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Local disaster relief crews are assisting neighboring states with search and rescue efforts following Hurricane Helene. Here's how you can help.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama disaster relief crews are assisting neighboring states with search and rescue efforts following Hurricane Helene.

Fayetteville Public Utilities (FPU) reports that it has transported nearly 75,000 pounds of supplies to help those affected by Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee.

An eight-member crew from FPU is currently working alongside Mountain Electric Cooperative to restore power in the impacted region.

FPU will continue to serve as a donation drop-off point and plans to deliver a second load of supplies in the coming days. The organization expressed gratitude to all who contributed to this relief effort.

With our community’s help, Fayetteville Public Utilities was able to send nearly 75,000 pounds of supplies to aid those...

Posted by Fayetteville Public Utilities on Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Huntsville Utilities and Russellville Utilities are playing a crucial role in recovery efforts, assisting with repairs after the significant damage caused by the hurricane.

Last night, we received these pics from a family in Tennessee whose power was restored by our crew. They wrote: "Hey y'...

Posted by Huntsville Utilities on Friday, October 4, 2024

The American Red Cross is working hard to help families reconnect with loved ones affected by the storm. Those searching for missing family members can fill out a form here.

The organization urges people to provide as much detail as possible to improve the chances of locating their loved ones.

Our Reunification teams are working as quickly as possible to help families reconnect with their loved ones after...

Posted by American Red Cross on Monday, September 30, 2024

RELATED: Cash, groceries and planes: How you can help after Hurricane Helene

Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief is now on active deployment status. In conjunction with a mass feeding operation in Alma, Georgia, they are establishing cleanup and recovery efforts in Clearwater, South Carolina. The relief teams say this operation is expected to be long-term, and volunteers are needed to assist as much as possible.

They also remind the public that they do not collect or distribute donated items.

HOW TO HELP LOCALLY

Residents looking to help those affected by Hurricane Helene can donate supplies at fire stations throughout Lauderdale County.

The Lauderdale County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments is partnering with the Florence/Lauderdale Emergency Management Agency and Florence Fire & Rescue to collect supplies for communities impacted by flooding in East Tennessee.

Officials are asking for the following items:

Donations can be dropped off at any of the five Florence Fire stations during normal business hours or at any of the 14 Lauderdale County Volunteer Fire Departments from Monday to Saturday.

If you plan to drop off items at a volunteer department, they ask that you contact them first.

????????ATTENTION, ATTENTION!!!! PLEASE SHARE!!! TELL YOUR FRIENDS, TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS!!!???????? Florence/Lauderdale EMA,...

Posted by Lauderdale County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments on Sunday, September 29, 2024

Doomsday Haunt is collecting items on their opening weekend Oct. 4-6. They'll have a drop-off box for items like tampons and pads, first aid kits, hair brushes/combs.ties, personal hygiene items, chapstick, cat/dog food, pet essentials, flash lights, blankets, diapers/wipes/baby essentials.

The American Red Cross' Disaster Relief Fund has been activated to assist in relief efforts. If you wish to donate by mail, you can print and fill out a donation form and mail it to:

American Red Cross PO Box 37839Boone, IA 50037-0839

Donations can also be made via phone at:

1-800-435-7669TDD Operator: 1-800-220-4095

Other Resources

United Way North Carolina Helene Recovery fundraiser

Salvation Army Hurricane Helene Relief donation page

The second day of the inaugural South Star Music Festival in Huntsville has been canceled.

Today’s lineup was to have featured blink-182, Beck, Sublime and other acts.

Opening day performers Saturday at South Star included Gwen Stefani, Shinedown, TLC, Tom Morello, Ludacris and more.

Sunday’s cancelation was announced on the festival’s website at around 9 a.m.

Complete statement from the website below:

“For South Star fans who joined us yesterday, we thank you for welcoming us and enjoying some amazing music. Unfortunately, as you know, Hurricane Helene saturated John Hunt Park before you arrived, and Saturday’s foot traffic has led to severe deterioration of the grounds. Following an inspection by festival organizers along with city officials, it has been determined that the grounds are no longer safe to welcome you back today.

“In coordination with the City of Huntsville, we have made the difficult decision to cancel today’s festival. Safety is paramount, and we do not take this decision lightly. We have been looking forward to a full-weekend celebration in John Hunt Park as much as you have. We appreciate your understanding and patience. We are incredibly grateful to the City of Huntsville for their partnership and the music fans who planned to join us. We will be back soon! Sunday 1-Day Tickets and one half of 2-Day Tickets purchased directly through Front Gate Tickets will automatically be refunded in as little as 30 days to your original form of payment.”

It’s worth noting Louder Than Life, a four-day rock festival in Louisville featuring the likes of Slipknot, Slayer, Korn and Mötley Crüe, canceled its Friday shows due to weather.

Huntsville’s prior multi-day music festival, Big Spring Jam, which ran from 1993 to 2011, also faced challenges from weather. A major rain event in 2005 that resulted in a complete wash-out Big Spring Jam’s Sunday performance that year, by classic-rockers Journey and other key acts.

South Star is being produced by C3 Presents of Austin, Texas. C3′s other festival productions have included Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Atlanta’s Shaky Knees and New Orleans’ Voodoo Music + Arts Experience.

The city’s contract with C3 is for three years. C3 is responsible for funding all expenses related to South Star. The City of Huntsville is required to provide matching funds for marketing the festival at up to $200,000 for the first year and $100,000 for years two and three. The city’s also responsible for providing the festival’s site, emergency services (police, fire, medical) and “adequate utilities,” including internet and cell services.

In addition to booking the festival, C3 pays the artists’ guarantees, the fees artists are paid to perform at South Star. Per the agreement with the city, $3 of each ticket sold will go toward Friends of Huntsville Parks and Recreation, a nonprofit “for the continued advancement of park and recreation facilities in Huntsville.”

Sunday, AL.com reached out to C3 for information on South Star’s confirmed Saturday attendance, Sunday’s ticket sales and whether or not Sunday’s cancelation would impact South Star’s 2025 edition. If and when we receive answers, we will report them. Reached for comment, Huntsville’s first-ever music officer Matt Mandrella told AL.com all South Star public communication for now is going through C3.

With much of the eastern U.S., especially Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, reeling from Hurricane Helene’s deadly and devastating effects, this weekend’s inaugural South Star Music Festival in Huntsville has been impacted, too.

The festival’s site, at John Hunt Park, has endured several days of heavy rain and strong winds this week.

Around 8 p.m. Friday, South Star announced via social media the festival was pushing back the originally scheduled 1 p.m. opening today.

“Hello South Star Friends! We are excited to see you tomorrow,” the announcement reads. “Mother Nature handed us a doozy of a task to clean up after the rain over the past few days, and we are working quickly to prepare for your arrival. To make sure the park is ready for the best experience possible, we have pushed our opening time to 2:30 p.m.”

The announcement, which included an image of South Star’s updated Saturday music schedule, closed by thanking attending fans for their patience, while advising them to “prepare for soggy conditions – wear your rain boots and dress for the weather.”

As a result of the later gate time, two rock bands previously scheduled for Saturday afternoon, Winona Fighter, from Nashville, and Dexter and the Moonrocks, of Abilene, Texas, will no longer perform at South Star.

South Star’s opening day music is now set to begin with a 3 p.m. set by Candlebox. The festival’s complete updated Saturday schedule, headlined by solo star and No Doubt frontwoman Gwen Stefani’s 9:30 - 11 p.m. set, is available at southstarfestival.com.

Seattle rock band Candlebox -- known for their hits “Far Behind” and “You” -- is well-aligned with South Star’s ‘90s-centric debut lineup, which also features the likes of Stefani, Beck, blink-182, TLC and Outkast’s Big Boi.

Newer acts Winona Fighter and Dexter and the Moonrocks -- along with Sunday bands Bully and Billy Allen + The Pollies -- gave the festival, which leaned heavily on ‘90s nostalgia in its branding, welcome contemporary counterpoint.

As of publishing of this story, South Star’s Sunday 1 p.m. opening time and Sunday music schedule is unchanged.

Another South Star social media post Friday, this one around 12:30 p.m., indicated the digital wireless usage may be impacted, too.

“As a result of Hurricane Helene, the cellular signal boosters that we arranged for this weekend have been sent to the Southeast to assist with disaster relief,” the announcement states. “We want to make you aware in advance that connectivity issues may arise during peak hours of the festival. To ensure you have a smooth experience, a dedicated public WIFI network will be available so that you can arrange rideshare when leaving the festival.”

South Star’s social media also advised attendees to “look out for signage in the rideshare lot or seek support from our guest services staff when leaving for more info.”

South Star was already facing challenges before the weather. In addition to the challenges inherent with launching a brand-new multi-day festival, South Star lost one of its key artists less than two weeks before the festival.

On Sept. 16, alt-rock legends Jane’s Addiction canceled the rest of their 2024 tour after singer Perry Farrell attacked guitarist Dave Navarro onstage mid-song during a Sept. 13 concert in Boston.

Jane’s Addiction had never performed in Huntsville. Before cratering, the band’s classic-era lineup hadn’t toured together in 14 years. For many local fans, Jane’s Addiction was their primary reason for buying South Star tickets or planning to buy tickets.

Just eight days before South Star, the festival announced Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello as their replacement for Jane’s Addiction.

But even before the Jane’s Addiction mess, South Star faced a formidable opponent for any event scheduled on a fall Saturday in the South: college football.

At 6: 30 p.m. tonight, the University of Alabama will host the University of Georgia in a matchup of top four teams. Thus far, it’s college football’s biggest game by far this season. On top of that, at 2:30 p.m. top 25 ranked University of Oklahoma will take on Auburn University.

South Star’s onsite strategy includes a super-sized sports bar, called Miller Lite All Star Sports Hall. Theoretically, this is so “in between sets” South Star attendees who are also football fans can watch games. But as bar and restaurant owners in Alabama know all too well, college football fans in this state mostly watch games at home.

South Star is being produced by C3 Presents of Austin, Texas. C3′s other festival productions have included Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Atlanta’s Shaky Knees and New Orleans’ Voodoo Music + Arts Experience.

At the time C3 and City of Huntsville agreed on this weekend for the debut South Star, the 2024 schedule for the Southeastern Conference -- which Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and (new this year) Oklahoma – hadn’t been released yet. That said, the fact Alabama has begun inter-SEC play the last weekend of September the last two years was public knowledge.

Huntsville has been without a large-scale music festival since the final Big Spring Jam in 2011. The engineering-centric city’s music profile has risen steadily since the opening of Orion Amphitheater in spring 2022.

The city’s contract with C3 is for three years. The deliverables on the contract include South Star Music Festival be at least two days each year, and that it be held on the last Saturday in September or the weekend before Austin City Limits Festival in Texas.

C3 is responsible for funding all expenses related to South Star. The City of Huntsville is required to provide matching funds for marketing the festival at up to $200,000 for the first year and $100,000 for years two and three. Those marketing funds come from the city’s Economic Development Fund.

The city is responsible for providing the festival’s site, emergency services (police, fire, medical) and “adequate utilities,” including internet and cell services.

In addition to booking the festival, C3 pays the artists’ guarantees, the fees artists are paid to play South Star. Per the agreement with the city, $3 of each ticket sold will go toward Friends of Huntsville Parks and Recreation, a nonprofit “for the continued advancement of park and recreation facilities in Huntsville.”

The city’s agreement tasks C3 “to create a similar music festival” as ACL and Lollapalooza, with an “anticipated capacity of 30,000″ each day of South Star, per Huntsville’s director of urban and economic development, Shane Davis.

At a Sept. 18 press conference leading up to South Star, city officials indicated they expected around 21,000 attendees for each day this year and that the goal was to build up to a sustainable 30,000 each day by year three. As city officials noted at the Sept. 18 presser, a festival’s attendance can often grow from year one.

The plan originally had been to launch South Star in 2025. But due to significant interest from artists’ reps, according to C3, the launch was moved up to this year.

Fans can once again cast their vote for their favorite performance from north Alabama high school football action.

Coaches can submit statistics following their games on Friday night or nominate players before noon each Saturday.

Nominations must come from a coach or official team statistician. They can be emailed to tashworth@al.com.

Voting is open until Wednesday evening. The winner will be announced on AL.com on Thursday.

If you cannot see the poll below, click here to cast your vote. Remember to hit the “finish survey” button when you are finished.

Email votes will not be counted.

Here are the nominees from Week 7:

Layton Pohl, New Hope: Pohl scored five touchdowns as New Hope beat St. John Paul II 62-38 Thursday night; he ran for scores of 5, 55, 41 and 71 yards while also returning a kick 95 yards for a touchdown.

Isaiah Allen, Decatur: Allen ran for two touchdowns as Decatur beat Columbia 42-16 on Thursday at Milton Frank Stadium.

Drew Puccio, Arab: Puccio completed 6 of 14 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns (47 and 33 yards to Dylan Kirkland), and he ran for 101 yards and two scores (23 and 22 yards) on eight carries as Arab beat Douglas 42-7.

Jaquess Greene, Muscle Shoals: Greene had three catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone and also ran for a score as the Trojans beat Athens 56-42 on Friday.

Logan Anderson, Fyffe: Anderson ran for 335 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries to lead Class 3A, No. 5-ranked Fyffe to a 49-17 win over Sylvania at home. The Clemson linebacker commit also had a sack on defense.

Jaxon Potter, Austin: The Murray State commit had four catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns as Austin beat Huntsville 38-13.

Diego Holt, North Jackson: Holt ran for two touchdowns and made a key defensive play as North Jackson beat Madison Academy 18-12 in Class 4A, Region 8 action on Friday.

Brogan Gross, Athens: Gross finished with 243 yards and five touchdowns in the air in a 56-42 loss to Muscle Shoals on Friday. He also ran the ball 64 yards for the visiting Golden Eagles.

Cam Berry, James Clemens: Berry ran for two touchdowns in James Clemens’ 28-12 victory over Florence, scoring once in the red zone and again from 32 yards out.

Braden Holsonback, Guntersville: The Guntersville defender finished with six total tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception returned 30 yards for a touchdown as Guntersville beat Grissom 51-14 on Friday.

Rhys Dorsey, Bob Jones: Along with three receptions for 40 yards, Dorsey had a 100-yard pick six and returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown as Bob Jones beat Florence 56-37.

A Huntsville employer discriminated against a pregnant woman by requiring her to work overtime despite a doctor’s orders, a federal lawsuit alleges.

Polaris Industries refused to excuse their pregnant employee for medical appointments, made her work mandatory overtime and threatened to terminate her if she missed any more work, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“No pregnant worker should have to choose between their health and earning a living to support their family,” said Karla Gilbride, general counsel for the EEOC, in a statement.

The federal agency said that Polaris violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which went into effect last year, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In a statement to AL.com a spokesperson for Polaris said “we disagree with the allegations in the complaint.”

“Polaris is committed to providing a fair and inclusive workplace for all our employees,” the statement says, “and we take seriously our compliance with all applicable employment laws, including the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.”

The company makes off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles and boats at its manufacturing facility in Huntsville and is headquartered in Minnesota.

The employee, who installed floor panels on electric vehicles, first notified Polaris of her pregnancy during orientation, according to the lawsuit.

She developed nausea, swelling in her feet and gestational diabetes as a result of her pregnancy and sometimes had to be absent from work as a result, the lawsuit says.

According to the EEOC, the company’s policies only allowed absences for military or jury duty, bereavement, inclement weather or to give subpoenaed witness testimony. Any employee who had more than two unexcused absences could be fired, according to the lawsuit.

The woman could not take time off to attend to her medical needs because she was under a 60-day probationary period as a new employee and so ‘attendance points’ were filed against her.

According to the lawsuit, the employee went to HR to ask how she could avoid termination, and was told she would continue to accrue attendance points until her probationary period was finished and she could be eligible for time off.

The employee went to her doctor to get a medical note saying she could only work a maximum of 40 hours a week, the lawsuit says. “Four minutes later” she received a response from HR saying “we cannot accommodate this restriction as overtime is an essential function of the position,” according to the suit.

Rather than get fired, the employee resigned to protect her pregnancy, according to the EEOC.

The first case under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was filed this month. The law applies to both public and private employers and is meant to protect workers from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.

Gilbride said in a statement that if an employee needs accommodations at work because of their pregnancy, the law requires the employer to work with them to find a solution.

“When employers apply inflexible policies that drive pregnant workers out of the workplace rather than engaging in this interactive process, the EEOC will step in to defend workers’ rights under this new law,” she added.

The lawsuit is asking for the company to change its policies to accommodate pregnant workers and comply with the law, and to compensate the employee for lost wages and benefits.

“Employers should be on notice that since June 27, 2023, it has been illegal under the PWFA to deny reasonable accommodations to employees with known limitations related to their pregnancy, even if the employee is temporarily unable to perform an essential function of her job, provided that she will be able to perform that function in the near future,” said Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Birmingham District.

This story was updated on Sept. 26 at 3:52 p.m. to add a statement from Polaris.

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