🌱 Patch AM: How Mobile’s first Black female firefighter became “Mama” of the department

Greetings Mobile! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How Mobile’s first Black female firefighter became “Mama” of the department
• How a late-night bridge crash left a young Mobile woman hurt
• How Santa brought Christmas cheer to Mobile’s tiniest hospital patients.

Today's riddle: I’m trying to think of a new cloud joke. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Sunday: Fog in the a.m.; mostly sunny, with a high of 73 and low of 53 degrees.
• Monday: A shower; breezy, cooler, temps: high: 61, low: 34.
• Tuesday: Breezy in the morning, with a high of 49 and low of 31 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Mobile's first Black female firefighter recalls historic journey (wkrg.com) — Mobile firefighter Ann Williams reflects on becoming the city’s first Black female firefighter back in 1995 and how she’s grown into a beloved engine driver known as “Mama” to younger crews. She talks about the challenges of training, the inspiration she drew from her daughter and late mother, and her ongoing passion for serving Mobile residents on every call.
   

• Charges pending in multiple-vehicle crash in Escambia County Christmas Day (wkrg.com) — A 20-year-old woman from Mobile was among those seriously injured in a five-vehicle crash late Christmas night on U.S. 98 at the Lillian Bridge in Escambia County, Florida. Florida Highway Patrol says a Georgia driver crossed the center line, triggering a chain reaction that hurt several people, with criminal charges pending blood test results.
   

• Santa visits babies in NICU at southern Alabama hospital (wdhn.com) — Families with babies in the NICU at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile got a special Christmas visit from Santa, complete with first photos and holiday activities. Staff say these moments of joy and family-centered care help ease stress, strengthen parent-infant bonding, and bring a sense of normalcy during difficult, often uncertain hospital stays.
   

📸 Around Mobile

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📣 Mobile Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Monday December 29

• Chess Club at Saraland
  Saraland Public Library , 111 Saraland Loop , Saraland
  4:00 pm

Tuesday December 30

• Mrs. Tori Tales
  Saraland Public Library , 111 Saraland Loop , Saraland
  3:30 pm
• Grand Holiday Stroll 2025
  Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection , One Grand Blvd , Point Clear
  5:00 pm
• Comedy, Magic & Impressions! Brandon Styles VARIETY SHOW
  Brandon Styles Theater , 1501 South OWA Blvd. , Foley
  7:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• Library closes early at 4:30
  Spanish Fort Public Library , 7361 Spanish Fort Boulevard , Spanish Fort
• Noon Years Day Color Run and Family Festival
  Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection , One Grand Blvd , Point Clear
  9:00 am
• Wonderful Wednesday Storytime at Theodore
  Theodore Oaks Branch - Mobile Public Library , 5808 US-90 West E , Mobile
  10:00 am
• Tales & Tunes with Mrs. Tori
  Saraland Public Library , 111 Saraland Loop , Saraland
  10:30 am
• New Year’s Eve, 5pm — Pearl
  Pearl , 334 Fairhope Ave , Fairhope
  5:00 pm

Thursday January 1

• Library closed
  Spanish Fort Public Library , 7361 Spanish Fort Boulevard , Spanish Fort

Friday January 2

• Fairhope First Friday Art Walk
  Downtown Fairhope
  6:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Mobile PatchAM possible:

• Bryant Bank — (205) 710-6100
  Bryant Bank Breaks Ground on New Mobile Office
• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• MISSING INDOOR CAT— our cat Gizmo got out last night around 8:30 pm, it’s been 24hrs now and we have no found him.
  Pls let us know if you see our buddy. We are in midtown Mobile ! (Nextdoor Park Place)
• Rylo got out today carriage hills sub division he had a haircut so he may look different..
  He has on a name tag as well please call me if you see him (Nextdoor The Loop)

• MCHD and Family Health facilities will be closed WEDNESDAY to FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24 to 26, in observance of Christmas. Saturday Clinic and WIC services... (X: ILoveMCHD)
• Accident Wolf Ridge Rd at Anton St. (X: MobileALTraffic)

• Oak View Group posted a job opening for Housekeeping | Part-Time | Mobile Convention Center in Mobile. Apply here.
• Thompson Engineering posted a job opening for Construction Materials Testing (CMT) Field Technician in Mobile. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Mobile here.

🗞 Nearby News

Prichard

• Boy injured in Prichard shooting receives unexpected Christmas gift (wkrg.com)
• Eight Mile mother recounts dog attack on 9-year-old son after school drop-off (wbrc.com)

Saraland

Ok Mobile! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I haven’t the foggiest.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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