Alabama
Wild Montgomery riverboat brawl prompts folding chair memes after footage goes viral
At least four people have been arrested after footage of a wild brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, went viral across social media. “There’s a possibility more will follow after the review of additional video,” the police told The Independent.
The incident occurred on August 5 near Montgomery Riverfront Park and was captured by several witnesses before being broken up by Alabama police. The alleged turn of events saw two men having an argument with a Black dock worker. Things soon escalated before many more people jumped in to seemingly defend the man.
In one piece of footage, one woman claimed: “These white people jumped this black security guard at the Riverfront. The staff got off the boat and it turned into WWE Smackdown. I’m so proud of Montgomery.”
Another person shared a different angle of the brawl, writing: “I HATE when people jump people a majority of the time, & even more so when you want to fight or jump someone for doing their job. I applaud EVERYONE that helped that man out.”
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People were thrown into the water and folded chairs were smashed over people’s heads.
The footage prompted X users (formerly known as Twitter) to do what they do best: Memeify it, with the ‘inventor’ of the folding chair being the centre of memes across the net.
In 1911, Nathaniel Alexander patented a design of the chair for schools, churches and “in small towns when somebody tries you,” one person jokingly quipped.
As the jokes rolled in, many users highlighted that the image “of Alexander” was in fact Lewis H Latimer, who invented many things including the light bulb filament.
Warning: Some readers might find the below images distressing.
There were more than a few wrestling memes too given that folding chairs are a very common weapon in sports entertainment.
The internet couldn’t get enough of the man who swam from the boat to help, dubbing him ‘Black Aquaman.’
Trust us, the internet is obsessed with this brawl.
There have even been recreations.
And a song too.
The Montgomery Police Department have since revealed in a statement that several people have been detained with charges pending.
Officials “acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job,” Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed said in a statement. “Warrants have been signed and justice will be served.”
Reed continued: “This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community. Those who choose violent actions will be held accountable by our criminal justice system.”
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Alabama
Alabama destination makes Conde Nast Traveler's 'friendliest cities' list
Every year, Conde Nast Traveler asks readers to vote on the friendliest cities in the United States for its Readers’ Choice Awards. For 2024, one Alabama city made the Top 10 alongside destinations such as Chicago, Charleston and Santa Fe.
Readers piped up for a spot on Alabama’s “beautiful, underrated Gulf Coast:” Mobile.
Alabama’s Port City came in at No. 5 on a list topped by Chattanooga, Tenn. There’s a slight glitch here, as Mobile allegedly “fell onto many travelers’ radars in 2024 when Amtrack unveiled its Gulf Coast service, connecting Mobile to New Orleans.”
Hold up there, Casey Jones: It’s not “now easier than ever to visit this slice of Alabama,” at least not quite yet, because they just held a groundbreaking for the service in late October. Even U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg couldn’t say with certainty when the “all aboard” call will come. (Spring 2025 seems likely.)
That said, the larger point stands. As the Traveler piece puts it, the rail connection comes at a time when Mobile “has begun respectfully highlighting its past through cultural moments such as the Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park and Clotilda: The Exhibition, a landmark show telling the story of the last ship carrying enslaved people through the lens of its survivors.”
According to the article, this is Mobile’s first time to make the list, which featured nearby Pensacola in 2023. The full gallery can be found at www.cntraveler.com.
Alabama
James Spann: Dry Monday for Alabama; showers possible Tuesday through Friday – Alabama News Center
DRY, MILD MONDAY: With a partly sunny sky, we are forecasting a high in the upper 70s for north Alabama today, with low 80s for the southern counties. The average high for Birmingham on Nov. 4 is 69.
Moisture will increase in coming days, and we will bring in a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms Tuesday and each day through Friday as a surface front stalls out just to the northwest. Rain distribution won’t be very even, but any one spot will see a 40-50% chance of seeing rain each day. Highs will stay between 77 and 81 degrees across Alabama.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: There is a huge amount of uncertainty due to model differences in handling the tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. The American Global Forecast System model suggests Saturday will bring widespread, beneficial rain, while the European global model shows little rain as it keeps the tropical system far to the southwest. We will have much better clarity over the next 36-48 hours; for now, we will mention a chance of rain Saturday, with a trend toward drier weather Sunday. Highs over the weekend will be in the 70s.
TROPICS: Potential Tropical Cyclone 18 is in the Caribbean, about 260 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica. Winds are 35 mph, and the system is expected to become Tropical Storm Rafael over the next 24 hours.
The latest National Hurricane Center forecast track brings it over the western tip of Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday, and into the southern Gulf of Mexico Thursday. From there, weakening is likely due to cooler sea-surface temperatures and stronger winds aloft, producing shear. It is too early to know whether Alabama will see beneficial rain; it is just one possibility. We will have much better clarity once the system becomes organized and we get dropsonde data from hurricane hunters.
ON THIS DATE IN 1935: A Category 2 storm called the Yankee Hurricane affected the Bahamas and south Florida. The storm remains the only tropical cyclone to hit Miami from the northeast in November.
ON THIS DATE IN 1985: The remnants of tropical storm Juan dropped 10 to 19 inches of rain on West Virginia and surrounding states, causing 62 deaths. A maximum rainfall amount of 19.77 inches was recorded near Montebello in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The flood in West Virginia was considered the worst in the state’s history.
For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.
Alabama
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey treated for dehydration at campaign rally
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey was treated by paramedics Sunday after appearing to become unsteady at a campaign rally for congressional candidate Caroleene Dobson.
Ivey’s office said the governor had gotten dehydrated and is recovering after being treated with fluids.
Ivey, 80, was attending a Sunday evening campaign rally for Dobson at SweetCreek Farm Market in Pike Road, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) southeast of Montgomery, when the incident occurred. Witnesses said Ivey was shaking as she stood with Dobson and held on to a beam for support. WAKA posted video from the event showing the governor looking unsteady. The station reported that members of Ivey’s staff then ran up to her. An ambulance was called to the scene.
“While campaigning for Caroleene Dobson at an event this evening, the governor got dehydrated. She received fluids and was evaluated on site out of precaution. She immediately felt better and is at home doing well this evening,” Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola wrote in a texted statement.
The Republican governor announced in 2019 that she had been diagnosed with early stage lung cancer and would undergo radiation treatments. She said in 2020 that the cancer appeared to be gone and that her doctor considered her cancer-free.
Dobson is the Republican nominee in the 2nd Congressional District. Ivey has endorsed Dobson in the race.
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