A trio of Alabama public officials received shoutouts from Donald Trump on Wednesday as they witnessed the president sign an executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s public school sports.
Under the order, schools will have their Title IX federal funding yanked if they allow trans athletes to participate in women’s sports under Title IX.
“Under the Trump administration, we will defend the proud tradition of female athletes, and we will not allow men to beat up, injure and cheat our women and our girls,” the president said. “From now on, women’s sports will be only for women.”
Trump partly credited his stance on transgender athletes in women’s sports with his election victory.
“With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” the president said to a standing ovation from the crowd. “This will effectively end the attack on female athletes at public K-12 schools and virtually all colleges and universities…”
During his remarks, Trump acknowledged Tuberville, Britt and Marshall, elaborating on Tuberville’s past as a college football coach and mistakenly saying he developed Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“A great coach,” Trump said of Tuberville, who was head coach at Auburn, Texas Tech and elsewhere before being elected to the Senate in 2020.
“You know, his quarterback was named Mahomes. He was a great college coach. And I said, ‘How good was he?’ He said, ‘You don’t wanna know how good. He made me into a great coach.’ He’s a pretty good quarterback, right? Yeah, he was very good. And he’s a good guy, too.”
Mahomes played at Texas Tech before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 NFL Draft but did not arrive in Lubbock until after Tuberville departed the school in late 2012.
Mahomes was a high school junior at the time — and in his first year as playing as a quarterback.
Tuberville had claimed that he recruited Mahomes to Texas Tech.
According to a fact check by the Cover 3 podcast, Texas Tech was recruiting another quarterback, D.J. Gillen, and Mahomes was not being recruited by Texas Tech until a month after Tuberville left the school for the University of Cincinnati and Gillen decommitted.
After months of discussion about modernizing Alabama’s school funding system, Gov. Kay Ivey now plans to direct $100 million toward high-needs schools and students.
Officials are still debating options to overhaul school funding, but Ivey’s one-time earmark is the first public indication of her support for rethinking the state’s decades-old formula, which is based on headcount.
State Finance Director Bill Poole said Ivey’s budget proposal, which adds up to $10 billion in recommended spending, is a starting point and will kickstart future discussions on how best to target certain groups.
“Know that this has been an ongoing conversation, so we’ll certainly have to contemplate how to best set those out,” he said.
Next week, a committee will likely review a “hybrid” school funding plan, which will keep the state’s current method of funding schools and teachers intact, while allocating extra money to specific student groups.
Ivey plans to draw the money from the Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund, a new savings account for educational expenses. Currently, she plans to earmark:
$40 million for high-poverty schools,
$40 million for students with disabilities,
and $20 million for sparsity, or more rural schools.
Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, who is leading the study on school funding, told reporters that the committee plans to prioritize funding for English learners, economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities and gifted students. Members will meet on Feb. 13 to adopt a final report.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey said he was thrilled about the plan. He previously told reporters that he believed it would help schools target students who are struggling the most.
“It’s an excellent plan,” he said. “It’s well laid-out. It’s very thoughtful. I couldn’t think of a better way to do it.”
Education Trust Fund
Ivey is also proposing a 6% increase to the current education budget, to amount to a total of $9.9 billion. (View the full proposal here.)
Of that amount, $6.7 billion is budgeted toward K-12 schools and $2.6 billion will go toward higher education institutions.
Among the key items on the K-12 budget:
$12 million to expand the state’s first-class Pre-K program
$101 million for the CHOOSE Act, to support families who send students to private schools
$27 million for 220 math coaches
$14.4 million for summer and after school programs
$10 million for English learners
$5 million for behavior analysts
Ivey also plans to allocate $621.9 million to community colleges, an increase of about 6%, and a 5.67% increase in funding to universities for operations and maintenance costs.
The budget increase comes as schools across the state brace for a federal fiscal cliff; many have cut key staff as COVID funding ended.
Finance directors on Wednesday also warned against excessive spending. Revenues are returning back to pre-pandemic levels after historic spikes, while costs for Medicare and insurance plans are rising.
“The sugar high is over, and we need to contemplate that,” Poole told lawmakers.
To supplant rising costs, Ivey plans to take nearly $100 million out of the Education Trust Fund to front part of the cost of PEEHIP increases and about $40 million to address rising rates for the teacher’s retirement system.
Lawmakers said efforts to keep education spending low have helped to keep budgets stable against current headwinds.
“Things are looking OK on the education side,” Orr said. “Not big-time gangbusters, but certainly a healthy growth.”
Mark Dixon of Alabama Possible, an education advocacy group that has championed school funding reform, said Ivey’s $100 million investment would be a “huge step forward.”
“We’re so grateful for the governor to prioritize his student needs and committed to working through this process the potential of a new hybrid formula,” he told AL.com. “Just very grateful.”
One-time allocations
Ivey is proposing a supplemental budget of $524 million, down from $651.2 million last year, for one-time educational expenses. The money is essentially what’s left over from other funds, and will likely be very minimal in future years, Poole said.
About two thirds of the supplemental budget will go toward K-12 initiatives, including:
• $100 million for transportation and fleet renewals
• $50 million for school safety training
• $50 million for the CHOOSE Act
• $30 million for summer and after-school programs
• $28 million for textbook adoptions
• $20 million for college and career readiness grants
• $14 million for supplements for principal and assistant principals
• $10.3 million for charter school grants
• $10 million for a Struggling Readers Beyond Grade 3 program
• $5 million for Automated External Defibrillators in schools
• $5 million for TEAMS, the math and science educator incentive program
Another 27% will go toward higher education projects, including $29 million for capital projects and deferred maintenance at community colleges, and $102 million for universities.
Ivey plans to allocate an additional $34 million for other services aimed at expanding broadband, cyber security and department transitions. View the full supplemental bill here.
The Boston Bruins play against the New York Rangers in an NHL game tonight. The matchup will begin at 6 p.m. CT on TNT. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Bruins enter this matchup with a 27-22-6 record, and they have won back-to-back games. In their most recent game, the Bruins defeated Minnesota 3-0.
During the victory, Boston’s goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman played at a high level. He ended the game with 36 saves, so he will look to perform similarly this evening.
The Rangers enter this matchup with a 25-23-4 record, and they are coming off a 4-2 win against Vegas. During the victory, Artemi Panarin led the New York offense. He ended the game with one goal and two assists, so he will be a key player to watch tonight.
Notably, Panarin currently leads the team in points and goals.
Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
A month after announcing it was shutting down service to Mobile, Breeze Airways has added connections in Pensacola – and another airline has added a north Alabama connection to Pensacola.
Breeze had been the only commercial carrier flying out of Mobile International Airport, until it announced in early January that it was suspending the route. (Breeze used a small terminal in the Brookley Aeroplex that was built specifically for low-cost carriers; when a full-fledged new terminal is completed, the Mobile Airport Authority will shift commercial traffic from the regional airport in west Mobile to the new facility.)
The Airport Authority projects that a newer terminal closer to downtown will put Mobile on a more competitive footing with regional competitors including airports in Pensacola and Biloxi. The new developments accentuate just how fierce the competition can be.
When it suspended Mobile service to Orlando and Providence, R.I., Breeze said that it sees “a lot of promise in Mobile and the surrounding area.” It already offered connections to Pensacola International Airport, and on Wednesday it announced two more: a summer seasonal direct connection to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., with one-way prices as low as $49; and a one-stop/no-change connection to Providence. Both routes start service April 30.
For now, Contour is taking bookings from March 22 through Aug. 2.
“This new route provides a convenient connection between the Florida Gulf Coast and the rich cultural and musical history of the Shoals region, home to the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and a thriving local community,” said the airport’s announcement. Whether traveling for business or leisure, passengers will enjoy Contour Airlines’ commitment to comfort and reliability.
“We are pleased to welcome Contour Airlines’ new nonstop service to Muscle Shoals,” Matt Coughlin, Pensacola International Airport Director, said in the announcement. “This route strengthens our regional connectivity and provides a valuable link between Northwest Florida and the historic Shoals area. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Contour Airlines to offer more travel opportunities for our community.”
“Contour Airlines could not be more excited about launching our first service from Pensacola,” said Contour Airlines President Ben Munson, “By connecting the region to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals, travelers have a non-stop, affordable, and convenient connection to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina.”
With this discount, you can get the Frigidaire mini fridge with an included bottle opener for just $178 instead of its usual price of $250. The black version is also on sale for $213.
Frigidaire Retro 2-Door Compact Fridge, Red – $178
The red Frigidaire Retro 2-Door Compact Fridge with an attached bottle opener is on sale for $70 off this week.
“Indulge in the ultimate convenience with this spacious yet compact fridge freezer combo. Its unique retro look and stainless steel finish offers modern appeal mixed with vintage flair,” the product details state.
“Equipped with reversible doors and pull handles for easy access, this mini fridge combines upscale style with practical finishes. Experience seamless placement and flexibility with its space-saving flush back design. This small upright fridge offers multiple storage options including a 2-liter door basket, integrated can dispenser and clear crisper bin to keep your items organized and visible.”
President Donald Trump on Wednesday mistakenly said Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes developed under the tutelage of Tommy Tuberville while giving a shoutout to Alabama’s senior senator as Trump signed an executive order banning trans girls from women’s sports under Title IX.
Tuberville, who authored a Senate bill codifying the provisions of the executive order into law, was among the numerous elected officials Trump thanked at Wednesday’s signing ceremony.
“A great coach,” Trump said of Tuberville, who was head coach at Auburn, Texas Tech and elsewhere before being elected to the Senate in 2020.
“You know, his quarterback was named Mahomes. He was a great college coach. And I said, ‘How good was he?’ He said, ‘You don’t wanna know how good. He made me into a great coach.’ He’s a pretty good quarterback, right? Yeah, he was very good. And he’s a good guy, too.”
Mahomes played at Texas Tech before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 NFL Draft but did not arrive in Lubbock until after Tuberville departed the school in late 2012.
Mahomes was a high school junior at the time — and in his first year as playing as a quarterback.
Tuberville had claimed that he recruited Mahomes to Texas Tech.
According to a fact check by the Cover 3 podcast, Texas Tech was recruiting another quarterback, D.J. Gillen, and Mahomes was not being recruited by Texas Tech until a month after Tuberville left the school for the University of Cincinnati and Gillen decommitted.
Although their NFL careers overlapped for five seasons, quarterbacks Cam Newton and Michael Vick never squared off on the field during that time.
But they will at the Super Bowl LIX flag-football game at 8 p.m. CST Saturday at the Play Football Field within the Super Bowl Experience presented by Panini, the NFL’s interactive football theme park at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. YouTube will stream the event.
Newton and Vick will serve as the quarterbacks for a seven-on-seven flag-football game featuring a variety of celebrities, with YouTube creators IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat serving as the team captains.
Newton and Vick won’t be the only quarterbacks involved. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, an expected first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Diana Flores, the quarterback for Mexico’s 2022 World Games gold-medal team, are among the celebrity players.
Flores is on Team Speed, and Sanders is on Team Kai.
Team Speed also features Newton, Mark Phillips, Adam W, Latto, Quavo, Sexyy Red, Plaqueboy Max and Khaby.
Team Kai also features Vick, Duke Dennis, Deestroying, Jordan Chiles, Teyana Taylor, Cole Bennett, MMG and Ki’Lolo Westerlund.
Newton and Vick also served as the quarterbacks for Super Bowl LVIII’s Celebrity Flag Game last year.
The final five seasons of Vick’s NFL career were the first five of Newton’s career. They were on opposing teams once during that time, but the meeting came in a stretch of six games that Vick missed because of a concussion.
Newton and the Carolina Panthers defeated the Vick-less Philadelphia Eagles 30-22 on Nov. 26, 2012. The former Auburn All-American threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 52 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles.
Philadelphia will play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at 5:30 p.m. CST Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. FOX will televise the game.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
Birmingham has loved and lost many bars and nightclubs over the years. Even after decades have passed, some of those breakups still sting.
If we could climb into a time machine and change history, we’d bring back plenty of beloved nightspots that shaped the city’s entertainment scene, presented amazing musicians and gave folks opportunities for socializing.
Here are our top five picks for bars and nightclubs that closed too soon in the Birmingham metro area, plus a host of honorable mentions. Just mention these places, and you’ll hear fond reminiscences from Alabama people who’ve been there, partied there and lived to tell the tale.
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Bottletree Cafe
Bottletree Cafe
What and where: Indie music venue and restaurant at 3719 Third Ave. South, in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood.
When: Merrilee Challiss and her brother, Brad Challiss, founded Bottletree in 2006, taking over a low-slung building that previously housed a furniture store, Za Za Zann, and a nightclub, Misconceptions.
Although Bottletree developed a loyal, vocal following — and earned kudos from publications such as Esquire, The Washington Post and New York magazine — the venue faced financial challenges from the get-go. Bottletree closed its doors in March 2015.
Noteworthy: Bottletree was a creative haven for live music, movies, comedy shows and art exhibits. For most of the venue’s tenure, the Challisses teamed with Brian Teasley, a musician and concert promoter who presented shows at Bottletree through his company, Secret History Productions.
With Teasley’s help, Bottletree quickly became known for its cutting-edge sensibility, booking bands and solo artists that ranged from Americana to hip-hop to Japanese noise rock.
Another important part of Bottletree’s aesthetic: A mostly vegetarian cafe that offered an eclectic menu and specialized in an award-winning, meat-free chili. The artsy, eclectic decor at the venue earned kudos from visitors, too.
Quotable: “Like trying to capture something as elusive as a haint in a bottle, so is the task of having to define the spirit of Bottletree,” Merrilee Challis said in her official closing statement.
“The collection of stories and memories shared, underscores how much Bottletree is more a multi-faceted and kaleidoscopic spirit, reflecting and meaning many different things to many different people. When the light catches the prism just right, and you squint your eyes just a little, you can see rainbows.”
At the location now: Joyland, a retro-styled fast-food restaurant, opened in October 2024 in the former Bottletree building.
Jim Bob and the Leisure Suits performed in 1980 at Brothers Music Hall in metro Birmingham. The music venue was in the old Hollywood Country Club building at 665 Rumson Road in Homewood.(The Birmingham News file photo/Jerry Ayres/Alabama Department of Archives and History)
Brothers Music Hall
What and where: Legendary music venue with a brief but significant tenure, in the old Hollywood Country Club building at 665 Rumson Road in Homewood.
When: Brothers Music Hall was founded in 1978 by concert promoters Tony Ruffino and Dan Nolen. The two were joined by Gary Weinberger, who had worked with Ruffino during his college days on the University of Alabama Program Council.
Over the next three years, Brothers Music Hall earned a reputation for punching above its weight, bringing big-name acts to the Birmingham area, and presenting noteworthy local performers. The venue closed in 1981, reportedly because the building was in need of substantial repairs.
Noteworthy: The amazing lineup at Brothers Music Hall is like a glittering time capsule. Stars such as the The Police, Elvis Costello, Dire Straits, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Pat Benatar, the Ramones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Patti Smith, Warren Zevon, John Prine, Amazing Rhythm Aces, John Cale and George Thorogood & the Destroyers played at the venue.
Also, one of Birmingham’s largest concert promoters took shape at Brothers, via Ruffino’s New Era Productions, later known as Red Mountain Entertainment. (The company was bought by Live Nation in 2018.) Nolen, one of the partners at Brothers, has his own place in Birmingham music history. In 1982, he opened The Nick, one of the city’s oldest (and coolest) dive bars.
Quotable: “Brothers Music Hall — I saw Bob Marley on his last U.S. tour, Elvis Costello on his first, Jerry Jeff Walker, Dobie Gray and many more there in its brief, shining moment,” Jay Randall said via Facebook.
At the location now: The Hollywood Country Club building is gone, after being destroyed in a 1984 fire. There’s a Marriott hotel on the site, known as theCourtyard Birmingham Homewood.
The Blue Monkey Lounge was a popular cocktail bar on Cobb Lane in Birmingham.(The Birmingham News file photo/Steve Barnette)
Blue Monkey Lounge
What and where: Cozy cocktail bar known for its fancy martinis and other specialty drinks, at 1318 Cobb Lane, in Birmingham’s Five Points South neighborhood.
When: Blue Monkey opened in 1997, courtesy of Todd Kane, a restaurateur who also brought the Azalea restaurant to Birmingham. The bar had a 22-year run in Five Points, nestled into an ultra-cool spot in the entertainment district. Blue Monkey closed in 2019.
Noteworthy: Blue Monkey was a favorite with revelers in Southside, who liked the large outdoor patio, nook-and-cranny interior and wildly eclectic decor. (The place boasted leopard prints, zebra skins, East Indian artworks, beaded-shade lamps, stained-glass sconces and more.)
The overall atmosphere was dark and funky-sophisticated, like a kitschy bunker or hipster grotto. There were deep, comfy couches in cozy corners, often filled with kissing couples. The drinks menu was extensive, and the well-crafted cocktails arrived in generous pours.
The Blue Monkey Martini, a signature libation, was sweet, potent and electric blue. Some of the cocktails came with a classy sidecar, a “little bit extra” that arrived in a long shot glass floating in a goblet of ice. Smoking was permitted, by the way, until a city-wide ban in public places took effect in 2012. The haze at Blue Monkey could be intense, especially in the cigar room.
Quotable: “Enter the Blue Monkey and feel as if you’ve left the rest of Birmingham behind,” The Birmingham News said in a 2003 review. ”Conducive to romance, great place to people watch. Nice mix of people. Dynamite drink selection.”
What and where: Jazz club founded by Ona Watson, a charismatic R&B singer, bandleader and well-known figure on the Birmingham music scene. Ona’s Music Room initially was located downtown at 423 20th St. South, then moved to Pepper Place, at 2801 Second Ave. South.
When: The downtown incarnation of Ona’s Music Room opened in 1996. After a 15-year tenure in that spot, the club moved to Pepper Place in 2011. Ona’s closed four years later. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting Ona’s Music Room and for supporting live music,” Watson said in a Facebook post in July 2015.
Noteworthy: Ona’s was a welcoming late-night haunt and an institution on Birmingham’s nightclub scene. The club presented a wealth of musicians on its stage, and was intent on giving a showcase to area talent.
Artists such as Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard and Eric Essix were regulars at Ona’s Music Room, along with Mart Avant’s Night Flight Big Band, Big Daddy’s New Band and the Little Memphis Blues Orchestra. In 2001, USA Today touted Ona’s as one of “10 great places for a jazzy night out.” The club’s genial owner was a big draw, as well.
“I’m trying to be a good host and make people feel comfortable,” Watson said in a 2011 interview with AL.com. “This may sound strange, but I try to think of it as being a musical hospital. When you come to Ona’s I want to make you feel better. I want to be the doctor of music.”
Quotable: “Ona’s Music Room, 20th St version,” Mart Avant said via Facebook. “That’s it. TWO American Idol winners got their start there, and there was no cooler vibe this side of the Village Vanguard in NYC. Ona gifted more musicians a place on that stage than all the other Bham clubs combined.”
At the location now: The Collective, a hair salon, has taken over Ona’s spot at Pepper Place. The downtown location became Crescendo Bar & Lounge in 2012, but that club also has closed.
Keith Harrelson founded Moonlight on the Mountain, a music room in Hoover. The venue, a successor to his Moonlight Music Cafe, was located in the Bluff Park neighborhood.(The Birmingham News file photo/Mark Almond)
Moonlight Music Cafe/Moonlight on the Mountain
What and where: Intimateconcert venue known for its stellar lineup of singer-songwriters, folk artists and Americana bands, founded by Birmingham music lover and photographer Keith Harrelson.
When: Moonlight Music Cafe opened is doors in 2003 in Vestavia Hills, at 628 Montgomery Highway. The first Moonlight, which lasted for three years, operated like a regular nightclub that sold tickets and booze, although smoking wasn’t allowed and the bar menu was limited. (At the time, Birmingham’s regulations for smoking in bars and restaurants were far less strict.)
Fans moaned when the venue closed in 2006, but Harrelson revised the Moonlight concept in 2010 — no booze sold, donations collected for the musicians — in Hoover’s Bluff Park neighborhood, at 585 Shades Crest Road. Harrelson declared his intention to retire in 2016, and the Moonlight found new owners. The venue bid its final farewell in 2018.
Noteworthy: Musicians relished the welcoming atmosphere and warm sound at the Moonlight. Audiences seemed to feel the same way, settling into the space for performers who ranged from Steve Forbert to Three on a String.
At heart, the Moonlight was a listening room, meant to please adults who’d “been there, done that” on the gritty bar scene. Acts included Americana bands, singer-songwriters, jazz groups, blues singers, pop-rockers and bluegrass ensembles. The vibe was respectful, healthy and peaceful.
Quotable: “The Moonlight isn’t really for sale,” Harrelson said in a 2016 interview with AL.com. “This isn’t an ice cream shop or a paint store, where there’s an inventory and a profit-loss statement. … It’s not a job. It’s not a business. It’s just a personal enterprise that brings me a great deal of joy.”
At the location now: Dear Emmaline, a children’s clothing store, is at the Moonlight’s former location in Vestavia. The Wild Roast Cafe took over the Moonlight spot in Bluff Park in 2019, and closed in September 2024.
More bygone favorites we miss
When asked to share memories of favorite nightspots they’d like to have back in metro Birmingham, several folks were quick to chime in via Facebook.
The Cast performed in 2002 at 22nd Street Jazz Cafe in Birmingham’s Southside.(The Birmingham News file photo/Beverly Taylor)
“22nd Street Jazz Cafe,” George Griffin said. “It had an ambiance that so many venues lacked at the time. I can’t tell you how many out-of-towners I met there. I think they would ask cab drivers to take them to a cool place to hear jazz and blues.”
“Ropers in Hoover,” said Lynn T Kurtts. “Country dance bar. I remember Tim McGraw was there just as a up-and-coming artist once. You could dance on the wood floor with a bar all around it. It was a fun place to dance … have a beer & hear country music. I liked Patty Loveless during those years (‘90s) and the DJ didn’t have her CD … so I let him borrow mine. He played her often.”
Jerry Grundhoefer performs on the electronic organ at Grundy’s Music Room in Birmingham, circa 1982.(Courtesy photo/Jerry Grundhoefer)
“I always enjoyed Grundy’s Music Room,”said Shawn Ryan, former pop music writer at The Birmingham News. “Jerry Grundhoefer was a great guy and brought in some jazz and blues musicians who wouldn’t have come to the city otherwise. He also understood my lack of jazz knowledge — it was incredibly obvious — and was always nice to fill me in on the finer points of who was playing and why the musician was important or maybe just why the person had a popular following.”
“Dugans! Plus they had the best cheeseburgers,” said Shannon Thomason. “I always ordered with a split of fries/onion rings and a bottled Coke.”
Music fans cheered during a show at Stillwater Pub in Birmingham. The bar was a 2010 venue for BAAM, the Birmingham Arts and Music Festival.(The Birmingham News file photo/Frank Couch)
“Stillwater Pub,” said Janel Jones Challiss. “Where my husband & I met. But truly such a special place that offered live music most nights for FREE, often local bands but very talented musicians. The owners were such good people & the atmosphere was always so welcoming & fun. If the music wasn’t what you wanted, there were also pool tables & Golden Tee in the back.”
Bob Cain was co-owner and star of the Canebreak Supper Club, a popular downtown spot in Birmingham. The nightclub had its heyday in the 1960s and ’70s. Cain entertained crowds with his humorous signature song, “Just a Bowl of Butter Beans,” and imitations of stars such as Al Jolson, Tony Bennett and Tom Jones.(The Birmingham News file photo/Bernard Troncale)
Other bars and nightclubs that made a lasting impression in Birmingham? The list includes Louie Louie, Joe Bar, Cane Break, Hogan’s, The Burly Earl, The J. Clyde, Cadillac Cafe, Arte Nuda, Crazy Horse, Old Town Music Hall, Highnote Rock N’ Horse Lounge and the Hippodrum.
Gip’s Place, an old-school juke joint in Bessemer, earned kudos, as well, for its authenticity and welcoming vibe. “There is no color here,” owner Gip Gipson liked to say. “No black, no white, only the blues.”
Auburn University men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl is adamantly in support of President Donald Trump’s suggestion on Tuesday that the U.S. should take control of the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle the 2 million Palestinians that live there.
In a radio interview with conservative personality Dan Bongino, Pearl said America taking over resettlement in Gaza would be beneficial to prevent a, “terrorist society”, from being rebuilt and create safety for Israel.
“Yesterday was a bad day for terrorists all over the world,” Pearl said.
“Because Donald Trump said, ‘You know what, this isn’t going to work. You want to do this. You want to act this way. There are going to be consequences to pay.’ And rather than us trucking billions of dollars of aid into Gaza and help them build a terrorist society, the rockets are done. Israel no longer has to live under that threat.”
Pearl has not been shy about voicing his support for Israel since Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
That attacked resulted in approximately 1,200 Israelis being killed and 250 hostages being captured by Hamas.
During Pearl’s interview he also said that Palestinians could not go back right now due to the conditions on the ground. The conditions are such because Israel initiated a 15 month, U.S. backed, bombing campaign against Gaza resulting in the death of approximately 46,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Pearl added that resettling surviving Palestinians would allow them to get started in a, “more normal society,” and the U.S. can turn Gaza into a place similar to Abu Dhabi or Singapore.
Pearl said revenues generated from this creation could be used to help those relocated.
“Okay, let’s just say they’re able to relocate these people to get started in a more normal society somewhere throughout the world,” Pearl said. “And they go in [Gaza], and they really just, they really clean the place up. And they got a chance to create an Abu Dhabi, a Singapore, an amazing place. And there’ll be tremendous Arab wealth.”
In January, a ceasefire-deal was brokered between Hamas and Israel. Conditions of the deal included Israel receiving the remaining hostages in exchange for the release of 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
However, there is now concern Trump’s proposal for U.S. control of Gaza could threaten any current or sustainable peace.
According to Reuters, Palestinians in Gaza emphatically disapproved of the idea by Trump.
Samir Abu Basel in Gaza City said that Trump can, “go to hell”, and the Palestinian people were not going anywhere.
“Trump can go to hell, with his ideas, with his money, and with his beliefs,” Basel said. “We are going nowhere. We are not some of his assets.”
Um Tamer Jamal, a 65-year-old mother of six, said, “We will not leave our areas. We have brought our kids up teaching them that they can’t leave their home and they can’t allow a second Nakba.”
According to the United Nations, the Nakba means catastrophe in Arabic and is a reference to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War which lead to the mass displacement and dispossession of thousands of Palestinians.
Several states also rejected Trump’s suggestion including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Egypt.
A young man is facing murder charges after turning himself into Decatur police for a shooting that took place over the weekend.
Around 12:12 a.m. on Saturday, officers arrived at Nash BBQ at 104 12th Avenue Northwest to investigate reports of a shooting, according to a previous release from the department.
