We’ve made it to Friday. Depending on your weekend plans, weather could be a factor, so keep an eye out. Otherwise, let’s get to some news …

Staying or going?

The Alabama-West Florida Conference of United Methodists passed a non-binding resolution this week calling for leaders to be loyal to the denomination if they’re going to influence planning its future, reports AL.com’s Greg Garrison.

The concern behind the resolution is that more congregations could still decide to disaffiliate from the UMC, just as 240 in the Alabama-West Florida Conference are expected to make official on Nov. 12.

Changes that may be coming for Methodists include new UMC churches and ministries and fewer districts, and there is even a proposal to realign conferences so that there is a single conference for all of Alabama.

1 percent at a time

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the grocery tax cut into law on Thursday, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

If you read yesterday’s post, you know why I need to point out that, as far as we can tell, it was the correct version of the bill that was signed.

It’s also important to mention this new law again because there were so many proposals during the legislative session that we’re still seeing a little confusion out there.

As the law goes into effect on Sept. 1, your sales tax will not go away. This affects only the state’s portion, which is a total of 4 cents on the dollar. The rest of the tax you pay is local, either city or county or both.

On Sept. 1, 1 percent will be cut. So if you spend $200 on qualifying groceries, you’ll pay $2 less on your tax. That’s enough saved to buy you a Mega Millions ticket in Campbellton.

Then on Sept. 1, 2024, if revenue to the state’s Education Trust Fund has grown by at least 3.5%, another 1 percent will be shaved off the sales tax (so you could then buy two Mega Millions tickets in the other Ardmore).Food that qualifies is the same food that qualifies for SNAP, which used to be called the Food Stamp Program.

Quoting

“It’s amazing to be a homeowner. Every day it feels so unreal.” — Torrey Washington, 21, who through a private workforce development school learned trade skills while rehabbing a house that he eventually was able to buy.

Life without parole

A Dale County circuit judge formally sentenced Coley McCraney to life in prison without parole for the 1999 murders of Dothan teenagers Tracie Hawlett and J.B. Beasley, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.

The case drew national attention back then after the high school teenagers became lost in Ozark one night and were found dead in the trunk of Beasley’s car the next day.

An arrest wasn’t made until 20 years later through a DNA match found through a genealogy search.

McCraney’s lawyers are asking for a new trial over jury misconduct.

Numbers

That’s the amount of the fine leveled by OSHA at an American Airlines subsidiary after a ground-crew worker was “ingested” into a plane engine on New Year’s Eve at Montgomery Regional Airport.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

1987: Diana DeGarmo, originally of Birmingham. She was American Idol’s third-season runner-up and is an actress and has been on four USO tours.

The newsletter

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.

You can find “Down in Alabama” wherever you get your podcasts, including these places: