General News

General

Tariffs on penguins? Trump’s announcement hits Antarctic islands

President Donald Trump’s administration will likely usher in a new era of global trade relations following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday.

However, one unexpected outcome of new tariffs implemented by the administration is that it could affect trade relations with… penguins?

“No, this is not a joke,” CNN’s Dana Bash commented in a segment regarding the tariffs on an island inhabited by penguins.

Heard Island and McDonald Island, uninhabited islands near Antarctica that are an external territory of Australia, will receive universal 10% tariffs.

The islands are not inhabited by humans but they are home to penguins, seals and glaciers.

“Donald Trump is using tariffs in the dumbest way imaginable. Donald Trump slapped tariffs on penguins and not on Putin,” the minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Thursday.

The islands are managed by the Australian Antarctic Division and according to a governmental website, “the islands are unoccupied by humans and remain one of the world’s least anthropogenically disturbed areas.”

Yet, the islands are still targets of the Trump administration’s worldwide tariffs which go up to 50% for certain countries.

“Nowhere on Earth is safe,” Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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General

3 Alabama alumni change jersey numbers with Detroit Lions

Three Alabama alumni will wear different numbers for the Detroit Lions in 2025 than they did in 2024.

On Thursday, the NFL team announced cornerback Terrion Arnold will wear No. 6, running back Jahmyr Gibbs will wear No. 0 and wide receiver Jameson Williams will wear No. 1.

For Williams, the number change returns him to his Crimson Tide jersey number. Williams wore No. 9 in his first three seasons with the Lions. Wide receiver Maurice Alexander wore No. 1 for Detroit last season, but he is now on the Chicago Bears.

Arnold wore No. 0 as a rookie for the Lions after wearing No. 3 at Alabama. He was able to switch to the No. 6 after safety Ifeatu Melifonwu left for the Miami Dolphins in free agency in March.

Gibbs got Arnold’s old number after wearing No. 1 at Alabama and No. 26 in his first two seasons with Detroit.

The Lions start their offseason program on April 22.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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General

Who owns Prichard’s water? Ownership in question as city careens toward ‘public health emergency’

Fresh off multiple sewage spills that dumped an estimated 1.3 million gallons of sewage into a waterway, dozens of Prichard area residents gathered at a town hall Thursday to learn more about the city’s long-troubled water and sewer utility.

“We want to know what’s being done to get the money that we have to have to improve the infrastructure of the sewer system,” one resident said during the meeting. “It’s clear… the only solution we’re going to get is to have money enough from somebody or some entity to improve decades of neglect.”

What went largely undiscussed was the question of who would own the city’s water and sewer infrastructure—which by all estimations is almost in crisis—going forward.

“This is no longer just a financial issue—it is a public health emergency waiting to happen,” John Young, the man appointed a court to oversee the Water Works and Sewer Board of the city of Prichard, stated in a new report to the court that appointed him.

Young has argued that the only way to address the city’s failing water and sewage infrastructure—and resident’s high bills— is if the utility is absorbed into the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS).

It’s an idea opposed by a group of residents represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The newest report from Young, filed Monday in Mobile County Circuit Court, lays out technical and financial analyses for alternative ownership structures. Young concludes that the only viable solution for the more than 24,000 people who use Prichard’s water and sewer utility is consolidation with MAWSS.

“The whole idea is what’s best for the customer at the end of the day,” Young said. “The rates would go from already a very, very high $92 a month to over $200 a month with a standalone Prichard system. Plus, there’s still questions on the technical and management capabilities of the system.”

Prichard’s water and sewer infrastructure is in worse condition than the infrastructure in Flint, Mich., Young said. Young worked on Flint’s water utility following the lead contamination crisis in 2015. Some Flint residents still buy bottled water despite assurances the problem has been resolved.

Many Prichard residents and officials remain opposed to the idea of a takeover by MAWSS, arguing that the city giving up control of their water and sewer would mean losing some of its autonomy.

“I am sensitive to the fact that our citizens have suffered greatly underneath the wrong leadership and the wrong appointments to the board for the water and sewer of Prichard,” said Carletta Davis, president of We Matter Eight Mile Community Association. “But I also understand that when we take and give our destiny or our future to someone else, then depending on their political will, that may or may not work out for us.”

Davis argues that the question of ownership “pales in comparison” to the need for emergency funds now. Prichard and Chickasaw residents are suffering now, she said, from sewage spills that run into their yards and their homes, high bacteria counts in the water, and elevated levels of Trihalomethanes (THMs), a byproduct of the chlorine used to treat water.

“When there is a public health crisis, I know that there is disaster money or emergency monies that can be tapped in from the state level in order to get people out of harm’s way,” Davis, who is running for mayor of Prichard, said. “And that money needs to be sent to Pritchard so that people can get out of harm’s way.”

Prichard Mayor Jimmie Gardner called Young’s assertion that MAWSS is the only viable option “overly narrow and predetermined conclusion that fails to fully consider all available options.”

Gardner slammed Young’s tenure as receiver, arguing that he has done little to stabilize the utility since he was appointed in November 2023.

“We call for a full review of Mr. Young’s receivership and demand an open and fair discussion about the best path forward—one that does not automatically default to consolidation with MAWSS as the only solution,” Gardner said in a message.

This isn’t the first time Young’s appointment has been challenged: In May 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld his appointment as receiver of the utility.

He was appointed in 2023 by Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Michael Youngpeter after the water works board defaulted on a $55 million loan from Synovus Bank for needed capital improvements.

Young’s engineering estimates have found that more than $400 million could be needed to bring the utility’s infrastructure up to standard.

The court case remains ongoing. We Matter Eight Mile joined the case as an interested party. Represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, on Tuesday We Matter filed a motion requesting a court hearing on Young’s latest report to the court.

“As the [report] notes, if MAWSS’ Board agrees to absorb PWWSB, the transfer would not be effectuated until Spring 2027,” the motion states. “Residents of Prichard have two long years ahead of them and need answers regarding water affordability in the short term.”

Youngpeter has not yet ruled on the motion.

The utility has also been troubled by corruption. On Thursday, seven people, including a member of the utility’s board, were indicted on fraud charges stemming from activity at the Prichard utility, according to Fox 10.

Though Davis did not explicitly discuss the indictment, she asked the crowd Thursday to focus on the ongoing sewage and water issues.

“Our focus needs to be on the public health and safety threat that is on our doorstep,” she said Thursday.

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General

NFL Draft all-state first round: 135 picks and counting

At around 7 p.m. CDT April 24 – three weeks from now – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will say, “The Tennessee Titans are on the clock,” and the league’s 90th draft will be underway.

The league’s teams will select 32 players that night to complete the first round in Green Bay, Wisconsin, before the second and third rounds occur on April 25 and the draft concludes with the fourth through seventh rounds on April 26.

In this year’s first round, two Crimson Tide players – linebacker Jihaad Campbell and guard Tyler Booker – seem the most likely prospects to keep a streak going that stretches back through 21 drafts.

In the 2003 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers selected Tuskegee cornerback Drayton Florence with the 14th choice in the second round. That made Florence the first player from an Alabama high school or college picked in the NFL Draft that year. In every draft since, at least one player with Alabama football roots has been chosen in the first round.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, four alumni of Alabama high schools and colleges were selected in the first round. Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham went to the Tennessee Titans at No. 7, outside linebacker Dallas Turner joined the Minnesota Vikings at No. 17 and cornerback Terrion Arnold headed for the Detroit Lions at No. 24. The Denver Broncos chose Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, a former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn standout, at No. 12.

Since the NFL Draft started in 1936, 135 players with Alabama football roots have been selected in the first round. Another 28 have been picked in positions that would be in the first round now but weren’t when the player was selected. The first NFL draft had nine first-round picks.

One player from an Alabama high school and college was selected in the first round in the 1930s, four players were picked in the 1940s, seven in the 1950s, eight in the 1960s, 12 in the 1970s, 15 in the 1980s, 13 in the 1990s, 16 in the 2000s, 36 in the 2010s and 22 so far in the 2020s.

The most players with Alabama football roots chosen in a single first round is seven in 2021.

The Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders have selected a player from an Alabama high school or college in the first round of an NFL Draft eight times apiece, the most among NFL teams. While Washington has participated in every NFL Draft, Miami made its first NFL Draft picks in 1967.

Nine players from Alabama high schools and colleges have been chosen with the No. 6 selection, the most frequent landing spot. The Pick Six players have been Robert Brazile, Eric Curry, Julio Jones, Walter Jones, Lee Roy Jordan, Barry Krauss, Andre Smith, Richard Todd and Jaylen Waddle. Brazile and Walter Jones are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Two of the eight No. 4 picks with Alabama football roots also are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame – John Hannah and Derrick Thomas. The other state players taken with the fourth pick have been Amari Cooper, Brent Fullwood, Jon Hand, Keith McCants, Philip Rivers and Lowell Tew.

The New England Patriots hold the fourth pick and the Las Vegas Raiders have the sixth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The players with Alabama football roots who have been selected in the first round of a regular NFL draft include:

First pick

  • Quarterback Harry Gilmer (Woodlawn, Alabama): 1948 by the Washington Redskins.
  • Running back Tucker Frederickson (Auburn): 1965 by the New York Giants.
  • Running back Bo Jackson (McAdory, Auburn): 1986 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Linebacker Aundray Bruce (Carver-Montgomery, Auburn): 1988 by the Atlanta Falcons.
  • Quarterback JaMarcus Russell (Williamson): 2007 by the Oakland Raiders.
  • Quarterback Cam Newton (Auburn): 2011 by the Carolina Panthers.
  • Quarterback Jameis Winston (Hueytown): 2015 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Quarterback Bryce Young (Alabama): 2023 by the Carolina Panthers.

Second pick

  • Back Riley Smith (Alabama): 1936 by the Boston Redskins.
  • Running back Bo Matthews (Butler-Huntsville): 1974 by the San Diego Chargers.
  • Linebacker Cornelius Bennett (Ensley, Alabama): 1987 by the Indianapolis Colts.
  • Running back Ronnie Brown (Auburn): 2005 by the Miami Dolphins.
  • Offensive tackle Greg Robinson (Auburn): 2014 by the St. Louis Rams.

Third pick

  • Offensive tackle Chris Samuels (Shaw, Alabama): 2000 by the Washington Redskins.
  • Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (Huffman, Alabama): 2011 by the Buffalo Bills.
  • Running back Trent Richardson (Alabama): 2012 by the Cleveland Browns.
  • Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Alabama): 2019 by the New York Jets.
  • Outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama): 2023 by the Houston Texans.

Fourth pick

  • Back Lowell Tew (Alabama): 1948 by the Washington Redskins.
  • Guard John Hannah (Albertville, Alabama): 1973 by the New England Patriots.
  • Defensive end Jon Hand (Sylacauga, Alabama): 1986 by the Indianapolis Colts.
  • Running back Brent Fullwood (Auburn): 1987 by the Green Bay Packers.
  • Linebacker Derrick Thomas (Alabama): 1989 by the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Linebacker Keith McCants (Murphy, Alabama): 1990 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Quarterback Philip Rivers (Athens): 2004 by the New York Giants.
  • Wide receiver Amari Cooper (Alabama): 2015 by the Oakland Raiders.

Fifth pick

  • Center Vaughn “Cisco” Mancha (Alabama): 1948 by the Boston Yanks.
  • End Jim “Red” Phillips (Benjamin Russell, Auburn): 1958 by the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Linebacker E.J. Junior (Alabama): 1981 by the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • Defensive end John Copeland (Valley, Alabama): 1993 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams (Etowah, Auburn): 2005 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama): 2020 by the Miami Dolphins.

Sixth pick

  • Linebacker Lee Roy Jordan (Excel, Alabama): 1963 by the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Linebacker Robert Brazile (Vigor): 1975 by the Houston Oilers.
  • Quarterback Richard Todd (Davidson, Alabama): 1976 by the New York Jets.
  • Linebacker Barry Krauss (Alabama): 1979 by the Baltimore Colts.
  • Defensive end Eric Curry (Alabama): 1993 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Offensive tackle Walter Jones (Aliceville): 1997 by the Seattle Seahawks.
  • Offensive tackle Andre Smith (Huffman, Alabama): 2009 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Wide receiver Julio Jones (Foley, Alabama): 2011 by the Atlanta Falcons.
  • Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama): 2021 by the Miami Dolphins.

Seventh pick

  • Quarterback Bobby Thomason (Leeds): 1949 by the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Quarterback Travis Tidwell (Woodlawn, Auburn): 1950 by the New York Giants.
  • Running back Joe Childress (Robertsdale, Auburn): 1956 by the Chicago Cardinals.
  • Safety Mark Barron (St. Paul’s Episcopal, Alabama): 2012 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Outside linebacker Josh Allen (Abbeville): 2019 by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
  • Defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn): 2020 by the Carolina Panthers.
  • Offensive tackle Evan Neal (Alabama): 2022 by the New York Giants.
  • Offensive tackle JC Latham (Alabama): 2024 by the Tennessee Titans.

Eighth pick

  • Running back Bobby Marlow (Troy High, Alabama): 1953 by the New York Giants.
  • Offensive tackle Ken Rice (Auburn): 1961 by the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • Linebacker Rolando McClain (Decatur, Alabama): 2010 by the Oakland Raiders.

Ninth pick

  • Fullback Butch Avinger (Sidney Lanier, Alabama): 1951 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • Running back Wilbur Jackson (Carroll-Ozark, Alabama): 1974 by the San Francisco 49ers.
  • Cornerback Antonio Langham (Hazlewood, Alabama): 1994 by the Cleveland Browns.
  • Cornerback Carlos Rogers (Auburn): 2005 by the Washington Redskins.
  • Cornerback Dee Milliner (Stanhope Elmore, Alabama): 2013 by the New York Jets.
  • Cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama): 2021 by the Denver Broncos.

Tenth pick

  • Offensive tackle Willie Anderson (Vigor, Auburn): 1996 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Guard Chance Warmack (Alabama): 2013 by the Tennessee Titans.
  • Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (Alabama): 2020 by the Cleveland Browns.
  • Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Alabama): 2021 by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Eleventh pick

  • Defensive end DeMarcus Ware (Auburn High, Troy): 2005 by the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Cornerback Leodis McKelvin (Troy): 2008 by the Buffalo Bills.
  • Offensive tackle D.J. Fluker (McGill-Toolen/Foley, Alabama): 2013 by the San Diego Chargers.
  • Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): 2018 by the Miami Dolphins.
  • Offensive tackle Jonah Williams (Alabama): 2019 by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Twelfth pick

  • End Dave Middleton (Ensley, Auburn): 1955 by the Detroit Lions.
  • Center Jackie Burkett (Auburn): 1959 by the Baltimore Colts.
  • Quarterback Joe Namath (Alabama): 1965 by the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • Defensive end Trace Armstrong (John Carroll Catholic): 1989 by the Chicago Bears.
  • Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III (Lee-Montgomery, Alabama): 2020 by the Las Vegas Raiders.
  • Wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama): 2022 by the Detroit Lions.
  • Running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama): 2023 by the Detroit Lions
  • Quarterback Bo Nix (Pinson Valley, Auburn): 2024 by the Denver Broncos.

Thirteenth pick

  • Linebacker Takeo Spikes (Auburn): 1998 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (Williamson, Auburn): 2011 by the Detroit Lions.
  • Defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama): 2018 by the Washington Redskins.  

Fourteenth pick

  • Defensive tackle Ron Billingsley (Gadsden): 1967 by the San Diego Chargers.
  • Defensive end Marty Lyons (Alabama): 1979 by the New York Jets.
  • Cornerback Derrick Burroughs (Blount): 1985 by the Buffalo Bills.
  • Defensive end Gerald Robinson (Notasulga, Auburn): 1986 by the Minnesota Vikings.

Fifteenth pick

  • Center Forrest Blue (Auburn): 1968 by the San Francisco 49ers.
  • Offensive tackle Wayne Gandy (Auburn): 1994 by the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Alabama): 2020 by the Denver Broncos.
  • Quarterback Mac Jones (Alabama): 2021 by the New England Patriots.

Sixteenth pick

  • Defensive end Mike Pitts (Alabama): 1983 by the Atlanta Falcons.
  • Defensive back Jason Allen (Muscle Shoals): 2006 by the Miami Dolphins.
  • Cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama): 2017 by the Baltimore Ravens.
  • Outside linebacker Dallas Turner (Alabama): 2024 by the Minnesota Vikings.

Seventeenth pick

  • Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (Gadsden City, Alabama): 2012 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama): 2014 by the Baltimore Ravens.
  • Defensive end Jonathan Allen (Alabama): 2017 by the Washington Redskins.
  • Offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood (Alabama): 2021 by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Eighteenth pick

  • Guard Bob Cryder (Alabama): 1978 by the New England Patriots.
  • Center Ryan Kelly (Alabama): 2016 by the Indianapolis Colts.

Nineteenth pick

  • Wide receiver Terry Beasley (Lee-Montgomery, Auburn): 1972 by the San Francisco 49ers.
  • Running back Shaun Alexander (Alabama): 2000 by the Seattle Seahawks.
  • Tight end O.J. Howard (Autauga Academy, Alabama): 2017 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Twentieth pick

  • Wide receiver Dennis Homan (Muscle Shoals, Alabama): 1968 by the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Linebacker Dwayne Rudd (Alabama): 1997 by the Minnesota Vikings.
  • Cornerback Kareem Jackson (Alabama): 2010 by the Houston Texans.
  • Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (Blount): 2021 by the New York Giants.

Twenty-first pick

  • Cornerback Don McNeal (Escambia County, Alabama): 1980 by the Miami Dolphins.
  • Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (Alabama): 2014 by the Green Bay Packers.

Twenty-second pick

  • Cornerback Hanford Dixon (Theodore): 1981 by the Cleveland Browns.
  • Defensive end Bryan Thomas (Minor, UAB): 2002 by the New York Jets.
  • Linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High, Alabama): 2018 by the Tennessee Titans.

Twenty-third pick

  • Tight end Ozzie Newsome (Colbert County, Alabama): 1978 by the Cleveland Browns.
  • Running back Antowain Smith (Stanhope Elmore): 1997 by the Buffalo Bills.
  • Defensive end Dee Ford (St. Clair County, Auburn): 2014 by the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Offensive tackle Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State): 2019 by the Houston Texans.

Twenty-fourth pick

  • Running back James Brooks (Auburn): 1981 by the San Diego Chargers.
  • Running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama): 2019 by the Oakland Raiders.
  • Running back Najee Harris (Alabama): 2021 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • Cornerback Terrion Arnold (Alabama): 2024 by the Detroit Lions.

Twenty-fifth pick

  • Tight end Reese McCall (Jess Lanier, Auburn): 1978 by the Baltimore Colts.
  • Defensive end Emanuel King (Leroy, Alabama): 1985 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Quarterback Jason Campbell (Auburn): 2005 by the Washington Redskins.
  • Offensive tackle James Carpenter (Alabama): 2011 by the Seattle Seahawks.
  • Linebacker Dont’a Hightower (Alabama): 2012 by the New England Patriots.

Twenty-sixth pick

  • Linebacker Les Kelley (Cullman, Alabama): 1967 by the New Orleans Saints.
  • Defensive end Don Reese (Vigor): 1974 by the Miami Dolphins.
  • Cornerback Fernando Bryant (Alabama): 1999 by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
  • Wide receiver Calvin Ridley (Alabama): 2018 by the Atlanta Falcons.  

Twenty-seventh pick

  • Offensive tackle Victor Riley (Auburn): 1998 by the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Wide receiver Roddy White (UAB): 2005 by the Atlanta Falcons.

Twenty-eighth pick

  • Running back Mark Ingram (Alabama): 2011 by the New Orleans Saints.

Twenty-ninth pick

  • Safety George Teague (Jeff Davis, Alabama): 1993 by the Green Bay Packers.
  • Guard Ben Grubbs (Elmore County, Auburn): 2007 by the Baltimore Ravens.  

Thirtieth pick

  • Guard Kendall Simmons (Auburn): 2002 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • Safety Jimmie Ward (Davidson): 2014 by the San Francisco 49ers.
  • Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville, Auburn): 2020 by the Miami Dolphins.

Thirty-first pick

  • Linebacker Reuben Foster (Auburn High, Alabama): 2017 by the San Francisco 49ers.

Thirty-second pick

  • Center Lee Gross (Lee-Montgomery, Auburn): 1975 by the New Orleans Saints.  

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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Alabama House passes General Fund budget with spending increase and cuts that angered Birmingham lawmaker

The Alabama House of Representatives approved a General Fund budget for next year that would increase spending by about 10% over this year.

The budget calls for spending $3.7 billion from the General Fund, up from $3.4 billion this year.

The General Fund is the main source of state funds for non-education agencies, such as Medicaid, prisons, law enforcement, courts, public health, and mental health.

Several line items zeroed out in the budget caused controversy on Tuesday.

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, objected to cuts to the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum, the Magic City Classic football game, the Jazz Hall of Fame, and a few others.

The budget passed today by the House did not restore the funding. The budget moves to the Senate.

House Ways and Means budget chairman Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, said there was a commitment to restore the funding there.

Reynolds met outside the Senate chamber Tuesday with Smitherman and other lawmakers after Smitherman said he would use all tools at his disposal, including filibusters, to get the funding restored.

“I assured them and gave them my word,” Reynolds said. “And if that doesn’t happen up there, when that budget travels back to the House, I’ll make it right.”

The Magic City Classic received $200,000 from the General Fund in the current budget year but was zeroed out in the budget under consideration for next year.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute received $100,000 but was also zeroed out. Smitherman mentioned several other line items that he would make it a point to fight for.

The funding in this year’s budget was among about 30 line items for specific projects under the Department of Tourism.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s recommended budget for next year, sent over to lawmakers in February, zeroed out about two-thirds of those.

Reynolds said that was done intentionally by software to emphasize a focus on funding state agencies, rather than one-time appropriations.

Reynolds said some lawmakers concerned about specific cuts had brought their concerns to him and that some of the line items were restored or partly restored.

Reynolds noted that the governor’s recommended budget has been available for almost two months.

Reynolds said he had not heard concerns about line items Smitherman brought up until this week.

Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Livingston, spoke up about the funding during Tuesday’s budget committee meeting, a few hours before Smitherman spoke out.

Reynolds, Smitherman, McCampbell and others later met outside the Senate chambers to discuss restoring the funding.

In the House on Thursday, McCampbell was one of only three representatives to vote against the budget. It passed 95-3.

McCampbell said he was not voting against the funding plan itself but against the process.

He said he did not see the House version of the budget, revised from the governor’s version, until Tuesday morning. The committee met to consider the budget at an 11 a.m. meeting that day.

McCampbell called for more communication and time to study the budget. He noted that lawmakers had the week off prior to this week.

“Why didn’t I have this budget to look at over the weekend, over the holiday?” McCampbell said.

McCampbell also noted that the BCRI, Magic City Classic and others remain zeroed out in the budget approved by the House Thursday.

He said the commitment to fix it in the Senate or later does not fully address his concerns about the process.

“Even though we have agreed we have tried to get it fixed, that means we’ve got to rely on somebody else to try to get it fixed,” Smitherman said.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute posted a statement about the funding dispute on its Facebook page, urging people to call their legislators to demand the funding be restored.

“We are deeply concerned that this moment might undo decades of bipartisan investment in telling Alabama’s story in full – not just the pasts that are comfortable, but also the hard truths of segregation, resistance, and the ongoing pursuit of equity,“ the BCRI said.

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Duke players on why Cooper Flagg deserves the National Player of the Year over Johni Broome

The two-man race between Auburn’s Johni Broome and Duke’s Cooper Flagg for National Player of the Year has taken college basketball by storm.

With the AP announcing their player of the year winner Friday afternoon, Duke players expressed how they felt about Flagg’s case over Broome’s.

“He is obviously a special talent and is one of the youngest players in college basketball,” Duke Freshman Darren Harris said. “The type of games and clutch moments he had I think there should be no debate.”

Flagg, who turned 18 on Dec. 21, averages 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Blue Devils. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year.

Harris added his thoughts on Broome’s season and highlighted how important the Blue Devils victory over the Tigers was during the ACC/SEC challenge.

“We won the game so that should say something. Broome is a special talent as well. He has a unique game and sticks to his strengths,” Harris added. “I think Auburn does a good job playing through him and he’s very versatile as a big man.”

Broome finished with 20 points against the Blue Devils, shooting 8-of-18 from the floor in the December matchup at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Maliq Brown was the primary defender on Broome that game and broke down what he saw from Auburn’s leading scorer.

“Just knowing he’s a guy they go to all the time I wanted to make it hard on him offensively,” Brown said. “I took that matchup personally and I made sure not to make things easy for him.

Brown added why he thinks Flagg is the player of the year and his impact on the rest of the Blue Devils roster.

“I don’t think anyone has played to the level Flagg has on offense and defense. He is 18 years playing basketball at the highest level there is. Not only does he make the right decision, but he makes everyone on the court better.”

Cooper Flagg was the youngest player in NCAA history to record 30/5/5 stat line in a tournament game against Arizona.

“He is doing everything that you can possibly do the floor,” Duke Guard Caleb Foster said. “He is the best player in college basketball and its clear as day.”

Duke will headline Saturday’s semifinal games against Houston and tipoff is set for 7:09 p.m.

Jerry Humphrey III covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Jerryhump3 or email him at [email protected].

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For Florida’s Micah Handlogten, facing Auburn in the Final Four means something extra

The noise inside Bridgestone Arena was at a fever pitch ahead of the 2024 Southeastern Conference tournament championship game.

It was a rematch between Auburn and Florida after the Gators beat the Tigers by 16 in Gainesville back in February.

Just over two minutes into the championship matchup, though, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the once raucous arena. After going up for a rebound, Florida center Micah Handlogten came down awkwardly on his right leg, breaking it in gruesome fashion.

FILE – Florida head coach Todd Golden kneels next to center Micah Handlogten (3) after he injured his leg during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Auburn at the Southeastern Conference tournament, Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)AP

The injury caused him to miss the rest of that season and the majority of the 2024-2025 campaign. That included Florida’s 90-81 victory over Auburn on Feb. 8, a revenge game for the SEC championship that Handlogten was unable to be a part of.

Because of that, Handlogten’s first game against the Tigers since his injury will be in the Final Four, and he didn’t shy away from acknowledging the extra motivation created by the circumstances.

“It’s really special to me, not only because it’s in the Final Four, but because it’s the team I got hurt against and I didn’t get to play when we played them during the regular season this year,” Handlogten told reporters Thursday. “You can’t write it up any better. Like, it’s a great story.”

Not only does Handlogten’s return add an extra storyline to the game, he makes the matchup even tougher on Auburn’s end. At 7-foot-1, he’s one of Florida’s best offensive rebounders and interior defenders.

Offensive rebounding is one of Florida’s biggest strengths and the Gators grabbed a number of big boards in the second half of the first meeting without Handlogten. His return adds to a frontcourt that Handlogten described as a “matchup nightmare.”

“We have so many different guys that can play so many different ways,” Handlogten said. “Just having so many versatile players it just really, I don’t know, (helps) what we can do and how we can succeed.”

He makes up a front court rotation that also includes Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, and all four players have an offensive rebound rate over 10%, per KenPom.

Haugh and Condon both stood out during Florida’s regular season win over Auburn, combining for 33 points and 19 rebounds.

While Handlogten only played two minutes in last year’s SEC championship game against Auburn before getting injured, he added nine rebounds and five blocks in Florida’s 2024 regular season win over the Tigers.

Saturday’s game between Auburn and Florida is set to tip off at 5:09 p.m. It will be televised on CBS.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

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More record highs set in Alabama on Thursday

Thursday brought more record-setting temperatures to Alabama.

The National Weather Service said several Alabama cities either broke or tied their daily high temperature records for April 3.

Here are the records for Thursday:

  • Montgomery’s high of 87 degrees tied the record set in 1999, 2014 and 2015.
  • Muscle Shoals tied its record high of 87 degrees last reached in 1934 and 2007.
  • Tuscaloosa hit 87 on Thursday, breaking the record of 86 degrees set in 1963 and 2018.

More high temperature records could be in jeopardy on Friday and Saturday, when highs are also expected to peak in the mid- and upper 80s statewide.

Cooler temperatures are expected starting on Sunday after a cold front moves through the state. That front will also bring a chance for severe storms to Alabama starting late Saturday night.

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Group warns Alabama families face ‘life-threatening’ risks after cuts to utility assistance program

An Alabama nonprofit organization warns that thousands of low-income households could face life-threatening risks after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services fired all employees overseeing a federal utility bill assistance program.

Energy Alabama said in a Thursday press release that low-income families receive help with energy bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, especially during extreme weather. The nonprofit noted that intense summer heat and winter cold in Alabama can be dangerous and called for “immediate federal action to restore this crucial program.”

“This decision will likely strip essential utility bill support from tens of thousands of Alabamians—and millions more across the country,” Daniel Tait, executive director for Energy Alabama, said. “Without this critical assistance, many households face the very real risk of utility shutoffs, leaving families in unsafe, even life-threatening, conditions without power.”

According to news reports, HHS recently terminated about a dozen staff who managed the utilities assistance program. Six million households nationwide depend on the program.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced the department’s restructuring last week, said the focus is on consolidating departments for more accountability, and noted that the bid is to reduce full-time employees by 20,000.

“As part of President (Donald) Trump’s DOGE workforce reduction initiative, we are going to streamline HHS and make our agencies more efficient and more effective,” Kennedy said.

“We are going to streamline our agencies and eliminate the redundancies and invite everyone to align behind a single bold mission.”

An HHS spokesperson said in a statement to AL.com on Thursday that the department “will continue to comply with statutory requirements, and as a result of the reorganization, will be better positioned to execute on Congress’s statutory intent.”

Alabama U.S. Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this story.

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Autistic teen dies after being struck by bullet allegedly intended for someone else, court records say

Da’Shon Mosley was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder and attempted murder for the shooting of Bernita Clausell and her son, Bradley Lewis, according to court records.

AL.com previously reported that Lewis, who was autistic, survived the shooting and was in intensive care saying he was “grateful” to be alive.

But court documents state that Mosley caused the death of Lewis, indicating he succumbed to his injuries.

Efforts to reach police were not successful.

Lewis was 17 years old.

Originally from Montgomery, Clausell, Lewis and her other child, Brittany, were visiting Mobile for Mardi Gras.

But their festive intentions were interrupted when Mosley allegedly opened fire on the family the night of March 7 with an AK-47.

According to Traci Preyer, Clausell’s cousin, the family was attempting to enter their aunt’s house on Cecilia Street when a man perched on a roof across the street began shooting at them.

“Bradley went to the door to ring the doorbell to go into their mom’s house, and he was shot first, and he fell to the ground,” Preyer said.

“And of course, Benita, she was trying to go and help him, and she was shot.”

Bradley was struck in the back and Clausell suffered a gunshot wound to the pelvic area. Clausell shielded her daughter with her body while the shooting unfolded.

After the shooting Mosley allegedly went to Clausell and apologized because he intended to shoot someone else, Preyer said.

Clausell was released from the hospital in March and a GoFundMe is still up to support the family.

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