Flu season

Alabama is one of seven states that have reported a high number of flu cases, reports AL.com’s Leada Gore.

Most of the other states are also in the Southeast. CDC data has Louisiana reporting a “very high” level of activity of flu-like sicknesses and Alabama, Florida Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and New Mexico reporting “high” levels.

While the CDC recommends everybody older than 6 months get a flu vaccine during September or October, you absolutely can still get one. They say the sooner the better, though: It takes around two weeks for the antibodies to build up in your body.

Secondary severe-weather season

Here’s a reminder that severe weather — and even tornadoes — can affect Alabama any time of year, not just the spring. We’re currently in what’s known as Alabama’s secondary severe-weather season, although it can happen any month of the year.

AL.com’s Leigh Morgan reports that a tornado has been confirmed to have touched down in Geneva County on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service has rated it an EF-1. It spun out of the storm that moved through Dale, Henry, Geneva and Houston counties betwee 5 and 6 p.m. Storm spotters were able to get video of an apparent twister northwest of Hartford. No injuries have been reported, just damage to trees, chicken coops, an outbuilding and a barn.

I’ll have a slice of each

USA Today studied Google data to determine which Thanksgiving pie is most popular in each state. And Alabama’s favorite pie at Thanksgiving was found to be … pumpkin.

That sounds a little suspicious, with apple and pecan pies being perfectly fine available options. But who are we to question Google data?

Nationwide, the favorite Thanksgiving pie was apple. The data showed there were 34 apple states and 14 pumpkin states. Our neighbor to the west — geography majors know that’s Mississippi — was found to be a sweet-potato-pie state.

By the numbers

$61.17

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, that’s the average cost of a classic Thanksgiving meal for 10.

That number is a 4.5% decrease from last year’s record high but a whopping 25% higher than the 2019 cost, allowing people to claim that the cost of giving thanks is either higher or lower, depending on the political point they’re trying to make.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1949, radio personality Tom Joyner of Tuskegee.

In 1960, Good Morning America host Robin Roberts, also from Tuskegee.

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