As for-profit Tenet Healthcare slims its hospital portfolio, it found an unlikely buyer for its Alabama hospitals: Florida’s Orlando Health.  

Orlando Health draws more than $6 billion in annual revenue and has a profit margin that surpasses most of its peers. A hospital system executive system leader said crossing state lines to buy five Birmingham-area hospitals is part of its focus on serving the Southeastern U.S., even though most of its 17 existing hospitals are still in Florida. 

It’s not at all surprising that a multi-billion dollar health system would have ambitions of expanding beyond its home state. That’s especially true as hospital systems continue to merge at a breakneck pace, increasingly jumping across multiple states to do so. Meanwhile, study after study concludes that hospitals use their newfound market power to drive up prices.

A flight instructor was killed in a helicopter crash at Fort Novosel in Alabama on Wednesday afternoon and an Army student pilot was injured, according to the local county coroner’s office.

The helicopter, an AH-64 Apache, crashed during routine flight training, Dale County Coroner John Cawley said. 

The flight instructor, who was flying the helicopter, was killed in the crash. The only passenger, the student pilot, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. 

“Our primary concern is the welfare and health of the student pilot and care and concern for the family of the deceased,” Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commanding general, said in a statement to news outlets.

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The statement said the accident is under investigation. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Army base for updates. 

Lawmakers from Alabama shared their sympathies on X. 

Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., wrote that he and his wife were “heartbroken” to hear about the crash. 

“We are praying for a swift recovery for the student pilot who was injured, and comfort for the loved ones of the instructor who passed away,” Moore said. 

“This is a heartbreaking loss for the Wiregrass and our entire state. Wesley and I are praying for those affected, especially for the instructor’s family and for the student pilot’s recovery,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., wrote on X. “Our hearts go out to the entire community at Fort Novosel.” 

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., wrote that he was “deeply saddened to hear about the fatal helicopter crash.” 

“Please join me in praying for the mourning family and friends of the instructor who passed away. We are also praying for a full recovery for the injured student,” Tuberville said.

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Fort Novosel was previously known as Fort Rucker. It is the Army’s primary training facility for helicopter pilots.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Alabama football program developed itself into one of the premiere destinations for wide receivers looking to head into the NFL under Nick Saban’s leadership. From Julio Jones to Jameson Williams the Crimson Tide saw nine receivers taken in the first round over a 14-year period with 12 receivers total selected across all seven rounds in the same time frame.

Saban retired in January creating doubts in the Alabama program’s ability to maintain the standards set under the legendary head coach. One area that should come through the transition unscathed is the wide receiver room. Alabama’s new head coach Kalen DeBoer played wide receiver in college and ensured that his receivers coach at Washington, JaMarcus Shephard, was one of the coaches who joined his staff in Tuscaloosa.

The duo’s ability to connect with their players and develop talent at a high level made transferring to Tuscaloosa an easy choice for Washington transfer Germie Bernard.

“The recipe that he [DeBoer] has of winning,” said Bernard on Wednesday. “If you look at his track record every school that he’s been to he’s winning and they have a great offense that’s going to get the receivers the ball and be explosive and that’s something I wanted to be in.”

It doesn’t hurt that DeBoer and Shephard just put three receivers into the NFL draft themselves as the Huskies just sent Rome Odunze, Ja’Lyn Polk and Jalen McMillan into the first three rounds of the draft. The Alabama coaching staff has complemented Bernard’s leadership during the transition and hopes for another draft success story in the spring.

“I think Germie has been awesome and has had a great camp and had a great spring. He’s a great football player,” said Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan. “Certainly, in addition to that, his leadership, his character, who he is as a person, his willingness to help those around him — he wants his teammates to do well. Obviously has knowledge of the system and has played in it previously. Germ’s been great and we’re lucky to have him.”

It goes even deeper than just football, though, with Bernard. The transfer commended Shephard’s influence on Bernard’s faith on Tuesday noting that his unselfish nature permeated the entire building.

“Obviously the coaching aspect, I mean you guys know what [Shephard] does. It’s more than that. The faith piece, the way he believes in God, and the way he spreads his word to his players. Everybody throughout the building. He’s a great man. He cares for others, he loves others, very unselfish. Man, like I said, he’s just a great dude overall,” said Bernard.