As the Artemis II begins its journey back to Earth, the bravery of the astronauts on board will be commended with armfuls of this classic prepackaged snack.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Month: April 2026
Kacey Musgraves had a very out-of-the-ordinary moment on a flight recently, and now she’s opening up about what she saw with proof of unexplained objects spotted in the sky that she’s calling the “craziest f**king orb UFO experience.”
The country star admits she’s seen plenty of “crazy” and unexplainable things in her life, but this encounter is one she won’t forget anytime soon. In a new Instagram story, Musgraves shared that she was flying from Fort Worth to Nashville with one of her managers when something outside her window immediately caught her attention as she was getting ready to take a nap. According to her, she saw a set of lights that “just didn’t look normal.”
“We just watched these orbs, there were three of them,” she recalls. “I watched them for a minute and they were definitely trailing each other…they were about 50,000 feet up.”
The Grammy-winning star says she first noticed the orbs while flying over Little Rock, Arkansas and continued to keep an eye on them for about 45 minutes. She was able to catch some of the objects on video, however the quality of her iPhone 17 made it difficult to clearly make out the phenomenon.
“It looks like I filmed them on a f–king toaster, but that’s the quality we’re working with,” she noted. “It was hard to focus because they were far off and it’s nighttime.”
She already ruled out that it could have been any other normal aircraft, just based off the flight patterns and the abnormally colored lights that they were giving off.
“These orbs were not moving like any craft that we can control. They were intermittently coming and going, forming triangle patterns,” she explained. “Sometimes they would get extremely bright and change color, change size.”
🚨 Country music artist Kacey Musgraves filmed three orb UFOs that followed her plane from Arkansas to Tennessee
“They were 50k feet up, we watched them for 45 minutes. These orbs were vehemently coming and going, forming triangle patterns. They were following the plane.
We… pic.twitter.com/80H4jGmbc7
— Red Panda Koala (@RedPandaKoala) April 10, 2026
Musgraves goes on to say was that the “craziest thing” was that the orbs continued to follow them all the way from Little Rock to their destination in Nashville.
“We were like oh my God this is insane.”
Once the plane had safely landed, she finally got the chance to ask the pilots of they had witnessed the same thing.
“We’re like, did y’all just see something weird?” she asked.
Strange enough, both pilots recalled seeing the exact same three orbs.
“They were laughing kind of and were like ‘yeah, we have seen these every single night and all the other pilots are seeing them too and nobody knows what they are.’”
The story doesn’t end there because she says when she got home, the “Golden Hour” singer saw yet another strange orb. This just adds to her growing list of “strange and unexplainable” experiences. However Musgraves seems to just have accepted that she continues to have these moments in her life and now wonders if anyone else has similar experiences.
“S–t is weird, but I’m here for it. I’m open to it, I’m here for it.”
She ended her message by saying, “Keep it weird, y’all,” before adding the video and photo proof she attempted to catch from the plane window. The clips were pitch black except for the lights eliminating from the city below and the individual particles in the sky.
Aside from the orbs that captured her focus momentarily, Kacey Musgraves has been busy promoting her new album, Middle of Nowhere, which she just announced will be arriving May 1st, 2026. She has already shared a look into the project through the first single, “Dry Spell”.
Fans can expect to hear stories rooted in Texas and inspired by a chapter of reflection and clarity that she found after a breakup, resulting in her “leaning intentionally into open space and traditional western elements.” The collection of 13 tracks also includes collaborations with Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, Billy Strings, and Gregory Alan Isakov.
Middle of Nowhere will follow 2024’s Deeper Well, which earned Kacey Musgraves her biggest debut sales week, landing at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart and her fifth No. 1 debut on the Top Country Albums chart.
“…I became so at ease with being in the “middle of nowhere” in many senses and sitting in the un-comfort of the undefined,” she says of the time period that inspired the album. “I had a lot of time for creative ambling and leaning into myself in different ways; horses, humor, writing with my early collaborators again, and living out my very simple, inspired life between Texas, Tennessee, and Mexico.”
The post Kacey Musgraves Claims She Spotted Three UFOs On Flight From Texas To Tennessee appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Emily Ann Roberts‘ signature country charm comes to life in her brand-new release, “My Future.”
Out now, the song is about falling in love at first sight and instantly feeling like you’ve met “the one.” In just a short moment, the narrator is already imagining a full future together, from marriage to kids to a shared life at home.
Roberts says her husband, Chris Sasser, provided inspiration for the song.
“The idea for ‘My Future’ actually came from my husband, Chris,” Roberts shared. “He thought it would be a great song idea after seeing so many comments on social media saying, ‘I think I see my future.’ I started daydreaming about it and fell in the love with the idea of a girl seeing a guy and planning their whole life together in a matter of minutes. A little crazy? Yeah maybe, but when a woman knows what she wants, she knows!”
“My Future” showcases everything fans have come to love about Emily Ann Roberts: clever songwriting, a touch of East Tennessee country twang, and a healthy dose of humor. She paired the release with a visualizer that finds her stepping into the role of the narrator, playing a love-struck girl already planning her future with a man she just met. In the video, she sits on the floor surrounded by scrapbook clippings, photos, and arts and crafts as she imagines and pieces together the life she’s already dreaming up for them.
“One look was all it took/ Ain’t you Mr. Right-Outta-the-Blue? Little crazy? Well, maybe/ But when you know, you know, and I know it’s you/ All you said was hello, and five minutes ago/ I didn’t know who you were/ And now I think I see my future,” she sings.
“I brought the idea to Shane Minor and Micah Wilshire. I remember the day being so inspiring because we were just having fun and writing what made us grin. Brandon Hood produced the track and knocked it out of the park,” Roberts explained. “It is full of personality and exactly what I dreamed it would be. I hope fans have as much fun listening to it as I did making it!”
The release of “My Future” comes just one day after Emily Ann Roberts was named a nominee for New Female Artist of the Year at the upcoming 61st ACM Awards. She shared her family’s sweet reaction to the news on Instagram, admitting she was “speechless” over the moment.
In addition to her nomination, Roberts is also set to perform ahead of the ACM Awards at the ACM Next Wave Showcase, where she’ll be highlighted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry NextStage Class of 2026.
Following a breakout performance at C2C Festival in Germany and the U.K., it was recently announced that Roberts will join Thomas Rhett on his SOUNDTRACK TO LIFE TOUR, which includes major stops at Nashville’s Geodis Park and Hershey Park Stadium alongside Niall Horan. She’ll also continue headlining select dates throughout the year before heading back overseas this fall to support Cody Johnson on his European tour.
The post Emily Ann Roberts Delivers Daydream Romance With New Release ‘My Future’ appeared first on Country Now.
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Country Songs That Were Inspired By Space
These country songs are out of this world! Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
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Country Songs That Were Inspired By Space
These country songs are out of this world! Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
George Strait made his long-awaited return to the stage on Thursday evening (April 9). Donning his signature starched Wranglers and black Resistol hat, he appeared in front of 15,000 fans at the Moody Center in Autin, TX and delivered his first show of 2026.
The same arena where the country music icon previously opened with Willie Nelson in April 2022 welcomed him back with arms wide open. To celebrate his first performance in the venue in nearly four years, it was fully decked out with special Strait Moody Center signage.
Austin fans also showed up just as ready for what turned into a two-hour set featuring a massive 28-song setlist, packed tunes spanning his legendary career, including many of his 60 No. 1 hits. As the tunes lit up the speakers, the attendees kept the energy high by singing along and two-stepping through the aisles to classics such as “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind” and shuffling along to “I Just Want To Dance With You.”
Midway through the set, Strait paused to take in the crowd, saying, “I see we got some cowboys out there tonight, I love it.”
“I love seeing you cowboys out there because you bring the cowgirls with you; this song is for all you cowgirls,” he added, setting the tone for his performance of “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls,” which appears on his 2007 album, It Just Comes Natural.
Texas native William Beckmann opened the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s performance and is set to return for his next concert in Moody Center, taking place Saturday, April 11. Carter Faith will also join Strait for his upcoming Moody Center shows on May 15 and 16, which will close out his limited seven-show run at the venue.
In between his Austin appearances, the country music icon will take his show to Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas and Death Valley in Clemson, SC.
Last night served as yet another reminder of why Strait holds the title of “King of Country Music.” Throughout his legendary career, he has garnered more than 100 million RIAA-certified units, over 60 major industry awards, and a record-breaking streak of Top 10 hits spanning more than three decades.
The Texas native might not spend as much of his time on the road anymore, but he hasn’t completely slowed down. Fans got the latest taste of new music from the Texas native last year when he released his 31st studio album Cowboys And Dreamers. He was also recently inducted into the Texas Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
Beyond the stage, Strait has used his platform to give back. In addition to his recent Strait to the Heart benefit, which raised more than $7 million for flood relief efforts in Texas, the Jenifer Strait Foundation, established by him and his wife, Norma, continues to preserve the memory of their daughter by raising millions of dollars for children’s organizations over the years.
Any fans hoping to score a ticket to see George Strait live on stage should act quickly as limited seats remain available for his remaining 2026 shows. Learn more at georgestrait.com.
Remaining 2026 George Strait Shows:
Saturday, April 11 Austin, Texas Moody Center
Friday, April 24 Lubbock, Texas Jones AT&T Stadium
Saturday, April 25 Lubbock, Texas Jones AT&T Stadium
Saturday, May 2 Clemson, SC Death Valley
Friday, May 15 Austin, Texas Moody Center
Saturday, May 16 Austin, Texas Moody Center
The post George Strait Makes Triumphant Return to the Stage at Austin’s Moody Center appeared first on Country Now.
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Europeans are routinely flummoxed at why Americans call the main course an entree, but there’s an actual reason why we do. Here’s the history.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
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It’s a time of change for the Duggar family.
Most of those changes are bad, such as Joseph Duggar’s arrest on child molestation charges.
But some of those changes are just downright unexpected — including the news that Derick Dillard has joined the Marine Corps.
Yes, it’s not the most common career move for 37-year-old husbands and fathers, but Derick took the pledge, and he will soon be shipping off to basic training.
News of this surprising development comes courtesy of his Jill Duggar’s blog:
“Derick has joined the Marine Corps!” Jill wrote, adding:
“He has been selected for Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS)!” Jill wrote this week along with a photo (above) of Derick pledging in as his three sons looked on.
“He ships out for active duty to Quantico, VA in a few weeks! Lord willing he will commission as an officer at the end of OCS and then go on to a couple of other trainings before getting his assignment as a Marine Corps JAG officer!
Longtime Duggar fans will recall that Derick worked as a lawyer for several years before leaving his job as a prosecuting attorney/assistant district attorney in Oklahoma.
Now he hopes to become a Marine Corps JAG>
“Becoming a military JAG officer has been something Derick has wanted to do for a long time and he even received a recruiting letter last year from the Marine Corps, but the timing just wasn’t right for our family, and then by the time we were ready, we weren’t sure the opportunity would still be available,”
Judge Advocate General– is “a commissioned officer and qualified attorney who provides legal services, advice, and counsel to Marine Corps commands and personnel.”
He’ll spend 10 weeks at Quantico, Virginia, to attend Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OSC), after which, Jill and the kids will move to VA to be with him.
At some point, the family will relocate to Rhode Island for additional training.
“After starting the process in early March, we have been surprised how quickly things have come together and the doors that have continued to open, so much so that we can’t deny God is leading us in this direction,” Jill wrote, adding:
“Lord willing, after Derick’s 10 weeks of intense training at OCS, Jill and the kids will move to join him in Virginia, and then Rhode Island for the remainder of his training.
“We’d appreciate your prayers for health and strength for Derick as he prepares for and trains at OCS, and for the rest of us as we survive without him for a bit and prepare for new family transitions!”
For all the Duggars’ patriotism, Derick is the first member of the family to join the military.
Interestingly, as The Ashley’s Reality Roundup reports, none of the Duggars has commented on Jill’s posts announcing Derick’s new gig.
But to be fair, they have other things on their minds these days.
Derick Dillard, Husband of Jill Duggar, Joins Marines Amid Ongoing Family Scandals was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Brandon Lake gave fans an unforgettable moment during his sold-out stop at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX, when he brought out a very special surprise guest: Cody Johnson. The country superstar joined Lake on stage for a powerful live performance of their collaboration, “When A Cowboy Prays,” sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Amid the show, which was part of Lake’s headlining King of Hearts Tour, Lake paused to introduce his guest, telling the crowd, “Y’all give it up for the one and only, Cody Johnson!”
The Texas native was met with a roar of applause as he stepped onto the stage, sharing the spotlight with Lake for a moving rendition of the fan-favorite track.
Their duet version of “When A Cowboy Prays” was released in January following overwhelming fan demand. Lake originally dropped the solo version last fall, but it didn’t take long for listeners to start calling for a collaboration with Johnson. The requests poured in so heavily that Lake later joked fans “broke the internet” asking for a version featuring the Texas hitmaker.
Johnson didn’t need much convincing. “I immediately said yes. I’m a huge fan,” he said.
“When A Cowboy Prays” delivers a message about what happens when a cowboy turns to Jesus and asks for what he needs. It’s not anything flashy or over-the-top, just the simple things in life, like “A little bread for today/ A little water, little shade.” The song highlights the everyday needs and quiet hopes of a working man, from having his family gathered around the table to praying for rain in the middle of a drought.
“When a cowboy prays/ It starts raining in Oklahoma/ Long-lost sons come home to mama/ And those stubborn horses break/ When a cowboy prays/ It’s a whisper and a rumble/ And it’s as strong as it is humble/ This old world just ain’t the same/ When a cowboy prays,” they sing on the chorus.
Brandon Lake and Cody Johnson’s performance was captured on video and later shared to social media, where Johnson can be heard telling Lake, “Thank you for having me tonight, bro.”
The GRAMMY-winning artist responded with a laugh, saying, “I couldn’t even hear you because they were screaming so loud.”
Lake’s King of Hearts Tour continues this weekend with stops in Oklahoma City, OK (April 10), Omaha, Nebraska (April 11), and St. Louis, Missouri (April 12). Fans can find a full list of upcoming dates on his website.
The post Brandon Lake Shocks Sold-Out Texas Crowd With Cody Johnson For ‘When A Cowboy Prays’ Duet appeared first on Country Now.
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Trawlers are seen in Unalaska on Sept. 24, 2013. Trawlers use nets to harvest pollock and other groundfish species in the Bering Sea; the ships’ incidental catch of river-bound salmon puts the pollock industry in conflict with commercial and subsistence fishermen in Western Alaska. (Photo by James Brooks)
The Alaska Legislature is considering proposals to ban bottom trawling in state waters as a way to protect salmon and the seafloor.
In recent years, popular social media campaigns have opposed trawling and its links to bycatch, the taking of salmon and halibut as fishers target other species. Meanwhile, trawlers have come out vocally in support of the industry, focusing on its economic benefits for Alaska while seafood processors and other stakeholders struggle.
Access to salmon is a highly charged and emotional issue in Alaska. It is tied to jobs, food security and Alaska Native culture.
A persistent salmon crash in the Yukon River has been linked to climate change, overfishing and salmon from hatcheries competing with wild salmon for food, among other causes. However, anti-trawl campaigners have focused their ire on trawling and bycatch, arguing that is the main culprit for the salmon crisis.
Now, conservative politicians, tribal leaders and conservation groups have formed unlikely alliances that seek to limit bottom trawling, a form of fishing where open nets are dragged along the seafloor to harvest fish like pollock.
Tok Republican Sen. Mike Cronk and Big Lake Republican Rep. Kevin McCabe introduced bills last year to end bottom trawling and dredging in state waters, starting in 2028. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game would also be tasked with filing a report in 2027 that details the impacts of trawling in Alaska.
State officials estimate it would cost roughly $3.9 million to construct surveying equipment and conduct the trawling study.
Cronk told fellow lawmakers last week that the goals of his legislation are twofold: protect the ocean floor habitat and access to salmon for Alaskans.
‘Salmon is our identity’
Federal regulators have responded to a salmon crash in the Yukon River by banning Chinook salmon fishing for seven years. Chum salmon bycatch has also been limited in the Bering Sea.
Brian Ridley, chief/chairman of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, represents 18,000 people in Interior Alaska. Since 2020, he said TCC has purchased more than 120,000 pounds of salmon to replace lost food for tribal members. Ridley said it had cost the tribal consortium up to $2 million per year.
Beyond a critical source of subsistence, Ridley told legislators about the essential cultural nature of salmon for Alaska Native communities on the Yukon River.
“Salmon is our identity,” he said.
Bottom trawling largely takes place off the coast of Alaska for pollock in the Bering Sea. Large trawling ships, often based out of Seattle, can harvest around 3 billion pounds of pollock per year.
State officials estimate that more than 90% of bottom trawling for pollock in the Bering Sea occurs in federal waters, which suggests a state ban on the practice may have a limited effect.
At a recent Senate Resources Committee hearing, Cronk wore a bolo tie with a sockeye salmon clasp. He acknowledged trawling is not widespread in state waters. But he said banning bottom trawling would send a message to federal fisheries managers about the importance of salmon in Alaska.
“We’re putting Alaskans first and the resource first,” he said.
Trawl industry boosters point to billions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs created by the fishery. They have also highlighted research that suggests only a small portion of salmon bycatch caught by the Bering Sea fleet are headed to the Yukon River.
Still, the issue of bycatch remains divisive.
The Senate Resources Committee received over 1,000 pages of public testimony for Cronk’s bill — much of it opposed to trawling from people who forwarded an online letter drafted by Alaska Community Action on Toxins.
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska won a U.S. House seat in 2022, campaigning to limit bycatch among other issues. She continues to support protecting fish as a central part of her platform as she campaigns for the U.S. Senate this year.
At her annual address to the Legislature in March, Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski spoke about the “crisis” impacting Alaska fisheries and the need to reduce bycatch. She said salmon run collapses could not be attributed to one factor, citing the impacts of climate change.
Murkowski urged lawmakers to be cautious about “demonizing one sector of Alaska’s fisheries” in trawling.
“And while it is easy and often appropriate to point fingers at Seattle, we have to remember that many Alaska towns and villages are suffering after losing their fleets and processing plants,” she said. “Life isn’t necessarily better without them.”
No canneries
In general, bottom trawling is not widely practiced in Alaska state waters — areas of the ocean that are 3 nautical miles from the shoreline. But there are some state fisheries where it does occur, including scallop and shrimp fishing across Alaska, state officials said.
Patrick O’Donnell, president of the board Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association, told legislators that trawling is a key aspect of seafood processing year-round in Kodiak. He said that around 280 Kodiak families would be impacted by the ending of scallop and shrimp trawling.
In recent years, major seafood processors have closed plants in rural Alaska. O’Donnell said that when he started fishing in Kodiak in 1990 there were 13 canneries. Now, there are three, he said.
“I see a future where we might not have any canneries,” O’Donnell said.
Cronk, who represents Interior Alaska communities, told lawmakers that it wasn’t his intention to end shrimp or scallop fisheries and that he could support amendments to the bill.
However, Cronk and McCabe’s bills could go further than prohibiting bottom trawling. Their legislation states fishing gear that makes “substantial” contact with the seafloor would be included in the new ban.
Commissioner Douglas Vincent-Lang of the Department of Fish and Game told legislators last week that could impact “pelagic” trawl fishing, where nets are used to target fish higher in the water column.
Findings in 2022 suggest pelagic trawl fishing routinely sees nets make contact with the seafloor.
Vinent-Lang said the bill could end trawling for pollock in Prince William Sound. Last year, that fishery became a flashpoint between supporters and opponents of trawling when the Alaska Board of Fisheries heard proposals to limit the practice.
After heated testimony, state regulators allowed pollock trawling to continue in Prince William Sound. Conservation groups, tribal leaders and industry boosters have continued to lock horns since then.
At last week’s Senate Resources Committee hearing, industry supporters testified against Cronk’s bill. They said Alaska’s state regulator for fish allotments — the Alaska Board of Fisheries — was the proper venue to debate methods of fishing.
In response, Cronk said he would prefer that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Board of Fisheries manage the state’s fisheries for the benefit of Alaskans. But he said “the fact is, they’re not doing that.”
The Senate Resources Committee has heard Cronk’s bill twice since it was introduced in April last year. The House Fisheries Committee has not heard McCabe’s bill.
The 2026 legislative session must end by midnight of May 20.