Good morning, Mobile.

The American Autism & Rehabilitation Center will host a free Community Special Needs Fall Festival on Oct.

9 in Daphne from 4-6 p.m., offering games, a Touch-a-Truck experience, animal encounters, and fall-themed fun for families and special needs individuals at 8909 Rand Ave.

Primal Fear Experience at OWA in Foley opened earlier this week and offers haunted mazes and themed treats to thrill local visitors during Halloween season.

Operators update immersive shows amid rising costs (a common challenge statewide).

A new exhibit called Jimmy Buffett: Son of a Son of a Sailor opened at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf yesterday, showcasing artifacts and family stories that reveal how the Alabama Gulf Coast shaped his musical journey.

Visitors can explore displays (including a bronze sculpture outside).

Jack's Family Restaurants is celebrating Dolly Day today with a special milkshake deal while donating 10% of sales to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Customers can get two small milkshakes for $5 at all locations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A study by the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality (released Sept.

24) found that 72% of residents struggled to afford essentials like food, health care, and childcare while 42% faced multiple financial burdens, with housing costs being less of a strain.

The latest U.S. News report listed Spring Hill College as the No. 5 best private college and Tuskegee University as the No. 5 best private university in the South (with Tuskegee also ranked No. 3 among HBCUs), highlighting Alabama’s rising academic profile.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension will host a Pumpkins & Poultry Workshop on Oct.

9 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center in Fairhope. Participants will learn pumpkin growing tips, seasonal recipes and ways to safely use pumpkins in chicken diets.

Veteran Onrie Brown, a retired Mobile fire medic, asked the Mobile County Commission on Thursday to support a full-service VA hospital on the University of South Alabama campus so local veterans can access care without traveling to Pensacola + Biloxi; commissioners said they would review the proposal and contact federal officials.

Vietnam veteran Onrie Brown asked Mobile County Commissioners on Thursday to support plans for a full-service VA hospital at USA campus, saying veterans should not travel to Pensacola or Biloxi for care (he is a retired fire medic).

Commissioners said they would review the proposal and contact federal officials.

Bayside Academy coach Ann Schilling has built a volleyball legacy with 1,813 wins and 28 state titles and led the Admirals to 21 straight championships from 2002 to 2022.

Her team holds a 17-7 record following Tuesday’s win over Mobile Christian, while she continues to emphasize growth off the court.

Alabama football is under debate as analysts assess the Tide’s season after wins over Kentucky and Florida State and ahead of their game against South Carolina; the Beat Everyone (podcast) dissects if Kalen DeBoer’s approach is paving the way for a playoff berth.