Alabama News

“This is pretty cool, huh? How ‘bout this?”

How about this, indeed. The question was posed by Red Clay Strays frontman Brandon Coleman a few songs into the band’s set Thursday night in Orange Beach. The full-throated answer came from a capacity crowd at the Wharf Amphitheater.

The Strays, a band that formed in Mobile around 2017, released a major-label album titled “Made By These Moments” in 2024. Thursday’s show marked the start of one of the biggest moments a band could have: The first night in a tripleheader at the biggest concert venue in its home region, literally a few steps from some of the bars and restaurants where the group started paying its dues.

“This is the biggest show we’ve ever played that’s our show,” Coleman said. “It’s pretty incredible. There’s 10,000 of y’all here tonight. It just makes it that much more special, that we got our start down here in Orange Beach. We played everywhere there is to play, right there in the Wharf, starting with The Hot Spot, Intracoastal, [the] Daquiri Bar, then graduated from there and went on to the Flora-Bama and played a good while over there … It just feels good to be home, and it feels good to be here. Never in our wildest dreams, man, it’s pretty crazy.”

The exhilaration of a rock-star dream coming true was a theme throughout the night. For this three-night stand, the Strays brought a whole slate of Alabama acts. Thursday’s bill featured Justin Jeansonne of Mobile and Muscadine Bloodline, another group formed in Mobile. (Friday’s show was to be another all-Alabama night, featuring Laurie Anne Armour and Muscadine Bloodline. Saturday’s lineup includes Mobile-area songwriter Abe Partridge plus two groups not from Alabama: Band of Horses and The Revivalists.)

Jeansonne, who thanked the headliners for providing “an opportunity to share some of my stories with y’all,” brought a distinctive voice to the show, bolstered by an interesting band that featured guitar, keyboards and harmonica gunslinger Dayton Olson. This allowed Jeansonne to range from swampy blues to dry western twang. And if the latter seemed to reflect the influence of Willie Nelson, that was probably no illusion: Later in the night the Strays brought Jeansonne back to the stage for a rendition of “Seven Spanish Angels” that many doubtless will remember as a highlight.

For Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton of Muscadine Bloodline, as for the Strays, the show was a homecoming.

“I came to my first concert at the Wharf when I was 17 years old, I saw the Black Crowes and I was sitting about right there in this pit,” said Stanton, pointing at a spot in front of the stage. “If you’d have told Charlie and I when we were 17 years old that we’d get to play the Wharf Amphitheater one day, we’d have thought you were being outside your mind. We’re thankful for the grace of God we got to be here tonight.”

Muscadine Bloodline, like the Strays, has broken out to national notice in recent years, and the two acts’ music pairs well. Where the Strays are a roots-rock group that draws on gospel and Southern rock, Muscadine Bloodline’s sound is more tightly focused on energetic guitar-driven honky-tonk country. Muncaster and Stanton also delight in referencing the geography of southwest Alabama in their lyrics.

“We’ve been waiting for this night for a really long time,” Muncaster told the crowd. “Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, we got a couple of guitars when we were young. And we really didn’t know that it was even possible to pursue music as a [career]. But on the back of you guys … you’ve allowed us to let our dreams come true every single time we come out on this stage.”

The Red Clay Strays made a grand arc of their two-hour allotment, opening with the twangy, driving “Killin’ Time,” the slinky “Stone’s Throw” and the lighter boogie of “She’s No Good.” Then they delved into the more meditative, gospel-drenched portion of their catalog before ramping things up to a grand finale, with an encore that included “God Does” and the anthemic “I Just Want To Be Loved.”

Somewhere in there, Coleman took a tongue-in-cheek shot at attempts to pigeonhole the band.

“A lot of people, though, they say we play country music, and I disagree,” he said. “We are country people and we’re from the South. We do not play country music, we play more rock and roll than anything else. So here’s another country song for you.”

It was easy to joke, on a night when all the dues were paying off.

“We used to drive an hour and a half to get here, twice a week, and play four hours a day, everywhere around here,” said guitarist Drew Nix. “Now we’re here, playing in front of y’all. Absolutely nuts.”

“I’m not used to 10,000 people singing our songs,” said Coleman. “Pretty cool.”

“Man, this is cool,” said Coleman. “Super, super thankful, man. Grateful, thankful. Around 2017, 2018, we had just played a show over there at The Intracoastal, and Chris Stapleton was here playing a show. And we couldn’t afford tickets, but you can walk all the way up, if you didn’t know this, you can walk all the way up to those back bleachers before they stop you. So we walked all the way down to the very back, behind the bleachers, and listened to the show, man.

“And now this,” he said. “This is wild.”

Auburn football landed a commitment from 3-star tight end Kentrell White, according to 247sports.

The tigers are back up to seven commitments in the 2026 recruiting cycle and is ranked No. 84 in the 247Sports team rankings.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, White is No. 65 tight end and No. 134 player from Georgia. He chose the Tigers over Virginia Tech.

Last season he finished with 950 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.

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

Calera police officers recently caught two young people with firearms near a playground. Now, they are calling for parents to take action before tragedy strikes.

Firearms are one of the leading causes of death among Alabama children and teens, according to a 2024 Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions study based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Children carrying handguns at a subdivision clubhouse, playground and pool area is ridiculous and puts everyone including themselves in danger,” Calera Police Chief David Hyche said in a Facebook post.

In the United States in 2022, there were 2,526 gun deaths among 1 to 17-year-olds, averaging nearly seven per day. Gun death rates in this age range increased by 106% since 2013 and have been the leading cause of death among children since 2020, according to the study.

This past weekend, the Calera Police Department received a call reporting suspicious activities involving juveniles, one wearing a mask, in the Waterford clubhouse parking lot.

A sergeant and a patrol officer responded to the scene and asked one of the juveniles to remove his hand from his hoodie pocket. The juvenile refused so the sergeant moved the suspect’s hand and saw that he was concealing a handgun.

The handgun was recovered and the suspect was arrested.

The patrol officer approached the second juvenile but he refused to comply and started running away. The officer pursued the suspect on foot and saw the suspect throw down a handgun.

The handgun was thrown in an area with small children present so the officer secured the handgun and lost sight of the suspect. Police received information that the suspect left the area in a vehicle.

The second suspect was later identified and both have been referred for juvenile prosecution.

“Parents, if you believe your kids are carrying guns, selling or using drugs or involved in gangs, don’t just take action after a tragedy occurs, take action now. Call us, talk to our SROs, we will do what we can to help. Our CASE program has connections with resources that are available to help parents and students.”

“I’m proud of these two officers and I’m grateful that this situation ended without tragedy but we are seeing violent crime involving kids and guns all over our state and country at alarming rates.”

These are local resources and support Alabama children, teens and families can turn to.

The United Way Crisis Center hotline can be reached at (205) 323-7777 and their Youth Talk Line is available for children ages 6-18 at (205) 328-5465.

Crisis Services of North Alabama provides 24/7 crisis counseling at (256) 716-1000.

You can find additional resources for those in crisis on the Alabama Public Health website.

The National Suicide Hotline, 988, is available 24/7 in both English and Spanish.

Cameron Blankenship has toured Spain and France to represent the U.S. on the international athletic stage. In the end, he helped Team USA bring back top basketball honors, solidified lifetime memories and prospects for the future.

And he’s just 17-years old.

Blankenship, a rising senior at Ramsay High School, was the only player from Alabama to take the floor during the recent Student Athlete World USA program.

“It was a good experience,” Blankenship said of his tour June 7 to June 18. “People aren’t really going out of the country to play basketball. I thought it was cool and I knew I could learn and gain a lot of information from this trip, which I did.”

The program pairs standout athletes to compete against peers around the world.

Blankenship was invited to participate internationally after attending an earlier camp in Tennessee. While he and his family were told that he might be recruited, they heard nothing for months until they received a surprise notice.

“Then everything started moving fast,” said his father, Lucien Blankenship, a longtime Birmingham attorney.

Finally, the young Blankenship was headed to Barcelona, Spain for exhibition games, then onto Pyrenees, France for the international tournaments.

While he had made it to the international stage, competition and challenges remained tough for the shooting guard.

“They started off a little rough, but then they got it together and started rocking and rolling,” Lucien Blakenship said.

Cameron pressed on, even after twisting his ankle. He also quickly adjusted to a different playing style and environment that included a rowdy fan base.

It was Cameron’s mother, Patrice, who urged her son to get back on the court after recovering from his injury. He had traveled too far to sit on the bench, she told her son and the coaches.

Cameron ended up scoring 14 points in the goal medal matchup.

“He made the adjustments,” Lucien Blankenship said. “I was extremely proud to see him on that stage.”

The tour was an adventure for the entire family with the novel twist that it was the younger Blankenship in the lead.

“This time he took us on a vacation,” his father said with a laugh. “We were with him. It was an excellent experience.”

Cameron said he learned lessons that he would take throughout his athletic career and beyond. He plans to attend Vanderbilt University after high school.

“I learned how important it was to play with confidence,” he said. “I had to meet their level and it ended up working.”

Athletes strive to have their names written in the record books.

For one of the state’s most accomplished athletes, try 36 entries among — or at the top of — the record books.

One of those records for Courtney Strain, now Courtney Screws, was voted by AL.com readers as the most unbreakable record in AHSAA girls basketball history: her single-season scoring mark.

The former Woodland High School star’s illustrious prep career saw her finish with 1,261 points to her name during the 2007-08 school year with the Bobcats.

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Her single-season scoring record garnered 31% of the fan vote, followed by records for most free throws attempted in a game (46 by Geraldine’s Kristen White, 2009-10) and Leah Strain’s career steals record (1,084); both records garnered 18% of the vote.

According to the AHSAA record book, she remains the only player to score over 1,200 points in a single season and is one of three with 1,100 points in a season. Others include former West Morgan star Hayden Hamby (1,170 in 2011-12) and former Eufaula standout Gwen Jackson (1,112 in 1998-99); Screws also surpassed 1,100 points in the 2008-09 season with 1,112 points.

The most recent player to score 1,000 points in a season is former Samson athlete LaTascya Duff, who finished with 1,020 in the 2017-18 season. She went on to play at Shelton State before transferring to New Mexico.

The 2007-08 season saw her score 53 points against Handley, marking one of at least three 50-point games during that season; she also had 52 against White Plains and 51 against Westbrook.

Her single-season scoring mark is one of six records held by Screws, including career points (5,283), single-season scoring average (40.7 points per game), field goals attempted in a game (51), field goals attempted in a season (952), field goals made in a season (474).

She also ranks second in most free throws attempted in a season (407) and tied for seventh for most points scored in a single game with 57 against Clay County in the 2006-07 season.

During her career, she was a five-time all-state selection and a three-time Class 2A Player of the Year honoree from the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Screws was also named MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and a two-time ASWA Fab Five honoree.

Along with her success on the basketball court, she also played volleyball and was a varsity cheerleader at Woodland.

After an ultra-successful career at Woodland, Screws went on to play at Auburn, where she played in 46 games across three seasons from 2010-13, scoring 127 points.

She would transfer to Jacksonville State University for the final two seasons of her collegiate career, starting 44 of her 57 games played. She averaged 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game during her final season with the Gamecocks.

Screws scored a career-high 18 points against UT-Martin, knocking down four 3-point baskets in the matchup on Jan. 16, 2016.

The former Woodland star would go on to coach at Handley High School, where she led the program to a strong run of success in her eight seasons that included four area championships and six regional appearances.

OMAHA, Neb. — States and rural health advocacy groups are sounding the alarm that Congress’ slashing of Medicaid will devastate already financially fragile rural hospitals. One analysis estimates more than 300 hospitals could be at risk of closing under the Republican measure to slash about $1 trillion in Medicaid funding over ten years. Rural hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements and are already financially strained. While the measure includes $50 billion to help make up the loss to rural hospitals, advocates worry it won’t offset the funding shortfall. No state stands to lose more than Kentucky. One report estimates the state would lose a whopping $12.3 billion over 10 years.

Now, with Congress planning around $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years, he fears those farmers and the more than 3,000 residents of Webster County could lose not just the ER, but also the clinic and nursing home tied to the hospital.

“Our budget is pretty heavily reliant on the Medicaid reimbursement, so if we do see a cut of that, it’ll be difficult to keep the doors open,” said Sherman, who works at Webster County Community Hospital in the small Nebraska town of Red Cloud just north of the Kansas border.

If those facilities close, many locals would see their five-minute trip to Webster County hospital turn into a nearly hour-long ride to the nearest hospital offering the same services.

“That’s a long way for an emergency,” Sherman said. “Some won’t make it.”

Already struggling hospitals would be hit particularly hard

States and rural health advocacy groups warn that cutting Medicaid — a program serving millions of low-income and disabled Americans — would hit already fragile rural hospitals hard and could force hundreds to close, stranding some people in remote areas without nearby emergency care.

More than 300 hospitals could be at risk for closure under the Republican bill, according to an analysis by the Cecil G. Sheps Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which tracks rural hospital closures. Even as Congress haggled over the controversial bill, a health clinic in the southwest Nebraska town of Curtis announced Wednesday it will close in the coming months, in part blaming the anticipated Medicaid cuts.

Bruce Shay, of Pomfret, Connecticut, fears he and his wife could be among those left in the lurch. At 70, they’re both in good health, he said. But that likely means that if either needs to go to a hospital, “it’s going to be an emergency.”

Day Kimball Hospital is nearby in Putnam, but it has faced recent financial challenges. Day Kimball’s CEO R. Kyle Kramer acknowledged that a Senate bill passed Tuesday — estimated to cut federal Medicaid spending in rural areas by $155 billion over 10 years — would further hurt his rural hospital’s bottom line. Roughly 30% of Day Kimball’s current patients receive Medicaid benefits, a figure that’s even higher for specific, critical services like obstetrics and behavioral health.

“An emergency means I’m 45 minutes to an hour away from the nearest hospital, and that’s a problem,” Shay said. And he and his wife wouldn’t be the only ones having to make that trip.

“You’ve got, I’m sure, thousands of people who rely on Day Kimball Hospital. If it closed, thousands of people would have to go to another hospital,” he said. “That’s a huge load to suddenly impose on a hospital system that’s probably already stretched thin.”

Experts say the bill’s $50 billion fund for rural hospitals isn’t enough

Rural hospitals have long operated on the financial edge, especially in recent years as Medicaid payments have continuously fallen below the actual cost to provide health care. More than 20% of Americans live in rural areas, where Medicaid covers 1 in 4 adults, according to the nonprofit KFF, which studies health care issues.

President Donald Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax breaks and spending cuts bill, which passed Thursday, would worsen rural hospitals’ struggles by cutting a key federal program that helps states fund Medicaid payments to health care providers. To help offset the lost tax revenue, the package includes $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and other social safety net programs — cuts they insist only root out fraud and waste in the system.

But public outcry over Medicaid cuts led Republicans to include a provision that will provide $10 billion annually to buttress rural hospitals over the next five years, or $50 billion in total. Many rural hospital advocates are wary that it won’t be enough to cover the shortfall.

Carrie Cochran-McClain, chief policy officer with the National Rural Health Association, said rural hospitals already struggle to break even, citing a recent American Hospital Association report that found that hospitals in 2023 got nearly $28 billion less from Medicaid than the actual cost of treating Medicaid patients.

“We see rural hospitals throughout the country really operating on either negative or very small operating margins,” Cochran-McClain said. “Meaning that any amount of cut to a payer — especially a payer like Medicaid that makes up a significant portion of rural provider funding — is going to be consequential to the rural hospitals’ ability to provide certain services or maybe even keep their doors open at the end of the day.”

Kentucky is expected to be hit especially hard

A KFF report shows 36 states losing $1 billion or more over 10 years in Medicaid funding for rural areas under the Republican bill, even with the $50 billion rural fund. No state stands to lose more than Kentucky.

The report estimates the Bluegrass State would lose a whopping $12.3 billion — nearly $5 billion more than the next state on the list. That’s because the bill ends Kentucky’s unique Medicaid reimbursement system and reduces it to Medicare reimbursement levels.

Kentucky currently has one of the lowest Medicare reimbursement rates in the country. It also has one of the highest poverty rates, leading to a third of its population being covered by Medicaid.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a two-term Democrat widely seen as a potential candidate for president in 2028, said the bill would close 35 hospitals in his state and pull health care coverage for 200,000 residents.

“Half of Kentucky’s kids are covered under Medicaid. They lose their coverage and you are scrambling over that next prescription,” Beshear said during an appearance on MSNBC. “This is going to impact the life of every single American negatively. It is going to hammer our economy.”

Haigh reported from Hartford, Connecticut.

The shortest offseason in sports belongs to the NBA, as things move very quickly following the end of the season. The Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA Finals last weekend, with the draft taking place just three days later.

Another major milestone of the NBA offseason will be this weekend, as the Summer League will take place. A showcase for younger players to earn a place on the regular season roster, the Summer League is essential for any major NBA fan.

The Los Angeles Lakers will take on one of their in-state rivals in the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Bronny James will once again compete in Summer League, with Lakers rookie Adou Thiero set to join him.

For the Warriors, Australian forward Alex Toohey will join their Summer League roster.

Fans looking to watch the Lakers vs Warriors game can do so on Fubo, who’s offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Here’s everything you need to know before the Spurs and Heat tipoff this weekend:

When: Saturday, July 5, 2025

Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

Fans looking to watch the Lakers vs Warriors game can do so on Fubo, who’s offering a free trial to new subscribers.

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The brand new limited series Holidazed drops on the Hallmark Channel with a two-episode premiere Sunday, July 6 beginning at 8/7c.

Those hoping to catch the debut of Holidazed and the rest of Hallmark’s Christmas in July lineup can access the network even without access to traditional cable through Philo (free trial), Fubo (free trial), DirecTV (free trial) or Sling (50% off first month).

What is Holidazed about?

The new eight-episode series is set to follow six families from different backgrounds, cultures and generations, all living on the same cul-de-sac, as they gather for the holiday season.

During a time when emotions are amplified, each family comes together to celebrate their unique, rich traditions and navigate family eccentricities that ultimately help them discover what they do have in common: loved in all its different forms.

Ser’Darius Blain, Lindy Booth, Erin Cahill, Loretta Devine, Noemi Gonzalez, Ian Harding and more star.

Episode release dates and descriptions

According to the Hallmark Channel’s schedule, two new episodes will release back-to-back each Sunday beginning at 8/7c with the final two episodes set to close out the limited series with their release on July 27.

Sunday, July 6

“The Beginning” kicks off the series, and zeroes in on the holiday season as it unites six families while they navigate love, secrets and unexpected revelations. All the families grapple with their intertwined lives, leading to a heartfelt and chaotic celebration filled with laughter, tears and new beginnings.

“The Hill Family” is the title of the second episode and follows old high school lab partners Josh and Nora, both harboring secret crushes on each other as they reunite when Josh is tasked with community service under Nora’s supervision. As Josh bonds with Nora’s son, the three of them begin to forge connections that could reshape their futures.

Sunday, July 13

“The Lin Family” episode follows Ted and Marcus who are celebrating their engagement during Christmas when chaos ensues by the arrival of Grandma Lin, unaware that Ted has never come out to her.

“The Woods Family” episode follows Lucy and her sister Sylvie who have been at odds since their mom’s sudden passing when they were kids. Now, as adults, Sylvie’s home for Hanukkah and wants to spice things up.

Sunday, July 20

“The Lewin Family” follows Linda as she brings her younger boyfriend Evan home for the holidays—a shocking surprise to her family and ex-husband Robert. To Robert’s surprise, he and Evan may have more in common than not.

“The Camarena Family” episode follows Gaby as her family traditions are thwarted by Katie, her former high school bully and her brother’s current girlfriend. Tune in to see if their ongoing rivalry will come between the couple’s first Christmas together.

Sunday, July 27

“The Manetti-Hanahan Family” episode follows the family that’s infamous for never having a silent night at Christmastime. This year, Connie wants peace and asks her husband Chuck to put aside his neighborhood rivalry.

“The Finale” closes out the limited series and showcases a power outage that hits the neighborhood. With seemingly no other choice than to band together, the families come together and try to put aside their differences on Christmas Day.

How to watch Holidazed

Those interested in catching the highly anticipated Christmas in July limited series can find Holidazed available for streaming through the streaming services listed below.

Philo: 7-day free trial ($28 a month after free trial ends)

Fubo: Free trial ($84.99 a month after free trial ends)

DirecTV: 5-day free trial ($86.99 a month after free trial ends)

Sling: 50% off first month and one month free of AMC+ ($45.99 a month after first month)

What is Philo?

Philo is considered one of the most affordable streaming platforms on the market. Known as an entertainment-focused streaming service, Philo offers its subscribers access to over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.

New users can enjoy Philo’s 7-day free trial and continue to stream top channels, hit TV shows and movies on-demand for just $28 a month once the free trial expires.

Those looking to customize their flow of content even further on Philo can consider including add-ons such as MGM+, STARZ, and AMC+ in their subscription.

What is Fubo and DirecTV?

Fubo and DirecTV are two of the top streaming services steadily replacing traditional cable services. Both offer free trials to new subscribers, a plethora of popular live TV channels, on-demand streaming options and helpful features such as unlimited DVR storage.

Fubo considers itself a sports-focused live streaming service, but with over 100 live TV channels available through its base package at just $84.99 after its free trial, it offers much more to its subscribers.

Popular TV channels available through Fubo include ABC, FOX, BET, MTV, CNBC, MSNBC, USA and much more.

DirecTV mirrors Fubo by offering many of the same live TV channels and useful features. The base package starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNN, BET and much more.

Two other DirecTV packages are the Choice package (original price $114.99) and the Ultimate package (original price $129.99), both of which are part of an ongoing promotion that offers new subscribers $10 off the original price for the first three months of their subscription.

Those interested in comparing all DirecTV’s channel packages can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to access top rated TV channels like the Hallmark Channel. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those who commit to a paid plan get half off the first month and one month free of AMC+.

Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.

For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).

Cinemex Holdings USA, which owns the CMX Cinemas dine-in movie theater chain, has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in five years,

Cinemex Holdings USA said the chain will continue to operate without interruption as it works to restructure its business operations, according to a news release.

“CMX will remain in possession and control of its assets. Existing management and the board of directors will remain in control of the business and CMX’s operations will continue without interruption,” the release states.

Cinemex Holdings USA is owned by the Mexican theater chain Cinemex and opened its first CMX Cinemas theater in the United States in Miami in 2017.

The chain currently has 28 locations across eight states including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia, with two locations in Alabama in Gulf Shores and Tuscaloosa.

CMX Cinemas is not new to hardship. It also filed for bankruptcy in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said it plans to continue operating “business as usual.”

“CMX continues to welcome customers to its cinemas as usual, and this will not change during the Subchapter V proceedings,” the release said.

The company said they expect to emerge from the bankruptcy proceedings in the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal year, according to the release.

“CMX, with the support of its secured lender, will seek to reduce its obligations, strengthen its balance sheet and restructure its business while protecting its employees and emerging in a stronger and more viable long-term financial position to continue serving customers across the United States,” the release states.