Magic City Blight Busters (MCBB), a program developed by Birmingham United Neighborhoods (BUN), hosted a community cleanup July 11 in the Fountain Heights neighborhood. Established in 2018 by representatives from eight Birmingham neighborhoods – Belview Heights, Druid Hills, Fountain Heights, North Titusville, Riley, Rising-West Princeton, South Titusville and West Goldwire – BUN seeks to improve neighborhood health through […]

When people in the Mobile area contact the United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) for income tax assistance, the volunteer who helps them will either be Brad Martin or someone he trained. “We prepare and file federal and state returns for low-income families and individuals, persons with disabilities and persons with limited English-speaking proficiency,” Martin said. “My […]

Chef Clayton Sherrod knows that what makes a good jambalaya is the harmonious balance of the various ingredients melding together to make something greater than they make by themselves. Addressing issues like social injustice, political divisions and separations brought on by a global pandemic may not be as simple as following a jambalaya recipe. But […]

When Alabama shut down in April to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Lorine Askew and her four daughters did their best to keep their two restaurants’ doors open, even though it was a struggle for their families. “Like everybody else, we were affected by the shutdown,” said Askew. “But we never gave up because we […]

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) on Thursday announced the “Feed Your Adventure — Flavors of the Black Belt Trail” campaign. A release explained that the campaign features nine themed trails which feature “a bounty of cold drinks, good eats, and back road treats created by the locals across the Black Belt.” The full brochure […]

Students from Jefferson Davis High School Marching Band in Montgomery had their “America’s Got Talent” performance air on NBC last Tuesday night. The group, led by Band Director Brandon Howard, had become something of a phenomenon on the internet after clips of the group performing were widely shared. Driving interest has been Justin Heideman, the […]

A global pandemic did not stop Thomas Franklin Vaughns, a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, from celebrating his 100th birthday on Sunday. Local outlets reported that Vaughns was joined by family, friends and members of his community for a drive-by parade past his house. Video footage of the celebration can be seen here. Vaughns […]

One of America’s largest egg producers donated 280,800 eggs to help feed Alabama’s least fortunate citizens last week. The donation was made by Cal-Maine foods, founded and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, a company that by some measures accounts for a quarter of all egg consumption in the United States. Cal-Maine operates a facility in the […]

A man from Alabama’s Rocket City completed last week a 1,000-mile walk from his hometown to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in honor of George Floyd and the larger struggle for racial equality in America. Terry Willis has used the publicity from his march to help raise tens of thousands of dollars via a GoFundMe page. He says […]

Sisters Allie Corcoran and Cassie Young loved growing up on a farm in Eufaula, but once they left home and earned their degrees at Auburn University, they realized their hearts were still at the family farm. “I always knew I wanted to come home and be part of the farm, but I didn’t know where I […]

Sportscasting is a tough business for anyone, but has been traditionally even more difficult for women. That’s why the change in direction for Rachel Baribeau won’t make sense … until you hear her explain it. “I am always evolving – as a woman, as a queen, as a daughter and a friend and as a […]

Just about everybody likes dogs. Even virtual dogs. At UAB Hospital, dogs from Hand in Paw are used as therapy for patients and health care workers alike. So what happens when the novel coronavirus pandemic shuts down in-person visitation from Hand in Paw’s volunteer humans and dogs? You take the show on the road virtually, via telemedicine. […]

Brock Murphy was enjoying spring break on the Gulf Coast with friends, briefly leaving behind the worries of starting a new business. Burn Nutrition opened its doors Feb. 1, and the owner/operator of Auburn’s latest health café needed some time to unwind. Then COVID-19 changed everything. “It was tough,” recalled Murphy, a junior in the Department of Supply […]

Lynn Morris of Talladega was especially motivated to be among the first customers at the Presbyterian Home for Children’s inaugural three-day summer sale today. She and her husband, Terry, have served as foster parents for children taken in by the Home’s program for homeless children and know firsthand the value of the ministry. “It’s concern about […]

From the ever-expanding Red Rock Trail System to protecting the habitat of the endangered vermilion darter on Turkey Creek, the Freshwater Land Trust both cares and caretakes. “We own and manage 7,000 acres of Alabama land,” Executive Director Rusha Smith said. “We visit that land on a regular basis to ensure nothing negative is affecting the water species, the flora, fauna […]

While live performances and instruction on the University of Alabama campus are paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UA Department of Theatre and Dance is releasing weekly performances and lessons through two new video series. “In an effort to remain connected to our audiences, the chair and associate chairs of the department began brainstorming ways we could stay […]

The Book Rack, an Anniston institution that was set to close after almost 45 years, opened a new chapter July 1 as “Jo’s Book Rack.” Patricia Hancock bought the store five years ago as part of a lifelong dream she finally fulfilled in retirement. Now that Hancock is retiring again, she is “jumping for joy” […]

Across the country, people enjoy lighting fireworks to celebrate our nation’s birthday each Fourth of July. While gathering in large groups to watch fireworks shows may not occur this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, families and socially distant groups can still safely enjoy the holiday. Follow these tips to stay safe while using fireworks:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is asking the University of North Alabama (UNA) to send their live mascot, Leo III, to an off-campus sanctuary. Leo’s twin sister, Una, passed away earlier this week. The two lions have lived at the George H. Carroll Lion Habitat on the UNA campus since 2003. In […]

The central Alabama city of Wetumpka has been selected to receive a renovation courtesy of the HGTV program “Home Town Takeover.” The program will be hosted by Ben and Erin Napier, who have previously hosted several seasons of the show “Home Town” in which they renovate a single house. The Napier’s new project in Alabama […]

Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. recently participated in a national challenge to feed frontline heroes across the United States. A release from Shunnarah’s firm outlined that many essential workers are frequently working long hours while risking their own health and safety during these difficult times — so the firm wanted to do something to […]

The best of Alabama — and America — was on display under the biggest cactus in T-Town this week. Taco Casa of Tuscaloosa on Monday shared a video showing the moment one of its employees found out that an anonymous customer gifted him a car. The employee had recently lost his method of transportation but […]

Alabama’s Lake Guntersville was ranked No. 2 in Bassmaster Magazine’s “Best Bass Lakes of the Decade” list released on Tuesday. Bassmaster has released annual rankings of the country’s best bass fisheries since 2012. However, 2020 rankings were not compiled because tournament data could not be gathered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the publication crunched […]

Bonnie George is a hero in her workplace, in her community and across borders. George, a customer service representative (CSR) in Alabama Power’s Pell City Office, has worked for the company for 15 years. “We help our customers, the people that live in the community,” George said. “I like talking to people. I like knowing that […]