Note: The news quiz is making its return today. See the link near the bottom of this newsletter.

Thank y’all so much for taking the time to check in with us. Hope y’all are having a great holiday season. I love all of it, from the family stuff to the music to the reason behind it all.

But it can be a difficult time for some folks, and most of us have had a rough one or two. If that’s you, it probably means there are better ones ahead. Take a breath and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

(The newsletter continues below)

Post-bowl fireworks

The excitement didn’t end with the ballgame at Saturday’s 68 Ventures Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile.

After South Alabama took Eastern Michigan out behind the woodshed, 59-10, some postgame fireworks took place between players on the field, reports AL.com’s Creg Stephenson.

As some South players were facing the band during the singing of the school’s alma mater, an Eastern Michigan player who’s been identified as defensive back Korey Hernandez ran up behind South Alabama defensive back Jamarrien Burt and appears to have punched him in the back of the helmet.

Those all turned out to be terrible decisions. A larger brawl broke out, during which Hernandez was not wearing his own helmet, and he appeared to have taken some shots. Eastern Michigan’s AD has since issued an apology and promised an investigation of the events.

Wilder’s latest bout

Meanwhile, in a sport in which punches are supposed to be thrown, Deontay Wilder wasn’t able to land his famously devastating right and his ambitions to return to the top of the heavyweight boxing world took a hit when he lost to New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over the weekend, reports AL.com’s Mark Inabinett.

The unanimous decision was Wilder’s third loss in his past four fights. The Tuscaloosa native is now 43-2-1 with 42 knockouts.

Police issues and home rule

Mobile officials will be taking a look at whether the city council can regulate its police department, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

Two potential ordinances are on the table concerning the release of body-cam footage, no-knock warrants and pre-dawn raids, topics that have recently been debated in cities around Alabama and beyond.

Those who support the proposals say they stay within what’s already state law regarding body-cam footage, and that Mayor Sandy Stimpson just last month adopted a policy to end most pre-dawn raids.

The Mobile Police Department is arguing that the Council does not have the power to regulate policing.

This really is noteworthy no matter where you live in Alabama, not just because of the policing debates we’ve had in recent years but also because of the debate over Alabama’s lack of home-rule authority. Counties and cities are limited to powers given to them by the state Legislature, and state law does not delegate police power to the local governments.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1945, football Hall of Famer Ken Stabler of Foley.

In 1946, singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, born in Pascagoula and spent his childhood in the Mobile and Fairhope area.

Return of the quiz

Our short weekly review quiz makes its return today. Take it to find out how well you’ve kept up with news lately. If you’ve read this newsletter daily, you should do quite well. Answers will be in tomorrow’s newsletter.

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