Latest news with #Stetson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The new Miss Florida has ties to Gainesville. Here's what to know.
LAKELAND – The city of Gainesville has another champion to celebrate. After three nights of competition, showcasing talent, interview skills and community initiatives, Paris Richardson was crowned Miss Florida on June 28 night at the 2025 Miss Florida Scholarship Competition at the RP Funding Center. Richardson was the second Miss Gainesville to win the crown and the first since Marcia Crane earned the title in 1952. She will now represent the Sunshine State at Miss America in September. A 2020 graduate of Jean Ribault Senior High School in Jacksonville, Richardson, is a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a master's degree in health administration. The reigning Miss Gainesville, Richardson, was presented with her crown from 2024 Miss Florida winner Casana Fink and was awarded a $20,000 scholarship for her win. In the 2024 Miss Florida competition, Richardson was third runner-up as Miss Northeast Florida. In addition to this week's on-stage success, Richardson earned multiple scholarships during Miss Florida week, highlighted by winning the talent competition on night two with an inspirational acrobatic performance to Big Noise by Bette Midler. The former University of Florida cheerleader was also one of just four candidates to win two scholarships during the 2025 Scholarship Award Gala held at Camp Margaritaville RV Resort and Cabana Cabins in Auburndale on June 27. She was the recipient of the Women in Business ($500) and Miss Florida Marketing Plan ($1,000) scholarships. Richardson was one of 16 semifinalists announced at the beginning of the finals on June 28. The semifinalists presented their community service initiatives and went through the health and fitness portion of the program. The event concluded with the talent and evening gown competition, followed by an on-stage conversation with the 2003 Miss Florida winner and 2004 Miss America winner, Ericka Dunlop before the winner was announced. Richardson will use her platform as Miss Florida to expand the reach of her initiative, CROWN of Health, by collaborating with local schools, community organizations and healthcare professionals to promote wellness education and equitable access to healthcare through workshops, school visits, and community events, with hopes to equip individuals with the knowledge and resources necessary to make informed health decisions. Additionally, she intends to serve as a liaison between communities and healthcare providers, advocating for policies that address health disparities and promote inclusivity. Earlier in the evening, Noelle Schnacky, Miss Orlando's Teen, was named Miss Florida's Teen 2025 and will compete in the Miss America's Teen Competition. Noelle receives a $5,000 scholarship and full tuition to one of the following schools of higher education: Stetson, Florida Southern, Florida State University Panama City and Gulf Coast State College. Noelle, a native of Clermont, is a recent graduate of Lake Mineola High School and is enrolled at Lake Sumter State College, where she will receive her associate degree this summer. While at Lake Mineola, Noelle was a member of the girls' varsity lacrosse team, as well as the varsity cheer and competition cheer teams. She is also a Fellowship of Christian Athletes student leader and the recipient of the FCA Coaches Choice Awards in 2025. She will utilize her platform as Miss Florida's Teen to advance her community service initiative and 501(c)(3) organization, Hope for Heart Kids, which raises awareness of heart defects by building partnerships with all 15 major children's hospitals in Florida. Winner – Paris Richardson (Miss Gainesville) $20,000 Scholarship First Runner-Up – Anjelica Jones (Miss Jacksonville) $7,000 Scholarship Second Runner-Up – Halle Burton (Miss Florida Citrus) $6,000 Scholarship Third Runner-Up – Alexandra De Roos (Miss Tampa) $5,000 Scholarship Fourth Runner-Up – Megan Price (Miss Miami) $3,000 Scholarship Finalist – Mikayla Summerall (Miss Treasure Coast) Finalist – Carolina Schapanski (Miss Ocala) Finalist – Emma Manthos (Miss Ponte Vedra) Finalist – Bailee Perdue (Miss University of Florida) Finalist – Juliana Fray (Miss Hillsborough County) Finalist – Tia Unsell (Miss St. Augustine) Finalist – Jada Brown (Miss Polk County) Finalist – Bethany Worley (Miss Orlando) Finalist – Annie McGrath (Miss South Florida Fair) Finalist – Julia Roberson (Miss Sumpter County) Finalist – Briana Florexil (Miss City Beautiful) Winner – Noelle Schnacky (Miss Orlando) $5,000 Scholarship First Runner-Up – Kady McKenna (Miss Jacksonville's Teen) $1,500 Scholarship Second Runner-Up – Madison Pedreiro (Miss Ponte Vedra's Teen) $1,000 Scholarship Third Runner-Up – Nehyssa Turenne (Miss Northeast Florida's Teen) $600 Fourth Runner-Up – Milee Hasting (Miss Winter Park's Teen) $500 Finalist – Monica Kobeirowski (Miss Broward County's Teen) Finalist – Juliann Gill (Miss St. Augustine's Teen) Finalist – Ashlee Combee (Miss Gainesville's Teen) Finalist – Taylor Gregory (Miss Hillsborough County's Teen) Finalist – Annistyn Griffin (Miss Plant City's Teen) Finalist – Madison Anderer (Miss City Beautiful's Teen) Finalist – Janai Newball-Oladapo (Miss First Coast's Teen) Finalist – Vaishnavi Rednam (Miss Miami Beach's Teen) Finalist – Kenley McKenna (Miss South Florida's Teen) The winners of Miss Florida and Miss Florida's Teen will represent the state at the 2026 Miss America and Miss America's Teen competition in September at The Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Orlando. Miss America, founded in 1921, is the longest-running competition of its kind in the world. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Miss Florida, Paris Richardson, a University of Florida grad
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Baffert hails ‘true visionary' Lukas
Bob Baffert has paid a heartfelt tribute to D. Wayne Lukas, the legendary American trainer who died at the age of 89 on Saturday. Baffert credits Lukas with being a true inspirational figure as he was starting out in his own career both in Quarter Horse racing and later when he moved into training thoroughbreds. In a post on X, Baffert said: 'I first saw D. Wayne Lukas as a teenager at a small County Fair racetrack close to my hometown in Nogales, Arizona. He rolled into town with his gleaming chrome trailer, big, beautifully turned out horses, and the most expensive-looking Stetson hat that I had ever seen. 'He won race after race and made such a huge impression on me that I fell in love with Quarter horse racing right there. 'Years later, when I transitioned into thoroughbreds, Wayne was the competition, and all I wanted was to beat him in the big races. It didn't take me long to realize how difficult that would be. 'Wayne was a game changer, transforming horse racing for the better. He made it so the horse's bloodlines were more important than the owner's. He created a system of flying his horses coast to coast, establishing a presence at every major racetrack in America. And Wayne didn't just show up. He dominated. He won so much he became known as 'D. Wayne off the plane'. He developed the blueprint the rest of us still follow. He was a true visionary. 'The horses were everything to Wayne. They were his life. From the way he worked them, how he cared for them, and how he maintained his shed row as meticulously as he did his horses. No detail was too small. Many of us got our graduate degrees in training by studying how Wayne did it. 'Behind his famous shades, he was a tremendous horseman, probably the greatest who ever lived. 'As I grew older and wiser, Wayne remained the competition, but he also became a mentor and one of my best friends. When he beat me, I knew I was beaten by the best. When I beat him, I knew I had done something right. 'Wayne had a special aura about him. He had a knack for making others feel seen and valued. He was uniquely charming and an eternal optimist. In one of my last conversations with him, we talked about the importance of looking at the glass half full and continuing to compete in what he called the big arena. 'To his final days, he was a relentless competitor. He set out with ambitious goals and achieved them all. One of the things that made Wayne so special was the steadfast love and support of his wife, Laurie, an excellent horsewoman in her own right, and his grandchildren. 'Wayne impacted the lives of so many people in racing and raised the bar for all of us. He was the epitome of excellence, and I'll miss him every day for the rest of my life. 'I hope somewhere along the way, I made him proud.'
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Singing Cowboy Roy Rogers's Former L.A. Home Can Be Yours for $7.2 Million
Roy Rogers passed away in July 1998 at age 86 with his wife and co-star Dale Evans by his side, but the beloved singing cowboy's legacy lives on at the Los Angeles estate he once called home—not to mention via his long-running weekly TV show bearing the sign-off tune Happy Trails to You and the 90 or so movies the good guy in a white Stetson starred in throughout his lengthy career. On the market for the first time in more than half a century, the traditional residence is now up for sale in the San Fernando Valley community of Sherman Oaks for $7.2 million. Owned by the 'King of the Cowboys' for almost 30 years before he relocated to his final resting place at the Double-R-Bar Ranch in Apple Valley near the California city of Victorville, where the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum once stood before it was shuttered in 2009, this particular house in the desirable Longridge Estates neighborhood was built in the late 1930s and resided in by Rogers during World War II. Last sold to attorney Stephen Taylor and his wife Elizabeth back in spring 1971 for a mere $102,500, the place has been in the same family ever since. More from Robb Report Lunaz Just Unveiled a 7-Seat Rolls-Royce Phantom V Restomod With an Electric Heart This $40 Million Caribbean Estate Is Like Your Own Private Resort This $72.5 Million Utah Ranch's 7,000+ Rugged Acres Include a Backcountry Camp RELATED: Neve Campbell and JJ Feild List Their Charming Colonial Home in L.A. for $4.3 Million Resting amid a gated hillside parcel spanning a full acre, with 135 feet of 'sweeping frontage' on Longridge Avenue, the wood-sided and stucco structure features four bedrooms and five baths in a little more than 5,000 square feet of decidedly dated living space on two levels. A bright blue front door opens into a wallpapered entry foyer, which flows to an expansive formal living room sporting a bay window and a floor-to-ceiling fireplace enhanced with a tiled surround. A dining area connects to the stone-floored kitchen, which is outfitted with ceramic countertops, a central island with a cooktop, and a breakfast nook that spills out to a large patio adorned with built-in redwood seating and a barbecue station. Other highlights include a sunroom with a bar and pool table setup, an office with an en suite bath, and a cozy wood-paneled library/den warmed by a fireplace. An upstairs primary suite comes with a fireplace, Juliet balconies, a separate lounge, a walk-in closet, and a bath flaunting dual vanities and a step-up soaking tub. And rounding it all out are the greenery-encased grounds, which are showcased by a large swimmer's pool encircled by a sundeck, as well as a spacious cabana. There's also an attached 1,075-square-foot garage with room for up to four vehicles. Per the listing, which is held by Donovan Healey of Coldwell Banker Realty and comes with plans to build a new modern house on the site, the true value of the property lies in its land, location, and limitless potential. 'Whether restored, reimagined or rebuilt entirely,' Healey said, 'this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a world-class estate in a setting rich with history and charm.' RELATED: 'Saved by the Bell' Alum Mark-Paul Gosselaar's Former L.A. Home Lists for $5.5 Million Most remembered for his harmonious voice and crinkly expression and, of course, his golden palomino pal Trigger, the Ohio native recorded hits such as Tumbling Tumbleweeds and Cool Water with the Sons of the Pioneers trio before getting his big break as the star of the 1938 film Under Western Stars. He went on to have his biggest hit as a solo artist in 1946 with My Chickashay Gal, and also took part in touring rodeos, marketed clothes and toys, and even had a restaurant chain named after him. Rogers was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame twice, first in 1980 as a member of the original Sons of the Pioneers, and again in 1988 as an individual. In 2025, the U.S. Library of Congress added Happy Trails to the National Recording Registry, a list of audio recordings deemed 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.' Dale, who he married in 1947 and called his 'sweetheart and hunting and fishing partner all wrapped up into one,' passed away three years after him in of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
Axios
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
From Galveston to the Fillmore: The man who brought Juneteenth to SF
In 1945, Texas native Wesley Johnson Sr. donned his signature white Stetson cowboy hat and rode his white stallion through city streets, inviting passersby to join in Juneteenth festivities at his nightclub in the Fillmore. Why it matters: It marked the first of what would become one of the longest continuously running Juneteenth celebrations in America. Flashback: Johnson was born in Galveston, Texas, where Juneteenth celebrations began in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas learned about their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation. He moved to the city with his family as a teenager after World War I. After graduating from San Francisco State College (now SFSU), where he started one of the first student organizations for African Americans, he became a successful entrepreneur on the commercial corridor of the Fillmore, then known as the "Harlem of the West." Between the lines: Johnson, who ran the thriving jazz club Texas Playhouse and was later nicknamed the godfather of Juneteenth in San Francisco, wanted to put the city on the map as a hub for Black culture, freedom and community. Annual Juneteenth parades, which he led as grand marshal until the late 1980s, reflected that spirit and paid homage to their community's resilience. What they're saying:"Everybody came with this allure and this air of excellence and pride — and he would not have it any other way," Melina Jones, who has served on the committee for SF's Juneteenth parade and festival, said in a 2024 look back at Johnson's legacy for SFSU.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Albanese gifts Gallipoli poster to Canada's Carney as they meet on the sidelines of G7 summit; here is a list of gifts exchanged
The gift exchanged between the two leaders Live Events Australia's role in the G7 summit (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney met in Calgary on the sidelines of the G7 summit, which is set to take place in Alberta, Canada, from 15-17 June, setting aside protocol to highlight shared values and warmth between the two countries and their a handshake atop his slate-blue RAAF jet, PM Albanese was greeted by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, and Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski, everyone expressing gratitude for Australia's recent deployment of 96 firefighters to assist with Canada's raging Northern Prairies presented an iconic Stetson cowboy hat to Albanese, who replied in kind by gifting a traditional Australian Akubra. Albanese also shared a framed poster from the Australian classic Gallipoli, and Carney gifted a cold‑cast bronze bear sculpture by Roy Hinz, on behalf of Canada's rugged landscapes.'You always do, and Australia always does step up,' Carney said, personally thanking Albanese for the firefighters' efforts. Albanese, in return, said, 'You can always rely upon Australia. I know our firefighters are really proud.'The pair celebrated Canada's decision to acquire Australia's Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) valued at $6.5 billion to boost Arctic also explored expanding ties on critical minerals essential to clean‑energy supply chains. Carney noted that Australia 'had a lot to contribute to the G7' in this not a G7 member, Australia received a gracious invitation to the summit. Albanese expressed thanks and underscored the urgency of global cooperation, 'climate‑change response, defense, prosperity,' he told the coming days, he will meet leaders from South Korea, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, the EU, and the US, culminating in his first in‑person meeting with US President Donald Trump Albanese plans to advocate for Australia on steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump and underline the strategic value of AUKUS, the trilateral security pact with the US and UK.
