After eight seasons, two state championships and a remarkable run of success, Jackson head basketball coach Anthony Hayes resigned to become Monroe County High School’s coach. Hayes was 129-29 with the Aggies while establishing one of the state's premier basketball programs. Veteran assistant coach Jimmy Martin was named the new head coach. “Coaching at Jackson has been one of the greatest experiences of my career,” Hayes said. “Winning back-to-back state championships was special and a blessing, but what made it meaningful was the relationships built with our players, coaches, faculty and community.” Under Hayes, Jackson captured consecutive Class 4A state...

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In loving memory of John Blair, it is with profound sadness and deep love that the family announce the passing of John Blair, a devoted family man, cherished grandfather and great-grandfather, and a loyal friend to many. John was a man who found joy in the simple things in life. He loved spending his time hunting and fishing, enjoying the outdoors, and making memories with those he loved most. Whether in a deer stand, on the water with a fishing pole in hand, John was happiest when surrounded by family and friends. John was the kind of man who would...

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Years ago, a steel cell door closing behind me taught me a lesson I never forgot. No, I had not been arrested. I was about 10 or 12 years old, and our school had taken us on a field trip to Mobile County Metro Jail. Nearly 50 years later, I can still remember walking through those doors. The jail was nothing like what we see on television today. There was nothing comfortable about it. The room was stark and stale. The walls were bare. There were no decorations, no pictures and no signs of home. In the middle of the room...

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Charles William Blackwell Sr. passed away peacefully on Friday, May 22, 2026, at Jackson Medical Center in Jackson. Charles was a true outdoorsman who cherished all that nature had to offer. He found joy in hunting, fishing, and spending time on his boat along the river. Gifted with a musical spirit, Charles was also a talented singer and guitar player, delighting in entertaining his friends. If Charles wasn’t entertaining his friends around the campfire, he was watching Alabama football or softball. He was an avid Crimson Tide fan. Throughout his life journey, he owned and operated several businesses, demonstrating his...

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Just think, last week I was sailing on the blue Mediterranean. Now I am back home with a bit of jet lag and a new appreciation for comfortable shoes. I thought I was in pretty good shape from walking and going to the gym regularly. Then I spent nearly two weeks exploring cities on foot. I quickly learned why so many of the locals we saw were trim and fit. They walk everywhere. The weather was cool and pleasant, at least by Deep South standards. Many of the locals wore shorts and tank tops while I wore a cardigan every...

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Edna Robinson Stewart, 81, died May 27, 2026 at Jackson Medical Center. A native of Jackson, she was the daughter of the late Howard Robinson and Mable Robinson. Edna was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Known to her friends and family as “Egg,” she was a member of the Jackson Woman’s Club for approximately 50 years. She served in several capacities of the club and most recently chaired the awards day that was hosted in May. Edna was a longtime member of the Four Seasons Garden Club that was formerly active in Jackson. Edna loved flowers and it...

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John McKenzie, who took Vigor to the Class 4A state championship in 2021, has been named the new head football coach at McIntosh, where he said he intends to build on the recent success of former coach Josh Harris. McKenzie, who was fired a few weeks after leading the Wolves to the 2024 Class 5A semifinals, is 36-22 overall in his career. He was 31-8 in two stints at Vigor and also coached at Murphy and Paul Bryant High. “I want to be a state champion and I want that opportunity again,” McKenzie said. “I was looking for a place...

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A federal appeals court on May 26 blocked Alabama’s plan to use a newly drawn congressional map designed to reduce the likelihood that a second Black candidate could be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Fourteen Republicans and seven Democrats had qualified to run in Alabama’s special congressional primary elections set for Aug. 11. But the federal judges issued a temporary injunction preventing the state from using the new map. Instead, the judges ordered the state to use the court-ordered 2024 map that redrew the Second Congressional District and led to the election of Rep. Shomari Figures. The same...

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JACKSON — A bomb threat at the Jackson Walmart on May 29 prompted the evacuation of employees and customers but a thorough search proved the threat was a false alarm. According to Jackson Police Chief J.T. Moore, a Walmart custodian discovered a threatening message written on a bathroom wall around noon. “One of the employees observed a note on the bathroom wall that said a bomb was placed in the tool section of Walmart,” Moore said. “He wiped it off before we got here.” Authorities immediately evacuated the store and began a coordinated search involving the Jackson Police Department, the...

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Mo Brooks, a former six-term congressman, was aiming to win a seat in the Alabama Legislature. Such a move is unprecedented, going from one of the world's most exclusive clubs as a member of Congress to likely being relegated to a backbencher in the Alabama House of Representatives. Even his closest longtime confidantes ask, "Why, Mo?" Brooks is a true believer. He always has been. My first encounter with Mo Brooks came in 2006, when the then-Madison County Commissioner made an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. He was the same idealist that he is now. That played well to the setting,...

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