Katt Williams’ dreams of being a movie mogul have taken him to Alabama, where the comedian purchased a former military base with the intention to launch a movie studio.
“I can’t disclose the amount or exact location just yet, but I can confirm that he has purchased a former military base in Alabama,” Williams’ publicist, Amy Sisoyev, said in an email Thursday to AL.com.
While the comedian is mum on the property he purchased, Fort McClellan’s Cold War-era barracks in Anniston have been up for sale at a $1.5 million asking price by the Luxe Group.
An old Cold War barracks, known locally as Starships, is on the market in Anniston, Ala. (Alabama Film Office)
Known locally as “Starships,” the barracks and surrounding property consists of 30 concrete buildings with three million square feet of indoor space. There are 10 barracks with 20 rooms each, two large gymnasiums, and more than 90 acres of usable flat land on the old Ft. McClellan site.
Efforts to reach the Luxe Group and the McClellan Development Authority — a non-profit public corporation made to speed economic development of the former fort — were unsuccessful.
In an interview published by GQ on Wednesday, Williams said he purchased a former Alabama military base sometime this year.
A man died in a barrage of gunfire Thursday afternoon in the parking lot of a Birmingham apartment complex.
Shots rang out at 3:51 p.m. at Park at Wood Station apartments. That is in the 6000 block of Wood Station Drive, which is off First Avenue South in Woodlawn.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald said police were dispatched to the complex on a report of a person shot.
They arrived to find the victim, identified only as a young adult male, dead inside a vehicle from multiple gunshot wounds.
Fitzgerald said it appears the victim was ambushed, possibly by multiple shooters.
At least 15 to 20 rounds were fired, if not more, he said. Witnesses said the victim’s vehicle was peppered by gunfire.
A massive crowd gathered at the crime scene where the victim’s loved ones hugged and cried.
Shots rang out Thursday at 3:51 p.m. at Park at Wood Station apartments. That location is in the 6000 block of Wood Station Drive, which is off First Avenue South in Woodlawn.(Carol Robinson)
Fitzgerald said the victim may have been visiting someone at the complex.
A motive has not been determined and no arrests have been made.
“This happened in a heavily populated complex,’’ he said.
“We’re urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. You can remain anonymous, and you will receive up to $5,000 I a cash reward.”
“We want to stress how important home surveillance footage may be in this investigation,’’’ he said.
“If you have any that captured this incident, or the events leading up to or after, you can receive a cash reward the same way you would if you called in a tip.”
The victim is Birmingham’s 142 homicide this year. Of those, 10 have been ruled justifiable and aren’t deemed criminal.
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In all of Jefferson County, there have been 177 homicides, including the 142 in Birmingham.
Johnnie Taylor Sr. is charged with capital murder, police announced Thursday.
Montgomery investigators launched their investigation earlier this month when the infant was hospitalized at Children’s of Alabama with undisclosed, but life-threatening, injuries.
The child died on November 10.
Major Saba Coleman earlier this week said an autopsy by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences deemed the boy’s death a homicide.
Authorities have not released the baby’s name nor said how he was killed.
They also have not disclosed the relationship between the suspect and the victim.
Taylor, jailed Thursday, is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Detention Facility.
Anyone with additional information is asked to Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP, Secret Witness at 334-625-4000, or Montgomery police at 334-625-2831.
It’s time to start crossing names off your Christmas list.
Kendra Scott’s holiday salehas 30% off all fashion jewelry, including some of the best-selling earrings, necklaces, bracelets and more. You can even get 25% off fine jewelry.
One great gift option is the Letter Pendant Necklace in Gold. It’s normally $65 but is on sale for $45.50. It would be a perfect keepsake for a special initial.
Another great choice is the Ari Heart Gold Huggie Earrings.Normally $65, they are on sale for $45.50. Our top pick is the Iridescent Drusy, a glittery white that would go with anything, but they come in a variety of other shades varying from pink to black.
Another great earring choice with a wide variety of stone choices is the Lee Gold Drop Earring. Normally $55, they are on sale for $38.50. The Opaque Black is stunning, with other choices including Ivory Mother of Pearl, Rose Quartz, Abalone Shell and others.
Tamara DeBolt takes a seat in the elegant, brand-spanking new lobby of Terrific New Theatre and takes a deep breath.
DeBolt, TNT’s executive director, is thinking about a $2.3 million project that has dominated her life for the past four years, testing her mettle and marking a new direction for the small nonprofit theater.
It’s a joyful time right now for folks who love the theater, DeBolt included. But she admits that finding a new home for TNT and renovating a historic building in downtown Birmingham has been stressful.
“It’s been very hard,” DeBolt said in an interview with AL.com. “I don’t remember the last time I slept through the night, honestly. I have categories in my mind. I have a money category. I have a building category. I have a props category. I have a costume category. I had this electrical thing to worry about. We’re trying to get a liquor license reinstated.
“It’s just, you know, a thousand things,” DeBolt said. “But I cross things off my list, and I make a new list. Sometimes I wake up at 2:30 in the morning and think about my list. Sometimes I never go back to sleep. It’s just been a lot, but I think it’ll be worth it. It’ll be worth all the time and the effort.”
Terrific New Theatre returns to the city’s entertainment landscape on Thursday, Nov. 21, launching its 2024-205 season with a production of “Sunday in the Park with George.” Opening night is sold out at the 100-seat theater, and organizers, volunteers and other supporters are ready to celebrate TNT’s rebirth.
TNT’s new home at 2112 Fifth Ave. North is a significant milestone for the grassroots organization, founded in in 1986 by Birmingham’s Carl Stewart and his partner, Steve Stella. Aside from a change in location and a sleek, modern interior — TNT always prided itself on being rather scrappy and bohemian — it’s the first time the theater has owned its space, instead of leasing, in its 38-year history.
A look at the lobby, left, and seating at Terrific New Theatre in Birmingham. The beloved theater has a new, $2.3 million home in a historic building downtown.(Courtesy of Terrific New Theatre)
“I am relieved. I am thrilled. I am excited for Birmingham,” DeBolt told AL.com in May 2023, when the news was announced. The theater had been without a bricks-and-mortar location for three years at that point, after leaving its longtime home at Pepper Place in March 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers offered some online events during COVID, and presented the play “Circle Mirror Transformation” at The Dance Foundation in Homewood. But it was a difficult time for the community theater, and its future remained uncertain.
“From the time the board (of trustees) made the decision to vacate Pepper Place — that was tough, lots of tears,” DeBolt said. “I almost quit about five times. But I felt like I had a responsibility, you know? I couldn’t let the theater die on my watch.”
TNT’s fortunes changed for the better when two philanthropic angels appeared, offering funding, ideas, support and goodwill. John and Louise Beard, longtime supporters of arts organizations in Birmingham, came to the theater’s rescue in a very real way, buying the property at 2112 Fifth Ave. North as a gift for TNT.
The building, a one-story structure, covers 7,500 square feet and previously was known as the Alabama Auction Room. The Beards worked with Harbert Realty Services to purchase the building, which dates back to 1925 and sits across the street from the Redmont Hotel, a local landmark.
Terrific New Theatre’s new location is a historic building at 2112 Fifth Ave. North in downtown Birmingham. It covers 7,500 square feet and previously was known as the Alabama Auction Room.(Mary Colurso | [email protected])
“John and I are extremely happy to support TNT in acquiring this historic building at 2112 Fifth Avenue North,” Louise Beard said via a press release. “My love of Birmingham’s community theater was nurtured by Carl Stewart, an original TNT founder. Seeing TNT return to actively participate as one of Birmingham’s essential community theaters feeds my soul.”
The purchase of a new building for TNT is a major part of $2.3 million capital campaign that’s ongoing, DeBolt said. (According to the theater’s website, the specific goal is $2,303,209.) As of mid-November, DeBolt said, the campaign is close to reaching its goal, and has about $180,000 to go.
DeBolt declined to be specific about the total amount the Beards have donated to TNT, but said she never expected such generosity to be bestowed upon the theater.
“Another theater leader asked me, ‘How did you get them to give you that kind of money?,’” DeBolt recalled. “I said, ‘I didn’t get them to do it. It just happened.’ … It was crazy. I think it was all final in May, and then before renovation started, the building had to be in our name so that we could have builder’s risk insurance and all that. So they deeded the building over to us officially in November 2023.”
The Beards supported TNT’s revival in other ways, DeBolt said. John Beard, for example, took part in the search for a new location, teaming with DeBolt for exploratory visits to more than 80 buildings in the Birmingham metro area. He remained involved throughout the renovation process, as well.
“Every time we had an owner, architect or contractor meeting, he was always here, hard hats and all,” DeBolt said. “He was here every time, so he was a big help. And just for emotional support, like, ‘We really can do this.’”
The inside of Terrific New Theatre’s new home at 2112 Fifth Ave. North in downtown Birmingham, as it appeared in May 2023. Extensive renovations at the space took place in 2024, with LIVE design group as the architect and Locke General Contractors as the construction company. (Courtesy of Terrific New Theatre)
DeBolt was the point person for the project, which she calls “a huge undertaking” for TNT. Still, DeBolt emphasizes that she relied on help from others along the way, including a four-person renovation committee.
“Part of that renovation committee was a special group that did all of the design elements,” DeBolt said. “So I didn’t have to pick one color, one lighting fixture, one tile, toilets, sinks … They did all of that, and thank goodness. I had two that were focused on renovation issues. Two of them focused on design elements. Without that group of four people, I would have lost my mind.”
Organizers were excited about the idea of creating a fresh, contemporary space for the theater, which had existed in fairly cramped quarters at Pepper Place. The new TNT has a spacious lobby, a box office area, offices, expansive storage space and updated technology. Providing more bathrooms for theatergoers was a must, as well.
The former lobby of Terrific New Theatre at Pepper Place was funky and welcoming, but not exactly spacious. Patrons entered through a tight corridor filled with photographs and furniture. (Photo by Emma Simmons)
At the same time, however, DeBolt wanted to make sure that TNT’s longtime fans would feel right at home. Cast photos from previous productions, which were prominently displayed at Pepper Place, are easy to see in the new building. Pictures of the theater’s founders, Stewart and Stella, also have a place of honor.
“It’s bigger and better,” DeBolt said, “but I want people to feel like it’s still Terrific New Theatre. So when they walk in the building, they’re going to see the box office. They’re going see all the photos up on the wall. When they walk into the theater, it still feels like TNT. We have almost the same number of seats in the theater. We had 98 before; we have 100 now.
“We brought what we could from the old theater and incorporated it into this project,” DeBolt said. “We could have just said, ‘Let’s just throw it all away and start over,’ but we didn’t want to do that. That’s not what the purpose of the project was. The purpose was to revive the theater and to find a new home, not to make a new organization.”
Stewart, a legend in Birmingham’s theater world, was the artistic chief of Terrific New Theatre for 30 years, He had a strong vision for the theater and directed every production there — comedies, dramas, musicals, theater spoofs and more — before retiring in 2016. DeBolt, an actress and director, took over the helm when Stewart retired. He died in 2022 at age 80, prompting tributes from fans and fond recollections on social media.
A portrait photo of Carl Stewart, Terrific New Theatre’s founder and longtime artistic director, has moved from Pepper Place to the theater’s new location in downtown Birmingham. (Photo by Emma Simmons)
What would Stewart — a colorful character and famously outspoken boss — think of the new TNT, with its wide-open spaces, streamlined design and stylish decor?
“It depends on who you ask,” DeBolt said, laughing. “Some people think he would love it. I’m not so sure. … He always kind of reveled in the fact that it was very bohemian and they squeaked by every month. If he couldn’t pay rent, he’d call somebody and say, with that (raspy) voice of his, ‘Hey, I need $1,000. Can I come by and pick up a check?’
“There would be some things I’m sure he would like, and some things I think he would hate,” DeBolt said. “But I would like to think that he would be glad TNT is still alive.”
Reactions from supporters who’ve visited the new theater have been uniformly positive, DeBolt said, and big-money donors were all smiles during a sneak peek they received at a Nov. 9 preview party.
Now, as TNT opens its doors to the public for the first production in its new building, organizers are primed for a bright future. Four shows are planned in a “mini-season” that runs from November through June, starting with “Sunday in the Park with George.”
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“It’s been a huge undertaking,” DeBolt said. “But I think we can finally exhale. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. And people have already asked about renting the space. We can have storytelling nights; we can have improv groups. We hope people in the community will want to use it. The sky’s the limit here.”
If you go:“Sunday in the Park with George” runs Nov. 21-Dec. 8 at Terrific New Theatre, 2112 Fifth Ave. North in Birmingham. Eleven performances are planned, Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets are $25, except for Thursday, Dec. 5, which is a “pay what you can afford” night. Visit the theater’s website or call 205-328-0868 for more info.
After former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for the attorney general spot, he immediately got support from someone close to home.
On Instagram, wife Ginger Luckey posted a picture of the couple on the steps of Capitol Hill, writing, “The end of an era. No one loves America more than this guy.”
Gaetz’s withdrawal wasn’t a huge shock. The former congressman had been facing major roadblocks to be in president elect Donald Trump’s incoming Cabinet due to allegations that he slept with minors and paid women for sex.
Though the Justice Department investigated the accusations and the case was closed with no charges filed, questions remained about the politician.
The House Ethics Committee will continue looking into the allegations that Gaetz paid two women more than $10,000 via Venmo for sex between July 2017 and January 2019.
“It is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction” to the incoming Trump administration,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “There is no time to waste on needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.”
For the time being, Luckey appears to be standing by her man, possibly because the purported misconduct occurred before their relationship began.
The two met in March 2020 during a fundraiser for then No. 45 at at Mar-a-Lago; Gaetz popped the question in the very same place just eight months later.
Macon East Academy players knew coming into the game the challenge would be to slow down Cornerstone Christian quarterback Zeke Adams if they were to have any hope of winning the Alabama Independent School Association Class A (8-man) championship.
Adams ran for touchdowns of 49, 42, 1, 68, 11, 24 and 96 yards to lead the Chargers to their second consecutive title in a 52-12 win over the Knights on Thursday at Cramton Bowl.
His grieving family says they still don’t know who killed their loved one, and why they left him there to die.
“That took a big piece of my heart when that happened,’’ said his sister, Charise Boyd, “and it’s hard to deal with.”
The deadly crash happened just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, on Finley Boulevard between 16th and 17th Street North. Fabin Boyd was dead on the scene.
Charise Boyd said her eldest brother was walking home from the Salvation Army, a place he went often to eat and visit with friends.
“He was crossing the street,” she said, “and a car struck him and hit him and kept going.”
Charise Boyd said she saw her brother at least every other day and had gone to his apartment looking for him on that Thursday.
“Nobody had seen him,’’ she said. “I was waiting on him and waiting on him.”
“I always told him to get home before dark because of the traffic, and he’d say, ‘Aight, sis,’’’ she said.
“I had to keep on top of him,’’ Charise Boyd said with a chuckle, “because he was hard-headed, being an old man.”
The family was heartbroken to find out where he was – the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
“It’s devastating,’’ Charise Boyd said. “They took a big piece of me.”
Fabin Boyd, family said, was outgoing and fun.
“He was always full of laughter and joy,’’ his sister said. “He never met a stranger.”
“He was always upbeat, never a sad face,’’ she said. “He was always willing to help anybody he could.”
Fabin Boyd left behind three adult children and five grandchildren.
Family members gathered midday Thursday at the spot where Fabin Boyd was killed. They spoke fondly of him and released blue balloons in his memory.
“This is a bittersweet day,’’ Charise Boyd said. “This is one week today that he was killed out here by a person that struck him down and kept going.”
“They took someone very meaningful to us,’’ she said. “”He was the best.”
The family said they have not received any information on the investigation.
“An arrest is my goal,’’ Charise Boyd said. “To find out who would take his life like that with no conscience.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
