James Spann Posted on Facebook about Black Bear Sighting in Decatur, Alabama & Bear Found in TN Hot Tub

DeLa Bales sent black bear photos to James Spann after a sighting, and he posted them on Facebook.

James Spann Posted About a Black Bear Sighting in Decatur, Alabama

On July 23, 2025, James Spann posted the following about a black bear sighting on Harold Drive in Decatur in a Facebook post (see images below):

credit: DeLa Bales

Comments to the Facebook Post about the Black Bear in Decatur

There were interesting comments to the Facebook post about the black bear seen in Decatur, with some sharing about sightings also in Tennessee.

Betty Par wrote: "The close-up in the tree is so precious! I read somewhere that the growth of population in Tennessee is the reason for more frequent sitings in north Alabama...makes me feel sorry for the bears."

Nena Goodwin wrote: "What a beauty, that little bear!! harmless unless threatened. Or to protect their cub if they're too close, they usually just runoff black bears are not aggressive."

Tara Ann Redditt wrote: "We suddenly have them everywhere in west Tennessee suddenly. My husband said he saw one a year ago. They convinced him it was a cow but he always insisted it ran like a bear not a cow. Since he rode bulls. I guess he saw a bear. We now know of several. Lol"

Rita Mahaffey wrote: "How come all these bear sightings in the valley all of a sudden. Is some environmental organization trying to sneak in and establish a new habitat for them. We need them to go back where they came from."

Russ Williams wrote: "Is this the same bear that's been tracked from Arkansas, across North Mississippi, and spotted in a pear tree in Lawrence County a couple of days ago? MDWFP said yes to the bear in the pear tree. It can be identified by markings like a notch in the left ear."

Mickey V Brannan wrote: "There's got to be more than one bear... Considering there have been bear sightings in Limestone County, Lawrence County, Colbert County and Morgan County...I realize they can move around pretty quick but that's a lot of distance to cover in a very short time."

Sharon Durbin Horton wrote: "I feel bad for the bears because they are out of their normal habitat, run out by builders that just have to make more money."

Jeffrey Korner wrote: "Just remember folks bears are beautiful animals but are oh so dangerous especially to our children especially when startle them they will charge in their own fear. Bears close [to] homes with small children is a tragedy waiting to happen. Bears are so powerful and can and have killed humans."

Charlotte Hinkle wrote: "Thank you for sharing pictures. I will never walk to mail box or in back yard covered with trees and creek just down road without fear of seeing one. They are beautiful and amazing we have them so close."

Richard Paquette wrote: "What ever you do don't feed them. It's a death sentence for them and possibly you also. There [are] opportunists, they have a range of 200 miles. And there lazy they go where the food is. And [they] have [an] uncanny [sense] of smell."

Joanne Borden wrote: "He is just a baby! Y'all please don't hurt him or approach him and cause other people to hurt him or her."

Have you ever seen a black bear in Alabama?

credit: DeLa Bales

Video: Black Bear Sighted Swimming in Lake Guntersville

A black bear was sighted swimming in Lake Guntersville and can be seen in the video below posted on Facebook.

The description reads:

"While most Alabamians are wary of snakes and, in some areas, alligators in our waterways, it seems like it's time to add bears, like this one seen in Lake Guntersville, to that list."

video credit: A.J. McGee

Black Bear Seen in Pigeon Forge Tennessee Hot Tub

FOX 13 News reported on August 18, 2025, that a black bear was found in a Pigeon Forge, Tennessee hot tub at their rental.

"Felicia Shillingburg said she was in the hot tub of a rental in Pigeon Forge with her mother and a friend when a bear came around the corner and onto the wooden deck." -FOX13 News

Black bear in a Pigeon Forge, TN hot tub

Amy Roberts posted in the comments on Facebook: "Better take pics so you don't lose your damage deposit on the Air BNB!!! Owner never going to believe that story....no, really, it was a bear!"

Big Black Bear Spotted on Highway 89 Near Vacation Cabins in Mentone, Alabama on Monday

Meteorologist Jason Simpson posted a video on Facebook of a black bear running around in Mentone, Alabama, seen from Highway 89 North on Monday. People commenting on the video recommend locking your cars with a bear in the area.

Black bear sighting in Mentone, AL (credit: Sarah Blalock)

Sarah Blalock said:

"Don't let the video deceive you. That bear was bigger than it looked. We were on 89 North in Mentone."

Video of Big Black Bear Sighting in Mentone, Alabama 

Meteorologist Jason Simpson posted the video in his Facebook Reels, and the video can be seen below.

Video credit: Sarah Blalock

Would you like to see a black bear in Alabama?

Comments on the Facebook Reels Video of Black Bear in Mentone, AL

There were many interesting comments on Facebook after meteorologist Jason Simpson posted the video on Reels, which indicated that the black bear was sighted near vacation cabins.

Stephen V. Smith wrote: "These are our vacation cabins in Mentone ... we're gonna have to start charging this big boy a rental fee ..." 

Sarah Hatfield Blalock replied to Stephen V. Smith, "My sister lives down the road, so we come by your cabins all the time. You obviously have the best garbage on that side of 89." 

Then Denise Huff Willoughby also replied to Stephen V. Smith, "Can you please PM me your cabin rental page? We were just down there at the end of June & stayed off 89 on County Road 600."

Lisa Mullins wrote: 

"The music has me laughing. Someone in Gatlinburg show a bear opening up a car door with no problem and getting in. Lock our car doors, maybe door alarms and make sure you look in your car good before you get in."

Melissa Walls Estes wrote (with grammatical errors):

"We are taking up all their space. Bless their precious hearts ppl need to start trying to live in houses that are already built or tear down old ones & use the same spot. or we are soon gonna be no wilderness left. so sad"

Susan Killian Besant wrote:

"We were staying at an Airbnb in Mentone a couple of weeks ago-sitting outside enjoying beautiful view- hubs went inside and I heard rustling behind me and I thought it was a dog. Nope mamma and baby cub just came walking across the yard."

Sheila Trotman wrote: "I saw one yesterday in Ider, AL." 

Robert Keith wrote: "Who said you have to go to Cades Cove in the mountain to see a bear? They [are] right here in Alabama."

Pam German Cofer wrote: "Poor bears are running out of territory..."

Susan Driver wrote: "I'm not really crazy about bears."

Daytime 'Fireball' Seen in Southern State Skies, including Alabama: See Meteorite Fragment that Likely Caused the Fireball

It's not every day that a "fireball" is seen blazing across the sky, but this amazing phenomenon happened on Thursday, June 26, 2025. People from 5 different southern states saw the fireball, including those from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Experts weigh in on what likely caused the fireball seen in the sky.

Fireball captured on dashcam, credit: Josh Grant

The image of the meteor (seen above) was taken from a dash cam video by Josh Grant of Warner Robins, Georgia as it came down looking like fireball in the sky.

National Weather Service Reported 'Sonic Boom' Caused by Fireball

The U.S. National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia, many people reported feeling a sonic boom from the meteor seen entering the atmosphere.

CNN reported that The American Meteor Society weighed in saying that the fireball seen on Thursday was "brighter than a full moon."

Operations Manager for the American Meteor Society, Mike Hankey, said: "It looks to be a daytime fireball that caused a sonic boom. This is usually indicative of a (meteor) dropping a fireball, but not always."

CNN reported that it is "quite rare for sonic booms to be heard on the ground when a fireball occurs."

A meteorite reportedly hit a home in Henry County, Georgia, and a fragment can be seen in the post below.

Source: CNN

Meteorologist Riley Hale Posted an Image of a Meteorite Fragment on Facebook

Chief Meteorologist Riley Hale of WRDW posted about the meteorite fragment (seen below). The photo was taken by Henry County Emergency Management after responding to the call.

Additional details from the post:

"No one was home was injured, but it went straight through their roof, ceiling, and then shattered on impact on their favorite laminate flooring."

Meteorite fragment in the palm of a hand

Source: Riley Hale on Facebook

Statistical Fact

Washington University in St. Louis reported that according to the Meteoritical Society, "1924 meteorites have been found and verified in the United States (finds & falls) from 1807 through February, 2024."

Sources:

Washington University in St. Louis

The Meteoritical Society

James Spann Posted on Facebook about Black Bear Sighting in Leeds, Alabama

James Spann Posted About a Black Bear Sighting in Leeds, Alabama

On June 22, 2025, James Spann posted the following about a black bear sighting in a Facebook post (see image below):

Black Bear Sighting in Leeds, Alabama

James Spann Facebook post about a black bear sighting read:

From William Richard "Good morning Mr. Spann. The black bear spotted on Dunnavant Valley road and 41 was again captured last night shortly after 10:00 p.m. entering Leeds city limits. I captured him on one of my trail cameras just southwest of the quarry along Dunnavant Rd (SR 25) near Elliot Lane. After speaking with the woman who took the photo and got the security footage of the bear she gave me the exact location which was near the Dunnavant volunteer fire department, so I knew which ridge he was traveling along and set up multiple cameras.

This is the Little Oak Ridge that eventually becomes Mills Ridge in Leeds (AL). It's part of the mountain ridge that runs parallel to 119. I may have cheated a little bit and baited him to draw him in with a case of black berries, apples, and raw fish, so don't mind the bait pile.  This location is also just once in a list a few miles south of the Waffle House which is an infamous location for bear sightings in the past.

And as always, here is the photo (ssen above) from my trail camera app geo-tagged with exact GPS coordinates and the camera location on the map for authentication purposes to validate this is real. I noticed how many people questioned the validity of yesterday's photo. I believe this is the same bear from the video footage I sent you Thursday from Chelsea and Highway 51. I can't recall a black bear being this documented as it migrates northeast since I've lived here anyway. Pretty cool."

The Bear's Path Northward on a Map

The below map shows the black bear's path as it has been sighted moving northward in Alabama.

Map of black bear's path in Alabama

Have you ever seen a black bear in Alabama?

Black Bear Spotted Roaming Around Huntsville Alabama in June 2025. Get Your Eyes Checked, Because It's Not a Baby Elephant

WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier posted photos and videos of a black bear roaming around Huntsville on Facebook in June 2025, and local residents are surprised that it really happened.

Black bear was seen in Huntsville, AL in June 2025

North Alabama residents got to experience nature over the weekend that is more typical of Gatlinburg, TN, or Asheville, NC, when a black bear was seen roaming around a neighborhood in June.

WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier's Post on Facebook

WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier posted on her social media page about a black bear spotted in Huntsville, AL, in mid-June 2025, and people are losing their minds in the comment section. The first photo posted above was taken over the weekend.

Her Facebook post read:

"BEAR IN HUNTSVILLE! The bear was seen roaming around the Marina Park neighborhood in Huntsville over the weekend! Photo from Dana Doner." 

The second photo that Danielle Dozer posted (seen below) was taken on Monday, June 16, 2025, by Garrett Pinkerton.

Black bear spotted near the Redstone Arsenal in June 2025

On her Facebook page, she also has a video of the black bear roaming around Huntsville. AL.

Some Facebook Users Think That the Black Bear is a Baby Elephant

Facebook users sometimes say strange things, and this time was no different. Several users commenting on Danielle Dozier's original Facebook post think they are seeing a baby elephant. 

*For context, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide's mascot is an elephant, so there may be a joke hidden in there.

Facebook user Quoc Ha posted in the comments, "Looked like a baby elephant at first. lol" 

Facebook user Ashley Palguta added in the comments, "Quoc Ha, I thought it was an elephant. I thought it was some kind of AL joke."

Facebook user Paige Burnett Frost posted in the comments, "Why did I think that was an elephant 😂"

Facebook user Joni Charlton Colburn posted in the comments, "Quoc Ha, I had to zoom in. I saw an elephant too."

Facebook user Christa McDowell posted in the comments, "Quoc Ha, I thought that too 🐘"

Facebook user Nicole Burke McCowen posted in the comments, "Probably the same bear spotted by the train tracks on Hobbs Island yesterday."

Some Facebook users questioned if the bear was real or just AI, and WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier assured them in the comments that the black bear "was real after seeing the security video footage herself."

Safety Tips When Encountering a Black Bear in Huntsville, AL

It is important to remember that when you encounter a bear of any kind, to should keep calm. 

• If you have time, get all children and pets indoors quickly.
• Never turn your back on a bear and run. This can trigger a predator instinct to chase. 
• While black bears tend to be more skittish than other types of bears, a mother bear will be more aggressive when protecting her bear cubs. Always stay clear of bears and keep your distance.
• Never feed wildlife, including bears. It can cause them to get attached to humans, rather than fear them, and this will never end well for bears.

Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville Send Letter to Kash Patel to Request More FBI Employees at Redstone Arsenal

Two U.S. Senators representing Alabama sent a letter to newly appointed FBI Director Kash Patel to convince him to send 1,000 more FBI employees to its Redstone Arsenal campus after Kash Patel already given orders for 500 FBI employees to transfer from Washington to Huntsville. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville are behind the new initiative to ultimately bring 4,000 more FBI jobs to the Huntsville area.

U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville

According to AL.com, shortly after being appointed to the new FBI Director, Kash Patel "reportedly ordered the transfer of 500 workers from Washington, D.C. to Redstone Arsenal." These orders also included moving 1,000 FBI employees from the D.C. headquarters "out into the field."

However, U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville want more FBI employees moved to the Redstone Arsenal.

Letter from Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville to FBI Director Kash Patel

In a letter to Kash Patel, Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville made a case urging Kash Patel to send even more FBI employees to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL.

Excerpts from the letter can be read below:

“Alabama is proud to host Redstone Arsenal, a hub for the FBI’s cutting-edge technology and advanced training,” the senators stated. “As national security threats grow more complex, the operations at FBI-Redstone Arsenal must expand to meet these challenges.”

“Given the strategic investments at Redstone Arsenal and its alignment with your mission to prioritize the safety and security of the American people, we urge you to assign an additional 1,000 employees to FBI-Redstone as a first step.”

Senator Britt invited Director Patel to visit the FBI’s Huntsville facilities during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing. Patel affirmed his commitment to staffing the Redstone Arsenal campus, stating, “Senator, you have that commitment.” He also acknowledged the campus’s critical role in strengthening the FBI’s nationwide infrastructure.

The expansion of the FBI’s Redstone Arsenal campus is part of a larger effort to enhance national security operations, particularly in areas such as cybersecurity, intelligence, and advanced training. With ongoing federal investment, the Huntsville FBI campus is poised to play a pivotal role in the FBI’s evolving mission.

Sources:

Angle, Alex. "Britt, Tuberville Push for Kash Patel to fill FBI jobs at Redstone Arsenal." Decatur Daily.

Koplowitz, Howard. "Kash Patel reportedly orders 500 FBI employees to transfer from Washington to Huntsville." AL.com.

An Alabama Man Got Stuck in a Decorative Urn at a Mountain Brook New Year's Eve Party. How Does This Happen?

In January, an Alabama man got stuck in a decorative urn at a New Year's Eve (NYE) party in Mountain Brook, shouting "I'm stuck!" People at the party try to assure him, "We'll get you out!" and a man ends up eventually chiseling the frustrated man out.

Connor Padgett; credit: AL.com

It's probably best not to show others how you can fit into expensive decorative vases/urns at parties serving alcohol.

An Alabama man learns this the hard way.

Alabama Man 'Got Stuck in a Decorative Urn' at a NYE Party in Mountain Brook

AL.com reported that Connor Padgett from Birmingham got himself in and couldn't get himself out of a decorative urn at a New Year's Eve (NYE) party in Mountain Brook, AL.

*Mountain Brook is a city in southeastern Jefferson County and a suburb of Birmingham.

At the party, Connor Padgett was heard screaming, "Call the fire department to break this mother [expletive]” as he took his belt off inside the urn and it still didn't give him the wiggle room necessary to slide out.

Onlookers try to give him advice on how to get out, but it doesn't help calm Connor inside the urn.

He yells in frustration, "I'm doing everything I [expletive] can."

Kristi Yamagucciman posted a video of the incident on X.com (formerly Twitter) on 7 January 2024.

The video (seen below) was viewed over 5 million times.

A man with a hammer starts working on the decorative urn, cracking on it with a hammer. The crowd cheers.

A witness saw Connor "up and moving around without his pants on." Connor wanted a cigarette and was seen drinking a double Makers on the rocks alone in the corner of the yard after the ordeal.

The big question is, "Did his pants survive?" Connor shares the answer to that in an update on Monday.

Connor Padgett Update on Monday, January 8, 2024

Connor was very grateful to the man who chiseled him out of the urn, and Connor was able to walk away from the party.

Connor posted the image below to X.com (formerly Twitter) on 8 January 2024.

Kristi Yamagucciman posted an update on X.com (formerly Twitter). The photo shows Connor holding up a white sign and apparently wearing the same pants that he was wearing on the night of the party.

The sign reads:

I AM THE REAL CONNOR PADGETT. YES, I WAS THE GUY STUCK IN THE VASE. YES, THESE ARE THE SAME PANTS. - CONNOR

That picture can be seen below.

Thoughts

Now it is time for the reader to share your thoughts on this story.

• Have you ever been to a party where things got out of hand?
• What would you have done if you saw someone stuck in an urn?

Please share this article on social media so others can be informed about this story.

Sources

Connor Padgett on X.com (formerly Twitter): @conniep_

Kristi Yamagucciman on X.com (formerly Twitter): @TheWapplehouse

Koplowitz, Howard. "Man stuck in urn at Mountain Brook party loses pants, breaks expensive vase and Alabama Internet." AL.com. 8 January 2024.

Original story posted here: 

"AL Man Gets Stuck Inside an Urn at a Mountain Brook Party. They have to Shatter the Urn to Free Him"

An Alabama Pastor was 'Afraid a Cow was Going to Charge Through a Church Window'. It Charges at an Animal Control Officer Instead

An Alabama pastor was concerned for the children after a cow made it onto the Taylor Road Baptist Church campus in Montgomery, Alabama. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) animal control officers arrived on the scene to rope the wayward cow, but it wasn't going to leave without trying to evade the law.

Cow in field (stock photo); by Sean Foster on Unsplash

An Alabama cow made its way through the Shoppes of EastChase shopping center in Montgomery on Tuesday. This cow was enjoying its freedom too much while trotting through the area and ending up on a Baptist church campus.

Cow Wanders Through Shoppes of EastChase

WSFA 12 News confirmed the cow sighting from Suzanna Wasserman Edwards as she prepared for the grand opening of Nothing Bundt Cakes on Tuesday, 20 June 2023. She noticed the cow heading toward Dillard's.

Police arrived to help the cow cross Berry Hill Road into a grassy field located next to Amped Fitness.

Some may have thought the cow crisis ended there, but lo and behold, the wayward cow kept on disturbing the peace as it ventured onto a church campus to cause a ruckus.

Cow Arrived at Taylor Road Baptist Church Campus

Around 10 a.m., Senior Paster Daniel Atkins contacted authorities after the cow found itself backed into a corner of the Taylor Road Baptist Church campus next to a Trane unit. It can be seen in the picture below as it was pawing at the ground.

Cow at Taylor Road Baptist Church; Credit: WSFA 12 News

Church Pastor: Cow 'Pawing the Ground'

Daniel Atkins, the Senior pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church was concerned that the cow might try to charge through the window. Over 200 kids were in attendance at Vacation Bible School at the time.

“We were actually concerned she was going to charge through a window. She was staring at people who were standing at the window and she was pawing the ground.” -Senior Pastor Daniel Atkins, Taylor Road Baptist Church

The cow never entered the church building.

An animal control officer from ALEA can be seen in the video below trying to lasso the cow as it runs past him. He gets the rope on its head on the first pass but it isn't secure and the officer is pulled down to the ground trying to hang on. Shortly after, they are able to rope the cow and take it away.

The church’s VBS theme was “Twists & Turns,” and that’s exactly what played out outside, as crews tried to wrangle the cow. @wsfa12news pic.twitter.com/1HEiF1k8yr

— Brady Talbert (@BradyTalbert) June 20, 2023

Have you ever seen a cow disturbing the peace like this?

Please share this article on social media so others can be informed about this story.

Sources

Brady Talbert on Twitter: @BradyTalbert. Tweet about "rogue farm animal."

Talbert, Brady. "'Holy Cow': Escaped cow interrupts Montgomery VBS." WSFA 12 News. 20 June 2023.