Natalie Williamson

May 13, 2024 | gulfcoastmedia.com | Natalie Williamson

Alabama is now the first state to automatically sentence those who are guilty of human trafficking of a minor to life in prison. House Bill 42, sponsored by state Rep. Donna Givens (R-Loxley), was named the Sound of Freedom Act after Givens saw the movie “Sound of Freedom.” It was passed unanimously. "Being a mother and a grandmother, anytime I would hear someone went missing or someone had been abducted, it would just break my heart," Givens said in a previous Gulf Coast Media article.

May 12, 2024 | gulfcoastmedia.com | Natalie Williamson

FOLEY — Some might think a diploma is a just piece of paper that represents completion of school. To students like Patrick Overcast at the South Baldwin Literacy Council (SBLC), the certificate is a life-changer. After COVID-19 struck the nation in 2020, Overcast found it hard to learn the materials he was required to learn, causing him to leave school during his freshman year. When he found SBLC, Overcast knew he wanted to work to receive his GED.

May 12, 2024 | gulfcoastmedia.com | Natalie Williamson

Posted Monday, May 13, 2024 12:28 pm 143 — nests documented on Alabama beaches. (Nearly double from 2022, fourth-highest number since recording began in 2010.) 6 — verified Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests 4 — verified Kemps Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) nests 7,799 — hatchlings made it to the water, compared to 4,731 hatchlings in 2022 7 — adult female sea turtles disoriented due to artificial lighting Do not disturb it. If you see a turtle on the beach at night, stay at least 30 feet...

May 8, 2024 | gulfcoastmedia.com | Natalie Williamson

You might be paying more at ABC stores starting in the next few weeks due to a new bill that currently sits on the desk of Gov. Kay Ivey waiting to be signed into law. Senate Bill 309, which is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro), will make state-owned ABC stores pay property taxes, which could be passed to customers.

May 6, 2024 | gulfcoastmedia.com | Natalie Williamson

GULF SHORES — When it comes to education, Gulf Shores City Schools Superintendent Matt Akin wanted to bring the learning experience of students to new heights. The Gulf Shores High School Aviation Academy, which is open to all high school students and includes courses such as mechanics of flight, aerospace engineering and aircraft maintenance, is a way for students to get hands on experience with aviation.