Republicans in Tuscaloosa

Note that the fourth Republican presidential primary debate will be held tonight — it’s Wednesday — from 7-9 p.m. at the Frank Moody Music Hall on the campus of the University of Alabama. You can watch it on the NewsNation channel.

The future State House

We have an updated figure on the cost of the new Alabama State House in Montgomery, according to reporting by AL.com’s Mike Cason.

The estimated construction cost is currently at $325 million. On the Alabama government spending scale, that’s about a third of the cost of a new state prison but just over three times the cost of giving school employees a 2-percent raise.

So it’s a chunk of change. The way it’s being funded, the Retirement Systems of Alabama is building the new State House and will then lease it to the state at a rate high enough for the RSA to see an 8-percent return.

Now, keep in mind that ever since 1985 your poor ol’ legislators have been toiling away in a State House that was built to house the old Highway Department back in 1963.

(Note for our New Jersey readers: Yes, we had highways back in 1963.)

There is mold, flooding and all sorts of expensive old, retro-fitted building problems.

David Bronner is the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. Of course he likes that 8-percent ROI, but a point he made in announcing the cost estimate was this: “If the Highway Department moves out of a building because it’s so bad, that should tell you something.”

And that was nearly 40 years ago.

Tuberville turnaround

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville has announced an end to his widespread blockade of military promotions, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.

Since February almost 400 promotions have been backlogged as Tuberville held out in an effort to force the State Department to end its policy of reimbursing travel for service members who travel to a different state in order to have an abortion.

Tuberville called the situation “pretty much a draw,” although the military’s abortion policy is still in place. There are around a dozen promotions still being held up four-star generals and admirals.

As more officials sounded off about the blockade’s effect on military readiness, Tuberville has been getting more pressure from fellow Republicans. There also has been a pending resolution out of the Senate Rules Committee that would allow the Senate to approve the promotion en masse.

Burn permits available

After recent rains, higher humidity and heavier dew, the Alabama Forestry Commission announced an end to the statewide ban on burning, reports AL.com’s Leada Gore.

Eleven counties do remain under a fuel advisory. That means that in Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Jefferson, Randolph and Shelby counties, use extreme caution when burning, such as raking or plowing around burn piles, saturating the ground and having a water hose nearby.

Quoting

“I just don’t think people will be lining up to buy cannabis suppositories.”

Overheard at a cannabis-industry meeting in Hattiesburg, Miss., regarding the state of Alabama’s limitations on how medical marijuana can be administered — including a ban on smoke.

By the numbers

$1 million

That’s how much Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he’s budgeting to help Florida State University with any legal costs related to the College Football Playoff Committee’s decision to move one-loss teams Texas and Alabama ahead of the undefeated Seminoles in the final rankings and leave FSU out of the playoffs.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1972 former NFL player James Logan of Opp.

In 1980, former MLB player Ehren Wassermann of Sylacauga.

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