Alabama News

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Who will be Alabama’s next US Senator? Republicans line up in race to replace Tommy Tuberville

With Sen. Tommy Tuberville officially in the Alabama governor’s race, the next big question is: Who will run for Tuberville’s seat in the Senate?

Among the potential contenders are Attorney General Steve Marshall, former Congressman Mo Brooks, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, former Congressional candidate Caroleene Dobson, former Secretary of State John Merrill, and former Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis.

Alabama Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, previously considered a potential Senate candidate, will not be in the race.

Cavanaugh is resigning from the PSC to accept an appointment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Trump administration.

The news outlet Semafor reported that Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl had interest in the Senate race.

There was no confirmation from Pearl, who is known for speaking out on political issues and about his support of Israel.

One Democratic candidate announced he would run for Tuberville’s seat before Tuberville made his plans known.

Kyle Sweetser of Mobile, a businessman and former two-time Donald Trump voter who bashed the president at last summer’s Democratic National Convention, announced his run in April.

But the Republican nominee will be the heavy favorite in Alabama, where Democrats are rarely competitive in statewide campaigns.

The primary will be May 19, 2026.

Attorney General Marshall said during an interview on Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal in March that a run for the Senate was possible, depending on what Tuberville did.

“If that’s an open seat, I think we’ll be prepared to pivot quickly and make an announcement on whether or not we’d run,” Marshall said.

Marshall is in his second term as attorney general and cannot seek a third.

In December, he ended speculation that he might run for governor but did not rule out other offices.

Marshall has regularly joined other Republican attorneys general in federal cases opposing former President Biden’s initiatives and supporting President Trump’s.

“If that seat comes open, the Senate’s been sort of an overlay interest for what I’ve had as attorney general, the work that we’ve done federally and the issues we’ve been involved with,” Marshall said on Capitol Journal.

Former Congressman Brooks served six terms in the U.S. House, representing Alabama’s 5th District.

In 2022, Brooks lost to Katie Britt in the Republican primary runoff in the race for the Senate seat that came open with Richard Shelby’s retirement.

Brooks was a Trump supporter who initially had Trump’s endorsement in the 2022 race. But Trump withdrew his support for Brooks and later endorsed Britt after she carried a big lead into the runoff.

In a text message on Tuesday, Brooks spelled out the circumstances that would determine whether he runs for Tuberville’s seat.

“The keys to whether I will run are whether I have confidence other GOP candidates have a track record that persuades me they have a good understanding of how to properly handle a myriad of dangerous economic issues looming on America’s horizon,” Brooks said.

Brooks said he is looking at whether the candidates will:

“Do what it takes to get America’s debt under control (not just mouth the right words to get votes but actually do what it takes come he’ll or high water).

“Do what it takes to protect the jobs and incomes of struggling American families from an ongoing tsunami of cheap legal and illegal foreign labor.

“Do what it takes to protect the moral values that guide America to do the right thing with the power and influence we have been blessed with.

“Personally, I hope there is another GOP candidate who has the strength of character to do what America needs doing. If not, I will give a Senate race strong consideration.”

Merrill said in a text message on Tuesday he is considering the race.

“We have received a great deal of encouragement to consider a race for the United States Senate and that is certainly something that we are considering, but have yet to make a decision,” Merrill said.

“We certainly wish Coach Tuberville success in his campaign to become Alabama‘s Governor and believe that he will be has the potential to be one of the most effective and successful governors in the history of our state!”

Merrill has won two statewide races, for secretary of state in 2014 and 2018.

Before that, he served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives, representing a Tuscaloosa district.

Merrill has considered two previous Senate races.

In June 2019, he announced he would run for the seat then held by Democrat Doug Jones. Merrill later dropped out when Jeff Sessions made a late entry into the race. Tuberville eventually won the nomination and beat Jones in the 2020 general election.

In 2021, when Sen. Richard Shelby announced he was retiring, Merrill planned to enter the 2022 race to replace Shelby.

That changed when a woman disclosed an extramarital affair with Merrill, producing recordings to prove the encounters that Merrill had denied.

Merrill issued a public apology and announced he would not run.

Merrill has said he worked to restore the relationships he damaged and stands by his record.

In April, Merrill said, “If somebody chooses to use that as their primary issue in their campaign against me, it’s obvious the reason that they would do that is they don’t have a record that they can stand on and they certainly don’t want to try to run against my record of public service as a legislator or as a secretary of state, where both of my records in public service are impeccable.”

Dobson is an attorney who won the Republican nomination in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional district last year, her first political race. She lost to Democratic nominee Shomari Figures in a district that was drawn by a federal court to favor Democrats.

In April, Dobson said she was considering whether to run for office again.

“Running for Congress last year was a life-changing experience – one for which I am truly grateful, and one that only deepened my desire to help make our already-great state even better,” Dobson said in that email last month. “Sometimes God opens a door and invites you to decide if you want to enter.

“My husband, Bobby, our children, and I are discussing whether our future is pointing us toward Washington or somewhere closer to home, and I hope to have a decision soon.”

Davis is a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral who served as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs from January 2019 until until he was fired by Gov. Kay Ivey in October 2024.

The governor fired Davis after the State Board of Veterans Affairs voted down her request to do so. That followed a dispute between Ivey and Davis involving federal grants for mental health care and an ethics complaint that Davis filed against a member of Ivey’s cabinet.

Davis said the state board found no problems in his handling of the grants and said he believed he was obligated by law to file the ethics complaint, which was dismissed.

Davis said in April that a number of people have been urging him to consider the Senate race if Tuberville runs for governor.

Davis, an Alabama native, retired in 2016 after a 30-year career in the Navy.

Davis was city manager for the city of Anniston from 2016 to 2017. He was deputy superintendent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston from 2014 to 2016.

On Tuesday, Davis said in a text message that he was waiting on other possible candidate announcements and political appointments in the wake of Tuberville entering the governor’s race.

“Dominoes are already falling in the wake of Tuberville’s announcement,” Davis said. “The next couple of days we should find out who else is declaring for offices, and then I’ll make up my mind.”

Rep. Moore, first elected to Congress in 2020 after eight years as a state representative, told 1819 News he was considering a senate run.

“My family and I are praying and asking the Lord to guide us in this decision. As we seek His guidance, we’re listening to the people of Alabama and considering how we can best continue to serve this great state,” he said.

In 2024, Moore defeated Mobile’s U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl after a court-ordered redistricting pitted the two incumbent Republicans against each other.

Moore, a member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, was backed by conservative groups like CPAC and Heritage Action.

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What new laws will impact Alabama schools? See cellphone, diploma, safety changes

Over the summer, Alabama schools and families will adjust to more than a dozen new education laws passed during this year’s session.

Lawmakers updated and created a statewide cellphone ban, teacher benefits, more diploma pathways, safety updates and a record $12.1 billion education budget package that includes expanded funding for student needs.

State education officials will meet in June to discuss any new rules they’ll need to make to ensure districts are compliant and that new funding is distributed correctly.

Here’s a look at what passed and what to expect when classes start back:

Banning cell phones

Starting this fall, students will have to turn their cellphones and any other wireless communication devices off and stow them away during the school day.

Some school districts already have similar cellphone rules. The law, called the FOCUS Act, requires all school systems to adopt an official policy limiting cellphone use by July 1.

Phones may be used during emergencies or for learning purposes. Students with disabilities or who receive other support services may be exempt if noted in their individualized education or health plans.

The law also requires the state to develop a digital course on the risks of using social media and safe internet usage.

New courses, high school diploma options

The upcoming class of 2026 will be the first to graduate under new rules that require students to meet at least one “college and career readiness” indicator, such as taking a dual enrollment course or a career tech class.

Students also soon will have more pathways to get a high school diploma.

A new Workforce Pathway option, approved last year, is now available for students who want to build career and technical skills. The pathway limits the amount of science and math credits students must take and allows students to substitute those with CTE courses.

Starting this fall, the Restoring Educational Advancement of Completing High School (REACH) Act will allow students who have dropped out of high school to receive a nontraditional diploma by taking courses at a local community college. The act also requires the state department of education to identify school districts with the lowest graduation rates and help them come up with programs to help target struggling students.

Students who earn a nontraditional diploma are eligible for admission to any two- or four-year college in the state.

The legislature also approved an accelerated diploma option, called the Move On When Ready Act, as well as a new requirement for schools to provide a “success sequence” curriculum that coaches students on the benefits of completing high school, maintaining a full-time job and waiting for marriage before having children. Those programs will not take effect until the 2026-27 school year.

Changes to school funding models

Students could see some expansions to programs and services aimed at English learners, students with disabilities and gifted students this year. Lawmakers approved a total of $163 million to go toward high-needs schools this fall, in addition to the main education budget of $9.9 billion.

The program, called the RAISE Act, is meant to help the state transition to a new student funding formula over time.

Starting in October 2025, some districts could get hundreds of dollars more per student to hire staff or expand programs meant for different student groups. In Albertville, for example, leaders plan to use some of that money to add more translators and English language resources.

Other notable budget items include expansions to afterschool, career tech and school choice programs.

Staff benefits, programs

Teachers won’t get raises this year. And after heated debate last year, retirees won’t see a cost-of-living increase.

Instead, however, education employees can expect new benefits like workers’ compensation and parental leave to take effect.

Starting in July, education employees will be eligible for up to eight weeks of parental leave after a birth, stillbirth, miscarriage or adoption of a child. Staff will start to receive workers’ compensation benefits by October 2026.

A large chunk of the state budget this year will cover health insurance rate increases, so education employees won’t have to pay a higher premium. Gov. Kay Ivey also signed a bill that aims to make it easier for the legislature to pay out future increases to retirement benefits.

Another law will streamline the paperwork that teachers have to fill out to comply with state literacy and numeracy laws, as well as other mandated programs. A committee will start work on an audit this year, but teachers will not see changes until the 2026-27 school year.

Administrators participating in the new Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act will also see some changes to that program. In an effort to focus on high-poverty schools, lawmakers narrowed the number of principals eligible for an additional $5,000 stipend from 1,200 schools to 420.

All principals and assistant principals are still eligible for an initial $5,000-$10,000 stipend if they complete the leadership development program.

School safety

Alabama passed a major school safety reform last year, which required schools to update their safety standards and systems and submit plans to the state.

A new law will require school superintendents to handle school bus safety complaints, relieving bus drivers of that responsibility.

Starting this year, private schools can also contract with police departments to employ school resource officers. The school will have to pay the officer’s full salary and benefits.

Sex-based terminology

Rep. Susan Dubose’s “What is a Woman” law will take effect in October. The law defines sex as determined at birth and prevents schools and other public agencies from collecting data inconsistent with the definition.

Several partisan bills aimed at restricting pronoun usage, expanding Alabama’s Don’t Say Gay law and banning drag shows in libraries were left on the table this year.

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Alabama is a Russian democracy where Tommy Tuberville runs unopposed

This is an opinion column.

I’m telling you now: Tommy Tuberville will be Alabama’s next governor.

When Alabamians venture beyond the state lines in 2027 and curious outsiders ask how the state hired a coach once fired by Auburn to be its leader, the answer may be a short one.

There was no one else on the ballot.

Qualifying doesn’t close until February, but this thing might have been done a week ago, when the closest person Tuberville had to a Republican primary opponent — Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth — dropped out before ever dropping in.

Ainsworth’s decision followed a decade spent preparing to run. I mean, good Lord, one party Ainsworth threw at Top Golf in 2019 had to cost more than most Alabama House races.

But now that Tuberville’s in, Ainsworth’s plans to widen I-65 will have to wait, maybe forever. No one else — no one serious, anyway — on the Republican side seems ready for a fight.

And Democrats? We’ll get to them in a second.

The argument for Tuberville’s inevitability is pretty simple.

First, he has nearly universal name ID, perhaps better than Gov. Kay Ivey who will be Alabama’s longest-consecutively-serving governor when she finishes her term.

Second, he appears to be in good graces with Donald Trump, at least as long as he polls well and insists Jan. 6 was an inside job.

Third, he can raise money. The magic trick of inevitability is that it’s a self-reinforcing thing. Special interest groups have to ply him with cash now so they can ask him for favors later. If that doesn’t work for Tuberville, there are probably enough folks in DC who will support his campaign just to get him out of the Senate.

Finally, he’s a Republican, and many Alabama voters will support him over a Democrat no matter who shows up on the other side of the ballot.

Whether he lives in Alabama or understands how its government functions are secondary concerns. This is, after all, a man who got elected to the U. S. Senate without knowing the three branches of the federal government.

Outsiders might look at this non-election and assume that Alabama is getting what it wants. However, that assumption would be a mistake.

If the polls shared with me in the last few months mean anything, Tuberville has somewhere between 51 and 55 percent support among likely Republican primary voters.

That’s strong support, but it also means nearly half of Republicans said they want to consider other options first.

They’re just not going to get any.

Even if you assume Alabama Republicans outnumber Alabama Democrats almost two-to-one, you have a majority of Alabamians who might prefer someone else — if only they could agree on the same someone else.

But don’t count on Democrats to give them that someone.

The last time Alabamians went to the polls, Democrats didn’t give them many options, much less good ones. In 2022, the party didn’t field candidates for lieutenant governor, treasurer, auditor or either of the two Public Service Commission seats up for grabs. The party’s candidate for governor, Yolanda Flowers, raised only $12,445 to finance her campaign.

You couldn’t cover the bar tab at Ainsworth’s Top Golf party with that.

When Alabamians arrive at their polling places next year, it’s likely they will face a familiar choice again, which is to say, none at all.

That’s not especially new. This is a state where congressional districts and nearly the entire state legislative map have been drawn to ensure a winner long before voters form a line in November.

Yes, there’s still that whole thing with his residency. Tuberville owns a very nice home on the Florida coast, and there’s reason to suspect he might still live there.

But this is not a self-correcting system. The last guy who got busted running in a place where he didn’t live made it through the election and into office before he went to jail.

We’re more likely to see Tuberville’s hand on a Bible on the state capitol steps before we see him swear an oath in a courtroom.

Tuberville’s ascendancy isn’t the end of choice in Alabama. Choice died a long time ago. It’s the illusion of choice we’re watching die this time.

Such is life in a Russia-style democracy, where elections technically happen but the outcomes are known months or years before polls open, before qualifying ends.

Or this time, before qualifying ever started.

But I still believe there’s an opportunity here for someone. I still think there is hope for another outcome.

Because if there’s one thing Alabamians hate most, it’s being told what to do. They’ll fight against it just to show you. Just to prove they can.

And I’m telling you again: Tommy Tuberville will be Alabama’s next governor.

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New Aldi locations: Super-popular discount grocery chain opening 33 new stores

Popular discount grocery chain Aldi will open 33 new stores in 12 states on its way to hundreds of new locations this year.

The chain recently announced it would open more than 225 new stores in 2025 and 800 stores by the end of 2028. Aldi opened nearly 120 stores in 2024 and now has more than 2,400 locations in the U.S., making it the third-largest chain in the country.

READ MORE: Nation’s largest private employer laying off 1,500 employees

So far this year, Aldi has opened stores in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Another batch of new stores was recently announced on Aldi’s website. Individual store pages indicated the locations were set to “open soon.”

New Aldi stores are opening in:

Florida

Melbourne, 961 E Eau Gallie Blvd.

Jensen Beach, 1105 Northeast Jensen Beach Boulevard

Arcadia, 1737 East Oak Street

Lake Wales, 1860 State Road 60 East

Tampa, 15692 North Dale Mabry Highway

Lutz, 18407 US Hwy 41

Orlando, 1403 South Hiawassee Road

Ocala, 184 Marion Oaks Boulevard

Deerfield Beach, 2301 W Sample Rd

Aventura, 20417 Biscayne Boulevard

Lehigh Acres, 61 Bell Boulevard North

Crystal River, 1651 Southeast US Highway 19

The Villages, 820 Old Camp Road

St. Cloud, 3318 Canoe Creek Road

Westlake, 5062 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road

Fort Lauderdale, 941 Southwest 24th Street

Bushnell, 1122 North Main Street

Fleming Island, 1545 County Road 220

Georgia

St. Marys, 2714 Osborne Road

Americus, 1208 Crawford Street

Louisiana

Zachary, 5005 Church Street

Gretna, 2112 Belle Chasse Highway

Luling, 12125 Highway 90

Massachusetts

Greenfield, 220 Mohawk Trail

Mississippi

Gulfport, 11312 H Highway 49

North Carolina

Asheville, 480 Swannanoa River Road

Charlotte, 9609 North Tryon Street

New York

Medford, 2799 Route 112

Ohio

Springboro, 827 West Central Avenue

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, 2103 Washington Avenue

Ellwood City, 230 Route 288

South Carolina

Mount Pleasant, 3153 Highway 17 North

Washington, D.C.

801 H St. NE

Wisconsin

Delafield, 2840 Heritage Drive

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Goodman: Are Greg Sankey and Kirby Smart suffering from amnesia?

This is an opinion column.

_____________________

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey might have caved under pressure once, but he can’t afford to let it happen again.

Sankey needs to stay strong about the new playoff format. His league should get at least four teams in the College Football Playoff every year when the postseason tournament expands to 16 seeds.

Let’s be clear, though. Alabama didn’t get snubbed last season despite all the posturing going on at the beach this week.

The SEC bubble gets pretty thick at its spring meetings every year, but nothing can insulate the league to the changes that are here for college football. We saw a glimpse last year, and it wasn’t pretty for one of the traditional kings. Alabama lost its legendary coach and then lost to Vanderbilt.

So, no, the Tide wasn’t unfairly left out of anything.

Had there been a 16-team playoff in 2024, Alabama arguably wouldn’t even have been good enough to make that either. It wasn’t the fourth-best team in the SEC. That spot belonged to Ole Miss, which also was left moaning about missing the new 12-team playoff.

Do people suddenly have amnesia about the 2024 season? Did Kirby Smart stay in the sun a little too long before talking to reporters on Tuesday?

Kirby said that Ole Miss, Alabama and South Carolina should have all made the playoffs in 2024. That would have put six teams from the SEC in the 12-team field of a tournament won easily by Big Ten bully Ohio State.

I love Kirby, and he’s great for the SEC, but someone needs to remind him that South Carolina could only score 17 points against Illinois in its also-ran bowl game.

Georgia, meanwhile, scored just 10 points against Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the CFP.

The posturing is a bit too much. SEC football might still be the best in the country, but the league has something to prove this fall.

Make no mistake, though. If a team loses three games in the regular season, then that team is going to have a tough time making a 16-team playoff, too.

Is the point of expanding the playoffs to get more mediocre SEC teams into the field? Alabama only managed three points on the road against Oklahoma last season. No one can convince me that a team, which got worse and worse as the season progressed, deserved a shot at the playoffs.

Was it an isolated down year for the SEC, or are the new economics of college football going to continue leveling the playing field for desperate schools like Indiana and SMU?

Will the SEC continue to lose power amid all of college football’s chaos, and is that a good thing for the long-term value of the sport?

Those are the big-picture questions here for Sankey and the Boys ahead of the 2025 season.

More changes are coming, too.

Call it serendipity. Call it a touch of irony. Call it poetic. This week, with all the SEC’s power brokers assembled in Sandestin, the legal resolution of House v. NCAA is finally expected to be handed down by U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken.

Some are saying that House v. NCAA changes everything. I’m beginning to have my doubt. Schools must now share revenue with their players, but how is that going to affect the competitive balance of college football? That’s what fans really want to know.

If the settlement wraps up in time, schools will begin paying players on July 1. To regulate this new world, college football’s leaders are creating a new governing body, the College Sports Commission. The new commissioner will be announced soon.

Will this new commission and the House v. NCAA legal settlement make college football a better version of itself? Depends on the perspective.

The potential problem with House v. NCAA is that it won’t do enough to curb the inherent corruption of college football. For the SEC, maybe that’s a good thing.

Boosters in the SEC are still going to find a way to pay for the best players.

Sounds like full-on pro sports to me.

If Sankey wants to keep the SEC atop its college football pedestal, he should be fighting for as many guaranteed spots in the College Football Playoff as possible.

That would have, at the very least, landed Ole Miss in the 2025 CFP. As for Alabama, let’s just hope they’ve spent their money wisely.

BE HEARD

Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”

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Legendary R&B singer weeps onstage: ‘We don’t take that for granted’

Patti LaBelle got emotional Saturday when celebrating her 81st birthday in front of a sold-out crowd in Brooklyn.

LaBelle, who performed with Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills and Chaka Khan, got choked up when she talked about touring with her long-time friends.

“We don’t take that for granted. We are such hardworking women,” she said, per PEOPLE. “I’ve been doing it for 65 years, and to still have people come to see our show, we are truly blessed.

“I can’t do all of this without my band, my crew, my lighting, my sound, my security — which I don’t need — but I’ve got Will. And this is for my son, Zuri. God bless all of you.”

The Grammy-winning singer also talked about her latest birthday.

“Let me say something. I have so many people who are afraid to say how young they are,” she told the crowd. “Don’t be scared. 81 is wonderful, okay? Happy birthday.”

She was later joined on stage, per the report, by a large group of people, including her son and longtime manager, Zuri Kye Edwards.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

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New Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa girls basketball coach eager to meet challenge

Jessica McBrayer knows the challenge that lies ahead for her – and she welcomes it.

“I’m excited to step into a program where already there is a standard,” said McBrayer, who has been hired as the new girls basketball coach at 2025 Class 7A runner-up Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. “I am used to being a builder, but when I first met with the girls the other day, it was very clear that the goal is to win the state championship.

“It’s really cool to step into an environment where there is a high standard. The girls carry themselves with that standard. I’m excited to continue that and also to elevate it and get that first state championship with these girls.”

McBrayer comes to Hillcrest after two seasons at Cullman High School following six seasons as women’s head coach at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, where she compiled a 125-41 record. The Hartselle native was 30-33 at Cullman and replaces Nick Browder, who resigned in April to take the job coaching at Area 5 rival Thompson.

Browder led the Patriots to a 33-3 finish last season, falling to Hoover 51-44 in the state championship game. He was 129-34 in five seasons at Hillcrest.

McBrayer and her husband, Michael – who retired as the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Highway Patrol Chief – have two daughters. Kinsey, 21, recently graduated from Wallace State and has gone to work at a salon in Huntsville and Brantley will be a freshman at Hillcrest.

“I loved coaching at Wallace State,” said McBrayer, who played there and was an assistant before taking the head coaching job. “It was my first coaching job ever. I felt like it would be the place where I retired. My husband is from Cullman and Cullman called me and asked if I would be interested. My daughter (Brantley) was going into the seventh grade and it was a family decision. It made sense to step away from college to coach her and spend time with her at that age.”

“It’s a real honor and privilege and one that I embrace with great purpose of carrying on,” McBrayer said of her new position. “Hillcrest reached out when Nick took the job over at Thompson. (Athletic director) Brad Armstrong gave me a call and asked if I’d be interested. There are probably only a handful of jobs I’d be interested in and Hillcrest is definitely one of them.

“I met with the administration and they are simply incredible. Hillcrest is a basketball school with so much of legacy and tradition on both sides, boys and girls. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Hillcrest’s girls made back-to-back state title games in 2024 and ’25, falling to Hazel Green in the Class 6A championship before moving up to 7A last season. The Patriots handed Hoover one of its four losses with a regular-season win on Jan. 20.

The Patriots face Thompson, Prattville and Tuscaloosa County in area play.

“At Cullman,” McBrayer said, “we were an average basketball team, but we played an unreal schedule. I love a challenge. You can’t be what you can’t see. My girls at Cullman were never scared of a fight. When we played Clay-Chalkville in the regional, we were ready for it. I’m excited to be in a place where night-in, night-out you’re playing the toughest competition in the state. If you’re going to compete, there is no way better than to compete against the best.”

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DeKalb and Marshall counties placed under a flood warning until Wednesday morning due to prolonged downpours

At 6:43 a.m. on Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a flood warning in effect until 9:45 a.m. for DeKalb and Marshall counties.

The weather service states, “Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected for DeKalb and Marshall counties.”

“Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring. Numerous roads remain closed due to flooding. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable,” adds the weather service. “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.”

Deciphering advisories, watches, and warnings: Understanding weather alerts

• Flash flood warning: Take action!

A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area, move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

• Flood warning: Take action!

A flood warning is declared when flooding is on the verge of happening or is already underway.

• Flood advisory: Be aware:

A flood advisory is released when flooding is not expected to reach a severity level necessitating a warning. Nonetheless, it can still cause considerable inconvenience and, without exercising caution, potentially lead to situations that threaten life and/or property.

• Flood watch: Be prepared:

A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It doesn’t guarantee that flooding will occur, but it signifies that the possibility exists.

Staying safe during a flood: Recommendations from the weather service

Floods can pose a significant threat, especially if you live in a flood-prone area or find yourself camping in a low-lying region. To ensure your safety, the weather service offers essential flood safety guidelines:

Move to higher ground:

If you’re in a flood-prone area, or if you’re camping in a low-lying spot, move to higher ground as a first step.

Adhere to evacuation orders:

If local authorities issue an evacuation order, heed it promptly. Prior to leaving, secure your home by locking it.

Disconnect utilities and appliances:

If time permits, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding.

Steer clear of flooded basements and submerged areas:

Steer clear of basements or rooms where water has submerged electrical outlets or cords. This helps prevent electrical accidents.

Swift evacuation for your safety:

If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping noises, evacuate immediately. Avoid any water that may be charged with electricity.

Stay away from floodwaters:

Never attempt to walk through floodwaters. Even just 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.

Seek high ground if trapped:

Should you become trapped by moving water, reach the highest point possible and dial 911 to contact emergency services.

During heavy rain, flooding is possible, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Never drive through water on the road, even if it does not appear to be deep. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars, according to the weather service. Prioritize your safety by staying informed and prepared.

Navigating heavy rain: Essential safety measures for wet roads

Heavy rainfall may lead to flooding if prolonged or if there is excessive runoff. Excessive runoff can be a result of saturated ground and/or rainfall intensity. Follow these recommendations from the weather service to stay safe in heavy rain:

Beware of rapid water flow:

During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Prioritize visibility:

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins. Grime and oil on the road surface mix with water to make the road slippery.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

• Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.
• When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey.

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

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General

More storms expected today in Alabama: Is there an end to severe weather in sight?

Alabama will again run the risk of seeing a few severe storms, but this time they may not appear until this afternoon or tonight.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather later today for areas in Alabama roughly along and south of the Interstate 20 corridor.

Rain and a few storms were moving across the northern part of the state on Wednesday morning, but they were not expected to become severe.

The National Weather Service thinks today’s round of storms won’t actually arrive here until this afternoon or tonight, and they could last into Thursday morning.

A Level 1 risk means isolated severe storms will be possible, and they could bring damaging winds and hail along with them.

Most of the rest of the state has the potential to see rain and storms too, but organized severe weather is not expected.

More storms are expected, this time during the day, on Thursday and again on Friday, when a cold front is expected to move into the state.

Here’s the severe outlook for Thursday:

On Thursday, forecasters will be watching for another cluster of storms, or mesoscale convective system (MCS), to slide into the state from the northwest.

Thursday’s storms could also bring along damaging winds and hail.

Here’s the outlook for Friday:

There is some good news in this forecast.

The weather service expects Friday to be the last day for severe weather risks for Alabama (at least for a while), and cooler temperatures and sunny skies are expected over the weekend.

After Friday there is no severe weather in the forecast for Alabama through next week (fingers crossed).

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General

Massachusetts 7th grader cannot wear ‘there are only two genders’ shirt, US Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down a middle-school student’s claim he had a free-speech right to wear a T-shirt stating there are “only two genders.”

Over two dissents, the justices let stand a ruling that said a school may enforce a dress code to protect students from “hate speech” or bullying.

After three months of internal debate, the justices decided they would not take up another conservative, culture war challenge to progressive policies that protect LGBTQ+ youth.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. filed a 14-page dissent joined only by Justice Clarence Thomas. He said the case “presented an issue of great importance for our nation’s youth: whether public schools may suppress student speech because it expresses a viewpoint the schools disfavor.”

Liam Morrison, a 7th grader from Massachusetts, said he was responding to his school’s promotion of Pride Month when students were encouraged to wear rainbow colors and posters urged them to “rise up to protect trans and gender non-confirming students.”

Two years ago, he went to school wearing a black T-shirt that said “There are only two genders.”

A teacher reported him to the principal who sent him home to change his shirt. A few weeks later, he returned with the word “censored” taped over the words “two genders” but was sent home again.

The T-shirt dispute asked the Supreme Court to decide whether school officials may limit the free expression of some students to protect others from messages they may see as offensive or hurtful.

In March, the court voted to hear a free-speech challenge to laws in California and 21 other states that forbid licensed counselors from using “conversion therapy” with minors.

That case, like the one on school T-shirts, arose from appeals by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal group. It has already won free-speech rulings that allowed a cake maker and a website designer to refuse to participate in same-sex weddings despite state laws that barred discrimination based on sexual orientation.

On April 22, the court sounded ready to rule for religious parents in Montgomery County, Md., who seek the right to have their young elementary children “opt out” of the classroom use of a new “LGBTQ-inclusive” storybooks.

The T-shirt case came before the court shortly after President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring the U.S. government will “recognize two sexes, male and female,” not “an ever-shifting concept of self-assessed gender identity.”

While the Supreme Court has yet to rule on T-shirts and the 1st Amendment, lower courts have upheld limits imposed by schools.

In 2006, the 9th Circuit Court in a 2-1 decision upheld school officials at Poway High School in San Diego who barred a student from wearing a T-shirt that said “Homosexuality is shameful.” The appeals court said students are free to speak on controversial matters, but they are not free to make “derogatory and injurious remarks directed at students’ minority status such as race, religion and sexual orientation.”

Other courts have ruled schools may prohibit a student from wearing a Confederate flag on a T-shirt.

In the new case from Massachusetts, the boy’s father said his son’s T-shirt message was not “directed at any particular person” but dealt with a “hot political topic.”

In their defense, school officials pointed to their policy against “bullying” and a dress code that says “clothing must not state, imply, or depict hate speech or imagery that target groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or any other classification.”

Lawyers for the ADF sued on the student’s behalf and argued the school violated his rights under the 1st Amendment. They lost before a federal judge in Boston who ruled for school officials and said the T-shirt “invaded the rights of the other students … to a safe and secure educational environment.”

The 1st Circuit Court agreed as well, noting that schools may limit free expression of students if they fear a particular message will cause a disruption or “poison the atmosphere” at school.

The Supreme Court’s most famous ruling on student rights arose during the Vietnam War. In 1969, the Warren Court ruled for high school students who wore black arm bands as a protest.

In Tinker vs. Des Moines, the court said students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate….For school officials to justify prohibition of a particular expression of opinion, [they] must be able to show that its action was caused by something more than a mere desire to avoid the discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint.”

The justices said then a symbolic protest should be permitted so long as it did not cause a “substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities.”

The attorneys for Liam Morrison contended he should win under that standard.

“This case isn’t about T-shirts. It’s about public school telling a middle-schooler that he isn’t allowed to express a view that it differs from their own,” said David Cortman, an ADF attorney in the case of L.M vs. Town of Middleborough.

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©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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