Aug 16, 2024

Don't overlook our weekly Alabama news quiz below. It's quick, easy, and a great way to review the past seven days or so.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for reading,

Ike Morgan

Looking for the podcast? Click here or check other options below.

A judge has thrown out the arrest warrants for the mayor of Tarrant, reports AL.com's Joseph D. Bryant.

Tarrant city clerk Laverne Knight had filed charges against Mayor Wayman Newton, accusing him of blocking her access to documents she needed in order to do her job.

The city leadership has seen plenty of turmoil over the past couple years, with the mayor's dispute with a councilman leading to personal insults and even a punch, and multiple suspensions of the police chief by the mayor that were overturned.

A former police officer in Centre has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to planting drugs on innocent motorists, reports AL.com's Carol Robinson.

According to the charging documents, back in January 2023 Michael Kilgore pulled somebody over and found drugs in the car. He's accused of then letting that driver off but used him to acquire and plant methamphetamine, oxycodone and marijuana on a vehicle, which Kilgore then pulled over and busted those inside.

The two then planned to do the same thing to another vehicle, but then his co-conspirator likely realized this wasn't going to end well for him or her, disposed of the drugs and reported the scheme to law enforcement.

The head of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church has been elected president of the World Methodist Council, reports AL.com's Greg Garrison.

At its meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, the Council elected UMC Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett.

Of course, her recent work in Birmingham has seen some turbulent times for the congregation, with more than half of Alabama's UMC churches disaffiliating because of disagreement over the ordination of gay clergy and the performing of same-sex weddings.

The World Methodist Council includes 80 denominations from around the world. Wallace-Padgett will preside over the Council for five years. On Sept. 1 she'll officially end her 12-year run as bishop of North Alabama's United Methodists.

There are a couple noteworthy events in Coastal Alabama as we ease closer to Labor Day, which of course is the unofficial end of the summer tourist season.

First, on Sunday, the Flora-Bama Lounge, Package & Oyster Bar will be celebrating its 60th anniversary. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. there'll be live music, cake and a free drink card for each person at least 21 years old.

It was 1964 when Ted Tampary and sons built the Flora-Bama.

Second, on Sept. 21 over in Downtown Mobile, the folks at Visit Mobile are planning a Son of a Sailor Fest in Cathedral Square. They're calling it a "family-friendly street festival" that'll include a second-line parade and be in honor of the late Jimmy Buffett. Buffett tribute band A1A as well as Will Kimbrough will play the event.

The parade that took place just a few days after Buffett died last year was so popular on such short notice that they might turn it into an annual thing.

“I feel like one of my roles in this now is to be the anti-Tommy Tuberville, to show that football coaches are not the dumbest people.”

Democratic vice presidential candidate and former assistant high school football coach Tim Walz

“Speaking of an embarrassment to the Coaching profession ... (Tim Walz) DESERTED his military unit when he found out they were deploying to Iraq. Walz had the Police ABANDON precincts while his cities burned in 2020. And Walz had tampon dispensers installed in BOYS’ bathrooms. He doesn’t need to worry about speaking on behalf of Coaches.”

U.S. Senator and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville

Click here to take this week's 5-question Alabama news-review quiz.

In 1952, musician Topper Price of the Mobile area.

In 1986, country singer Ashton Shepherd of Coffeeville.

A listener takes the weekly Alabama news quiz.

You can find “Down in Alabama” wherever you get your podcasts, including these places:

We appreciate you for taking the time to read today. Hope you're able to check back soon. Meantime, reply to this email with any suggestions you might have.

If you're so inclined, we'd love it if you'd forward to friends who might be interested in reading. (And if you're someone who's been forwarded this newsletter, we encourage you to subscribe and get this in your inbox every day.)