Alabama News

Conner Smith was issued a misdemeanor citation for his involvement in a fatal Nashville car accident last month.

The country music singer, per Billboard, has been charged with failure to yield resulting in a fatality.

“A misdemeanor state citation was issued tonight by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to Conner Smith,” Smith’s attorney Worrick G Robinson IV said in a statement to Billboard. “Conner is incredibly grateful to the MNPD for their time and efforts to carefully investigate this tragic accident and has continued to cooperate at all times.

“His thoughts remain with Ms. Dobbins’ family, and he remains committed to honoring her memory with compassion by supporting efforts to improve pedestrian safety and help prevent future tragedies.”

The country music star, 24, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when he hit Dorothy Dobbins, 77, who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk.

Smith was not under the influence or distracted by his phone at the time of the incident.

Billboard, citing sources, reports that signs have been installed where the incident occurred, and a tree that obstructed the view of the crosswalk has been removed.

One Alabama town landed on the list of the best places to buy a home in 2025 – and it’s not the one you might think.

A report from Niche ranks the top cities for homebuyers this year based on home values, taxes, crime rates and quality of schools. You can read more about the methodology here. While the list features communities across the U.S., one Alabama town is pulling attention for its real estate.

Hazel Green takes the top place for homebuyers in 2025. This North Alabama town rates highly for its cost-of-living, public schools, family-oriented community, and housing market. Homes in Hazel Green have a median value of $179,500 compared to the national average $303,400.

Three additional towns in Alabama have been identified by Niche as top places to buy a home. Madison ranks 2nd, with a median home value of $367,900. Meadowbrook follows in 6th place, boasting a median home value of $390,100, while Triana comes in 19th, with a median home value of $235,400.

Here’s a look at the top 20 places to buy a home in 2025:

1. Hazel Green, Alabama

• Median home value: $179,500

2. Sturgeon, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $258,800

3. Madison, Alabama

• Median home value: $367,900

4. St. Johns, Arizona

• Median home value: $180,900

5. Jena, Louisiana

• Median home value: $157,900

6. Meadowbrook, Alabama

• Median home value: $390,100

7. Pittsboro, Indiana

• Median home value: $289,700

8. Centennial, North Dakota

• Median home value: $412,300

9. Larkin Charter Township, Michigan

• Median home value: $324,100

10. South Vacherie, Louisiana

• Median home value: $196,700

11. Old River-Winfree, Texas

• Median home value: $151,800

12. Bella Rose, Louisiana

• Median home value: $263,900

13. Emerald Bay, Texas

• Median home value: $279,200

14. Centerton, Arkansas

• Median home value: $295,500

15. Shaverton, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $202,400

16. Dunlap, Illinois

• Median home value: $283,800

17. Kohler, Wisconsin

• Median home value: $369,300

18. Rosedale, Louisiana

• Median home value: $117,800

19. Triana, Alabama

• Median home value: $235,400

20. DeCordova, Texas

• Median home value: $300,800

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This is an opinion piece.

Whenever Terry Curtis retired as head football coach of UMS-Wright after a quarter of a century, it was going lead to a huge change at the Mobile private school.

Curtis won 284 games and 8 state titles in 26 years with a largely run-oriented offense and a stingy defense.

Enter Sam Williams, a 34-year-old Mississippi coaching prodigy, who is flipping the script at UMS to a more wide-open, offensive passing attack.

“It’s a lot different,” Williams said earlier this week during a 7-on-7 event at Saraland. “We are getting there. I’m one of those guys who wants it to be perfect right now, and we’ve only been doing it for three and a half months. I’m tickled with how far we’ve come. I know we have a long way to go, but I think if we keep progressing at the rate we are we are really going to be good at it when the season hits.”

One of the biggest questions – not just in Coastal Alabama – but in the state in general entering the 2025 high school season is centered around exactly what UMS will look like in the post-Curtis era. There are few holdovers from Curtis’ staff – UMS mainstay Gerald Jones being one of the exceptions — but that turnover wasn’t unexpected.

“It was all cordial,” Williams said. “I just said, ‘Guys, everyone has a job. If you want to stay, you’re good. If you want to go, no hard feelings. It’s going to be a lot different.’ Some people didn’t want to do that because things had been done a certain way around here forever. There is nothing wrong with that. It is just part of it. We have a great staff. I think we went from being one of the older staffs in the state to one of the younger staffs. I’m one of the elders, and I’m 34.”

Williams’ staff also includes veteran coach Phil Lazenby, who is returning to UMS after leading Bayside Academy for 16 years and Bayshore Christian for two.

“We had a lot of staff turnover, so that was tough early on,” Williams said. “But I’ve been really happy with getting a new staff in. We are continuing a great tradition and just doing it a little differently. I think it has gone really well. I think kids are buying in. We are learning how to compete and learning how to do it the way we are going to do it now.”

Williams, a former Mississippi State wide receiver, spent his entire coaching career up to this point in Mississippi. He has won everywhere he has been.

He went 27-11 in three years at Class 2A Pelahatchie (2017-2019), led 5A Ridgeland to the state semifinals and a 10-3 record in his only year there and had a 45-10 record in Brandon.

Williams has described his coaching philosophy and schemes as “borderline, over-the-top, super aggressive” on offense and defense.

“We will be fast paced, high tempo,” he said at his introductory press conference in March. “People come to our games. I preach attacking football, family atmosphere, playing for your brother. I think that is real apparent when you see my teams play.”

He said when he took the job at UMS, he was leaving a talent-filled Brandon roster that included multiple future Power 4 players. He won’t necessarily have that in Mobile. UMS has won and won big over the years with hard-nosed, smart football players who react well to coaching.

Williams is confident his approach will work, and others are as well. Recently, Rivals named him as one of five new coaches nationwide expected to make a big impact on their program.

“I understand we are not going to be as big, fast and strong as some people but we know what we have to do to win,” he said. “Let’s not make excuses. Let’s get out every day and compete and be the best versions of ourselves we can be.”

UMS opens the season against rival St. Paul’s at home on Aug. 22.

State champion coach switching roles

Veteran Alabama coach Vince DiLorenzo has stepped down as head coach at Coosa Valley but will remain at the school as an assistant coach.

In an unusual switch, Coosa announced this week that assistant Reece Donahoo would become the head coach with DiLorenzo helping him as the assistant. Andrew Simonson of the Shelby County Reporter announced the news this week.

DiLorenzo spent two stints at Coosa Valley as head coach, leading the team to an AISA state title in 2010 and returning in 2021 for four more years. He also was Spain Park’s first head coach from 2002-2005 and spent 17 years at Gadsden High from 1984-2000 where he won 127 games and a pair of state titles.

DiLorenzo’s 1991 Class 5A state championship team was the first championship team I covered. Those Tigers, with offensive coordinator Mike Argo and defensive coordinator Charles Nails, went 14-0 and beat Blount 20-7 at Prichard Stadium in the state championship game. Almost every time I pass by that Stadium on I-65 now that I live on the Gulf Coast, I think about that game and that night.

Coach Di and I became fast friends that year, and I learned a lot about being a journalist from that staff and that team. DiLorenzo has won 190 games in 31 years as a head coach.

Daphne coach honored

Daphne High head football coach Kenny King was honored this week as a “Coach of Character” by Positive Athlete, a program that celebrates high character students and coaches who have overcome difficult circumstances, given back to their schools and communities or have an infectious positive attitude to be around.

King was recognized as one of the Southeast Regional Winners. The organization described King this way on social media:

“Kenny King leads by example, attending games weekly to personally connect with every student-athlete from elementary through high school while implementing programs like free ACT prep to ensure their success beyond sports. His visionary leadership has secured $35-plus million in facility upgrades and created assessment programs that bridge academic and athletic excellence, proving that his genuine care for students drives transformational change through the entire Daphne community.”

King, a Daphne graduate and former Alabama and NFL standout, is entering his 10th season as the head coach of his alma mater. He also served as the school’s athletic director until Baldwin County recently decided to separate the head football coach and AD roles at each of its schools. King is 59-39 with the Trojans.

New coach at Faith Academy

Faith Academy has announced the hire of Christian Shelter as its new girls basketball coach.

According to a school release, “Coach Shelter brings a wealth of experience and a strong foundation of character to our athletic program. With multiple years of coaching at both the high school and collegiate levels, over three years of personal training experience, and five years of playing professional basketball internationally with FIBA teams, she offers a dynamic blend of leadership, athletic knowledge, and mentorship.”

Thought for the Week

“When God selects you, it doesn’t matter who rejects you.”

Ben Thomas is the high school managing producer at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected].

Federal judges will weigh a request to bring Alabama back under the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act after ruling the state intentionally diluted the voting strength of Black residents when drawing congressional lines.

Black voters and civil rights organizations, who successfully challenged Alabama’s congressional map, are asking a three-judge panel to require any new congressional maps drawn by state lawmakers to go through federal review before being implemented. The Alabama attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice oppose the request.

Judges on Thursday set a July 29 hearing on the request.

The three-judge panel in 2023 ordered the use of a new congressional map in Alabama. The judges selected the new map after saying they were “deeply troubled” that state lawmakers had ignored their directive to draw a second majority-Black district or something close to it.

Plaintiffs said Alabama’s actions and the defiance of the court order mirror the state’s actions in the 1960s.

“Alabama sought to ignore, evade, and strategically frustrate attempts to remedy racial discrimination,” lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in a court filing.

The request would require new congressional maps drawn through the 2030 Census cycle to undergo federal review by the court before being used.

The Voting Rights Act for decades required that states with a history of discrimination — including many in the South — get federal approval before changing the way they hold elections. The requirement of preclearance effectively went away in 2013 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in a case arising from Alabama, that the provision determining which states are covered was outdated and unconstitutional.

Plaintiffs argue that Alabama’s actions should trigger the so-called “bail-in” section of the Voting Rights Act that enables courts to retain jurisdiction and exercise preclearance power.

“Preclearance flips the burden on the State to prove its innocence. That power is extraordinary,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office wrote in a court filing opposing the request.

The Justice Department is backing Alabama in asking the judges to reject the request.

“Preclearance is permissible only when jurisdictions have engaged in pervasive, flagrant, widespread, and rampant discrimination,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in the filing signed by the acting chief of the voting section. Alabama’s actions did not rise to that level, they argued.

The same three-judge panel in May permanently blocked Alabama from using the state-drawn map that they said flouted their directive to draw a plan that was fair to Black voters. The state is appealing that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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P.J. Guy said he left “home” at Helena to become the new head baseball coach at Oak Mountain High School.

After all, Guy is the only coach Helena has ever had and he led the Huskies to a Class 6A state championship in 2017 and runner-up finishes in 2015 and 2018.

“Helena has been my home,” he said after being announced as the replacement for Derek Irons, who resigned to become an assistant at Briarwood Christian. “Although I’m leaving for another job, I’ll probably always consider that as my home.

“I met this past Monday with the boys and it was a very, very tough, emotional day for me. I let them know I was leaving and those boys – and not just them, all the former players I’ve had over 11 years – I cherish them all. It’s not just the players, it’s all my co-workers who have become family.

“It’s been a roller-coaster week, but I’m grateful and ready for it.”

Irons recorded 222 wins in 10 seasons at the helm at Oak Mountain, but the Eagles have missed the postseason for the past four seasons and were 17-17 in 2025.

“They contacted me about two weeks ago,” Guy said of his journey to a new job. “Through a lot of prayer and thought of whether I could leave Helena – the toughest part since it was home for the last 11 years – all the dots connected for me to make the move at this stage of my career.

“The opportunity to take a baseball program to another level excites me. It’s the right time for me in my life.”

Guy brings a 346-216 career record to Oak Mountain headed into his 20th season – 15th as a head coach. He also was the first baseball coach at Sipsey Valley. He took the Bears to a Class 3A runner-up finish in 2014.

The coach said he had a connection to the Eagles. “My wife (Lee Anne) is an Oak Mountain graduate,” he said, “and although I’ve never worked there, I’m very familiar with the school and the community.”

Guy also knows what he’s in for with the move to Class 7A and Area 6. “I’m a competitor and it’s a challenge to move up to play 7A baseball in the Birmingham metro area with Hewitt-Trussville, Vestavia Hills and Hoover. I think that’s probably the strongest 7A area in the state. That excites me, just the challenge of that.

“I am friends with all three of those coaches. They (Jeff Mauldin at Hewitt, Jamie Harris at Vestavia and Adam Moseley at Hoover) are all great coaches and all great men who run great programs. We’ve competed against them all the past 11 years. I’ve got a ton of respect for them and I look forward to playing more meaningful games with them. I think that’s what you look forward to as a player – to play against the best.”

Guy, who graduated from Holt High School and played outfield on a junior college World Series team at Wallace State-Hanceville Community College before finishing at AUM, said he was eager to start building relationships at his new school.

“I’m looking to get involved in the community and the school,” he said. “I have to build relationships, coming to a big school where I don’t know the players. The next four to six weeks, we’ll just be building those relationships and going to work.”

You’d have to go back to Florida in 1984 to find the last time a first-time champion won the SEC in football, but that’s what is being predicted this year.

Texas, SEC runner-up in its 2024 debut season, is the pick to take home the conference title in its second year in the league. The Longhorns received seven of nine votes from AL.com sports staff members as part of the 79th annual SEC post-spring football report, first published by the Birmingham News in 1947.

Georgia was the correct prediction of last year’s AL.com panel, beating Texas 22-19 in overtime in Atlanta for its second SEC championship in three years. The Bulldogs were picked to finish second this year, receiving one first-place vote.

Texas, which returns a star-laden defense led by tackle Colin Simmons, linebacker Anthony Hill and safety Michael Taaffe, totaled 140 poll points to outdistance Georgia (130) in the overall preseason rankings. Highly touted sophomore Arch Manning takes over as the Longhorns’ quarterback following the departure of Quinn Ewers to the NFL.

Georgia finished 11-3 last season, falling to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. The Bulldogs must replace star quarterback Carson Beck — who transferred to Miami — as well as 13 players drafted by NFL teams, three of them in the first round.

Auburn, which finished 5-7 last season, received the other first-place vote. The Tigers have not won the SEC title since 2014.

Teams were ranked 1-thru-16, with 16 points for first place on down to one for 16th (last). Mississippi State, which went 2-10 in 2024, was named last on eight of nine ballots.

Alabama, coming off a disappointing 9-4 finish under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer, is picked to finish third in the SEC this year. The Crimson Tide did not receive any first- or second-place votes for the first time in recent memory, but totaled 118 poll points to rank behind only Texas and Georgia.

LSU (103 points) is the pick to finish fourth, with Ole Miss (90), Florida (87), South Carolina (82) and Texas A&M (81) rounding out the top half of the projected standings. Tennessee (80) checks in ninth, followed by Oklahoma (73), Missouri (68), Auburn (64), Vanderbilt (46), Arkansas (31), Kentucky (21) and Mississippi State (10).

Here’s how the SEC voting looks in table form:

COMING SATURDAY: AL.com’s 2025 preseason All-SEC team

COMING SUNDAY: Answering key questions about the SEC’s top teams and players in 2025.

Creg Stephenson is a sports writer for AL.com. He has covered college football for a variety of publications since 1994. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @CregStephenson.

We have an announcement over on the Down in Alabama podcast today. We’re going to talk about a new 8-episode podcast coming from AL.com called “American Shrapnel.” It’s all about the manhunt for 1996 Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph after he bombed a Birmingham abortion clinic. Columnist John Archibald and producer John Hammontree will join me on the DIA podcast to talk about “American Shrapnel” and some related experiences.

Today’s report follows.

Bruce Pearl’s political buzz

Something we haven’t mentioned here (because it’s been so far into buzz-and-rumor territory) is the speculation around Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl and that U.S. Senate seat that former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville is leaving open.

Pearl’s frequent social-media posting about his support of Israel has grown into voicing support for President Trump and/or conservative issues. In fact, this off-season you’re more likely to see Pearl post about politics than basketball.

Pearl himself hasn’t indicated that he’s interested in the Senate seat. But he hasn’t seized an opportunity to slam the door shut on it, either. He didn’t respond to a request for comment from AL.com. He went on the podcast “One Jewish State,” was asked about it, and said “there is no news to be made” and “I care about these issues but I love Auburn and I love being Auburn’s basketball coach.”

That’s not exactly putting the topic to rest.

AL.com columnist Roy S. Johnson spoke with Auburn basketball legend Charles Barkley about the scuttlebutt. And it’s apparently come up between Pearl and Sir Charles.

Barkley told Johnson: “I respect and trust him. I just told him to do what he wants to do. Obviously, he’s made Auburn basketball relevant, which makes me happy. I said, ‘Hey, man, as much as I love you being the head basketball coach at Auburn, you taking Auburn to two Final Fours, something I never thought would happen, but I do understand.’

“If he wants to run, I’m gonna support him 100%.”

(Remember years ago when Barkley teased everyone by saying he was running for governor?)

It sounds like the Pearl thing is going to be a thing until Pearl is emphatic that it’s not anything. Or files to run.

More Rocket City to love

Huntsville’s city limits now covers parts of four counties, reports AL.com’s Scott Turner.

On Thursday, the city approved the annexation of about 1,014 acres south of the Tennessee River in Morgan and Marshall counties. Of course, Huntsville’s biggest area stretches across Madison and Limestone counties.

According to City Manager of Planning and Zoning Services Thomas Nunez, there’s only one single-family home on the land, and no more homes are planned.

Wiz Kidz LLC and the company that operates Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete LLC petitioned Huntsville to annex the land. It allows the city to regulate Smyrna’s quarry there.

This also means that Huntsville has annexed more than 1,600 acres this year and is now the 37th-largest city geographically in the nation. The Rocket City is roughly the size of Chicago and San Francisco.

About that Amber alert

You may have received an Amber Alert on your phone Thursday afternoon. It was for 3-year-old Jibreel Harun, who was missing out of Auburn, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.

He was found to be missing when police found the bodies of the child’s mother, 34-year-old Tyeisha Williams, and 13-year-old Zynniya Wright in their home in Auburn.

Police are looking for Aaron Dontay Williams, who is the husband of Williams and the father of young Jibreel. They said he’s not the father of the teenage girl.

Williams has a criminal history and ties to the Huntsville area. Police said he could be driving a gray 2010 Honda Accord. He’s a 6-foot-1, 240-pound 41-year-old Black male and described by police as armed and dangerous.

Crime Stoppers and the FBI are offering a $15,000 reward. If you have information call 911 or the Auburn Police Department.

Lowered flags

Gov. Kay Ivey authorized flags to be flown at half-staff through the weekend, reports AL.com’s Heather Gann.

The order, which ends at sunrise Monday, is to honor the victims of last week’s flooding in Texas Hill Country. Those victims include 8-year-old Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook, who was one of 27 killed at Camp Mystic. Among the many who are still missing are Eddie Santana Sr. and his wife, Ileana, of Mobile, and their granddaughter 5-year-old Mila Rosa Santana.

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1897, former Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor of Selma.

In 1975, former NFL Pro Bowler Willie Anderson of Mobile.

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