The Alabama Crimson Tide is searching for a new head women’s basketball coach.

Longtime head coach Kristy Curry — who has been in Tuscaloosa since 2013 — took the same job at South Florida, the program announced this week.

https://x.com/Greg_Byrne/status/2036554895029866613

“Coach Curry did a commendable job with our women’s basketball team over the past 13 years leading the program back to the NCAA tournament and winning 20-plus games in each of the last five seasons,” Alabama AD Greg Byrne wrote on X. “We appreciate her contributions and wish her and her family well moving forward. As we begin a national search for our next head coach, Alabama athletics remains committed to the continued growth and investment in women’s basketball.”

Curry took over a dormant Alabama program and brought it back to the NCAA Tournament five times during her tenure, winning four first round games but falling short of the Sweet Sixteen.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Kristy Curry to our Bulls family as the leader of our outstanding women’s basketball program,” South Florida’s Rob Higgins said. “Kristy is a proven winner at the highest levels, with head coaching success across the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. She has guided her teams to the NCAA championship game and built an exceptional resume that includes 16 20-win seasons and 21 postseason appearances over 27 years as a head coach. I’m incredibly excited about the future of South Florida women’s basketball under her leadership.”

As a heavy underdog against Louisville, Curry had Alabama on the brink of the Sweet Sixteen this week, falling 69-68 in an absolute heartbreaker.

Byrne will announce a new hire soon as a national search is now underway.

Birmingham-based Regions Financial Corp. is accelerating its Regions branch expansion, Southeast strategy, planning to build between 135 and 150 new locations over the next five years as competition intensifies across the region, according to Banking Dive.

The move comes as Alabama-based financial institutions continue adapting to growth across the region and evolving customer needs, a trend reflected in previous Yellowhammer News coverage of banking and economic development across the state.

Speaking at a recent investor conference, Regions CEO John Turner said the move shortens a strategy that was originally expected to take seven years, with the possibility of moving even faster depending on how quickly properties can be secured.

The expansion will focus on high-growth markets across Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, while maintaining Regions’ overall branch count at roughly current levels. The bank expects to close approximately the same number of locations as it opens, consolidating some branches as it adapts to shifting population patterns.

Regions currently operates about 1,250 branches across 15 states.

Turner emphasized that even as digital banking evolves, physical branches remain essential for customers seeking guidance—especially during major financial decisions. He added that branches also serve as a key reinforcement of the company’s brand identity.

The strategy prioritizes growth within existing markets, which the company has found to be more profitable than entering entirely new ones.

The accelerated push comes as major financial institutions—including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, PNC Financial Services, Fifth Third Bank and Huntington National Bank—expand their presence across the Southeast alongside regional competitor Truist Financial.

Turner pointed to increasing pressure from JPMorgan, which continues growing its branch network in markets where Regions already operates. Federal data shows JPMorgan currently has 14 branches in Alabama and is working toward a goal of 35 statewide by 2030.

In response, Regions is leaning into its “hometown bank” identity, focusing on building long-term customer relationships rather than simply expanding deposits.

While much of the expansion activity will occur outside Alabama, the strategy reinforces Regions’ role as a Birmingham-headquartered institution competing for market share across a rapidly evolving Southern banking landscape.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.

Alabama is expected to become home to small modular nuclear reactors as part of a $40 billion U.S.-Japan energy partnership announced last week.

The deal, part of a broader $550 billion Japanese investment package tied to a U.S.-Japan trade agreement, calls for GE Vernova-Hitachi to deploy BWRX-300 small modular reactors in Alabama and Tennessee.

The dormant Bellefonte Nuclear Plant in Hollywood, roughly 45 miles east of Huntsville, is the expected Alabama site for the project.

The combined Alabama and Tennessee initiative targets a total electrical capacity of 3 gigawatts — enough to power between 200,000 and 300,000 homes. Each reactor would produce 300 megawatts of power.

The U.S. Department of Commerce said the project aligns with the Trump administration’s energy dominance agenda.

“The groundbreaking commercial deployment of the advanced SMRs in the U.S. will serve as a next-generation stable power source, stabilizing electricity prices for the American people and strengthening US leadership in global technological competition,” the department said in a fact sheet.

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville), whose district includes the Bellefonte site, welcomed the announcement.

“Alabama has a strong history of supporting nuclear energy initiatives, and our second-to-none workforce stands ready to deliver on advanced energy innovation,” Strong said.

The BWRX-300 is a 300-megawatt boiling water reactor designed to be built faster and at lower cost than traditional nuclear plants. The reactors are expected to provide dedicated baseload power for Alabama’s automotive and aerospace manufacturing hubs and help offset the retirement of older coal-fired units.

The Bellefonte site has a long history of stalled nuclear development. The Tennessee Valley Authority began construction there in the 1970s but halted the project in 1988 after a combined $6 billion investment, leaving the plant unfinished.

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at sawyer@yellowhammernews.com.

54 workers at a Dothan cigar manufacturing facility learned this week their jobs are going away, but the global tobacco company closing its doors in Houston County isn’t leaving them empty-handed.

On Wednesday, PMI U.S. announced they will wind down operations in the Wiregrass in the coming months as part of their public health mission to pivot toward a smoke-free future. Roughly 20 employees will stay on to support ongoing needs of the facility and community.

According to the company, all those impacted by the closure will receive a top-notch severance package that includes extended salary continuation, company-paid health insurance for a period after departure, and help finding their next job.

“Everyone impacted will receive strong support,” the company said in a news release today.

Cigars were not actually originally part of PMI’s core business — the Dothan facility came to the company through its 2022 acquisition of Swedish Match, and the site itself has operated as a cigar maker for roughly 25 years.

But today’s announcement is part of a broader shift toward smoke-free, FDA-authorized nicotine products, such as Zyn, which the company says is intended to help the nearly 30 million American adults who still smoke move away from cigarettes.

“The decision to close our manufacturing operations in Dothan reflects our focus on operating efficiently and sustainably across all aspects of our business and on accelerating the growth of our smoke-free business in America,” Peter Luongo, Managing Director of PMI’s cigar business said Wednesday.

“This change does not diminish the pride we have in the work done in Dothan. The dedication, craftsmanship, and teamwork of our colleagues here have had a meaningful impact on our business.”

PMI said its broader U.S. commitment remains unchanged, having invested more than $1 billion in American manufacturing and workforce development since 2022.

The company said those investments are generating thousands of jobs and more than $800 million in annual economic impact nationwide.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) has proposed a new bill which would get a handle on the chaos that the NCAA transfer portal has produced over the last half decade.

This week, Tuberville proposed a bill he is calling the “Student Athlete Act Of 2026” which would prevent athletes from being able to transfer as many times as they want and return to a system where a second transfer would require sitting out a full season.

https://x.com/outkick/status/2036489655864975790?s=46

“The transfer portal has made it easier than ever for athletes to move from one program to another, and repeated transfers have contributed to a system that often resembles unrestricted free agency rather than amateur competition,” Tuberville said.

During an appearance on Outkick, Tuberville spoke about the bill and shared his goals in what it would mean for the future of college athletics, a future that looks more and more precarious by the day.

“Sixty to seventy percent of them (college programs) don’t even look at high school athletes, they look at the portal and say ‘How can we win now? How can we bring players in?’ It’s going to bring the price down on a lot of these players in which to me, it’s ok because they’re going to be making money anyway,” Tuberville said. “I’m all for them making money. But for them to keep selling themselves for $50,000 to $100,000 more, I think it’s creating a huge problem.”

The bill also targets eligibility concerns as athletes increasingly remain in college longer to maximize NIL earnings.

It would give student-athletes a hard five years of eligibility to play five years of intercollegiate athletics, regardless of any sort of injury or hardship request to prevent the endless court cases regarding eligibility.

“I’ve talked to President Trump about it, he knows it and understands it. We can’t get into all the antitrust, the agents, we can’t do that,” Tuberville continued. “That’s gotta be handled by the NCAA. But one thing we can do is stop this transfer every year, and give these kids the chance to get a degree, and one time transfer if they have a death in the family, circumstances or don’t get along with the coaches…But, if you use it, it’s over with. But if you use it, you have to sit out a year, though most of them won’t do that anyway.”

Citing statistics of over 10,000 college football players entering the portal this year alone, Tuberville says the emphasis on education has been completely lost.

“This year alone, in 2026, we’ve had over 10,000 young men get into the transfer portal in college football, that probably will not get a degree when they transfer because once you transfer, it takes forever to get those hours back because most of them don’t transfer,” he said. “So, we’re trying to put education back into college sports, common sense.”

What happens next remains uncertain, but Tuberville’s proposal is promising — and likely to gain broad support from fans if it can clear the necessary hurdles.

Law enforcement activity in multiple Alabama cities is pointing to a broader pattern of enforcement targeting illegal gambling machines, with recent cases in Alexander City and Huntsville highlighting the spread of the devices across a range of locations.

In East Alabama, authorities seized dozens of machines during a multi-agency operation earlier this week. Officers recovered 32 gambling machines and a large amount of cash while executing a search warrant at a business in the 1400 block of Hillabee Street in Alexander City.

The operation involved the Alexander City Police Department, Dadeville Police Department and the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.

Officials said each agency had received multiple complaints about illegal gambling activity at the location.

Investigators confiscated the machines and money as evidence. Authorities also indicated they have received similar complaints about other locations, suggesting the issue may extend beyond a single business.

The investigation remains ongoing, and no immediate arrests were reported.

Recent enforcement actions in North Alabama point to a similar pattern.

In Huntsville, officers executed a separate investigation earlier this year that resulted in the arrest of a 59-year-old man accused of operating an illegal gambling operation from a residence.

Authorities recovered numerous hard drives associated with gambling machines, along with firearms and illegal drugs, according to local reports.

In another Huntsville case, police confiscated illegal gambling machines from a gas station along University Drive, indicating the devices can appear in smaller retail settings as well as larger operations.

Taken together, the incidents illustrate how illegal gambling machines are surfacing across a wide range of environments—from commercial storefronts to private homes and convenience stores—often prompting complaints from the public and triggering coordinated law enforcement responses.

The involvement of multiple agencies, including the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in the Alexander City case, also reflects the broader scope of enforcement efforts when these operations are identified.

Under Alabama law, possession of illegal gambling devices can carry criminal penalties, including fines and potential jail time.

Authorities have not indicated whether additional charges or arrests may follow in the most recent cases, but investigations in multiple jurisdictions remain active.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.

The Alabama Crimson Tide football program announced some major updates to the spring game format, and it sounds like fans are going to be pretty happy with what they hear.

According to a release from the University, full details have been announced regarding the annual event, which will be held on Saturday, April 11 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. After last year’s game was largely a glorified practice in front of an empty crowd, Alabama is returning to the intrasquad scrimmage format.

https://x.com/AlabamaFTBL/status/2036096195609739606

A two-hour scrimmage will begin at 1:00 p.m. CST after gates open at noon, and the annual Walk of Fame ceremony at Denny Chimes will begin at 11 a.m. featuring Kalen DeBoer along with 2025 captains Parker Brailsford, Tim Keenan III, Deontae Lawson and Ty Simpson.

At 12:45 p.m., the 2026 roster will participate in the Walk of Champions leading into Saban Field before the scrimmage begins.

According to the announcement, several modifications have been made to the stadium experience which are as follows:

• Premium Areas Closed: There will be no access to suites or club spaces for A-Day.
• Seating: Seating for A-Day will be available in the lower bowl.
• Limited Concessions: A select number of market pads will be open with a limited menu on the south, east and west sides of levels 1 and 2. Concessions in the north will not be open.
• Crimson Tide Access: There will be no upgraded experience offerings such as locker room tours, reserved seating or parking passes.
• TIDE PRIDE Breakfast/Luncheon: There will be no TIDE PRIDE Breakfast/Luncheon in Coleman Coliseum prior to A-Day.
• Vector Security Champions Lane: The pregame fan fest area will not be in operation on the northwest side of the stadium prior to A-Day.

More info can be found here.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.

The Alabama Crimson Tide is headed back to the Sweet Sixteen after a dominating victory on Sunday night over Texas Tech to reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row.

Nate Oats has ushered in a golden era of hoops in Tuscaloosa and brought Alabama to its most successful run in program history, with potentially no real sign of slowing down.

That does not mean he doesn’t know how difficult it is to win this time of year, and he made sure fans understood that while speaking on Monday during the Hey Coach show.

https://x.com/UA_CTSN/status/2036216422259630577

“This is not easy to do. Please don’t take it for granted,” Oats said of the fourth straight trip ahead of a very tall task against No. 1 seed Michigan. “Let’s get everybody supporting this team any which way we can. We’re gonna give it everything we got. Michigan is not gonna be easy. We’ve been underdogs before in this game. We’ve come out with some big wins in the past. And we’ve lost some of these Sweet 16 games, too.”

“I think our guys will be ready, and we’re gonna have to have an elite coaching performance, elite playing performance. But our guys are ready. Super excited to coach this game.”

The Tide will tip off on Friday evening against Michigan with a third Elite Eight run under Oats on the line, something the program had done just once before his arrival.

It should be a tremendous night of basketball in Chicago, and though Alabama is a massive underdog, fans should heed Oats’ advice and appreciate how far the program has come in less than a decade under the head coach.

Across Alabama, many conservatives are looking at what the Alabama State Republican Party’s Steering Committee is doing and saying it feels like the party is eating its own young.

A steering committee that claims to want growth, openness, and new blood is instead blocking multiple Alabamians from even appearing on the Republican ballot.

This isn’t just contradictory — it’s a complete reversal of the party’s own message that “everyone is welcome” and “we want more people involved.”

I was denied Republican Party ballot access after enduring a vicious and unprofessional hearing by the Alabama Republican Party’s steering committee — a ruse designed to make it look like the process was fair when the decision had already been made beforehand. Nothing I could have said or done in the hearing could have changed their minds.

Instead, candidates are being told “no” behind closed doors by a group that, many say, doesn’t even follow its own bylaws and changes the rules whenever it suits them on a whim.

People who might have run for different offices are now saying, ‘Why bother? The insiders will just block me.’ That’s not healthy for any democracy. If voters feel shut out, they won’t just stay home — they’ll start looking for a third party that actually wants them.

A steering committee that refuses to explain its decisions isn’t protecting the party — it’s protecting incumbents.

And voters see right through it. If incumbents need to be shielded from challengers, maybe the problem isn’t the challenger.

I am not alone as others who were denied ballot access by the ALGOP received letters rejecting their attempt to get on the ballot—and they also have said that they weren’t given a single reason why.

No explanation. No due process. No transparency.

Many see that as clashing directly with the spirit of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees that when your rights are affected, you’re entitled to know why through due process.

Instead, a small group behind closed doors is deciding who gets to run and who gets shut out — and observers say they aren’t even following their own bylaws while doing it. That’s not how a confident party behaves. They preach transparency and inclusiveness, but their denial letters come with nothing but silence.

To many voters, this looks less like a steering committee confident in its ideas and more like a group trying to protect incumbents by eliminating competition before voters ever get a say. I believe in the principals of the Republican Party and live those ideals in my daily life.

The Alabama Republican Party is filled with great people, both within the executive committee and everyday citizens all across Alabama. That’s why decisions that hold the future of the party in their hands being made by a small number of steering committee members are so puzzling. 

On the 250th birthday of the United States — a milestone meant to celebrate freedom, self-government, and the right of the people to choose their leaders — Alabama is watching a political machine decide who gets to run and who doesn’t.

Many Alabamians see that as the opposite of America.

A confident party trusts voters. A nervous one tries to choose for them. What the steering committee is doing looks to many like a group shutting out new voices while claiming they want more people involved. I don’t believe a majority of Republican Party executive committee members across the state are in support of what the steering committee does.

You can’t say you’re the party of growth and then a small group of insiders slam the door on your own voters. That contradiction is exactly why people all around the state of Alabama are furious.

The louder this gets, the more people are asking a question that would’ve been unthinkable a decade ago: Has Alabama reached the point where it needs a third party? A party that doesn’t shut down competition. A party that doesn’t fear its own voters. A party that doesn’t treat ballot access like a privilege granted by insiders.

If the party leaders keep shrinking the tent, they shouldn’t be surprised when people start building a new one. People aren’t switching to Democrats — they’re switching off entirely.

If people feel unwelcome, they won’t run. If they feel unheard, they won’t vote, but maybe that is the goal after all.

Angelo “Doc” Mancuso is a dermatological cancer surgeon and an independent candidate for Alabama House District 7.

Washington has done it again. What should be the most basic responsibility of government, keeping the lights on, has turned into yet another avoidable crisis. The fight over the SAVE Act is not just policy disagreement.

It is a glaring example of what happens when leaders refuse to show up, refuse to negotiate, and refuse to put the country ahead of politics. And once again, it is the American people who are left standing in the fallout.

Let’s call this what it is. A shutdown is not leadership. It is a choice. A choice to stall, to posture, and to dig in rather than come to the table. It is shameful that Democrats are once again choosing obstruction over cooperation, acting like spoiled children while real Americans deal with real consequences.

At a time when global tensions are high and our national security matters more than ever, playing games with the function of government is not just irresponsible, it is dangerous.

Senator Katie Britt said it plainly. If government workers do not get paid, then members of Congress should not get paid either. That is what accountability looks like. No special treatment. No insulation from the consequences.

If lawmakers are willing to let families miss paychecks, then they should feel that same pressure themselves.

Senator Tommy Tuberville has made it just as clear. Washington has lost touch with the people it is supposed to serve.

This kind of dysfunction is exactly why trust in government continues to erode.

Then there is the so-called “zombie filibuster”. This is a perfect example of how Washington has lost its backbone. Today, senators can block legislation without ever stepping onto the floor. No debate. No defense. No accountability. They simply signal an objection and move on while the country stalls.

That is not how it was meant to work. A filibuster used to require grit. Senators had to stand, speak, and defend their position in front of the American people for as long as it took. If you feel strongly enough to stop a bill, then stand up and own it. Fight for it out in the open, not hidden in the shadows.

The consequences are not theoretical. They are happening right now in ways that people can see and feel. I stood in line at the Atlanta airport for nearly three hours last week because only a handful of TSA agents were left trying to manage hundreds of weary travelers.

All PreCheck lines had been shut down just to keep up with the general public. They looked exhausted and overwhelmed while still doing their jobs the best they could, all while Washington played politics with their resources.

That is what failure looks like on the ground. It does not stop at airports.

The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for far more than screening passengers. It protects our borders, fights terrorism, responds to disasters, and works to stop human trafficking.

When politicians talk about stripping funding, they are not just targeting one piece of the system. They are weakening the entire structure that keeps Americans safe. That is a risk this country should never be forced to take.

Shutdowns ripple through every part of American life. Military families face uncertainty about pay. Veterans’ services slow down. Small businesses wait on loans that never come. Court cases stall. Research is put on hold. National parks close their gates. Travel becomes more difficult. Confidence in our government continues to crumble.

All of this because elected officials refuse to do the job they were sent to Washington to do.

Chuck Schumer has made his position clear. He said, “We will not support an extension of the status quo,” drawing a hard line and signaling there will be no compromise unless Democrats get what they want. He has also doubled down by insisting that any funding deal must include their priorities or it will not move forward.

He has made it clear that he is willing to stall progress rather than negotiate in good faith. That decision is exactly why we are here. When you refuse to provide the votes needed to fund the government, you are not just negotiating—you are contributing to the shutdown.

And Americans are the ones paying the price.

If Senator Schumer truly wants to lead his party as he says he does, then it is time to change course. Leadership means bringing your party to the table, not holding the country hostage to political demands. It means encouraging compromise, not drawing lines in the sand. It means working across the aisle to find a solution that keeps our government running and our country secure.

The bottom line is that American people are done with the excuses, done with the games, and done watching leaders choose chaos over common sense. Governing isn’t optional—it demands effort, courage, and a willingness to sit down and do the hard work. What we’re seeing now isn’t leadership. It is a complete failure of responsibility, and the American
people deserve far better.

U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) joined federal and military leaders Friday in Cherokee for the ribbon-cutting of Hadrian’s Factory 4, a $2.4 billion submarine manufacturing facility that both senators described as transformational for Alabama and critical to American defense.

The 2.2-million-square-foot facility at the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park will produce components for the Navy’s Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs. The project combines more than $1.5 billion in private capital from Hadrian with $900 million in federal funding through Navy appropriations.

Tuberville told the crowd the project’s impact will extend far beyond the factory walls and far beyond the near term.

“This is not a five or 10 year project,” Tuberville said. “Most everybody in here will be dead and gone, and they’ll still be building submarines here.”

“There will be hundreds of billions of dollars that will be sent to Northwest Alabama with this project alone,” Tuberville continued. “It’s not just this project. There will be buildings built all around several counties, building infrastructure for making parts. It’s like bringing a car manufacturing place in. You don’t build the parts here. You put them together. They’ve got to be built in other places.”

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Tuberville said the facility stands apart from other major investments Alabama has attracted in recent years.

“We have multi-billion dollar companies that have moved to this state over the years. We have some more coming,” Tuberville said. “Nothing more important than this.”

Britt framed the project against the backdrop of a growing gap between American and Chinese naval production capacity. A U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence assessment found that China’s shipbuilding capacity exceeds that of the United States by more than 200 times.

“We saw a declassification several years ago of the fact that China can build ships over 200 times faster,” Britt said in remarks to reporters. “We know that we have to elevate. Alabama is going to be the center of doing that.”

During her speech, Britt described the facility as part of a broader shift in American manufacturing.

“This is transformative for the Shoals. It’s transformative for Alabama, for Mississippi, for the entire region and our nation,” Britt said.

“We Alabamians are going to be part of rebuilding, transforming and supercharging America’s domestic manufacturing and defense industrial base,” she added.

Both senators credited President Trump’s leadership and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included $29.2 billion in defense funding that helped make the project possible.

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), whose district includes the Shoals, was instrumental in bringing the project to Northwest Alabama after years of effort to attract investment to the region.

‘This project didn’t happen by accident,’ Aderholt said. ‘It happened because people believed in this community and because we made a deliberate effort to bring opportunities back to places that had long been overlooked.

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, who spoke at the ceremony, called the facility “the beginning of the Golden Fleet,” referring to the Trump administration’s initiative to restore American maritime power.

Phelan said the factory represents a new approach to defense procurement, with Hadrian’s private capital going in first and the Navy’s commitment following based on demonstrated performance.

“We are done with free money from the Department of the Navy to defense primes,” Phelan said. “Risk is shared. Performance is required.”

The facility is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs paying north of $70,000 a year, according to officials.

Hadrian’s AI-powered manufacturing platform is designed to train workers with no prior manufacturing experience to full productivity within 30 days.

Factory 4 is the first of three planned facilities aimed at addressing bottlenecks in the maritime industrial base. Hadrian CEO Chris Power said the company ultimately envisions five large-scale facilities to support the Golden Fleet initiative.

The Cherokee site, formerly home to FreightCar America before its closure in 2021, is the first large-scale inland manufacturing facility dedicated to the U.S. maritime industrial base.

Also in attendance Friday were House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Saks), Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Dale Strong (R-Huntsville), and Gary Palmer (R-Hoover), alongside state and local leaders.

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at sawyer@yellowhammernews.com.

The Alabama Crimson Tide is headed back to the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth consecutive season, becoming one of just three programs in men’s college basketball who can say that along with Houston and Tennessee.

After pulling away late in the first round on Friday afternoon against Hofstra for a 20-point victory, it was the Texas Tech Red Raiders standing in Alabama’s way of a return to the second weekend of the tournament.

What followed was the Tide’s most inspired performance of the season and a thorough beatdown from start to finish, defeating Texas Tech 90-65.

https://x.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/2035904817512501299

While much of the story will be the absurd three-point shooting — the team shot 19 of 42 from the three-point line — it was the defensive effort and offensive rebounding that really made the result so lopsided.

https://x.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/2035926839638561004

“That was a fun game to be a part of. Texas Tech is a very good and they have done a lot to win the number of games they have and beat the teams they have this season,” Nate Oats said after the game.

“I give our seniors a ton of respect tonight. They came ready to go…All of our seniors had the mentality that they didn’t want to go home. I tell our guys all the time to lose yourself in the game, and everything will take care of itself. This is the fourth straight Sweet 16 we’ve been to, and these guys know what it takes to win.”

Alabama dominated on the glass, winning the overall rebound battle 47-35 as well as pulling down 18 offensive boards.

Scoring wise, it was Latrell Wrightsell leading the way with 24 points, while Houston Mallette came off the bench and made five threes for 15 points. It was not a prolific scoring night for LaBaron Philon with just nine points, however he still found a way to make a massive impact with 12 assists and six rebounds.

Next up for the Tide is the biggest challenge they have faced all season in No. 1 seed Michigan, who many have pegged as a favorite to win the national championship. Opening up as a double-digit underdog, Alabama will need a heroic effort to be able to even have a chance.

The game will be played on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. CST on TBS and TruTV.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will begin its NCAA Tournament run on Friday afternoon against Hofstra as Nate Oats tries to get his team back to the Final Four, but he will be doing so without one of his most important players.

Star guard Aden Holloway was arrested on Monday on a felony marijuana charge after authorities found more than two pounds of marijuana in his apartment following the execution of a search warrant.

Holloway is currently removed from campus and not with the team as both his basketball and legal status remain up in the air, but that has not stopped Oats from communicating with the player.

While speaking at his press conference upon the team’s arrival to Tampa Bay, Oats said he will continue to love and support Holloway in any way he can rather than just ignoring him because he made a mistake.

https://x.com/mikerodak/status/2034675872481866181

“I’m an adult. I’ve made mistakes. We all have things we’d like to do differently,” Oats said after revealing that he had met with Holloway both in person and over the phone. “Now is not the time to ignore a kid you’ve built a real relationship with. Now is the time he needs more love from the adults in his life at any point…You get into [coaching] to help impact young men’s lives. If you disappear when they made a mistake, not so sure that’s a genuine relationship you built. I’ve got three daughters — they’ve made mistakes. You don’t disappear on them when they need your help.”

Though Holloway clearly is not in a great situation, hopefully having his coach there for him will help his personal and professional development both now and in the future.

Legendary Alabama Crimson Tide golfer Justin Thomas has become one of the biggest names on the PGA Tour throughout his career, but the most interesting aspect of the two-time Major winner’s career may be his relationship with Tiger Woods.

Thomas is one of the closest friends of Woods on the entire tour, and he spoke about that relationship as well as the relationship he’s developed with Woods’ son Charlie during an appearance on “The Smylie Show” with Birmingham native and former PGA pro Smylie Kaufman.

“I wanna be if he wants me to be,” Thomas said when Kaufman asked him if his relationship with the younger Woods is a big brother little brother type situation. “I was very lucky to have some people like that in my life and I know how helpful that was…I wanna help in any way I can. The shots that he can hit, a lot of guys on Tour can’t hit. He’s very, very impressive and I’m rooting for the best…he’s grown up a lot. He’s still a little punk but not a total punk kid, he can beat me up so I can’t say too much.”

Thomas will be teeing it up on Thursday in the first round of the Valspar Championship as he tries to get back into the winner’s circle for the first time this season.

Young football coaches who want to learn from the best of the best just got a huge piece of news — the annual Alabama coaching clinic was revealed on social media by the program this week.

Legendary former Crimson Tide linebacker and current Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is making his return to Tuscaloosa for the clinic and giving budding coaches a chance to learn from one of the best defensive minds in the business.

Ryans will be teaming up with Kalen DeBoer and numerous other high profile assistants to bring the clinic to town.

https://x.com/AlabamaFTBL/status/2034039120087945561?s=20

The clinic will be held in Tuscaloosa on April 10 and 11 and will cost $50 to register and attend.

Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said Tuesday in an exclusive interview with The Rightside he is excited about U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville as Alabama’s next governor, arguing that the former football coach’s lifelong career as a recruiter makes him uniquely suited to bring jobs and industry to the state.

Ledbetter, who served as chairman of Tuberville’s 2020 U.S. Senate campaign and frequently discusses their close friendship, framed a potential Tuberville governorship in economic development terms — a recruiter sitting in the governor’s chair with a full toolkit of legislative incentives behind him.

RELATED: Speaker Ledbetter, Chairman Stadthagen report historic gains, ‘exciting moment’ for Alabama Republicans

“Can you just imagine, with everything we got going on, with all the incentives that the House and the Senate has passed to give tools, and Alabama ranks number eight in businesses that want to come to our state — can you just imagine what it’s going to look like when we got a recruiter sitting in that chair?” Ledbetter said. “Who better to recruit industry than Tommy Tuberville?”

Ledbetter pointed to the legislative groundwork already laid for economic development, arguing that what Alabama needs now is someone who knows how to close the deal with businesses looking to relocate.

“With the tools that we give him to be able to recruit industry, what kind of jobs can we bring to Alabama, what kind of opportunities our kids will have and grandkids because of it,” Ledbetter said. “So I’m excited. I really am. I think it’s one of those things we all look forward to.”

Ledbetter praised Tuberville as a natural people person, describing moments he had witnessed firsthand.

“I’ve been in restaurants before with him when he just disappears and he’s in the back helping the waiter,” Ledbetter said. “That’s not a put on. He is a people person.”

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at sawyer@yellowhammernews.com.

Lipscomb city leaders met Tuesday for the first time since a judge’s ruling reshaped the balance of power at City Hall, signaling a reset in the city’s ongoing political conflict.

The meeting, which lasted more than two hours and is set to continue Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m., marked the first public test of whether the mayor and city council can move forward following months of legal and administrative disputes.

A Jefferson County judge ruled in favor of the Lipscomb City Council in its lawsuit against Mayor Robin Sims, clarifying that in a city the size of Lipscomb, the council holds the authority to appoint key municipal positions.

The decision resolves a central dispute that has fueled conflict between the mayor and council, including disagreements over the status of the city’s police chief, clerk, and attorney.

Under the ruling, Sims was ordered to comply with the council’s actions recognizing Police Chief Lanita Neal, City Clerk William Baylor, and City Attorney Wayman Newton. The lawsuit stemmed from the mayor’s refusal to honor those appointments, with court filings alleging Baylor was even denied access to City Hall to perform his duties.

During Tuesday’s meeting, both Sims and members of the council publicly acknowledged the ruling and struck a notably more conciliatory tone than in previous weeks.

Sims told attendees the decision provided “clarification,” emphasizing that the dispute was not about blocking officials but about ensuring actions were handled in a way that protects the city legally and financially.

During the meeting, Sims also cited past financial issues, noting that the city had incurred roughly $250,000 in wire fraud losses over the previous four years.

He said those circumstances made it “prudent and necessary” to ensure safeguards were in place to protect the city’s finances.

“With the court’s clarification, we will continue focusing on what matters most—serving the residents of Lipscomb,” Sims said.

Council members echoed a similar tone, describing the ruling as an opportunity to refocus on city operations.

“This moment is not about who wins or loses,” one council member said during the meeting. “It’s about making sure the city of Lipscomb moves forward in a way that serves our people.”

While the legal dispute has been resolved, the broader challenge for Lipscomb may be whether city leaders can restore consistent governance.

The meeting also underscored the strain of recent months, with officials referencing administrative breakdowns, staffing challenges and the need to rebuild trust inside City Hall.

Council members called for stability and professionalism, with one urging leaders to “find a way to have common ground” and work together after weeks of public disagreement.

Sims also struck a more conciliatory tone following the decision, saying he would comply with the court’s order and emphasizing that his actions were rooted in concerns about proper administrative procedures.

“As mayor, I respect the authority of the court and will comply with the ruling,” Sims said in a statement. “My actions throughout this process were guided by my responsibility to ensure that city operations follow Alabama law and proper administrative procedures.”

He added that the dispute was not personal, but rather about ensuring the city’s operations were handled appropriately.

The ruling comes after a prolonged period of instability in the small Jefferson County municipality, which has faced a series of legal, political and administrative challenges in recent years. The disagreement over hiring authority became a flashpoint, with the council ultimately turning to the courts after its resolutions were ignored.

The case also underscored a key distinction in Alabama municipal law: while mayors in larger cities often have executive authority over department heads, in smaller municipalities like Lipscomb, that power rests with the city council.

With that question now clarified, both sides say they are prepared to move ahead—but whether that shift leads to lasting stability remains uncertain.

City leaders are expected to reconvene Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. to continue discussions, as officials work to turn the court’s ruling into day-to-day operations.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.

More details on the arrest of Crimson Tide basketball star Aden Holloway have been revealed.

According to a story from ALdotcom, police found a little over 2 pounds of marijuana in Holloway’s apartment Monday, including both loose and housed within a vacuum sealed bag.

A rolling tray and packaging material were also found, though his representatives are claiming it was only for personal use.

The drugs were found during the execution of a search warrant.

“What we’ve learned so far, even though it was a large quantity of marijuana, it’s personal use on his part,” Jason Neff, Holloway’s attorney said Tuesday. “Sounds like there’s no evidence of drug distribution or sales.”

The article also cited an agent from the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force in court records, who said that while the junior guard initially said he wanted to remain silent, then would state that he “only smokes.”

Alabama head coach Nate Oats reacted to the news during his radio show on Monday night, saying that while he is disappointed in Holloway and the program has standards to uphold, he is still going to love and support his player in any way he can as the legal process plays out.

The Tide will play on Friday afternoon without Holloway in the lineup in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Hofstra.

The Crimson Tide is going to be without one of its best players on Friday when the team kicks off the NCAA Tournament against Hofstra following the arrest and suspension of star guard Aden Holloway on a marijuana charge.

Holloway has been charged with first-degree possession and failure to affix a tax stamp after authorities found more than two pounds of marijuana following a search on Monday morning.

On Monday afternoon, news broke that Holloway had been removed from campus and the team while the university conducts an internal investigation of its own, and head coach Nate Oats spoke about the situation during his weekly appearance on Hey Coach to preview the tournament.

“We’ve got standards in our program. We’ve got ways we’ve held our guys accountable. We try to keep everything in house. Obviously some of the situations you can’t. This is one of those,” Oats said via Nick Kelly of ALdotcom. “The situation is a little different. We found out about what was going on this morning. I found out this morning. I guess it all went down this morning. We had to suspend him, pending the investigation by the UA office of student conduct. We’re certainly disappointed in his behavior. That being said, we still love him. He’s still our guy. We’re helping him get the help he needs. We’re going to continue to help him whatever way we can.”

Oats addressed Holloway’s absence from a basketball perspective as well and expressed optimism that the team’s backcourt depth will be able to make up for the loss.

“As far as our team goes, I thought we had a great practice,” he said. “We’re preparing to play without him this weekend. We’re preparing for Hofstra, who is very good. They’ve got a good backcourt of their own. I thought our guys, while at the same time, Aden is one of our guys and everybody wants to wrap their arms around him and love him. Everybody makes mistakes in life. But they also understand we’ve got to move on. We’ve got a whole other group of guys and the team’s got to go play Friday. I thought we did a good job of that this morning, kind of addressing the situation, what we currently knew at the time. Got our guys focused on practice. I thought we had a really good practice.”

The No. 4 seeded Crimson Tide will take on the No. 13 seed Hofstra in the Midwest Region from Tampa, FL on Friday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. CST.

Across Alabama, many conservatives are looking at what the Alabama State Republican Party’s Steering Committee is doing and saying it feels like the party is eating its own young.

A steering committee that claims to want growth, openness, and new blood is instead blocking multiple Alabamians from even appearing on the Republican ballot.

This isn’t just contradictory — it’s a complete reversal of the party’s own message that “everyone is welcome” and “we want more people involved.”

I was denied Republican Party ballot access after enduring a vicious and unprofessional hearing by the Alabama Republican Party’s steering committee — a ruse designed to make it look like the process was fair when the decision had already been made beforehand. Nothing I could have said or done in the hearing could have changed their minds.

Instead, candidates are being told “no” behind closed doors by a group that, many say, doesn’t even follow its own bylaws and changes the rules whenever it suits them on a whim.

People who might have run for different offices are now saying, ‘Why bother? The insiders will just block me.’ That’s not healthy for any democracy. If voters feel shut out, they won’t just stay home — they’ll start looking for a third party that actually wants them.

A steering committee that refuses to explain its decisions isn’t protecting the party — it’s protecting incumbents.

And voters see right through it. If incumbents need to be shielded from challengers, maybe the problem isn’t the challenger.

I am not alone as others who were denied ballot access by the ALGOP received letters rejecting their attempt to get on the ballot—and they also have said that they weren’t given a single reason why.

No explanation. No due process. No transparency.

Many see that as clashing directly with the spirit of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees that when your rights are affected, you’re entitled to know why through due process.

Instead, a small group behind closed doors is deciding who gets to run and who gets shut out — and observers say they aren’t even following their own bylaws while doing it. That’s not how a confident party behaves. They preach transparency and inclusiveness, but their denial letters come with nothing but silence.

To many voters, this looks less like a steering committee confident in its ideas and more like a group trying to protect incumbents by eliminating competition before voters ever get a say. I believe in the principals of the Republican Party and live those ideals in my daily life.

The Alabama Republican Party is filled with great people, both within the executive committee and everyday citizens all across Alabama. That’s why decisions that hold the future of the party in their hands being made by a small number of steering committee members are so puzzling. 

On the 250th birthday of the United States — a milestone meant to celebrate freedom, self-government, and the right of the people to choose their leaders — Alabama is watching a political machine decide who gets to run and who doesn’t.

Many Alabamians see that as the opposite of America.

A confident party trusts voters. A nervous one tries to choose for them. What the steering committee is doing looks to many like a group shutting out new voices while claiming they want more people involved. I don’t believe a majority of Republican Party executive committee members across the state are in support of what the steering committee does.

You can’t say you’re the party of growth and then a small group of insiders slam the door on your own voters. That contradiction is exactly why people all around the state of Alabama are furious.

The louder this gets, the more people are asking a question that would’ve been unthinkable a decade ago: Has Alabama reached the point where it needs a third party? A party that doesn’t shut down competition. A party that doesn’t fear its own voters. A party that doesn’t treat ballot access like a privilege granted by insiders.

If the party leaders keep shrinking the tent, they shouldn’t be surprised when people start building a new one. People aren’t switching to Democrats — they’re switching off entirely.

If people feel unwelcome, they won’t run. If they feel unheard, they won’t vote, but maybe that is the goal after all.

Angelo “Doc” Mancuso is a dermatological cancer surgeon and an independent candidate for Alabama House District 7.

When NASA’s Artemis astronauts strap in and head toward the Moon, the rocket carrying them will rise on the shoulders of Huntsville.

“This is America’s rocket,” said David Beaman, acting program manager for the Space Launch System at Marshall Space Flight Center. “It’s not NASA’s rocket. This is America’s rocket. And with our international partners, it’s the world’s rocket.”

At the center of that effort is the Space Launch System, or SLS, the most powerful rocket ever built. It is managed in Huntsville and designed to carry humans deeper into space than ever before.

For Beaman, the mission was more than a job. It was a continuation of a story that started long before Artemis. That story began in Huntsville during the Apollo era, when his father worked on the rockets that first carried astronauts to the Moon.

For those who don’t follow space policy closely, Beaman puts it simply. Artemis is America’s return to deep-space exploration.

“It’s our attempt to do deep space exploration,” he said. “And deep space doesn’t just mean going to the Moon. It means going to the Moon, to Mars, to other areas.”

The goal isn’t symbolic. It’s scientific.

“A lot of people don’t understand. It’s not about the journey, it’s about the science,” Beaman said. “That’s the reason we fly.”

From medical research to materials science to learning how to use resources found on the Moon itself, Artemis is designed to answer questions that cannot be solved on Earth.

And while comparisons to Apollo are inevitable, Beaman says the difference is simple.

“The Moon’s the same. We’re different,” he said. “Our technologies are different. The things we want to learn and understand are different.”

Artemis isn’t a single mission. It is a campaign, a sustained series of missions designed to build capability step by step.

“The campaign is the series of missions we use to accomplish what we want,” Beaman said. “We take incremental steps with the technologies that enable us to do the next great mission after that.”

Artemis I successfully sent an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon in 2022, validating key systems.

Artemis II will take the next step, sending four astronauts around the Moon and back.

The mission will test environmental systems, power systems, communications and redundancies, ensuring everything works without fail.

“We can’t afford to reboot in space,” Beaman said. “Our stuff has to work every time.”

After that comes Artemis III, a crewed docking mission in Earth orbit, then Artemis IV, the mission expected to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time since 1972.

“We’re not going to fly by and drop them,” Beaman said. “We’re going to land.”

The long-term goal is to build a sustainable presence on the Moon and use it as a proving ground for Mars.

Marshall Space Flight Center has led propulsion development since the Apollo era, when the Saturn V rocket was designed in Huntsville.

“We’ve been the propulsion center of excellence for the agency since back in the ’60s,” Beaman said.

For Beaman, the story of Huntsville’s rockets began at home.

His father worked on the Apollo program, and as a child he watched the Saturn V rockets thunder into the sky.

“I got to see Apollo 11 launch,” he said.

Decades later, he is helping lead the rocket meant to carry astronauts back.

“I got to see the smart people do it,” he said. “Now I get to try to mimic what they did.”

That generational connection mirrors Huntsville itself, a city built around solving hard engineering problems and pushing the limits of what is possible.

“It’s Huntsville’s DNA,” Beaman said. “We gravitate toward things that challenge us.”

As Artemis timelines have shifted, Beaman frames that as discipline, not dysfunction.

“We have to do it right,” he said. “We can’t afford to be not successful when you’re doing something this important.”

Engineers must validate environmental controls, power, tracking, abort scenarios and redundancies.

“Spaceflight is inherently risky,” Beaman said. “It’s about imagining the unimaginable.”

NASA leadership has discussed increasing launch cadence in coming years, potentially flying every 10 to 12 months.

“That means more missions, more science, more learning,” Beaman said. “The more incremental steps you get, the quicker you learn.”

While Huntsville leads propulsion, Beaman is quick to note that Artemis is a national and international effort. European partners provide Orion’s service module. International payloads will ride along on upcoming missions.

Still, the Rocket City remains central.

“We’re a small part of a very big thing,” Beaman said. “Being a small part of a real big thing is pretty cool.”

For him, that perspective never faded, even after decades working in the space program.

Ultimately, he said, Artemis is about more than flags and footprints.

“It’s about doing hard things,” Beaman said. “When you challenge yourself to do something difficult, you don’t just learn what you think you’re going to learn. You learn so many other things that benefit us here on Earth.”

As the next chapter of lunar exploration unfolds, Huntsville and the people who helped build its legacy remain at the center of America’s return to the Moon.

Courtesy of 256 Today

The Alabama Crimson Tide is headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time under Nate Oats and will be playing in the Midwest Region with a No. 4 seed, announced on Selection Sunday.

It’s the fourth consecutive season and fifth in the last six years that Oats has led Alabama to a No. 4 seed or higher, a feat the program had only achieved a total of four times in its entire history prior to Oats.

Up first for Alabama — who does not play until Friday afternoon — will be a matchup with No. 13 seed Hofstra, who is fresh off the CAA Conference tournament title and had a record of 24-10 on the season.

Should the Tide get by that test, waiting for them will be the winner between No. 5 Texas Tech and No. 12 Akron, where another win and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen would presumably set up a matchup with No. 1 seed Michigan.

Interestingly, Alabama’s region features four total teams from the SEC with Tennessee at the No. 6 slot, Kentucky at No. 7, and Georgia at No. 8.

In total, 10 SEC teams are in the bracket with Florida taking the No. 1 seed in the South Region, Vanderbilt securing the No. 5 seed and Texas A&M the No. 10. Arkansas is the No. 4 seed in the West Region with the Missouri Tigers as the No. 10, there after they narrowly made the tournament field.

Texas will take on North Carolina State in the first four for the right to earn the No. 11 seed in the West Region as well.

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a great tournament once again, and the SEC is heavily involved.

Over the course of a career spent in the Alabama Legislature, in the leadership of the Business Council of Alabama, and as the President of Manufacture Alabama, I have learned one enduring truth about economic development: nothing happens without affordable, reliable energy.

Not a single factory opens its doors, not a single production line turns on, and not a single job is created without it. Energy is the foundation upon which Alabama’s industrial economy is built. That is why I am compelled to speak out in strong support of Senate Bill 360 — legislation that I believe represents the most consequential energy reform in our state’s modern history.

Alabama’s manufacturers compete in a global marketplace where margins are thin and input costs are everything. When a company is deciding where to locate or expand a plant, energy cost and reliability sit at the very top of the ledger.

I have spent decades in rooms where those decisions are made, and I can tell you without reservation that Alabama’s ability to offer competitive, stable energy rates has been one of our most powerful recruiting tools. Senate Bill 360 protects and strengthens that advantage at a moment when we can least afford to lose it.

The legislation delivers three reforms that, taken together, position Alabama for a generation of economic growth.

First, Senate Bill 360 freezes Alabama Power’s rates for three years. I cannot emphasize enough what this means for manufacturers operating in this state. Across the Southeast and the nation, energy costs are rising.

Every manufacturer in every competing state is watching utility bills climb and adjusting their projections accordingly. Alabama’s manufacturers will not have to. For three years, their energy costs will be locked in — a level of predictability that is almost unheard of in today’s environment.

While rates increase across the nation over the next three years, the retail base rate in Alabama will not change. That stability does not just help existing businesses plan and invest with confidence. It gives Alabama a talking point that no other state in the region can match.

Second, the bill creates a cabinet-level Secretary of Energy appointed by the governor. This is a signal — and in economic development, signals matter enormously.

When a Fortune 500 company evaluates Alabama, they want to know that energy policy is a priority at the highest levels of state government. A cabinet-level energy position tells them exactly that. The Secretary will provide strategic leadership and direction for the regulatory agency, ensuring that Alabama’s energy policy is proactive and forward-looking rather than purely reactive.

And for those who worry this concentrates too much authority in a single office, the legislation is clear: the elected commissioners can overrule the Secretary with a vote of five members, and no regulatory action can take place without a vote of the full commission. The checks are real and meaningful.

Third, and most fundamentally, Senate Bill 360 reforms the Public Service Commission itself, expanding it from three statewide commissioners to seven commissioners elected by congressional district.

I spent years in the Legislature, and I understand the power of local representation. When a commissioner is elected by the people of a specific district, that commissioner knows the industries in that district, knows the workforce challenges, knows whether reliable power is reaching the rural areas where many of our manufacturers operate.

A seven-member commission rooted in local communities will be more informed, more responsive, and more accountable than the current structure allows. The transition is thoughtfully designed — staggered appointments give way to full elections by 2030, with all commissioners serving six-year terms that promote continuity and expertise.

I helped create Manufacture Alabama because I believe that manufacturing is the backbone of this state’s economy. Our manufacturers employ hundreds of thousands of Alabamians in jobs that support families and sustain communities from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast.

Those jobs exist in part because Alabama has historically offered an energy environment that allows manufacturers to compete. But the landscape is changing.

Energy demand is surging, driven by industrial growth. States across the South are racing to position themselves as energy-friendly destinations for investment. Alabama cannot afford to stand still while the competition moves forward.

Senate Bill 360 is not a partisan proposal. It is a pragmatic, pro-growth reform that freezes rates for consumers, modernizes our regulatory structure, and elevates energy to the strategic priority it must be if Alabama is going to win the economic battles ahead.

In all my years in public policy and economic development, I have rarely seen a single piece of legislation that so directly and meaningfully strengthens Alabama’s competitive position.

I urge the Legislature to pass Senate Bill 360. Alabama’s manufacturers, their workers, and the communities that depend on them are counting on it.

George Clark is a former member of the Alabama Legislature, former Chief Operating Officer of the Business Council of Alabama, and the former President of Manufacture Alabama.

Three airmen that were members of a Birmingham-based refueling squadron were among six killed last week when a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon confirmed over the weekend.

Maj. John “Alex” Klinner, 33, of Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky, were all members of the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, which operates out of Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham, alongside the Alabama Air National Guard’s 117th Air Refueling Wing.

The crash occurred March 12 during combat operations supporting U.S. military activity against Iran. U.S. officials said the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire and that the cause remains under investigation.

A second aircraft involved in an in-flight incident with the tanker landed safely.

Klinner, an Alabama native, had been promoted to major and deployed for Operation Epic Fury less than a week before the crash. He had just moved his family into a new home and is survived by his wife, Libby, a two-year-old child, and seven-month-old twins.

Savino was the Chief of Current Operations Pilot at the refueling squadron in Birmingham and was responsible for the unit’s $21 million flying hour program.

Pruitt was an assistant flight chief and instructor known for mentoring younger airmen and was also raising two young children.

The other three crew members — Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio — were members of the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.

Leaders of the 117th Air Refueling Wing said they were “deeply heartbroken,” noting that despite their active-duty status, the three Birmingham-based airmen were considered part of the 117th family.

https://x.com/GovernorKayIvey/status/2032998185061298349?s=20

Governor Kay Ivey called the fallen airmen “our neighbors — our fellow Alabamians” and said their service and that of their families “will never be forgotten.”

A GoFundMe established to support Klinner’s wife and three young children has raised more than $1.3 million as of publication.

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at sawyer@yellowhammernews.com.