SUMMARY: As summer ends, Gulf Coast students and parents prepare for the first day of school in Mobile County, which will welcome over 50,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Students express mixed emotions, from excitement to anxiety, about returning to school. Parents, like Antwan Washington, note the challenges of transitional grades, such as fifth grade, where children experience growth and changing friendships. Meanwhile, teachers, such as Josh Fillingim from Baker High School, are ready with lesson plans and optimistic about the new year. The community looks forward to a successful and smooth start to the school term.

Summer break has come to a close, and thousands of Gulf Coast students are arranging outfits and packing backpacks for the first day of school Monday.

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SUMMARY: The Huntsville community is mourning 13-year-old Cal Fox, an 8th grader and passionate mountain biker, who was tragically killed in a bike accident. Cal, beloved by his mountain biking team since 6th grade, was known for his positive attitude and dedication. In response, supporters including his team and bikers statewide have organized fundraisers, raising over $50,000 for his family. A growing memorial at Bailey Cove and Green Mountain Road honors his memory with flowers and personal tributes. The tragedy serves as a reminder for drivers to remain vigilant and cautious, highlighting the dangers cyclists face on the road.

Friends are rallying around the family of Kallel Fox, providing support after a tragic loss.

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by Ashley Murray, Alabama Reflector
August 8, 2025

WASHINGTON — A nonprofit government watchdog sued the Trump administration Friday for failing to respond to public records requests for communications between the White House, Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation about Florida sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including any review of President Donald Trump’s past relationship with the financier.

The lawsuit came as the White House continues to face fallout following the Department of Justice’s refusal in early July to release what are commonly referred to as the Epstein files.

According to reporting by CNN, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Vice President JD Vance met Wednesday evening at the White House to discuss next steps in addressing the growing scrutiny.

The Democracy Forward Foundation filed the lawsuit in district court for the District of Columbia alleging the administration violated the Freedom of Information Act for not responding to the organization’s expedited request within the legally required 10 days.

The nonprofit is requesting the court order the DOJ and the FBI to provide a determination and turn over any non-exempt files, including email communication, calendar invites, and Slack and Microsoft Teams messages among officials who reviewed Epstein investigative files this year. The organization also requested records containing information about Trump’s communication with Epstein dating back to 1990.

“President Trump has repeatedly said he would release the Epstein files, his spokesperson claims his administration is ‘the most transparent in history,’ and yet, they continue to hide from the American people. The only thing transparent about the Trump-Vance administration is how clearly they continue to disregard our nation’s laws,” Skye Perryman, Democracy Forward’s president and CEO, said in a statement Friday.

“Public records laws outline a clear and simple process that requires the government to immediately produce important documents in response to urgent public information requests, and yet again, this administration is ignoring the law. The court should intervene urgently to ensure the public has access to the information they need about this extraordinary situation.”

The White House and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

DOJ says no Epstein ‘client list’ exists

The Trump administration’s handling of Epstein case material has come under a microscope since an unsigned Department of Justice memo on July 7 declared “a systemic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” and department and FBI officials concluded that “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”

The DOJ’s refusal to release further information sparked criticism among Trump’s voter base, and even among some administration officials. The memo also roused both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress, who are now demanding records be released and ex-government officials testify under oath about the investigation into Epstein, who died in a New York City jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, avoided tough votes compelling the release of Epstein records by sending lawmakers home early for August break.

The House Committee on Oversight, chaired by Kentucky Republican James Comer, issued several subpoenas Tuesday to past U.S. attorneys general and former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Epstein surrounded himself with powerful figures through the years, including Trump and the Clintons. A July 23 Wall Street Journal report revealed that Bondi briefed the president in May that his name appeared in the Epstein files. The context in which Trump’s name appears in the investigative material is not clear.

In response to failing to fulfill his campaign promise to release the Epstein files, Trump ordered the release of grand jury testimony from the Epstein investigation. A Florida judge swiftly denied that request.

Ghislaine Maxwell interview

The president also dispatched Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to a Florida prison to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse girls. Details of the interview have not been made public. Maxwell has since been moved to a minimum-security facility in Bryan, Texas.

The House Oversight Committee also subpoenaed Maxwell for an Aug. 11 interview and rejected her recent request for immunity, according to media reports. The committee has delayed the deposition.

Epstein pleaded guilty to sex trafficking in Florida in 2008. A federal grand jury indicted Epstein in 2019 on charges of sexually trafficking minors. According to the Justice Department, Epstein harmed over 1,000 victims.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post New lawsuit presses DOJ to release communications about Epstein files appeared first on alabamareflector.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This content leans center-left as it critically examines the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files, highlighting lawsuits and calls for transparency primarily from Democratic figures and watchdog groups. While it reports on actions and responses from both Republicans and Democrats, the focus on government accountability and legal scrutiny of a Republican administration aligns with a center-left perspective without overt partisan rhetoric.