Alabama News

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Former SEC defensive tackle hopes to keep scoring touchdowns in NFL

Who will score more touchdowns for the Las Vegas Raiders in his rookie season – Ashston Jeanty or JJ Pegues?

That seems a silly question. Jeanty is an All-American running back who joined the Raiders as the sixth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Pegues is a sixth-round defensive tackle who might never touch the football.

“Me and Ashton were actually just talking about that,” Pegues said during an appearance on “Upon Further Review” on the NFL team’s official website. “He seen a couple highlights of me running the ball, so I said, ‘Man, look, I’ll block for you first. But look, we get to that goal line, I got to get in the end zone.’

“But no, it’s fun. You know, like I said, living every big guy’s dream. You know, high school, I played offense. Like that’s all I played — receiver, quarterback, running back. Never played defense. Came to Auburn, played tight end my freshman year, and then my sophomore year, we got a new coach and I went to defense. And from then I’ve been playing offense and defense.”

As a freshman at Auburn in 2020, Pegues had seven receptions for 57 yards and five rushing attempts for 14 yards. But in 2021, he didn’t have a catch or a carry as he moved to defensive tackle for the Tigers.

A transfer to Ole Miss in 2022 returned Pegues to two-way duty as a short-yardage specialist, and in 2024, the 309-pounder had 21 rushing attempts for 69 yards and seven touchdowns to go with 42 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

“It was just like normal for me,” Pegues said. “Like I know people was like telling me, ‘Oh, you’re going to play defense, you’re going to play defense in college, this and that.’ And in my head, I’m like, ‘I’m an athlete. Like I know I’m just big, but, like, that’s their fault they can’t tackle me, you know?’ …

“But I wasn’t blind to the fact that I knew at one point I was going to make the transition. It was just when did I want to make it, you know? And at that point, Auburn didn’t have enough D-linemen on the roster, so it was me just being selfless and just going to do something that a team needed, our team needed at the time. And that’s when (Ole Miss coach Lane) Kiffin came calling. It was like, ‘Hey, man, you want to do both sides?’ And I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’”

From 2001 through 2006, Kiffin served on the Southern Cal coaching staff of the Raiders’ Pete Carroll.

“Kiffin was with Pete Carroll a little bit,” Pegues said, “so all of his things about winning and just being locked in and stuff like that and competing, I’m kind of used to it. I heard it before. And the practice style is a little bit like Kiffin as well, so I can see where Kiffin gets his coaching from.

“But it’s really just being a pro. I know all the coaches in college always say at the next level, it’s more about being a pro. You’re not going to be in pads a lot or anything like that, so the walkthroughs are important, watching film. …

“Kiffin had a basketball goal in our team meeting room at Ole Miss, and Pete got one as well. So just those small things is definitely something good to be able to see and know that: OK, I am far away, but things don’t really change as much. You know, football is football. And again, like I say, you just got to be a pro.”

For Pegues, that starts with finding his footing in a defensive-line depth chart headed by Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby.

“Maxx and Christian Wilkins, Adam Butler, I always just tell myself, like, I played video games with these guys and stuff like that,” Pegues said. “Like, I see them on TV a lot on Sundays. But no, it’s definitely different, but it holds yourself to a higher standard and they hold you to a higher standard, too. They want to win. They want to see you win, so I feel like, at the end of the day, once you get a team and a group like that that wants to see everybody win and not just money-chasing or trying to get this position — like ultimately the goal you want is a championship, and I feel like that’s a team that’ll do it.”

The Raiders haven’t been near a championship for decades. Since a 48-21 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII on Jan. 26, 2003, the franchise’s postseason record is 0-2. Las Vegas had a 4-13 record last season.

On their summer break, the Raiders open training camp when the rookies report on July 17 and the veterans come in on July 22. Las Vegas starts its three-game preseason schedule on Aug. 7 against the Seattle Seahawks and kicks off its regular-season slate on Sept. 7 against the New England Patriots.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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Children should hear 21,000 words a day. A Birmingham literacy program is trying to make that happen

In a series of stories, AL.com will continue to explore big ideas for transforming Birmingham.

Every morning, Amber Martin sings to and prays over her 5-month-old son. The rest of the day is spent reading aloud, talking and explaining absolutely everything she sees and does.

It’s a routine she started after learning the importance of the number of words her baby hears.

Children’s brains grow the fastest from birth to age five and they should hear 21,000 words a day for optimal development, according to Small Magic, a local, free early literacy program working to help more people learn to read in Birmingham. As Alabama grapples with improving early literacy and the child care industry, Small Magic is focused on helping families. Their next literacy class begins on July 8.

What’s important, Martin said, is “being able to start that learning at home and be the ones that set that foundation for him to say education doesn’t have to be difficult or hard. It doesn’t have to be something that scares you or you’re fearful of. It could absolutely be something that piques your curiosity, that you love, that you enjoy doing.”

The program combines weekly literacy coaching, with tech and data reports to get more children reading.

“We know that this is a critical window in children’s lives, especially when it comes to their development. And so we’re working really hard to capitalize and maximize on their potential early on,” Ruth Ann Moss, Small Magic’s executive director, said.

What is Small Magic and how does it work?

In 2018, Bloomberg Philanthropies created a grant to fund the literacy program in five cities across the U.S., including Birmingham.

Of the five cities, which include Detroit and Louisville, Birmingham has become the largest implementer of the program, according to Moss.

Starting with 150 children in 2019, Small Magic is on track to serve 1,600 children this year by working with families and child care providers across the city.

During the two-month-long program, participants use a wearable device that counts how many words their child hears and how many times they go back and forth with adults in conversation.

The device then creates a data report. Small Magic coaches use this report to work with parents and child care workers to identify opportunities to increase learning and engagement.

The program also provides families with free books and toys.

“All throughout the day, I’m talking to him,” Martin said. “It was beautiful to start seeing him coo back even at three months.

“It just reminds you of how important it is to shape and mold from the very beginning, and how important brain development is in those first three years.”

‘It’s rewarding, satisfying and I’m grateful’

After participating in the program, 58% of child care providers and 75% of families said they read to their children more, according to a recent Small Magic report.

Since starting the literacy program, D’Bria and Patrile Stallworth said their children have put down their iPads and picked up books.

Every week, the Stallworths count how many words their 3-year-old daughter hears, finding where they can increase communication.

They say the program has made their children more engaged and imaginative.

“I felt proud to see it happen right before our eyes. Watching them having an aha moment, or a light bulb going off, or them using words that you didn’t know they knew the definition of no matter how big or small the word is, it’s just fascinating,” Patrile Stallworth said.

“It’s just very rewarding as a parent to be able to have those small moments of validation. I’m doing something that can better my child…It’s rewarding, satisfying and I’m grateful.”

According to the report, 91% of providers said the program positively impacted their classroom and 84% of families said they enjoy spending time with their child more as a result of Small Magic.

“I deeply believe these are things that are important for the future of kids in our community,” Moss said.

‘We’ve got to invest in the first five years of their life’

Alabama has long struggled with a child care and literacy crisis.

Low pay for child care workers has left some facilities short-staffed with more employees feeling burnout.

According to a recent National Association for the Education of Young Children survey, 51% of Alabama respondents working in the child care industry said they are more burned out and 27% say their economic situation has worsened post pandemic.

Parents often struggle to find affordable and accessible child care options as a result.

In 2022, almost 85,000 Alabama families needed access to child care but had no affordable, quality options in their communities, according to the Women’s Foundation of Alabama.

Moss said these are issues Small Magic often has to work around to continue to support child care workers, families and children.

“Children don’t just appear at five years old when the government starts dedicating significant funding for them. And so as a community, we’ve got to figure out if we want kids to start kindergarten ready, we’ve got to invest in the first five years of their life in ways that are systemic,” Moss said.

Martin said she joined Small Magic because of its accessibility. As a working mom, she was given the option to take the literacy coaching classes online.

“They have been here for each one of these families, no matter what the circumstance is, low socioeconomic status, no transportation, no matter what it is, they have found a way to navigate through those things and still make it a resource that’s accessible to all these children in here,” Martin said during a Small Magic graduation ceremony in June.

And the program isn’t just supporting families.

“We deeply believe that child care providers across our community are building the future of our community in their classrooms every day…We know that those people are building the brains of our future entrepreneurs, doctors, civic servants,” Moss said.

Raven Johnson, a program director, said Small Magic is helping to break down barriers by providing training to child care workers.

In 2024, 120 early education teachers participated in Small Magic, serving about 1,000 children through the child care provider program.

“This is professional development for their staff. Our coaches are going into these child care centers for five weeks, and they’re coaching teachers on literacy strategies, tools, tips for increasing language in the classroom environment, talking about the reports, setting goals, applying the strategies,” Johnson said.

Small Magic recently launched the Magic Makers Collective, where community members can donate to keep the program free for families and providers.

“We’ve really seen that there’s this appetite for folks in our community to really give kids in their lives the best from the very beginning…Folks are pouring their time and energy into the babies in their life through this,” Moss said.

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Texas-based brunch concept announces Birmingham opening

The Toasted Yolk is ready to open its Birmingham location.

Situated at 231 20th Street South, the restaurant is in the 20 Midtown Apartments of the Five Points South neighborhood.

In a social media post, the brunch and lunch spot announced a pre-opening celebration on Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The food is complementary, but you will need a reservation to take part in the event, which you can schedule here.

Known for its menu of breakfast standards and cocktails, The Toasted Yolk has existing locations in Dothan and Mobile.

The chain began outside of Houston more than 14 years ago and now has spread to 12 states.

Diners can also choose from omelets, power bowls, pancakes, Arnolds (formerly known as Benedicts), salads, sandwiches and specialty drinks.

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22-year-old indicted in Birmingham gas station shooting that killed man, injured woman

A 22-year-old man has been indicted in a 2024 shooting at an east Birmingham gas station that left a man dead, and a woman injured.

A Jefferson County grand jury on June 13 indicted Deeric Mikell Lewis for murder in the slaying of 33-year-old Colby Lemar Cade, and attempted murder for the wounding of the woman who survived, according to court records made public this week.

The incident began around 6:36 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, when gunfire erupted at the Shell station on the corner of Old Springville Road and Brewster Road.

Cade and the female drove off in a sedan and were believed to have been seeking medical attention when they crashed into one of the bay doors at Station 30, which is about a half block away.

No firefighters were injured when the vehicle struck the building.

Both shooting victims were taken to UAB Hospital where Cade was pronounced dead.

Birmingham police took Lewis into custody two days later at a home on Molly Drive in the Grayson Valley area.

Lewis had been held in the Jefferson County Jail since his Feb. 9, 2024 arrest.

A motive has not been disclosed.

A trial date has not yet been set.

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Pope Leo XIV appoints new archbishop for Alabama

Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, today named a new archbishop for the Archdiocese of Mobile.

The pope has named Bishop Mark S. Rivituso, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis since 2017, as the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mobile.

Rivituso, 63, succeeds Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, who submitted his notice of retirement on his 75th birthday, March 27. 2024, as required by Church law.

Archbishop-designate Rivituso will be installed as Archbishop of Mobile by the Papal Nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre. The installation Mass is expected to be in about two months, although no date or location has been finalized.

Pope Leo XIV has named Archbishop Rodi as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Mobile until Archbishop-designate Rivituso’s installation.

“I am most grateful to the Holy Father for sending us this outstanding bishop. I give thanks to God that the Spirit has guided this selection of our new archbishop,” Archbishop Rodi said. “I ask that we all keep Archbishop-designate Rivituso in our prayers as he prepares to serve as our next archbishop.”

Archbishop-designate Rivituso also has a notable link to the Archdiocese of Mobile. He was ordained a priest on Jan. 16, 1988, by Archbishop John L. May, who led the then-Diocese of Mobile from 1969-1980 before being appointed to the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Archbishop-designate Rivituso was born in St. Louis on Sept. 20, 1961, the sixth of eight children to August (Gus) and Rosemary Rivituso. He was baptized in 1961 at St. Wenceslaus Parish in St. Louis and attended St. Wenceslaus School.

Archbishop-designate Rivituso has ministered at several parishes throughout the St. Louis area. He has also served as vicar general for the Archdiocese of St. Louis since 2011. Archbishop-designate Rivituso attended Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary, both in St. Louis. He earned a licentiate in canon and civil law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.

Archbishop Rodi will serve as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Mobile until Archbishop-designate Rivituso’s installation. Archbishop Rodi has served as Archbishop of Mobile for more than 17 years.

Archbishop-designate Rivituso will celebrate the 12:10 p.m. Mass today at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

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Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall calls on governor to reappoint parole board chair

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued a formal request Tuesday morning, calling for the governor to reappoint the parole board chair Leigh Gwathney despite “unprecedented and unwarranted criticism by the liberal media.”

Gwathney’s seat on the board expired Monday, but the former assistant attorney general will continue to serve in the role until she is either reappointed by the governor or someone else is nominated.

Marshall included in the press release a letter he sent to Gov. Kay Ivey, praising Gwathney’s leadership on the board. The letter was signed by 76 others in law enforcement, including sheriffs and district attorneys across the state.

“In 2019, we supported your efforts to reform our state’s system of pardons and paroles. While those reforms have been effective, the most consequential decision that you made during that time was to place Ms. Gwathney at the helm of the board,” Marshall wrote.

“Ms. Gwathney’s experience prosecuting violent crimes for both Jefferson County and the Attorney General’s Office makes her uniquely qualified to preside over the parole board. More importantly, her willingness to continue to serve in the face of unprecedented and unwarranted criticism by the liberal media shows a level of courage, conviction, and dedication to the cause that is rarely seen in Montgomery.”

Prior to 2019, the parole rate in Alabama was routinely above 40% and as high as 55% in 2017.

Under Gwathney’s leadership, parole rates fell as low as 8% in 2023, despite the board’s own guidelines showing more than half of eligible inmates should be released. Marshall himself wrote an opinion column that year stating that “there is simply nobody else to ‘reform’” in Alabama prisons.

Under public scrutiny from media and lawmakers, parole rates rose in 2024, coming up to about 20 percent. Gwathney however remains a reliable “no” vote in the vast majority of cases that reach the three member board.

The Alabama Attorney General said Gwathney has earned trust and respect of law enforcement and crime victims.

Marshall described the years prior to Gwathney’s appointment, where the parole rate was routinely above 40% and as high as 55% in 2017, as “misguided” and on a “dangerous trajectory related to crime and punishment.”

He added that nearly 85% of the prison population in Alabama is made up of violent offenders—a legal term that includes charges like third-degree burglary and others—“yet the parole board continues to face relentless pressure to release these offenders en masse.”

“Ms. Gwathney has proven herself to be beyond the influence of the anti-incarceration movement, ready and willing to fight for the law-abiding citizens of this state.”

State law requires a three-person committee, comprised of the speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, the Senate leader pro tem, and the lieutenant governor, to submit a list of five names to the governor. From that list, the governor selects one person to fill the seat.

“The decision to reappoint Ms. Gwathney will send a clear and unmistakable message that you stand with those who protect the public, and against outside forces and special interests who care little about public safety and more about rhetoric.”

Marshall said in the press release that putting Gwathney back on the board is about protecting the state.

“Ms. Gwathney has never lost sight of what’s at stake: the safety of our citizens and the dignity of those who have suffered at the hands of violent offenders.”

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Alabama ties to the Lincoln assassination: 3 strange and fascinating tales

Did you know at least three Alabamians were arrested in the wake of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865? Three men spent time in jail under suspicion of being involved in the murder that shocked the nation 160 years ago. Two were released but a Randolph County native was executed.

Here are their tales:

Clement Claiborne Clay

Clement Claiborne Clay was a prominent citizen in Huntsville during the Civil War. Clay, the oldest son of Alabama governor Clement Comer Clay, was a U.S. senator from 1853-1861 and then served as senator of the Confederate States from 1862-1864.

In April of 1865, Clay would find himself under arrest, accused of participating in one of history’s most heinous acts: Lincoln’s assassination. Clay fell under suspicion because he was acting as Confederate commissioner to Canada at the time and “took part in a series of failed attempts to undermine the Union,” according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

In the wake of Lincoln’s murder, government agents were pressured to find and punish anyone tied to the assassination of the beloved president.

On May 4, 1865, The New York Times and papers across the country published a proclamation issued by President Andrew Johnson offering rewards for the capture of “traitors” thought to be involved in the assassination. He offered $100,000 for the capture of Jefferson Davis and $25,000 for Clement Claiborne Clay and others. The proclamation said, in part:

“Whereas, It appears, from evidence in the Bureau of Military Justice, that the atrocious murder of the late President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, and the attempted assassination of Hon. WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, were incited, concerted and procured by and between: Jefferson Davis, late of Richmond, Va., and Jacob Thompson, Clement C. Clay, Beverly Tucker, W. C. Cleary and George N. Sanders…to the end that justice may be done…”

In this atmosphere, Clement Clay was arrested and imprisoned at Fortress Monroe in Virginia for about a year. His wife, Virginia Clay-Clopton, accompanied him to the fort. Clay was never tried and upon his release, the Clays returned to Huntsville where Clement practiced as an attorney. Clement Clay died in 1882 and is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.

George Washington Gayle

George Washington Gayle was born in South Carolina in 1807 to John and Nancy Whitehead Gayle. Gayle’s first wife was Margaret Kornegay, the niece of William Rufus King of Selma, who served as vice president of the United States for 45 days before dying in office in 1853.

Gayle, an attorney, served in the Alabama Legislature, chaired the House Ways and Means Committee and was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama by President Martin Van Buren in in 1840.

In 1864, Gayle made headlines when he paid to publish an ad in The Selma Dispatch seeking funds in exchange for plotting the murders of Lincoln, Vice President Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward, the same three men who were targeted in John Wilkes Booth’s assassination plot.

The ad published on Dec. 1, 1864, said:

One Million Dollars Wanted to have Peace by the 1st of March if the citizens of the Southern Confederacy will furnish me with the cash, or good securities for the sum of one million dollars, I will cause the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Wm. H. Seward and Andrew Johnson to be taken by the 1st of March next. This will give us peace, and satisfy the world that cruel tyrants can not live in a ‘land of liberty.’ If this is not accomplished, nothing will be claimed beyond the sum of fifty thousand dollars in advance, which is supposed to be necessary to reach and slaughter the three villains. I will give, myself, one thousand dollars toward this patriotic purpose. Every one wishing to contribute will address Box X, Cahawba, Alabama.

Lincoln was assassinated four months later and Gayle was arrested in Alabama on May 25, 1865. Gayle claimed the ad was meant as a joke and that no money was paid to the assassination fund. However, Gayle was charged with conspiracy to assassinate the president.

Gayle’s ad was used at trial to condemn the Lincoln conspirators who were connected to John Wilkes Booth. It was introduced by the prosecution in the Lincoln assassination trials to show hatred of the Lincoln administration in much of the South, according to “Protecting President Lincoln: The Security Effort, the Thwarted Plots and the Disaster at Ford’s Theatre.”

On Oct. 18, 1865, according to a Gayle family genealogy, The Montgomery Ledger published this notice: “Col. G. W. Gayle – We were pleased to see Col. Gayle, of Dallas County, in our city yesterday having just been released from prison at Fort Pulaski. He appears to be in wretched health, the mere shadow of his former self. Gayle was released for lack of evidence after several months at Fortress Monroe, and returned to Alabama proud and unrepentant.”

On April 27, 1867, Gayle received a full pardon from Andrew Johnson. He died in 1875 and is buried in Selma’s Liveoak Cemetery.

Lewis Powell

In June of 1865, an Alabama minister’s son, barely 21 years old, found himself in a tiny windowless cell with only a mattress and bucket for amenities. His ears and eyes were covered with a padded, canvas hood, leaving only his mouth free to receive enough sustenance to keep him alive until he could be executed.

The stoic Lewis Powell, also known by the alias Lewis Payne or Paine, soon would be free of his earthly prison when he was hanged for attempting to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward as part of John Wilkes Booth’s plot to take out Lincoln and his administration.

Lewis Thornton Powell was born in Randolph County on April 22, 1844, to George Cader Powell, a Baptist minister, and Patience Caroline Powell. The family later moved to Georgia, then Florida, where Lewis signed up to fight for the Confederacy at age 17.

He would fight with honor in numerous battles, including those at Fredericksburg, Chancellorville, Second Manasses, Antietam and Gettysburg. Sometime in 1864, Lewis joined the Confederate Secret Service and met fellow operative, John Surratt, who would later be involved in the conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln. Surratt, in turn, introduced Powell to John Wilkes Booth.

Powell was assigned to take co-conspirator David Herold to help him kill Seward at his Washington, D.C., home. George Atzerodt was assigned to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson and Booth was to assassinate President Lincoln.

Powell’s assignment was made easier by the fact that Seward had been badly injured on April 5 in a carriage accident and was suffering a concussion, broken jaw and broken arm. He was convalescing at this home when, on the night of April 14, Powell knocked on the door of the Sewell home, saying he was delivering medication.

Lewis encountered Steward’s son, Frederick, on the stairs and pistol-whipped him before stepping into the room and stabbing the Secretary of State several times with a silver-mounted Bowie knife. One wound went through Seward’s cheek but a splint on his broken jaw helped save his life by protecting his jugular vein.

Lewis discarded the knife and made it back to his getaway horse. He hid in a tree for three days before making his way back to Mary Surratt’s boardinghouse, where the men had been meeting. When he arrived, he saw Mrs. Surratt being arrested on a charge of conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln. Lewis, too, was arrested.

By this time, Lewis knew his attempt to kill Seward had failed, Booth’s attempt to kill Lincoln succeeded and George Atzerodt got drunk and lost his nerve and never tried to kill Johnson.

The conspirators would also learn that, rather than being hailed as heroes of the Southern cause, as Booth had hoped, they were vilified. Booth was shot to death by soldiers twelve days after assassinating Lincoln, while the others faced trial.

Lewis was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and treason and sentenced to death by hanging, as were Atzerodt, Herold and Mary Surratt.

On July 7, 1865, the day of his execution, Lewis spent time in prayer with the Rev. Dr. Abram D. Gillette of First Baptist Church in Washington.

When the floor dropped from beneath the four conspirators, Lewis’ body swung wildly. Mary Surratt died instantly and Herold died after a brief shudder. Neither Atzerodt’s nor Lewis’ necks broke on impact and they hung for several minutes before dying, with Lewis drawing the last breath.

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Bought a game at GameStop? You may be eligible for part of a $4.5 million settlement

If you purchased a video game from the GameStop website within the last five years, and had a public Facebook profile during that time, you may be eligible to receive part of a $4.5 million settlement from the company.

A class action lawsuit, Alejandro Aldana and Scott Gallie v. GameStop, Inc., was filed in a New York federal court this year, on behalf of people who purchased a video game from the GameStop website between August 18, 2020, through April 17, 2025, and, at the time of that purchase, maintained a public Facebook profile using their actual name, according to the lawsuit’s webpage.

The suit alleges that during this time, GameStop disclosed its online video game customers’ personally identifiable information, or PII, to Facebook via the Facebook Tracking Pixel without consent in violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act or the VPPA.

“The VPPA defines PII to include information which identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific video materials or services from a video tape service provider,” the suit states.

According to the site, GameStop “denies that it violated any law but has agreed to the settlement to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the case.”

How much can eligible parties receive?

Under the terms of the settlement, claimants can elect to receive either a cash payment of up to $5 or a voucher of up to $10 for use on GameStop’s website, according to the suit webpage.

The deadline to submit a claim or write to the court objecting the settlement is Aug. 15.

When will they receive payment?

The court will hold a hearing on Sept. 18 (the “final approval hearing”), to decide whether to approve the settlement, according to the webpage.

Updates regarding the settlement and when payments will be made will be posted on the site.

The GameStop settlement isn’t the only case involving video games. You can see more information on a settlement related to popular game Fortnite here.

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2 new Buc-ee’s stores open: Here’s a list of other new locations

Delicious brisket and Beaver Nuggets are coming to two new locations.

Mega-popular gas station chain Buc-ee’s is opening two new stores this week, including its first store in Virginia, USA Today reported. Another grand opening is set for today on Georgia’s southeast coast in Brunswick, Ga.

The Virginia store is located off Interstate 81 in Rockingham County, just south of Harrisonburg. Crowds of people showed up for the opening and to score barbecue, fudge, snacks and beaver-themed merchandise at the first store outside the deep South.

The Buc-ee’s is also within a fairly easy driving distance to Washington, D.C., taking about two hours from the nation’s capital to get to Buc-ee’s.

Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s, located in Pass Christian in the southern part of the state, opened in June. The 74,000-square-foot convenience store features 120 fuel pumps and 24 EV charging stations, WLOX reported.

Other Buc-ee’s locations planned for 2026

The chain continues its western push. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Buc-ee’s are coming to the following locations in 2026:

• Monroe County, Georgia: Early 2026
• Boerne, Texas: 2026
• Huber Heights, Ohio: April 2026
• San Marcos, Texas: May 2026
• Goodyear, Arizona: June 2026
• Benton, Arkansas: September 2026
• Ocala, Florida: 2026
• Mebane, North Carolina: Late 2026 or early 2027

Texas has the greatest number of Buc-ee’s locations with 36 in operation.

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$3 million sought to cover ‘perfect storm’ cash-flow issue for Police & Fire Games

This is not the World Games 2.0, all parties insist. Not the 2022 event, which cost $65.1 million to produce, that fell far short of its participation and revenue goals and left a $14.1 million shortfall that was ultimately satisfied by deep and unexpected contributions from the state, Jefferson County and the City of Birmingham.

Indeed, just a few days into the 2025 World Police and Fire Games being held in Birmingham — which is budgeted at $16.3 million — the number of participants (about 8,300 from 72 nations) is nearing expectations and area hotels are enjoying higher occupancy during a traditionally slow time of the year, according to information shared Monday during the monthly meeting of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Board of Directors.

“It would normally be deader than a doornail now,” said CVB Board Chair and hotel industry executive Bill Murray. “Our hotels are benefiting.”

Still, during a special meeting of the CVB last week, DJ Mackovets, CEO of the Birmingham host committee, said $3 million is needed to address “near-term cash-flow and ensure the successful closeout of the Games,” he said, according to minutes of the meeting.

Mackovets attributed the cash-flow issues primarily to lower-than-hoped-for corporate sponsorship support and the timing of when public dollars are scheduled to be disbursed. Corporations have committed $2.12 million, with $1.18 million already collected.

“We’ve done a very aggressive job with our corporate community and have literally had a thousand conversations over the last couple of years,” Mackovets said at the meeting, according to minutes. “Corporations are basically tapped out.”

The requested funds, he added, would ensure vendors are paid in a timely fashion — a major stain on the World Games — while awaiting checks from the city and state that are not slated to be cut until the 2026 fiscal year. Mackovets originally requested the funds in the form of a loan.

“We didn’t expect to be here,” he said, before explaining the sources and timing of projected revenue, along with looming costs, which include venue rental, insurance, signage, officials, medals, transportation and numerous other expenses. “We’ve exhausted every [immediate cash-raising] opportunity. So, that’s kind of a perfect storm.”

Mackovets asked for $2 million from the CVB, whose mission is to promote tourism and recruit events to the region (it collects revenue from a portion of hotel and sales taxes); and $500,000 each from Jefferson County and Birmingham.

The CVB had already provided $1.35 million to support the games. Additionally, the state has paid more than $1.1 million — less than half of the $2.75 million it has promised. Jefferson County has put in $2 million, and the city has paid $1.5 million, with an additional $500,000 scheduled to be paid after the 2026 fiscal year begins in July.

Additional revenue comes from registration fees ($1.10 million has been collected, with $400,000 more projected) and sponsorships.

Estimates put the overall economic impact of the event at $66 million, though CVB board members took a more conservative view of potential revenues, calculating projections on tax revenue.

Last week, at the end of what Murray described as “not an easy meeting” (board member Sen. Jabo Waggoner stated it would be a “total embarrassment to the state and Birmingham if we don’t fund this at some level,” according to the minutes), the CVB board narrowly approved (4-3, among those present) to providing additional $1.5 million to support the event.

The funds come from the CVB’s reserves, which totaled $10.8 million before the vote.

“[Supporting events] is not our mission,” Murray said. “It’s not tourism promotion, but we got into this, and we’ve got to see it through. In the end, we all walked out as friends. It’s important to make sure it went well. We didn’t want this to be a World Games.”

“The WPFG is another great opportunity for the Birmingham-Hoover area to put its best foot forward in welcoming the sporting world of first responders to our region,” said board member John Lyda, who is also president of the Hoover City Council. “I am confident we will succeed in that, as we always do.

One significant difference between the World Games and the World Police & Fire Games is that participants in the latter are paying for their own accommodations, which will produce tax revenue not realized from the 2022 event.

“Once we do the math four months from now and calculate the hotel and sales taxes generated during this time when things are usually down, we’ll be fine,” said CVB Board member and Birmingham City Councilor Hunter Williams.

Less than two weeks into his tenure as the CVB’s new CEO and president, Dan Williams, formerly the chief sales officer at Experience Columbus in Ohio, said at the special-called meeting: “These types of events have impact in your communities and always provide a benefit and the exposure needed [to attract other events]. There’s always a risk you have to take.”

Added Lyda: “As stewards of the financial resources of the GBCVB, it is incumbent on our board and staff to ensure our investments have a direct, positive ROI for our local tourism industry by filling hotels, restaurants, and entertainment facilities. Time will tell how fruitful our investment of over $2.8 million in these games will be.”

On Monday, board member Rick Smith addressed what many termed corporate “donor fatigue.” “We need to take on the challenge of meeting with some donors to make sure we have a great relationship with them. We all went through a lot for the World Games and now look to the Police and Fire Games to set the stage for the community to understand the impact. Success begets success.”

“We don’t want this to become a black eye on Birmingham in getting future events,” added Murray last week. “And perhaps we should have planned this earlier. We have a lot of skin in this game, the most we’ve ever had for any event. We’ll get our money back somehow.”

It is not yet known when the city and county will consider its additional requests.

Waggoner committed to working to secure an additional $250,000 from the state.

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