General News

General

Update: Baldwin County under a flood advisory Saturday morning due to persistent downpours

The National Weather Service issued an updated flood advisory at 7:37 a.m. on Saturday in effect until 9:30 a.m. for Baldwin County.

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

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

Deciphering advisories, watches, and warnings: Understanding weather alerts

  • Flash flood warning: Take action!

A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area, move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

  • 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 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.

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 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 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.

Evacuate promptly for 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 higher ground when 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 periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas. It is imperative to avoid driving through any water on the road, even if it seems shallow. According to the weather service, most cars can be swept away by just 12 inches of rushing water. Stay safe by being prepared and informed.

Navigating heavy rain: Essential safety measures for wet roads

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 rapid water flow:

Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away.

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:

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:

Stick to the middle lanes to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Outer lanes are more prone to accumulating water.

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:

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.

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.

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General

Whitmire: Tuberville’s ‘rat’ talk isn’t just racist — it’s a warning

This column originally appeared in Kyle Whitmire’s newsletter, Alabamafication. Sign up here to get it in your inbox for free.

Earlier this week, I wrote about my belief that Bernie Bros and MAGA Trump supporters are more similar than they are different. They share many of the same frustrations:

– Homes are priced out of reach.

– Political influence is exclusive to those wealthy enough to make campaign donations.

– Higher education is no longer worth the price of admission.

Plenty of politicians are trying to take advantage of those frustrations. But if we want to break free of the phony us-vs-them dichotomies of American politics, how do we tell good from bad or right from wrong?

Thankfully, we have the help of U.S. Senator and wannabe Alabama governor Tommy Tuberville to show us the difference.

This week, Tuberville went on the Benny Johnson Show. If you don’t know who Johnson is, a quick Google search will return important information — like how his show was once secretly sponsored by the Kremlin and how he helped spread the lie that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people’s pets.

These sorts of things might once have caused elected officials to stay away. Today, they’re an ideal forum for Alabama’s senior senator.

When Johnson started asking Tuberville what he thought of the Great Replacement — a racist claim that white people are being purposefully replaced to steal control of America — Tuberville didn’t seem fazed at all. He rolled with it, calling immigrants in major cities “rats.”

“These inner-city rats, they live off the federal government,” Tuberville said. “And that’s one reason we’re $37 trillion in debt. And it’s time we find these rats and we send them back home, that are living off the American taxpayers that are working very hard every week to pay taxes.”

We’ve heard this sort of talk before — in Nazi Germany, and Rwanda, or the pre-Civil War South. When powerful people refer to minorities as vermin, horrible things tend to follow.

But you don’t have to believe Tuberville is setting the stage for a pogrom to be turned off by this kind of talk, because scapegoating immigrants is a warning of something else.

First, a candidate makes big promises to make people’s lives better. Then, they win office. Once there, they realize the problems they promised to solve are a lot harder than they thought. When they fail to deliver, they look for someone else to blame — Black people, immigrants, Jews, LGBTQ folks.

It’s their fault!

But Tommy Tuberville is already doing it, and Election Day is still a year and a half away. And let’s face it, what else has he got?

Go look at his campaign website for governor. His paragraph on education is a bunch of buzzwords that prior administrations in Alabama have already tried, to little effect.

He promises to defend the borders. Georgia will be relieved.

He says he’s pro-life. Alabama already outlawed abortion.

He’s for “Alabama values.” But whether that includes a lottery is anybody’s guess.

“Poisonous ideologies like Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which teach our kids to hate each other, should have no place in our government or our schools,” Tuberville says.

That’s funny coming from a guy who just referred to human beings as rats.

To borrow a line from another (better) Alabama football coach, it’s rat poison — coming from a man who’s got nothing better to offer.

There are many distinctions for us to draw among our candidates for public office. And there’s one difference that matters most of all — the split between those who have ideas and those who don’t.


Like the column? Subscribe to the newsletter. It’s free.

THIS WILL BE ON THE TEST

🤬 State secrets. Bodycams were supposed to rebuild trust in police by creating a record everybody could see. Then Alabama made them a state secret. After a Homewood police officer shot an 18-year-old, the department and state investigators are again refusing to play the taxpayer-funded videos on taxpayer-funded equipment for the public.

Body cam video of Homewood police killing Aliceville teen is ‘being hidden,’ family lawyer says

[AL.com]

😂 Bunker busted. U.S. Senator Katie Britt went on TV this week to say Donald Trump was a “no doubt” shoo-in for a Nobel Peace Prize for [checks notes] bombing Iran. Late Show host Stephen Colbert dropped bombs.

No doubt? Some doubt.

[The Late Show]

😖 Born in the USA? Whatever! The U.S. Supreme Court kneecapped the federal judiciary, empowered the president to defy the Constitution and undermined the citizenship of natural-born Americans all in one fell swoop. Bulwark columnist Jonathan V. Last has dark thoughts.

The Supreme Court Just Made America a Dangerous Place

[The Bulwark]

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General

Could Tropical Storm Barry form in the southern Gulf?

The National Hurricane Center on Saturday continued to watch a tropical disturbance in the southern Gulf (or Bay of Campeche).

The system now has a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression, up from 20 percent Friday morning.

The Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters are scheduled to investigate the system later today, the hurricane center said.

However, the storm is not expected to directly threaten the United States.

The hurricane center said the area of low pressure in question was located over the eastern Bay of Campeche near the coast of Mexico and appeared disorganized on Saturday.

However, forecasters think it could get better organized today and Sunday as it tracks to the west-northwest.

It could become a tropical depression, the hurricane center said, over the weekend before it moves inland over eastern Mexico on Monday.

A system has to have a defined surface circulation and winds of at least 40 mph to be considered a tropical storm and get a name. The next name on the 2025 storm list is Barry.

Tropical storm or not, the system could bring flooding rain to parts of Belize, Guatemala and southeastern Mexico during the next few days.

It’s not expected to be a big weather maker for south Texas, however. The National Weather Service office in Brownsville, Texas, said on Saturday that “little to no impacts from this system are expected for deep south Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.”

If the storm were to become Tropical Storm Barry, it would be the second named storm of the 2025 season.

The first storm, Tropical Storm Andrea, formed June 24 in the central Atlantic, far from land, and dissipated less than 24 hours later. It’s highest winds were 40 mph.

Forecasters are expecting activity to pick up in the tropics later this summer, and there is a high chance for an above-average number of storms before the season’s end on Nov. 30.

Here’s the outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1.NOAA

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General

Everything you need to know about Alabama’s new area code

Alabama’s got a new area code coming next year – the seventh for the state – but there are other changes for which you may need to prepare.

Alabama’s Public Service Commission in March 2024 approved the new code – 483 – for phone customers in the same area as the existing area code 334.

The 334 area code serves Selma, Montgomery, Prattville, Pike Road, Tuskegee, Auburn, Opelika, Phenix City, Eufaula, Dothan, Enterprise, Troy, Greenville and a large area of central and southeast Alabama.

Why the change? A forecast for the 334 area code estimated that it would exhaust its possible number combinations by the third quarter of 2026.

If you live in the 334 area code, don’t worry. It will not affect existing service for any customers there, according to the Public Service Commission.

New customers, or customers requesting an additional telephone line, may be assigned the new 483 area code, but that won’t not begin until February 23 of next year.

And there’s another change coming as well – mandatory 10-digit dialing for all local calls, meaning area code and phone number.

The hard start date for that change will be Jan. 23, 2026, but phone customers, beginning July 23, are being encouraged to start early.

That also gives you time to reprogram numbers on autodial to the 10-digit number.

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General

Mexico-Saudi Arabia free livestream: How to watch Gold Cup Quarterfinals, TV, time

Mexico plays against Saudi Arabia in the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinals tonight. The matchup will begin at 9:15 p.m. CT on FS1. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

Mexico ended the group stage with a 2-1-0 record, which helped them secure first place in their group. In their most recent game, the Mexico squad tied 0-0 with Costa Rica. Notably, the Mexico squad has a +3 goal differential at the Concacaf Gold Cup this year.

In order to win the quarterfinal game, the Mexico squad will need a great performance from their star player Cesar Montes. He leads the team with three goals at the tournament.

Saudi Arabia ended the group stage with a 1-1-1 record, and they are coming off a 1-1 tie against Trinidad and Tobago.

Saudi Arabia only scored two goals in the group stage, but they also held their opponents to two goals. With this in mind, tonight’s game should be low scoring.

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

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General

Alabama parole board being sued for ‘violating mandatory duties’

A lawyer is suing the Alabama parole board for “violations of administrative and statutory duties,” arguing her client should have been paroled last year and asking a civil judge to intervene.

Lauren Faraino, the attorney who filed the lawsuit, is also asking the Montgomery County District Attorney to open a criminal investigation into the chair of the parole board, Leigh Gwathney, for “knowing neglect of mandatory duties.”

Cam Ward, the director of the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, called the suit “flippant and frivolous.”

“The Bureau was only made aware of the lawsuit today,” said Ward late Friday. He runs the bureau, which oversees the 45,000 people on probation and parole across the state and isn’t responsible for parole decisions.

“However, we are confident the Board acted legally and in accordance with the law in making their parole decision. They will continue to do so, accordingly, should the Legislature wish to change or amend rules governing Alabama’s parole system.”

Ward said, “This is a flippant and frivolous lawsuit based on questions more apt for the legislature than Alabama’s court system.”

In the lawsuit filed earlier this month, Faraino asked a Montgomery County civil judge to “review the unlawful actions of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles and its members, Leigh Gwathney, Darryl Littleton, and Gabrelle Simmons, for violations of administrative and statutory duties” when they unanimously denied parole to her client, Kenneth Shaun Traywick.

Traywick, 49, was denied parole on June 18, 2024. Traywick is behind bars for 2008 charges of robbery and sodomy and has served 16 years of a 50-year sentence.

Faraino is asking the civil courts to review Gwathney and her colleagues’ “misconduct.” She wrote that their decision “was not grounded in evidence or structured assessment, and therefore violated the mandatory duties.”

Traywick, who said he’s innocent of the charges he was convicted of, was denied parole after a hearing last summer and the board set him for another hearing in 2029.

Faraino argued in the lawsuit there was “individual and coordinated misconduct of the members” during Traywick’s hearing. She spoke on his behalf that morning last June, along with his wife and a therapist.

Gwathney, the chairperson of the three-member parole board, has been under fire from the public and lawmakers alike for historic low parole rates, which dipped as low as 8% in 2023. The board ended 2024 with a 20% grant rate and is on track for a 21% grant rate this year.

Gwathney’s term as chair expires on Monday. State law requires the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, and the Senate pro tem leader to submit a list of five nominations for the seat to the governor’s desk. Then, Gov. Kay Ivey will choose her pick from that list within 10 days.

Gwathney, a former prosecutor for the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and Jefferson County, could be renominated or reappointed. She will serve in the position until a nomination is announced or she is put back in the seat.

The list of nominations has not been made public.

During Traywick’s hearing last summer, Faraino told the board: “Alabama’s denial rates foster despair with decisions driven by fear and political pressure.”

“The result? Rising violence and drug overdoses with death rates in our prisons now approaching a death a day.”

She said at the time that Traywick’s last disciplinary was in 2021 and he works as an autobody repair trainer. She added a “top clinical therapist in Alabama” was committed to working with Traywick for his long-term care.

The victim in the case spoke against Traywick’s parole that morning, along with a victim’s representative and a representative of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.

“Words cannot describe what I’ve went through the past 18 years to know… that I couldn’t walk into my house without the fear of somebody following me home again,” she said.

All three board members, according to a standard document mailed to Traywick after the hearing, identified Traywick as “high risk” or “very high risk” on his risk assessment sheet—an internal document used to aid parole decisions.

Faraino said the board designated Traywick a high-risk category “without evidentiary support” and violated their own policies, the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, and their statutory duties.

The designation came from Traywick’s Ohio Risk Assessment System analysis, which the state board uses as an aide in its decision making. They do not have to follow the assessment or their own parole guidelines, and have total discretion in decisions.

“This designation was plainly false,” wrote Faraino. “There is no valid evidence to support such a classification, and it is contrary to what the ORAS score would have shown had it been applied accurately.”

The inaccurate ORAS score, according to Faraino, influenced the board’s decision and Traywick’s denial of parole. According to the lawyer, an independent ORAS evaluator spoke with Traywick and rated him between low and medium risk.

The board members also cited two other reasons for Traywick’s denial: Negative input from stakeholders and the severity of the crime.

Traywick, also known as Swift Justice, is a co-founder of a prison advocacy group called Unheard Voices of the Concrete Jungle.

On Thursday, Traywick penned a letter to Azzie Oliver, the Montgomery County District Attorney, asking for Gwathney to be also investigated criminally “for knowingly and willfully neglecting her mandatory duties during the parole consideration process in my case.”

In his letter, obtained by AL.com, Traywick wrote that he believed Gwathney and the other two board members’ actions were “not merely administrative negligence but a targeted act of retaliation against me due to my public exposure of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles through media platforms and advocacy efforts that have criticized the Board’s systemic failures.”

Traywick mentioned a video that was played during his parole hearing, which his lawyer recorded of him in prison. The videos are a way parole board members can hear directly from an applicant, as inmates aren’t allowed to attend their own hearings. In his video, Traywick said he “expressed honest and forthright opinions about the Board’s dysfunction and abuse of authority.”

“It is no coincidence that, following this lawful exercise of speech and criticism, the Board—led by Chair Gwathney—falsely designated me as high-risk and denied parole based on a knowingly inaccurate record,” he wrote to the district attorney.

He asked the prosecutor to open a criminal investigation into Gwathney and to “ensure that state officials are held accountable to the same standards of justice as any private citizen.”

Faraino included a separate letter of her own with a similar call for a criminal investigation.

“I am fully aware that parole is a privilege, not a right; however, Alabama law is clear that every person is entitled to an impartial hearing before an impartial Board based on accurate facts — and that is not what is happening under Ms. Gwathney’s direction,” she wrote.

“At my client’s request, and because of the public trust at stake, I am also making this letter public. I believe that those with the power to determine who remains in prison should be held to the same — if not a higher — standard of compliance with the law as those whose freedom they control.”

She said Traywick’s denial “is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of disregarding statutory requirements meant to ensure parole decisions are based on valid, objective criteria.”

Faraino told AL.com via email, “When the head of Alabama’s parole board admits to changing official scores and ignoring basic guidelines, that’s not politics — that’s a direct attack on the integrity of our laws. If people inside prison face felony charges for violating Alabama statutes, the people deciding their fate should face the same consequences when they break it.”

Gwathney did not respond for a request for comment before publication.

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General

Two Alabama companies receive DHS contracts for ‘emergency’ immigration detention services

Two companies in south Alabama received federal contracts related to expanding detention beds across the country for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to official government spending data.

The two companies from Mobile are identified as Kastel Enterprises and Rapid Deployment Inc. Both entities market themselves as providers of emergency response services.

These services also included the capacity to provide tents or soft-sided facilities which have been built as temporary holding spaces for ICE detainees.

The USASpending website shows that both companies started the contracts on May 17 and have an end date for May 16, 2027.

“Each company received a task order valued at $250, allowing ICE to quickly dole out larger deals moving forward,” Bloomberg reported.

The Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to AL.com‘s request for comment.

The website also provides a description of the contract awarded to both businesses.

The description states that the awards are for “emergency detention and related services for aliens in immigration and customs enforcement custody within the contiguous United States and areas outside the contiguous United States.”

ICE established the contract opportunity to “bring an additional allotment of detention beds online nationwide” to comply with an executive order from President Donald Trump, according to SAM.gov.

After returning to the White House in January, Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border which has been used as a justification to expedite contracts for detention beds, according to the Associated Press.

While the contract was created to help with increasing detention beds, it is unclear what specific work Kastel Enterprise and Rapid Deployment will be conducting or if it will take place in Mobile.

AL.com spoke with a representative for Kastel, who refused to identify herself. She stated that the there was misinformation out there as the company was not involved in “building any ICE facilities.”

Community members are concerned that Kastel Enterprises is contracting with ICE and possibly helping to build tent camps.

The representative for Kastel refused follow-up questions saying, “We’re not allowed to make any comments at this time.”

Yolanda Carreras, an organizer with Latinos United Mobile, questioned why the company would be helping ICE in any capacity.

“Kastel enterprises is woman-owned, and they’re certified with like minorities and women enterprises,” Carreras said. “So, the question is if you claim to support minorities and stuff like that, then why are you working with ICE.”

Kastel Enterprises describes itself as a woman-owned “small business specializing in disaster response, facility support, workforce housing, and wrap around services,” according to the company’s website.

According to LinkedIn, Macy Nelson is identified as the owner and CEO of Kastel Enterprises. Nelson was at Mar-a-Lago in February, she posted to her social media.

Efforts to reach Rapid Deployment were unsuccessful by AL.com.

Rapid Deployment was previously awarded a contract under former President Joe Biden’s administration to create a tent city in Texas for migrant children who arrived at the border alone.

According to VICE News, the facilities built by the contractor were criticized for feeling like “an internment camp, where kids are surrounded by a secure perimeter and crowded into flimsy tents.”

Rapid Deployment‘s CEO, Bruce Wagner, has been dubbed the “Master of Disaster” due to his prolific record of assisting and profiting from natural disaster responses.

Wagner is also a Republican and according to his social media he attended Trump’s inauguration ball and went to Mar-a-Lago in February.

Both Rapid Deployment Inc. and Kastel Enterprises will likely be competing in eight different categories related to ICE’s needs, Bloomberg reported.

These categories include assistance with facilities, operation, transportation, medical care and legal resources.

As ICE detention centers continue to fill rapidly as the Trump administration stresses daily arrest totals, advocates remain concerned about overcrowding and inhumane conditions.

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General

This Alabama-filmed horror movie just ranked in the top 10 best films of the century

The New York Times has weighed in on “The 100 best movies of the 21st Century,” and the results include a couple of strong Alabama connections – including a Top 10 selection filmed in the state.

It’s an eclectic slate, including independent projects, Hollywood blockbusters, foreign films and even a couple of documentaries. That makes for some interesting juxtapositions. For example, iconoclastic Danish director Lars Von Trier’s artsy 2011 sci-fi drama “Melancholia” comes in at No. 84, one spot ahead of 2004’s “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Director Christopher Nolan arguably dominates the list, with five entries.

Alabama is represented by “Get Out,” the 2017 horror flick and social satire that Jordan Peele filmed primarily in Fairhope and Mobile. It’s listed at No. 8, right between Michel Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (No. 7) and Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” (No. 9).

The project went on to win some high honors, including best movie and best original screenplay from the Southeastern Film Critics Association, best feature at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and an Oscar for best original screenplay.

Several people involved with the project spoke positively about their Alabama experience in an oral history published in New York Magazine. “I went to Alabama with my own stereotypes and preconceived notions about getting chased out,” said Peele. “There’s definitely a feeling that you’re in Trump country. But I have to say, the stereotypes were proved wrong. People were very sweet, very open, and there’s a lot of film lovers there who are very intelligent. Ultimately, I loved Alabama.”

Another Alabama connection comes via “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the surreal 2022 philosophical action starring Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan. It’s ranked No. 77 on the Times list, right behind the Coen Brothers classic “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Birmingham native Daniel Scheinert co-wrote and co-directed with Daniel Kwan. In a 2022 AL.com interview, Scheinert talked at length about the way youthful opportunities helped him pursue a career in film, and how he feels about the state. “I think Alabama can be somewhat close-minded sometimes and homophobic and really obsessed with tradition, and that can make you feel unwelcome as a kid if you’re weird,” he said. “But also there’s so much beauty, and I miss it and love the people. And this movie is a love letter to our parents at the same time as it’s kind of dealing with misunderstandings and generation gaps and dealing with the struggle to communicate with folks that are in a family.”

The film dominated the Critics Choice Awards, winning best picture, director, screenplay, supporting actor and editing. It went on to win seven Oscars, including best picture, best original screenplay and best director.

Read the full list to see which third of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” which half of Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” epic and which of Nolan’s Batman movies merited inclusion.

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General

Thompson veteran QB Trent Seaborn has ‘rare dedication’ to be exceptional

Thompson quarterback Trent Seaborn has started 31 games in high school career.

He still has two years left to play for the Warriors.

Seaborn’s first start came in the first round of the 2022 playoffs against Huntsville. He threw for four touchdowns in a 34-0 victory. Three weeks later, he was MVP of the Class 7A state championship game as an eighth grader.

“It’s definitely been a long time,” Seaborn said last week at the Foley 7-on-7 event. “A lot has happened since then. I definitely thank my teammates and my coaches for all the growth and improvement I’ve made. They’ve been with me every step of the way, and I can’t thank them enough.”

The 6-foot-1 Seaborn is now one of the top juniors in the state and top quarterbacks in the nation. The On3 Industry Rankings have him as the No. 10 junior prospect in Alabama and the No. 16 quarterback in the nation.

His college offers already include South Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, Oregon, Maryland, Ole Miss, North Carolina and Tennessee, but he told AL.com this week that a decision is likely not close.

“I haven’t really narrowed it down all that much,” he said. “I’m still trying to see a variety of schools and coaches. I’ve been able to go to different places this spring and summer and got to meet a lot of different people and see a lot of different places. I don’t really have a decision yet or really a timeframe either. I’m just trying to take it one step at a time and trust God in what He has for me in the process.”

One of the campuses Seaborn visited recently was Alabama where he and his teammates took part in a 7-on-7 event. After the tournament, he was re-offered by the Crimson Tide.

“I got to talk to coach (Kalen) DeBoer and coach (Nick) Sheridan (co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) and got to meet coach (Ryan) Grubb (offensive coordinator) for the first time,” Seaborn said. “I really like the coaches up there. I think it’s only uphill for them. I think they have a great season ahead of them. They have a really great quarterback room, and I’m excited to see what they do.”

Seaborn was a first-team Class 7A All-State selection a year ago as a sophomore and one of three finalists for Back of the Year, an award won by former teammate Anquon Fegans.

He completed 210 of 328 passes for 2,738 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was intercepted seven times. Seaborn led the Warriors to an 11-3 record and another Class 7A state championship – his second as the team’s starting quarterback. He threw a pair of TD passes in a 21-7 win over Central-Phenix City in the title game.

“Right now, he’s where most kids start their high school careers as far as playing in big games,” Thompson coach Mark Freeman said of Seaborn. “His stats are true because he is playing against big-time guys every week. When you are playing in 7A football, there are just more athletes and the windows to throw in are tighter. I think it matters.”

Seaborn is 26-5 as a starting quarterback and has played in three state championship games already. During Seaborn’s tenure as a starter, Thompson has lost to Class 6A power Clay-Chalkville twice, once each to perennial 7A title contenders Central-Phenix City and Hoover and once to national power Grayson, Ga.

The five losses came by a total of 8 points. The three losses a year ago (Grayson, Clay, Hoover) all came by 1 point and all in overtime. If Thompson plays 14 games in 2025 and 2026 and Seaborn stays healthy, he could finish his career with 59 starts in 7A football.

“That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Freeman asked, rhetorically.

Thompson coach Mark Freeman congratulates quarterback Trent Seaborn after a touchdown drive against Hewitt-Trussville during a Class 7A semifinal playoff game at Warrior Stadium in Alabaster, Ala., on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])Dennis Victory

Freeman said work ethic and commitment are two things that separate Seaborn from other quarterbacks.

“He has a rare dedication to be really great and exceptional,” Freeman said. “His character is outstanding. He doesn’t have periods in life where he is out doing something he shouldn’t. He doesn’t have a lot of distractions in his life because he is so focused on the end of the journey and what he wants to accomplish. His parents have done a good job raising him. God has His hand on him and has a plan for him.”

Seaborn and his family are still weighing options on what college that plan might include.

“Obviously, I’m looking for an offense I see myself fitting in, something I’m comfortable with,” he said. “Away from a schematic standout, also from a cultural standpoint, am I going to a school that will not only develop me on the field but off the field as a person and a human being? I want to be in a lockerroom where we are all working to the same goal, which hopefully is a national championship and also to be great dads, brothers and husbands in the future.”

Thompson opens the 2025 season at home on Aug. 21 against Carver-Montgomery before traveling to Grayson, Ga., in Week 2.

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General

How Alabama football’s recent recruiting streak has helped 2026 class ranking

Alabama football has caught fire on the recruiting trail lately. Thursday alone, the Crimson Tide pulled in commitments from two blue-chip prospects, four-star running back EJ Crowell and four-star tight end Mack Sutter.

But even before that, UA had been collecting new talent. So far this month, Kalen DeBoer and company have reeled in commitments from 247Sports composite four-star offensive tackle Sam Utu, four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla, three-star defensive lineman JJ Finch, three-star safety Rihyael Kelly and three-star running back Javari Barnett, plus three-star linebacker Zay Hall, who committed Friday.

Overall, Alabama has 13 commitments in the 2026 class. The Tide’s group is led by five-star Jorden Edmonds, a cornerback who plays his high school football at Sprawberry in Georgia.

The recent run of success has caused the Crimson Tide to leap up team rankings boards for the 2026 class. As the dust settles but DeBoer and company continue recruiting, here’s where UA currently stands with the major ranking services, as of Friday evening.

247 Sports composite– 11th

Ahead of the two commitments on Thursday, Alabama sat 35th nationally in the composite rankings. Following the pledges, UA jumped all the way up to 11th.

The Crimson Tide’s group sat fourth among SEC schools. Texas A&M was third nationally, followed by No. 4 Georgia, and Texas was one spot ahead of Alabama, at No. 10.

Southern Cal leads the 247 rankings. Notre Dame sits at No. 2, with Ohio State rounding out the top five.

Miami checked in at No. 6, followed by Clemson and Penn State. Florida State was the only other school with a class ranked ahead of Alabama’s, sitting at No. 9.

In terms of average recruit quality, Alabama was ranked fourth by the 247 composite. LSU was No. 1 in that metric, with Oregon and Ohio State second and third respectively.

Rivals/ On3– 9th

Due to a recent merger, Rivals and On3 have combined their recruiting ranking systems. The metrics there are kinder to Alabama than the 247Sports rankings, placing the Crimson Tide No. 9 nationally for the 2026 class.

Notre Dame was No. 2 in the On3/Rivals rankings, with Texas A&M third. Georgia checked in fourth, with Ohio State at No. 5.

LSU was sixth, the only other SEC school ahead of Alabama. Miami (seventh) and Clemson (eighth) were also ahead of UA.

Oregon rounded out the top 10. Other SEC schools in the top 25 classes included Texas (No. 13), Florida (No. 14), Tennessee (No. 15), South Carolina (No. 17), Oklahoma (No. 22) and Ole Miss (No. 25).

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