Latest news with #JessicaRobertson
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Duck Dynasty star trolled over 'backhanded' pregnancy announcement for daughter, 18
Duck Dynasty star Jessica Robertson was trolled for her 'backhanded' pregnancy announcement for her daughter Priscilla, 18, this week. Robertson, 44, whose daughter Merritt, 21, is also pregnant, took to Instagram to announce Priscilla's pregnancy - admitting motherhood at such a young age 'isn't the plans we had laid out.' Sharing photos of Priscilla showing off her bump, Robertson wrote: 'Me & Jep are excited to welcome another new grandbaby in October. 'Priscilla will give birth to our granddaughter & we are blessed to add another grandbaby. 'This isn't the plans we had laid out for Priscilla but God takes our meager offerings and turns them into His greatest blessings! 'We are so proud that Priscilla & Dillon chose life for their baby and we will all be rewarded with this precious baby girl! We pray blessings on her pregnancy & ask God for a safe delivery for Mom & Baby. We praise God for His perfect gifts! 'Pray for us! 3 babies under 1!' Fans quickly called out Robertson for sounding 'disappointed' in her post - and made light of her announcement for Merritt - who got married last year - which read: 'Over the moon to announce another grand baby on the way!!! Baby girl due December 2025!!' Fans wrote: 'Ugh the disappointment she must feel when her own mom adds in: 'this isn't the plans we had for….'. 'You announced merritt's pregnancy before you announced Priscilla's and Priscilla is due before Merritt, why is that?? Because you're ashamed of her for not being married? This post is very backhanded. I feel so sorry for this sweet girl!! 'I hope she hasn't been made to feel ashamed of this. Life happens and she has made the choice to be a mother. Congratulations to her ''Isn't the plans we had for you.' Okay just say you're disappointed then.' 'Such an odd way to announce a pregnancy. Extremely backhanded. 'This poor girl. Praises and bash all in the same post.' 'Backhanded compliments for the win! Gotta make sure the world knows her Christian parents didn't approve of her "sins" in order to save face. I also grew up in this kind of family and am SO glad I broke the cycle. Poor girl. Others supported Robertson for her candid post - with the family well-known for their strong Christian faith and conservative beliefs, One fan wrote: 'She worded it perfectly. Y'all, they are on a Christian platform and published authors in the spotlight. Others typed: 'They had to acknowledge it in some way, while still celebrating the AMAZING news of life on its way. It's not shame, it's transparency. Jessica, ignore the weird comments on here… you worded it just fine. Congrats on another grand baby!!! 'Congratulations! This post is worded beautifully. Priscilla will be an amazing mother!' The announcement comes two months after the death of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson, the father of Jep, at 79. The professional hunter turned reality star's family announced the news in a Facebook post, leaving fans devastated. 'We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord,' Phil's daughter-in-law Korie Robertson said Sunday on Facebook. The announcement comes two months Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson died at the age of 79 She thanked people who had prayed for Phil, who dealt with Alzheimer's disease in his final months. She recalled how he bravely told loved ones that he was not afraid of death and considered it a comeback to the kingdom of God. A number of shocked fans posted messages of support, with one saying: 'Honestly, Phil was like America's grandpa.' Another added: 'He put smiles on the faces of us all!' Late last year, Robertson had received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, his family said on the Unashamed with the Robertson Family podcast. Phil's son Jase Robertson had previously said on the podcast that his father had been battling a blood disease. 'Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, his bold faith, and by his desire to tell everyone who would listen the Good News of Jesus,' she wrote. She added, 'We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again.' Korie said the Robertson family would continue to remember their late patriarch. 'We know so many of you love him and have been impacted by his life,' she said. She added the family was planning on 'having a private service for now, but we'll share details soon about a public celebration of his life.'
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Duck Dynasty''s Jessica Robertson Shares Daughter Priscilla, 18, Is Pregnant as She Admits 'This Isn't the Plan We Had'
NEED TO KNOW Duck Dynasty's Jessica Robertson shares that her daughter Priscilla, 18, is expecting her first baby The mom of five shared the news on Instagram, writing that her pregnancy "isn't in the plans" she and husband Jep Robertson had laid out for their daughter However, Jessica said that their family is "blessed" to be growing againThe Duck Dynasty family is growing! On Sunday, July 20, Jessica Robertson shared that her 18-year-old daughter Priscilla, whom she shares with husband Jep Robertson, is pregnant, announcing the exciting news on Instagram. In a series of photos, the teenager can be seen wearing a pink tank top dress that accentuates her growing bump. "Me & Jep are excited to welcome another new grandbaby in October. Priscilla will give birth to our granddaughter & we are blessed to add another grandbaby," Jessica wrote in her caption. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "This isn't the plans we had laid out for Priscilla but God takes our meager offerings and turns them into His greatest blessings! We are so proud that Priscilla & Dillon chose life for their baby and we will all be rewarded with this precious baby girl!" she continued. "We pray blessings on her pregnancy & ask God for a safe delivery for Mom & Baby. We praise God for His perfect gifts!💛 Pray for us! 3 babies under 1!" Jessica and Jep are parents to five kids — Lily, 22, Merritt, 20, Priscilla, River, 16, and Gus, 9. Priscilla's happy news follows a baby boom for the family. Jessica and Jep's older daughter Lily welcomed her baby son Winston this past February with husband Austin, while their second oldest daughter Merritt is expecting her first baby this December with husband Tyler. Back in June, Jessica announced the happy news that her daughter Merritt is expecting, sharing a series of photos on Instagram. In the sweet photos, the 20-year-old and her husband could be seen posing outside, holding a series of sonogram photos. "Over the moon to announce another grand baby on the way!!! Baby girl due December 2025!!🩷," the proud mom of five wrote in her caption. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Photo reveals sad truth behind koala that was rescued from Aussie national park
Preparations are underway to reopen an Australian national park where a staggering number of koalas were 'euthanised' after a bushfire swept through in early March, causing injuries and food shortages. On Wednesday, Victoria's department of environment DEECA confirmed with Yahoo News that only one animal was rescued and taken into care, while 1,061 were euthanised. 'Since early March, 2,219 koalas have been assessed by both ground and aerial teams, with 48 per cent identified as suffering severe injuries and burns from the bushfire and required humane euthanasia to relieve unnecessary suffering,' it said in a statement. After Yahoo News revealed on April 25 that koalas were being shot from helicopters in World Heritage-listed Budj Bim national park, the story was reported around the world, including the US, UK, India, Japan, South Korea and across Europe. But local animal advocates have now revealed populations of these iconic marsupials living across the surrounding region face an even bigger problem than fire. Koala Alliance president Jessica Robertson visited Victoria's southwest on the weekend, surveying the perimeter of the national park where the 'cull' occurred. Her most immediate concern is that private blue gum plantations continue to be harvested in the surrounding area, further impacting food availability. 'If DEECA is worried about koala welfare, they would stop the harvesting until a better solution can be found," she said. "We can't go on with business as usual, because it's creating endless suffering.' Over 40,000 koalas are estimated to live in blue gum plantations around Victoria, and these feed trees cover over 100,000 hectares in the southwest. Photos taken by Robertson highlight how the marsupials are regularly left homeless after the trees they live in are felled. They're then forced to relocate to protected areas like Budj Bim where they are already overpopulated. Related: Fear for joeys as Australia guns down koalas Robertson's grassroots advocacy group, along with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Humane World for Animals, the Greens and the Animal Justice Party, are calling for an independent investigation into long-running concerns about koala management across the southwest. "The sad truth behind these shocking headlines... is the ongoing chronic animal welfare crisis facing koalas in southwest Victoria that has been unfolding for decades. The root cause being rampant habitat loss and the relentless expansion of the blue gum plantation industry. With their natural habitat diminished, koalas are left with nowhere safe to go," IFAW said last week, before launching a petition for an inquiry to address "Victoria's shameful secret". "We are strongly supportive of calls for an independent review of management plans designed to protect koalas in private timber plantations," HWFA added. Koalas have regularly become overabundant in Budj Bim, resulting in the need for regular health assessments and euthanasia. In 2022, a DEECA-led team performed two medical assessment operations inside the park. During the first, 93 were examined, 28 euthanised, and 53 were given fertility control. The second resulted in 30 of 135 being declared unviable due to welfare concerns. A participant in the health-check program, who spoke to Yahoo on the condition of anonymity, said koala populations regularly boom inside the park after trees across surrounding plantations are cleared. Only small clusters of trees are left for the koalas, forcing them to flee once the leaves run out. DEECA has conceded that "overpopulation in Budj Bim is an ongoing management issue", and there were between 1 and 1.5 koalas per hectare in the fire zone. Environment minister Steve Dimopoulos is yet to directly address Yahoo's questions about the welfare of koalas in the southwest, or the euthanasia program at Budj Bim. The only planned response Yahoo is aware of is a standard post-incident review by DEECA that will assess the successes and failings of the euthanasia program. But for many animal lovers, this internal review is simply not enough. Over 1,600 people are calling for an independent inquiry, and more than 21,000 people have signed a petition. 'Without warning, and without public consultation [DEECA] has authorised the aerial and ground-based shooting of koalas, claiming the animals were suffering due to lack of food after recent bushfires. Yet this brutal decision was made behind closed doors — and we, the public, were never supposed to find out,' the latter petition states. This week, the Liberal Party renewed calls for the government to publicly release all documents that led to its aerial shooting response. DEECA's chief biodiversity officer James Todd described the response to the Budj Bim fire as long, emotional and difficult'. He said the decision to proceed with euthanasia wasn't taken lightly, and only went ahead after approval from wildlife experts and vets. 'It was clear from early on that most fire-impacted koalas were in areas simply unsafe and virtually impossible for ground crews to access in a timely manner, which is why we took the decision to conduct aerial assessments and shooting where deemed necessary to remove koala pain and suffering,' he said. DEECA has since reassessed the health of koalas at Budj Bim, and found the 'overall state' of populations in the fire-impacted area had 'significantly improved'. To help support the remaining koalas, the agency is undertaking a program of invasive predator control. And the state government confirmed with Yahoo it will provide $1 million through its BushBank program to revegetate areas of private land adjacent to Budj Bim to provide koalas with additional habitat. But despite these programs and the massive loss of koala life, DEECA appears to expect ongoing health issues will continue at Budj Bim into the future. 'Ground crews will continue to do monitoring for some time, and longer-term, land managers will continue to do important health checks to support a sustainable population in the park,' Todd said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Photos expose fresh blow after 1,061 koalas shot in national park: 'Sad truth'
Over 23,000 people are calling for more transparency from government about a growing problem facing koalas. There are calls for an independent iquiry into the welfare of koalas living in plantations across Victoria's southwest. Source: Jessica Robertson Preparations are underway to reopen an Australian national park where more than 1,000 koalas were 'euthanised' after a bushfire swept through in early March, causing injuries and food shortages. After Yahoo News revealed koalas were being shot from helicopters, the story was reported around the world, including the US, UK, India, Japan, South Korea and across Europe. But local animal advocates have now revealed populations of these iconic marsupials living across the surrounding region face an even bigger problem than fire. Koala Alliance president Jessica Robertson visited Victoria's southwest on the weekend, surveying the perimeter of World Heritage-listed Budj Bim where the 'cull' occurred. Her most immediate concern is that private blue gum plantations continue to be harvested in the surrounding area, further impacting food availability. 'If DEECA (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) is worried about koala welfare, they would stop the harvesting until a better solution can be found," she said. "We can't go on with business as usual, because it's creating endless suffering.' ADVERTISEMENT Over 40,000 koalas are estimated to live in blue gum plantations around Victoria, and these feed trees cover over 100,000 hectares in the southwest. Photos taken by Robertson highlight how the marsupials are regularly left homeless after their habitat trees are felled. They're then forced to relocate to protected areas like Budj Bim where they are already overpopulated. Related: Fear for joeys as Australia guns down koalas While there are management plans that govern koala welfare as plantations are harvested, critics say they need to be reviewed. Source: Jessica Robertson 'Sad truth' behind koala deaths Robertson's grassroots advocacy group, along with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Humane World for Animals, the Greens and the Animal Justice Party, are calling for an independent investigation into long-running concerns about koala management across the southwest. "The sad truth behind these shocking headlines... is the ongoing chronic animal welfare crisis facing koalas in southwest Victoria that has been unfolding for decades. The root cause being rampant habitat loss and the relentless expansion of the blue gum plantation industry. With their natural habitat diminished, koalas are left with nowhere safe to go," IFAW said last week, before launching a petition for an inquiry to address "Victoria's shameful secret". ADVERTISEMENT "We are strongly supportive of calls for an independent review of management plans designed to protect koalas in private timber plantations," HWFA added. Koalas have regularly become overabundant in Budj Bim, resulting in the need for regular health assessments and euthanasia. In 2022, a DEECA-led team performed two medical assessment operations inside the park. During the first, 93 were examined, 28 euthanised, and 53 were given fertility control. The second resulted in 30 of 135 being declared unviable due to welfare concerns. A participant in the health-check program, who spoke to Yahoo on the condition of anonymity, said koala populations regularly boom inside the park after trees across surrounding plantations are cleared. Only small clusters of trees are left for the koalas, forcing them to flee once the leaves run out. DEECA has conceded that "overpopulation in Budj Bim is an ongoing management issue", and there were between 1 and 1.5 koalas per hectare in the fire zone. How many koalas were shot after the fire? On Wednesday, DEECA confirmed with Yahoo only one animal was rescued and taken into care, while 1,061 were euthanised. ADVERTISEMENT 'Since early March, 2,219 koalas have been assessed by both ground and aerial teams, with 48 per cent identified as suffering severe injuries and burns from the bushfire and required humane euthanasia to relieve unnecessary suffering,' it said in a statement. When koala feed trees at private plantations are harvested, the koalas are forced to relocate to Budj Bim, worsening population issues. Source: Jessica Robertson Why are 21,000 people calling for transparency? Environment minister Steve Dimopoulos is yet to directly address Yahoo's questions about the welfare of koalas in the southwest, or the euthanasia program at Budj Bim. The only planned response Yahoo is aware of is a standard post-incident review by DEECA that will assess the successes and failings of the euthanasia program. But for many animal lovers, this internal review is simply not enough. Over 1,600 people are calling for an independent inquiry, and more than 21,000 people have signed a petition. ADVERTISEMENT 'Without warning, and without public consultation [DEECA] has authorised the aerial and ground-based shooting of koalas, claiming the animals were suffering due to lack of food after recent bushfires. Yet this brutal decision was made behind closed doors — and we, the public, were never supposed to find out,' the latter petition states. This week, the Liberal Party renewed calls for the government to publicly release all documents that led to its aerial shooting response. What's the future for the surviving koalas? DEECA's chief biodiversity officer James Todd described the response to the Budj Bim fire as long, emotional and difficult'. He said the decision to proceed with euthanasia wasn't taken lightly, and only went ahead after approval from wildlife experts and vets. 'It was clear from early on that most fire-impacted koalas were in areas simply unsafe and virtually impossible for ground crews to access in a timely manner, which is why we took the decision to conduct aerial assessments and shooting where deemed necessary to remove koala pain and suffering,' he said. DEECA has since reassessed the health of koalas at Budj Bim, and found the 'overall state' of populations in the fire-impacted area had 'significantly improved'. To help support the remaining koalas, the agency is undertaking a program of invasive predator control. And the state government confirmed with Yahoo it will provide $1 million through its BushBank program to revegetate areas of private land adjacent to Budj Bim to provide koalas with additional habitat. But despite these programs and the massive loss of koala life, DEECA appears to expect ongoing health issues will continue at Budj Bim into the future. 'Ground crews will continue to do monitoring for some time, and longer-term, land managers will continue to do important health checks to support a sustainable population in the park,' Todd said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New company to provide bus travel around Purdue's campus starting in fall, replacing CityBus
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After 25 years of using Lafayette-based CityBus to move students and staff around campus, Purdue trustees have approved a $7.8 million, three-year contract with a new campus transportation provider beginning in the fall. Jessica Robertson, associate vice president of auxiliary services for Purdue, told trustees at their meeting Friday morning that the new company, SP+, based out of Chicago, will offer more flexibility and be focused on campus needs. "SP+ brings decades of experience in bringing transit services to higher education and corporate clients and bring an elevated experience to our campus," she said, emphasizing the company's use of technology, including artificial intelligence and an app for students, staff and faculty to use in navigating campus. Several student groups were involved in narrowing the eight proposals, she said; SP+ is able to call on vehicles of various sizes, increase frequency and be more adaptable. Trustees approved the contract unanimously. Steven Poulsen, SP+ national director of transportation, said his company has operated not only on other college campuses, but also provided transportation for hospital campuses, the NFL and the last 23 Super Bowls. The company's fleet, which he said would be dedicated solely to the university's needs, can encompass 15 to an average of 65 vehicles. "We've had a lot of communication with different groups on campus. We've spent a lot of time literally driving around campus looking at what's going on," he said. "I'm not here to throw anyone literally under the proverbial bus, but things can be improved, and we're very excited about the opportunity." The company is looking at using technology to allow students to schedule their transportation, which would be free to anyone with a Purdue ID. The number of vehicles and routes can adjust based on need, Poulsen said. The company has two potential local sites in mind at which to store its fleet, ideally no more than 10 minutes from campus. Now that the contract has been approved, those decisions can be finalized between now and when service officially begins Aug. 25. "Hopefully, the difference is, 'Wow, it's on time!' 'Wow, it's comfy!' 'Wow, it looks great!'" Poulsen said of current bus service and what his company intends to offer. Students living off campus, though, would have free transportation on campus, but what the transportation options are for those forced to live off campus is murky. The SP+ contract does not include off-campus transportation. 'We appreciate the many years of collaboration with Purdue University and the opportunity to have served generations of students,' CityBus CEO Bryan Smith said in a release after Friday's meeting. 'CityBus will continue to provide reliable, safe, and accessible transit options for all members of our community, including those affiliated with Purdue University.' Campus Loop service routes 13C Silver Loop, 14C Black Loop, 15C Tower Acres and the 16C Bronze Loop will be discontinued, CityBus said, but the public transportation authority will continue providing "essential mobility options for Purdue affiliates" to provide connections between campus and the broader community. "CityBus' existing route network throughout West Lafayette will continue to serve key areas of campus, allowing Purdue affiliates to access residential areas, shopping centers, medical facilities, and employment hubs with ease," the release said. "Additionally, route 23 The Connector will remain a fare-free option for all connecting campus and the downtown districts, supporting local businesses and ensuring mobility." CityBus will remain open to future partnership opportunities with Purdue, the release said. "Transportation is usually the first thing someone interacts with," Poulsen told the trustees, "and it's the last." Reporter Jillian Ellison contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue trustees OK $7.8M contract for new campus bus company in fall
