An overhead view of Flagg Mountain in Weogufka. Photo submitted   Photo of an American kestrel by Jason Ganz, courtesy of the National Audobon Society.   Meg Ford is a classically trained violinist originally from Birmingham. She graduated from The Alabama School of Fine Arts and Birmingham Southern College where she majored in music…

Special to the News   Whether you’re a veteran, unexperienced driver, or make your living behind the wheel of a bus or a commercial vehicle, staying safe around railway tracks is all about knowing the rules. Each year, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) joins fellow law enforcement agencies and first responders across the nation…

Special to the News In a world often bustling with the noise of daily life, there exists a silent epidemic that claims far too many lives each year – suicide. In the past 20 years, there has been a 32% increase in the rate of suicide deaths in the United States with more than 41,000…

Special to the News   Robert Lane McCollum, 2022 Republican candidate for Alabama’s Public Service Commission (PSC), announced Tuesday that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for president of the PSC in 2024. McCollum will be challenging longtime political insider Twinkle Cavanaugh in the race. Previously, McCollum had been a candidate for Tallapoosa County…

  Remember the song “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” recorded by Aretha Franklin in the mid-1960s? Although it was originally recorded by Otis Redding, Aretha modified the song to fit her style, and it became an even bigger hit. Matter of fact, the song turned out to be Aretha’s signature song. Reba McIntyre recorded it years later, but no…