Alabama
Beekeepers monitor hives for Africanized honeybees after confirmed detection in Alabama – The Atmore Advance
Beekeepers monitor hives for Africanized honeybees after confirmed detection in Alabama
Published 9:16 am Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Special to the Advance
The Apiary Protection Unit of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) confirmed the presence of Africanized honeybees (AHBs) in beehives in Jackson and St. Clair counties through genetic testing.
Officials at ADAI are developing a strategic monitoring plan for AHBs. Swarm traps will be placed within a five- to 10-mile radius of the confirmed cases. Bees from nearby beekeepers will also be sampled as a precaution. ADAI said this proactive measure aims to assess the extent of AHB infiltration and prevent future spread.
Jack Rowe, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System bee specialist, said Alabama hasn’t had an AHB presence before, which keeps the state’s beekeepers from having colony management problems.
“The Apiary Protection Unit maintains a careful watch on the Port of Mobile to prevent an AHB invasion,” Rowe said. “It is up to the rest of us to ensure that we don’t bring AHBs in by accident. Vigilance is important, as is compliance with Alabama’s apiary laws.”
AHBs look like European Honeybees, but their behaviors are different. AHBs are more defensive, more easily disturbed and respond in greater numbers. Other identifying qualities are outlined in the press release from the ADAI.
Apiculturists who regularly collect swarms or conduct bee removals should be alert for bees that seem highly aggressive to humans or animals. If encountered, Phillip Carter, an apiary inspector with the plant protection division of ADAI, encourages apiculturists to contact the plant protection division so a sample can be collected and tested for AHB genes.
“Investigators are speculating the two confirmed AHB colonies are a result of purchasing queens, packages and illegal nucs from other states with the presence of AHBs,” Carter said.
Rowe said Carter is asking all beekeepers to obey the No Comb Law by not purchasing nucs from out of state.
“We have this law in place to prevent exactly what is now happening, not just honeybee pests and diseases,” Carter said.
When purchasing mated queens or packages from another state with a confirmed presence of AHBs, it is imperative that the buyer request the seller’s certificate, confirming their testing for AHBs through their state’s apiary program.
“We must all comply with Alabama’s apiary laws to protect the bee population in Alabama and prevent the spread of AHBs in our state,” Rowe said.
Rowe said if beekeepers are receiving packages or queens from the following states, it is best to request certificates stating that the bee stock that they were raised from are free from AHB genes:
- Florida
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Texas
- New Mexico
- Arizona
- Nevada
- California
If you think you’ve encountered an unusually aggressive hive, contact Rowe or Allyson Shabel, both members of Alabama Extension’s beekeeping team. Also reach out to the Apiary Protection Unit through the following contact information:
Central and north Alabama beekeepers, contact Jason James at 334-850-7757. South central and south Alabama beekeepers, contact Phillip Carter at 334-414-1666 or Randy Hamann at 334-850-7758. You may also contact Daniele Sisk in the ADAI Montgomery office at 334-240-7228.
Alabama
DraftKings lists Georgia as an early favorite in games against Alabama, Oklahoma and others
We’re less than three months from the start of Georgia’s 2026 season, with the Bulldogs opening against Tennessee State on Sept. 5.
But there’s still plenty of excitement about the upcoming campaign, especially after DraftKings shared some early look-ahead lines for several Georgia games during the upcoming season.
The first is against Oklahoma, who the Bulldogs will play on Sept. 26. The Bulldogs are a 10-point favorite over the visiting Sooners. This will be a matchup of College Football Playoff participants from last season.
This will be the first time the two teams meet as conference foes.
The next Georgia game to receive a look-ahead line was its Oct. 10 trip to Alabama. Despite not having won in Tuscaloosa, Alabama since 2007, Georgia is listed as a 3-point road favorite over the Crimson Tide.
Alabama and Georgia split their two meetings last season, with Alabama winning 24-21 in Athens before Georgia got its revenge in the SEC championship game with a 28-7 win. Alabama beat Georgia 41-34 in 2024, which was the last time Georgia visited Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The following will see Georgia return home to Sanford Stadium to take on the Auburn Tigers. DraftKings lists Georgia as a 16.5-point favorite against Auburn. Georgia beat Auburn 20-10 last season after falling behind 10-0 early in the game.
Georgia’s game against Florida on Oct. 31 has the Bulldogs as a 12.5-point favorite. Florida will be led by new coach Jon Sumrall as he replaces Billy Napier. This game will be played Atlanta, as the stadium in Jacksonville undergoes renovations.
The week after Georgia takes on Florida, the Bulldogs go on the road to face Ole Miss. Georgia is listed as a 4.5-point favorite. The Rebels ended Georgia’s season last year in the College Football Playoff. In 2024, Ole Miss pounded Georgia 24-10 in Oxford, Mississippi. Ole Miss will have a new coach this season in Pete Golding, as he takes over for Lane Kiffin.
In all five games listed by DraftKings, Georgia is a favorite. It would not come as a surprise to see Georgia listed as a favorite in every regular season game it plays next season.
A year after going 12-2 and winning the SEC, Georgia ranks inside the top-10 in returning snaps and returning starters for the upcoming season.
The Bulldogs bring back a number of star players, such as safety KJ Bolden and quarterback Gunner Stockton. While Georgia is young at a handful of positions, Georgia coach Kirby Smart exited spring practice feeling optimistic about what his team could accomplish this upcoming season.
“For the most part, I feel really good about it,” Smart said in an April radio interview. “We had a good spring. Got some guys coming back. Got some youthful spots that I worry about, but at the end of the day, you know, that’s what they pay you to do as a coach.
While gambling lines aren’t everything, the numbers from DraftKings only further highlight the confidence in Georgia entering next season.
Alabama
How much will the special primary election cost Alabama?
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – How much is the special primary election going to cost the state?
Voters in U.S. House Districts 1, 2, 6 and 7 will have the opportunity to vote for their congressperson on Aug. 11.
The monetary cost for the state was estimated with the introduction of the special legislative session’s House Bill 1, which called for the special primary election in the four congressional districts.
According to the bill’s fiscal note, it will cost the state an estimated $4.45 million over fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to “reimburse the counties that comprise the 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 7th U.S. Congressional Districts for election expenses.”
“Yes, we do have an election going on, and all elections are important because you’re electing people who are making decisions over your life in one way, shape, or form,” said Judge JC Love, probate judge for Montgomery County.
Judge Love said the price tag of elections covers the logistics behind the ballot box, such as the cost of absentee elections, the training of poll workers, paying them on election day, preparing the ballots and moving necessary equipment.
“All of our election officials are working as hard as we can to go ahead and make sure that you’ll be able to go in and vote in your respective races on August 11th as well as on June 16th,” said Judge Love.
June 16 is the runoff day for statewide offices: U.S. Senate, agriculture commissioner, attorney general and lieutenant governor.
The Aug. 11 election is the special primary election for U.S. House Districts 1, 2, 6 and 7.
The deadline to register for the Aug. 11 primary is July 27.
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Alabama
Alabama has one of college football’s toughest schedule stretches in 2026
The 2026 college football season is 93 days away. The Alabama Crimson Tide may not open with a vaunted Murderers’ Row of opponents — East Carolina, Kentucky, Florida State — in September, but they’ll face one of the toughest stretches for any team in the nation later in the season.
In what’s become an almost annual matchup, Alabama will take on the Georgia Bulldogs on Oct. 10. The third straight regular-season matchup between the SEC’s premier programs is at Bryant-Denny Stadium this year. A week later, Alabama visits Neyland Stadium for its annual Third Saturday in October clash with the Tennessee Volunteers.
Texas A&M visits Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 24. The Tide and Aggies will meet for the first time since the two were divisional foes from 2012-2023.
While Alabama and LSU both receive customary byes a week before the first Saturday in November again, the Crimson Tide will visit the Tigers for another Saturday night showdown on Nov. 7 in Baton Rouge.
The three-week stretch of games against Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M in particular ranks as one of the toughest in the nation, something CBS Sports college football analyst Brad Crawford recently spoke to.
“It’s a season-defining quartet of matchups for Kalen DeBoer’s squad in the SEC as he hopes to silence the critics during his third campaign.”
Crawford has those four games at No. 7 on his list of the toughest schedule stretches in college football for the 2026 season. Alabama’s overall schedule was recently ranked the nation’s 10th toughest by CBS Sports.
Three SEC teams have an even more grueling stretch of games, CBS believes.
LSU, which faces the Texas Longhorns a week after Alabama before visiting Tennessee, is one such team. That stretch was ranked the toughest for any SEC team in 2026.
Alabama football schedule 2026
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina, 11 a.m., ABC
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M
- Nov. 7: at LSU
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn
Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook, for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
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