Dec 02, 2024

On this date in 1972, The Golly Hole opened up near Calera. That's a sinkhole, also known as December Giant, that is considered by some geologists to be the largest in the U.S. at about 400 feet across. Reportedly, the collapse was heard but not seen until hunters came across the big pit a few days later.

Today's report follows. Thanks for reading,

Ike

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Alabama was one of only 10 states in which public-school enrollment was up over the past year, according to a report by the Alabama Daily News.

This schoolyear's K-12 enrollment was up just 0.3%, but that increase of around 2,500 students puts the state at an eight-year high, reports AL.com's Rebecca Griesbach.

A lot of the increases are affected by population growth in places such as Limestone County and Baldwin County.

Increases in those places, Birmingham and others are tempered by dwindling numbers in many rural areas, where worries of school closings and consolidations remain.

State Superintendent Eric Mackey said there have been improvements in public-school options and parental confidence in the schools.

Still, more competition is looming. Homeschool and private-school enrollment took off during the COVID pandemic, and the state will be expanding its school voucher program, which is designed to give more students the private option.

Alabama A&M linebacker Medrick Burnette Jr. died last week after suffering a head injury during the Magic City Classic against Alabama State in October, reports AL.com's Mike Cason.

This was the player whose death had been prematurely announced and, for a bit, retracted. He died at UAB Hospital.

Burnette was a California native who had transferred to A&M from Grambling State. He played in seven games for the Bulldogs this season.

Medrick Burnette Jr. was 20 years old.

Mike McClure Jr. of Birmingham's Rock City Church contributed to an album that was atop the last Billboard gospel chart, reports AL.com's Sarah Whites-Koditschek.

The album is "Undefeated Champion" by Transformation Worship. McClure, who records under the name "Pastor Mike Jr.," wrote and is featured on the song "Crazy Faith."

McClure has released three albums, including "Live Free," which won the Rap Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year at the 2020 Stellar Awards.

Former Alabama player and athletics director Bill Battle has passed away, reports AL.com's Nick Kelly.

Oddly enough, he's the third former Crimson Tide AD to die this year, following Steve Sloan and Hootie Ingram this past spring.

Battle was a Birmingham native who played for Bear Bryant teams in 1960-62, including the 1961 national championship team.

He returned to Tuscaloosa as AD during the Nick Saban era. In Battle's four years beginning in 2013, Alabama sports teams won three national championships and 10 SEC titles and individuals captured 15 national championships.

In between, Battle had a football coaching career that included a stint as Tennessee's head coach in the 1970s, and he was founder and CEO of Collegiate Licensing Company.

Bill Battle was 82 years old.

“In the South, our Christmases are totally different than that old Northern kind of feeling.”

Singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen of Houston, explaining why his "Lights, Camera, Christmas!" -- which makes stops in Mobile and Decatur -- isn't so much "Christmas" in the traditional, snow-covered sense.

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