Alabama
Alabama leaders speak out after 2 mass shootings in a week
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — Two mass shootings in Alabama over the past week have caused concern for state leaders.
A shooting in Birmingham resulted in the deaths of four people over the weekend. Five people, including four children, were killed in a Bibb County shooting Thursday.
State Rep. Kenyatté Hassell (D-Montgomery) is speaking out after nine people died from two mass shootings in Alabama. Hassell said the solution to gun violence lies within families.
“We have to strengthen families. We have to have a good structure of family,” Hassell said. “If I have family members that I know that’s involved in certain things, I want to approach them in a way and say, ‘Hey, let’s put the guns down.’ And I think that’s how the whole community holistically can help with it.”
State Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-Alabaster) serves in law enforcement and said gun violence can be attributed to several factors. But he said the root cause is pure evil that society must work to address.
“I think you have to look at certain factors of whether that this was something that occurred in an urban setting or a rural setting,” Bedsole said. “Was this something as a direct result of some other criminal activity?”
Hassell said helping our youth through mentorship is a grassroots way to help our communities.
“You, my family, the institution of family I tell people is God’s first institution,” Hassell said. “And I think if we get back to some of those values, and it don’t take — it don’t cost money. It don’t cost us anything. I think if we get back to some of those values.”
Bedsole said lawmakers are discussing ways to reach youth early on before they get indoctrinated to illegal activity.
“But I can tell you, at the end of the day, I believe that some of what our kids are exposed to so early on is a contributing factor of the cycle of violence,” Bedsole said.
Bedsole’s advice is we must communicate with each other with empathy and respect regardless of the argument.
MOBILE, Ala. (WSFA) – Four of the six Republican candidates seeking to be the GOP’s nominee for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat are set to take part in a forum Monday evening.
WSFA 12 News will carry the forum live at 6 p.m. on our website, as well as our news and smart TV apps, and on our Facebook and Youtube channels.
The forum is being hosted by the Azalea City Republican Women of Mobile.
The participants include Seth Burton, Dale Shelton Deas Jr., Steve Marshall, and Rodney Walker.
Rep. Barry Moore and Jared Hudson are not participating.
Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!
Copyright 2026 WSFA. All rights reserved.
Alabama basketball’s Nate Oats weighs in on 2026 NBA Draft exits | VIDEO
Alabama basketball’s Amari Allen and Labaron Philon are off to the 2026 NBA Draft. Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats weighed in on their decisions.
Alabama basketball’s 2025-26 season was one of the most injury-filled years that Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats has experienced in Tuscaloosa.
The health of last year’s Alabama team was a storyline before exhibition play even began. Veteran Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was returning amid recovery for a ruptured Achilles tendon. Transfer guard Jalil Bethea joined the bench after a left foot injury. Collins Onyejiaka and Davion Hannah both spent the majority of their freshman seasons sidelined with medical conditions. Down the stretch, Taylor Bol Bowen played with a fractured hand. Amari Allen, Aden Holloway, London Jemison and Aiden Sherrell all dealt with tweaks and dings.
As the Crimson Tide’s Sweet 16 run came to a close, even Labaron Philon revealed that his injury wasn’t limited to December or January. He played hurt for the entire year.
With the only Alabama player to appear in each game being Houston Mallette, who redshirted his first year with the program, the training room was busy for athletic training and conditioning staffers Clarke Holter, Henry Barrera and Amanda Branson.
Here’s a breakdown of the salaries for the trio who worked behind the scenes to make another NCAA Tournament possible, per information acquired by The Tuscaloosa News from an open records request to the University of Alabama.
What are salaries of Alabama men’s basketball training staff?
Holter has served as athletic trainer for the men’s basketball team for 11 seasons. Barrera has been the program’s strength and conditioning coach since 2022.
Holter received a salary increase in July 2025, making his new annual salary $139,050.
Barrera also received a pay increase in July 2025. He is the highest-paid of the three at $257,500.20 annually.
The exact date of Branson’s hire is unknown. However, public UA payroll data for Branson dates back to 2019.
Branson’s increase letter ahead of the 2025-26 season said that she would be paid $128,750.16.
In a season defined by injuries, their work became as critical as anything that happened on the court.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Alabama Wildlife Federation and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama are building a new interactive Gopher Tortoise Habitat Display to give Alabamians a chance to immerse themselves in the state’s longleaf pine ecosystem.
The exhibit, which is being funded by a $50,000 HMMA investment, will be located in the NaturePlex at the Alabama Nature Center.
The exhibit spotlights the gopher tortoise as a keystone species in Alabama, showing how its burrows shelter other wildlife.
It will feature interactive, age-appropriate elements to teach habitat conservation and responsible stewardship of Alabama’s natural resources.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!
Copyright 2026 WSFA. All rights reserved.
-
Technology2 minutes agoValve just imported 50 tons of game consoles in two days
-
World8 minutes agoExplosion at a fireworks plant in China kills at least 21 people, injures dozens more: report
-
Politics14 minutes agoCivil rights groups file lawsuit seeking to block Texas law allowing cops to arrest illegal migrants
-
Health20 minutes agoPatients remain cancer-free nearly 3 years after receiving experimental immunotherapy
-
Sports26 minutes agoJoe Girardi remembers John Sterling’s passion, humor in emotional tribute to Yankees legend: ‘I miss him’
-
Technology32 minutes agoFake traffic violation text scam uses QR codes to steal payment info
-
Business38 minutes agoRegulators may seek to suspend State Farm’s license, citing widespread mishandling of L.A. wildfire claims
-
Entertainment44 minutes agoParamount’s Ellison underscores his pledge to make 30 films a year when his company buys Warner Bros.