Alabama News

General News

General

Multimillion-dollar marijuana testing lab on fast track for Foley

A multimillion-dollar hemp and cannabis testing facility is coming to Foley, Baldwin County economic development officials have announced.

According to a statement issued Monday morning by the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA), Green Health Laboratories plans to build what will be “one of the exclusive testing facilities in the State of Alabama for the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission.” The Alabama Legislature approved medical marijuana several years ago and created the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to oversee licensing; that process has been fraught with dispute.

The BCEDA statement says that the facility will create “up to 50 high-paying jobs over the next three years” and represents a $3.4 million investment. BCEDA President and CEO Lee Lawson said that the Foley Industrial Development Board had approved tax abatements totaling $130,000. These include an abatement on sales and use taxes during construction and non-educational ad valorem taxes.

BCEDA described Green Health Laboratories as a fully licensed and accredited lab that specializes in advanced testing for the cannabis and hemp industries. Its tests “ensure product quality and safety for cultivators, processors, and manufacturers.” The new lab will occupy an existing building on Section Avenue and will begin operations in early 2025.

“This project is a collaboration between the City of Foley and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and is a direct result of the creation of the health and wellness zone in north Foley,” said Mayor Ralph Hellmich said in the announcement. “Our efforts are focused on bringing medical services and technologies to our citizens and our area. Green Health Laboratories is a perfect example of the high-tech industries we want to see in Foley. I welcome them and any others to our City.”

According to BCEDA, “Green Health Laboratories is committed to recruiting top talent from across the southeast by offering starting salaries above the average wage in Baldwin County, with an estimated payroll of over $5 million.”

Monday’s release quoted Green Health President Brandon Biles and Lab Director Natalie Siracusa as saying, “We are proud to have the opportunity to serve the consumer community and the state of Alabama in their journey towards sophistication and public safety within the realm of cannabis. We are committed to helping build a safe and reliable industry that consumers and producers alike are proud of and can sincerely trust.”

General

Huntsville’s Limestone annexation a game-changer? 4,000 homes may be coming

Developers hope to build between 2,500 and 4,000 homes on the almost 400 acres Huntsville annexed in Limestone County last week.

City Council President John Meredith calls the plans for the Village of Providence-type development on the southeast corner of the Interstate 65-565 interchange “a game changer” for the western part of the city.

General

Billionaire Bill Gates says this is his biggest regret

Bill Gates considers his divorce from Melinda French Gates to be the biggest “regret” of his life.

The billionaire Microsoft co-founder, 69, lamented the demise of his 27-year marriage in a new interview with The Times of London.

“That was the mistake I most regret,” he said of their unraveling relationship. “You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are other [failures] but none that matter. The divorce was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.”

The former spouses — who married on New Year’s Day in 1994 and finalized their divorce in 2021 — “still see each other” as they share three kids: daughters Jennifer, 28, and Phoebe, 22, as well as 25-year-old son Rory.

They also share two grandchildren, “so there are family events,” Gates said, adding, “The kids are doing well. They have good values.”

Gates “absolutely” wanted his relationship to stand the test of time, as it did with his parents’ 45-year marriage. But although they “had a great time,” Gates admitted his wife “saw [him] through a lot” while also taking on a much larger role than he did in caring for their family.

In May of last year, Melinda chose to resign from her position as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, saying the time had come for her to move on the next chapter of her philanthropy.

The decision came three years after their divorce agreement was revealed to include a contingency plan for the foundation, which stated she would resign if “either decides they cannot continue to work together as co-chairs.”

“When we got divorced it was tough and then she made the decision to leave the foundation,” Bill told The Time. “I was disappointed that she took the option to go off.”

The billionaire is now in a relationship with Paula Hurd, the widow of Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. Meanwhile, Melinda is said to be dating entrepreneur Philip Vaughn, the founder of craft beer delivery company Tavour.

General

2-time state championship high school coach changing schools

Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025).

© 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us).
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.

Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.

YouTube’s privacy policy is available here and YouTube’s terms of service is available here.

Ad Choices

General

Alabama Roots: Super Bowl LIX connections

Seven players from Alabama high schools and colleges are on the active rosters of the Super Bowl teams for this season’s NFL championship game – all with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will square off at 5:30 p.m. CST Feb. 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans to determine the champion of the NFL’s 2024 season.

On Sunday, Kansas City defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-29 in the AFC Championship Game and Philadelphia defeated the Washington Commanders 55-23 in the NFC Championship Game.

Those with Alabama football roots eligible to play in Super Bowl LIX include:

Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) is in his second season as a starter in Philadelphia’s secondary. He had four interceptions and ranked third on the team with 78 tackles during the regular season.
Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama) is in his fourth season as Philadelphia’s left guard. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2024 for the third straight season.
Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal) joined Philadelphia for his fifth NFL season as a free agent in the offseason. A starter in five of the Eagles’ first seven games, Huff has come back from a six-game stay on injured reserve because of a wrist injury
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama) is in his fourth season as Philadelphia’s No. 1 QB. He has rebounded after missing two December games because of a concussion. In 17 games this season, Hurts has completed 296-of-430 passes for 3,408 yards with 21 touchdowns and five interceptions and run for 752 yards and 18 touchdowns on 173 carries.
Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks (Alabama) has played in seven regular-season games and one playoff contest in his second NFL season. He has been on the field for 29 defensive snaps and 65 special-teams plays.
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Alabama) had 833 yards and eight touchdowns on 68 receptions during the 2024 regular season. Smith had surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of the previous two seasons, but he reached a career high in TD receptions in 2024. He had 12 receptions for 121 yards in Philadelphia’s three NFC playoff games.
Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen (Alabama) made two starts in the regular season during his second NFL campaign, then started at left guard with Landon Dickerson shifting to center in the NFC Championship Game.

Each team will be allowed to elevate two players from its practice squad to active status for the Super Bowl. Five players from Alabama high schools and colleges are on the practice squads of the Super Bowl teams:

Eagles fullback Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn) joined Philadelphia in December and has played in six games, including the three playoff contests, almost exclusively on special teams.
Eagles linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville) joined Philadelphia on Jan. 14, and he’s played in both games since then. A seven-year veteran, Morrow was a starter for the Eagles in 2023.
Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (Samford) is in his second season with Kansas City, and he made his NFL debut in the regular-season finale by taking five snaps with the offense.
Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross (Central-Phenix City) played in two games in 2024 after playing in 10 in 2023. He’s been with Kansas City for three seasons.
Chiefs wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) played in one game during the regular season in his third NFL campaign.

Four players from Alabama high schools and colleges are on the Super Bowl teams but will miss the big game because they are on injured reserve:

Eagles cornerback James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) is an eight-year starter in the NFL, including the previous two seasons with Philadelphia. But a leg injury at practice on Aug. 29 has caused him to miss the entire season.
Eagles offensive lineman Jack Driscoll (Auburn) played in 13 games and started one in his fifth season with Philadelphia before an ankle injury sent him to the sideline.
Eagles tight end C.J. Uzomah (Auburn) played in seven games and started three in his 10th NFL season before an abdominal injury sent him to the sideline.
Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young (Alabama) joined Philadelphia as a waiver claim on Aug. 29, but he didn’t get on the field in his second NFL season before a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve.

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.

General

IRS accepting tax returns now: When can I file a return? Where’s my refund? Can I file for free?

Tax season is officially underway.

The Internal Revenue Service will start processing tax returns today (Monday, Jan. 27). The agency expects more than 140 million individual tax returns for tax year 2024 to be filed ahead of the Tuesday, April 15 federal deadline.

“This has been a historic period of improvement for the IRS, and people will see additional tools and features to help them with filing their taxes this tax season,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said. “These taxpayer-focused improvements we’ve done so far are important, but they are just the beginning of what the IRS needs to do. More can be done with continued investment in the nation’s tax system.”

Here’s what you need to know about Tax Season 2025:

How to file for free

Filers with Adjusted Gross Income, known as AGI, of less than $84,000 can use IRS Free File to complete returns at no charge. Free File offers tax preparation software from eight companies and gives free online access to preparation and filing software.

Taxpayers with an AGI above $84,000 can use the Free File Fillable Forms starting Jan. 27. That service is available to all taxpayers, regardless of income, place of residence or age.

In addition to Free File and Direct File, there are other ways to file for free:

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly – Taxpayers can find organizations in their community with IRS-certified volunteers that provide free tax help for eligible taxpayers including working families, the elderly, the disabled and people who speak limited English.
MilTax. A Department of Defense program, MilTax generally offers free return preparation and electronic filing software for federal income tax returns and up to three state income tax returns for all military members, and some veterans, with no income limit.

Where’s my refund?

Most refunds for electronically submitted returns who use the direct deposit option are issued in less than 21 days. You can track your refund using the IRS Where’s My Refund? Tool. Information updates once a day so there’s no need to check back multiple times in 24-hours.

Filers with paper returns can expect a refund within four weeks.

Why you should always use direct deposit for your tax refund

The IRS urges taxpayers to always use direct deposit for their refunds.

According to the Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service, paper refund checks are 16 times more likely to have an issue, like the check being lost, misdirected, stolen or uncashed. People should check FDIC and National Credit Union Administration websites if they don’t have a bank account. Veterans can use the Veterans Benefits Banking Program to find participating financial institutions.

Need help filing?

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers have expanded hours for in-person help during tax season. You can find your local center here.

Direct File

The IRS Direct File program is expanding to 25 states this year.

Eligible taxpayers in 25 states will be able to file their taxes for free starting Jan. 27.

During last year’s pilot, Direct File was available in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State and Wyoming. For the 2025 tax filing season, Direct File will also be available in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The program uses a data import tool will allow taxpayers to opt-in to automatically import data from their IRS account, including personal information, the taxpayer’s IP PIN and some information from the taxpayer’s W-2. Taxpayers will then be able to use a new chat bot to guide them through the eligibility checker and a live chat for real-time assistance.

Also, this year, Direct File will cover more tax situations. During the pilot, Direct File supported taxpayers claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for Other Dependents. This year, Direct File will also cover taxpayers claiming the Child and Dependent Care Credit, Premium Tax Credit, Credit for the Elderly and Disabled and Retirement Savings Contribution Credits.

General

Critical missing alert issued for Birmingham woman, 70, who vanished on her way to church

A search is underway for a 70-year-old Birmingham woman who has been missing for nearly 24 hours.

Birmingham police early Monday issued a Critical Missing Alert for Julia Ann Brown.

Brown has been diagnosed with medical conditions that require constant attention and care, police said.

She was last seen about 10 a.m. Sunday leaving her home.

Brown was driving her blue Nissan Rogue with Alabama license plate number 1AO3D18 and was supposed to be on her way to church in the Huffman area. Her vehicle has a distinct white door on the driver’s side.

She is 5-feet, 7-inches tall and weighs 185 pounds. She was wearing a white sweater and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 205-328-9311 or 911.

General

2 north Alabama schools closed due to illness

Two north Alabama schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday due to widespread campus illnesses.

Lauderdale County school officials announced Central Elementary School and Central High School will be closed Monday, Jan. 27 and Tuesday, Jan. 28 due to absences related to student and staff illness. No students will be allowed on campus during these days while the schools undergo additional cleaning.

The system did not release the nature of the illnesses but Alabama is reporting high numbers of cases of flu, COVID and RSV.

General

No more pennies? 1-cent coins may be on the chopping block, Trump’s DOGE hints

The days of the penny may be coming to an end.

In a post on X, President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, took aim at the cost of minting the 1-cent coin, a price tag that’s increased 20% in the last year.

“The penny costs over 3 cents to make and cost US taxpayers over $179 million in FY2023. The Mint produced over 4.5 billion pennies in FY2023, around 40% of the 11.4 billion coins for circulation produced. Penny (or 3 cents!) for your thoughts,” the message said.

According to jmbuillion.com, 2023′s penny production fell to 4.52 billion, the lowest annual amount since 2010. Despite the decrease, pennies accounted for 40% of total coin production in 2023. Meanwhile, the coin itself costs three times as much as its worth, driven in part of the high price of copper and zinc used in the minting.

Elimination of the penny would likely require Congressional action or, as Business Insider indicated, the Treasury secretary could opt not to make anymore.

Other countries, including Canada and Australia, have already made the switch away from minting its smallest denomination coins.

History of the 1-cent coin

In production since 1793, the penny is one of the oldest U.S. coins. The first penny had a design of a woman with flowing hair to symbolize liberty, the U.S. Mint explained, an image that remained for more than 60 years. The composition, originally pure copper, was changed to a mix of copper and nickel in 1857, followed by a redesign that included a flying eagle and a wreath followed by the “Indian Head” design from 1859 to 1909.

In 1909, Abraham Lincoln became the first president featured on coins in honor of his 100th birthday. The image of the 16th president remains of the penny’s obverse, or heads, while the reverse, or tails side, has had a union shield with 13 vertical stripes and the national motto to represent Lincoln’s preservation of the U.S. as single nation since a 2010 redesign.

General

Old Farmer’s Almanac forecasts ‘Thunder and Zing’ spring for Alabama: Tornado season is nearly here

A bitterly cold January has many in Alabama eagerly awaiting spring.

Meteorological spring 2025 begins March 1, while astronomical spring follows on March 20, 2025.

Some will get a boost before then when Daylight Saving Time begins and the sun sets later beginning on Sunday, March 9.

Spring for those in Alabama can often be summed up in two words: Severe weather.

Spring is typically Alabama’s most active time for tornadoes, according to National Weather Service data.

Here are tornado numbers for every month of the year in Alabama:

Alabama’s busiest months for tornadoes are typically April, March and the November.NWS

But will severe weather be in the cards this year?

Could there be a late-season winter storm?

Long-range weather forecasting still has a long way to go in terms of accuracy, but that doesn’t stop many from trying.

One of those, with a long track record of seasonal forecasts, is the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The Almanac has been making weather forecasts since its founding in 1818.

The Almanac said that for the United States as a whole, it will be a “Thunder and Zing Spring.”

Forecasters added that spring will be slow to come for many spots in the U.S. this year, with cold weather lingering in the Midwest, Great Lakes, New England and Northeast.

But what will get Alabamians’ attention is this line: “An unusually late winter storm brings a blanket of rain, sleet, and snow across the Atlantic Seaboard and mountainous areas in the Southeast during the first week of April.”

The Almanac divides up the country into regions for its forecasts. Alabama is in the Southeast region, which also includes Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Almanac forecast for the Southeast is not surprising: Warm, wet and thundery.

Almanac forecasters think the Southeast will be quicker to warm up this spring than much of the rest of the nation, which could be cooler later into the year.

The Almanac says that the weather this Easter, which falls in 2025 on Sunday, April 20, will be “pleasant” for those in the Southeast.

But the forecast for Memorial Day weekend (from Saturday, May 24, through Tuesday, May 27, 2025), could have heavy rain.

What about the spring forecast for the rest of the U.S.?

The Almanac is predicting the following:

“Warm, wet and thunder-filled” for the south-central U.S., including Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
“Mild and dry” for the West, including Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah.
“Chilly and damp” for the Northwest, including Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
“Very cool and wet” for the north-central U.S., including Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
“Cool and showery” for the Great Lakes and Midwest including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
“Cool and wet” for the Northeast, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, D.C.

How is the Almanacs’ winter forecast holding up?

The Almanac had predicted that the winter of 2024-2025 would be a “Wet Winter Whirlwind” with wet and cold weather for most locations. However it also said that the Southeast would have a “warmish winter, with above-average temperatures.”

So is that forecast a bust? Can’t say for sure yet. Keep in mind that meteorological winter has still another month to go.

Forecasters had also predicted that “the coldest outbreak of the season will come during the final week of January into the beginning of February, when frigid Arctic air brings a sharp plunge in temperatures almost nationwide, but especially across the Northern Plains. As this very cold air blows across the Great Lakes, heavy snow showers and snow squalls will bring intense bursts of snow to the lee (east) of the Lakes.”

However, the National Weather Service is expecting this week to be on the warmer side for Alabama — at least compared with last-week’s bitterly cold temperatures and historic Gulf Coast snowstorm.

What about other long-range outlooks?

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has one for the month of February. Those sick of the cold will be happy with it, as it shows a higher-probability of above-average temperatures next month:

February temperature outlook — The month of February could be warmer than average for Alabama, according to the Climate Prediction Center.Climate Prediction Center

The CPC’s thee-month temperature outlook, shown at the top of this post, also shows a higher probability of above-average temperatures for Alabama through April.