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Masked gunman sought in Montgomery triple shooting

Authorities are asking for the public’s help in finding a masked gunman who shot three people in Montgomery earlier this month.

The shooting happened Sunday, March 9, in the 900 block of W. South Boulevard.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found three people had been shot multiple times. Their conditions were not disclosed.

Investigators say the unidentified shooter was wearing a mask and was driving a grey or white sedan.

No additional information has been released.

Anyone with information is asked to call Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867) or 1-833-AL1-STOP (833-251-7867).

Tips can also be submitted by texting 251stop to 738477 or via the P3-tips app.

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Tuberville bill would eliminate TSA: Airport security agency ‘an inefficient, bureaucratic mess’

Private companies would be in charge of airport security instead of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration under a bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.

Alabama’s senior senator called the TSA “an inefficient bureaucratic mess” while announcing Thursday the introduction of the Abolish TSA Act with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

“The TSA has become an inefficient, bureaucratic mess that infringes on Americans’ freedoms and wastes taxpayer money,” said Tuberville in a statement.

“It’s a bloated agency that offers minimal security benefits while causing unnecessary delays and frustration for travelers. We need to focus on smarter, more effective methods to protect our country without sacrificing the liberties that make America great. The TSA should be eliminated and replaced with more targeted, streamlined, and accountable solutions.”

Under the bill, the TSA would be abolished three years after the legislation’s enactment — a time period Tuberville and Lee said would allow for privatization and the repeal or transfer of additional authorities.

Within 90 days of the bill becoming law, the secretary of Homeland Security along with the transportation secretary will submit a reorganization plan to Congress that includes:

• Creation of the Office of Aviation Security Oversight within the FAA, solely responsible for overseeing the privatization of aviation security screening.

• Rapid transfer of security activities and equipment to qualified private companies.

• Transfer of non-aviation security functions to DOT (mass transit, freight rail, pipelines, etc.).

• Proportional reductions of TSA operations and personnel to facilitate transfer of duties.

The reorganization plan cannot include requirements for private security companies to conduct warrantless searches and seizures or extend the TSA’s existence, according to Tuberville’s office.

Congress will consider, amend, vote up or down on the reorganization plan through expedited and privileged procedure, the senator’s office stated. Compliance will be monitored by the General Accounting Office and regular reports to Congress.

“The TSA has not only intruded into the privacy and personal space of most Americans, it has also repeatedly failed tests to find weapons and explosives,” said Sen. Lee. “Our bill privatizes security functions at American airports under the eye of an Office of Aviation Security Oversight, bringing this bureaucratic behemoth to a welcome end. American families can travel safely without feeling the hands of an army of federal employees.”

Gutting or abolishing government agencies have been popular policies among Republicans, who believe the federal government is too large.

President Donald Trump has instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to abolish that agency, while the Department of Government Efficiency has been seeking ways to limit government and reduce fraud and waste.

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‘She’s a warrior’: Maryland reflects on 2OT matchup against Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama

A lot can be taken away from a double-overtime victory to punch a ticket to the Sweet 16.

In Maryland’s case, which came out of a 111-108 thriller over Alabama to advance, the team got a true test against one of the best performances in Crimson Tide history.

Sarah Ashlee Barker’s record-setting performance against Maryland saw her pile up 45 points — which ranks fourth in NCAA tournament history — as she went 17-of-25 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

Barker’s scoring matched the fourth-most points scored by a single player in NCAA tournament history.

Ahead of Maryland’s Sweet 16 matchup against defending national champion South Carolina in Birmingham, coach Brenda Frese lauded Barker for the performance she put together in her final game in a Crimson Tide uniform.

“We had Mir McLean on her, and Mir made her miserable, but she still got 45 points, so that tells you everything you need to know,” Frese said of Barker. “Even as we adjusted with the ball screen defense throwing two at her, she still was able to continue to find a way.”

The double-overtime victory marked the second-highest scoring game in Women’s NCAA tournament history behind a four-overtime matchup of Alabama and Duke in the second round of the 1995 tournament.

“She’s just a warrior, she’s an elite-level competitor, an obvious winner,” Frese said. “It was a spectacular night, unfortunately, on our watch, to be able to watch. But, it just speaks volumes to what kind of kid, character, player, competitor, winner that she truly is.”

The elongated matchup against Alabama and Barker provided plenty of confidence for Maryland’s players.

“We learned that we’re capable of anything we put our minds to, even if it gets hard,” Kaylene Smikle said. “We played 40 minutes, and after that, overtime, overtime, we’re still going to be a team that plays, because we have so much confidence in each other.”

With South Carolina playing on Saturday and getting an extra day of rest as Maryland played on Monday, Frese noted the challenge that comes with balancing all the responsibilities on top of gearing up for the Sweet 16.

“It’s really tough because South Carolina had an additional day, and then you look at a game where we had multiple players play close to the entire 50 minutes,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “ A lot of rest and reset for them, for our staff, around the clock, with the scouting that has to take place and the transfer portal that, fortunately for us, opened on Tuesday as well, so little no rest, but a lot of reset for the kids, and then getting back to actual practice today. So, a lot has been going on.”

Players noted Barker getting downhill and making clutch 3-point baskets provided a challenge, adding that they’re confident in the game plan ahead of a matchup against South Carolina.

“We know she’s a great player,” said Sarah Te-Biasu, a native of Montreal, Canada. “We did what we had to do against her, and now, like Shyanne said, we’re just moving on, next play, next game. Follow the game plan.”

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15-year-old boy is the first arrested in Birmingham under new Alabama Glock switch ban

A teenage boy is the first person in Birmingham to be arrested under Alabama’s new state ban on Glock switches.

The Birmingham Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team arrested a 15-year-old earlier this week, police announced Thursday.

The teen was in illegal possession of both a Glock handgun and a machine conversion device commonly known as a Glock switch, police said.

The arrest took place just before 4:30 p.m. in the 4700 block of Ninth Terran North while police were investigating a suspicious vehicle, said Officer Truman Fitzgerald.

BPD’s Felony Assault Unit detectives assisted in the investigation.

No additional details were released.

The teen is being held on a illegal possession of a Glock switch petition in the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center.

The new law just recently went into effect and makes possessing any part or combination of parts designed and intended to convert a pistol into a machine gun punishable by a term between 366 days and 10 years, according to state code.

Glock switches – also known as auto sears or a button or a giggle switch – can unleash 20 rounds per second or 1,200 rounds a minute.

Up until the new Alabama law, the federal government prosecuted all Glock switch cases.

Mayor Randall Woodfin has said a Crime Stoppers program would facilitate $1,000 rewards for the arrest of people caught in possession of gun conversion devices.

Woodfin encouraged calling Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777, and in a part of the message aimed at the general citizen, wrote in a social media post, “Help us get these switch boys off our streets.”

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Here’s a look at the new terminal at Huntsville International Airport

Birmingham-based construction firm Robins & Morton has completed the renovation and expansion of Signature Aviation’s private terminal at Huntsville International Airport.

The 5,000-square-foot renovation and 2,500-square-foot expansion includes a redesigned entrance and new interior, complete with lounges and private meeting rooms for travelers.

The design of the terminal itself was partly inspired by Huntsville’s image as the “Rocket City,” mixing modern touches with local flair, including a centerpiece mural paying tribute to the area’s aerospace and aviation roots by local artist Emma Gilbert.

The terminal also features a dedicated lounge for military personnel.

Robins & Morton Division Manager Mitch Coley said the project is “a testament to our team’s dedication and expertise in delivering high-quality construction on time and within budget.”

Robins & Morton served as the general contractor for the project. HDg Architecture was the architect.

Earlier this month, Huntsville International lifted the curtain on a $14 million redesign of its “concourse connector,” also a Robins & Morton project.

The contractor has offices in Huntsville, as well as Charlotte, Dallas, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh-Durham, San Antonio and Tampa.

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Trump pulls Congresswoman’s Cabinet nomination out of fear of losing seat to Democrat

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was pulling Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a stunning turnaround for his Cabinet pick after her confirmation had been stalled over concerns about Republicans’ tight margins in the House.

Trump confirmed he was withdrawing the New York Republican’s nomination in a Truth Social post, saying that it was “essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress.”

“We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning. I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress,” the president said, without mentioning who he would nominate as a replacement for his last remaining Cabinet seat.

Stefanik’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump had tapped Stefanik to represent the U.S. at the international body shortly after winning reelection in November. She was seen as among the least controversial Cabinet picks, and her nomination advanced out of committee in late January, but House Republicans’ razor-thin majority kept her ultimate confirmation in a state of purgatory for the last several months.

In recent weeks, it had seemed as if Stefanik’s nomination would advance to the Senate floor, given two U.S. House special elections in Florida in districts that Trump easily won in 2024. Filling those vacant GOP seats would have allowed Stefanik to finally resign from the House and given Republicans, who currently hold 218 seats, a little more breathing room on passing legislation in a growingly divided Congress. Democrats hold 213 seats.

But Democrats’ upset in a Tuesday special election for a Pennsylvania state Senate seat in Republican-leaning suburbs and farming communities surely gave the GOP pause.

Stefanik is the fourth Trump administration nominee who didn’t make it through the confirmation process. Previously, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general, Chad Chronister was pulled for the Drug Enforcement Administration and former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon was yanked from contention to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The former congresswoman had been in a state of limbo for months, not able to engage in her official duties as a member of the 119th Congress or to participate in the action at the U.N. The vacancy of a permanent U.S. ambassador was happening at a critical moment for the international body as the world leaders had been discussing the two major wars between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas.

In late February, the U.S. mission, under Trump, split with its European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on three U.N. resolutions seeking an end to the three-year war. Dorothy Shea, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has been the face of America’s mission in New York during the transition.

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More people are staying longer in Starbucks: Here’s why

Starbucks has plans to return to its roots as a community coffeehouse.

Earlier this year, the coffee chain announced a wave of changes, including reserving bathrooms for paying customers and downsizing its overly complex menu.

Another change: Offering free refills of hot or iced coffee to customers, as long as they order the beverage to drink on the premises.

Starbucks said the free refills strategy is working and more customers are sticking around.

The coffee chain told Axios that over the past three weeks, “the number of customers who choose ceramic mugs and glasses to sit and stay in cafes has on average increased by more than 3 (times) in the U.S.”

Axios reports Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said he was “pleased at the early reaction to changes we’ve made from both customers and partners.”

Niccol, who joined the company in September, is focused on implementing a wave of changes to reposition the coffee chain after a turbulent year, reports the Wall Street Journal.

“We will be the community coffeehouse known for great coffee,” Niccol told employees at an internal meeting in 2024.

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What we know today about Alireza Doroudi, Alabama graduate student detained by ICE

A University of Alabama student was detained by immigration officials and held in a rural Alabama jail this week.

Court records Thursday showed that Alireza Doroudi, a mechanical engineering doctoral student originally from Iran, was being held at the Pickens County Jail in Alabama.

AL.com contacted Doroudi’s attorney, David Rozas, but Rozas’s office said he could not comment on the case at this time.

Rozas is a criminal and immigration lawyer based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

No formal charge was listed in court records on Thursday. Doroudi previously had a speeding ticket in Tuscaloosa County.

Public records indicate that Doroudi had lived in an apartment in downtown Tuscaloosa since 2023. The property manager for his apartment did not respond to a request for comment from AL.com.

The University of Alabama enrolled about 1,200 international students in the fall 2024 semester, according to a recent report, and 90 of those students were from Iran. Across Alabama, about 9,000 international students were enrolled at different universities, according to the Alabama Council on Higher Education.

Why was Alireza Doroudi detained?

We don’t know a reason right now. Public records from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement do not detail any specifics.

What is the University of Alabama saying?

A spokesperson for the university confirmed on Wednesday that a doctoral student had been detained off campus by federal immigration authorities, but declined to name the student, citing privacy protections.

What are other people saying?

The National Iranian American Council, an advocacy organization, issued a statement March 27.

“We are deeply disturbed by the arrest of Alireza Doroudi, a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, by ICE agents. At a minimum, ICE must make his whereabouts known and make clear if he has been charged with any crime. If not, he should be immediately released,” the organization wrote.

University of Alabama College Democrats also issued a statement.

“Donald Trump, [ICE Acting Director] Tom Homan and ICE have struck a cold vicious dagger through the heart of UA’s international community,” the organization wrote. “As far as we know right now, ICE is yet to provide any justification for their actions, so wea re not sure if this persecution is politically motivated as has been seen in other universities across the country.”

What happens next in the immigration or deportation process?

People picked up in Alabama in connection to an immigration charge typically are held in a local jail for a few days and then transported to Louisiana for processing.

What should international students know about immigration enforcement?

Immigration rules are complicated and students should research their university’s policies and any updated state or federal guidelines.

University of Alabama guidelines for international student orientation say that students may have an expired visa as long as they maintain their studies. The school’s International Students and Scholars Service supports people on F-1 and J-1 visas.

AL.com contacted the ISSS office who directed comments to the university’s communications office.

ICE agents may be in public spaces on university campuses. They typically need a warrant in order to enter private spaces, such as a home or residence hall.

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Birmingham drag bar and restaurant opening in former Hush Lounge location

A drag bar and eatery is planning to open later this year in Five Points South at the site of a deadly mass shooting last September.

Opulence Drag Lounge & Taqueria on Magnolia Avenue will be located at the former site of the Hush Lounge, where a September 2024 mass shooting left four people dead and at least 17 injured on the sidewalk outside.

Scott Charby and his business partner Wade Brooks are hoping to open in time for Pride Month in June. The club is currently being remodeled.

Opulence will be a taco bar from 10 a.m. through 7 p.m., with drag entertainment through the evening, and a full-service bar and dinner menu through the night. The owners also intend to host drag brunches on Saturday and Sunday.

Opulence will have a capacity of roughly 160 to 180 people.

“We wanted to make sure we had a good restaurant menu,” Charby said.

“We’ll have early shows and later night shows as well. We really want to be inclusive to all types of drag, all LGBTQ community people and allies, as well as people who are just looking for good entertainment.”

That means celebrity impersonators, celebrity entertainers, group performers and a wide variety of different styles of drag.

“And even non-drag,” he said. “As long as it works and is respectful and it’s inclusive, we’ll be happy to look at it. Obviously, it won’t all fit but we really want to be involved with any possible group that wants to be involved with us as well.”

A memorial to those killed in a mass shooting on Sept. 21, 2024, took shape outside Hush Lounge.Greg Garrison/AL.com

Hush Lounge and the nearby Sleek Sports Bar closed in December. The nightspot, known for its hookah, bottle service, parties, and DJs had just celebrated its fifth-year anniversary last June.

But the shooting claimed the lives of Carlos McCain, 27, Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26, Anitra Holloman, 21, and Tahj Booker, 27.

Damien Laron McDaniel III, 22, charged with killing 14 people and wounding 30 others over a span of 14 months, was the only person charged in the Hush case until last week.

Ny’Quan Lollar, 22, and Crishawn Ja’mel McLemore-Bruce, 23, are charged with capital murder of two or more people, and with 17 counts of first-degree assault for those who were injured.

Charby said there was some trepidation about opening at the scene of the deadly shooting.

But he was interested in contributing to the revitalization of the Five Points area. The owners also plan on several security measures for the lounge.

Connor Sanburn, Five Points South district manager for REV Birmingham, the addition of Opulence to Pickwick Place and Five Points South is important. Sauce and Suds is also expected to open soon on 20th Street South.

“The owner has already done a great job to get to know the people around him,” Sanburn said.

“Everyone’s very excited for something like this to go in there. We’re excited to see new businesses coming to Five Points. We’ve still got work to do, but this is just one stepping stone to continued recovery.”

Charby said he has spent several weeks meeting with neighboring businesses.

“We want to be a part of the community,” Charby said.

“We knew we wanted to be downtown. We weren’t there five minutes after putting up the ‘coming soon’ banner after we signed the lease when we had multiple different business owners pop out and welcome us, which was pretty amazing. We wanted to make sure that what we’re doing isn’t going to have any negative impact on the neighborhood.”

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140 jobs at risk as Trump, DOGE cut $190M Alabama health department grant, Rep. Sewell says

Alabama has lost $190 million to fight infectious diseases as a result of cuts by the Trump administration.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, said 140 employees of the Alabama Department of Public Health could lose their jobs because of the funding cut, which was implemented “without warning.”

“What this means is investigations of outbreaks in prisons and nursing homes and daycare are gonna go without personnel to actually do those investigations,” said Sewell, who is calling on Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation to push back against the decision. “There’s currently an outbreak of measles that hasn’t come to the state of Alabama yet, but lack of workforce in county health departments means that so many communicable diseases may go undetected. It will affect the most vulnerable in our communities.”

In a post on X on Thursday, Sewell said the funding, which came from the Centers for Disease Control, was cut, effective immediately, as of Monday. According to Sewell, the cut “means we will lose personnel in county health departments all across the state of Alabama.”

According to ADPH, the grant was related to COVID-19. The department said they have been expecting funding reductions or cuts as the pandemic dies down.

“ADPH has already made a number of staffing and budget adjustments to accommodate changes in funding,” a spokesperson said in an email to AL.com. “In light of this information, ADPH will continue to review its plans and take measures to protect and promote the health and well being of the citizens of Alabama. This is the information that ADPH can provide, at the moment, related to these changes.”

The state agency did not comment further on the details provided by Sewell.

Sewell, who called the funding decision “unacceptable,” said it was the latest cut by Elon Musk, who leads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

“The state public health department is scrounging to find alternative funding and I really hope our senators are listening and are going to do something to push back against these horrible cuts,” Sewell said.