The prison warden circulated a note to inmates asking for suggestions on the kind of party they’d recommend for his 25th anniversary. The prisoners all had the same idea: Open house! Christmas is the season when many people have “open house” parties. But “open house” is misnamed, isn’t it? When you plan an open house, […]

“A Christmas Story,” one of the most popular Christmas movies, has an Alabama connection. Melinda Dillon, who played Ralphie’s mother in the film, was raised in Cullman. The movie is about one young boy named Ralphie who wants the “Holy Grail” of Christmas gifts, an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle, with […]

Let there be lights! And a Chelsea family had the best and brightest to win “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” The Cloutiers, whose displays are legendary in the Birmingham area, came out on top in the ABC TV competition. For Ricky Cloutier, it’s more than a source of pride. He said he enjoys seeing the […]

If ever you have the chance to visit Athens, Alabama, please do.  For seven wonderful years I was blessed to serve as Pastor of First Baptist Church in Athens.  I love the place dearly. No visit to Athens would be complete without viewing the courthouse.  The courthouse was built at the turn of the last […]

Rural Alabama is home to many skilled and creative artisans, whose work shines brightly during the holiday season. From intricate woodwork to inventive fragrance blends, their products are popular gifts for Christmas and other occasions throughout the year. “There’s an intriguing mix of natural outdoor beauty and modern innovation of entrepreneurial-minded residents in our rural […]

Nearly 200 United Methodist churches have voted to leave the denomination at a time when differing views on LGBTQ topics have shaken the church. The churches, 198 of them, were part of the 638-member North Alabama Conference which reaches from north of Montgomery to the Tennessee state line. To bring about disaffiliation, churches had to […]

A new Alabama Public Television documentary explores the life and legacy of an unrelenting freedom fighter who inspired liberation movements all over the world. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth, APT is premiering an original film about Birmingham civil rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 20. Shuttlesworth: Forged by Fire. Guided by Faith. features […]

My Uncle George was a big man. He stood about 6-foot-6 and when asked his weight, he would reply with a booming voice, “I weigh 300 and plenty!” I don’t recall anyone pressing the question any further. He made a good living servicing the maintenance needs of factories, bus shops, and farmers. His favorite customers […]

He started out as a smart aleck. Robert Bailey sat through his law school classes wondering if his professors could succeed in an actual court of law. After becoming a lawyer, Bailey wrote an 800-page thriller about an aging professor called to work a trial. After honing it down to the real kernels of the […]

The garden on the rooftop of the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center at Auburn University does more than provide food and adornments for guests of its signature restaurant, 1856 – Culinary Residence, The Laurel Hotel & Spa and Ariccia Cucina Italiana. In fact, the 4,400-square-foot garden on the Walt and Ginger Woltosz Rooftop Terrace, […]

Think outside the gift box this holiday season. From adrenaline-pumping adventures to high-end entertainment, the ways to experience Alabama are vast and varied, and they also make a perfect Christmas present. Here’s a twist on a “Made in Alabama” holiday gift guide, because there’s nothing you can put under the tree. But these Alabama experiences […]

86 years have passed since Alabama native Jesse Owens enshrined his name in history after displaying a historical performance at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. The 22-year-old Owens took stage in Nazi Germany representing the United States amidst global media coverage and ongoing struggles for Civil Rights. It was at this pivotal time in history […]

I heard so many people talking about a TV streaming series but never had time to acquaint myself with it until COVID hit. I’m blessed with unusually good health but tested positive last Christmas. The doctor told me to stay at home for a week. As President Obama famously said, I had a phone and […]

A $2 million commitment from alumnus Ari Deshe and wife Ann kicks off the University of Alabama’s $4 million fundraising campaign to renovate Mary Hewell Alston Hall, home of the Culverhouse College of Business. The campaign to renovate Alston Hall will modernize the 30-year-old building. The Deshes’ commitment includes $1.1 million to the Alston Hall renovation, $400,000 […]

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame songwriting legend Mike Stoller says he wants to help honor Alabama native Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, who made a hit of the now-classic “Hound Dog.” Stoller and songwriting partner Jerry Leiber wrote the song for her seven decades ago when the two men were still teenagers. Thornton, a native of […]

Donna Jackson considers herself a “daddy’s girl.” “My father was an electrician, and I followed him everywhere. I was wiring houses by the time I was 5 years old,” said Jackson, whose passion evolved to wiring computers. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Jamie Whitehead grew up intrigued with his mother’s ability to […]

Alabama’s rural and traditionally economically deprived Appalachian region has benefited from increased investment of late. This injection of funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has served to enhance the quality of life in Alabama communities and create value for local economies. To demonstrate the impact ARC has had in the Yellowhammer State, the Alabama […]

Springville-based Big Oak Girls’ Ranch recently dedicated two homes to provide stable, Christian environments for children in need. Around six to eight girls will reside in the Mark & Liz Vorsatz Home and the Neugent-Mouron Home, from which the nonprofit, operated by the Croyle family, will give the children hope and belonging. More than 200 […]

It was an interesting editorial on a Christian news site. The writer, a pastor, made the unilateral decision to remove the American flag from his church’s worship center. He said the flag promoted “Christian nationalism” and was inappropriate since ultimate allegiance belongs to the Lord. He insisted the flag was in competition with the church’s […]

Long before flashing amber lights flashed to warn drivers of road hazards, we had smudge pots. They had various brand names such as Flambo, but the common name was just a smudge pot. It was a common name for the least noble of all traffic engineering equipment. The smudge pot stands about 8 inches tall, […]

He spoke to local ministers a few weeks ago and shared some of his experiences as a pastor in an Atlanta suburb. For some reason he decided the church needed to remove “Baptist” from their title, though he didn’t tell us why. Since the church had a congregational form of government, he called them into […]

The magic of the holidays can be found on Alabama stages. Here are five must-see holiday performances happening across the state in December: Fantasy Playhouse presents “A Christmas Carol” in Huntsville Dec. 2-4, 9-11 Cirque Dreams Holidaze in Birmingham Dec. 9-10 Mobile Symphony Orchestra: A Cinematic Christmas in Mobile Dec. 10-11 Trans-Siberian Orchestra: “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” in […]

Each November, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is home to some of the cutest little turkeys around. Most of the families in UAB Hospital’s Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RNICU) will be spending the holidays away from home and other family members. But UAB’s tiniest patients will still be ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in handmade turkey costumes thanks to […]

For 50 years, Northwest-Shoals Community College (NW-SCC) has been training nurses to serve the people of Alabama and beyond. In November the college invited its nursing graduates, community members and those who have benefited from the caring hands of NW-SCC alumni back to its Phil Campbell campus to celebrate the milestone. For Ann Bales, a 1976 […]