Today is Fat Tuesday, so laissez les bons temps rouler one more time in the home of America’s Family Mardi Gras. And we’ll see whether the Comic Cowboys can stretch the “family” part of that today. Thanks for reading,

Ike

A nautical skyline addition

The SS United States has arrived in Mobile, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

That’s the ocean liner that’s been aging in Philadelphia since the 1990s.

During its prime in the 1950s and 60s it was the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the U.S. and was the fastest to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It carried four American presidents and stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope and John Wayne.

Okaloosa County, Florida, has bought the ship and is paying to have it towed to Mobile and later sank as an artificial reef about 20 miles into the Gulf of Mexico from Destin.

For about the next six months it’ll be part of the Mobile skyline. It’s sitting at Modern American Recycling & Repair Services while it’s being prepared for sinking. The prep work includes cutting holes in the ship so that it sinks upright.

Where there’s smoke

If you smell smoke, you’re not the only one.

AL.com’s Ramsey Archibald reports that 162 fires were burning across Alabama this past weekend. The fires involved 54 of our 67 counties and 4,600 acres.

The Alabama Forestry Commission has warned people against burning outside with the state seeing gusty winds and dry conditions.

Randolph had the most wildfires among counties with 10.

Some areas should get some relief this evening in the form of rain — although we could see high winds before the rain arrives.

Tough times for satellite campuses

Troy University’s Board of Trustees has voted to close the school’s Phenix City campus after about a half century’s presence in the area, reports AL.com’s Williesha Morris.

There is a trend at play that extends beyond the state and Troy’s many satellite campuses. With online courses and remote options, fewer students are planting it in those real-life plastic classroom seats on campuses. According to the 2022 Hechinger Report, 861 U.S. college campuses had closed since 2004.

Shark alert?

A bill is being revised in the state Legislature that would set up a shark-alert system along the Gulf Coast, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

This is inspired by the violent shark attack that critically injured Mountain Brook teenager Lulu Gribbin. It was introduced by state Rep. David Faulkner, a Mountain Brook Republican. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt is leading a similar effort on the federal level.

A complication here involves something we’ve covered before: If you’re in the Gulf, you’re not in a shark-free environment. How can you avoid having an alarm always going off and serving mostly to just scare the tourists?

Gulf Shores Fire Rescue Chief of Staff Melvin Shepherd said you can often spot dozens of sharks while flying down the beach in a helicopter.

So what would trigger an alarm?

The first version of the bill called for an alert to be activated when there was a report of a shark being spotted close to shore that is believed to be “an imminent danger” to people.

Faulkner is now working with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on a revised version that could be released in a couple weeks. Localized cell-phone alerts and tweaks to the beach-flag system are on the table.

According to stats kept by the Florida Museum of Natural History, there have been 10 confirmed shark attacks in Alabama over the past 187 years.

Alabama News Quiz answers/results

A woman who spent time in a federal prison in Alabama has joined Trumps team as his …

• Pardon czar (CORRECT) 73.4%
• Drug czar 12.1%
• Recidivism czar 9.0%
• Trade war czar 5.5%

This person has NOT announced he or she is running for Mobile mayor:

• Abbie Stockard (CORRECT) 41.7%
• Spiro Cheriogotis 31.7%
• Barbara Drummond 15.6%
• Connie Hudson 11.1%

Some of these professionals staged a “walkout” on Tuesday to bring attention to state legislation they say is vital to their industry.

• Pharmacists (CORRECT) 89.9%
• Social workers 5.0%
• Nurses 4.0%
• Confectioners 1.0%

As unlikely as its passage may be, a bill that would repeal a law that prevents local governments from setting their own minimum wages has been introduced in the State House of Representatives. What city’s leaders and representatives are behind both this bill and a previous minimum-wage effort that prompted the state’s current law?

• Birmingham (CORRECT) 53.8%
• Huntsville 17.1%
• Montgomery 15.6%
• Mobile 13.6%

This Alabamian who tends to steer clear of politics decided to make a statement about possible cuts to this government agency.

• James Spann; National Weather Service (CORRECT) 80.4%
• Nick Saban; NASA 8.0%
• Courtney Cox; National Public Radio 7.0%
• Bo Jackson; Census Bureau 4.5%

How we did overall:

• Five out of five: 14.1%
• Four out of five: 38.2%
• Three out of five: 27.6%
• Two out of five: 13.1%
• One out of five: 7.0%

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