Alabama

Ukraine money, Tombigbee origin: Down in Alabama

Published

12 months ago

March 10, 2025

Ukraine money, Tombigbee origin: Down in Alabama

On this date in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell used a phone for the first time. He called his assistant, Thomas Watson, who answered the call from his boss because he didn’t have caller ID.

The answers to Friday’s quiz is near the bottom.

Thanks for reading,

Ike

Cash flow, interrupted

President Trump’s interruption in aid to Ukraine also appears to be an interruption to a significant flow of money to defense contractors in Alabama, reports AL.com’s John R. Roby.

Alabama officials previously have touted the state’s impact on Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s 2022 invasion. Former President Biden visited the Lockheed-Martin plant near Troy, where thousands of Javelin anti-tank missiles were built and sent to Ukraine.

In Huntsville, Aerojet Rocketdyne has built rocket motors and Boeing has built “seekers” that are used against aerial attacks.

Add it all up, and $3.7 billion, according to Pentagon data, has flowed into defense-industry facilities in Alabama. That puts us second to only Arkansas for having companies land Ukraine-related defense contracts.

Early in the war, Gov. Kay Ivey even fired off the tweet: “We want the last thing Putin ever reads to be ‘Made in Alabama.’”

Ah, but that was so much politics ago.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville voted for the first Ukraine spending package but his resistance rose sharply along with the cost of aid to Ukraine and eventually led to his calling Ukraine “the most corrupt country on the face of the planet” and warned that “we are on the cusp of a nuclear war.”

Skepticism has grown among many other Republicans, and a very contentious White House meeting involving President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was followed by Trump’s order to pause aid to the country.

An ambassador again?

President Trump announced that he’s nominated Montgomery businesswoman Lindy Blanchard as U.S. ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The organization leads efforts to fight hunger and has offices in more than 130 countries.

You may recall that Blanchard ran for governor in 2022 after briefly testing the water for U.S. Senate in that same election cycle. She finished second to Gov. Kay Ivey, pulling in 19% of Republican primary voters against a popular incumbent in a pretty crowded field.

She joined plaintiffs who sued Alabama officials over the state’s electronic vote-counting machines after that election but withdrew from the lawsuit before it was eventually dismissed.

Before that, Blanchard served as U.S. ambassador to Slovenia during Trump’s first term. She and her husband made much of their wealth through real estate.

What’s in a Name?

Tombigbee River

This week’s Alabama place name is the Tombigbee River.

When I was a young boy, I could’ve sworn the Tombigbee River was named after Tom, the surly cashier at Big B Drugs.

Remember Big B Drugs? It was last headquartered in Bessemer. While we’re throwing it back … Big B was sold in the late ’90s to … Revco. I remember in my hometown the Big B and Revco shared the local market with … Eckerd.

Back to Tombigbee, whose name had nothing to do with drugs as far as we know.

The Tombigbee starts in Mississippi and eventually joins the Alabama River to form the Mobile River.

William A. Read’s “Indian Place Names in Alabama” tells us that Tombigbee comes from Choctaw words meaning “box makers” or “coffin makers.” He follows the “coffin makers” line of thinking and reports that there was a class of old men who cleaned dead people’s bones and put them in boxes.

Yikes.

Read wrote that “Evidently some members of this class must have lived along the Tombigbee,” which doesn’t exactly sound like a sure bet, although this version of history is often cited.

Mississippi historian Rufus Ward takes us down the “box makers” interpretation. In The Commercial Dispatch, he sites a territorial judge’s writing in 1805 that it was named for a box maker who once lived on the Tombigbee’s headwaters. He also sites other accounts that put the source of the name in Alabama where the French Fort Tombecbe once stood.

Also pointing in that same direction: According to Ward, a land draughtsman wrote way back in 1848 that, more than 100 years before, the Choctaws named the river after wooden boxes that were made by people along the river for shipping furs.

Which would make sense. We know that the French Americans were prolific fur traders. The Canadian Museum of History calls fur “the real economic driver of New France.”

It could be that it is memorialized in the name of an Alabama river.

More Alabama News

Alabama News Quiz answers/results

Overall:

5 out of 5: 31.6%
4 out of 5: 34.9%
3 out of 5: 20.4%
2 out of 5: 10.6%
1 out of 5: 2.2%
0 out of 5: 0.3%

This nationally known Alabama politician has been hinting at a run for governor in 2026.

Tommy Tuberville (CORRECT) 93.5%
Jeff Sessions 2.7%
Katie Britt 1.9%
Doug Jones 1.9%

This Alabama-connected author has a book of short stories publishing (posthumously) this year.

Harper Lee (CORRECT) 85.8%
Kathryn Tucker Windham 9.0%
Winston Groom 3.3%
Zora Neale Hurston 1.9%

The Iron Hills Country Music Festival — a new event — will take place at this site in October.

Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham (CORRECT) 73.0%
Oak Mountain Amphitheater in Pelham 20.2%
National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan 4.1%
Buc-ee’s parking lot in Leeds 2.7%

A bill in the Legislature would require unemployment recipients to …

Contact at least five employers per week (CORRECT) 62.7%
Interview for a job at least once per week 33.5%
Maintain an updated LinkedIn account 3.0%
Memorize the line “My biggest weakness is actually also my biggest strength: I care too much.” 0.8%

Troy University’s Board of Trustees has voted to close the school’s location in this city.

Phenix City (CORRECT) 67.3%
Dothan 24.5%
Sumter, S.C. 3.5%
Da Nang, Vietnam 4.6%

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Alabama

Detroit Lions meet with Alabama star OL at NFL combine

Published

12 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Lions meet with Alabama star OL at NFL combine

As the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine nears its conclusion, the Detroit Lions continue to work to identify potential fits for the franchise.

The Lions own pick No. 17 in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Though Taylor Decker recently announced his return for the 2026 season, Detroit could still be thinking offensive line in the draft’s opening round.

If the Lions opt to fortify their offensive line, one name to watch for Detroit is Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. A Lions scout pulled Proctor aside to talk at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.

Now, Proctor confirmed to Crunch Time Sports that he met with the Lions at the NFL combine.

Proctor started 40 games across his Crimson Tide career, missing just the first two games of the 2024 season with injury.

The 6-foot-7, 366-pound lineman was Alabama’s highest-graded player last season with an overall offensive grade of 85.9, per Pro Football Focus. Proctor had a pass-blocking grade of 84.2, a run blocking grade of 81.1 and allowed just two sacks during the 2025 college football season.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions

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Alabama

Alabama lawmakers react to U.S. early morning military strike on Iran

Published

24 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Alabama lawmakers react to U.S. early morning military strike on Iran

Alabama lawmakers are weighing in with their opinion after Donald Trump announced that the United States conducted a military strike on Iran overnight.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey responded to a video from the White House X account announcing that we’ve taken military action.

“Strong leadership requires hard decisions,” Ivey posted to X. “This is exactly how we will achieve peace through strength. As @POTUS said, our Armed Forces WILL prevail. May God continue to bless the brave men and women in our military! And may God bless President Trump and our great country.”

Congressman Robert Aderholt said in his own statement that he stands with Trump’s decision. The statement released earlier today, Saturday, Feb. 8, encouraged Trump for taking military action.

“For five decades, Iran has openly called for ‘death to America,’” Aderholt wrote. “I remember clearly when they orchestrated the deaths of 241 U.S. Marines in Beirut in 1983. In the years since, the regime has continued pursuing nuclear capabilities that threaten the United States and our allies. I stand with President Trump has he leads these strikes. May God bless the members of our armed forces carrying out these operations”

In addition to being the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, Aderholt is also a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall echoed similar sentiment to Aderholt. He cites the same quote.

“For 47 years the vicious Iranian regime has chanted ‘death to America,’” Marshall wrote. “It’s time for swift and decisive action. May God bless the men and women of the Armed Forces. May God bless America.”

Senator Katie Boyd Britt says she echoes Trump’s message from earlier this morning.

“Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism,” Britt said on X. “For 47 years, this murderous regime has operated a terror network that has brought death and destruction to the world and slaughtered innocent Americans. Iran’s nuclear ambitions, ballistic missile capabilities, and funding of proxy terror groups pose a sustained and clear threat to our nation, to our military bases and citizens in the region, and to our allies. This is a defining moment of generational leadership from President Trump to achieve sustainable peace. We are praying for the safety of our men and women in uniform and I echo @POTUS’s message this morning: God bless and protect all of our heroes in harm’s way executing this mission.”

Coach and Senator Tommy Tubberville tweeted, “President Trump has shown time and time again, you NEVER threaten America. God bless our great troops, god bless President Trump, and God bless America.”

U.S. Representative for 1st Congressional District of Alabama Barry Moore responded in a Facebook post.

“May God bless our men and women in uniform,” Moore posted. “Please join me in praying for strength, wisdom, and safety for President Donald J. Trump and all of those keeping our nation safe.”

United States Congresswoman Terri Sewell representing Alabama’s 7th District offered one of the few dissenting opinions from local lawmakers and politicians. Although she acknowledges Iran’s history, Sewell expresses her concern for the lives of U.S. citizens now that peace talks have been abandoned.

“Iran has oppressed their people and supported terrorism in the region for decades,” Sewell said in an official statement. “This fact does not change the President’s obligation under the Constitution to work with Congress on military actions that put our troops in harm’s way and could drag our country into another prolonged war in the Middle East.”

Sewell goes on to say that she’ll work with Congress to arrange a vote on a war powers resolution.

“I am also calling on the Administration to immediately provide a briefing on this ongoing military action, including their justification for abandoning diplomatic talks, as as their strategy for avoiding an extended regional conflict that is not supported by the American people,” Sewell continued. “I am praying for all the service members in the region and their families.”

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How to watch Tennessee Volunteers: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | Feb. 28

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

How to watch Tennessee Volunteers: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | Feb. 28

Labaron Philon’s No. 18 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-7, 11-4 SEC) hit the road to match up with Ja’Kobi Gillespie and the No. 22 Tennessee Volunteers (20-8, 10-5 SEC) at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday, Feb. 28. The game starts at 6 p.m. ET.

We have more details below, including how to watch this matchup on ESPN.

Prepare for this matchup with everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s college hoops action.

Tennessee vs. Alabama: How to watch on TV or live stream

Game day: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Game time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Arena: Thompson-Boling Arena
TV Channel: ESPN
Live stream: Fubo – Watch NOW (Regional restrictions may apply)

Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Tennessee vs. Alabama stats and trends

Tennessee ranks 78th in the nation with 80.5 points per game so far this year. At the other end, it ranks 62nd with 69.1 points allowed per contest.
The Volunteers are thriving when it comes to rebounding, as they rank third-best in college basketball in boards (39.9 per game) and second-best in rebounds allowed (25.9 per contest).
So far this season, Tennessee ranks 30th in college basketball in assists, averaging 17.1 per game.
With 11.8 turnovers per game, the Volunteers are 257th in the country. They force 10.7 turnovers per contest, which ranks 224th in college basketball.
This season, Tennessee is making 6.9 threes per game (271st-ranked in college basketball) and is shooting 34.7% (139th-ranked) from three-point land.
With a 30.2% three-point percentage allowed this season, the Volunteers are 22nd-best in the country. They rank 182nd in college basketball by giving up 7.8 three-pointers per contest.
Tennessee has taken 67.3% two-pointers and 32.7% three-pointers this year. Of the team’s buckets, 75.8% are two-pointers and 24.2% are three-pointers.

Tennessee vs. Alabama Odds and Spread

Spread Favorite: Volunteers (-4.5)
Moneyline: Tennessee (-222), Alabama (+179)
Total: 164.5 points

NCAA Basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 4:11 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

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Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.

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