What's going on in Alabama
Welcome back. Today, we have how the local Crime Stoppers is handling potential donors' remorse after the Carlee Russell case. And a woman who shared her experiences riding on a plane out of state with a big star. And lots more ... Ike Morgan |
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“We would never use a crime as a fundraiser.’’ |
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-- Bob Copus, Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama During the two-day Carlee Russell missing-person search, concerned citizens donated more than $63,000 to Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama. Since she admitted that she had not been abducted after all, AL.com's Carol Robinson reports that Crime Stoppers has begun the process of returning all that money to the folks who had been moved to donate by her story. The money was going to be used as a reward for information leading to Russell's safe return. If you are one of the donors, note that credit-card donation returns could take several days. |
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It's been several weeks since Opelika native and former Auburn University student Lily Ledbetter died in an apartment in the Virgin Islands at age 22, reports AL.com's Howard Koplowitz. Ledbetter was in St. John working at an animal shelter. The medical examiner there, Dr. Francisco Landron, said an autopsy revealed no cause of death and that authorities do not believe there was any foul play. |
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Sens. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Joe Manchin of West Virginia introduced a bill that would require college athletes to disclose how much they make on Name, Image and Likeness deals and wouldn't let athletes transfer to a new school unless they've spent at least three seasons at their old one, reports AL.com's Creg Stephenson. The Tuberville-Manchin bill also would create a regulatory body to monitor agents and collectives. This is one of a couple of efforts on Capitol Hill to catch up with, regulate or standardize NIL rules. Incidentally, Tuberville's a Republican and Manchin a Democrat. Their partnership in this is also bipartisan in the Alabama way: That is, Tuberville once coached at Auburn, and Manchin is longtime friends with Alabama coach Nick Saban, so they span both sides of that aisle as well. |
Why some moms are landing in jail |
Alabama has expanded child abuse and neglect to cover unborn children through "fetal personhood," and at the same time our state is one of the few that refer women who are suspected of using drugs while pregnant to law enforcement, rather than a child-welfare agency. It all means that more mothers are being prosecuted and jailed in Alabama. You can read the AL.com/Marshall Project examination of the trend. |
Actor Kurt Russell took a recent flight out of Birmingham after filming part of a movie in parts of Alabama recently, and Klaudia Brady (who lives in Texas but is a regular visitor to Alabama) was able to meet him (and share this photo). Click here to read more about their conversation. Two highlights: (1) He told her he loved Alabama, and (2) She told him she loved him as Captain Ron. (Incidentally, the official "Down in Alabama" position is that Kurt Russell's top role was Wyatt Earp.) |
In 1914, trumpet player Erskine Hawkins of Birmingham. In 1959, journalist and author Rick Bragg of Piedmont. |
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