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What is a ‘sexually explicit’ book? What Alabama’s new rule means for libraries

Library directors must move “sexually explicit” content from children and teen sections to the adult section “effective immediately,” according to a May 12 letter from the state library board chair.

The Alabama Public Library Service board of trustees unanimously accepted a definition of sexually explicit content on May 8. Librarians say the new definition means they will need to move some common children and young adult books that include nudity or risk losing state funding.

According to the new policy, “sexually explicit” content is “actual or simulated sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex; Sexual excitement; Nudity; Bestiality; Masturbation; Sadistic or masochistic abuse; or Lascivious exhibition of the anus, genital or pubic area of any person.”

The definition comes directly from the Alabama Code, Section 13A, which defines sexual conduct for material in adult bookstores.

Board member Amy Minton provided AL.com this definition in March 2024.

The definition includes books such as “Gender Queer,” a graphic novel about the author’s exploration of gender identity. The book includes three scenes of sexual intercourse, including a scene depicted on a piece of artwork. Several Alabama libraries moved the book to the adult section or removed it from the library entirely, even though it was shelved in the adult section.

Minton brought a copy of the book to show the board to emphasize this book is still available in the young adult section at Gadsden Public Library.

Another book with sexual content that has caused controversy across the state include “Sold,” a book about human trafficking by Patricia McCormick. A Mobile Public Library patron challenged the book in 2023, and it’s one of the books holding up funding for Fairhope Public Library.

Fairhope physician Dr. Caleb Whitehead works with child victims of sexual assault and was disappointed to hear that books like “Sold” were being challenged.

“I am thrilled that some have lived such comically sheltered lives to have found two to three sentences on sexual assault some of the most vulgar material they have ever encountered,” Whitehead said during the board meeting. “Unfortunately, however, most children live in the real world. In the real world, one in nine girls and one in 20 boys are or will become victims of sexual abuse.”

Librarians told AL.com that many books, especially in the teen or young adult sections, have nudity, including popular books like “Ender’s Game” and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” But nudity in those books typically isn’t considered problematic, and is appropriate to the overall context of the book, they said.

Children’s books such as “Where’s Waldo?” could be deemed sexually explicit because one book features a nude butt. “In the Night Kitchen,” written by famed children’s author Maurice Sendak, also includes a naked behind. Sendak’s book has ended up on banned books lists in several states, according to the American Library Association.

“Vast swathes of the collections in Alabama’s public libraries teen and childrens’ departments fit this vague definition of ‘sexually explicit’ as outlined by APLS Executive Board,” said Matthew Layne, the O’Neal Public Library director in Mountain Brook. “These books will thus need to be moved to the libraries’ adult departments thereby forcing young children to browse for titles amongst material very much intended for adults.”

“The lack of public discussion on the part of the board regarding the pros and cons of the implementation of this vague definition is sad and disheartening,” Layne said. “The APLS Executive Board time and again reveals that they are more concerned with injecting Alabama’s phenomenal public libraries with their personal biases rather than serving the greater good of the libraries and all of the state’s library patrons.”

At Thursday’s meeting board chair and GOP head John Wahl said that if libraries “are worried about defunding, there’s a very simple solution. It is in your hands. It is not us who are defunding you. It is your choice. To intentionally disobey state code is the only thing that would cause defunding. And I encourage you, strongly, any library directors out there look at the state code, comply with it, and there is nothing to worry about.”

The APLS board is now considering asking librarians to move any books with transgender characters to the adult section.

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Mother who lost four family members to violence wants justice in Marine’s unsolved Birmingham murder

Aneta Honor knows heartache.

There was pain when her nephew was shot to death in 2016 outside the family’s Fairfield home. It was there again in 2018 when her sister and her other nephew were fatally gunned down outside the same house.

But perhaps the worst heartbreak came in 2023 when her firstborn, her only son, a U.S. marine, was shot dead while driving through Birmingham’s Five Points West in broad daylight.

“It’s a lot,” Aneta said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about my baby.”

Micah Honor, 24, was killed Sept. 30, 2023.

His slaying remains unsolved, and police are again asking for help bringing the killer or killers to justice.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information in the case.

“I have not gotten to a point where I’m able to move on,” Aneta said, “at least until I get some type of closure and get him some type of justice.”

Micah graduated from Minor High School and then joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2018.

He served one term – four years – before being honorably discharged and returning to Alabama where he lived with his girlfriend in Adamsville.

Once back in the Birmingham area, Micah worked first at Auto Zone and then Walmart with plans to soon start HVAC school and training.

“Micah was a child that would take everything apart and put it back together,” Aneta said. “There was nothing Micah couldn’t do. It was amazing how limitless his mind was.”

On the Saturday of his death, Aneta had gone to her church to help give out food.

When she left, she spoke with Micah on the phone. He was planning to go to her home – also in Adamsville – to pick up grocery items from her, as he often did.

“I got off the phone with him at 2:58 p.m.,” Aneta said. “His girlfriend was calling me at 3:15 p.m. telling me he was killed.”

It was just after 3 p.m. when police say a suspect who was on foot opened fire on Micah while he was driving in the 2100 block of Bessemer Road.

The injured Micah struck several other vehicles before his car crashed through a fence and came to a stop in front of the small apartment abandoned building in the 2500 block of Warrior Road.

Micah was pronounced dead on the scene.

Police have said they believed Micah was targeted, but no motive has been disclosed.

Aneta has no idea who would have wanted her son dead, or why.

“I tried to give the detective as much information as I knew, which was limited,” she said.

“Micah was outgoing. He was a people person,” Aneta said. “He loved everybody and everybody loved him.”

“There was never a dull moment when he was in the room and laughter always abounded in his presence,” according to his obituary. “He was always willing to look out for a friend and eager to lend a helping hand. Micah had a love for cooking, cars and dogs.”

Micah was Aneta’s only son and the oldest of her three children.

“There was a lot of depending on him,” she said.

The two were close and especially leaned on each other after the previous slayings of their other family members.

Aneta and her sister, 48-year-old Catherine “Mrs. Cat” Honor had raised their children together and were like one big family.

“It was like she had five kids, and I had five kids,” Aneta said.

Mrs. Cat and her 23-year-old son, Tavaris, were found dead Monday, June 3, 2019, at their Fairfield home.

Fairfield police and fire medics responded to the home in the 200 block of 57th Street shortly after 6 a.m. that Monday.

Once on the scene, they found Varis unresponsive in the front yard. Cathy Honor was found a short distance away in the doorway. Both were pronounced dead on the scene at 6:30 a.m. from gunshot wounds

Three years prior, Mrs. Cat’s 22-year-old son, Omar, was fatally shot outside the same home.

The suspect in that case pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with three years to serve.

“All of it’s been hard,” Aneta said. “We were going through our healing over them. My children were basically the only thing I have – my little family.”

“We’d been leaning on each other,” she said of her son. “Micah had been my rock, and I was his. I no longer feel like a whole person.”

Despite all the grief, Aneta said she still believes justice will come.

“I have no choice but to have hope,” she said. “I believe what the word of God says. I hold onto my faith. It’s a journey.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

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Leadership, integrity, and the work we were called to do at Birmingham Water Works: op-ed

This is a guest opinion column

During our time serving on the Board of Directors for the Birmingham Water Works, we made a conscious decision to lead with integrity, purpose, and unity. Representing 770,000 customers and 650 dedicated employees, we embraced this appointment fully aware that the work ahead would be difficult—but no less necessary.

This Board was not shaped by uniformity, but rather by a powerful diversity of thought, race, professional experience, age, political affiliation, and geography. Despite those differences, we led together—bound by common goals: to deliver high-quality water to our customers, improve operational efficiency, uplift employee morale, and provide a new standard of customer service. We prioritized creating opportunities for local small businesses and, perhaps most importantly, committed to removing politics from the essential services our utility provides.

We approached this work seriously and deliberately. That meant making tough decisions—reshaping leadership, rewriting outdated policies, and holding ourselves and our executive team to higher standards of governance and ethics. Throughout our tenure, we endured media scrutiny and political interference, yet we remained focused. Rather than respond to the loudest voices of misinformation and personal agendas, we chose instead to lead with our actions, with integrity, and with results.

In just a few years, this Board faced and fought against two separate pieces of legislation aimed at undermining our autonomy. We fielded thousands of customer inquiries, addressed hundreds of internal personnel matters, and weathered countless public attacks. Yet, through it all, we kept our eyes on the mission.

The most powerful encouragement we received came not from headlines or public accolades, but from customers who thanked us personally, and from employees who once lacked confidence in leadership, now finding new trust and morale under our watch.

When SB 330 was introduced, we stood firm—organizing in Montgomery, engaging with the media, and speaking directly to decision-makers to raise awareness. While some leaders chose silence during that critical time, we chose to fight. While other community leaders proudly chose to spread misinformation to villainize our employees, discredit our good efforts, and carry out other political and self-serving agendas, this Board chose to be louder with our actions. We fought for our customers, for our employees, and for the future of a system we know that matters deeply to our region. We gave that fight everything we had.

Over our tenure, we faced two pieces of harmful legislation designed to strip Birmingham of influence over its own water. This was not new. Montgomery has been attempting to seize control of the Birmingham Water Works for decades—going back to the tenure of Mayor Richard Arrington. They introduced legislation every year during his administration, but those efforts were consistently defeated because of his strong leadership. Unfortunately, today’s political climate did not offer the same resistance. When SB 330 passed, it did so with the help of misinformation and the silence of some who should have been fighting alongside us. The passage of SB 330 was not the result of operational failure or mismanagement—it was the culmination of longstanding political agendas, fueled by misinformation and reinforced by silence in critical moments.

From the outset of our appointment in 2021, we established policies to ensure clean, ethical governance. We implemented conflict-of-interest clauses for contractors and adopted a self-governance policy requiring every board member to publicly commit to ethical service. All directors underwent formal training with the Alabama Ethics Commission, many of us more than once. These were not symbolic gestures—they were foundational steps to remove political influence from our operations.

Contrary to false claims questioning our board’s capability, we assembled one of the most qualified governing bodies in the utility’s history: leaders with extensive experience in finance, law, public administration, infrastructure, medicine, and academia. These were not political appointees; they were public servants chosen for their experience and readiness to lead.

Our board included professionals with decades of experience: a chairwoman with a strong infrastructure management background; a vice-chair who served as CFO for Shelby County; a retired financial officer with 40 years in public finance; a former mayor; a 30-year veteran of Birmingham Water Works operations; a UAB physician; a professor with a doctorate; and an economic development leader. This board was not only capable—college educated, and highly qualified.

We recruited a new executive management team with the skills needed to correct longstanding operational challenges. Under the leadership of Mac Underwood—one of the most respected water professionals in the nation—we stabilized the organization. Mac brought more than 35 years of experience, including 18 years as general manager. His return was pivotal. We also brought back two former employees with over 45 years of combined institutional knowledge and appointed them as Assistant General Managers to lead customer-facing improvements.

To ensure institutional continuity, we brought longtime legal counsel Mark Parnell into executive leadership. His 38 years of experience and deep knowledge of our policies and history proved invaluable during this time of transition. We needed his insight not only to defend our past but to guide our future.

We authorized employment contracts for our executive team not out of politics, but out of duty. We knew that SB 330 would bring uncertainty to board governance, and we could not risk losing experienced leadership during a critical period. With over $143 million in infrastructure projects underway, and with the financial operations of the utility growing increasingly complex, we chose to act in the best interest of stability. This action was never about us—it was about safeguarding the future for our employees and customers.

As we prepare to transition leadership, we do so knowing that we have left the Birmingham Water Works better than we found it. The utility is financially sound, operationally improved, and led by a team committed to excellence. The next board will inherit an organization strengthened by resolve, not weakened by politics.

To our employees: thank you for your hard work, resilience, and trust. To our customers: thank you for allowing us to serve you. To those who doubted our motives or questioned our integrity—we let our work speak louder than words. And we believe history will show that the work was worth it.

The Birmingham Water Works Board of Directors, 2021–2025

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Deshler rides strong pitching to Game 1 victory over Bibb County in 4A baseball finals

On the baseball field Tuesday, Deshler pitcher Price Thornton dazzled with 6 innings of 2-hit baseball in a Class 4A state finals matchup against Bibb County.

Off the baseball field, his week of preparation was met with adversity.

Just 6 days before the Tigers’ trip to the state finals, Thornton’s dad had a seizure and was sent to UAB after Deshler’s semifinal sweep of Etowah.

“He’s doing a lot better today,” Thornton said of his dad on Tuesday. “I think he got to watch it on TV, so I hope he’s proud.”

Mission accomplished.

Thornton’s 6-inning, 2-hit performance on the mound lifted Class 4A No. 5 Deshler to a 2-1 victory over No. 6 Bibb County, giving the Tigers a 1-0 series lead in the 4A finals.

Game 2 will begin on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Jacksonville State University.

“This man’s been by himself, all week you would’ve never known it,” Deshler coach Justin Cantrell said of Thornton. “He came to work every single day and got after it. From the outside, nobody has a clue what this guy’s been through. He’s been at home by himself, his sister’s been having to take care of him, he’s been at some of our coaches’ houses. 

“This guy went out there with a lot of adversity that nobody really sees and you would’ve never known it. He went out there and competed for six innings and got after it.”

The victory for Thornton came after not throwing in the semifinal sweep; his last appearance came in Game 1 of a quarterfinal series against Haleyville.

Garrett Reid picked up the save for Deshler, striking out 2 batters in the seventh inning of the matchup.

“It was great to be out there,” Thornton said of the matchup. “We had a great environment and my job is to attack the zone; these guys made plays behind me, so it was really awesome.”

On the other side of the matchup, Bibb County starter Macain McMillan pitched an impressive game. He pitched a complete game in the close loss, allowing 5 hits and no earned runs (2 unearned) while walking 2 and striking out 3.

“We knew going into that game Bibb had really good arms, comparable to us, so runs were going to be at a premium,” Cantrell said.

Bibb County’s lone run was scored on an error following a pop out in the bottom of the first, which scored Jordan Leverette.

Deshler also scored its first run on an error with a score from Brady McKinney in the fourth inning, with a single from Reid scoring George Youngblood one inning later making it a 2-1 ballgame.

With a victory on Wednesday, Deshler would clinch the program’s first state baseball championship; Bibb County would have to win two straight for a title, which would be the program’s second title and first since 2001.

“The job’s not finished,” Cantrell said. “It’s good to get one, but we came here for two. If you get satisfied after one win, I mean, it’s a big win and it’s a tight ball game, but if you get satisfied after that, you’re going to go home empty-handed. 

“Stay the course, stay focused. We’ve been here before; we’ve got to win two, though.”

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Sale alert: Grab these Under Armour Auburn Tigers shoes for under $100 + free shipping

Spring is finally here, and summer is right around the corner, meaning the Auburn Tigers will be switching gears in terms of sports very soon. With the football season inching closer, fans are itching to watch the Tigers back on the field.

For those Auburn fans looking to rock some new gear for the summer, Fanatics is running a major sale on tons of items that can be viewed here.

Perhaps the best deal we found was on the Auburn Tigers Under Armour HOVR Phantom 3 Running Shoes – White which is on sale for $84.99. The following sizes are still available: 10,10.5,11,11.5,12,12.5,13,14,15,16.

Fans can also get free shipping on these shoes with code “24SHIP” at checkout.

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Cassie testifies Sean Combs beat, drugged, and exploited her: ‘Freak offs became a job’

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, told a jury Tuesday that the music mogul abused and sexually exploited her for years, as she took the witness stand for the first time during his sex trafficking trial in New York.

Sighing heavily and pausing to compose herself, Cassie recounted feeling compelled by Combs to participate in lengthy “freak off” sex parties involving male sex workers. She said Combs assaulted her numerous times during their turbulent relationship.

“He would mash me in the head, knock me over, drag me, kick me. Stomp me in the head if I was down,” she said, causing bruises and black eyes.

She said it was difficult to refuse Combs’ demands because of fears of violence and blackmail videos from the “freak offs” being disseminated on the internet.

Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of abuse. The suit was settled within hours but dozens of similar legal claims followed, sparking the criminal investigation.

She is the star witness for prosecutors who accuse Combs of using his status as a powerful executive to orchestrate a deviant empire of exploitation, coercing women into abusive sex parties and becoming violent if they refused.

Lawyers for three-time Grammy winner argue that although he could be violent, Combs never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering, telling jurors that the sexual acts were consensual.

An attorney for Combs, Teny Geragos, said in opening statements on Monday that Combs’ accusers were after his money, adding that jurors might think he’s a “jerk” and might not condone his “kinky sex,” but that “he’s not charged with being a jerk.”

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. He has been jailed since his arrest in September. If convicted, could get at least 15 years and up to life in prison.

Cassie testifies about violence and abuse

Under questioning by a prosecutor, Cassie said her relationship with Combs ran the gamut from good times to arguments and physical altercations.

“If they were violent arguments, it would usually result in some sort of physical abuse and dragging, just different things,” Cassie said. Asked how frequently Combs became violent with her, Cassie softly responded: “Too frequently.”

Cassie appeared emotional at times during her testimony. She is pregnant and occasionally would rest her hands on her belly.

They met in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and, within a few years, they started dating. As she testified, the prosecution showed numerous photographs of Combs and Cassie at events in the mid-2000s.

“Sean controlled a lot of my life, whether it was career, the way I dressed, everything, everything,” Cassie testified.

Cassie felt she couldn’t refuse ‘freak offs’

Now 38, Cassie said she was barely 22 when Combs first asked her to do the highly orchestrated “freak offs,” which she said stemmed from Combs’ interest in voyeurism. The marathon encounters lasted anywhere from 36 or 48 hours, and she said the longest was four days.

Cassie said these encounters involved hiring an sex worker and “setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean.” This took place in private, often in dark hotel rooms, unlike Combs’ very public White Parties in the Hamptons that attracted A-list celebrities and gossip columnists.

She felt “confused, nervous, but also loved him very much.” Much of her week became geared toward the “freak offs,” she said.

“Freak offs became a job where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and just try to feel normal again,” she said. Each time, she said, she had to recuperate from lack of sleep, alcohol, drugs “and other substances,” and “having sex with a stranger for days.”

Shown still images from the now-infamous 2016 security camera footage of Combs beating her, Cassie said that prior to the altercation: “We were having an encounter called a ‘freak-off’ and I was leaving there.”

Diddy was ‘a really polarizing person’

Combs became increasing controlling during their relationship, Cassie testified, and would get abusive over the smallest perceived slights. “You make the wrong face, and the next thing I knew I was getting hit in the face,” she said.

“Sean is a really polarizing person, also really charming,” Cassie said. “It’s hard to really be able to decide in that moment what you need, when he’s telling you what he wants. I just didn’t know. I didn’t know what would happen.”

The Associated Press doesn’t generally identify people who say they are victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has done.

Hotel video is a key piece of evidence

On Monday, jurors were shown the hotel security video, which CNN aired last year, leading Combs to apologize. The video shows Combs wearing only a white towel, punching, kicking and dragging Cassie in a hotel hallway.

Israel Florez, a former security officer at the hotel, testified Monday that he refused when Combs offered him a stack of money and said “Don’t tell nobody.”

Earlier Tuesday, the trial resumed with Combs’ lawyer questioning Daniel Phillip, a male stripper who says he was paid to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched. Phillip testified on Monday that he stopped seeing the couple after Combs assaulted Cassie.

Judge Arun Subramanian said Tuesday that he’s inclined to grant a request by media organizations to view what a defense lawyer described as pornographic videos that will be shown to the jury as evidence in the case. But he’s giving the parties another day to make submissions on the matter.

Combs is among the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades. The founder of Bad Boy Records is a three-time Grammy winner who has worked with a slew of top-tier artists including Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige and Usher. He also created the fashion clothing line Sean John and produced the reality show “Making the Band” for MTV.

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Deal alert: Buy these Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers shoes for under $100 + free shipping now

The NFL season is slowly creeping up, with teams finishing up their rookie minicamps. OTAs are later this month, with training camp just about two months away. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, last year’s NFC South division champions, are looking to see even more success in 2025.

Bucs fans looking to rock some fresh gear for the 2025 season are in luck, as Fanatics has a pair of Nike shoes on sale for less than $100!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Nike Unisex Zoom Pegasus 40 Running Shoe – Anthracite are on sale for $81.99. The following sizes are still available: 3.5,4,6.5,7,7.5,8,8.5.

Fans can also get free shipping on this order with code “24SHIP” at checkout.

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Hallmark’s new May For Moms 2025 movie event: How to watch, where to stream free

Though Mother’s Day was last week, Hallmark is continuing their celebration for moms through their May For Moms 2025 event.

The lineup of new movie releases included in the May collection kicked off earlier this month with Hats Off to Love with Love in the Clouds following soon after, but there are still three upcoming movie releases to catch.

Upcoming Hallmark releases

Love on the Danube: Love Song premieres Saturday, May 17 at 8/7c and stars Nazneen Contractor and Wes Brown. The movie follows fellow cruise passengers, Sarah and Jack play matchmaker with the music loving widowed parents as they cruise down the Danube visiting European Cities.

Love on the Danube: Royal Getaway airs the following week on Saturday, May 24 at 8/7c and stars Jessica Sipos and Dan Jeannotte. Sipos portrays a jilted art gallery manager who takes her honeymoon cruise solo and meets a charming prince (Jeannotte) posing as a European gentleman, who just so happens to share her passion for art.

To close out the May For Moms celebration event, Love on the Danube: Kissing Stars premieres on Saturday, May 31 at 8/7c and stars Sarah Power and Brendan Penny. The movie follows Savannah (Power), a publicist, reluctantly working with Tripp (Penny), a celebrity who is having trouble connecting with his fans while abroad on a cruise promoting his latest film.

Where can I watch the May For Moms 2025 releases?

Those interested in catching the slew of upcoming Hallmark movie releases can catch the network available for streaming on Philo, Fubo, DirecTV Stream or Sling.

Philo, Fubo and DirecTV Stream all offer free trials for new subscribers while Sling offers those who commit to a paid subscription half off their first month and one month free of AMC+.

Out of all the streaming options mentioned above, Philo is the cheapest at just $28 a month after its free trial concludes.

What is Philo?

Philo is considered one of the cheapest ways to ditch basic cable. Known as an entertainment-focused streaming service, Philo offers its subscribers access to over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.

New users can enjoy Philo’s 7-day free trial and continue to stream top channels, hit TV shows and movies on-demand for just $28 a month once the free trial expires.

Those looking to customize their flow of content even further on Philo can consider including add-ons such as MGM+, STARZ, and AMC+ in their subscription.

What is Fubo and DirecTV Stream?

Fubo and DirecTV Stream are two of the top streaming services steadily replacing traditional cable services. Both offer free trials to new subscribers, a plethora of popular live TV channels, on-demand streaming options and helpful features such as unlimited DVR storage.

Fubo considers itself a sports-focused live streaming service, but with over 100 live TV channels available through its base package at just $84.99 after its free trial, it offers much more to its subscribers.

Popular TV channels available through Fubo include ABC, FOX, BET, MTV, CNBC, MSNBC, USA and much more.

DirecTV Stream mirrors Fubo by offering many of the same live TV channels and useful features. The base package starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNN, BET and much more.

Two other DirecTV Stream packages are the Choice package (original price $114.99) and the Ultimate package (original price $129.99), both of which are part of an ongoing promotion that offers new subscribers $10 off the original price for the first three months of their subscription.

Those interested in comparing all DirecTV Stream’s channel packages can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to stream live TV channels like the Hallmark Channel. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those who commit to a paid plan get half off the first month and one month free of AMC+.

Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.

For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).

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South Alabama adds 2027 football game vs. SEC opponent

South Alabama will play at Florida to open the 2027 football season, AL.com has confirmed via a Jaguars football spokesman.

The Jaguars will travel to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to face the Gators on Sept. 4, 2027. The game with Florida joins future SEC dates for South Alabama at Auburn (2025), at Kentucky (2026) and at Ole Miss (2028), plus a home game with the Rebels in 2029.

South Alabama and Florida have never played in football, though the Jaguars were originally scheduled to play in Gainesville in 2016. That game was canceled after the Gators were forced to re-schedule a conference game with LSU due to Hurricane Matthew (South Alabama ended up playing Presbyterian, which was Florida’s original opponent, in order to complete its non-conference schedule that year.)

The South Alabama-Florida matchup was first reported by FBSchedules.com. The game will reportedly pay the Jaguars $1.2 million.

In addition to Florida, South Alabama also has 2027 non-conference games scheduled with Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech. A fourth non-conference game will be added at a later date.

Here are South Alabama’s confirmed future non-conference football opponents (subject to change):

2025

Morgan State (Aug. 30)

Tulane (Sept. 6)

at Auburn (Sept. 13)

at North Texas (Sept. 27)

2026

Southeastern Louisiana (Sept. 5)

at Tulane (Sept. 12)

Ohio (Sept. 19)

at Kentucky (Sept. 26)

2027

at Florida (Sept. 4)

Middle Tennessee (Sept. 18)

at Louisiana Tech (Sept. 25)

2028

at Ole Miss (Sept. 2)

Bowling Green (Sept. 16)

at Middle Tennessee (Sept. 23)

2029

Ole Miss (Sept. 1)

Florida A&M (Sept. 16)

2030

UAB (Sept. 14)

2031

at UAB (Sept. 6)

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Cable TV news channel trying again to make streaming service work

CNN’s second attempt at devising a streaming product that can court younger viewers will make its debut this fall, after a lot of corporate foreshadowing and a growing sense that its linear service will continue to face challenges rebuilding a larger audience.

Executives from the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet tipped their plans Tuesday during a town hall meeting, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The new service will be decidedly less flashy than CNN+, an attempt to win younger viewers that launched in March of 2022 and was shut down a month later, after Discovery Communications took control of the media assets once known as Time Warner. CNN has been teasing its digital plans repeatedly in recent months.

The conversations from the town hall meeting were previously reported by The New York Times.

More details are expected to be announced Wednesday, when Warner Bros. Discovery makes a presentation to advertisers as part of the TV industry’s annual “upfront” ad-sales market.

CNN CEO Mark Thompson has articulated a plan to win new adherents to CNN with a series of topic-based products that might lure fans of such things as wellness, or travel. The new product will dovetails with a recent paywall put in place at CNN.com that gives those who subscribe to it access to ad-free news and certain extra pieces of content.

CNN will be the third major TV business to unveil plans for a new streaming product this week. Fox Corp. said it intends to launch Fox One in the fall, a subscription service that will put Fox News, Fox Sports and Fox broadcast series under the same entity. 

Disney’s ESPN plans to unveil a new stand-alone service that gives sports fans access to all of its offerings within a single outlet. All three companies have taken pains to position these products as services that will not compete with their mainstay cable and broadcast outlets. 

ESPN, for example, will make the personalization features that form a big part of its new streamer available to cable subscribers via its mobile app.

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