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An unmoved Alabama Supreme Court

The Alabama Supreme Court denied a request to re-hear that case of spilled frozen embryos that led to the biggest political squall of the year that doesn’t involve foreign relations.

That squall was the result, of course, of the state high court’s decision that was based on the embryos having the same legal status of unborn children, born children, and most of those among us. It opened the door for possible civil and criminal liability in cases involving alleged mishandling of embryos and led to some clinics pausing or ending their in vitro fertilization services.

AL.com’s Greg Garrison reports that on Friday the court denied a request to rehear that case, with two justices dissenting.

Justice Will Sellers: “The majority opinion on original submission had significant and sweeping implications for individuals who were entirely unassociated with the parties in the case. Many of those individuals had no reason to believe that a legal and routine medical procedure would be delayed, much less denied, as a result of this Court’s opinion.”

ABC tax hike

Alcohol prices could be going up, at least at Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board stores. AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz reports that the Legislature has given final approval to a bill that would raise the general sales tax at ABC stores.

Currently the additional sales tax added to purchases at ABC stores is 2 percent. This bill, should Gov. Kay Ivey sign it, would set the state’s additional sales-tax rate equal to the combined county and city general sales-tax rates where the transaction takes place. Alabama averages just over 5% in local sales-tax rates.

The measure overwhelmingly passed both chambers of the Legislature. Supporters said it’ll help independent liquor stores compete with ABC stores.

A Rush Propst surprise

Suddenly, the Rush Propst Era at Pell City High School is over after all, reports AL.com’s Ben Thomas.

If you’re a regular listener, you probably heard Ben come on the show April 26 and talk about the recent Pell City Board of Education meeting that had on its agenda to reject the renewing of Propst’s contract. Heavy and vocal support turned out for one of the region’s most accomplished, controversial and famous high school football coaches, and nobody at the meeting ever got around to making the motion to fire him.

It seemed like an emphatic “he’s staying” moment.

But he told Ben on Friday that the situation had become a distraction. “It’s not good for our kids. I feel like it’s the right thing to do. I’m always going to stand by my players and do the right thing for my players and, at this time, I feel this is the right time.”

He said the decision was his, that he had no plans to immediately leave the area, and that he does plan to coach again.

Quoting

“None of you are pregnant, ever will be pregnant nor will have a baby.”

State Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) after her bill giving teachers eight weeks of paid parental leave passed the Senate but isn’t being transmitted to the House of Representatives with only three meeting days left in the Legislative session.

By the Numbers

That’s how many Alabama retail locations of rue21 will close in coming weeks after the Pennsylvania company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Liquidation will affect 540 stores nationwide.

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1931, baseball legend Willie Mays of the Fairfield area.

In 1934, former Sen. Richard Shelby in Birmingham.

Weekly Review Quiz

This might be the last time you see the weekly quiz here on a Monday. We’re moving them to Fridays.

Answers and our cumulative results will appear here tomorrow.

The podcast