Alabama News

The rising American country-rock group, The Red Clay Strays, are currently on their 33-stop Get Right tour and have tour dates scattered around the country from July through to Oct.

The group, which originated in Mobile, Alabama, recently added more show dates back in June following an “overwhelming demand” for more shows. Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama are the latest states to join the lineup for upcoming shows.

In addition to the newly added shows, the group will travel to major cities around the country including Minneapolis, Chicago, Austin, Detroit and more, and though most shows are sold out on their website, those eager enough to see the group live can find tickets still available for purchase through other sites.

2025 Red Clay Strays tickets

Those looking to see the group while on the Get Right tour can find tickets available for purchase through Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, Viagogo and Seat Geek.

Those looking to purchase tickets via Vivid Seats can enjoy $20 off a $200+ order by using code AL20.

Red Clay Strays Huntsville tickets

The Alabama-born music group is set to close out the North American leg of their extensive Get Right tour in Huntsville, Alabama with a show at the Orion Amphitheater on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Those looking to catch The Red Clay Strays while in their home state can find the current ticket prices available below.

Ticketmaster: Tickets start at $162.18 per person

Vivid Seats: Tickets start at $151 per person

StubHub: Tickets start at $160 per person

Viagogo: Tickets start at $152 per person

Seat Geek: Tickets start at $149 per person

Get Right tour dates

• July 26 – Bend, Oregon – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
• July 27 – Nampa, Idaho – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
• July 31 – Minneapolis, Minnesota – The Armory
• Aug. 2 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – BMO Pavilion
• Aug. 3 – Cleveland, Ohio – Jacobs Pavilion
• Aug. 8, 9 & 10 – Darien Center, New York – Outlaw Music Festival
• Aug. 12 – Columbus, Ohio – KEMBA Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre
• Aug. 13 – Indianapolis, Indiana – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
• Aug. 15 – Wilmington, North Carolina – Live Oak Band Pavilion at Riverfront Park
• Aug. 16 – Raleigh, North Carolina – Red Hat Amphitheater
• Aug. 20 – St. Augustine, Florida – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
• Aug. 22 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
• Aug. 24 – Richmond, Virginia – Allianz Amphitheatre at Riverfront
• Aug. 28 – Bridgeport, Connecticut – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
• Aug. 29 – Asbury Park, New Jersey – The Stone Pony Summer Stage
• Sept. 3 & 4 – Chicago, Illinois – The Salt Shed
• Sept. 6 – Cincinnati, Ohio – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
• Sept. 7 – Maryland Heights, Missouri – Saint Louis Music Park
• Sept. 11 – Andover, Kansas – Capitol Federal Amphitheater
• Sept. 12 – Colorado Springs, Colorado – Ford Amphitheater
• Sept. 14 & 15 – Morrison, Colorado – Red Rocks
• Sept. 19 – Independence, Missouri – Cable Dahmer Arena
• Sept. 20 – La Vista, Nebraska – The Astro Amphitheater
• Sept. 25 – Irving, Texas – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
• Sept. 26 – Lubbock, Texas – Cooks Garage
• Sept. 28 – Austin, Texas – Moody Amphitheater
• Oct. 2 – Pikeville, Kentucky – Appalachian Wireless Arena
• Oct. 4 & 5 – Detroit, Michigan – Fox Theatre
• Oct. 9 – Macon, Georgia – Atrium Health Amphitheater
• Oct. 10 – North Charleston, South Carolina – Riverfront Revival Music Festival 2025
• Oct. 12 – Salt Lake City, Utah – REDWEST 2025
• Oct. 15 – Huntsville, Alabama – Orion Amphitheater

One person is in custody and more arrests are expected after a massive gunfight in Montgomery County.

Sheriff’s deputies responded about 8:30 p.m. Friday to an active gunfight involving multiple people in the 6800 block of Atlanta Highway, said Assistant Chief Deputy Wesley Richerson. That location is between Brown Springs Road and Taylor Road.

All of the suspects involved fled the scene before deputies arrived. No injuries were reported.

Deputies and investigators worked throughout the night, carrying out numerous search warrants at various locations, processing evidence, and identifying suspects.

Multiple vehicles and firearms, including an assault rifle, used in the shootout were recovered, Richerson said.

Early Saturday, deputies arrested one of the suspects.

King Walker, 19, is charged with attempted murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied building. He is being held in the Montgomery County Detention Facility on $90,000 bond.

“We want these criminals to know that if they commit a violent crime and jeopardize the safety of our community, the men and women of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will not sleep until they are identified, located, and arrested,” Richerson said. “We are committed to ensuring violent offenders are held accountable for their actions.”

Richerson said more arrests are expected.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 334- 832-4980 or Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP.

A North Alabama police department and other agencies are looking for a suspect who shot a Scottsboro police officer during a a police chase early Saturday, WHNT reported.

The Scottsboro Police Department is looking for 29-year-old Daniel Victor McCarn, a former Huntsville resident now living in Scottsboro, according to The Clarion Newspaper.

The Clarion reported that the officer’s injuries were not life-threatening.

McCarn is described as having brown hair, brown eyes and a height of 5′10″ and a weight of 260 lbs.

The incident began around 1:49 a.m. after the Scottsboro Police Department responded to calls about a domestic incident on Ruth Street, according to WHNT.

After arriving to the area, McCarn is alleged to have fled the scene which prompted a police chase. The chase ended up in a crash at the intersection of County Road Park and U.S. Highway 72, according to the outlet.

Shortly after the crash, McCarn then left the vehicle he was driving and began shooting at police.

He hit a Scottsboro Police Department officer, who was later transferred to the hospital for their injuries.

McCarn should be considered armed and dangerous, according to the department.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lukas Nelson is set to embark on his first-ever solo headlining tour in Sept. with the first two shows set in Austin, Texas at the Paramount Theatre Sept. 29-30.

Presale for the upcoming American Romance Tour kicked off July 24 with general on-sale tickets set to be available on Friday, July 25 at 10 a.m. local time.

The tour is geared towards celebrating Nelson’s latest release, an album by the same name, which was released in June and marked his ninth studio album release.

While on the 20-stop American Romance tour, Nelson is set to visit popular music venues such as the Paramount Theatre in Denver, the Globe Iron in Cleveland, The Majestic Theatre in Detroit and more.

Lukas Nelson American Romance tour tickets

Those hoping to find tickets to one of the American Romance tour dates can find them available for purchase through Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, Viagogo and Seat Geek.

Those looking to purchase tickets via Vivid Seats can enjoy $20 off a $200+ order by using code AL20.

American Romance tour schedule

• Sept. 29 & 30 – Austin, Texas – Paramount Theatre
• Oct. 2 – Dallas, Texas – Majestic Theatre
• Oct. 3 – Little Rock, Arkansas – The Hall
• Oct. 4 – Memphis, Tennessee – Mempho Music Festival 2025
• Oct. 6 – Decatur, Alabama – The Princess Theatre
• Oct. 8 – Nashville, Tennessee – The Pinnacle
• Oct. 9 – Atlanta, Georgia – Buckhead Theatre
• Oct. 10 – North Charleston, South Carolina – Riverfront Revival Music Festival 2025
• Oct. 12 – Wilmington, North Carolina – Live Oak Bank Pavilion
• Oct. 14 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre
• Oct. 15 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia
• Oct. 21 – Cleveland, Ohio – Globe Iron
• Oct. 22 – Detroit, Michigan – The Majestic Theatre
• Oct. 24 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The Rave/Eagles Club
• Oct. 25 – Madison, Wisconsin – The Sylvee
• Oct. 26 – Chicago, Illinois – The Vic Theatre
• Oct. 28 – Saint Paul, Minnesota – Palace Theatre
• Oct. 29 – Omaha, Nebraska – The Admiral Theater
• Oct. 31 – Denver, Colorado – Paramount Theatre

In the run-up to the 2025 season, AL.com featured some of the best 6A wide receivers in Alabama high school football.

Now, we want to hear from you: Which 6A wide receiver will be the best of the best in 2025?

Read the write-ups on every wide receiver here, and then vote in the poll at the bottom of this page.

Best players at each position: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

The voting will conclude Sunday, August 17, at 11:59 p.m. Central. Later, we will publish the “fans’ all-star team” based on the vote of the readers.

Note: AL.com’s polls are intended to be fun. You can vote as many times as you want, but we discourage the use of script, macro or other automated means. AL.com reserves the right to adjust the voting based on irregularities. Email [email protected] with concerns.

THE CANDIDATES

(Candidates were selected based on information provided by coaches. Some coaches declined to respond to our requests for information about their team. Read more about each of these players here.)

Kaleb Amerson, so., Clay-Chalkville

Marcus Arnold, jr., Pelham

Corey Barber, sr., Clay-Chalkville

Elijah Bates, sr., Calera

BJ Bedgood, sr., Benjamin Russell

Jamari Burnett, sr., Russell County

Revelation Clark, so., Brookwood

Christopher Cunningham, so., Theodore

Keyshawn Curry, sr., Gadsden City

Lejames Daniels, sr., Baldwin County

Tristan Darden, jr., Pelham

Mayson Dates, sr., Pell City

Carter Davis, jr., Gulf Shores

Kentrell Davis, sr., Parker

Dontae Deas, so., Russell County

Hakim Dunnigan, sr., Columbia

Mason Edwards, jr., Spanish Fort

Carter Feagin, jr., McAdory

Tomon Felton, sr., Homewood

Ezra Fowler, sr., Muscle Shoals

Jacob Gibbs, jr., Pelham

Quaylen Hampton, jr., Decatur

Elias Holtzclaw, jr., Pike Road

Anthony Howard, jr., Theodore

Dejay Jackson, so., Benjamin Russell

Jayden Jackson, sr., Fort Payne

Jacari “Red” Johnson, sr., Clay-Chalkville

Aidan Lovell, jr., Athens

Mason McClure, jr., Spain Park

Aiden McGee, jr., Brookwood

Jaylon Moore, jr., Calera

Cederian Morgan, sr., Benjamin Russell

Christian Pritchard, jr., Muscle Shoals

Kena Rego, sr., Spain Park

Gavin Rivers, sr., Pike Road

Ryker Shankles, sr., Fort Payne

Crishawn Sharp, sr., Theodore

Keilan Smith, sr., Gadsden City

Omari Smith, sr., Pike Road

DeShawn Spencer, sr., Saraland

Damien Tate, sr., Spanish Fort

Jaylin Taylor, sr., Oxford

Caaleb Thomas, fr., Chelsea

Christian Thomas, sr., Pinson Valley

Endymion Tyus, sr., Athens

Jaxon Unger, sr., Athens

Raheem Vasser, sr., Theodore

Dj Wade, fr., Pell City

Dominic White, sr., Minor

Chenyis Wilson-Fuller, so., Bessemer City

Eric Young, jr., Benjamin Russell

For complete coverage of Alabama high school football, including schedules, scores, recruiting news and additional player spotlights, visit AL.com’s high school sports section throughout the season.

A Chinese immigrant wanted for fraud in New York State is being held in detention in Marshall County.

The Marshall County Sheriff’s office arrested Xu Feng, who was working at Chow King in Albertville, on July 18.

“He’s still in our jail waiting for extradition, said Willy Orr, Chief Deputy with for sheriff. “He’ll be extradited to New York as soon as all the arrangements are finished.”

Feng is wanted as a part of a DMV fraud scheme in New York to give permits and licenses to people who hadn’t passed a test.

Most of the applicants were Chinese immigrants, according to a statement by the New York Offices of the Inspector General on July 2.

“We will hold accountable anyone who abuses their public office, circumvents the law or undermines the systems that millions of Americans rely on in good faith.” said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon about a 139-count indictment against employees of T&E driving school in Queens.

The school was charging $1,600 for a permit and $2,000 for a license to mostly non-English speaking clients, the statement said.

DMV workers were paid for helping with the scheme.

Most defendants in the case face a 2-to-7-year prison sentence if convicted.

Three legends of Alabama high school coaching will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards in January.

The Alabama Football Coaches Association announced this week that Curtis Coleman, Terry Curtis and Danny Powell would be honored at the group’s annual Coach of the Year banquet on Jan. 31 in Montgomery.

All three of this year’s recipients have deep roots in Coastal Alabama.

Coleman played linebacker at Escambia County High in Atmore before playing college football at Livingston. He spent 23 years as a head coach – six at Ensley, 12 at Huffman and five at Shades Valley, winning 129 games in the process. Coleman joined the staff of former player Jerry Hood at Clay-Chalkville and is now working with Hood at Leeds. He also served a tenure on the AHSAA’s Central Board of Control.

Curtis, the current president of the Central Board, announced his retirement as head football coach at UMS-Wright in February. After playing baseball at Auburn University, Curtis spent 26 years in the public school system, including head coaching jobs at Shaw High School and his alma mater Murphy High School. He then spent 26 at UMS-Wright where he led the Bulldogs to eight state titles. He finished his coaching career with 361 total wins, currently second all-time in AHSAA coaching wins.

Powell graduated from Leroy and first made his coaching name with the Bears. He led the team to four Class 2A state titles in five years from 2006-2010. He then won a 4A state title at Jackson in 2011. He spent 21 years overall as a head coach, winning 186 games. He was 43-12 in the playoffs. His other head coaching stops included McIntosh Christian, Lee-Scott, Clarke Prep and Jackson Academy. He retired following the 2023 season.

“I remember Danny Powell, one of the best high school coaches in Alabama,” former Leroy and Auburn star Sammie Coates said earlier this week. “He’s in the Hall of Fame. What he implanted was hard work. He didn’t care who you were. If you didn’t do it the way he wanted it, you weren’t going to play for him. That’s one thing I take away from high school. You’ve got to earn everything. I learned that from Danny Powell. If you didn’t want to be there, you could go on. Also, just the team we had in high school, how close we were. That’s why we won so much. We did everything together. There are no secrets to winning. It’s a family. You have to be on the same page. Coach Powell made sure we were on the same page, not only in football, but baseball as well.”

An immigrant who is a legal permanent resident of the United States was held in an Alabama jail for 27 days on an ICE detainer that had expired, a lawsuit claims.

Ricardo Villalta was arrested on a public intoxication charge at a gas station in Prattville on Jan. 27, 2024.

He was taken to the Autauga County Metro Jail and booked by the sheriff’s office, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.

“Sheriff (Mark) Harrell… unlawfully denied Villalta his freedom and constitutionally guaranteed due process of the law,” the suit, filed in March 2025 alleges.

The sheriff and his attorneys did not respond to a request for comment.

Villalta’s attorney also did not respond.

Villalta is a legal permanent resident of the U.S., according to the suit.

When he was arrested, he was carrying an Alabama driver’s license and other papers showing he was in the country legally.

Once at the jail, officers put Villalta on the phone with a federal immigration agent.

He shared his Social Security number, birthday and phone number and explained he had legal status, according to the suit.

His wife tried to post bond for him but was told by the sheriff’s office that ICE had placed a detainer on him.

An ICE detainer lasts 48 hours and decision-making authority stays with the sheriff, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that ICE issued a detainer for Villalta without probable cause and then the sheriff held him for nearly a month, telling his family he was acting under the detainer, which was false, according to the suit.

On February 7, Villalta appeared before a municipal court judge in Prattville and pled guilty to public intoxication.

He was sentenced with a fine and credit for time served.

The judge ordered his release from jail, according to the suit, and told him he would get out that evening or the next day.

Still, the sheriff did not release Villalta.

The following morning, his son, Ricardo Villalta Jr., went to speak with the sheriff.

He mentioned the court order and was told, “That only happens in the movies,” according to the complaint.

The sheriff held Villalta for 27 days, releasing him March 5, according to the suit.

“Each day Mr. Villalta asked about his release, but was given no information or explanation,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit alleges that during his month in the jail, his cellmate threatened to kill him and “performed disturbing and grotesque acts in the cell,” the complaint states.

“Mr. Villalta’s cellmate cut a (hole) in his sleeping mattress, filled it with water and white bread saved from the bologna sandwiches served in the jail, and then engaged in sex acts with the mattress,” the suit states.

Villalta’s complaints were ignored. His lawsuit alleges he lost weight due to stress.

When analyzing Auburn football’s defensive tackles, the Tigers return just two starters, Malik Blocton and Quientrail Jamison-Travis.

Auburn welcomed three seniors from the transfer portal and signed three freshmen for that position group.

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze spoke highly of his defensive front during SEC media days and believes in the depth he’s added.

“Our chemistry and carryover in coaching is here for a second consecutive year, and most of our locker room is bought into the standard to which we think it will take for us to win football games,” Freeze said at SEC media days.

Here’s a look at the Tigers’ defensive tackles entering fall camp.

Players

*Malik Blocton– Sophomore

*Quientrail Jamison-Travis — Senior

Dallas Walker IV— Senior, Western Kentucky transfer

James Ash — Senior, Florida A&M

Jay Hardy — Senior, Liberty transfer

Malik Autry — Freshman

Jourdin Crawford — Freshman

Darrion Smith — Freshman

*Indicates projected starter

What to know

Blocton made an immediate impact in his first season, finishing with 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss. In his debut against Alabama A&M, he totaled three tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss.

Nose tackle Jamison-Travis enters fall camp with the most experience in Auburn’s defensive scheme. Last season he finished with 14 tackles and two sacks.

Walker, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound nose tackle, was the Tigers first defensive signings from the portal. Spending the past two seasons at WKU, he finished last year with 45 tackles, four for loss and an interception.

Former Liberty defensive lineman Jay Hardy committed to the Tigers next, reuniting with Hugh Freeze and returning to the school where he started his career.

In his career at Liberty, Hardy tallied 54 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks and three pass deflections.

Ash was the third defensive line transfer Auburn added from the portal. In his three seasons at FAMU, Ash tallied 86 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, three pass deflections and one interception.

Out of the freshman, Jourdin Crawford has turned heads during the spring football period.

“Jourdin Crawford strength and explosives is special, and he’s very difficult to handle. And we’ve got a really good center in Connor Lew, and Jourdin is a handful. And I was telling people earlier; I really like the depth of our interior,” Freeze said at SEC media days.

Autry was the Tigers highest rated recruit in the according to 247sports. He was the first commit in the 2025 recruiting class.

He helped lead Opelika to a 9-3 record during his senior season, tallying 22 tackles, 16 quarterback hurries, six tackles for loss and two sacks, according to MaxPreps.

Smith originally committed to Tennesse before flipping to Auburn on signing day. With the loaded position room heading into fall camp, he will be competing with the other star freshmen in the rotation.

Jerry Humphrey III covers Auburn sports forAL.com. You can follow him on X at @Jerryhump3or email him at [email protected].

A Birmingham area political group critical of President Donald Trump is back with a new billboard and a provocative question:

“What’s the big secret, fellas?”

Birmingham Blue Dot, a group of progressives, is weighing in on the last political controversy surrounding disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump and the so-called ‘Epstein Files.’ The issue has divided MAGA faithful to the delight of some Democrats.

The digital sign features an image of President Donald Trump and Epstein. The sign is on a billboard facing northbound traffic on the Red Mountain Expressway just across from the Highland and Arlington Avenue exit.

“In these divisive times this is actually one subject upon which folks on the left and right agree,” said organizer Joellyn Beckham, who also designed most of the images.

“For those on the right, it’s a matter of fairness, the elite class – the deep state – must be treated the same as average citizens. For those on the left, it’s a question of justice. Equal justice under U.S. law. No man or woman is above it.”

The Epstein issue has dominated national headlines and the subject of political chatter from insiders and observers.

Locally, Birmingham Blue Dot has frequently weighed in on national issues, offering their own commentary though the digital billboards featuring illustrations, photos and snarky titles.

There is a bipartisan effort in Washington to release records of Epstein. There’s also criticism and division among Trump loyalists over the trickle of information after promises to release a trove of information surrounding the convicted predator and his high-power associates and friends.

Trump was once a friend and guest of Epstein before he said they had a split and the friendship ended. This list of Epstein associates is broad and bipartisan and included former President Bill Clinton. Neither man said they knew anything about Epstein crimes involving sex trafficking underaged girls.

Phillip Brown, chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, dismissed innuendo surrounding Epstein’s case or any secret files.

“I am amazed that the Democrats are intrigued as to what is in the files. They had them during the Biden administration and did nothing with them,” he said. “Now their interest has been heightened.”

Brown said any damaging information about Trump would have been released when Democrats controlled the White House.

“I am confident that there is nothing in there about Trump because if there were, the Biden administration would have published it already,” he said.

The group has designed and sponsored about 25 messages between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa since February.

An early poster skewered Sen, Katie Britt and urged her action to prevent planned funding cuts at UAB. The message featured a photo of Britt speaking with a raised hand with the caption, “Lip service over public service? Raise your hand.”

Another poster illustrated both senators Britt and Tommy Tuberville wearing a Soviet-era Russian hat.

Birmingham Blue Dot in April sponsored messages seen by thousands attending the University of Alabama special commencement appearance by Trump.

The posters in Birmingham and in Tuscaloosa featured an image of the back of Trump’s head and referenced his civil case where writer E. Jean Carroll accused him of a 1996 sexual assault.

The signs read “Molester, felon grabs UA by the diploma.”

A jury found him liable and awarded Carroll millions in civil damages. Trump was also convicted on criminal charges in New York of improper use of campaign funds.

Trump carried Alabama overwhelmingly in each of his three runs for president and Republicans hold every statewide elected seat and maintain a supermajority in the state legislature.

Still, Beckham said the sign series is designed to offer another perspective to audiences who might not overwise hear them. Politics is polarized, often with other sides muted to the other, she said.

“Too many of us get our news off of social media. This means our headlines and stories have been cherry picked for us by artificial intelligence, and that we are often completely unaware of important details that matter when we are trying to interpret the news,” Beckham said.

“Are Alabamians really that different from each other? Maybe. But when given the same set of facts, maybe not.”