Aurelio Martínez, ambassador of Garifuna music, has died
Honduran folk musician Aurelio Martínez has died. The 55-year-old was a respected proponent of the Central American culture known as Garifuna. According to his spokesperson, Martinez and 11 other people died Monday in an airplane crash, shortly after taking off from the Honduran island of Roatán.
Martínez grew up in a remote area of northern Honduras. He moved to the provincial capital of La Ceiba to study music, and eventually launched his performing career alongside the Belizean musician Andy Palacio. Garifuna, the musical tradition in which they worked, is a mix of West African, Indigenous and other cultures and dates back to the 17th century, along the Caribbean coast of Central America.
In 2005, Martínez took a break from music to become the first Afro-Honduran elected to the country’s national congress. However, in 2008, after Palacio’s unexpected passing at age 48, the artist decided to resume his musical career full time. His return to music included international tours, songwriting workshops for Garifuna youth and even an appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series in 2015.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
‘It’s like feeling the arms of your creator just wrapped around you’: a visit to a special healing Shabbat
Members of Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham gathered recently for their traditional Friday Shabbat service. But this particular service was different, as could be seen by all the people dressed in their finest pink.
Space Command is coming to Huntsville. What might that mean for first-time homebuyers
While Huntsville has been a more affordable market than other growing cities, what’s it been like for those looking for their first home?
Colorado says relocation of Space Command to Alabama is ‘punishment’ for mail-in voting
The litigation announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser asks a federal judge to block the move as unconstitutional.
Breaking down Alabama’s CHOOSE Act
It’s been a year since Alabama legislators passed the CHOOSE Act allowing families to apply for state funds to use towards homeschool expenses and tuition for participating private schools. The Alabama Daily News’ education reporter Trisha Powell Crain has been diving into how the funds are being used. WBHM’s Andrew Gelderman sat down with her to talk about what we’re seeing so far.
