Jan 01, 2025

Happy New Year's, everybody. Throw out those 2024 calendar and move on to a great '25.

The podcast bonus today is a report from AL.com's Savannah Tryens-Fernandes on what a dentist group wants to change about the way dental insurance works.

The rest of the report follows. Thanks for reading,

Ike

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If you listened to Monday's report, you heard us talk about a handful of public servants who may be positioned for a run at the governor's office in 2026.

But that was then, and this is 2025. You can take one of those names off your short list.

The Associated Press is reporting that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he's decided not to run for governor after talking it over with his wife. He told the AP that it doesn't mean he's through with politics and that he plans to serve out his final two years as AG.

As we mentioned Monday, Marshall has been very high-profile on some national left-right issues, joining other Republican state AGs to oppose Biden administration or liberal policies. He told the AP that he's had conversations with the Trump team as it prepares to retake the White House but "I made the commitment to the folks in Alabama to be here for this term."

Two other major political offices that come up in 2026 are Tommy Tuberville's U.S. Senate seat and Alabama's lieutenant governor position.

Regarding lieutenant governor: Current officeholder Will Ainsworth will be term-limited out in 2026, and he's expected to enter the race for governor.

Also in state politics, Gov. Kay Ivey has called a special election to replace Greg Reed in the state Senate, reports AL.com's Mike Cason.

Reed, a Jasper Republican, was the Senate's pro-tem. That role is expected to be filled by Cullman Republican Garlan Gudger.

Reed represents District 5, which includes parts of Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Tuscaloosa and Walker Counties. The primary election for that seat will be March 11. If a runoff is needed it'll be April 8. And the special general election will be June 24.

19 (and counting)

National Weather Service offices in Alabama have been working to evaluate this past weekend's severe weather outbreak. AL.com's Leigh Morgan reports that, as our deadline,  the tornado count stood at 19.

That number might grow a little as survey teams finish their work.

All the tornadoes were EF0s or EF1s, with the strongest twister spinning up 110-mph winds in St. Clair County.

Most of them were in the central part of the state, with two touching down in South Alabama and one in North Alabama. No injuries have been reported.

Counties affected were Limestone, Mobile, Lamar, Marion, Shelby, Lowndes, St. Clair, Montgomery, Macon and Baldwin.

In 1785, Congressman, Senator and the fifth governor of Alabama Gabriel Moore. He was born in North Carolina and migrated inland like so many of our families would during that era.

In 1804, Chief Osceola himself, Billy Powell of Talisi. Which is now Tallassee, Alabama. Not to be confused with Tallahassee, Florida, in an area where today Osceola's name is everywhere.

In 1965, current Congresswoman Terri Sewell.

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AL.com reporter Savannah Tryens-Fernandes explains what a dentist group wants to change about the way dental insurance works.

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