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Music

Cody Johnson Says ‘I’m Here To Stay’ After Injury Comeback, Teases Flood of New Music

A ruptured eardrum forced Cody Johnson off the road late last year, putting his fast-moving career on pause for surgery and recovery. That time off could have easily slowed down his momentum, but instead he’s coming back stronger and more driven than ever with the promise: “I’m here to stay.”

“I was out for three months after the surgery, and I had this mentality of when I come back, I’m taking no prisoners. When I come back, I’m putting my head down and I’m going to freaking work,” Johnson admitted during an appearance on Dale Brisby’s Rodeo Time podcast.

Because he fully leaned into that mindset, the country star says he has “so many songs” set to drop outside of his next album, which is already finished and waiting in the wings.

“I’ve already got the whole gun is loaded. The ammunition’s there. We’re just fixing to start sending it,” he teased.

Photo Courtesy of Cody Johnson
Photo Courtesy of Cody Johnson

In the midst of his recovery, Johnson scored a milestone that has helped add even more fuel to his fire. During the 2026 CMA Awards, he took home his first-ever Male Vocalist of the Year award, which put an end to Chris Stapleton’s four-year winning streak. The Texas native honestly shared that after devoting basically his whole life up to this point to music, it felt pretty surreal to be recognized in such an esteemed category

“To get Male Vocalist of the Year, especially when you’re in a category with Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton, that’s a big deal. So I was pretty taken back. I was pretty proud of that one,” he said, recalling his reaction.

Cody Johnson accepts the award for Male Vocalist of the Year at “The 59th Annual CMA Awards,” live from Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, November 19, 2025 on ABC; Photo Courtesy CMA
Cody Johnson accepts the award for Male Vocalist of the Year at “The 59th Annual CMA Awards,” live from Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, November 19, 2025 on ABC; Photo Courtesy CMA

Now that he officially has that honor under his belt, he’s ready to start working toward the next accomplishment, which in this case would be the Entertainer of the Year award at both the major country music award shows. But even if (and when) he does reach that point, he will continue to strive for something bigger and to become a better artist than he was the year before.

“I’m still chasing the gold buckle. Cowboys, you chase the gold buckle. And for me, that gold buckle is Entertainer of the Year. I mean, ACMs, CMAs, and that’s what I’m after. And when I get it, I’m probably going to go chase it again.”

Each night when he’s on stage, Johnson strives to instill that motivation into every person in that audience through his music and especially with songs like the empowering hit, “’Til You Can’t.”

“I sing the song, ‘if you got a chance to take it, dream won’t chase you back’ and all that. But me making it in the industry is a one in 10 million chance, man. You have to be prepared to lay it all on the line. So I went with no backup plan and in my mind, I was like, ‘I’m either going to die doing this or it’s going to work.’”

His tireless dedication has already proved to be successful in so many ways and because of that, he has been able to provide a comfortable life for him and his family. This is an accomplishment he is clearly very proud of, but it also hasn’t slowed down his drive in the slightest.

“I have that level of comfort, if it’s all over, it’s okay for my family,” he admitted. “Now I’m like, we’re just doing it for sport. Now we’re just doing it for the absolute love of the game. I just want to try to be something in country music that is remembered forever because that’s my sport.”

All the new music that the “I’m Gonna Love You” singer is preparing to be released throughout the next few months will power all the massive shows he has on the books this year. In addition to his 2026 headline trek, Johnson is preparing to make his headline debut at Stagecoach on April 24.

“That’s a huge deal,” he said of the chance to perform at such a large-scale country music festival. “I just feel like now is the time in my career to make the push to set the bar higher and to say, I’m not going away. I’m here to stay.”

The post Cody Johnson Says ‘I’m Here To Stay’ After Injury Comeback, Teases Flood of New Music appeared first on Country Now.

​Country Now

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Music

Eric Church Played a Totally Unexpected Song at Opry Debut

He pulled a very bold move onstage. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

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Entertainment

Jen Shah Gives First Interview After Prison, Admits Guilt

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Well, this is complicated.

Following Jen Shah’s release from prison late last year, she’s been avoiding the spotlight.

Now, she’s opening up about everything.

Most importantly, she’s taking almost full responsibility for the crimes that put her away for three years.

Jen Shah speaks to People Magazine after her time in prison.
Speaking to ‘People’ after her release from prison, Jen Shah sets the record straight on conditions behind bars. (Image Credit: People/YouTube)

‘I made wrong decisions’

The disgraced former The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star spoke to People following her release from prison.

She covered a lot of topics — including prison conditions and her own wrongdoings.

“I was wrong,” Shah admitted. “I made wrong decisions.”

She continued: “I should have done things differently. I should have been more diligent.”

Shah affirmed: “And I’m deeply remorseful and sorry for my actions and for my part. I take full responsibility.” 

For a long time following her arrest, Shah insisted that she was innocent — before abruptly changing her plea.

“It’s a long and a very complex journey that brought me to this point,” she now explained.

“And without re-litigating it,” Shah admitted, “I became involved in the case because I made horrible business decisions and I disregarded huge red flags.”

Shah claimed: “I allowed the lines to be blurred between personal friendships and ethical business practices. And in essence, I trusted the wrong people at a very vulnerable time in my life.”

She also alleged: “I thought I was doing the right thing for the majority of the time. I was working under people who were running these companies.”

Jen Shah has her outh open in a puffy yellow coat.
Loud and unapologetic, Jen Shah clashes with castmates over her social media wrongdoings. She blames her social media manager. (Image Credit: Bravo)

She says that she believed that the companies were legitimate

“What happened was down the line, people that I worked with were working with a lot of other people,” Shah described.

“Once that initial fulfillment was happening,” she claimed, “things were happening beyond the point of sale with that customer that I didn’t know about.”

Shah warned: “It can happen if you’re not careful, if you’re not being diligent and you’re not paying attention to the red flags.”

She then emphasized: “But you have a responsibility once you’re in that position to make sure it doesn’t.”

Even will all of this insistence that she didn’t know what she’d done, Shah admitted that events before her arrest had “clouded my judgment.”

Jen Shah in purple on RHOSLC's reunion.
This purple and feathery reunion look was so good for Jen Shah. But her behavior was so, so bad. (Image Credit: Bravo)

“What’s important for me to say — and I need to let people know — was at the same time, my involvement in this conspiracy overlapped with my own personal pain,” Shah shared.

“My husband [Sharrieff “Coach” Shah] and I were separated,” she noted. “We were on the verge of a divorce.”

Shah continued: “I was overwhelmed with immense grief from the death of my grandmother, my father and my aunt, all in a very short period of time. I was spiraling deeper into my previously diagnosed clinical depression.

She at least emphasized: “I say all that is not as an excuse. Because it’s not like I was making good business decisions and then I woke up one morning and all of a sudden it’s like, ‘Oh, I made a bad business decision.’”

Shah added: “This is the totality of everything that was going on and the overlapping of what I was dealing with personally. And I tried to avoid and numb all of that with alcohol and just avoid it.”

Jen Shah points and yells.
During the premiere season of RHOSLC, Jen Shah cultivated a reputation for yelling and screaming. She did this by yelling and screaming. (Image Credit: Bravo)

‘There were people who were hurt’

” I trusted the wrong people at a very vulnerable time in my life,” Shah then characterized.

According to her, in July 2022, prosecution turned over discovery to her legal team — which is when she understood how many victims she had, allegedly unknowingly, accumulated.

“It was like a train hit,” Shah described. “That was the first time I saw all of it — the communications, the interviews, the witnesses.”

“I saw for the first time that there were people who were hurt,” Shah described. “That there were actual victims as a result of this conspiracy. I had never seen anything with my own eyes. That changed things for me.”

Well, believe her or not, we’ve likely not heard the last of Shah. Many expect her to return to Bravo in some capacity. Among other things, she has about $6 million in restitution to pay.

Jen Shah Gives First Interview After Prison, Admits Guilt was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

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Entertainment

Kendra Duggar Tells Joseph Duggar Family Is ‘Disappointed,’ Claims She …

Reading Time: 3 minutes

On Tuesday, Joseph Duggar was released from jail after being extradited to Florida to face child molestation charges.

His wife, Kendra Duggar, was also arrested last month, but she was allowed to make bail.

Now, we’re learning more about the couple’s mental state via transcripts from a phone call Joseph made to Kendra while he was still behind bars in Arkansas.

Joseph Duggar, Kendra Caldwell Image
Joseph and Kendra discuss their first date on an episode of TLC’s ‘Counting On.’ (TLC)

Shockingly, Joseph was released on bond following his arraignment in Florida.

But he called Kendra while he was still locked up, shortly after she arrived home following her own arraignment. The two of them discussed the ways in which they’ve been impacted by the stress of their situation.

“I haven’t been able to eat,” Kendra told Joe (via The Ashley’s Reality Roundup).

She added that she’s been getting the bulk of her nutrition through fluids and IVs.

“I can hardly walk. I get winded because I’m so weak,” she said, adding:

“I actually did get to sneak over and get an IV before stuff happened and that probably sustained me good.”

Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell on Their Honeymoon
A Counting On trailer showed Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell on their honeymoon, and Kendra looked delighted. (TLC)

Joe told Kendra that his stomach “isn’t always settled,” but he explained that he had been trying to avoid processed foods and carbs.

“I’m trying not to eat junk,” he tells Kendra before joking that he hopes to “trim up some” while behind bars.

Kendra said that she was also losing weight, what with the stress of her husband facing 25 years on child molestation charges.

“I haven’t gotten on the scale, but I feel a lot trimmer now!” she joked to Joseph. “I’m definitely not bloated either! I’m gonna be a Skinny Minnie!”

Kendra added that Michelle Duggar — whom both she and Joe refer to as “Mama” — had been imploring her to eat solid food.

Kendra Caldwell and Joseph Duggar stare into each other’s eyes in this photo. (Image Credit: TLC)

“She’s like, ‘You need to eat!’ and I’m like, ‘I will try!’ but unless it’s liquid it doesn’t really go down,” Kendra said. “It’s been a battle. They said I’ve got to be well to take care of all these decisions and everything.”

Interestingly, Kendra made no mention of her own family, but noted that the Duggars had been a “crazy great support network” for her.

“I’m really well taken care of. Sometimes I just start crying ’cause I know God’s been so good. I’ve been writing things down that I’m thankful for,” she explained.

In a separate call, Kendra informed Joe that the Duggars are still supporting him, even if they’re “disappointed.”

“Just know that everybody loves you. Even if they’re disappointed,” she said (via TMZ). 

We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.

Kendra Duggar Tells Joseph Duggar Family Is ‘Disappointed,’ Claims She … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Hip Hop

Chxrry Shares ‘Hall Of Fame,’ Confirms Debut Album ‘U, Me, And My Ego’

CHXRRY Hall Of Fame album cover

Toronto-born rising singer has returned with a new single entitled “Hall Of Fame,” which is out now via XO Records/Republic Records. The new single coincides with some other exciting news: Chxrry’s debut album, U, Me, and My Ego is officially on the way.

The track, which features Chxrry singing over a beat that pulls from different strands of electronic and dance music, was produced by Believve. The self-empowerment anthem features Chxrry singing during the chorus: “I know, I, I’m too sexy to go home/ Mm, don’t sleep, baby, you don’t wanna miss the show.”

Though “Hall Of Fame” marks the beginning of a new era for Chxrry, it also signals the end of a very exciting time for XO’s first female artist. Chxrry began the year overseas supporting Mariah The Scientist on her European tour. The new song also follows 2025 singles from Chxrry, “Groupie” and “Main Character.”

YouTube Video
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Chxrry spoke with Viper Magazine last month to discuss her rapid rise and this next era of new music. Though the singer inked a deal with XO less than five years ago, she suggested that her ascent has taken more time than fans might think, adding that she isn’t close to reaching some of the goals she has set for herself.

She explained: “I feel like most would say it’s been quick, but for me it feels like I’ve been working at this my whole life. So I don’t know if there’s really a journey. It never feels done. I never feel like there’s a peak. There are moments where I’m like, ‘oh, that was really cool,’ but I always feel incomplete.

She also spoke about why people are drawn to her music. Outside of the catchy hooks and incisive lyrics, Chxrry suggests there’s a relatability to her songwriting: “…I think people really are drawn to people who believe in themselves a lot, and who are a little bit delusional about their dreams and their talents. And so I realized that early on.”

Listen to Chxrry’s “Hall Of Fame” here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

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Food

Costco Shoppers Say Every Bite Of This Kirkland Salmon Is Packed With Flavor

If you love salmon, especially when it’s well seasoned, then you need to get thee to Costco! The big chain has a Kirkland salmon everyone loves.

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

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Entertainment

Is Jim Carrey a Clone? Ex Jenny McCarthy Weighs In

Reading Time: 3 minutes

It’s no secret that Jenny McCarthy espouses a lot of unhinged, dangerous beliefs with no basis in science.

So when oddball “cloning” rumors about Jim Carrey circulated earlier this year, some dreaded her commentary.

The two of them were a serious item for half a decade.

Does she believe that her ex has been replaced by some sort of weird Hollywood clone?

Jim Carrey speaks while on stage.
While receiving an honor on stage, Jim Carrey gives thanks to his loved ones — especially his girlfriend. (Image Credit: Canal+)

He was ‘unrecognizable’ at a French award show

Earlier this year, Jim Carrey delivered a speech in French at the César Awards.

He had practiced for months ahead of time.

However, something about his appearance threw off fans in a borderline Capgras syndrome manner.

Some accused him of being (or, rather, of sending) an imposter to the awards show.

Others brought up one of the looniest Hollywood conspiracy theories: human cloning.

Jenny McCarthy on YouTube.
Notorious anti-vaccine influencer and former Playboy model Jenny McCarthy speaks on a podcast in January 2026. (Image Credit: YouTube)

People caught up with Jenny McCarthy at the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2026.

There, they delicately asked her about the conspiracy theories that claim that someone had “replaced” Jim Carrey with a “clone.”

McCarthy quickly quashed that claim.

She assured that she has no doubt whatsoever that “it was definitely Jim Carrey” attending the award show.

Instead of dwelling upon his alleged “unrecognizable” appearance, she focused upon what mattered: how happy he looked.

Jim Carrey in the audience.
In the audience, Jim Carrey sat through a jarringly French award show performance. (Image Credit: Canal+)

Not a clone, definitely very happy

“He looked very happy at that award show,” McCarthy praised.

“And,” she expressed, “I was happy for him.”

His joy, and not minute changes to his appearance, were what caught her attention.

“That’s the first thing I noticed,” McCarthy emphasized.

She recalled: “I said, ‘Oh wow, Jim looks really happy.’”

Jim Carrey speaks French in Paris.
On stage in Paris, Jim Carrey spoke French to the crowd — after practicing for months. (Image Credit: Canal+)

Donnie Wahlberg, McCarthy’s husband, echoed his wife’s response.

“You know, that’s the part that, sadly, people miss,” he lamented.

“We’re so obsessed with how he looks,” Wahlberg commented, “that we didn’t consider how happy he looked.”

It is not often that we get a chance to say this, but we’re glad that this is an opportunity for it:

Thank you for saying something so sensible, Donnie Wahlberg.

Jenny McCarthy gestures while speaking.
On a podcast, Jenny McCarthy speaks about the “concoctions” that she mixes for alleged health reasons. (Image Credit: YouTube)

It’s good of her to back up her ex

Conspiracy theories are harmful.

It’s not just about this. But, despite some unhinged beliefs, human cloning is not yet real or viable.

Perpetuating the idea that this technology — which could be life-saving if real, allowing the production of an infinite supply of replacement organs and blood — makes people lose touch with reality.

And frankly, suggesting that a man’s face looks “so different” that he must be a clone or some other imposter is just mean.

There are rare cases of body doubles and disguised celebrities. They’re very unusual, and they don’t speak at award shows.

Is Jim Carrey a Clone? Ex Jenny McCarthy Weighs In was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

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Sports Fox

2026 NFL Offseason: Who’s Next In Line To Be Highest-Paid At Each Position?

Every year, there are record-setting deals in the NFL. In this free-agency cycle, we saw center Tyler Linderbaum receive a contract from the Raiders that blew the top off of the market at his position. Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, topped the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase as the highest-paid wide receiver by average annual value with his $42.15 million per year extension. So, who’s next in line to become the highest-paid player at their position by average salary? Here is my pick for each position on offense and defense, with players drafted as late as 2023 now extension eligible: Quarterback: Lamar Jackson, Ravens Current highest paid: Dak Prescott, Cowboys ($60 million APY) The Ravens restructured Jackson’s contract last month to create cap space, but a historic extension remains on the table for the 29-year-old QB before the start of the 2026 season. Since signing his last deal in 2023 — a five-year, $260 million extension — Jackson has won a second league MVP award and earned two of his three first-team All-Pro nods. Running back: Bijan Robinson, Falcons Current highest paid: Saquon Barkley, Eagles ($20.6 million APY) Last season, Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards (1,478 rushing, 820 receiving) en route to first-team All Pro honors, the first of his career. An extension for the 2023 No. 8 overall pick should be a no-brainer priority for the Falcons, especially given their quarterback uncertainty entering 2026. Wide receiver: Puka Nacua, Rams Current highest paid: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($42.15 million APY) Despite recent off the field issues, Nacua remains on track to top Smith-Njigba as the NFL’s highest-paid wideout before next season. In 2025, the former fifth-round pick led the league in receptions (129), receiving first downs (80) and receiving yards per game (107.2) and ranked second in receiving yards (1,715) despite missing a game. Tight end: Kyle Pitts, Falcons Current highest paid: George Kittle, 49ers ($19.1 million APY) After getting franchise-tagged in February, the 25-year-old Pitts is well-positioned to surpass Kittle’s number. The No. 4 overall pick in 2021, Pitts caught a career-high 88 passes last season for 928 yards and five touchdowns en route to second-team All-Pro honors. The Lions’ Sam LaPorta and Packers’ Tucker Kraft, other contenders to set the market at the tight end position, are coming off season-ending injuries, paving the way for Pitts to become the first of the three to get a second contract. Offensive tackle: Darnell Wright, Bears Current highest paid: Laremy Tunsil, Commanders ($30.1 million APY) Wright isn’t a left tackle, but the former No. 10 overall pick has a chance to surpass Tunsil’s deal with the league’s rising salary cap. Still just 24, the former Tennessee Vol has started all 49 games of his career at right tackle and earned second-team All-Pro honors last season. Guard: Peter Skoronski, Titans Current highest paid: Tyler Smith, Cowboys ($24 million APY) The 11th overall pick in 2023, Skoronski has gone from a college tackle to one of the best young guards in the NFL. The 24-year-old standout has started 48 career games at left guard. Center: Jared Wilson, Patriots Current highest paid: Tyler Linderbaum, Raiders ($27 million APY) Linderbaum’s deal shattered the previous high for centers owned by the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey ($18 million APY). Since it marked such a substantial market reset, the Linderbaum contract could be viewed as an outlier by the greater NFL community, meaning it could be a while until we see another reset. Wilson is a candidate to do so in two years, when he becomes extension eligible for the first time. The 2025 third-round pick started 13 games for the Patriots last season at left guard, but New England intends to move him to center following the signing of Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency. Edge rusher: Will Anderson Jr., Texans Current highest paid: Micah Parsons, Packers ($46.5 million APY) Already one of the NFL’s best defensive players, Anderson registered 12 sacks and 85 pressures last season en route to first-team All-Pro honors. The former No. 3 overall pick has 30 sacks in three seasons. Defensive tackle: Jalen Carter, Eagles Current highest paid: Chris Jones, Chiefs ($31.75 million APY) In just three seasons, Carter, the ninth overall pick in 2023, has become one of football’s most disruptive defensive tackles. He was a second-team All-Pro honoree in 2024 and has made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons. The former Georgia star had three sacks, 29 pressures and seven pass breakups in 11 games in 2025. Inside Linebacker: Jack Campbell, Lions Current highest paid: Fred Warner, 49ers ($21 million APY) Campbell, the 18th overall pick in 2023, has seen a significant jump in his production in each of his three seasons. In 2025, the former Iowa star had 176 tackles (second in the NFL), five sacks, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles en route to first-team All-Pro honors. Cornerback: Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks Current highest paid: Trent McDuffie, Rams ($31 million APY) Witherspoon is slated to become the league’s highest-paid player at his position in short order, following in the footsteps of his Seahawks teammate and fellow 2023 first-rounder Smith-Njigba, whom Seattle just made the league’s highest-paid receiver. Witherspoon has been named to the Pro Bowl three straight times to begin his career. The ex-Illinois star recorded an interception, seven pass breakups and 72 tackles in 12 games last season. Safety: Xavier McKinney, Packers Current highest paid: Kyle Hamilton, Ravens ($25.1 million APY) The Packers restructured McKinney’s current contract for cap relief, but the star safety is in line for a big deal in 2027, when his cap hit is scheduled to be a hefty $24.8 million. The former Giants second-round pick has 13 interceptions over the past three seasons and has made an All-Pro team in back-to-back years.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Alaska News

Alaska Senate votes to clarify state authority for imported natural gas prices

The downtown Anchorage skyline is seen from the Tony Knowles Coastal Trial on June 3, 2022. Although Anchorage is Alaska's largest city, it and the surrounding Southcentral region are considered small and isolated natural-gas markets. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

The downtown Anchorage skyline is seen from the Tony Knowles Coastal Trial on June 3, 2022. Although Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, it and the surrounding Southcentral region are considered small and isolated natural-gas markets. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska Senate on Tuesday unanimously advanced a bill that would clarify state regulators’ authority to oversee pricing for imported natural gas. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission oversees the construction and location of gas import facilities. Senate Bill 180 clarifies that authority to regulate pricing for imported gas rests with the Regulatory Committee of Alaska, which is tasked with ensuring utilities pay “just and reasonable rates” for energy.

A looming shortfall of Cook Inlet gas has sparked calls for imports and to build a pipeline for Southcentral Alaska’s energy needs. At least two separate gas import terminal proposals have been advancing, which has caused anxiety among regulators and the public about the potential for higher utility bills. 

The Anchorage Daily News reported in February that one facility could import roughly a third of Southcentral Alaska’s annual gas needs; the other could import around 155% of the region’s needs, allowing for the potential growth of demand.

The import facilities are slated to deliver gas in 2027 and 2029, the ADN reported.

Anchorage Republican Sen. Cathy Giessel, chair of the Senate Resources Committee and lead sponsor of SB 180, said the bill would help guarantee the lowest power and heating bills for ratepayers. She said a recent legislative change had caused “significant confusion.”

In 2024, the Legislature approved House Bill 50, an omnibus energy bill that combined provisions to regulate carbon storage, an expansion of the state’s geothermal energy program, among other changes.

One sentence on page 39 of the bill has been problematic for state regulators, Giessel said. The provision states a LNG import facility under the jurisdiction of federal regulators is exempt from state regulatory oversight.

Giessel cited several cases where state regulators have been uncertain about their power to oversee rates for imported gas.

“It needs to be clarified that the RCA has the authority over the cost of the product purchased by one of our utilities,” she said in support of SB 180 before Tuesday’s vote.

The bill now advances to the Alaska House of Representatives for its consideration.

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Music

John Schneider’s Ex-Wife Asking for Millions in Back Support

They have a history of confrontation over money. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country