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General

Flood advisory for Alabama until Tuesday morning due to heavy downpours

On Tuesday at 7:12 a.m. the National Weather Service released a flood advisory in effect until 10:15 a.m. for Lamar, Marion, Walker and Winston counties.

The weather service adds, “Urban and small stream flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.”

“Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas,” adds 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 either imminent or already occurring. In flood-prone areas, it’s crucial to move immediately to higher ground. A flash flood is a sudden and violent inundation that can develop within minutes to hours, and it can even happen in areas not currently experiencing rainfall.

Flood warning: Take action!

A flood warning is 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 does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.

Be flood-ready: Expert guidance from the weather service for your safety

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

Move to higher ground:

If you’re in a flood-prone area, or if you’re camping in a low-lying spot, move to higher ground as a first step.

Adhere to 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:

Avoid basements or rooms submerged in water with electrical outlets or cords. Preventing electrical accidents is crucial.

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 high ground if trapped:

Should you become trapped by moving water, reach the highest point possible and dial 911 to contact emergency services.

When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods. It is crucial to never drive through water on the road, even if it appears shallow. According to the weather service, as little as 12 inches of fast-flowing water can carry away most vehicles. Stay safe by being prepared and informed.

Driving through downpours: Safety guidelines 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 swollen waterways:

In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.

Maintain safe driving distances:

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

Slow down and drive with care:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

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

Visibility matters:

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.
When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

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

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Dense fog advisory affecting South Alabama Tuesday morning – limited visibility

On Tuesday at 7:02 a.m. a dense fog advisory was released by the National Weather Service in effect until 9 a.m. for Monroe, Conecuh, Escambia and Covington counties.

The weather service states to expect, “Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.”

“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” explains the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the weather service

If a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility often drops to just a quarter-mile or less. These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.

If driving through fog becomes inevitable, remember these safety guidelines:

Reduce speed:

Slow down and allow extra travel time to reach your destination safely.

Visibility priority:

Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights. If available, employ your fog lights.

Avoid high-beams:

Refrain from using high-beam lights, as they create glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.

Keep a safe distance:

Keep a considerable following distance to account for sudden stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road’s lane markings as a guide.

Visibility near zero:

In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.

No parking options:

If no designated parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these precautions from the weather service, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.

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.

General

Alabama’s newest laws: Kay Ivey has signed these bills during the 2025 legislative session

Gov. Kay Ivey has signed more than 100 bills into law this year, including several she urged lawmakers to pass during her State of the State back in February.

New laws ban Glock switches, create paid parental leave for teachers and state employees, give the governor control of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, and define gender as fixed at birth.

Other bills that Ivey and the Republican majority said were priorities still have time to reach the governor’s desk during the final days of the session.

Those bills would restrict the use of cell phones in classrooms, give police officers more immunity from civil and criminal liability, and require public schools to display the Ten Commandments, among others.

Lawmakers return to Montgomery on Tuesday and have seven meeting days left in the session, which House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said will probably end on May 8 or May 13.

Overall, Ivey has signed 110 bills. Almost half of the new laws, 52, are local bills that affect only one county.

Here are some of the statewide bills Ivey had signed into law.

Glock switches: SB116 by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Montgomery, bans devices that make semiautomatic pistols operate like machine guns, firing a burst of rounds with one pull of the trigger. The new law has quickly resulted in arrests.

Federal law already prohibited the conversion devices. But Alabama police said a state law was needed for the switches, which can make a gun fire up to 20 rounds a second, according to an ATF agent. Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, sponsored the bill in the House.

Paid parental leave: SB199 by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, and Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, gives Alabama women who are teachers, education employees, and state workers up to eight weeks of paid parental leave after a birth, stillbirth or miscarriage of a child. Male employees will receive two weeks of leave under the same circumstances. The bill provides leave for eligible employees who adopt a child who is three years old or younger.

What is a woman: SB79 by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, and Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, defines a female as someone whose reproductive system produces ova and a male as someone whose reproductive system produces sperm.

The new law says state and local government agencies can establish separate single-sex spaces or environments for males and females when biology, privacy, safety, or fairness are implicated.

Transgender men and women and other opponents of the legislation attended public hearings and said the bill puts transgender people at risk of targeted harassment and threats.

Help for independent pharmacies: SB252 by Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, and Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, places new requirements on pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which are companies that manage prescription benefits between insurance companies and employers.

The new law prohibits PBMs from paying pharmacists less than Medicaid does and from charging miscellaneous fees.

Pharmacists said PBMs have been paying them below cost on some drugs, forcing pharmacies out of business across the state.

Changing control of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs: SB67 by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, and Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, moved control of the ADVA from a board made up of representatives of veterans organizations to the governor.

Under the new law, the governor will appoint the commissioner of the ADVA. The board’s role will be reduced to advisory.

Ivey supported the bill, which came after a public dispute last year between the governor and former ADVA Commissioner Kent Davis.

Prison construction: SB60 by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, increases the maximum amount of bonds the state can issue for prison construction by $500 million.

The state plans to borrow money through the Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority to help build a 4,000-bed men’s prison in Escambia County.

Albritton, chairman of the Senate General Fund committee, said the timing and amount of the bond issue has not been decided.

The Escambia County prison will be the second of two prisons approved by lawmakers in 2021.

The Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority issued about $500 million in bonds to help build the Kay Ivey Correctional Complex, a 4,000-bed specialty care men’s prison in Elmore County.

That prison will cost slightly more than $1 billion.

Firearm hold agreements: SB40 by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, is intended to provide a way for people who think they may be at risk of suicide to voluntarily surrender their guns to a licensed firearm dealer for an agreed period of time.

The bill provides civil immunity for the firearms dealer for what happens after returning the gun to the owner.

Laughing gas: SB78 by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, restricts the sales and use of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, and butyl nitrate, products that police say are sold in some vape stores and gas stations and are misused as dangerous inhalants.

Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans said there were five adult deaths in the county last year where it was clear that the person who died was inhaling nitrous oxide at or near the time of death.

The gas canisters are marketed as food preparation propellants, to make whipped cream, for example, but some buyers use them as an inhalant to experience a dangerous and addictive high, police who spoke in favor of the bill said.

Adult changing tables: SB83 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, will require new public buildings or those that are totally renovated to have a powered, height-adjustable, adult-size changing table in at least or more restrooms.

The requirement goes into effect Jan. 1, 2028, and carries some exceptions, such as if the governing authority says the requirement is not feasible.

General

NFL Draft by the Numbers: Alabama carrying defensive-back streak

SEC Football by the Numbers is looking at the 2025 NFL Draft in four parts. Monday’s initial installment examined the first round. Today, it’s a breakdown by positions. On Wednesday, NFL teams will be the focus. And on Thursday, some stats and streaks about the conference and the draft will lead into this year’s first round of picks that night.

2 Consecutive drafts have featured an Alabama player as the first linebacker selected and three consecutive drafts have featured an SEC player as the first linebacker chosen. Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell is considered a candidate to become the first linebacker picked in the 2025 draft. Seventeen drafts have featured an SEC player as the first linebacker chosen. The SEC players who have been the first linebacker selected include:

Alabama’s Dallas Turner (chosen 17th by the Minnesota Vikings in 2004)
Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. (third by the Houston Texans in 2023)
Georgia’s Quay Walker (22nd by the Green Bay Packers in 2022)
LSU’s Devin White (fifth by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019)
Georgia’s Roquan Smith (eighth by the Chicago Bears in 2018)
Georgia’s Leonard Floyd (ninth by the Chicago Bears in 2016)
Florida’s Dante Fowler (third by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015)
Georgia’s Jarvis Jones (17th by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013)
Alabama’s Rolando McClain (eighth by the Oakland Raiders in 2010)
Ole Miss’ Patrick Willis (11th by the San Francisco 49ers in 2007)
Alabama’s Keith McCants (fourth by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1990)
Alabama’s Derrick Thomas (fourth by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989)
Auburn’s Aundray Bruce (first by the Atlanta Falcons in 1988)
Alabama’s Cornelius Bennett (second by the Indianapolis Colts in 1987)
Mississippi State’s Johnie Cooks (second by the Indianapolis Colts in 1982)
Alabama’s Lee Roy Jordan (sixth by the Dallas Cowboys in 1963)
Georgia’s Dave Lloyd (47th by the Cleveland Browns in 1959)

2 Arkansas wide receivers have been chosen in the past 12 NFL drafts, while two Razorbacks wide receivers could be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Since Joe Adams and Jarius Wright went in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Arkansas has had only two wide receivers drafted – Cobi Hamilton in 2013 and Treylon Burks in 2022. Arkansas WRs Isaac TeSlaa and Andrew Armstrong are considered draft possibilities this week.

3 NFL drafts have included a quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end from the same SEC program, a feat that Texas could duplicate this year with QB Quinn Ewers, RB Jaydon Blue, WRs Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden and TE Gunnar Helm. In 1990, LSU had QB Tommy Hodson, RB Eddie Fuller, WR Tony Moss and TE Ronnie Haliburton drafted. Arkansas had QB Tyler Wilson, RB Knile Davis, WR Cobi Hamilton and TE Chris Gragg as its only four picks in the 2013 draft. In 2020, LSU had QB Joe Burrow, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, WR Justin Jefferson and TE Stephen Sullivan drafted.

6 Consecutive NFL drafts have featured a tight end from Georgia. During that time, the other 13 SEC programs have had nine tight ends chosen. This week, LSU’s Mason Taylor, Texas’ Gunnar Helm, South Carolina’s Joshua Simon and Alabama’s C.J. Dippre are considered the SEC tight ends who will be drafted, with Georgia’s Ben Yurosek deemed a longer shot.

9 SEC players have been the first offensive lineman selected in an NFL Draft. LSU OT Will Campbell or Missouri OT Armand Membou is likely to fill that position in the 2025 draft. The SEC players who have been the first offensive linemen selected in the draft are:

Georgia OT Andrew Thomas (chosen fourth by the New York Giants in 2020)
Alabama OT Jonah Williams (11th by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019)
Auburn OT Greg Robinson (second by the St. Louis Rams in 2014)
Alabama OT Chris Samuels (third by the Washington Redskins in 2000)
Georgia OT Bernard Williams (14th by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1994)
Tennessee OT Charles McRae (seventh by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991)
Tennessee T Steve Delong (sixth by the Chicago Bears in 1965)
Ole Miss T Jim Dunaway (third by the Minnesota Vikings in 1963)
Alabama C Vaughn “Cisco” Mancha (fifth by the New York Yanks in 1948).

Neither Delong nor Dunaway really belongs on the list. They were two-way stars in college who were defensive linemen in the NFL.

11 SEC players have been the first defensive back selected in an NFL Draft, with Texas CB Jahdae Barron considered a candidate to earn that honor this year. The SEC players who have been the first defensive back selected are:

LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. (chosen third by the Houston Texans in 2022)
South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn (eighth by the Carolina Panthers in 2021)
LSU’s Jamal Adams (sixth by the New York Jets in 2017)
Alabama’s Dee Milliner (ninth by the New York Jets in 2013)
LSU’s Morris Claiborne (sixth by the Dallas Cowboys in 2012)
LSU’s Patrick Peterson (fifth in 2011 by the Arizona Cardinals in 2011)
Tennessee’s Eric Berry (fifth by the Kansas Ctiy Chiefs in 2010)
LSU’s LaRon Landry (sixth by the Washington Redskins in 2007)
Georgia’s Champ Bailey (seventh by the Washington Redskins in 1999)
Alabama’s Antonio Langham (ninth by the Cleveland Browns in 1994)
LSU’s Johnny Robinson (third by the Detroit Lions in 1960)

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of his play at safety, Robinson spent his first two pro seasons as a halfback/flanker for the Dallas Texans of the AFL before changing sides of the ball.

The list includes only players designated as a DB by their drafting team. Many SEC players from the days of two-way college football were listed merely as B for back and went on to play defensive back in the NFL.

13 Consecutive NFL drafts have included at least one Alabama defensive back. That’s the longest current draft streak for one position from one school in the SEC. S Malachi Moore is the candidate to keep the Alabama streak going in the 2025 draft. Three Crimson Tide defensive backs were chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft for the second year in a row – Terrion Arnold, Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry and Jaylen Key. The other defensive backs drafted in the streak include Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie, Dee Milliner, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Vinnie Sunseri, Landon Collins, Cyrus Jones, Marlon Humphrey, Eddie Jackson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett, Deionte Thompson, Xavier McKinney, Trevon Diggs, Patrick Surtain II, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Jordan Battle, Brian Branch and DeMarcco Hellams. The 2011 draft is the most recent without an Alabama defensive back.

13 Consecutive first rounds have featured at least one SEC linebacker, with the selection of Alabama’s Dallas Turner by the Minnesota Vikings with the 17th pick in 2024 extending the streak. The most recent draft without an SEC linebacker I the first round occurred in 2011. Since then, the other SEC players drafted in the first round as linebackers have included Alabama’s Dont’a Hightower, C.J. Mosley, Reuben Foster, Rashaan Evans and Will Anderson Jr.; Auburn’s Dee Ford, Florida’s Dante Fowler and Jarrad Davis, Georgia’s Alec Ogletree, Jarvis Jones, Leonard Floyd, Roquan Smith and Quay Walker; Kentucky’s Bud Dupree, Josh Allen and Jamin Davis; LSU’s Barkevious Mingo, Devin White and Patrick Queen; and Missouri’s Charles Harris.

22 NFL drafts have passed since South Carolina had five defensive players selected in the same year. S Nick Emmanwori, LB Demetrius King Jr., DT T.J. Sanders and DE Kyle Kennard are considered certainties for the 2025 draft. If DT Tonka Hemingway joins them, the Gamecocks would have five defensive players picked in the same draft for the first time since 2002, when DEs Kalimba Edwards and John Stamper and DBs Sheldon Brown, Andre Goodman and Willie Offord were chosen. Edwards and Goodman went to the Detroit Lions in the second and third rounds, respectively.

28 NFL drafts have passed since a Mississippi State wide receiver has been picked. The most recent wide receiver drafted from MSU is Eric Moulds, who went to the Buffalo Bills as the 24th selection in 1996. Every other SEC program has had at least one wide receiver selected since 2014, and 164 SEC wide receivers have been drafted since Moulds. Mississippi State is not likely to have a wide receiver drafted this week.

30 NFL drafts have passed since Florida had two wide receivers and one running back selected in the same year, which could happen this week with WRs Elijah Baker and Chimere Duke and RB Montrell Johnson Jr. as draft possibilities. In 1994, Florida RB Errict Rhett and WRs Willie Jackson and Harrison Houston were chosen in the NFL Draft.

38 NFL drafts have passed since a Vanderbilt tight end has been picked. That’s the longest position drought for one program in the SEC when the players are divided into quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. The most recent Vanderbilt tight end to enter the NFL via the draft is Jim Popp, who went to the San Francisco 49ers in the eighth round in 1986. Seventy-eight SEC tight ends have been drafted since Popp. Vanderbilt is not expected to have a tight end drafted this week.

53 NFL drafts have passed since Ole Miss had a quarterback and a wide receiver selected in the same year, which will happen this week with QB Jaxson Dart and WR Tre Harris set to be picked. In 1971, the New Orleans Saints chose Ole Miss QB Archie Manning with the second selection of the draft. In the 11th round, the New York Jets picked Ole Miss WR Vernon Studdard, and one round later, the Denver Broncos chose Rebels WR Floyd Franks.

89 NFL drafts – every one of them – has included at least one SEC offensive lineman and one SEC running back. The last time there was an NFL Draft without an SEC defensive back was 1947, without an SEC linebacker was 1953, without an SEC wide receiver was 1970, without an SEC defensive lineman was 1980, without an SEC tight end was 2005 and without an SEC quarterback was 2015.

This look at the SEC’s draft numbers includes only players picked in the regular NFL Draft — no special supplemental, expansion, non-NFL or separate dispersal drafts are included in the tabulations. For Arkansas and South Carolina, which joined the league in 1992, the numbers include players drafted since 1993, unless noted. For former member Georgia Tech, players drafted from 1936 to 1964 are included. For former member Tulane, it’s through the 1966 draft. Missouri and Texas A&M have provided SEC players for the past 12 drafts. Former SEC member Sewanee has had one player drafted — RB William Johnson by the Falcons in 1966, long after the school left the conference following the 1940 season.

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday with the first round. The second and third rounds are set for Friday, with the remaining four rounds on Saturday. ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will televise the draft, starting at 7 p.m. CDT Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.

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

General

Archibald: This legendary Birmingham writer has more to say

This is an opinion column.

I was a baby in a booming news business in 1990, when an editorial team at my newspaper – Ron Casey, Harold Jackson and Joey Kennedy, wrote a sweeping indictment of Alabama’s shameful tax system.

The series, “What They Won’t Tell You About Your Taxes,” told of a system that “patted the powerful on the back, as it laid its burdens on the poor.” The series, along with Wayne Flynt’s revelatory book “Poor But Proud,” helped me understand my state’s past and its present in ways I had never before understood.

Surely, I thought, it would change the world.

When Casey, Jackson and Kennedy were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for that work – the first such honor in the century-long history of The Birmingham News – they reflected in another editorial on the past, and the work, and the recognition. All three signed it, proud of the honor, and frustrated that despite the attention, despite the accolades, despite a call from the governor, they still lived in a state with a tax structure “entrenched by a century’s worth of exploitation” that had not budged an inch.

Knowing, they said, it would never budge “until someone in Montgomery seizes the cudgel of leadership and uses it for the benefit of a state full of fine, but long forsaken people.”

I think often about the work of those writers, for it remains true and relevant 3½ decades later. We are not closer to real reform, we are further away. And when the cudgel of leadership is seized in Montgomery these days, it is certain to be used not for Alabama’s long-forsaken people, but against them.

Here’s to those three for trying, for banging their heads until it hurt.

I was reminded recently by Wayne Flynt himself, author, Baptist preacher, historian and patron saint of me, that people such as these can’t be measured by their visible impact alone.

None of us can judge ourselves by the understanding of others, he said. We must simply tell the truth as we understand it, and hope some people will listen, and learn, and be changed.

I heard Flynt, and then I learned Harold Jackson had written a new memoir. It seemed fitting. I knew I would in some small way be changed again, if a better understanding of the world around me amounts to change. I believe it does.

Jackson was a Birmingham kid. He grew up in Loveman’s Village and became a voice of reason for a city and a state that would, if given the chance, use its cudgel against him.

He is still a voice of reason, and he observes the world as he ever did, and responds with compassion over malice, consideration over anger, beauty over the ugliness of life.

“Under the Sun: A Black Journalist’s Journey,” was published last week by the University of Alabama Press. That’s also fitting, really, for someone who fell in love with journalism through a UA program only a few years after George Wallace blocked the doors to people who looked like him.

I won’t presume to tell the stories of Harold Jackson. Not when I can let you read for yourself.

The following is an excerpt from Under the Sun. Read and enjoy.

“Under the Sun: A Black Journalist’s Journey,”Special

By Harold Jackson

Under the Sun: A Black Journalist’s Journey:

Becoming a successful journalist meant learning how to get white people I was interviewing to see past my Blackness and answer my questions. It meant realizing that some situations might require me to adapt not only my natural personality but even my style of clothing. Making those adjustments sometimes reminded me of the sociologist W. E. B. DuBois, who, 150 years ago, said Black people out of necessity live double lives—behaving one way among themselves and quite another around white folks.Of course, it’s not just Black people who choose to live double lives to fit in, to be successful, to make friends, and to be loved.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit —Ecclesiastes 1:14

God seems to like catching our attention when we least expect it.

On an otherwise unremarkable summer day in 1996, my phone rang at the Baltimore Sun. I was doing some research to write an editorial about a topic I no longer remember, but I will never forget what happened next.

I answered the phone as I usually did—not by reciting my name or the newspaper’s but by sounding as if I were lounging in a chair at home. “Hello,” I said. “Hello,” a man responded before hurriedly reciting a speech he likely had rehearsed many times before dialing my number. “My name is Ricky Marquis. I’m a friend of your brother Calvin.”

I immediately felt nervous. Calvin lived three thousand miles away in San Francisco, and none of his friends had ever called me. Something must be wrong. Was he in trouble? Was he sick? None of my fears prepared me for Ricky’s next words.

“Calvin doesn’t know I’m calling,” he said, “but there’s something you need to know. Calvin is sick. He’s dying. Of AIDS.”

The rest of that conversation remains lost in fog. I don’t remember how I responded. My cubicle was designed to resemble a small office with just enough room for a desk, file cabinet, and a second chair for visitors, but the partition walls separating it from the other cubicles were paper thin and didn’t extend to the ceiling. Anything I said could be overheard, and I didn’t want anyone to hear me if I started crying.

When Ricky finished, I thanked him, sat at my desk for about an hour, and then went home to tell my wife, Denice, what had happened. I wiped tears from my eyes as I drove, not just because Calvin was dying but because the youngest of Lewis and Janye Jackson’s five sons had tried to keep the truth that he was gay hidden from his family—fearing they would no longer love him.

When I got home from work, I called Calvin, who apparently was sleeping or didn’t want to talk to me. His roommate, Peter, picked up the phone, which in itself was confirmation of their true relationship. He and Calvin had shared an apartment for several years, but I knew little about Peter other than the fact that he was white.

Peter said neither he nor Calvin knew Ricky was going to call me but that he was relieved to no longer be an accomplice to Calvin’s keeping a secret from his family. I said I wanted to come to San Francisco, and Peter said I should but that didn’t need to happen immediately. A few days later I got a letter from Peter that detailed all he had done for my brother.

“I have long been an advocate of Calvin telling you what is going on. But whenever I raise the issue, Calvin has always rejected it outright, saying it would give Janye a heart attack. His doctor did talk to Calvin last week and suggested that now was probably a good time to notify the family and that she would be happy to volunteer if he so desired.

“Calvin was all smiles until she left at which point he got very angry and told me she had overstepped her bounds and who did she think she is. Well, I have not been forcing the issue since I am the one living here. But Rick Marquis took things in his own hands and contacted you, and I am happy that I don’t have to be a guardian of this family secret any longer. I realize that you now have to agonize with this situation, but in the long run it is better that it happen now rather than after the fact.

Peter’s letter didn’t prepare me for how frail Calvin looked when I got to San Francisco about two weeks later. Seeing my little brother in their small apartment, propped up with pillows in a hospital bed, I thanked God that he moved to California after college. I don’t think an AIDS patient in the 1990s would have received the same elevated level of care in Alabama.

I was only going to be in San Francisco a few days, but Calvin insisted that Peter show me some of its fabled tourist sites—the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio, Fisherman’s Wharf, and their favorite barbecue joint. No doubt Peter would have preferred to stay by Calvin’s bedside, but he tried to fulfill all my dying brother’s requests. Even without the legal status of a spouse, Peter had maneuvered through California’s health-care system to get Calvin every benefit he qualified for.

I should have spent more time getting to know Peter. Instead, Calvin and I fell into our old habit of revisiting old memories. We both knew he was dying, but neither of us wanted to talk about that. So, we didn’t. When it finally came time to return home, I told Calvin I loved him, hugged him in his bed, and headed out the door to prepare for my flight back to Baltimore. Just like at Daddy’s funeral, I didn’t cry. The Jackson boys aren’t supposed to do that.

Two months later, I got the telephone call from Peter telling me Calvin had died. I began 1996 with four brothers, never thinking for a second that I would end it with two. I wrote about Calvin’s death in a column published a week later in the Baltimore Sun. Headlined “The Secrets That We Keep,” it began with a description of how I received the news:

Awake at 2:30 last Saturday night, I was struck by how well I could see across the length and breadth of my bedroom. A flood of moonlight fil- tered through the blinds, giving every object a shadowy dimension that suggested an attachment to another world.

I put on my glasses, walked barefoot across the cool, hardwood floor and peeked out the window. The sky was actually cloudy save for an occasional break, the largest of which allowed the moon to fully display the illuminating power that according to legend can drive men mad.

The sun would blind us if we similarly looked directly at it. But the moon, in its brilliantly pale fluorescence, demands that we stare it in the face. I opened the blinds wider to get a better look at the glowing disc with dark craters that make it a work of art.

Eventually, though, without slippers or robe, I started to get cold. And was reluctantly reminded of what woke me up in the first place. A call informing me that my younger brother had died.

Calvin’s story wasn’t unique. An estimated nine hundred thousand people in the United States were HIV-positive when he died in 1996. More than thirty-one thousand of those patients died that year, which was 50 percent less than the year before. That’s thanks to previously unavailable antiviral drug therapies. Many who died didn’t know they were sick until it was too late. Others kept their diagnosis to themselves, hoping for a miracle cure.

There’s still no cure for AIDS, but drug therapies still in their development stage when Calvin died are keeping people alive now by dramatically reducing the amount of virus in their blood. Such drugs not only are more affordable; they are also being sold by pharmaceutical companies in TV ads featuring obviously gay couples.

So much has changed. I can’t help thinking that were Calvin still alive, he would be healthier and happier. He no longer would feel the need to keep his truth a secret.

General

Prepare for strong thunderstorms in Cullman County Tuesday morning – gusts to hit 40 mph

A report was issued from the National Weather Service on Tuesday at 6:52 a.m. for strong thunderstorms until 7:30 a.m. for Cullman County.

Residents can be ready for wind gusts of up to 40 mph.

“At 6:52 a.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm over Arley, moving east at 20 mph,” states the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Wilburn, Good Hope, Baldwin, Crane Hill, Smith Lake, Logan, Bremen, Dodge City, Jones Chapel and Vinemont.

The weather service adds, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.”

When lightning looms: Expert safety tips for thunderstorms

Lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times each year, with the bulk of these electrical discharges occurring during the summer months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 individuals annually, as reported by the weather service. The risk of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw near, reaching its peak when the storm directly looms overhead. However, it gradually recedes as the tempest moves away.

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, consider the following recommendations:

Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s an indication that lightning is nearby.
Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
It’s important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
If you’re in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If you have no alternative, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. It’s crucial to note that a tent provides no protection against lightning.
Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.

Mastering wet roads: Safety tips for heavy rainfall

When heavy rain pours, the risk of flooding and treacherous roads rises. Here’s your guide from the weather service to staying safe during downpours:

Beware of swollen waterways:

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:

Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Slow down and drive with care:

On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Visibility matters:

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

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.

General

A few strong storms possible today in Alabama: What to expect from this week’s weather

Rain and storms are expected to hang around parts of Alabama today, and a few of them could be on the strong side.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has added a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather for parts of south and west Alabama today (Tuesday).

A Level 1 risk (or marginal risk) means that isolated severe storms will be possible.

The strongest storms could have damaging winds and hail. The tornado risk is low to zero.

The National Weather Service expects a stalled out frontal boundary to linger across parts of north and central Alabama today.

That boundary had spawned a lot of rain and some storms over that region as of Tuesday morning.

Additional storms could form in the heat of the day today in parts of west Alabama, and there’s a chance one or two of those could reach severe limits.

That frontal boundary is expected to fall apart by Wednesday, but the weather service expects rain chances to linger into Wednesday and Thursday.

No severe weather is in the forecast (at least so far) for the next few days.

Rain chances each day will resemble a summertime pattern and peak in the afternoon hours.

Those in north and central Alabama should expect daily chances for afternoon showers and storms through Saturday, when rain chances are expected to drop.

South Alabama will see rain chances decrease starting on Thursday and through the weekend, according to the weather service.

General

JD Crowe: Pope Francis was a breath of fresh air

This is an opinion cartoon.

Pope Francis practiced what he preached and lived a life of humble service to the Lord. He reminds me of my dad.

I’m not Catholic. I have no papal dog in the fight for whoever might be next in line to replace Pope Francis. I love the drama of the mysterious black smoke, white smoke election process. But I doubt this pope can ever really be replaced.

Pope Francis was a breath of fresh air.

I’m just a back-pew riding son of a Primitive Baptist preacher, a man who was the best guy and most humble servant of the Lord I’ve ever known. There was a place in my dad’s heart and prayers for all. Especially the poor, elderly and sick.

My dad was a no-script, no-notes, in-the-moment storytellin’ spirit preacher. He didn’t always know where he was going but the Lord always got him there. He didn’t wear fancy robes. Or pointy hats. He was real good at preaching. But he woud have been terrible at poping.

But I gotta say, Pope Francis is the closest true humble servant-of-the-Lord and people type feller I’ve never known besides my dad.

Rest in peace, Pope Francis. You too, Pop. I think you guys will get along just fine.

Check out more cartoons and stuff by JD Crowe

JD Crowe is the cartoonist for AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler at [email protected].

General

Funeral plans for Pope Francis revealed: When will conclave begin?

Pope Francis will be laid to rest Saturday after lying in state for three days in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff.

The cardinals met Tuesday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10.

The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend, and Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.

The Argentine pope died Monday at age 88 after a stroke put him in a coma and led his heart to fail. He had been recovering in his apartment after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia. He made his last public appearance Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and greeting followers from his popemobile, looping around St. Peter’s Square.

His Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a fitting bookend to a 12-year papacy that sought to shake up the church and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.

Vatican officials remember Francis

“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end,” said Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.

While the ordinary faithful will have an opportunity to pay their respects beginning Wednesday, Vatican officials were allowed to say their goodbyes starting Monday evening. Speaking to reporters after she paid her respects, Becquart marveled at Francis’ final Easter salute to his flock. “He really walked with his people,” she said.

Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said it was specifically Francis’ effort to promote the role of women in the church that will be one of his greatest legacies. Ravasi noted that Francis chose to be buried near his favorite icon of the Madonna, in a basilica across town, and not in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s, as is typical for popes.

“He wanted to be buried under the shadow of a woman, in this case Maria,” said Ravasi, the Vatican’s former culture minister as he arrived for Tuesday’s first meeting of cardinals. “That is significant, his desire for the church to do more for women.”

The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in red vestments and his bishop’s miter in a wooden casket, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.

In his final will, Francis said he wanted to be buried at St. Mary Major Basilica, which is home to the Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before it one last time.

The world reacts

Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half-staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the camerlengo, who takes charge of the Vatican after a pope’s death. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were suspended in honor of the pope who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.

World leaders praised Francis for his moral leadership and compassion, while ordinary faithful remembered his simplicity and humanity.

“Like every Argentine, I think he was a rebel,” said 23-year-old Catalina Favaro, who had come to pay her respects in the Buenos Aires church where Francis discovered his priestly vocation. “He may have been contradictory, but that was nice, too.”

In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly half of the population last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Pope Francis was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.

“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is Muslim. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and has around 30 million Catholics, representing about 14% of the population.

Viewing the pope’s coffin

The pope’s formal apartments in the Apostolic Palace and in the Santa Marta hotel were sealed Monday evening, following a centuries-old ritual. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo had the task of announcing the death and confirming it once the cause was determined, presided over the rituals.

Francis chose not to live in the palace, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was underway Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.

In changes made by Francis last year, his body was not placed in three wooden coffins, as it had been for previous popes. Rather, Francis was placed in a simplified wooden coffin with a zinc coffin inside.

Once in St. Peter’s, his casket will not be put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.

“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting (his hands) dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”

Choosing the next pope

After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome and meet privately before the conclave.

To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.

Once the conclave begins, cardinals vote in secret sessions in the Sistine Chapel. After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove. Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

The one who has secured two-thirds of the votes wins. If he accepts, his election is announced by a cardinal from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica who tells the world: “Habemus Papam” — Latin for “We have a pope.”

General

Jalen Milroe can make history in NFL Draft 2025 for Alabama. Here’s how

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has a chance to make the Crimson Tide the definitive “QBU” this week in the SEC.

If Milroe is selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, he will become the seventh Alabama quarterback drafted in the first round. That would be a definitive record for all 16 SEC teams in the history of NFL Drafts, according to AL.com research using Pro Football Reference data.

Right now Alabama is, sort of, tied with LSU and Florida for the most first-round quarterbacks in the NFL Draft. Essentially, it’s an asterisk three-way tie.

LSU also has six, if you count Y.A. Tittle twice. The LSU quarterback was drafted in the first round in 1948 and 1951 because he first chose to play in the All-America Football Conference instead of the NFL. Then his team in that league folded, so he could re-enter the NFL Draft again in 1951.

Florida has six first-round quarterbacks, if you want to count Wayne Peace. He was selected in the first round of the NFL’s supplemental draft in 1984.

So, depending on how you want to account for those two asterisks, Alabama might already be the definitive leader in first-round quarterbacks. But Milroe becoming a first-round draft pick would make Alabama the leader, without argument. It’s far from a given Milroe will hear his name Thursday, though. NFL mock drafts have him going everywhere from the first round to the third round.

Just know that SEC history hangs in the balance Thursday night when the draft starts in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Alabama first-round quarterbacks: Bryce Young, Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, Richard Todd, Joe Namath and Harry Gilmer.

LSU first-round quarterbacks: Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow, JaMarcus Russell, Bert Jones, Y.A. Tittle, Y.A. Tittle*

Florida first-round quarterbacks: Anthony Richardson, Tim Tebow, Rex Grossman, Wayne Peace*, John Reaves, Steve Spurrier.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.