Alabama News

Buc-ee’s is a travel mega store known for its toothy beaver mascot that appears on various products, from corn nuggets to beef jerky.

The Texas-based company is now placing its mascot in a children’s book.

“Our first children’s book, Buc-ee Goes to School, is out now,” the company wrote in an Instagram post last week. “Pick up a copy this summer when you hit the road and tell us below – where should Buc-ee go next?”

The book is written by Katherine Alpin, a first-time author.

Its cover includes the smiling Buc-ee mascot wearing its signature red shirt and yellow and red “B” logo. A backpack appears to be strapped to the beaver’s back as it prepares to head off to school.

Buc’ee’s first opened in 1982, and remained largely a Texas-based company for years, featuring large travel stations throughout the Lone Star State.

The company opened its first non-Texas travel station in 2019, off of Interstate 10 in Loxley. It has since opened three more travel stations in Alabama – Athens, Leeds and Auburn.

While Texas makes up 70% of the Buc-ee’s locations, there are more than 50 Buc-ee’s travel stations located off interstates in nine states.

President Donald Trump’s administration has enacted mass deportations for immigrants and is looking to end birthright citizenship for the children of some immigrants.

But can the president even consider revoking the citizenship of someone born in the U.S., even if they are a political foe?

Trump is attempting a unprecedented action, according to national news reports Saturday.

Shortly before 10 a.m., Trump said on Truth Social that “because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interest of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.”

Trump called O’Donnell a “threat to humanity” and said she should stay in Ireland, where she moved to in January after Trump was sworn in for his second term.

The White House declined to comment to national media outlets on whether Trump was serious about the threat. There is no legal precedent for a president to revoke the citizenship of an American born resident.

O’Donnell lashed back at Trump with her own insults on Instagram. She claimed that Trump, whose administration has sought to curtail paths to citizenship, was planning to “deport all who stand against” his “evil tendencies.”

“The president of the USA has always hated the fact that I see him for who he is – a criminal con man sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to service himself,” she said. “This is why I moved to Ireland.”

She also posted a picture that was taken of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein, taken in 1997 in Palm Beach, Fla.

O’Donnell claimed that she lives “rent-free” in Trump’s brain.

“You call me a threat to humanity –
but I’m everything you fear: a loud woman, a queer woman, a mother who tells the truth, an American who got out of the country (before) you set it ablaze.”

She added, “you build walls –
I build a life for my autistic kid in a country where decency still exists.”

Experts, quoted by The New York Times on Saturday, said that Trump has no power to take away citizenship of a U.S.-born citizens.

“U.S. citizens can relinquish their citizenship voluntarily, and federal courts can strip naturalized citizens of their citizenship if there is proven fraud or misrepresentation of other major cases,” Julia Gelatt, associate director of the immigration program at the Migration Policy Institute said to the New York Times. “But U.S.-born citizens cannot have their citizenship taken away.”

Trump and O’Donnell have been feuding since 2006, according to the New York Times. That year, the actress mocked Trump on “The View” for defending a Miss USA contestant who was roiled in controversy.

The rift continued as Trump was running for president in 2015. When asked by moderator Megyn Kelly about Trump’s use of language like “fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals” to describe women, Trump replied, “only Rosie O’Donnell.”

The National Weather Service issued a weather alert at 2:43 p.m. on Saturday for strong thunderstorms until 3:30 p.m. for Washington and Clarke counties.

The storms are expected to bring wind gusts of up to 40 mph and marble-sized hail (0.5 inches).

“At 2:43 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Saint Stephens, or 8 miles west of Jackson, moving north at 15 mph,” according to the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.”

The alert is for Saint Stephens, Wagarville and Leroy.

The weather service comments, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.”

Shielding yourself from approaching lightning: Expert safety guidelines

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

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, keep these recommendations in mind:

Lightning safety plan:

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

Indoors safety measures:

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

Wait for the all-clear:

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

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

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

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

Mastering wet roads: Safety tips for heavy rainfall

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

Beware of rapid water flow:

During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

If it is raining and the roads are wet, slow down. Take your foot off the accelerator and let your speed drop gradually. Never use the brakes suddenly because this may cause the car to skid.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.

Visibility matters:

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

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

If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey.

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

The National Weather Service issued a weather alert at 2:43 p.m. on Saturday for strong thunderstorms until 3:30 p.m. for Lamar and Fayette counties.

Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.

“At 2:43 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a cluster of strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Blooming Grove to near Kennedy. Movement was east at 20 mph,” says the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Fayette, Millport, Kennedy, Belk, Ashcraft Corner, Bankston, Crossville, Cody, Stone Wall, Richard Arthur Field, Fayette County Public Lake, Bevill State College Fayette and Hubbertville.

According to the weather service, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.”

Staying safe as lightning approaches: Expert advice

Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, keep these recommendations in mind:

Lightning safety plan:

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

Indoors safety measures:

• Once you’ve found shelter indoors, abstain from using corded phones, electrical appliances, or plumbing fixtures, and refrain from approaching windows and doors.
• Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

Wait for the all-clear:

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

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

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

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

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

When heavy rain sets in, the risk of flooding and hazardous driving conditions rises. Whether it’s prolonged rainfall or rapid runoff, being prepared is essential. Here are some valuable safety tips from the weather service to ensure you stay safe in heavy rain:

Beware of swollen waterways:

In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.

Maintain safe driving distances:

Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

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

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.

Visibility matters:

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

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

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

If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

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

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

A pair of familiar foes faced off for Saturday’s championship of the Hustle-Up 7on7.

Hoover and Thompson, the two most dominant big-school programs in the state for the past 25 years, raced through bracket play to the title game.

Hoover upset No. 1 seed Thompson 24-15 to win the title.

The tournament featured 32 teams from eight states, played over two days. Five Friday pool play games were followed by two more rounds of pool play that determined seeding for the two elimination brackets.

The top 16 teams played in the Gold Bracket with the bottom 16 in the Silver Bracket.

Thompson breezed through pool play as the only team with a 7-0 record while Hoover was seeded No. 10 with a 5-2 pool record, losing to St. Michael and Ramsay on Friday.

Hoover beat St. Michael 33-14 in round 1 of bracket play followed by wins over Enterprise 35-22, and Walton, Ga., 19-18 before beating Thompson.

Runnerup Thompson beat Benedictine Military, Ga., 30-12, Kell, Ga., 26-0 and Pike Road 24-15 before losing to Hoover.

Brownsburg, Ind., beat Riverwood, Ga., 25-10 to win the Silver Bracket.

SEC Media Days is less than 48 hours away, meaning the 2025 college football season is fast approaching.

The four-day event in Atlanta acts as the orientation session before the figurative first day of school for college football teams and the reporters that cover them.

It’s a chance for coaches to preview their teams, players to get exposure and media members to ramp up the chatter before the season starts. Each team is represented by three players and the head coach, as Jackson Arnold, Keldric Faulk and Connor Lew will join Hugh Freeze to represent Auburn.

Here are three things to watch when Auburn takes the stage on Tuesday.

How will Hugh Freeze address recruiting concerns?

The story of the summer regarding Auburn football hasn’t been a positive one. The Tigers suffered a recruiting dry spell hat included four decommitments and the 2026 class now ranking 78th in the country, according to 247Sports.

Freeze has talked about the recruiting issues with local media and most recently on David Pollack’s “See Ball Get Ball” podcast, but there will be more eyes on him next week than before.

No statement he can recite at media days will magically fix the class, though. As the season gets ready to begin, Freeze needs both results on the field and a few big wins on the recruiting trail to quiet the recent criticism.

More eyes on Jackson Arnold

Arnold, a transfer quarterback from Oklahoma, may be the key to whether or not Auburn can get back to winning ways in 2025.

After a frustrating season in Norman last year, he’ll represent Auburn at media days as the Tigers’ starting quarterback and a team leader. He attended the event in 2024 with Oklahoma, but the circumstances are much different this time around.

He won’t win any games, complete any passes or run for any touchdowns next Tuesday, but out of the three Auburn players at the event, he’ll get the most attention.

Where will the media pick Auburn?

At the end of SEC Media Days each year, the media in attendance votes on the predicted order of finish and the All-SEC teams. Auburn will be a team to watch when the predicted order of finish is released.

The Tigers haven’t been relevant in SEC Championship contention in years, having not won more than three SEC games since 2020, a season in which only conference games were played. Despite the rough stretch, Auburn has arguably its most talented roster since then.

Championships aren’t won in July, and championship contention may still be unrealistic for Auburn in 2025, but it will be interesting to see how the media assesses Auburn compared to the rest of the conference.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

HAVANA — The United States government announced Friday it was sanctioning Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other top officials for human rights violations and restricting access to visas on the anniversary of the biggest protests on the island in recent decades.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media platform X that the State Department also would impose visa restrictions on Cuban judicial and prison officials “responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention and torture of the July 2021 protesters.”

The protests, which were not led by an opposition group, developed July 11 and 12, 2021, drawing attention to the depths of Cuba’s economic crisis.

“The U.S. will continue to stand for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Cuba, and make clear no illegitimate, dictatorial regimes are welcome in our hemisphere,” Rubio said in the statement.

The Trump administration has taken a harder line against Cuba’s government than the Biden administration.

In addition to Díaz-Canel, the U.S. sanctioned Cuban Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera and Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas.

Shortly after the announcement, Johana Tablada, deputy director of the U.S. department in the Cuban Foreign Ministry, lashed out at Rubio, calling him a “defender of genocide, prisons and mass deportations.”

The rare protests in 2021 came about after repeated blackouts in Havana and other cities. One man died and some marches ended in vandalism.

Groups supporting the government responded along with authorities to repress the protests. Human rights groups estimated there were more than 1,000 arrests but the government gave no official figures.

At the time, the Cuban government said it was the result of a U.S. media campaign and decades of U.S. sanctions.

In 2022, Cuban prosecutors said some 790 people were investigated for acts related to the protests ranging from disorder to sabotage and vandalism.

The advocacy group 11J, whose name alludes to the protests, said late last year there were 554 people serving sentences related to the protests, but some were given conditional release in January after an appeal from Pope Francis.

The Birmingham metro area is the largest in Alabama, but not all communities within it are equal when it comes to perception and quality of life.

In a recent look at data compiled by Niche, a service designed to help families determine which schools or colleges to enroll their kids in, Stacker made a list of the 25 best places to live in the Birmingham area.

The list ranks neighborhoods and communities based on cost of living, higher education rate, housing, public schools, diversity, and crime, among 15 total criteria.

Based on that data, the top five places to live in the Birmingham area are:

• Indian Springs Village
• Vestavia Hills
• Hoover
• Homewood
• Meadowbrook

In north Shelby County, Meadowbrook took the top spot with an overall Niche grade of A+, a public school grade of A, and an overall population of 8,939.

The other four cities in the top five each also had Niche grades of A+, with none having below an A for school system, although Homewood (#2), Hoover (#3) and Vestavia (#3) all had A+ grades for their schools.

Indian Springs, at 2,637 had the lowest population of the top 5, whereas Hoover at 92,401 had the highest.

At the other end of the spectrum – still in the top 25, were:

Mount Olive, Argo, Moody, Columbiana and Springville. All of them had Niche grades of either B or B+

If you’re interested in whether your community made the list, the entire ranking is here.

Gulf Shores artist Michael Swiger is defending his now-rejected design for the 2025 National Shrimp Festival poster, saying it’s a case of “art appropriation,” not plagiarism.

The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, which hosts the festival, pulled Swiger’s winning design Thursday after concerns surfaced over similarities to a poster for the 2024 Hurley Pro surfing event in Hawaii. A new design has been selected and will be announced next week.

“At no point did I intend the new design to be misinterpreted as a copy, nor did I ever try to pass the original art off as my own or hide the origin of the design,” said Swiger in a morning post to his Facebook page. “In fact, when I made the post about winning the contest, I received compliments from other people who recognized the allusion to the Hurley poster.”

Swiger, who beat out 26 other entries in a secret ballot contest in April, said his poster was a hand-painted acrylic work inspired by surf culture, not a digital copy.

“The relationship between my poster and the Hurley poster was completely intentional with numerous altered and added elements to creatively capture the essence of our local Shrimp Fest – art, food, music, beach imagery, etc.,” he said.

Appropriation

Swiger said that the biggest difference between appropriation, which he contends was his work, and plagiarism is a reinterpretation of the original work.

He said that his work utilizes the original work as a reference or starting point and then adds or subtracts what he says are different elements “to create a new piece or message.”

He said plagiarized work “involves no alteration or claiming the originally referenced artwork as your own.”

Swiger posted several examples of posters he considers to be art appropriation on Facebook. One example includes the iconic Starry Night painting by Vincent Van Gogh and a reinterpretation of that image featuring the comic book hero Batman.

“My intentions have always been 100% pure and genuine, and I never intended to wrong anyone, nor did I ever expect the piece to attract any negative attention,” Swiger said.

Withdrawn design

Swiger’s statement on Facebook comes one day after he sent a comment to AL.com acknowledging an agreement he had with the Shrimp Festival Committee to withdraw the design. He said he would rather not put the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, which hosts the event, or the Shrimp Festival committee “in a difficult position.”

Ryan Moberly, a spokesperson for the Chamber, said Friday that a new design for the 2025 Shrimp Festival has been selected, and they will put out that information sometime next week. The 52nd annual Shrimp Festival will take place Oct. 9-12, at the Gulf Shores Public Beach.

A decision on rescinding Swiger’s poster and moving forward with a new poster was made during a committee meeting on Thursday.

“It has come to the attention of the Shrimp Festival committee that the originally selected poster for 2025 is similar in design to a poster from an event in another state in 2024,” the Chamber’s statement reads. “After speaking with the artist and an in-depth discussion with the Shrimp Fest committee, the decision was made to choose a different submission for this year’s poster. We feel this is in the best interest of everyone involved.”

Swiger’s design was selected from entries submitted by artists from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin.

His design was selected by the majority vote in a secret ballot that was held by the Shrimp Festival committee on April 15.

The artwork serves as the face of the festival’s marketing and merchandise, and Swiger’s poster was listed for sale Saturday on the popular e-commerce site, eBay.

As the winner, Swiger was also expected to receive $1,000 in cash and appear at the event for a poster signing.

Swiger, 31, is the son of Angie Swiger, who is running for mayor on Aug. 26 against incumbent Mayor Robert Craft and businessman Ray Moore. Angie Swiger declined to comment.

Tropical weather watchers will have eyes trained on the Gulf and the western Atlantic over the coming days.

The National Hurricane Center on Saturday afternoon highlighted an area that could produce some tropical trouble next week.

As of Saturday there was only a 20 percent probability of a tropical depression forming over the next seven days.

Forecasters said a broad area of low pressure could form somewhere off the Southeast U.S. coast over the next several days.

The hurricane center said conditions could be “marginally conducive” for it to develop by the middle or later part of next week.

It is expected to track to the west across the Florida peninsula and into the Gulf, possibly near the Florida Panhandle or even the Alabama coast.

Development or not, the hurricane center said heavy rain will be possible for parts of the Florida peninsula and Southeast U.S. coast mid- to late week.

There have been three named storms so far this hurricane season, which began June 1 and and ends Nov. 30.

The most recent one, Tropical Storm Chantal, formed in the same general area off the Georgia and South Carolina coasts and made landfall in South Carolina on July 6 and spread flash flooding far inland in the Carolinas.

There was also Tropical Storm Andrea (June 24) that formed the the central Atlantic and didn’t affect land.

Next was Tropical Storm Barry, which made landfall as a depression in eastern Mexico on June 29 and was later partially responsible for causing the devastating flooding in Texas last week.

NOAA is forecasting another busy season, with 13-19 named storms possible before the season’s end.