Nov 08, 2024

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The University of North Alabama is considering bringing another live lion to its campus habitat, reports AL.com's Heather Gann. The school has been surveying the community in Florence to see how folks feel about it.

The lion program has been active for most of the past 50 years. Leo III died earlier this year.

The survey is ongoing, but reaction on social media is varied. Some are concerned about the animals kept in captivity while many enjoy the tradition and like the idea of the program's being used for education and advocacy.

The school said if it does restart the program, it will adhere to Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards for the lion's treatment and habitat and that the $5-$7 million cost would not be paid with student tuition.

Speaking of live mascots and debates, LSU reportedly may restart its tradition of having a caged live tiger at Tiger Stadium when the Alabama Crimson Tide visits on Saturday.

It's a tradition that was paused after the death of Mike VI in 2016. Mike VII lives in a 15,000-square-foot habitat across the street from the stadium, but the reports say the school has acquired another tiger that would appear at the ballgame.

PETA is not happy about this. The animal-rights group has called it "idiotic" and said a tiger would face too much chaos and stress.

Back in August, a 14-year-old football player collapsed on New Brockton High School's practice field in Coffee County and later died at Medical Center Enterprise.

AL.com's Carol Robinson reports that Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham has now released Semaj Wilkins' cause of death. He said an autopsy revealed that Wilkins had died of congestive heart failure because of a coronary anomaly. That is, he had an enlarged heart that wouldn't pump blood like it was supposed to.

The autopsy said it was due to natural causes.

A person could almost call yesterday hot. I wouldn't, but somebody else might. If it was raining at all we'd still be cutting grass.

AL.com weather reporter Leigh Morgan reports that a pair of cities saw record highs on Thursday. Birmingham reached 86 degrees, beating the previous record high for Nov. 7 by one degree. That previous record was set two years ago.

And Huntsville reached 84 degrees, breaking its previous record of 82, also set two years ago.

Both Birmingham and Huntsville, as well as Anniston, Muscle Shoals and Tuscaloosa, were more than 10 degrees above the average high temperatures for Nov. 7.

For a little context, the nighttime lows we've been having in many parts of the state are about what we usually can expect for daytime highs.

Review the recent news and improve your test-taking skills at the same time. Click here for our five-question (relatively) easy news quiz.

“I’m glad it’s basketball season, right? And I’m sure people that follow me on Twitter are glad it’s basketball season.”

Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, while discussing his tendency to get political.

In 1929, former Samford and Florida State head football coach Bobby Bowden of Birmingham.

In 1942, singer-songwriter, longtime keyboard player for Kris Kristofferson, "the Alabama Leaning Man" Donnie Fritts.

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