Aug 10, 2023

Some firsts today for the DIA newsletter:

1. First Jerry Maguire reference

2. First story about UFOs.

Thanks for opening. Let's get to some news ...

Ike Morgan

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It was no secret when longtime United States Senator Richard Shelby retired that the loss for Alabama would be partly measured in dollar signs.

A story from Roll Call via Tribune Media Services has quantified that.

Sen. Shelby, with all his seniority and power on the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a lot of funding to projects in Alabama.

He led the league in earmarks, which is a word that's often used derisively, but if they come from your guy and go to your project, you're sounding like Rod Tidwell on the phone to Jerry Maguire.

Which makes Shelby the Ambassador of Quan.

According to Roll Call, with Shelby gone, Alabama took a $352 million hit in earmark spending in the fiscal 2024 appropriations bills.

Still, the $304 million left is seventh among states in the Senate bill. 

In July, congressional hearings took place in Washington as lawmakers consider declassifying information about UFOs.

It makes one wonder ... how often have Alabamians seen something that they just can't explain?

The National UFO Reporting Center keeps a database of UFO reportings. AL.com's William Thornton reports that 1,364 sightings in Alabama have been documented, dating back to the 1930s. Of those, 107 originated in Huntsville and 32 of them occurred this year.

We're not close to the top of the list, however. California leads the way with nearly 16,000.

It isn't always easy easing back into classes for the semester. As an added distraction, wet conditions have left more than 300 Auburn University students temporarily without the campus housing they expected, reports AL.com's Savannah Treyens-Fernandes.

The University has closed Cambridge Hall for the time being and moved 305 students into hotels. Classes don't begin until next week, but students were cleared to move in beginning July 31.

The reason given was water intrusion that has occurred with recent heavy rainfall during this summer-storm pattern much of Alabama's been in. Things got worse during repair work -- as they do during any and all repair work I've ever done -- and more rain and heat and humidity apparently has made a mess of things.

72

Arrests in Prichard following a six-day joint investigation by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Marshals. The 72 are facing 156 charges and 90 felonies.

In 1942, Pro Bowl cornerback Speedy Duncan of Tuscaloosa.

Also in 1942,  session bassist Norbert Putnam of Florence.

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