‘Friendly’ fire at Tuberville

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama held firm Wednesday in his blockade of military officer promotions. After previously indicating the Senate could confirm nominees individually rather than en masse, he objected to and stopped 61 nominations that fellow Republicans wanted confirmed individually, reports AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz.

He’s doing this to try to force the Defense Department to reverse a policy on reimbursing service members and families who travel for abortions.

On Wednesday several Republicans said they agree with Tuberville in opposing the policy, but a few are showing their growing exasperation with Tuberville’s tactic.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, was one of those who was direct with Tuberville from the Senate floor. He wondered why Tuberville couldn’t have gone after positions such as those in the Defense Department. “That’s a way to use the hold. Not to take out a military brigadier general that’s a war hero.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, was very blunt in his displeasure with Tuberville. After Tuberville objected to a vote on a two-star general for a promotion to deputy commander of the Air Force, an angry Graham addressed Tuberville. “You just denied this lady a promotion. You did that.”

Nearly 400 nominations are being held up.

No more dry SEC schools

Auburn University has become the last school in the Southeastern Conference to allow alcohol sales at sports events, reports AL.com’s Matt Cohen.

The venue was Neville Arena during Wednesday night’s men’s basketball exhibition against AUM. Available for purchase were various beers, seltzers and canned wine at concessions throughout the Arena. (I’ve heard canned wine pairs well with nachos. And don’t forget your straw.)

The University said there will be “gradual rollouts at other athletic venues throughout the year ahead.”

Tate Farms patriarch

The owner of Tate Farms and its popular pumpkin patch has passed away, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.

Homer Tate started the venture in 1995 with around five acres in Meridianville, and they’d pull kids around the pumpkin patch on a hay trailer.

From there it grew to 55 acres with a cotton jump, hay bale maze, corn cribs, animals, a barnyard playground and a general store. It’s become a destination for school field trips.

Tate’s wife, Jeanette, died in 2020.

Homer Tate was 95 years old.

By the numbers

$18.75 billion

That’s the projected amount of holiday spending in the state for this year, according to the Alabama Retail Association.

Quoting

“Well, we did a poor job if we did.”

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze, on suggestions that the Tigers may have stolen some of Mississippi State’s signs during a 27-13 win last weekend. Freeze said the Bulldogs offense was better in the second half than the first half.

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