Alabama News

Dick Van Dyke, the perennial actor who has entertained audiences for decades on television, film and stage canceled a recent comedy event due to illness.

Now 99, Van Dyke was set to host Vandy Camp along with his wife Arlene Silver at the Arlene & Dick Van Dyke Theater at Malibu High School Saturday.

His abrupt cancellation created national headlines and concern for the icon. Silver continued to host the event but noted that she was obviously “not the Van Dyke you’re expecting.”

“I have to inform you that Dick is not up to coming to celebrate with us today. I’m sorry,” she said. “When you’re 99 and a half years old, you have good days and bad days … and unfortunately, today is not a good day for him, and he’s sick that he can’t be here.”

However, all was not lost, and the star still made an appearance virtually.

During the Vandy Camp event in April, Silver told PEOPLE magazine that her husband had no plans to slow down.

Van Dyke’s long list of screen credits include the iconic 1960s television show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and the Disney favorite, Mary Poppins. Van Dyke has made a career resurgence in recent years, well into his 90s.

The National Weather Service issued a weather alert at 1:22 p.m. on Tuesday for strong thunderstorms until 2:15 p.m. for Shelby County.

The storms are packing pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) and wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

“At 1:22 p.m., Doppler radar tracked strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Maylene to Pelham. Movement was southeast at 10 mph,” states the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Alabaster, Pelham, Helena, Calera, Montevallo, Columbiana, American Village, Maylene, Shelby County Airport, Oak Mountain State Park, Joe Tucker Park, Ballantrae, Camp Branch, Saddle Lake Farms, Siluria, Alabaster Veterans Park, Bounds Lake, Saginaw and Dogwood.

The weather service adds, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.”

Preparing for impending lightning strikes: Expert safety recommendations

Lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times each year, with the bulk of these electrical discharges occurring during the summer months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 individuals annually, as reported by the weather service. The risk of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw near, reaching its peak when the storm directly looms overhead. However, it gradually recedes as the tempest moves away.

To guarantee your safety in the midst of a thunderstorm, take into account the following recommendations:

Lightning safety plan:

• When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
• Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s a clear indication of nearby lightning.
• Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

• Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
• These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.

Wait for the all-clear:

• After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
• Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

• Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
• Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
• If you’re with a group, ensure individuals are spread out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
• Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.
• Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your safety.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

When heavy rain pours, the risk of flooding and treacherous roads rises. Here’s your guide from the weather service to staying safe during downpours:

Beware of swollen waterways:

Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away.

Maintain safe driving distances:

Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Outer lanes are more prone to accumulating water.

Prioritize visibility

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins. Grime and oil on the road surface mix with water to make the road slippery.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

A popular athleisure brand is reopening its Birmingham store at The Summit – now with an expanded offering.

The Summit has announced on social media that Lululemon will reopen in its new, larger location at 243 Summit Blvd. on Thursday at 10 a.m.

The old store closed on Monday to prepare.

“Come check out our new space, shop the latest gear, and enjoy some special surprises,” a post on social media promises.

Lululemon sells athletic and leisure styles for men and women, as well as accessories and other products.

Last week, Alo Yoga, the athletic-leisure brand made popular through social media, announced it is also bringing its first Alabama store to The Summit.

Country music star Ronnie McDowell will undergo surgery after he suffered a recent stroke on stage in Pennsylvania.

The musician, who reached No. 1 on the country charts with “Older Women,” started slurring his words while onstage at the Summer Solstice Music Festival in Oley, Pennsylvania on June 21, PennLive reported. His son, Ronnie Dean McDowell Jr., helped him off stage, and an EMT took McDowell to the hospital.

The 75-year-old singer has since been released, and went on to perform at a concert in Kentucky this past weekend.

“Hi folks. Yes, I had a stroke,” he said in a Facebook video he posted while on a two-mile walk last Thursday. “But you know what, I’m walking.”

His son, McDowell Jr., posted on Tuesday morning that he hoped his dad would have a surgery date soon.

“My Dad called me last night and said, ‘well Son, I think that I just picked up the most mail that I’ve ever received,’” he wrote. “I could just hear this happiness in his voice.”

Fans of Waffle House have a new way to enjoy their coffee.

The Georgia-based breakfast chain recently introduced canned cold brew coffee to its menu.

The Waffle House Cold Brew features a “classic blend with sweet cream,” according to the menu on Waffle House’s website. A can of the cold brew goes for $3.95.

So far, coffee lovers can only get the cans in Georgia. Waffle House is testing the cold brew at nine Atlanta-area locations.

Here’s a list of restaurants offering the cold brew, according to 11-Alive news:

• 2812 Buford Highway NE
• 5071 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
• 3735 Roswell Road
• 2264 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
• 4065 Peachtree Road
• 3016 Piedmont Road
• 2581 Piedmont Road NE
• 4532 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
• 3916 Flat Shoals Parkway

Earlier this year, Waffle House launched a new seasonal item: the Strawberry Shortcake Waffle. The waffle, according to All Recipes, is topped with strawberry-flavored gems, crispy shortcake crumbles, and whipped cream.

Forward Trendon Watford is on the move in NBA free agency, with the former Mountain Brook High School star agreeing to a two-year, $5.3 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Watford cannot sign the contract until July 6, when the NBA’s Free Agent Moratorium Period ends, but the Philadelphia Inquirer, NBC Sports Philadelphia and ESPN have reported the player and the team have a deal in place.

During the 2024-25 NBA season, Watford played in 44 games for the Brooklyn Nets. A hamstring injury kept the 6-foot-9 forward off the court between Dec. 16 and Jan. 29. Watford averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.

At Mountain Brook, Watford earned first-team All-State recognition three times as the Spartans won the AHSAA Class 7A boys’ basketball championship in each of his final three seasons.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association chose Watford as the state’s Mr. Basketball in 2018 and 2019 as he set the ASHAA career rebounds record with 1,909.

Watford caught on with the Portland Trail Blazers as an undrafted rookie in 2021 after he’d averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for LSU in the 2020-21 season.

Watford has split his four NBA seasons between Portland and Brooklyn. In 217 regular-season games, he has averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.6 minutes.

With Guerschon Yabusele leaving Philadelphia for the New York Knicks in free agency, Watford joins the power-forward possibilities for the 76ers in a frontcourt with center Joel Embiid and small forward Paul George. Philadelphia also has Justin Edwards and Kelly Oubre Jr. returning and drafted Auburn standout Johni Broome last week.

Last season, the 6-foot-8 Oubre averaged 15.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 60 games, with 57 starts, and the 6-foot-6 Edwards averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 44 games, with 26 starts.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

South Alabama has picked up a Class of 2026 football commitment from Heij Jackson, a wide receiver out of McDonogh 35 High School in New Orleans.

Jackson (6-foot-3, 190) is rated a 3-star prospect by 247 Sports. He also has offers from Troy, Southern Miss, Texas-San Antonio and Arkansas State, and drew interest from Ole Miss, Arkansas and Louisville.

Jackson totaled 37 receptions for 350 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024 at McDonogh 35, where he also plays basketball and participates in track & field. He is South Alabama’s 18 commitment for the Class of 2026, and third wide receiver along with Brody Jones of St. Michaels and Dominic White of Minor.

The early signing period for high school players begins on Dec. 2.

South Alabama 2026 recruiting class (18)

Sami Abdelhak, OL, 6-3, 305, Baton Rouge, La./Southern Lab HS

Xavious Anderson, LB, 6-1, 215, Hogansville, Ga./Callaway HS

Darius Burwell, SAF, 6-2, 185, Huntsville, Ala./Mae Jemison HS

Deon Callins, CB, 6-1, 180, Pinson, Ala./Clay-Chalkville HS

Lavonte Cole, RB, 5-11, 190, Thomasville, Ga./Thomasville HS

Trakarris Collier, CB, 6-1, 180, Semmes, Ala./Mary G. Montgomery HS

Tyray Darensburg, LB, 6-1, 215, Chalmette, La./Chalmette HS

Teryn Green, SAF, 6-1, 195, Flowood, Miss./Hartfield Academy

Heij Jackson, WR, 6-3, 190, New Orleans, La./McDonogh 35 HS

Taylor Jacobs Jr., QB, 6-1, 185, Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln HS

Brody Jones, WR, 5-10, 163, Fairhope, Ala./St. Michael Catholic School

Zech Hall, SAF, 6-2, 195, Havana, Fla./Gadsden County HS

Caleb Metzner, DE, 6-2, 215, Mobile, Ala./Cottage Hill Christian HS

Noah Moss, RB, 6-1, 205, Fairhope, Ala./St. Michael Catholic HS

Aaden Shamburger, QB, 6-3, 180, Spanish Fort, Ala./Spanish Fort HS

Camen Upshaw, SAF, 6-0, 180, Tallahassee, Fla./John Paul II Catholic School

Dominic White, WR, 6-1, 180, Adamsville, Ala./Minor HS

Caleb Wynn, RB, 5-11, 205, Oxford, Ala./Oxford HS

Lots of people are used to dashing into Walmart to save money, but now the retail giant is rolling out a store concept that you can’t dash in, but which is designed to save time.

Walmart is testing a kind of store aimed at making its online delivery services more efficient and improving the quality of that service.

They’re calling them “dark stores” because these locations will not be open to the public, but only used to fulfill customers’ online orders.

These stores will add to the 4800 brick-and-mortar stores Walmart already has. The first dark store is already up and running in Dallas, Texas, with another planned for Walmart’s hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.

The stores are dark for another reason, according to USA Today. They include none of the familiar signage designed to attract shoppers – because they don’t want shoppers going in. Even so, the inside of the dark stores will resemble the stores millions regularly patronize, and will carry some of the retailer’s most popular products, but just for online order fulfillment.

Walmart’s chief executive officer Douglas McMillon said on an earnings call in May that, “Delivery speed continues to help drive our business. We’ll soon reach 95% of the population in the U.S. with delivery options of three hours or less.”

He said that for US Walmart, “the number of deliveries in less than three hours grew by 91% for Q1 versus a year ago.”

Dark stores aren’t Walmart’s only effort to shorten delivery times. The Walmart supermarkets recently expanded drone delivery by 100 additional locations, making the company the first retailer to offer that service in five states.

“We regularly test new tools, features, and capabilities to better connect with and serve our customers — wherever and however they choose to shop,” Walmart told Food & Wine in a statement. “Regardless of the channel, our goal remains the same: to deliver a fast, seamless, and engaging customer experience.”

Greg Cathey, the senior vice president of Walmart U.S. transformation and innovation, said in a release that the company is committed to “pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before.”

Walmart’s dark stores are an obvious effort to compete with retail titans like Amazon, known for delivering orders with impressive speed.

For the Alabama Crimson Tide football program, the last 25 years has seen depressing lows, but also amazing highs. Most of those years under the leadership of Nick Saban, perhaps the greatest coach of the last quarter-century.

If you’re an Alabama fan, you’ll probably call him the greatest coach of the last century.

While Saban may have the title of “The GOAT”, who exactly would be on the team of the greatest Alabama players over the last 25 years?

The staff from AL.com put their heads together and made their picks for the AL.com Alabama Crimson Tide quarter-century team.

Offense

Quarterback

• Tua Tagovailoa

Also receiving votes: Jalen Hurts, Bryce Young

This is a case where you could literally roll the ball out with any of the selected signal callers. However, by the slimmest of margins (1 vote), Tua gets nod.

Tua first came onto the scene during the 2018 College Football Playoff national title game as he entered the game, and in overtime connected with DeVonta Smith for a game-winning touchdown to give Alabama a 26-23 victory over Georgia.

Running Backs

• Derrick Henry
• Mark Ingram

Also receiving votes: Eddie Lacy

Wide Receivers

• DeVonta Smith
• Julio Jones

Also receiving votes: Amari Cooper

Tight End

As one of the few players to have a uniramous vote across the board, OJ Howard is not only one of the greatest players in Alabama history, but also most reliable. Howard’s consistency led to over 1,700 yards and seven career touchdowns as a key piece of national title-winnings teams in Tuscaloosa.

Tackles

• Andre Smith
• Cam Robinson

Also receiving votes: Chris Samuels, Jonah Williams

Guards

• Barrett Jones
• Chance Warmack

Also receiving votes: Mike Johnson

Center

• Landon Dickerson

Also receiving votes: Barrett Jones, Ryan Kelly

Defense

Defensive Ends/Edge

• Will Anderson Jr.
• Marcel Dareus

Also receiving votes: Dallas Turner, Quinnen Williams, Jonathan Allen

Defensive Tackles

• Quinnen Williams
• Jonathan Allen

Also receiving votes: Terrance Cody, Daron Payne

Linebackers

• Rolando McClain
• Reuben Foster
• CJ Mosley

Also receiving votes: DeMeco Ryans, Dont’a Hightower, Will Anderson.

While Ryans, Hightower, and Anderson can certainly make a case for anybody’s quarter-century team, the three selected by the AL.com staff are pretty good themselves.

McClain, Foster, and Mosley have a combined five first-team All-SEC honors, three unanimous All-American selections, and each of them have been named SEC Defensive Player of the Year while at Alabama.

Cornerbacks

• Patrick Surtain II
• Javier Arenas

Also receiving votes: Dee Milliner, Marlon Humphrey,

Safeties

• Mark Barron
• Minkah Fitzpatrick

Also receiving votes: Eddie Jackson, Roman Harper

Special Teams

Kicker

• Will Reichard

Punter

What are your thoughts on the AL.com Alabama quarter-century team? Reach out on all AL.com and AMG social media pages to give your thoughts and comments on who you think should have made the team.

The Auburn and Iron Bowl quarter-century teams are coming as well, stay tuned to AL.com for more details as they come.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested unleashing the DOGE “monster” on ally-turned-rival Elon Musk while leaving deportation on the table for the world’s richest person.

“I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look” at deportation, Trump told reporters Tuesday while touring the “Alligator Alcatraz” for detained migrants in Florida.

Musk is a native of South Africa who moved to the United States in 1992 to advance his education.

He became a U.S. citizen through the naturalization process in 2002.

In a video discussing his immigration status with his brother, Kimbal Musk, at a 2013 global conference, Elon Musk claimed “it was a gray area” after Kimbal Musk said the brothers “were illegal immigrants.”

Trump had another suggestion for dealing with Musk, who is at odds with the president over the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

“We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump said, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency that Musk worked with to root out waste, fraud and abuse in government.

“You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies,” Trump said.

Musk’s companies have been awarded lucrative government contracts worth $38 billion, according to the Washington Post.

“But Elon’s very upset that the EV mandate is gonna be terminated,” Trump told reporters. “And, you know what, when you look at it … not everyone wants an electric car.

“I don’t want to have an electric car. I want to have maybe gasoline, maybe electric, maybe a hybrid, maybe someday a hydrogen … sometimes it blows up.”

Musk fired the first shots last month, calling Trump’s signature legislation a “disgusting abomination” for increasing the country’s debt.

Trump posted to his Truth Social account that Musk was “wearing thin.”

“I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump posted.

Musk denied that the subsidies angered him. On Thursday, he claimed that Trump only won the 2024 election because of the nearly $300 million he provided to the president’s campaign.

“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk responded. “Such ingratitude.”

Trump fired back, suggesting cutting the billions Musk’s companies receive from the government would be “the easiest way to save money in our budget.”

“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!” the president posted.

On Monday, Musk threatened to form a new political party after Freedom Caucus Republicans, who campaigned on reining in spending, voted in favor of the bill.

“It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!“ Musk tweeted.