McCarthy’s removal, endangered whale, cellphone warning: Down in Alabama

How they voted on McCarthy

If you’re wondering whether the ouster of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy helps or hurts Republicans, well, the Democrats certainly think they know.Every Democratic representative in the body voted to remove McCarthy from his position as speaker. They joined a half dozen Republicans led by Florida’s Matt Gaetz, who initiated the motion to vacate. So the renegade Republicans got back at McCarthy for dealing with Democrats over funding the government … by dealing with Democrats.

Alabama’s delegation reflected what most of the larger body did.

All six of Alabama’s GOP congressmen voted against the motion to vacate. Most called the move a distraction from advancing the conservatives’ agenda.

Our one lone Democratic representative, Terri Sewell of Birmingham, voted with Gaetz and the renegade Republicans in favor of the ouster.

Whale of a debate

Biologists identified the Rice’s Whale as a distinct species just two years ago, and already the endangered animal is at the center of an environmental-slash-economic debate on Capitol Hill, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

Alabama Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville are among the sponsors of a bill that would prevent the feds from setting new environmental rules related to the Rice’s Whale.

The legislation is called the Wading Off Hostile Administrative Leader Efforts Act. And if that name’s tough to wrap your head around, once you realize the first letters of the words spell “WHALE” then you’ll love it.

The federal efforts they’re trying to avoid would be anything that hinders offshore oil and gas production and delivery. That includes possible restrictions on vessel speeds.

Only a test …

Your cellphone is expected to go off at 1:20 p.m. today, reports AL.com’s Leada Gore.

Don’t let it startle you and fall out of your chair at the office when it wakes you up. It’s just the FCC testing Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System.

For English speakers, the message should read “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

The blue skies of retirement

Alan Sealls is retiring after almost a quarter century as a television meteorologist in Mobile, reports AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz.

Sealls’s career has included 20 years at WKRG and the past four years at WPMI.

He said he’ll remain in Mobile, where he also teaches at the University of South Alabama. He’ll officially leave the TV station in January.

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