Sep 25, 2024

Note that over on the podcast we catch up with Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist John Archibald. The conversation includes his thoughts on Birmingham, the rise in homicides, and more.

The report follows. Thanks for listening,

Ike

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A study has found that, since the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, more women are being charged with pregnancy-related crimes other than abortions, according to a report by The Associated Press.

The research was done by the advocacy group Pregnancy Justice. It showed that at least 210 women nationwide were charged with such crimes over the year after Roe was overturned. And 104 of those happened in Alabama.

No state other than Alabama and Oklahoma had more than 10.

Across the nation, only one arrest involved an alleged violation of the abortion ban, and the law that was applied was later overturned. Most of the charges were for alleged child abuse, neglect or endangerment.

A federal judge has filed a preliminary injunction to partly stop the enforcement of Alabama's new law regarding those who distribute or collect absentee ballots, reports AL.com's Howard Koplowitz.

The law makes it a crime to pay or be paid for providing absentee-ballot assistance. Several voting, disability and civil-rights groups filed a lawsuit challenging the law earlier this year. Chief U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor, who issued the injunction, had narrowed the lawsuit to include only voters who are blind, disabled or illiterate.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has indicated that he would appeal the decision.

In the past week we've already had a story about people who came from Florida to Alabama and were busted for allegedly removing saw-palmetto berries from a national park. Now we have the crew of an Alabama-based commercial fishing boat busted for allegedly possessing 45,000 pounds of illegally obtained pink shrimp in Florida, reports AL.com's Patrick Darrington.

Coast Guard Station Key West said the boat's permit had expired. The Coast Guard, in a statement, said it had "terminated the vessel's voyage," which sounds ominous but means the boat's shrimping was over and it was sent back to Alabama.

“I want enforcement, Mayor Woodfin. I’m sick of feeling unsafe in my own city.”

Birmingham City Council member Crystal Smitherman, about rising homicide statistics in the city.

$100,000

The largest reward ever offered by Crime Stoppers of Alabama has led to dozens of tips on this past weekend's mass shooting on Birmingham's South Side.

In 1954, Former Alabama center, Mississippi State head coach and NFL player and coach Sylvester Croom of Tuscaloosa. He was the first black head football coach in the SEC.

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Columnist John Archibald joins us to talk about the Pulitzer Prize board, Birmingham homicides and more.

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