The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation has routinely made the Christian faith shared by most Alabamians the focus of lawsuits against small towns, school systems and the state itself. This time, just days before Christmas, their most recent demand is over “snacks and water” at Southside High School in Etowah County. According to the out-of-state […]

Former Alabama All-American and current Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly and wife, Emma, have been through tragedy together. They suffered a miscarriage and the loss of their daughter Mary Katherine. But just over a year later, the Kellys were blessed with Duke and Ford, their twin boys. Ryan and Emma opened up about their journey […]

Bomb threats were emailed to six of the seven Jewish congregations in Central Alabama over the weekend, according to the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama. The synagogues that received threats were the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama itself, along with Temple Mishkan Israel in Selma, Temple Emanu-El in Dothan, Temple Beth Or in Montgomery, Jewish […]

The Heart of Dixie offers some of the South’s best hospitality. Recently, WorldAtlas, an educational geography, environment, and current events website, named seven of Alabama’s towns as the most welcoming in the entire state. “These seven welcoming small towns of Alabama radiate a warm and inviting feel, resonating with genuine hospitality. Placed amid stunning landscapes […]

In a show of solidarity with Birmingham’s Jewish community, leaders in Mountain Brook helped host the community’s first official menorah lighting ceremony on Friday. The event comes on the heels a drastic increase in antisemitism throughout the United States. RELATED: Alabama lawmakers condemn rise in antisemitism – ‘deeply concerning’ One of the organizers of the […]

We all live in the moment. Every second of every day we are all making little decisions that cumulatively define you and who you are. Your life and what you achieve or not in this life is a composite of all the little decisions that you make minute to minute. While we all live in […]

Rick Karle of WVTM 13 often finds some of the best and most heartwarming, and sometimes shocking stories across Alabama. His most recent involves a Trussville, Alabama Santa Claus and a little girl who lost her mother. Wayne Lane, a local Santa for 15 years, was sitting in a Trussville Waffle House when he was […]

As an extreme local drought, debilitating interest rates, and declining commodity prices hit farms across Alabama in the early 1980’s, Ricky Wiggins found himself in the crosshairs of the agricultural disruption that closed farms across the country. One evening during that difficult time period, Wiggins said that he turned to God for guidance. “I was […]

An area praised for its charming historical architecture, Decatur is a lovely Northern Alabama city with a bevy of traditions and celebrations during the holiday season. The homes found within Decatur’s historic districts are steeped in a rich history with some boasting broad historical significance, and the winter season brings with it the opportunity for residents and […]

From rubble will rise EARTH. The East Alabama Rural Innovation & Training Hub (EARTH), which will be constructed on the historic Avondale Mills site, will offer the same promises as its predecessor. “The site years ago is where people originally found opportunity, hope, work, and learning. Today’s world still begs for the same things. EARTH will answer […]

Every year at midnight on Thanksgiving Day, the Christmas season begins. Every city has its own holiday traditions that make the Christmas season special. Birmingham has one that’s hard to miss. One of those uniquely Birmingham Christmas traditions for many years has been the giant light up Christmas scenes that are displayed every year on […]

We cut our Christmas tree today.  Denise, my bride of 41 years, and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Springfields’ Christmas Tree farm. Even when we lived in Atlanta, we always made the trip back to Springfield’s to cut our tree. I always let our two children ride in the back of my old […]

It is late September, the year is 1777. The Congress of the states who recently declared independence from the British is meeting in a town called York, a hundred miles from Philadelphia. Why were they meeting there? Well, September had been a brutal month for General George Washington and his army. After losing the Battle of Brandywine in […]

Keeping with a tradition that goes all the way back to 1971, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians will celebrate their 51st Annual Pow Wow at the tribe’s reservation in Atmore, Alabama on November 23 and 24. Coinciding with Native American Heritage Month, the annual event offers a powerful showcase of the Tribe’s cultural heritage. […]

The Alabama Supreme Court has agreed to consider an ongoing legal dispute involving the Harvest Church in Dothan, Alabama.  Harvest Church, one of Dothan’s largest churches, filed a lawsuit in November of 2022 seeking a restraining order against the United Methodist Church’s Alabama-West Florida District.  The 2022 lawsuit expressed fears that the United Methodist Church […]

Author Tom Greene recently wrote about a hidden issue in society, encouraging men to make and maintain friendships. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that social isolation and loneliness have become widespread problems in the United States, posing a serious threat to our mental and physical health. The CDC reports that loneliness costs the US […]

When the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade steps off next week, the Alabama A&M Marching Maroon and White will be front and center. Literally. The AAMU marching band has been selected as the lead band in this year’s parade. And Band Director Dr. Carlton Wright said the MM&W will be in peak form for the opportunity […]

Alabama Power is committed to supporting veterans, valuing their sacrifices on Veterans Day and beyond. The company’s dedication extends throughout the year, with programs and initiatives designed to support veterans’ professional growth and smooth transition into civilian life. Veteran workforce development is an important focus area for Alabama Power, with several pathways and partnerships established to […]

The Soul of the South was on full display last week.  SoulGrown, a publication on the forefront of the culture, beauty and ingenuity of Alabama and those who tell its story, honored a handful of the creators who make life better for everyone in the state. “These are people who love our land, grow our […]

I finished my master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1987. In 2003, I finished my doctorate in education from the same. Along the way I earned all the hours for an Ed,S, at the University of Alabama and a doctorate in ministry as well. All that just means that I am a […]

Alabama Power Service Organization volunteers assisted in cleaning up Noccalula Falls Park by clearing trash and erasing graffiti from rock formations. Teaming up with the Southeastern Climbers Coalition during the fall season, 25 APSO members from Alabama Power’s Eastern Division worked to improve the park’s environment, particularly for climbers. SCC’s Kate Hanes, who directed the […]

Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell was featured in an episode of “The Daniel Dilemma” taught by Pastor Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands, broadcast on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The series looks at the life of the prophet Daniel and tackles an issue many Christians currently face: How believers can stay close to […]

My grandfather had a dug well beside his home with a concrete pipe fitted vertically atop.  On top of the concrete pipe, that was about three feet in diameter and stood about as high, rested a wooden lid.  Some of my earliest memories are of being warned about that well. Rightfully, my parents and grandparents […]

High atop Lookout Mountain, above Fort Payne, cradled in hardwoods, hides Camp Comer. Most of her alumni just call her “Comer.” She isn’t visible from the main road that travels along the ridgeline of Lookout Mountain. However, if you turn off the county road and pass beneath the silver archway to good camping, after driving […]