Here on APR Notebook, I've invited you to listen into my chats with actors and authors. Those talks are pretty light. Then there was my conversation with Alex Drueke, who spent 105 days as a POW in the hands of Russian forces after he volunteered to fight for Ukraine. That one was tough to listen to, and fair warning, here's another one. But hear me out. Genocide has been going on in part of the African nation of Sudan for years. The region I'm talking about is roughly the size of Spain. It's called Darfur. An estimated 2 million people have been killed there, but for some of the survivors, there has been justice, and an attorney who hails from Mobile made it possible. Kathryn Lee Boyd argued the case against the French bank BNP Paribas. It was accused of funding the mass killings in Darfur. Boyd won, and she's my guest next on APR Notebook.

This week, Don reviews No Way Out but Through by Susan Beckham Zurenda.

Of all the good things I knew about Dolly Parton, she truly had a heart for pets!

For years, Cam Marston wondered how he'd handle the empty nest once his last kids left home. This week, with his youngest twins dropped off at college, he finally gets to find out.

Whether you were born and raised in the yellowhammer state or just moved to Pell City from Siberia, you are more than aware of Alabama's fascination with college football. Sure some die hard alums may watch high school football on Fridays, and some of us may tune in on Sundays to watch an NFL team or two. But it's not even worth debating that the collegiate version of the sport reigns supreme among the gridiron-enjoyers in our 67 counties. But what about this culture- the analysts, the sideline reporting, the athletes and coaches-- is almost addicting for us to engage with? What subtle tactics are the producers of The College Gameday show using to get your blood pumping on Saturday mornings, and what tricks does ESPN have up it's sleeve to keep us tuned in each and every weekend?

What happens when a NASA engineer trades rocket hardware for the dark, raw reality of 1990s grunge? On this episode of Quick-Fire Quips, author Zach Taylor talks about his gritty debut novel, Rockstar: Echoes (the sequel Rockstar: Mirrors is officially in production!) Hear why he wanted to strip away the showbiz glamour to expose the financial tolls and gender disparities faced by rock icons. Plus, the strict bass fishing superstition he swears by on the water and the change he thinks Alabama needs to make for its future.

Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, has died. She was 80. Children in all sixty seven counties of Alabama were able to get books for free through Parton’s “Imagination Library.”

Canada struck back at the United States on Tuesday with retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion worth of American goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances and farm equipment, as the trade war between the once-friendly neighbors escalated sharply. Paper exports from the U.S. are included, and that might be where Alabama could be hurt.

Alabama’s attorney general subpoenaed OpenAI following an alleged hacking incident involving the servers of a competitor back in July. AG Steve Marshall wants to know if OpenAI, and its owner Sam Altman, are in violation of Alabama consumer protection laws, posing a possible threat to state citizens.

Sources are telling multiple news outlets that Alabama sophomore Keelon Russell will be the starting quarterback when the Crimson Tide takes on the East Carolina Pirates at Bryant Denny Stadium on September fifth. Senior (redshirt junior) Austin Mack was the other possible choice as Alabama gears up for the season. Overall, the Tide’s path toward a possible CFP Championship could hinge on what happens on October tenth on Nick Saban Field.

August is International Cat Month, a time to celebrate cats, to raise awareness about their welfare, and to encourage responsible cat ownership!

This weekend Cam Marston watched 130 girls squeal with joy on Auburn's quad. Here's why his mind went straight to the ones who didn't get the call.