Alabama
May they see your driver license?: Down in Alabama
Driver license, please
A case we followed here in 2022 has found its way to the Alabama Supreme Court.
AL.com’s Sarah Whites-Koditschek reports that the question is whether Alabama Police officers can demand to see people’s driver licenses or other IDs if they have probable cause.
In 2022, Childersburg Police answered a call about somebody on the property of people who were not home. The man, Michael Jennings, said he was watering flowers for his neighbors. The officers told him to provide an ID. He would only give his name as “Pastor Jennings” and refused to provide identification. Eventually the officers arrested him on a charge of obstructing government operations.
Attorney Ed Haden is representing the city and a group of police officers. He argued before the justices that state law gives officers with probable cause the authority to identify people, and that means a full name verified by identification.
Jennings attorney Henry Daniels argued the opposite, telling the justices that “Entitlement to live one’s life free from unwarranted interference by law enforcement or other governmental entities is fundamental to liberty.”
How low can you go?
Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December came in at a low 2.7% and was accompanied by record-breaking employment totals, reports AL.com’s Heather Gann.
Alabama Department of Workforce Secretary Greg Reed announced the figures on Wednesday.
Records fell for the number of people counted as employed and wage and salary employment. The difference between those two stats is that “wage and salary employment” doesn’t include a few types of workers such as the self-employed.
Alabama’s 2.7% rate was down from 3.3% in November ’24. And it was tracking well below the national rate.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. unemployment rate was 4.6%. That’s low, historically speaking, but the highest it’s been since September 2021.
RIP, songwriter Jim McBride
Huntsville native, country-music songwriter and Alabama Music Hall of Famer Jim McBride has passed away, reports AL.com’s Patrick Darrington.
McBride, who was from Huntsville, wrote or co-wrote No. 1s such as Johnny Lee’s “Bet Your Heart on Me” and Waylon Jennings’ very last chart-topper, “Rose in Paradise.”
With legends such as Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and George Jones cutting his songs, he became a Nashville mainstay himself during the 1980s. In the country-music business, a lot of figures like McBride aren’t the household names of the recording artists, but the smart recording artists are going to gravitate to somebody who can take a song or a hook or an idea and turn it into something that might hit. So the songwriters become famous inside the industry and many of them are like family to the Opry stars and in high demand for late-night guitar pulls. We had another one — Bobby Tomberlin — on the podcast on Sept. 12, and he told some great stories about that life.
Well, one of those smart recording artists who wound up in McBride’s orbit in the late ’80s was a fresh-faced Alan Jackson. Their songwriter partnership produced the No. 1 songs “Someday” and CMA Single and Song of the year “Chattahoochee” as well as many others, including the Top 5s “Chasing That Neon Rainbow” and “(Who Says) You Can’t Have it All.”
That alone is a career.
Jim McBride was 78 years old.
Quoting
“To all our ICE agents in Minnesota and across the country: if you are violently attacked, SHOOT BACK.”
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, in a response to a woman’s being shot and killed in Minnesota on Wednesday after she allegedly tried to drive her SUV into an immigration officer.
By the Numbers
60%
That’s the percentage of Alabamians in an AL.com survey that said they expect to spend more on housing or rental costs this year compared to 2025.
Born on This Date
In 1977, actress Amber Benson of Birmingham.
The podcast
Alabama
Alabama boy’s secret Facebook post asking for cancer drug grabs national attention
RALPH, Ala. (WSFA) – An Alabama teenager took a chance on Wednesday, filming a two-minute video on his mom’s Facebook page without his parents knowing.
He didn’t expect what happened next.
Will Roberts, 15, lives in Ralph, an unincorporated community in Tuscaloosa County. He’s fighting for his life against stage 4 bone cancer, called osteosarcoma, which has spread throughout his body.
In Will’s video he asks for one specific thing: a drug that he does not have access to called DELTAREX-G.
His parents had been discussing the benefits that this drug could offer, and Will wants to take action. So, he filmed the video.
In less than 24 hours, the Roberts family has heard from Alabama and national lawmakers and even celebrity doctors like Dr. Oz.
WSFA 12 News’ Ian Alvano is speaking with Will and his family about the boy’s battle, and his decision to make the Facebook post. We’ll update this story with more details and video throughout the day.
In Will’s video he asks for it to be shared with President Donald Trump and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“We’ve tried basically everything there is, and we’re getting toward the end of the road, and I need help,” the boy urges.
While he remains in a battle for his life, Will is thinking about others. He states in the video that while he’s unsure about his future, he wants other kids who may battle this disease in the future to have the best chance possible.
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Alabama
Alabama QB Ty Simpson says faith in Jesus Christ fuels confidence heading into 2026 NFL Draft
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Confidence exudes from Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson when he’s on the field, and that carried over to the pre-NFL Draft process.
Simpson has steadfastly supported himself when asked if he can be a starting quarterback in this league, and he feels he has the first-round talent to do so.
Before he learns where he goes in the NFL Draft, whether it’s Thursday night in the first round or beyond, Simpson spoke with Fox News Digital about where his patented confidence comes from.
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Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws a pass during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
“I think it goes with my faith,” he said, while discussing his partnership with Toyota ahead of the draft. “My faith is very important to me. I fully believe that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, and knowing that football is just a minor stepping stone in why I’m on this earth. I feel like I’m on this earth for a bigger reason, to get people together to spread the word. The fact that I can do that on a huge stage, the Lord has blessed me in so many ways, that just gives me confidence.
“I get to play a kid’s game for fun, but I also know that everybody’s watching every move that I make. Understanding that I can impact so many people’s lives by spreading the good news.”
Simpson, who spent all four of his college seasons at Alabama, embodies the “Faith, Family, Football” motto, as he also talked about his hometown of Martin, Tennessee.
PROJECTED TOP PICK FERNANDO MENDOZA REVEALS WHY HE’S SKIPPING NFL DRAFT
No matter where his NFL journey may take him, he will always be repping the place that made him who he is.
“I think that being able to impact my community is something I really look forward to because I know how much my community means to me,” he said when asked about charitable work off the field in the city he ends up in. “Martin, Tennessee is a special place. It’s where I grew up. The 713-area code, we take pride in it. We always say in our household, ‘Martin made.’ So, it’s something where I look forward to, wherever I end up, to be able to give back to my community.”
Simpson showcased his desire to give back Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, joining fellow NFL Draft prospect wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Steelers receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and members of the U.S. Women’s National Flag Football team at Toyota’s NFL Draft Flag Football Training Camp for Pittsburgh-area high school girls. He was wearing the coach’s hat, helping coordinate drills and share some of his quarterback wisdom before preparing for the draft on Thursday night.
Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide runs with the football against the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2026. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“My sister was a basketball player and softball player growing up, so it’s really exciting and awesome to see Toyota put a spotlight on girls in sports,” Simpson added.
Toyota also covered NFL FLAG fall registration kit fees for current players in the Pittsburgh Flag Football League coed youth and high school girls leagues as part of this activation before the live draft in the city.
Simpson waited until his fourth season to finally take the reins of the Alabama offense, and he made the best of the situation. He threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and only five interceptions across 15 games for the Crimson Tide. But the 6-foot-2, 211-pound quarterback, who has gotten comparisons to Mac Jones, a fellow Alabama alum, is all over the place in terms of mock drafts.
In short, not even Simpson has an idea where he might end up when the draft begins. But no matter where he goes, Simpson knows he can make an impact.
Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up before the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2026. (CFP/Getty Images)
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And it starts with his faith.
“The first round is great, [but] any time you get drafted is great. There’s so many different players that are great at my position that are from each different round of the NFL. So, I’m in the mindset of wherever I go, whenever that will be, I’m gonna put my best foot forward. Trust the process and be the best player I can be.”
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Alabama
Chris Blankenship op-ed: Alabama’s outdoors is key to our state’s economic growth – Innovate Alabama is a key partner in that growth
From the mountains of the Tennessee Valley to the shores of the Gulf Coast, and everything in- between, our state is second to none in the country when it comes to beautiful outdoors and recreation.
Whether it’s camping and hiking across Alabama’s state parks, fishing our streams, rivers, coastlines and bays, or hunting in our state’s sprawling forests – there is truly something for everyone who has a love and appreciation for the outdoors.
But Alabama’s natural beauty is about more than just recreation. It is a powerful economic asset – and one that is increasingly central to our state’s ability to compete for talent in a rapidly changing economy. Today, when individuals and families are deciding where to live, one of the first questions they ask is simple: What is the quality of life? And a major part of that answer is access to outdoor recreation.
People want to know if they can bike on scenic trails, paddle down clean rivers, hike through preserved lands, or spend weekends hunting and fishing. They want to live in places that allow them to unplug, recharge, and connect with nature.
Alabama is uniquely positioned to meet that demand. We have the natural resources that people across the country are searching for – but we must be intentional about leveraging them. Each year, Alabama produces more talented graduates than ever before. Yet too many of those young people leave our state in search of opportunities and lifestyles they believe they cannot find here.
If we are serious about retaining that talent, and attracting new talent from outside our borders, we must fully embrace and promote what makes Alabama special. That is exactly what we are doing through Innovate Alabama, a statewide public-private
partnership focused on entrepreneurship and economic growth.
As Chairman of the Council on Outdoor Recreation, I have seen firsthand how our natural assets are becoming one of our strongest tools in this effort. Innovate Alabama recognizes that talent drives economic development. And talent today is
mobile. Young professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators are choosing where to live based not only on job opportunities, but on lifestyle.
By elevating outdoor recreation as a central part of our value proposition, we are showing that Alabama offers both. And it is working.
We are hearing directly from entrepreneurs and young professionals who have launched businesses through Innovate Alabama programs that access to our outdoors, and the quality of life it creates, has been one of the most compelling reasons they chose to build their future here.
They are finding that in Alabama, they do not have to choose between career success and a high quality of life. They can have both.
That is a powerful message, and one we must continue to amplify.
We have been blessed with incredible natural resources. Now, we must continue to invest in them, protect them, and ensure access to them. By doing so, we are not only preserving our heritage, but we are building our future.
At the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, we are committed to expanding access to outdoor recreation opportunities across the state. Since 2017, we have invested more than $500 million in outdoor recreation access improvements! Whether it is improving our state parks, enhancing trails and waterways access, or conserving critical habitats, our work is directly tied to Alabama’s long-term economic success.
By working in partnership with Innovate Alabama, we will continue to position our outdoors as a cornerstone of our growth strategy, helping us retain the talented young people who might otherwise leave, while attracting new individuals and businesses who are looking for a place to thrive.
Alabama’s great outdoors are more than a point of pride. They are a competitive advantage. And if we continue to lean into that advantage, we will ensure that our state remains not only a beautiful place to visit, but one of the best places in the country to live, work, and build a future.
Chris Blankenship is the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner and Chairman of the Innovate Alabama Outdoor Recreation Committee.
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