Alabama News

Despite receiving some concerning health news back in February, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said he feels, “as good for this camp as I probably have in years.”

The 55-year-old head coach was diagnosed with an early form of prostate cancer earlier this year, but opted against immediate surgery to have it removed. That decision was due to the cancer being deemed low aggressive, according to Freeze.

As Auburn opens fall camp, Freeze said he’s not thinking much about his health.

“I don’t think anything about the health right now, whether that’s right, wrong or indifferent,” Freeze said Wednesday. “I had three of my doctors text me yesterday and they are awesome. I have a great team around me.”

Freeze added that he doesn’t feel sick, but will reevaluate the situation with doctors in January, a plan Freeze first announced after opting out of having surgery in the spring. In the meantime, he said his wife, Jill, has had him take a “natural” route to manage the cancer.

“My wife has me taking all kinds of natural things that supposedly may cure prostate cancer,” Freeze said. “We hope it does, and we’ll recheck it in January to see where things are.”

In Auburn’s statement announcing Freeze’s diagnosis, the post said the cancer was detected early, and the doctors advised that it is “very treatable and curable,” and “with forthcoming proper treatment, [Freeze] is expected to make a full recovery.”

Auburn has its first fall camp practice Wednesday afternoon, just under a month before it opens the 2025 season at Baylor on Aug. 29.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

An Alabama district attorney says a couple who had 29 dogs seized from their property earlier this month should be responsible for paying adoption and boarding expenses.

On July 1, Lauderdale County sheriffs and animal control seized the dogs from the property of Steven Reynolds and Teresa Counce on County Road 6, according to court documents.

Four puppies were born later while the dogs were in the custody of the Florence-Lauderdale Animal Shelter.

Court documents say the dogs were pregnant with these puppies on or before July 1.

Alabama District Attorney Christopher Connolly filed a lawsuit on July 23, asking a judge to allow the dogs to be adopted and adding that the pair should be responsible for all “reasonable expenses” related to the dogs’ boarding and care.

“Teresa Counce and Steven Reynolds are not suited to care for the dogs and are not fit to have the dogs returned to them,” the complaint reads.

Counce and Reynolds had 82 dogs confiscated from their house in January that were found in crates “restricting their movement and causing them to lay in their own feces and urine while some of the dogs were not provided access to food and water,” according to court documents.

Connolly’s complaint says that the dogs seized this month were found in a shed in “similar deplorable conditions.”

Local authorities have launched a criminal investigation into Counce and Reynolds, according to court documents.

Pending court approval, anyone interested in fostering one of the dogs must fill out this form from Florence Lauderdale Animal Services.

Paul Mario Day, the original vocalist of Iron Maiden, died Tuesday at the age of 69.

The heavy metal singer died peacefully at his Australian home, his family revealed.

Parade reports he had been battling cancer, but no cause of death was revealed.

Day was 19 years old when he joined Iron Maiden in 1975 but lasted just 10 months.

“When I sang in Iron Maiden, it was a new pub band and nobody wanted to see or hear them,” Day said in 2019 of his time in the group. “We were all nobodies all trying to make the best music we could and fighting for an audience.”

Day also fronted the groups “More and Wildfire,” before joining a Sweet with guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker.

“In 1985 Mick Tucker and myself put together the first new line-up of Sweet after the hiatus of the original band,” Scott wrote in a tribute post shared to Facebook. “We needed a singer and when Paul arrived for the audition we looked no further.

“Our first dates were in Australia, total sell-outs which boded well for the future. Europe followed suit and 3 sold out nights at the Marquee in London produced a live album, video and DVD. ‘Live at the Marquee’ did well in various charts around the world and Paul’s vocal performance has stood the test of time.”

“Paul was a huge part of the NWOBHM [New Wave of British Heavy Metal] from his time in an early version of Iron Maiden and of course his fantastic performance on the Warhead album,” a statement from More read on social media.

“He was a well loved figure in British rock music and played many memorable shows not least the legendary 1981 Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington with AC/DC, Whitesnake/David Coverdale as well as tours with Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and many other legendary artists.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl took to the social media platform X to blast former President Barack Obama over his views on Israeli action in Gaza.

On Sunday, Obama posted a New York Times opinion piece by World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés calling for aid to reach Palestinians in Gaza.

“While a lasting resolution to the crisis in Gaza must involve a return of all hostages and a cessation of Israel’s military operations, these articles underscore the immediate need for action to be taken to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation.

Obama followed this post up with another, stating: “Aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza. There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families.”

Pearl, replying to Obama’s post, blaming Obama’s Middle Eastern policies for the crisis.

“You gave billions to Iran and Hamas creating this mess and not one word from you calling for THEM to release the hostages, surrender and end the War! Tell Hamas to 1) Quit stealing and reselling aid 2) Stop attacking GHF workers who are feeding Gazans. 3) Leave and end suffering,” Pearl tweeted.

Obama left office in 2016. The current conflict between Israel and Hamas was triggered by the attacks carried out by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups on Oct. 7, 2023. In all, 1,195 people were killed and more than 250 people were taken hostage.

An estimated 60,000 people have died as a result of the conflict since, according to The Washington Post.

Pearl has made several comments about the war in Gaza as well as the fate of Israeli hostages. In a June opinion piece, he stated, “I am sometimes challenged for my passionate support for the state of Israel. I will never waver.”

In case you haven’t heard, Alabama football is on the hunt for a starting quarterback.

Jalen Milroe left for the NFL and became a third-round pick in the NFL Draft. That leaves a vacancy after he started most of the past two seasons for the Crimson Tide.

The contenders are Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. The coaching staff has said prior to the start of training camp that if the season started today, Simpson would be the starter.

That will either become official at some point over the next few weeks, or something else could happen. The season is one month away.

With all eyes on the quarterback situation, AL.com spent all of the media viewing period Wednesday during the first day of training camp watching the signal callers. The viewing period was relatively short, so no drastic takeaways or conclusions can be made.

Nonetheless, here’s what we saw.

Alabama practice observations: Quarterbacks

— The viewing period that reporters were allowed to watch spanned about 15 minutes. Reporters were out on the practice fields starting with the sixth period until the end of the eighth.

— During the first period open to reporters, the quarterbacks had plenty of eyes on them from the coaching staff, too. Head coach Kalen DeBoer, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan and analyst Mitch Dahlen (who is essentially the assistant quarterbacks coach) all either watched or worked the drill with the quarterbacks.

— Period 6: The first drills open to reporters involved quarterbacks working with running backs. First, the quarterbacks practiced hand offs then rolling out to complete a short pass.

— Next, quarterbacks put the ball into the running back’s stomach, then each quarterback got a pitch from an assistant coach for the quarterback to then throw over the middle.

— The last portion of that drill with quarterbacks and running backs involved quarterbacks taking shotgun snaps and throwing read-option passes over the middle.

— Quarterbacks went through these drills one at a time. The order through these drills went Simpson, Mack then Russell. That’s how it was in the spring, and it’s not surprising that’s how it’s going in training camp, too. That’s order of seniority. Simpson has been with the program since 2022, Mack is in his third season of college football and Russell is a true freshman. It’s also the first day of camp, and a quarterback jumping Simpson wouldn’t have happened yet (if it happens at all).

— Period 7: Then the quarterbacks began working with the tight ends. Each quarterback went one at a time and took shotgun snaps then threw passes to the tight ends. Once again, it went Simpson then Mack then Russell. Tight ends ran a few different routes.

— The first few routes were short, within five to 10 yards max. Then the quarterbacks threw to tight ends on routes where the tight ends ran a few steps then broke in or broke outside.

— Next the tight ends ran some comebacks and curls.

— These types of routes aren’t as exciting as big passes down the field, but the shorter routes require a quarterback to be solid in his mechanics and be technically sound considering the small area of the field with which he’s working.

— It’s important to note in all of these drills that reporters watched Wednesday, the quarterbacks threw against no defense.

— Simpson seemed to throw the ball with good zip and control in the drills with tight ends.

— Period 8: All three quarterbacks threw simultaneously. On the receiving end of those passes were a variety of pass catchers, namely receivers.

— It was more difficult to watch every throw and catch because three quarterbacks were throwing to three different receivers in different areas of the practice field at the same time. So, with Simpson the leader in the clubhouse, we decided to focus our attention on him in this drill. He’s the most likely starter for the opener against Florida State, after all.

— At one point, Simpson had a well-placed ball to Germie Bernard along the right sideline. The exact distance was difficult to tell, but it was at least 15-20 yards downfield.

— Another pass that stood out: Simpson hit transfer receiver Isaiah Horton on what appeared to be a skinny post in the end zone.

— There was one throw that Simpson made to Jaylen Mbakwe that seemed to be a little behind Mbakwe, but the sophomore receiver made the catch anyway.

— To the average untrained eye, Simpson seems to have the best mechanics of the three quarterbacks. He’s crisp and looks confident.

— Russell also throws a nice-looking pass. The talent is clearly there for the freshman. His growth and potential will be interesting to watch.

— Mack didn’t stand out in any particular way, good or bad. But he does always literally stand out as the biggest and tallest of the group.

— Russell doesn’t look out of place even as a freshman. But it’s clear who the more seasoned of the quarterbacks are. You can see, even in these brief practice viewings, why Simpson is considered the frontrunner. It’s the first day of practice, though, and it’s a completely different scenario going against a defense. Reporters didn’t get to see that Wednesday and likely won’t in any future practice viewings before the season starts.

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

The preliminary court hearing for Auburn wide receiver Malcolm Simmons has been moved up five days, according to court documents obtained by AL.com.

It was initially scheduled for Aug. 13, but is now set for Aug. 8 at 9 a.m. It comes after Simmons was arrested on July 16 on a charge of domestic assault with strangulation or suffocation.

According to court documents obtained by AL.com, Opelika police said they saw bruises on a woman’s neck when they responded to a domestic violence call on July 16. The officers identified the woman as Simmons’ girlfriend and said Simmons denied strangling her.

When asked about Simmons’ status with the program, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze told reporters Wednesday morning that, “Based on the information that I’ve been given from our campus administration, who have knowledge of the matter, he’s been cleared to participate in team activities.”

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

Octavia Spencer made her fame playing a Southern woman who’s a skillful (and sometimes devious) cook, as evidenced by her delectable fried chicken and a “special pie” with a hidden ingredient.

Spencer, a Montgomery native, earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in 2011’s “The Help.” She fairly leaped off the screen as Minny Jackson, a fierce and capable housekeeper in 1960s Mississippi. Minny has faced injustice throughout her life, and she’s sick and tired of being sick and tired.

In one pivotal scene from the film, Minny gets revenge on a racist former employer by feeding her a pie that includes a dollop of something nasty. (Watch that scene in the video below.)

But in real life, the Oscar-winning actress is far from an ace in the kitchen. Spencer, 55, will be the first to admit she could never match Minny’s culinary skills and ingenuity — poop pie notwithstanding.

How do we know? Spencer has mentioned her lack of cooking prowess several times on “Family Recipe Showdown,” her new reality series on the Food Network.

On an episode titled “Southern Cocktail Hour,” Spencer, who hosts the show, immediately brought up the subject as she met the contestants.

“Here in the South, cooking is a big part of our lives, “ Spencer said. ”That’s why a lot of my best memories have taken place in a kitchen. Not that I was actually cooking in it, because no sane person would ever ask me to do that. I’m not good at it, but I am an expert at tasting.”

Later on in the program, Spencer mentioned the topic again, saying, “I can tell you right now, I couldn’t serve anybody anything I’ve ever made.”

Three episodes into the season, her humility about cooking has been much on display — and sometimes played for laughs. On an episode called “Biscuit Bliss,” for example, Spencer seemed perplexed by a food processor, causing guest judge Al Roker to erupt into laughter.

“You don’t have a food processor?” Roker said.

“I might, I just don’t know what it is,” Spencer responded, throwing up her hands and chuckling. “This is me learning. I have all these things that I don’t know what they are.”

Spencer isn’t shy about expressing her opinions on food, however, and she does have a bona-fide chef by her side on the judging panel: Edgar “Dook” Chase IV of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans.

Celebrity guest judges have acted as taste-testers on the series, as well, including TV weatherman Roker, Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon and Eric Stonestreet of “Modern Family.”

Witherspoon — whose movie credits include “Sweet Home Alabama,” ”Walk the Line” and the “Legally Blonde” franchise — appeared on a “Southern Brunch” episode that kicked off the series on July 17. That program also found Spencer declaring herself clueless in the kitchen.

“Some of y’all my know that I’m from Alabama,” Spencer said. “That’s why I wanted to do a show for us Southerners that celebrates food and culture. Nobody appreciates Southern food more than me. That’s because I can’t cook it.”

Spencer and Witherspoon both have a stake in “Family Recipe Showdown,” which is produced for the Food Network by Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Spencer’s Orit Entertainment.

Each week, six home cooks compete in two-person teams on the show, vying for a $10,00 prize. Two rounds of competition are featured on each episode, focusing on specific cooking themes.

It’s unclear if any Alabama contestants will be in the mix, but episodes listed on the Food Network site focus on biscuits, brunch, seafood, cocktails, cast-iron skillet recipes, family superstitions, deep-fried food and tailgating.

Southern desserts do not appear to be on the agenda during the first season — a bummer for folks who love “The Help” — and viewers have yet to hear any jokes about Minny’s special pie.

If you watch: New episodes of “Family Recipe Showdown” air on Thursdays at 8 p.m. CT on the Food Network, and stream the next day on HBO Max. Episodes also repeat at various times during the week on Food Network.

There’s no question about how young Auburn’s linebacker group is heading into the 2025 season.

After losing four senior linebackers in the offseason, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze wanted to add more depth to help with the development of the freshman and sophomores.

Auburn signed linebacker Caleb Wheatland back in April, after spending three seasons at Maryland. During his time with the Terrapins, Wheatland finished with 100 total tackles and seven and a half sacks.

“We like the linebackers we had, but we felt like the youth needed some experience,” Freeze said during Wednesday’s press conference.

“You go get a guy that has started a bunch of games in Power 4 football and is a really good kid and a good player. We felt like we needed somebody to add to that youth in that room,” Freeze added. “Robert [Woodyard] is still young. [Elijah Melendez] is still young. I think they’re going to be two really good Mike linebackers, but can we get one that has some experience? That’s what we got in Caleb.”

While Keyron Crawford and Demarcus Riddick are favored to start at outside linebacker, the interior linebacker position is currently a three-man race between Wheatland, Woodyard and LSU transfer Xavier Atkins.

Freshmen Melendez and Bryce Deas also saw significant playing time with Auburn’s second and third teams during the spring.

Auburn will practice at 3:30 this afternoon in front of the media for the first time. AL.com will continue to follow this position battle.

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

Here’s some good news for stamp collectors and enthusiasts.

The U.S. Postal Service has announced the Stamp Encore Contest. The contest marks a celebration of the United States Postal Service’s 250th anniversary.

For the contest, the public is invited to select a stamp pane from the past to reprint as part of the 2026 Stamp program. The Postal Service chose 25 stamps from its past popular collections over the past 20 years.

Voting is open through Sept. 30, both online and by mail. Participants can see the official rules and vote online at stampsforever.com/vote, or print a paper ballot from the website and mail it in.

The Postal Service plans to announce the winning stamp design in May 2026 at the Boston 2026 World Expo to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Here’s a look at the list of stamps:

Art of Disney: Magic (2007)

Bugs Bunny (1997)

DC Comics Super Heroes (2006)

Flag Act of 1818 (2018)

Have a Ball! (2017)

Mail a Smile (2015)

Peanuts (2001)

Star Wars: Droids (2021)

Wonder Woman (2016)

Batman (2015)

Charles M. Schulz (2022)

Disney Villains (2017)

Frozen Treats (2018)

Heritage Breeds (2021)

Message Monsters (2021)

Send a Hello (2011)

Total Eclipse of the Sun (2017)

Bioluminescent Life (2018)

Classics Forever (2016)

Emancipation Proclamation (2013)

Happy Birthday (2021)

Let’s Celebrate (2020)

Mister Rogers (2018)

Star Trek (2016)

Transcontinental Railroad (2019)