MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Kay Ivey has declared June as “Strong Families Month” in Alabama, putting the state’s weight behind a proclamation that emphasizes traditional family structures as Pride Month gets underway. The governor’s office said Ivey signed the proclamation Friday and that it is intended to recognize the role of parents in child development.…

PINSON, Ala. — Two children died Saturday after a drowning incident at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, according to authorities and local television reports. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deaths after the children were taken to Children’s of Alabama, WBRC reported. ABC 33/40 reported that a preliminary investigation indicated the children were with their…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s long-running battle over congressional redistricting has entered another fast-moving phase, with federal judges blocking the state’s latest map, state officials rushing back to the U.S. Supreme Court and Justice Clarence Thomas temporarily declining to give Alabama an immediate win. At the center of the dispute is whether Alabama can use a…

CLAY COUNTY, Ala. — The Talladega National Forest has grown by 1,446 acres in Clay County, adding land along its southern boundary that conservation advocates say will protect wildlife habitat, strengthen forest connectivity and preserve views from the Pinhoti Trail. The newly acquired tract has been transferred to the U.S. Forest Service and folded into…

CLAY, Ala. — A fire destroyed two donation trailers outside the Lovelady Thrift Store in Clay early Wednesday, damaging inventory but leaving the store itself and the center’s other thrift location open, according to the organization and local news reports. The Lovelady Center said the trailers were filled with donated inventory and were intentionally set…