Lake tragedy

Three people were killed in a crash on Smith Lake during a Major League Fishing bass tournament Wednesday, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.

According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, a Nitro Bass Boat struck a center-console boat. The three victims were all aboard the center-console boat.

ALEA identified the three as Joe M. Broom of Altoona, John K. Clark of Cullman and Jeffrey C. Little of Mississippi.

According to Major League Fishing, pro angler Flint Davis was among several others who were injured in the crash. The tournament was canceled.

Get well, Judge

Judge Matt Fridy, who serves on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, had a heart attack Wednesday that landed him in intensive care, reports AL.com’s Mike Cason.

Fridy, who’s 49 years old and from Shelby County, was a state representative before being elected to the bench.

State Rep. Jim Hill confirmed that Fridy suffered a heart attack. Hill chairs the Alabama House Judiciary Committee and opened Wednesday’s meeting with a prayer for Fridy.

From the Tarrant beat

The city of Tarrant probably garners the most headlines per capita in our state — with the possible exception of Brookside.

Whether it’s fisticuffs among elected officials or an alleged brandishing of a gun by a city worker, lately it’s been hard to look away.

Now, AL.com’s Joseph D. Bryant reports that a local activist and member of the citizen-led Tarrant Crime Commission has been arrested and accused of defaming a police officer on Facebook.

Chuck Winborn posted a 2023 video that shows an officer in the empty office of Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Major — who was suspended at the time in yet another Tarrant story we’ve carried.

The officer is claiming that Winborn illegally obtained the video, then used it to defame the officer by claiming he had broken in.

Said Winborn’s lawyer, Scott Morro: “He speaks, and it’s not always pleasant. He’s very critical of the mayor and many of the mayor’s associates who are helping the mayor to, what he believes is ruining the city of Tarrant.”

Drone drop-offs

By now we’ve all seen a number of personal drones flying overhead. Yet it still maintains a bit of novelty.

That’s probably because they still often have an air of mystery about them. What is that one doing? Is it watching me? Is it being flown by mapmakers? Chinese spies? Voyeurs? Revenuers?

Of course, there are plenty of legitimate reasons people fly drones. There are also illegal ones.

AL.com’s Carol Robinson reports that a Mobile woman has been accused of using a drone to make two marijuana drops into Holman Correctional Facility.

According to court documents, the operation was thwarted when the drone crashed with its illicit load still aboard.

The woman, who’s 36, was charged with two counts of attempting to commit a controlled substance crime, two counts of first-degree marijuana possession, two counts of illegal drone operation and second-degree promoting prison contraband.

Goat Hill roundup

Let’s do a Goat Hill lightning round. With just over two weeks left in the legislative session here are some of the latest moves at the Capitol:

State Sen. Clyde Chambliss, a Prattville Republican who chairs the prison oversight committee, has proposed a bill that would make changes to the parole board. It is a reaction, he said, to the board’s not promptly answering questions from the committee.

House Republicans have tweaked a bill that at one time would’ve required public schools to begin the day with “a prayer consistent with Judeo-Christian values.” Now, the bill includes all religions and allows local school boards to decide whether schools should make time and space for students to pray together.

A bill made it through a Senate committee that would make it a human-smuggling crime to transport to Alabama anyone who’s in the country illegally.

A bill introduced in the House would ban the use of SNAP benefits in buying soft drinks.

State Rep. Corey Harbison, a Good Hope Republican, resigned from the House of Representatives. He said he wants to spend more time with his wife and three kids.

And the Senate adjourned Wednesday as Sen. Andrew Jones was threatening a filibuster over how Senate bills were being treated in the House.

Picture That

Six bronze statues — including this one of Satchel Paige — were set in place Wednesday at what will be the Hall of Fame Walk in downtown Mobile. (Photo by John Sharp/AL.com)

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1973, former NBA player Theo Ratliff of Demopolis.

The podcast