During heavy storms that rolled through our area Monday morning, there were several reports of houses being struck by lightning and at least one home that was reportedly thought to be on fire.
Three houses sitting side by side in Silverhill also reportedly were struck by lightning and several fire departments were dispatched to the homes on 13,000 block of Kaieteur Falls Ave. Silverhill and Fairhope dispatched fire department personnel to the area to investigate the homes for any fires or damages.
One house did have a small fire located in the attic area and was quickly extinguished while another home had some electrical issues, and the power company was dispatched to the scene.
Some areas of Baldwin County did receive heavy thunderstorms and lightning during the mid-morning hours but there have been no reports of fires or lightning damage that we are aware of.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
The City of Gulf Shores Police has released their latest “Spring Break 2025” arrest numbers:
3/8/2025 12:00:00 AM to 3/14/2025 11:59:59 PM
Spring Break Related Arrest Report, Week 2
All Other- 3
Drug Paraphernalia – 7
Drug, Amphetamines- 3
Drugs, Methamphetamines- 1
Drugs, Possession of Dangerous Drugs- 1
Drugs, Synthetic Narcotics- 1
Marijuana Possession- 8
Illegal Possession of Prescription Drugs- 2
DUI Alcohol (.08 BAC or more)- 6
Minor in Possession of Alcohol- 30
Public Intoxication- 3
Tampering with Physical Evidence- 1
Underage Purchase/Consumption/Possession of Alcohol- 2
*Total Bookings: 50
*Total Charges: 68
3/8/2025 12:00:00 AM to 3/14/2025 11:59:59 PM
Non-Spring Break Related Arrest Report, Week 2
All Other Arrests- 5
Criminal Trespass- 1
Domestic Violence- 2
Drug Paraphernalia- 3
Drugs. Methamphetamines- 1
Drugs, Synthetic Narcotic- 1
DUI Alcohol (.08 BAC or more)- 1
DUI Controlled Substance- 1
Illegal Possession of Prescription Drugs- 1
Marijuana Possession- 2
Shoplifting- 1
Warrant-Failure to Appear (Misdemeanor)-10
*Total Bookings- 24
*Total Charges- 29
In total, Gulf Shores Police made 74 arrests and had 97 charges applied against those arrested.
*The number of Total Bookings does not always equal the number of Total Charges as an arrestee may have multiple charges. Juveniles that are detained are not booked into the city jail.
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Things are looking bright for the State of Alabama according to a new report showing economic investments and growth across the entire state.
According to the new report and Gov. Kay Ivey, there was $7 billion in capital investments across 224 projects and new businesses and start-ups helped lead the way.
“Alabama’s economy is on the move, and this report proves it,” Ivey said. “With more than $7 billion in new investments and thousands of jobs created, we are building a future filled with opportunity. Companies around the world see Alabama as the place to invest, grow and succeed — and we’re just getting started.”
Among the projects included in the 2024 report are:
Novelis invested another $1.6 billion into its Baldwin County aluminum mill, bringing its total investment to more than $4 billion.
Meta Platforms is planning to build a new $800 million data center in Montgomery.
Coca-Cola Bottling United is investing $330 million into a new headquarters and facility in Birmingham.
The report said that Alabama’s rural counties attracted $1.2 billion in investment and nearly 1,700 new jobs. That includes Republic Airways’ LIFT Academy, a flight training center at Moton Field in Macon County.
Investment in the state is putting people to work and giving Alabama a healthy future.
“We are making sure economic prosperity reaches every corner of our state,” the governor said. “From advanced manufacturing to aviation training and auto parts production, rural Alabama is on the rise. These investment projects are transforming communities and creating lasting opportunities.”
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
Developers want to build a high-end, resort-style golf facility at the outer fringes of Fairhope and place it in Barnwell.
The Daniel Corporation’s proposal includes a 310-lot single-family home development on 549 acres (still to be acquired) generally located west of the airport, at the intersection of Greeno Road and CR 24, extending west across CR3 in the Barnwell/Pt. Clear area.
This project would include numerous amenities including a restaurant, clubhouse, and an 18-hole championship golf course spread out across the southern part of Greeno Road between Fairhope and Barnwell.
The Fairhope council members have passed a resolution committing to providing water, sewer, and natural gas services to the Daniel Corporation’s development.
The developer agrees to finance and install all utility infrastructure to the project including new water and sewer main pipes according to Fairhope leaders. They will also donate one acre of land on Waggoner Road to the city for a new water storage tank-tower, well, and water treatment plant (which the city will build hopefully using an upcoming $3 million federal grant).
However, the water for the golf course itself will use a private lake for irrigation, not city water according to officials.
Since the project falls within Baldwin County’s Planning District 17, once the property is acquired the developer will have to get approval from the Baldwin County Planning Commission before proceeding.
However, Fairhope may annex the property into the city according to the terms of the agreement.
Developers continue to eye the southern part of Fairhope where it meets the Barnwell community and the county. Currently, several subdivisions and other building projects are either planned or underway in the same area and Barnwell continues to be ripe for residential and commercial growth. Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
A bill written to prevent unqualified people and others from presenting themselves passed without much of a battle and now, it has been signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey.
Senate Bill 115, the Officer Impersonation Prevention Act, went into law on Friday.
It was sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss and Rep. Ron Bolton.
The bill identifies several ways that a person would be impersonating a law enforcement officer, which is a Class C felony.
While several other laws are in place that make it illegal to do so, the new bill enhances the current law by eliminating a loophole that could allow unqualified people to serve as law enforcement officers.
The bill will become effective on Oct. 1, 2025. SB115 is part of the governor’s Safe Alabama public safety package.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
The unidentified teen who broke into a Spanish Fort home early Saturday morning and was shot by the homeowner will likely face serious criminal charges.
Despite the allegations made to the press by the teenager’s father that he is a good boy and that he accidentally fell through the window while he was knocking on it, the evidence proves otherwise.
Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not a criminal defense no different that if a drunk driver killed a person during a traffic collision.
The legal process in felonies such as this is to submit the case to the grand jury and allow them to determine if there is probable cause for an indictment. The charges in this case could be burglary.
Alabama law also allows that criminal charges could be placed against the parents of the teen.
The homeowners as well can also file a civil lawsuit against the parents for damages.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
DNA genetic testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy and will eventually have to sell its assets to pay its creditors.
If you are one of the over 15 million people who have provided saliva samples to them, unless you take action, there is a risk your genetic information could wind up elsewhere – and potentially used in ways you never wanted.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert to customers of 23andMe to remind Californians of their right to delete their genetic data under the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) and California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA).
We’ve got you covered with a step-by-step guide on how to delete your genetic data and send instructions to destroy your sample that will only take a couple of minutes:
Delete Genetic Data from 23andMe:
Follow these steps to delete your account and personal information.
Log into your 23andMe account on their website.
Go to the “Settings” section of your profile.
Scroll to a section labeled “23andMe Data” at the bottom of the page.
Click “View” next to “23andMe Data”
Download your data: If you want a copy of your genetic data for personal storage, choose the option to download it to your device before proceeding.
Scroll to the “Delete Data” section.
Click “Permanently Delete Data.”
Confirm your request: You’ll receive an email from 23andMe; follow the link in the email to confirm your deletion request.
Next, here’s how to destroy your 23andMe test samples.
Destroy Your 23andMe Test Sample
If you previously opted to have your saliva sample and DNA stored by 23andMe, but want to change that preference, you can do so from your account settings page, under “Preferences.”
Revoke Permission for Your Genetic Data to be Used for Research
If you previously consented to 23andMe and third-party researchers to use your genetic data and sample for research, you may withdraw consent from the account settings page, under “Research and Product Consents.”
Under GIPA, California consumers can delete their account and genetic data and have their biological sample destroyed. In addition, GIPA permits California consumers to revoke consent that they provided a genetic testing company to collect, use, and disclose genetic data and to store biological samples after the initial testing has been completed.
The CCPA also vests California consumers with the right to delete personal information, which includes genetic data, from businesses that collect personal information from the consumer.
In 2024, 23andMe faced serious financial trouble, leading to a significant loss in market value, raising concerns about the company’s security of user data.
Yesterday their stock was selling at 79 cents per share.
Tyler “TJ” Morgan was not wearing a seat belt when he was killed in a car crash nearly three years ago.
Now, “TJ’s Law” is carrying on his legacy and hopes to inform parents when their children receive traffic tickets.
“He was just a real outdoorsman, and he was a prankster,” said April Vafeas, Morgan’s mother. “So anytime a prank was played, you knew who set it up, and he had some pretty big ones.”
Vafeas lost her 21-year-old son in a car crash back in 2022. She said he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. After his funeral, Vafeas found traffic tickets she knew nothing about, which were three citations for the same behavior. She hopes “TJ’s Law” can help other parents.
“If they run a stop sign, or if they’re speeding or racing on the highway, anything like that, parents should be notified,” Vafeas said. “So, you can have an opportunity to correct that behavior in your child before it’s too late.”
The bill would give parents that chance by requiring law enforcement to contact them if their child under 19 gets a ticket. It would require a single attempt from the law enforcement agency to notify them through call, text or mail.
State Rep. Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville) sponsored the bill. He said it’s also about parental rights.
“A child could be driving your car, using your gas, using your insurance and get pulled over, and the parent might never know about it,” Kiel said. “I know just as a parent myself that if my child were pulled over, I would hope that I would be able to correct them, and hopefully, they wouldn’t do that again.”
Clarke County Sheriff DeWayne Smith said it’s a great idea, but he said dispatchers specifically should be the ones in charge of making the calls.
“If you’re putting that on the deputy that’s out trying to manage and go to call after call after call, that’s going kind of put him in a bind on that,” Smith said. “But I think it would be better served to do through the 9-1-1 system. That was my initial thought when you said that.”
Vafeas said even though she was close to her son, he never told her about the tickets.
“I would want every parent and grandparent to consider the fact that your child may not tell you these things,” Vafeas said, “and call your senators. Tell them that you want this bill passed.”
The bill passed the House and now heads to the Senate for a committee vote. If signed into law, police would start notifying parents of violations starting on October 1, 2025.
This is the first of a four-part series on protecting yourself, your family, your home, and your business.
And, while this series was planned to be released in February, during the past few weeks along the Alabama Gulf Coast, the subject has become even more relevant after several home invasions and burglaries have occurred in our area.
There are six words that you will see appear often in this series:
Vigilance
Sensitivity
Size-Up
Measured
Mental Acuity
Response
Each one of these plays a significant part in keeping yourself and your family safe while also protecting property and assets when necessary.
Understanding how you can avoid circumstances or protect against certain situations and what is lawful when going into the protection mode is also very important.
For many in the military, law enforcement, or other public safety fields, “Vigilance” is a fundamental pillar of survival, and civilians are wise to follow the same principles in protecting themselves.
Being aware of your surroundings, sights and sounds, sudden movements of people, or having a keen smell could all save your life or that of a loved one.
The busyness of our lives today, the constant movement and going to and fro, always in a hurry to be someplace, is a negative when it comes to personal safety, vigilance, and mental acuity. With so much going on around us, we seldom slow down long enough to process what is happening nearby, or who is around us.
The phrase, “Can’t See the Forest for the Trees”, meaning that someone is so focused on the details of a situation that they fail to grasp the bigger picture or overall context is exactly how most of us operate. We see things but we don’t allow our minds time enough to process what is really happening or compute what those sounds were. We just go about our business never realizing that danger might be all around us. Who is in your space, what was that sound, or what is happening around you are things that your mind processes every minute that you’re awake but are you receiving those signals?
Sensitivity to sudden changes of your surroundings is a built-in mechanism for survival. It is that inner voice that tells you that something has changed. That something is not right or that something bad is about to happen. If you are keen on noticing even slight changes and allow yourself to queue into what your brain and your body are telling you, you’ll be better prepared to respond and to defend, yourself and your family.
There’s a difference between being vigilant and being always afraid or paranoid. Being alert is a natural and necessary part of your very being.
Years ago, vigilance training was also called “Situational Awareness”. It’s being aware of your surroundings, your environments, and those around you. To be a good and safe driver, one must always stay alert, checking their rearview mirrors, side mirrors, speed, and the conditions of the road, looking for debris, potholes, or reckless or careless drivers pulling in front of your vehicle. A good driver is always expecting the unexpected and preparing to react to those situations. And that’s exactly how we can protect ourselves in our everyday lives. Stay sharp, be alert, and be in tune with what you hear around you. What might sound like nothing more than fireworks going off nearby, might be gunfire.
Staying attuned to nearby sounds, movements, and your surroundings, are first and foremost, the beginning stage of survival.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
On Sunday morning, a motor vehicle crash in Lillian shut down part of Highway 98 for several hours and injured several people.
Police said that the wreck occurred at approximately 9:52 a.m. at the intersection of Perdido Street and US Highway 98 and that it involved three vehicles.
The Lillian Fire Department along with Elberta and Perdido Beach Fire departments, ambulances, and law enforcement all responded to the 911 calls.
Traffic was diverted away from the area while patients were treated for their injuries and law enforcement conducted their investigation. Authorities also reported that there was fuel leakage at the wreck site as well. Several vehicles also had to be towed from the crash scene.
There were no reports of serious injuries.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
It seems like there’s a new scam weekly and some of them are just revisions of others.
Recently Daphne Utilities warned their customers about a possible scam online that is currently going around.
The Daphne Utilities said that they have received concerns regarding an online payment system called DOXO. It supposedly collects payments for utility companies and other businesses.
But this website is not affiliated with Daphne Utilities and does not take payments on our behalf they recently posted on their social media. BEWARE! It’s just another con!
Please pay your utility bill through our website only. Our phones are answered 24/7, So please do not hesitate if you are unsure.
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Construction will soon be underway on Daphne’s new 2400-person amphitheater sitting on Mobile Bay bringing a new gem to the city. Announced last year, the long-anticipated amphitheater is moving closer to fruition, with plans to put the project out to bid within the next three months.
If all goes well, the mayor said that construction is expected to get underway by early summer on the site of the old Bayfront Building on Bayfront Park Drive.
The new amphitheater will host concerts, theater, and other outdoor events
Mayor LeJeune anticipates the project will cost approximately $10 million and aims for the amphitheater to open in the spring of 2027.
It’s going to be a 2,400-person relax-in-a-lawn-chair style amphitheater on the water with a full stage,” sitting right on the water. How can you beat a sunset down on the bay?” said Mayor Robin LeJeune.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
Fire Departments in both Baldwin and Mobile Counties were once again busy with wood and brush fires including one that lasted hours and burned more than 170 acres according to the Alabama Forestry Commission.
That blaze began in a wooded area off from Mary Hadley Road, near Bible Road, and quickly spread needing more than seven fire departments to contain and extinguish it.
Among those firefighters from Baldwin County that were involved was the Lottie Volunteer Fire Department, Perdido Volunteer Fire Department, and Rabun Volunteer Fire Department along with the state forestry commission.
Officials say that the fire was contained around 5:15 p.m. Currently the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Other Baldwin County fire departments including Daphne, Marlow, Foley, Lillian, and Belforest all responded to outside fires over the weekend.
The Alabama Forestry Commission wants to remind the public to refrain from outdoor burning during our climate’s dry weather.
“In the woods with the low humidity, the high winds, and the dry weather, containment has been exceptionally difficult,” AFC Coastal Program Manager, Ryan Peek said.
Additionally, some areas currently have burn bans in place so please check with your local fire department prior to burning household garbage, yard debris, construction debris or other items.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
Police in both Mobile and Baldwin County are responding to an uptick in retail thefts and new laws are assisting police in putting some bite in their arrests. Recently, mobile police responded to the H&M store located at 3201 Airport Road for a theft in progress.
On Friday, March 21, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m., officers responded to the store, and upon arriving officers discovered two female subjects were stealing clothing items from the business.
Police were able to immediately apprehend and arrest, Courtney Smith, 31, and Raven Sanderson, 34, for “Organized Retail Theft.
Both women were arrested and transported to Metro Jail.
Also arrested by Mobile police on the same charges in a different theft incident were Shiann Everett and Kreshanda Pruitt.
In Alabama, Organized Retail Theft is a Class B felony, involving the large-scale theft of retail merchandise with the intent to resell it, and includes actions like organizing, financing, or participating in retail theft.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department was dispatched to a structure fire early Friday morning at around 12:27 a.m. in the 2500 block of Karagan Drive. Firefighters reported when they arrived on the scene, heavy smoke and flames were showing from the house.
As firefighters prepared to make an interior attack, they noticed flames bursting under the eaves of the single-family dwelling and coming out of several windows.
A tactical exterior attack was also set up and the blaze was extinguished in less than an hour.
The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department said a woman was able to escape the burning house with her toddler after waking up to smoke filling the house.
Fire officials said the woman ran to her car as flames shot out of her front bedroom window but thankfully, no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.
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A fire at a business in Robertsdale on Saturday just after 1 p.m. immediately sent numerous fire departments to the location after someone called 911 reporting that a structure was on fire.
As firefighters arrived, they also found numerous vehicles on fire at Romeo 3’S Collision located at 23567 State Highway 59, along with other items.
The Summerdale, Robertsdale, Silverhill, and Loxley Fire departments were dispatched to assist in containing and extinguishing the fire.
Fire departments were on the scene extinguishing the fire for more than an hour.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
A new medical facility is coming to Daphne, and it should be ready to accept patients before the end of 2026.
Infirmary Health broke ground this past week on a new two-story, 95,000-square-foot building which will be located on U.S. 90.
The new medical center will offer many features including medical screenings, X-rays, and ultrasound also known as sonography. And, the new facility will also feature a surgery suite with six fully equipped operating rooms for outpatient surgeries.
Infirmary Health said that it will be a state-of-the-art facility.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
A family on Caisson Trace near Alabama State Highway 225 woke up to find an intruder inside their home according to Spanish Fort Police Chief John Barber.
Chief Barber said that the family was home when the wife heard glass breaking and saw the teenager in their home. That’s when the husband grabbed a firearm and shot the intruder and then called 911 and reported the incident.
Spanish Fort police and fire departments were immediately dispatched to the home along with a Medstar ambulance.
Barber said the intruder was a 17-year-old male and that police officers rendered aid that may have saved the teenager’s life. He was flown to the University Hospital for treatment.
Chief Barber also believes that the teenager was under the influence of something and that he did not live in the neighborhood but was visiting friends nearby and did not know the family of the home he allegedly broke into.
As for criminal charges against the teenager, or the homeowner, that will be determined after the investigation has been completed.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
Imagine the surprise that homeowners got in Mobile when they reviewed their Ring video camera footage last week and saw that someone was prowling around the back door of their home. They were even more shocked when they saw that he had then made entry into their home and was standing in their kitchen!
The burglary occurred on March 15th at around 11:30 p.m. near the Semmes city line police said. Police did dust for fingerprints, but nothing was found. The homeowner was determined to get justice for his family.
The homeowner said that the man took cigarettes, a 4-wheeler and some keys that were hanging inside the home. but
Now, that person has been arrested.
Samuel Albert Manning IV, 23, was taken into custody and taken to the Mobile County Metro Jail. Manning is no stranger to the criminal justice system and has a long rap sheet. Manning has been arrested for burglary six times.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
Private security has its roots in biblical times and its use and growth have been well documented throughout the ages of time. It’s not a business that suddenly popped up a few years ago but rather one that started centuries ago.
Its ancient roots saw a significant rise in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the Industrial Revolution and the establishment of private security agencies like Pinkerton’s in 1850 marking a turning point.
Through the years, the use of private security has historically grown with the growth of our nation, the rise in crime, and during significant attacks against our country such as during the attacks of September 11th, 2001, when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
Those attacks showed Americans that safety and security were not to be taken for granted nor could we depend solely on law enforcement to protect us.
Many businesses including shopping malls, schools, government facilities, courthouses, and businesses large and small set out to hardened security through the use of electronic and physical means, and many times that included hiring private security officers, some were armed while others were not.
Today, in metropolitan and rural communities alike, the use of private security can be seen almost everywhere. The bigger the city, the higher the use of private companies to secure its citizens and its assets. Private security has even been hired to fill in for prison guards and law enforcement because of manpower shortages in those professions and we’ll explore that more in Part 2.
Security companies and their officers have much more authority than most people realize, especially on private property. While many still look at them as “guards” “wannabe cops” or someone who is just there to observe and report, the fact is, those aren’t the facts at all.
Private security personnel are agents of their client, much like a real estate agent, banker, insurance or property management company, or others who act on your behalf.
Property owners selling a house, company, or a piece of land, enter into an agreement aka contract with their “agent” which outlines the area of authority that the company has on behalf of their client. For instance, the asking price for a house might be set at $500,000 but the seller has authorized their realtor to negotiate the selling price no lower than $475.000. The seller may have authorized the real estate agent up to $5000 for “staging the house” to make it look more appealing to buyers or allowed the realtor to make certain concessions to get the deal done.
There are many different types of agents who are given certain authority to act on behalf of their client and private security also falls within that category. Contracted or what’s known as proprietary security employees are authorized to act in the best interest of their client or employer giving them the power to do what they think is right and what’s best in certain situations.
As of 2023, the United States had approximately 720,652 full-time law enforcement officers, a slight increase from the previous year but a substantial decrease since the “defund the police movement” that began during the George Floyd protests. During this time, officers took early retirement or just quit the force because of the lack of support, the threats that were increasingly being made against law enforcement, the freeze or reduction of police budgets, and the total disregard for the police made it hard for officers to do their job effectively or safely. And while the pendulum has begun to swing back to a bit more support for police and a few more dollars in some agency budgets, recruitment for many police departments has continued to suffer and that includes agencies in almost every state.
Meanwhile, during the same time, the use of private security has continued to grow at a much faster rate than in recent years. More companies and more local, state, and federal governments now hire security instead of law enforcement to patrol parks, city streets, jails, or other private and public spaces and property, because of the lack of sworn law enforcement.
Nationwide, private security outnumbers sworn law enforcement by 2 to 1 and those numbers will continue to grow at a rapid pace in the foreseeable future.
PART TWO: Authority and limits, training and wages, technology, and the future of private security will be addressed.
