Jul 10, 2023

Is it Monday already? Let's catch up on some weekend news. Also, check out the weekly quiz near the bottom of this email. It might veer a little more obscure than last week's.

Ike Morgan

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The Montgomery Whitewater park opened over the weekend near Maxwell Air Force Base, reports AL.com's Mike Cason.

This is a project that went up against some political resistance. It began with an estimated $50 million price tag but -- stop me if you've heard similar stories before -- ended up costing $90 million to build.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey had proposed using $25 million out of a huge education-budget surplus, but the state Legislature instead allocated $5 million from the General Fund.

The park is free to enter, but there are fees for rafting and kayaking the two whitewater channels. Reportedly, you end up spending about an hour on the water for a guided trip.

Besides the water fun, there's a restaurant, a bar, yoga, and of course more people there to sell you stuff.

A spokeswoman for the Alabama Republican Party has said a primary presidential debate in the state has not been confirmed, reports AL.com's Jeremy Gray.

A CNN producer last week quoted GOP hopeful Nikki Haley saying that after the Republicans' August debate in Wisconsin, they'll do it again in September at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, and then in October in Alabama.

So we'll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, frontrunner and former President Donald Trump has said he might sit out the Milwaukee debate and compete against it with his own event.

Avoiding debates seems to be a trend amoung political frontrunners, who may feel they have more to lose than gain by being challenged by the other candidates.

Also, as the Associated Press reports, the Republican National Committee wants candidates to promise to support the eventual party nominee.

Florida-based Gunther Mitsubishi did a recent survey to find out on which roads U.S. drivers most feared breaking down.

For example, the overall worst was found to be U.S. 285 in New Mexico with its long stretches of desert road with nowhere to get gas or vehicle service or cold Yoo-hoos or anything.

AL.com's William Thornton reports that, in Alabama, it was Highway 431, which runs north and south, mostly on the eastern edge of the state near the Georgia line. Even though it touches cities such as Huntsville, Gadsden, Anniston, Opelika, Eufala and Dothan, 431 has stretches that'll make you nervous if your "low fuel" light comes on.

The survey also points out the Alabama summer temperatures that can make being stuck on the side of the road downright dangerous.

A billboard went up recently in Macon, reports AL.com's William Thornton, that had a picture of a Miller Lite can, the state outline of Alabama, and the words "Tastes Like Miller Time, Alabama."

We don't mean it went up in Macon Quarters in Alabama's Calhoun County. And we don't mean it went up in Macon County, Alabama, home of the Tuskegee Golden Tigers.

We mean it went up in Macon, Georgia. Many geography majors will tell you that Macon, Georgia, is not in Alabama. As a matter of fact, it's a 1-hour, 45-minute drive from Phenix City if you keep it near the speed limit.

Finding yourself in the wrong state when you put up a beer sign tastes like too much Miller Time. As a matter of fact, at that point you could be into "Miller Overtime."

Local folks in Macon did notice the issue, and the sign was quickly taken down on Friday.

“Whether it’s alligators or sharks or jellyfish, we know they are there."

Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier, on this summer's number of reports of wildlife visiting the beach

Little Debbie Park in Collegedale, Tennessee, boasts pavilions, swings, picnic tables and playgrounds equipment with sculptures that look like Little Debbie snack cakes such as Christmas Tree cakes and Oatmeal Cream Pies.

In 1911, jazz trumpet player "Cootie" Williams of Mobile. He played with Duke Ellington's and Benny Goodman's orchestras.

For the third Monday in a row (that's almost a pattern and flirting with consistency), we have a quick five-question quiz on topics that, for one reason or another, have been in the news. This week's version is heavy on history.

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