General

Black Friday warning: Here are the scams to avoid in stores and online

As Black Friday rolls around, the Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers about possible scams.

“Black Friday is a great opportunity to score deals, but it’s also a time to stay vigilant and shop smart,” said Carl Bates, CEO of BBB Central and South Alabama. “Scammers thrive on chaos, but with preparation and caution, consumers can protect themselves and their wallets.”

With more online deals, scammers are increasingly using fake websites, phishing emails, counterfeit products, and ‘too-good-to-be-true deals’ to steal personal and financial information.

READ MORE: Scam warning: Here’s the latest way thieves are trying to separate you from your money

Here are some tips for safe holiday shopping, according to BBB:

● Shop directly on trusted websites and verify URLs include “HTTPS.”

● Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or ads.

● Compare prices across multiple retailers to spot unusually low prices.

● Read product reviews before buying.

● Research businesses on BBB.org to verify legitimacy.

● Be cautious of unsolicited messages. Avoid clicking on suspicious links in emails or texts.

● Use credit cards. They offer better fraud protection than debit cards.

● Plan ahead. Map out your shopping route or create a strategy for online deals.

When shopping in-store:

● Make a list of items to avoid impulse buys and set a budget to prevent overspending.

● Read the fine print on deals to ensure they apply to your desired items.

● Watch out for “doorbuster” deals that may have limited quantities or restrictive terms.

● Understand return and warranty details before buying.

● Request gift receipts for easy exchanges, especially for gifts.

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‘We are not going to stop trying’: Miles on quest to buy Birmingham-Southern

Entrance to Miles College in Fairfield, AL (2024)Roy S. Johnson

Miles College President Bobbie Knight – on a high with the historic success of the school’s Division-II playoff football team – is “disappointed” that her request for a second extension of the purchase agreement to acquire the now-shuttered Birmingham-Southern College campus was not granted, she told AL.com.

Knight added, though, that she was not giving up. “We are not going to stop trying,” she said.

The 192-acre campus in Birmingham was placed back on the market on Monday, according to a press release from the BSC Board of Trustees, after the agreement expired at 3 p.m. The agreement was signed on Sept. 25 and originally scheduled to close on Oct. 25. Miles requested an extension to Nov. 25, and 10 days prior asked for a second extension to Dec. 25.

That request was turned down.

“I’m feeling fine,” Knight said. “Just have more work to do.

Knight would not elaborate on why Miles requested the extensions.

In the new release, BSC trustees stated: “The BSC community has great respect for Miles College, its students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and appreciates both the shared roots and the alignment of missions. But to meet its commitments to lenders and other creditors, the BSC Board of Trustees is obligated to sell the 192-acre campus property as quickly as possible.”

Birmingham-Southern’s financial troubles have been well-chronicled and extended long before March of this year when trustees voted to cease operations after failing to obtain a $30 million bridge loan from the state legislature, at the recommendation of the state treasurer.

It is unclear if the expiration of the purchase agreement will entice Alabama A&M in Huntsville to bid again for the campus. On May 1, it extended a $52 million offer ($22 million in cash, $30 million in “maintenance”), then later upped its offer to $65.5 million ($35.5 million cash, $30 million “maintenance”).

In July, A&M’s offer was squashed due to being “considerably lower” than the top bid, according to documents obtained by AL.com.

“As a public institution, we have a responsibility to the taxpayers of Alabama to have shown fiscal discipline with our offer as we operate under certain constraints,” Shannon Reeves, vice president of Government Affairs & External Relations at Alabama A&M, said at the time.

“With no deal in Birmingham, we will shift our resources to be invested on our main campus in Huntsville as we achieved record enrollment in the 2023-2024 academic year,” Reeves added.

In August, A&M splashed his name on a 179-foot by 25-foot billboard atop the Two North 20th building in downtown Birmingham.

Reeves did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AL.com.

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First look: Auburn vs. Alabama predictions, picks and best bets for the Iron Bowl

Auburn versus Alabama is one of the most iconic rivalries in sports, and the unexpected storylines heading into the 89th edition of the Iron Bowl make the game even more intriguing. Alabama was projected to win big against Oklahoma en route to a College Football Playoff berth. Instead, the Crimson Tide’s offense was lifeless in a 24-3 upset loss.

With Alabama unlikely to make the playoff, Auburn has all the momentum after upsetting Texas A&M. The Tigers haven’t won the Iron Bowl since 2019, and coach Hugh Freeze’s squad needs one more victory to earn bowl eligibility. Both teams have been difficult to predict this season. Here are my expert Auburn vs Alabama predictions and best bets for the Iron Bowl.

Auburn vs. Alabama predictions and best bets

*Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.

According to TeamRankings, Auburn is a respectable 6-5 against the spread (ATS) with covers in three of the last four games. The Tigers are also 3-1 ATS as an underdog. Alabama’s ATS record is identical to Auburn’s and the Tide are 5-5 as a favorite.

Betting the under is a combined 5-9 when Auburn and Alabama face SEC teams. It’s been bad news for Alabama when QB Jalen Milroe isn’t running the ball effectively. In the Crimson Tide’s three losses, Milroe had just 28 total rushing yards and one touchdown.

Milroe appeared to be playing through pain in last week’s loss and even left the game for a play. Auburn’s run defense has been solid, so containing Milroe won’t be as difficult if he’s not 100 percent.

The Iron Bowl is always a marquee matchup, but the Crimson Tide could understandably feel deflated after suffering a third loss. Alabama is now unlikely to make the CFP, and Auburn has a great shot at exacting revenge after the heartbreaking 4th-and-31 play from last season.

As if it wasn’t bad enough for the Tide, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported today that star LB Deontae Lawson suffered a season-ending injury against the Sooners. Lawson’s 76 total tackles are the ninth-most in the SEC.

Auburn, which won back-to-back games for the first time last week, needs one more victory to make a bowl game. The Tigers haven’t won in Tuscaloosa in over 10 years, but I expect Auburn to stay within the 11.5-point spread.

Auburn vs. Alabama moneyline odds analysis

Why Alabama could win as the favorite

Best odds: -420 at FanDuel

Alabama has dominated when the Iron Bowl comes to Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide has beaten Auburn in six straight home games by an average of 27 points.

The Tigers’ run defense may be above average, but stopping mobile QBs hasn’t come easy. QBs like Arkansas’ Taylen Green, Oklahoma’s Michael Hawkins Jr. and Texas A&Ms Marcel Reed combined for 215 rushing yards when they faced Auburn.

While Milroe should find room to run, relying too much on Jalen is clearly a flawed strategy. When Milroe picked up seven yards on the ground against Oklahoma, the Tide were held out of the end zone and scored one measly field goal.

Running backs Jam Miller and Justice Haynes have been inconsistent, so it could be up to Alabama’s pass catchers if Milroe has another bad day on the ground. The receiving group lacks depth beyond Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard: They are the only Tide WRs to post 200+ yards or score at least two touchdowns.

Bernard’s growth has been impressive and he’s had 60 yards or more in six of the last seven games. Williams’ yardage has dropped off from earlier in the year, but he’s accounted for half of the Crimson Tide’s 16 receiving touchdowns.

Why Auburn could win as the underdog

Best odds: +350 at Fanatics

Auburn hasn’t beaten Alabama in Tuscaloosa since 2010. Coincidentally, the 2010 season was the last time the Tide lost three games. History has a funny way of repeating itself, but the Tigers don’t need to lean on a random trend to beat Alabama.

The Tide offense was hard to watch when Milroe was forced to air it out against the Sooners. Milroe completed 42% of his passes for 164 yards and three interceptions, one of which was a pick-six.

If Milroe has lingering injuries that limit his rushing abilities, the Tigers will have an even greater opportunity to win outright.

Alabama’s run defense has been suspect, allowing 143 yards per game. Last week was particularly bad when Oklahoma gained 260 yards and two touchdowns.

Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter has come on strong in recent weeks, tallying 560 yards and five touchdowns in the previous four games. Hunter has the second-most rushing yards in the SEC and could feast in the Iron Bowl. Last season, Jarquez picked up 93 yards while averaging more than six yards per carry against Alabama.

Auburn QB Payton Thorne could also break off big plays with his legs after Sooners QB Jackson Arnold ran for 131 yards versus the Tide. Thorne should have plenty of confidence after throwing for 301 yards and two touchdowns against Texas A&M. In two seasons with Auburn, it was only the second time Thorne surpassed 300 yards versus a power-conference opponent.

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Kaitlan Collins: Saban FaceTimed recruits at White House

Alabama’s showing against Oklahoma was nothing short of a disaster. Today, we’ve got CNN’s primetime anchor, and Alabama super fan, Kaitlan Collins, to help us sort through the wreckage, talks about how she is learning to cope with Alabama’s losses, and tries to make sense of Kalen DeBoer’s first season as Alabama’s head coach.

Collins also shares behind the scenes stories of Alabama’s visits to the White House, her friendship with Charles Barkley and explains why she’ll never visit Jordan-Hare Stadium again.

Beat Everyone is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the show on your favorite platform to automatically receive new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Beat Everyone is brought to you by Broadway Joe’s Fantasy Sports.

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Goodman: Fight like the Badger every day of your life

This is an opinion column.

_____________________

This is the first Thanksgiving for Tim Murphy since he retired as the football coach of the Harvard Crimson.

Murphy is a cornerstone of Harvard toughness and tradition. He coached at Harvard for 30 years, winning 10 Ivy League championships. Last Saturday, during the annual Harvard-Yale game, Harvard renamed its field at Harvard Stadium in Murphy’s honor.

Murphy impacted a lot of lives during his career. He touched a lot of hearts. He coached a lot of good men. Over the years, he’s gotten to know some of the most inspiring people in the country and world — the “10,000 men of Harvard,” as the fight song goes.

Murphy is a legend through and through. He stands in awe of one person, though, and that’s Ben Abercrombie of Hoover, Alabama.

Murphy will celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday at his home on Cape Cod. It will not be an enormous party, but it’s a big day for Murphy and his wife Martha. Ben and his amazing family are coming over to visit for the day.

“Ben is a leader,” Murphy said. “He has brought so many people together. And his family is extraordinary.”

Ben’s story is well known in Boston, back home in Alabama and throughout the country. It has been seven years since he was paralyzed from the neck down while playing in the first game of his freshman year. Ben needs a ventilator to breathe and around-the-clock care. Despite his catastrophic injury, he is thriving with the help of his family and people at Harvard like Murphy.

I went to Cambridge last weekend to spend time with Ben, his family and their community of friends at Harvard. There was a Harvard football reunion and fundraiser for Ben on Friday night at an upscale nightclub and bowling alley. Bowling for Ben, it was called. On Saturday, I was with Ben throughout the day and late into the night. We went to the Harvard-Yale game together and then we ate burgers and watched football in his dorm room.

Every week of the season for the last five years, Ben and I have tried our best to guess college football winners in the pick’ems feature that runs in AL.com. It’s called Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero. Ben is the Hero.

Ben is better than me at picking games and he knows more about football than I ever will. For me, Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero isn’t really about that, though. It’s about celebrating life and college football together. For the first time, Ben and I finally got a chance to watch games side by side.

It was one of my favorite days in a long time, but we’re both still trying to figure out that penalty call against Alabama.

Thanksgiving is here. In Alabama, it’s Iron Bowl week, too. Some of us are Alabama fans. Some of us are Auburn fans. We’re all fans of Ben Abercrombie. The Ben Abercrombie Fund was set up by Harvard to help with Ben’s medical expenses. His medical care isn’t free and it isn’t cheap.

This holiday season, please consider donating to the Ben Abercrombie Fund.

This is the time of year when we all come together and take time to appreciate the important things in life. I’m thankful for Ben and his unrelenting spirit, and I’m thankful for the people at Harvard and in Alabama who have helped Ben through his journey towards full recovery.

Ben’s goal is to walk again, and along that path he is inspiring lives every day with his courage.

There have been a lot of inspiring stories and traditions throughout the history of college football. At Alabama, they enshrine the names of every captain at Denny Chimes. At Auburn, the majestic eagles fly before games. At Notre Dame, they say “play like a champion today” and “win one for the Gipper.”

At Harvard, a new call to courage is a nod to Abercrombie.

“Fight like a badger,” they say.

Ben is the Badger. It’s a nickname he picked up his first week during practice at Harvard. The kid from Alabama was so amazingly tough that an upperclassman on the team started calling Ben “the Badger.” It was the seniors on that team who then formed the Badger Committee after Ben’s injury against Rhode Island.

Spend the day with Ben and it becomes clear very quickly how intense his focus remains. After we ate burgers together, Ben then couldn’t wait to get on his modified bike for a workout. Using electric stimulation, the Badger pedaled his legs for an hour and his arms for 30 minutes. Ben works out every day. Despite being paralyzed, he has just about as much muscle mass in his legs as me.

The Badger’s spirit is like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s why so many people gravitate towards him and want to help.

Ben was a safety for Harvard. On the field that day in Rhode Island was Harvard fifth-year senior safety Raishaun McGhee of Windsor, Connecticut. It was McGhee who took the lead in the latest Bowling for Ben fundraiser.

“He was like my little bro,” McGhee said. “He was the only freshman on the team to travel to the first game.”

Ben was inserted into the game against Rhode Island after Harvard’s starting safety was injured on the game’s opening kickoff. Ben was then injured on a routine tackle in the second quarter.

“It could have happened to me. It could have happened to any of us,” said Bob Glatz, who is the executive director of the Harvard Varsity Club. “That’s why it’s so important to help him.”

Glatz played football for Harvard and now he raises money for the athletic department. Bowling for Ben has turned into an unofficial reunion for all former Harvard football players. McGhee, Glatz and other former players on the Badger Committee joined Ben on Murphy field during the third quarter of the Harvard-Yale game. Among them was Douglas Henze, a former Harvard defensive lineman who played for Spain Park High School in Hoover.

Ben never got a chance to play an official game on Murphy Field, but an entire stadium stood up and cheered for him during his final game at Harvard as a student. Ben is scheduled to graduate from the most prestigious university in the world in May.

Understand this to fully appreciate that accomplishment. Ben writes all his papers — and Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero, of course! — with his eyes.

“We’re always going to be there for Ben,” said Murphy, the legendary coach.

And Ben is always going to be there for Harvard.

BE HEARD

Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”

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Florida doctor loses Alabama medical license after allegedly removing man’s liver

A Florida doctor’s medical license has been revoked in Alabama after he allegedly caused a patient’s death in August.

The Alabama Medical Licensure Commission on Monday accepted the surrender of Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky’s license, according to a press release.

Shaknovsky is accused of removing William Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen during a surgery in August. The 70-year-old Muscle Shoals man died.

Prior to the surrender of his license, Shaknovsky was already suspended by the licensure commission in October.

The commission said this was done because Shaknovsky, “may constitute an immediate danger to his patients and the public.”

William Perkins, Executive Director of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, said that the board’s actions were taken to protect the public.

“Our duty is to ensure that physicians licensed in Alabama meet the highest standards of patient care and professionalism,” Perkins said. “When a physician’s actions jeopardize patient safety, we act decisively to safeguard the public.”

In September, Florida moved to suspend Shaknovsky’s medical license and released a 21-page emergency order. The order detailed how Shaknovsky allegedly caused Bryan’s death and made a similar error with another patient.

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Alabama pro-life leaders push for IVF bill recognizing embryos as children: Will it happen?

Leaders in the pro-life movement in Alabama want the Legislature to pass regulations for in vitro fertilization that recognize the Alabama Supreme Court decision that gave frozen embryos the legal status of unborn children.

But Republican lawmakers, who control the Legislature, have not committed to any follow-up to an IVF bill passed in March.

That law, which came in response to the Supreme Court ruling, gives IVF clinics immunity from civil or criminal liability for the death of stored embryos. It allows civil lawsuits with limited damages against manufacturers of goods used in IVF.

The new law does not touch on the question of whether the embryos are “extrauterine children,” as the justices ruled.

“What the Legislature did was a stopgap measure,” said Eric Johnston, a Birmingham attorney and president of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition. “And I don’t blame them for doing it right away because they just could foresee a whole bunch of lawsuits being filed by these billboard lawyers.”

The Legislature moved fast on the immunity bill – it was signed into law less than three weeks after the Supreme Court ruling.

Johnston said the Pro-Life Coalition asked lawmakers to put an expiration date in the bill so they would revisit IVF after some time to research and understand the issues. But the bill had no expiration date.

Now, Johnston and others in the pro-life movement are having trouble finding legislators to support a new bill, or even to study the issues to develop legislation on a complex topic.

Johnston said most people in the pro-life movement do not oppose IVF but want regulations, such as limits on the number of embryos created and a ban on them being used for research.

“I have not gotten any kind of firm information from anyone, any legislator, that they’re considering it,” Johnston said. “I think it really needs to be done. If it’s not done this coming year, then next year. I don’t think it ought to be put off indefinitely.”

The leader of the Alabama House Democrats, on the other hand, said he will sponsor a bill to say embryos held in storage are not considered unborn children, the opposite view of the Supreme Court ruling.

Rep. Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, sponsored the same bill this year but it did not advance. Republicans hold three-fourths of the seats in the State House.

“I said last (session) I didn’t feel that the immunity bill was going to solve the problem,” Daniels said. “Which it did not. But I know we had to do something. And I think that that something was really nothing.”

IVF services remain available in Alabama. Some clinics that had paused services because of the court ruling resumed after the immunity law passed.

Still, Daniels said he hears from people seeking IVF services outside the state or considering a move to another state because of the uncertainty resulting from the Legislature’s failure to address the key question.

Daniels’ bill introduced in February said, “Any fertilized human egg or human embryo that exists in any form outside of the uterus of a human body shall not, under any circumstances, be considered an unborn child.”

Daniels said he would sponsor the same bill when the Legislature convenes again in February. He said he is open to other proposals.

“I’m not saying that my idea is the final and best idea,” Daniels said. “But I haven’t seen one that solves the problem.”

IVF is a series of procedures that involves the fertilization of an egg with sperm outside a woman’s body to create an embryo, which is then transferred into the uterus. It can help couples who have been unable to conceive children because of health conditions and other reasons become parents for the first time or expand their families.

Medication is used to stimulate the woman’s ovaries before the retrieval of eggs. The number of eggs retrieved varies but can typically be a dozen or so.

Those that are successfully fertilized become embryos. Evaluations can determine the embryo most likely to result in a successful pregnancy. That embryo is transferred to the woman’s uterus, typically about five days after fertilization. The remaining embryos can be frozen for possible use later.

In 2021, 86,146 infants born in the United States were conceived through the use of IVF or other assisted reproductive technology, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2.3% of all births.

In February, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of three couples who filed lawsuits against an IVF clinic in Mobile after a patient wandered into the clinic, dropped their frozen embryos, and destroyed them. The justices ruled that the frozen embryos were unborn children under Alabama’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, meaning the couples could collect punitive damages for their deaths.

Some IVF clinics in Alabama paused services because of the legal liability resulting from the decision.

The Legislature quickly passed a bill granting immunity after patients and IVF doctors came to the State House to rally for a bill they said was needed to restore services.

The bill says, “no action, suit, or criminal prosecution for the damage to or death of an embryo shall be brought or maintained against any individual or entity when providing or receiving services related to in vitro fertilization.”

Dr. Randy Brinson, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, said even those who reject the idea that embryos should have the legal status of unborn children can recognize the conflict between the immunity law and the court ruling.

“That’s going to have to be reconciled at some point,” Brinson said. “And we’re hoping that people will be informed and educated on that as they go forward.”

Brinson said, so far at least, it has been hard to find lawmakers willing to tackle the topic.

“We haven’t had a lot of success with that just yet because of the proximity to the election and this being such a volatile issue for both sides, the misunderstanding and the politicization of the issue,” Brinson said.

Brinson, a gastroenterologist who has led the Christian Coalition since 2006, said he is still talking to lawmakers. He said the premise of the Supreme Court ruling is sound because the stored embryos contain all the genetic material of life.

“It’s not an egg,” Brinson said. “It’s not sperm. It’s not any of those type of things. It has the full component of life.”

Brinson said he believes there is a path to legislation that will recognize that and allow IVF services to continue.

“The idea is again just to limit the amount of embryos you’re creating so you don’t have all these different problems with all the liability issues that deal with the destruction of life,” Brinson said. “That’s the issue. I think the first hurdle is going to be getting the Legislature to understand that passing a statute alone does not change the issue that was determined by the Supreme Court.”

Sean Tipton, chief advocacy and policy officer for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said it would be a mistake for lawmakers to pass legislation based on the Alabama Supreme Court ruling.

“In order to have good policy making, you have to start with a recognition of reality,” Tipton said. “The Alabama Supreme Court can say that a frozen, fertilized egg is the same as a baby. But anyone who looks at them will know that’s not true.

“And so, if you’re making policy based on something that’s not true, your policy is not going to work.”

Tipton said it defies biology to claim that an embryo held in storage is an unborn child.

“To try to argue that’s the same thing as a living baby and should be treated the same way makes absolutely no sense,” Tipton said. “You can’t put a baby in a freezer and have it survive. You can put a fertilized egg in a freezer and have it survive.”

Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, a physician who sponsored the immunity bill that passed this year, said he does not plan to bring legislation next year but expects someone will.

Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, who sponsored the immunity bill in the House, said she has no plans to bring a bill. In 2019, Collins was the sponsor of the Human Life Protection Act, which banned abortions in Alabama, with the only exception to protect the mother from serious health risks.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said lawmakers will protect the availability of IVF but did not say he expects legislation next year.

“IVF is legal and accessible in Alabama,” Ledbetter said. “We will ensure that remains the case in our state, and we appreciate the work of President Trump and Senator Britt to ensure that remains the case nationwide.”

Sen. Katie Britt, along with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, has proposed the IVF Protection Act, which would make states that ban IVF ineligible for Medicaid. The three-page bill describes IVF as a safe and reliable way “for millions of aspiring parents to experience the miracle of childbirth.” It does not address the issue of the legal status of embryos. Democrats in Congress also have an IVF bill.

Johnston, the president of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition, said he believes IVF regulation is best done on a state-by-state basis, the same as abortion restrictions now that Roe v. Wade is no longer in place. Alabama has a strict ban on abortion, as well as a constitutional amendment approved by 59% of voters in 2018 that says the state recognizes the rights of unborn children.

“There’s no federal law on this,” Johnston said. “And some states would not have a constitutional law like we have and a Supreme Court saying that unborn child embryo was a person in the meaning of law.

“So, we’re dealing with Alabama law here. It doesn’t have any effect on any other state or federal law. And I don’t really see Congress doing anything with it because it would vary from state to state, just like the abortion issue does.”

Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Sheffield, an obstetrician/gynecologist, was the only senator to vote against Alabama’s immunity bill because he said the immunity it gives is too broad.

Stutts said he has delivered many IVF babies and referred many patients to IVF services. Stutts said he supports IVF but said the process often involves creating more embryos than are necessary, adding to the dilemma of how to use the ones not transferred.

“There’s a moral and an ethical way to do IVF,” Stutts said. “And what is commonly done now doesn’t always meet that criteria.”

Stutts sponsored an IVF bill in February, but it did not pass. It said IVF doctors and clinics had “criminal and civil immunity to the extent the individual or entity follows commonly accepted practices of providing in vitro fertilization services.”

“I think there is a commonsense but still ethical and moral solution to it,” Stutts said.

Tipton, the advocate for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said government should not impose regulations on decisions that he said should be between patients and their doctors, such as how many embryos are created for IVF.

“During the course of IVF treatment, you have more than one egg, you have more than one embryo because humans are inefficient reproducers and most of those fertilized eggs will not become children,” Tipton said.

“It’s a scientific reality. Some of them clearly have some genetic flaws or chromosomal abnormalities that can stop it. Some of them, we don’t know real well. So because of that, it requires multiple eggs and embryos.”

Tipton said the best practices now are selection of the best embryo for implantation and freezing and storage the others if that is what the patient chooses. He said that is the safest and most effective approach.

“Because a minority of people have an extreme view that is incorrect scientifically they shouldn’t be able to impose their moral views on everybody else,” Tipton said. “If a patient wants to fertilize one egg at a time, transfer one embryo at a time, they can absolutely do that. What they can’t do, is impose that on everybody else.”

Brinson said he believes Alabama law can appropriately regulate IVF to align with the court ruling.

“I think reason should prevail in this rather than emotion, where we could also deal with the issue as far as the constitutionality of life and personhood of the embryo and at the same time accommodate those who are pursuing IVF,” Brinson said.

“We’re just going to have to win the court of public opinion on this,” he said. “Because right now we need to make sure people understand the status quo is not palatable. It’s not tenable.”

This story was corrected to give the correct name for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

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Isolated severe storms possible Wednesday night and Thursday

A low-end risk for a few severe thunderstorms has been added to the forecast for all of Alabama for Wednesday night into Thursday, which is Thanksgiving Day.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is now forecasting a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather statewide on both days.

A Level 1 (or marginal) risk means isolated severe storms will be possible.

Unfortunately, the timing looks to be mainly during the overnight hours for those in northern and central Alabama. That means it’s time to make sure you have a reliable way to receive warnings that will wake you up if needed (using your phone or a weather radio are two good options).

Wednesday’s risk, shown below, includes a good part of north Alabama and a chunk of central Alabama:

Here is the forecast for severe weather for Wednesday. If storms were to develop it would be late in the day into the overnight hours.SPC

Thursday’s forecast, shown at the very top of this post, includes more of the state, from central Alabama all the way to the Gulf Coast.

The National Weather Service said the strongest storms could bring wind gusts up to 60 mph and small hail. There will also be a low — but not zero — risk for a tornado.

Forecasters expect a strong cold front to move into the state from the northwest late Wednesday night into the early hours of Thursday. The storms could affect north and central Alabama during the overnight hours and then reach southern Alabama during the morning on Thursday.

The weather service expects temperatures to rapidly fall behind the cold front, with some of the coldest weather of the fall expected over the weekend into early next week.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a high probability of below-average temperatures for Alabama through next week. Below is the six- to 10-day temperature outlook to start out the month of December:

6-10 day temp outlook

Below-average temperatures are expected in Alabama from Dec. 1-5, and possibly beyond.Climate Prediction Center

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‘Unholy threat’: United Methodists sue breakaway beach church

The United Methodist Church has filed a new lawsuit against a breakaway beach church that dropped denominational affiliation from its charter but kept two appointed clergy on staff and banned United Methodist officials from setting foot on the campus popular with both beach dwellers and tourists.

The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church has filed a lawsuit against Perdido Bay Methodist Church, challenging the amendment to its incorporation documents that declare it is no longer affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

On Oct. 31, an attorney for the church sent a letter to the conference giving official notice that Perdido Bay Methodist is no longer a member of the denomination.

“As you are aware, our client previously submitted clear documentation outlining its doctrinal and theological concerns when considering separation last year,” wrote attorney Jonathan Bailie of the National Center for Life and Liberty.

“Any attempt by the conference to access church property will result in a request for immediate departure, followed by removal by law enforcement for trespassing if necessary,” Bailie wrote in his letter to the conference.

That drew a heated response from Panhandle District Superintendent Jean Tippit of the Alabama-West Florida Conference.

“That unholy threat causes me great concern for a multitude of reasons,” Tippit wrote to church members, urging them to join her as she led a United Methodist alternative Sunday meeting location at Big Lagoon State Park.

The Alabama-West Florida Conference filed a lawsuit Nov. 21 against the Perdido Bay Methodist board of trustees and two pastors who had been appointed by the conference, Levi Gardner and Scott Hohn, who stayed with the church as it voted to leave the denomination.

The conference asks an Escambia County judge for “declaratory relief, quiet title, ejectment,” in an effort to regain control of the church property at 13660 Innerarity Point Road in Pensacola, east of Alabama’s Ono Island.

Perdido Bay Methodist was one of more than 40 churches in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle whose requests to leave the denomination were stalled before the Dec. 31, 2023 disaffiliation deadline. Paragraph 2553, a special provision allowing disaffiliation due to disagreement over issues such as gay marriage, expired at that point.

The United Methodist General Conference voted in May 2024 to reverse its longstanding bans on gay marriage and ordination of LGBTQ clergy.

“The oral and written misrepresentations made by the conference to convince and effectively trick our client to not hold a vote to leave the denomination under rule 2553 while such right existed severely prejudiced and permanently injured our client,” Bailie wrote. “Since the time of the conference’s misrepresentations, the General Conference amended the Book of Discipline, changing its views on marriage and gender that have been held by our client since its establishment, the denomination for over two centuries, and by the church for millennia. These changes are in direct conflict with our client’s sincerely held religious beliefs, necessitating their immediate separation from the denomination.”

Churches that were not allowed to leave have adopted a new tactic: either suing the conference, saying the church property belongs to the congregation, not the denomination, or simply voting to change the church’s legal documents that have any mention of the United Methodist Church.

United Methodist Bishop Jonathan Holston, who took over as head of the Alabama-West Florida Conference in September, issued a public letter on the Perdido Bay legal standoff.

“Regrettably, in the wake of a season of disaffiliation and division for our denomination, the Alabama-West Florida Conference finds itself dealing with a serious legal matter involving Perdido Bay United Methodist Church,” Holston wrote. “A group of clergy and laity of Perdido Bay UMC has taken unauthorized and illegal actions to change the deed to the church property and prevent conference leadership from entering the property. These improper actions violate the principles that govern our denomination, including the historic Trust Clause.

“We are deeply saddened to report to you that the Board of Trustees of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, left with no other choice, has filed a lawsuit against individual trustees of Perdido Bay UMC who participated in these actions, as well as against two former Alabama-West Florida clergy. The lawsuit stems from their attempt to sever ties between Perdido Bay UMC and the conference. While we are confident in the strength of our legal position, it is our prayer that reconciliation and understanding will ultimately prevail, and that we can move forward in faithfulness to our shared mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

See also:

A 198-year-old Methodist church in Alabama asks judge to drop ‘United’ off legal documents

Elba to Theodore: 9 more Alabama churches sue United Methodists to keep property

Selma’s oldest church sues United Methodists in an effort to keep its property

Alabama congregation founded in 1847 sues United Methodists, says it owns church building

Baptists and Methodists helped build Alabama, now they struggle to keep churches, members

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General

How to win the Thanksgiving climate change argument

Thanksgiving dinner is a cherished American tradition where gratitude is served with a side of stuffing and mashed potatoes and, sometimes, a simmering debate with your pilgrim hat-wearing uncle over whether climate change is a hoax or an existential threat to humanity and the planet.

The stakes have never been higher: 2024 is on target to shatter global temperature records, with the entire planet experiencing its hottest year on record. This year will also likely be the first to breach the dreaded 1.5-degree Celsius threshold (2.7F), the accumulative global temperature rise since before the Industrial Revolution.

Scientists believe the symbolic target is when extreme weather like hurricanes, drought, floods, and wildfires will become more frequent, unpredictable, and dangerous. They also predict the breach will push humanity past irreversible tipping points that will change weather patterns, endanger species and ecosystems, and place our food and water systems at severe risk.

The impacts are impossible to ignore. In 2024, climate-related disasters cost the United States more than $61.1 billion in the first ten months alone, with 24 separate billion-dollar weather events—a new record. Since 1980, the U.S. has experienced 400 disasters costing over $1 billion (inflation-adjusted), events costing $2.785 trillion, according to federal records. Over 80% of those costs have occurred since 2010.

Navigating these conversations can feel like descending into Dante’s Inferno: Uncle Joe’s hot takes on climate denial, your dad’s fiery defense of fossil fuels, and Aunt Karen’s scorching disdain for electric cars. Fear not, intrepid dinner guest—there’s a way to make it through with your dignity and to-go dessert intact.

Climate communication experts recommend approaching these conversations with empathy and evidence.

A 2023 Climate Access roundtable offers some easy-to-remember and respectful tips you should try to use even if someone flicks cranberry sauce at you while pointing out that fossil fuels powered the Industrial Revolution, and you should be grateful. The key: Stay focused on facts, even when emotions run high.

“Engage loved ones by listening first,” says panelist Arunima Krishna, an associate professor at Boston University, geologist and science writer Karin Kirk, and moderator and Climate Access deputy director Meredith Herr. “Listen to what folks are saying and what pieces of misinformation they’ve been exposed to. This is crucial because there are so many different pieces of misinformation that are being targeted to various groups across the country and the world.”

The experts recommend sharing personal experiences and highlighting community successes. Ask thoughtful questions about others’ perspectives while questioning their sources. Try to meet them where there’s likely to be some agreement, such as ensuring clean air, water, and cheaper energy.

You may have to abandon the conversation if you’re talking with someone who doesn’t care about those essential elements of human survival. If you need to create a diversion, pretend to choke on your food or state loudly that the turkey is undercooked. Both are highly effective.

Of course, all this civility can be difficult if you’re outnumbered by people unwilling to engage you respectfully.

“You are also not obligated to remain in the conversation,” explains a climate change discussion guide written by various environmental academics and advocates for the Yale Center for Environmental Communication, who also suggest trying to encourage your family and friends to shift to a plant-based diet, flying and driving less, and becoming activists.

Okay.

Sometimes, usually because of wine, you have to confront the swirling chaos of denial and misinformation head-on. But you’ll need a strategy as layered as Dante’s descent into the circles of hell.

Here is a selection of responses to climate change denial claims you might hear across the Thanksgiving table, rated from Gluttony (lighthearted) to Wrath (direct) and if you’re feeling really spicy, Treachery (sharp and sarcastic).

Choose your path wisely.

Dinner’s on the Dog ( Housewife Serving Lunch )Getty Images

“Climate change is natural; it’s been happening for millions of years.”

Gluttony: Are you sure? While the climate has changed in the past, the current rate is way faster than anything natural—hundreds of times faster. Doesn’t that seem unusual and worrying to you?

Wrath: The climate has always changed, but those changes used to happen over hundreds of thousands or millions of years. What we’re seeing now is unprecedented in speed and caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels. Natural? Not likely.

Treachery: If you think humans pumping billions of tons of CO2 into the air every year isn’t a factor, you’re essentially saying you don’t understand even high school-level science. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that lets sunlight enter Earth’s atmosphere but traps heat that tries to escape into space. It’s like putting a blanket over the planet.

Bonus: CO2 does help plants grow, but too much of it causes drought, crop failures, and extreme weather caused by trapped heat. In those conditions, plants don’t do well.

“Scientists don’t even agree on climate change.”

Gluttony: About 97% of climate scientists agree humans are causing climate change. Doesn’t that sound like a pretty solid consensus?

Wrath: That’s just wrong. The overwhelming majority of climate experts agree on the human impact of climate change based on mountains of independent evidence. Pretending otherwise ignores reality.

Treachery: If you think 3% of fringe scientists outweighs 97% of experts, let me guess: you’d take medical advice from YouTubers over your doctor, too? That’s next-level denial.

“Humans can’t change the climate—it’s too big.”

Gluttony: Do you really think that? Humans have increased CO2 levels by over 50% since the Industrial Revolution. It has been measured.

Wrath: Nah. Human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation drive massive changes, from higher temperatures to melting glaciers and rising sea levels. Just look at the data—it’s undeniable.

Treachery: Saying humans can’t affect the climate is like saying a match can’t start a forest fire. It only takes a little spark—and humans have been torching this planet for centuries. Our weather systems are delicate. About 90% of tropical storms develop in 79-degree water or higher. Freshwater boils at 212 degrees but not at 210 degrees. It freezes at 32 degrees but is still water at 31 degrees. Your body temperature is 98 degrees. But at 100 degrees, you have a low-grade fever. Another one or two degrees over that, you’re sick.

Given the billions of humans using energy and cars burning fuel, I’d say we make a huge difference.

“We can’t rely on renewables—they’re too expensive and the sun doesn’t shine at night.”

Gluttony: In many places, solar and wind are now cheaper than coal and gas. Doesn’t that make them worth considering for cheaper energy bills?

Wrath: That’s outdated thinking. Renewables are increasingly cost-competitive, reliable, and getting cheaper. As battery storage and grid technology advances, capturing energy for days when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining will be much easier. Besides, fossil fuels are the real economic drag.

Treachery: So you’re saying we should stick with expensive, polluting energy that’s running out? That’s like refusing a smartphone because rotary phones were acceptable in the 1950s.

“Green energy policies will ruin the economy and cost jobs.”

Gluttony: I’m pretty sure renewables create more jobs than fossil fuels, especially in solar and wind. Wouldn’t that help the economy?

Wrath: Actually, green energy is already creating thousands of jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. The fossil fuel industry is shrinking—it’s the economy that’s moving forward.

Treachery: If clinging to dying industries is your smart policy idea, why not bring back VHS tapes and typewriters while you’re at it? Jobs in renewables are the future. And guess what? Elon Musk agrees.

“Electric cars are just as bad as regular cars because of the materials and energy they use.”

Gluttony: That’s interesting. I thought electric cars, even with current energy grids, produce fewer emissions over their lifetimes than gas cars. Aren’t they at least a step in the right direction while we improve energy sources?

Wrath: Actually, studies show electric cars are significantly cleaner over their lifespan, even accounting for material sourcing and electricity from coal. Plus, there’s ongoing work to improve battery recycling and sourcing practices, which is more than can be said for fossil fuel cars.

Treachery: Are you telling me that your solution is to stick with gas cars forever, which burn fuel every single mile? They pollute children’s lungs as they pass schools. They endanger the health of entire neighborhoods, like those next to interstates and ports. That’s like saying eating fast food is fine because salads sometimes come in plastic containers. If we wait for perfection, nothing will change. Do you think the printing press or the first personal computers were perfect? People didn’t want them. They changed the world.

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