A report was issued from the National Weather Service on Friday at 2:44 a.m. for strong thunderstorms until 3:30 a.m. for Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock and Pike counties.

Wind gusts of up to 50 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are expected.

“At 2:44 a.m., Doppler radar tracked strong thunderstorms along a line extending from Montgomery to 9 miles northwest of Rutledge. Movement was east at 60 mph,” states the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Southern Montgomery, Tuskegee, Union Springs, Meadville, Pike Road, Shorter, Hyundai Motors Of Alabama, Dublin, Woodcrest, Beans Crossroads, Snowdoun, Shopton, Sellers, Ramer, Waugh, Liverpool, Hardaway, Ansley, Pine Level and Aberfoil.

According to the weather service, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 5 a.m. for south central and southeastern Alabama.”

When lightning looms: Expert safety tips for thunderstorms

Lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times each year, with the bulk of these electrical discharges occurring during the summer months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 individuals annually, as reported by the weather service. The risk of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw near, reaching its peak when the storm directly looms overhead. However, it gradually recedes as the tempest moves away.

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, consider the following recommendations:

1. Lightning safety plan:

• When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
• Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s a clear indication of nearby lightning.
• Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.

2. Indoors safety measures:

• Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
• Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

3. Wait for the all-clear:

• After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
• It’s important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

• Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, as they expose you to greater lightning risk.
• Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
• If you’re in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
• Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.
• Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your safety.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

Rain can turn roads into hazards. Stay informed and follow these tips from the weather service to ensure safety during heavy rainfall:

Beware of swollen waterways:

• In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.

Maintain safe driving distances:

• Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Slow down and drive with care:

• On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

• Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Prioritize visibility

• Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

• The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

• Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

• Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.
• If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers ended the legislative session Thursday without approving a lottery, slot machines and video poker machines, continuing a 25-year stalemate on the issue of gambling.

Supporters were unable to break an impasse in the Alabama Senate after the measure failed by one vote earlier in the session. The Senate did not take the bill up again on the session’s final day, ending hopes of getting the issue before voters later this year.

“There was a lot of effort to try to make it work. I think the people want a chance to vote. I hear that everywhere I go,” Republican House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said. The House had approved the bill.

Alabamians last voted on the issue of gambling in 1999, when voters rejected a lottery proposed by then-Gov. Don Siegelman. There have been multiple efforts since then for lottery bills, but the measures stalled amid debate over casinos and electronic gambling machines.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed said senators had approved a scaled-down bill that included a lottery and allowing dog tracks and other sites to have machines where players bet on replays of horse races. Senators were less receptive to proposals that included slot machines or video poker.

“It was something that there weren’t votes in the Senate to approve,” Reed said of the conference committee proposal. “So that’s where we are.”

The House had approved a sweeping bill that would have allowed a lottery, sports betting and up to 10 casinos with slot machines and table games. The state Senate scaled back the legislation. A conference committee proposed a compromise that would have authorized a lottery as well as slot machines at seven locations in the state. Representatives approved the measure, but it did not win approval in the Senate.

The House spent part of the day in a slow-down to allow last-minute discussions to see if something could win approval. Ledbetter said when it became clear that wasn’t going to happen “it was time to move on.”

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who expressed support for the bill in her State of the State address, told reporters that she was disappointed in the outcome.

“I wanted people to have a chance to vote on the issue.” the Republican governor said.

Asked if she would call a special session on the subject, Ivey suggested it would be pointless unless lawmakers can reach an agreement.

During debate on state budgets, members of the House took parting verbal shots at the Alabama Senate and opponents of the bill.

Republican Rep. Chris Blackshear, the sponsor of the legislation, said gambling would have provided more money for education, roads, and other needs.

“We had it as close as it’s been before. We had a chance,” Blackshear said of their effort.

Democratic Rep. Barbara Drummond said lottery tickets purchased by Alabamians in neighboring states are paying to help educate children there, while Alabama children receive no benefits.

“I’m frustrated today,” Drummond said. “The House stood up like it should, but it hit a wall upstairs. It’s time we stop playing these games of special interest and look out for the people who send us here.”

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Alabama officials have rescheduled the execution of a man who survived his first execution attempt.

The state first attempted to execute Alan Eugene Miller on 22 September 2022 via lethal injection. However, the execution was called off after officials failed to connect an IV line.

Now, Miller will be executed by nitrogen hypoxia on 26 September, Alabama governor Kay Ivey announced on Wednesday. A former delivery driver, Miller was convicted of killing three people in a 1999 workplace shooting.

In 2022, Alabama vowed not to attempt another lethal injection on Miller. The commitment came after he sued the state, claiming they lost his paperwork which indicated he chose nitrogen hypoxia as his method. At the time, there was no protocol in place for hypoxia execution in the state.

Miller will be the second person executed by nitrogen gas in the US. The first person, Kenneth Smith, was executed in Alabama in January. The state of Alabama botched a total of three executions in 2022, including Miller’s and Smith’s.

Journalists inside the room described how Smith appeared to struggle as he was put to death. Reporter Lee Hedgepeth said: “I’ve been to four previous executions and I’ve never seen a condemned inmate thrash in the way that Kenneth Smith reacted to the nitrogen gas.”

Despite previously advocating for it, Miller is now challenging the execution method in a US district court, arguing the current protocol violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, the Associated Press reports.

His attorneys cited witness descriptions of Smith’s execution in their filings, arguing for a different protocol.

“An alternative method of nitrogen hypoxia execution is available that is feasible, readily implemented, and will significantly reduce a substantial risk of severe pain,” Miller’s attorney, J Bradley Robertson, told local outlet WVTM 13 last week.

Meanwhile, Alabama attorney general Steve Marshall has said Smith’s nitrogen gas execution was “textbook”.

“Nitrogen hypoxia as a means of execution is no longer an untested method,” Mr Marshall said in January after Smith’s execution. “It is a proven one.”

The state asked a judge to dismiss Miller’s motion earlier this week. His legal team must now respond to that request.

The Independent has contacted Mr Marshall’s office and Miller’s attorneys for comment.

The Independent and the non-profit Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) have launched a joint campaign calling for an end to the death penalty in the US. The RBIJ has attracted more than 150 well-known signatories to its Business Leaders Declaration Against the Death Penalty – with The Independent as the latest on the list. We join high-profile executives including Ariana Huffington, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson as part of this initiative and are making a pledge to highlight the injustices of the death penalty in our coverage.