A brand new season of the hit crime drama series Scrublands premieres exclusively on AMC+ Thursday, May 29 at 10/9c.
Those hoping to catch the highly anticipated return of the series can stream Scrublands through Philo (free trial), DirecTV (free trial) and Sling (50% off first month).
For those unfamiliar with the hit AMC+ series, Scrublands follows a disenchanted investigative journalist named Martin Scarsden, who follows the orders of his boss and sets out to write a follow-up piece on a mass shooting a year after the tragedy.
The mass shooting occurred in the small, rural town of Riversend and was carried out by charismatic, young priest amidst an endless drought. Five parishioners were the victims.
Season two of the hit series picks up after a year has passed since the life-changing events of season one. Scarsden returns to his coastal hometown, Port Silver, WA, to start a new chapter with his partner, Mandy Bond.
Soon, his plans begin to unravel when he discovers his childhood friend, Jasper, brutally murdered—and Mandy accused as the prime suspect. As Martin struggles with doubts and Mandy and his own instincts, he embarks on a relentless search for the truth, uncovering buried secrets about Port Silver and his own past.
Those interested in streaming the new season can catch Scrublands available on Philo, DirecTV and Sling.
Both Philo and DirecTV offer free trials to new subscribers while Sling offers its new subscribers half off their first month and one month free of AMC+.
Out of the three watch options, Philo is the cheapest at just $28 a month after its free trial expires.
Philo is considered one of the most affordable streaming platforms on the market. Known as an entertainment-focused streaming service, Philo offers its subscribers access to over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.
New users can enjoy Philo’s 7-day free trial and continue to stream top channels, hit TV shows and movies on-demand for just $28 a month once the free trial expires.
Those looking to customize their flow of content even further on Philo can consider including add-ons such as MGM+, STARZ, and AMC+ in their subscription.
DirecTV is a top streaming service perfect for those looking to access a plethora of live TV channels and enjoy helpful features. The base package starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.
DirecTV has also recently introduced a lineup of genre packs, which allows subscribers to choose their favorite viewing options based on what genre they watch the most. With genre packs, users can get the channels and content they want without filler channel overload. Packs start at just $34.99 a month.
Those interested in comparing all DirecTV’s channel packages and the new genre packs can check them out here.
Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to ditch the hassle of traditional cable. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those who commit to a paid plan get half off the first month and one month free of AMC+.
Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.
For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).
Read MoreSouth Alabama now has confirmed kickoff times and broadcast information for five of its 12 regular-season football games in 2025.
Home games vs. Morgan State (Aug. 30) and Tulane (Sept. 6) will kick off at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live via ESPN+. The Sept. 13 game at Auburn will kick off at 11:45 a.m., with television coverage on SEC Network.
South Alabama’s two mid-week games will both kick off at 6:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN2. The Jaguars host Arkansas State on Tuesday, Oct. 14, and travel to Georgia State on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Kickoff times and broadcast information for all other games will be announced at a later date.
Here is South Alabama’s complete 2025 football schedule (home games in ALL CAPS and all times Central):
Aug. 30, MORGAN STATE, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Sept. 6, TULANE, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Sept. 13, at Auburn, 11:45 a.m., SEC Network
Sept. 20, COASTAL CAROLINA*
Sept. 27, at North Texas
Oct. 4, at Troy*
Oct. 11, open date
Oct. 14, ARKANSAS STATE*^, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
Oct. 23, at Georgia State*+, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
Nov. 1, LOUISIANA*
Nov. 8, open date
Nov. 15, at Louisiana-Monroe*
Nov. 22, SOUTHERN MISS*
Nov. 29, at Texas State*
*— Sun Belt Conference game
^ — Tuesday game
+ — Thursday game
Read MoreBy Beatriz Limón | Edited by Patricia Guadalupe
Matilde grabbed the megaphone and spoke firmly. Her voice cut through the greenery of Arizona State University (ASU), where hundreds of students marched behind her in tight formation, some carrying signs with phrases like, “We all belong.” It was a cold January morning, but the air was charged with warm enthusiasm.
With each step, the students — mostly immigrants and Latinos — chanted in unison, “We’ll keep dreaming,” “We’ll keep studying,” “Education is for everyone.” Matilde, leading the march, felt empowered, proud, and supported.
But Matilde’s enthusiasm faded soon after spring arrived in Arizona. Her once strong, projected voice grew quieter, more measured. On a sunny April day, sitting on ASU’s Tempe campus, her conversation turned cautious. She avoided words like “Trump” or “deportation.” Fear, silent but persistent, had settled in.
Matilde is a pseudonym. She chose it for protection. Though born in the U.S., her parents are Mexican and undocumented. Her fear isn’t for herself but for her family. She worries that the new policies pushed by President Trump’s administration could endanger those, like her parents, living in the shadows. For her, students have become a visible target.
Trump has intensified scrutiny of universities and their accrediting bodies as part of a campaign to curb what he calls a “progressive agenda.” His administration has particularly targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, questioning their legitimacy and threatening funding cuts if they don’t align with his ideological priorities.
“Now, she’s afraid to protest because they’ve been told they’ll lose scholarships or get expelled. They’re being silenced.”
Matilde is active in the Barrett Council, a student group within ASU’s honors college that celebrates Hispanic identity through cultural events. But now, she fears these activities — which give many Latino students a sense of belonging — could disappear from the university calendar amid growing political pressure on DEI programs.
“It’s stressful to think we might lose these events. When I first came to ASU, they made me feel, ‘Oh my goodness, here are my people.’”
Over 500 U.S. institutions serve Hispanic students, and that number is expected to grow as more universities are designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). By 2026, enrollment is projected to exceed 4.3 million Latino students.
Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University, among others, are federally recognized HSIs, meaning at least 25% of their student body is Hispanic.
Student protests at ASU, an HSI where Latinos make up at least 25% of enrollment.Courtesy of Aliento
According to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, over 9,500 undocumented and DACA-protected students attend Arizona’s public universities.
Latinos make up 45% of Arizona’s K-12 students but only 25.5% at its three public universities, while white students account for 51%. Helios, an education-focused organization, projects Latinos will surpass 50% enrollment by 2026 — a gap that raises questions about representation and access, now further threatened by anti-immigrant policies.
The day Matilde spoke up at the ASU rally, Yadira — an immigrant mother from South Phoenix who asked to remain anonymous — was paralyzed by fear. Her daughter, another ASU student in Tempe, had joined the protest organized by Aliento, an advocacy group for undocumented and mixed-status families.
Yadira’s daughter was one of more than a thousand students and supporters who marched around a table where members of College Republicans United had announced an event on social media that was happening on January 31.
“We’ll be on campus asking classmates to report their criminal classmates to ICE for deportation,” they posted on the social media site X, linking to ICE’s official tip form.
Yadira’s 20-year-old daughter overcame her fears and joined the protest. But weeks later, anxiety began outweighing her desire for justice. On her worst days, she begs her mother to consider moving back to Mexico. “We should build a house there, just in case,” she says through tears. “So we have somewhere to go.”
Matilde, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, overcame her fears and stood up against the anti-immigrant rhetoric at her university.Photo by Beatriz Limón
Yadira came from Michoacán, Mexico, at 17 and raised five children in Arizona. Though U.S.-born, they grew up fearing deportation — a fear cemented in 2013 when their father was deported, never to be seen again. That memory still haunts them.
“Now, she’s afraid to protest because they’ve been told they’ll lose scholarships or get expelled. They’re being silenced,” says Yadira.
Yadira says her citizen children live in constant fear of being detained just for looking Latino. “They’re scared to leave home without ID. They suffer anxiety, depression. Even citizens get detained.”
“The focus on anxiety is the lack of information and thinking of what could happen.”
Dr. Alfredo Padilla
Dr. Alfredo Padilla, a psychology researcher at Mexico’s Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and a member of the American Psychological Association, explains that much of immigrants’ anxiety stems from ambiguity. Trump’s policies, he says, lack clarity.
“The focus on anxiety is the lack of information and thinking of what could happen.” The most damaging, he cautions, happens when that incertainty suggests menacing scenarios. “If what could happen is bad, one risks physical and psychological harm.”
Even before the pandemic, mental health struggles were rising. During the 2020-21 academic year, 73% of college students reported heightened stress and anxiety because of COVID, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Padilla warns that one of the most alarming concerns is to stop the rise in suicidal ideation among youth ages 8 to 19. “And with everything already going on, you add uncertainty,” says Padilla, “It becomes even more alarming.”
An email spread quickly through classrooms: The University of Arizona now advises international students to carry physical and digital copies of immigration documents (passport, I-94, proof of status) at all times, citing Trump’s stricter policies.
“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing until somebody literally takes me out kicking and screaming, because I won’t make it easy for them … I’m not quitting, they’ll have to kick me out.”
Many diversity programs have already vanished. UA’s Immigrant Student Resource Center website was abruptly shut down. The phrase “committed to diversity and inclusion” was scrubbed from a land acknowledgment honoring Indigenous people, angering Indigenous students. At ASU, LGBTQ+ resources were quietly redirected to a Rainbow Coalition page.
Over 150 U.S. college presidents signed a statement condemning Trump’s “unprecedented government overreach” into universities. Arizona’s three public universities have not signed on.
ASU’s charter emphasizes inclusion: “…measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed.” The text is displayed near Durham Hall in Tempe.Photo by Sydney Lovan/Cronkite News
Sandra (a pseudonym), an ASU professor who also runs a diversity program, calls the situation “horrible.”
“We must be careful. We don’t want the university to become a battleground,” she tells palabra.
The reality Sandra sees for students is very complicated, and from her perspective, it varies depending on their immigration status: undocumented immigrants face different challenges than those with DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Citizens, although legally protected, also bear the anxiety of having undocumented family members. For international students, uncertainty is another constant.
“There are kids who are citizens, but their father was deported, and the father was the breadwinner for the family,” Sandra said. “So what does that family do now? It’s a very stressful situation for the students.”
Universities across the country, after years of building initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, are now being forced to dismantle those efforts in the face of an increasingly hostile political climate.
Sandra doesn’t know if her program will continue at ASU, but she’s clear about her position. “I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing until somebody literally takes me out kicking and screaming, because I won’t make it easy for them.” While others step back, she says, “I’m not quitting, they’ll have to kick me out.”
“They are afraid to do the usual things that were normal under the previous administration: going to school, work, church, the hospital. It’s taking a significant toll on their mental health, with anxiety, stress, and a lack of decision-making power.”
José Patiño, Aliento vice president of education and external affairs
On April 28, Trump signed an executive order affecting non-citizen college students who receive in-state tuition and threatens to reverse one of the most significant advances for students without legal status in several states. The measure targets Proposition 308 approved by Arizona voters in 2022, which allows these students to pay in-state tuition at universities and community colleges. If implemented, young people without immigration status would have to pay up to three times more for their education.
At least 25 states, along with Washington, D.C., have passed “tuition equity” laws or policies that allow undocumented students and “Dreamers”— DACA recipients — to pay in-state tuition fees if they attended and graduated from local high schools. Arizona is among them, along with states like California, Florida, New York, and Texas.
Monica Andrade, attorney and director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, warned that attempts to punish states that expand access to higher education are misguided and counterproductive.
“States have long had the authority to establish in-state tuition policies that recognize immigrant students’ deep ties to their communities,” she said in a statement. “Penalizing them for doing so undermines individual aspirations and weakens the economic future of our states and the country.”
An ASU student march in support of immigrants.Photo courtesy of Aliento
“Now he’s doing everything he couldn’t do in his first term. Many people still don’t realize it.”
“They are afraid to do the usual things that were normal under the previous administration: going to school, work, church, the hospital. It’s taking a significant toll on their mental health, with anxiety, stress, and a lack of decision-making power,” Patiño said.
“The success we’ve had is in changing hearts and minds.”
José Patiño, Aliento vice president of education and external affairs
Patiño is also fearful, not for himself, but for his family. As an activist, he knows that risks are part of the job; he was arrested in 2013 during an act of civil disobedience.
“We were coming from a different time, we felt empowered, we had won DACA, people had emerged from the darkness, immigrants’ stories were being more accepted, there was more compassion and empathy.”
He says that nowadays, fear is no longer in the streets. It’s at home. He worries that new policies directly target families like his. “What I find very cruel and unfair is that now they want to go against families.” Still, his hope persists. “I am stubborn and I don’t give up easily,” he said. “The success we’ve had is in changing hearts and minds.”
Aliento vice president of education and external affairs José Patiño has been an activist in Arizona for more than ten years.Photo by Daniel Robles for palabra
Dr. Padilla says that in times of crisis, what helps most is something as simple as getting together. A recent virtual forum of the European Federation of Psychologists focused on how professionals can support communities under pressure. The answer was clear: building community.
“Getting together and discussing what everyone is going through, understanding that you are not the only one, gives you the opportunity to help others and forget about your anxiety. This unity that can be established is a way to maintain emotional stability.”
He also suggested looking beyond borders. International forums, he noted, can offer support without interference from federal governments. “Fortunately, you can participate in international networks without being subject to local regulations.”
For activist Raquel Terán, the political climate in Arizona is nothing new. Although extremism has increased, she recalls the raids carried out by then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the fear that the SB 1070 law created in immigrant communities in 2010 before several of its provisions were overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
As a student, Terán was part of the resistance against these policies. In her early 20s, she spent nights camping out in front of the state capitol, demanding justice and rights for her community. “We have freedom of expression, and that is the first constitutional right that must be respected.”
For her, trying to silence students through fear is a mistake, especially in times like these. She firmly believes that community organizing remains the most powerful tool against inequality.
“We have to use the courts, fight at all levels. We are going to organize a political force, because the Constitution still exists,” she said.
Raquel Terán outside the Arizona State Capitol at a demonstration against SB1164, which allows state and local law enforcement to work with federal immigration authorities.Photo courtesy of Progress Now via Raquel Terán
Terán traced her path from activism to power: from a young protester in front of the Capitol to a state legislator, chair of the Democratic Party in Arizona, and a candidate for federal congress. For more than 16 years, she has staunchly defended civil, labor, immigration, and reproductive rights.
“Students must not forget the power they have to put pressure on institutions, and to ensure that the administration does not allow school leaders to be intimidated,” said Terán, who now leads Proyecto Progreso, a coalition fighting anti-immigrant policies.
Matilde caresses the Jesus pendant that hangs around her neck. Faith sustains her. She believes the students and the migrant community will prevail. She knows pain — a family member was deported — and also resistance: she grew up in north Phoenix, in a predominantly white school where she said they tried to take away her culture and language. “You don’t conquer hatred and fear with more fear, but with love, faith, and good intentions. That’s what will help us in this world,” she commented.
She wears a Brazil jersey, a tribute to her passion for soccer. She was a forward on her high school team until an injury forced her to take a break. She played through the pain until a crash ruptured the tendon in her knee.
She knows she’ll return, when she’s ready, when nothing stops her.
“I’m a person who doesn’t know how to stop,” she said with a mischievous smile.
Matilde is sure that students and the immigrant community will succeed.Photo by Beatriz Limón
The SEC has announced kickoff times and television information for the first three weeks of the 2025 season, as well as selected games later in the year.
Kickoff times and television assignments for other games will be announced at a later date, including some on a week-to-week basis once the season begins.
Here’s the complete list (all times Central):
Central Arkansas at Missouri, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network
Syracuse vs. Tennessee (Atlanta), 11 a.m., ABC
Toledo at Kentucky, 11:45 a.m., SEC Network
Marshall at Georgia, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Alabama A&M at Arkansas, 3:15 p.m., SEC Network
Illinois State at Oklahoma, 5 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
Texas-San Antonio at Texas A&M, 6 p.m., ESPN
Long Island at Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
Charleston Southern at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
Georgia State at Ole Miss, 6:45 p.m., SEC Network
Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina (Atlanta), 2 p.m., ESPN
San Jose State at Texas, 11 a.m., ABC or ESPN
Utah State at Texas A&M, 11:45 a.m., SEC Network
Ole Miss at Kentucky, 2:30 p.m., ABC
Kansas at Missouri, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2
East Tennessee State at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
Austin Peay at Georgia, 2:30 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
South Florida at Florida, 3:15 p.m., SEC Network
Arkansas State at Arkansas (Little Rock), 4 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
South Carolina State at South Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
Michigan at Oklahoma, 6:30 p.m., ABC
Arizona State at Mississippi State, 6:3 p.m., ESPN2
Ball State at Auburn, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Louisiana Tech at LSU, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
Louisiana-Monroe at Alabama, 6:45 p.m., SEC Network
Wisconsin at Alabama, 11 a.m., ABC or ESPN
South Alabama at Auburn, 11:45 a.m., SEC Network
Georgia at Tennessee, 2:3 p.m., ABC
Louisiana at Missouri, 3 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+
UTEP at Texas, 3:15 p.m., SEC Network
Alcorn State at Mississippi State, ESPN+/SECN+
Florida at LSU, 6:30 p.m., ABC
Eastern Michigan at Kentucky, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Arkansas at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. or 6:45 p.m., ESPN or SEC Network
Vanderbilt at South Carolina, 6 p.m. or 6:45 p.m., ESPN or SEC Network
Oklahoma vs. Texas (Dallas), 2:30 p.m., ABC or ESPN
Georgia vs. Florida (Jacksonville), 2:30 p.m., ABC
Ole Miss at Mississippi State, 11 a.m., ABC or ESPN
Texas A&M at Texas, 6:30 p.m., ABC
SEC championship game (Atlanta), 3 p.m., ABC
Read MoreThey’re moving on! The Oklahoma City Thunder are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. Led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder boast one of the youngest rosters in the league, making this an incredible feat.
Fans looking to purchase the latest Thunder Finals gear can do so here. Here’s a look at some of the best items we found:
Fans can get free shipping on any of the items above with code “24SHIP” at checkout.
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Birmingham’s Capstone Building Corp. has completed work on a $17.6 million senior affordable housing development in Memphis.
Edgeview at Legends Park is an 85,765-square-foot development located within the mixed-income community in the Memphis’ Medical District, at 981 Peach Ave.
Capstone Building Corp. worked on the project with developer Pennrose and the Memphis Housing Authority.
It consists of 99 units designed to provide an independent living experience for people, ages 62 and older. The development features one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with on-site supportive services and premium amenities, including a community room, fitness room, exterior covered porch and interior gathering spaces on each floor.
Capstone Building’s vice president of project management, Brandon Loyd, said the project “not only meets critical housing needs but also enhances the quality of life for residents through thoughtful design and community-centered amenities.”
“Delivering high-quality, affordable housing for seniors is both a responsibility and a privilege,” Loyd said.
Read MoreAs Elon Musk signaled his exit from the Department of Government Efficiency on Wednesday night, the Tesla CEO’s announcement was met with hat tips from MAGA while Musk’s critics deemed his DOGE tenure a failure.
“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Musk tweeted.
“The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
Musk, the richest person in the world, is considered a special government employee, a designation that means he could only work for the White House for 130 days. That time expires on Friday.
The Tesla CEO had lofty ambitions for DOGE. He initially proposed cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget before revising that figure to $150 billion.
Musk claimed to have cut $160 billion, but DOGE was found to have overstated its impact while the effort actually cost the government $135 billion in lost productivity and rehiring workers, according to CBS News.
Several Trump cabinet members praised Musk’s work with DOGE, which will reportedly continue despite the Tesla CEO’s absence.
“America and all of @Interior are incredibly grateful for @elonmusk‘s work to make government more efficient and work for the American people,“ tweeted Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
”His unwavering service and dedication has cut waste, fraud, and abuse across our federal government and will continue to serve our taxpayers for generations to come. Thank you for your service, Elon!”
Added Energy Secretary Chris Wright: “Thank you @elonmusk for helping make @ENERGY more efficient and effective than ever before! We need to be good stewards of American taxpayers hard earned money and @DOGE is instrumental in helping make that happen!”
Kara Swisher, a tech journalist and longtime Musk observer, said the Tesla CEO “was probably frustrated by the pace of government.
“When he goes back to his companies, he says, ‘jump,’ and they say, ‘how high,’” Swisher told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“The government — they don’t do that. And I think he found more difficulty in finding real cuts … pretty much his effort was a failure.”
One of Musk’s critics was skeptical that the special employee designation is the real reason why Musk is bidding adieu to DOGE.
Norm Eisen, an ethics official in the Barack Obama White House, credited lawsuits challenging DOGE’s authority and access to government information with Musk’s exit.
“The litigation held him accountable, & for that & other reasons he became politically unpopular & a liability He lost. Democracy won. Only one round of the fight but a biggie!” Eisen posted on the social media platform Bluesky.
George Conway, a Republican critic of the Trump administration, agreed while calling Musk a “ketamine-infused crackpot.”
“The 130-day limit just happened to be the one law @elonmusk decided to comply with? Nonsense,” Conway tweeted.
“The ketamine-infused crackpot had his ass handed to him by the courts and by public opinion and—most deliciously—by his own jackassery. LMAO and good riddance.”
Read MoreJacksonville State will have five nationally televised games as part of its 2025 schedule under first-year coach Charles Kelly.
Conference USA announced its broadcast schedule for the 2025 football season, which includes games on CBS Sports Network and ESPN2 for Jax State.
Games on CBS Sports Network for Jax State includes Liberty (Sept. 6), Sam Houston (Oct. 9) and FIU (Nov. 22).
ESPN2 matchups for the Gamecocks include Delaware (Oct. 15) and Middle Tennessee State (Oct. 29).
Four additional games were selected for ESPN Platforms, which means they are subject to the 12-day selection window for a national broadcast.
The Conference USA championship game is set for Friday, Dec. 5 at the site of the regular-season champion and will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Jax State beat Western Kentucky 52-12 at home in last season’s Conference USA championship game.
Kickoff times will be released at a later date; home games are capitalized.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 2025 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Aug. 28: at UCF (6 p.m., ESPN+)
Saturday, Sept. 6: LIBERTY* (11 a.m., CBS Sports Network)
Saturday, Sept. 13: at Georgia Southern (6 p.m., ESPN+)
Saturday, Sept. 20: MURRAY STATE (6 p.m., ESPN Platforms)
Saturday, Sept. 27: at Southern Miss (TBA, ESPN Platforms)
Thursday, Oct. 9: at Sam Houston* (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
Wednesday, Oct. 15: DELAWARE* (6 p.m., ESPN2)
Wednesday, Oct. 29: at Middle Tennessee State* (6:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Saturday, Nov. 8: at UTEP* (2 p.m., ESPN Platforms)
Saturday, Nov. 15: KENNESAW STATE* (1 p.m., ESPN Platforms)
Saturday, Nov. 22: at Florida International* (2:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
Saturday, Nov. 29: WESTERN KENTUCKY* (1 p.m., ESPN Platforms)
*— Conference USA game
Read MoreA Birmingham-based non-profit organization is gathering college entrepreneurs from several institutions to launch a national mentorship initiative.
Leaders with the 2150 Center for Innovation, Commercialization & Growth gathered recently at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to announce its Public Policy iLab.
The 2150 Center was launched by Miles College last year as a business and innovation collaborative designed to expand to institutions around the country. Miles is a private liberal arts college in Fairfield, just west of Birmingham.
“This iLab model convenes and curates the best and brightest minds to problem solve and build businesses,” said Erskine “Chuck” Faush, CEO of the 2150 Center.
The new iLab initiative includes students from Miles College, Florida A&M University, Johnson C. Smith University and Jackson State University. The goal is to engage institutions, students and professionals in the latest innovation to encourage entrepreneurship.
The goal is to make mentorship more scalable, personalized, and accessible across campuses.
The 2150 Center is also partnering with the mentorship initiative MentorPro, a mobile-first technology platform that connects students and early entrepreneurs with real-time, interest-aligned seasoned mentors.
“With these amazing institutions and through partnership with MentorPro, we’re creating a framework where students can engage directly with leaders, build relationships, and help design the systems they want to champion,” said Miles College Provost Tonya Perry.
Ultimately, the iLab initiative seeks to grow innovation through mentorship, collaboration and pairing entrepreneurs with resources and investors.
Organizers said additional iLabs are planned to focus on manufacturing, artificial intelligence, health and energy sectors.
Read MoreA deadly shooting at a Birmingham Airbnb stemmed from a robbery plot hatched during a dice game at a birthday party, a detective testified.
A physical fight between one of the suspects and the victim was captured on home surveillance photo.
When the scuffle moved inside the Airbnb, multiple other people – some with guns – filed into the house as well and the multiple shots rang out.
Cameron Scales, 19, and Daveon Dortch, 20, are charged with capital murder during a robbery in the 2024 killing of 21-year-old Phong “Timmy” Nguyen, a Clay-Chalkville High School graduate who served in the U.S. Army Airborne Artillery.
Their arrests were announced March, nine months after Nugyen’s death.
Scales and Dortch went before Jefferson County District Judge William Bell Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Deputy District Attorney Charissa Henrich is prosecuting the case.
Scales is represented by attorneys Emory Anthony and Louvenia Borom.
Scales, whose sister Anitra Holloman was killed in the Hush lounge mass shooting, is among three people charged with capital murder in June 2024 slaying on First Avenue North near East Lake Park and the May 2024 shooting of a teen outside his family’s west Birmingham home.
Scales’ mother previously told AL.com he is innocent.
Dortch is represented by the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office.
He was extradited to Alabama May 23 after being arrested in Atlanta by the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Birmingham police.
After the hearing, Bell ruled there was enough probable cause to send the case to a grand jury for indictment consideration.
Nguyen was killed March 3, 2024.
West Precinct officers were dispatched at 2:35 a.m. to a report of a person shot in the 900 block of Dugan Avenue.
Police entered the house and found Nugyen dead inside from a gunshot wound to the neck.
The house where the shooting happened was a short-term rental Airbnb. There was birthday party being held there for a young woman.
The U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Birmingham officers arrested Dortch in Atlanta. He was extradited to Alabama May 23.
Birmingham homicide Det. Nicholas Clark chronicled the events of the shooting at the hearing.
Multiple people were at the party when the shots rang out and were taken to police headquarters for questioning, but no one admitted to seeing the shooting or knowing who committed the homicide, he said.
Nguyen was found dead in the living room of the Airbnb, and investigators recovered seven shell casings.
Nguyen was at the party with his girlfriend, and did not know anybody else there, Clark said.
Clark said Nguyen’s mother spoke with her slain son’s friends to try to find out what happened and said she was given the names “Lil Cam” and “Lil Hot” as the potential suspects.
“But none of the people speaking to her were willing to come and speak with me,” the detective testified.
Video from the Airbnb showed Nguyen and a male – later identified as Scales – pushing and shoving on the front porch.
When the fight spilled inside, Clark said, multiple other people ran in behind them, some of them brandishing guns.
“You don’t see the shooting, but you hear a large number of shots,” Clark said. “Everyone that ran in, except for the victim, comes running out.”
Clark said the last person to leave the house – reportedly Scales – was limping.
He walked toward a white sedan, then went back inside the house briefly, and finally left in the white sedan.
Dortch, he said, was the second person to leave the Airbnb.
Shortly before 5 a.m., Clark said, Scales showed up at UAB Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.
He told patrol officers who were dispatched to the hospital that the shooting happened at an Airbnb, but he left before detectives arrived.
The investigation continued but with no arrests.
In June 2024, Clark said he was notified that Scales and Dortch had been arrested in Birmingham in a stolen Audi, and that Dortch was in possession of a gun with a Glock switch.
Clark went to speak with them in jail. Both admitted to being at the party but said they weren’t involved in the shooting and didn’t know anything about it.
In October 2024, Scales was arrested in an unrelated homicide. They were still not charged in Nugyen’s slaying at that time.
Clark testified that since Scales and Dortch were in jail, he thought maybe some of the witnesses would be more willing to talk with detectives.
One of those witnesses had since been charged of robbing an adult male at gunpoint, later kidnapping him and forcing the victim to withdraw money from an ATM.
Clark spoke with him and he told detectives he had not spoken up before because the shooters had asked everybody at the Airbnb not to say anything and that he was afraid for his safety.
The witness said there was a dice game at the party.
“During the dice game it became apparent that the victim was in possession of a great deal of cash and that Scales and Dortch hatched a plan to rob him,” Clark said.
The witness also used the same nicknames the detective had previously heard.
During the struggle between Nguyen and Scales, he told Clark, Nguyen had a gun in his waistband.
“Mr. Scales took the gun off of (Nguyen’s) hip and shot the victim,” Clark testified. “Other people, including Mr. Dortch, began shooting as well.”
“He said Mr. Scales shot first,” he said, “and then Dortch and several others shot.”
Clark said investigators have not yet identified the others who were shooting.
Under questioning from Anthony, Clark said the witness was not offered anything from police or prosecutors to testify against Scales and Dortch.
The warrants against the suspects were obtained in March 2025.
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