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From today’s podcast:

Nearing the 11th hour

We are coming down to the wire in the 2023 Alabama legislative session.

A couple of much-discussed tax bills advanced in a state Senate committee Wednesday but were changed enough that they’ll have to make another run through the House.

The Alabama Daily News reported that the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee approved a plan that would gradually reduce the state sales tax on groceries from 4 percent to 2 percent, and a plan that would eliminate the 5-percent income tax on overtime hours.

Both those were amended, the first regarding a revenue requirement for the grocery cuts to take place, the other capping the overtime tax break.

What we could be seeing here is the Senate tapping the brakes a little on the tax-cut frenzy the state’s been in with the extra revenue it’s been seeing.

The Tuberville beat

Tommy Tuberville did not win a Senate election to just disappear between cycles.

He’s managed to keep his name in headlines, sometimes for better or worse, politically speaking. He’s been a very vocal advocate for the Pentagon to follow through on placing Space Command in Huntsville, and he’s made comments about alleged white supremacy among military personnel (he said what some liberals called “white nationalists” were what he calls “Americans”) and the quality of inner-city teachers that have offended some. The Tuberville team has taken issue with how his comments have been interpreted.

A big standoff is taking place in Washington as Tuberville has led the blocking of senior military promotions in response to the Pentagon’s abortion-travel reimbursements.

Wednesday, Politico reported that Tuberville’s national security advisor has stepped down following a Washington Post story that had the advisor, Morgan Murphy of Birmingham, taking credit as the force behind the military-promotion blockade.

Also, the senator’s brother, Charles Tuberville, announced on social media he is distancing himself from his brother’s “ignorant, hateful rants.” The brother, a musician in Oklahoma, said of the senator: “I DO NOT agree with any of the vile rhetoric coming out of his mouth. Please don’t confuse my brother with me.”

So, if you’ve been conflating Charles and Tommy Tuberville’s political opinions … now you know better.

It’s never too late

A Mobile County Sheriff’s Office raid on a pool hall uncovered an alleged illegal gambling operation and illegal drugs and led to the arrest of three women ages 45, 60 and … 82.

The sheriff’s office said it executed a warrant at The Rear Pocket on Emogene Street after receiving an anonymous tip.

Time to reason with hurricane season

Today is the first day of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane season, and forecasters so far are calling for a near-normal season of activity.

No matter how busy or slow the summer turns out to be, remember that it takes only one unfortunately placed hurricane track to bring misery.

On the podcast at the top of this post, weather reporter Leigh Morgan spent a few minutes talking with me about this hurricane season.

The podcast

The “Down in Alabama” podcast is short and free. Listen to it by clicking on the player above or subscribe by looking for “Down in Alabama” on the device of your choosing.

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