Alabama News

A popular marine park in Florida’s panhandle is closed and the property is to be sold, after five dolphins died at the park in less than a year.

“How is this happening in the United States of America?” Valerie Greene, a former animal trainer and volunteer with TideBreakers, a Canadian advocacy group against marine mammal captivity, told AL.com. “It’s unconscionable that we’re allowing this type of abuse, and it’s very public.”

Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Fla., closed in May after a bottlenose dolphin named Samira died at the park, according to a press release from the park’s parent company, The Dolphin Company.

Samira was the fifth dolphin to die at the park since October 2024. That month, three dolphins died at the marine park. Greene said TideBreakers believes the deaths were due to a deadly fungus that leached during nearby construction and infiltrated the pools.

A fourth dolphin died in March after doing a trick and landing in a shallow part of the tank. TideBreakers put out a video later that month showing the dolphins swimming in dirty, algae-covered water.

Following the dolphins’ deaths, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened a criminal investigation into the park and its parent company in May, according to news reports.

The Dolphin Company then filed for bankruptcy on March 31. In a filing last week, the bankruptcy officers noted that the Gulf World property on Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach is being prepared for sale, along with some of the company’s other properties.

In the meantime, the remaining dolphins have been transferred primarily to other facilities owned by The Dolphin Company.

Seals and sea lions were also moved to the Miami Seaquarium, despite concerns that some of the seals had eye issues, according to reporting from the Panama City News Herald.

The Miami Seaquarium is another Dolphin Company facility and has made headlines for its treatment of animals. Miami-Dade County tried to evict the seaquarium in 2024; that remains pending.

“They went from basically trading a headache to an upset stomach,” Greene said, “going from one deplorable roadside attraction to another.”

In the news release, The Dolphin Company blamed the difficulties at Gulf World on “years of neglect” from the Mexico-based team tasked with managing the park.

“Animal welfare and safety continue to be top priorities for the fiduciaries who are managing the company under the auspices of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court,” the company’s news release states.

A representative for The Dolphin Company did not respond to AL.com’s request for comment.

Greene says the federal agencies tasked with regulating Gulf World Marine Park failed to hold the park accountable as conditions deteriorated. An inspector with the U.S. Department of Agriculture documented the dolphin’s water tank cracking as early as 2023.

Greene filed complaints with the Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Those complaints were largely ignored, she said.

TideBreakers has begun circulating a petition, asking for U.S. Congress to hold hearings on the agencies’ alleged failure to monitor The Dolphin Company. It currently has almost 2,500 signatures.

In a statement, Andre Bell, a spokesperson for the agriculture department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it works hard to enforce laws protecting animal welfare.

“APHIS takes its mission to ensure the humane treatment of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) very seriously. We continue to conduct inspections and work with facilities to ensure they are in compliance with regulations under the AWA,” Bell said in an email. “When we find issues that bring facilities out of compliance with the AWA regulations, we work hard to bring them back into compliance as quickly as possible. Our investigative process for individuals and/or businesses found out of compliance with the AWA may lead to an enforcement action such as letters of warning, monetary penalties, license suspensions and revocations.”

A representative for NOAA did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

Greene said she’s frustrated that the animals are still being housed at Dolphin Company-owned facilities as the legal proceedings continue, but she’s hopeful that the increased attention will lead to improved conditions for marine animals held in captivity.

“We need to radically reimagine the laws that are designed to protect these animals that are woefully inadequate,” Greene said. “I think we’re sort of witnessing this whole entire industry implode, starting with The Dolphin Company, and just how they’ve been allowed to function like this for years.”

Auburn athletics is officially a Nike school.

So, what’s next?

The Tigers’ fall sports will be the first to combine Auburn’s traditional colors with the Nike logo.

With all the questions surrounding on how the uniform designs will look in the Nike era. Auburn uniform researcher Clint Richardson broke down his expectations for each major sport.

“I think that football especially is going to be very similar to what we have seen in the last 60 years,” Richardson told AL.com Tuesday morning.

Richardson elaborated on how most Nike college teams and NFL organizations wear the Nike F.U.S.E. jerseys and that fans can expect that same style for Auburn this fall.

“It has a very sharp V seam on the chest and like a large cowcatcher collar,” Richardson added when explaining the jersey design. “You don’t see a lot of teams go with a blank collar with Nike. They always tend to add a logo to the middle of the front collar.”

“Auburn is probably going to go with a blank one and keep the copper plate chest mark on the front. It might get pushed down a little bit. Might get made a little bit bigger than what it was with Under Armour, but I expect football is going to be 99% the same that’s what we’ve always seen.”

For Auburn baseball and Softball, it’s going to follow the same template the MLB is using.

During the 2024 MLB season, there was a widespread of criticism of the Nike-designed-uniforms. The MLBPA addressed the concerns with the league, allowing for changes to be made ahead of this season.

“Baseball is probably going to be moving to the same template that MLB has been using since early last year that caused a lot of controversy between players of fans,” Richardson said. The main issues were on how the looked, how they fit, how they sweat and how the graze didn’t match. So, it’s a very different take on baseball uniforms than what most companies have done.”

Just like the previous sports, Auburn basketball is most likely going to follow the NBA template with its jersey designs. However, sports like soccer could be in for a fresh new design.

“In 2014 they introduced a straight sash jersey and they’ve worn that design ever since,” Richardson said. “It’s gone for a couple iterations, but it’s still a striped sash on the front of the jersey with the Auburn and the player number right in the middle. So, are they going to keep that or are they going to hit a refresh button and try something brand new especially with the coach?”

Through the years, Auburn has kept its tradition alive repping its original colors from the golden ages of the football program. Now officially in the Nike era, Richardson is eager to see the evolution of the Tigers historic colors and stripes.

“There’s a very traditional look that’s being used throughout all of all uniforms currently,” Richardson added. “I wonder if that’s an Auburn as a whole holistic choice to do or trend that’s just keeping on. I’m curious to see what direction each program is going to take him next couple of weeks.”

Even though the partnership launched today, all Nike products will be available for purchase online and in stores July 25th.

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

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend embarrassed me when he told me to apologize to a woman standing behind him in line at the market. He was about to pay for the groceries when I said I’d run to get an item I had forgotten. It took less than a minute, and the order was still being rung up.

When I went back to include the item, he ordered me loudly to apologize to the woman standing in line behind him. Abby, he was still paying! She wasn’t even in line when I went to get the mustard. Because he was still there, I thought he had told her he was waiting for me.

It’s not the first time he’s done something like this. I don’t think I did anything wrong, and even if I did, he could have told me privately and not made me feel like a misbehaving child. I would feel different if we had left the checkout line, but he hadn’t. I thought he was holding the line for me. — NOT A CHILD IN FLORIDA

DEAR NOT A CHILD: If there had been a long line, I can understand that running back to fetch the mustard might have caused a serious inconvenience.

Because there wasn’t, your boyfriend should not have embarrassed you the way he did. Since it wasn’t the first time he has done something like this, assume that he derives satisfaction from doing it. Think hard about whether you really want a future with a partner like him. (I know I wouldn’t.)

Read more Dear Abby and other advice columns.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Every day until Aug. 29, Creg Stephenson is counting down significant numbers in Alabama football history, both in the lead-up to the 2025 football season and in commemoration of the Crimson Tide’s first national championship 100 years ago. The number could be attached to a year, a uniform number or even a football-specific statistic. We hope you enjoy.

Alabama has had some dominant runs in the Iron Bowl over the years.

The Crimson Tide beat Auburn nine consecutive years from 1973-81, a period in which it won seven SEC championships and three national titles. Alabama will carry a five-game winning streak against its in-state rival into the 2025 Iron Bowl.

But no run in the more than 75 years of the modern Iron Bowl has matched what Paul “Bear” Bryant’s Alabama teams did vs. Auburn from 1959-62. Not only did the Crimson Tide win all four of those games, but Auburn didn’t even score.

Alabama won 10-0 in 1959, snapping Auburn’s five-game winning streak in the series. The Crimson Tide edged the Tigers 3-0 in 1960 before turning up the juice in the latter two years.

Alabama won 34-0 in 1961 and 38-0 in 1962, the first of those two years part of a national championship season. Auburn would finally snap the streak with a 10-8 victory in 1963, but Alabama then reeled off five more in a row from 1964-68.

The four-game Iron Bowl shutout streak was part of Bryant’s Alabama program beginning to assert itself, and letting the rest of the SEC know what was in store over the next 25 years. His first Crimson Tide team finished 5-4-1, ending its season with a 14-8 loss to defending national champion Auburn at Legion Field on Nov. 29.

Alabama’s 1959 season began with a sputter, a 17-3 loss at Georgia. But the Crimson Tide went 6-0-2 after that, tying Vanderbilt and Tennessee (7-7 in each game).

Auburn was 7-2 coming into the Iron Bowl, with a 3-0 loss to Tennessee and a 14-13 defeat to Georgia. Ralph “Shug” Jordan’s Tigers had been 19-0-1 combined in 1957 and 1958, a 7-7 tie vs. Georgia Tech in the latter year keeping Auburn out of the running for back-to-back national championships (LSU, which finished 11-0, took home the title that season).

Tommy Brooker’s 27-yard field goal and Bobby Skelton’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Marlin “Scooter” Dyess accounted for all the points in the 1959 Iron Bowl. No. 19 Alabama’s defense held No. 11 Auburn to a mere 131 total yards, only 17 passing.

Both teams were ranked again coming into the 1960 Iron Bowl, Auburn No. 8 at 8-1 with its lone loss to Tennessee 10-3 in the opener. Alabama was ranked No. 17 and 7-1-1, having tied Tulane and also lost to Tennessee (20-7).

This one turned out to be the lowest-scoring Iron Bowl in history, with Tommy Brooker’s 12-yard field goal midway through the second quarter accounting for the only points of the game. Again Alabama’s defense put the clamps down on Auburn, limiting the Tigers to just 134 yards of offense and five first downs.

Auburn took a step back in 1961, carrying a 6-3 record and no national ranking into the Iron Bowl on Dec. 2. Alabama, on the other hand, was surging, with Bryant’s first great team asserting itself as a national power.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide allowed just 22 points in its first nine games, including four straight shutouts heading into the Auburn game. Alabama had beaten Tennessee 34-3 in October, and blanked longtime nemesis Georgia 10-0 two weeks before the showdown with the Tigers at Legion Field.

This Iron Bowl was a laugher, as Alabama’s defense forced five turnovers in a 34-0 romp. The Crimson Tide had a relatively big game offensively, with Billy Richardson rushing for two touchdowns and quarterback Pat Trammell accounting for one each passing and running.

Three days later, Alabama was voted No. 1 in both the final Associated Press and coaches’ polls. The national championship was the first of six the Crimson Tide would win in 25 years under Bryant (Alabama beat Arkansas 10-3 in the Sugar Bowl to finish an 11-0 season).

Alabama was very nearly as good in 1962, though a 7-6 loss at Georgia Tech on Nov. 17 ended its hopes for a second consecutive national title. The No. 5 Crimson Tide took out its frustrations on Auburn, which was limping to another less-than-stellar finish after losing to Florida and Georgia and tying Florida State.

This game was over nearly from the opening kickoff, which Alabama’s Butch Wilson returned 92 yards for a touchdown as part of a 38-0 rout. The Crimson Tide this time forced seven Auburn turnovers, Bill Battle recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown and sophomore quarterback Joe Namath threw three scoring passes. (Alabama beat Oklahoma 17-0 in the Orange Bowl to finish the season at 10-1.)

Freshmen weren’t eligible to play varsity sports until 1972, which means two full classes of Alabama seniors not only went undefeated against Auburn — they went unscored upon in the three Iron Bowls in which they played. The 1961 seniors, a group that included Trammell, Brooker, Richardson and All-America tackle Billy Neighbors, outscored the Tigers by a combined 47-0.

The 1962 class, which included Battle, Wilson, Charley Pell and All-America linebacker Lee Roy Jordan, beat their in-state rivals by a total score of 75-0. Bragging rights don’t get much more definitive than that.

Coming Thursday: Our countdown continues with No. 58, when an unparalleled quarter-century of excellence began for Alabama.

Laws in effect

We mentioned yesterday that the ban on smokeable hemp was going into effect. That’s not the only legislative action to kick in as of July 1, reports AL.com’s Mike Cason.

Also going live was a bill that established paid parental leave for education and state employees of eight weeks for mothers and two weeks for fathers. That applies after a birth, stillbirth or miscarriage.

It also provides paid leave for parents adopting a child age 3 or younger.

Another bill that’s taken effect adds half a billion dollars to the amount the state can borrow for prison construction. Back in 2021 lawmakers approved $1.3 billion to build prisons in Elmore and Escambia counties. Since then, the price of the first prison (in Elmore County) has risen to more than a billion dollars.

And the overtime state-income-tax exemption has expired. That was a popular bipartisan measure at the time, but lawmakers let it expire because of the lack of revenue’s impact on the education budget. A bill to extend the exemption failed during this past legislative session.

Come Sept. 1, two other tax cuts will take effect: One that further lowers the state sales tax on food from 3% to 2% and another to exempt diapers, baby formula, feminine hygiene products and a few other items from the state sales tax, which is 4%.

Looming parole-board decision

State Attorney General Steve Marshall sounded his support for the former assistant AG who brought the state’s parole rate down into the single digits as parole-board chair, reports AL.com’s Ivana Hrynkiw.

Leigh Gwathney’s seat on the board has expired, but she’ll stay on until Gov. Kay Ivey appoints a replacement. Marshall hopes it’s a reappointment for Gwathney. The formal request he sent to Ivey was signed by 76 people in law enforcement, including sheriffs and district attorneys.

The AG also wrote about “unprecedented and unwarranted criticism by the liberal media.”

The parole rate fell from around 50% to as low as 8% under Gwalthney, with her vote a nearly automatic “no” when the three-person board decides whether to parole an eligible inmate.

Two former Alabama Supreme Court chief justices — Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Sue Bell Cobb — are among those who’ve expressed concern over the lack of paroles granted, with Moore calling the system broken.

That 8% rate was from 2023. The parole rate increased to 20% last year, with Gwathney still being a reliable “no” vote.

Catholic leadership

Pope Leo XIV has named a new archbishop for the Archdiocese of Mobile, reports AL.com’s Greg Garrison.

Bishop Mark S. Rivituso will take over for Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, who aged out of the job.

Rivituso has been the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis since 2017.

A risky childbirth

A woman has reached a confidential settlement after she said she was left to give birth alone in the Etowah County Jail, reports AL.com’s Savannah Tryens-Fernandes.

The woman was arrested for using drugs while pregnant just two months into her pregnancy. Seven months later, her water broke.

Her lawyers said she wasn’t taken to the hospital and ended up giving birth in the shower and going through a placental abruption. The lawsuit claims that jail staff then looked at her and took pictures before calling for medical care.

The lawsuit was filed against Etowah County and officials at the Etowah County Jail, jail medical contractors Doctors’ Care Physicians and some of its employees, and CED Mental Health Services.

Settlements with the defendants were kept confidential.

One big, beautiful update

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed the budget reconciliation bill known as One Big Beautiful Bill, but it’ll still have to make a run through the House of Representatives today as lawmakers there mull the Senate’s changes.

We’ll have more on that in the days and weeks ahead as it becomes more clear how the final product might affect Alabama.

The bill makes permanent the 2017 tax cuts and adds some, such as eliminating taxes on tips.

Cuts and changes to the food-stamps and Medicare programs are frustrating Democrats and some Republicans. Advocacy groups such as Alabama Arise are warning of large numbers of people in Alabama losing access to those programs as well as how that will affect rural hospitals and grocery stores. Efforts were made in the bill to counter one of those that by putting more money into a rural hospital fund.

Another amendment scrapped a provision that would’ve stopped states from regulating artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, some traditional conservatives are crying foul over the bill’s effect on the high-flying federal budget deficit.

Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt of Alabama supported the bill.

By the Numbers

21,000

That’s how many words a day children 5 and under should hear in order to optimize development, some say. A literacy program in Birmingham is making that a goal.

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1937, actress Polly Holliday, who was born in Jasper and grew up in the Sylacauga/Childersburg area.

In 1939, Temptations baritone Paul Williams of Birmingham.

The podcast

Wimbledon continues today, as second-round action is ready to begin this morning. No. 12 Frances Tiafoe is scheduled to play against Cameron Norrie at 7 a.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this second-round match for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

Tiafoe played at a high level in his first-round Wimbledon match, as he secured a 3-0 win against Elmer Moller. During the victory, Tiafoe did not concede more than four games in a single set. If he continues to play well this morning, then Tiafoe will be difficult to defeat in the tournament.

Notably, Tiafoe was able to reach the quarterfinals in the French Open last month.

Norrie also played well in his first-round Wimbledon match, as he secured a 3-1 victory against Roberto Bautista. In the final set of the match, Norrie was able to win via tiebreaks. If Norrie carries that momentum into today’s match, then he could pull off the upset against Tiafoe this morning.

In the French Open, Norrie reached the fourth round. Notably, he was able to defeat No. 11 Daniil Medvedev at the tournament.

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

Dear Annie: My sister and I were inseparable growing up. We talked every day, shared everything and supported each other through some tough times, including the death of our dad five years ago. But ever since she started dating her current boyfriend about a year ago, things have changed in a way I never expected.

At first, I tried to be supportive. But over time, I started noticing how he talks down to her, how he seems to monitor her phone and how she slowly began pulling away from everyone, including me. She stopped coming to family dinners. She rarely returns calls. The sister who once called to ask my advice about everything now acts like I am a stranger.

It is not just me. Our mom is in her 70s and has been in and out of the hospital this past year. My sister used to be so attentive, but now she barely checks in. I have taken over the caretaking, which I do out of love, but I cannot lie; it hurts. I am grieving not only the distance but the silence. And I feel helpless watching her fade from the people who love her most.

I miss her. I am scared for her. I have thought about confronting her boyfriend, but I am afraid it would only drive her further away. Part of me wants to just keep trying, while another part wonders if I need to step back and accept that she has made her choice, even if it breaks my heart.

How do I help someone I love when she is shutting me out? — Worried and Waiting

Dear Worried and Waiting: It sounds like your sister is in a relationship that is both isolating and unhealthy, and unfortunately, people in those situations often pull away from the ones who care the most. You cannot force her to see what you see. What you can do is let her know the door is open. Keep your messages simple and loving. Avoid criticizing her boyfriend directly — it will only make her more defensive.

Continue caring for your mother and taking pride in the fact that you are doing the right thing. I know it hurts, but your sister has to come to her own conclusions in her own time. In the meantime, protect your own peace. Do not let guilt or resentment take over.

You are a good sister. Be steady, not pushy. She may come back. And when she does, you will be there.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

The lunar squares emphasize the need to lead with integrity. That means doing it the same alone as you would when people are watching. Also, even when it feels like no one’s noticing, they are. In fact, someone’s watching you to figure out how to behave, so whatever you do, they will also do. Does that change your agenda?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). It’s senseless to ask for permission in situations where no one is in charge. That would be like riding into the Wild West and asking to see the town ordinances. You’ll magnetize opportunity by acting as if you already belong.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If something excites you, claim it. Don’t try to impress — try to connect. If you can make someone feel like the most important person in the world while you’re with them, you’re operating at a high level of humanity.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Feelings, when accepted, tend to pass. When repressed or argued with, they linger and distort. Let it move through. Acknowledge it without judgment. Let the feeling exist and it won’t bother you for long.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll thrive in the thrust of the challenge because you love the game. You’re good at it. You have range. You can play with tone, break the rules, depart, fly and stick the landing. You’re magnetic when you’re in your zone.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’re more emotionally fluent than most today. You’ll sense the feeling under the conversation — the thing no one’s naming. What should you do with the information? Let it guide your tone, not your agenda, and the rest will come to you along the way.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ve seen enough to know that weird can be wonderful. Something that doesn’t make sense at first will turn out to be exactly right. Trust your fascination. It comes from a part of you that is guided by forces beyond logic.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There are those who want you to do things the same way they would, but that’s not going to work. Be polite, be blithe and be moving right along. Even if you’re not sure where you’re going, you’ll get there in your own way. Keep walking.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There are those who act nice because they have excellent manners, or because it’s the most expedient way to carry out business. You act nice because you are nice. Everyone feels it and wants to be around you because of it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your emotional frequency — your style of thinking, feeling, creating — isn’t common, but there are still plenty of others out there on a similar wavelength. Hold out for the kind of belonging that doesn’t require shrinking or explaining, just recognizing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). An urge to declutter is about more than the stuff. You’re clearing space to think, breathe, feel — and be bored for a second, too, which is part of it. Boredom can be fertile. In a wide-open moment, new ideas will float in.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Dealing with anxiety head-on probably won’t make it go away. You’re well-aware that the internal dialogue is just thoughts, but they live in your body and can be released through movement. Today, you can effectively walk/run/hug/dance it off.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). “Let’s proceed with mischief,” said an anonymous fairy in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Today, it might mean doing one thing out loud that you’d usually keep private. A bold compliment. A strange idea. A confession. Pick someone fun to deliver it to.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 2). Purposefulness and effectiveness will be your hallmarks this year. You’ll tackle whatever task life tosses you. Your style of work and care will take on just the shape that’s most needed, be it solid, tender, impressive, comforting, tender or instructive. More highlights: You’ll get to choose your company. Reciprocation and mutuality are the vibes you most often get. You’ll be swept into a quest. Pisces and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 13, 1, 15, 20 and 50.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Larry David recently wrapped the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and the show’s legendary run of 24 years. The Cancer moonchild expresses a “crabby” side as a cultural icon of discomfort and hyperawareness. David was born when the sun and Mercury were in Cancer, and he has the hard-shell humor deflector to prove it. He was born when the moon was in Capricorn, the sign of moguls.

Holiday Mathis’ debut novel, “How To Fail Epically in Hollywood,” is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

A wreck Tuesday afternoon resulted in the death of one Huntsville City employee and left two other people injured.

The Marshall County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Facebook that Hank Hornbuckle died during the single-vehicle crash.

“Marshall County Coroner’s Office responded to the area of 10495 US Highway 231 in Arab around 3:00 pm on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 in reference to a one car MVC involving a city of Huntsville Utilities vehicle,” the coroner’s office said. “This office can confirm that Hank Ross Hornbuckle, 44, of New Hope, Alabama died on the scene.“

According to WAFF48, New Hope Mayor Roger Walling said Hornbuckle was a candidate for the New Hope City Council.

Walling also told the outlet that the crash injured city councilman Donnie Dowdy.

The incident is being investigated by Alabama State Troopers.

On Tuesday at 7:57 p.m. the National Weather Service issued a flood advisory in effect until 10 p.m. for Coffee County.

The weather service comments, “Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.”

“Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas,” describes the weather service. “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.”

Breaking down weather alerts: 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 released when flooding is not expected to reach a severity level necessitating a warning. Nonetheless, it can still cause considerable inconvenience and, without exercising caution, potentially lead to situations that 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

Floods can pose a significant threat, especially if you live in a flood-prone area or find yourself camping in a low-lying region. To ensure your safety, the weather service offers essential flood safety guidelines:

Move to higher ground:

If you reside in a flood-prone region or are camping in low-lying terrain, the first step to safety is relocating to higher ground.

Follow 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 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.

Swift evacuation for your 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.

During heavy rain, flooding is possible, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Never drive through water on the road, even if it does not appear to be deep. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars, according to the weather service. Stay safe by being prepared and informed.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

When heavy rain sets in, the risk of flooding and hazardous driving conditions rises. Whether it’s prolonged rainfall or rapid runoff, being prepared is essential. Here are some valuable safety tips from the weather service to ensure you stay safe in heavy rain:

Beware of rapid water flow:

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:

Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator 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:

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:

• Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.
• 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.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

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.