Alabama News

It’s official. Streaming service HBO Max is back again.

Two years after rebranding to MAX (after the service debuted as HBO Max in 2020), the streaming service that houses HBO and Warner Bros content has returned to its original name.

So why the switch? According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Brothers Discovery decided to pull back on content, including children’s and family programming. The production company wanted to lean into HBO’s premium programming.

“This evolution has been influenced by changing consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content,” Max said in a release in May. “With other services filling the more basic needs with volume, (Warner Bros. Discovery) has clearly distinguished itself through its quality and distinct stories, and no brand has done that better and more consistently over 50-plus years than HBO.”

So, what exactly is different? Not much. Streaming service users may have noticed the logo has reverted to black and white, a nod to HBO’s original style, reports USA TODAY.

Subscribers won’t have to download a new app. There also won’t be any price changes.

Here are the current HBO Max prices:

• Basic with Ads: $9.99/month or $99.99/year
• Standard: $16.99/month or $169.99/year
• Premium: $20.99/month or $209.99/year

In his first season with the Atlanta Falcons, wide receiver Darnell Mooney said, he thought he “did pretty well with the deep routes” in 2024. And that aligns for 2025 with what the former Gadsden City High School star has seen from Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

The 2024 first-round QB started the final three games of his rookie season for Atlanta and has been moved ahead of Kirk Cousins on the Falcons’ 2025 depth chart.

“The deep ball,” Mooney said during Atlanta’s offseason program when asked to identify Penix’s strength. “He can throw the ball very, very far. He has a strong arm. He can get it out whenever he needs to. If he feels like he’s late, he won’t be late. He can get the ball there in time.”

Mooney and Penix have played together in two regular-season games. Mooney had five receptions for 82 yards in Penix’s first start – a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants on Dec. 22. A week later, Mooney had two receptions for 37 yards in a 30-24 overtime loss to the Washington Commanders.

Mooney missed Penix’s third start. He sat out a 44-38 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in the season finale because of a shoulder injury.

The ailment likely caused Mooney to miss a milestone. He finished the 2024 season with 64 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns.

“I didn’t really come here for 1,000 yards,” Mooney said. “I came here to win. For anybody that’s creating that as a top tier for a receiver or something, that’s not what I came here to do. I came here to win games.”

Mooney had a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2021 after joining the Chicago Bears as a fifth-round draft pick from Tulane in 2020. Mooney had 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns in his second season and totaled 277 receptions for 3,585 yards and 16 touchdowns in his four years with Chicago.

“It’s safe to say that Moon re-introduced himself to the league a little bit last year,” Falcons wide-receivers coach Ike Hilliard said during Atlanta’s offseason program.

Mooney averaged 15.5 yards per reception in 2024. Only the Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and Tennessee Titans’ Calvin Ridley had as many receptions as Mooney and a better per-catch average last season.

Wide receiver Drake London led Atlanta last season with 100 receptions for 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns – a 12.7-yard average per catch. The Falcons’ No. 3 wide receiver, Ray-Ray McCloud, averaged 11.1 yards on 62 receptions.

“We look at Mooney as, obviously, a yards-per-catch guy, a vertical threat, a veteran presence that can help, I think, with each guy in their role,” Hilliard said. “Considering he was a fifth-round draft pick and earned an opportunity to earn a second contract, he knows what it takes to be a pro, so we’re going to lean on him a lot more than we did last year and see where that goes.”

The Falcons return from their summer break on July 23, when players report for training camp. Atlanta starts its three-game preseason schedule against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 8. The Falcons’ regular-season slate kicks off with an NFC South game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 7.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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

An Alabama winery in business for two decades will be closing next month.

Corbin Farms Winery, on County Road 87 in Calera, has announced on social media that its last day of operation will be Aug. 10.

Thanking its customers for their steady support over the years, the winery is discounting its merchandise and offering 50% off on cases of wine.

But a notice on the winery’s Facebook page said its “current location” is closing.

“While we are exploring potential relocation options, details are still uncertain,” the winery’s owners said in a statement.

Corbin Farms Winery was founded in 2005, and has been owned and managed by the Corbin family – Gary, Matt and Carley – since 2017.

The winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and other varieties, such as local fruit wines including muscadine, peach, pear and several others.

The winery also had a restaurant and hosted private gatherings.

Amazon Prime Day 2025 kicked off Tuesday, July 8 and the four-day savings event includes incredible streaming discounts on Prime Video add-on channels.

Over 25 Prime Video add-on channels sport hefty discounts including Apple TV+, MGM+, Paramount+, STARZ and much more.

The discounts will be live through Friday, July 11 when the Amazon Prime Day 2025 event concludes.

Most of the add-ons sport a similar discount of $0.99/month for the first two months. Below you can find a detailed breakdown of the best streaming deals to consider during the Amazon Prime Day 2025 event.

Top Prime Video discounted add-ons

• Apple TV+: 50% off for two months ($4.99/month)
• AMC+ Ad-Free: $0.99/month for two months
• AMC+ with Ads: $0.99/month for two months
• BET+ Premium: $0.99/month for two months
• Hallmark+: $0.99/month for two months
• MGM+: $0.99/month for two months
• Paramount+ Premium: $0.99/month for two months
• Paramount+ Essential: $0.99/month for two months
• STARZ: $0.99/month for two months

Other great add-ons to explore during Amazon Prime Day 2025 include Britbox, Cinemax, Crunchroll Megan Fan, Lifetime Movie Club, PBS Documentaries, PBS KIDS, PBS Masterpiece, and Ryan and Friends Plus. All of these also sport the $0.99/month for two months discount.

What is Prime Video?

Prime Video is one of the go-to streaming services replacing traditional cable services. Those hoping to officially cut ties with the hassle of basic cable while still enjoying hit shows, premium channels and sports can find all and more available through a Prime Video subscription.

Following the 30-day free trial, those who choose to stay on and continue enjoying the plethora of content available for streaming through Prime Video pay just $7.49 for next three months, and $14.99 a month following.

In addition to the slew of content you can access with a basic monthly subscription, Prime Video offers the opportunity to include add-ons such as HBO Max, Showtime and STARZ.

Amazon Prime Day 2025 kicked off Tuesday, July 8 and the four-day savings event includes incredible streaming discounts on Prime Video add-on channels.

Over 25 Prime Video add-on channels sport hefty discounts including Apple TV+, MGM+, Paramount+, STARZ and much more.

The discounts will be live through Friday, July 11 when the Amazon Prime Day 2025 event concludes.

Most of the add-ons sport a similar discount of $0.99/month for the first two months. Below you can find a detailed breakdown of the best streaming deals to consider during the Amazon Prime Day 2025 event.

Top Prime Video discounted add-ons

• Apple TV+: 50% off for two months ($4.99/month)
• AMC+ Ad-Free: $0.99/month for two months
• AMC+ with Ads: $0.99/month for two months
• BET+ Premium: $0.99/month for two months
• Hallmark+: $0.99/month for two months
• MGM+: $0.99/month for two months
• Paramount+ Premium: $0.99/month for two months
• Paramount+ Essential: $0.99/month for two months
• STARZ: $0.99/month for two months

Other great add-ons to explore during Amazon Prime Day 2025 include Britbox, Cinemax, Crunchroll Megan Fan, Lifetime Movie Club, PBS Documentaries, PBS KIDS, PBS Masterpiece, and Ryan and Friends Plus. All of these also sport the $0.99/month for two months discount.

What is Prime Video?

Prime Video is one of the go-to streaming services replacing traditional cable services. Those hoping to officially cut ties with the hassle of basic cable while still enjoying hit shows, premium channels and sports can find all and more available through a Prime Video subscription.

Following the 30-day free trial, those who choose to stay on and continue enjoying the plethora of content available for streaming through Prime Video pay just $7.49 for next three months, and $14.99 a month following.

In addition to the slew of content you can access with a basic monthly subscription, Prime Video offers the opportunity to include add-ons such as HBO Max, Showtime and STARZ.

The U.S. labor market will see certain occupations shrink over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With consideration of this ever evolving market, 24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of jobs that will disappear by 2030. In their report, they cite that due to rapid technological innovations, numerous occupations in the U.S. are expected to report a 10% or more decline in employment within 10 years.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy is projected to add 6.7 million jobs between 2023 and 2033. However, total employment will grow 0.4% annually, a decline from 1.3% recorded over 2013 to 2023.

Healthcare and social assistance industries have the largest projected growth driven by the aging population and a higher prevalence of chronic conditions. Information technology and business services follow close behind which will carry a high demand for workers.

24/7 Wall St. reported that a bulk of disappearing jobs are low-skill occupations with few, if any, educational requirements. The majority of the occupations listed share a susceptibility to being outpaced by advancing technologies.

It is uncertain what the economic implications of the rise of Artificial Intelligence will be, the website notes. U.S. labor market projections for 2033 could differ from current government projections.

These are the 30 jobs that are disappearing:

1. Word processors and typists

2. Mining roof belters

3. Telephone operators

4. Switchboard operators, including answering service

5. Data entry keyers

6. Foundry mold and coremakers

7. Underground mining loading and moving machine operators

8. Metal and plastic patternmakers

9. Telemarketers

10. Engine and other machine assemblers

11. Manufactured building and mobile home installers

12. Metal and plastic drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders

13. Prepress technicians and workers

14. Hand cutters and trimmers

15. Order clerks

16. Refractory materials repairers, except brickmasons

17. Hand grinding and polishing workers

18. Metal and plastic model makers

19. Print binding and finishing workers

20. Camera and photographic equipment repairers

21. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

22. Timing device assemblers and adjusters

23. Metal and plastic forging machine setters, operators, and tenders

24. File clerks

25. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

26. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

27. Office machine operators, except computer

28. Tellers

29. New account clerks

30. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers

What jobs will be disappearing in Alabama?

According to the Alabama State of the Workforce 2023 report, 147 specific occupations are expected to decline between the 2020 to 2030 period. Sharp-declining occupations in the state are those with a percent change of at least -0.3, including occupations listed above and additionally including the following:

• Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medial, and executive
• Cashiers
• Cooks, fast food
• Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
• Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
• Legal secretaries
• Computer programmers
• Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
• Medical transcriptionists

The U.S. labor market will see certain occupations shrink over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With consideration of this ever evolving market, 24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of jobs that will disappear by 2030. In their report, they cite that due to rapid technological innovations, numerous occupations in the U.S. are expected to report a 10% or more decline in employment within 10 years.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy is projected to add 6.7 million jobs between 2023 and 2033. However, total employment will grow 0.4% annually, a decline from 1.3% recorded over 2013 to 2023.

Healthcare and social assistance industries have the largest projected growth driven by the aging population and a higher prevalence of chronic conditions. Information technology and business services follow close behind which will carry a high demand for workers.

24/7 Wall St. reported that a bulk of disappearing jobs are low-skill occupations with few, if any, educational requirements. The majority of the occupations listed share a susceptibility to being outpaced by advancing technologies.

It is uncertain what the economic implications of the rise of Artificial Intelligence will be, the website notes. U.S. labor market projections for 2033 could differ from current government projections.

These are the 30 jobs that are disappearing:

1. Word processors and typists

2. Mining roof belters

3. Telephone operators

4. Switchboard operators, including answering service

5. Data entry keyers

6. Foundry mold and coremakers

7. Underground mining loading and moving machine operators

8. Metal and plastic patternmakers

9. Telemarketers

10. Engine and other machine assemblers

11. Manufactured building and mobile home installers

12. Metal and plastic drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders

13. Prepress technicians and workers

14. Hand cutters and trimmers

15. Order clerks

16. Refractory materials repairers, except brickmasons

17. Hand grinding and polishing workers

18. Metal and plastic model makers

19. Print binding and finishing workers

20. Camera and photographic equipment repairers

21. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

22. Timing device assemblers and adjusters

23. Metal and plastic forging machine setters, operators, and tenders

24. File clerks

25. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

26. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

27. Office machine operators, except computer

28. Tellers

29. New account clerks

30. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers

What jobs will be disappearing in Alabama?

According to the Alabama State of the Workforce 2023 report, 147 specific occupations are expected to decline between the 2020 to 2030 period. Sharp-declining occupations in the state are those with a percent change of at least -0.3, including occupations listed above and additionally including the following:

• Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medial, and executive
• Cashiers
• Cooks, fast food
• Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
• Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
• Legal secretaries
• Computer programmers
• Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
• Medical transcriptionists

Alabama’s Stacey Loper doesn’t mince words on the first episode of “Back to the Frontier.”

“All this is way too much,” she says, fighting back tears. “What have I brought my family into? What have I done”?

Viewers will see Stacey, a Hoover therapist and counselor, get emotional during her latest venture on reality TV. In 2024, she won $25,000 on the Food Network show “Worst Cooks in America: Spoiled Rotten.”

Now Stacey is rocking a bonnet — yep, just like “Little House on the Prairie” — as she abandons modern conveniences and lives like an 1880s homesteader.

The Lopers — mother Stacey, father Joaquin, sons Landen and Maddox, and grandma Shirley — are one of three families featured on the new series, which airs on the Magnolia Network and HBO Max.

They’re joined by the Hall family from Florida and the Hanna-Riggs family from Texas, all of whom face culture shock as they settle into dilapidated cabins, raise livestock and grow crops in an undisclosed location. (It’s described by the show’s narrator as “10,000 acres of wilderness in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.”)

“Back to the Frontier” makes its debut on Thursday, July 10, and will continue over an eight-week span with one installment weekly. Lifestyle titans Chip and Joanna Gaines, of “Fixer Upper” fame, are executive producers of the series. They’re the founders of the Magnolia Network, which is part of their Texas-based company, Magnolia.

Watch the trailer for “Back to the Frontier” in the video below.

“I am 21st century, hard-core,” Stacey says at the start of her journey, taking off her makeup and jewelry, then climbing into a covered wagon.

She might not be ready to use an outhouse or make do without a shower — Stacey has very specific standards for her bathrooms, as it turns out — but Joaquin says roughing it will have important benefits for their family.

“The biggest thing I want my kids to learn from this experience (is) humility and hard work,” he says on Episode 1. “I grew up on a farm with my mom, and this gives my kids a chance to see how dad really was reared. I believe it’s going to present an opportunity for us to grow closer as father and sons.”

The Lopers aren’t officially competing with their neighbors on “Back to the Frontier,” but to be successful on the show, all the families must complete three tasks during a single summer:

• Build a safe, comfortable home.
• Farm the land and harvest a crop.
• Fill a winter pantry with meat, vegetables, baked goods and dairy.

According to Joaquin, having his mother, Shirley Loper, on their side is a definite bonus.

“My mother is 72 years old,” he says on the show. “I truly believe what she brings back to the frontier with us, the knowledge, the experience, she’s going to be secret weapon. But she can only stay the first half of the summer.”

Shirley Loper has no problem milking a cow, for example, and can handle the rigors of a wood-burning stove. She’s familiar with the rhythms of farm life, and the idea of 19th-century homesteading doesn’t seem to daunt her.

“Before I leave, I want to teach them all the knowledge that I know and how to appreciate what they have now,” Shirley says.

Tough love and togetherness are at the heart of “Back to the Frontier,” along with its emphasis on homey skills such as carpentry and canning. The three families also must come together as a community, helping each other as they face difficult and unfamiliar tasks.

Previews for the series call it a “bold social experiment” and promise that the participants will be tested for strength, stamina and a sense of humor.

“They’re learning it by living it,” says historian Jacob K. Friefeld, who appears on the first episode as a consultant. “But can they survive?”

If you watch: “Back to the Frontier” debuts on Thursday, July 10, on the Magnolia Network and HBO Max. New episodes air on Thursdays.

Alabama’s Stacey Loper doesn’t mince words on the first episode of “Back to the Frontier.”

“All this is way too much,” she says, fighting back tears. “What have I brought my family into? What have I done”?

Viewers will see Stacey, a Hoover therapist and counselor, get emotional during her latest venture on reality TV. In 2024, she won $25,000 on the Food Network show “Worst Cooks in America: Spoiled Rotten.”

Now Stacey is rocking a bonnet — yep, just like “Little House on the Prairie” — as she abandons modern conveniences and lives like an 1880s homesteader.

The Lopers — mother Stacey, father Joaquin, sons Landen and Maddox, and grandma Shirley — are one of three families featured on the new series, which airs on the Magnolia Network and HBO Max.

They’re joined by the Hall family from Florida and the Hanna-Riggs family from Texas, all of whom face culture shock as they settle into dilapidated cabins, raise livestock and grow crops in an undisclosed location. (It’s described by the show’s narrator as “10,000 acres of wilderness in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.”)

“Back to the Frontier” makes its debut on Thursday, July 10, and will continue over an eight-week span with one installment weekly. Lifestyle titans Chip and Joanna Gaines, of “Fixer Upper” fame, are executive producers of the series. They’re the founders of the Magnolia Network, which is part of their Texas-based company, Magnolia.

Watch the trailer for “Back to the Frontier” in the video below.

“I am 21st century, hard-core,” Stacey says at the start of her journey, taking off her makeup and jewelry, then climbing into a covered wagon.

She might not be ready to use an outhouse or make do without a shower — Stacey has very specific standards for her bathrooms, as it turns out — but Joaquin says roughing it will have important benefits for their family.

“The biggest thing I want my kids to learn from this experience (is) humility and hard work,” he says on Episode 1. “I grew up on a farm with my mom, and this gives my kids a chance to see how dad really was reared. I believe it’s going to present an opportunity for us to grow closer as father and sons.”

The Lopers aren’t officially competing with their neighbors on “Back to the Frontier,” but to be successful on the show, all the families must complete three tasks during a single summer:

• Build a safe, comfortable home.
• Farm the land and harvest a crop.
• Fill a winter pantry with meat, vegetables, baked goods and dairy.

According to Joaquin, having his mother, Shirley Loper, on their side is a definite bonus.

“My mother is 72 years old,” he says on the show. “I truly believe what she brings back to the frontier with us, the knowledge, the experience, she’s going to be secret weapon. But she can only stay the first half of the summer.”

Shirley Loper has no problem milking a cow, for example, and can handle the rigors of a wood-burning stove. She’s familiar with the rhythms of farm life, and the idea of 19th-century homesteading doesn’t seem to daunt her.

“Before I leave, I want to teach them all the knowledge that I know and how to appreciate what they have now,” Shirley says.

Tough love and togetherness are at the heart of “Back to the Frontier,” along with its emphasis on homey skills such as carpentry and canning. The three families also must come together as a community, helping each other as they face difficult and unfamiliar tasks.

Previews for the series call it a “bold social experiment” and promise that the participants will be tested for strength, stamina and a sense of humor.

“They’re learning it by living it,” says historian Jacob K. Friefeld, who appears on the first episode as a consultant. “But can they survive?”

If you watch: “Back to the Frontier” debuts on Thursday, July 10, on the Magnolia Network and HBO Max. New episodes air on Thursdays.