
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.
-
Ty Simpson threw for 382 yards and four touchdowns, including two to returning star Ryan Williams, and number nineteen ranked Alabama overpowered Wisconsin for the second consecutive year.
-
The Crimson Tide, still smarting from their loss to Florida State, continue their redemption tour. A year ago, they beat Wisconsin 42-10 in Madison for the Badgers' most lopsided since 2008. Once the game is over, book fans will get a break no matter who wins.
-
A series of reported threats toward historically Black colleges and universities across the U.S. on Thursday led to lockdown orders, canceled classes and heightened security. The list of five schools included Alabama State University in Montgomery.
-
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event. A person of interest was in custody, officials said. “My heart is breaking at the devastating news of Charlie Kirk’s death,” said ALGOP Chairman John Wahl.
-
Three high-ranking FBI officials were fired last month in a “campaign of retribution” carried out by a director who knew better but caved to political pressure from the Trump administration so he could keep his own position, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that seeks reinstatement of the agents. This includes an agent on his way to a new assignment in Alabama.
-
The winners of the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards are set to be announced this Sunday. One category that’s getting attention this year is for “guest performer” in a comedy. The program “The Studio’ with Seth Rogen, includes guest nominations for Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Dave Franco, Anthony Mackie and Zoë Kravitz. Taking home “Emmy gold” in a guest category is familiar for one actor who performed in one play for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and directed another show there.
-
A key playmaker for Wisconsin may or may not take the field as the Badgers prepare to visit No. 19 Alabama on Sunday, coach Luke Fickell said.
-
A self-described science nerd is the latest American to get an experimental pig kidney transplant, at a crucial point in the quest to prove if animal organs really might save human lives. The 54-year-old New Hampshire man is faring well after his June 14 operation, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital announced Monday. This follows a similar record-setting operation involving an Alabama woman.
-
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat is coming for the television industry. This year’s Primetime Emmy awards will be handed out this coming Sunday. Actor Michael Emerson has two of the gold statuettes. He earned his M-F-A degree from the University of Alabama while acting with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
-
Alabama seventy three to zero blow-out of Louisiana Monroe may have left fans of the Crimson Tide breathing easier. The Associated Press and its Top 25 college football ranking appeared only slightly impressed.