General News
Where to watch 2025 NFL Draft: Free livestream, TV, schedule
The 2025 NFL Draft is scheduled to start tonight. The first round of the draft will begin at 7 p.m. CT on ABC/ESPN. Fans can watch this event for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The 2025 NFL Draft should be exciting to watch tonight because many players have had their draft stock change recently. Notably, quarterback Shedeur Sanders was thought to be a top pick in this year’s draft. However, many experts have had him fall out of the top 10 in recent mock drafts.
Quarterback Cam Ward being selected with the first overall pick seems to be the only certainty tonight, as the Tennessee Titans look to improve their offense from last year.
Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter have been perceived as the best players in this draft class, so they should be taken off the board early. The tough decision will likely be made by the Cleveland Browns, who have the second overall pick this year.
Fans can watch the 2025 NFL Draft for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
Read MoreStanley drops new ribbed 40oz Quencher Tumblers
Stanley has officially introduced an all new line of Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumblers called the Stanley Fluted Tumbler.
The Stanley Quencher H2.0 Fluted 40-ounce Tumbler is a line of metallic, gloss and matte Stanley cups with new ribbed designs. The collection features seven earth-toned designs including: Cream Gloss, Gunmetal Shine, Wisteria Shine, Marina Shine, Ash Gloss, Black and Twilight Gloss.
Stanley Quencher H2.0 Fluted 40-ounce Tumbler – $50
The Stanley Quencher H2.0 Fluted 40-ounce Tumbler is available in seven total designs.
The Stanley Fluted Tumblers also comes in 30-ounce and 20-ounce sizes. The 30-ounce Fluted Tumblers are available in the same color options while the 20-ounce cup only comes in the Cream Gloss, Gunmetal Shine, Wisteria Shine, Marina Shine and Black.
RELATED: The new Stanley Mother’s Day 40oz Quencher is here, but not for long
“Bring a new, dynamic look to any hydration routine with the Quencher® H2.0 Fluted Tumbler. Carefully crafted with a faceted texture in refined, neutral tones and metallic details. Topped with a tinted lid and straw, this is love at first touch,” Stanley states.
Like all of its tumblers, Stanley’s 40-ounce Fluted Quencher keeps drinks cold for hours thanks to its double-wall vacuum insulation. Meanwhile, the versatile FlowState™ 3-position lid has three sip settings: one for the reusable straw, one without and the option to rotate the silicone cover shut. It also fits right in one’s car cupholder while on the go.
Those interested can checkout the full listing on Stanley’s website here.
Read MoreSouth Alabama lands FCS offensive line transfer
South Alabama has picked up a transfer portal commitment from offensive lineman Jaylen Booker, who spent last season on the FCS level at Bethune-Cookman.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Booker did not see action for the Wildcats in 2024. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., he has four years of eligibility remaining.
Booker announced his commitment via social media:
Booker joins a South Alabama program that lost both starting tackles — Malachi Carney and Jordan Davis — to the transfer portal. Among those players set to return at the position in 2025 are senior Daniel Foster-Allen and sophomores Adrian Griffin and Ethan Hubbard.
Booker is South Alabama’s fourth portal signee during the current cycle, along with quarterback Zach Pyron (Minnesota), cornerback Nehemiah Chandler (Georgia Tech) and defensive tackle Stephen Johnson (McNeese). The Jaguars are expected to add a half-dozen or more transfers before summer workouts begin at the end of May.
South Alabama finished 7-6 in 2024, its third consecutive winning season.
Read MoreBeads, brass, and boarding passes: Amtrak will launch festive ‘Mardi Gras Service’
Move over, beads and king cake — Mardi Gras is hitting the rails.
The long-standing Gulf Coast rivalry between Mobile and New Orleans over who threw the first Mardi Gras party now has a new twist: both cities will soon be bookending a brand-new Amtrak line named in honor of the raucous pre-Lenten celebration.
Amtrak announced Thursday that its upcoming twice-daily service between Mobile and New Orleans — with four stops in coastal Mississippi — will be dubbed the “Mardi Gras Service.”
Amtrak President Roger Harris called the name a “natural choice” that captures the region’s “distinctive culture.”
“Travel should be about more than just getting somewhere,” Harris said. “Our goal is to have some of that festive Mardi Gras feeling on every trip, sharing the culture of the Gulf Coast region while connecting with the rest of the Amtrak network.”
Arriving soon
An Amtrak passenger train rolls up to the site in downtown Mobile, Ala., where a future train platform will be built to service Gulf Coast service. The train served as a backdrop to a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, to commence the work needed before Amtrak service can restart sometime in early 2025, between Mobile to New Orleans with four stops in coastal Mississippi.John Sharp
The party-on-rails is expected to roll out in June, though no official start date, fares, or schedules have been released. Amtrak says more details will be posted on Amtrak.com “in a few weeks.”
“Mobile and New Orleans have always shared a rich cultural heritage and renewing Amtrak service will strengthen our ties to the Crescent City and the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. “We are so excited to welcome new visitors from those communities when the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service launches later this year. It will be an asset to our citizens and another enhancement to Mobile’s growing downtown waterfront.”
Public officials say the naming goes beyond a “shared cultural heritage,” by claiming it will bolster the economies in both cities and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
“This new service strengthens our city’s ties with our neighbors across the Gulf while creating jobs and expanding opportunity throughout the district and the State of Alabama,” said U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile.
The map for the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service.submitted by Amtrak
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said route’s name also “represents renewed investment in our infrastructure, our tourism industry, and the everyday mobility of our residents.”
“The return of intercity Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile is a monumental win for our region,” she said. “This is how we move our city and our region forward – together.”
In Mississippi, Mardi Gras doesn’t produce nearly the same Carnival season festivities and traditions as the holiday does in New Orleans and Mobile. But officials in Mississippi recognized that the holiday represents a closely shared connection along the Gulf Coast.
The route includes stops in Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis.
“Though the Mississippi Gulf Coast is heavily influence by neighboring Mobile and New Orleans, each of Mississippi’s coastal cities has its own unique charm and traditions, especially when it comes to our two great passions – festivities and food,” said Charles Busby, Mississippi Transportation Commissioner for the Southern Transportation District.
The route ends at Union Station in New Orleans, where Amtrak passengers can continue with same-day connections in both directions aboard the City of New Orleans trains between New Orleans and Chicago via Memphis. Amtrak Mardi Gras Service guests will also be able to make next-day connections in New Orleans to Amtrak Crescent trains to and from New York via Atlanta, and Amtrak Sunset Limited trains to and from Los Angeles via Tucson, San Antonio and Houston.
Long-time coming
The Excelsior Band plays as Mobile, Ala., residents welcome the Amtrak inspection train as it travels from New Orleans, La., to Bay St. Louis and eventually on to Florida on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016. (file photo)
Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service is a revival, of sorts, of the Gulf Coast passenger rail connection that existed with the long-distance Sunset Limited. Amtrak service has been suspended along the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina damaged much of the line nearly 20 years ago.
The storm destroyed a former train station that serviced the Amtrak service in downtown Mobile. Work crews are currently on the scene at the same spot adjacent to Cooper Riverside Park, building the train stop that will service passengers in Mobile.
The path to getting the train officially named has been a long and often arduous one for passenger rail supporters who have spent years getting support from state governments, freight rail operators and the Alabama State Port Authority.
A much-celebrated inspection train ran between New Orleans and Mobile back in 2016, more than nine years ago.
Disputes involving Amtrak and a host of entities led to a stalling of the project, and a legal proceeding before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.
That dispute pitted Amtrak against the freight operators along the line – CSX, Norfolk Southern — and the Alabama State Port Authority, which expressed concerns over the impact of additional passenger trains to their operations north of downtown Mobile. But an agreement involving all the sides in the case was reached in November 2022, enabling the process to begin toward getting the service started.
Also slowing the process down was gathering the financial support from the three states connected to the route — Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In Alabama, unlike in Mississippi and Louisiana, much of that support came from the Mobile City Council, which voted in August to provide an operational subsidy for three years.
“This is a step forward in the restoration process of Gulf Coast rail,” said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican who has been the biggest champion for the project in Congress. “I am grateful to Amtrak for helping restore this line after nearly two decades of no service.”
Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, a passenger rail advocacy group that has played a critical role in getting the project to move forward, said he’s ready to see the route become a reality.
“It’s incredibly exciting to announce the name for this new service that will have such a positive impact in our three states,” he said.
Read MoreHere’s your last chance to binge your Hallmark favorites before the network leaves Peacock
After a three-year partnership with Peacock, one of the most popular streaming services on the market, Hallmark is removing its content from the streaming platform and saying goodbye on Thursday, May 1.
Though the partnership end date is fast approaching, there’s still time to binge your favorite Hallmark original TV series and movies before its content leaves the platform.
For those who have yet to stream Hallmark’s content through Peacock, fan-favorite series such as When Calls the Heart, The Way Home, The Chicken Sisters and more are available for streaming. Those who gravitate to Hallmark’s beloved movies can stream new releases on-demand for 72 hours after its initial release and are available at additional times when airing on Hallmark Channels.
Though Hallmark may be bowing out of Peacock’s impressive lineup of networks, there are still a ton of popular networks still available for streaming on the platform including NBC, Bravo, MSNBC and more. Whether you’re searching for news, sports, or true crime, Peacock offers plenty of networks to enjoy.
In addition to access to networks like those mentioned above, Peacock is known for producing incredible Peacock Originals such as Long Bright River, The Traitors, Poker Face, and, recently, has become the home of the hit Law & Order spinoff series Law & Order: Organized Crime, marking the first time a Law & Order series has been exclusive to a streaming service.
Despite the upcoming loss of the Hallmark network and its content, Peacock is still considered a strong and capable alternative to traditional cable service problems. New and exciting content arrives each month, both from cherished networks and from the streaming service itself.
Peacock’s plans and pricing
One of the qualities that makes Peacock stand out against other streaming platforms is its plans and its pricing. Peacock subscribers can enjoy a world of entertainment including hit movies and TV shows, while also exploring the platform’s extensive collection of originals.
Currently, Peacock offers two plans to choose from including their premium plan for $7.99 a month and their premium plus plan for $13.99 a month.
The premium plan is the most popular package and offers subscribers access to live sporting events, new and hit TVB shows and movies, Peacock Originals and more.
The premium plus plan comes with everything included in the premium plan along with the ability to download and watch select titles offline. Through this plan, subscribers can also stream local NBC channels live at any time. Unlike the premium plan, this plan does not support ads.
Read MoreWork begins on new $32.7 million north Alabama airport maintenance hangar
Work is expected to begin this summer on a $32.7 million project at Pryor Field Regional Airport in Tanner on an aircraft maintenance hangar.
The project is expected to create 50 aviation-related jobs in three years, organizers say.
Alaska-based Aleut Real Estate has secured a ground lease at the airport in Limestone County for the hangar, in a project with Strata-G Solutions, a Huntsville design engineering firm.
The development is expected to follow an 18-month timeline, with hangar completion anticipated in early 2027.
Aleut is working with Fite Building Company as the design-build contractor to lead the project.
Once completed the hangar will support maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for U.S. Defense Department and commercial aviation clients.
This is Aleut Real Estate’s first development project in the state of Alabama.
“With growing demand for aviation and defense support infrastructure in the Huntsville area, Pryor Field is a strategic starting point,” Michael Jenks of Aleut Real Estate said. “We’re especially proud to be working alongside Limestone County and Strata-G to shape a facility that meets both regional needs and operational goals.”
Both ARE and Strata-G were granted tax abatements by Limestone County to assist with project startup costs.
The project also aligns with the airport’s southwest expansion plan. Limestone County and the State of Alabama provided support for the project.
Read MoreRoad to the Pros: Alabama’s Que Robinson ‘hungry and eager’ to make NFL impact
It’s been an up and down journey full of twists and turns, but former Alabama linebacker Quandarrius “Que” Robinson is one the verge of what he hopes will be a long career in professional football.
Robinson was one of the top special-teams performers in the SEC during his time in Tuscaloosa, with none less than Nick Saban once saying he was one of the best he’d ever coached in the kicking game. In the latest edition of AL.com’s award-winning “Road to the Pros” video series, Robinson talks in-depth about his Alabama career, life growing up in the Pratt City area of Birmingham and his NFL dreams, to which he knows special teams hold the key.
“I’m really hungry and eager to get to … whatever team I get to, and work my butt off to the best of my ability,” Robinson said. “And that’s gonna start with special teams. …There have been so many games won or lost based on special teams.”
Robinson also talks about the “tough love” he received from his mother and two younger sisters, first committing to Auburn before signing with Alabama, the 2021 DUI arrest that he said helped turn his career around and his decision not to transfer following Saban’s retirement. He also discusses his tumultuous 2024 season, in which he finally broke into the starting lineup but also dealt with the death of his father and a season-ending elbow injury in November.
Hit the link above to watch the entire video, directed by AL.com’s Laura Goldman.
Read MoreFamily sought for 86-year-old woman who died in Jefferson County
Authorities are trying to find family members of a woman who died last month in Jefferson County.
Her body is ready to be released for burial, but the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has not been able to locate her next of kin.
Margaret Hall Hayes, 86, died March 30 at Oak Knoll Health and Rehabilitation in Birmingham.
Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said Hayes died of natural causes.
Hayes previously listed an address on Brookside Road in Mount Olive. Her husband, Carlos Ray Hayes, died in 1985 and reportedly they had no children.
Family members are asked to call the coroner’s office at 205-930-3603.
Read MoreHow NASA scientists helped lead Alabama firefighters to a 120-acre brush fire
NASA scientists were recently able to alert emergency services in Castleberry to a 120-acre field fire after they spotted it on a large imaging spectrometer.
The sensor—AVIRIS-3—was flying on board a research plane three miles east of Castleberry on March 19, when it picked up the unnoticed fire, according to a report from Newsweek.
“A scientist on board analyzed the data and was able to map out where the blaze was burning most intensely—in this case, the northeastern edge—and the information was immediately sent to emergency workers on the ground who set off to contain the fire,” the report reads.
NASA told the publication that the process—from detection to alerting firefighters—only took a few minutes due to Airborne satellite internet connectivity.
“Fire moves a lot faster than a bulldozer, so we have to try to get around it before it overtakes us,” Ethan Barrett, fire analyst for the Forest Protection Division of the Alabama Forestry Commission, told Newsweek.
“These maps show us the hot spots.”
“When I get out of the truck, I can say, ‘OK, here’s the perimeter,’” he continued.
“That puts me light-years ahead.”
AVIRIS-3 uses three types of maps: one showing burned areas and smoke, another looking for spots burning particularly hot, including perimeters of ongoing blazes, and another to identify the intensity of the burning, according to the NASA website.
Last month the AVIRIS team used the sensor to map at least 13 wildfires in real time, according to comments from Robert Green, the AVIRIS program’s principal investigator and senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Read More