Publishers Clearing House was a dream for folks of a certain age.
Through the 1980s and into the 1990s it was not uncommon to see the commercials on television of folks being surprised at their door with an oversized $1 million dollar check.
Your mom or grandmother, maybe even you, probably dreamed of getting that big old check.
And, believe it or not, plenty of folks did get the knock from Publishers Clearing House as it reportedly paid out more than $618 million in prizes while also reportedly donating millions to veterans’ causes and children’s hospitals.
Some folks really did live the dream, and apparently the payouts kept coming right on into recent years.
But, alas, Publishers Clearing House was fueled by the magazine industry, and that has fallen off substantially across the past 20 years or so.
According to The Street, print publication advertising revenue dropped from $20 billion in 2007 to $2.3 billion in 2023. The site said that Publishers Clearing House tried to expand to e-commerce, but it just couldn’t make up for the lost money.
And, in 2023, The Street said Publishers Clearing House was also ordered to pay out $18.5 million to customers who believed they were victims of misleading claims.
And with all of those factors coming together, Publishers Clearing House LLC is struggling to stay afloat.
According to The Street, the company filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on May 1. That motion seeks approval to sell “all or substantially all of its assets” as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, per the site.
Publishers Clearing House proposed the auction in an attempt to “preserve its intellectual property and perhaps save the brand,” the site reported. The business also reportedly got a loan from Prestige Capital Finance LLC., so that it can continue, at least for now.
Per The Street, the company’s assets included “intellectual property, an extensive customer database, and brand recognition.”
The company first field for Chapter 11 protection on April 9.
While it is attempting to stay afloat, things don’t appear to be looking good for the company that many folks dreamed might knock on their door and deliver a big old check, back in the day.
This is a revised drawing from my Mother’s Day tribute essay first published in 2013. Mom passed later that year.
I was a bad thumb sucker, as my mama put it. But the one thing I liked better than my thumb was a pencil. At the age of two, I could draw Roy Rogers and Trigger better than I could say their names.
As long as I was drawing, I wasn’t sucking that sinful thumb.
Early on, my mama found the keys to keeping her weird toddler content was a grocery sack and a pencil. She would tear down a large brown paper sack and lay it out flat on the kitchen floor. I would lie there with it for a minute, gazing at its awesome emptiness, then – pencil in hand – disappear into it for hours. Mom could then go about her daily routines without a worry about me.
I only came up for air when my pencil needed sharpening. I didn’t have to say a word. I just held my pencil up and Mom came swooping in with her paring knife, the one that looked a hundred years old. She laid the pencil on her left index finger and scraped the lead until the point was sharp and her fingertip was black.
The same knife that peeled, sliced and cut thousands of potatoes, tomatoes, apples, green beans and cantaloupes also sharpened several hundred grubby, snotty toddler pencils. Please, don’t say a word about this to the Health Department.
My mom is the best pencil sharpener I ever saw. Each point was a work of art. A tiny black lead sculpture. And like fingerprints, no two were alike.
My early toddler drawings prompted the phrase my dear mother often uttered when looking at my work throughout my career: “I’m not sure what it is, but I can tell it’s real good.”
Thanks for always trying to keep me and my pencils sharp, Mom.
JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group and AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler @jdcrowe@al.com.
OWA Parks & Resort has a new attraction that promises fun after dark.
Aura Adventures, an outdoor adventure company, has opened at OWA, off South OWA Boulevard, in Foley.
Aura features glow-in-the-dark night kayak experiences on the lake in Downtown OWA. Aura also offers pedal boats and paddle board adventures.
The deal is just one of notable real estate transactions in coastal Alabama in recent days.
Lanae, an online cabinetry wholesaler, has leased 29,050 square feet of space at 65 Sidney Phillips Drive in Mobile, according to Chris Harle and Leigh Dale Younce of White-Spunner Realty, who represented the landlord.
CPAP Plus has leased 1,449 square feet of space in Foley Square Shopping Center at 2434 McKenzie St., in Foley, and plans to open next month, according to Robert Cook of Vallas Realty and Joe Roe Burton of Burton Property Group, who handled the transaction. This will be the medical equipment supplier’s fourth location in south Alabama.
New sweet businesses are arriving in time for summer: Crave Cookies has opened at Wharf Portside at 4593 Main St., at The Wharf in Orange Beach. And Gage’s Ice Cream has opened in The Square, a mixed-use development at 1538 Gulf Shores Parkway in Gulf Shores.
Three new stores are joining the lineup in the Eastern Shore Centre off Ala. 181 in Spanish Fort: Blooming Fabulous Flower Shop, Fluffy Pet Shop and Escapology, a family friendly escape room concept.
The city of Orange Beach has renamed the former Bear Point Cemetery the Municipal Cemetery, which sits on a quarter of an acre near Canal Road and Campagno Lane in Orange Beach. The cemetery was owned by the Orange Beach Volunteer Fire Department, which was dissolved a few years ago. The OBVFD donated the cemetery to the city.
It was 11 months ago today. The then 42-year-old mother sat next to the hospital bed, her eyes filled with tears. Her 15-year-old daughter was fighting for her life after a shark took the girl’s left hand and right leg the day before. And as the girl opened her eyes at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, she looked up at her parents and whispered, “I made it.”
The Mother of the Century wept some more.
It was a week ago when they traveled to Seacrest Beach, Florida. “We didn’t go in the ocean, but we sat on the beach yards from where it happened,” Mountain Brook, Alabama’s Joe Gribbin told me. “We took time to reflect on what happened to Lulu last June.”
Joe Gribbin with his daughter, LuLu Gribbin, during a 2025 trip to the beach.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
Said Lulu Gribbin, who welcomed the chance to travel back to where she was attacked, “It was closure for me, and closure for my family.”
They met some 20 years ago while they were students at the University of Alabama. Joe Gribbin was from Vestavia Hills, Alabama, while Ann Blair Holloway was from Mountain Brook. They married on Jan. 13, 2007, and started a family.
Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin on their wedding day in January 2007.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
Lulu and Ellie came first as identical twins. Maggie, and later Tripp, followed. Four kids, six years apart. Sports and travel and fun. “My mom has always been very organized and very detail-oriented,” said 16-year old Ellie.
“She’s the heartbeat of our family,” said Joe.
Joe Gribbin says this 2021 photo of his family before an Alabama football game is one of his favorites.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
It was June 7, 2024, and the Gribbins’ first mother-daughter beach trip was in full swing. Several moms from the Mountain Brook area chatted as they walked along the beach in Walton County, Florida, while their daughters dove for sand dollars in waist-deep water.
A few of the girls saw a shadow.
Ann Blair Gribbin heard the screams. She ran toward the crowd that gathered around the girl. Lulu Gribbin’s mother let out her own screams as she saw others gather around to save her daughter’s life. People like Stephen Beene and Matthew Lidle and Sterling Duncan and Cole Booker. People like Cathy Dougherty, an ER nurse. People like Dr. Ryan Forbess and Dr. Moh Ali, people like nurse Delanie Richardson. People like the first responders and the paramedics and the doctors and the nurses and later, rehab technicians in Pensacola and North Carolina and Birmingham.
Sixteen-year-old Lulu can’t remember much about June 7, 2024, but she remembers her mother never leaving her side. “As I was being put on a board to be carried off the beach, my mom ran to me and said, ‘I love you’,” Lulu told me.
The spring of 2024 stretched into summer, and as each morning arrived, Ann Blair Gribbin gave thanks that her daughter was with her. “My mother never left Lulu’s hospital room,” Ellie told me. “She never left Lulu’s side. She would sit next to Lulu and watch her sleep.”
Said Lulu, “She was always there to hold my hand when I received stitches or a shot. Her funny jokes kept me going, and she helped me keep pushing.”
The Gribbin children — Tripp, Lulu, Ellie and Maggie — piled up in Lulu’s hospital bed one month after the shark attack.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
As the weeks and months wore on, Ann Blair Gribbin was there for Lulu, but she had three other kids she worried about as well. She wondered how they were digesting it all. Said 10-year-old Tripp, the Gribbins’ youngest, “I remember the first time I walked into Lulu’s hospital room, my mom and I blew up a balloon and tapped it back and forth. We played the game where you don’t let the balloon touch the floor.”
Added Ellie, “My mom was the light during dark times.”
Said Lulu, “The ongoing love she has for our family is amazing.”
Ann Blair Gribbin and her son Tripp in 2023.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
Ann Blair Gribbin also found a way to spread her love to others, including many of the other mothers who witnessed the unthinkable.
Mountain Brook’s Ellen Faust also heard her daughter, McCray, cry out in pain. McCray suffered a deep gash to her foot/ankle in the attack. And as Ellen looked after her daughter, she learned from Ann Blair while the two grew closer.
Ann Blair Gribbin, left, and Ellen Faust were friends before the shark attack that injured both of their daughters. The two have since grown even closer. “We are now more than just friends,” says Faust. “We are mothers bound for life by something greater than fear: fierce, protective love.”Courtesy Ellen Faust
“With her fierce determination and unrelenting strength, Ann Blair proved to be a true force of nature,” Ellen told me. “There’s no feeling sorry for yourself when you’re standing beside someone like her. We are now more than just friends. We are mothers bound for life by something greater than fear: fierce, protective love.”
It was last summer, and the heartbeat of the Gribbin family was on her game. Surgeries and prosthetics for Lulu, rehab sessions, worry about Lulu’s state of mind. “She was always in mom mode,” said Ellie. And when fall arrived, Ann Blair had it down pat: Lulu would head back to school with the family doing their best to adjust to their new normal. Said 12-year-old Maggie, “My mom is very determined. She has been there for my volleyball and basketball games.”
Ann Blair Gribbin and her daughter, Maggie, at basketball practice in 2023.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
Added 10-year-old Tripp, “She cheers me on in baseball, golf and swimming.”
Today is Ann Blair Gribbin’s first Mother’s Day since the day that changed her daughter’s life. It’s her first Mother’s Day since her life was changed, too. Over the last year, Ann Blair has felt it all: shock and pain, worry and grief, pride and joy. And she’s stayed busy as ever making a difference to others.
She has led the charge in creating the Lulu Strong Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps support amputees by advancing prosthetic technologies and innovative therapies.
Lulu Gribbin and Joe Gribbin joined Alabama legislators in witnessing Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey sign Lulu’s Law.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
The Gribbin kids are doing well. Lulu and Ellie will enter the 11th grade at Mountain Brook High School this fall. Lulu is working on her golf game, and she just got her driver’s license. Joe and Ann Blair both work full time while adopting Ann Blair’s favorite saying — “When life gets hectic with kids going everywhere,” said Joe, “Ann Blair has always told us to just go with the flow.”
Ann Blair Gribbin has four children, Lulu, Ellie, Maggie and Tripp.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
And Ann Blair’s friends like Ellen Faust? Ellen’s daughter McCray is doing well, and Ellen feels grateful for the friendship she has formed with Ann Blair.
“The shark attack was a terrifying moment that changed everything, but in its wake, it brought Ann Blair and me closer than we have ever been — not just as friends, but as soul-connected mothers. What we went through forged a bond that runs deeper than words, a connection built on raw emotion, resilience and unshakable love for our children. We would walk through fire for each other’s families, without hesitation.”
Ann Blair Gribbin isn’t quoted in this story because Ann Blair Gribbin didn’t know I was writing about her. The Gribbins thought a surprise Mother’s Day story would be a nice way to honor one of the most dedicated mothers around.
“She completes who I am,” Lulu told me when I asked what her mom has meant to her during her journey.
Days after the Gribbins sat on the beach a few yards from where Lulu was attacked, I thanked Joe and his four children for their time, and said, “I guess your mother really is the Mother of the Year.”
The Gribbin family — Joe and Ann Blair with their four children, Lulu, Ellie, Maggie and Tripp, in November of 2024.Courtesy Joe and Ann Blair Gribbin
I heard a voice yell back, “She’s the Mother of the Century!” I thought the voice came from Ellie, then again, it could have been any of the four Gribbin kids. I heard squeals and laughs, and the happiness I heard reminded me that Joe and Ann Blair’s children are really good kids, and happy in the challenging journey that has drawn them closer.
Eleven months after she cried out on a beach while seeing her daughter fight for life, the Mother of the Century is likely enjoying a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Because Ann Blair Gribbin feels blessed that Lulu made it.
And the family feels blessed that Ann Blair made it, too.
Learn more about the Lulu Strong Foundation here: https://lulustrong.com/ Rick Karle, who writes a weekly ‘Good News’ story, is a 25-time Emmy winner and a 43-year veteran of broadcast news who has lived and worked in Alabama for 35 years. You can find his work on Facebook at RickKarleGoodNews and email him at RickKarleGoodNews@gmail/com
The 2025 high school soccer season has come to a close.
The final state champions were crowned on Saturday at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, capped off by Southside-Gadsden’s boys claiming the program’s first state title over Spanish Fort.
In Class 7A boys, Montgomery Academy secured a historic upset over Oak Mountain, which headed into the matchup as the No. 1-ranked team in the country.
The win for the Eagles also snapped a 49-game winning streak and 60-game unbeaten string dating back to the 2023 season.
Briarwood Christian claimed a hard-fought victory over Mountain Brook in the Class 6A state championship for the program’s 10th — yes, 10th — championship.
Vestavia Hills’ girls powered to a victory over Auburn for the 7A crown, which puts the Rebels on top of the soccer world yet again. It’s Vestavia’s first title since 2019.
TOP PERFORMANCES
1. Leading Vestavia Hills
Betsy Whitson had a pair of assists and scored the final goal for Vestavia Hills as the Rebels claimed a 3-1 victory over Auburn for the Class 7A championship. She claimed tournament MVP honors for the Rebels after the win.
2. Briarwood freshman shines
Catherine Walker was key at goalkeeper in a 2-1 victory over Mountain Brook that ended with penalty kicks. She had a pair of key blocks and also claimed tournament MVP following the victory.
St. John Paul II’s Ella Cazzavillan drives the ball down the field during an AHSAA Class 4A state final soccer game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville Ala., Friday, May 9, 2025. (Will McLelland | WMcLelland@al.com)Will McLelland
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ella Cazzavillan, St. John Paul II
The St. John Paul II star shined in both games for the Falcons, who claimed their first state championship. She had a hat trick for St. John Paul II in a 9-0 victory over Cherokee County in the semifinals before logging a pair of goals and an assist in a 3-1 victory over St. Luke’s Episcopal.
The Class 4A tournament MVP is the program’s all-time leader in goals and assists.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Briarwood Christian celebrates a state championship win over Mountain Brook at an AHSAA Class 6A state final soccer game in Huntsville, Ala., Saturday, May 10, 2025.
(Vasha Hunt | preps@al.com)Vasha Hunt
While negotiations are still underway for a proposed Village of Providence-type development along Old Big Cove Road, the city of Huntsville appears poised to annex another 27 acres in the area for single-family homes.
The Huntsville City Council introduced a resolution Thursday to annex the land west of Old Big Cove Road and north of Buford Drive. The annexation is coming at the request of Louis Breland, the founder of Breland Properties and Breland Homes.
Breland is the developer of Town Madison and Clift Farm.
The Council is expected to vote on the annexation at its May 22 meeting.
The annexation would be in one of the fastest growing areas of the city, and not far from the proposed Big Cove Village site on both the north and south sides of Cecil Ashburn Drive, and east and west of Old Big Cove Road.
Negotiations are still on the way at the site That property was annexed into the city last year. The Huntsville Planning Commission and City Council have already zoned the land, clearing the way for single family homes, townhomes, apartments, businesses and restaurants.
The city has also taken in more than 500 acres this year, most of it in Limestone County.
That includes a nearly 400-acre site near the Interstate 65-565 interchange across the interstate from the eastern edge of Decatur’s city limits. A development there would also be modeled after Providence and include a mixture of various housing types and retail.
District 1 City Councilwoman Michelle Watkins – a former school board member – has voiced concerns about that annexation and zoning, which was also approved this year. She is concerned about whether Huntsville City Schools can keep up with the increased enrollment from the growth.
That is also an issue in the Big Cove area where residents seek a new high school to keep students from having to make what they feel is a dangerous drive over the mountains to attend Huntsville High School near the downtown area.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. listens at the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense secretary, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)AP
The call came in just after 5 p.m. on Christmas Day and set off a frantic search for a United States senator.
Deputies flooded a gated neighborhood near the white sands of Florida’s Emerald Coast in December of 2023. They were responding to a terrifying report: a woman had been shot in the head with an AR-15, a man was tied up inside, and someone was demanding $10,000 to release the hostages.
The male caller, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s incident report, “sounded Russian.” He asked for a getaway car. The number was blocked. No name. No clues.
The beachside house at the center of the chaos belonged to Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, blocks away from the scenic 30A highway in Santa Rosa Beach.
“It is believed that a technology was used to make the voice sound of a different ethnicity,” said Corey Dobridnia, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. “The call came in from an anonymous number. But it was later tracked down to a bigger swatting scheme.”
It was the second swatting incident at one of Tuberville’s homes to occur on Christmas 2023. The other, previously reported, incident occurred at a home he owns in Auburn.
Swatting is the act of making a fake call to law enforcement in the hopes of deliberately causing a large police or SWAT team response. It’s considered dangerous to both first responders and victims.
“Like many elected officials, Senator Tuberville has unfortunately been a victim of several swatting incidents, including the two that happened on Christmas Day 2023,” according to spokesperson Mallory Jasper. “He has also received numerous death threats, which has led Capitol Police to work with local law enforcement to conduct routine checks to his residence.”
Tuberville has not officially announced plans to run for governor, but he remains a likely favorite to win the state’s top political seat in 2026. His current term in the U.S. Senate ends Jan. 3, 2027.
Frantic search
The scene that unfolded for an hour and a half led to heavy police presence within the gated beachside resort neighborhood. It also involved the U.S. Capitol Police, which was attempting to reach anyone on Tuberville’s staff to see if he was inside the house at the time.
When authorities arrived at the house, they saw that there were lights upstairs, and a dog was on the outside patio. A few of the officers had approached the house with shields.
Authorities continued to make calls to get in touch with Tuberville, according to the incident report. The efforts also included a call to U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, who knows some of the members of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities asked Moore if he could get in contact with Tuberville since they could not reach his staff.
At around 6:37 p.m., Tuberville arrived at the house.
“Tuberville was not at the address at the time the call came in,” Dobridnia said. “But he arrived a short time after.”
Investigation
Later in the night, the Auburn house owned by Tuberville was also the site of a swatting call that prompted the Lee County SWAT team to close off the street where the house is located.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office closed the investigation into the Santa Rosa Beach case in April 2024. It was then handled by federal agencies and was added to a much larger case involving the U.S. Secret Service.
While not identified by name as a victim in Filion’s plea agreement, prosecutors described an unnamed U.S. Senator as having been swatted on that Christmas Day in 2023. The description followed closely to that of the Santa Rosa Beach call to Tuberville’s beach house, including fictitious homicide, hostage and ransom demand.
“Swatting is a serious problem that must be addressed,” Tuberville said in a statement in January when he co-signed onto legislation called the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act, a four-page bill introduced by Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott.
Residency
Scenic Route 30-A along the Emerald Coast of Florida, is a popular tourist destination. The 26-mile that hugs the Gulf runs from Miramar Beach south to Rosemary Beach.John Sharp
Tuberville’s statement also included this statement, “my home was swatted twice around Christmas (2023) in a dangerous attempt to intimidate my family and me.” He did not include any specific details.
He said that police shouldn’t have to use “valuable time and resources answering hoax calls when they could be protecting communities and getting criminals off the street.”
It’s unclear where Tuberville and his family were celebrating Christmas in 2023. Tuberville, in July 2023, purchased a home on Ridge Road in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., which is approximately 2 miles away from the beach house that was targeted with the swatting call.
Tuberville’s multiple homes in Florida have raised questions about whether he lives in Alabama. He was criticized with residency questions during the 2020 Senate campaign and was called “Florida Man” by former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions ahead of that year’s GOP primary runoff.
The residency issue has resurfaced as Tuberville has floated a possible run for governor while forgoing a second six-year term for the Senate.
Unlike senators, who do not have strict residency requirements, the Alabama Constitution requires that the governor and lieutenant governor be residents of Alabama for at least seven years “next before the date of their election.”
However, Alabama GOP chairman John Wahl has said that Tuberville’s March 2019 voter registration in Alabama falls within the required window to make him eligible to run in 2026. Tuberville and wife, Suzanne, both voted in Walton County, Fla., during the November 2018 election.
Candidates who want to run for governor can begin fundraising efforts 12 months before an election, which is later this month on May 26.
A flash flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday at 5:35 a.m. in effect until 10 a.m. for Coffee, Dale and Geneva counties.
“At 5:35 a.m., Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly given the saturated soils,” according to the weather service. “Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.”
Locations impacted by the warning include Daleville, Elba, Enterprise, Fort Novosel, Geneva, Ozark, Hartford, Level Plains, Samson, New Brockton, Ariton, Lee, Clayhatchee, Kinston, Coffee Springs, Black, Enterprise Municipal A/P, Turner Crossroads, Battens Crossroads and Lucile.
The weather service comments, “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.”
Understanding the differences between advisories, watches, and warnings
Flash flood warning: Take action!
A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is either imminent or already occurring. In flood-prone areas, it’s crucial to move immediately to higher ground. A flash flood is a sudden and violent inundation that can develop within minutes to hours, and it can even happen in areas not currently experiencing rainfall.
Flood warning: Take action!
A flood warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.
Flood advisory: Be aware:
A flood advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.
Flood watch: Be prepared:
A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It doesn’t guarantee that flooding will occur, but it signifies that the possibility exists.
When floods strike: Guidelines from the weather service for your protection
In flood-prone regions or while camping in low-lying areas, understanding and following the weather service flood safety guidelines can be a lifesaver:
Seek higher ground:
If you’re in a flood-prone area, or if you’re camping in a low-lying spot, move to higher ground as a first step.
Follow evacuation orders:
If local authorities issue an evacuation order, heed it promptly. Prior to leaving, secure your home by locking it.
Disconnect utilities and appliances:
If time permits, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding.
Avoid basements and submerged areas:
Avoid basements or rooms submerged in water with electrical outlets or cords. Preventing electrical accidents is crucial.
Evacuate promptly for safety:
If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping noises, evacuate immediately. Avoid any water that may be charged with electricity.
Stay away from floodwaters:
Never attempt to walk through floodwaters, even if they appear shallow. Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can forcefully sweep you off your feet.
Seek high ground if trapped:
Should you become trapped by moving water, reach the highest point possible and dial 911 to contact emergency services.
When heavy rain occurs, there is a risk of flooding, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone regions. It is important to never attempt to drive through water on the road, regardless of how deep it appears. According to the weather service, as little as 12 inches of rushing water can sweep away most vehicles. Prioritize your safety by staying informed and prepared.
Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain
Heavy rainfall may lead to flooding if prolonged or if there is excessive runoff. Excessive runoff can be a result of saturated ground and/or rainfall intensity. Follow these recommendations from the weather service to stay safe in heavy rain:
Beware of swollen waterways:
In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.
Maintain safe driving distances:
Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.
Slow down and drive with care:
If it is raining and the roads are wet, slow down. Take your foot off the accelerator and let your speed drop gradually. Never use the brakes suddenly because this may cause the car to skid.
Choose your lane wisely:
Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.
Visibility matters:
Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.
Watch out for slippery roads:
The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.
Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:
Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.
Mind your windshield wipers:
Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.
When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.
In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey.
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.
Que Robinson took the field for the first time with the Denver Broncos on Saturday at the NFL team’s rookie minicamp.
“It was a surreal moment,” Robinson said. “It was just like a little kid all over again, except for watching it, you’re in it. It has its complications, but it’s fun. Just like Little League again, for sure.”
Robinson joined the Broncos from Alabama in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on April 26. Robinson’s final season with the Crimson Tide had ended on Nov. 9, when he sustained an elbow injury during a 42-13 victory over LSU.
“A lot of guys in that situation don’t really recupe from it,” Robinson said. “Really a great opportunity just to play football again, for sure.”
The injury ended Robinson’s first season as a regular starter for Alabama, but he had been a special-teams contributor since the 2021 season. That work attracted the attention of Denver, which has its starting outside linebackers returning for 2025 after Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper combined for 24 sacks in 2024.
“We’ve been seeing flashes of him for the last four years at Alabama, really the last two on defense,” Broncos general manager George Paton said after drafting Robinson. “But you look throughout his career, just the special-teams play — I think he had 16 special-teams tackles maybe the last two years.
“You see the athletic traits, the athletic ability, the length, the speed, the way he plays, the motor he plays with, and then he’s played behind some really good outside backers – Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, guys like that – so wasn’t playing a lot. This year, it kind of clicked on defense, then, obviously, had the injury.
“But he has all the traits you look for at that position, and yet in the meantime he can be a hard-core special-teamer, so that’s what attracted us to him.”
Robinson understands special teams could be his path to the field as a rookie.
“I would love if Denver would know I’m a guy that’s willing to do anything and everything to make sure we win a game and ultimately get to where we need to be,” Robinson said. “… I like to win. If that means running down on kickoff 5,000 times and being on punt 4,000 times, I’m willing to do it. I like to win. That’s my huge driving force as far as being a football player. I just like to win, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win a game, for sure.”
Denver’s decision to draft Robinson reunited the outside linebacker with former Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Surtain was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, when Robinson started his Crimson Tide career with a redshirt season. Since joining the Broncos as the ninth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Surtain has been a Pro Bowler three times, first-team All-Pro twice and the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“Pat’s my favorite defensive football player from Alabama,” Robinson said. “It’s a good feeling to be on a team with someone I look up to, for sure.”
Before Alabama and the NFL, Robinson represented Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham in the All-American Bowl after his final prep season.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
On Sunday at 4:16 a.m. a flood advisory was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 7:15 a.m. for Lowndes and Montgomery counties.
The weather service states, “Urban and small stream flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.”
“Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. River or stream flows are elevated. Ponding of water in urban or other areas is occurring or is imminent,” says the weather service. “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.”
Deciphering advisories, watches, and warnings: Understanding weather alerts
Flash flood warning: Take action!
A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is either imminent or already occurring. In flood-prone areas, it’s crucial to move immediately to higher ground. A flash flood is a sudden and violent inundation that can develop within minutes to hours, and it can even happen in areas not currently experiencing rainfall.
Flood warning: Take action!
A flood warning is declared when flooding is on the verge of happening or is already underway.
Flood advisory: Be aware:
A flood advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.
Flood watch: Be prepared:
A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
Staying safe during a flood: Recommendations from the weather service
In flood-prone regions or while camping in low-lying areas, understanding and following the weather service flood safety guidelines can be a lifesaver:
Move to higher ground:
If you’re in a flood-prone area, or if you’re camping in a low-lying spot, move to higher ground as a first step.
Adhere to evacuation orders:
When local authorities issue an evacuation order, promptly comply. Before leaving, secure your home by locking it.
Disconnect utilities and appliances:
If time allows, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This reduces the risk of electrical hazards during flooding.
Avoid basements and submerged areas:
Steer clear of basements or rooms where water has submerged electrical outlets or cords. This helps prevent electrical accidents.
Swift evacuation for your safety:
If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping sounds, evacuate without delay. Do not enter water that may carry an electrical charge.
Stay away from floodwaters:
Never attempt to walk through floodwaters, even if they appear shallow. Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can forcefully sweep you off your feet.
Seek high ground if trapped:
In the event you become trapped by moving water, make your way to the highest point available and contact emergency services by calling 911.
During heavy rainfall, there is a risk of flooding, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Remember to never drive through water on the road, even if it seems shallow. According to the weather service, as little as 12 inches of rapidly flowing water can carry away most cars. Prioritize your safety by staying informed and prepared.
Driving through downpours: Safety guidelines for wet roads
When heavy rain pours, the risk of flooding and treacherous roads rises. Here’s your guide from the weather service to staying safe during downpours:
Beware of rapid water flow:
During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.
Maintain safe driving distances:
The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.
Slow down and stay cautious:
On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.
Choose your lane wisely:
Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.
Visibility matters:
Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.
Watch out for slippery roads:
Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins. Grime and oil on the road surface mix with water to make the road slippery.
Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:
Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.
Mind your windshield wipers:
Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.
If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.
In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey.
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.
