Alabama
Alabama Forestry Commission dealing with pine beetle outbreak
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Alabama’s trees are in danger, with the state under one of the worst pine beetle infestations in more than 20 years.
The Alabama Forestry Commission is trying to notify landowners to stop the spread.
”We’re hoping that things don’t get any worse than they currently are,“ said forest health coordinator Drew Metzler.
Around 6,500 cases of pine beetle infestations in Alabama have been found, and the forestry commission still has 20% of the state’s land still to look over.
”We actually get up there in a plane, normally we have a pilot and two spotters, and we actually mark spots,” said Metzler
Metzler says outbreaks haven’t been this bad since 2001.
Of the many factors, last fall’s drought could be the reason the beetles have returned in a big way.
”We had a lot of stands that experienced a lot of drought stress. That competition for water just puts them a lot more at risk,” said Metzler.
It could be a loss of revenue for homeowners if trees continue to die, but there are ways to stop the spread.
A tree has been attacked if it turns yellow or brown or has resin on the bark.
“Almost kind of look like little balls of popcorn that come out of the bark crevasses. That’s actually the point where bark beetles have tried to enter the tree,“ said Metzler.
”If you can catch pine beetle spots when they’re fairly small, they can be controlled just by cutting out the infested trees and cutting a buffer of trees around the spot,” he said.
Major outbreaks have been in north Alabama.
For assistance, contact the Alabama Forestry Commission.
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Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide vs Western Kentucky Updated Odds: Cover or Not?
![Alabama Crimson Tide vs Western Kentucky Updated Odds: Cover or Not? Alabama Crimson Tide vs Western Kentucky Updated Odds: Cover or Not?](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Sba-i94rNReT78d0y8bpBL5ej08=/0x606:2520x1925/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25590937/1895738720.jpg)
Saturday is Game 1 of the Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama. A non-Power team rolls into town, but they are no Alabama A&M. Western Kentucky has gone 9-5, 9-5, and 8-5 over the last three campaigns and recorded bowl wins in each of those seasons. There is little reason to believe WKU upsets the Crimson Tide. The point spread is a good indication of what Las Vegas thinks of this match-up. As of post, the spread is 31.5 points with an Over/Under of 59.5.
Last season, KDB’s Huskies were 7-7-1 against the spread (ATS). However, if you look at the “cupcake games” at the beginning of the season, he was 3-1 with the one under the spread being only a half point.
Date | Opponent | H/A/N | Line | Result | Diff | ATS |
09/02/23 | Boise | Home | -14.5 | W by 37 | +22.5 | Cover |
09/09/23 | Tulsa | Home | -33.5 | W by 33 | -0.5 | – |
09/16/23 | Michigan State | Away | -15 | W by 34 | +19 | Cover |
09/23/23 | Cal | Home | -20 | W by 27 | +7 | Cover |
09/30/23 | Arizona | Away | -19.5 | W by 7 | -12.5 | – |
10/14/23 | Oregon | Home | -3 | W by 3 | 0 | – |
10/21/23 | Arizona State | Home | -28 | W by 8 | -20 | – |
10/28/23 | Stanford | Away | -28 | W by 9 | -19 | – |
11/04/23 | USC | Away | -2.5 | W by 10 | +7.5 | Cover |
11/11/23 | Utah | Home | -9 | W by 7 | -2 | – |
11/18/23 | Oregon State | Away | 1 | W by 2 | +3 | Cover |
11/25/23 | Wash State | Home | -14.5 | W by 3 | -11.5 | – |
12/01/23 | Oregon | Neutral | 10 | W by 3 | +13 | Cover |
01/01/23 | Texas | Neutral | 3 | W by 6 | +9 | Cover |
01/08/23 | Michigan | Neutral | 5.5 | L by 21 | -15.5 | – |
Boise was Washington’s first opponent of the 2023 season. The Broncos would finish the year 8-6 with a MWC championship. BSU feels like a similar opponent to UW as WKU might be to Alabama. In the third game of the Hilltoppers’ season, they were body-slammed by Ohio State 63-10.
For Western Kentucky, out is starting QB Austin Reed. In is TJ Finley now on his fourth college.
From a psychological point of view, it feels like this Crimson Tide team is ready to hit somebody other than their own scout team. The offense looks pretty stacked and able to name a score. But how early will DeBoer go to his bench and will he “vanilla” up the playbook?
MATH
According to the spread and over/under, the final score should be around 45-14.
45 – 14 = 31
45 + 14 = 59
Poll
Bama scoring 31.5 more than WKU:
-
60%
Higher than 31.5
(15 votes)
-
40%
Lower than 31.5
(10 votes)
25 votes total
Vote Now
Poll
Total Points scored (over/under)
Alabama
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban makes national championship prediction
ESPN “College GameDay” analyst and former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban predicts that the Georgia Bulldogs will win the national championship. Saban is giving Kirby Smart and company some rat poison ahead of the Bulldogs’ season opener against the Clemson Tigers.
Saban predicts that Georgia will defeat the Texas Longhorns in the 2024 SEC championship game. He has Georgia as the No. 1 team in his projected College Football Playoff.
The former Alabama coach also predicts that Ohio State will win the Big Ten to secure the No. 2 seed. In his prediction, which he made before Week 0, he has Florida State winning the ACC and ending up as the No. 3 seed. He thinks Utah will win the Big 12 to earn the final first round bye of the playoff.
Saban’s No. 5 seed in the playoff is Texas. He predicts that the Longhorns will face Liberty (the No. 12 seed) in the opening round of the playoff. Saban loves the SEC. He has five SEC teams making his playoff including Ole Miss (No. 8), Alabama (No. 7) and LSU (No. 11).
The other teams that Saban predicts will make the playoff are Penn State (No. 9), Oregon (No. 6) and Notre Dame (No. 10).
“It’s gonna be crazy,” said Saban on the expanded playoff. As college football fans, crazy is what we love.
This article originally appeared on Bulldogs Wire: Former Alabama coach Nick Saban makes national championship prediction
Alabama
10 signature Alabama barbecue dishes
![10 signature Alabama barbecue dishes 10 signature Alabama barbecue dishes](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/CPIE7SHWGFBO7NVSPS44NPBBWI.jpg?auth=16a979121c5fd1970d7bb7209182f5317532a52ad89b81dcfad5f0a8c342f82c&width=1280&quality=90)
We’ve told you about our favorite Alabama barbecue joints, opined about our state’s greatest pitmasters, and reminisced about those old barbecue joints we miss the most.
Today, we’re here to shout out some of Alabama’s signature barbecue dishes — ones which, if you haven’t tried them already, you should. And if you have, then you know what we’re talking about.
From ribs to brisket, pulled pork to smoked chicken, banana pudding to red velvet cake.
Think of it as a “Greatest Hits of Alabama BBQ,” a mixed tape of favorites that never get sick of listening to – or, in this case, you never grow tired of eating.
[Want good news about Alabama delivered to your inbox each week? Sign up for This is Alabama’s weekly newsletter.]
The pork ‘n’ greens at Saw’s Soul Kitchen started almost by accident, but it has become the signature dish at the Birmingham barbecue joint. (Birmingham News file/Hal Yeager)
Pork ‘n’ greens at Saw’s Soul Kitchen
With its combination of Alabama’s own McEwen & Sons grits, spicy collard greens and slow-cooked pork barbecue, the signature dish at Saw’s Soul Kitchen is like a medley of Alabama’s greatest culinary hits in a single serving. “It outsells everything we do here,” says Brandon Cain, who came up with the pork ‘n’ greens, almost by accident, not long after the Avondale barbecue joint opened in 2012. “We could stack multiple menu items up against this one, and it would still win.”
Saw’s Soul Kitchen is at 215 41st St. North in Birmingham. The phone is 205-591-1409. For more information, go here.
The story behind one of the most Alabama dishes ever
The smoked turkey sandwich with chow-chow is a favorite of Full Moon Bar-B-Que owners David and Joe Maluff.(Photo courtesy of Full Moon Bar-B-Que; used with permission)
Smoked turkey sandwich with chow-chow at Full Moon Bar-B-Que
Full Moon Bar-B-Que boasts of being “The Best Little Pork House in Alabama,” but owners and brothers David and Joe Maluff can talk turkey, too. The smoked turkey sandwich topped with Full Moon Bar-B-Que’s signature chow-chow and a generous dousing of barbecue sauce is so good it will make you forget you’re not eating pork. The turkey sandwich has long been a favorite of the Maluff brothers, and it has become our go-to order, as well. Pro tip: Order a side of Full Moon’s marinated slaw and pile it on top of the turkey to elevate your sandwich to another level.
Full Moon Bar-B-Que has 15 locations throughout Alabama and one in Mississippi. For more information, go here.
The secret behind Full Moon’s beloved carrot cake
This pork sandwich with coleslaw from Whitt’s Barbecue was selected Alabama’s Best BBQ Sandwich in a statewide search conducted by AL.com. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Pork sandwich with slaw at Whitt’s Barbecue
Whitt’s Barbecue is a northwest Alabama tradition that goes back nearly 60 years, and Whitt’s famous pork sandwich, which is served with a sweet coleslaw and a choice of sauces, was selected “Alabama’s Best BBQ Sandwich” in AL.com’s statewide barbecue hunt in 2016. Find out for yourself why our Haley Laurence called it “a near-perfect ‘cue sandwich.”
Whitt’s Barbecue has six locations in North Alabama and 19 in Tennessee. For more information, go here and here.
5 things to know about Whitt’s Barbecue
A slab of ribs at Archibald’s Bar-B-Q in Northport is a must on any serious barbecue lover’s bucket list.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Ribs with white bread at Archibald’s Bar-B-Q
A must on any serious barbecue lover’s bucket list, Archibald’s Bar-B-Q in Northport, as we have said before, is the Wrigley Field of rib joints. And a pilgrimage to this 62-year-old, soot-scorched, cinderblock swine shrine that is not complete without getting a half or full slab of Archibald’s revered ribs, which are grilled over a bed of hot hickory coals and served with slices of white bread and a Styrofoam cup of Archibald’s atomic-orange barbecue sauce. For the full effect, we recommend you wash it down with an ice-cold Grapico.
Archibald’s Bar-B-Q is at 1211 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Northport, Ala. The phone is 205-345-6861. For more information, go here.
A quick history of Archibald’s Bar-B-Q
The hickory-smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce at Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q in Cahaba Heights is a favorite of TV personality Andrew Zimmern, who says it’s the best he’s ever eaten. .(AL.com file photo/Beverly Taylor)
Smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce at Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q
None other than the globetrotting gourmet Andrew Zimmern has proclaimed the smoked chicken at Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q in Vestavia Hills’ Cahaba Heights neighborhood the best that he has ever eaten. (He’s a huge fan of Miss Myra’s banana pudding, too.) Zimmern first visited Miss Myra’s in 2013 for a legendary episode of his “Bizarre Foods America” food and travel show, and he’s been singing the praises of the suburban barbecue joint’s hickory-smoked chicken drizzled with Alabama white sauce ever since. “When I’m there, I usually polish off two orders of the best BBQ chicken in America first,” Zimmern wrote in a story for Delta Airlines’ in-flight magazine. “Brittle golden skin, sweet, smoky, moist yardbird and her famous ‘white sauce.’ Miss Myra’s tangy, creamy version of the Alabama state BBQ sauce is a perfect dip for the expertly smoked chicken.” We wholeheartedly agree.
Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q is at 3278 Cahaba Heights Road in Vestavia Hills, Ala. The phone is 205-967-6004. For more information, go here.
Birmingham’s best barbecue chicken: Our top 5
The famous pulled pork sandwich at Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot in Selma is served between layers of white bread, doused with a house-made sauce and topped with a crispy pork skin.(Photo by Art Meripol, from the book “Alabama Barbecue: Delicious Road Trips”)
Pulled pork sandwich with crispy pork skin at Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot
Regulars at Selma’s historic Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot know to order the pulled-pork sandwich, which comes soaked in a fiery house-made sauce, topped with a bark of crispy pork skin and stuffed between two slices of white bread that can’t begin to hold it all together. For long-time customers, that crunchy pork skin takes the Lannie’s sandwich to another level. “That skin makes it for ‘em,” Floyd Hatcher, a grandson of founders Lannie and Will Travis, says. “The skin and the sauce.”
Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot is at 2115 Minter Ave. in Selma, Ala. The phone number is 334-874-4478. For more information, go here.
Historic Alabama barbecue restaurant reopens in new building
![ChuckWagon BBQ in Madison, Ala.](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/5FDPOLELUZATBFVAMXE27RMMGE.jpg?auth=629a7d531898a12a74e7c5c816b05c70b9daceb3356333539b62e34bd8de1449&width=500&quality=90)
The Texas-style brisket, paired here with smoked sausage, is the star of the show at ChuckWagon BBQ in Madison, but the baked beans, which are seasoned with chucks of brisket, make a great supporting act. Art Meripol
Smoked brisket and baked beans at ChuckWagon BBQ
Transplanted Texan Mike Holley brought real-deal Lone Star State beef brisket to North Alabama when he opened the original location of his ChuckWagon BBQ in Athens 20 years ago. (The restaurant has since relocated to Madison.) “ChuckWagon’s brisket is as meaty, tasty and satisfying as a Billy Gibbons guitar solo,” AL.com’s Matt Wake writes, referring to the ZZ Top singer and guitarist who also happens to be a big ChuckWagon BBQ fan and occasional customer. While the smoked brisket is the headliner, the baked beans, which are flavored with chunks of brisket, are a solid supporting act. The beans are from a recipe handed down by Holley’s grandfather, George Washinton Gray, who prepared them as a cook on an epic Western cattle drive, Matt writes.
ChuckWagon BBQ is at 8048 U.S. 72 in Madison, Ala. The phone is 256-772-5179. For more information, go here.
The Texans who brought killer beef brisket to North Alabama barbecue
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q serves more than 50,000 cheese biscuits every day at 48 locations across the Southeast, according to the company. (Photo courtesy of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q)
Cheese biscuits at Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
To anyone who’s ever bitten into one of those addictive little cheese biscuits they serve at Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q restaurants, it’s no surprise they’re as popular as the Birmingham-based chain’s pulled pork sandwiches and coconut-cream pies. The sweet, cheesy mini-muffins come with every meal served at Jim ‘N Nick’s, and they’ve become such a customer favorite that the Jim ‘N Nick’s folks sell the bagged biscuit mix at their restaurants, on their website and in about 3,500 grocery stores around the Southeast. Who knows? One day, they might even bring about world peace. “If we took those cheese biscuits and went around the world, it would solve a lot of differences,” Jim ‘N Nick’s founder Nick Pihakis said in a 2020 interview with AL.com. “That’s what food does.’’ Go ahead, we bet you can’t eat just one.
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q has 48 locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. For more information, go here.
Jim ‘N Nick’s cheese biscuits are beloved nationwide
Sharon Mayes, who started working at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q in Bessemer in 1988, bakes all of the restaurant’s pies and cakes, including her signature red velvet sheet cake with chopped pecans and cream cheese icing. (Photo by Art Meripol/art@artmeripol.com)
Red velvet sheet cake at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q
The daily dessert menu at Bessemer’s venerable Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q features chocolate, coconut, pecan and lemon icebox pies; caramel, chocolate lemon and red velvet cakes; as well as a rotating selection of sweets that, depending on what strikes dessert queen Sharon Mayes’ fancy that day, might include strawberry shortcake, peach cobbler, banana pudding or key lime pie. Mayes’ signature dessert, though, is her single-layer red velvet sheet cake with cream cheese icing and chopped pecans. Mayes says, however, that it’s not what she puts into her cake recipe that makes it special but what she leaves out. “The key to it, to me, is leave that cocoa out,” she says. “Everybody puts cocoa in it, but I stopped putting cocoa in mine because (leaving it out) makes it a pretty, bright color.”
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q is at 1724 Ninth Ave. North in Bessemer, Ala. The phone is 205-426-1400. For more information, go here.
Legendary Alabama pitmaster a finalist for national BBQ Hall of Fame
Readers of Southern Living magazine voted Dreamland Bar-B-Que’s banana pudding the best in Alabama.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Banana pudding at Dreamland Bar-B-Que
OK, so banana pudding wasn’t on the menu back in the day when the late John “Big Daddy” Bishop served only hickory-fired ribs, Sunbeam white bread and his secret-weapon sauce at the original location of his Dreamland Bar-B-Que in Tuscaloosa. But we’re pretty sure he would approve. The dense, creamy pudding — which Southern Living readers voted the best in Alabama — is chock-full of banana slices and flecked with bite-sized vanilla wafers from Birmingham’s Bud’s Best Cookies instead of the usual Nabisco Nilla Wafers. It’s the best thing since your grandmother’s — maybe even better. But don’t tell her we said that.
Dreamland Bar-B-Que has eight locations in Alabama and two in Georgia. For more information, go here.
A brief history of Dreamland Bar-B-Que
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