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These beloved Hollywood stars lost their homes to LA wildfires: Disaster halts award shows

Fires burning in and around Los Angeles have claimed the homes of numerous celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton and led to sweeping disruptions of entertainment events.

Three awards ceremonies planned for this weekend have been postponed. Next week’s Oscar nominations have been delayed. And tens of thousands of Angelenos are displaced and awaiting word Thursday on whether their homes survived the flames — some of them the city’s most famous denizens.

More than 1,900 structures have been destroyed and the number is expected to increase. More than 130,000 people are also under evacuation orders in the metropolitan area, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, a number that continues to shift as new fires erupt.

Late Wednesday, a fire in the Hollywood Hills was scorching the hills near the famed Hollywood Bowl and Dolby Theatre, which is the home of the Academy Awards. That fire had been largely contained without damage to Hollywood landmarks.

Here are how the fires are impacting celebrities and the Los Angeles entertainment industry:

Stars whose homes have burned in the fires

Celebrities like Crystal and his wife, Janice, were sharing memories of the homes they lost.

The Crystals lost the home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that they lived in for 45 years.

“Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this,” the Crystals wrote in the statement.

Mandy Moore lost her home in the Altadena neighborhood roughly 30 miles east of the Palisades.

“Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family. My children’s school is gone. Our favorite restaurants, leveled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too,” Moore wrote on Instagram in a post that included video of devastated streets in the foothill suburb.

“Our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together. Sending love to all affected and on the front lines trying to get this under control,” Moore wrote.

Hilton posted a news video clip on Instagram and said it included footage of her destroyed home in Malibu. “This home was where we built so many precious memories. It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London,” she said, referencing her young children.”

Elwes, the star of “The Princess Bride” and numerous other films, wrote on Instagram Wednesday that his family was safe but their home had burned in the coastal Palisades fire. “Sadly we did lose our home but we are grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire,” Elwes wrote.

Jamie Lee Curtis pledges $1 million for fire relief efforts

Jamie Lee Curtis, who was among the stars who evacuated due to the Palisades fire, says she and her family are pledging $1 million to start a “fund of support” for those affected by the blazes burning in and around Los Angeles.

The actor announced the pledge on Instagram Thursday. The previous night, she tearfully appeared on “The Tonight Show” and

“As you know, where I live is on fire right now,” Curtis said. “This is literally where I live – everything the market I shop in, the schools my kids go to, friends, many, many, many, many, many friends have lost their homes now.

The Oscar winner wrote that she had been in touch with state and city leaders about how the money might be distributed “for the most impact.”

Awards season upended

The blazes have thrown Hollywood’s carefully orchestrated awards season into disarray.

Awards ceremonies planned for this weekend have been postponed due to the fires. The AFI Awards, which were set to honor “Wicked,” “Anora” and other awards season contenders, had been scheduled for Friday.

The AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, which honor movies and television shows that resonate with older audiences, were set for Friday but have been postponed.

The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Sunday, have been postponed until Feb. 26.

Thursday, the Producers Guild Awards announced they would delay their nominations from Friday to Sunday.

Each of the shows feature projects that are looking for any advantage they can get in the Oscar race and were scheduled during the Academy Awards voting window.

The Oscar nominations are also being delayed two days to Jan. 19 and the film academy has extended the voting window to accommodate members affected by the fires.

History lost, and more in danger

Flames burned parts of the Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie,” the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday” and the TV series “Teen Wolf.”

The Palisades fire also destroyed the historic ranch house that belonged to Hollywood legend Will Rogers. It was among multiple structures destroyed at both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, built by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, also burned down.

Rogers’ ranch, built on land he bought in the 1920s, occupied some 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It included a 31-room ranch house, a stable, golf course and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.

General

‘Bridgerton’ writer among Alabama ties to NAACP Image Award nominations

The list of nominees for the 2025 NAACP Image Awards includes several works or creators with ties to Alabama, including a writer who contributed to the hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.”

The NAACP unveiled the list of nominees earlier this week. The main awards broadcast will air Feb. 22 on BET and CBS, though the presentation of some awards will be livestreamed on Feb. 21 on the Image Awards website.

Alabama connections among the nominees include:

Lauren Gamble – A nominee for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for her work on the “Bridgerton” episode “Old Friends.”

The Mobile County Public School System has celebrated the fact that Gamble is a 2010 graduate of John L. LeFlore Magnet High School. According to the Internet Movie Database, she has worked as a writer’s assistant on multiple episodes of the ABC series “How to Get Away with Murder” and as a crew member on the Netflix miniseries “Inventing Anna,” where she was a creative assistant to Shonda Rimes. She also wrote a 2022 graphic novel about the life of Josephine Baker.

The good news is that “Bridgerton” is among the most-nominated shows in line for Image Awards, with five. The bad news for the show is that the five are spread across just two categories. Azia Squire and Geetika Lizardi are nominated in the same category as Gamble, for other episodes. Adjoa Andoh and Golda Rosheuvel both are nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

André Holland – A nominee for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in “Exhibiting Forgiveness.”

Holland grew up in Bessemer and has extensive credits as a film and stage actor, including roles in the TV series “Terminator Zero” and “The Big Cigar.” In “Exhibiting Forgiveness” he plays a painter whose life is shaken up by a visit from his estranged father.

Fellow nominees include John David Washington for “The Piano Lesson” and Martin Lawrence for “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.”

“Barracoon Adapted for Young Readers: The Story of the Last Black Cargo” – A nominee for Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens

“Barracoon” is a work by Zora Neale Hurston that depicts her encounters with Cudjoe “Kazoola” Lewis, a prominent figure in the Africatown community founded near Mobile by survivors of the slave ship Clotilda. The book includes Lewis’ vivid descriptions of the slave raid that ended his peaceful life in Africa, and the hardships he and other Clotilda survivors endured. This version is adapted by Ibram X. Kendi with illustrations by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson and published by Amistad Books for Young Readers.

General

Alabama declares state of emergency in 37 counties ahead of winter weather threat

More than half of Alabama’s 67 counties go under a state of emergency today because of the forecast of severe winter weather.

Gov. Kay Ivey cited the threat of ice, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and prolonged temperatures below freezing in her proclamation declaring the emergency. She encouraged people to stay off the roads, if possible, in the affected areas, and to make preparations today.

Ivey named 37 counties in the state of emergency: Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.

Alabama school closings due to snow, winter storm threat Jan. 9th and 10th, 2025

“Cold temperatures have persisted in Alabama this week, and we are anticipating the potential for winter weather to impact our state, particularly our driving conditions,” Ivey said. “As we all know, winter weather is challenging in a state like Alabama due to forecast uncertainties.

“That being said, I encourage Alabamians to make any needed preparations today, and if you are in an impacted area and do not have to be on the road, try to avoid it. Keep an eye on your local forecasts and stay weather aware.”

The state of emergency goes into effect today at 1 p.m. The declaration means that a state law against price-gouging takes effect in the emergency areas. The law bans unconscionable prices for the sale or rental of any commodity or rental facility.

Alabama law specifies that a state of emergency ordinarily will last 60 days but can be terminated earlier by written proclamation.

A winter storm warning will go into effect at midnight for all of north Alabama.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for central Alabama roughly south of the Interstate 20 corridor. It will go into effect at midnight.

Forecasters said that temperatures will be at or just below freezing in the warning and advisory areas and will cause difficult travel conditions for the Friday morning commute, especially across north and north-central Alabama.

General

Comedian confronted by Saban after Alabama cheating joke on GameDay, he says

Shane Gillis contends he was joking. Nick Saban wasn’t laughing. In fact, the former Alabama coach was mad, the comedian recently revealed.

The viral – and awkward – moment during ESPN’s “College GameDay” last month between the standup comic and legendary coach continues to grow in infamy after Gillis joked about Alabama football and Saban paying players.

After the comment was made, Gillis said, he went to the “GameDay” desk in the stadium leading up to the CFP game between Notre Dame and Indiana.

“When I got in there, right before we go on, he looks at me, and he’s like, ‘I heard what you said,’” Gillis explained.

Gillis reply?

“Holy (expletive),” he said he thought to himself.

The Notre Dame fan said Kirk Herbstreit and Pat McAfee were convinced Saban was just giving the guest a hard time.

“I never would’ve done that if I knew he was serious,” Gillis said. “So, they told me he was (expletive) around, so I started (expletive) around with him.”

“I was just joking around,” Gillis said during the broadcast. “I don’t think the SEC paid players, ever.”

“I’m joking,” Gillis continued, while also roasting Saban’s hat. “Is this not a fun show? It’s a serious show? Alabama Jones is very serious. Get the whip, Indy.”

After that final interaction, Gillis still thinking Saban was mad – took Herbstreit and McAfee up on their suggestion to go talk to the former coach to smooth things over.

“I went up to him after, and he was like, ‘You think the SEC dominated because we cheated?’” he barked. “‘That’s (bull-expletive).’ He spazzed on me.”

It got even more awkward. Gillis said after Saban “yelled at me” he needed helped getting down from the “GameDay” panel and looked around to see if anyone other than the comedian was around. There wasn’t, so Gillis obliged.

Late last month, Saban – in his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” – talked more about the interaction.

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.

General

University of Alabama senior goes viral on TikTok after sharing struggles: ‘You are worthy’

This week, University of Alabama senior Jamie Causey started reading syllabi from her classes and cried when she talked on the phone with her mom. She shared her experience on TikTok.

“We first go to school because of education, but sometimes it’s very hard to not have that key set of friends to share your life with,” the 21-year-old Alexander City native said in a recent video regarding her five classes this semester. “I just wanted to post this to be real and honest, but also encourage anyone that I feel the same way you do.”

Causey told AL.com she was inspired to start sharing her stories on TikTok after being a “silent scroller.”

“If I can help one person scrolling by feel better about themselves, then I’ve done what I need to do,” she said.

Since August, many of Causey’s videos chronicling her last year of college have gone viral. The video about the call to her mom generated one million views in a day.

Her first video encouraging students who did not to join a sorority has more than 800,000 views and comments from Alabama TikTok influencers like Ophelia “MamaTot” Nichols.

“We can make a TikTok sorority,” Nichols commented. “I’ll be the house mom and we’ll accept everyone!”

There are 34,389 undergraduates enrolled for the fall 2024 semester at the University of Alabama, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

The comments show viewers relate to her unvarnished talks about navigating college life. Causey has two more semesters left at UA, majoring in public relations with a minor in digital, public and professional writing.

She described the struggle of feeling “unseen” and that she’s missing out for not joining a sorority due to finances.

“I just want you to know that you’re valid and you’re seen,” Causey said. “And you are worthy of attention.”

Her passion for UA began with a campus visit when she was eight.

“Once I stepped on campus, then it was just home for me,” Causey said. “It’s perfect for my major, what I want to do, but also, I know it’s where I can grow as a person.”

Causey shared she has faced mobility issues due to past knee and foot surgeries, and she sometimes deals with bullies. All of her challenges, she said, have made her stronger.

“I’m a first-generation student,” Causey said. “I was blessed to be able to be here. So I just push through and I seek guidance from God.”

Nate Owens, program coordinator at UA’s First Gen+, said about 20% – or one in five – of undergraduates at UA are first-generation college students.

Causey said she is most proud to have been named the housing residential communities’ desk assistant of the year for the second time.

“I get to impact freshmen,” she said. “I know how it is, and I get to reach so many people, young and old, in that position.

Once Causey graduates this summer, she must adjust what she posts on social media. She’ll have to transition from a Bama senior to a Bama graduate.

“I’ve realized the feelings I’m feeling are not oriented to college,” she said. “I just want to show what regular life is. I don’t live a glamour lifestyle, and I just want people to feel like they are represented. So I’m hoping my videos can just change to be real life, relatable content and just see where life leads. If anything, it can be a diary for my kids to look at when I’m older.”

General

Peace and a kiss on the cheek from Jimmy Carter at 16th Street Baptist Church: op-ed

This is a guest opinion column

On January 31, 2009, I had the honor of introducing former President Jimmy Carter before he spoke at the Southeast Regional Gathering of the New Baptist Covenant at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.

A lot of things have changed since then. I’m no longer Baptist, and I’m a lot more jaded about politics and life.

After the introduction, I went down to the front pew and took a deep breath. The choir did their number, and then President Carter walked to the podium. He looked out at me and motioned for me to return to the stage. I hesitated because I wasn’t sure what was happening. The person sitting next to me said, “He’s calling for you to come back up.”

So, I did.

When I got to the podium, he looked at me and into the mic and said, “That was the kindest introduction anyone has ever given me.”

And he kissed me on the cheek.

Today, I’m struck by the fact that “peace” was my word for 2024.

While much has changed, the need for peace and reconciliation is maybe greater than ever. And it begins with seeing the person in front of us at any given moment.

Here’s the introduction:

When Brent McDougal [of the Alabama Coorporative Baptist Fellowship] called and asked me to introduce our keynote speaker for today, I immediately hung up the phone and called my dad, whose first words were, “Well, well—a little girl’s dream come true.”

For this Baptist girl from Georgia, it is a great honor and high privilege for me to introduce this One whose vision for a New Baptist Covenant brought so many of us together in Atlanta last year, and has now brought us here to this historic place today.

For me, the New Baptist Covenant meeting last year represented something I wanted to believe existed, but had almost given up on.

As momentum built for this Regional Gathering—and particularly as the excitement grew surrounding former President Jimmy Carter’s presence with us, several of you in this room—at the dinner table or in a simple phone conversation—were eager to share your personal stories and memories–examples of how President Carter has touched you in some way.

I listened as one of you recalled the moment 30 years ago when you watched as Egyptian President and Israeli Prime Minister clasped hands with President Carter after signing the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. You described it as an amazing moment that you would never forget—so meaningful that it caused you to weep openly.

Another of you recounted what it was like to make that pilgrimage to Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, GA to attend a Sunday School lesson taught by President Carter–to hear him, a former President, share about his personal faith and lead in Bible study—something I understand that he still does about 35 times a year.

One of you shared about your treasured photograph of you and President Carter and Mrs. Rosalyn Carter, standing outside that church; while another recounted your sheer excitement at catching a glimpse of President Carter riding his bicycle in Plains!

And yet another spoke of how much you always admired and appreciated the aspect of service that President Carter brought to the Presidency, and especially how that commitment to service has been maximized even after leaving the White House—building homes with Habitat for Humanity, speaking out against the gap between the rich and the poor in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, monitoring elections in volatile countries, working to eliminate disease, advancing democracy around the globe through The Carter Center, and always seeking to advance peace.

When he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, it was due to, and I quote, “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

For me, my cherished moment with President Carter—my favorite memory– occurred in Atlanta last January, when I sat in a large auditorium full of thousands of people, and listened as he shared so intimately about one of those pivotal moments in his faith journey. I felt like he was talking directly to me—as if I were the only person in that room–and I will never, ever forget how he recalled that experience he had during a mission trip many years ago, when, during a challenging time in his own faith, he observed the gentle way that his partner on that mission, a Cuban-American pastor, ministered and witnessed in the community. As they were preparing to part ways, President Carter asked the pastor about his faith—what it was that made him capable of this and made his faith so evident in his life–and the pastor friend shared that he tried to follow a simple rule: “to Love God, and Love the person standing in front of you at any particular time.”

Loving God and loving Neighbor–Simple, yet profound. President Carter shared that this had a significant impact on him, and it is the theology that he adopted as he recommitted his life to God—and that has shaped and guided him throughout his years of service.

We have witnessed that, haven’t we? As our President; as Baptist witness; as humanitarian; as Seeker of Peace.

One of the organizers of this event reminded me recently, “in your introduction of President Carter, remember–you speak for all of us.”

And so in that light, President Carter, what I think I’d like to say, on behalf of all of us, is this: Thank you. For your vision of peace and your tireless efforts to achieve it–in our world and in our denomination. Thank you for choosing peace and reconciliation. This is quite a legacy. And we are so grateful.

If you’ve been around a radio or television at all this week, you probably know that President Carter has had a full week introducing his latest book, We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land. If I understood him correctly earlier today, he said he had “57 interviews this week.” We are very fortunate to have him here with us today.

Following the musical selection by the Chamber chorus we will hear from our keynote speaker–the 39th President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, noted author, and servant leader: Jimmy Carter.

Allison Dearing, the former Executive Director of the One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center, is a Birmingham-based consultant and seeker of peace.

General

How Auburn football addressed 5 positions of need in the transfer portal

The winter transfer portal window was fruitful for Auburn football.

The Tigers still might not be done, but as Hugh Freeze and the staff put the final touches on Auburn’s pre-spring changes, Auburn’s portal class ranks No. 6 in On3’s transfer portal team rankings.

The class currently includes 15 players, filling a wide range of holes left on Auburn’s roster following the 2024 season.

Here’s how the Tigers addressed five of their biggest positions of need:

Quarterback

Players out (4): Payton Thorne, Hank Brown, Holden Geriner, Walker White

Players in (4): Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels, Deuce Knight, Tanner Bailey

What to know

Quarterback was priority No. 1 for Freeze in the portal after losing all four scholarship quarterbacks from the 2024 team.

The first order of business was finding a ready-made starter, something Auburn hopes it found in Arnold, who transferred from Oklahoma. He started for the Sooners in 2024, but had an up-and-down year after being rated a five-star recruit out of high school.

Auburn built around Arnold by adding Daniels (a former Stanford starter that can compete for the job), incoming freshman Deuce Knight and Tanner Bailey, who initially retired from football in January 2024 after spending time at South Carolina, but is coming out of retirement to walk on at Auburn.

The Tigers aren’t technically at the four-scholarship quarterback mark Freeze wanted to hit, but bringing in a quarterback with Southeastern Conference experience like Bailey helps round out the room.

Offensive tackle

Players out (2): Percy Lewis, Ronan Chambers

Players in (3): Xavier Chaplin, Mason Murphy, Broderick Shull

What to know

Auburn wasn’t lacking in numbers on the offensive line, but it was missing a true bookend left tackle. Lewis was supposed to be that in 2024, but his play was inconsistent, eventually causing him to be benched for Dillon Wade, who started the season at left guard.

Chaplin and Murphy both bring Power Four starting experience at tackle and Chaplin is coming off a 2024 season where he allowed just two sacks and 12 pressures at Virginia Tech, according to Pro Football Focus.

Chaplin will likely fill that spot at left tackle for Auburn, and Murphy, a USC transfer, could compete at right tackle with Izavion Miller.

Specialists

Players out (2): Oscar Chapman, Gabe Russo

Players in (3): Hudson Kaak, Connor Gibbs, John Alan McGuire

What to know

Grouping punter and kicker together here, Auburn addressed both spots in the winter portal window, adding Kaak, a former Oklahoma State punter and Gibbs, a former Southern Miss kicker.

Kaak replaces Chapman, who was Auburn’s starting punter since 2021. Gibbs’ addition is interesting, given Auburn already has three kickers that played in 2024.

The question is surrounding Alex McPherson’s health, who only played in one game in 2024. Towns McGough was Auburn’s starting placekicker going into the season, but was benched for Ian Vachon after going 5-for-12 on his field goals.

Gibbs is coming off a season where he went 10-for-13 on field goals, with a long of 59.

Inside linebacker

Players out (6): Dorian Mausi Jr., Eugene Asante, Austin Keys, Fa’Najae Gotay, Laquan Robinson

Players in (4): Xavier Atkins, Jakaleb Faulk, Elijah Melendez, Bryce Deas

What to know

Inside linebacker is a spot where Auburn might still add players during the spring portal window after only adding one so far in the winter.

Atkins was that lone addition, coming to Auburn after spending one season at LSU. While Atkins is seen as a promising player with elite speed, he doesn’t replace the experience Auburn lost with its departures at linebacker.

Auburn also added three freshmen who may see the field early, but it wouldn’t be a shock if the Tigers tried to add some experience to the room in the spring.

Tight end

Players out (3): Rivaldo Fairweather, Luke Deal, Micah Riley

Players in (3): Preston Howard, Hollis Davidson, Ryan Ghea

What to know

The departures of Fairweather and Deal meant Auburn lost its top two contributors at tight end in 2024: One vertical threat and one blocking tight end.

Howard’s transfer from Maryland brings a receiving tight end with Power Four experience to the room, taking some pressure off sixth-year senior Brandon Frazier.

Auburn targeted a couple different blocking tight ends in the portal too but haven’t yet landed any. That could be another position to watch during the spring portal window.

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

General

Damien Harris takes ‘full responsibility’ for nearly costing Alabama national title in 2018

Texas’ missed field goal at the end of regulation in last week’s double-overtime win over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game brought up bad memories for former Alabama running back Damien Harris.

But it wasn’t just because the Longhorns’ Bert Auburn missed a 38-yard field goal as time expired, sending the game to overtime where Texas eventually won 39-31. It was the way Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian spoke to Auburn just before the fateful kick that caught Harris’ attention.

During the Until Saturday podcast this week with David Ubben and Chris Vannini of The Athletic, Harris said he had a similar experience during the January 2018 College Football National Championship Game vs. Georgia. With the game tied 20-20 at the end of regulation, Harris approached Andy Pappanastos and had a similar conversation just before the Alabama kicker took the field to try a 36-yard game-winner (which he also missed).

“As soon as I saw Sark walk up to Bert, I said ‘that’s a mistake,’” Harris said. “… When we played Georgia in the national championship, we had a chip shot to win the game. … And I remember, I walked up to (Pappanastos) the same way Sark walked up to Bert Auburn. And I put my arm around him and said ‘listen dude, you’re about to win us the national championship. How does that feel?’

“You know what he did? And I should have known when he did this, that some s*** was gonna be shaky. He just looked at me and he just gave me a hug. He was like ‘thank you, man.’ And it seemed like I gave him a vote of confidence that he already didn’t have. And he just went out and he f****** botched the kick. I’m taking full responsibility.”

As with Auburn and the Longhorns, Pappanastos’ Alabama teammates bailed him (and Harris) out in overtime. After Georgia kicked a field goal to go up 23-20, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa threw the game-winning touchdown to DeVonta Smith on second-and-26, giving the Crimson Tide a walk-off national championship.

Here’s the video of Harris’ comments (language warning):

Harris, whose Alabama career ended after the 2018 season, played five years in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. In addition to his podcasting work, he’s now a college football analyst for CBS Sports.

General

Urban Alchemy mobilizes team to reach out to Birmingham homeless

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said there are currently 350 homeless people on the streets of the city, and this week many of them are shivering and trying to stay warm.

“They need a lifeline,” Woodfin said. “They need a bridge, and a beacon of hope as they are facing some of life’s most difficult changes.”

To create a response team to work personally with the homeless, Birmingham signed a $1.7 million contract with San Francisco-based Urban Alchemy, which will run a team called Heart Birmingham.

The homeless outreach program is now in effect. “The work of this homeless outreach program reflects the kind of city we want Birmingham to be,” Woodfin said. “One where dignity is upheld for every individual. They’re valued, and where we refuse to turn a blind eye to the struggles of our fellow residents. Truth is, because they need us.”

Instead of police being called to answer complaints about the homeless, the Heart Birmingham Team will respond. That will reduce strain on emergency services and improve public spaces, Woodfin said.

“Tackling homelessness is not just about programs,” Woodfin said. “The most important thing it’s about is people.”

Heart is an acronym for Homeless Engagement Assistance Response Team. The HEART program launched on Jan. 6 and employs nearly 20 people. Teams will respond to calls from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Artie Gilbert, director of operations for Heart Birmingham, said he moved to Birmingham in November. He has been hiring and training a team, teaching them how to compassionately respond to situations involving the homeless.

Gilbert said the team has worked this week with the warming station at the Jimmie Hale Mission, where the city offers emergency shelter during the extreme cold. The team will be working to identify areas that are “hot spots” for homelessness, Gilbert said.

“We meet each situation and person where they are, de-escalate, and do our best to connect them to resources that can help transform their lives,” he said.

“We have a passion, now that I’m a resident, I have even more passion, to be involved to help people find resources, and not just to relocate or remove anyone, but to help them to get adequate resources: housing, something to eat, showers, and those sort of things,” Gilbert said.

“We plan on transforming our communities through empathy and compassion, most of all,” said Heart Birmingham team member Tori Miles.

“Food and shelter are human rights,” Woodfin said. “Instead of dispatching law enforcement officers to address these basic needs, HEART Birmingham’s team of compassionate, specially trained professionals will support our unhoused residents and connect them with resources they desperately need and most certainly deserve.”

General

See how Alabamians explain milk sandwiches, snow panic to curious Canadian transplant

On Tuesday, the skies over Alabama spit a few flakes of snow that melted before they hit the ground. With more snow – with a few inches of accumulation – in the forecast for Friday, Jan. 10, the memes about Southern snow panic and “milk sandwiches” were flying around the internet. Schools and businesses announced closures. People emptied the grocery store shelves.

Donalta Hall was curious…and amused. “People were freaking out and saying to stock up and don’t go anywhere. It was just a couple of flurries coming down and everyone’s panicking.”

Hall moved to Huntsville, Ala., from Toronto six months ago with her husband, Daniel, to establish Hall Realty Team, which helps people buy their dream homes or invest in property. The Halls “fell in love with Huntsville” when they passed through while taking a road trip through the U.S. last year. “Everyone is so friendly here,” she said. “People would wave and my husband would say ‘Do you know them?’ But they were just being friendly. Everyone’s so friendly.”

They also loved the mild climate here but this week’s snow panic made her curious. She decided to take her questions to the masses. She posted on Tuesday on the Facebook page What’s Happening in Huntsville to ask for input: “Would love to hear how locals usually prepare and what I should expect. Definitely feels surreal seeing everyone so excited about flurries when that’s just a regular Tuesday back in Toronto!”

For the record, the tone of her post was respectfully curious with no hint of making fun of how we deal with snow. “Back home we’re all set up with snowplows, road salt, and winter tires, but I’m guessing things work pretty differently in Alabama! … Any tips for a snow-experienced Canadian adjusting to how Huntsville does winter?”

As of Thursday morning, more than 350 people had responded. Read them here.

In an interview with AL.com Thursday morning, Hall said she appreciated the explanations and advice. She was happy to have the answer to one of the most important topics: Milk sandwiches.

“I saw the memes and I thought, ‘Oh, a local delicacy. I can’t wait to try it,’” Hall said. “I thought maybe it was something like dipping cookies in milk and I thought ‘I need to understand this.’ I couldn’t fathom it.”

She had a laugh when locals explained milk sandwiches aren’t real – it was a joke stemming from the fact that people stock up on bread and milk whenever snow is forecast.

On a more serious note, Hall said she learned why Southerners close businesses and schools and stay inside when it snows. People explained that cities aren’t well stocked with snowplows because snow happens infrequently here and doesn’t justify the expense. Because plows can’t get to all areas, many streets and highways may be closed – and that’s a problem with insurers.

“I learned that if you crash while driving on a closed road or if somebody hits you on a closed road, some insurance won’t cover it,” Hall said.

Commenters also explained black ice, that thin frozen sheet that often forms under snow here.

“It’s not the fact that it snows,” Hall said she learned. “It’s the freeze overnight that forms a sheet of ice. Black ice is the real issue because you can’t see it.”

The most important thing commenters did was to welcome Hall to Alabama. She and her husband have already made so many friends, she said, and she really appreciates the friendly advice.

“The best advice I got was stocking up on the wine…I forgot about the wine,” she said with a laugh.