Alabama News

This is an opinion column

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Today’s guest columnist is Daniel Christiansen.

A few months ago I settled into a seat in the Jones Valley Teaching Farm’s classroom for a “Cottage Food” class.

After receiving praise from neighbors for my homemade salsa, I was getting the certification in case an opportunity to start a home business presented itself.

Our friends and neighbors at Last Call Bakery, run by the now James Beard Semifinalist pastry chef Chanah Willis, had started from a similar class, and while I have no illusions of matching their quality, being able to provide a service to my community out of my own home certainly appealed.

The class itself was remarkable only for being filled with people with the unifying belief that each of us could run a small business out of our home, legally, without needing a second mortgage. But one little comment from the facilitator stuck in my head:

“Check your local zoning regulations about selling out of your home.”

When I pulled up the Birmingham zoning code and map, I found that I wouldn’t have any issues with running a small business out of my home or in my neighborhood.

But I also saw that I was likely in the minority in that regard; there are a large number of Birmingham residents that would be in violation of the zoning code if they tried the same.

Map of Birmingham zoning illustrating how Retail and Residential Uses are separated

Building this map showed me that neighborhood businesses are zoned out of about 67% of the areas with homes, and by extension the businesses that do exist can’t be within easy reach of the residents of those homes.

Even where residents and businesses are allowed to live side by side, about half are in areas requiring planned development.

In effect, residents in up to 84% of the city’s residential spaces are prohibited from having a grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, or other neighborhood or home business serving their area. To my eye it seems that these laws are, if not the root cause, at least a major contributor to Birmingham’s food deserts.

Historically, food deserts didn’t exist. Stores opened up wherever people gathered in sufficient numbers that running one made sense. These amenities grew along with a neighborhood, supporting each other symbiotically. Other businesses, such as daycares, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices, would be attracted as the neighborhood grew.

But around the turn of the 20th century a movement to categorize and separate uses, among other things, created modern zoning.

When Birmingham adopted its first zoning code in 1926, along with more notorious actions, the code designated separate zones for residential and commercial activity.

Neighbors could no longer legally offer goods or services to the community out of their own home and stores were concentrated away from neighborhoods. With businesses located far from the vast majority of residences, traveling for essentials and entertainment became the norm.

As people had to travel further and more often to get what they needed, stores could similarly expect people to travel further. Large chains planned for people to travel across town, creating large asphalt parking lots, local stores died and the food deserts grew. National chains could outbid locals for commercial space and now, nearly a century later, few truly local businesses remain.

And the lack of local businesses has had its own consequences. My wife and I have lived in areas that are exclusively residential. While we’ve known neighbors, or at least their dogs, we’ve never really felt part of a community.

It’s far easier to stay home with a screen than to endure another drive across town to see friends. Now living along 2nd Ave N we have more interaction with our friends, neighbors, and community than we’ve ever had living elsewhere.

Walking our neighborhood to visit Protective Stadium, Sidewalk Cinema, the 2nd Ave restaurants, and Pepper Place, to name but a few, my wife and I see people we know nearly everywhere. While we could claim that it’s something unique to the people who live downtown, or just their numbers, I can’t help but notice that the neighborhood businesses create the reasons we have to be out and give us more opportunity to know our community.

I believe that in other areas of the city a couple of neighborhood businesses, if legalized, could easily do the same. Giving people additional opportunities to get out without a windshield between themselves and the community would build the sort of connections we all crave.

The random interactions that build relationships and camaraderie are catalyzed by a neighborhood coffee shop or grocer. And a neighborhood shop is far easier to start when you can run it out of your own home.

Starting a business isn’t easy, it takes planning and money to make it work. When trying to start a business it is considered smart to “fail fast and small” – better to know that an idea is a stinker before you put a lot of money and effort into it.

Money is a considerable barrier for many would-be Birmingham entrepreneurs; Commercial rent or a food truck are significant investments.

But when you can start out of your own home, you can start smaller and learn faster, and a new venture can emerge while also benefiting the neighborhood.

We can improve our neighborhoods.

We can build a better Birmingham.

We can be the ones to solve our own problems, erase the food deserts, care for our children and families, and build communities to be proud of. We can be the architects of our own success and prosperity.

We can do it ourselves, not waiting for money from the city, the county, the state, a charity, or a giant corporation to do it for us.

Changing Birmingham’s zoning code to allow home and neighborhood businesses, our own or built by friends and neighbors, to serve our communities, can set us along that path. I think we’ll be pleasantly surprised by what we can accomplish.

Daniel Christiansen serves on the Birmingham Planning Commission and as the president of the Central City Neighborhood Association. He works as an engineer and takes an interest in history and urban planning. He can often be found walking his three dogs around 2nd Ave N and the rest of downtown Birmingham.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. [email protected]

The NASCAR Cup Series continues today, as racers compete in the Grant Park 165 this afternoon. The event will begin at 1 p.m. CT on TNT Sports. Fans can watch this NASCAR race for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

William Byron currently sits atop the NASCAR Cup Series standings, as he possesses 631 points. Notably, Byron has accrued seven finishes inside the top 5 this season.

In his last race, Byron was forced to DNF for the first time this year. With this in mind, he will look to bounce back this afternoon.

Chase Elliott has climbed to second place in the NASCAR Cup Series this year, as he enters today’s race with 594 points. He is coming off an incredible performance, as he secured a first place finish last week. If Elliott performs similarly this afternoon, then he could overtake Byron for first place in the standings.

Elliott has raced at a high level throughout the season, as he enters this race with 10 finishes inside the top 10.

Fans can watch this NASCAR race for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate went from playing 27 defensive snaps as a rookie to 581 in his second season with the Cleveland Browns. And the jump the former Auburn High School standout could make in Year 3 has Browns linebacker coach Jason Tarver “really excited” about 2025 for Diabate.

Diabate earned a spot on the Browns’ roster as an undrafted rookie from Utah in 2023. He made his contributions on 296 special-teams plays. In 2024, Diabate had 165 special-teams plays as he became a regular contributor on defense, starting 11 games even though he missed four of the first five contests because of a hip injury.

Tarver said Diabate “got in really great shape” between his first and second NFL seasons and carried that objective over into this offseason.

“The first offseason you got to get in the best shape of your life, and now you know it,” Tarver said during the Browns’ offseason program. “And your second one, now you know how to do it, and he’s gotten in even better shape. His explosive numbers are through the roof. He’s running; he barely looks like he gets tired. He’s impressive as heck.

“And now he’s playing all three positions. So when he came in last year, what we do is we give him a home first – one position out of the backers. We’ll all know it all eventually. He had his one position, and when he went in the game, that’s where he played. Now he’s playing the other ones, so he’s done a good job. Like, he had a couple of plays where he’s on the edge of the defense yesterday that he’d never done before, and they were perfect. So very excited with where he’s going.”

In addition to Diabate, linebackers returning for Cleveland include Jordan Hicks, who started 12 games last season; Devin Bush, who started 10; Winston Reid, who started three; and former Maplesville High School star Nathaniel Watson, who started one.

Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah started 41 games over the past four seasons. But a neck injury sustained in the eighth game in 2024 will keep him out for the 2025 campaign as well.

The Browns used the first pick of the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft on UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger.

Cleveland returns from its summer break with the rookies reporting for training camp on July 18 and the veterans coming in on July 22. The Browns’ three-game preseason schedule kicks off on Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers. The regular season begins on Sept. 7 with an AFC North game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Diabate earned All-State recognition at Auburn in 2017 and 2018. In his senior season, he was among the three finalists for the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 7A Lineman of the Year Award.

Diabate played in three seasons for Florida before completing his college career at Utah in 2022.

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.

This is an opinion column

In my experience, citizens want to do the right thing at the ballot box but too often fail because it is difficult to find accurate data.

Voters’ basic question is, “Are our values represented in Congress by those we vote for?”

Here are some tips on how to be better informed.

Be skeptical

Do not rely on the veracity of the news releases of senators or congress members when you vote. If you do, odds are you have been duped.

That’s not to say politicians lie (although they sometimes do). It is to say their news releases are one-sided to induce citizens to vote for them regardless of a public official’s real and complete record.

Get more balanced information elsewhere!

Scorecards by entities that don’t profit from votes

I avoid performance evaluations by special interests that profit (at public expense) from politicians doing what special interests demand.

Instead, I use evaluations by entities that value the foundational principles that have combined to make America the greatest nation in world history.

Be aware that senators and congressmen often vote on different bills, so comparing a senator’s score to a congressman’s score is like comparing apples to oranges. It just doesn’t work. Similarly, different sessions of Congress yield different scores because votes are cast on different bills. Be cognizant of that difference.

Some examples of reputable conservative scorecards are:

• Heritage Action for America

Heritage Action is the Heritage Foundation’s political wing, whose “mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.” Its 2023-24 scorecard states:

For perspective, my life-time Heritage Action score was 88% and 2021-2022 score was 94%.

• Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

“CAGW’s mission is to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in government.” Its 2023 scorecard states:

For perspective, my life-time CAGW score was 88% and 2019 score was 100%.

• National Taxpayers Union

The NTU “Score measures the strength of support for reducing wasteful government spending, opposing higher taxes, and often opposing burdensome regulations that can stifle U.S. economic growth.” NTU’s 2023 scorecard states:

My life-time National Taxpayers Union score was 81% and 2019 score was 89%.

• Institute for Legislative Analysis

The Institute for Legislative Analysis asserts it evaluates based on adherence “to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.” ILA’s 2024 scorecard states:

My Institute for Legislative Analysis 2022 score was 91% and “District Grade” was an “A”.

ILA’s “District Grade” system is weighted and compares an elected official’s voting record to how conservative the voters in their district are. If an elected official votes more liberal than the citizens represented, then a lower letter grade results.

That is why the Institute for Legislative Analysis gave “F’s” to Rogers, Aderholt and Britt. Per ILA, each voted much more liberally than the preferences of voters who sent them to Congress.

What it all means

My #1 concern is deficit, debt and America’s risk of suffering a very dangerous and debilitating national insolvency and bankruptcy.

I also focus on border security versus open borders, free enterprise versus socialism, moral versus immoral values, threats to individual liberties, and the like.

Based on their four scorecard results, Alabama’s best and most conservative “Top 3” Washington politicians in 2023-2024 were Barry Moore, Tommy Tuberville, and Gary Palmer. With one exception, these three consistently scored in Alabama’s Top Three. If you prefer a conservative philosophy of government, these three are likely for you.

Next, Alabama sent a “middling duo” of Dale Strong and Jerry Carl to Congress. With one exception, these two consistently ranked 4 or 5 on all four scorecards. If you prefer “middling”, establishment Republicans, these two are more likely for you.

With one exception, Katie Britt, Robert Aderholt and Mike Rogers ranked at the bottom of Alabama’s GOP DC delegation.

Britt, Aderholt and Rogers’ not only refuse to do what it takes to prevent a debilitating national insolvency and bankruptcy of a nation our ancestors sacrificed so much to make great, their big spending ways actively make America’s financial condition worse by spending money we don’t have, have to borrow to get, and can’t afford to pay back.

If you, as a voter, care deeply about America’s solvency, then you should never vote for Britt, Aderholt or Rogers unless they dramatically change their debt-junkie, big spending habits. And I mean “dramatically change,” not the masquerade change so many politicians are renowned for and get away with.

I conclude with Terri Sewell. Sewell averages a 6% conservative vote. Conversely, that means Sewell votes liberal or socialist 94% of the time.

If you are a liberal or socialist, Sewell is definitely your choice.

One caveat

Alabama’s GOP politicians in Congress tout a common theme. If it is a Democrat debt bill, it is bad. If it is a GOP debt bill, it is good. Think about it.

Is it easier to pay back Republican debts? Nope. Creditors don’t care about which party borrows money so long as American taxpayers pay it back, with interest, of course.

In 2025, Alabama’s entire GOP DC delegation voted to increase America’s debt by $7.5 trillion during Trump’s 4-year term and $19.4 trillion debt over the next in ten years! That’s horrifying.

Alabama’s GOP DC delegation must learn from Terri Sewell and fight for Alabama’s conservative values as hard and consistently as Sewell fights for bigger government, bigger spending, higher taxes, open borders, and the like.

If Alabama’s GOP DC delegation does that, America will be a better place.

Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years. Brooks graduated from Duke University in 3 years with a double major in political science and economics (highest honors in economics).

The former Parker Towing Company property on Three Mile Creek in Mobile was sold for $5 million to an out-of-town corporation, according to The Weavil Company, which represented Parker Towing and assisted the buyer in the transaction.

 The 30-acre site at 1920 Bay Bridge Cutoff Road is one of the last undeveloped industrial properties on the port. The property has 1,375 front feet on Three Mile Creek.

The transaction was one of several of note in coastal Alabama in recent days. Additionally:

• An out-of-state investor paid more than $3 million for the property where the Wawa gas and convenience store was built at 10040 Encounter Drive in Fairhope, according to court records. Herrington Realty represented the seller. The ground lease investment of 2.5 acres is at the northeast corner of Alabama 181 and 104. The Encounter development is a 13-lot commercial project on 35 acres. Wawa opened last March.
• Wave Medical Equipment has leased 1,720 square feet of space in Daphne Square Shopping Center at 2200 U.S. 98 in Daphne, according to John M. Delchamps of Merrill P. Thomas Co., who handled the transaction. Wave Medical is a supplier of home respiratory care, specializing in CPAP therapy and supplies, CPAP machines and other medical equipment.
• Kid to Kid has leased 4,000 square feet of space in Eastern Shore Plaza on Eastern Shore Boulevard in Spanish Fort, according to Martin Smith of SRS Real Estate Partners Birmingham office, who represented the landlord. Leann Anderson of Re/Max Signature Properties worked for the tenant. Kid to Kid is a national children’s resale franchise. Kid to Kid buys children’s clothing, gear and toys and resells the items.
• Watch for a mixed-use development of 300 multi-family units and commercial buildings on a 23-acre site on the Foley Beach Express just north of Auburn University Veterinary Specialists building in Gulf Shores. The 300 multi-family units will consist of seven four-story buildings. The city of Gulf Shores is expected to approve a Planned Unit Development Master Plan overlay.

The hardest trick to pull off in the restaurant business may be this: To keep everything that’s really important the same, when everything is subject to change.

Char Haber knows. She was a young child when her parents got into the restaurant business. Charlie Wrape had a career behind him in the Navy, Sandra Wrape had been a nurse, and “they just wanted a little something something to supplement their income” in retirement, said Haber. In 1973, the Wrapes and another couple bought a little bait shop/sandwich shop that had been on Wolf Bay in the Miflin community, near Elberta, since the 1940s; illness forced the other partners to sell out not long into the venture, Haber said.

“Our first night, we served roughly 27 diners,” said Haber. “I think I was five or six when we bought the place and was raised in that place, you know, my entire life.”

Her parents set about expanding the shop into a full-service restaurant, and over the next 35 years, they built a landmark. Wolf Bay Lodge was a little out-of-the way for beach-bound tourists. But among locals, and visitors who’d been tipped off to seek it out, its name became a byword for authentic Gulf Coast Seafood and top-notch service.

In some imaginary world, all the Wrapes and their descendants would have had to do at that point was to keep everything the same. But that wasn’t an option. Damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 shut the restaurant down for more than half a year, but it was nothing compared to the fire that destroyed the original Lodge.

“When the fire happened in ‘08, it was devastating, that news,” said Haber. “It traveled around the world. I even heard from people in Europe. I mean, it made national news. And literally down here was like a drive-through funeral procession. That’s the only way I can describe it.”

Everything changed. Wolf Bay reopened at Zeke’s Marina in Orange Beach. The thought was that this would be temporary, but the proprietors soon learned first-hand that being in the thick of the tourist market opened up a whole new world of business.

Meanwhile, plans to reopen in Miflin evolved in an unexpected direction: Westward to a new site in Foley, much closer to Ala. 59 and all its beach traffic. Looking back, Haber said a big motivating factor was that the city of Foley was extremely welcoming and proactive, offering a lease on a city-owned property that had previously been the Wilson Pecan Co. (Within a few years, Wolf Bay was able to purchase the site from the city, she said.)

The Foley restaurant opened at the end of 2010; by that point, the operators had decided that it made sense to keep the Orange Beach location going, too. The pattern was set, though the Orange Beach location eventually shifted from the marina to a free-standing building along Perdido Beach Boulevard.

Fifteen years later, and more than 50 years since the Wrapes eased into the business, both Wolf Bay Seafood & Steak locations are going strong. That’s pretty convincing evidence that the family owners have been doing a few things right – and it’s not hard to figure out what some of them are.

The two locations have different moods. As befits its prime location in condo country, the Orange Beach store feels newer and more stylish and has plenty of natural light. The Foley location has a darker, woodier interior with a much more down-home vibe, and a sizeable boutique store stocked with jewelry, clothing and other wares up front. “We do get locals in the Orange Beach one, but it really serves the tourists,” said Haber. “Where my Foley location serves the tourists, but really caters to the locals.”

You get the same service either way, so it’s a fine distinction. The menus are also much the same, and that’s where the fun begins.

For lunch in Orange Beach, I opened with the Peel ‘N’ Eat Shrimp appetizer ($13). It’s advertised as half a pound of boiled shrimp, served hot or cold. It was pretty on the plate: an artful pinwheel of 10 shrimp big enough to be two or three bites each, making this a tasting plate for the party or an entrée for one. These specimens also featured crisp texture and clean flavor so it would have been shameful to bury them under breading or alfredo sauce or any other coating. They were good with a dash of the house cocktail sauce, but better with a squeeze of lemon juice.

For a dinner visit in Foley, I went with something almost completely different: the Shrimp Nachos ($14). Now, let’s be honest: Any of us could dump some chips on a plate, throw on whatever leftover shrimp we had handy, cover that in queso and maybe garnish with taco toppings – and that would be all right. It might fail to elevate its mediocre ingredients to a higher level, but it couldn’t possibly be bad.

Wolf Bay’s version is a lesson in what sets the restaurant apart.

First, the shrimp are grilled. They didn’t have to do that, but the sear and the seasoning make for a better visual impression and help the shrimp stand out tastewise when they’re in the sauce. Speaking of sauce: This isn’t queso from a food-service barrel, it’s house-made Mornay sauce. And why would they give you chips when they could give you fried pita tips?

It’s a sham. It’s a hoax. This is false advertising. The shrimp are a topping you’d be happy to eat straight, without the chips and cheese. The “cheese” is some fancy French sauce. And the so-called “chips” are so decadent that if you scraped off all the sauce and toppings and ate them plain, they’d still be the richest thing you had today. Calling this “nachos” is just the setup for a sucker punch. But it is incredibly good, and you should try it.

You can get that same Mornay sauce on a few other dishes, including the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer ($11) and the Signature Shrimp & Grits ($26). But for my lunch in Orange Beach, something else caught my eye. My colleague Matt Wake has been bragging on Huntsville’s Reuben game, so I went with the Grouper Reuben ($22 with fries or fresh fruit).

What impressed me from the first bite was the balance of the sandwich. When you get a Reuben you want certain notes: You want the rye, the sauerkraut, the salad dressing. Fish can be more delicate than corned beef, though, and if all this stuff overwhelmed a good piece of grouper, there’d be no point. The folks at Wolf Bay don’t let that happen. Starting with big slabs of grilled grouper helps. While the flavors of rye and thousand-island dressing were distinct, it seemed they were a little milder than you might commonly find. The result isn’t a toned-down Reuben, it’s just a seafood Reuben that showcases the fish rather than burying it.

It turns out that the dressing is one of many things that’s made in-house at Wolf Bay.

“We make all that stuff, the Mornay, we make the Alfredo, we make the gumbo, we make the tartar sauce, the cocktail sauce, the ranch, we make it all,” said Haber.

“We are so fortunate to be in this area, to get our hands on so much fresh food,” she said. “I always buy local corn, local peppers, local cucumbers, local squash, local zucchini. Anything that we’re growing or can catch here, we get it.”

This attitude ramifies in other ways. Steaks are hand-cut daily, never frozen. Chicken is cut and cooked in-house, rather than using pre-processed food-service products, even for the chicken salad. “I’m literally boiling my own chicken, picking it off the bone, chopping my own vegetables and mixing my chicken salad,” said Haber. “And that goes for every salad. We stuff our own deviled eggs and those salads that are on that bar, except for canned olives or anything like that, we make it.”

The local purchasing and in-house prep results in one of the best salad bars you’ll find. None of this is cheap or easy: “I’m losing my tail on payroll,” said Haber. But that’s a trade-off she accepts.

“That’s what drew people to Wolf Bay,” she said. “And if it’s not broke, I can’t fix it. I’m second generation, and I’m doing everything the first generation taught me to do, but I brought it to another level. We didn’t have pasta on the menu. We didn’t have Alfredos on the menu. We didn’t have chicken parmesan. But I took the foundation that my parents set for me, and I didn’t change a thing, and I will not ever. Because it worked, and people got used to those standards.”

The approach naturally shows in Wolf Bay’s signature specialties, such as the Whole Crab Stuffed Flounder ($38). The broiled dish pairs the down-to-earth character of flounder with a bold crab stuffing, and lets you decide how much of each you want in your next bite.

Change continues. Haber lamented the recent retirement of Fannie Bell Brown, aka “Ma Bell,” a veteran prep cook whose output of peeled and deveined shrimp, stuffed crabs and other labor-intensive items was legendary. “She was 92 years old and could outwork most every 20-year-old I got in the building,” said Haber.

But the third generation of the family is stepping up. One of Haber’s daughters, Whitney Haber Kelley, runs the Orange Beach store, and another, Courtney Haber Brumley, works there.

Haber is quick to credit key staff for Wolf Bay’s ongoing success: Foley General Manager Chanda Hurley, chefs Paul Able and Brandy McGill. “I love what I do, and I try to find people that love what they do,” she said. “And I try to find people that are more knowledgeable than I am because I feel if I surround myself with knowledgeable people, we’ll grow together.”

What’s the secret to maintaining a reputation established over the course of 50-plus years? Not taking anything for granted. The fundamentals may seem simple, such as starting with fresh ingredients and committing to in-house prep, but they’re never going to require less care or effort.

“The freshest I can make it is the best meal to me,” said Haber. “That, to me, is the best meal that I can provide to my customers and my guests: The freshest I can put it on that plate and get it to you.”

“It’s just in my blood, it’s in my bones, and I just love it to this day,” she said. “My body’s not so happy with it, but I still love my restaurant.”

Wolf Bay Seafood & Steak is at 20801 Miflin Road in Foley and 24131 Perdido Beach Blvd. in Orange Beach. For more information, including menus, visit www.wolfbaylodge.com.

Show business. It’s all about talent and timing.

Oh, they had the talent, and two decades ago, they showed their talent to tens of millions of TV viewers. They reminded the movers and shakers in Hollywood that little ‘ole Alabama could produce some of the greatest singers and entertainers in the world.

In a four-year span between 2003 and 2006, the Yellowhammer State boasted of two winners and a runner-up on a televised vocal talent show that set ratings records.

It was 2002, and the three “American Idol” judges were on their way to being known worldwide simply by their first names. And as Simon, Paula and Randy took television by storm, three 20-somethings from Alabama became known by their first names as well.

Ruben, Bo and Taylor took the talent that was rooted in their upbringings and discovered their lives would never be the same.

“I started singing when I was 5 years old,” Ruben Studdard, the winner of season two (2003) of “American Idol” told me. “I would sing in church, and I got more serious about singing when I was about 12. That’s when I started winning some local talent shows.

“I played the trumpet and the tuba in the band, and at Huffman High School I sang in the choir and played football. I became a voice major in college.”

They called him “Bogart.” Harold Elwin Bice Jr. had eyes like Humphrey Bogart, so grandma did the honors. Bogart was shortened to Bo as he grew.

“I picked up my first guitar was I was 9 years old,” said the runner-up on season four (2005) of “American Idol.”

Bo was born in Huntsville. His parents took jobs at Coca-Cola in Atlanta, and Bo later lived in England, graduating from London Central High School where he played football and carried around his guitar.

“I started writing songs at the age of 12, and I formed my first band when I was 15,” Bo added.

He was a creative kid. Athletic, too. Taylor Hicks played football and basketball at Hoover High School.

Taylor was in the first graduating class at HHS in 1995, moving to the new school from Berry High School.

His hair started turning gray two years before he bought his first harmonica at the age of 16. Taylor paid 2 bucks for the used harmonica at a flea market in Bessemer.

He taught himself how to play the blues. It was the best 2 bucks he ever spent.

“I was 18 when I wrote my first song,” said Taylor, the winner of season five (2006) of “American Idol”.

It was all about the timing.

Why not audition? Ruben and Bo and Taylor were 20-somethings confident in their abilities.

Ruben drove up to Nashville to audition. “I drew on my teachings from my high school choir coach Allen Gillespie,” said Ruben.

And as Ruben stood before show judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson?

“I wasn’t nervous,” said Ruben. “I trusted myself.”

It was a wild scene. Bo Bice and 17,000 other hopefuls auditioned at the convention center in Orlando.

“My mom insisted that I give it a shot after the producers of “Idol” raised the age of those who could audition to 29. I slept on the floor of the convention center for three nights.”

Bo knew he had the chops. He had played in a band called “Purge.” He had spent time in Nashville and Muscle Shoals. He was blessed to sharpen his songwriting and performance skills with the help of talented singer and producer Ava Aldridge.

Bo Bice was about to embark on what he calls, “the most surreal experience of my life.”

Taylor Hicks was on a roll. He was a self-taught musician, his style a melting pot of music greats: Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, Bob Seger.

He played the college circuit in and around Auburn. He moved to Nashville just five years out of high school.

But when the fall of 2005 came a-calling during a gig in New Orleans, so, too, did Hurricane Katrina.

“I was in one of the last taxis out of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit,” Taylor told me. ”The cabbie drove me to West Monroe, Louisiana. The airlines couldn’t get me back to Birmingham, so they gave me a voucher for a free flight anywhere in the continental United States.

“I rented a car, drove back to Birmingham and hopped on a plane to Las Vegas on a whim,” said Taylor. There was Taylor Hicks, standing in front of Simon, Paula and Randy.

 The results? Ruben, Bo and Taylor were going to Hollywood.

The show created by Simon Fuller was a runaway hit. A young lady named Kelly Clarkson won the first season of “American Idol,” and in 2003, season two of the show was off and running.

Ruben Studdard, the graduate of a Birmingham city school, walked on stage wearing a pullover shirt with “205” emblazoned on the front. The folks back home in Ruben’s area code were thrilled. The 205 became famous, and the world took notice of Birmingham, Alabama.

Ruben’s smooth pipes were certainly noticed. He had a Luther Vandross vibe, a comforting voice full of soul and gospel. Ruben’s downhome kindness impressed the judges. It also caught the attention of a guest judge.

“Gladys Knight was a judge on one of the episodes, and after a song, she said it looked as if America had found its Velvet Teddy Bear,” Ruben told me.

The nickname would stick.

While Simon, Paula and Randy could draw nerves and jitters from contestants, Ruben Studdard felt at home on the “American Idol” stage.

“It was only season two of the show, and the judges were feeling their way a bit, too,” said Ruben. “They worked with us well, and they were all very nice to us.”

Bo Bice was in his element. He was proud of the way he could play different genres of music. Bo had always been true to his calling.

“When I was on ‘Idol’ I listed my hometown as Helena, AL, because that is where I lived, but I’m a true Huntsville guy at heart,” he told me.

Bo’s heart also rests deep in his faith.

“Being on ‘Idol’ was so new to me. I prayed a lot during that time,” Bo said. “I tried to stay focused on God.”

It was May of 2005, and America was focusing on the final two “Idol” contestants. Bo Bice, the country rock star with a contagious stage presence, advanced to the final night of the competition alongside a young woman from Oklahoma.

Her name? Carrie Underwood.

“I became good friends with Carrie during the competition,” said Bo. “We were a lot alike in that we were from rural states in the South. Neither of us had been on a stage that big.”

His style was quirky, his stage presence energizing. It was the spring of 2006, and Taylor Hicks had arrived. The Soul Patrol had touched down in Hollywood. “I did a lot of thinking, and I knew if I had a catchy name or phrase that fans could relate to, it would help me,” said Taylor.” Jimmy Buffett had the Parrott Heads, the Grateful Dead had the Dead Heads. Why not The Soul Patrol?”

Taylor Hicks had more than a catch phrase going on. His gray hair led to him being called “The Silver Fox” and “Gray Charles.”

“The producers of the show wanted to dye my hair black at one point,” said Taylor.

“I didn’t go for it. I told them the gray had to stay,” Taylor chuckled.

Months before the final results shows arrived, Ruben, Bo and Taylor had become stars.

By season four (Bo Bice’s season), 37 million people would be voting to determine a winner.

TV cameras, newspaper and magazine writers and media galore followed their every step. And when it was time for show host Ryan Seacrest to announce the winners? The lives of Ruben, Bo and Taylor were catapulted into stardom.

Ruben Studdard was in tears that May night in 2003. America voted, and the winner of American Idol 2003 is?

Yes, the Huffman High School grad edged Clay Aiken in the voting.

“It was such a special night winning ‘American Idol,’” said Ruben. “My parents were there, as were family members like my grandfather.

“The most satisfying thing about winning ‘Idol’ was that it showed the folks back home that you can be from Alabama and do big things. It gave the people in our state hope.”

May of 2005 brought Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood to the stage. America voted, and the young crooner from Oklahoma was crowned the winner.

“Even though I finished as runner-up, being on ‘Idol’ propelled me into the stratosphere,” said Bo, who was married that year.

“I do believe I would have been successful without ‘Idol’, but being on the show helped my career. It also made me proud of being from Alabama. I had become friends with Ruben, and like Ruben, I wore my success on the show as a badge of honor.”

Taylor Hicks didn’t know what to think. He stood on the Hollywood stage with Katherine McPhee, 31.1 million people watching.

Simon Cowell, the judge who warmed to Taylor over the course of the season, smiled. Paula and Randy sat on the edge of their seats. The Soul Patrol celebrated, winning season five of “American Idol” in May of 2006.

“I guess you could have called me a 10-year, overnight success story,” Taylor chuckled.

Off and running went Alabama’s Big Three. They each signed recording contacts and over the years added more projects to their already lengthy resumes.

Ruben Studdard lives in the Mobile area today. Ruben, now 46, and his wife Kristin have two small children, and Ruben remains very busy.

He’s released 11 albums, one that included the 2023 hit “The Way I Remember It.”

His “Ruben Sings Luther” album received rave reviews. He will be back on Broadway soon, and yet another album is in the works.

Bo Bice, now 49, lives in Lecanto, Florida, (just north of Tampa) with his wife of 20 years, Caroline, The couple has four children, ages 12 to 20. Bo has been touring with The Artimus Pyle Band, Pyle being the drummer with Lynyrd Skynyrd for many years.

From 2013 to 2018, Bo toured with the group Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Taylor Hicks, 48, splits his time between Birmingham and Nashville.

Taylor’s song “Porch Swing” is a hit, and these days, music is just the tip of Taylor’s iceberg. Taylor starred in the Broadway play “Grease” playing Teen Angel, he did a residency at Bally’s in Las Vegas, and he’s starred in a national TV show called “State Plate.”

Taylor acted in a playhouse production of “Shenandoah,” made his first appearance at The Grand Ole Opry in 2023, and he’s one of the investors in the popular Saw’s Juke Joint barbeque restaurant chain.

He’s also the first “Idol” alum to be featured on a Grammy-winning album, as he performed “Friday” on Jimmy Fallon’s “Blow Your Pants Off” comedy album.

Twenty years ago, three downhome, good guys believed in themselves and took a chance. Today they are in their late 40’s and still doing what they do.

“All of these folks, even the ones from our state who came after us and appeared on ‘Idol,’ deserve a round of applause,” said Bo Bice. “I’m so proud of all of them.”

“I count my blessings each and every day,” Taylor Hicks told me. “To think that I’ve been in show business for 25 years is mind-boggling.”

Taylor’s secret? “Work hard and being great to people who are great to you. Be kind and keep a smile on your face.”

And Ruben Studdard?

“We all had dreams, and we showed that dreams can come true,” he said. “I’m blessed and very thankful for what ‘American Idol’ did for me and my family.”

Show business. It’s all about talent and timing.

Oh, they had the talent, and they had the timing, too.

And the good news?

Ruben, Bo and Taylor have more time to bless us with their talent.

More time to make us proud.

Rick Karle, who writes a weekly ‘Good News’ story, is a 25-time Emmy winner and a 43-year veteran of broadcast news who has lived and worked in Alabama for 35 years. You can find his work on Facebook at Rick Karle Good News. Send your story suggestions to: [email protected]

There are many differences between being a mid-major college basketball coach and leading a Southeastern Conference program like Auburn.

New women’s basketball coach Larry Vickers is in the midst of that adjustment at Auburn. He became the Tigers’ head coach in March following a nine-year stint at Norfolk State.

Despite becoming a powerhouse in the MEAC, coaching in the SEC is a different experience, and Vickers has already felt that on the recruiting trail.

“Some of the AAU coaches pick up on the first ring now‚” Vickers said at Auburn’s AMBUSH event in Alexander City. “Most coaches pick up pretty early in the process when it says Larry Vickers Auburn next to it. I’m calling the same people. The difference is I was calling for their sixth-best player before. Now I’m calling for their best player.”

Vickers was hired to lead the program after former head coach Johnnie Harris was fired following the 2024-2025 season. Harris’ departure led to most of the roster turning over, as Auburn’s 2025-2026 team will feature just two returners from last season.

That meant Vickers’ first couple months on the job were busy with both roster construction and building a coaching staff. Since he was hired, Vickers signed seven players out of the transfer portal, one JUCO transfer and three freshmen. Kaitlyn Duhon and Syriah Daniels are the lone returners.

“Coach Johnnie had some terrific players on the team that were willing to stay it might didn’t necessarily fit with what we’re looking to do with Auburn moving forward,” Vickers told AL.com at SEC spring meetings. “So, that’s helping them find a new home, and then that’s us finding new players to kind of fit that style of play.”

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

DEAR ABBY: Today, I asked a man with a black mole on the side of his face if he had been checked for skin cancer because I come from a family with a great deal of skin cancer. The man was very patronizing and told me I should just go sit down. My husband previously ignored my concerns, but he did listen to a friend who was concerned that his dark mole could be pre-cancerous, which it was.

Was I wrong for bringing this to the stranger’s attention? — PROACTIVE IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR PROACTIVE: If you said it in the context of explaining that your husband had something similar that turned out to be cancerous, I don’t think what you did was wrong. It may have been presumptuous but it was also well-intentioned.

He may have reacted the way he did because it made him self-conscious.

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.