Blake Shelton’s Best Year Yet, Bill Cosby Pleads Not Guilty, Released on Bail + More

Despite it being the year he divorced fellow country super star Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton says 2015 was the best year of his life. He doesn’t reveal exactly what made 2015 so memorable but told Country Countdown USA, “Sometimes you don’t know who’s in your life that can save you. I found some people in my life that have changed my life forever. Some has been bad and some that’s been pretty good."

Shelton, who is expected to release a new single in January and album in May also said, “I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, and that’s put all I’ve gone through and put it into music, and I never felt more connected to a record before. When people hear this record, they may not know what happened to me, but they’re gonna know how I felt about it. And that’s exciting for me, to just lay it out there for people."

The Texas Open Carry law goes into effect tomorrow allowing residents legally allowed to wear holstered handguns openly in the new year. Nearly four percent of residents in Texas have a handgun license according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Other big changes are coming for 2016 in Hawaii where they will be the first state to raise the legal smoking age to 21.

Congrats to former Auburn and current Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton who announced that he and his long term girlfriend Kia Proctor are the proud new parents of a baby boy.

Staying in the land of football, Clemson confirmed yesterday that three of their players were sent home this week ahead of today’s Orange Bowl because of violating team rules. Multiple news outlets are reporting the three failed drug tests.

Prior to yesterday, Bill Cosby was the source of allegations and accusations regarding sexual misconduct, but yesterday he was officially charged with felony sexual assault stemming from a 2004 incident in Pennsylvania. Cosby has since been released on $1 Million bond after pleading ‘not guilty.’

Celebrity Birthdays December 31:
Anthony Hopkins 78
Psy  38
Val Kilmer 56
Nicholas Sparks 50
Craig Wayne Boyd 37