Alabama News

This is an opinion column.

I don’t want to see the video.

I don’t want to see the final moments of a promising young man’s life.

I don’t want to see his eyes. I don’t want to see his fear.

I don’t want to hear what Jabari Latrell Peoples may have said before his short life began to slip away near the Homewood Soccer Park on a Monday night in late June.

I don’t want to hear George Floyd again, don’t want to hear, “Mama.”

If Jabari were my son, though, I would want to see the video — desperately.

I wouldn’t be able to sleep, wouldn’t be able to stop crying. Crying out loud.

I wouldn’t be able to stop hurting until I saw the video — until I saw what caused the final moments of my son’s life.

Until I saw his eyes, until I saw his fear.

Until I saw his goodbye.

Show them the video, y’all — Alabama Law Enforcement Agency folks. Show Jabari Peoples’ family the video of how the 18-year-old Aliceville native lost his life.

Now.

Show them what they must see before they can begin to heal.

‘We’re broken,” his father said Wednesday. “We’ll never be healed.”

Jabari’s birthday is today. His parents said he wanted an F-150 truck for his birthday. Instead, they’re planning his homegoing.

Show them what they deserve to see, what they need to see — desperately.

Show it to them. “Ongoing active law enforcement investigation” be damned.

Show it to them as you did almost seven years ago while still investigating the tragic Hoover police shooting of Emantic “E.J.” Bradford Jr. on Thanksgiving night at the Riverchase Galleria. The 21-year-old Hueytown native died on the floor of the mall, bleeding from at least one gunshot wound to the face, after a dispute between at least three men (including Bradford) that began at the FootAction store inside the mall, escalated to gunfire and resulted in Bradford, who had a gun he was permitted to carry, being gunned down by police amid the ensuing chaos.

Just one week later, on Thursday, November 29, Florida-based civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump Jr., along with Rodney Barganier and Frankie Lee of Birmingham, viewed about 30 seconds of the deadly encounter at ALEA’s offices. Members of the family did not attend because it conflicted with final preparations for the public viewing of Bradford’s body.

Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr and Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney Lynneice Washington attended the video viewing with the attorneys.

“It was a courtesy to the family and the lawyers,” Carr said at the time. “But also, because we believe in total transparency for this process.”

This process is no different. Not if y’all, ALEA, believe in total transparency.

If you don’t, just say so.

Don’t blame potentially impacting the investigation for your decision to withhold the body-cam and police car dash-cam video. After a two-month investigation into the killing of Bradford involving dozens of witnesses and hundreds of pieces of evidence — cell phone videos taken by shoppers, mall surveillance video, body cam video, text messages and Facebook posts — Attorney General Steve Marshall shared a report stating that the Hoover police officer shooting was justified.

The report identified the shooter as Officer 1.

“After an extensive investigation and review, the Attorney General has determined Officer 1 did not commit a crime under Alabama law when he shot and killed E.J. Bradford,” Marshall’s report said. “The facts of this case demonstrate that Officer 1 reasonably exercised his official powers, duties, or functions when he shot” Bradford, the report continues.

Showing the video to the Bradford family’s representatives and offering to show it to the family, as well, did not impact the investigation.

Neither will the video of what happened on that awful night at Homewood’s soccer field.

 It shows what it shows. It may not tell the whole story, as often happens with video. It may not clearly convey guilt or innocence.

It might even enflame already-fragile emotions. It might hurt. Hurt badly.

But what it shows must be shown to the family and their attorneys.

They deserve to see it. They deserve to see it just as the yet unnamed officer saw it. In real time. In tragic, likely horrifying real time.

Just as I’d deserve to see it. Just as I’d demand to see it. Just as I’d cry out loud to see it if Jabari were my son.

Show it to them. Now.

Let’s be better tomorrow than we are today. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at [email protected], and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky.

It’s been a year since a beloved Atlanta doctoral student was found slain inside a Birmingham shed two days after he vanished during a family Fourth of July celebration.

No one has been arrested in the homicide of 31-year-old Deundray Cottrell, and his family can’t find peace until they know for sure what happened to him.

“I couldn’t put a price or even begin to wrap my mind around what it would mean to have an answer,” said Cottrell’s sister, Angelica Harris. “Because I don’t have an answer it almost seems unreal.”

“I don’t even think as a family we can begin to heal until we have answers,” Harris said.

Once again, Cottrell’s family will gather at Harris’s East Lake home for the holiday weekend, but this year will be markedly different from last year.

“We don’t want it to be in vain, and we want to celebrate his legacy,” Harris said. “We’re still going to come together as a family to remember him, as many times as we can this weekend.”

Cottrell was the founder and CEO of SkiiBoyz Entertainment, described on the Instagram account as Atlanta’s hottest male performance trio and event hosts. He also did freelance marketing jobs, consulting for social media accounts, bartending, massage therapy and worked in photography.

At the time of his disappearance and death, Cottrell was working on his doctorate.

Cottrell and DeEric Williams had been together for more than a decade. Several years ago, 32-year-old Julian Morris joined the polyamorous relationship.

Cottrell and Morris came to Birmingham on the Fourth of July to celebrate the holiday with Harris and other family members.

About 9 p.m. that Thursday, Cottrell went inside to check on his dog and was never seen again.

Morris would go on to tell the family that he jumped off a balcony and later would say he committed suicide.

Birmingham police found Cottrell’s body about 3 p.m. that Saturday afternoon. Authorities have not publicly released how Cottrell was killed.

Harris previously spoke to AL.com about the bizarre details of the night of the disappearance and the search that followed.

Birmingham police publicly identified Morris as a person of interest, but said he would not provide a statement to police.

Birmingham attorney Victor Revill last year released a statement on behalf of Morris, saying he is a college-educated veteran who served his country as a Marine had no prior misdemeanor or felony convictions.

“Despite the false narratives that are being promulgated about him in this situation, he loved Deundray Cottrell and is currently grieving the death of his loved one,’’ Revill said at that time. “Mr. Morris wants answers as well and is awaiting those answers after a full and thorough investigation has been completed.”

Revill this week said, “Julian mourns the loss of Deundray, a person whom he was dedicated to. Like many others that loved Mr. Cottrell, he has more questions than answers and wishes for closure.”

Harris said she hasn’t spoken to Morris.

“He’s out living his life. He’s back making TikToks, doing interviews and being in front of the camera and going on as if none of this ever happened,” Harris said.

“He still has a lot of social media support and people giving him the benefit of the doubt, but the fact still remains that if you didn’t do anything, at least come and be cleared like anybody else has been,” she said. “That’s the least you can do.”

Asked for comment, Morris told AL.com, “I’d like to grieve the anniversary of my boy9friend’s death in peace. I’ve been hurt enough.”

Harris said the past year has been difficult to say the least.

“There’s a major part of our puzzle missing, and still not having any justice makes it an even harder pill to swallow,” she said.

Harris said she still reaches out to detectives to see if there is any movement or progress in the investigation.

“The answers have been depleted down to ‘you just have to wait,’” she said. “They say they’re still working on it, and I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt that they are which is why I keep asking.”

Harris still lives in the same house.

“I refuse to leave,” she said. “That’s the last place his presence and his energy were captured. That’s the last place he was, so it would be too hard to leave.”

Harris said her brother’s slaying changed her life.

“Mentally, I’ve taken a hit. My career took a hit,” she said. “I’m having to learn how to navigate certain situations due to the trauma of those events.”

Harris said she looks at things differently, handles things differently, things that normally wouldn’t affect her.

“I can’t even process a funeral procession,” she said. “Things like that my husband does his best to shield me from because I just can’t. My anxiety is on high.”

“Because I work with the public, I had to remove myself from my job for a while because I didn’t want to have the conversations and continue to answer questions,” she said. “People still have a lot of questions, and they feel like everything got so quiet.”

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

Recruiting for the 2026 class is far from over in the Yellowhammer State, but Alabama football is in the lead at the beginning of July.

The Crimson Tide has secured commitments from five in-state players so far. That list includes five-star receiver Cederian Morgan (Alexander City), four-star athlete Zyan Gibson (Gadsden City), four-star running back Ezavier Crowell (Jackson), three-star edge defender Kamhariyan Johnson (Muscle Shoals) and three-star linebacker Zay Hall (Tuscaloosa). These star ratings are based on the 247Sports Composite.

Meanwhile, Auburn has landed a commitment from four-star edge defender Hezekiah Harris (Jemison).

As of July 2, the Crimson Tide has 17 overall commits in its 2026 recruiting class. The 247Sports Composite ranks the class No. 6 overall.

Auburn has six overall commits so far in the 2026 class, which the 247Sports Composite ranks No. 89 overall.

Recruiting battles are far from over, but the Tigers have plenty of ground to make up overall and in the state before recruits lock in their decisions.

There are still talented players here Four of the top 10 highest-ranked players in Alabama for 2026 remain uncommitted. That includes edge defender Anthony Jones, the No. 41 player in the entire class. He’s No. 2 on the in-state list behind Morgan.

Auburn is fresh off the No. 8 recruiting class in the country in 2025. That list of 2025 enrollees included five-star defensive lineman Malik Autry (Opelika), four-star edge defender Jared Smith (Birmingham), four-star safety Anquon Fegans (Anniston), four-star linebacker JJ Faulk (Highland Home), four-star defensive lineman Jourdin Crawford (Birmingham), four-star safety Eric Winters (Enterprise), four-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman (Saraland), four-star running back Alvin Henderson (Elba) and three-star punter John McGuire (Alabaster).

Alabama only landed two in-state players for the 2025 class, but the Crimson Tide still ended up with the No. 3 recruiting class in the country per the 247Sports Composite.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What do you do if you say something pleasant to someone, or ask them a question, and they totally ignore you?

I’m talking about various situations: a cashier or a library clerk, but also people I work with. I know they hear me, but they don’t respond.

I used to work with women who would ignore me at work if I said anything to them, but if they saw me out at a store, they would say hi to me. Should I have ignored them, like they did to me?

GENTLE READER: Deliberately ignoring someone who is speaking to you is a high insult, one that is tantamount to severing relations. For that very reason, it is not something you should strain to see when it was not intended. Why would someone insult you at work but then later greet you at the store?

You can always repeat a greeting to make sure the person heard, but Miss Manners cautions that with more casual acquaintances, it may be wiser to overlook such slights.

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

Ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, the Mobile Police Department has issued some reminders about fireworks, celebratory gunfire and a downtown teen curfew.

The department brought up several points in emails sent to media outlets on Wednesday:

Fireworks: “During much of the year, fireworks are not legal to shoot within the City of Mobile limits,” said a statement issued by police. “However, the city’s ordinance DOES allow residents to use fireworks on July 3, July 4, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.”

Celebratory gunfire: “The Mobile Police Department reminds you that celebratory gunfire is NOT permitted. It is illegal to discharge a firearm within the City of Mobile limits. Remember, what goes up must come down. These bullets can seriously injure, or kill, someone.”

Downtown curfew: The Mobile Police Department will enforce a curfew on individuals younger than 18 in the Downtown Entertainment District from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.

A statement from the police department said, “We appreciate the cooperation and understanding from all community members during this time. We also urge parents and guardians to be aware of the curfew times and accompany their young ones during late hours to ensure their safety and adherence to the ordinance.”

Outside the downtown entertainment district, the city’s curfew ordinance applies from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights; and from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The ordinance provides several exceptions. Examples include cases where minors are accompanied by their parent or guardian; on a lawful errand at the direction of the minor’s parent or guardian, without any unnecessary detour or stop; engaged in an employment activity, or going to or returning home from an employment activity, by a direct route without any unnecessary detour or stop; or involved in an emergency.

Entering the third year under Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze, the Tigers are pursuing its first winning season since 2020.

Phil Steele predicted how the SEC football standings will look come the end of the 2025 season in his preseason magazine.

Even with another top 10 recruiting class and the top transfer portal haul, Auburn tied with South Carolina to finish 10th in the Southeastern Conference.

In 10th place in the SEC, Missouri, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State are the only teams predicted to finish below the Tigers. Auburn finished last season 2-6 in SEC play and ended the season in 14th.

The schools ahead of Auburn were Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida, Texas A&M, LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia and Texas.

The Tigers are scheduled to host Georgia and Alabama this fall. The key road game will be at Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

When looking at individual players, eight Tigers were selected on Steele’s preseason All Southeastern Conference list.

Sophomore receiver Cam Coleman headlined the list getting a nod on the first team.

Eric Singleton Jr., Xavier Chaplin and Rayshawn Pleasant were placed on the second team. Connor Lew and Keldric Faulk were named to the third team. Kayin Lee and Jeremiah Wright made the fourth team.

Auburn will start preseason camp in August, with its regular season kicking off Aug. 29 at Baylor.

Jerry Humphrey III covers Auburn sports forAL.com. You can follow him on X at @Jerryhump3or email him at [email protected].

This is an opinion column

After a long day at school, sports practice, and then homework, most children love cuddling up in their own bed at night. That is, if they have one.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace, also known as SHP, wants to make sure they do. This nonprofit started in Idaho in 2018, when some volunteers built a bed for a mother in their community who was leaving an abusive marriage with nothing, not even a bed for her child. They had lumber left over after building a bed for him, so they kept on building beds for children in need. Their organization even spread to Canada, and a movement was started.

And there’s a chapter of SHP here in the Tennessee Valley. They delivered the first beds in the fall of 2022 and they didn’t stop. So far, 2,212 beds have been built and delivered, with 80 families on the waiting list. Their motto is: “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.”

The president of the local chapter, which covers Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County, is Mary Ena Heath. She heads up an executive team of 15 plus 40 core volunteers. They always welcome more. They build the beds, which can be used as bunks or single beds, in a donated warehouse near the UAH campus in Huntsville.

The volunteers are well trained to do whatever the need is for that day’s project.

“Some sand, some drill, some stain, and some just sort bolts and washers,”Heath says. “There are stations set up around the work space, and everyone can learn to do some part of the bed building. There’s something for every skill level.”

There are also shelves that store bedding—pillows, sheets, and coverlets that go with the bed when it’s delivered. Some come all together and are called “Bed in a bag”

Outside of the warehouse, a UAH fraternity keeps a fire going and brands each bed with the logo: SHP. “That reminds the children that this bed was handmade by people who wanted them to have something of their own,” says one volunteer.

So why don’t children have beds that belong to them? Heath explains that family disruption may mean that a grandmother has to house three grandchildren with no notice. Or the landlord sold an apartment building and families had nowhere to go. Maybe the family was evicted after a job loss and are crowding in with a relative. Children sleep on couches, with parents, in overstuffed chairs, and on the floor. Once the family has a place of its own, there may not be money in the already tight budget for an extra bed.

“There are all kinds of reasons,” Heath says. “We aren’t there to judge, just to provide a child with his own bed. Good sleep in your own bed means better school performance and a sense of pride.”

Local businesses and civic organizations donate money and supplies and volunteers come from churches, sports teams, and people who hear about the program and want to get involved.

Sadly, one of the most involved volunteers, John Cline, passed away last month while on vacation. SHP plans to honor him with a special bed build in the fall. I had the privilege of going with John on a bed delivery. He put the bed together firmly and explained what he was doing while a child looked on and handed him the tools he needed.

SHP’s goal is 2500 beds delivered by the end of 2025. Heath is sure they’ll make it.

To apply for a bed, go to SHPbeds.org/apply. To donate, go to SHPbeds.org/donate.To volunteer, go to SHPbeds.org/volunteer.

To mail donations or bedding, send to : SHP, 300 Pelham Avenue, A4, Box 272, Huntsville, AL,35801

Contact Beth Thames at bethmthames.com

If you’re out enjoying Alabama’s beaches this weekend for the Fourth of July, you may spot a black and white bird flying very low over the water, or maybe flopped on the sand, trying to rest.

It’s the black skimmer, one of the many shorebirds that call Alabama home. They have a long, black and orange bill, with with a noticeable underbite.

Black skimmers use their unusual bill to catch fish: They fly just above the surface of the water, using their lower mandible to skim the surface. When the birds find a fish, they snap their bill shut, ensnaring the fish.

“That’s how they get their name,” said Lianne Koczur, science and conservation director with Alabama Audubon, the local chapter of the national group. “They’re like skimming the surface of the water trying to catch fish, which is really neat.”

Along with the other two skimmer species, black skimmers are the only birds on earth that feed this way, according to Cornell University. They will bring some of those fish back to their young to feed them, Koczur said.

Young black skimmers are born with beaks that are roughly even in size, then as the birds grow, the lower mandible becomes longer than the top.

In April, black skimmers begin to arrive in Alabama, where they will breed for the summer on nearshore islands on the coast, like in Portersville Bay. Extremely sensitive to disturbances, black skimmers avoid nesting in areas with a lot of human intrusion, Koczur said.

Their nests are small holes in the sand called “scrapes.” Koczur estimates that Alabama has about 200 nesting pairs that reside in the state every summer.

“They’re a really cool bird that really needs some help here to try and get this population decline reversed,” Koczur said.

The black skimmer population has been in steep decline over the last 60 years, according to Cornell University. The bird’s population declined an estimated 4% per year between 1966 and 2015, a cumulative loss of 87%.

Black skimmers face a variety of challenges, Koczur said. Like many shorebirds, habitat loss is a big driver of their decline, especially because they are so sensitive to disturbances. If they’re disturbed too much, Koczur said, they’ll abandon the site.

In addition, black skimmer nests are vulnerable to flooding and storm surge, as well as erosion. Eggs and chicks also have to be protected from predators, including other birds like night herons and gull-billed terns.

Starting in August, the black skimmer will begin migrating south for the winter. They spend their winters in Central and South America, primarily living on the coast. They live year-round in Brazil, according to the Audubon Society.

If you encounter a black skimmer on the beach, be sure to give it plenty of room, Koczur said. You can see them well enough from a distance. You’ll know you’re too close to them if the birds start making a lot of noise and divebombing (a habit of the least tern, another sassy shorebird in Alabama).

Black skimmers will sometimes rest on the beach by laying their head and belly on the sand, Koczur said. A casual observer may think the bird is dead. But rest assured, it’s not—the bird is just trying to relax and beat the heat, like anyone else on a beach in Alabama in July.

Dear Eric: I’m close friends with one of my sisters-in-law but not the other, Betty. Betty and I used to be close until jealousy came between us. She was jealous that her brother and I were the first to get married, have kids and reach other milestones. She is also very sensitive, so I’ve felt like I need to walk on eggshells, especially after she confided to my husband that she thinks I complain too much. In short, I don’t feel like I can share my joys or my struggles with her.

I am cordial toward her, but I do not make an effort beyond being polite and kind.

I’ve been going through an intense period of stress and burnout for almost two years. A few months ago, I had a mental breakdown. Since then, Betty has made several attempts at rekindling our former friendship. I haven’t reciprocated. Mentally and emotionally, I am still very burned out and I don’t have the emotional energy to restore a complicated friendship.

Based on previous patterns of behavior, I know that it’s just a matter of time before my husband is told either by Betty or their parents that she’s hurt that I’m not reciprocating. I know I will be asked why and feel pressured to make more of an effort. How do I set a boundary and explain that I’m not interested in restoring this relationship right now, without further complicating the situation?

– Not Ready to Make Nice

Dear Not Ready: Being proactive will really help you and Betty here. Reach out to Betty first and tell her that you’ve noticed (and perhaps appreciate) her desire to rekindle a friendship and you want to acknowledge that. Then let her know that you’re still in a tough place and that you just don’t have a lot of capacity.

This is a little more “it’s not you, it’s me” than I’d like, but what seems most important is that you right-size Betty’s expectations before this becomes a family issue. Acknowledging her efforts keeps her feelings from getting hurt, and being honest about what you can and can’t offer right now saves you from having to reject her outright. It also gives her useful information that will, ideally, help her be a better friend. Hopefully, she’s self-aware enough to be able to hear what you’re asking for. Sometimes the most loving thing a person can do is give us space and the most loving thing we can do is ask for it.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

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

Huntsville Hospital’s Madison Street Tower expansion leads the way in construction projects started so far in 2025 in the Huntsville area.

Overall, more than $1 billion in construction has started this year in Madison, Limestone and Morgan counties, according to permits pulled by Southern Exposure Information. Other top projects started since Jan.1 include construction on the Ditto Landing event center and buildings at the Redstone Gateway and Cummings Research Park.

And looking ahead toward the latter half of the year will be construction for a $44.6 million expansion of the Ice Sports Center and bids expected to be let soon for the expansion of Big Spring Park East.

Permits issued through June 30:

• Huntsville issued 1,123 permits totaling $464.2 million.
• Madison County issued 1,202 permits totaling $324.2 million.
• Decatur issued 234 permits totaling $96.2 million
• Madison issued 242 permits totaling $86.5 million.
• Athens issued 213 permits totaling $69.8 million.
• Priceville issued 12 permits totaling $950,000.

Here is a list of the top builders so far in 2025 and what they’re working on.

Robins & Morton Group

Robins & Morton is the top builder so far with four permits totaling $119 million. It is working on the most expensive project. A permit was issued in February for a $112 million project that is part of Huntsville Hospital’s $150 million Madison Street Tower expansion.

The Huntsville Hospital expansion includes adding 154,000 square feet of new clinical space. The Alabama Certificate of Need Review Board unanimously approved the five-story addition late last year.

Most of the work will take place at the northeast corner of the hospital facing Madison Street and St. Clair Avenue. Construction is expected to take about two years. The $150 million project includes:

• A new Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, made possible by a $10 million philanthropic donation – the largest private gift the hospital has ever received.
• A new Neuro Intensive Care Unit for neurosurgical and stroke patients.
• Three floors of new acute medical space.
• 120 new private patient rooms.
• A new and improved Emergency Department vehicle entrance.

When construction is finished, HH Health System’s flagship facility will have a total of 931 patient beds – up from 881 currently. Seventy existing patient rooms are being converted from double occupancy to single occupancy.

Robins & Morton built the Madison Street Tower in 2006. Chapman Sisson Architects designed the tower and the expansion.

The hospital expansion is not the only project started by Robins & Morton this year. The firm is working on a $3.7 million, 28,000-square-foot buildout at 9700 Advanced Gateway. The facility will include office space and high bay space, Robins & Morton spokesman Chris Yazbec told AL.com.

Other top area builders for the quarter were:

Davidson Homes

Davidson Homes was the top homebuilder for the first six months of the year. It was issued 288 permits totaling $63.3 million. Davidson Homes is building homes in Huntsville, Madison, north Madison County, Decatur, Athens, Toney, Hartselle and Harvest.

It advertises homes starting in the $250,000 to $500,000 range.

Lennar Homes

Lennar Homes has been issued 264 permits totaling $58 million. Lennar Homes is the main homebuilder for the Clift Farm development bordering north Madison off U.S. 72.

It has also constructed other homes in Madison and Athens, and the Retreat subdivision in Meridianville. Most of the homes listed on the Lennar website are in the $280,000-$400,000 price range.

Brasfield & Gorrie

Brasfield & Gorrie has been issued three permits totaling $29 million. It is working on a $25 million, 125,000-square foot building at 8500 Redstone Gateway. The building is managed by COPT Defense Properties.

Brasfield & Gorrie is also working retail and office components for the Stadium Commons development near Joe Davis Stadium that was started last year.

Woodland Homes

Woodland Homes was issued 57 permits totaling $28.4 million. Woodland Homes’ website advertises 15 new home communities, including in Madison, Athens, Meridianville, New Market and Owens Cross Roads. Most of the homes on the website advertise for more than $400,000.

Olympia Construction

The Albertville based firm concentrates on multifamily developments but also does work on commercial projects. It has been issued two permits totaling $26.5 million.

DR Horton

Homebuilder DR Horton has been issued 173 permits totaling $21.7 million. It is the builder for Greenbrier Preserve not far from Interstate 565 and major Huntsville employers in the Limestone County portion of Huntsville. It is also constructing homes in north Huntsville, north Madison County, Athens, Madison and the Owens Cross Roads area. It advertises homes in the $200,000-$350,000 price range.

Fite Construction

Fite Construction of Decatur was issued five permits totaling $18.4 million.

Two of the permits were issued for alterations to the Nucor Towers and Structures facility at 913 Maero St. NW in Decatur. The permits were issued to the City of Decatur’s Industrial Development Board

Fite is the builder of the recreation center at John Hunt Park, a preschool in Town Madison and several downtown Decatur projects. It is also the builder for the $32.7 million hangar project at Pryor Field that is just now getting underway.

Turner Construction

Turner Construction is the contractor for a $16.5 million building at 905 Mark C. Smith Drive in Cummings Research Park. The Huntsville-Madison Chamber was issued the permit for the work.

The firm has worked on several high-profile projects in the Huntsville area, including Huntsville’s new City Hall, which opened last year.

Lee Builders

Lee Builders has been issued two permits totaling $14.6 million. Included in that is the $13 million Ditto Landing event center project. Lee Builders was the company that renovated Joe Davis Stadium that reopened in 2023 as a multipurpose stadium.

Not included in the totals are projects that are ongoing that were started before the beginning of the year. That includes the $375 million Front Row mixed-use development going up at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Monroe Street across from the Von Braun Center. ARCO/Murray National Construction, the top builder in the Huntsville area the last two years, is the contractor for that project.

ARCO/Murray was awarded the contract by the city last month to work on the Ice Sports Center on Leeman Ferry Road.