Nov 17, 2023

Thanks for coming back. The week's final news briefing follows. Then enjoy your weekend. We'll be back here bright and early Monday morning.

Ike Morgan

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The state of Alabama executed convicted murderer Casey McWhorter by lethal injection Thursday night, reports AL.com's Lawrence Specker.

This time the process went apparently smoother than last year's failed efforts at execution. The curtain opened to witnesses at 6:30 p.m., it closed at 6:47 p.m., and McWhorter was pronounced dead at 6:56 p.m.

McWhorter was 18 years old in 1993 when he robbed and killed Edward Lee Williams in Marshall County. McWhorter and a 16-year-old entered the home while Williams was out, stayed there for hours ransacking the house before Williams returned home. He was shot at least 11 times.

After the execution, Williams' brother, Gilbert Williams spoke. “It’s kind of unfortunate we had to wait so long for justice to be served, but it’s been served. And although this man killed my brother in a most vicious, violent and heinous way, he died in his sleep not more than an hour ago, peaceful death to a murderous dog.”

An Eagle Scout project to build some artificial reef in Mobile Bay has made some partners and taken off, reports AL.com's Mary Helene Hall.

St. Paul's Episcopal School senior John Shell had a plan to place 50 reefs, which measure a little more than 2 cubic feet and, like the real thing, provide habitat for fish, crabs and oysters and improve water quality.

Well, by July he had placed 175 of the reefs and raised more than $52,000. The city of Fairhope plans to place 14 Eagle Reefs at city-owned locations. The Partners of Environmental Progress has a goal of installing 1,000 of the reefs nationwide.

And the University of South Alabama plans to get involved with the project.

Of course, this isn't the first reef restoration project along Alabama's Gulf Coast. The natural reefs have taken a beating from erosion and sedimentation, drought, predation, and harvesting, according to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

The University of Alabama not only has the highest-paid college football head coach in the nation, but also spends more money than anyone else on its two coordinators, according to USA Today data.

Individually, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and defensive coordinator Kevin Steele are tied for fifth place with $1.9 million annual salaries. But combined they're the nation's highest-paid coordinator duo.

The two are at different places in their careers. Rees is the rising star who was still playing college ball at Notre Dame 10 years ago. Steele, of course, has a deep resume with defensive-coaching stints at several big-time college programs as well as the Carolina Panthers.

The nation's highest-paid assistant football coach is Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, who is making $2.05 million.

18

That's the average composite ACT score for the Class of 2023 in Alabama. That's 1.5 below the U.S. average of 19.5, which itself is a 0.3 slip from the previous year. The Class of 2023 was the freshman class when COVID shut down in-class learning for much of the academic year.

It's National Butter Day. Remember, folks: Moderation is key.

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