For Brad Vice and his family, the nightmare is over, at least for a while.
Nine years ago, Vice and his wife, Brittney, moved into the rural, unincorporated Belle Mina community in north Alabama. The house was built by Brittney’s great-grandparents and the couple welcomed their first child there two years ago.
But for the past 12 months, the dream became a nightmare when a massive 199-acre limestone quarry began blasting operations across the street.
Since then, Vice and his neighbors, including four churches, have been inundated by waves of dust that make outdoor living spaces unlivable, loud noises and bright lights that keep them awake at night, vibrations and explosions from daytime blasting and heavy truck traffic that causes backups and safety hazards on the small two-lane road that runs past the quarry.
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In a Jan. 7 court hearing about the quarry, Vice testified about the impacts, called the amount of dust entering his property “unimaginable” and said that he didn’t know how much longer he could continue living in the area.
“We don’t let our daughter play outside,” Vice testified in the hearing. “The dust has altered our lifestyle completely.”
Now, he will finally get some relief.
Late Friday, Limestone County Judge Matthew Huggins partially granted a motion for a preliminary injunction to halt operations at the quarry until several conditions are met to reduce the impacts of dust, noise, traffic and bright lights on the surrounding community.
The plaintiffs—four churches and three individuals living in the small community of Belle Mina—are seeking an injunction to permanently shut down the quarry. They alleged that the dust, noise, vibrations and other impacts violated Alabama’s nuisance laws.
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“We are grateful for this immediate relief from the nightmare we’ve been living for months,” Vice said in a news release after the decision. “I’m worried about my child’s health and my family’s well-being enduring constant noise, air pollution, and sleepless nights.”
The nuisance complaint names multiple companies involved with the quarry as defendants: Stoned LLC, Elephants R Us LLC, Landquest Properties LLC and Grayson Carter & Son Contracting, Inc.
Attorneys representing Stoned LLC in the matter told Inside Climate News their clients did not wish to comment on the case at this time.
The injunction requires the quarry to meet the following conditions before resuming operations:
The quarry must move a temporary rock crushing area at least 1,200 feet from any of the plaintiffs’ properties.
The quarry cannot erect any artificial light source to a height visible from the plaintiffs’ properties.
The quarry cannot conduct operations that produce a loud noise described in testimony and videos taken by the plaintiffs between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The quarry is prohibited from allowing its trucks to block traffic or drive on the wrong side of the road.
The quarry is ordered to “expedite the development” of a new entrance and additional turn lane on the main road.
In a hearing on the preliminary injunction earlier this month, residents and pastors from the churches testified on how the quarry has impacted their lives, introducing photos of mailboxes, cars, boats and other surfaces coated in dust, and videos that depict bright lights and loud noises coming from the quarry at night.
Expert witnesses testified for both sides about the levels of noise and dust coming from the quarry compared to other sites, and about the potential of subsidence or structural damage from blasting at the quarry.
In his ruling, Huggins held that the plaintiffs’ health concerns were not sufficiently documented to be considered in the case and that concerns about vibrations from quarry blasting and the potential for sinkholes did not meet the standards of Alabama’s nuisance law.
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However, he ruled the fugitive dust entering the plaintiffs’ properties “substantially and unreasonably inconveniences” the plaintiffs, as did the noises, bright lights and traffic coming from the quarry.
Huggins said in the ruling that the plaintiffs had established a “reasonable chance of success” on the public nuisance claim, granting the preliminary injunction. The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from the Southern Environmental Law Center.
“We’re very pleased the judge heard the evidence and applied the law to limit the unnecessary mayhem community members are enduring because of this nuisance,” Sarah Stokes, a senior attorney at SELC, said in a news release. “Belle Mina residents—just like any community—are entitled to the safe, peaceful use of their homes and property. They did nothing to deserve this chaos. That’s why they intend to fight this to the end.”
The ruling is the latest chapter in the residents’ long struggle against the quarry.
Last year, some of the plaintiffs in the nuisance complaint found themselves as defendants in a lawsuit in Indiana filed by the quarry operators.
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Elephants R Us, LLC, filed a lawsuit against Belle Mina Methodist Church, New Covenant Ministries and a resident in the state of Indiana for reasons that weren’t altogether clear, seeking $1.6 million plus attorneys’ fees, arguing that their speaking against the quarry had interfered with a contract and negatively impacted the business. Court documents show Elephants R Us is a registered LLC in Indiana, but lists Alabama as its primary place of business.
That suit was dismissed by an Indiana judge last year. SELC attorneys said the lawsuit was an example of a SLAPP suit, or a strategic lawsuit against public participation, “designed to intimidate or silence opposition to the quarry,” by dragging the churches into legal proceedings in another state.
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The Alabama case is scheduled to go to trial beginning April 21.
“The judge heard what this quarry has done to our lives, and gave us some relief,” Nina Perez, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said in a release. “No one deserves to have their lives upended because a rock quarry invaded their community.”
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Dennis Pillion
Reporter, Alabama
Dennis Pillion is a reporter for Inside Climate News based in Alabama. He joined ICN in 2024 after 17 years working for Alabama Media Group, including nine as the statewide natural resources reporter. His work for AL.com and The Birmingham News, won numerous Green Eyeshade and Alabama Press Association awards for his coverage of environmental issues in Alabama. He was born and lives in Birmingham, Ala.
Bryce Fowler sent a no-doubter over the left field wall, the first of four home runs that No. 16 Alabama would hit in the first two innings, as the Crimson Tide slugged its way to a 10-7 over No. 11 Oklahoma in the series opener.
Justin Lebron flew out immediately after Fowler’s leadoff blast, but Brady Neal then nearly went yard himself. The ball was about an inch from clearing the wall, and instead bounced off it for a triple. Neal would come in to score off a two-out John Lemm single, giving Alabama a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.
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The Sooners would get one back in the bottom of the inning, but Alabama flipped the game upside down in the second. Justin Osterhouse and Brennan Holt were plunked, bringing Fowler back up with two on and one out. Fowler then demolished a ball to right field for the first multi-home run game of his career.
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“He’s just a tough competitor, man. That’s Bryce Fowler in a nutshell,” head coach Rob Vaughn said. “The bigger the moment, the better he is. Not only the swings last weekend, but the defense in center last weekend, and then the unbelievable at-bats really set the tone today.”
Justin Lebron then drew a five-pitch walk and, per usual, stole second. He came about as close as he has all season to getting thrown out, but slid in safely for his 24th stolen base of the season, most in the SEC by a significant margin. The shortstop then came home on a single from Neal, which marked the end of starter LJ Mercurius’ evening.
Mercurius’ season ERA rose from 3.53 to 5.11 as Alabama scored seven off him. He was replaced by his brother, Xander, who did not fare much better in that second, as Jason Torres took his first pitch of the day deep, extending Alabama’s lead to seven runs.
After Lemm recorded another hit, Osterhouse added the exclamation point with the third home run of the inning. As Oklahoma finally left the field after a Luke Vaughn groundout, Alabama held a 10-1 lead.
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Tyler Fay settled in on the mound for Alabama, putting together 1-2-3 frames in the second, third and fourth innings. On the flip side, Xander Mercurius put together a very impressive relief appearance, giving up just one more hit and keeping Alabama off the board for the rest of his night as the freshman worked into the eighth.
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The Sooners added three runs in the fifth off a pair of home runs, but that was all the offense to speak of. Fay ended up going 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs in a performance that, while obviously not at the level of his last two dominant outings, was more than enough given the run support.
Oklahoma put three more on the board in the ninth, forcing reliever Sam Mitchell out of the game after a leadoff home run and then a two-out, two-RBI triple that cut the deficit to three. Oklahoma had the tying run on deck, but Matthew Heiberger came in and recorded a strikeout to end the game and give Alabama the opener.
Alabama will play for the series win earlier than expected, as Saturday’s game was moved up from 6:30 to 1 p.m. CT due to expected inclement weather. The contest will air on SEC Network+.
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Cam Wade earned an Alabama football offer earlier this week and locked in a return visit date for an official.
Wade is a 2027 recruit, and he attends Paducah Tilghman High School in Paducah, Kentucky. Alabama is the latest program to offer the junior, but he holds previous offers from Florida, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Maryland and others.
The Kentucky product said earning an Alabama offer means a lot to him.
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“As a kid growing up watching college football, you always dreamed about Alabama,” Wade said. “Just a wonderful experience, and I’m grateful.”
Wade was on campus for a visit when he earned his offer from the Tide, and the visit was a success.
“You can feel the intensity as soon as you walk in the door,” Wade told Touchdown Alabama. “I loved that, also how close the coaching staff was with each other was also great.”
Alabama will get Wade on campus on the weekend of May 29-31 for his official visit.
Wade is an explosive wide receiver with proven speed. He holds a PR of 10.6 in the 100-meter dash and a 21.6 in the 200-meter dash. This speed translates over to the field, and it makes him dangerous in different aspects of the game.
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Watch Cam Wade’s Highlights Below:
Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
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Alabama Shakes have lined up a string of North American and European tour dates for 2026. After releasing a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart last year with “Another Life,” Brittany Howard and the band are headed back to the live stage for a spring and summer run of concerts. Starting on April 16, the band will hit major cities around the US, including Atlanta, Denver and multiple stops in Florida before setting off for a stint in Europe this July.
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How to Buy Alabama Shakes’ Concert Tickets, At a Glance
After their incredible 2015 album Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes took a hiatus from 2018 to 2024, so that frontwoman/guitarist, Howard, could focus on her solo career. They would later reunite for a show in Tuscaloosa, Ala in December of that year, which led to a large tour in 2025 from July through September. Luckily for fans, the group decided to extend the tour and festival run in 2026. With their last single coming out in 2025, can we expect more music from the group while on tour?
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With their tour kicking off soon and tickets selling fast, we’ve compiled all the best ways to shop Alabama Shakes’ tickets online. Ticketmaster does have some general tickets available, but shifting your focus to several resell sites is a great way sho cheap, last-minute concert tickets as well. See below.
Where to Shop Last-Minute Alabama Shakes’ Tickets Online
With resell sites like StubHub, SeatGeek and Gametime, Alabama Shakes’ fans can shop available concert tickets online and securely. Below, ShopBillboard put together a list of affordable ticket options, including exclusive promo and discount codes. Learn about how you can save on concert tickets for each site below.
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With StubHub, fans can affordable Alabama Shakes’ tickets for as low as $71 in some cities. Shoppers can also take advantage of the site’s filters to find the best tickets and venue seating available. Choose from the number of tickets needed, price and even have estimated fees included in the cost, so there are no hidden surprises. Plus, each purchase is protected by StubHub’s FanProtect, which you can learn more about here.
Another great option for shopping last-minute concert tickets is on Vivid Seats. The resell site has Alabama Shakes’ tickets for as low as $61. The site will also help you determine the best offers available by labeling what dates have deals and displaying the cheapest prices available. If you want to save even more, use the code BB2024 at checkout, to save $20 off orders of $200+.
Your purchase will also be covered by the Vivid Seats Buyer Guarantee, which can you read more about here.
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Seat Geek is another affordable option to find cheap Alabama Shakes’ tickets with options as low as $64. The resale ticketing site uses a ranking system with a scale of 1-10 to show which options are the best deal. Tickets marked a one are considered the worst deal whereas options rated a 10 are considered the best deals. Bonus offer: First purchases are eligible to receive $10 off orders of $250+ when you use the code BILLBOARD10 at checkout.
Courtesy of Gametime
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Gametime is offering Alabama Shakes’ tickets online for as cheap as $65 right now. To save on concert tickets, shoppers can score an extra $20 off purchases of $150+ when you enter the code SAVE20 at checkout. If you find other sites offering a cheaper price, Gametime’s Price Guarantee Program will give you 110% of the difference back when you show proof to the resale site.
Lastly, Alabama Shakes fans can find cheap tickets on Ticketnetwork starting at $69. To save on concert tickets, shoppers can take advantage of our promo codes that will take $150 off purchases of $500+ when you use the code BILLBOARD150 at checkout or $300 off orders of $1,000+ when you use the promo code BILLBOARD300.
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Alabama Shakes 2026 Tour Dates
Take a look at Alabama Shakes upcoming tour dates below, alongside additional musical guest at each venue.
04/16 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront ~ 04/17 – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena ~ 04/18 – Charleston, SC – High Water Fest 04/22 – Memphis, TN – Grind City Amphitheater + 04/24 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park + 04/25 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater + 04/26 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre % 04/28 – Tallahassee, FL – Adderley Amphitheater % 04/29 – Boca Raton, FL – Sunset Cove Amphitheater % 04/30 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound % 05/02 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 05/24 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre # 05/25 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre # 06/13 – Manchester, Tennessee – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 07/01 – Leeds, England – Millennium Square 07/02 – Wasing, England – On the Mount at Wasing 07/03 – London, England – Alexandra Palace * 07/05 – Ghent, Belgium – Gent Jazz Festival 07/07 – Lucca, Italy – Summer Festival 07/09 – Lisbon, Portugal – NOS Alive Festival 07/10 – Bilbao, Spain – BBK Live 07/11 – Madrid, Spain – Noches del Botanico 07/25 – Eugene, OR – Autzen Stadium ^ 09/19 – Dover, DE – The Woodlands ^
