What's going on in Alabama

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Jul. 18, 2025

Thank y'all for continuing to read and tune in to Down in Alabama. Enjoy your Friday and the rest of your weekend.

Caroline Vincent

 

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Alabama Library Censorship Debate

A state library board member accused colleagues of using their positions to advance political careers while pushing to ban books with “positive portrayals of transgender people” from children’s sections.

Ron Snider, former board president, directly called out the censorship efforts during a heated meeting where the board voted to begin changing state code to further restrict materials.

Anna Beahm reports that board chairman John Wahl has already told libraries that materials pertaining to “gender ideology” would jeopardize their funding.

Read more about this story here
 

Homewood protests

Black Lives Matter Birmingham is threatening to “shut Homewood down” with boycotts and demonstrations unless police release video footage of 18-year-old Jabari Peoples’ fatal shooting by an officer.

“We will not shop where we are shot. We will not dine where we are denied justice,” said Wayne T. Harris at a city council meeting,reports AL.com.

Mayor Alex Wyatt has asked state investigators to show the video to Peoples’ family.

Read more about this story here
 

ICE Detentions of U.S. Citizens

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) advised Americans detained in ICE raids to “don’t put yourself in a situation where that happens.”

His comments came after U.S. Army veteran George Retes was wrongfully detained for three days.

AL.com reports Tuberville suggested citizens who are “hanging around people that are not citizens” risk detention during immigration enforcement operations.

Read more about this story here
 

Nick Saban retirement

Kristen Saban shut down rumors of her father’s coaching comeback in an Instagram post, stating “He’s not coming back to coaching, hate to break it to you.”

The speculation began when former Alabama QB Greg McElroy mentioned hearing Saban might not be done coaching, despite retiring in January.

Nick Bamman reports the 73-year-old former coach will likely continue his Emmy-winning role on ESPN’s College GameDay while maintaining his consultant position at Alabama.

Read more about this story here
 

More Alabama News

  • Comedian or coach? And the latest on Nick Saban as SEC Media Days 2025 wraps up
  • Trump administration hands over personal data of 79 million Medicaid enrollees to ICE
  • Alabama Amber Alert suspect charged in deaths of woman, 13-year-old daughter
 

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Hear us talk about the coming podcast "American Shrapnel."

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