Alabama
Corrections officer charged with smuggling meth into Alabama prison
A corrections officer has been arrested on charges of smuggling methamphetamine into the maximum-security prison where she worked.
The unnamed 48-year-old officer was charged with attempting to distribute a controlled substance, promoting prison contraband, and using her official office for personal gain. All charges are felonies, according to arrest records.
The officer allegedly brought meth into the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama, then distributed the drugs to an inmate, the complaint states. The officer was taken into custody on Wednesday.
Holman Correctional Facility serves as Alabama’s primary prison for death row inmates and is the only facility in the state where executions are carried out.
AP Photo/Jay Reeves, File
The arrest follows a similar case this year when another Alabama corrections officer was sentenced for drug smuggling at a different facility.
Investigators with a canine unit found three bags of meth inside Henry Guice Jr.’s car in June 2023 while it was parked at Stanton Correctional Facility in Elmore County
In that instance, a former officer received a 30-month federal prison sentence for attempting to distribute meth to inmates at his place of work. The officer pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Alabama’s Department of Corrections has faced criticism from federal and state authorities over the condition of its prison facilities. Reports have cited overcrowding, understaffing and high rates of violence as factors exacerbating the challenges within the system.
At a hearing earlier this year, families of incarcerated individuals described their disgust toward Alabama’s prisons, including assaults, drug-related deaths and other incidents involving their friends and family.
Some wearing T-shirts with photos of their loved ones, family members also detailed rapes, extortions and overdoses behind bars. They expressed frustration over the state’s lack of progress in improving conditions.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Alabama, alleging that conditions in the state’s men’s prisons violated the Eighth Amendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment.
The Justice Department’s complaint specifically noted the availability of illegal drugs, high levels of violence, and inadequate security measures.
AP Photo/Kim Chandler
Efforts to reform Alabama’s prison system have been ongoing, but progress has been slow.
Three years ago, Katie Glenn, a policy associate with the Southern Poverty Law Center, described Alabama’s prison system as one of the most “overcrowded and violent carceral in the country.”
She wrote that “people living in Alabama Department of Corrections facilities are increasingly older and sicker.”
The state has initiated construction on two new prisons intended to alleviate the problems.
However, critics argue that without addressing the root causes of drug smuggling and other contraband issues, new facilities alone will not resolve the systemic problems.
“Every issue that’s been identified, every one of them, will still exist in 2025 when these first two prisons are completed,” state Representative Chris England, chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, said in a floor speech the same year Glenn’s report was published.
“Our system is in a current humanitarian crisis,” he said. “And every question cannot be answered with new prisons. The buildings will not do anything with the culture of corruption in our prisons.”
As the investigation into the latest arrest continues, authorities have not disclosed whether additional arrests or disciplinary actions are expected.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
For the first time in five years, Alabama is heading to the SEC Softball Tournament championship.
The No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide (49-6) is coming off a 9-1 run-rule win over No. 3 seed Florida (48-10) on Friday, May 8. Alabama first opened tournament play with a 7-1 win over No. 7 Arkansas (42-11) on Thursday.
The Crimson Tide will face No. 4 Texas, which is coming off a walkout 5-4 win over No. 9 Georgia.
Alabama had not reached the SEC Tournament championship game since 2021, when it won its last conference championship.
Here’s what to know about how to follow the Crimson Tide against Texas in the SEC Tournament title game.
When does Alabama softball play vs Texas in SEC Tournament?
- Location: John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky.
- Game time — 4 p.m. CT Saturday, May 9
First pitch in the Alabama softball vs. Texas matchup is set for 4 p.m. CT Saturday, May 9 for the championship title.
What channel is Alabama softball vs Texas in SEC Tournament?
The 2026 SEC Softball Tournament conference championship game will air on ESPN.
How to listen to Alabama softball vs Texas in SEC Tournament
You can tune into each Alabama softball game on Catfish 100.1 FM.
2026 SEC Softball Tournament bracket
Click here to see the full 2026 SEC Softball Tournament bracket.
2026 SEC softball standings, conference records
All conference records are as of entering the SEC Softball Tournament.
- Oklahoma (20-4)
- Alabama (19-5)
- Florida (17-7)
- Texas (16-8)
- Tennessee (16-8)
- Texas A&M (16-8)
- Arkansas (15-9)
- LSU (12-11)
- Georgia (12-12)
- Mississippi State (9-15)
- Missouri (9-15)
- South Carolina (7-17)
- Ole Miss (6-18)
- Auburn (4-19)
- Kentucky (1-23)
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.
Alabama softball dominated all the way in its win to advance to its first SEC Tournament championship in five years.
The No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide (49-6) didn’t trail once in its 9-1 run-rule win over No. 3 seed Florida (48-10) on Friday, May 8. Alabama first opened tournament play with a 7-1 win over No. 7 Arkansas (42-11, 15-10) on Thursday.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from the Crimson Tide’s win over the Gators.
Alabama softball offense is starting to click at the right time
Alabama did not have to wait until the middle innings to find its offense this time.
Freshman Ambrey Taylor opened the scoring with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. It was Taylor’s 11th home run of the season and her second in as many days after also going deep against Arkansas in the quarterfinals.
Alabama continued to build from there. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the second, Ana Roman singled to right field to bring in another run. Marlie Giles followed with a two-run single, pushing Alabama ahead 4-0 before the inning ended.
Jena Young doubled to drive in two more runs, with one coming across on a fielding error, at the bottom of the third. Alexis Pupillo followed with an RBI single to stretch Alabama’s lead to 6-1 by the end of the inning.
Pupillo shot an RBI-double off the wall and Audrey Vandagriff doubled to score another, extending Alabama’s lead to 8-1, threatening run-rule territory with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, securing the run rule with an RBI single by Taylor.
After needing a later-than-preferred power surge to pull away from Arkansas, Alabama’s lineup looked more comfortable early against Florida. The Crimson Tide finished with nine runs on 13 hits.
Vic Moten handles early pressure in first SEC Tournament appearance
Vic Moten’s first SEC Tournament appearance did not start easily, but the freshman pitcher kept Florida from taking advantage of the new kid on the block.
Moten walked two batters in the first inning but answered by striking out three straight Gators to keep the game scoreless heading into the bottom half.
Her pitch count climbed quickly. Moten threw more than 30 pitches in each of the first two innings and more than 20 in the third, reaching 87 pitches after just three. But after battling through traffic early, she settled in with a seven-pitch 1-2-3 fourth inning.
Alabama’s lead gave Moten margin for error, but Florida’s offense still had enough firepower to threaten a comeback. Moten ended the complete-game effort striking out four and one run on three hits with seven walks. Not bad for the freshman’s first postseason appearance.
Alabama moves one win away from SEC Tournament history
Alabama’s win over Florida moved the Crimson Tide one step closer to separating itself in SEC Softball Tournament history.
Both No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Florida entered Friday tied with six SEC Softball Tournament championships apiece. With the semifinal win, Alabama will now have a chance to become the first program in conference history to win a seventh SEC Tournament title.
The Crimson Tide had won only two of its last seven meetings against the Gators entering Friday, including a loss to Florida in the 2024 Women’s College World Series. This was the first postseason meeting between the two programs since then.
Alabama had not reached the SEC Tournament championship game since 2021, when it won the tournament title.
When does Alabama softball play again?
After beating No. 7 Arkansas and No. 3 Florida on back-to-back days, the Crimson Tide will face the winner of No. 4 Texas vs. No. 9 Georgia in the SEC Softball Tournament championship game at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 9.
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.
Does that animal have rabies? Here are signs and symptoms to look for
Rabies is an infectious disease that affects the central nervous system in mammals. Here’s what to look for in pets.
The Republic
State health officials are urging people to keep their pets vaccinated for rabies after a fox in Elmore County and a raccoon in Lee County tested positive for the virus.
On May 1, the raccoon was spotted acting strangely near Auburn, and the fox emerged from a wooded area and attacked a person in Tallassee, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. The person has sought medical treatment.
“Rabies is not seasonal, and we continue to see cases year-round, but late spring is a time when activity peaks, particularly in wildlife,” said Dr. Dee Jones, state veterinarian for the ADPH, “The primary risk of rabies from wildlife is our pets, and keeping them up to date on rabies vaccine is critical.”
Alabama state law requires that dogs, cats and ferrets 12 weeks of age and older be current with rabies vaccination. In addition to vaccination, area residents are advised to take the following precautions to avoid possible exposure to rabies:
- Do not leave uneaten pet food or scraps near your residence.
- Do not allow pets to run loose; confine them within a fenced-in area or with a leash.
- Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets.
- Do not go near wildlife or domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner.
- Caution children not to go near any stray or wild animal, regardless of its behavior.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com. To support his work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
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