The quiz (near the bottom of this email) is a little different this week, pulling an item from each of the seven years that Down in Alabama’s podcast has been publishing.

Take it to see if you recall some of the stories from recent years. Then — if you want to feel better about your own score — you can check out the podcast to hear me take it. I wasn’t perfect, OK?

Nonprofit layoffs

The Southern Poverty Law Center is laying off what is reported to be a significant number of employees, reports The Alabama Reflector.

The SPLC is a Montgomery-based nonprofit civil-rights litigation organization that’s often cited for the list it keeps of what it says are active hate groups. Opponents have argued that in some cases the list could have political motivations.

The SPLC Union said that at least 60 people are losing their jobs, but the center did not immediately release a number of positions being cut.

The SPLC called the moves a streamlining of activities and operations. The Union says it will hurt the center’s racial-justice mission.

Beware the malicious stuff

One of the more higher-profile ransomware cases affecting Alabamians recently was an attack on the computer systems of Ascension Health. That company is based in St. Louis but runs five hospitals in the Birmingham area including St. Vincent’s, and Providence Hospital in Mobile is on some of Ascension’s systems even though it’s been sold to the University of South Alabama.

The ransomware attack is believed to have gotten into the system when an employee accidentally downloaded a malicious file, reports AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz.

And don’t you know the employee will hear it from coworkers as they go through the next round of anti-hacker training.

The company said it looks like the attackers may have taken information from seven of its 25,000 servers. It hopes to know what specific data was taken after an investigation. Ascension patients and associates may request free credit monitoring and identity-theft protection.

Tuberville and the ‘lawfare’ claims

Tommy Tuberville was a defensive back during his football playing days. But in the U.S. Senate, he’s shown he’s not afraid to throw a block.

Last year, of course, he set a blockade on hundreds of military promotions over the Defense Department’s policies on helping personnel travel to receive abortions.

Now he’s joined five other Republican senators promising to refuse the fast-tracking of the Biden Administration’s judicial or U.S. Attorney appointees, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.

This is in response to former President Donald Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records. The senators claim the conviction was an act of “lawfare” by the White House intended to damage the Trump presidential campaign. In a letter the senators also vowed not to allow the fast-tracking of nominees who have suggested the prosecution of Trump was reasonable, agreed with the guilty verdict or celebrated Trump’s indictment, or have “supported lawfare or censorship in other ways.”

They said they’ll keep up the delaying tactic until Election Day. Just 144 days away, folks. And then we can all go back to liking each other again. Well, I guess maybe after the football playoffs we can go back to liking each other.

Quoting

“Let’s celebrate by getting some dirt turned and drink some Coke.”

Gov. Kay Ivey, during the ceremonial groundbreaking on a $330 million new campus for Coca Cola United in Birmingham.

More Alabama News

Born on This Day

In 1943, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section keyboardist Spooner Oldham of Center Star in Lauderdale County.

In 1971, former New York Jets tight end Fred Baxter of Brundidge.

The podcast

The staff turned the tables on me, so I’ll be taking a special anniversary edition of the Friday quiz.

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