Here are the top 10 men’s college basketball teams by NET ranking, who is already fighting on the bubble and the biggest risers and fallers through week 12.FOX Sports Digital
Day: January 27, 2026
Have you ever wondered how Long John Silver’s gets its entrees and sides so crispy? It turns out that the chain uses a very common cooking oil.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
It doesn’t get any spicier than this. We explore how these hellish chiles were developed, the records they’ve broken, and just how hot they can get.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
Reading Time: 4 minutes
When the country is in a crisis, it’s common to say that “everyone should be talking about this.”
There are, however, some exceptions.
Casey Anthony is weighing in on current events. Yes, that Casey Anthony.
Here’s what she had to say.
First, a history lesson
Anthony has a Substack. While this isn’t the usual argument for avoiding Substack like the plague, it’s simply a new reason to pick another blogging platform.
However, what she has to say about the current horrors of our nightmare world may surprise you.
“Our country has a long-standing history of discriminating against anyone who is not a white man,” she began.
“White men owned slaves until the 13th Amendment was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865,” Anthony cited.
She continued: “The first African-American man to vote was on March 31, 1870, one day after the ratification of the 15th Amendment. This was mere months after the first white woman was allowed the right to vote in Wyoming in 1869.”
Anthony’s history lesson continued through her Substack post, pointing out the importance of DEI policies — which date back to the sixties — in combating discrimination and segregation.
“Ensuring that all people have the same rights, liberties, and opportunities is a threat to no one,” she pointed out.
“Yet,” Anthony remarked, “we continue to hear from our own government that white men are being penalized.”
She asked: “How are you being penalized when you have truly been the only segment of our society that has never been marginalized, has never been discriminated against.”
Her question continued: “Has never had laws written to stop you from being employed, or keeping you from receiving healthcare, or treated you like a criminal for existing?”
‘… Gestapo agents in ICE’
On a national scale, Stephen Miller is using the Department of Homeland Security to engage in ethnic cleansing, attempting to use large-scale violence to terrorize and deport both legal and undocumented residents in order to alter the racial makeup of America.
This is also happening on the state and local level in some areas. And Anthony is clearly aware of this.
“The state of Florida has now entered into the conversation of “Make America White Again” and is choosing to protect the white man at all costs,” she lamented.
“Our own Attorney General is behind this,” Anthony wrote. She is referring to James Uthmeier, who — like Anthony herself — is deservedly notorious.
She concluded: “The continued conversation in the media by both elected and appointed officials that white men are victims is both laughable and disgusting.”
Her article then links to PDF of the Florida Attorney General’s aim to end anti-discrimination laws.
Elsewhere, Anthony correctly assesses: “There is no such thing as a federal law enforcement officer having immunity because it is convenient for you and this Administration. This applies to your Gestapo agents in ICE.”
That is both a sound legal argument and an accurate characterization of ICE, who are functioning as Trump’s secret police — masked, defying court orders, breaking laws, and terrorizing the American populace.
In the comments, Anthony also shut down a white nationalist comment that claimed that only “the white race” deserves access to American infrastructure and more.
As we alluded with our earlier link, it is no surprise to see expressed white supremacist comments on Substack. Of course, these days, these kinds of comments appear across social media and in interviews with members of the Trump regime pretty regularly.
Could she not have posted this under a pseudonym?
All told, Anthony’s article is mostly very good good. She displays a sound grasp of history and the role that it is playing in the current ongoing horrors, including the ICE killings of Americans in the streets of Minneapolis.
There is really just one problem with the article: the author.
Yes, the court acquitted Anthony for the murder of her young daughter. That does not mean much when it comes to public reaction to her.
But if you read a detailed and ardent defense of, say, human rights, you might then recoil if you found that the author of that article were none other than the late O.J. Simpson.
No matter how good the messenger, sometimes the messenger is just wrong for the job.
Casey Anthony Blasts ‘Gestapo’ ICE & Rollback of Anti-Discrimination … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Ella Langley has announced her sophomore album, Dandelion, and shared the powerful intentions behind this collection of songs set to arrive on April 10, 2026 via SAWGOD/ Columbia Records.
Executive produced by Ella alongside Miranda Lambert and Ben West, the album promises to be her most personal body of work to date. After inviting fans into the real-life moments and emotions of her 2024 debut hungover, Langley is now serving up a collection of songs that offer a mix of honest reflection and a joyful escape.
As she revealed in today’s announcement, the album’s title has different layers of significance to it.
“Dandelions are masters of survival, thriving in even the harshest environments, often dismissed as a common weed. This unassuming plant carries a deeper symbolism of hope, healing, and resilience,” she stated in the social media trailer.
In another statement to her label, the songstress further explains that after discovering dandelion tea acts as a natural detox for the liver, it felt like the natural title to follow a record named “hungover.”
The goal of Dandelion was to create music that feels “easy and effortless,” a record listeners can let play as the soundtrack to everyday moments while also connecting with it word for word. At the same time, the multi-platinum artist hopes that it captures the same feeling of watching fireflies in the summertime.
“It feels like windows down on a red dirt road. It feels like the best kind of Sunday afternoon. It feels like those days I remember as a kid where it felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day. This record is really a love letter to that,” she noted.
As she further reflected on the journey of writing, recording, and bringing Dandelion to life, Langley opened up about just how much this album means to her personally.
“This next record to me has so much growth in it. I feel the most myself I’ve ever felt. I want you to dance. I want you to sing. I want you to be able to relate to these words in a way where you don’t feel alone in your thoughts. I want you to not even worry about anything and daydream and listen to these songs,” she shared. “I want you to enjoy them with your friends and family. And I’ve thought about this record every single day for the last year and a half, and I’m so excited to finally say, welcome to Dandelion.”
The album’s lead single, “Choosin’ Texas,” is already rapidly gaining momentum as it is currently maintaining its spot in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for a third consecutive week. Additionally, it has claimed a Top 5 spot at Country radio. The song has racked up more than 240 million streams, becoming Ella’s most successful solo release so far and paving the way for a record that showcases her most confident work yet.
Per today’s album announcement, one of the fan-favorite track’s co-writers and executive producer on the album, Miranda Lambert, expressed gratitude toward the “You Look Like You Love Me” singer for allowing her to be part of the creative process on Dandelion.
“Thank you Ella for “Choosin Texas” (🙋♀️😘) to help you produce this amazing record. It’s been an honor working with you and Ben. I cherish your friendship sister. You are a Dandelion and I can’t wait for the world to hear this. ❤️”
This Friday (Jan. 30), fans will get another look into the upcoming project through the title track, penned by Langley with Joybeth Taylor, Austin Goodloe and Brett Tyler, as well as its official visualizer.
Dandelion is available now for pre-order here.
The post Ella Langley Announces Sophomore Album, ‘Dandelion,’ Reflects On the Heart and Stories Behind The Songs appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
From the Banana Ball Championship league to the American Idol audition room, 24-year-old Jayson Arendt proved that talent comes in all forms when he delivered a stunning rendition of Chris Stapleton’s “Fire Away” on Monday night.
The contestant is no stranger to performing, however his gigs look a bit different than your average aspiring artist. He is a member of the Texas Tailgaters, a professional “Banana Ball” baseball team similar to the popular Savannah Bananas. Both teams feature players who are former minor leaguers and college athletes and are known for delivering fast-paced, high-energy games full of musical performances, stunts, and fan interaction.
“I got into it actually as a singer. Outside of the actual game, we’ll put on concerts. The whole point is just to keep the fans engaged the whole time and make sure they have fun,” Jayson explained of his unique role.
When the Fuquay-varina, NC native stepped into the Idol audition with his teammates in tow, they brought that same charisma and passion. They danced out the nerves with Luke Bryan and passed around a few jokes, but when it came time to showcase his talent through the slow-burning tune, Jayson let his deep and steady vocals do the talking.
“All that I’ll say is/ Fire away/ Take your best shot/ Show me what you got/ Honey, I’m not afraid/ Rear back and take aim/ And fire away,” he sang while simultaneously strumming the tender melody on his acoustic guitar.
Lionel Richie was quick to point out that Jayson had a “nice” and “distinguishable” voice that was unlike anything they had found yet this season. However, when the mic was handed to Underwood, she admitted some hesitation about whether Jayson could balance his high-energy, entertainment-driven persona with the more serious side of his music beyond the baseball field.
“I think my thing is, if you do end up going forward, it’s just the taking this part of you seriously,” she expressed. “Like you guys are obviously so much fun. I love it and I want to feel you emote. I want to hear more.”
Luke Bryan then offered him some advice in his career moving forward.
“I used to try to sing everything as loud as I could. It took me years to kind of go, I don’t have to sing loud every time I can kind of calm it down. So just think about that.”
When the attention turned back to Richie, he offered a strong yes. Hoping to convince a win out of Underwood as well, a teammate playfully flashed his abs, to which she responded she has her own abs to stare at in her home, her husbands. Regardless, she gave her approval follower by Bryan who offered Jayson his third “yes” and earned him a golden ticket.
Throughout the entire performance and the intense voting moment, his teammates cheered loudly, showing nonstop excitement and support. The “Mind of a Country Boy” even joined them in celebrating at the end of the audition.
Fans will see Jayson Arendt’s journey continue during the infamous Hollywood Week, which will take place in Nashville, TN this year in a new twist. Meanwhile, the next wave of Idol auditions will air on Monday, Feb. 2 on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu.
The post Texas Tailgater Jayson Arendt Hits a Home Run on ‘American Idol’ with Chris Stapleton Cover appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
If your special valentine has a particular love of food, then get to Costco for one of these excellent gifts, with everything from chocolate to charcuterie.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
NOTN- The major topic discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting last night was proposed changes to governance at Eaglecrest Ski Area, which has struggled for years with operational instability and deferred maintenance.
Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon said she introduced an ordinance that would shift the Eaglecrest board from an empowered governing body to an advisory role under a newly established City and Borough of Juneau Eaglecrest Recreation Area Department. The change would give the city more direct oversight over operations and capital investments.
“My ultimate goal is to try to save Eaglecrest. If anybody knows my history, both my kids grew up in Eaglecrest. In fact, my youngest son continued ski racing in college.” She said, “Eaglecrest is a great place to learn how to ski, but they have struggled with operational instability and management challenges for many years. So this tells me there’s a structural problem.”
She emphasized that the proposal is not a reflection on the current board, but rather an effort to ensure the ski area’s long-term survival.
“Currently, the board that we have is a very strong board, but despite having more year-round staff than ever before, Eaglecrest has still struggled with basic ski operations, amplified by long-term neglect of equipment and deferred maintenance.” Said Weldon, “And I think in order for Eaglecrest to survive, it needs a little shake-up, and the only shake-up we can really do is to have more city oversight.”
Without additional city control, Weldon warned, major repairs may not be financially feasible.
A joint meeting is scheduled for early March between the city’s Committee of the Whole and the Eaglecrest board to address these proposals and gather further input.
“We’re going to have a joint meeting where we’ll sit and talk to the Eagle Crest board, and then I think a couple weeks later, it’ll be back in front of the Committee of the Whole and we can decide what we change.” Said Deputy Mayor Greg Smith, “I’ve heard a lot about it. It shows how much people care about Eaglecrest.”
The new season of American Idol premiered on ABC Monday evening, and while the two-hour episode was filled with so much incredible talent, the final audition of the night stood out as the most moving moment yet.
When 15-year-old Khloe Grace performed an original song inspired by another young girl lost too early to suicide, the judges were not only blown away by her talent, but also her ability to create such a raw and moving story.
Before Khloe made her appearance in the room, a woman named Heather appeared in front of Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan and opened up about losing her 13-year-old daughter Aubreigh Wyatt to suicide in 2023. Heather told them she was not a contestant but instead was there to introduce the young girl who wrote a song in honor of her daughter who had taken her life after experiencing online bullying.
“Aubrey is my forever 13-year-old daughter. She is bright, beautiful, talented, and she endured years of bullying, social media pressures, and took her life September 4th, 2023. Just very unexpected,” she explained.
The heartbroken mother went on to share that she first heard Chloe’s original song titled “Forever 13” a year ago and “immediately cried.”
@khloegracemusic I wrote this song in Honor of Aubreigh Wyatt to bring awareness to her story🩷 Aubreigh Wyatt was a 13 year old girl who sadly lost her life due to bullying🤍 Her story really touched me and I hope this song helps others facing the same thing that Aubreigh did🩷 This song is called (Forever 13🩷) PLEASE SHARE AND TAG HEATHER WYATT🫶 #Forever13 #LLA #LLAW #Livelikeaubreigh #livelikeaubreighwyatt #aubreighwyatt💜🕊️ #Aubreighwyatt #aubreighwyattfoundation #mentalhealth #pink #Bullying #youbelonghere #youmatter #bekind #antibullying #sayhername #stopbulling #originalmusic #originalsong #singersongwriter #insperationalsong #pleasestay #justiceforaubreigh #justiceforaubreighwyatt @heatherwyatt ♬ original sound – Khloegracemusic
“It was beautiful,” she added. “It was what Aubrey had gone through.”
Chloe told the show’s host Ryan Seacrest that she never met Aubrey, but having experienced bullying herself, she felt compelled to write the song. Until Khloe walked into the audition room, she and Heather had never met, making their first hug an incredibly emotional and deeply personal moment.
“This means the world to me, you don’t even know,” the young girl from Jacksonville, FL told Heather.
She then turned to the judges and opened up about her story and how Aubrey’s death led her to write such a powerful song.
“I’d went through some of the things that Aubrey had went through, and it was really hard, so I was like, if I could write something that could just very small help someone, then it’s totally worth me writing this song.”
Underwood told her, “Music is very powerful and it can help let people know that they’re not alone. So we’re excited to hear the song.”
With her guitar in hand, Khloe let her voice fill the room with a soft but steady sound as she sang about the devastating impact of bullying, telling Aubreigh Wyatt’s story with a maturity far beyond her 15 years. She allowed the weight of her words do the work, painting a picture of stolen dreams, grief, and the lasting scars left behind. Her performance left the room visibly moved as she honored a life gone too soon.
Both Heather and the judges had tear-filled reactions as Khloe sang the emotional lyrics, “She was only 13/ Had some big dreams and you took them all the way/ She had her whole life ahead of her and you watched her drift away/ You never thought that what you said could mess up someone else’s head/ But maybe you think now that she’s gone/ A young girl had to lose her life so that you could feel somewhat satisfied/ In this sick and twisted world, you wouldn’t think that a few young girls could do any harm/ But look where we’re now/ She’s dancing up in heaven with no tears, no worry, no weight on her shoulders today.”
The song also went on to touch on the pain that Heather must be feeling after facing such an unexpected tragedy.
“I’ve never felt that kind of pain, but I can’t imagine how it feels/ To be a mom to lose her daughter/ It must feel so surreal/ How can she be gone/ She blames herself for doing wrong, but I hope that she knows it ain’t her fault/ Even though she’s gone/ Her story will forever live on/ And I’m going to say her name/ Because no one deserves that kind of pain/ Forever 13 had some big dreams and you took them all away,” Khloe continued in the tune.
As the final note faded, the room fell silent before the judges shared heartfelt reactions to Khloe’s powerful performance.
Lionel Richie told her, “I’m just so moved. Heather, that’s a gift right there. That’s God looking back at you. It’s just a very moving moment.”
“I feel like the maturity that you possess is quite incredible,” Underwood said before pausing to choke back tears. “The way you had your heart broken or someone you didn’t even know, and take that and basically say that something positive is going to come out of it, and to potentially even think about all the people that hear that and see you and hear this story and maybe decide to change their mind about something. It’s pretty incredible.”
Luke Bryan praised her heart and her songwriting before offering a strong “yes” to move her forward in the competition.
“The fact that she wrote about what you were going through, not knowing you, shows a potential in you as a singer and a songwriter and someone that can really do a lot of good in this world. I’m a yes.”
Without a moment of hesitation, Underwood and Richie followed suit, earning Khloe Grace a golden ticket.
The performance concluded the first round of auditions for the ninth season on ABC and Hulu and 24th overall. The American Idol journey continues every Monday night at 8/7c.
The post WATCH: 15-Year-Old Khloe Grace Turns Tragedy Into Hope With Emotional ‘American Idol’ Audition appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
By: Corinne Smith and James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
A Democratic state lawmaker from Anchorage loudly denounced the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s surge in Minnesota while speaking on the Alaska House floor on Friday.
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, is a military veteran and co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Armed Services Committee.
“The facts are that our government is out of control. Norms have been broken at an alarming rate, and the world is watching us in shock,” he said.
Gray’s remarks were met by loud desk-thumping — a form of applause — and came on a day when thousands of Minnesotans marched in subzero weather and held a general strike to show their opposition to ICE efforts in their state.
Tensions are particularly high after several shootings by federal officers, including one in which an officer killed a mother of three.
The remarks came one day before federal agents fatally shot another Minneapolis resident on Saturday, prompting nationwide protests throughout the weekend.
On Friday, Gray questioned Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s decision to provide National Guard administrative support for ICE in Alaska and President Donald Trump’s threatened use of regular U.S. Army troops in Minnesota.
Up to 1,500 active-duty troops of the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division, based in Anchorage, have been ordered to stand by for possible deployment to Minneapolis — Minnesota’s largest city — according to National Public Radio.
Gray and Sen. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks and the other co-chair of the Joint Armed Services Committee, have sent letters to Alaska’s congressional delegation and Brig. Gen. John P. Cogbill, commander of the 11th Airborne.
In those letters, Gray and Kawasaki say they are receiving “enquiries … from the Alaskan people” and pose a series of questions.
How long will the 11th Airborne be in Minnesota? How does a deployment fit in the division’s mission to defend the United States against foreign threats? Could soldiers be detaining suspected undocumented people? Would the 11th Airborne fight the Minnesota National Guard if Gov. Tim Walz activates it to defend protesters?
“Fifteen hundred active-duty soldiers may be sent from Alaska to Minnesota to protect ICE agents as they continue their efforts to arrest and detain suspected undocumented immigrants,” Gray said, “But who really needs the protection? Is it the ICE agents, or is it the folks who are terrified to leave their homes, to go to work, to pick their kids up from school or to actually show up at their immigration appointments?”
While Gray’s comments appeared to have the support of many legislators in the chamber — judging by the desk-pounding applause — there was at least one dissenting voice.
Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, is a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, and a Latina, she said, explaining that she had also sent a letter to Gen. Cogbill, but her letter was to remind him that he is not legally obligated to answer the Legislature’s questions or testify in the Capitol.
Allard said she has been deployed overseas with the military and with the U.S. State Department.
“I experienced things when I worked for the US State Department, of women being abused, hit — watched them get their teeth knocked in, where I had to stand by and couldn’t do anything,” she said.
“We have a lot going on in our country, dividing, saying we’re this or we’re that. We’re all Americans, but it doesn’t mean that it’s okay to have riots across our country. If the military and the federal government and the Department of War and the 11th Airborne Division decide that it’s best to go to Minnesota, that’s what we need to do,” she said.
Allard’s comments were met by quieter but noticeable desk-pounding, with the loudest coming from Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake.
He said afterward that he thinks Gray incorrectly described some aspects of ICE’s work in Minnesota. For example, Gray said ICE detained a five-year-old in Minnesota.
“There’s a little bit more to the story, McCabe said.
“We shouldn’t be messing around in another branch of the government in their bailiwick,” he said. “The worst people in Alaska to manage the National Guard is probably the state Legislature.”