A new location of Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar is planning to open this fall.

The City of Alabaster announced that renovation work is set to wrap by the end of this month.

In a social media post, the city said the restaurant will train employees in August before opening to the public in September.

“We can’t wait!” the city announced.

The Missouri-based franchise will be located in the former O’Charley’s building in Alabaster’s South Promenade shopping center.

The project was first announced last year, which added patio dining areas.

Big Whiskey’s opened a Hoover location in Stadium Trace Village back in July 2020.

There is also a location in Madison, and another one set to open at 6225 Tattersall Blvd. in Hoover.

The franchise, known for cocktails and spirits, was founded in downtown Springfield, Mo. in 2006 and has restaurants in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Florida. It’s menu features lunch, dinner and brunch options, from salads and soups, to steaks, seafood and Southwestern dishes.

A record 72 million people were expected to travel at least 50 miles from their home around the Independence Day holiday. Of those, some 18.5 million travelers were expected to fly during the Fourth of July period, which started Tuesday, July 2 and extended through Sunday, July 6.

The surge means large crowds and the potential for longer wait times.

“It’s clear that travel is on the rise this summer,” TSA said. “Remember, if you’re traveling anytime soon, be sure to arrive at your airport early, make sure you have a valid form of ID with you.”

Busiest travel days

Sunday was the biggest day with some 2.9 million people going through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.

Holiday travel is part of a broader upswing that’s been seen throughout the year, according to TSA data. New statistics released by the agency showed June 22, 2025 was the busiest travel day in TSA history with 3,097,633 people going through checkpoints. Five other dates from 2025 made the busiest travel day top 10: May 23, 2025; June 27, 2025; June 19, 2025; May 22, 2025; and June 29, 2025.

Here are the top 10 busiest travel days in TSA history:

1. June 22, 2025 – 3,097,633
2. Dec. 1, 2024 – 3,088,836
3. July 7, 2024 – 3,013,622
4. May 23, 2025 – 3,010,183
5. June 23, 2024 – 2,996,495
6. June 27, 2025 – 2,988,598
7. June 19, 2025 – 2,980,935
8. May 22, 2025 – 2,960,413
9. June 29, 2025 – 2,958,696
10. July 18, 2024 – 2,957,170

According to baseballreference.com, Satchel Paige was born on July 7, 1906, in Mobile – 119 years ago today.

However, pick any year from 1901 and 1909, and there’s a news source that, at some point, has listed it as Paige’s birth year. But if 1906 is the correct year, then Paige was two days past his 42nd birthday when he pitched in the newly integrated Major Leagues for the first time on July 9, 1948.

At that point, Paige was playing it coy about his age, telling reporters that a goat had eaten either his birth certificate or the family Bible. It led to one of his many pearls of wisdom: “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?”

Paige’s 1948 autobiography, “Pitchin’ Man,” has a chapter titled “About My Age,” which starts: “Now about my age. That’s usually a subject for women, but I guess we got to go into it because the way everybody is fussing, it seems it’s as important as the secret of the atomic bomb.” Paige then cites a variety of people – his mother, ex-wife, a judge who fined him for a speeding ticket, the guys he played bingo with – who all had different ages for him, without confirming any as correct.

Paige’s ability to pitch past retirement age for almost any other player raised curiosity about the secret to his longevity, and an interview on that subject led the pitcher to develop his famous “master maxims,” usually referred to as “Six Rules for Staying Young” or “Six Rules for a Happy Life.” Paige had the rules printed on his business card.

The rules said:

1. Avoid fried meats, which angry up the blood.

2. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts.

3. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.

4. Go very light on the vices such as carrying on in society. The social ramble ain’t restful.

5. Avoid running at all times.

6. Don’t look back; something might be gaining on you.

“Don’t look back; something might be gaining on you” put Paige in “Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations.” His exploits on the diamond landed him in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, the first player to be enshrined for his Negro Leagues performance.

Paige arrived in Cleveland as a famous baseball player, even though the recognized Major Leagues had kept the doors closed to him for the prime seasons of his career. Paige pitched as a pro in five decades and did so for dozens of teams from Alaska to South America. That included the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro National League from 1927 through 1930.

RELATED: THE 22 BEST MAJOR LEAGUE CAREERS BY PLAYERS WITH ALABAMA BASEBALL ROOTS

His 6-1 record down the stretch as the first Black pitcher in the American League helped Cleveland win the 1948 pennant. He had four more MLB seasons ahead of him, including two as an All-Star, plus three full minor-league campaigns remaining. Paige was pitching regularly for the Miami Marlins of the Triple-A International League at 52, going 10-10 with a 2.95 earned-run average in 1958.

Paige also burnished his reputation in competition beyond the Negro Leagues during the segregated era. In the offseason in Paige’s heyday, top baseball players sometimes would supplement their incomes with barnstorming tours, traveling to places outside the 10 cities with American or National League teams. Paige headlined clubs of Negro Leaguers that opposed squads of American and National League players led first by Dizzy Dean and then by Bob Feller, pitchers who preceded Paige into the Hall of Fame.

Paige’s final big-league appearance was a publicity stunt dreamed up by Kansas City Athletics owner Charles O. Finley, who just two nights before Paige’s return to the Majors had held Bert Campaneris Appreciation Night, during which the Kansas City shortstop played one inning at each of the nine positions.

Paige started a game between two also-ran teams on Sept. 25, 1965. He pitched the first three innings against the Boston Red Sox, giving up one hit – a double to future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski – and struck out one without walking a batter. Paige threw 28 pitches – a number less than half his age.

Paige died on June 8, 1982.

On June 24, Mobile opened its Hall of Fame Walk on Water Street, featuring a statue of Paige along with the four other members of the Baseball Hall of Fame born in the Port City – Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Ozzie Smith and Billy Williams – and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Robert Brazile.

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

Many parents in a fast-growing part of Madison County are relieved that a new school is on the way.

Hazel Green Middle School is headed to northern Madison County to address overcrowding.

Amy Cochran has lived in the area for 13 years. She’s had three boys graduate from the system, one in middle school and another in fifth grade.

She said she’s seen issues with overcrowding for years, especially in middle school. Cochran believes children will be safer in less crowded schools. She’s right, the National Library of Medicine published a report that school overcrowding is linked to increased bullying behavior.

“It’s too crowded, and those kids are on top of each other, and they fight more,” Cochran said. “If you’re uncomfortable, because you’re all kept in a hallway, you’re gonna have kids who fight. That’s just how it’s gonna go. And I’ve had one of mine beat up in the bathroom, so I’ve personally experienced bullying myself with my children, and it’s just going to be so great to be able to have those numbers shrunk down.”

The school will house 1,200 seventh and eighth graders. District 1 Madison County Board of Education member David Vess says they’re just trying to keep up with growth. He sees several new subdivisions in the area whenever he drives around.

“We’re busting at the seams in Hazel Green,” Vess said. “It’s what it boils down to. And we’ve got to make some room to accommodate that growth,”

The $53 million school will be on the same campus as Hazel Green High School. They will add a right turn lane towards Fayetteville to help with traffic leaving the campus.

Cochran and other parents say traffic is a huge concern. She said she knows county and school leaders are doing the best they can to help ease the roads. However, it takes her four times as long to arrive at the elementary school on a Monday morning than usual, plus she says carpool is chaotic and takes a long time to navigate through.

“They just don’t have enough room,” Cochran said. “No matter what they try, it still backs up and backs up and backs up and backs up, and then it backs up into the high school. I don’t know how they’re going to fix all the other traffic, because it is a mess.”

There will be some changes to other schools in the Hazel Green district. Meridianville Middle School will transition to an intermediate school for fifth and sixth grades. The district will add a new wing with 12 new classrooms to the growing Hazel Green High School.

It will all start with the new Hazel Green Middle School. It’s set to open for the 2027-2028 school year, and the groundbreaking will be later this month.

What would you do if you opened the door and found an unexpected package? You’d probably be excited – after all, who doesn’t like a surprise?

But what if that “surprise” was actually part of a scam that could compromise your identity and potentially cost you big bucks?

That’s just what’s involved in a scam that’s known as “brushing.” While not new, it appears the scam is making its rounds once again, according to a recent warning from the U.S. Postal Service.

How does brushing work?

Here are the elements of a brushing scam, according to the United States Postal Inspection Service:

• A person received packages containing various sorts of items – typically low cost, or worthless things that don’t cost much to send- that were not ordered. The package may be addressed to the recipient but there is not a return address, or, if there is, it is an international third-party company.
• The package is sent to give the impression the recipient is a verified buyer. After the package is received, a fake review is posted using the recipient’s name on a website. The fake review helps fraudulently boost or inflate a product’s ratings and sales numbers, USPIS said, which could lead to more sales.
• There’s a new version of the scam that also involves quishing, or phishing scams using a QR code. The QR code that accompanies the unsolicited package directs you to scan to learn who sent the gift or to get more information, but instead sends you to a fake website when you scan it. The websites often look legitimate and appear to be a bank, government organization or other institution. Instead, the sites are designed to secure your personally identifiable information, or PII.

What’s the big deal?

So you receive an unsolicited package? Toss it in the trash – no harm, no foul, right?

Wrong, post officials said.

“These packages are often sent by online retailers or third parties who use compromised personal information to create fake transactions. The goal is to inflate product reviews and sales rankings,” U.S. Postal Inspector Kelly McNulty told KOB 4 News in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “If customers receive brushing packages, it’s important to report them to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and make a plan to review and protect your personal data.”

“This is about more than just a package,” she added. “Treat your personal information like cash.”

Brushing scams can be an indication your personal details – things like your full name, phone number and address – have been compromised. That information can then be used by thieves to steal your identity and your money.

How to protect yourself from brushing scams

Advice from USPIS on how to protect yourself from brushing scams:

• Don’t pay for the merchandise, even if you are contacted and pressured by the sender.
• Return package to sender. If your package has a return address and it is unopened, mark it “return to sender” and it will be returned at no charge.
• If you’ve opened it and don’t want to keep it, throw it out. If it’s something you want to keep, you are allowed to do so and don’t have to pay for it.
• Change your passwords on your accounts. Your PII may have been compromised.
• Closely monitor your credit reports and bills.
• Notify authorities if the merchandise is organic (seeds, foods or plants) or an unknown liquid.
• If the unsolicited merchandise comes from Amazon, eBay or another third-party company, go to that company’s website and file a fraud report. Also, ask the company to remove any fake reviews under your name.

Craig Robinson is leaving comedy for good.

In a recent video post on Instagram, “The Office” actor revealed that he is giving up comedy to focus on “something bigger.” In the caption of the post, he wrote, “Life update: I’m officially quitting comedy to focus on my true calling. Stay tuned. I’m working on something huge.”

“Hey, everybody! Just wanted you to hear it from me: I am quitting comedy,” Robinson said in the video. “But not for nothing. It’s been an amazing run, and y’all have been amazing and wonderful, but I’m following something bigger. So, thank you so much, I love you and stay tuned.”

Robinson teased what his next venture might be in a follow-up post, asking for advice about how to start a small business. He wrote in the caption, “Turns out having a dream and building a business with your friends are two VERY different things. I can’t go into detail just yet, but for real though any help would be huge.”

Robinson broke out playing warehouse foreman Darryl Philbin across 118 episodes of “The Office.” Some of his other notable TV credits include “The Cleveland Show,” “American Dad,” “Mr. Robot,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Killing It” and “Big Mouth.”

On the film side, Robinson has appeared in “Hot Tub Time Machine,” “This Is the End,” “Sausage Party,” “Dolemite Is My Name” and “The Bad Guys.”

Robinson still has a few projects on the horizon before stepping away from comedy. He will soon appear in the Netflix animated adventure “In Your Dreams” and “The Bad Guys 2.”

© 2025 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

President Donald Trump on Sunday signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County after deadly flash flooding through Texas’ Hill Country.

“These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing,” Trump said in a social media post announcing the signing.

The declaration comes one day after U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem arrived to survey the storm-battered region, including a visit to Camp Mystic, where a group of girls were apparently caught in fast-moving floodwaters.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has expanded the state’s disaster declaration beyond Kerr County to include counties near Austin, but Sunday’s federal declaration appeared confined to Kerr County, the hardest-hit area.

Over the weekend, assets from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection have been assisting the local search and rescue efforts, state and federal officials said at Saturday’s news conference.

Trump’s declaration will provide federal disaster assistance to individuals seeking housing, home repairs and loans to cover home damages, according to a FEMA news release.

It will also make federal funding available to government agencies and nonprofit organizations for emergency work and facility repair and replacement “on a cost-sharing basis.”

The president said the Coast Guard and state first responders have saved more than 850 people from the flooding.

Following Trump’s declaration on Sunday, Noem said in a social media post that her department is deploying federal resources to Texas first responders and will continue supporting state and local officials “as search efforts continue and recovery begins.”

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(Staff writer Suryatapa Chakraborty contributed to this report.)

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©2025 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Sean “Diddy” Combs got a standing ovation from fellow inmates when the music mogul returned to jail after winning acquittals on potential life-in-prison charges, providing what his lawyer says might have been the best thing he could do for incarcerated Black men in America.

“They all said: ‘We never get to see anyone who beats the government,’” attorney Marc Agnifilo told The Associated Press in a weekend interview days after a jury acquitted Combs of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.

Combs, 55, remains jailed at a federal lockup in Brooklyn after his conviction Wednesday on prostitution-related charges, which could put him in prison for several more years. Any sentence will include credit for time already served. So far that’s almost 10 months.

After federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and the Miami area in March 2024, Agnifilo said he told the “I’ll Be Missing You” singer to expect to be arrested on sex trafficking charges.

“I said: ‘Maybe it’s your fate in life to be the guy who wins,’” he recalled during a telephone interview briefly interrupted by a jailhouse call from Combs. “They need to see that someone can win. I think he took that to heart.”

Blunt trial strategy works

The verdict in Manhattan federal court came after a veteran team of eight defense lawyers led by Agnifilo executed a trial strategy that resonated with jurors. Combs passed lawyers notes during effective cross-examinations of nearly three dozen witnesses over two months, including Combs’ ex-employees.

The lawyers told jurors Combs was a jealous domestic abuser with a drug problem who participated in the swinger lifestyle through threesomes involving Combs, his girlfriends and another man.

“You may think to yourself, wow, he is a really bad boyfriend,” Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos told jurors in her May opening statement. But that, she said, “is simply not sex trafficking.”

Agnifilo said the blunt talk was a “no brainer.”

“The violence was so clear and up front and we knew the government was going to try to confuse the jury into thinking it was part of a sex trafficking effort. So we had to tell the jury what it was so they wouldn’t think it was something it wasn’t,” he said.

Combs and his lawyers seemed deflated Tuesday when jurors said they were deadlocked on the racketeering count but had reached a verdict on sex trafficking and lesser prostitution-related charges. A judge ordered them back to deliberate Wednesday.

“No one knows what to think,” Agnifilo said. Then he slept on it.

Morning surprise awakes lawyer

“I wake up at three in the morning and I text Teny and say: ”We have to get a bail application together,” he recalled. “It’s going to be a good verdict for us but I think he went down on the prostitution counts so let’s try to get him out.”

He said he “kind of whipped everybody into feeling better” after concluding jurors would have convicted him of racketeering if they had convicted him of sex trafficking because trafficking was an alleged component of racketeering.

Agnifilo met with Combs before court and Combs entered the courtroom rejuvenated. Smiling, the onetime Catholic schoolboy prayed with family. In less than an hour, the jury matched Agnifilo’s prediction.

The seemingly chastened Combs mouthed “thank you” to jurors and smiled as family and supporters applauded. After he was escorted from the room, spectators cheered the defense team, a few chanting: “Dream Team! Dream Team!” Several lawyers, including Geragos, cried.

“This was a major victory for the defense and a major loss for the prosecution,” said Mitchell Epner, a lawyer who worked with Agnifilo as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey over two decades ago. He credited “a dream team of defense lawyers” against prosecutors who almost always win.

Agnifilo showcased what would become his trial strategy — belittling the charges and mocking the investigation that led to them — last September in arguing unsuccessfully for bail. The case against Combs was what happens when the “federal government comes into our bedrooms,” he said.

Lawyers gently questioned most witnesses

During an eight-week trial, Combs’ lawyers picked apart the prosecution case with mostly gentle but firm cross-examinations. Combs never testified and his lawyers called no witnesses.

Sarah Krissoff, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan from 2008 to 2021, said Combs’ defense team “had a narrative from the beginning and they did all of it without putting on any witnesses. That’s masterful.”

Ironically, Agnifilo expanded the use of racketeering laws as a federal prosecutor on an organized crime task force in New Jersey two decades ago, using them often to indict street gangs in violence-torn cities.

“I knew the weak points in the statute,” he said. “The statute is very mechanical. If you know how the car works, you know where the fail points are.”

He said prosecutors had “dozens of fail points.”

“They didn’t have a conspiracy, they just didn’t,” he said. “They basically had Combs’ personal life and tried to build racketeering around personal assistants.”

Some personal assistants, even after viewing videos of Combs beating his longtime girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, had glowing things to say about Combs on cross examination.

Once freed, Combs likely to reenter domestic abusers program

For Combs, Agnifilo sees a long road ahead once he is freed and resumes work on personal demons, likely reentering a program for domestic batterers that he had just started before his arrest.

“He’s doing OK,” said Agnifilo, who speaks with him four or five times daily.

He said Combs genuinely desires improvement and “realizes he has flaws like everyone else that he never worked on.”

“He burns hot in all matters. I think what he has come to see is that he has these flaws and there’s no amount of fame and no amount of fortune” that can erase them,” he said. “You can’t cover them up.”

For Agnifilo, a final surprise awaited him after Combs’ bail was rejected when a man collapsed into violent seizures at the elevators outside the courtroom.

“I’m like: ‘What the hell?’” recalled the lawyer, who has experience in treating seizures.

Agnifilo straddled him, pulling him onto his side and using a foot to prevent him from rolling backward while a law partner, Jacob Kaplan, put a backpack under the man’s head and Agnifilo’s daughter took his pulse.

“We made sure he didn’t choke on vomit. It was crazy. I was worried about him,” he said.

The man was eventually taken away conscious by rescue workers, leaving Agnifilo to ponder a tumultuous day.

“It was like I was getting punked by God,” he said.

Leading up to the 2025 season, AL.com is highlighting the top high school football players in Alabama.

Our first statewide list focuses on the best running backs in 6A.

We contacted coaches across the state and asked them to fill out a survey requesting information about their team. These lists were compiled primarily based on the information provided by the coaches who chose to respond.

If you are an Alabama high school football coach who did not receive the survey, email [email protected] or [email protected]. We will continue to add to these lists throughout the summer.

BEST RUNNING BACKS, ALABAMA 6A

Kendrick Able Jr., jr., Theodore

Able’s stellar sophomore season included nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns. After a focused offseason, expect even more production from him in 2025. “I’ve been working with my trainer, trying to get my speed up as well as my strength,” Able said. “I’ve been grinding in the weight room, working on our schemes for the season.” He’s caught the attention of several colleges and has offers from Alabama-Birmingham and Troy, among other Division I programs. Able is incredibly strong for a running back — he bench-presses 350 pounds and squats 500. But his most impressive number? His 4.43 GPA.

Will Abrams, jr., St. Paul’s Episcopal

Abrams’ future is as a linebacker in college — he has offers from Georgia Tech, Michigan and Mississippi, among others — but he also plays a key role in the Saints’ offense. He has rushed for more than 500 yards and 10 touchdowns in high school. “My experience on defense helps me identify fronts, slants and things of that nature to understand where the hole will be and what cutback lanes will probably open up,” Abrams said. “It helps you understand how to break down that second-level defender because you are one of those guys.” His linebacker mindset doesn’t change when he’s carrying the ball. “I’m willing to go through whatever or whoever to touch the end zone,” he said.

Isaiah Allen, jr., Decatur

Allen split carries with Devin Haley last season, and the two juniors will team to form a solid Red Raiders rushing attack again in 2025. Allen finished his sophomore campaign with 505 yards on 81 carries. “Great vision and great pass-catcher out of the backfield,” Decatur coach John Ritter said.

Quinteris Anderson, sr., Baldwin County

After an all-region season at safety, Anderson will be the Tigers’ lead ball-carrier in 2025. He’s ready. “Q has completely embraced the weight room this offseason and has gotten bigger, stronger and faster,” Baldwin County senior quarterback Hayden Coley said. “Q is a great teammate to share the backfield with because he understands the game at a high level.”

Stuart Andrews, sr., Mountain Brook

Andrews was named Newcomer of the Year by the Birmingham News and was voted first team all-state by the Alabama Sports Writers Association after rushing for 1,805 yards and scoring 23 touchdowns as a junior, but his impact on his team goes far beyond the statistics. “He has been an inspiration to me and my teammates for how hard he works and how much he is willing to sacrifice for us,” Spartans senior center Rocco Gray said. His hard work also has paid off on the wrestling mats, as he’s placed four times at the state championships. “There is no one in the state I would rather be blocking for and see score touchdowns than him,” Gray added.

Justin Bonner, sr., Spanish Fort

Bonner is a two-year starter at wide receiver who is moving to running back for his senior season. “I’m very excited about the position switch because it’s something I played all throughout my youth days, and I know my teammates and my coach believe in me to do it,” Bonner said. He’s right about that — Toros coach Chase Smith said Bonner is the type of player who would succeed in any role. “Very physical and strong,” Smith said. “Hard worker and talented player. We’re looking for him to have a great year.” Bonner’s No. 1 goal? “Helping my teammates grow and be the best version of themselves.” Alabama A&M, Louisiana-Monroe and North Alabama are among the colleges that have made him an offer.

PJ Brown, sr., Saraland

A transfer from Mobile Christian, Brown is joining the reigning 6A runner-up Spartans for his senior year. Among his many incredible games for the Leopards was a 331-yard rushing performance in a win over Satsuma last September. “PJ is a total back who can run with speed and play in the slot,” Saraland coach Jeff Kelly said. “He has a great burst on his first step and has home run ability on every touch.” Football isn’t the only sport in which Brown has home run ability — he’s also a standout on the baseball diamond.

Leland Brown-Foster, sr., Brookwood

The Panthers have several players who can run the ball, including junior Jordan Riley (also the leader of the defense at middle linebacker) and sophomore Jamarcus Jackson (who also plays quarterback). Brown-Foster, though, might be the most complete back on the roster. “Should be a big part of the offense because he can do it all,” Brookwood coach Chris Foster said. “He can be a great between-the-tackles runner and can split out to catch the ball as well.”

Xavier Edwards, sr., Athens

Edwards received all-region honorable mention by the Huntsville Times last year. One of the plays of the season was his 57-yard touchdown catch from receiver Grady Sullivan in the playoff game against Homewood. Golden Eagles coach Cody Gross describes Edwards as “an explosive and physical runner who can also be a threat in the passing game.” He has offers from Alabama-Birmingham, North Alabama and Southeast Missouri State.

Anthony Frasier, sr., St. Paul’s Episcopal

Frasier is entering his third season as the Saints’ starting running back; he has more than 2,000 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns in high school. “I have loved watching him grow as a young man,” St. Paul’s Episcopal coach Ham Barnett said. “He has become more vocal and will be a leader for the offense.” Frasier has received numerous college offers in the past few months, including from Austin Peay, North Alabama, Samford, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Wofford.

Devin Haley, jr., Decatur

Haley had a productive sophomore season splitting time with classmate Isaiah Allen in the Red Raiders backfield, including a 102-yard, three-touchdown performance in a memorable 44-0 Homecoming win over Lee-Huntsville. A “bruiser-type runner” is how Decatur coach John Ritter describes Haley.

Jordan Henderson, sr., Calera

Henderson’s 49-yard touchdown catch helped the Eagles edge Pelham 35-33 last September for the program’s first win in nearly two years. He had a highlight-reel 28-yard touchdown run in another win a month later over Brookwood, and Calera coach Scott Rials foresees more big plays in 2025. “Great upside,” Rials said of Henderson. “Shifty and quick.”

Kawann Johnson, sr., McAdory

Johnson was productive as a junior, and teammates are expecting even bigger things from him this year. “He’s only been getting better,” Yellowjackets junior wide receiver Carter Feagin said. “He’s more of a downhill back that drops his shoulder but also is elusive when he has to be. He’s a threat in the receiving game, too, and not one to be tackled by only one person.” Johnson recently picked up an offer from Alabama State.

Ja’Michael Jones, sr., Pike Road

The state’s No. 23 class of 2026 recruit in 247Sports’ composite rankings committed to Mississippi over Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame and others. Quinshon Judkins, a running back taken by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, also went from Pike Road to Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State after his sophomore season. Patriots coach Granger Shook calls Jones an “excellent leader.” He rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 17 touchdowns last year and was a second-team all-state pick by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Chase Malone, sr., Chelsea

Malone racked up 1,601 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns last season, and he helped bring confidence and composure to his Hornets teammates in several close games. “When the game is on the line, I lead by example with keeping a calm and collected mindset,” Malone said. He was a Birmingham News first-team all-region selection and a second-team all-state pick by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Damarcus Malone, sr., Athens

Malone and classmate Xavier Edwards once again will make up one of the best 1-2 running back punches in Alabama. As juniors, they combined for more than 1,600 yards and 26 touchdowns. “A physical, downhill runner that loves contact,” Golden Eagles coach Cody Gross said. “He has developed into a great leader for us, and we expect big things from him this season.”

Ryder McMakin, so., Mountain Brook

Stuart Andrews is the present at the running back position for the Spartans, and McMakin is the future. “Long, fast, physical” is how longtime Mountain Brook coach Chris Yeager describes McMakin, who scored on one of his first carries in the spring game. “He learned the playbook and the concepts very quickly and is ready to add more to his plate,” Spartans senior center Rocco Gray said. “I am very excited to see where he can take his career at Mountain Brook. He is going to be great, especially under the leadership of Stuart.”

Ladarien Miller, jr., McGill-Toolen

Miller broke through as a sophomore for the Yellowjackets, rushing for 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns and piling up another 331 yards and three touchdowns receiving. He was a second-team Press-Register all-Coastal selection.

Micah Pledger, sr., Jasper

Pledger racked up 1,431 total yards and 22 touchdowns for the Vikings in 2024 and received honorable mention all-state by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. He has offers from Alabama-Birmingham, Alabama State and North Alabama, among others.

Kaedin Ray, sr., Gadsden City

As a junior, Ray was the backup to TJ Worthy, a first-team all-state pick by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. With Worthy at Tennessee-Chattanooga, it will be Ray’s turn to shine, and Titans senior quarterback Kai Franklin said Ray boasts many of the same skills as his predecessor. “He can catch out of the backfield really well, like TJ last year, so I think he’ll be a receiving threat as well,” Franklin said. “And he’s a downhill runner — he can get downhill quick and hit the holes.”

Anthony (AJ) Robinson, sr., Hueytown

Robinson is entering his second season as a starter and his third season as a key player for the Golden Gophers. He rushed for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior and is fresh off a standout performance in Hueytown’s spring game against Spain Park. “AJ is a talented running back who likes to finish his runs with physicality,” Golden Gophers coach Greg Patterson said. “He has good speed and catches the ball out of the backfield well.” He has offers from Alabama A&M and Austin Peay, and whichever college program gets him will be landing a young star who is mature beyond his years. “AJ takes a professional approach in all aspects from the weight room, meetings/film and the practice field,” Patterson said.

Quinton Robinson, jr., Pike Road

The Patriots are developing quite the tradition at running back, with recent NFL Draft pick Quinshon Judkins and rising senior Ja’Michael Jones, a Mississippi commit. They have another strong back on the roster in Robinson. “He will be a playmaker for us,” Pike Road coach Granger Shook said. Robinson also stars on the baseball field as an outfielder and a right-handed pitcher, and he has a 3.9 GPA.

Tristen Rutledge, sr., Pelham

Rutledge is returning to Pelham after spending last season at John Carroll Catholic. Panthers coach Ross Newton said he believes Rutledge can be a 1,000-yard back. “He is an unbelievable young man with great energy that works very hard,” Newton said. Pelham senior linebacker Joe Hampton said the team is happy to have Rutledge back. “He’s going to be a great running back for us this year,” Hampton said. “He’s a strong, fast and physical player who can run away from defenders. He’s going to surprise some folks and be a good college running back.”

Dom Santiago, sr., Helena

As a junior, Santiago averaged 8.8 yards per carry and scored 12 touchdowns — 10 rushing, two receiving. Five of those touchdowns came in a monster 270-yard performance in the Huskies’ regular-season finale against Calera, including a 71-yard run to cap a 49-21 win. “Great three-down back with excellent hands out of the backfield,” Helena coach Richie Busby said.

Izaiah Smith, sr., Pell City

Coaches and teammates rave about Smith’s athleticism. “Very, very speedy — if he finds a hole, he will hit it,” Panthers junior quarterback Brody Gossett said. “He is very patient. He is also versatile. He has very good feet and will trick with them.” Smith was part of Pell City’s third-place 4×200-meter relay team at the Alabama high school indoor track championships.

Chancellor Sparks, sr., Parker

Sparks is a football player with track speed: His 10.7 seconds in the 100 meters is the second-fastest time in school history. His football coaches use him all over the field and on special teams. As a junior, he rushed for 856 yards and eight touchdowns and helped the Thundering Herd win the 6A state championship before committing to Miami (Ohio) a few months later. After an offseason spent “working on getting bigger, stronger and faster as well as focusing on my diet,” Sparks has a statistical goal he calls “20/20 vision” — that is, he sees clearly a 2,000-yard, 20-touchdown campaign in his future. Another goal is to finish high school with a 4.0 GPA. Sparks plans to graduate early and begin college in January.

Donovan “Dj” Verges, jr., Pell City

Verges is a future college linebacker — he has offers from Alabama-Birmingham, Jacksonville State, Liberty and Southern Mississippi, among others — and many of the traits that make him a standout on defense translate to the offensive game. “He is a playmaker,” Panthers junior quarterback Brody Gossett said. “He reads things very well and has very good vision on both sides of the ball.”

Dre Williams, fr., Oxford

Here’s a name to remember. The Yellow Jackets have one future college running back in senior Caleb Wynn (a South Alabama commit), and they could have another in Williams. “He’s very explosive, and we feel like we can do a lot of things to get him the ball,” Oxford coach Sam Adams said.

Joshua Woods, sr., Clay-Chalkville

Woods was behind West Alabama-bound running back Aaron Osley last season, but he still ended up with close to 800 yards and 13 touchdowns. Now that he’s the main ball-carrier, “this is definitely the year he puts people on notice,” Cougars senior quarterback Aaron Frye said. Frye added that Woods’ strengths are his power and his balance. “It’s hard to bring him down,” Frye said. The quarterback also appreciates Woods’ humor and his role in keeping the team loose. “Everybody on the team jokes around a lot, which makes it easier to play for each other,” Frye said. “Josh and (junior safety) Josh Ivy are the main ones joking and having fun.”

Caleb Wynn, sr., Oxford

Wynn was a second-team all-state honoree by the Alabama Sports Writers Association after he rushed for 1,200 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior and heled lead the Yellow Jackets to the 6A semifinals. He is committed to South Alabama. “Hard downhill runner, a bigger back with great hands,” Oxford coach Sam Adams said. “Very versatile player.”

Jayden Morris and Jaheim Pruitt, srs., Hartselle

There will be plenty of carries for both of them out of the Tigers backfield. Pruitt “had a great year last year, and we’re expecting more this year,” Hartselle coach Bert Newton said. As for Morris, he’s a three-year starter on offense who “can play any skill position,” according to Newton.

Darius Burwell and Tavarian Moore-Langford, srs., Mae Jemison

In Burwell and Moore-Langford, the Jaguars have two dynamic athletes who can fill multiple roles on both sides of the ball. Moore-Langford was the Huntsville City Schools offensive player of the year and a second-team Huntsville Times all-region pick in 2024. Burwell received honorable mention from the Huntsville Times and is committed to South Alabama.

Jeremiah Jackson, jr., and Kameron Murphy, so., Parker

Two-way star and Birmingham News all-region player of the year Na’eem Offord is off to the University of Oregon after rushing for 629 yards and 13 touchdowns and helping to lead the Thundering Herd to the 2024 state title. Chancellor Sparks has one year left at Parker before heading to Miami (Ohio) — not even a full year, as Sparks plans to graduate early and enroll in college shortly after the football season. Plenty of touches soon will be available in the Thundering Herd backfield, and two youngsters ready to pounce on the opportunity are Jackson and Murphy. They played JV last season, but Parker coach Frank Warren envisions both making an impact for the varsity team as early as this fall. Other capable backs on the roster include senior Isaiah Miles and junior Darryl Sanders. “At Parker, we call ourselves RBU,” Sparks said.

For complete coverage of Alabama high school football, including schedules, scores, recruiting news and additional player spotlights, visit AL.com’s high school sports section throughout the season.

Dear Eric: I am very much enjoying the second time around following a long and less than joyful first marriage.

My problem is plans for burial.

All of our children are terribly against our marriage even though both of our spouses were deceased at the time we met.

Our children have virtually no relationship with us now and if there is any contact it is ugly.

I have a cemetery plot out of state with my deceased wife. My wife has a local plot with her deceased husband.

I would like to get a new plot for the two of us but expect that any such request would receive pushback and be ignored.

My wife’s mother is buried with her second husband using her last name at the time of her death and her father is buried with a subsequent wife so there is precedent for what I want but I know her daughter would require that her mother be buried next to her father.

How do I get what I want?

I have not discussed any of this with my wife. If I did and she brought it up with her daughter the reaction would be for the daughter to express her displeasure by keeping the grandchildren from my wife. She has done that for less.

If I am to get a plot, I should do that sooner rather than later as they are in short supply.

While living I would feel great joy if I could know that I could count on being buried beside my wife for all of eternity.

Am I being silly to not just take the easy route?

– Burial Conflict

Dear Plans: You have every right to make a burial plan that suits your life and your love. And – this might be controversial – you don’t have to tell your kids. If you have virtually no relationship as it is, you certainly don’t need to bend to their wishes. It seems there’s no pleasing them, anyway.

In general, it’s better to communicate about final wishes and plans for one’s end-of-life in advance. This helps intentions to be understood and gets questions answered while you’re still around to answer them. But the conflict that’s roiling your family complicates things.

Without knowing more about the circumstances of your marriage, I can’t say your kids are completely wrong, but the punishment you mentioned is more than concerning.

Perhaps they’re struggling with acceptance because of unprocessed grief, perhaps there’s something else going on that I’m not privy, too. Either way, the stated conditions dictate that the burial conversation should happen only between you and your wife right now. Once you’re both on the same page, you’ll know what the next step is. That might mean purchasing a joint plot that makes you happy and appointing someone other than one of your kids as executor. (That last part is probably wise regardless.)

There would still be a lot of complications, of course. Namely, one of you will predecease the other and at that point, presumably, the kids would find out the plan. So, while you are working on doing what brings you joy, I’d also encourage you to get down to the root of what’s going on with your kids.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.