One of Birmingham’s oldest music venues has closed.
The owners of Zydeco the concert hall and pub in Five Points South, announced the venue has closed. The owners plan to relocate the venue in 2025.
Arthur Hood, the owner of Zydeco, cited a number of changes as a reason for the closure.
“Faced with increased operating costs, as well as maintenance and upkeep on a 115-year-old building, we have made the decision to cease operations in Five Points South,” Hood said in a statement provided to AL.com. “While we hold our original location in high regard, we are actively seeking a new home to carry on the Zydeco tradition for future generations. We do not anticipate a new location before Spring of 2025.”
Hood also says the team at Zydeco plans to maintain the venue’s social media presence and keep the public informed of the progress on the new location.
“We recognize the significance of Zydeco as a live music venue in Birmingham and the role it has played as host to countless music acts over the years, and we look forward to continuing to support live music for years to come in a modern space,” Hood said in the statement. “We raise our final toast to the immeasurable number of patrons and artists who have passed through our doors, sat at our bar, or stood on our stage. This is not the end; it is a new beginning.”
Shows listed on Zydeco’s event calendar have been canceled or moved. The concert hall was supposed to host rappers Erica Banks and Gloss Up on Nov. 3. Ticketweb lists that event as “canceled”. Zydeco’s website lists Workplay Theatre as the new host venue for two upcoming shows– the Braxton Keith and Zach Meadows show and a Diwali afterparty.
The gates in front of Zydeco on Nov. 2 at 7:20 p.m. on Nov. 2 (Shauna Stuart| AL.com)Shauna Stuart
John Parker has owned the neighboring CBD shop, Near To Me dispensary, since 2018. He said it was nice to set up shop next to a Birmingham institution.
He remembers going to Zydeco shows in college. One of his fondest memories was seeing guitarist Marcus King, who turned 21 during his performance at the venue.
Parker says Zydeco’s absence will leave a hole in the city’s live entertainment scene.
“It will definitely alter the touring and music scene,” Parker said. ‘The city will be at a net negative from not having Zydeco.”
Read MoreCharges have been dropped against a Mobile County school teacher accused of forging her husband’s signature on tax forms.
During a preliminary hearing on Nov. 6, charges were dropped against Rachel Marie Mudrich due to no probable cause being found, according to court records.
Mudrich was arrested on Sept. 27 and charged with identity theft and two counts of second degree possession of a forged instrument.
Mudrich is a math teacher at Semmes Middle School. The accusations arose during divorce proceedings where Mudrich’s husband claimed that his signature was forged on tax documents.
Read MoreThis is an opinion piece.
I’m not sure how many people my age (56 … ish) are still blessed to have their parents with them.
I know my brothers and I are three of the lucky ones.
I’ve spent much of this week with my 92-year-old father and 87-year-old mom. They still live by themselves in Gainesville, Ga., with my older brothers checking in on them regularly.
My parents have been married 62 years.
I’m not there as much as my brothers obviously because I live six hours away. Sometimes that’s heartbreaking for me, but I try to get to North Georgia as often as I can.
They’ve both been blessed with relatively good health for their age.
They don’t hear as well as they used to, of course. Dad has all but lost his eyesight, and that pains me most of all. If he could only see the Braves on TV or Auburn football games, his days would go by a little quicker.
But they are both still mentally sharp, and that’s another blessing. Again, I know other children are not as lucky with their parents, and that breaks my heart for them.
My parents have taught me so much. I could never repay it all. I’m sure I haven’t thanked them enough. They need a lot of help from my brothers and I these days, but it’s a small investment compared to what we’ve been given.
We have a close family that has grown over the years. My oldest brother Vaughn and I have started our own families. My brother Bill is close to doing the same thing. My parents taught us to be consistent in our faith, to treat people right, to be honest, to save for rainy days, work hard and invest wisely.
My Dad taught me to love sports, and that led me to what I’m doing right now. He still loves sports, in fact, and has asked me multiple times this week when his beloved Pell City High Panthers play in the postseason. He’s been firm with us when needed but loving all the time. He’s been careful not to interfere with our family’s finances but ready to help if necessary.
My mom is the epitome of a Southern Belle. Loving to a tee. Constantly concerned about others. Always proud of her three sons – whether we deserved it or not. She has been loyal to her husband for 62 years and is now constantly there for him when he needs her most.
What a blessing to have been raised and loved by Don and Rachel Thomas.
I hope that I’m the man they raised me to be or at least somewhat close.
I hope I’m the kind of husband, father and son they can take pride in.
As my Dad and I left an appointment earlier this week, the doctor looked at me and said with a warm smile, “Enjoy every day.”
I knew exactly what he meant.
And I needed to hear it.
This week, we spent several days watching the election results. We watched Andy Griffith multiple times – the black and white episodes only, of course. (If Barney isn’t on there, we aren’t watching. Why would anyone?)
We’ve enjoyed meals, toured downtown Gainesville, taken a trip to the beauty parlor, as my mom still calls it. We even stopped and took pictures of Gainesville High’s renovated football stadium at City Park where former Hoover High coach Josh Niblett now roams the sidelines.
Indeed, I have enjoyed every minute of it.
Not just this week. But for the last 56 years.
I hope there are many more days to come.
So whether your political party won this week or not, whether your high school team moves on in the playoffs later tonight or your college team wins on Saturday … enjoy the life God has blessed you with.
Indeed … “Enjoy every day.”
Happy Birthday
Speaking of enjoying every day, Happy Birthday to my youngest son Jayden, who turns 13 today.
Teenager!
What a blessing he has been as well.
Happy Birthday, buddy! Love you.
Thought for the Day
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” – Exodus 20:12
Ben Thomas is the high school managing producer at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected].
Read MoreThis is an opinion column.
Eight and half years ago, Donald Trump was elbowing his way through a crowded field of Republican primary opponents. Hillary Clinton and her supporters were gleaming at the prospect of facing a push-over in the general election.
And I was looking into a future a lot of folks weren’t ready to consider — one that looked a lot like Alabama.
In a single year, Alabama had seen the heads of all three branches of state government — Gov. Robert Bentley, House Speaker Mike Hubbard and Chief Justice Roy Moore — forced out of office.
Our state government was in sorry sorts.
“And this Thing that has corrupted my state, robbed us of common sense, poisoned our decency, and made us loathe our neighbors — it is contagious and you are at risk,” I wrote then.
“Call it the Alabamafication of America.”
What I didn’t consider then was this thing coursing through Alabama hadn’t yet left its system. It’s still there today, and it has gotten worse.
If you woke up Wednesday morning wondering what comes next, you would do well to look at Alabama.
In hindsight, Bentley, Moore and Hubbard’s defenestrations now seem laughably quaint.
Bentley’s sin was that he got too fresh with an aide. While the whole thing seems to have been consensual, he pleaded guilty to an ethics crime and resigned.
Someone should have told him — when you’re famous, they let you do it.
Moore was pushed out for having defied the federal courts. This was when judges still held each other accountable, not when members of the U.S. Supreme Court doled out immunity to elected officials or took favors and gifts from political pals.
What’s a little Winnebago between friends?
Hubbard went to prison for breaking ethics laws he helped pass. Today lawmakers openly complain these laws are too burdensome, and they keep trying to repeal and replace the ethics code with something a little more chill — like making bribery a misdemeanor.
You don’t have to break the law when you make the law.
Today, Bentley, Moore or Hubbard could have done the exact same things and nobody would have touched them. Years of exposure to corruption and ineffective government has triggered numbness to public misbehavior, and ultimately paralysis.
Consider, the case of John Wahl. Two years ago, I wrote about the Alabama GOP chairman voting with a photo ID he made himself and then pushing to have a poll worker fired after he complained. This seemed like a big deal, as Alabama Republicans had fought so hard for voter ID.
But as it turns out, voter ID laws only apply to some people, not Alabama GOP big wigs.
Two Alabama Secretaries of State referred complaints to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Marshall has done nothing about it.
Speaking of Marshall, he did accept PAC-to-PAC campaign contributions, despite Alabama having a law against such things. The Alabama Ethics Commission came one vote shy of referring him for prosecution. When the head of the Alabama Democratic Party asked the commission if he could do the same thing, he was told it was a crime.
And the prosecutor who put Hubbard in jail? He was moved to a private sector career path, which is to say, Marshall fired him.
Marshall has now won reelection twice.
Gov. Kay Ivey hasn’t committed any crimes to speak of. The real scandals of her administration — to borrow a line from Crossfire’s Michael Kinsley — are what’s legal.
When the federal government gave Alabama a sackful of COVID stimulus funds, her administration invested that money in Alabama’s future, which is to say, a prison.
I’d like to tell you how much that prison will cost, but the number keeps changing. Once projected to cost less than $200 million, that price tag has more than quintupled. When it’s over, Alabama will have paid at least $1.08 billion, nearly all of it through secretive no-bid contracts.
How do they get away with it? The breakdown of political accountability, legal guardrails and voter outrage.
When prosecutors get fired for prosecuting public officials, pretty soon they quit charging public officials.
When the public shrugs its shoulders at a most expensive prison-ever, the prison only gets more expensive.
When ethics laws get in the way of a good time, lawmakers will inevitably rewrite those laws.
When voters don’t punish crooked politicians, politicians just do more crooked things.
What’s remarkable, looking back eight years, is that Alabama once had limits. When public officials colored outside the lines, we put them in a corner.
But slowly fatigue sets in and then apathy. Corruption becomes expected, then finally accepted — especially when the official is someone we like.
And now America, like Alabama, has gone numb.
Read MoreAuthorities have released the name of a pedestrian who was struck and killed Wednesday night in Birmingham.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Friday identified the victim as Gregory Paul Mallett. He was 60 and lived in Birmingham.
Authorities said Mallett was walking in the 400 block of Daniel Payne Drive at 7:16 p.m. when he was struck by a vehicle.
The driver stopped, called 911 and remained until police arrived.
Mallett was pronounced dead on the scene at 7:21 p.m.
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Note to readers: Make your picks for the 6-0 Challenge at the bottom of this post.
___________________
College football geniuses and fellow sports donks, it’s time to take Joe Goodman’s 6-0 Challenge for Week 11 of the college football season.
Two things to remember before making your picks this week. One, don’t forget that picks are against the spread. And, most importantly, don’t take Joe’s advice for anything because he’s currently 22-38 against the spread for the season and 30-30 with his straight-up picks.
A blind mole living a subterranean existence for its entire life could make better picks than Joe.
As they fondly say in Vegas, fade Joe for dough!
The 6-0 Challenge is a game that everyone can play, but only the college-football experts among us can win. For the second week in a row, we didn’t have a single winner from Week 10. We did get a kick out of the handles Portal Kombat and DeBoer’s Buyout, though.
As stipulated by the attorneys representing the 6-0 Challenge, an overall winner of this grand experiment will be determined each week by the creativity of a player’s Name/Handle. If there are no winners, then everyone’s a winner because Joe goes through hundreds and hundreds of entries and picks his favorite nicknames.
It’s time to make your picks for Week 11 of the 6-0 Challenge presented by Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero.
It’s Joe vs. the Pro and Hero … vs. You!
Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero is the beloved pick’ems feature that runs every week on AL.com during the college football season. Readers can now get in on the action by making your picks against the spread, too.
MAKE YOUR PICKS
Go 6-0 and get your name in lights as a certified college football genius. Everyone who goes 6-0 gets their Name/Handle in the paper. Good luck, and remember, the picks are against the spread.
Read MoreTarget has officially kicked off its early Black Friday Sale with all new markdowns happening now through Saturday.
During this Target sales event, customers can get the popular Instant Pot 6-quart 9-in-1 pressure cooker bundle for only $59 compared to its usual price of $130. This bundle comes with a stainless steel steam rack and a silicone pan with lid for making and storing easy egg bites, mini muffins, cupcakes and more
The Instant Pot bundle
The Instant Pot bundle is only $59 at Target.com this week (was $129.99)
RELATED: Dyson just dropped the motherlode of deals for Black Friday
The Instant Pot 6-quart 9-in-1 pressure cooker features nine cooking functions, including pressure cooking, slow cooking and sautéing, among others, making it a multifunctional appliance.
This particular Instant Potmodel allows meals to be cooked up to 70% faster than traditional slow cooking methods and is energy-efficient, using up to 60% less energy compared to conventional ovens. It also offers 15 pre-set one-touch smart recipes that adjust cooking parameters automatically based on the food being prepared.
Additionally, the Instant Pot encompasses over 11 safety features for worry-free cooking, including a convenient one-touch steam release.
RELATED: Yeti is offering 20% off its barware sets while supplies last
Highlighted Product Feature:
The Instant Pot’s one-touch smart programs allow users to prepare a wide range of meals without needing extensive culinary knowledge. Each program auto-adjusts for different ingredients and cooking requirements, which reduces cooking time and enhances accuracy.
Other Features:
One noteworthy feature of the Instant Pot is its Guided Cooking Progress Bar, which provides real-time updates on cooking status, allowing users to monitor the cooking process effortlessly without the need to constantly check on the dish. This convenience adds to the overall ease-of-use that the Instant Pot is known for.
Those interested can check out all of Target’s early Black Friday deals here.
Generative AI was used to provide product description for this story, based on data provided by Target.com. It was reviewed and edited by AL.com.
Read MoreIt’s time to elevate your soda game.
Ninja Thirsti Drink System makes it easy to personalized your fizz, function, flavor, intensity and drink size for any cup or bottle, all with the push of a button. The popular pick is normally $169 but is now on sale at Walmart.com for $99.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Ninja Thirsti Drink System at Walmart.com:
Make custom drinks
The Ninja Thirsti Drink System is a customization drink kit that allows users to create both still and sparkling beverages at home. Included in the package is a CO2 canister for carbonation, as well as a variety of flavor options to enhance the drink experience. The kit comes equipped with a 48-ounce reservoir, ensuring ample space for mixing and serving drinks. The materials used in the device are BPA-free plastic, making it a safer choice for everyday use. However, specific dimensions and weight details are not readily available, and warranty information may vary by manufacturer.
Different flavors and carbonation
A notable feature of the Ninja Thirsti Drink System is its ability to customize drinks, giving users the freedom to experiment with different flavors and levels of carbonation according to their personal preferences. This flexibility enhances the user experience by allowing for a tailored beverage option suited to individual tastes.
Makes still and sparkling beverages
One unique aspect of the Ninja Thirsti Drink System is its dual functionality, allowing for the easy production of both still and sparkling drinks, which addresses the desires of various beverage preferences in one cohesive product. This versatility distinguishes it from other drink systems on the market.
Generative AI was used to create a product description for this story, based on data provided by Walmart.com. It was reviewed and edited by AL.com.
Read MoreNote to readers: Make your picks for the 6-0 Challenge at the bottom of the post.
This is an opinion column.
____________________
Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze was off this week, which means he had time to learn a few things from the best team in the state.
Central-Phenix City isn’t too far from Freeze’s office. The high school is in the heart of Auburn country. It’s there on the Alabama-Georgia border where the school’s flag football team is approaching mythical levels of domination.
Ranked No.1 in the nation for most of the season, Central-Phenix City is 15-0 after its victory in the first round of the playoffs. The Red Devils play host to Foley High School in the next round. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. I don’t like Foley’s chances. Through 15 games, Central-Phenix City has outscored its opponents 673 to 24.
That’s not a typo.
In its last five games, Central-Phenix City has scored 220 points. Opponents of the Red Devils: 0. In fact, only three teams have managed to score against Central-Phenix City this season, so congrats on the points to Hewitt-Trussville, Auburn High and Harris Co. of Hamilton, Ga.
Mitchell Holt is the Central-Phenix City coach and he treats flag football like regular football. Preparation is key. There are 21 girls on his team and six coaches. The Red Devils have a scout team, too, and, for the first time this season, Central-Phenix City swapped game film with the other teams in its region.
Holt’s advice for Auburn’s Freeze? Get better players.
“Gotta keep recruiting,” Holt said. “Gotta go get the best athletes…All kidding aside, it’s the same concepts, scheme-wise. That’s important, but you got to have the athletes.”
Holt also coaches softball at Central-Phenix City. There’s a lot of crossover between his two teams, but he says soccer players and basketball players also love flag football.
“This is the South,” Holt said. “Football is king.”
It’s not just the South, though. Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the world. The NFL backs the sport and flag football will be in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the sport’s global ambassador for the Los Angeles Games and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has expressed interest in playing for Team USA.
On the women’s side, the United States has some work to do after losing to Mexico at the Birmingham World Games back in 2022.
Flag football started out as a club sport for Alabama high schools. This is Holt’s fourth season at Central-Phenix City. For most of his players, flag football is a secondary sport. That’s because flag football isn’t yet a varsity endeavor for NCAA schools. That’s changing, though. In a partnership with the NFL, the America East Conference will feature flag football in 2025.
When will flag football be a varsity sport in the SEC? I wouldn’t be surprised to see it added soon enough. Flag football is inexpensive, and with tackle football going from 85 to 105 scholarships, athletic departments in the SEC will be looking to add women’s sports in order to comply with Title IX.
According to federal law, schools must offer the same number of athletic scholarships to women as men.
Central-Phenix City’s Holt already has a plan for flag football in the SEC. Teams can just play the night before the men. Fans traveling to games on Saturday would be able to attend flag football games, too.
Holt says flag football might already be the most popular girls’ sport in his school. It’s a lot like basketball. Blocking isn’t allowed and the game is wide open. Like tackle football, good quarterbacks are key to a team’s success. At Central-Phenix City, senior quarterback Garritt Griggs has thrown for 65 touchdowns this season. Backup quarterback Mariah Harrison is great, too. Earlier this season, she threw a touchdown pass that Holt says carried 50 yards in the air.
Senior receiver Natalyn Lumpkin leads the Red Devils with 31 total touchdowns, including 30 receiving. Cornerback Colby Cook has 10 interceptions. I don’t want to overstate things, but Central-Phenix City flag football might be the most dominant team in sports history.
“It’s competitive and it allows kids to show off their athleticism in different ways than other sports,” Holt said.
The best part about it, said Holt, is that no one complains about playing time or what position they play. Sports like softball, basketball and soccer are ultra competitive. Travel ball stresses everyone out. With flag football, kids just play for the love of the game.
“I imagine this is what high school sports was like 50 years ago,” Holt said. “It’s pure. No one is chasing scholarships and it’s just kids having fun with their friends.”
MAKE YOUR PICKS
It’s Week 11 of the 6-0 Challenge. Make your picks, fellow sports donks and college football geniuses.
BE HEARD
Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.
Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”
Read MoreAn Alabama lawmaker on Thursday temporarily put on hold dozens of state agency contracts because of what he said were delays by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to implement a law passed in 2023.
Sen. Chris Elliott, a Republican from Baldwin County, said the bill, which he sponsored, was intended to allow employees at businesses that serve liquor to complete the ABC Board’s Responsible Vendor Program online.
Elliott said the ABC Board has not adopted the rules to allow the online training.
A spokesman for the ABC Board said online training is already taking place.
But Elliott disputed that and said the ABC Board’s rules contradict the 2023 law.
“It’s very frustrating for the Legislature, an entire branch of government, to be ignored by the bureaucracy,” Elliott said.
“We’ve passed this piece of legislation. We have communicated with the ABC Board about what the legislative intent was, communicated by phone call or in person, in writing what the intent was.
“And some 18 months later, we still have no rules promulgated by the bureaucracy that is charged with doing it,” Elliott said.
Elliott released a copy of a letter he wrote to the ABC Board in September. The letter said the 2023 law was intended to remove barriers for businesses to participate in the Responsible Vendor Program.
Elliott‘s comments came at Thursday’s meeting of the Legislature’s contract review committee. The committee, which meets monthly, reviews state agency contracts and asks representatives of the agencies questions.
Any member of the committee can delay contracts for up to 45 days. But the committee cannot permanently block or kill a contract.
The ABC Board did not have any contracts on the committee’s agenda on Thursday. Elliott said he put a hold on all the other agencies’ contracts to put pressure on the ABC Board to implement the law.
Dean Argo, manager of government relations and communications for the ABC Board, issued a statement in response to Elliott’s comments.
Argo said online training for the Responsible Vendor Program is allowed and has been taking place for some time.
“The 2023 law by Sen. Chris Elliott did not require the ABC Board to promulgate rules or change any existing rules,” Argo said.
“A private association approached the ABC Board three months ago and requested that several rules regarding the online training presentation be clarified to benefit its members.
“The ABC Board agreed to do (so) because the clarifications did not impact whether or not online training was offered. However, there was disagreement over how incorrect answers offered online were processed.”
Argo said the ABC Board plans to consider the rule change at its meeting next week.
“During its regularly scheduled meeting on October 17, 2024, the Board asked staff for some additional research on what other states are doing regarding online RVP Training,” Argo said. “The proposed rule modification is on next week’s (November 14, 2024) agenda.”
Elliott said Argo’s statement was misleading.
“The statement from the ABC Board is the type of classic bureaucrat double speak that frustrates small business owners and their representatives alike,” Elliott said in an email.
Elliott cited an ABC rule that says: “The format of the course of instruction shall include face-to-face training and question and answer opportunities.”
“This is obviously not conducive to online training,” Elliott said. “To say otherwise is just wrong.”
Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, a member of the Contract Review Committee, opposed Elliott’s decision to hold up all the contracts.
“I think it’s unfair to the agencies that come here and present their case and have a blanket objection to any of the contracts being approved,” Beasley said.
“I’d like to move that we rescind the senator from Baldwin County’s request. If he wants to object and hold ABC, that’s his prerogative. But I don’t think we need to hold everybody else.”
Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, said he understood Beasley’s point. But Pringle said the committee has always operated under the rules that one lawmaker could hold contracts without consent from other members.
“One member does have a right to hold every contract,” Pringle said. “And that’s just kind of the way this committee works.”
Elliott said his purpose is to put pressure on the ABC Board to implement the 2023 law. He said he would lift his hold on contracts when the board adopts the rules for the law.
“I’m hoping that this fairly dramatic step here will get their attention,” Elliott said. “And I’m hoping to provide a little bit more incentive to them and pressure all the people in this room to deal with this issue as they should.
“This has been something that’s been going on for months and months. We pass laws and the governor signs them, and we expect them to be enacted by the executive branch.”
The Alabama Responsible Vendor Program is a voluntary program for licensees that sell and serve alcohol. To be certified, businesses must train all employees who sell and serve alcoholic beverages on topics such as Alabama liquor laws, legal age determination, civil and criminal penalties, and risk reducing techniques.
“Obviously, I represent an area that‘s very heavy in the restaurant and hospitality world, they want to have more people responsibly trained to be servers,” said Elliott, whose district includes Baldwin County’s Gulf Coast beaches. “That’s a good thing for them. It’s a good thing for their insurance.
“And so why the ABC board is not moving forward on this, I don’t know. I’m thinking they’re going to get the message after today.”
The contract review agenda included 60 contracts with a total cost of about $80 million.
Read More