Pat Duggins
News DirectorPat Duggins is APR’s news director. As a kid, he watched the Apollo manned moon launches along Florida’s space coast. Pat later spent 14 years covering NASA for NPR. After re-organizing the APR newsroom, he and the team were honored with over 150 awards for excellence in journalism. That includes APR being the first radio newsroom to receive RFK Human Rights’ “Seigenthaler Prize for Courage in Journalism.” Pat holds a master’s degree from the University of Alabama and has published two books on NASA. When he’s not at APR, he enjoys cooking with Lucia, and tending his beloved fig tree.
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A 2016 investigation by the Alabama Public Radio news team may be getting a fresh look as Governor Kay Ivey considers the fate of two dozen people sentenced to death through the state’s now abolished policy known as “judicial override.”
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The Crimson Tide saw some improvement in the AP Top 25 following a 45-17 come from behind win over Kentucky. But, it was the earthquake at the top of college football that may be remembered this week.
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Keelon Russell threw for 188 yards and a touchdown to help No. 12 Alabama beat Kentucky 45-17 on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. Russell overcame two interceptions in the first half as the Crimson Tide (2-0) overcame a 17-13 halftime deficit, outscoring the Wildcats (1-1) 32-0 in the second half
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“It’s one thing to see it dimensionally on a TV. But, when you get there, all your senses are aware of what’s going on…smell…sight…taste…feeling,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Hoss Mack said about the 9/11 attacks, back in 2021.
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Southeastern Conference leaders met by video conference on Thursday without holding a vote on LSU's membership. The SEC had threatened as part of a federal lawsuit against LSU to take such a vote earlier in the week.
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University presidents representing the Southeastern Conference reportedly still plan to meet today. The gathering was initially to consider possibly expelling LSU, which was considering the inclusion of two former college players who signed contracts with the NFL. Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin, who had previously worked as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban, was viewed by a key instigator of the controversy.
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Leaders of the Southeastern Conference may meet Thursday to discuss whether to take the extraordinary step of kicking LSU out of the league in the wake of an ugly feud over whether players who spent time in the NFL should be allowed back on the team’s roster this season. Published reports say the SEC is laying the blame at the feet of former Alabama assistant coach Lane Kiffin who now leads the Tigers, and LSU leadership for allegedly failing to manage the program.
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Telling the story of 9/11 has become the labor of U.S. schools now that about 1/3 of Americans weren’t yet born on Sept. 11, 2001. The Associated Press has found that a growing majority of states — at least 40 — now expect or suggest that public schools address 9/11 in some way. The AP analyzed how this story is told on a state by state basis, including here in Alabama.
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The state of Alabama is preparing to send out its mail-in ballots tomorrow, with five more states scheduled to do likewise next week. The Trump administration renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court to allow new restrictions on mail ballots in time for the midterms.
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Alabama’s first possession seemed a little shaky during Saturday’s season opener against East Carolina. But after that, the Crimson Tide bounced back to a forty eight to ten victory over the Pirates. Star wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams dropped two passes in the first half and quarterback Keelon Russell fumbled in the second half.