Luke Bryan shares his wildest meet-and-greet stories. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Luke Bryan shares his wildest meet-and-greet stories. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Luke Bryan shares his wildest meet-and-greet stories. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
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Sydney Sweeney’s love life and professional life have both been taking off.
Just one month ago, she went Instagram official with Scooter Braun.
All eyes are on her every Euphoria Sunday as Season 3 continues to court controversy.
Are these “spicy,” NSFW scenes on screen driving a wedge into her real-life romance?

A new report from Page Six offers to shed light about how Scooter Braun feels about his girlfriend’s spicier scenes on Euphoria.
Season 3 of the HBO drama — no longer a “teen drama” after a real-life filming hiatus and an in-universe time skip — has doubled down upon Sydney Sweeney’s nude and sexually charged scenes.
“Scooter has absolutely no issue with Sydney’s more provocative scenes in ‘Euphoria,’” an insider reported.
The source continued: “or any of the work she does as an actress.”
According to the insider: “He fully understands that it’s part of her job and respects how dedicated she is to her craft.”
“Their relationship is very secure,” reported the source.
“And,” the insider affirmed, “there’s a strong level of trust between them.”
The insider characterized: “Scooter isn’t the type to feel threatened by her work or try to control what roles she takes on.”
According to the source: “He’s incredibly supportive of her career and proud of everything she’s accomplished.”
Despite substantial — albeit partially manufactured — controversy in 2025, her career has soared to new heights.
Sydney Sweeney and controversial music mogul Scooter Braun went ‘Instagram Official’ this week.
— fanana hammock (@fananahammock.bsky.social) April 17, 2026 at 1:24 PM
According to this same inside source, Sweeney and Braun are still going strong.
“They’re both very happy together,” the insider characterized.
“And,” the source assessed, “things between them have been going really well.”
There was considerable backlash when word of their entanglement first came out last year.
Sweeney had, as we mentioned, a series of controversies — or, arguably, one controversy that she did not handle in a reassuring way, ignoring for too long. Braun is already a controversial figure.
✈️ Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun board a private jet in Australia. https://t.co/7LKTCJmuUq pic.twitter.com/FbCBnFuQks
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 8, 2026
Sydney Sweeney has been portraying Cassie Howard on Euphoria since the series premiered in 2019.
The role has involved dramatic acting and more from the start. A disproportionate focus has fallen upon her nude scenes, however.
Arguably, Euphoria has doubled down on courting controversy and attempting to “shock” viewers with kinks, suggestive content, and slurs on Season 3. Some suggest that it’s to keep the show relevant after such a lengthy hiatus.
There might be a lot of very valid criticism to level against Braun, but it’s good to hear that he’s not one of those weird men who dates a woman only to seek to sabotage her work and control her.
It may even be reassuring that the tone of Page Six‘s source sounds an awful lot like what a publicist for Braun might say. If he were unhappy and wanted it known, perhaps this report would sound very different.
Sydney Sweeney & Scooter Braun: Facing Relationship Tension Over NSFW … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Cody Johnson had one of the biggest moments of the night at the 2026 ACM Awards. At the very end of Sunday’s star-studded show, he took home the coveted Entertainer of the Year title. While celebrating the milestone win, he surprised the crowd by dedicating the win to fellow nominee Luke Combs.
The night marked Johnson’s third time being nominated in the category and his first win. He was up against Combs, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen. While he could have used his acceptance speech to thank so many people, he chose to call attention to one particular artist who he has personally watched “devote his entire life to country music.”

Johnson was a supporting act for Combs on his 2023 world tour. During that time the artists jetted off to Australia for a string of shows and while there, Combs unfortunately missed his wife, Nicole, giving birth to their second son, Beau. The next night, he got on stage and delivered a powerhouse show. Seeing that level of dedication left a lasting impact on Johnson, which is why he chose to dedicate his first-ever Entertainer of the Year win to his fellow country star.
“Tonight I want to dedicate this to somebody that you guys probably didn’t expect me to dedicate this to…I was there the night in Australia when his wife gave birth to one of their sons. And I watched the anguish and I watched the defeat on his face for not being there because he was across the world playing music in a sold-out arena,” Johnson recalled. “And the next night right after it, I watched him get on stage and absolutely murder the stage and go on stage and play country music and preach the message of country music to a bunch of Australians across the world.”
He added, “So tonight I want to dedicate my first Entertainer of the Year award to my buddy Luke Combs. I love you brother. Thank you.”
Prior to this surprise dedication, viewers saw the Texas native become overwhelmed with emotion when he first heard his name called for the coveted trophy. As Johnson collected himself at the mic in front of a crowd filled with fans and fellow artists, he joked that he had prepared a speech, but had already covered most of what he wanted to say earlier in the night while accepting Male Artist of the Year.
“I literally have no idea what I’m going to say,” Johnson stated honestly.
It turned out that not knowing what to say may have resulted in something even better, because it came directly from the heart. He went on to recall the days of his mom catching him as a child with a microphone duct taped to the side of the bunk bed in his room and a guitar with no strings, singing the Rick Trevino song, “Learning As You Go.”
His reason for sharing this glimpse into his life was to prove that all he ever wanted was to be performing in front of a crowd and now he is doing that on a greater scale than he ever dreamed of. And Johnson has not taken his platform for granted. He prides himself on promoting positivity through his words and music all over the world.
“I get to use my platform to not only promote positivity in this country and all over the world. I get to use it to make you experience emotions that I feel, whether we’re crying, whether we’re laughing, whether we’re happy or sad, I get to convey that through this thing that God gave me called music,” Johnson shared. “It’s the greatest drug that has ever been introduced on planet earth.”

While he has garnered so much success leading up to this moment, Johnson wanted to make it clear that at the end of the day, when he goes home, that artist hat comes off so that he is completely unplugged and present for his family.
“I just want y’all to know that when I go home, I take my phone and I turn it face down. When I go home, I am a husband. I am a father. I’m a cattle rancher. So listen, all you fans out here in the top bowl, I turn you guys off and as soon as I step on the jet, as soon as I step on the bus, all I look forward to is seeing you because I can’t wait to see you on that stage so we can experience those motions together,” he added.
The moving speech ended with his heartfelt dedication to Luke Combs.

This was certainly a night to remember for Johnson. On top of winning both Male of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, he took the stage to perform a stirring and patriotic rendition of “Travelin’ Soldier.” Johnson was also up for wins in the categories of Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year, both for “The Fall.”
He is set to return to the road with a weekend of shows on May 29 in Grand Rapids, MI and May 30 in Rosemont, IL, followed by a trip to Nashville to perform at Nissan stadium for CMA Fest on June 5.
The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards also featured performances by Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Blake Shelton, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Riley Green, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett, Tucker Wetmore, and Zach Top.
Other highlights include collaborations between Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum and Lee Ann Womack and a special closing performance of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” by Blake Shelton as a tribute to the late Nashville songwriter, Don Schlitz, who passed away on April 16, 2026.
Ashley McBryde, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bublé, Shaboozey, The War And Treaty, and TJ Osborne were among the night’s many presenters.
Shania Twain hosted the nearly 2.5-hour event, which streamed live to a global audience in over 240 countries and territories exclusively on Prime Video. The show returned to Las Vegas and aired from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
A complete list of winners can be found HERE.
The post Cody Johnson Dedicates First ACM Entertainer of the Year Win To Luke Combs appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Days before the end of their regular legislative session, the Alaska Legislature has almost finalized the state’s annual capital budget, one of four regular budget bills that pass through the Capitol annually.
Passed by the state House in a 24-16 vote on Friday, the capital budget contains $2.5 billion in spending, including $323 million for drinking water projects, $148.3 million for K-12 public school repairs and construction and $42.5 million for the University of Alaska.
Various federal programs are expected to pay for the bulk of the bill — $1.8 billion in total. State accounts would be used to pay for the remainder.
The amount of state money in this year’s capital budget is almost double what it was last year, when spending was near a record low.
Even with the increase, spending remains short of what’s needed to cover deferred maintenance. Two years ago, the statewide deferred maintenance backlog was estimated at $2.4 billion, with $180 million per year needed to keep that figure from increasing.
The part of this year’s budget devoted to deferred maintenance is near that amount — it does not significantly reduce the backlog.
The capital budget covers spending in fiscal year 2027, which starts July 1. If oil prices are higher than predicted during the first half of that year, the state would earn millions of dollars in extra revenue, and the bill calls for diverting that money to a variety of maintenance and construction projects statewide.

“This capital budget, to be honest, is in some ways a huge step forward over last year,” said Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage and co-chair of the House Finance Committee in charge of the capital budget.
“We see a much larger investment in being able to address some of our key areas in the state, but it also, I will recognize, does not go far enough, given the levels of deferred maintenance and other needs throughout our state,” he said.
Before the final vote, House lawmakers spent two days considering possible amendments to the bill but adopted only two. The most substantial restored some federal funding for the West Susitna Access Project, a proposal to build a road into the western Matanuska-Susitna Borough in order to support mining projects.
Members of the House Finance Committee had eliminated the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority’s ability to accept federal money for the project. On the House floor, lawmakers restored half of the receipt authority.
Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake and a booster of the project, thanked his colleagues for restoring that money but said he couldn’t vote for the bill because it didn’t contain full funding for the access project.
Even then, “It’s a decent bill. It’s got things in there for just about everybody,” McCabe said.
The House’s vote sends the capital budget back to the Senate, which approved an earlier version of the bill by a 19-0 vote on April 21.
Before that vote, House and Senate leaders negotiated an agreement that would allow the House to add no more than $100 million in projects funded by general-purpose state dollars to the capital budget.
The House-passed version abides by that agreement, and Senate aides familiar with both the budget and the agreement said they do not expect senators to object to the House’s additions.
House and Senate lawmakers are negotiating a compromise operating budget and a compromise mental health budget; those are expected to pass from the Capitol on Wednesday, the last day of the regular session. Legislators and Dunleavy previously approved the supplemental budget, the first of the four regular budget bills.
After being transmitted to the governor, all budget bills are subject to his line-item veto powers. Dunleavy may eliminate or reduce specific items in the budget but cannot add any or increase their amounts.
Milwaukee is called the beer capital of the USA, and for good reason. Many brands are from the area, including this one that had a terrible ad campaign.

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The NFL’s regular-season schedule is official. And it’s a behemoth, with 18 weeks of games — not including the postseason, or the three weeks of preseason, or the Hall of Fame Game. This season will feature games on every day of the week except Tuesday. It’s football all day and all night and at basically any moment you might want it. So let’s get into the nitty-gritty of this week’s activity — with some thoughts on the schedule and other NFL happenings. This is “Sound Smart,” where I try to spin forward, dive deeper and think outside the box. If I do my job, you’ll have a better understanding of what really happened over the past week of the NFL offseason. 1. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE SCHEDULE, IT’S THAT …. You will have ample excuses to avoid your family during the holidays. Let the record show that I’m a big fan of hanging with the family during the months when you can build a fire, enjoy a warm drink, dim the lights and do your best (but inevitably fail) to avoid discussing politics. That said, I know the holidays aren’t everyone’s favorite time of year. And the NFL seems to know that, too. Because the league has made this year’s holiday slate impossible to avoid. The NFL has replaced small talk with ball talk. I have been as vocal as anyone that the NFL is in danger of oversaturation. But the only way the league could have delivered on this type of schedule — one with a game at all times over the holiday weekends — is if those games were appointment TV. And for the most part, that’s what the NFL plans to deliver. There’s no clearer example than the decision to put the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving night. That’s the type of game that the NFL usually places into a random Week 12 slate to give it some life. The Chiefs and Bills deliver incredible drama, time after time. By scheduling it at a time when everyone would have been watching anyway, the league delivered what is often the best game of the year — and in a window that’s likely to maximize viewership. This is all to say that I’m excited to enjoy (and enjoy covering) these games during the holidays. I’d be remiss not to mention that — with the NFL tossing all its logs on the fire during these holiday games — I also can’t help but wonder whether the slower parts of the season will feel especially slow this year. The NFL decided that there’s only one way to find out. 2. MONDAY MORNING CONTROVERSY As exceptional as Patrick Mahomes is, his ACL injury could keep the Chiefs out of the playoffs. I get that folks in Kansas City are saying that the three-time Super Bowl MVP is accelerating through his timeline in his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in mid-December. I get that Mahomes is special, physically. I get that the Chiefs signed running back Kenneth Walker III, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, to take some of the offensive burden off Mahomes. That’s why many folks see the Chiefs making the playoffs. This is all good, in theory. But historically, it’s been hard for quarterbacks to make an immediate comeback from an ACL injury. And the left side of the Chiefs’ offensive line remains a question, with youngsters Josh Simmons (tackle) and Kingsley Suamataia (guard) yet to make the developmental leap. If the line can’t make the expected leap, then that’ll negatively impact Walker and Mahomes — which is to say that, like last year, that left side of the line could tank the whole offense. For the past few years, Mahomes was the No. 1, 2 and 3 reasons to believe in the Chiefs. But there’s a real chance he can’t be the same explosive playmaker until 2027. And in that case, the offense, which was 12th-worst in scoring last season, might not take the step forward that everyone expects. That’s why I don’t anticipate that the Chiefs will make the 2026 playoffs. Not right now. That could change if they dominate their first four games. They host the Denver Broncos in Week 1, then they have three fairly easy games: home against the Indianapolis Colts and on the road against the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders. If Mahomes can’t play in those first four weeks, then the Chiefs might be 2-2. Remember: They didn’t win a game without Mahomes last year — suffering losses to the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Broncos and Raiders. The Chiefs will go into their Week 5 bye primed to make a push for the playoffs — and they’ll need to be ready, because their schedule is grueling after that early bye. I’ll admit that Mahomes has a knack for remarkable achievements, which is why I understand why people are hesitant to doubt the Chiefs’ playoff chances. But it’s not coming from a logical place. This isn’t a come-from-behind victory where Mahomes can manage the clock and eke out the four points he needs for victory. This is an injury where doctors have as much control as Mahomes does. The healing process takes time. And if he can’t make it all the way back at a speed that few have accomplished, then the Chiefs won’t have the bounce-back season that everyone seems to assume is coming. 3. WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS AFRAID TO SAY The Saints could be an offensive juggernaut. Coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough kept getting better at the end of last season. After turning to the rookie Shough at midseason, the Saints didn’t exactly look like world-beaters, with a 5-4 record that included two wins against the playoff-bound Carolina Panthers — but two losses to the Atlanta Falcons. If you watched closely, however, New Orleans had a competence that I didn’t expect after its horrid first half of the season. It was clear the Saints were building something real in those final nine games. And it was also clear that Shough was winning over the building. Now, I’m not here to promise that Shough is going to be the team’s QB1 in 2027. He felt like a flier in the second round last year — almost a bridge quarterback, given his age, (lack of) upside and lengthy college experience. But I do think the Saints have set him up with every opportunity to succeed this year. And there is some increased urgency because, despite it being his second season, Shough will turn 27 in September. (He was in the same high school recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence!) Between that and Shough’s draft status as a second-rounder, the QB will have to turn things around quickly … or else. But the Saints have something impressive in place to avoid that “or else” outcome. Moore’s offense seems primed to put Shough into a point-guard role, where he can distribute to receivers Chris Olave and rookie Jordyn Tyson and tight ends Juwan Johnson and rookie Oscar Delp. The Saints signed free agent running back Travis Etienne to take over for aging veteran Alvin Kamara. New Orleans’ offensive line is solid and appears to be ascending, particularly at tackle where the Saints have two former first-rounders who went 14th or higher. There’s a lot to like, and normally, they’d be a plucky group of ruffians who enjoy an any-given-Sunday kind of season. But in the NFC South, the Saints can actually compete. The Falcons are talented but are undergoing a quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa?) and coaching change (Kevin Stefanski). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be retooling after missing the playoffs. And the Panthers are building something compelling, but they have one of the league’s hardest schedules in 2026. The Saints will be fun. And the Saints have an easy schedule. I’m on board with them making the playoffs. 4. PEELING BACK THE CURTAIN The Steelers are doing … what … to Drew Allar? After Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp, there was serious discussion about how the Steelers are handling the former Penn State quarterback’s development. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that new head coach Mike McCarthy was “uninstalling everything [Allar has] learned and they’re re-uploading” a new system, methodology and set of mechanics. It’s an overhaul. That drew flippant remarks on social media and sports talk radio. The sentiment? Allar is doomed. Maybe. But it won’t be because of the comprehensive way McCarthy is approaching the third-round pick’s development. To the contrary, the overhaul is on par with what Allar appeared to need before the draft. “We’re teaching him different than the way he’s played before. He hasn’t spent a lot of time under center,” McCarthy told reporters during rookie minicamp on May 9. “He’s a run-and-shoot guy in high school. He’s played from nine yards deep. So, there’s just a lot of newness to him.” McCarthy added about Allar “He made a very good first impression.” Allar was trending toward being a first-round pick when he ended the 2024 college season. But his 2025 season derailed his prospects, in part because the Penn State offense began to demand more of him. He couldn’t seem to handle that load. That doesn’t bode well for a guy who will have to do even more in the NFL. But it doesn’t make him hopeless. It’s, frankly, common for a player with Allar’s tools to slip into Day 2. Those types of quarterbacks only slip if they have fundamental issues with their footwork, throwing motion and decision-making. They only slip if they’re a major developmental undertaking. Look at Will Levis, Malik Willis, Drew Lock and Colin Kaepernick. Different players. Similar problems. Different careers. That’s why there’s really no reason for concern when listening to McCarthy’s take on Allar. “Everybody teaches footwork a little differently. Everybody has a system of offense and how you tie your quarterback, particularly in the pass game, to that. There’s a lot of work there [for Allar],” McCarthy said. “We’re able to adjust some fundamentals that we think will help him.” When the Steelers drafted Allar, I hoped they would do so with a vision for him playing in 2027 or 2028 — and not in 2026. Now that starting QB Aaron Rodgers has finally decided to return, that might be possible. This is exactly what Allar needs. McCarthy knows what he’s doing. The Steelers have a plan. And even though it’ll inevitably involve more Rodgers-created drama, I like the timeline of what they have. At age 42, Rodgers might be trending downward, but he can start for at least one more season. That’ll give the Steelers a solid year to see if Allar is making the necessary progress behind the scenes. And if Pittsburgh doesn’t think Allar is ready in 2027, the Steelers can either draft a quarterback in Round 1 or pursue their options in free agency. Would I have preferred they go after Malik Willis in free agency this year? Absolutely. Or Kyler Murray? Also, yes. But once those ships sailed — Willis signed with the Dolphins and Murray with the Minnesota Vikings — this plan made enough sense to pursue. And above all, the approach with Allar looks sound.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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It’s no secret that Pamela Anderson has been unlucky in love too often. Some men are creeps!
Now, rumors are picking up speed about Tom Cruise taking an interest.
They’ve been spotted in the same places. Allegedly, her comeback work has really caught his eye.
Is this really happening?

A source spoke to The Daily Mail about a rumored new romance for Pamela Anderson.
The 58-year-old actress is said to be “making room for love in her life.”
After “a few busy years in proving herself” by taking on new roles in the entertainment industry, the source said, she could be ready for a new and even serious new romance.
Anderson portrayed Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway.
Then, in 2024, her work in The Last Showgirl turned heads and got people’s attention. Including big names in the industry.
An interesting report from The National Enquirer alleged that 63-year-old Tom Cruise was among those who took notice.
He reportedly called Anderson to personally tell her how impressed he was by her comeback performance.
“The movie got people to see Pam in a very different light, including Tom,” the source claimed.
The insider then alleged: “They’ve been in touch ever since.”
Supposedly, there was “definitely a spark” between the two, and “people have noticed it and mentioned it to Tom.”
Back in 2025, videos across social media, including TikTok, captured Anderson and Cruise departing the same hotel.
They didn’t leave together. Anderson instead left mere moments before Cruise did.
Truth be told, those concluding that they must have been staying and leaving for the same reason may be reading too much into it.
Had they wished to hook up and then be discreet about it, they could have left hours apart.
Ideally with Cruise departing first, as he has mobs of enthusiastic fans gathering wherever he goes.
Obviously, we here at THG cannot verify anything that insiders, real or imagined, may have claimed about Cruise and Anderson.
It of course makes sense for Anderson to be dating.
She is a beautiful woman and deserves more than staged for publicity faux romances with co-stars, even if her activism is all-over-the-place and sometimes baffling. (She’s definitely well-intentioned, but at times misses the mark.)
Anderson seems surprisingly age-appropriate for Cruise, given his history. She is also not a Scientologist, which would likely be a dealbreaker with Cruise in the long run.
Still, we’d love to hear about Anderson dating again — so long as her entanglement is with a good man. There are a lot of men in this world who make terrible boyfriends, and some of them are extremely famous.
Pamela Anderson & Tom Cruise: Dating? She’s Reportedly ‘Making Room for … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip

The University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau as seen on May 25, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)
The Alaska Legislature approved legislation to add a faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, the body that oversees policy and management of the state’s public university system.
The Alaska Senate passed House Bill 10 by a vote of 18 to 2 on Friday, which now goes to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for consideration.
If approved by the governor, the legislation would add a full-time, tenured faculty member to the eleven-member board for a two-year term, after a selection process and appointment by the governor and confirmation by the Legislature.

Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks, whose district includes the University of Alaska Fairbanks, sponsored the bill and said the seat would provide important representation for university faculty on the board.
“Over the past 10 years, the University of Alaska has navigated some of the most difficult financial and social challenges. Throughout those challenges, the Board of Regents has been in the driver’s seat, making difficult decisions to preserve the integrity of the University. During those difficult discussions, University faculty have strongly desired a greater role in the decision-making process,” she said in a statement applauding the bill’s passage.
“The addition of a faculty regent complements the existing student regent, who is given the same power, duties and respect that all other board members receive. I am pleased to see this bill pass the Legislature to provide parity in University system decisions,” she said.
But an amendment to the bill earlier this month puts an expiration date on the changes. They would last for only for six years, until 2033. The revised version has a sunset provision, and would allow the Legislature to review and either approve an extension of the faculty regent seat or allow the policy to expire and the Board of Regents to return to eleven members.
The House passed the revised bill by a vote of 23 to 17.
Nominees for the faculty regent position would be selected through elections in the faculty senates of the three universities — University of Alaska Anchorage, Fairbanks and Southeast — and a list of six nominees would be advanced to the governor to appoint a finalist who would then be subject to confirmation by the Legislature.
Members of the Board of Regents serve eight year terms, and are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature, except for student representatives who are nominated from their campus and serve two year terms.
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While Savannah Guthrie always woke up early, she says she now sets her alarm even earlier than her previous wakeup time for this important reason.

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