Whether at a grill or at a poker table – or with a bow or golf club – more than 1,700 people lent their efforts this spring to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama to help fight breast cancer. The CahabaQue BBQ Cook-Off on April 9, followed by Pink Palace Casino Night on April 23, the […]

I met her at a conference where we were assigned to the same table. She was bubbling with excitement about her church. “It’s changed my life and my family’s life,” she said. “We can’t wait ‘til Sundays come!” Her enthusiasm was refreshing to hear. But then she puzzled me when she told me where she […]

A nutty scent fills the sunlit back room of an old schoolhouse, right outside Greensboro’s downtown. It’s the commercial kitchen of Abadir’s and all is quiet and still; the only movement is Sarah Cole rolling out her toasty tahini cookie dough. (The warming tahini of a batch already in the oven is providing the roasting-nut perfume.) Most […]

In the immediate aftermath of a snakebite, a natural question is “Will I die?” Dr. William Rushton is co-founder of UAB’s Comprehensive Snakebite Program. The cutting-edge program offers state-of-the-art treatment and follow-up. (UAB) The answer is, very likely, no, even if the snake is venomous. Only about five people die per year from snakebite in […]

If a high note breaks your beer glass, it’s not the alcohol singing—it’s Opera Shots. Far from the stodgy image of the large woman in a Viking helmet, this progressive opera company takes opera to the street, the bar, and the brewery. Opera Birmingham showcases its singers before unsuspecting audiences who get a sip of […]

The four finalists at the recent 7th annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off at The Lodge at Gulf State Park gave the five esteemed judges a difficult task in determining who will represent the state in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans. With a variety of creative dishes to sample, the judges voted the more […]

The Rev. Bill Greason fought on Iwo Jima as a Montford Marine during World War II. After the war, he became an ace starter for the Birmingham Black Barons from 1948 to 1950. In 1948, he won two games in the playoffs against the Kansas City Monarchs, helping the Black Barons win the Negro American League […]

It used to be said that we had more Baptists than kudzu in Alabama. Now there are a few less since I bade farewell to three on the same day. A Baptist girl whom I had baptized, along with her mother, had a Roman Catholic wedding a few days ago. She took the faith of […]

When Lindsey Christina walks the grounds at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, she often finds “little pieces of art” that have escaped notice or simply been forgotten. “I find things in sheds, in closets, under the viaduct,” she said. “I found an old rusty coin in the gravel on the road the other day, and it was a […]

“We were just stupid enough or crazy enough to think we could actually do it,” says Gary Jones, president of the Alabama Theatre Organ Society. “We knew we had to do it.” To most of us, the Alabama Theater is a masterpiece of Moorish design, velvet seats, and a massive stage. It is where we […]

The U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer said only minutes remained before he reached the point of no return. Kevin Olmstead of Fairhope, a veteran angler and fishing guide for more than 20 years, had been in the water in Mississippi Sound for 10 hours after being dumped overboard by a wave as he tried to […]

The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery, known to locals as “The Kelly,” recently announced its partnership with the Smoot Harris family and City of Wetumpka to offer a premier wildlife arts festival in downtown Wetumpka this fall. The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival (WEWA) will be a cumulation and celebration of wildlife and field sports through the […]

Leanna Rae lives in a place that is overwhelmed by darkness, and being a follower of Christ there is not easy. She has decided that she will be a bold follower of Jesus, regardless of what it looks like to the world around her. Leanna is a Portland businesswoman and a missionary who has traveled […]

An American flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol has begun a 44-day journey across the country from Washington, D.C., to Birmingham for “The Team RWB Old Glory Relay to The World Games 2022 presented by Airbus.” During the relay, thousands of military veterans will have a chance to carry the same American flag […]

The stories of eight heroes soared in Montgomery Tuesday at the Air Command and Staff College’s Gathering of Eagles (GOE) program. The Gathering of Eagles Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that supports the GOE program with a mission to “Honor Heritage, Serve Community and Forge Futures.” It provides scholarships to youths in and around Alabama’s River Region to attend programs […]

Walk around any pop-up farmer stand or permanent site like the Montgomery Curb Market, and you’ll see the full bounty of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other plants that Alabama farmers grow. But look closer, and you’ll also find state farmers who raise meat—generally beef, pork, and chicken but also lamb, turkey, and other livestock. Where […]

I thought of it a few days ago when the Southern Baptist Convention determined to move their 2023 annual meeting from Charlotte to New Orleans. It reminded me about the time William got so distraught over the SBC meeting in Las Vegas—the “Sin City” of the West. My wife and I used to attend the […]

The open road: a temptress that calls to every soul eager to explore. In Alabama, few things top a spring drive through the countryside. Dense forest highways spill into a coastline of creamy white sands. When the moment calls and the horizon beckons, adventure can be found on one of these scenic routes along the […]

Chef Sedesh Boodram is from Trinidad and Tobago. He trained in France and has worked with some of the most celebrated chefs in the world. And he’s decided that Birmingham is home. For his first solo concept, The Anvil Pub & Grill in Hoover’s Village at Lee Branch, Boodram drew from his life experiences and love of […]

In 2021, travelers spent over $3.7 billion while visiting the 16 counties of the North Alabama region, representing a 42.8% increase over 2020, according to a report recently released by the Alabama Tourism Department (ATD). The report, “Alabama Tourism Industry Economic Impact 2021”, was conducted for the ATD using a model created by Dr. Keivan […]

Memorial Day weekend not only marks the unofficial beginning of summer but has anglers who love Alabama’s coastal waters excited for the start of red snapper season. Alabama state waters and federal waters will open to private and state-licensed charter vessel anglers for red snapper harvest this Friday, May 27, according to the Alabama Department of […]

Two North American Otters are ready to celebrate World Otter day in Alabama. “Lisa” and “Dot” are a mother/daughter duo who reside at the Montgomery Zoo.  Unfortunately, the events planned for World Otter Day on May 25 have been postponed due to inclement weather, but that won’t stop the busy mammals from having a great […]

Over the last 40 years, former University of Alabama football star Bob Baumhower has grown his Aloha Hospitality group into a successful chain of 14 restaurants in Alabama. It all started with his first restaurant Wings & Things in Tuscaloosa, which he opened with his high school friend Phillip Weaver. At Baumhower’s restaurants, food, southern […]

The baby formula shortage has reached crisis level in recent weeks. While the issue is finally being addressed on a national level, it could take months for shelves to be restocked. For some families, however, that might not be soon enough. Carrie Fleming of Pell City gave birth to her daughter, Lennix, at the end […]