — did come unusually early in the political season. She has hinted before that she may not run for the presidency.
“One of the many reasons she would be a great president is because she is very focused,” said a person familiar with Whitmer’s thinking, granted anonymity to candidly discuss her calculus, referencing her 2014 comments that she would not run for governor. “Sometimes she does change her mind.”
Whitmer’s second term in office has been marked by a productive relationship with the White House, which some Democrats speculate could hurt her future political ambitions. She bristled when the president praised her during an Oval Office visit last April, and covered her face with blue folders as the press snapped photos.
But Whitmer has maintained that it has been beneficial for her state.
Trump announced a new F-15 fighter mission for suburban Detroit’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base several weeks later, a maneuver Whitmer’s office said could generate $850 million for Michigan.
“All the grief — this shows you why you put the people first,” she told POLITICO. “They see it, and it pays off.”
Adam Wren reported from Mackinac Island, Michigan.
Politics