Alabama

Alabama Fair and Fiesta in Pelham offers sensory nook for families with sensory issues

Published

2 months ago

April 10, 2026

Alabama Fair and Fiesta in Pelham offers sensory nook for families with sensory issues

PELHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Fair and Fiesta, which runs through April 19, kicked off Thursday night at the site of the former Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham.

In addition to offering rides and entertainment, this fair offers a respite for families with sensory issues.

From sweet funnel cakes to savory meats, there’s something for everyone, including a “sensory nook” for individuals with sensory issues.

Kissel Entertainment’s fair has been “sensory inclusive” certified by KultureCity.

The only thing you hear inside this KultureCity certified space is the white noise of the air conditioning unit humming overhead.

Paris Kissel with Kissel Entertainment says this room has gotten a lot of visits in the cities they’ve visited:

“Dozens of times a day,” she explained. “I don’t think there’s a day that goes by that someone’s not requesting to use the room, so we’re really proud. We know there’s a need there, and to be able to provide a solution.”

Guests can also check out a “sensory bag” at the Welcome Center located near the entrance to the midway.

“For this year we have headphones,” she explained. “We have communications cards which are a big thing of helping folks that are nonverbal express any of their needs while they’re with us ,we have fidget spinners, tools like that, things to emotionally regulate people who have sensory deprivation.”

The calming space is also appealing to young families who don’t have sensory issues like Aeriel Cole, who arrived at the fair with her husband and a 4-month-old and a 2-year-old in tow.

“I just had a baby myself,” Cole explained. “And I know how overwhelming all this can be, the lines, the chaos, and all the things that the fair brings, this a great little relaxing place that the mom can go to.”

Kissel Entertainment is the only carnival provider in the U.S. is sensory inclusive certified. Kissel said she wishes more carnivals were certified.

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Alabama

Alabama troopers launch 101 Days of Summer Safety campaign

Published

1 hour ago

June 1, 2026

Press Room

Alabama troopers launch 101 Days of Summer Safety campaign

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) kicked off its annual 101 Days of Summer Safety campaign as the summer travel season begins.

The campaign runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, a period troopers call the “100 deadliest days of summer.”

Over Memorial Day weekend, troopers investigated four traffic deaths and one boating fatality. They issued more than 1,400 speeding citations, 365 seat belt violations, and made 14 DUI arrests on roadways statewide.

On the water, Marine Patrol made four boating under the influence arrests and conducted nearly 500 vessel stops.

ALEA says the goal this summer is education and enforcement. Troopers say that means buckling up, watching your speed, keeping your distance, and putting the phone down every time you get behind the wheel.

“More traffic means people get complacent. More car crashes, more injuries, more fatalities,” said ALEA Trooper Brandon Bailey. “Check your tires, make sure they’re at the appropriate tread depth. If you don’t have the appropriate amount of tread, it could easily lead to hydroplaning.”

ALEA says they will have increased patrols on roads and waterways through Labor Day.

Click or tap here to learn more.

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Alabama

Alabama football in for some major recruiting news soon

Published

12 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Press Room

Alabama football in for some major recruiting news soon

Alabama football is in a position to hear some positive recruiting news ‘soon,’ Touchdown Alabama has learned.

This news is expected to come from one of the top recruits the Crimson Tide hosted for an official visit this weekend, most likely in the form of a verbal commitment. This decision is coming off an ‘amazing’ official visit. Alabama will work to build its 2027 class over the next several weeks, with a long list of top recruits expected in Tuscaloosa in June.

Monshun Sales (5-Star WR), Hayden Stepp (5-Star CB), Osani Gayles (4-Star WR) , Kenneth Simon (4-Star LB), Avrian Pauley (3-Star DL), Mitchell Turner (4-Star DL), Antwan Jackson (4-Star Edge) and Nigel Newkirk (4-Star RB) were among the top prospects the Tide had on campus for an official visit this weekend.

Alabama currently has commitments from six 2027 prospects. Three of those recruits are offensive prospects, with pledges from Elijah Haven, Trent Seaborn and Oakley Keegan. The defensive side is represented by Avrian Pauley, Kenneth Simon and Stevan Thornton.

Touchdown Alabama will provide updates on the Crimson Tide’s recruiting efforts throughout the next several weeks.

Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.

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Alabama

Tennessee football will be chasing different teams for SEC supremacy | Adams

Published

22 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee football will be chasing different teams for SEC supremacy | Adams

After the SEC added Texas and Oklahoma for the 2024 football season, I split the conference in half for evaluation purposes.

My top half: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Texas A&M.

These teams comprised my bottom half: Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Track records and NIL support factored into my rankings. The latter is obviously a challenge, because NIL money isn’t well documented. So, my rankings were an educated guess at best.

I singled out Texas, Texas A&M, and LSU because of their obvious NIL resources. All three are loaded. Tennessee probably has as much NIL power as any other SEC program.

The Vols will play Texas, Texas A&M, and LSU this season. So, they will face a greater challenge than in 2024 and 2025 when the SEC’s interim schedules were in place.

But projecting future success and failure in the NIL era of SEC football is hardly an exact science. And I’m already questioning my preliminary rankings. Four schools stick out: Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Missouri, and Vanderbilt

Oklahoma went 6-7 (2-6 in the SEC) in 2024 but made the College Football Playoff last season, only to lose in the first round to Alabama. That’s not what I expected from one of college football’s most prestigious programs.

Perhaps, the Sooners don’t have as much NIL money as the SEC’s most affluent members. Now, I’m wondering if they even can keep up with in-state rival Oklahoma State, which has been on a spending spree in multiple sports, including football.

Ole Miss has been a surprise in a good way. Former coach Lane Kiffin became the “Portal King” because of his relentless recruiting of highly touted transfers. But he couldn’t accomplish as much just on his track record or name recognition. He needed money.

And the Rebels provided it, which helps explain how they went 34-7 from 2023 through 2025.

Missouri has fared better than expected. The Tigers are 29-10 for the past three seasons. I thought there was a better chance of coach Eli Drinkwitz getting fired than winning 29 of 39 games in three seasons of NIL football.

Vanderbilt’s success has been stunning, though you must wonder whether it’s sustainable. The Commodores’ 10-3 record in 2025 was mainly a testament to the play of quarterback Diego Pavia, who was the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Fernando Mendoza.

Florida and Auburn are wildcards.

The Gators were slow coming out of the NIL gate. They also have a recent history of hiring more bad coaches than good ones.

Maybe, they got it right with Jon Sumrall. And perhaps, Auburn did the same with Alex Golesh. But the Tigers were wrong about their previous two hires, Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze.

Texas, LSU and Texas also have missed on coaches. But they have the money to buy their way out of a bad deal.

The Aggies paid Jimbo Fisher a $77 million buyout in November 2023. LSU had to pay Brian Kelly $54 million after firing him in October 2025.

Such spending tells me Tennessee will have more difficulty long-term keeping up with Texas, Texas A&M and LSU than they will with traditional SEC powers like Georgia and Alabama.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com.

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