Alabama

Marijuana laws, colonoscopies: Down in Alabama

Published

4 months ago

May 28, 2024

Marijuana laws, colonoscopies: Down in Alabama

Welcome back. It’s a short work week, so we’d better get started. If you didn’t read yesterday, note that the answers and results from Friday’s quiz are there.

Dangerous storms

The storms that blew threw the state early yesterday knocked out power for some 137,000 Alabama Power customers and likely led to one death.

According to authorities, a woman in her late 70s in Mountain Brook was killed when a tree fell on her apartment. She was alone at the time, and no other injuries were reported. The woman was pronounced dead on the scene.

Several thousand remained without power as of this recording, according to the Alabama Power outage map.

Attention pot enthusiasts

We may soon see the federal government reclassify marijuana. But, as Savannah Tryens-Fernandes reports, that would not affect state drug laws.

See, the FDA recently recommended that marijuana move from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. That move would reflect the FDA’s stated belief that the vast majority of weed users are not doing something that is dangerous to themselves or others.

So last month, the DEA proposed to reclassify marijuana to reflect a view of the drug as less dangerous that it’s currently treated. There are still a few steps left on the federal level before that happens. If it does, it’ll probably give those in the marijuana business some tax advantages, but it doesn’t legalize or decriminalize it in Alabama.

Here, possession can be a misdemeanor if law enforcement believes the marijuana is just for you, and a felony if not. Selling it can get you up to 20 years in prison, and selling it to a minor can get you up to 99.

A life saver

If you’re someone who’s been sitting out your colorectal cancer screenings or you’re wondering whether having a colonoscopy is worth the time, here are some numbers that came up in a story that might interest you.

AL.com’s Sarah-Whites Koditschek reported on free screenings for low-income and underinsured Jefferson County residents that are being given at UAB through a state grant.

UAB says that in the first year of the program, 100 colonoscopies were performed, mostly for low-income minority patients. Half of them resulted in removed polyps from the colon, and three of them resulted in the detection and treatment of early-stage cancer.

All three cancer cases were successfully treated.

In a state full of people who’d love a chance to play the lottery, 3% is a relatively sizeable portion, so make sure you start getting screened as you get into middle age.

The free screenings at UAB for patients of federally qualified health centers will be available through September.

Quoting

“We’re just a gritty group of girls that are gonna scratch and claw their way to a world series. And we did it.”

Alabama softball catcher Riley Valentine, in an ESPN interview after the Tide upset Tennessee in a super regional to reach the Women’s College World Series for the second straight year.

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Born on this date

In 1916, writer Walker Percy of Birmingham.

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Alabama

Alabama fans at ESPN “College GameDay” on the Quad before the Crimson Tide's game against Georgia in Tuscaloosa Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

Published

4 hours ago

September 28, 2024

Press Room

Alabama fans at ESPN “College GameDay” on the Quad before the Crimson Tide's game against Georgia in Tuscaloosa Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

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Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com

Alabama vs. Georgia ESPN College Gameday 2024

Pat McAfee (far left), Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer (center) and Nick Saban. Alabama fans at ESPN “College GameDay” on the Quad before the Crimson Tide’s game against Georgia in Tuscaloosa Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

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Alabama Swimming Sweeps Delta State in Season Opener: Roll Call, September 28, 2024

Published

11 hours ago

September 28, 2024

Press Room

The Alabama swim team won 30 of 31 events to claim a commanding victory on the road over Delta State in the team’s season opener on Friday. The men’s team won 218-44, and the women’s team claimed a 117.5-44.5 victory on the way to a sweep for the Crimson Tide.

In addition to sweeping the relay events, the Crimson Tide saw a pair of individual wins from Leonardo Alcantara (500, 1,000 free), Bernardo Bondra de Almeida (200 free, 100 fly) and Tommy Hagar (100 back, 200 IM) on the men’s side as Mackenzie Brandt (200, 500 free), Kate Christian (200 back, 200 IM) and Victoria Raymond (100, 200 fly) secured two individual wins on the women’s side.

“This meet is always a great opportunity to see our newcomers compete and gauge our areas of improvement with our returners,” head coach Margo Geer said in a press release. “It was also exciting to have Emily Jone sandJada Scott return to competition. We’re excited for the win and now will focus on how to improve from here and prepare for the rest of the season.”

Overall, Alabama had 29 swimmers, 13 males and 16 females, claim a first-place finish in either a relay or individual event.

Committed!!! ROLL TIDE ROLL ! @AlabamaSB @UACoachMurphy @KaylaBraud1 @adamarbour @lmcmahon7 @RyanIamurri32 , Jadyn pic.twitter.com/V2y7DS087E
— Torynn Slaughter (@TorynnSlaughter) September 28, 2024

The sounds at The Joe.#RollTide pic.twitter.com/44HB5kEf1a
— Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) September 27, 2024

Tide Teammates! ❤️#RollTide pic.twitter.com/DihoTQMnOM
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) September 27, 2024

September 28, 2013: Coming off a lackluster win against Colorado State, and a week of soul searching, Alabama shut out No. 21 Ole Miss 25-0. T.J. Yeldon rushed for 121 yards and Kenyan Drake 99 as the Crimson Tide outgained the Rebels 434-205 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. “It’ll be huge for the confidence of our players,” Nick Saban said.

September 28, 1963: With the defense limiting Tulane to 99 yards, Alabama rolled to a 28-0 win over the Greenies at Ladd Stadium in Mobile. Quarterback Joe Namath, who passed only nine times, scored on a 1-yard run. Benny Nelson went 33 yards for a score. Billy Piper returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown. Hudson Harris also had a 20-yard touchdown run.

September 28, 2019: Alabama enjoyed a record-setting day en route to a 59-31 victory over Ole Miss at Bryant-Denny Stadium. DeVonta Smith set Crimson Tide records with 274 receiving yards and five touchdown catches, while quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did likewise with six touchdown passes and topped A.J. McCarron’s career mark of 80 touchdowns responsible.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow. Why? Because I get better looking every day.” – Joe Namath

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Awesome Al Radio, an Alabama radio station with a unique vision

Published

21 hours ago

September 27, 2024

Press Room

Awesome Al Radio, an Alabama radio station with a unique vision

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA)— From the time he was 10 years old, Al Eford knew what he wanted to do.

“Music has been a passion of mine all my life,” he explained. “I was basically raised on the radio.”

He’s been a disk jockey for about 40 years. During the pandemic, he decided to take his career to the next level and start his own radio network.

“I enjoy talking to the people. I just said one day, God knows, I’m gonna be on the air. And now I am heard worldwide.”

There is something most of his listeners on the Awesome Al Radio network probably don’t know. While the sounds are important, it’s sight that makes this show unique.

“I was born with glaucoma. The older I got, the more sight I lost. I went totally blind by 12 or 13 years old.”

He never let lack of sight affect his vision.

“I have speech synthesizers on my computer. When I put my headphones on, the synthesizer comes through the headphones to tell me what song I’m going to play.”

Song requests? No problem. He has a special printer that converts an email request into braille.

“Mr. Peoples in Laurel, MS, wants to hear the Supremes with “One Day We’ll Be Together,” he explained. Eford plays a little bit of everything. “Classic R&B, Today’s R&B, Neo Soul, Smooth Jazz, Country.”

It’s how he plays it that makes Awesome Al Radio special. Al hopes to keep growing his listeners and getting more sponsors, but nothing will slow this guy down. He’s doing what he loves every day.

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