Categories
Entertainment

Bella Vaughn Horrifies ‘Unexpected’ Viewers With 13-Year-Old Baby …

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This season of Unexpected, no couple is more controversial than Bella Vaughn and her 12-year-old baby daddy.

(He has turned 13 since they conceived, as she is quick to point out. Hooray.)

Now that the baby is here, Bella’s family’s focus is on Bella not being a mother of two.

Bella won’t do birth control. Hunter won’t do condoms. His foolproof plan is anal sex, forever. There’s an unfortunate Farrah Abraham joke in all of this.

Bella Vaughn on Unexpected.
‘Unexpected’ star Bella Vaughn has an age gap of less than two years with her boyfriend, but his age is still setting off alarm bells. (Image Credit: TLC)

Apparently, birth control ‘side effects are stupid’

During the Monday, March 23 episode of Unexpected, one brief scene filled viewers with discomfort and nausea.

(Okay, it was multiple scenes but we’re talking about one in particular.)

15-year-old Bella — and Emi, her sister who also recently became a teenage mother — discussed preventing another pregnancy.

When producers asked, Bella acknowledged that condoms could lower her risk of conceiving. So, too, could ovulation tests.

She didn’t exactly sound too certain about either method, unfortunately. She even added, aloud, a “question mark” after mentioning tracking her ovulation.

“Birth control,” both of Bella’s parents say at the same time — and with the same air of weary resignation.

The 15-year-old, who recently gave birth to Wesley (at least she gave her kid a good name), explained her reluctance.

“The side effects are stupid,” Bella argued.

“And,” she suggested, “knowing me, I’d probably be unlucky and get every single one.”

(We are not doctors, but people who are doctors tend to recommend IUDs or hormonal implants for teens. Long-acting birth control can be very effective, and for some, has fewer side-effects.)

Bella Vaughn shows her baby bump.
There are a lot of things that should never happen to children. ‘Unexpected’ star Bella Vaughn is showing one of them. (Image Credit: TLC)

Yes, we’re sure that Hunter would love that

Bella’s father, Kris, suggests that the best form of birth-control might be for Bella and Hunter Johnson to stop having sex altogether.

That ship has obviously sailed. She has a whole baby. Please be serious.

Unfortunately, Hunter’s idea — as Bella shares with the camera — is similarly absurd.

“Hunter would love to do butt sex,” the 15-year-old mother shares with the camera.

Bella explains that this is “because he thinks that is a way to prevent pregnancy and he doesn’t want to wear a condom.”

While anal sex will not result in a pregnancy barring some sort of Final Destination style shenanigans, this is not a long-term solution.

Particularly not for Bella, as she explains.

“But we’re not doing anal sex,” she affirms.

Bella then declares: “That is a one-way poop chute.”

After that indelicate announcement, her mom, Falen, suggests that the young couple should be focusing upon school and other age-appropriate activities — alongside the age-inappropriate activity of being parents — and not have a second child.

Bella Vaughn and Hunter on Unexpected
One of the most alarming couples on ‘Unexpected’ are Bella and Hunter, with the latter becoming a father in middle school. (Image Credit: TLC)

These two children sure are being immature about this

Some on social media are expressing their horror at this discussion, or at this discussion being on camera, or in front of her parents, or whatever.

But that’s kind of missing the point.

What Bella is saying about birth control is really immature. That’s probably because she’s 15.

Hunter suggesting that they become an anal-only couple, and his refusal to wear condoms, is even more immature. (No one likes condoms! But you need to be mature enough to wear them.) That’s probably because he’s 13.

As adults, of course we all feel uncomfortable about this scene. Though people Hunter’s age and especially those Bella’s age may discuss things like anal sex and birth control, adults are not really supposed to be part of that conversation.

(Unless those adults are, like, doctors or whatever. Seriously, we hope that Bella makes a mature decision, because it doesn’t sound like Hunter will.)

Bella Vaughn Horrifies ‘Unexpected’ Viewers With 13-Year-Old Baby … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Music

Parker McCollum Reacts to Drop in Album Streaming Numbers

It’s been quite the journey for Parker McCollum; his latest album is less about numbers and more about pure passion for music. Continue reading…​The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs

Categories
Music

Parker McCollum Reacts to Drop in Album Streaming Numbers

It’s been quite the journey for Parker McCollum; his latest album is less about numbers and more about pure passion for music. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Categories
Food

This Fast Food Chain Actually Has A Real Hamburger University

One of the most exclusive higher learning campuses in the country isn’t any of the Ivy League schools; it’s a fast food university from an iconic chain.

​Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips

Categories
Alaska News Featured Juneau News juneau Juneau Local Juneau Local Ketchikan Local News Feeds Sitka Local

Alaska Senate pushes for increase in oil tax revenue, amid war-driven oil boom

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

An oil tanker sits at the dock in Valdez, where vessels pick up crude moved from the North Slope by the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. (ConocoPhillips photo)

The Alaska Senate approved a measure to boost state taxes on oil and gas production on Wednesday. Lawmakers tacked it on to what would have been a routine renewal of a state oil royalty agreement.

Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage, sponsored the amendment to House Bill 194, saying it would close a corporate income tax loophole and potentially capture more than $100 million in new state revenues each year — at a time when Alaska is in dire need of revenue to pay for state services. 

Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage speaks on the Senate floor on Mar. 25, 2026 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage speaks on the Senate floor on Mar. 25, 2026 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

“Can we afford this loophole while we close schools? Can we afford this tax subsidy while we slash the permanent fund dividend? Can we afford this tax subsidy while our infrastructure languishes, while we struggle to recruit and retain state troopers and firefighters and maintenance crews?” Dunbar said. “The answer is no.”

The provision would impose the state’s corporate tax rate on oil and gas companies doing business in the state, at a maximum rate of 9.4% for companies whose net profits are more than $5 million per year. 

Alaska’s oil prices are surging amid the Iran War, and state forecasters are projecting hundreds of millions in potential state revenue in the coming months. Despite the spike in oil prices, Dunbar said lawmaker action to capture more revenue from the oil and gas industry is long overdue. 

“There is still a long term revenue problem in this state, regardless of short term prices connected to the Iran war,” he said. “Now is the time to do this. Prices for oil are high. These corporations are doing very well. You fix the roof when the sun is shining.”

The Senate approved the amendment by an 11 to 8 vote, then passed the underlying legislation by a 12 to 7 vote, with Sen. Kelly Merrick, R-Eagle River, absent. 

The original legislation was introduced by the governor, and passed the Alaska House last year. It would renew a three-year oil royalty agreement between the state and Marathon Petroleum Corporation, for state owned oil to be processed at its refinery in Nikiski, on the Kenai Peninsula. The proposed contract is estimated to generate between $4 million to $18 million in state revenue.

However the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Soldotna, objected to the new oil tax provision, saying the Senate should take time to evaluate how the tax measure would affect the broader industry and energy supply for Alaskans. 

“I’m a no vote on this amendment, because we do need a legitimate plan,” he said. “We don’t rush things. We don’t do things in a half-cocked manner, because that’s how mistakes are made.”

He said lawmakers should model potential revenue measures so they know how they will function within a state fiscal plan.

Lawmakers have been hotly debating Alaska’s oil and gas tax structure for years. A bill introduced last year, Senate Bill 92, would change the way the state’s corporate income tax applies to the oil company Hilcorp, which is an S-corporation, and the state’s largest oil producer. Hilcorp is a privately held, Texas-based energy company that since 2020 has operated the Prudhoe Bay oil field in the North Slope, as well as most of the operations in Cook Inlet. 

That bill is currently in the Senate Rules Committee and has not moved this year. 

The measure approved by the Senate on Wednesday would enact state taxes not just on Hilcorp but many companies, and collect revenues that would otherwise be leaving the state, Dunbar said in an interview after the vote.

“To be clear, it’s not just Hilorp that might be affected by this, but that is one of the large, obvious holes we see in our oil tax structure right now that is causing us to shift tens of millions, and over the long term, hundreds of millions of dollars, from schools and roads and the permanent fund dividend to out of state companies and individuals,” he said.

The amended bill now goes to the House for a concurrence vote. 

Dunbar urged support for the measure, citing financial woes in his own district where the Anchorage School Board has voted to close three elementary schools and cut hundreds of staff positions to help address a $90 million budget shortfall. 

“I hope they agree that it’s not an acceptable world where the price is high and this industry is booming and we are closing Lake Otis Elementary School because we don’t have enough money,” he said.

Categories
Entertainment

Dash Crofts Cause of Death: ‘Summer Breeze’ Singer Was 85

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We have sad news to report from the world of music today.

Dash Crofts — the singer who crooned hits like “Summer Breeze” and “Diamond Girl” — has passed away.

He was 85 years old.

Rock legend Dash Crofts is dead at 85.
Rock legend Dash Crofts is dead at 85. (YouTube)

According to a statement from his family, Crofts died peacefully on March 26.

He had been battling health issues in recent years, but the exact cause of death has not been publicly disclosed (per Variety).

Crofts rose to international fame alongside childhood friend Jim Seals, forming a duo that became one of the defining sounds of the early 1970s.

While “Summer Breeze: remains their signature song, the pair also churned out hits with songs like “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer.”

Fans and fellow musicians alike have reacted to the news with an outpouring of appreciation for Crofts’ contributions to music.

“Summer Breeze defined a generation. Dash Crofts’ voice was magic,” one fan tweeted.

“His music shaped so many memories — truly an icon,” another added.

“Dash had a sound that was warm, soothing, unforgettable,” a third chimed in.

“His music has a way of bringing a sense of peace,” another fan wrote on Instagram, adding:

“What stood out most to me was not just the music, but who he was. He was kind, humble, and full of soul.

“Rest easy, Dash. Your music will live on forever. My deepest condolences to his family and close friends.”

Crofts was known for his unmistakable voice and his songwriting talents.

The duo’s music blended folk, pop and rock in a way that resonated deeply with listeners, especially during the turbulent era in which they rose to fame.

“Summer Breeze” in particular remains a staple on soft rock radio more than 50 years after its composition.

Though Crofts is gone, his music will continue to live on through the generations that fell in love with it.

“He brought joy to millions through his music, and his legacy lives on,” his family said in their statement.

Indeed, Dash Crofts will be remembered as one of soft rock’s enduring voices.

Our thoughts go out to his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.

Dash Crofts Cause of Death: ‘Summer Breeze’ Singer Was 85 was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

Visiting LA? These Are 4 Gems To Try, According To Alison Brie – Exclusive

Actress and LA native Alison Brie knows where to find good food in the City of Angels. She told Mashed that these four restaurants are definitely worth a try.

​Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews

Categories
Music

21 Sad Country Songs That Were Big Crossover Hits

Think that only fun, upbeat songs can become crossover hits? Think again. Continue reading…​The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs

Categories
Music

21 Sad Country Songs That Were Big Crossover Hits

Think that only fun, upbeat songs can become crossover hits? Think again. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Categories
Entertainment

Joseph Duggar Confessed TWICE, Police Affidavit Reveals

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Shortly after Joseph Duggar’s arrest on charges of molesting a 9-year-old girl, reports claimed that he had confessed — to the girl’s father and to police.

Now, an affidavit is backing up these reports. He apparently confessed twice.

Does this mean that, when he’s extradited for Florida and appears in court, he’ll plead guilty and spare the victim from having to testify in court?

A lot could change between now and then.

Joseph Duggar has been arrested for the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl.
Joseph Duggar has been arrested for the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl. (Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

According to police documents, he confessed TWICE

People obtained an affidavit from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office relating to the charges that Joseph is facing.

After the unidentified 14-year-old, named as Jane Doe in documents, reported that the adult had touched her genitals during a 2020 vacation to Florida — when she was 9 — investigators followed up.

Deputy Sheriff Darrell Norris “requested the detective and victim’s father call Joseph.”

One they were speaking to Joseph on the phone, he allegedly “admitted his actions, stating he touched the victim over her clothing.

The affidavit also mentioned that Joseph “admitted his intentions were not pure.” That’s an odd statement, given the horrifying context.

This was not, it seems, Joseph’s first confession.

Joseph had confessed to Jane Doe’s father on March 17, also over the phone, according to the affidavit.

That time, however, no authorities were participating in the call.

Joseph was arrested on March 18. He remains in custody, awaiting extradition to Florida.

Reports seem unclear on whether Joseph was Mirandized when he confessed this second time. If so, his statement can and will be used against him in a court of law. (Even if not, confessions often come up in court — especially if they are recorded.)

Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell on TLC.
Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell appear on TLC, before a sequence of disgraceful events. (Image Credit: TLC)

Is that it? Confession and case over?

Obviously, everyone would like for Joseph to spend as much time in prison as possible.

He is facing two charges of lewd and lascivious behavior.

One is for the molestation of a victim under the age of 12.

The other is for committing the crime as an adult — Joseph was 25, and already a father of two, for that 2020 vacation.

If he already confessed twice, will he also take a plea, allocute to the crime, and spare Jane Doe from having to testify?

Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell, Honeymoon Interview
Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell were followed by TLC producers on their honeymoon after they married in 2017. (Image Credit: TLC)

We likely won’t know until Joseph enters a plea — guilty or not guilty — when he appears at a pre-trial hearing in Florida.

It is very likely that any attorney (whether he hires the attorney or Jim Bob does) would advise him to retract his confession(s).

Crimes against children, particularly those committed years in the past, are difficult to prove.

A defense attorney could claim that Jane Doe is confused, that she is projecting the crime from someone else onto an innocent man, that she was coerced into fabricating this claim.

False allegations like these are extremely rare — especially with confessions. But without the confession, a strong legal team could poke holes in the prosecution’s case, turning what many would call absurd doubts into looming questions in the minds of a jury.

Josh Duggar's Post-Conviction Mug Shot
Josh Duggar will be stuck behind federal bars for a VERY long time. No one feels sorry for him. (Image Credit: NBC)

Everyone’s first thought was of Josh

Before he had apparently heard the reports about Joseph’s confessions, Josh declared that Joseph is innocent.

Josh’s statement, made through his attorney, linked Joseph’s accusations with his own. Josh continues to claim that he is innocent.

He didn’t exactly do his brother any favors. But then, everyone was already associating the two with each other.

Now, to be clear, you do not “gotta hand it” to Joseph for reportedly confessing instead of calling this child a liar.

But, if he doesn’t retract his confession, at least he might spare this girl from having to tell her story on the witness stand.

Joseph Duggar Confessed TWICE, Police Affidavit Reveals was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip