Tuscaloosa Crumbl fans won’t have to wait much longer to get their hands on the iconic pink boxes of sweet treats.
The cookie chain will be opening the doors to their new location on May 30, according to a sign posted on the door of the storefront in the Shoppes at Legacy Park.
“Crumbl will rock Tuscaloosa, Alabama, just like our football team!” reads a Facebook post from co-owner Vanessa Arias.
“Roll Tide!”
Crumbl, with its distinctive pink boxes and special flavors, has more than 1,000 stores in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.
The company has 18 Alabama locations, according to its website, including Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Trussville, Alabaster and McCalla.
Cousins Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley started Crumbl Cookies in 2017 in Logan, Utah.
This will be Tuscaloosa’s first Crumbl location, a decision that Arias described as “fate.”
After visiting her brother, who also owns a Crumbl store in Boston, Arias said her family was “hooked and wanted to bring more of Crumbl to Alabama and be a part of the Crumbl family.”
“Alabama is really only known for a few things, and one of those things is Alabama football,” the post continues.
“We are all huge Alabama fans…We never miss a game, so when the opportunity came for us to bring Crumbl to a community we already considered home, it was just fate.”
The grand opening begins on Friday at 8 a.m. and will also feature a giveaway where three winners will receive a free 4-pack of cookies, according to the post.
Pate said then he thought nobody but Nick Saban could beat Tuberville.
Lieutenant governor was the best fit among other offices on the ballot, Pate said.
“At my point in life, I wanted to do something meaningful,” Pate said. “And not many of those constitutional officer positions were probably in my skill set. Really, lieutenant governor was the only one.”
The main responsibility of the lieutenant governor is to preside over the state Senate.
“I’m such good friends with so many of the senators,” Pate said.
“I just think I could do some good there working with them the next few years,” he said.
Pate said one goal as lieutenant governor would be to help businesses that are burdened by regulations.
Pate, who has an ornamental horticulture degree from Auburn, was in the commercial landscaping and irrigation business before he was elected agriculture commissioner.
“When I ran for commissioner seven years ago, I had been in business for 37 years and really ran against the unbelievable amount of regulations that are put on business,” Pate said.
“I just felt like they really stifled me. I always felt like the government was trying to catch me. I’m trying to do right, and there’s so many flippin’ rules and regulations.”
Pate becomes the fourth Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, which is an open seat because Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth is in his second term and cannot seek a third. Ainsworth considered running for governor but decided to return to the private sector.
LoneStar Casino is a new online sweepstakes casino available in play in 43 states around the country.
New players at LoneStar are eligible to earn up to 500,000 Gold Coins, 105 free Sweeps Coins and 1,000 VIP points using our LoneStar Casino promo code offer.
This is a fantastic welcome bonus that can be claimed with a single purchase. On this page, I break down the details of this offer and highlight some of the other great features of LoneStar Casino.
Up to 500,000 Gold Coins + 105 free Sweeps Coins + 1,000 VIP points
💰 Minimum purchase
$2.99
⚖️ LoneStar Casino legal states
All US states except Connecticut, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New York and Washington.
📓 Playthrough requirement
1x
✅ Last verified
May 28, 2025
LoneStar Casino promo code: How to claim this offer
The US online sweepstakes casino industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. LoneStar Casino represents one of the newest and best sweepstakes casinos to go live.
It’s brand new, but it is already gaining a strong player base thanks to its great game selection and variety of bonus offers.
There are a number of ways for LoneStar Casino players to earn Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Below, I highlight the steps necessary to claim the most amount of coins with just a single purchase:
Click any of the LoneStar Casino promo code links or banners featured on this page. No promo code is needed if you use the links on this page.
Click the Register button on the LoneStar Casino landing page.
Create a new account with LoneStar Casino by providing your name and email address.
Verify your email address with the LoneStar Casino link.
Click on the Store button on the LoneStar Casino homepage.
Make a purchase of 500,000 Gold Coins, 105 free Sweeps Coins and 1,000 VIP points for $99.99.
This entire process should take no longer than 10 minutes. Of course, players at LoneStar Casino never are required to spend a dime. As a sweepstakes casino, a variety of ways are available for players to earn coins for free.
All new players at LoneStar Casino receive 100,000 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweeps Coins simply for creating a new account. Players are also eligible to receive 5,000 Gold Coins and 0.30 Sweeps Coins as part of LoneStar’s daily log-in bonus.
LoneStar Casino promo code terms and conditions
LoneStar Casino may be new, but it’s quickly established itself as a legitimate and safe online sweeps casino. It offers clear terms and conditions that help ensure players are never taken by surprise.
Here is a look at the terms and conditions connected to the LoneStar Casino promo code offer and some other basic rules connected to this sweeps casino as a whole:
Only players above the age of 18 years old can join LoneStar Casino;
LoneStar Casino cannot be accessed by players in Connecticut, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New York and Washington;
The 500,000 Gold Coins, 105 free Sweeps Coins and 1,000 VIP Points are earned with a single purchase of $99.99;
All Sweeps Coins come with a 1x playthrough requirement;
An identity verification is required before a Sweeps Coin redemption can be initiated;
A minimum of 45 Sweeps Coins are required for a gift card redemption;
A minimum of 100 Sweeps Coins are required for a real money redemption.
These are all fairly standard rules for an online sweepstakes casino. It’s worth pointing out again that purchases are never required at LoneStar Casino. The signup offer gives players 100,000 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweeps Coins for free.
What are Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins at LoneStar Casino?
LoneStar Casino looks and performs similarly to real money casinos, but it has some notable differences that allow it to remain legal throughout a majority of the country.
LoneStar Casino (and all other online sweepstakes casinos) utilizes a dual-currency system. It offers players Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins.
Gold Coins are used to play games. They are fairly easy to earn and never can be redeemed for any type of prize.
Sweeps Coins can be used to play games, too. These are more difficult to obtain, however, as they can be redeemed for prizes at LoneStar Casino, including gift cards and real money.
Top online slot at LoneStar Casino
LoneStar Casino is still very new. Despite that, it already is offering more games than some of its top competitors. It specializes in high RTP slots, offering titles from world-class developers such as Pragmatic Play and Kalamba Games.
I spent time looking over many of the different slot titles available through this sweeps casino. The majority are fantastic, featuring great graphics and solid bonuses.
Here is a look at the top online slot at LoneStar Casino this week:
Space Cows to the Moo’n
A screenshot of the Space Cows to the Moo’n slot game.Booming Games
LoneStar Casino’s variety of slot games is truly impressive. I am a fan of five-reel slots and was instantly hooked on playing Space Cows to the Moo’n. This game was developed by Booming Games and features an average return-to-player (RTP) rate of 95.60%.
This game has a truly unique theme in the online casino industry. It is set on a farm during the evening with various animal symbols such as pigs, chickens and cows.
Players will find no shortage of fun features. Many have praised the cascading reels, where winning combinations are immediately dropped off the grid to make way for new symbols. This allows for multiple wins with only a single spin.
Multiple “UFO features” also are available. Each of these is different, allowing players to earn some massive combinations for a max payout of 5,000x your wager.
This game has been around for nearly two years and is considered by many to be one of the best real money slots offered by several popular online casinos. It’s funny, looks great and offers players many great payout opportunities.
By Claudia Meléndez Salinas | Edited by Patricia Guadalupe
For people who did not vote for the current occupant of the White House, there are lots of reasons to be angry these days. The administration is helming a fight against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which, among other things, led to the elimination of the Latin Cultural Club and the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point soon after Donald Trump was sworn in. And even if you did not go to West Point or aren’t remotely associated with it, the erasure of one is the erasure of us all.
In March, the administration began deporting hundreds of Venezuelan nationals to a maximum security prison in El Salvador, accusing the individuals of being gang members. Many have disputed the charges through their families, and thousands more are up in arms about the lack of due process under which persons were removed from the United States to a country that’s not their own. And yet, the administration is dragging its feet when it comes to returning these migrants to the United States, despite court orders.
Proposed budget cuts could disproportionately affect Latinos and other groups of color, as they tend to be groups that rely more than others on government assistance. Everywhere you turn, it seems as if Hispanics are being targeted by the Trump administration.
Perhaps without really intending to, a group of Latinas has found an unlikely way to voice their rage: poetry. They came together via “SomosXicanas,” a collection of 130 poems and essays published in December by Riot of Roses, a Xicana-owned small press based in Los Angeles. These mujeres are gathering in poetry readings all over the country, grabbing microphones and speaking their truths — many times painful, others beautiful, always uncompromising. Anger “it’s a thread that’s running through it,” said Brenda Vaca, Riot of Roses Publishing House founder. “Poetry writing is sacred and is a humanizing way to express our rage. I have a lot of rage and there’s so much to be angry about, and terrified of. It’s a good way to funnel it.”
Like a wildfire, rage can clear the way for something beautiful, Vaca continued. “Some of the stereotypes (about Latinas) need to be destroyed in our society. We’re in a rebuilding phase. It’s painful, but it can be a painful and beautiful experience,” she told palabra.
My sacred rage runs through these veins
My sacred rage discards these chains
“Ode to the Resurrection of Mayahuel” Brenda Vaca. “Somos Xicanas.”
Riot of Roses Publishing House founder Brenda Vaca.Photo courtesy of Brenda Vaca
Rage is only one of the many currents running through the book. There’s the clear and unmistakable reclaiming of indigenismo, a recapture of an indigenous past that has always been part of the Chicano movement but feels supercharged. There is the redefinition of what it means to be Chicana, in this country of course, because the term does not exist outside of it. And there’s the word itself: Xicana, a very intentional re-spelling of the term itself.
“In the title of this book, I have chosen to use the ‘X’ spelling of ‘Xicana’ as a way to emphasize a wellness that results from cultivating connections with each other, the natural world, and our ancestral roots,” editor Luz Schweig writes in the introduction. “The ‘X’ symbolically harkens back to Indigenous times, before the Spanish invasion, before our human right to wellness was turned into a privilege for which we had to fight. Personally, the X reminds me of the ancient Xochimilca people known for their ability to make chinampa (lake beds) gardens flourish, under the leadership of female tlahtoani (leaders).”
Schweig found poetry as a way to heal the wound of dislocation she felt when she moved to the United States. Living in Mexico City, she arrived in California when she was 13 and felt very disconnected. Had she found a collection like “Somos Xicanas,” perhaps life would have turned differently for her.
“Somos Xicanas,” a poetry and essay anthology by Latinas, published by Riot of Roses.Photo courtesy of Riot of Roses
“My hope is that the powerful Xicana voices in this book crack someone’s pavement and release the rivers trapped underneath,” she writes. “Like the mighty river Huitzilopocho waiting to be freed — whose waters once flowed where Avenida Río Churubusco now lays, just around the corner from my own childhood neighborhood — there are many voices just waiting to be liberated.”
Perhaps that’s another reason why “Somos Xicanas” reading feels so powerful. They are liberating. Women, many of us of a certain age, coming together to be seen just like we are: dark skinned, opinionated, proud of our skin tones and our ancestral past. Three of my own poems are included in the collection, and it’s been a real treat to share the stage with two poet laureates – Victoria Bañales, Watsonville Poet Laureate, and Aideed Medina, Fresno Poet Laureate, both in California. The collection also includes poetry luminaries such as U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón and Lorna Dee Cervantes, considered one of the most important voices in Chicana poetry.
A March 29 reading of “Somos Xicanas” with contributing poets at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Los Angeles. From left: Victoria Bañales, Melinda Palacio, Rosanna Álvarez, Jesenia Chávez, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Brenda Vaca, Inez González Perezchica, Aideed Medina, Angelina Sánez, Dahlia Aguilar, and Claudia Meléndez Salinas.Photo courtesy of Victoria Bañales
Perhaps it’s because, supported by the embrace of your hermanas in poetry and supported by an audience who is sympathetic to the message, it’s OK to be angry. It’s OK to experience rage.
“Anger can be a motivating force,” Schweig told palabra. “Unlike depression, which can lead to stagnation, anger is invigorating. It leads to movement, it leads to action. I think this is part of what I’m feeling with the poetry that came in and the way it’s being delivered. It’s delivered in the spirit of activism.”
Activism was always an integral element of the Chicano movement, something that remains even after more than 60 years.
“This is cultural production and culture is synonymous with presence, with not allowing erasure,” Schweig adds. “We are not invisible. We’ve never been invisible, and especially this government that’s trying to revert to where we were 50 years ago. This is a very spirited and fiery community. We are here, our presence is strong, we will not be silenced. This is what a movement is, and it’s inspiring everyone, even outside of the anthology.”
Zappos just dropped a new discount on the ultra-cushioned New Balance® FuelCell Rebel v4 running shoes to its lowest price yet, making now the perfect time to upgrade your summer running gear.
With this online deal, customers can score a pair of men’s or women’s New Balance® FuelCell Rebel v4 sneakers for only $109 in select colors instead of the normal price of $140. Free shipping is also included with purchase.
New Balance® FuelCell Rebel v4
$139.99 $109.95
The men’s and women’s New Balance® FuelCell Rebel v4 running shoes are on sale at Zappos this week.
“Crafted with a high-rebound FuelCell foam midsole that offers lightweight cushioning and comfort, the New Balance® FuelCell Rebel v4 shoes are designed for your running adventures. The adjustable lace-up closure of these shoes offers a secure fit. These sports shoes come with a gusseted tongue that helps keep the debris out. Perfect for your everyday runs and training sessions, these athletic shoes offer superior performance and comfort,” Zappos’ product details state.
The 54-year-old Emmy winner placed second on the show’s 37th season in 2018. He is one of 24 returning players who will compete in the milestone season, which will be filmed in Fiji.
“Mike, after he finished playing, said, ‘I want to play again,’” host and executive producer Jeff Probst told CBS Mornings on Wednesday. “Then ‘White Lotus’ hit, and I thought, ‘Well, he’ll never play again.’ But he kept texting and saying, ‘Look, I’m serious. If you ever do anything where you have returning players, I want to play again.’ So we’re happy to have Mike.
Other returning fan favorites include Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Colby Donaldson, Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Aubry Bracco and Benjamin “Coach” Wade.
White, whose other credits include “School of Rock” and “Enlightened,” told the New Yorker in a 2021 interview how the show has inspired him.
“I still feel like, even on the most contrived reality show, the people are human and they’re more interesting than some of the most well-scripted drama,” he said. “And for me, as a writer of drama, I aspire to do what reality television already does. To create characters that are surprising and dimensional and do weird s–t and capture your attention.”
Season four of the hit crime series Taking the Stand premieres on A&E Wednesday, May 28 at 10/9c.
The popular A&E series is available for streaming through Philo (free trial), DirecTV (free trial) and Sling (50% off first month).
What is Taking the Stand?
For those unfamiliar with the long-running A&E series, Taking the Stand tells the stories of crimes from the unique lens of the accused as they take the witness stand. Each episode features exclusive interviews and responses from the defendants themselves, to provide an in-depth look at dozens of raw and real cases.
The upcoming season four premiere episode centers on Richard Acosta, Jr., who is being tried for capital murder and accused of being the getaway driver for his 14-year-old son, Abel.
Surveillance footage at a Texas convenience store capture Abel shooting four teens, killing three; Abel is yet to be captured.
Philo and DirecTV offer free trials for new subscribers while Sling offers those that commit to a paid subscription half off their first month and one month free of AMC+.
Out of the three streaming platforms, Philo is the cheapest option at just $28 a month after its 7-day free trial expires.
What is Philo?
Philo is considered one of the most affordable streaming platforms on the market. Known as an entertainment-focused streaming service, Philo offers its subscribers access to over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.
New users can enjoy Philo’s 7-day free trial and continue to stream top channels, hit TV shows and movies on-demand for just $28 a month once the free trial expires.
Those looking to customize their flow of content even further on Philo can consider including add-ons such as MGM+, STARZ, and AMC+ in their subscription.
What is DirecTV?
DirecTV is a top streaming service perfect for those looking to access a plethora of live TV channels and enjoy helpful features. The base package starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.
DirecTV has also recently introduced a lineup of genre packs, which allows subscribers to choose their favorite viewing options based on what genre they watch the most. With genre packs, users can get the channels and content they want without filler channel overload. Packs start at just $34.99 a month.
Those interested in comparing all DirecTV’s channel packages and the new genre packs 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).
Donald Trump has found little pleasure in polling numbers as of late, but the newest Insider Advantage survey is promising for the president.
The poll, conducted between May 17 and May 19, shows Trump with a positive approval rating.
About 55% of respondents said they approve of the president’s job performance compared to about 44% who say they disapprove, the poll found.
Besides Trump’s approval rating being in positive territory overall, the president’s support among one ethnic group is soaring.
Hispanics approve of the president’s job performance at a nearly 60% clip compared to about 40% who disapprove, the survey showed.
That’s a more than 22% jump from late April to early May, when more than 38% of Hispanics said they approved of Trump’s job performance and about 20% said they did not.
Only whites — at nearly 63% — approve of Trump at a higher level than Hispanics.
Trump is underwater with Black respondents. Only about 28% of Black participants in the poll approve of Trump’s job performance while about 71% disapprove.
The Insider Advantage survey, run by a Republican pollster, is an outlier among major polls that take the temperature of the president’s support.
That average is boosted by Insider Advantage and the Republican-friendly Rasmussen Reports; they are the only two polls that show Trump above water this month.
A federal judge is recommending that a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit against Hyundai and two other companies over child labor practices proceed through the courts.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Doyle Tuesday denied motions that the lawsuit, filed last year, should be dismissed.
The U.S. Department of Labor last May brought the suit in federal court to compel Hyundai, an Alabama automotive supply plant and a temporary agency to “surrender profits” related to child labor in the state.
And when federal investigators learned of the minor’s employment, the company, Smart Alabama, told another two employees not to return due to their “appearance and other physical characteristics, which suggested they were also underage,” according to court documents.
The court action was filed against Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Smart Alabama, which employed the teen, and Best Practice Service, the service that provided the worker to Smart Alabama, according to court documents.
In court filings, lawyers for the defendants argued that the acting labor secretary last year lacked legal standing to bring the suit, and that, as there were no children currently working for the companies, there was no danger of “hot goods” – items made in violation of child labor law – entering the marketplace.
However, Doyle wrote in his opinion that, although there was no evidence of ongoing violations, there was no mention of “any promises made or safeguards implemented by Defendants to ensure that child-labor law violations do not recur. Thus, under these circumstances, a real and immediate threat of future injury to underage workers and the public generally remains…” he wrote.
Doyle said there is no evidence Hyundai or the two other companies are violating child labor law currently, but that would be determined by a “fully developed factual record.” He also dismissed claims the labor secretary could not bring the suit.
Reuters originally reported in 2022 that children were employed at SMART Alabama, which supplied parts for Hyundai’s Montgomery plant since 2003.
Two suppliers, SL Alabama and SMART, have terminated their relationships with third-party staffing agencies which, the company said, falsely certified that they had screened and cleared children as being eligible to work.
Both SL Alabama and JK USA, an Opelika temporary employment agency, in 2023 paid fines from federal court and the Alabama Department of Labor.
With this deal, you can snag the QVC-exclusive Ninja CREAMi with nine colors to choose from for just $179 instead of its normal retail price of $250. For comparison, Walmart’s gray Ninja CREAMi is typically the cheapest you’ll find one, however, it is still more expensive at $187.
Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 treat maker
$249 $179.98
The Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 treat maker is available in nine color variations exclusively from QVC, and now it’s on sale.
“Who’s up for a treat? Don’t chase down the ice cream truck. The Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 treat maker is headed your way, churning out ice cream, sorbet, milkshakes and more at the touch of a button. From a healthy smoothie to an indulgent dessert, your favorite flavors transform into smooth, creamy delicacies (that taste sooo much better than store-bought!),” QVC’s product details state.
“Just fill it, freeze it and CREAMi it! Simply pack a pint bowl (there’s five!) with your desired ingredients, freeze overnight and use Creamify technology to churn a uniformly frozen block into a smooth, creamy texture in minutes. There’s even a mix-in option so you can add nuts, candy, fruit, protein powder or whatever else you like to customize your flavor. (Bet the ice cream truck can’t do that!) And the best part? You have complete control over what goes inside.”
