Alabama
Exports, stolen bus, quiz results: Down in Alabama
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Made in Alabama
Alabama’s businesses again broke the record for exported goods in 2023, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.
Companies shipped out $27.4 billion worth of vehicles, aerospace parts, minerals, metals and more to 190 countries last year. That’s a 6% increase over their 2022 exports. Vehicles led the way at $11.5 billion.
The top destination for Made in Alabama goods last year was Germany, which imported $5.1 billion worth from our companies. Germany was followed by Canada, China and Mexico, all with more than $3 billion worth.
Catching the bus
A school bus was reported stolen from near West Jefferson Town Hall, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.
If you’re not familiar with the location of the town of West Jefferson, I can help: It’s on the western edge of Jefferson County.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office’s Lt. Joni Money said the bus was parked by Town Hall on Friday afternoon. But when the bus driver showed up Monday morning, it was gone.
Money said the bus was found Monday afternoon in — as some of you might’ve expected — Walker County.
Wetlands forever
A collaboration among conservation groups has resulted in the preservation of 8,000 acres of Mobile-Tensaw Delta known as the Land Between the Rivers, reports AL.com’s Dennis Pillion.
The Nature Conservancy, along with Patagonia’s Holdfast Collective and an undisclosed donor, closed a deal worth more than $15 million — they’re not giving specifics. The Land Between the Rivers is located in Clark County and includes area between the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers where they meet to form the Delta. It’s part of what they call America’s Amazon — an area containing an incredible volume of the nation’s biodiversity and wildlife.
No break for the bomber
Olympic Park and abortion-clinic bomber Eric Rudolph’s request for a new sentence was denied by an appeals court, reports The Associated Press.
Rudolph’s request was in response to a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that found a statute on “crime of violence” penalties wasn’t clear. He’s serving life after admitting to four bombings, including the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Games.
Here in Alabama he set a bomb at an abortion clinic in Birmingham that killed a police officer and injured a nurse at the clinic.
The judge wrote in the opinion that when Rudolph negotiated to avoid the death penalty, he committed to the terms of his sentence.
More Alabama news
Quiz results
Yesterday’s Week in Review quiz was clearly way too easy. We even had our first 100% question — every single person who took the quiz through midnight yesterday got it right.
We shouldn’t be shocked it was about Nick Saban.
Here are the answers and how well we did on each question:
The crawfish harvest this year is well below typical levels, according to sources from southern Louisiana. A reason for this is:
- Drought conditions this past summer and fall dried mud under and around many ponds. (CORRECT) 76.8%
- Storm surge from past tropical storms have increased salinity of bayou waters. 10.1%
- Crawfish poachers from Arkansas have put a dent in the population. 0.7%
- Oyster-drill snails have moved inland in search of a better food supply. 12.3%
An Alabama-based spinoff reportedly in the plans to follow the Rick & Bubba Show is:
- The Rick Burgess Show (CORRECT) 86.2%
- The Bubba Bussey Show 5.8%
- Outdoor Weekend with Rick & Bubba 7.2%
- The Rick & Bubba Fitness Challenge 0.7%
It’s been announced that Nick Saban will be:
- Joining the ESPN GameDay panel. (CORRECT) 100.0%
- Running for governor in 2026. 0.0%
- The new GM for the Detroit Lions. 0.0%
- On the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars. 0.0%
A new law cut the state’s sales tax on groceries from 4% to 3% this past September and tied further cuts to growth in the state’s tax revenues. Beginning this coming September the rate will be:
- 0% … 8.0%
- 1% … 5.1%
- 2% … 25.4%
- 3% (CORRECT) … 61.6%
Thieves reportedly stole this unlikely object.
- A radio tower (CORRECT) 90.6%
- A refrigerator 2.2%
- A brick pizza oven 3.6%
- A football goal post 3.6%
The podcast
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) – The YMCA of South Alabama held a Healthy Kids Day at Spanish Fort Town Center Park.
Saturday’s event featured games and demonstrations, along with interactive activities featuring police and fire vehicles.
“I think just seeing so many organizations come together that serve kids, and just seeing kids have fun,” said Gwen Summer, CEO of the YMCA of South Alabama.
Marissa Rennaker, director of development for the YMCA of South Alabama, said the event exposed children to new activities.
“I think it’s been seeing all the kids laugh and try different things that they probably haven’t tried before,” Rennaker said. “There was a big group doing pickleball and yoga. We had ballet earlier, so just getting them out and exposed to things, I think it’s been great.”
The event was designed to kick off a healthy, active summer.
The YMCA of South Alabama is located at 27080 Pollard Road in Daphne.
Copyright 2026 WALA. All rights reserved.
Former Alabama star Will Anderson Jr. has reportedly signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Houston Texans, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Anderson instantly solidified himself as one of the top defensive players in football throughout his rookie campaign in 2023. The star defensive end was named as the Rookie of the Year in 2023, as Anderson’s extension will officially keep him in Houston long-term, as well as make him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Anderson recorded an impressive 12 sacks on the Texans’ defensive line in 2025, as the former Alabama star has made history following his head turning extension with Houston.
Anderson was nothing short of a superstar throughout his time at Alabama. Houston drafted the talented lineman with the third overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, as Anderson was widely regarded as one of the top overall selections from his class.
The former Crimson Tide superstar has officially inked a massive extension with the Texans, as Anderson will undoubtedly continue playing a critical role on Houston’s defensive line over the coming seasons.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn said that No. 4 Texas would be “hungry” against the No. 11Crimson Tide coming off its first series loss of the season to Texas A&M.
The Longhorns certainly were, as they pounced all over Vaughn’s team, striking out 17 Alabama batters en route to a 10-2 win.
“The story of the game was they just kind of kicked our tail in every phase tonight,” Vaughn said.
Alabama starter Tyler Fay had been elite over his past four starts, dating back to his complete-game no-hitter against Florida, allowing just six earned runs over the 26.0 innings pitched in those games. That changed instantly on Friday evening, as leadoff batter Aiden Robbins opened the game with a double and catcher Carson Tinney took him deep for a two-run blast moments later.
Texas added a third run in the first off an Ethan Mendoza RBI double, setting the tone for a dominant day. Alabama did not record a hit until the fourth inning as Longhorn ace Dylan Volantis tore through batters, striking out 12 over six innings.
Fay ended up going 5.1 innings, just the second time he did not make it through the sixth. The other, against Auburn, was only due to Vaughn wanting to keep his pitch count down in the wake of the no-hitter. He allowed season-highs of seven earned runs and 12 hits in the loss.
The Longhorns added a run each in the third and the fifth, before Alabama put the slightest amount of pressure on Texas in the top of the sixth. Bryce Fowler and Justin Lebron scored on the basepaths off an error and a wild pitch, respectively, to cut the Texas lead to three runs.
“You’ve got to find ways to score,” Vaughn said. “Those two guys just created two runs for us, and did a great job creating those runs and we crawl back in at 5-2, and it’s like, ‘Let’s go back to work…’ So thought we had that chance in those middle innings.”
The Longhorns effectively put the game to bed in the next frame, responding with three runs as Fay was relieved by Connor Lehman. Texas would add two more runs on the day, with the only silver lining coming in the fact that Alabama avoided a run-rule.
The Crimson Tide has now lost four straight SEC games after winning three consecutive series. Zane Adams takes the mound with the series on the line on Saturday, in a game that has been moved up to 12 p.m. CT due to anticipated rain in Austin.
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