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9-year-old who drowned with his cousin while fishing ‘meant the world to many’

Family and friends are asking for help burying an 9-year-old boy who drowned over the weekend while fishing at a Midfield rock quarry.

Rashad Jackson was fishing Saturday afternoon with his paternal grandmother and his 26-year-old cousin, Stephon Gardner, when he slipped off the platform on which he was standing and fell 10 feet into the water.

Gardner jumped in to try to save Rashad but neither resurfaced, and their bodies were recovered the following day after a lengthy, overnight search.

“Rashad meant the world to many,” according to a GoFundMe organized by Deaqualin Sankey.

Rashad was a rising fourth-grader at Charles Brown Elementary School, where his favorite subjects were math and reading.

Rashad Jackson, 9, and his cousin, 26-year-old Stephon Gardner, drowned Saturday, June 21, while fishing in a Midfield rock quarry.(GoFundMe)

He loved the color blue, and going fishing, said those who knew and loved him.

Rashad was the oldest of four siblings. He leaves behind three sisters, including the youngest who was born just three days before Rashad drowned.

Authorities were dispatched at 5:04 p.m. Saturday to Bessemer Avenue and Myrtle Avenue in Birmingham on a report of a person who fell in the water.

The address was updated to 1550 Hartman Industrial Boulevard in Midfield, which runs alongside cement and concrete manufacturer Holcim Birmingham Slag Plant.

BFRS Battalion Chief Clay Hendon said when first responders arrived on the scene, they learned Rashad fell into the rock quarry while fishing. Gardner then jumped in after the boy.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service, Birmingham police, Midfield Fire and Rescue and Midfield police, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and dive specialists UCI Underwater Criminal Investigators all contributed in the search and subsequent recovery.

Authorities said the dive teams stopped their search Saturday night at dark but boats equipped with sonar stayed out all night at the property western Jefferson County.

About 2:30 a.m. Sunday, the sonar “pinged” at about 82-feet deep, so divers were focusing on that spot.

Their bodies were recovered just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

“Right now, we’re trying to raise money to give Rashad the proper goodbye he deserves,” according to the GoFundMe.

“Anything you can give—no matter how small—will help cover funeral and burial costs, and financial support for the immediate families, including Rashad’s siblings.”

Donations can be made here.

General

Future of this popular chain restaurant is in limbo

The era of Bahama Breeze may come to an end soon.

Late last week, Rick Cardenas, the CEO of Darden, the parent company of Bahama Breeze, told investors that the company will be considering strategic alternatives” for Bahamas Breeze, such as selling the chain or “converting restaurants to other Darden brands,” reports Fox News.

In May, Darden closed 15 Bahama Breeze restaurants. A spokesperson for Bahama Breeze told USA Today the shutdowns occurred in multiple states, including Florida, Illinois, Tennessee and Nevada. CNN reported the closures represent more than a third of Bahama Breeze’s current locations.

In a statement to USA Today, spokesperson Kiara Buckner said closures of the Darden-owned chain come after evaluations of restaurant performance across the country.

The Caribbean-themed chain has just 29 restaurants remaining nationwide.

According to Fox News, Cardenas said Darden has decided that Bahama Breeze’s remaining 28 restaurants and its brand are no longer a “strategic priority.”

“We also believe that this brand and these restaurants have the potential to benefit from a new owner,” Cardenas said.

General

Selfless attitude characterizes AL.com Birmingham Male Athlete of the Year

Leeds football coach Jerry Hood needed a little something extra from senior returning starting quarterback Conner Nelson heading into the 2024 season.

Hood wanted the versatile athlete to also play on defense.

No problem for the Birmingham Region Male Athlete of the Year.

“He’s just a special kid,” Hood said. “He started as a sophomore at wide receiver and was the best wide receiver on the team and we had some quarterback packages for him that year. He was the quarterback for the past two years, but we needed him to play defense last year. He punted for us, he was a punt returner at times and all that kind of stuff.

“He’s just a selfless individual that will do whatever it takes for the team to win and that’s what made him so special.”

Nelson edged out Carver’s Dimitri Howard and Vincent’s Grayson Gulde for the honor.

In football, the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Nelson led the Green Wave to the Class 5A semifinals before losing to Moody. He was selected ASWA first team all-state and one of three Class Player of the Year finalists along with a member of the Birmingham Region first team and Offensive MVP.

He totaled 46 touchdowns, running 219 times for 1,818 yards with 35 TDs and completed 78-of-119 passes for 1,224 yards and 11 more touchdowns. He averaged 37.3 yards as punter.

As a baseball player, Nelson helped Leeds to the third round of Class 5A playoffs before losing to Madison Academy.

Nelson earned ASWA first team all-state as an outfielder and was named to the Birmingham Region Terrific 22. He posted teams bests .427 average, 45 RBIs, 8 home runs and 1.322 OPS.

On the mound, Nelson pitched 49 1/3 innings with 88 strikeouts — that’s 12.5 per 7 innings — with a 3.26 ERA and 8-3 won-loss record.

Nelson signed to play football with Southeastern Louisiana,

“He’s just a phenomenal athlete,” Hood said. “He’s big and strong and he’s got good leaping ability. Coming up in Leeds, he was always the best player in his age group and that has just continued on even today.”

It’s tough to measure intangibles, but Nelson had the specific attributes and qualities that contributed to success.

“He was vice president for the leadership counsel and any time we needed him to work in the community, he was the first one to volunteer,” Hood said. “He loved this town.

“He’s just a great story of what high school sports is all about.”

General

Which SEC football coaches are playing the most golf in 2025?

There’s plenty of names you could call Hugh Freeze. Auburn football head coach. Two-time winner over Nick Saban. Controversial. Two-time Iron Bowl-loser.

One thing you can’t call him: A sandbagger on the golf course. Freeze has dutifully posted his scores to the USGA’s GHIN database, from the 78 he fired off in early June to the pair of 86s from May.

Unfortunately for Freeze, his honorable scoring record came under fire on social media and message boards on Monday, as the Tigers’ recruiting struggled. A trio of blue-chip prospects decommitted from AU over the past two weeks, and fans were unhappy after realizing how much time the coach was spending on the course.

Freeze might be the most prolific golfer among the league’s coaches, but he certainly isn’t the only one. Some don’t post all their scores to the GHIN, and some who do play, including Brian Kelly and Eli Drinkwitz, don’t maintain public handicaps.

However, others do. As the offseason continues, here’s how much the SEC’s golfing coaches are admitting to playing.

Hugh Freeze

Yes, Freeze has been playing a ton of golf. The Auburn coach has posted 10 rounds since the start of June, and has maxed out the number of public rounds that the GHIN will show at one time, meaning he’s over 20 for the calendar year.

Freeze has a swing that could generously be described as “funky,” but is the SEC coaching contingent’s lowest handicap, at 7.4. His game has gone downhill lately, after Freeze played in the Regions Tradition Celebrity Pro-Am in May with a 5.9 handicap, up from an all-time low of 4.6.

AU’s 2026 recruiting class has taken a tumble with the various decommitments in June. The group is currently ranked No. 87 nationally on the 247Sports composite, 15th of out 16 SEC teams.

Freeze’s best June score was a 78 at his home course, and the GHIN lists him as a member of both Moore’s Mill Golf Club and the Auburn University Club. His three 83s are tied for his worst score of the month.

Shane Beamer

Beamer hosts a golf event for media members each year, and the South Carolina coach has been on the course in June. He has posted three scores this month, putting him in a distant second place behind Freeze.

His best score for the month was his most recent, an 84 at his home club, either Kiawah Island or the Quixote Club according to the GHIN. He also shot an 85 and an 87 earlier in the month, listed as “away” rounds.

For the calendar year, Beamer is at or above the 20-round limit. He’s currently an 11 handicap, down from his all-time low of 8.1.

South Carolina’s 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 60 on the 247Sports composite, good for 13th in the SEC. The Gamecocks’ group is anchored by in-state four-star cornerback J’Zavien Currence.

Mark Stoops

Kentucky’s head coach is one of the SEC’s most prolific score-posters. However, he seems to have taken a break, either from golfing or posting, since the start of June.

Stoops is a 16.8 handicap at Lexington Country Club. His most recent scores are from May, when he reported playing seven times, five of which were nine-hole rounds.

The coach’s best score for May was an 89, one shot worse than his lowest currently listed round. His worst included a pair of nine-hole efforts where he shot 51.

Kentucky’s 2026 recruiting class sits between South Carolina and Auburn at No. 14 in the SEC. The group ranks 68th overall on the 247 composite.

Kalen DeBoer

DeBoer has shared his love for playing golf, but maintained that Alabama fans would never feel he was playing too much. He hasn’t posted a score in June, but reported two in May, two in April and six total for 2025.

His best score for the year was his most recent, a 91. The worst was a 99, listed at his home course, likely NorthRiver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa.

DeBoer’s handicap recently jumped to 20.4 after sitting the teens. The lowest he ever dropped it was to 17.9.

Alabama’s 2026 recruiting has taken off lately, and is currently No. 33 nationally. The Crimson Tide group ranks eighth in the SEC, though most of the schools above it have far more commitments in their classes.

Kirby Smart

The only other SEC coach with a verifiable public handicap has played in 2025, showing up at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am in May. However, he has not posted a score to the GHIN this year.

Smart posted three scores in 2024, one in 2023 and nine in 2022. He’s listed as a 12.6 handicap, just over his career low 12.4.

The Georgia coach’s best posted scores include a pair of 85s from 2021. He has crept up to 100 one time.

The Bulldogs’ 2026 class is in excellent shape, ranked No. 4 nationally on the 247 composite. Georgia sits second in the SEC, behind only Texas A&M.

General

Popular fast food chain is now open later

White Castle is staying open later.

The Ohio-based burger chain has announced that 91% of its locations are open until 1 a.m. or later and 72% are open for 24 hours seven days a week, according to QSR.

In a press release about the late-night hours, the fast food chain dubbed itself “Night Castle.”

“White Castle has always been there for our Cravers when it matters most — even when the clock strikes midnight and beyond,” said Jamie Richardson, the vice president at White Castle, in a press release. “Night Castle isn’t just a moment in time — it’s a state of mind. Whether it’s summer nights, weekend outings or just a craving that won’t quit, we’re proud to be the place people turn to for craveable flavor, great value and unforgettable memories.”

In May, McDonald’s announced it would extend its hours.

According to People Magazine, the fast-food chain plans to keep select locations open until midnight or later. The change will impact the “vast majority” of U.S. locations, a spokesperson told The Independent.

Restaurants in non-traditional locations like airports and shopping malls will likely not extend hours, the company said. Franchise owners will decide which menu items will be available during the late-night hours.

General

USA Today ranks Alabama doughnut shop as No. 2 in country: Who beat us?

If you’re looking for a great donut shop, be advised that USA Today readers think Alabama has one of the best in the country.

USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards has unveiled a new Top 10 ranking of the Best Donut Shops in the country. The results, organizers say, showcase businesses that “offer a unique charm and personal touch that large chains often can’t match.”

It’s a roster that spans the nation, from Blue Star Donuts in Portland, Ore., to SK Donuts & Croissant in Los Angeles to Back Door Donuts in Oak Bluffs, Mass. City Donut in Orange Beach came in at No. 2.

City Donut, located in a storefront in the Publix shopping center at 25751 Perdido Beach Blvd., is a family-owned business that assures customers that “all of our donuts and pastries are made on-site.” In addition to donuts, it serves ice cream treats and boba drinks.

The ranking is no fluke: City Donuts topped the 10Best list in 2024. This time around, Donald’s Donuts in Zanesville, Ohio, took the top spot.

USA Today’s description promises that “your mouth will water as soon as you see City Donut’s fresh offerings,” which include “traditional yeast or cake donuts that come in a variety of flavors such as Key lime-filled, Oreo-topped, and maple iced.”

The full list can be found at the 10Best website. Aside from one venue in Atlanta, City Donuts is the only Southern donut purveyor to make the Top 10. For more information on the shop, visit www.citydonutob.com.

General

Man accused of shooting his mother kills woman and then himself in north Alabama, authorities say

A man and woman died in a murder-suicide at a Decatur home.

Police and firefighters responded at 8:48 p.m. to a request for a welfare check at a residence in the 2900 block of Lynnwood Circle S.W.

Firefighters looked in a window, spotted a man facedown and made entry into the home.

Once inside, they found a man and woman dead unresponsive from apparent gunshot wounds. Morgan County Coroner Jeff Chunn pronounced both dead on the scene.

Authorities identified them as Matthew Ryan Martinez, 38, and Sindy Michelle Masny, 56. Both lived in Decatur.

Police spokeswoman Irene Cardenas-Martinez said the deaths were deemed to be a murder-suicide. Investigators determined Martinez shot Masny and then turned the gun on himself.

Authorities said the two had been in some sort of a relationship.

Just two weeks ago, Martinez was arrested by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office after he allegedly shot his mother in the buttocks. Masny was a witness in that case, according to court records.

In that incident, the victim said Martinez showed up unexpectedly at her home after she had not seen him in three months.

She hugged him and invited him to sit down with her, but he remained standing by the door, she told deputies. She told authorities that was “not acting normal” and was hostile when she asked him about his eBay business.

She then heard him say something “bye mom” and then felt a burning in buttocks, realizing she was shots. He fled the scene but was later taken into custody and charged with second-degree domestic violence.

He was released on $75,000 bond, but a warrant was issued for his arrest Friday for violating the conditions of his release, according to court records.

General

NBA Draft: Lean years still produce a 4-time All-Star

The NBA will hold its 79th draft on Wednesday and Thursday. Thirty first-round picks will be made starting at 7 p.m. CDT Wednesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NBA teams have drafted 49 players from Alabama high schools and colleges in the first round, and AL.com is counting down to the 2025 draft with a decade-by-decade look at the state’s first-rounders, including the 2010s:

Only four players with Alabama basketball roots entered the NBA in the first round of the draft in the 2010s, although those picks produced a four-time NBA All-Star, the Alabama alumnus with the league’s highest career scoring average and an All-Defensive selection with a 12-year career.

The first decade of the 21st century showed a steep decline in the players from Alabama high schools and colleges selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, and the representation did not rebound in the second.

The previous decade had closed with one first-round pick in 2008 and two first-round picks in 2009 coming from state high schools and colleges. That snapped a six-year streak without a first-rounder.

When two more players with Alabama basketball roots went in the first round in 2010, it appeared a revival was at hand. Then came seven straight drafts without a first-rounder from a state high school or college, the longest Alabama gap since the 1964 through 1971 drafts passed without a first-rounder.

The first-round NBA Draft picks with Alabama basketball roots in the 2010s included:

2010: DeMarcus Cousins (LeFlore Magnet High School in Mobile), No. 5 by the Sacramento Kings

Cousins had been selected for the NBA All-Star Game four seasons in a row before tearing an Achilles tendon on Jan. 26, 2018. The 6-foot-10 center then suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on Aug. 19, 2019. But Cousins persevered to play in 89 more games after missing the entire 2019-20 season. In the 2016-17 season, Cousins reached his career-high scoring average of 27.0 points per game. The next season, he had his best rebounding average at 12.9 and assists average at 5.4. In 654 NBA regular-season games, Cousins averaged 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks. Cousins won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men’s basketball team at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

2010: Eric Bledsoe (Parker High School in Birmingham), No. 18 by the Oklahoma City Thunder

Like DeMarcus Cousins, the 6-foot-1 guard went from an Alabama high school to Kentucky, played the 2009-10 season for the Wildcats and entered the NBA as a first-round draft choice in 2010. Bledsoe had three of his first six seasons end prematurely because of knee injuries, and he did not play in the 2021-22 campaign after Feb. 4, when the Los Angeles Clippers traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland would have been Bledsoe’s fifth NBA team had he played, and he’s had two go-arounds with the Clippers, who originally obtained him in a trade on the night he was drafted. Bledsoe made the NBA’s All-Defensive team for the 2018-19 campaign while with the Milwaukee Bucks. In 756 NBA regular-season games, Bledsoe has averaged 13.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

2018: Collin Sexton (Alabama), No. 8 by the Cleveland Cavaliers

The 6-1 guard became the first first-round pick for the Crimson Tide since 2001 when he turned pro after averaging 19.2 points per game in his only season at Alabama. Sexton became the third rookie in NBA history to average scoring at least 16 points per game while shooting at least 40 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line, joining Larry Bird and Stephen Curry. In Sexton’s second NBA season, his scoring average rose to 20.8 points per game, and in his third, it went up to 24.3. But his fourth season lasted only 11 games because of a meniscus tear, and he’s played the past three seasons with the Utah Jazz after a trade. In 407 NBA regular-season games, Sexton has averaged 18.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Sexton has the highest NBA scoring average of any former Crimson Tide player.

2019: Chuma Okeke (Auburn), No. 16 by the Orlando Magic

The Magic drafted Okeke even though he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA tourney. The injury caused Okeke to miss the entire 2019-20 season, and injuries became a theme for the 6-foot-6 during his four seasons in Orlando. Okeke played in nine regular-season games in the 2024-25 seasons – seven with the Philadelphia 76ers and two with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 198 NBA regular-season games, Okeke has averaged 6.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

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

General

LSU domination: New 2025 College World Series champs gear now available on Fanatics

The LSU Tigers are the national champions for baseball once again. The program won its second College World Series title in the past three years, this time taking down Coastal Carolina in a dominating sweep. LSU actually swept the entire World Series this year, capping an unbelievable 2025 season.

This is the Tigers’ eighth CWS title. They may be known for football, but they haven’t dropped off plenty in baseball. Their title-clinching game against Coastal Carolina took place on Sunday, where they ended up winning 5-3.

Fanatics released a bunch of LSU 2025 College World Series gear, which can be viewed here. Here’s a look at some of the best items we found:

Fans can also get free shipping with code “29SHIP” at checkout.

General

Start the 2025 NFL season with 25% off Philadelphia Eagles gear + Super Bowl jerseys on sale

The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are gearing up for another dominant run in 2025. After dominating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in the biggest game of the year, the Eagles still have one of the strongest rosters in the entire league.

Their stellar offense that includes Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith are all back and ready to compete for another title. Of course, the Eagles’ defense is still as strong as ever, as they have a young core of players at every level.

NFL Shop is currently running a 25% off sale on Eagles gear, which can be viewed here. Perhaps the best deals we found were on Eagles Super Bowl LIX jerseys, which have been placed on clearance:

Once again, the entire Eagles sale can be viewed here.