The Tuscaloosa News
Building from the ground up
During the first Tuscaloosa City Council and committee meetings of 2026 on Jan. 6, subjects covered include a handful of projects reshaping the look and lifestyle of the Druid City, including major revamps of 20th-century properties that were once...
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Ivey calls for broader use of death penalty
Gov. Kay Ivey Tuesday called for expansions to a voucher-like school program and broader use of the death penalty in her State of the State address. In the Old House Chambers in the Alabama State Capitol, Ivey’s ninth and final State of the State was...
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2026 Kentuck Festival to be held Oct. 17-18
The 55th Kentuck Festival of the Arts will be held Oct. 17-18 in Tuscaloosa's Snow Hinton Park. The application window is approaching for artists wishing to be part of the renowned festival. Artists can apply beginning March 1 until 11:59 p.m. June...
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Alfre Woodward to speak at Realizing the Dream banquet
Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Smokie Norful and actor Alfre Woodard will be featured in the Realizing the Dream events in Tuscaloosa, an annual tradition that honors the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King. Jr. This is the 17th year of...
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Furor continues over ICE shootings
Tensions remained high Jan. 9 as shootings involving immigration agents in Minneapolis and in Portland, Oregon, drew protesters to the streets and deepened fractures between federal and state officials. In Portland, a U.S. Border Patrol officer shot...
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IT’S SHOWTIME!
Although the year is still new, 2026 is shaping up to be an entertaining one in Tuscaloosa. Here’s what to know about some of the festivals, concerts and shows you can expect as the year unfolds. Festivals Tuscaloosa is home to two notable art...
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Councilman creates bust of George H.W. Bush
Lee Busby finds a little clay under his fingernails from time to time. The retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel has served as a Tuscaloosa City Council member for about seven years, but the clay comes from his art: He creates sculptures in his...
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Tuscaloosa City Schools earns highest-ever score on report card
The Tuscaloosa City Schools system is one step closer to reaching its goal of becoming a grade “A” school system. The system earned an 86 on the 2025 Alabama State Department of Education report card, which is Tuscaloosa City Schools’ highest-ever...
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Bringing a vision to life
Adept adjustments continue to be made by the University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance, as it transitions into the in-progress $177 million, 103,088 square-foot Smith Family Center for Performing Arts. h Recent seasons have been truncated,...
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‘Trump’ is everywhere in his second term
WASHINGTON – As a New York businessman, President Donald Trump put his name on real estate, golf courses, vodka, steaks, bottled water and his own university. As president in his second term, he is merging his personal brand with national institutions...
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United Way of West Alabama exceeds 2025 goal
The United Way of West Alabama raised more than $4 million for 30 nonprofit agencies during its 2025 campaign. Campaign chair Josh Hayes and a group of "Live United" children announced this year's fundraising total Dec. 29 during halftime at the...
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Big events on calendar for 2026
As a new year dawns, many Americans are reflecting on 2025, a year marked by historic events including the inauguration of a president, the appointment of the first American pope, and major pop culture moments like the release of “Wicked: For Good” and...
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Niche ranks best college food for 2026
Alabama colleges aren’t just competing in academics this year, they’re battling it out in the dining halls. Niche’s 2026 Best College Food rankings highlight which campuses give students the best mix of taste, variety and value. h The rankings are...
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How to ring in 2026 in Tuscaloosa
It’s almost time to ring out 2025 and ring in 2026. Here’s a look at some ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Tuscaloosa: New Year’s for Kids The Children’s Hands-on Museum will host New Year’s for Kids from 9:30 a.m. until noon....
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TAKING SHAPE
As 2025 draws to a close, one of the future’s brightest lights continues to grow downtown across from the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, on the former site of The Tuscaloosa News’ building, and facing Parker-Haun Park, which will someday hold a...
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‘DEEP CONNECTION’
The places Indigenous peoples call home have intertwined with their ways of life for millennia. Their stories, foodways and cultures relate directly to their homelands. Lands, waters, plants and animals, the creatures that inhabit the waters below and...
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Grand opening date set for Northport’s third Aldi store
Aldi will open its third Northport grocery store in 2026. The grand opening for the new Aldi will begin at 9 a.m. Jan. 8 in the former home of Winn-Dixie at 13620 U.S. Highway 43 North. The first 200 customers will receive a gift bag filled with a...
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Where you can eat out in AL on Christmas Day
If you’re hoping to skip the kitchen this Christmas, you’re in luck. While many restaurants close on Christmas Day, several national chains in Alabama will open their doors, serving food whether you’re traveling, scrambling up a last-minute meal or...
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Library puts bookmobile on its Christmas list
The Tuscaloosa Public Library needs a new sleigh, and Saint Nick is nowhere in sight. The library’s aging bookmobile needs to be replaced, but with a budget more aligned with Ebenezer Scrooge than the jolly, gift-giving saint, the library is looking...
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Health care hikes could cost Republicans
WASHINGTON – Republican worries about losing their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives next year erupted last week when four moderates joined Democrats in a last-ditch effort to prevent a spike in health care costs for 24 million Americans...
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A CENTURY OF GROWTH
Imagine the sellout capacity of Bryant-Denny Stadium being so few that attendance could be counted by hand. h Imagine enrollment at the University of Alabama at just 4,334 − about one-ninth of its size today − and an academic faculty that numbered...
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Brown student to be laid to rest in AL
The funeral for Ella Cook, a Brown University sophomore from Mountain Brook who died last week in the Brown University shooting in Providence, RI., will be held Dec. 22 in Birmingham, her family announced. Cook, 19, was fatally shot on the Brown...
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Tinsel Trail one of country’s best holiday light displays
A national spotlight is shining on Tuscaloosa’s Tinsel Trail. The downtown attraction was named one of the Best Public Holiday Lights Display by USA TODAY’s 10BEST readers’ choice awards. The Tinsel Trail, which opened Nov. 24 and continues through...
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Tuscaloosa couple donates $1M for athletic center
Tuscaloosa Academy has received a $1 million gift to support the development of a new state-of-the-art athletic center. The donation was made by Chloé and Ric Mayers, a Tuscaloosa couple known for their philanthropic commitment to children and...
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Winners named in 49th annual West Alabama Christmas Parade
The Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority has named winners among the participants in the 49th annual West Alabama Christmas Parade. Thousands of people attended the parade, held Dec. 8 in downtown Tuscaloosa. The parade featured dozens of...
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‘WHERE IT ALL STARTED’
Kalen DeBoer always enjoys an Alabama football history lesson. h “I love understanding kind of where it all started,” DeBoer told The Tuscaloosa News. h But time is limited. DeBoer was weeks away from opening his second season with the Crimson Tide...
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SUGARPLUM SEASON
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote “The Nutcracker” ballet in 1892, and it has become one of the most beloved traditions of the Christmas season. The Tuscaloosa Community Dancers will perform the holiday classic Dec. 1114 at the Bama Theatre, 600...
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’Bama softball players shop for Toys for Tots
A quartet of Alabama softball players joined with Toys for Tots and West Shore Home to buy Christmas gifts that will help 600 children have a happy Christmas. Jocelyn Briski, Victoria Moten, Katilyn Pallozzi and Audrey Vandagriff shopped Nov. 20 in...
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New outdoor pickleball, basketball courts open
The city of Tuscaloosa has opened a pair of outdoor recreational facilities this fall, places where children and adults can have fun while keeping physically fit. One of the facilities gives kids the opportunity to sharpen their basketball skills,...
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Nick’s Kids Foundation honors 70 AL teachers
Nick and Terry Saban honored 70 teachers on Dec. 3 during the Nick’s Kids Foundation 14th annual Teacher Excellence Awards at Tuscaloosa River Market. h The Sabans said they believe strongly in education and supporting teachers because that is their...
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Winter wonderland
Christmas arrived early in Northport on Dec. 2 as hundreds of community members gathered for the 32nd annual Dickens Downtown celebration. h The free event took place along Main Avenue as the downtown area was transformed into a 19th-century winter...
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SNOW much fun
One of West Alabama’s largest Christmas events will take place Dec. 8 in downtown Tuscaloosa. Here’s what you need to know about the 49th annual West Alabama Christmas Parade: The parade route The parade, organized by the Tuscaloosa County Park and...
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DOJ identifies suspect in Jan. 6 pipe bomb case
WASHINGTON – Before joining the Trump administration, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino promoted conspiracy theories about the pipe bombs planted in Washington ahead of the U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, going as far as...
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Tuscaloosa Retail Trail extended to 4 days
The Tuscaloosa Downtown Merchants Association has expanded its annual Tuscaloosa Retail Trail to four days for 2025, beginning Thursday Dec. 4, and running through Sunday Dec. 7. Downtown Tuscaloosa will be decorated for the holidays, and the kickoff...
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IRON AND EMBER Virtual golf simulator opens at Ol’ Colony Golf Complex
When the University of Alabama golf team opened their new practice facility on Jack Warner Parkway, the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority found they had a building with no purpose at the Ol’ Colony Golf Complex. On Nov. 19, PARA unveiled...
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Boosting student potential
Students pump the chests of resuscitation mannequins in one classroom, learn computer skills in another and drive nails and cut boards in yet another – all part of the academic day at Northside High School in Northport. The school’s career tech...
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Christmas concerts bring holiday cheer
It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas and Tuscaloosa has plenty of concerts to help spread the holiday cheer. Here’s a look at some notable Christmas concerts coming up in the days ahead: Shelton State The Shelton State Community College...
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President’s Mansion getting makeover
One of the University of Alabama’s most iconic buildings will soon undergo repairs and renovations. Beginning Dec. 15, the UA President’s Mansion will undergo extensive exterior and interior updates for the first time in 35 years, according to a news...
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‘A win-win for both’
Another Iron Bowl tradition will continue this season: The mayors of Tuscaloosa and Auburn will place a wager on the football game’s outcome to benefit a local charity. If the University of Alabama wins the Nov. 29 game at in Auburn, Auburn Mayor Ron...
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING
There is no print edition of the paper today, but you can find today’s puzzles, comics, national news and sports here in the eNewspaper.
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Charities harness Alabama vs Auburn rivalry
The heated Iron Bowl football rivalry between the University of Alabama and Auburn University has inspired some notable charitable initiatives. These charities have shown that when the community works together, everybody wins. Here are three...
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Tuscaloosa events will put you in the Christmas spirit
Tuscaloosa will move swiftly into the Christmas season with some of the Druid City’s most cherished holiday traditions set for early December. Here’s a look at some of Tuscaloosa’s top Christmas events coming up in the days ahead: Dickens Downtown...
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College rivalry drives donations
For the fourth consecutive year, student-run food drives at the University of Alabama and Auburn University collectively raised over 1 million pounds of nonperishable items to benefit regional food banks. Each year, the two in-state rivals participate...
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Fashion show turns pain into positivity
Boys and girls, and men and women walked the runway Nov. 9 in Tuscaloosa as part of an effort to combat bullying with fashion. The 10th annual Bama Against Bullying fashion show at Tuscaloosa River Market raised awareness of the problems caused by...
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UA class addresses food insecurity in children
Bingo night at Innisfree Irish Pub turned into a battleground to combat food insecurity for West Alabama’s children thanks to an effort by Susan Daria’s public relations class at the University of Alabama. Alabama Credit Union founded the Secret Meals...
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104-year-old WWII vet shares his D-Day story
“Then, right in front of me, like God put it there, was a big rock bar, right there in the channel. I hit that rock bar going probably 500 miles an hour, just out of a dive, and I start skidding across rock.” Jerry Neal, retired Army Air Forces...
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City honors Marshall Four with bronze statues outside YMCA
Captured in life-sized bronzes by artist Caleb O’Connor over an intensive eight-month process, the Marshall Four will remain ever youthful, lean muscled arms akimbo atop hip pads, posing in jerseys numbered 87 for Larry Sanders, 40 for Freddy Wilson,...
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Jackson Hospital leaders describe bleak financial ‘hole’
Jackson Hospital’s financial struggles have culminated in an ultimatum: Either the hospital’s millionsof-dollars funding gap gets covered somehow so it can work toward financial recovery over the next five years, or it must present a federal bankruptcy...
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A ‘PEACE’ OF PARADISE
Tucked away on the Gulf Coast, where Alabama meets the sea, lies a quiet barrier island that often flies under the radar. But not anymore. h Dauphin Island, known for its unspoiled beaches, pastel sunsets and a pace of life that seems immune to the...
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COMMENCE COUNTDOWN
College graduation season is getting closer in Tuscaloosa as thousands of students prepare for fall commencement exercises. Here's what you need to know: The University of Alabama will hold fall commencement exercises Dec. 13 at Coleman...
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What fans need to know before Alabama vs LSU
Expect a sea of crimson and white mixed with purple and gold Nov. 8 in Tuscaloosa. The Alabama Crimson Tide will host the LSU Tigers, bringing thousands of fans to University of Alabama campus for a night football game. Here’s a look at what fans...
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‘Lights, Crimson, Action’
The University of Alabama will host its 2025 homecoming celebration Nov. 9-15, which will include a parade through downtown Tuscaloosa, a pep rally and bonfire on the Quad and a football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This year’s homecoming theme is...
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Morgan Wallen is coming to Bryant-Denny Stadium
Country star Morgan Wallen will play April 18, 2026, in the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. An extension of his “Still the Problem” tour, visiting stadiums across the country, was announced with a new online site rollout on...
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Northport opens new Riverside Tiger Park, outdoor fitness court
The city of Northport has opened a new park and the city’s second outdoor fitness court. Northport City Council members and people in the community gathered on Oct. 30 at 1301 20th St., to cut the ribbon on two new recreational facilities: Riverside...
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MIRROR, MIRROR
When it comes to Tuscaloosa’s eye-catching, life-sized or larger elephants, the disco-ball themed pachyderm outside the University Club, now roughly a year old, has a flaring edge, at least when the sun’s blazing. It’s 12 feet tall, including base, as...
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Madison makes a mark
Madison County, home to the hightech hub of Huntsville, ranks as the 25th best county to live in the U.S., according to a new ranking from Niche.com and tops the list for all of Alabama. Niche, a data-driven platform that analyzes schools and...
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Trick-or-treaters may need jackets Halloween
KPop Demon Hunters and superheroes might need to bundle up this Halloween in Tuscaloosa. Chilly temps could mean jackets or layered costumes are a must for trick-or-treaters. Still, kids can enjoy showing off their spooky and sparkly creations as they...
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REMEMBERING ‘MARSHALL FOUR’
The public is invited to the Nov. 5 unveiling of statues honoring four Tuscaloosa natives who died nearly 55 years ago in the Marshall University football team plane crash. h The ceremony, hosted by the city of Tuscaloosa, will begin at 9 a.m. at the...
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Bridgerton Ball raises money for organization
The Bridgerton Ball returns Thursday, Oct. 30, as the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra’s second such fundraising event, a Halloween night for grownups who like to dress up. The 2025 party is subtitled “The Queen’s Masquerade,” so guests are encouraged to...
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‘Let’s do the time warp again’
Fifty years of anticipation? Not really. In every showing for the still-running 1975 “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” joined by every shadow-cast performance – 18 years now in the Druid City, with Tuscaloosa’s Pink Box Burlesque’s turn coming up...
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‘Remarkable Alabama women’
Statues of Helen Keller and Rosa Parks were unveiled Friday morning on the Alabama Capitol grounds in Montgomery, making them the first women to be honored with statues on the state Capitol campus. The statues were unveiled Oct. 24, the 20th...
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Montgomery store offers free items for youths in need
Being raised by a single mom on Montgomery’s west side, Ashley Robinson remembers what it was like to want to shop for clothing and accessories, but not be able to afford it. “I have personal experience with needing more,” said Robinson, founder and...
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TACOM Hall of Fame inductee reflects on Anniston Army Depot career
ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT. — As a new inductee into the U.S. Army Tankautomotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Hall of Fame, Nathan Hill joins an elite group of individuals whose legacy continues to shape the future of Army readiness. The former civilian...
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BOO-TIFUL CREATIONS
Somewhat like lake- or land-dwelling cryptids, zombies feasting on brains or blobs devouring any matter in their paths, the Monster Makeover concept expanded greatly over the years. A small group of writers, videographers and graphic artists at The...
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Druid City Brewing Co. to celebrate co-founder’s birthday
Fans, friends and friends-whohaven’t-met-yet can celebrate the birthday of the co-founder, owner, host and emcee of one of Tuscaloosa’s most celebrated bars Oct. 24 with a concert, and the birthday boy’s own handmade dish. Tickets for the Bo Hicks...
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Buy for Rise brings bargains to Tuscaloosa shoppers
Let the shopping season begin. One of Tuscaloosa’s top fundraisers, featuring bargains from dozens of local retailers on merchandise ranging from clothing to home décor, is coming up. The University of Alabama Rise Center will host the 22nd annual...
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First Holt High all-girls team competing in carpentry contest
Five girls at Holt High School are going to compete against the guys in a construction competition known as the Team Build event later in October. Junior students Jennifer Martinez Franco, Hannah Ramirez, Viviani Hernandez, and seniors Esmeralda Trejo...
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Kentuck Festival earns praise after second year in Tuscaloosa
Tradition built Kentuck, and its centerpiece annual festival. The Oct. 11-12, 2025 54th Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts was just the second in its new location, at Tuscaloosa’s Snow Hinton Park, but dots are being connected to lessons learned,...
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Inside Trump plan to investigate liberal groups
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s threatened crackdown on the finances and activities of liberal nonprofits and groups opposed to his agenda is a multiagency effort with top White House aide Stephen Miller playing a central role, according to...
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President seeking charges for more foes
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton on Oct. 16 became the third high-profile Trump critic to be criminally charged after the president repeatedly attacked him publicly. All three maintain their innocence...
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‘More than an event’
Thousands of West Alabama students had the opportunity to experience the “WOW” factor at Shelton State Community College. Worlds of Work, a career expo held Oct. 8-9, is designed to inspire students by demonstrating that high-paying job opportunities...
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A top gluten-free bakery in the US is in Alabama
Gluten-free baking is no longer just a health necessity; it has become a culinary art form. Across the country, bakeries are proving that gluten-free doesn’t mean joy-free, serving up cookies, cupcakes and pastries so good that even gluten lovers are...
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Blake Shelton to perform at Tuscaloosa amphitheater
Country star Blake Shelton was one of the first acts announced for 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, and he’ll wrap the season up Friday Oct. 17, in a show starting at 7 p.m. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Guest acts fronting the show will be...
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