May. 27, 2025

We're not really North Dakota deniers. We just enjoyed a very brief satirical moment in the report below.

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Ike

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Alabama's parole board released proposed changes to its guidelines that are stricter in some areas of consideration, reports AL.com's Ivana Hrynkiw.

Remember that the parole board's guidelines haven't been reflected in the state's parole rate. In 2023, the guidelines recommended around an 80% rate as the three-member parole board voted to grant parole in only 8% of the cases.

That's when AL.com and Ivana did their "Denied" series. The next year, 2024, that rate rose to around 20% -- which was still way below the ballpark recommended rate.

The guidelines suggest a scoresheet method of evaluating inmates who are up for parole, with higher numbers representing a worse score. They are scored on various criteria and if the numbers add up to more than eight they might be denied parole, exactly eight they might be considered for parole, and seven or less they might be granted parole.

The proposed guidelines recommends that a score up to five be granted parole and over eight denied for it. So, theoretically, it'd be tougher to get an automatic grant based on your scoresheet, but it would also be tougher to get an automatic denial. There is a bigger window where the scorecard results recommend either.

Other change involve putting more emphasis on behavior behind bars and the original crime.

The asterisk here is that the board members aren't required to use the guidelines.

This graduation season includes the first graduation ceremony for Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School in Bessemer, reports AL.com's Alaina Bookman.

The school opened in 2022 to offer hands-on studies in science, technology, engineering and aviation. On Thursday, 13 seniors will be honored. United Airlines 737 captain and author of the book "A Pair of Wings" Carole Hopson will give the commencement address.

For those of you who believe in North Dakota despite pretty scant evidence of its existence -- if you're buying what Big Cartography is selling -- then you might be interested to know that the northern state has joined the 80 MPH Club.

On Aug. 1 it'll become the ninth state to go to a maximum speed limit of 80 mph on some multi-lane highways, reports AL.com's Savannah Tryens-Fernandes.

Studies have shown that higher speeds can lead to more deadly crashes, so be careful the next time you happen to be cruising through North Dakota.

In Alabama, of course, the maximum speed limit is 70.

In 1912, former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Terry Moore of Vernon.

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