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General

Former McGill-Toolen, Opelika, Prattville head coach joins AHSAA staff

Alabama High School Athletic Association executive director Heath Harmon announced Tuesday that Caleb Ross will be joining the AHSAA as an assistant director. Ross will start his position on Monday, January 13.

Harmon said he is still interviewing for one other executive staff position and hopes to have that position filled soon.

Ross is coming to the AHSAA from Tulane University where he has been serving as an offensive analyst/wide receivers coach. He is in his 22nd year as an educator overall serving in the roles of teacher, coach, and assistant athletic director. In 2021-2023 in addition to serving as offensive analyst/tight ends coach at Troy University, he was also in charge of high school relations.

“Coach Ross brings with him a wealth of coaching experience and relationships throughout the state in the coaching community,” said Harmon. “He fully understands the AHSAA mission and commitment to education-based athletics.”

Ross compiled a 64-31 head coaching record in the AHSAA with stops at Thompson High School (2011), McGill-Toolen Catholic (2014-16), Opelika (2017) and his alma mater Prattville (2018-2020).

He graduated from Samford University in 2002 and began his teaching and coaching career as an assistant coach at Clinton (Miss.) High School (2002-2005) and Prattville (2006-2010). He also served as offensive coordinator at Spanish Fort (2012) and joined the McGill-Toolen staff as an assistant coach in 2013.

He was named the Alabama Football Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013 at McGill-Toolen. He became the head coach in 2014. He guided the Yellow Jackets to a 30-8 record overall with back-to-back 13-1 seasons – winning the school’s first state football championship in 2015 and finishing as Class 7A state runner-up in 2016. He guided Opelika to a 9-4 record in 2017 before returning to his alma mater Prattville for the next three years compiling a 23-11 slate with three straight Class 7A playoff appearances.

Ross began his high school coaching career at Clinton High School (2002-05), all on the defensive side of the football, before transitioning to offense the following year at Prattville. During his five-year stint on the Lions’ staff, the final three as offensive coordinator, Prattville won three state titles and reached the 6A finals one other time. He spent one season as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Spanish Fort High School in 2012 helping the Toros (13-1) win the Class 5A state title.

— AHSAA report

General

Reward increased to $15,000 after bald eagle killed in north Alabama

The Center for Biological Diversity, a national conservation nonprofit, is offering an additional $12,500 for information on an American bald eagle killed last month in north Alabama.

The mature bird was found Dec. 8 near Mt. Hope in Lawrence County with “many” shotgun pellets lodged in its carcass, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who along with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are seeking information on who was behind the incident.

“This majestic bird didn’t deserve a heartbreaking death, and whoever killed them must be brought to justice,” Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center, said in a recent release.

“This cowardly act against America’s national bird can’t go unpunished. I hope someone steps forward with information.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service previously offered up to $2,500 for information leading to a conviction of the person or persons responsible for the fatal shooting.

The Center’s donation now brings the reward total up to $15,000.

Bald eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Anyone who violates the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act face fines up to $100,000 and/or up to one year in federal prison, while violators of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act face up to a $15,000fine and/or up to a year in a federal lockup.

Anyone with information on the investigation has been asked to call U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Brad Rabalais at 601-331-0292 or the Alabama Game Watch Hotline at 1-800-272-4263.

General

‘The Oval’ season 6 premiere: How to watch, where to stream free

Tyler Perry’s The Oval will return for its season six premiere on BET Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9/8c.

Written, directed and executive produced by Tyler Perry, The Oval is a political drama series that tells the story of U.S President Hunter Franklin and first lady Victoria Franklin, a power-hungry interracial couple, who present a perfect facade to the world while indulging in wildly scandalous behavior behind closed doors.

During episode one of the new season, Hunter and Eli recover from the shootout as they both plan their next steps. Meanwhile, Priscilla’s convinced she can talk Hunter into leaving the White House residence.

Where can I watch The Oval Season 6?

Those without basic cable can still live stream the season six premiere of The Oval on Tuesday with Philo, Sling, Fubo or DirecTV Stream.

Philo, Fubo and DirecTV Stream offer free trials for new subscribers, however, Philo is the cheapest option at $28 a month after its 7-day free trial.

What is Philo?

Philo is considered one of the cheaper live streaming services available as it allows users to stream over 70 live TV channels for just $28 a month after its free trial.

Popular channels offered with Philo include the Hallmark Channel, MTV, AMC, HGTV, History Channel, Discovery Channel, CMT, TLC, BET and more.

The streaming service also offers unlimited DVR along with various movies and TV shows users can watch on-demand.

What is Sling?

Sling is also considered one of the cheaper live streaming services available and currently offers new subscribers half off their first month.

It offers three different channel packages, Sling Blue and Sling Orange that are each $40 a month and Sling Orange + Blue that is just the first two channel packages combined for $55 a month. You can access BET with any of the streaming packages.

What is Fubo?

Fubois also an alternative to basic cable, but with better channel options that Philo and Sling do not offer.

Fubo considers itself a sports-focused streaming service, but overall, its standard package comes with over 100 live channels for $79.99 a month after its free trial. These channels include ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, TLC, MTV and much more.

Fubo also comes with a variety of shows and movies users can watch on-demand along with the option to record your favorite TV shows.

What is DirecTV Stream?

DirecTV Stream is similar to Fubo in that it offers many of the same channels and features. At $101.98 a month after its free trial, the base package comes with a little over 75 live TV channels.

Those interested can check out all of DirecTV Stream’s channel packages here.

General

Freeze warning issued for Henry County for Wednesday

A freeze warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Tuesday at 2:27 p.m. valid for Wednesday between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. for Henry County.

The weather service says, “A hard freeze as low as 24 expected.”

“Wind chill values can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” explains the weather service. “Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.”

Freeze watch or warning – this is what it means

Freeze warnings are issued from May to October (but can be extended if necessary), when low temperatures are expected to be 29-32 degrees. If there is a potential for temperatures to fall into these thresholds, a freeze watch may be issued a few days ahead of time.

According to the weather service, if a freeze warning or watch is issued for your area, there is little you can do to protect plants. If you can move your sensitive plants inside, do so because the freeze will likely kill them, depending on the severity of conditions.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Lakers-Mavericks free livestream: How to watch NBA game tonight, TV, schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers play against the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA game tonight. The matchup will begin at 6:30 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 Lakers enter this matchup with a 20-15 record, and they have won seven of their last 10 games. However, the team is coming off a 119-115 loss against Houston.

During the loss, three Los Angeles players scored more than 20 points: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. Each of these players average more than 18 points per game, so they will look to perform similarly tonight.

The Mavericks enter this matchup with a 20-16 record, but they have lost five consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Mavericks lost 119-104 against Memphis.

During the loss, P.J. Washington led the Dallas offense. He scored 17 points, but he shot 7-22 from the field. With this in mind, Washington will try to improve his offensive efficiency this evening.

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.

General

Fast-rising Alabama country group hints at 2 new albums, tour in 2025

One breakout Alabama music act just went big with its new year’s resolutions, saying it aims to give fans two new albums in 2025.

Muscadine Bloodline, a south Alabama act founded by the duo of Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton, had a big year in 2024. In March they headlined Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. In August they released “The Coastal Plain,” an album that focuses the guitar-driven, honky-tonk-friendly sound that has won the notice of Rolling Stone, Billboard, and other music-business news sources. In September they got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open for megastar Post Malone.

Stanton and Muncaster kicked off 2025 with a public promise, via social media, to make this year even bigger.

“Some days it feels like we just got started and other days it feels like we’ve been doing this ‘Muscadine’ thing forever,” they said. “Regardless, we’ve learned a lot over the years and most of it has been trial by fire. To us, creatively speaking, it feels like we finally pieced what took 7 years to figure out together; starting with the ‘Teenage Dixie’ record a few years back. Since then, our goal has been to give y’all just that much more on the next record and have fun doing it every time. So when it came to he concept of “The Coastal Plain,” we couldn’t get all the stories and ideas conveyed on just … ONE RECORD.”

That means Chapter 2 of “The Coastal Plain” is on the way, they promised, and it’s more than an expanded edition or an odd lot of unreleased leftovers. “Consider it an evolution of ‘The Coastal Plain’ and what was left behind of the place we spent 18 years of our lives,” they said. “One record wasn’t intended to live without the other and honestly, we both like chapter 2 a little more.”

Also on the agenda for 2025: “Our biggest headlining tour to start the year … some big festivals this summer, the biggest tour we’ve been a part of in the fall, and another record at the end of the year. (TWO RECORDS IN ONE YEAR??? … Yes.)”

While they didn’t lay out any album release dates, Muncaster and Stanton said in a separate post that they’ll release a new song with Josh Meloy on Friday, Jan. 10.

Muscadine Bloodline currently lists two Alabama dates on its 2025 tour page: On July 3 and 4 they’ll open for the Red Clay Strays at the Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach.

General

Wayfair is offering a massive discount on the Blackstone pizza oven

Wayfair is offering a major discount on the Blackstone Leggero Portable Pizza Oven, and its the cheapest we’ve seen this product in a while.

With this deal, Wayfair customers can get the Blackstone Leggero Portable Pizza Oven for $220 instead of the original price of $500, a 56% discount overall.

Blackstone Leggero Portable Pizza Oven – $220.84

The Blackstone Leggero Portable Pizza Oven is 56% off for a limited-time.

Buy Now

The Blackstone Leggero Pizza Oven notably comes with a 13″ rotating cordierite stone that creates the most even cook possible without the hassle of having to manually rotate the pizza.

This pizza oven is also equipped with a built-in temperature gauge, an easy temperature control knob and a functional utility door with stable locking positions. Its portable size is just the cherry on top.

“The Leggero Pizza Oven combines durability and mobility, allowing you to bring this high-quality pizza oven wherever you go and effortlessly create delicious restaurant-style pizzas. Lightweight, yet sturdy, Blackstone’s Leggero Pizza Oven boasts a portable size and powerful pizza-making abilities,” the product details state.

Those interested in this deal can checkout more details on Wayfair’s website here.

General

Florida-Tennessee free livestream: How to watch college basketball game, TV, schedule

The No. 8 Florida Gators play against the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers in a college basketball game tonight. The matchup will begin at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN 2. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Gators enter this matchup with a 13-1 record, but they are coming off a 106-100 loss against No. 10 Kentucky.

During the loss, Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin led the Florida offense. The two players combined to score 59 points, and they shot 18-33 from the field. Both players are currently averaging more than 15 points per game, so they will try to continue their offensive success tonight.

The Volunteers enter this matchup with a 14-0 record, and they are coming off a dominant 76-52 win against Arkansas. During the victory, Chaz Lanier led the Tennessee offense. He ended the game with 29 points and shot 5-9 from beyond the arc, so he will be a key player to watch this evening.

Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

General

Mobile Azalea Trail Maids invited to Trump’s inauguration day

The Mobile Azalea Trail Maids have been invited to participate in the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

The organization announced the invitation to the 60th presidential inauguration in a Facebook post yesterday.

“The Mobile Azalea Trail Maids have officially been invited to participate in the 60th Presidential Inauguration!” the post read.

“We will be making a trip to our nation’s capital in just 2 short weeks. We are excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the 2024-2025 court and honored to take part in such a prestigious historic event.”

The Trail Maids consist of a group of 50 high school senior girls in Mobile County that are chosen to represent the City of Mobile as ambassadors. Maids are known for their colorful antebellum style dresses.

Many commenters offered celebratory remarks following the announcement.

One individual, Ron Reams, commented saying, “YEA! This is GREAT! Always a thrill to see the Azalea Trail Maids representing Mobile in nationally publicized events such as this.”

While the dresses are eye-catching they are also known to draw controversy.

In 2009, the Trails Maids participated in the inauguration of former president Barack Obama. However, their attendance was criticized by then-NAACP president Edward Vaughn who said the dresses were reminiscent of American slavery.

Vaughn has since apologized for his remarks.

In 2016, the dresses again were scrutinized as vestiges of a racist history after Maids greeted Trump during a visit to Mobile during a “Thank You Tour” after winning the presidential election that year.

Despite the criticisms Mobile city leaders have continued to profess support for the Maids.

Aside from inaugurations the Trail Maids have participated in several nationally televised events, most notably being the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

General

Former UAB, Alabama State DB flips from Florida to Georgia

Former UAB and Alabama State safety Adrian Maddox has flipped his commitment to Georgia, he announced on social media Tuesday afternoon.

The defensive back originally committed to Florida on Sunday before flipping to the rival Southeastern Conference program; he’ll have one season of eligibility remaining.

He signed with Georgia on Monday night, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Maddox played in 11 games for UAB this season, totaling 44 tackles (30 solo), seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two tackles for loss and returned an interception for a 99-yard touchdown against Rice.

The Conyers, Ga., native played in 21 games across two seasons at Alabama State, totaling 90 tackles (51 solo), 10 passes defended, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions for the Hornets.

He was a finalist for the 2022 Jerry Rice Award, given to the most outstanding freshman player in FCS football.