Jul 22, 2024

Thanks for coming back. We have several items to get to, starting with how the big national news played statewide.

Ike Morgan

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In politics, it's always about the next thing. The next news cycle, the next election cycle. There's no time to revel in a win or wallow in a loss. How's yesterday going to play tomorrow?

You're probably not shocked to hear that Alabama Republicans were less than impressed with President Joe Biden's -- or at least his Twitter account's -- announcement that he'll no longer be seeking the Democratic nomination for president and will be endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him after an open convention.

With Joe the Candidate out of the way, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville went after Joe the Sitting President, calling on him to resign immediately and saying he was never mentally fit to hold the office.

Other Republican Sen. Katie Britt questioned Harris's policies, calling her more radical than Biden on border policy.

Meanwhile, anxious Democrats were a little here's-your-hat-what's-your-hurry. Former Sen. Doug Jones called Biden one of America's greatest presidents in a social-media post. He also quickly endorsed Harris in that same post.

Among others quickly endorsing Harris were Congresswoman Terri Sewell, state lawmakers such as Merika Coleman and Philip Ensler and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.

A motive was not identified over the weekend in the Bibb County killing of a woman and four kids, reports AL.com's Carol Robinson.

Authorities arrived on the scene and took Brandon Allan Kendrick II into custody. He's accused of shooting his wife, Kelse Kendrick, their two children and two other children who are their relatives. The children ranged in age from 2-8.

The suspect in the shooting of a police officer Sunday morning died of a self-inflicted gunshot, reports AL.com's Carol Robinson.

The officer works for the Homewood Police Department. Moody Police said he was leaving his home in Moody early Sunday morning when he was shot and rushed to UAB Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Police said the suspect killed himself after a long standoff.

Auburn running back Brian Battie took his first steps since being shot in the head May 18 in Sarasota, Florida, reports AL.com's Ainslie Lee.

The family updated his status on its GoFundMe page.

After the arrest of a suspect in the shooting, court documents that were filed listed "permanent paralysis" as a possible prognosis for Battie. But the family's update said he was making progress daily and was able to take steps while using a cane. 

Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, it is.

AL.com's Nick Kelly reports that a committee for the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees approved the naming of the football playing surface for former Alabama football coach Nick Saban.

Saban retired in January after 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide that included six national championships.

The university will dedicate the new name during the Sept. 7 game against South Florida.

Here's a crime story that I'll pass along and let you decide whether or not it's emblematic of our shifting culture:

Authorities say a woman embezzled around $300,000 from a church and then used much of it to buy digital gifts for TikTok content creators, reports AL.com's Carol Robinson.

A former administrative assistant at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish in Tuscaloosa was charged with wire fraud. Court documents show she has agreed to plead guilty.

In 1934, actress Louise Fletcher of Birmingham. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for playing Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next."

In 1965, current Congressman Robert Aderholt of Haleyville.

Here are the answers and how quiz-takers fared this past Friday:

What event is NOT taking place this weekend?

The George Washington Carver Peanut Hulling Contest at the Flora-Bama (CORRECT) 53.2%

The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo 19.7%

Rock the South in Cullman 17.6%

The back-to-school Alabama Sales Tax Holiday 9.6%

Three of Alabama's Winn-Dixie locations have been identified to be converted into this grocery chain that recently purchased the Winn-Dixie stores and brand:

Aldi (CORRECT) 96.3%

Kroger 1.6%

Publix 1.1%

Jitney Jungle 1.1%

This Alabama city's council recently passed a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza:

Birmingham (CORRECT) 59.6%

Huntsville 20.7%

Montgomery 10.1%

Phil Campbell 9.6%

Recently Peter Buxtun passed away at 86. He never lived in Alabama as far as we know, but he played this role in our state's history:

Whistleblower on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. (CORRECT) 83.0%

As a freshman at the University of Oregon became the first known football game attendee to hold up a sign that said "Beat Bama." 6.9%

Advisor for George Wallace who performed CPR on the former governor after he was shot. 5.9%

Starred as Albert Patterson in "The Phenix City Story." 4.3%

Whom did Nick Saban pick to reach the SEC Championship game?

Georgia and Texas (CORRECT) 75.0%

Alabama and Georgia 19.1%

Texas and Oklahoma 5.9%

Tennessee and LSU 0.0%

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