Alabama
Maternal mortality, The Voice, drone arrest: Down in Alabama
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Saving moms
The folks at the Alabama Department of Health are looking for more insight into maternal mortality in the state, and they’re hoping that’s what they’ll get by taking an autopsy program statewide, reports AL.com’s Amy Yurkanin.
The program provides cost-free autopsies on women who died during pregnancy or within a year after giving birth. It’s been in place since December in Baldwin, Jefferson, Madison, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Shelby and Walker counties.
Alabama has one of the nation’s highest maternal mortality rates. AL.com’s Anna Claire Vollers did reporting back in 2019 that showed there were issues with the state’s tracking of expectant or new mothers who had died. The state then put a half million dollars into investigating the high mortality rate.
Also, a maternal mortality review committee found that 15 of the 24 pregnancy-related deaths in Alabama in 2018 and 2019 were preventable. Infections, heart problems and hemorrhage accounted for the highest number of deaths.
However, the ADPH says that autopsies are performed on only about half the pregnant and new-mom deaths. Enter this free-autopsy program, which is now being rolled out statewide over the coming months. Complete autopsies will be done at UAB and the University of South Alabama.
An Alabama Voice
Alabamians are having a big week on reality television.
Yesterday we had the story of a 12-year-old who won Gordon Ramsey’s MasterChef Junior competition.
Then, last night, Asher HaVon became the first Alabama native to win a season on NBC’s The Voice, reports AL.com’s Mary Colurso.
His win in the finals wasn’t a shock. The soul singer, who’s originally from Selma, has been a frontrunner this season and was strongly championed by his team coach, Reba McEntire.
A recording contract comes along with the title.
Flying violations
You can’t say that the Hangout Festival environment isn’t keeping up with the latest trends in illegal activity.
Firing one up in the Port-a-Potty is archaic. AL.com’s Warren Kulo reports that a man was arrested at this year’s event after his drone buzzed a police drone, Gulf Shores Det. Carl Wittstruck said, “like in Top Gun.”
Police say the man launched on the first two days of Hangout. They figured out where it came from after the first day, so they were ready for it on the second day.
There are federal laws regulating drones, but local rules can be spotty. Gulf Shores prohibits them from being flown over public beaches without a permit from the city and the Federal Aviation Administration. If you break that one, you could face up to a $500 fine and six months in jail.
Katie Britt to talk child care, and you’re invited
If you’ve tried to put a kid in day care lately, you know how tough it can be to find a spot, then be able to afford it. It’s barely even a joke anymore when people say you really need to put a child on a waiting list before he or she is born.
Policy wrangling on the issue is something that you might see play out over the coming months. So I wanted to let y’all know about a virtual event co-hosted by AL.com’s Alabama Education Lab that’ll feature U.S. Senators Katie Britt of Alabama and Patty Murray of Washington. Our Trisha Powell Crain will be one of the moderators, and it’ll be at 2:30 p.m. Alabama time today. You can see it on AL.com’s Facebook page or YouTube Channel.
If you follow this Facebook event, you’ll get an alert when they go live.
Quoting
“The practice of filing lawsuits and requests for stay of execution at the last minute where the facts were known well in advance is ineffective, unworkable, and must stop.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Emily Marks of Montgomery, in a decision rejecting a request to stay Jamie Ray Mills’ scheduled May 30 execution.
By the Numbers
That’s how many days in jail you can get just for being a spectator for illegal exhibition driving or street racing in Birmingham, according to a new ordinance.
More Alabama News
Born on This Date
In 1914, the late jazz pianist Sun Ra of Birmingham.
In 1959, humorist, author and speaker Andy Andrews of Birmingham and Dothan.
The podcast
Veteran food reporter Bob Carlton is on the show to talk about food in Alabama.
You can find “Down in Alabama” wherever you get your podcasts, including these places:
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) – The YMCA of South Alabama held a Healthy Kids Day at Spanish Fort Town Center Park.
Saturday’s event featured games and demonstrations, along with interactive activities featuring police and fire vehicles.
“I think just seeing so many organizations come together that serve kids, and just seeing kids have fun,” said Gwen Summer, CEO of the YMCA of South Alabama.
Marissa Rennaker, director of development for the YMCA of South Alabama, said the event exposed children to new activities.
“I think it’s been seeing all the kids laugh and try different things that they probably haven’t tried before,” Rennaker said. “There was a big group doing pickleball and yoga. We had ballet earlier, so just getting them out and exposed to things, I think it’s been great.”
The event was designed to kick off a healthy, active summer.
The YMCA of South Alabama is located at 27080 Pollard Road in Daphne.
Copyright 2026 WALA. All rights reserved.
Former Alabama star Will Anderson Jr. has reportedly signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Houston Texans, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Anderson instantly solidified himself as one of the top defensive players in football throughout his rookie campaign in 2023. The star defensive end was named as the Rookie of the Year in 2023, as Anderson’s extension will officially keep him in Houston long-term, as well as make him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Anderson recorded an impressive 12 sacks on the Texans’ defensive line in 2025, as the former Alabama star has made history following his head turning extension with Houston.
Anderson was nothing short of a superstar throughout his time at Alabama. Houston drafted the talented lineman with the third overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, as Anderson was widely regarded as one of the top overall selections from his class.
The former Crimson Tide superstar has officially inked a massive extension with the Texans, as Anderson will undoubtedly continue playing a critical role on Houston’s defensive line over the coming seasons.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn said that No. 4 Texas would be “hungry” against the No. 11Crimson Tide coming off its first series loss of the season to Texas A&M.
The Longhorns certainly were, as they pounced all over Vaughn’s team, striking out 17 Alabama batters en route to a 10-2 win.
“The story of the game was they just kind of kicked our tail in every phase tonight,” Vaughn said.
Alabama starter Tyler Fay had been elite over his past four starts, dating back to his complete-game no-hitter against Florida, allowing just six earned runs over the 26.0 innings pitched in those games. That changed instantly on Friday evening, as leadoff batter Aiden Robbins opened the game with a double and catcher Carson Tinney took him deep for a two-run blast moments later.
Texas added a third run in the first off an Ethan Mendoza RBI double, setting the tone for a dominant day. Alabama did not record a hit until the fourth inning as Longhorn ace Dylan Volantis tore through batters, striking out 12 over six innings.
Fay ended up going 5.1 innings, just the second time he did not make it through the sixth. The other, against Auburn, was only due to Vaughn wanting to keep his pitch count down in the wake of the no-hitter. He allowed season-highs of seven earned runs and 12 hits in the loss.
The Longhorns added a run each in the third and the fifth, before Alabama put the slightest amount of pressure on Texas in the top of the sixth. Bryce Fowler and Justin Lebron scored on the basepaths off an error and a wild pitch, respectively, to cut the Texas lead to three runs.
“You’ve got to find ways to score,” Vaughn said. “Those two guys just created two runs for us, and did a great job creating those runs and we crawl back in at 5-2, and it’s like, ‘Let’s go back to work…’ So thought we had that chance in those middle innings.”
The Longhorns effectively put the game to bed in the next frame, responding with three runs as Fay was relieved by Connor Lehman. Texas would add two more runs on the day, with the only silver lining coming in the fact that Alabama avoided a run-rule.
The Crimson Tide has now lost four straight SEC games after winning three consecutive series. Zane Adams takes the mound with the series on the line on Saturday, in a game that has been moved up to 12 p.m. CT due to anticipated rain in Austin.
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