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The rising cost of crossing the bay

The Interstate 10 Mobile River bridge and Bayway project is still on, but likely to be finished a few years later and possibly cost a few hundred million dollars more, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

Originally, the target completion was set for 2028. According to ALDOT, it’ll take five years to finish once they get started. That math already puts the project beyond ‘28.

Also, the project had been estimated at $2.7 billion, but with a higher cost of pretty much everything, the estimated range is now $2.8 billion to $3.5 billion.

ALDOT is spending the next couple months re-examining the latest costs and what that means for the financing plans.

Respecting the Tide

How impressive was the Alabama men’s basketball team’s run to the Final Four?

So impressive that Charles Barkley found it in his heart to call the school the “University of Alabama,” reports AL.com’s Mark Heim.

The Auburn and NBA legend has taken to calling the Tide “Alabama University” in a troll move. When he finally said it correctly after Saturday night’s 86-72 semifinal loss to No. 1 UConn, he prefaced it with “I have great hatred toward Alabama.”

Alabama finished its season 25-12. It was the first Final Four appearance for the Tide.

Not to be lost in this is that Barkley’s alma mater, despite its early exit from the NCAA Tournament, is the 2024 SEC Tournament champion.

Good neighbors

God bless Emouree Johnson.

She’s the 7-year-old girl who’s gotten attention over her lemonade stand in Scottsboro, reports AL.com’s Haley Laurence.

She recently came home from school with the idea. Word got around, and beginning Thursday people were pouring in by the dozens to buy some lemonade and support her little business. She’s had people making donations and dropping off extra cups and lemonade to try to keep her from running out. Bikers, cops, local business people.

The reason she was inspired to do this was for her mother, who died suddenly last month. Emouree wanted to help fund a nice tombstone for Karli Bordner.

Emouree’s grandma said all the attention has the girl talking about how much people love her mama.

Eclipse Day

It’s finally here. The dramatic (if clouds don’t mess it up) solar eclipse is scheduled for this afternoon. Alabama is not in the “path of totality,” which sounds kind of ominous but is the swath of North America where the sun will be totally eclipsed by the moon.

Listen to the podcast or click here for more on the eclipse. And, please, don’t stare directly into the sun.

Quoting

“I think the people in Alabama are smart enough to vote yes or no.”

Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, on the state legislature’s difficulty getting a lottery bill passed and placed on a ballot.

More Alabama news

On the podcast: MLB at Rickwood

Today we speak with columnist Roy S. Johnson about Birmingham’s Rickwood Field, Major League Baseball, and a game that could make a real impact on the city’s relationship with the sport.

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