Category: General

General

A ‘crazy’ question: Could Jalen Milroe displace Sam Darnold as Seattle Seahawks QB?

Former Alabama signal-caller Jalen Milroe will not be competing to become the Seattle Seahawks’ starting quarterback when his first NFL training camp begins next month.

Sam Darnold owns that position, and Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said questioning if he could lose the starting spot to anything other than an injury is “crazy.”

“No, you guys are crazy,” Macdonald said on Tuesday when asked if Darnold could be displaced. “I respect that you’ve got to ask it, but it’s just a crazy question. It’s just not going to happen. Sam’s our starting quarterback. We love him. He’s doing a tremendous job.”

The question was asked during “The Mike Macdonald Show” on KIRO-AM in Seattle after Darnold threw two interceptions in three plays in a seven-on-seven, red-zone drill on Monday during the first Seahawks’ practice open to reporters this offseason.

“I think it’s funny that the media is out there for the first day,” Macdonald said, “and all of a sudden, they know exactly how good we’re going to be and how good all the players are, all the tempos. We haven’t even put on pads yet. We haven’t made one tackle.

“And it turns out at practice, it’s a great way to build culture by letting guys know they can’t make mistakes. That’s exactly what we’re shooting for, so go out to practice, be tight, make sure you don’t make a mistake. God forbid, you’re the worst player of all time because you made one bad throw or one bad decision.

“That is not what we’re trying to build. We want these guys to go prepare the right way and then when they go out on the practice field, go freaking let it rip and then we’ll go fix it. We’ve got time. It’s June 3. They’re going to get plenty of reps. We’ll get those things fixed. Sam made a lot of great throws yesterday. He was gashing us on third-and-goal to start the day out, too, so, yeah, that’s kind of a crazy question.”

After trading quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract in March. Darnold earned a Pro Bowl invitation last season, when he paced the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season record and threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.

The Seahawks then brought back quarterback Drew Lock in free agency after he started five games for the New York Giants in 2024. Lock had started two games for Seattle in 2023 when Smith was injured.

Milroe entered the picture when the Seahawks selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft on April 25.

Seattle chose Milroe after he completed 392-of-603 passes for 5,678 yards with 39 touchdowns and 17 interceptions and ran for 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns on 329 carries in his two seasons as Alabama’s starting QB.

After Thursday’s practice, the Seahawks will have two weeks remaining in their offseason program before taking the summer break until training camp convenes in late July.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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

General

Alabama contractor gets 20 years in prison for $600,000 ‘dream pools’ scheme

Former Muscle Shoals pool contractor Gregory Kirk pleaded guilty this week in a case involving multiple property crimes.

Pursuant to a plea agreement with the state, Madison County Circuit Judge Ruth Ann Hall sentenced Kirk to a total term of 20 years’ imprisonment, according to a release from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.

Kirk previously worked in Madison County as a pool contractor and was accused of stealing monies paid to him by consumers, forging a contractor’s license issued by the General Contractor’s Board, using a forged building permit to defraud a customer, and fraudulently using a customer’s credit card, the release states.

He was charged with stealing over $600,000.

“Several consumers entrusted Kirk with large sums of money, hoping to build their dream pools,” Marshall said in the release.

“Instead, they were met with heartbreak. He betrayed their trust, deceived them, and stole their hard-earned savings.”

Kirk was first arrested in 2023 for operating with a false license and scamming dozens of clients, according to court records.

His company, Pristine Fiberglass Pools LLC filed for bankruptcy Nov. 10.

Kirk also filed for bankruptcy in 2022 while operating as Pristine Pools LLC, which left several clients with unfinished work, according to court records.

The indictment charged Kirk with 14 counts of theft of property in the first degree, one count each of theft of property in the second degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, forgery in the second degree, and fraudulent use of a debit or credit card.

“Hopefully, those victims can find solace in the knowledge that he is finally being held accountable,” Marshall continued.

“This conviction sends a clear message: those who exploit hardworking families and betray their trust will face justice. Our office remains committed to standing up for consumers and protecting them from fraud and deception.”

In his plea agreement with the state, Kirk agreed to accept sentences of 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the first-degree theft charges, 5 year’s imprisonment for the second-degree theft of property, possession of a forged instrument, and forgery charges, and 5 year’s imprisonment for the fraudulent use of a credit card charge, the release says.

All sentences are to be served concurrently.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Interest Division prosecuted the case.

“Attorney General Marshall is grateful for the work and collaboration of the Huntsville Police Department, the Madison Police Department, and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office for their invaluable assistance in this case,” the release reads.

General

Krispy Kreme is giving out free doughnuts: Here’s how to get some

Krispy Kreme is giving out free doughnuts for National Doughnut Day.

This Friday, June 6, guests can receive any doughnut of choice for free, no purchase necessary.

Guests can receive a dozen original glazed doughnuts for $2 with the purchase of any dozen at regular price in shop and via drive-thru at participating Krispy Kreme shops.

“National Doughnut Day is one of our favorite days of the year to celebrate Krispy Kreme fans and how much they love and share our doughnuts, especially the Original Glazed,” said Dave Skena, Chief Growth Officer, in a press release. “With summer on the horizon, when the Original Glazed will turn 88, we’re going to keep the celebration going every day until June 20.”

The chain has more deals for the rest of the month.

Starting Saturday, Krispy Kreme will offer “14 Days of Original Glazed” through the first day of summer June 20:

For all 14 days, Krispy Kreme Rewards members can receive a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for $9.99, Limit one per guest per day. To register for Krispy Kreme Rewards, visit www.krispykreme.com/rewards.
On Friday the 13th, all guests can receive a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for 13 cents with the purchase of any dozen at regular price.
On June 20, the first day of summer, Krispy Kreme will surprise thousands of lucky fans with 12 months of free Original Glazed doughnuts – one dozen per month beginning July 2025 through June 2026. Krispy Kreme will also offer a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for just $2 with the purchase of any dozen at regular price.

General

Whole foods is opening new stores: Here’s where

Whole Foods is expanding its footprint.

USA TODAY reports the grocery chain has opened six new locations – five in the U.S. – this year. The company is also scheduled to open three more stores in the U.S. later this month.

Here’s where Whole Foods has opened so far this year, according to USA TODAY.

Las Vegas, Nevada: Opened on May 15
New York City (East Village): Opened on May 14; Whole Foods Market Daily Shop
London, England: Opened on March 25
Doylestown, Pennsylvania: Opened on March 13
Boca Raton, Florida: Opened on February 11
Falls Church, Virginia: Opened on February 7

Whole Foods is also making another attempt at a brand of small-format grocery stores called Whole Foods Market Daily shops. A location of the small-format concept is now open in New York in Hell’s Kitchen. Locations are also planned for Hoboken, N.J., and Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. Additionally, the first location in the D.C. area is planned for the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Va

According to Grocery Dive, the shops will range between 7,000 and 14,000 square feet, about a quarter to half the size of Whole Foods’ traditional 40,000 square foot stores.

The new concept,reports Grocery Dive, will offer grab-and-go meal and snack options as well as grocery essentials, according to an emailed press release. The small format shops will also have produce, meat and seafood, bread, alcohol, supplements, local products and Whole Foods’ 365 private brand products.

The Whole Foods Market Daily Shops will also be equipped with Amazon One, Amazon’s palm payment service, at self-checkout kiosks as well as at traditional checkout counters.

General

Madison County joins Alabama’s back-to-school sales tax holiday

Back-to-school shopping in Madison County will pinch a bit less during Alabama’s July sales tax holiday weekend.

During the event, now in its 20th year, shoppers can buy certain school supplies, articles of clothing and computers free from the state sales tax.

Wednesday, Madison County commissioners opted to participate again this year, meaning buyers of items exempt from Alabama’s 4% sales tax will also get a break on the county’s 0.5% levy.

The back-to-school sales tax holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. July 18 through midnight July 20.

Here is a partial list of eligible items, according to the Alabama Department of Revenue.

Clothing

Most items intended for general wear that cost $100 per article or less are exempt. This includes shirts, pants, shoes, gloves, hats, school uniforms and underwear. Most accessories like jewelry and handbags, along with sporting goods and protective equipment, are not exempt.

Computers, software and accessories

Computers costing less than $750 and consisting of a “package” — meaning a CPU and associated accessories like a display, mouse and keyboard — are exempt. This includes laptops, desktops and tower packages. Computer parts and devices sold individually do not qualify. Most software — aside from noneducational video games — is also exempt.

Books and school supplies

Books with a price tag of $30 or less are exempt. The holiday does not include magazines or periodicals. School supplies, art supplies and instructional materials valued at $50 or less per item will be exempt. That includes backpacks, lunch boxes, markers, calculators, writing and sketch pads, and modeling clay.

General

Subway owner buys mega-popular chicken chain in $1 billion deal

One of the hottest names in chicken restaurants has a new owner.

Roark Capital, the company that owns Subway sandwich chain, has acquired Dave’s Hot Chicken in a $1 billion deal. USA Today confirmed Dave’s Hot Chicken has sold the rights to more than 1,000 franchise locations with plans to open 155 more in 2025.

“This is one of the great entrepreneurial journeys of our time, and now we begin the next chapter in the story,” said Bill Phelps, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s CEO said in a press release. “Our entire organization is excited about the fit between Dave’s Hot Chicken and Roark, and we’re looking forward to continuing to blow our guests’ minds and unlocking growth and value for our franchise partners.”

Dave’s Hot Chicken currently opened more than 400 restaurants across the world since it was founded eight years ago. The menu includes chicken tenders, sliders, hot bites, fries and more.

The chain has two locations in Alabama, Madison and Vestavia Hills.

Roark acquired Subway in 2023 for $9.6 billion and has investments in other brands such as Arby’s, Baskin Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin and Sonic, Pennlive reported.

The purchase is the latest chapter for Subway, a once-booming sandwich chain that has seen struggles in recent years. At its peak, Subway had more than 27,000 locations but lost a net 631 in 2024, putting it at its lowest number of U.S. stores in the last 20 years.

General

Ditto Landing $13.2 million event center construction beginning in Huntsville along Tennessee River

Construction is beginning on the $13.2 million Ditto Landing event center.

A building permit was issued to Madison County Engineer Chuck Faulkner on May 29. Madison County Engineer Phil Riddick told residents at a south Huntsville town hall that the project was expected to break ground this month.

It was the most expensive project issued a permit in Madison, Limestone and Morgan counties since May 19. Overall, 192 permits have been issued since May 19 totaling $63.8 million, according to Southern Exposure Information. Six of the permits were for projects exceeding $1 million.

Huntsville issued 89 permits totaling almost $30.3 million. Madison County issued 77 for $20.3 million. Madison issued 12 permits totaling $7 million and Decatur issued 14 permits totaling $6 million.

The Madison County Commission awarded the construction of the Ditto Landing contract to Lee Builders at its April 23 meeting. Lee Builders is the firm that renovated Joe Davis Stadium, converting it from a minor league baseball stadium to a multipurpose stadium that is home to Major League Soccer’s NEXT Pro team, the Huntsville City Football Club.

The project includes renovating the 20,000-square-foot State Docks warehouse into the event center on a 2.5-acre site that offers a view of the river and bridge, Riddick said.

The event center will have space for at least one restaurant. There will also be a building that can be used for seated dinners, weddings, corporate events and concerts.

The center will have the capacity for a 600-seated dinner or an 1,100-seated indoor concert, which Riddick said would offer more seating for dinner than the Jackson Center and more concert room than the Mars Music Hall at Von Braun Center.

The event center courtyard will also be big enough to host outdoor concerts with space for food trucks, the commissioner said.

The event center will also include a greenway. And Riddick said there are future plans for boat lifts so river traffic can stop in for events, park their boats and come in.

The city of Huntsville is partnering with the county on the project. Riddick said the city constructed a road to the site. Prior to the road construction, Riddick said there was no access to the site. The commissioner also said the city was going to construct an additional parking lot for the center.

Other projects

Decatur issued a permit to Lucian D. and Doris N. McCulloch for a $4.8 million alteration at 212 Lee St. NE in Decatur, which is the location of their business, McCulloch Appliance Sales and Service. The project’s contractor is Building Construction Associates of Decatur.
Madison issued a permit for a $4 million, 34,800-square foot building at 451 Lanier Road. Summit Structures of Huntsville is the contractor. SEA Wire and Cable, Inc., is listed at the address.
Madison County issued a permit for a $3.5 million, 2,694-square foot addition to Flint River Baptist Church at 12945 U.S. 231-431 N. in Hazel Green. Stutts Corporation of Huntsville is the contractor.
Huntsville issued a permit for a $2.9 million alteration for the mixed-use development at 885 Haysland Road in south Huntsville. The permit was issued to Freedom Real Estate & Capital. A building permit was issued in October 2023 to Freedom Real Estate for a Class A, 54,000-square foot office building at the address.
Huntsville also issued a permit for a $2.6 million project at 310 Clinton Ave. NW. The permit was issued to Ascent Hospitality CEO John Tampa, whose company specializes in boutique hotels. Tampa Construction Enterprise is listed as the contractor.

Davidson Homes was the top homebuilder. It was issued 23 permits totaling $5.8 million. Lennar Homes of Alabama was issued 16 permits totaling $3.4 million and DR Horton was issued 21 for $1.3 million.

General

Dodgers-Mets free livestream: How to watch Shohei Ohtani tonight, TV, time

The Los Angeles Dodgers play against the New York Mets in an MLB game tonight. The matchup will begin at 9:10 p.m. CT on MLB Network. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Dodgers enter this matchup with a 37-24 record, and they are coming off a 6-5 win against the New York Mets. Notably, Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off double to secure the victory.

In order to win this evening, the Dodgers will need a great performance from their star player Shohei Ohtani. He currently leads the MLB with 23 home runs, which highlights his offensive prowess.

The Mets enter this matchup with a 38-23 record, and they have won four of their last five games.

In order to win tonight’s game, the Mets will need a great performance from their star player Pete Alonso. He leads the New York offense with 48 RBI, so he will look to continue his great play this evening.

Fans can watch this MLB game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

General

Atlanta Braves-Arizona Diamondbacks free livestream: How to watch MLB game tonight, TV, time

The Atlanta Braves play against the Arizona Diamondbacks in an MLB game tonight. The matchup will begin at 6:15 p.m. CT on FanDuel Sports Network South/FanDuel Sports Network Southeast. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV.

The Braves enter this matchup with a 27-32 record, and they have lost back-to-back games.

In order to bounce back tonight, the Braves will need to rely on their star player Marcell Ozuna. He currently leads the team with a .278 batting average, but he was 0-4 at the plate last game. With this in mind, he will try to improve his offensive play this evening.

The Diamondbacks enter this matchup with a 29-31 record, and they have lost four of their last six games. However, the team is coming off an impressive 8-3 win against the Braves.

In order to win this evening, the Diamondbacks will need a great performance from their star player Corbin Carroll. He currently leads the team with 18 home runs, which highlights his power at the plate.

Fans can watch this MLB game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV.

General

‘Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour’ series premiere: How to watch, where to stream free

The brand new reality series Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour premieres on E! Wednesday, June 4 at 10/9c.

Those interested in checking out the new series can stream the show through Fubo (free trial), DirecTV (free trial) or Sling (50% off first month).

What is Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour about?

The new E! series follows TV personality Kristin Cavallari who takes her hit podcast Let’s Be Honest on the road.

Each episode features candid conversations with famous friends, Bravolebrities, memorable exes and other notable celebrities from Cavallari’s life as they unfold the stories behind their buzziest headliners—and make new ones—with jaw-dropping revelations that set the record straight.

Guests will be revealed in real time as they surprise the audience at each live show. Cavallari will make stops in Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and New York. The series will also follow Cavallari off the stage as she explores the local hot spots in each city with her friends and podcast guests.

How to watch Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour season 1

Those interested in tuning into the new series can stream the show through Fubo, DirecTV or Sling.

Both Fubo and DirecTV offer free trials while Sling offers those who commit to a paid subscription half off their first month and one month free of AMC+.

What is Fubo and DirecTV?

Fubo and DirecTV 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 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 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’s channel packages can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to ditch the hassle of traditional cable. 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).