The Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, which is one of the largest immigrant detention facilities in the western U.S. (Grace Deng/Washington State Standard)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an Alaska state attorney in Anchorage and is holding him in an ICE detention facility in Washington state, according to an agency spokesperson.
Shucheng Yang, a 32-year-old Chinese national, was arrested in Anchorage on July 10.
“Yang violated the terms of his admission and is a deportable alien,” said Jason Chudy, an ICE Public Affairs officer, by email on Thursday. He said Yang is currently detained in the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, pending immigration proceedings.
Yang is an attorney with the Alaska Department of Law’s labor, business and corporations section, according to the state employee database. Yang was admitted to the Alaska Bar Association and licensed to practice law in the state in June 2025. A spokesperson for the department declined to respond to questions about his immigration status, employment status or work authorization when hired, saying the department does not comment on personnel matters.
Chudy declined to say how Yang violated the terms of admission into the country. “To be clear, work authorization does NOT confer legal status in the United States,” he said in the email.
He referred further questions about Yang’s work authorization to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A spokesperson for USCIS referred the question back to ICE, and said the agency does not comment on individual immigration cases.
The state requires applicants to self-disclose their employment eligibility and work authorization through the I-9 verification process during hiring, according to the Alaska Department of Administration, as reported by Alaska News Source.
There are no state criminal charges against Yang, according to court records. Yang pleaded no contest on June 26 for a speeding citation.
A spokesperson for the Municipality of Anchorage confirmed the Anchorage Police Department issued the traffic ticket on April 25. “They have had no other interaction with Mr. Yang since April,” said Nora Morse, communications director for the municipality, by email on Thursday.
“The Anchorage Police Department does not ask for someone’s immigration status as part of a routine traffic stop,” Morse said.
A spokesperson for the ACLU of Alaska said they were trying to get in touch with Yang’s attorney, and had no other information on his case.
The Alaska Department of Corrections contracts with ICE to hold detainees in Alaska under an agreement with the U.S. Marshals. A spokesperson confirmed that Yang was detained in Alaska for two days after his arrest until he was transferred on July 12.
DOC has held 17 people arrested by ICE since June 1, and 73 people since the beginning of the calendar year, according to spokesperson Betsy Holley on Thursday.
In the fall, Skylar Chadwick will begin playing wheelchair basketball at Mizzou. He describes this chapter in his life as, “a short-term dream that I plan on turning into a long-term dream.”
An overlooked vintage thrift store kitchen gadget takes much of the guesswork out of poaching eggs, streamlining breakfast preparation through minimal effort.
The All-Star break is over, and with it, the excuses. Teams have roughly two weeks before the Aug. 3 trade deadline to decide whether they’re buying, selling or holding. Surprise contenders have to figure out if their first-half magic was real, bubble teams have to decide which direction to turn and teams in the cellar need to have honest conversations about the future of their franchise. The possibility of reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal becoming available could shape the entire deadline. Plus, all the division races outside the NL West remain separated by only a handful of games. The AL MVP and Cy Young races are getting spicy, and the defending champions are dealing with uncertainty surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s health. There’s plenty to watch for as the second half of the season gets underway. Here are 10 questions to consider as we approach the stretch run. Rowan Kavner: The Dodgers announced last Friday that Shohei Ohtani would not be making his scheduled pitching start that night due to continued irritation in his left knee and would also miss the All-Star Game. A few hours later, he homered. On that Friday, manager Dave Roberts also announced that Ohtani would be getting his knee drained a couple of days after the team’s final game of the first half. Of course, he homered in that Sunday game as well. Ohtani said his aching knee bothers him more when he pitches than when he hits, which seems clear after he launched four home runs in his final six games before the break. On the mound, meanwhile, his 0.74 ERA after his first 10 starts is up to 1.79 on the season after he allowed 14 runs (12 earned) over his last four starts. The Dodgers are hopeful that the minor knee procedure will have their two-way star feeling better for the stretch run both at the plate and on the mound, but it’s obviously something to monitor. As a hitter, Ohtani ranks third in the National League in OPS. As a pitcher, he ranks second in the NL in ERA among pitchers who’ve thrown at least 75 innings. He is cruising toward winning his fifth MVP Award — as long as he stays healthy. Keeping Ohtani upright has to be the Dodgers’ top priority as they look to three-peat. Deesha Thosar: The answer to that question depends on whether Detroit believes it’s a contender, not a pretender. The Tigers (44-52) enter the second half 3.5 games behind the final AL wild-card spot, with six teams in front of them. Since there’s so much parity in the AL, it’s not a stretch for the Tigers to convince themselves that they could make a push for the wild card. But, even if they do, does this team have legitimate hope beyond an early elimination? Detroit would be passing on an enormous prospect haul for Skubal, who is unlikely to re-sign with the Tigers in free agency this winter, just for a wild card or ALDS exit. Even though the Tigers have surged since June, Skubal holds way too much value for the Tigers to mess this one up. Skubal has repeatedly said he wants to stay in Detroit and believes the team is better than how it performed through the majority of the first half. But, whether he wants it or not, contenders will be clamoring for a potential Skubal trade, making this one of the biggest storylines of the deadline. Kavner: If the season ended today, there’s no question who would win the National League Cy Young Award. The Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski just wrapped up one of the all-time most overpowering first halves of an MLB season. He leads all qualified pitchers in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and opponents’ batting average, and no one is even within striking distance. Misiorowski is the only qualified starter with an ERA under 2.00 … and it’s 1.62. He’s holding opponents to a .148 batting average, more than 40 points lower than the next closest qualified NL starter (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, .190). The Miz’s 167 strikeouts are also 23 more than Cristopher Sánchez, who ranks second in the NL in the category. If Misiorowski keeps this pace, he’ll finish the year with the second-highest strikeout rate over the course of a full season in MLB history (not including the shortened 2020 season). The question, of course, is if he can hold up. The 24-year-old has already thrown 111 innings, his most in any professional season, and the Brewers skipped his final start of the first half due to arm fatigue. It sounds like he’ll be ready to go out of the break, but his health will be crucial for the Brewers’ chances as they try to make a World Series run. Thosar: David Stearns fielded questions about the Mets being sellers all the way back in May, though the president of baseball operations wasn’t yet ready to admit that the team he rebuilt in the offseason was a dud. He figured there was plenty of time for the club to turn it around. Now, just over two weeks out from the trade deadline, New York’s position is explicitly clear. The Mets (40-57) are 16 games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East, and 12 games out of the last NL wild-card spot, with everyone except the Rockies in front of them. The best they can hope for in the second half is showing some form of promise for 2027, and that starts with how Stearns handles his trade chips. Pitchers Freddy Peralta, Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter and outfielder Tyrone Taylor are free agents after this season, and we can throw 33-year-old starter Clay Holmes into that group because he has a $12 million player option that he’s expected to decline. Beyond that, players under team control for at least another year include Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban, and both relievers have been excellent this season. Those hoping the Mets will deal a bat or two from their underperforming lineup, keep dreaming. No one on the offense is in a walk year, and since the front office is just trying to acquire as many top prospects as possible this deadline, dangling bats like Mark Vientos and Brett Baty is not a recipe for a solid return. All eyes will be on Stearns as he navigates a second consecutive nightmare Mets season. Kavner: Entering the break, there were only three American League teams and four National League teams more than four games out of a playoff spot. The lack of obvious sellers — and the lack of premier rentals on those obvious sellers — could make this a rather dull deadline when it comes to star power switching hands. Then again, who knows? With more than two weeks before the deadline, a lot can change. Luis Arraez, a rental in San Francisco, seems like an obvious candidate to be dealt. Will the Giants go further than that and move any of their long-term deals (Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee)? And what about the Angels? Will new interim general manager John Mozeliak convince owner Arte Moreno that it’s time to blow this thing up? Starters José Soriano and Reid Detmers, outfielder Jo Adell or shortstop Zach Neto — all of whom are under team control beyond this season — could command the type of prospect haul that could give their farm system a needed overhaul. Or does one of these teams on the bubble decide now is the time to take advantage of a seller’s market? The Nationals are four games back of a playoff spot now. The Red Sox, Twins and Tigers are all trending in the right direction, but they’re still under .500. All of them have pieces that could turn a contender into a champion. And you never know what Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has up his sleeve. Thosar: It’s clear the Yankees no longer stubbornly believe in shortstop Anthony Volpe as much as they used to. In May, they demoted him to Triple-A, choosing to stick with the standout performance of Jose Caballero at shortstop at the time. Volpe soon returned when Caballero was sidelined by injury, but now that Caballero is back and healthy, Volpe has seen his playing time decrease dramatically of late. To close out the first half, Volpe started in just one of four games in an important series against the Tampa Bay Rays, who lead the AL East. Then he started in just one of three games against the Washington Nationals. For the fourth consecutive season, Volpe is sporting an OPS+ in the 80s. His performance at the plate has been below league average long enough, and the Yankees might just be signaling that they’re ready to move on. It will be fascinating to see how they solve their shortstop problem, because it’s not like Caballero has been much better (94 OPS+) at the plate. Beyond outside additions, the Yankees could promote their No. 1 prospect, George Lombard Jr., who’s on his way back from injury. Just before the break, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Lombard “might be a choice at some point.” Kavner: The Red Sox have been missing their best pitcher (Garrett Crochet) and hitter (Roman Anthony) for most of the season. Yankees superstar Aaron Judge has been out since the start of June with a stress fracture in his rib, and Braves starter Max Fried has been out even longer with an elbow bone bruise. The Dodgers have jumped out to their hot start despite getting just one start from Blake Snell, seven starts from Tyler Glasnow and seven appearances from Edwin Díaz. They’ve also been without catcher Will Smith since early June. The list of injured standouts expected back sometime in the second half goes on and on: Jose Ramírez (Guardians); Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider and Robert Suarez (Braves); Corey Seager (Rangers); Byron Buxton (Twins); Nick Kurtz (A’s); Corbin Burnes (Diamondbacks); Nick Pivetta (Padres); Kyle Harrison (Brewers); and basically the Cubs’ whole rotation. The return of some of these star talents could make all the difference in playoff races and postseason runs. Thosar: With the Yankees’ reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge sidelined indefinitely by a rib injury, the race is wide open in the second half. Top contenders for the award include Yordan Alvarez, Ben Rice, and Junior Caminero. Alvarez enters the second half leading the majors in on-base percentage (.426), slugging (.633), and OPS (1.059). The Astros slugger leads the AL in hits (111), home runs (31) and RBIs (70). That’s impressive, but it’s not like he’s running away with it. Rice is right behind Alvarez with 29 home runs, and he’s been one of the main reasons the Yankees’ offense has remained competitive without Judge. Caminero was hit on his left hand by a pitch in the All-Star Game, and X-rays came back negative, but how he bounces back will greatly dictate the race. Caminero, who went on an incredible streak of 11 home runs in 11 games, enters the second half with the third-best OPS (.927) in the AL, behind Alvarez and Rice. Kavner: What’s the bigger surprise, that the Phillies — after a 9-19 start — are already just two games back of the first-place Braves? Or that the Marlins are nipping at both of their heels? As recently as May 22, the Braves held a double-digit lead in the NL East after storming out of the gates in a turnaround season. On June 9, they were still up nine games in the division. One month later, this is suddenly one of the most interesting division battles in baseball — and not only because of the Phillies’ surge. The Marlins have the best record in baseball since the start of June at 26-11. The Phillies are 24-14 over that stretch and 45-24 since interim manager Don Mattingly took over. The Braves, meanwhile, are 15-20 since the start of June and have opened the door for their division foes. As it stands, the Dodgers and Brewers are the only teams leading their respective divisions by more than three games. There will be plenty of interesting battles down the stretch. Thosar: Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras is having a career year at the plate, and he’s a major reason Boston has turned around its ugly start to the season. His .921 OPS is ranked fourth in the AL, and he’s been a stabilizing force in the Red Sox lineup amid a tough personal year due to the Venezuela earthquakes back in his hometown. Throughout it all, the Red Sox have moved up the standings, going from dead in the water at 32-46 to a 14-2 stretch that included a nine-game winning streak, to entering the break just a half-game out of the final AL wild-card spot. While Boston’s turnaround is real in the standings, the jury is still out on whether it’s sustainable. Starter Sonny Gray (2.54 ERA) and closer Aroldis Chapman (2.20 ERA) have anchored their successful run, but the Red Sox are still hitting the fewest home runs in baseball this season. And the AL has only five teams above .500, so small gains can look bigger than they are. Whether the front office commits to buying instead of selling Gray and Chapman in the next couple of weeks will be the real verdict on whether this is a genuine turnaround or a well-timed hot streak.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
According to multiple reports, an intruder managed to bypass security at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios on Thursday morning before confronting host Craig Melvin in a restricted area.
The man allegedly lunged at Melvin while shouting a racial slur, prompting a swift response from security and police.
Craig Melvin attends The National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on January 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for National Board of Review)
Fortunately, no one was physically injured.
Law enforcement sources say the incident unfolded shortly after 9 a.m. when a 41-year-old man entered an unauthorized area near Studio 1A.
The suspect reportedly asked staff members for Al Roker before encountering Melvin instead.
According to TMZ, the suspect, who has been identified as Andrew Truelove, was subdued when security personnel and an NYPD officer working at Rockefeller Center quickly intervened and took the man into custody.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
In a statement released after the incident, NBC confirmed there had been a security breach at the Today studio.
“There was a security incident this morning at the Today show studio,” the network said.
“An individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A. The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security.”
NBC added that the suspect was detained by law enforcement “without further incident,” stressing that “there was no altercation, and no one was injured.”
The network also said it is cooperating with authorities while reviewing its security procedures.
“NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously,” the statement continued.
“We are reviewing the incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios.”
Although the frightening encounter reportedly caused Melvin to miss the opening moments of the show’s third hour, he returned to the broadcast later that morning and did not publicly address what had happened on-air.
Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer also resumed the program after the incident.
The security breach has nevertheless raised serious questions about how an unauthorized individual was able to gain access to a restricted area inside one of television’s most recognizable studios.
Thankfully, the situation ended without physical injuries. It was a fortunate outcome in what could have been a far more tragic incident.
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority could acquire a 30-square-mile parcel of state land in the Mat-Su. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal)
Alaska’s economic development agency is envisioning a new industrial park with data centers and a freight hub on a 30-square-mile parcel of state land just north of the thinly settled city of Houston, in the Mat-Su region some 60 road miles north of Anchorage.
The new plans from AIDEA, whose other development projects around the state have sometimes prompted harsh backlash, could “foster job creation, attract private investment, and support long-term economic development opportunities in the Mat-Su region,” spokesperson Robyn Reyes said in an email Tuesday.
Multiple aspects of AIDEA’s proposal are a good fit for the area, according to some local officials. But the data center idea is already prompting concerns, as are the potential impacts of the industrial park on a vast network of trails used for mushing and other recreation.
“A development like this? If they take away all of that wildlife and recreational trails, that’s it — we don’t get any of that back,” said Lisa Johansen, a Houston City Council member who has already proposed a ban on data centers within city limits.
The proposed “noncompetitive sale” by the Department of Natural Resources to AIDEA was first announced last week after AIDEA filed an initial application in December, according to a state land database. The parcel sits northeast of the Parks Highway, with a connecting road splitting off roughly 1.5 miles north of Houston’s Three Bears convenience store.
Asked about the sale, department spokesperson Lorraine Henry shared a brief statement saying the agency is inviting public comment on the preliminary decision through Aug. 19.
In a 41-page decision document released last week, the department said AIDEA’s proposed development would include a logistics hub near the Alaska Railroad and the Parks Highway; transmission infrastructure for utilities such as electricity and natural gas; “advanced manufacturing pads”; and “scalable data centers” that would use the utilities.
AIDEA’s project, the decision document said, would be in the public interest because it would create construction and operations jobs, diversify the statewide economy “beyond traditional resource extraction” and boost demand for materials, services and maintenance for local businesses.
The department did not release AIDEA’s application with the decision, and officials did not immediately respond to a request for a copy.
AIDEA responded to a request for comment with its own brief statement saying its objective is to “help facilitate economic development opportunities that advance industry, create jobs, and promote long-term economic prosperity for Alaskans.”
“At this stage, the proposal remains within (the department’s) public review process, and AIDEA has no additional comment beyond the information contained in the preliminary decision,” Reyes, the AIDEA spokesperson, said.
AIDEA owns other infrastructure around the state, including a shipyard in Ketchikan and a road used to haul zinc from a large mine to the Northwest Arctic coast.
Some of its other active projects, including oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a proposed mining road in the Arctic that would cross a national park, have prompted significant backlash from advocates.
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough, where the industrial park property is located, does not regulate or require special permits for energy generation facilities or data centers, according to borough code.
Large new energy transmission lines require a borough permit certifying that utility officials held a series of public meetings about the project and have a plan for addressing residents’ concerns. They do not require borough approval.
Whether the borough should play host to an industrial park that could include a large data center became a flashpoint in March when its assembly voted 6-1 to designate three parcels for the purpose, overriding a veto by Mayor Edna DeVries.
The measure, initially approved in a 5-2 Assembly vote, directs borough staff to work with coal power developer Terra Energy Center Corp. to pitch other businesses on developing a data center or another project with large electric demand. Such projects, according to the Assembly-approved plan, would be located on borough land near Port MacKenzie, Big Lake or the proposed West Susitna Access Road.
Area officials, including Houston Mayor Carter Cole and Mat-Su Borough Manager Mike Brown, said they were not told about the new land transfer and development proposal before the natural resource department’s public notice was released Friday.
The City of Houston sits west of Wasilla along the Parks Highway. (Photo by Amy Bushatz/Mat-Su Sentinel)
Brown said he believes the planned logistics hub is a logical fit for that part of the borough, which is already home to other industrial uses, including gravel extraction.
The data center, however, is a different matter.
“An intermodal logistics hub that is connected to the Parks Highway and rail mainline? I could see that,” he said. “It’s the data center that causes someone to go, ‘Hmm, what’s up with that?’”
“If it didn’t have that listed, I’d probably go, ‘Oh, a logistics center. That’s not a terrible idea,’” Brown added.
Mat-Su Assembly member Ron Bernier, whose district includes Houston, said he supports AIDEA’s development in the area and doubts a data center is a likely outcome.
“Let’s bring it. Let’s build Alaska,” he said. “I don’t see them putting a data center there. I don’t think it’s a very worrisome thing for people.”
In Houston, where the municipal boundaries abut a portion of the land the state is proposing to transfer, local officials have already been debating whether data centers belong within city limits.
An ordinance introduced to the City Council in June by Johansen would ban such developments because they pose a public safety hazard, “create a documented risk of accelerated permafrost thaw” and use water in volumes that “could negatively impact local water supplies,” the proposal states.
The council voted Thursday to postpone a vote on the measure until members’ next meeting Aug. 13, to allow discussion during a work session that has not yet been scheduled.
“I’m anti-things that aren’t going to give back to the community,” Johansen said at last week’s meeting. “Let’s concentrate on solutions that are going to bring something back to the community.”
Johansen said that in addition to her concerns about the impact of a large data center, the proposed development could harm area wildlife and the trails used for recreation and dog racing. She said she plans to draft a city council resolution opposing the plan.
Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal-Anchorage Press. Subscribe at this link.
This story was reported in collaboration with Mat-Su Sentinel, an independent nonpartisan news website serving Mat-Su. Subscribe here.
The entrance to the Alaska Gasline Development Corp.’s Anchorage office is seen on Aug. 11, 2023. The state-owned AGDC is pushing for a massive project that would ship natural gas south from the North Slope, liquefy it and send it on tankers from Cook Inlet to Asian markets. The AGDC proposal is among many that have been raised since the 1970s to try commercialize the North Slope’s stranded natural gas. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
When it comes to developing Alaska’s private-sector energy industry, certain members of Alaska’s Senate majority have misunderstood or misrepresented the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation’s plans. From our perspective, members of the Senate and their “leave it in the ground” environmentalist backers are trying to choke the life out of the Alaska LNG Project in the name of protecting Alaskans.
By wrapping layers of economically unviable mandates in the flag of “protecting Alaskans,” Senators in the majority successfully injected “poison pills” into legislation that was meant to enable the largest infrastructure project in state history.
Moving the goalposts on private investment
They claim that Glenfarne, the project developer, doesn’t need legislation to build the project. This betrays a fundamental ignorance—or deliberate misrepresentation—of how mega-project financing works. International investors are very highly unlikely to commit tens of billions of dollars to a state with a volatile fiscal regime without long-term tax certainty.
What the Senate actually did was take a predictable tax framework and append unnecessary and arbitrary penalties, micromanaged timelines and aggressive corporate restructuring demands to it. No private entity can secure global financing when a state government mandates statutory completion deadlines under threat of asset forfeiture. By demanding a final investment decision on a rigid, state-imposed timeline, the Senate didn’t protect Alaskans; they created a framework that looks as though it were designed to ensure the project fails before it starts.
The agreement between AGDC and Glenfarne is carefully designed to propel this project forward while at the same time protecting the state’s interests. One example is the option for the state to invest in Alaska LNG. AGDC has consistently and clearly identified the investment as an option and not a request or an ask despite reporting in the Alaska Beacon to the contrary. State policymakers, not AGDC or Glenfarne, will have to weigh benefits and risks of investment.
The S-Corporation bait-and-switch
The centerpiece of their defense is their sudden crusade on the back of Alaska LNG to close the “S corporation loophole,” driven by a jaw-dropping misrepresentation of basic accounting. They claim that Glenfarne will make “$5 billion in profits per year.” This is flatly untrue, and the Senators should know it. They are muddling gross project revenues with net corporate profits. To generate those revenues, Glenfarne and its partners must first service the debt on an estimated $54 billion construction bill, cover pipeline operating costs and pay upstream producers for the actual gas. To tell Alaskans that a developer is pocketing $5 billion in pure, untaxed profit when they haven’t even cleared the hurdle of paying off their initial investment is economic illiteracy at best, and intentional deception at worst.
Using a targeted infrastructure bill to wage an ideological war on major producers like Hilcorp—the very company keeping Southcentral Alaska warm right now—is a reckless gamble with our energy security. Senate Democrats and their anti-industry allies see the need for Alaska LNG as a vehicle to open Pandora’s Box for an ever-expanding web of personal income tax in Alaska.
Weaponizing good intentions
The Senate rhetoric surrounding Alaska hire and a $5 natural gas cap takes a universally popular concept and weaponizes it into unworkable statutory mandates.
Glenfarne and Alaska’s Building Trade unions already voluntarily signed a binding historic memorandum of understanding for a project labor agreement with Alaska trade unions. The market was already aligned to protect local workers. By twisting market-driven solutions into rigid statutory pretzels, the senators aren’t helping labor—they are killing the very project that would provide thousands of union jobs. The same goes for the $5 gas cap. Dictating market prices in state law is an absolute non-starter for private capital.
The reality
You cannot tax, mandate and regulate a project into existence. If the economics don’t work, the gas stays in the ground—which is precisely what the Senators’ most vocal supporters want.
Alaskans need to look past the populist theater. We face a looming energy crunch in Southcentral Alaska. We need real solutions, private capital and reliable partners. What we do not need are partisan politicians treating a multi-billion dollar lifeline for our state as a political football.
The Senate’s bill didn’t ask Glenfarne to keep its promises. It would force Glenfarne to accept terms that make the project completely unbankable. Whether or not this is by design is anyone’s guess. It’s time to call this strategy what it is: a coordinated effort to kill Alaska energy under the guise of defending it.
Dolly Parton’s remarkable life story is headed to Broadway this winter with the highly anticipated debut of DOLLY: A True Original Musical. Following a record-breaking world premiere in Nashville, the production is making its way to New York, where audiences will experience the country icon’s journey told through her own words and timeless music.
Here’s everything fans need to know before the curtain rises next winter.
When Does DOLLY: A True Original Musical Open?
The musical officially opens on Tuesday, January 19, 2027, a fitting date as it coincides with Parton’s 81st birthday.
Fans won’t have to wait until opening night to see the show, though. Preview performances begin Monday, December 7, 2026, giving audiences an early look before the official Broadway premiere.
Dolly Parton; Photo Provided
What Music Is Included?
Featuring a mix of Dolly Parton’s iconic songs and new music written especially for the stage production, DOLLY: A True Original Musical also includes a book by Parton and two-time Emmy Award winner Maria S. Schlatter. The production is directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.
Behind the music is an award-winning creative team led by two-time Tony and Grammy winner Stephen Oremus as music supervisor and Charity Wicks as music director. The production also features orchestrations by John Clancy, musical consulting from longtime collaborator Kent Wells, plus vocal and music arrangements from Richard Dennison and Gregg Perry, who have spent decades creating music alongside Parton.
Who Has Been Cast?
Casting for the Broadway production has not yet been announced.
Cast members, creative team updates and production details are expected in the coming weeks.
Dolly Parton; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
What Dolly Parton Is Saying
Parton couldn’t be more excited to bring her story to Broadway.
“My whole life has been a musical. A grand ole opera really! We have a wonderful director, sets, costumes, choreography, music and all the things you need to make a wonderful, entertaining show! Can’t wait to see you there!” she shared.
What Others Are Saying
Director Bartlett Sher says audiences will experience a side of Dolly they’ve never seen before.
“During our world premiere in Nashville, I was overwhelmed by the deep connection audiences have with Dolly. You mention her name and people light up and share a time that she has inspired them and brought them joy. But despite all of that genuine love, Dolly has never really shared her story before. She’s offered glimpses and peeks, but this musical allows her to reveal the unfiltered story in her own words. As we prepare to come to Broadway, we’re thrilled to show that rhinestones were never her whole story.”
Adam Speers of ATG Productions also reflected on what audiences can expect from the Broadway version.
“Having worked with Dolly on both the new version of 9 to 5 in the West End and on DOLLY, I can say without hesitation that being in her orbit changes how you think about what one person can give to the world. What defines her is not only extraordinary talent, but a lifetime of conscious choices – to lead with kindness, to contribute meaningfully, and to give back in ways that have endured, all with inimitable style and great humor. After everything we learned during our world-premiere in Nashville, we’re shaping the show and deepening the storytelling so that the Broadway production fully captures the spirit of this amazing woman. To be opening the show on Dolly’s 81st birthday is not only a celebration of a milestone, but of a life shaped by generosity, courage, and purpose that, in this moment, feels not only uplifting and inspiring, but essential.”
Meet the Creative Team
The Broadway production brings together an impressive team of award-winning creatives, including:
Fans who register at the show’s website can access an exclusive pre-sale before tickets become available to the general public.
Eligible Capital One cardholders also receive early access during the pre-sale period.
General ticket sales are on sale now, with performances currently scheduled through November 21, 2027.
Is It Family Friendly?
The production is recommended for most audiences, although children ages 8 and under may find some content unsuitable.
It All Began In Nashville
Before heading to Broadway, DOLLY: A True Original Musical debuted in Parton’s hometown of Nashville at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
The production sold out its entire run and became the most successful production in the venue’s history, drawing international attention ahead of its Broadway transfer. The musical also reflects Parton’s long-standing relationship with Belmont University through initiatives like Dolly U and her induction into the university’s Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum.
In 2007, a 20-year-old Lionel Messi posed for a Barcelona charity calendar, gently bathing a baby in a plastic tub. The baby’s family had won a UNICEF raffle. Nobody thought about the photo again for 17 years. The baby was Lamine Yamal. You could write fiction for a decade and never come up with that. On Sunday at the World Cup final in New Jersey, the greatest player of all time faces the teenager many believe will inherit the title, and there’s photographic evidence that Messi literally held him first. Both came through La Masia. Both wore No. 19 at Barcelona before switching to the 10. The soccer gods stopped being subtle a long time ago. Somehow, the two teams are just as compelling as the two stars. Start with the history, because there’s barely any. Spain and Argentina have met once at a World Cup, a 1966 group-stage game that Argentina won 2-1 behind a Luis Artime brace. They’ve never met in a knockout match. The all-time series is deadlocked at six wins apiece. This year’s Finalissima was supposed to settle things in March before it was called off, so instead the reigning European and South American champions will meet for the first time in World Cup final history, with the biggest trophy in sports on the table. Fine. That works too. The paths could not look more different. Spain dismantled France 2-0, making the tournament’s most feared attack look ordinary. This is the best possession team in the world, and more importantly, the team with the clearest identity in the sport. In an era where so many teams press and build up the same way, Spain still looks unmistakably like Spain. That’s worth something in a one-off final. And the names driving it aren’t the ones anyone predicted. Yamal has one goal all tournament, scored back on matchday two, which would have sounded like a crisis in May and instead describes a finalist. Mikel Oyarzabal leads the team in scoring and buried the penalty that broke France. Rodri looked like the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner again, conducting business in the midfield. Behind him, the wall: Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte have conceded once in seven matches, Unai Simón set a World Cup clean sheet record, and the fullbacks have been a cheat code on either end. Marc Cucurella erased Kylian Mbappé for 90 minutes, while Pedro Porro scored the nail in the coffin. Argentina, meanwhile, has stumbled through the knockouts like a heavyweight who keeps getting up: 3-2 over Cape Verde, 3-2 over Egypt, 3-1 over Switzerland in extra time, and now 2-1 over England after trailing in the 85th minute. No team had ever scored multiple stoppage-time winners in a single World Cup. Argentina now has. At some point, “lucky” stops being the word and “inevitable” takes over. The Albiceleste’s engine is a 39-year-old. Messi assisted both goals against England, has scored eight times in the tournament, and keeps rewriting the record books weekly. His legs have aged. His brain hasn’t. And Argentina showed England exactly what Spain should expect. The first 30 minutes in Atlanta were a street fight: eight fouls and zero shots on target by the first hydration break, bodies down everywhere, and rhythm nowhere to be found. Thomas Tuchel’s England took a 55th-minute lead through Anthony Gordon and then sat on it, inviting wave after wave until the dam broke. Enzo Fernández bent one in from distance. Lautaro Martínez headed the winner in stoppage time off a fantastic right-footed Messi cross. Tuchel has been torched for his second half tactics, and deservedly so, but here’s the warning for Sunday: Argentina will try to drag Spain into that same alley. That’s the whole final, really. Spain wants a game of order. Argentina wants a game of chaos. One team has conceded a single goal. The other refuses to die. And in the middle of it all, a man and the baby he once bathed, meeting again with the world watching.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
