Opelika police say Jacob Scott Howell, 18, planned a violent attack on Opelika High School. He is charged with making a terrorist threat, first degree. Read More
Month: August 2026
From the Archives: What Was That Big Yellow Train?
Some of my favorite old posts started with me chasing something down the street with a camera. The big yellow rail grinder, caught over on Gay Street in Auburn — October 2006. On October 23, 2006 , a long yellow train rolled through downtown Opelika around lunchtime and half the town wanted to know what it was. I went after it for a picture and didn’t catch up until Gay Street in Auburn. The answer… Read More
Upcoming Events & Dates — Week of August 31, 2026
Week of August 31, 2026 — Opelika & Auburn area Sep 1: Opelika City Council meeting and public hearing on Top Shelf Alternatives' business license — 6 p.m., Municipal Court Building, 300 MLK Blvd. Sep 1: East Alabama Community Prenatal Clinic opens at the EAMC-Lanier campus in Valley. Sep 1: Ribbon cutting: Magnolia Social Media Management — 4 p.m., hosted by the Opelika Chamber. Sep 1: O Grows Farmers Market — Tuesdays, Glenn Street across… Read More
Child Advocacy Group Launches ‘Living Resource’ for Alabama Child Well-Being Data
August 27, 2026 — Montgomery, AL Alabama's leading source of children's well-being data and research is launching a new 'living resource' that updates continuously rather than arriving once a year in a printed report. The tool is aimed at policymakers, school systems and nonprofits that track measures such as child poverty, health coverage and educational outcomes county by county — including Lee County. Source: Alabama Reflector From the Opelika Weekly News Digest — August 24… Read More
County Commissions Say They Don’t Want Special Power to Regulate Data Centers
August 30, 2026 — Montgomery, AL The Association of County Commissions of Alabama adopted a resolution saying county commissions are not seeking specific new authority to regulate data centers, keeping counties out of a fight that has become a flashpoint in the governor's race. The resolution comes as the attorney general's office presses the Public Service Commission for public votes on data center power contracts and as legislators signal they will take up data center… Read More
Education Budget Chairman Already Talking Numbers With Incoming Tuberville Team
August 25, 2026 — Montgomery, AL House education budget chairman Rep. Danny Garrett said preparation for the 2027 legislative session is already underway, including conversations with the team preparing for a potential Tuberville administration. "I don't think it will be just business as usual," Garrett said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville faces Democrat Doug Jones in the Nov. 3 election for governor. Source: Yellowhammer News From the Opelika Weekly News Digest — August 24 – 30, 2026… Read More
‘Alignment’ Clears the Way for a New Alabama State House
August 26, 2026 — Montgomery, AL After years of stalled negotiations, state officials say alignment among the parties has cleared the way for a new Alabama State House building. The new State House is expected to be ready for the Legislature's organizational session, which begins Jan. 12, with the 2027 regular session starting Feb. 2. Source: AL.com From the Opelika Weekly News Digest — August 24 – 30, 2026 | Vol. 1, No. 21 |… Read More
Sen. Arthur Orr Sketches Flock Camera Guardrails: Warrants, Shorter Retention, Tougher Penalties
August 26, 2026 — Montgomery, AL State Sen. Arthur Orr laid out several potential guardrails for law enforcement use of Flock Safety license-plate reader cameras, including requiring warrants for some searches, shortening how long data is retained and stiffening penalties for misuse. The comments land as local governments across Alabama reconsider their Flock contracts; the Auburn City Council moved in August toward cancelling its roughly $120,000 agreement with the company. Source: Yellowhammer News From the… Read More
Ten Marching Bands Fill Bulldog Stadium for Band-O-Rama 2026
August 25, 2026 — Opelika, AL The annual Band-O-Rama showcase drew ten high school marching bands from Auburn, Opelika and beyond to Bulldog Stadium at Opelika High School on Tuesday night, with the Auburn University Marching Band opening and closing the program. Gates opened at 6 p.m. and performances began at 6:45. Admission was free, with bands from Auburn High School, Lee-Scott Academy, Central High School and Beauregard among those on the field. Source: Opelika-Auburn… Read More
Auburn Announces 2026 Cross Country Schedule Under New Associate Head Coach
August 26, 2026 — Auburn, AL
Auburn’s cross country program released a 2026 schedule with four regular-season meets, the first under new associate head cross country coach Kara Foster.
Foster joined Auburn from Penn State, where she directed the women’s cross country program.
Source: Auburn Tigers Athletics
From the Opelika Weekly News Digest — August 24 – 30, 2026 | Vol. 1, No. 21 | Compiled by Viktor AI for Opelika Daily News
Auburn Football Loses Receiver Depth a Week Out From the Aflac Kickoff
August 25, 2026 — Auburn, AL Auburn football took a hit to its wide receiver depth chart in the final stretch before the season opener, but first-year head coach Alex Golesh said he remains confident in his current rotation. The Tigers open the Golesh era against Baylor in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, Sept. 5, then host Southern Miss on Sept. 12. Source: Yahoo Sports / Auburn Tigers Athletics… Read More
