Alabama News

This is an opinion column.

Let’s talk about THE University of Alabama. So-called. Let’s talk about its football scheduling philosophy. So contradictory.

On the one hand, Alabama football has set a standard for what non-conference scheduling should be. Florida State and Wisconsin this season. Ohio State and Notre Dame on the horizon. Power conference opponents galore for years.

Salute. That’s big-boy scheduling befitting one of the sport’s biggest brands.

So why can’t the folks at the Capstone get it right when they go searching for other non-conference opponents to throw money and opportunity at? Why won’t they, like Auburn, keep it down home, cuz?

Because it can be done. It’s being done all across the SEC. Shout out to Florida. The Gators know home is where the heart is. They’ll play three games this season against teams from the Sunshine State, at home against South Florida and annual rival Florida State, on the road against Miami.

Hat tip to South Carolina. The Gamecocks also understand what it means to share the water from the local well. They’ll play three in-state opponents in South Carolina State, Coastal Carolina and traditional rival Clemson.

In all, 11 of the SEC’s 16 football teams will play 18 non-conference games this season without crossing state lines. Brian Kelly, whose LSU team will play Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana, explained at SEC Media Days.

“Why not play the schools from your own state and share the revenue?” Kelly said. “If we’re going to have to pay somebody to come in and play us, why not pay your in-state schools and take care of them?”

Good question. It’s one we’ve been asking Alabama for decades, through one coach and athletics director after another. Not one of them has provided a good answer.

Greg Byrne reiterated the longstanding party line shortly after coming on board as the Alabama athletics director in 2017. During his first visit to the SEC spring meeting in that position, he made it clear that he was not going to change the system.

“I think we have a very good (scheduling) model that’s worked well for us,” he said, “and I don’t see that changing.”

During Nick Saban’s 17-year Alabama tenure, the coach who didn’t mind playing Louisiana schools while at LSU punted every time that ball entered his court. He called it “a philosophy that’s above my paygrade.” As if any subject related to Alabama football were above his paygrade.

The head coach has changed, but Alabama still stands alone on that defiant island. Of the five SEC teams that don’t play an in-state, non-conference opponent this season, the other four have done it far more recently than Alabama.

Missouri, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt have done it since 2021. It’s been a good long while for Ole Miss, but the Rebels did play Southern Miss back in 1984.

How stubborn has Alabama been? You have to go back 81 years to 1944 – the year before World War II ended – to find the last time the Crimson Tide stepped on the same football field as another school in the state not named Auburn. On Oct. 7, 1944, Alabama beat Samford, then known as Howard College, 63-7.

Auburn has been a much better neighbor in terms of spending its money on guarantee games on Alabama schools. The Tigers have played an in-state non-conference opponent 10 times in the last 14 years. They’ve met Samford four times, Alabama A&M three times, Alabama State twice and Jacksonville State once in that span.

Auburn’s record in those games: 10-0. Only Jax State made the Tigers sweat. In 2015, Gus Malzahn’s third Auburn team had to score with 39 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra period, the heavy favorite escaped with a 27-20 victory.

When Auburn welcomes South Alabama to Jordan-Hare Stadium for homecoming on Sept. 13, the Jaguars will become the sixth in-state school the Tigers have chosen to play since 1996, when they beat UAB in their only meeting. Auburn is scheduled to add North Alabama to that list in 2028. The noteworthy omission from Auburn’s willingness to give its in-state brethren an opportunity and a payday is Troy.

Alabama supporters like to argue that it’s not the Crimson Tide’s responsibility to help fund or promote anyone else’s program. That point would carry more weight if Alabama weren’t funding and promoting programs from other states in other conferences that compete directly with in-state schools.

Last season, Alabama paid Western Kentucky $1.9 million to christen the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa, a game the Tide dominated 63-0. The Hilltoppers are a member of Conference USA, where they compete with Jacksonville State. Imagine how much Jax State would benefit from a one-day payday of $1.9 million and how much it would mean to the Gamecocks to compete in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Not that not playing Alabama bothered JSU. In its second year in the league, its second season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Jax State destroyed Western Kentucky in the C-USA Championship Game 52-12.

This season, while the Gamecocks head to Central Florida, UAB visits Tennessee and Troy travels to Clemson in payday games, Alabama will spend its money on Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Illinois.

Sigh. Out-of-state opponents. Out-of-state students. And you call yourself THE University of Alabama.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Every day until Aug. 29, Creg Stephenson is counting down significant numbers in Alabama football history, both in the lead-up to the 2025 football season and in commemoration of the Crimson Tide’s first national championship 100 years ago. The number could be attached to a year, a uniform number or even a football-specific statistic. We hope you enjoy.

Overtime did not become a permanent part of major college football until 1996, meaning that ties for Alabama were fairly common up to that point.

The Crimson Tide played its first overtime game in 1997, a 40-34 loss at Kentucky. Then came a 20-17 overtime victory over Ole Miss in 1998.

But Alabama’s first notable overtime win came in 1999 in Gainesville, Fla. On that day, the Crimson Tide stunned Florida 40-39 to spark an SEC championship run.

Alabama began the season with victories over Vanderbilt (28-17) and Houston (37-10) before a 29-28 loss to Louisiana Tech at Legion Field in Birmingham. That loss caused fans to have their knives out for head coach Mike DuBose, who was also dealing with an off-field scandal.

DuBose was revealed to be having an extra-marital affair with a fellow athletic department employee, which led to a lawsuit and caused the university to dock his salary to pay the settlement and eliminate a contract extension he’d received the year before. Heading into a Sept. 25 home game vs. Arkansas, it was widely believed DuBose would be fired if the Crimson Tide lost.

Alabama won that game vs. the Razorbacks 35-28, and DuBose managed to keep his job. (Athletics director Bob Bockrath, however, was fired on the Tuesday prior to the game, with Finus Gaston installed as interim AD.)

Despite the win over Arkansas, Alabama’s Oct. 2 game at Florida looked like a classic mismatch. The Gators were 4-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country, and two weeks earlier had recorded a 23-21 victory over defending national champion Tennessee — snapping the Vols’ 14-game winning streak.

Florida had not lost in Gainesville since 1994, carrying a streak of 30 consecutive home wins into its matchup with No. 21 Alabama. Steve Spurrier’s famed “Fun and Gun” offense was averaging 43.5 points and 518.1 yards per game.

Florida hit a 73-yard touchdown pass from Doug Johnson to Darrell Jackson in the first quarter, but Alabama led 13-7 at halftime behind two Chris Kemp field goals and Shaun Alexander’s 1-yard touchdown run. Alexander scored on a 47-yard pass from Zow (but missed the try for two) in the third quarter, but the Gators hit the end zone twice on Bennie Alexander’s 42-yard pick six and Jackson’s 8-yard pass from Johnson (plus a 2-point pass) to go up 22-19 entering the fourth.

Alabama took back the lead when Zow hit Antonio Carter on a 14-yard score to lead 26-22. However, Florida tacked on 10 straight points on a field goal and a third Johnson-to-Jackson TD pass to go up 33-26 with 5:15 to play.

Alabama punted on its next possession, but a special teams by Florida mistake gave the Crimson Tide new life. Jackson muffed the return, and Alabama’s Marvin Brown pounced on the ball at the 22-yard line.

Four plays later, Alexander burst into the end zone on fourth-and-1 for a 13-yard touchdown. The Gators could not score again in the final 1:25 and the game went to overtime.

Florida scored on its opening possession of overtime, with Johnson connecting with Reche Caldwell from six yards away to put the Gators up 39-33. However, kicker Jeff Chandler missed the extra point wide right, meaning Alabama could win with a touchdown and a point-after.

Alexander did the hard part on the first play, breaking loose for a 25-yard touchdown to tie the game. Kemp took the field and lined up for the extra point, leading to one of the wilder sequences in Alabama football history.

Kemp was also wide ride on the kick, but Florida’s Alexander had jumped offsides. Given a second opportunity, Kemp connected for the one-point, walk-off victory.

“Look what’s all happened to us this year, with the coaching situation, the AD getting fired and the players just wanting to play,” Shaun Alexander said afterward. “God’s been good to us through it all. And today, He even showed he had a good sense of humor.”

It was a performance for the ages for Alexander, who ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns and also caught a touchdown pass. Zow passed for a career-high 336 yards and two scores, offsetting Johnson’s 309 yards and four TDs for Florida.

Alabama ended up winning five of its next six games — the only loss a 21-7 defeat to Tennessee on Oct. 23, a game both Zow and Alexander left due to injury. That gave the Crimson Tide the SEC West title, and a return engagement with Florida in the SEC championship game.

That game proved to be no contest, as Alabama won 34-7 for its first SEC title since 1992. The Crimson lost 35-34 to Tom Brady and Michigan in the Orange Bowl — with a missed extra point in overtime again the deciding factor — to finish 10-3.

The 1999 season was easily the high-water mark of the DuBose era, as he was fired after the 2000 Alabama team flopped to 3-8 after being ranked No. 3 in the preseason. It was also Alabama’s only SEC championship between the Gene Stallings and Nick Saban eras.

Coming Tuesday: Our countdown to kickoff continues with No. 39, the beginning of a fantastic freshman year for an Alabama quarterback.

Dear Eric: My wife and son got into a heated argument after he told her that he had dated a woman three times, and on the third date, he asked her if she wanted to split the bill. The woman later texted him that she didn’t want to go out with him anymore. My wife told our son that it should be up to the man to pay when dating.

My son strongly disagreed, telling her that she was old-fashioned and that the current practice is for those who are dating to split the expenses. Who is right?

– Confused Dad

Dear Dad: Dating is about finding a person who shares one’s values and vision for life. One of your son’s values is, apparently, sharing expenses at a certain point. This is totally fine.

Dates can be expensive. My mother used to say, “Romance without finance is a nuisance,” and I always remembered that when I wanted to go on a date, but my pockets were a little light. Your son and the woman weren’t compatible in their views about paying for the date. That doesn’t make him or your wife right. He was doing what works for him and openly communicating with his date about it. One hopes that he’ll find someone who shares that value and has no problem splitting the check.

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.

A Huntsville company helped stage experiments on the International Space Station that could aid in the search for life beyond Earth.

Teledyne Brown Engineering recently announced the successful conclusion of the Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System (ELVIS) project, a holographic microscope made to study microbial life in microgravity. Developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Portland State University, ELVIS launched to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon rocket in April, and its samples returned to Earth for analysis last month.

TBE performed implementation work for the microscope system, including launch vehicle and ISS integration and verification, engineering and design assistance, and interface and safety test support, the company said in a news release.

“The ELVIS mission represents a major leap forward in our ability to study life in space,” said Scott Hall, TBE president. “We are proud to have played a key role in enabling this innovative research, which will deepen our understanding of cellular life beyond Earth.”

The ELVIS experiment focused on two resilient life forms: a microalga and a bacterium that thrives in frigid ocean waters. Samples of each and their genetic adaptations to microgravity were observed, according to PSU researchers.

ELVIS delivers detailed 3D views of cellular life, allowing scientists to study the adaptability and resilience of life under extreme conditions, according to the Florida-based ISS National Laboratory. The findings could reveal how life might persist on distant, frigid moons, including Jupiter’s Europa and Saturn’s Enceladus.

ELVIS incorporates durable, low-maintenance components and features automation that minimizes astronaut involvement, ensuring experiments ran continuously without disruption, according to JPL.

DEAR ABBY: After moving into a 55-plus community seven years ago, I became close friends with my neighbors, “Iris” and her husband. She was widowed five years ago, and I began a relationship four years ago, but my boyfriend and I always included Iris and my other girlfriends in our activities.

Iris became friendly with “Barb,” a woman at her church, who didn’t like me. I was pleasant to Barb but couldn’t force a friendship.

Two years ago, Barb, Iris and another friend vacationed near my brother’s home. Iris texted me several times a day asking for suggestions for fun activities, restaurants, etc., and I offered many. Barb provided the transportation during their vacation.

Barb ignored any suggestion I made and sent me several unkind texts about “intruding on her vacation with her friends.”

I texted Iris telling her I had blocked Barb and was sorry about whatever had happened. Iris never apologized. She and our other friend have become distant from me and now vacation regularly with Barb. They all attend church together and have lunch at least twice a week. Should I be grateful that Iris has shown me who she is and try to move on? — MISSING MY FRIENDS IN INDIANA

DEAR MISSING: You were wrong to expect Iris to apologize for Barb’s nasty attitude and unpleasant texts. I agree they were uncalled for, but Iris wasn’t responsible for them.

These women have likely distanced themselves because you aren’t active in their church group, which is what they seem to have in common. For your own sake, please try not to take this personally. Not all friendships are meant to last forever, and it seems the one you had with Iris has run its course.

Read more Dear Abby and other advice columns.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Dear Eric: I use the exercise room in my apartment. So does a neighbor who has a body odor so strong that when he is there – or has been there in the previous few hours – I open the window, turn on the fan, prop the door open and wear a mask. There is no staff to complain to. I feel that saying something to him would be crossing a line. Help!

– Workout Woes

Dear Workout: Although a conversation is the most direct route, it might be uncomfortable and could create a tense situation for you in the building. Because the space has no oversight, take the reins by posting a community note on the door or in the room that acknowledges the gym is a stuffy space and requests that everyone air the gym out during workouts and practices community-minded hygiene. (Think of the signs at pools that instruct swimmers to shower beforehand). Now, this depends on a level of self-awareness that your neighbor may not possess. But, short of talking to him, your next best bet is reminding him – and everyone else – that this is a shared space.

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.

Dear Eric: My sister stopped speaking to me because I didn’t attend the wedding of her daughter, my niece.

Every year I purchase very expensive seats for my husband and I to attend a two-day concert, for Father’s Day. The wedding was planned on one of these days. We chose to continue our tradition. When my sister found out, she called me screaming and brought up things she’d been holding on to for years. As always, most of this was fabricated and not true.

There are many issues in my family. I have been on a healing journey from cancer, other health and ancestral trauma and so on.

She is 70 and I’m 75 years old. I want to live in peace and love for the rest of the life I have left. I feel free from family drama. My small immediate family is a blessing. My health, family and loving friends come first.

My niece and I have a good relationship. We had dinner before the wedding, and I met her husband. I am not worried about that.

Although I think of my sister often, I reflect on the family drama, and feel relieved that I am not in it anymore. We are senior citizens and should be enjoying our life. What do you think?

– Want Peace and Love

Dear Peace and Love: Honestly, your letter had me in the first half. I thought, “You can’t skip the concert for one year?” But this isn’t really about the wedding. Your niece seems to be fine with it, from your telling. So, even if your sister had bruised feelings about your choice, it isn’t really her fight.

What appears to be happening here is that this event is just another inflection point in an on-going conflict. Sometimes we’re in conflict with people, but sometimes they just have conflicts with us. That’s the issue here. If she’s bringing up issues she’s had with you for years, then the wedding was just an excuse. If part of your healing journey has been setting a healthy boundary, then you should keep that boundary and not engage in further back and forth with your sister. You wrote that you want peace. Peace can always be a shared goal, but if she’s not willing or interested in working toward it with you, you can step back with love.

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.

Illegal-immigration arrest stats

Alabama statistics bear out the effects of the federal government’s crackdown against illegal immigration.

AL.com’s Sarah Whites-Koditschek and Rebecca Griesbach report that the rate of arrests this year is double what it was in 2024.

As of June 26, 1,949 were arrested and alleged to be in the country illegally. In all of 2024, there were only 1,823 such arrests.

Of those arrested since Donald Trump became president, 596 are convicted criminals and 1,095 more have pending criminal charges.

That’s a lot of work for the limited ICE presence in Alabama, so local deputies have been called on. Said Alabama Sheriffs Association President Hoss Mack: “Under the new administration, there’s just simply been more resources allocated towards the overall immigration program.”

The 287G agreements between local law enforcement and the feds have perhaps been used the most in the Mobile area, where the most arrests have been. But 13 counties and one municipality in the state have joined the partnership.

Whose restaurant?

You may have noticed that Mexican restaurants –or Tex-Mex restaurants — in the States often have very familiar names. For example, words such as “fiesta” and “casa” show up on a lot of nameplates.

A theory on that would be that a new Mexican eatery might like to land on a name that Americans recognize, and there are only so many Spanish words that both work as a name and mean something to many of the local clientele.

Want an adjective for your restaurant name? Across the U.S., there are an awful lot of “loco” places to eat.

And it’s a name issue that has an owner of a restaurant chain wanting everyone to know that it wasn’t among those that were raided last week, reports AL.com’s Sarah Whites-Koditschek.

Fourteen businesses were raided last week across six Alabama counties as part of a long-term national investigation into human smuggling, drug trafficking and financial fraud that resulted in the arrest of 40 people who were allegedly in the country illegally.

WKRG reported that among the establishments that were raided was El Patron Mexican Grill and Cantina in Robertsville.

Which had Jesus Perez of El Patron Mexican Restaurant fielding worried phone calls, he said. El Patron Mexican Restaurant has locations in Birmingham, Moody, Attalla, Gadsden and Trussville.

“Please be advised that El Patron Mexican Restaurant is not, in any way, affiliated with or connected to the business currently in the spotlight,” the chain said in a release.

Also trying clear its name was El Jefe, one of the places that were actually raided. El Jefe is located by the Auburn-Opelika Mall. From the restaurant’s Facebook page: “There has been some confusion that the individual is still in this business with us. We are NOT associated with the individual and have NOT been since 2023.”

That individual is Cesar Campos-Reyes, who was a target of the raids and has pleaded not guilty to federal charges.

He owned a number of establishments, including a restaurant at the location that later became “El Jefe.”

Which is, incidentally, not the only “El Jefe” in Alabama.

Coal-ash concern

The environmental group Earthjustice said Northeast Alabama may have the dirtiest coal-ash site in the U.S., reports AL.com’s Margaret Kates.

The site is where Widows Creek Fossil Plant operated until it closed 10 years ago. There are four ponds there containing coal ash that were closed and capped in 2018 and two more coal-ash disposal sites at the plant.

There’s some question as to how many of the sites are releasing chemicals into groundwater, and how much. An Earthjustice attorney used the word “potentially” to describe the site’s effect on the environment based on the quantity of coal-combustion residuals and that the four legacy ponds are unlined and located along the Tennessee River.

Plus, the Widows Creek plant has a history of coal-ash violations. The attorney pointed to a 1993 finding by the state that area ground water was contaminated with lead and other heavy metals.

Scott Fiedler, a spokesman for the TVA, which operated the plant, said “TVA will continue to perform necessary and appropriate investigations and compliance actions, including actively monitoring our sites in accordance with state and federal regulations.”

By the Numbers

40

That’s how many consecutive years Alabama had a preseason first-team ALL-SEC defensive player before the streak was broken last week. The Tide did land wide receiver Ryan Williams and lineman Kadyn Proctor on the first-team offense.

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1915, bluesman Floyd McDaniel of Athens. He was a singer but also a prolific guitar player, with many credits. With the band Five Blazes he helped back Sam Cooke for a bit in the 50s.

The podcast

A heat advisory was released by the National Weather Service on Monday at 12:23 a.m. valid between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. for Geneva and Houston counties.

The weather service describes, “Heat index values up to 112 degrees expected.”

“Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses,” adds the weather service.

Heat safety: Protecting yourself in hot conditions

• Stay hydrated: Make sure to drink plenty of fluids.
• Find cool shelter: Stay in an air-conditioned room.
• Avoid sun exposure: Stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
• Child and pet safety: Never forget to safeguard young children and pets by not leaving them unattended in vehicles, especially during scorching weather when car interiors can become life-threateningly hot.
• Caution outdoors: When working or spending time outside, take extra precautions.
• Time your activities wisely: If possible, move strenuous activities to early morning or evening for more favorable conditions.
• Recognize heat-related issues: Recognize the warning signs and familiarize yourself with symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• Dress for comfort: Select lightweight and loose-fitting outfits for enhanced comfort.

Additional recommendations for outdoor workers:

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas for outdoor workers.
• If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.
• In emergency situations, dial 911 for immediate assistance.

These NWS heat safety recommendations are vital for your well-being during periods of high temperatures. Stay informed and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and others from the heat’s potentially dangerous effects.

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.

The last day of a solar journey is a door drifting toward shut. There’s still time for last entrances and swift escapes, and what steps through may surprise you. Unfinished feelings, stray thoughts, spontaneous invitations — they rush in from the edges. As the Cancer sun winds down, intuition heightens. This is a moment for following odd leads, trusting hunches and catching what flickers in the fading light.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You might feel the urge to cut someone off, ghost them or pull away without explanation because they let you down. Instead of just withdrawing, you’ll respond in a way that shows what kind of treatment you accept. You’ll set a boundary that also sets an example.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Proximity creates responsibility. You’ll be called to localized, present-tense compassion. No one can help the whole world, but you are responsible for responding to the people closest — your family, neighbors, co-workers, strangers on your path.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). A mature move may not pay off today, but over time, when the long game swings in your favor, you’ll be glad you made it. Your next move will influence how others treat you, how you earn their respect and how the relationship shifts to benefit you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). It takes courage to be known. You have it and you attract those with similar fortitude. A breakthrough in your social world is coming — someone revealing more of themselves, showing you the kind of closeness you’ve been craving.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ve stopped expecting people to “get” you all the way, and that shift is oddly freeing. Your clarity opens up better ways of relating. You’ll speak plainly, act kindly and be magnetically received.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). A family situation stirs again. Your role is evolving, and this time, you won’t accept the old assignment. You’re building a new dynamic one sentence, one choice, one subtle refusal at a time. Keep going.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It’s easier to be kind in certain circumstances — when needs are met, when moods align, when others go first. You offer a pass to someone moving through rougher circumstances, and this compassionate affordance is a hallmark of good character.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’ll observe yourself with honesty and see a pattern you hadn’t considered before. This has roots. You’ll understand where it came from, and you will consciously choose something different — a better match for who you are and what you care about.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’ll find something worthwhile in an average, everyday environment — a note, a spark, a reminder of what you once wanted. Let it pull you in a little. The best treasures aren’t always shelved neatly. Some you have to stumble over.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Keep noticing your inner weather — where the pressure rises, where the clouds move in, where the air feels charged. To name what’s happening inside will give you a wider range of options on the outside.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’re in a moment of readiness and emotional flexibility, leaving room for something that hasn’t fully arrived, like the conversation that changes a relationship, the click of realization or a financial drop. Go about your business. Watched pots don’t boil.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re learning to live in layers — the public version of you, the one you show to a few, and the treasured you-only you. Today’s work strengthens all three. You’ve really got something here.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 21). You’re somehow both visionary and grounded. Your optimism is backed by what you actually do, which is building something lasting. You’ll attract powerful collaborators and move forward with the precision of your humanity — that is to say messily perfect. More highlights: There’s a major personal reveal and a romantic twist. Friends show up big. Your emotional range becomes a superpower. Aquarius and Aries adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 50, 18, 21, 5 and 33.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Robin Williams was a Cancer to his core — emotionally vast, deeply empathetic and fiercely protective of others’ joy. His comedy dazzled with rapid-fire brilliance, yet his performances — “Good Will Hunting,” “Dead Poets Society,” “The Fisher King” — revealed a tender, aching humanity. Cancers often feel everything all at once, and Williams channeled that emotional kaleidoscope into art, soulful generosity and quiet philanthropy. His legacy lives on in the laughter he sparked and the hearts he held with his emotional genius.

Holiday Mathis’ debut novel, “How To Fail Epically in Hollywood,” is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.