Alabama
Florida man arrested in 2011 New York murders of Alabama veteran, toddler once linked to serial killer
The New York Times is reporting that a 66-year-old man from Florida has been charged in the death more than two decades ago of a woman born in Alabama and her two-year-old child.
Andrew Dykes of Ruskin, Fla., was indicted this week by a grand jury on charges of murdering Tanya Denise Jackson and her two-year-old, Tatiana Marie Dykes.
Tanya Jackson was known as Jane Doe No. 3, or “Peaches,” after a tattoo on her torso of a heart-shaped peach with a bite taken out of it. She was identified in April.
According to The New York Post, Jackson’s torso was discovered in 1997 stuffed in a container in a wooded section of Hempstead Lake State Park, along a remote stretch of Long Island oceanfront, several miles from the New York City border.
In 2011, more of Jackson’s remains were found in the Gilgo area, along with the body of her daughter.
Tatiana was found in a thicket, wrapped in a blanket and wearing gold jewelry.
Tanya Jackson had been born in Alabama and served in the U.S. Army from 1993 through 1995, when Tatiana was born. Jackson later moved to Brooklyn, where she may have worked as a medical assistant, according to police.
Jackson had never been reported missing and was reportedly estranged from family members.
She and her daughter were buried at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort.
Dykes was the father of Tatiana Marie Dykes, according to police. He was arrested on Wednesday in Florida on a felony fugitive warrant.
Both Jackson and Tatiana Dykes had initially appeared to be possible victims of the Gilgo Beach serial killer, in part because of their proximity to where other victims were discovered, but investigators eventually ruled this out.
Rex Heuermann, a Massapequa Park, N.Y., architectural consultant, faces charges of killing seven women, six of whom were found in the Gilgo Beach area.
Alabama
University of Alabama alumni launch fundraiser to save student magazines
University of Alabama alumni have launched a fundraising campaign for two print magazines that were shut down.
Masthead, a nonprofit dedicated to “diverse, anti-racist and equitable student media at the University of Alabama,” opened a $25,000 fundraising campaign for Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six, two student-led print magazines focused on women’s lifestyle and Black culture.
The university shuttered the magazines after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives may violate federal anti-discrimination laws.
The alumni group said it doesn’t think the magazines violated federal regulations.
“Even if their subject matter is specific, Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six have always been by anyone, for everyone,” Masthead said in a news release. “The editors-in-chief of both magazines said their staff are ready to continue their work, with or without UA.”
The nonprofit the university’s decision silences viewpoints “disfavored by the government because they dared to write about those topics at all.”
The fundraiser will go towards printing costs, equipment and student salaries. Masthead president Victor Luckerson told AL.com it costs about $7,500 to print 1,000 copies.
“This fundraising drive is the first step in ensuring the staff at Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six receive the mentorship, advice and support they need during this tumultuous time,” Masthead said.
Masthead will post updates about the campaign in their newsletter.
“Even if the university says that Nineteen Fifty-Six is suspended, this proves that there is no suspension of the stories that we’re going to tell,” Nineteen Fifty-Six editor-in-chief Kendal Wright said. “It takes away a space for us to be able to tell our own stories and for everyone to read our stories. But I think this experience has taught our community and our staff that there is always another way. We will always have a space to tell our stories, and we will always make one. We cannot be silenced.”
The University of Alabama has not responded to requests for comment.
Alabama
College Football Playoff committee absolutely blew it
College football lost on Sunday.
It lost because a team, Notre Dame, capable of winning a national championship was left out.
It lost because the College Football Playoff selection committee ignored the downward spiral of another team, Alabama.
It lost because of the committee’s inconsistencies in the ranking process, dropping one team (BYU) that was crushed in its conference tournament, but not treating the Crimson Tide the same way even though they performed in the exact same manner on Saturday night in a 28-7 drilling at the hands of Georgia. It lost because the committee ranked Notre Dame ahead of Miami all year, then flipped the two based on a head-to-head Week 1 result after ignoring the matchup in the previous five editions of the rankings.
Alabama
Comparing Alabama Final CFP Resume Against Notre Dame, Miami
It’s been said for years that teams playing in conference championship games won’t be penalized for losses when it comes to College Football Playoff rankings. That might be put to the test on Sunday when the 12-team 2025-26 tournament bracket is set and announced (11 a.m. CT, ESPN)
Following Saturday’s results, when just about everything didn’t go the Crimson Tide’s way, chances are the committee will end up picking two just teams between Alabama, Notre Dame and Miami for the final at-large spots.
Did Alabama do enough to get in after being the first team out last year? Will the committee switch it and Notre Dame in the rankings after moving the Crimson Tide ahead of the Fighting Irish last week? Might Miami leapfrog one or both despite not playing this week?
This is to put the team resumes next to each other to make them easier to compare, but before doing so we’re going to make two assumptions:
- That No. 11 Brigham Young (12-2) is out of the mix after getting routed in the Big 12 Championship Game to Texas Tech. Why? Their only win against a ranked opponent this season was 24-21 over then-No. 24 Utah.
- Unranked Duke won’t be seriously considered by the selection committee despite winning the ACC Championship Game in overtime against Virginia. Even with the win, the Blue Devils finished 8-5.
That means the ACC will be out of the playoff if Miami doesn’t get in.
To fill in a couple of details, one of the changes from last year was that only the top five conference champions in the rankings secure the automatic bids. Consequently, James Madison will squeeze in instead. In case you missed, it, Duke played in the ACC title game in Charlotte after a five-way tie for second place in the league standings, which was finally broken by the sixth tiebreaker.
Tulane, No. 20 in last week’s CFP rankings, will be the No. 11 seed.
Two of these teams will be in the top 10 and still alive for the national championship. Unless the selection committee makes a change with the teams that were idle this week (Ole Miss without Lane Kiffin?) the No. 9 team will visit Oklahoma, and the No. 10 team will draw Texas A&M.
SEE ALSO: Kalen DeBoer Makes Final Pitch to CFP Committee After SEC Championship Loss
Alabama Crimson Tide
CFP Ranking Last Week: 9
Record: 10-3
Did it play in conference championship: Yes, but not well, losing to No. 3 Georgia.
Wins over ranked teams: at then-No. 5 Georgia 24-21; No. 16 Vanderbilt 30-14; No. 14 Missouri 27-24; No. 11 Tennessee 37-20
Losses: at Florida State in season opener, 31-17; No. 11 Oklahoma 23-21; No. 3 Georgia in SEC Championship Game 28-7.
Note: First team in SEC history to beat four ranked opponents on four subsequent Saturdays. Went 2-2 over final four games.
Strength of schedule last week: 11
Strength of record last week (ESPN): 8
BCS computers last week: 8
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
CFP Ranking Last Week: 10
Record: 10-2
Did it play in conference championship: No.
Wins over ranked teams: Then-No. 20 USC 34-24; at No. 22 Pitt 37-15
Losses: 27-24 at then No. 10 Miami in season opener, 41-40 to No. 16 Texas A&M
Note: Won 10 straight, but didn’t beat a top-15 team.
Strength of schedule last week: 42
Strength of record last week (ESPN): 13
BCS computers last week: 10
Miami Hurricanes
CFP Ranking Last Week: 12
Record: 10-2
Did it play in conference championship: No.
Wins over ranked teams: Then-No. 6 Notre Dame 27-24 in season opener; No. 18 South Florida 49-12; at No. Florida State 28-22; at No. 22 Pitt 38-7
Losses: Louisville 24-21; at SMU 26-20 OT
Note: Beat Notre Dame, and a team that defeated Alabama, Florida State.
Strength of schedule last week: 44
Strength of record last week (ESPN): 14
BCS computers last week: 13
Texas Longhorns
CFP Ranking Last Week: 13
Record: 9-3
Did it play in conference championship: No.
Wins over ranked teams: Then-No. 6 Oklahoma 23-6; No. 9 Vanderbilt 34-31; No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17
Losses: at then-No. 3 Ohio State 14-7; at Florida 29-21; at No. 5 Georgia 35-10
Note: It had three regular-season losses, which was the difference for the Crimson Tide not making it last year. Texas is arguing that it shouldn’t be penalized for its season-opening loss against Ohio State. You could say the same then for Alabama and Notre Dame.
Strength of schedule last week: 8
Strength of record last week (ESPN): 12
BCS computers last week: 15
Vanderbilt Commodores
CFP Ranking Last Week: 14
Record: 10-2
Did it play in conference championship: No.
Wins over ranked teams: Then-No. 11 South Carolina 31-7; No. 10 LSU 31-24; No. 15 Missouri 17-10; at No. 19 Tennessee 35-24
Losses: at then-No. 10 Alabama 30-14; at No. 20 Texas 34-31
Note: Best team in Vanderbilt history? The problem is the Commodores lost to two other teams in this group, Alabama and the one directly ahead of it, Texas.
Strength of schedule last week: 22
Strength of record last week (ESPN): 11
BCS computers last week: 12
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