Alabama News

General

Alabama can build on momentum in business, education, in 2025 legislative session: op-ed

There is no denying it: Alabama’s momentum is stronger than ever before.

Businesses – from the smallest mom-and-pop shops to industry giants – are finding enormous success, providing not only jobs but true livelihoods for Alabamians.

Educational outcomes are beginning to move in a positive direction statewide.

Our roads, bridges, and the Port of Mobile are all receiving much-needed upgrades and improvements.

The state has taken its first significant steps to address the ongoing mental health crisis since the tenure of Governor Lurleen Wallace in the 1960s.

Most importantly, our people, whom I firmly believe are Alabama’s greatest asset, are thriving.

In fact, Alabama had the sixth-largest percentage of move-ins in the nation in 2024, demonstrating that our state is a place where people want to live, work, and raise families.

Numerous factors have led us in this direction, but the work of the Alabama Legislature has been a major catalyst.

Our conservative approach to budgeting, led by public servants like House General Fund Chairman Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville) and Education Trust Fund Chairman Danny Garret (R-Trussville), produced the savings that allow Alabama to make historic investments into education, workforce development, infrastructure, mental health, and more.

Our members’ commitment and determination have paved the way for Alabama to become a top-five state for school choice with the passage of the CHOOSE Act while also prioritizing public education through initiatives like the Literacy and Numeracy Acts, which require students to perform at grade level in order to advance.

We have enacted over 20 tax cuts that save Alabama families and small businesses thousands of dollars annually.

Through an economic development approach that has positioned state government as a partner rather than a hindrance to business, we have established the nation’s top recruitment incentives, resulting in over 80,000 new jobs and more than $50 billion in investments since 2017.

So, when you step back and look at all we’ve accomplished as a state, you have to ask yourself, “What’s next?”

We must continue growing our successes and overcoming our challenges one by one.

We rank high on lists of the most business-friendly states, but we can become an even better place for employers and employees to work and thrive.

Alabama is often recognized as the nation’s most military-friendly state, but we can do even more to support active-duty military, veterans, and their families. And with a united congressional delegation, a friendly president, and a committed Legislature, we can bring Space Command back to its rightful home of Huntsville, Alabama.

Education, workforce development, infrastructure, and more are all on the rise – but we can take even greater advantage of this momentum and leverage it to improve the lives of Alabamians.

We will continue tackling these issues in the coming session, and I look forward to making the most of this opportunity.

Getting here has taken an all-hands-on-deck approach from top to bottom, but the results are demonstrating that the hard work has been worth it.

From the House and Senate Leadership to legislative committee chairs to the Governor – Alabama’s leaders are working together in a way that is beneficial to the people who elected us to serve.

I often quote President Ronald Reagan’s belief that it is remarkable what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit, and the Alabama of today is clear evidence of his wisdom.

I know for a fact that God places us where we can do the most good, and I am excited to continue serving as Speaker and empowering my colleagues to make an already great state even better.

Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, is speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives.

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Miss Manners: I don’t want to touch strangers’ germ-infested hands

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is there a polite way to avoid shaking hands with strangers? I was in a car dealership, and every employee I encountered extended a hand to me, expecting me to shake it.

I know that they were just trying to appear friendly and open. But I also know that this is a good way to transmit diseases and pathogenic microorganisms. Many people do not have good hand-washing practices, especially after using the restroom, and it grosses me out to have to touch their hands.

An infectious disease specialist has even stated that the practice of shaking hands should be abandoned.

GENTLE READER: Miss Manners generally agrees with you, but worries that the social disease of being unwilling to participate in formalities is also dangerous. If you can gracefully finesse another gesture — waving, or, in less formal situations, a fist bump — Miss Manners will allow it.

Adding “I’m healthy, but don’t want you to risk it” will perhaps take away some of the sting. If all else fails, carrying hand sanitizer with you and discreetly applying it after handshakes may be a short-term solution.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

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Casagrande: The year without Nick Saban and why he stuck the landing

This is an opinion column.

The sport of gymnastics baffles cavemen like us.

Its beautiful complexity is lost on so many of us raised on first downs and home runs but there was one truth we all knew.

You’ve got to stick the landing. No matter how perfect the routine was, a face plant on the dismount means you’re toast.

A year ago today, Nick Saban stood at the end of a balance beam, metaphorically speaking. Exactly 6,216 sunrises after his most recent of a string of wobbly departures, the reality was hitting the 72-year-old.

By sundown, he’d no longer be a football coach.

The news of Saban’s retirement was both stunning and predictable — a seismic headline that rippled through the college football landscape with SEC speed.

Rivals rejoiced.

Shrines were erected at the feet of his statue.

The reign was over.

A year later, the impact of that historic move comes into focus as the sport moves on and the program he left behind battles to find its footing.

Exactly 12 months later, we can assess the dismount with clarity that was hard to spot in the tumult of Jan. 10, 2024.

Given all that’s transpired in the past year, it’s hard to deduct from Saban’s departure score. It would always be an adventure in the Crimson Tide football complex in the wake of a Saban retirement, so anything that happened there is the cost of doing business.

For Saban, the timing was immaculate.

This is a man whose morning routine famously involved The Weather Channel so he could read the shifting winds. His business model (for the lack of a better term) had reached the end of its viability.

The age of dynasties was over. No longer could he hoard the best players at every position, preach patience and assembly line national title contenders with the same cruel efficiency that made him a legend.

Alabama rosters didn’t run as deep as they had a few years earlier.

Assistant coaches became harder to retain as quality began slipping there too.

Where Saban could do a quick reinvention after his powers were questioned in 2013 to win three more national titles, these headwinds were different.

What he was facing this time wasn’t a shift in on-field trends but a complete overhaul of how the sport operated. Recruiting meant not just landing high school prospects but your own locker room and a free-agent transfer market that irked Saban from the moment rules were loosened.

Casagrande: Nick Saban as college football commissioner? Let’s get real

A few other, more specific truths were also coming into focus. Saban’s last game was the Rose Bowl semifinal, a game lost to a Michigan team loaded with veteran talent retained by deep-pocketed alums who financed a successful NIL operation.

Before Alabama team busses could return to the hotel following that Rose Bowl loss, the school’s NIL collective was pleading with fans to contribute to its talent acquisition/retention efforts. Saban’s savvy enough to see Alabama’s fanbase, while passionate as any, lacks the billionaires and Fortune 500 CEOs that rivals boast.

Just look at the four teams playing in this week’s College Football Playoff semifinals. Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State and Texas have alumni bases with pockets as deep as any. And just a few weeks ago, Alabama AD Greg Byrne was passing around the hat again to the average fans to bankroll its NIL efforts.

Alabama has been playing catch-up since the advent of the NIL era and Saban could see where that momentum was headed.

And it’s not like he went out on a total down note. The 2023 team was arguably one of his least talented, one that lacked coaching staff continuity. Still, he mustered the magic one final time against the program viewed as the heir to Alabama’s dynasty. The 27-24 beating of No. 1 Georgia in the 2023 SEC Championship not only denied the Bulldogs a shot at a third straight national title, it was a walk-off insult to Saban’s former understudy.

Kirby Smart would never get to avenge the last in a string of crushing losses to his old boss.

Casagrande: Here’s the exact moment Nick Saban’s Alabama dynasty peaked

Going out a national champion would have been the ultimate storybook bow, but taking that Alabama team to the last four-team playoff wasn’t insignificant for Saban’s legacy.

He’s in a tier of legends few can approach. It’s a group that includes a few who held on, perhaps, a few years longer than they should have. That led to a few messy goodbyes — landings that clipped an uneven bar on the way to the ground.

Saban got to wave goodbye on a relatively high note just as the inevitable slide approached. One could reasonably argue the slip was already in progress as the once-dominant defenses had regressed along with on-field discipline.

The last few teams weren’t quite as Saban-like as the championship years, and the off-field forces were only going to hasten that regression.

We say that with full acknowledgment of how ludicrous it would be to call a three-year span with a 36-6 record a disappointment. But a discerning eye and those around the program could see cracks in the foundation — fissures that became more clear in the year without Saban.

It’s also safe to say the post-coaching year has treated Saban well.

Not yet counting ducks by his lake house, Saban’s evolved into a critically acclaimed ESPN analyst.

He’s smiling.

A lot.

Where the grind of coaching his way left little time for the basic human joys, Saban seems to be enjoying the work-life balance his dynasty didn’t allow.

This second act gives Saban a football purpose and a quasi-team unit that he always said would be so hard to leave when discussing coaching retirement.

There’s a weekly Saturday adrenaline rush on College GameDay without the risk of a calamitous loss. The best of both worlds, in a sense.

And after a 9-4 season in Tuscaloosa, the coaching ghost of Saban loomed.

True or fantasy, the “Saban’s team would never …” hovered over a year of inconsistency that only made his tenure feel even stronger. There was some degree of revisionist history in play there while noting Saban teams never had a 24-3 moment at Oklahoma on its resumé.

A lot’s changed in the year without Saban.

A lot, it must be said, was already changing.

Maintaining the level of consistency that Saban built into the greatest run in college football coaching history was clearly impossible.

So, for Saban, the time to retire was right.

Leaving the sport that became his life for decades would always be an exorcism to some degree, but time comes for us all.

A year ago today, it came calling for Saban.

And he stuck the landing.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

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Alabama TikTok users face uncertain future as U.S. Supreme Court weighs ban

LaDarrius Hutcherson remembers the day his career changed, and he has TikTok to thank for it.

On Aug. 15, 2022, a video he filmed inside Ruth’s Place in Irondale went viral. Since then, under the handle LHut, he has built a following of nearly 60,000 on TikTok, using the platform to spotlight small, minority-owned and unheralded restaurants in Central Alabama.

“Instantly, in that moment, it showed me the power of TikTok,” Hutcherson said about that first video.

Now, that platform is at risk.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Friday on whether TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, must sell to a U.S. company by Jan. 19 or be banned nationwide. The case pits national security concerns against free speech rights, with Alabama figures weighing in on both sides.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall supports the ban, arguing TikTok shares user data with China.

“The law TikTok challenges requires the platform to divest from its ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” Marshall said. “The law is not based on TikTok’s speech, but rather on its practices of harvesting Americans’ data and sharing it with the CCP. The First Amendment does not require our country to subject itself to that foreign national security threat.”

George Bovenizer, an assistant professor at the University of South Alabama who teaches courses on social media, sees the case as a First Amendment battle, noting TikTok’s massive influence—170 million U.S. users, including a growing number in Alabama.

“We’ve seen with social media platforms that they grow and become popular and then a lot of times, that popularity wanes,” he said. “It’s hard to see that happening with TikTok … the numbers are just enormous.”

Growing influence

TikTok has a growing influence among those who use it for more than scrolling through and wasting time watching benign videos about barking dogs or cooking tips. It’s also a site where a growing number of Americans are getting their news.

According to a Pew Research Report, 52% of adults say they regularly get their news from TikTok, a growing number at a time when other social media sites have seen their influence dwindle.

President-elect Donald Trump, now with 14.7 million TikTok followers, is an active user. He has filed a legal brief urging the court to delay any ban until he takes office.

Brilyn Hollyhand, head of the RNC’s Youth Advisory Council and a Tuscaloosa resident, sees TikTok as a vital political tool and has pitched Trump on using it for presidential messaging.

“TikTok is where my peers spend a lot of their time and has become the town square of our generation,” said Hollyhand, who has over 64,500 TikTok followers.

TikTok is popular among youth, with about six in ten teens ages 13 to 17 (63%) using the platform, according to Pew. That includes 57% who report using it daily, and 16% who say they are on it constantly.

The site’s popularity has given a platform for influencers and social media celebrities to boost their profiles, though some are urging their followers to switch to YouTube, Instagram, Snap Chat and other sites if TikTok shuts down.

Jackson Dean, 21, a Madison native who lives in Los Angeles and has 5.7 million followers, said he is concerned about people losing their livelihoods.

“I understand the national security concerns, but I think there are better ways to go about it other than deleting thousands and thousands of people’s jobs,” he said. “Some people’s lives will change drastically.”

Regulating social media

The lawsuit aside, concerns continue to swell over TikTok and other social media sites having a dangerous influence on minors. Only a handful of states have implemented restrictions on social media use for minors, and some of those cases are being challenged in court.

Arkansas adopted a law in 2023 mandating parental consent for social media users under 18, but it is being challenged in federal court. Tennessee’s law, also requiring parental consent for social media use among minors, is also wrapped up in the courts over complaints that it’s a First Amendment violation.

In Alabama, state Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, expects legislation this session addressing age restrictions. He said there is an “appetite” among Alabama lawmakers to place an age restriction on social media sites, and he anticipates a bill surfacing after the session begins Feb. 8.

Robbins sponsored legislation in 2022 to require high school-age students to receive age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate instruction on social media risks and how to use them properly. That legislation didn’t advance largely because it placed added educational and teaching requirements on schools, Robbins said.

“We’ve changed the focus on how to regulate the industry,” Robbins said.

As far as TikTok goes, Robbins said he believes the company is an outlier among social media sites – and not in a good way.

“If we look back to a time in the 1950s, we’d find it weird that we were getting our news from the Soviets,” Robbins said. “The fact we allow the Chinese to control a media outlet, I think it’s good to put restraints on China.”

For Hutcherson and other Alabama creators, the stakes are high, and they are rooting for TikTok’s survival.

“TikTok has been the driving force for my career,” Hutcherson said. “It allowed people to get to know me and gravitate to my other platforms which I’m super thankful for. I’m grateful for TikTok.”

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It’s happening! Snow, sleet in Alabama: Winter weather creates dangerous road conditions

Winter storm conditions have turned parts of north and central Alabama into winter wonderlands as of early Friday.

The northern half of Alabama was covered with reports of snow, sleet, a wintry mix and icy roads, according to reports to the National Weather Service.

As of early Friday morning one of the higher reports was 2.5 inches of snow and sleet from north Alabama, with amounts of 1-2 inches common in other areas and in central Alabama. Snow and sleet was expected to continue across the region through the morning.

Forecasters cautioned early Friday that “difficult to impossible driving conditions, with major impacts to roadways, will continue through at least midday today.”

Winter storm warnings continued for all of north Alabama and were expanded for parts of central Alabama, where more and more roads were reportedly becoming iced over and impassable.

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Two to 4 inches of snow or snow and sleet will be possible in northern Alabama in the winter storm warning area, according to the National Weather Service in Huntsville.

Farther south, in central Alabama, the weather service in Birmingham said heavy mixed precipitation is expected, with an additional 1 to 2 inches of snow and sleet and ice accumulations up to 0.2 of an inch.

Various agencies were reporting worsening road conditions and very hazardous travel from the Birmingham metro area northward.

The weather service said “significant impacts are expected due to accumulating sleet and snow, followed by freezing rain this afternoon. The morning commute will be heavily impacted, and driving conditions may be dangerous or impossible.”

Precipitation was falling as all snow, a mixture of snow and sleet or just sleet early Friday. That could continue through the morning hours.

The weather service said snow this morning is expected to change over to a wintry mix, followed by a potential for freezing rain before temperatures rise above freezing this afternoon, with all rain expected by that time.

However, areas in north Alabama will stay cooler, keeping at least some potential for wintry precipitation continuing through this afternoon and evening, forecasters said.

The weather service said slick and hazardous road conditions are expected to continue through Saturday morning as temperatures fall below freezing once again Friday night. Any lingering ground moisture is expected to refreeze.

There have been some reports of sleet in south Alabama, but temperatures are warm enough there that little to no impact is expected in that region, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile

“While it’s possible that we see a few more pockets of sleet mix in with rain north of U.S. 84, the likelihood is very low, thus our shot at wintry precipitation has all but ended,” the weather service said in its Friday morning forecast discussion.

Forecasters expect south Alabama to see widespread rain through the day.

Here’s more on the winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories:

NORTH ALABAMA

CENTRAL ALABAMA

A winter storm warning has been expanded for central Alabama.

A winter storm warning will be in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Jefferson and St. Clair counties. The weather service said to expect additional snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches and ice accumulations up to 0.20 of an inch.

A winter storm warning will now also be in effect for Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Talladega, Clay, Randolph and Bibb counties until 3 p.m. today. The weather service said additional snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches and ice accumulations around 0.10 of an inch.

A winter weather advisory includes Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Elmore and Lee counties. It will be in effect until 3 p.m. today.

The weather service said mixed precipitation is expected with additional snow and sleet accumulations up to 1 inch and a light glaze of ice will be possible.

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Alabama wakes up to snow: Your winter weather pictures and video

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Miss Manners: Should I apologize for bailing on my pal’s performance?

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My spouse and I are friends with a couple, one of whom is in a band. This band put on a show at a local restaurant, and we went to show support.

We arrived prior to the start of the show, around 7:30, and enjoyed the music, applauding loudly and singing along to the songs we knew. However, as it got later and later, around 11:30, we became fatigued and really wanted to make our exit.

Since we had no idea how much longer the show would go, I told my husband we should head out when the current song ended.

At the end of the song, we stood up, said goodbye to our friend’s wife and waved to our friend on stage. The band then announced that this would be their last song, but we were exhausted and felt we had already committed to our exit, so we went ahead and left.

In the light of the next day, I felt guilty and wondered if we had made a social blunder by not sticking it out for the last song. Our friends have not mentioned this; I honestly don’t know if we are close enough that they would say something if they were upset.

Was this objectively rude? Should I reach out to our friends and ask them if they were hurt or offended?

GENTLE READER: Why are you looking for trouble? There was no way you could have known that the band was nearing their last song — and reasonable friends would realize that. After four hours, you put in your time. 11:30 p.m. is quite late enough.

However, if you are dead set on chastising yourself, Miss Manners will allow you to send a short note saying that you enjoyed the concert and were sorry to have to leave before its end. You may add that you look forward to hearing the last song next time. But “… provided that it happens before midnight” should only be implied.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

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Winter storm warning for Central Alabama until Friday afternoon

On Friday at 4:13 a.m. a winter storm warning was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 3 p.m. for Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Talladega, Clay, Randolph and Bibb counties.

The weather service states to be ready for, “Heavy mixed precipitation. Additional snow and sleet accumulations up to one to two inches and ice accumulations around one tenth of an inch.”

“Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will become slick and hazardous. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions will impact the morning commute,” explains the weather service. “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Persons should consider delaying all travel. Motorists should use extreme caution if travel is absolutely necessary.”

Winter driving guide: Tips from the weather service for safe and sound travels

Winter weather can make driving treacherous, leading to over 6,000 weather-related vehicle fatalities and over 480,000 injuries each year. When traveling during snow or freezing rain, prioritize safety by slowing down. In near-freezing temperatures, it’s safest to assume that icy conditions exist on roadways and adjust your driving accordingly. Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards. If possible, avoid driving in such conditions. If you must venture out, opt for routes with fewer trees and power lines. Never touch a downed power line, and immediately dial 911 if you come across one. Here are additional winter driving tips from the weather service:

Share your travel plans:

When venturing out of town in hazardous winter weather, be sure to inform family or friends of your destination, your intended route, and your estimated arrival time.

Prepare your vehicle:

Ensure your gas tank is full and equip your vehicle with essential winter supplies such as a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food.

Stay calm when stranded:

If you become stranded, stay composed. Notify someone about your situation and location. Avoid attempting to walk to safety. Attach a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror to signal that you require assistance. Make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and flashers.

Be aware of snow plows:

Keep an eye out for snow plows and allow them ample room to pass. Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road ahead.

Check road conditions:

Before embarking on your journey, check the latest road conditions to make informed travel decisions.

Stay safe on wintry roads with these valuable winter driving tips from the weather service, and reduce the risk of accidents during challenging weather conditions.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

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Asking Eric: Struggling to keep sisterhood together after a decade

Dear Eric: I am the oldest of two sisters: the City Mouse and the Country Mouse. The City Mouse has not visited the Country Mouse (me) for more than 10 years. The trip to see me involves a half day of train travel, pick up at the station, her own room/TV and access to her nieces and nephews, plus that clean country air.

I fear I will never see the City Mouse again because of impending health issues. When I, nicknamed the Bully, approached the City Mouse, she replied with why can’t I visit her? Any ideas? Has our sisterhood been abandoned?

– Country Mouse

Dear Country Mouse: Forgive me for sounding too much like the city mouse, but why can’t you visit her? You write that the health issues are impending, and I understand there may be preparations you need to do beforehand, but if you’re currently able and want to see her, a visit may be a good form of self-care.

The nickname “The Bully” is worrisome, though. I don’t see bullying here, but this is only a slice of your relationship. If there are other tensions that might be discouraging your sister from visiting, you should bring those up and talk them through to clear the path for a more productive conversation on visits.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.

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Asking Eric: Serial monogamist gets lost in relationships with no time for friendship

Dear Eric: My former best friend and longtime housemate is a serial monogamist and cannot go a couple weeks without being in a long-term relationship, usually having no more than two to three weeks in between very serious relationships.

This friend disappears fully into relationships with people who aren’t good to him, and it’s impossible to get him to respond to invitations to hang out.

After months of initiating plans, and rarely hearing back, I decided to take a step back from it due to incredible initiation fatigue.

He will occasionally call me and say he misses me and wants to grab lunch. When we do that, it’s so one-sided; he vents about his terrible relationship du jour, and then the check comes, and I haven’t said a word.

I miss my friend. I think I deserve better. I think his bad communication style mixed with his unhealthy relationship patterns are absolutely intertwined and really impossible to break.

Do I cut my losses, and just decline the lunch invitation that will come in five months, and be grateful to the universe for giving me this friend for my past? Or should I try to navigate the “I miss you, I’m worried about you, please want better for yourself, and please stop ignoring all your friends” conversation? Help!

– Ignored Friend

Dear Friend: Your friend is clearly working through something – an insecurity, a feeling of instability – that keeps leading him away from healthy friendships and into the arms of people the singing group TLC might describe as “scrubs.” Or worse.

Sometimes it takes a trusted friend to wake us up to unhealthy patterns of behavior. So don’t be afraid to have a heart-to-heart with him about it. You could even interrupt his monologue at your next lunch and tell him, “I’ve noticed this pattern. Have you noticed it, too? Are you worried about it?”

This is also a great time to bring up another relationship that needs a health checkup – yours and his. Friendship is a two-way street. If you don’t feel valued or even considered, tell him what you need and ask him what he needs/wants from this friendship. It’s very likely that, just as he lacks good models for healthy love relationships, he’s still working on how to be a good friend.

It’s OK to call him on this. But you don’t have to be a doormat. If he’s not willing to work with you to improve your relationship, it may be time to take an official break until he’s in a better place.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.

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