Alabama News

Dear Eric: I have been with my boyfriend for 14 years. We live about 15 minutes’ drive apart.

He is widowed and I’m divorced. We both have one adult son. Mine is 31 and his is 40.

I haven’t met his son or any friends/family members, though he knows mine.

My boyfriend says he had an abusive dad, and he doesn’t much like his two siblings or their families. He only has one real friend but won’t introduce us.

I asked him why once and he said he “likes his privacy.” I put it down to his idiosyncrasies but still find it odd.

We have always talked for hours on a nightly basis. Previously, he has gone quiet for a week or two at times. But now, although we haven’t had a falling out, I haven’t seen him in eight months.

I miss him and told him that, but nothing changed, we kept talking. Now I feel like I am wasting my time on someone I love, who clearly doesn’t feel the same way. I am not good at letting go, so please, what is your suggestion here? I don’t want a phone-only connection.

– Short-Distance Love

Dear Love: Something’s gotta give. If he’s happy to talk for hours every night, then he can and should spend 15 minutes of one of those hours, making the trek to your house for an in-person talk. Ask for that. If he can’t or won’t do it, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you, but it may mean that he’s not in a position to be who you need right now.

That said, multiple things can be true here. Your boyfriend has communicated – perhaps not entirely effectively – his boundaries and the traumas from which they stem. Sometimes when boundaries are communicated, they can sound like rejections even if they’re not.

It’s concerning that, after 14 years, you haven’t met his son or his sole friend. There are some indicators that he’s dealing with heavy stuff – the past abuse, going quiet for a time. He may be happiest letting the relationship he has with you flourish away from other, more complicated relationships. But he’s not doing a great job integrating his coping mechanisms into his love life. That can be hard, but it’s not insurmountable. A loving relationship needs care, empathy, compromise and understanding in order to survive. So, if you’re not getting that, or not getting it in the way you want, it may be healthiest for you to choose separation.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

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

LeAnn Rimes recently opened up about her affair with now-husband Eddie Cibrian.

Rimes, 42, and Cibrian, 52, were married in 2011 after meeting three years earlier on the set of the Lifetime movie “Northern Lights.”

The “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” singer told “Flow Space” she was the target of hate as a result.

“I realized very quickly that there are a lot of women who’ve been hurt,” Rimes said. “Like, I’ve been on both sides of that coin — I’ve been cheated on, too, so I know that feeling. But so many women don’t know what to do with that anger… I was a target that was just easily projected upon. And once I realized that, things got a lot easier.”

Cibrian was married to Brandi Glanville, while Rimes was married to Dean Sheremet at the time of the affair.

She went on to say she didn’t take the backlash “personally,” and instead reminded herself that “this is not all my pain to carry.”

“I know what I’m responsible for in the situation and making amends for that,” she said. “But you know, the world’s pain is not mine to carry, and I think that really got thrown at me for a long time.”

In 2010, Rimes told PEOPLE she considered her affair with Cibrian “one of the most selfish things that I could possibly do, in hurting someone else.”

“I take responsibility for everything I’ve done. I hate that people got hurt, but I don’t regret the outcome,” she said.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a gentleman who strives to live a mannerly life. In that regard, when riding public transportation, I offer my seat to ladies who are standing. I also wait for ladies to leave an elevator before me.

Now that I am well beyond retirement age, does that change any expectations and norms? When, if ever, do I keep my seat and allow younger men the privilege of offering their seat to the fairer sex?

GENTLE READER: First, please get off those elevators when you are in front, instead of creating confusion by trying to stand back in favor of any ladies who are behind you. “Ladies first” never applied there.

For your habit of yielding seats, Miss Manners commends you, and hopes that ladies always treat the gesture graciously, whether or not they accept.

But it is not only your age that has changed; our system of precedence is in flux. Gender is becoming less of a factor, as it can do damage in the workplace, where deferring to colleagues as ladies undermines their professional identities. There, precedence should be determined by the job’s hierarchy.

And in society at large, age is becoming more of a factor. Should a young lady offer you a seat, Miss Manners hopes you will also respond graciously.

This is not to say that the gentlemanliness you practice should be abandoned — much less condemned, as is done by some. Tradition has its place, and these gestures add grace to society.

So the short answer is: Keep offering seats to ladies if you don’t mind standing; if you do mind, then stay seated.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Ivey makes a change

Gov. Kay Ivey has made a change at the Alabama parole board, reports AL.com’s Ivana Hrynkiw.

With parole-board chair Leigh Gwathney supplying a nearly automatic “no” vote, the board’s 2023 parole rate tumbled well below the board’s own guidelines. It’s rebounded somewhat, although Gwathney has remained a reliable “no” in most cases.

That’s ignited the debate over just how tight the parole board ought to be. The board’s stated guidelines called for a parole rate around 80%, and some officials and former Alabama chief justices from both parties have called for parole to be more attainable for those who qualify. State Attorney General Steve Marshall was among those wanting to keep many of those inmates behind bars. Marshall just last week called on the governor to reappoint Gwathney to the chair of the parole board.

Instead, Ivey replaced Gwathney with Hal Nash, the chief corrections deputy for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Ivey called Nash a “tough-on-crime, fair and pro-law-enforcement candidate with leadership experience.”

He takes over the chair position immediately.

New school in Madison County

A new, big middle school is going up next to Hazel Green High School, reports AL.com’s Megan Plotka.

It’ll enroll 1,200 seventh- and eighth-graders in northern Madison County and cost $53 million to build. Builders will break ground this month, and the school is expected to open for the 2027-28 school year.

Other coming changes to that school district include a new 12-classroom wing for Hazel Green High School and the transition of Meridianville Middle School to an intermediate school for fifth and sixth grades.

Union fight

Officials with the International Motors powertrain-manufacturing plant in Huntsville apparently aren’t going to just idly watch the United Auto Workers union move into their work force.

AL.com’s William Thornton reports that the company has made a case to its employees ahead of a possible election. Last week employees received a letter that read, in part: “To be clear, we strongly believe that selecting an outside organization like a union to represent you in your dealings with the Company (and having to join the union and pay union dues) is not necessary here in Huntsville.”

The UAW has spent time and money over the past couples years trying to get footholds in the South. In Alabama, it’s found disappointment, with an election loss at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance and a stalled effort at Hyundai in Montgomery.

Later, Legislature

A couple of state lawmakers are stepping aside.

Tom Butler, a Republican who’s represented parts of Madison and Limestone counties in the state legislature since 1982, is retiring from the Senate, reports AL.com’s Scott Turner. Butler is an 81-year-old retired pharmacist. Among other things, he’s been credited for his roles in road projects such as the four-laning of Alabama 53 to the Tennessee line and the future widening of Highway 72.

Also, the Alabama Daily News reported that state Rep. Debbie Wood, a Valley Republican, is moving out of her district (parts of Chambers and Lee counties) and will resign. She told Alabama Daily News that her husband landed a job in the Florida Panhandle so they’re moving near the state line.

By the Numbers

$800,000

That’s new University of Alabama President Peter Mohler’s salary. He’ll also receive a $30,000 relocation bonus and is in line for performance bonuses of $75,000 in 2025 and $150,000 in 2026.

More Alabama News

The podcast

Dear Annie: I am a 60-year-old divorced mom with three grown children in their 30s. I have spent most of my adult life putting my family first, especially after my marriage ended more than a decade ago. I raised my kids mostly on my own, worked full time and never really dated seriously again. Part of that was fear, and part of it was being too busy trying to hold everything together.

Now, for the first time in years, I have developed a close friendship with a male co-worker who is about my age. We have worked together for a long time, and over time, that connection has grown into something more intimate. We both agreed that we are not looking for anything serious — just companionship, affection and a little joy in an otherwise routine life.

The problem is, I have not told my children. I worry they will see it as inappropriate or think I am making a mistake. They are very protective of me, and I can already imagine the raised eyebrows and awkward silences. Part of me feels I deserve to enjoy this chapter of my life without having to explain myself, but another part feels guilty, like I am hiding something.

Is it wrong for me to keep this relationship private? Should I tell my children, or is this part of my life none of their business? — Still a Woman, Not Just a Mom

Dear Still a Woman: You have every right to seek companionship and joy in this stage of your life. You spent years putting others first, and it is perfectly natural and healthy to want something that is just for you. Being a mother does not mean you stop being a woman with your own needs, desires and emotions.

Your relationship with your co-worker sounds respectful, mutual and grounded in emotional maturity. There is nothing shameful about wanting closeness, especially when it brings comfort and happiness.

That said, it is also understandable that you are worried about your children’s reactions. Adult children can be surprisingly quick to judge when it comes to their parents’ personal lives, especially if they are used to seeing you only in the role of Mom. They may not mean to be hurtful, but it can be jarring for them to realize that you have a life outside of them. Some adult children struggle with the idea that their parent is no longer just a caregiver or adviser, but a person with vulnerability, desire and autonomy.

But you are allowed to have boundaries, and not everything in your life needs to be shared or explained.

If you choose to tell them, frame it in a way that helps them understand that this is a positive and meaningful part of your life. Let them see that you are not asking for their permission or approval but simply letting them into a part of your world — on your terms. If you choose to keep it private, that is your right, too.

You have taken care of everyone else for so long. It is OK to take care of yourself now. You are still a mother, but you are also still a whole, vibrant person. Don’t lose sight of that.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

Uranus takes about 84 years to journey through a sign. This is the first full day of Uranus in Gemini, kicking off a new era of communication — stretching from the whisper between friends to the pulse of planetary networks. The last time Uranus was here, the world cracked open through war, codebreaking, suburban sprawl and the birth of computing. Now, once again, thought becomes the battlefield — and the breakthrough.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). People will follow your lead when they believe you have a vision, even if they can’t see it, too. With today’s clarity, you can lay down a quick boundary or redirect a conversation that’s headed in a direction you simply don’t want to go.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’ve changed. The others haven’t caught up to the new you yet, but they can sense that the old dynamic no longer fits. You’ll figure out where your growth quietly outpaces the pattern — and you’ll feel the power of choosing not to play along.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Being trusted with someone’s world, however briefly, is a tremendous privilege. You’ll experience someone’s essence today, and it will color your mood like light through stained glass.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll be drawn to something you don’t usually do — and that’s the exact reason you should try it. A small departure from your routine leads to a big shift in energy and maybe even chemistry. One different move changes the whole rhythm, opening up possibilities you wouldn’t have seen from the usual groove.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). People notice when they’re not respected, even if they rarely notice when they are the ones who are not offering the respect a person or situation deserves. You’ve learned to lead with grace anyway. You’ll offer kindness today that will be remembered later.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll spot the small adjustment that makes everything smoother, faster or more elegant. It may seem minor — rearranging a step, rewording a phrase, shifting timing slightly — but the effect is outsized.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). A sudden, intuitive flash moves you to act — and thank heavens you listened. The window is small, the timing tight. And yet, somehow, you’re exactly where you need to be. Your instincts are your secret superpower.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There’s a difference between secrecy and privacy. You’re not hiding anything — you’re just choosing when and how to share. Your discernment makes others feel safe. People tell you things today they haven’t told anyone else.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re not in the mood to be confined by expectations — not yours, not theirs. Luckily, there’s room for improvisation. A surprising opportunity arises when you veer off the plan and follow your curiosity.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). People like you and want to impress you, so they offer their advice. It may feel like they are trying to tell you to be something other than you are. It’s not that. They want to matter to you and be part of your world.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You don’t need to explain a single thing. The results speak for themselves. Your calm is magnetic, your quiet confidence louder than applause. Let others make noise. You’ve already arrived.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Karma’s currency is nonlinear. What you give will circle back in surprising ways, from unlikely places. Don’t measure too closely. Just know fairness is real. The universe balances its books in its own brilliant time.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 8). You hold the emotional weather. Others flourish in your sunshine and breeziness; they cozy up to your warmth; they marvel at your coolness when the pressure is on, your chill when everyone needs to relax. Is it any surprise you’re given a leadership role? More highlights: hot intuition, a financial upgrade after one well-timed risk, and a deep relationship. Taurus and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are 3, 11, 12, 9 and 29.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Kevin Bacon is one of Hollywood’s most enduring talents, known for his wide-ranging filmography (“Footloose,” “A Few Good Men”) and the beloved “Six Degrees” game that celebrates his prolific career. A classic Cancer, Bacon brings emotional intelligence and depth to every role, whether he’s playing a rebellious dancer or a haunted detective. His most recent: the dark, complex comedy “Sirens” — a perfect fit for this intuitive water sign.

Holiday Mathis’ debut novel, “How To Fail Epically in Hollywood,” is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

Gunfire rang out in a quiet east Birmingham neighborhood, leaving one man dead and launching a search for a killer.

Just after 9:30 p.m. Monday, East Precinct officers received a call of shots fired in the 800 block of School Avenue Road, which is off Gene Reed Road in the Huffman area.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said while officers were en route, the call was updated to a report of a person shot.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the victim unresponsive in the yard of a house. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead.

Fitzgerald said investigators believe the victim was visiting someone at the home when someone he may have known opened fire on him.

The number of shots fired, he said, was close to double digits.

“To have that many shots fired in such a quiet neighborhood, that’s why the calls started coming in the way they did,” Fitzgerald said. “Everyone in the neighborhood has been cooperative and we’re just hoping witnesses continue to come forward to speak to our detectives.

A motive has not yet been determined, and no arrests have been made.

Fitzgerald said homicide detectives will canvas the neighborhood tonight, and return again in the morning to do so again.

The victim is the city’s 39th homicide victim this year, and the first in more than two weeks.

“It’s unfortunate when you have a life lost,” Fitzgerald said. “In 2025 the narrative has been the decrease in homicides, however on a scene is not where we want to brag about that because the family that lost their loved one is not concerned with homicides being down 55 percent.”

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz reportedly spent the weekend hitting tourists spots in Europe while a devastating Lone Star State flood killed at least 90 campers in the Hill Country.

The Republican lawmaker, who infamously fled his home state for Mexico in 2021 when a freezing winter storm shut down Texas’ power grid, was spotted in Greece checking out the Parthenon on Saturday, according to the Daily Beast.

A day earlier, the search for more than 20 campers who went missing when floodwaters overran the nearly 100-year-old Camp Mystic was underway. That number rose sharply before Cruz finally headed home Sunday, the Daily Beast said. Cruz spoke to reporters in Kerrville Monday.

A witness said Cruz was accompanied by a security officer and his wife Heidi Cruz — who shot the witness a dirty look — during his European vacation.

“As he walked past us, I simply said, ‘20 kids dead in Texas and you take a vacation?’” that source said.

Cruz “sort of grunted and walked on” as the tour continued.

The Senator is believed to have arrived in Athens Thursday when Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warned “potential flooding” might be coming. Patrick told reporters he was filling in for Cruz while the 54-year-old Senate Committee on Commerce Chairman was away.

Cruz appeared on Newsmax Monday afternoon to say Texans were heartbroken by the devastation that occurred when the Guadalupe River swallowed the central Texas Christian camp on Independence Day. The Austin American-Statesman said the river rose from less than a foot high on July 3 to more than 34 feet high by 6:45 a.m. on July 4.

The Texas Hill Country is nicknamed “Flash Flood Alley” due to the area’s propensity for suddenly dangerous conditions. Cruz called that part of the state “The most beautiful part of Texas” Monday.

His office didn’t address the Daily Beast’s report on the Senator’s European vacation.

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©2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Guard Davion Mitchell re-signed with the Miami Heat on Monday, the NBA team announced.

A restricted free agent this offseason, Mitchell stayed with the Heat for a fully guaranteed, two-year, $24 million contract.

Mitchell joins 20-points-plus-per-game guards Tyler Herro and Norman Powell as options in the Miami backcourt for the 2025-26 season. Powell headed for the Heat on Monday from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade that also involved the Utah Jazz.

“We’re going to the championship,” Mitchell said after signing the contract.

Mitchell joined Miami in a trade with the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 6. With the Raptors, Mitchell started half of his 44 games and averaged 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 24.5 minutes per game. With the Heat, Mitchell started half of his 30 regular-season games and averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 31.6 minutes per game.

Mitchell made 35.9 percent of his 3-point shots with Toronto and 44.7 percent with Miami.

Mitchell scored 16 points, including nine in overtime, as the Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-114 in a play-in game to advance to the NBA playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers swept Miami in four games, with Mitchell averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 assists in the first-round series.

“I’m excited, a little bit nervous, obviously, but excited just to be back, just to play for the next two years,” Mitchell said. “I love the fan base, love the coaching staff, love everything that they do here in Miami. Feel good, real good. Glad to be back.

“After the trade deadline, we didn’t really have that much time to practice, but now that we have a training camp together and just do activities together, I feel like we’ll be more comfortable playing with one another. Just being there for one another, we kind of know each other more. We’ll just be a much better team, for sure.”

Mitchell played in 34 games at Auburn as a freshman in the 2017-18 season. He left the Tigers for Baylor. The Sacramento Kings selected Mitchell from the Bears with the ninth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mitchell played his first three NBA seasons with the Kings before a trade sent him to Toronto last offseason.

In 301 NBA regular-season games, including 69 starts, Mitchell has averaged 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 22.1 minutes per game. Mitchell has earned the nickname of “Off-Night” because of his defensive ability to neutralize top scorers.

“I’m super happy that the fans love me,” Mitchell said. “I just try to go out there and just play as hard as I can. I don’t do nothing exciting, honestly. I just go out there and play hard and play hard for my team, so it’s just exciting that they’re actually paying attention and they actually know that he’s playing really hard for our team.”

In his first four seasons, Mitchell’s career earnings came to $21,001,517.

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

It’s time for a fourth grouping of anchors at ABC News’ “GMA3.”

The Disney-backed news outlet is overhauling — yet again — the anchor lineup for the afternoon hour, this time likely giving more air time to various anchors and correspondents from “Good Morning America,” including weekend hosts such as Gio Benitez orthe weekday broadcast’s Ginger Zee.

On Monday, current co-anchor Eva Pilgrim announced a move to CBS’ “Inside Edition,” while ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic told staffers in a memo that her on-screen colleague, DeMarco Morgan, was leaving the show and the company.

“He has decided to begin a new journey and will be departing ABC News,” the executive said in his memo. The exits of Morgan and Pilgrim were previously reported by the media newsletter Status.

“GMA3” was in recent months placed under the aegis of “Good Morning America” senior executive producer Simone Swink, and its production staff was trimmed.

ABC News has grouped its overnight programming and “3” with its flagship morning franchise in a bid to cut costs and streamline processes.

Meanwhile, ABC News has been broadening its spotlight on “GMA” talent, highlighting more than the show’s core anchor group of George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan. A recent promo had room for the trio, but also for Zee, Sam Champion and Lara Spencer.

In recent weeks, viewers have seen “GMA3” broadcasts led by Spencer, Champion, Benitez, Whit Johnson, Janai Norman and Will Reeve as well as ABC News correspondents like James Longman and Rachel Scott.

The network sees new opportunity to bring the afternoon program closer to the morning show, according to three people familiar with the matter, and it’s possible that Roberts, Strahan and Stephanopoulos could turn up in the afternoons where such appearances make sense, like if they are reporting live from a news scene.

“GMA3” has had several incarnations since debuting at ABC in 2018. The show has long been viewed as a way to expand the network’s massive “Good Morning America” franchise, and help it compete more directly with NBC’s “Today,” which sports four hours of programming each weekday and more on weekends.

The show launched as a lifestyle-news vehicle with Michael Strahan and Sara Haines, but pivoted to a more headline-driven format during the coronavirus pandemic.

“GMA3” seemed to thrive when it was led by co-anchors Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, who were bolstered by medical and health reporting from Dr. Jen Ashton.

But the program came under intense scrutiny when a romantic relationship between Holmes and Robach was unveiled, and ABC News executives failed to manage the imbroglio well. In recent years, Pilgrim and DeMarco Morgan have led “GMA3,” but their version of the program may have seemed less an extension of the original and more of its own separate entity.

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