Alabama

Ella Langley, Alexis Herman, southern accents: Down in Alabama

Published

8 months ago

April 28, 2025

Ella Langley, Alexis Herman, southern accents: Down in Alabama

Rising star

Hope Hull’s Ella Langley is the Academy of Country Music’s New Female Artist of the Year, reports AL.com’s Mary Colurso.

The awards ceremony comes later, but Langley found out she was a winner while she was on stage at a festival in Knoxville. Miranda Lambert came on a big video screen to tell her the news. Langley managed to choke out a “God Bless America.”

She’s also up for ACM Female Artist of the Year and six more awards related to the song and video for “You Look Like You Love Me,” her duet with fellow Alabamian Riley Green of Jacksonville.

Incoming ‘Jeopardy!’ money

Some education-related projects in Mobile are getting a boost thanks to W. Kamau Bell’s big win in “Celebrity Jeopardy!” reports AL.com’s Lawrence Specker.

Bell is a comedian and the host of the CNN show “United Shades of America.”

On “Celebrity Jeopardy!” he won a million dollars for the charity of his choice. His was DonorsChoose, which fulfills online classroom wish lists made by teachers.

Among the locations Bell chose was Mobile, where he spent time during his childhood and where his dad still lives.

Projects funded by Bell’s winnings include special-needs playground equipment for Orchard Elementary and novels for small-group study at Dodge Elementary. According to DonorsChoose, the money going to the Mobile schools totals about $53,000 and will fund 72 projects across 22 schools.

RIP Alexis Herman

Alexis Herman, a member of President Clinton’s cabinet and a native of Mobile, passed away Friday, reports AL.com’s Patrick Darrington.

Herman was the first Black U.S. Secretary of Labor, a position she held from 1997 to 2001.

She was director of the Women’s Bureau at age 29, in 1977, later served as CEO of the 1992 Democrat National Convention, and then joined Clinton’s transition team when he won the White House. Along the way she did work promoting diversity hiring in the private sector.

Congressman Shomari Figures, a Mobile Democrat, called Herman a “true hometown hero.”

Said Figures: “She was a fighter for civil rights and women’s rights, a giant in DC political circles, especially amongst Black women, and an all-around dynamic woman.”

Alexis Herman was 77 years old.

Friendly talk

We have a new survey to report on.

We like surveys because we know they are almost always accurate. At least in the moment they’re conducted. Involving the exact respondents who responded. Who were prompted with questions that were worded exactly so.

With at least that much confidence, a study Censuswide conducted for the call-answering service Answering Service Care found that Americans consider the Southern accent to be the friendliest accent in the U.S., reports AL.com’s Margaret Kates.

And why not? You can’t say “Y’all come” in just any dialect.

Note that only 38% of people found the southern accent friendly, but that was higher than any other. The Hawaiian accent came in second at 34%. Texas was tied for third, but we all know where most of that accent migrated from.

Alabama News Quiz answers/results

Overall results:

Five out of five: 27.8%
Four out of five: 28.4%
Three out of five: 25.4%
Two out of five: 13.7%
One out of five: 4.5%
None out of five: 0.3%

This sports figure with ties to our state was recently selected by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Jalen Hurts (CORRECT) 60.9%
Charles Barkley 31.0%
Bruce Pearl 4.2%
Rece Davis 3.9%

What are we most likely to see come out of the Alabama State Legislature this session?

An expansion of the new school-choice law (CORRECT) 84.2%
Teacher salary raises 10.4%
A new charter school in Barbour County 4.8%
A new graduation requirement to take three hours of College Football History 0.6%

Early next month, President Trump is expected to visit a college in this Alabama city.

Tuscaloosa (CORRECT) 98.8%
Auburn 0.6%
Troy 0.6%
Andalusia 0.0%

Alabama’s oldest hotel, the St. James Hotel, which originally opened in 1837 as the Brantley Hotel, is expected to reopen next month under new management in this city.

Selma (CORRECT) 62.1%
Mobile 23.0%
Montgomery 14.3%
Childersburg 0.6%

A new music festival is being planned for Birmingham in honor of …

Sun Ra (CORRECT) 54.3%
Hank Williams 27.5%
Big Mama Thornton 16.4%
The Beastie Boys 1.8%

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1926, To Kill a Mockingbird author Nelle Harper Lee of Monroeville.

In 1952, keyboardist Chuck Leavell of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. He’s played with The Allman Brothers Band, The Rolling Stones and many others.

In 1954, former Congressman and state lawmaker Mo Brooks.

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Alabama

Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

Published

7 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Crews scored 20, and Anthony Robinson II added 19 in Missouri’s 85-77 win over Alabama State on Thursday night.

Crews shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc. Mark Mitchell added 15 points for Missouri (9-2), and Sebastian Mack added 10.

The Tigers had a 15-0 run in the first half, heading into the locker room up 52-39. Alabama State was held scoreless over a 4:19 drought in the middle of the second half to open a 9-0 run for the Tigers. The Hornets (3-8) responded with their own 10-0 run to bring the game within eight, 74-62. The Tigers regained control, though, to keep their eight-point lead the rest of the game, handing Alabama State their fourth loss in a row.

The Tigers shot 65% (33 of 51). Both teams shot 50% from the free-throw line.

Alabama State outscored Missouri in the final period, 38-33. Asjon Anderscon scored 23 for the Hornets, leading all players in scoring.

Up next

Missouri hosts Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 14.

Alabama State travels to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Dec. 17.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Alabama

Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

Published

19 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

Let’s crank up a Thursday edition of “The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral” with Mason Woods and Katie Windham as we start getting ready for next week’s College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Windham detailed how the Crimson Tide can improve over the next few weeks, we discuss the team’s health and look back at our last road trip to Norman. The show then discusses the Heisman Trophy finalists before addressing a Kalen DeBoer coaching rumor.

The program opens by power ranking the holidays before discussing Windham’s three areas the Crimson Tide can improve over the next week. Our trio picks the easiest area the team can improve and how Alabama must perform in Norman. Windham details our last trip to Oklahoma as we go down memory lane to the Sooners’ 24-3 victory last season.

The show continues on by getting Windham’s thoughts on Alabama’a College Football Playoff selection and if the Crimson Tide actually deserved its place in the field. She brings up a unique aspect of Alabama’s blowout loss in the SEC Championship and how it played into the program’s inclusion in the College Football Playoffs.

We move from next week’s game into a small discussion on Notre Dame’s reaction of being left out of the field and how it relates to Alabama’s future home-and-home dates with the Fighting Irish. Will the two esteemed programs still face off in a few years?

The show heads into the only college football action of the weekend by highlighting the strong Heisman Trophy finalist field. Who brings home the bronze statue?

Lastly, we spend the final bit of the show talking about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore and the reports of the Wolverines considering persuing Kalen DeBeor for their next head coach. Will DeBoer leave Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor?

We’re so appreciative of our sponsors who make the show possible. Check out Derek Daniel State Farm in Alabama for your insurance needs. We’re also proud to partner with Purple Turtle Roofing on the program. From your first call to the final nail, our mission is to make sure you feel confident, cared for, and covered, literally.

Call (205) 462-7340 Extension 800 to leave your thoughts in a voicemail, and you’ll be featured on the show. You can also join us live in the comment sections Monday through Friday at 8:15 a.m. CT.

The show can be seen on the BamaCentral YouTube channel. Keep up with each show on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Shows can also be heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.

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Alabama

New Alabama law raises penalties for porch piracy

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

New Alabama law raises penalties for porch piracy

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – As holiday deliveries ramp up, a new Alabama law aims to deter package theft by raising penalties for so-called “porch piracy.” The law, which went into effect on October 1, 2025, makes repeated package theft a felony and can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years in the most serious cases.

What changed

Previously, many package thefts in Alabama were charged as misdemeanor theft because the value of individual stolen packages often fell below felony thresholds. Under the new law however, lawmakers established penalties that focus on the number of homes targeted rather than the dollar value of items stolen:

Stealing from 1 to 9 homes: most serious misdemeanor
Stealing from 10 to 29 homes: felony
Stealing from 30 or more homes: can result in up to 10 years in prison

The law also increases penalties if stolen packages are used to commit identity theft or fraud. In addition, anyone who knowingly receives packages stolen by a porch pirate can be charged under the new rules.

Lawmakers weigh in

Senator April Weaver, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the change was meant to protect Alabama families during the holidays.

“It was really important to protect the people not only in my district but throughout the state of Alabama and to make sure their hard-earned money is going to their children’s Christmas,” she said.

On camera, Senator Weaver added with holiday humor, “It means the Grinch may have stolen Christmas in Whoville, but if he does it in Alabama, he’ll have plenty of time in state prison for his heart to grow three sizes.”

What police recommend if your package is stolen

If you discover a stolen package, law enforcement recommends:

Report the theft to police immediately.
Preserve any doorbell or surveillance footage that may show the theft.
Contact the delivery company right away to report the missing item.
Consider requiring a signature on delivery to reduce the risk of theft.

The law went into effect on October 1, 2025; this December marks the first holiday season it is in effect. Alabama is now one of more than a dozen states that have passed laws specifically targeting package theft. Supporters say the law sends a stronger message that porch piracy will no longer be treated as a minor offense.

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