ALDOT official trouble

Alabama Department of Transportation Director John Cooper was booked into the Marshall County Jail Monday on a harassment charge, reports AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz.

The Sheriff’s Office didn’t release details yesterday, but Cooper’s lawyer said he had filed a complaint over a land dispute between Cooper and a neighbor.

Cooper is 75 years old. He’s been transportation director since 2011. In that role he also had a setback earlier this month when the Alabama Supreme Court denied his emergency motion to restart construction on a two-lane bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway.

Cannabis companies

In the next step toward launching a medical-marijuana industry in the state, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has chosen 21 out of 90 companies that applied for licenses, reports AL.com’s Mike Cason.

The companies include cultivators, processors, transporters, dispensaries and a testing lab. They have 14 days to pay a fee, and then the licenses are expected to be issued July 10.

So where does that put the overall timeline? Commission Director John McMillan said products could be available late this year or early next year.

Tide baseball coach

Once the season ended, the University of Alabama didn’t waste any time hiring a new baseball coach.

The Tide will formally introduce Rob Vaughn today, reports AL.com’s Michael Casagrande. Vaughn’s coming down from Maryland, where he won back-to-back Big Ten championships.

He replaces Brad Bohannon, who was fired early last month during a gambling investigation. Assistant coach Jason Jackson took over in an interim role, led Alabama to the Super Regional round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010, and will stay with the program as associate head coach and pitching coach.

Tarrant drama

Troubles between Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton and the Tarrant City Council have involved arrests, charges, sexual remarks about a spouse, a punch and a lawsuit.

On Monday, reports AL.com’s Joseph D. Bryant, it involved a new city manager reporting to work to run the city.

The mayor filed a lawsuit last week claiming the city council doesn’t have the authority to create a city manager position, which he says will turn his own job into a ceremonial one.

The council’s representation, however, claims that Councilwoman Tracie Threadford is the city’s mayor pro-tem and was authorized to complete the contract with the manager, John C. Brown, who will earn $100,000 annually plus an $850-a-month vehicle allowance.

Diamond stars

The Alabama Sports Writers Association recently released its all-state baseball and softball teams. Leading the way were the players of the year, both whose values were boosted by their pitching, their hitting, and apparently the last name Harrison:

• Mr. Baseball: Hayes Harrison, Oxford High, 13-0, 1.28 ERA, .382 batting average.
• Miss Softball: Ryley Harrison, Fairhope, 26-1, 0.74 ERA, three perfect games; .474 batting average, 20 home runs

Quoting

“My husband is my Matthew McConaughey.” — Harpersville Police Reserve Officer Amy Wagar, making clear where her loyalty lies.

Wagar and the HPD, poking fun at speeding motorists’ penchant for using absurd excuses, had lightheartedly warned drivers via Facebook that speeding toward Birmingham to stalk McConaughey, who’s in town to film a movie, would not be tolerated.

More Alabama news:

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: