Drew Taylor

The time Ozzy Osbourne went to Space Camp in Alabama By 2016, Osbourne and his son Jack had embarked on a second reality series, “Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour,” where father and son toured the country, taking part in the culture …

In 2018, the late Ozzy Osbourne went to Alabama and, well, did what he does best: was his charming, mumbling self.

New haircut, who dis?

For 70 years, Jude Johnston devoted his spiritual life to St. Bernard Abbey. But the Alabama monk was also committed to his art CULLMAN, Ala. (WIAT) — Brother Jude Johnston, a monk whose dedication to both God and to his art went well beyond the walls of St. Bernard Abbey, died last week following a lengthy illness. H…

My piece on Brother Jude Johnston, a monk at St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama whose artwork was itself a kind of spiritual meditation. Johnston, who died last week at the age of 92, served St. Bernard for over 70 years.

This week in HS Sports: Remembering Rubin Grant and his life well lived Rubin Grant poured into high school athletes for years, shining his light on Alabama's youth and leaving a positive impact on us all.

Really sad to hear about Rubin E. Grant’s death. He was a longtime sports writer for the Birmingham Post-Herald who never gave up the ghost, contributing to Over the Mountain Journal and other outlets. Sad to see that generation of journalists go.

Estate sale being held at longtime Pizitz home in Hoover The sprawling six-room house, which was built in 1977, was the longtime home of Merritt Pizitz, part of the Pizitz dynasty best known for running the Pizitiz Department Store from 1899 until the bu…

This weekend, an estate sale will be held at the longtime home of one of Birmingham's most esteemed family dynasties. Everything inside this sprawling six-room house will be up for grabs.

YouTube video by Gorillaz Gorillaz - Magic City (Visualiser)

I hope that I make it home by Wednesday
And this Magic City let's me go

A new $499 smartphone from the Trump Organization could possibly be made in Alabama, but experts say that with most phones being manufactured in China, and the billions of dollars it would take to build that industry in the US, it would be a long way off.

Buc-ee’s, a Pit Stop to Refuel Cars, Stomachs and Souls, Spreads Beyond Texas

NYT's Rick Rojas on Buc-ee's, which is quickly becoming its own religious movement across the South, second only to the Southern Baptist Convention. It reminds me of Alan Blinder's portrait of Waffle House back in 2018.

Happy Father’s Day to my dad, Chuck. Here he is in front of his favorite store in Savannah, Georgia.

YouTube video by CBS Sunday Morning The "magic" of worm grunting

CBS Sunday Morning did a piece on an age-old arcane tradition called “worm grunting,” where people use the vibrations of rubbing a stake to draw worms out of the ground. In Geneva, Alabama, it’s called “worm fiddling” and there’s a whole competition around it at the county fair.

Why is a grand jury asking for e-cigarettes not to be sold at the Walker County Jail anymore? JASPER, Ala. (WIAT) — As a grand jury made the decision to indict Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith on charges of hiring uncertified personnel as deputies within his department, the group also…

A grand jury is asking that e-cigarettes not be sold to inmates at the Walker County Jail anymore. Despite generating an estimated $20,000 per month for the Walker County Sheriff's Office, they've caused a few problems over the years.

Michael Anderson, street photographer who captured soul of Birmingham, dies BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Michael Anderson, whose lifelong attention detail and aesthetic lent themselves well to careers as a florist, a decorator and, most notably, a photographer who becam…

Michael Anderson, whose lifelong attention to both detail and aesthetic lent themselves well to careers as a florist, a decorator and, most notably, a photographer who became a common sight along the streets of Birmingham over the years, died last week. He was 74.

Alireza Doroudi flies back to Iran 3 months after being detained by ICE outside University of Alabama BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Alireza Doroudi, a mechanical engineering student who was a year away from finishing his doctorate degree at the University of Alabama, has left the country and gone…

Alireza Doroudi, a student from Iran who was studying mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama before being detained by ICE on March 25, left the United States Sunday, according to his attorney.

Ronnie Dugger, 1930-2025 The Observer's crusading founding editor—a prolific author and agitator who helped animate the spirit of a true Texas liberalism—has died at 95.

“He drove all over Texas, goading, questioning, preaching, writing ‘red hot’ stories and smash-mouth editorials, trying to sell Texas Observer subscriptions ... and hoping to awaken the masses to how shoddily they were being served by most of their alleged representatives.”

The story behind a must-try dish at this classic Alabama restaurant The snapper throats at the Bright Star in Bessemer have a long, colorful history that goes back to the 1930s.

Bob Carlton is retiring today. I love his work, from a profile on Terry Saban to a series on a man dying from AIDS. However, his piece on Bright Star’s snapper throats belongs up there with Calvin Trillin’s history of the Buffalo chicken wing. Stellar.

Jason Hamric, founder of Substrate Radio who celebrated Birmingham art scene, dies BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Jason Hamric, a multi-hyphenate creative who ran Substrate Radio for over a decade in Birmingham, has died. He was 53 years old. Jackie Lo, Hamric’s wife and f…

Jason Hamric, a multi-hyphenate creative who ran Substrate Radio for over a decade and was a champion of the Birmingham art scene, has died. He was 53.

It’s amazing that in my lifetime, Birmingham had not one but two alt-weeklies: Birmingham Weekly and Black & White. I miss them both and would pitch in the revive them both in a heartbeat.

Watching the segment, you can see longtime ABC 33/40 sports anchor Mike Raita, who now serves as Tuberville’s regional director.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville running for governor of Alabama BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In another life, Sen. Tommy Tuberville was one of the top college football coaches in Alabama. Now, he’s going for an even bigger job in the state: governor. T…

In a special appearance on Fox News where host Will Cain initially mispronounced his name, Sen. Tommy Tuberville announced he was running for governor of Alabama.

YouTube video by leobold0612 Doris Duke - Ghost of Myself

That was such a cool story he told me and an even better song. During my deep dive, I discovered his work on Doris Duke’s “Ghost of Myself,” featuring Duane Allman on lead guitar.

Swamp Dogg, outsider artist who found his sound in Alabama, at center of new documentary playing in Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In 1969, Jerry Williams Jr. was working with a group called C & The Shells, writing a song for them called “You are the Circus.” Williams, who had be…

My profile of Jerry Williams Jr., aka Swamp Dogg, an outsider artist whose music has been described as “a post-apocalyptic take on the Muscle Shoals sound.” His new documentary, “Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted,” is playing this weekend at Sidewalk.

How an AI-generated summer reading list got published in major newspapers Newspapers around the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and at least one edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer, published a syndicated book list featuring made-up books by famous authors.

It didn't matter if he won, if he lived, or if he'd run.

They changed the way his job was done. Labor costs were high.

That new machine was cheap as hell and only John would work as well.

So they left him laying where he fell, the day John Henry died.

-Drive-By Truckers

Top 10 songs to get Sun Ra Day started on the right foot in Alabama BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In an interview with the Birmingham Post-Herald toward the end of his life, the bewilderingly brilliant jazz composer Sun Ra described his music in so many words. &#…

To celebrate Sun Ra Day, I compiled a list of 10 of my favorite performances by the singular jazz artist, who would've turned 111 today. Excited for the Sun Ra Festival kick off in Birmingham this weekend.

Bob Carlton, longtime writer who has covered food and all things Alabama for 45 years, retiring from AL.com BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — On his X profile, the bio for Bob Carlton is short, yet covers far more than any one sentence ever could. “I write about Southern food and culture and all thin…

To me, Bob Carlton is the best feature writer in Alabama whose masterful pieces on food and culture have been a major influence on me and my own work. On May 30, he will retire from AL(dot)com after 45 years in Birmingham journalism.

‘Dilbert’ creator Scott Adams announces he has same prostate cancer as Biden, will likely be ‘checking out’ sometime this summer BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Scott Adams, who took his fame as the creator of the long-running comic strip “Dilbert” and parlayed that into a second chapter as a controversial politi…

Scott Adams, who parlayed his success as the creator of the long-running comic strip "Dilbert" into a second chapter as a controversial political commentator, has announced he has prostate cancer and would likely be "checking out" sometime this summer.

Welcome to the University of Alabama! Hope some of you have an attorney. | Alabama Reflector In light of the university's actions after graduate student Alireza Douroudi was seized, here's how UA should welcome future students.

Biting column by @brianlyman.bsky.social on the University of Alabama, Alireza Doroudi and future international students who come to the Capstone.

Not since Stanley Crouch has an author’s bio been largely prefaced by a book they’ve been known to be working on for over 25 years.

Alabama representatives from NPR, PBS make their case on Capitol Hill in the face of possible federal funding cuts BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — As the Trump administration aims to gut federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, people from Alabama involved in public media, …

As the Trump administration aims to gut federal funding for NPR and PBS, people from Alabama involved in public media, from WBHM to APTV, met in Washington, D.C. to convince lawmakers about the crucial component they serve in the community.

Morning started with a cold call by the courtroom sketch artist who covered the Menendez Brothers case. How's yours going?

Alabama nonprofit art studio that celebrates the autism community hit by Trump cuts to NEA BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A nonprofit group dedicated to offering a space for autistic people to make and display their art is looking to the community for help after losing nearly a third of…

Studio by the Tracks, a nonprofit art group that has celebrated the autism community in Alabama since 1989, is asking the community for help after losing over $50,000 in grants due to the Trump administration's cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts.