Crow Joins Race for House District 63!

Tuscaloosa City Councilman Norman Crow is officially throwing his hat in the ring for the Alabama House of Representatives District 63 seat! He's the first to formally announce his candidacy for the spot soon to be up for grabs.

What's He Bringing to the Table?

According to The Tuscaloosa News, Crow, currently representing District 3 on the City Council, is leaning heavily on his experience in business, education, and community leadership. He's promising accountability, service, and real results for the district, emphasizing his knack for creating jobs and managing finances.

A Tuscaloosa Guy Through and Through

Crow’s no stranger to Tuscaloosa. He started out in the energy industry with big names like Southern Natural Gas and Duke Energy. Later, he ran his own transportation company, DT Freight, and now he's a real estate agent with Hamner Real Estate. Talk about a diverse background!

Community Focused

He's also been heavily involved in the community, previously serving on the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education and leading organizations like the Boys & Girls Club of West Alabama and the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce.

Why District 63 Matters

House District 63, covering much of downtown Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama, is a key spot for making sure the city's voice is heard loud and clear in Montgomery.

Who's Leaving and When?

State Rep. Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa) is stepping down from the District 63 seat after being tapped by Governor Ivey to head the Public Service Commission. Her resignation is expected on June 15th.

What's Next?

Keep your eyes peeled! The Governor will announce the date for a special election to fill the seat in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for updates!

Mr. Worldwide Heads to Tuscaloosa!

Get ready, ChumCity! Pitbull, the Grammy-winning sensation himself, is bringing the party to the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater this summer!

Party After Dark Tour

Mark your calendars for August 28th because that's when Mr. 305 is set to ignite the stage as part of his Party After Dark Tour.

Snag Your Tickets!

Want to be part of the action? Tickets officially go on sale Friday, June 13th at 100 a.m. CST. But, keep your eyes peeled because a venue pre-sale kicks off the day before, also at 10 a.m.!

Amped Up Amphitheater

The Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater is heating up this season! Other incredible shows lined up in the coming months include Ringo Starr, Old Dominion, Southern Soul Explosion, Masters of the Mic, and ZZ Top. Looks like it's going to be a summer to remember!

Mobile Airport's New Landing Target: September 2026!

Hold onto your hats, ChumCity! The new Mobile International Airport is still soaring towards completion, but the landing has been adjusted to September 2026. Originally slated for a spring debut, city and airport honchos have decided sticking to the budget is priority one!

Fly Closer to Home!

Remember, this big project kicked off in 2022, aiming to bring commercial flights closer to downtown Mobile. Say goodbye to long drives and hello to airport convenience!

Gates Galore & Parking Aplenty

Get ready for a shiny new terminal with an initial five gates, with room to grow to a whopping twelve as needed. And speaking of growth, a 1,250-space parking garage is also in the works, set to be ready by March 2026.

Sky-High Hopes!

This isn't just any airport, folks. It's designed to meet international standards, promising lower fares, more direct flights, a tourism boost, and a whole lot of economic development for our region. Expect commercial flights to take off around October or November of that year. Get ready to fly!

New Bill Aims to Tackle Public Shootings in Alabama

State Rep. Matt Simpson is pushing for stronger laws to address public shootings! He formally introduced House Bill 20 at a press conference, backed by local law enforcement bigwigs.

Law Enforcement Support

Simpson announced the bill alongside Sheriffs Hoss Mack, Anthony Lowery, Paul Burch, District Attorney Keith Blackwood, and Sergeant John Young. "This bill will address public shootings and broaden law enforcement’s ability to charge capital murder to those who commit murder and endanger the lives of multiple people," Simpson shared on Facebook.

Expanding the Definition

House Bill 20 wants to broaden Alabama’s capital murder statute by adding a new factor: committing murder in a way that knowingly creates a “great risk of death” to multiple people. This is intended to close a loophole where capital charges might not apply if multiple folks are hurt but only one dies.

Why Now?

Several high-profile shootings in Alabama have highlighted the urgency. Simpson hopes the change will give prosecutors more flexibility in cases where multiple lives are at risk.

Recent Tragedies

Examples cited include a fatal shooting at a children’s dance recital in Mobile (Saenger Theatre) in 2025 and a New Year’s Eve shooting on Dauphin Street in 2022. Other incidents referenced included a shooting in Sage Park and a holiday gathering in Theodore, both resulting in casualties. A May Day shooting in 2024 in Baldwin County also left several dead and wounded.

What's New in HB20?

HB20 would add a 22nd aggravating factor to Alabama's capital offenses list. These offenses currently include killings during robberies or assaults on public officials.

Addressing Concerns

An earlier version included "public places," but Simpson removed it to avoid squabbles over the definition of such spaces.

Longshore and McKnight: A Friday Fiesta of Sports & City Chatter!

John Longshore and Barry McKnight brought the Friday heat LIVE from Stivers Ford today, serving up a heaping helping of sports headlines and local buzz!

NBA Finals, Braves, and a U.S. Open Shocker!

We kicked things off with the Pacers vs. Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the Braves battling the Rockies, and a deep dive into the U.S. Open where JJ Spaun is making everyone eat their hats!

Golf Gab Galore!

The golf gods were smiling! We broke down Patrick Reed's crazy albatross and looked into our crystal ball for Brooks Koepka and Victor Hovland's chances.

College Baseball & Hoops Gripes!

The College World Series is in full swing, but Longshore and McKnight lamented Auburn and Alabama's snooze-fest ACC/SEC basketball schedules. More variety, please! We reminisced about those wild road trips of yesteryear with our amazing listeners.

Mayor Reed in the House!

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed stopped by to give us the lowdown on all the latest happenings in the city!

Catch Longshore and McKnight daily on YouTube, Spotify, and Yellowhammer News! 🎙️🔊

Walker County School Board Silent on SRO Controversy

The Walker County School Board held its first meeting since Sheriff Nick Smith's indictment for allegedly hiring unqualified School Resource Officers (SROs). Despite a grand jury recommendation to revise policies and ensure SROs meet state certification, the issue wasn't discussed during the regular meeting.

Uncertified Deputies Guarding Schools?

Records show at least four Walker County deputies served as SROs without proper Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC) certification. The contract between the school system and the sheriff's department, doesn't seem to explicitly require certification.

$400,000 SRO Program Under Scrutiny

The school system shells out around $400,000 yearly on its SRO program. Superintendent Dr. Dennis Willingham, subpoenaed in the investigation, wouldn't comment, but stated the district's dedication to student safety.

Teachers Express Concerns

Teachers are worried after finding uncertified deputies in their schools. One teacher, also a city mayor, felt misled and concerned about campus security.

What's Next for the School Board?

With summer programs ongoing, everyone's watching for the school board's next move. A special meeting is set for June 30 to discuss personnel, but it's not confirmed if SRO program changes are on the agenda. The timeline for policy review remains a mystery.

What's Shakin' in the News This Week?!

Whoa, buckle up ChumCity citizens, because the news cycle has been a WILD ride! Riots are rockin' L.A., and California's Governor Newsom? Is he just playing political games by throwing shade at Trump and Senator Tuberville? Hmmm...

Senate to the Rescue of NASA?

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate might just be our heroes, potentially swooping in to save NASA's funding. Will they do it? We're watching!

Golden Dome Caucus: What IS That?!

And speaking of mysteries, what's the deal with this "Golden Dome caucus" we keep hearing about? Time to dig a little deeper...

All this and more juicy political goodness, served up hot this week!

Shout Outs:

• Mecca Musick heads up 256 Today.
• Dale Jackson's dropping truth bombs on Yellowhammer News and on WVNN from 5-9 a.m. weekdays. Give 'em a listen!

Alabama AG Backs Trump's National Guard Deployment in LA

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is throwing his support behind President Trump's decision to send in the National Guard to Los Angeles amidst ongoing unrest. Marshall filed an amicus brief, signaling Alabama's agreement with the move to deploy troops.

"Arson, Assault, and Anarchy Are Violent Crimes"

Marshall emphasized the importance of peaceful protest but drew a firm line against violence. He stated, "arson, assault, and anarchy are not protected forms of expression; they are violent crimes." He commended President Trump for taking decisive action when, according to Marshall, California leadership faltered in the face of "violent open border activists."

Standing with Law Enforcement

The Attorney General expressed strong support for law enforcement. "We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women of law enforcement, who hold the line between civilization and disorder," he said. He thanked President Trump for "refusing to let lawlessness prevail."

Chaos in Los Angeles

The amicus brief highlights the extent of the disturbances, describing "buildings being surrounded and defaced, cars being set ablaze, and LAPD officers pleading for assistance."

Constitutional Authority

The brief argues that President Trump was within his rights to activate the National Guard under Title 10 of the United States Code to protect federal agents, property, and the law, especially considering the alleged inaction of state and local officials.

Widespread Support

Alabama isn't alone. Nineteen states joined in the amicus brief, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.

SEC Fans, Rejoice! Kickoff Windows Are Here!

College football fans know the struggle: planning game day trips is a nightmare when you're left guessing about kickoff times until the last minute.

A Silver Lining in the SEC's TV Deal

While the SEC's move to ESPN networks has been... a topic, there's a bright side! We're getting early kickoff windows before the season even begins. It's not exact times for everything, but hey, it's a start!

Alabama & Auburn: Mark Your Calendars!

This week, the SEC dropped those all-important scheduling windows, giving Alabama fans a clue when to set their alarms (or book those flights!).

Under the Lights Showdowns!

The big news? Both Alabama and Auburn will be battling the Georgia Bulldogs at night! Auburn hosts Georgia on October 11th, while Bama heads to Athens on September 27th for some Sanford Stadium magic.

More Prime Time Action!

And Bama fans, get ready! LSU's coming to Tuscaloosa for a night game on November 8th.

Early Bird Games

For those early risers, Alabama will be hitting the road to Missouri for an 110 a.m. kickoff. Auburn's heading to Arkansas in the same early window (between 110 a.m. and 120 p.m. CST).

Flex Time!

Most other games are in those "flex" slots, meaning kickoff could land anywhere between 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. CST.

So, ChumCity football fanatics, get those plans in motion! The season is nearly here!

Tigers Under the Microscope in '25

Hugh Freeze's Auburn Tigers are facing the heat heading into the 2025 season. It's Year Three, and the pressure's on, possibly even more than the last two seasons combined!

From Rebuild to Contender?

Freeze inherited a tough situation, earning a bit of grace in Year One. Year Two saw expectations rise, but even a slight dip didn't shatter fan faith. This year, though? The roster is stacked, looking like a real threat to the SEC elite.

Quarterback Upgrade & WR Fireworks

It all starts with the quarterback. Auburn snagged a major upgrade, and Jackson Arnold is walking into a receiver room that could be one of the nation's best.

Coleman & Co.: Ready to Explode

Sophomore sensation Cam Coleman is aiming for household-name status after a breakout freshman year. And this receiving corps? Underrated, period. Malcolm Simmons quietly crushed it as a freshman too, looking to build on that, along with Perry Thompson who is hungry for more targets this year.

The Singleton Effect

The biggest splash? Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr., a portal prize, is bringing electrifying speed to complement Coleman's physical dominance. It's a perfect blend of power and finesse on The Plains.

More Weapons in the Arsenal

Wake Forest transfer Horatio Fields is also turning heads. But right now, the Singleton buzz is deafening. Regardless, it's a lethal group of pass catchers aiming to finally unleash Auburn's passing game.

Get Ready to Roar

Remember these names, ChumCity readers. They're about to be lighting up your screens and snagging touchdowns this fall!