The 22-year-old ‘Duck Dynasty’ star has been dealing with a stalker, and it’s had a massive effect on her life. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Month: June 2026
When this popular actress and director isn’t in training for a role, she might be enjoying some comfort food, including this iconic sandwich.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
British singer-songwriter Sekou has announced In A World We Don’t Belong Pt. 2, a new mixtape due June 26. The project follows In A World We Don’t Belong Pt. 1, which was released in November 2025, and arrives as Sekou continues a year that has included headline dates, festival appearances, and new material.
The upcoming mixtape will include the previously released single “Dangerous Lover” alongside four new releases. Its tracklist also includes the forthcoming “Does She Know,” which received its live debut during Sekou’s recent UK and European headline tour. Speaking about the project, Sekou said he wanted to tell his story and express how he feels as a 21-year-old artist. He described the title as connected to feeling like an outcast while also finding value in that experience.
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Sekou also said the new songs came from an honest place. “When I write songs, I’m still learning about myself, and that’s what makes it exciting,” he said. The announcement follows news of Sekou’s headline show at KOKO in London on December 14. He also appeared at Capital’s Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium, where he performed and drew praise from SZA and Kehlani.
Sekou begins his first US headline tour on June 15 at Vinyl in Atlanta. The North American run includes Elsewhere, The Hall in Brooklyn on June 21, El Cid in Los Angeles on June 24, The Troubadour in Los Angeles on June 26, and Barboza in Seattle on June 29. He will then play Montreux Jazz Festival on July 3, Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka and Tokyo in August, All Points East in London on August 21, Rock en Seine in Paris on August 26, Lalalib in Dijon on September 4, and KOKO in London on December 14. Earlier in 2026, Sekou opened for Sam Smith at the To Be Free residency in San Francisco and made his BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge debut with “Catching Bodies” and a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Yukon.”
Listen to In A World We Don’t Belong Pt. 2 here.
Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music
These delicious frozen appetizers from Aldi might just steal the show at your next gathering, making you forget about the main dish altogether.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Division of Elections announced that the state intends to disqualify a Petersburg candidate from Alaska’s U.S. Senate race. Dan J. Sullivan has the same first and last name as the incumbent senator. The decision comes after complaints from the incumbent and Republican Party groups and eligibility concerns.
The decision is preliminary, and the division gave no timeline for a final decision.
Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, announced his candidacy last month, along with 15 candidates challenging the Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan for the seat.
The incumbent Sen. Sullivan and Republican groups criticized him as a “sham candidate” and said his candidacy is illegitimate and aimed at confusing voters to the benefit of the Democratic candidate, Mary Peltola.
Sullivan from Petersburg has defended his candidacy as authentic, and said he has complied with filing rules and has the right to run for the seat. He declined to comment on the preliminary decision on Friday.
Carol Beecher, division director, issued a preliminary decision on Wednesday, writing to the Petersburg Sullivan that the division had determined “that a preponderance of evidence does not support your eligibility for the office of U.S. Senate.”
Beecher did not provide the evidence or give a specific reason. She said the candidate had until 5 p.m. Friday to respond, and the state would issue a final decision with or without his response. Her office did not respond to a request for comment about the reasoning behind the preliminary decision to disqualify Sullivan on Thursday.
Beecher cited two complaints brought against Sullivan, one by the Alaska Republican Party which accused the Petersburg Sullivan of misrepresenting himself as a Republican. The group said at the time of filing for the seat he was registered to vote as “undeclared.”
The Petersburg Sullivan said he was affiliated with the Alaska Independence Party until it disbanded last year, then filed for the seat as a Republican.
The state’s filing form gives an option for candidates to change registered parties in a note under party affiliation.
The preliminary announcement to disqualify Sullivan came just hours after the candidate responded to questions by a deadline issued by the Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom’s office, which launched an investigation into the candidate on Monday.
Dahlstrom, a Republican, asked the candidate about his affiliation with the Republican Party, names he has used to register to vote, design decisions on his campaign website and logo and whether he has coordinated with the Democratic Party. The lieutenant governor said false statements could carry the penalty of perjury. She questioned whether Sullivan was running with “the deliberate intent to confuse voters.”
Sullivan denied the allegations, saying he was running under his lawful name as a Republican, and denied any affiliation with outside groups.
On Thursday evening, he issued a statement criticizing Dahlstrom’s actions and the message they send to voters.
“I am a qualified candidate who followed the rules and filed to run for office under my legal name. Yet, unsupported accusations have been given credibility while political operatives continue their effort to keep me off the ballot. Alaskans have every reason to ask whether this process is being driven by politics rather than by a fair application of the law,” he wrote.
A spokesperson for the Peltola campaign denied any connection to the candidate on Friday. “Our campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign,” said Harry Child by email. The Alaska Democratic Party also denied involvement with the candidate.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which works to elect Republicans, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission that accused the candidate of violating federal law, and said he was working with political strategist, Amber Lee, to misrepresent his campaign. Sullivan said he was working with Lee, but denied the claims.
Sen. Sullivan’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the state’s preliminary decision to remove Sullivan from the ballot on Friday.
Demonstrators in Juneau took to the street Friday morning, protesting outside the Alaska Division of Elections office in support of Sullivan.
Anjuli Grantham with the grassroots advocacy group Juneau for Democracy said she doesn’t know Sullivan personally, but was out protesting in support. She said he meets qualifications for candidates under Alaska law, including being over 30 years old, a U.S. citizen and a resident of the state.
“And so what this actually is, it’s a sign of authoritarian slippage on the part of the state of Alaska,” she said. “In dictatorships, they control elections by deciding who will be on the ballot. And so we’re out here because it’s our constitutional right to run for office.”
Grantham also pointed to the division’s decision to share confidential voter information with the U.S. Department of Justice, a choice that some fear will be used to scrub Alaska voters from the rolls. Civil rights groups have filed a lawsuit against the Division of Elections saying it was a violation of voters’ privacy rights.
“That was very likely in violation of our state constitutional rights to privacy,” she said. “And so what we’re seeing now is another what seems to be anti-constitutional action on the part of the Division of Elections, so we’re here as democracy defenders and as people who are standing up to authoritarianism,” Grantham said.
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House of Representatives has voted to advance a multibillion-dollar tax break for the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline project.
The House’s 34-5 action sends the tax break to the state Senate, which is expected to take up the issue next week. Legislators are in a 30-day special session devoted to the issue, and the session ends June 19.
House Bill 381, containing the tax break, doesn’t guarantee pipeline construction, but project skeptics and advocates alike say that without the change, the pipeline is uneconomic.
“I’m very proud of us getting this bill to where we are today and giving this project a fighting chance,” said Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage, “so that Alaskans and hopefully the world can benefit from the gas reserves that we have here in the state.”
If enacted, the bill would replace the state’s 2% petroleum property tax with a tax on gas shipped through the pipeline.
Proceeds from the petroleum property tax are split between boroughs and the state. If the pipeline is built, those governments would collectively forego about $800 million per year, said Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage.
The state would still collect royalties, corporate income taxes, production taxes and other fees, said Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage. Those are expected to net the state between $600 million and $700 million in new revenue per year.
HB 381 also contains a rate cap to mandate that pipeline developers provide natural gas to Southcentral Alaska residents at a price that’s lower than the predicted price of imported gas.
Currently, Southcentral Alaska relies on natural gas from fields beneath Cook Inlet. Available supplies are running low.
“I think everyone’s been asking: What is the benefit to Alaska?” said Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer. “The benefit, if you could summarize it into one thing, and that’s reliable energy.”
Other parts of the bill mandate an impact fund to compensate local governments for the effects of construction, and send money to a rural power fund to pay for energy projects away from the pipeline.
“Every region of Alaska will get a share of this project one way or the other, and there’s real protections for Alaska ratepayers,” Kopp said.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Glenfarne, the multinational firm developing the pipeline, issued written statements after the vote, praising lawmakers’ action.
“This project has the potential to transform Alaska’s economy for decades,” the governor said in part. “I look forward to working with the Senate to get this important legislation across the finish line.”
As currently planned, the Alaska LNG project would be built in two phases. The first phase would include a pipeline from the North Slope to Cook Inlet, with limited processing plants needed to deliver gas to Southcentral Alaska for domestic use.
Glenfarne expects to begin operating the first phase by 2029.
The second phase would involve building a large facility on the North Slope and another on the Kenai Peninsula, allowing the pipeline to ship larger volumes of gas for export overseas.
Glenfarne expects the second phase of construction to be done in 2033 and that both phases will cost between $44.5 billion and $54.5 billion altogether.
Exports would subsidize the cost of gas for in-state use, with Glenfarne projections suggesting that if the pipeline reaches full capacity, the cost of gas in Southcentral could be half of what it is today.
That’s still hypothetical. Estimates from the Alaska Department of Revenue suggest the pipeline project’s economics are marginal. Even if the tax break is adopted, the cost of exported gas may not be competitive on global markets with gas from other sources around the world.
“We cannot control global economics, and the passage of this bill does not guarantee a pipeline will be built. I think that’s important to recognize,” said Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage. “This bill absolutely increases the likelihood that the project can progress.”
Under the terms of HB 381, pipeline developers would pay no gas tax for the first five years of the project, or until gas volume reaches a certain, export-level threshold.
After that point, the new tax would kick in.
Because boroughs are forgoing so much revenue, HB 381 requires the pipeline developer to pay $80 million into an impact fund that would be distributed to boroughs — including Anchorage — along the route.
That money might be used to pay for extra street repairs, additional police or other services needed to address the needs of thousands of extra workers who would be building the pipeline.
Rep. Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River, said he’s heard from Alaskans who think HB 381 is a giveaway and that the state could pull in hundreds of millions more if it simply left the property tax alone.
“I shake my head and tsk just a little bit,” he said, “because a high tax on no pipeline gets you no money; a lower tax on a real pipeline gets you money.”
Rep. Robin Frier, D-Utqiagvik, opposed the final version of HB 381. She represents the North Slope Borough, which relies heavily on the petroleum property tax for local needs. The borough would forego hundreds of millions of dollars in prospective revenue under a switch to a gas tax.
Before Friday’s final vote, she offered a pair of amendments that would have reduced the impact on the North Slope. Both were defeated by wide margins.
Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage, was excused absent from Friday’s vote because of travel problems that kept her from reaching Juneau.
By text message, she said that had she been present, she would have voted against the bill.
“This legislation will push costs down onto communities and lock us into tax breaks we won’t be able to re-evaluate for decades,” she said.
Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau, also voted against the bill, saying her constituents raised climate change concerns. Burning natural gas releases greenhouse gases, which contributes to climate change.
Rep. Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan, offered a different perspective, saying that he believes cheap natural gas will displace diesel fuel, thus leading to an overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions because gas is cleaner burning than fuel oil.
Fairbanks Democratic Rep. Ashley Carrick borrowed a term from public health and said that natural gas is an issue of “harm reduction.” In her district, many people heat their homes with fuel oil at $6 per gallon. When oil isn’t available — or is unaffordable — people burn wood.
“Fairbanks has some of the worst air quality in the nation, in the world, because of those fuel sources. Natural gas is harm reduction. I believe in that, and while I do share the frustration and concern from many, I believe this is a step in the right direction towards more sustainable energy, available energy and affordable energy for our communities,” she said.
Saddler, who is retiring from the Legislature this year, said he hopes lawmakers “can bring an end to that old joke that a natural gas pipeline is Alaska’s future and it always will be. I hope you never hear that joke again.”
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5 Ways To Revive Hardened Honey
Hardened honey doesn’t mean it’s gone bad; it means the water and sugar have separated. It just needs to be revived into its liquid form using heat.
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NOTN- A new program aimed at helping youth in crisis is launching in Juneau through a partnership between the Shéiyi Xaat Hít Youth Shelter, Tlingit and Haida, first responders and local businesses.
The Safe Place program provides immediate help for young people ages 10 to 17 who need safety or support. Participating businesses and organizations display a black-and-yellow Safe Place sign, letting youth know they can come inside and ask for help.
Employees will contact staff at the Shéiyi Xaat Hít Youth Shelter, who will respond within 30 minutes to provide crisis support and connect youth with needed resources.
Organizers say the program expands the safety net for vulnerable youth, including those who are homeless, have run away, or are at risk of doing so.
“Although we’ve served a record number of youth at the shelter over the last year, we know that there’s many more who need help. Safe Place is a great way for us to expand the safety net of support for youth in Juneau,” shares Hannah Jenkins, Outreach Coordinator at Shéiyi Xaat Hít.
Initial Safe Place locations include Juneau fire stations, the Juneau Police Department, the Zach Gordon Youth Center, the Southeast Alaska Food Bank, Glacier Cinemas, Kindred Post, Dimond Park Aquatic Center, and Augustus Brown swimming pool.
Youth can find a Safe Place by looking for the black and yellow signs on businesses, searching the list of current Safe Places at bit.ly/SheiyiXaatHit, or texting their location and the word “safe” to TXT-4-HELP (44357).
A community launch party was held at the Zach Gordon Youth Center on Friday.
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A couple of weeks ago, Josh Duggar was transferred to a new facility under mysterious circumstances.
His new facility, Federal Medical Center of Fort Worth, specializes in medical and mental health services.
Immediately, longtime Duggar watchers began to speculate about what might have led to the change of venue.
His attorney is offering a limited explanation for the transfer. Not everyone is convinced.
He is reportedly ‘fine’
Beau Brindley is currently the attorney representing Josh.
Speaking to TMZ, he insists that his client is doing just “fine” despite what one might assume from his transfer from FCI Seagoville to FMC Forth Worth.
According to Brindley, this was a “routine” transfer.
Which, obviously, tells us nothing.
So, what did Brindley choose to divulge?
According to Brindley, the May 29 transfer was not related to Josh’s health.
TMZ notes that FMC Fort Worth primarily caters to severely ill inmates who require inpatient management, intensive monitoring, or both.
In other words, no one gets transferred to FMC Fort Worth for a checkup.
Or for fun.
But that’s what Brindley has to share. And the Bureau of Prisons isn’t going to violate federal privacy laws to satisfy our curiosity. Alas.
Why don’t some folks believe this?
We have to, at this point, acknowledge that attorneys wear multiple hats in the course of their services.
In court, attorneys are officers of the court — and must conduct themselves in specific ways, including never lying to a judge, let along suborning perjury.
Attorneys also have obligations to advocate for their cause or client. Many view these as sacred tenants of their profession.
However, when attorneys speak to the press, they are wearing a very different hat.
We make no statement to impugn Brindley’s integrity or to imply that these statements were dishonest. We just have to acknowledge that TMZ is not a judge and Brindley’s statements would be in Josh’s best interests rather than intended to give TMZ the most accurate scoop.
Josh is currently serving a 12.5 year sentence following his conviction for receiving and possesing child sex-abuse material (CSAM).
In fact, his release date was just pushed back — and not for the first time.
At present, Josh will be in prison until February 2033.
He is fighting to overturn his conviction, shorten his sentence, or whatever else he can do to wriggle out of the legal consequences for his crimes.
Perhaps, one day, we’ll know the reason for this “routine” transfer. For now, we can only guess.
Josh Duggar’s Mysterious Prison Transfer Was ‘Routine’ and Disgraced … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
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The New York Knicks won the NBA Finals for the first time in 53 years on Saturday, and fans celebrated in all sorts of different ways.
Some took to the streets of Manhattan to revel in the moment, while others declared their love for girlfriend Sydney Sweeney aboard a private jet.
Okay, only one guy did that, but there’s no denying that Scooter Braun marked the occasion in style!
Yes, for the first time, Scooter publicly said “I love you” to Sydney — and he did it in front of family and friends.
In a video shared on social media following the Knicks’ Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, Braun raised a toast and singled out his famous girlfriend for some especially heartfelt praise.
“Syd, I love you and your family so much,” Braun reportedly said while celebrating the Knicks’ long-awaited title.
He then jokingly credited Sweeney with becoming the ultimate good luck charm for New York sports fans.
Scooter even suggested that the Jets “could win the Super Bowl” next year, which makes us wonder how many glasses of champagne he consumed before he began filming.
Anyway, considering these two have spent the better part of the past year attached at the hip, the declaration of love probably shouldn’t come as a shock.
Still, saying the L-word publicly is a pretty major milestone.
The couple has been inseparable in recent weeks, turning Knicks playoff games into their own personal date nights.
They’ve packed on the PDA at Madison Square Garden, attended the NBA Finals together in Texas, and even sparked headlines after being spotted kissing inside a Los Angeles frozen yogurt shop.
And if anyone was wondering how serious things have become, Braun’s latest comments may have provided the answer.
The former talent manager has not exactly been shy about his admiration for Sweeney lately. Earlier this month, he described the actress as “kind and generous and smart and real and down to earth” during a podcast appearance (via Page Six).
Now he’s publicly telling her he loves her. That’s a pretty significant upgrade.
The romance reportedly began after the pair met at the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in 2025. Since then, they’ve gone from quietly dating to attending major events together, making things Instagram official, and becoming one of Hollywood’s most unexpected power couples.
The Knicks’ playoff run has apparently become a recurring theme in their relationship.
Sweeney has embraced her role as a superfan, showing up in custom Knicks gear and celebrating the team’s victories alongside Braun. Following Saturday’s championship win, she even reposted content referencing Braun’s claim that she’s his lucky charm.
Of course, the real headline wasn’t the basketball.
It was the fact that Braun appeared perfectly comfortable proclaiming his love in front of an audience.
For a couple that spent months slowly taking their relationship public, that’s about as clear a sign as any that things are getting serious.
Scooter Braun Says ‘I Love You’ to Sydney Sweeney Following New York … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip