Florida’s early-voting example: Down in Alabama

If you're interested in how early voting and other measures have affected Florida's elections since the infamous 2000 election, or if you're just a political junkie, you'll want to listen to today's "Down in Alabama" podcast episode.

Who's on Defense?

For a bit it looked as if Alabamians might serve consecutive stints as secretaries of defense.

Lloyd Austin of Mobile, of course, has served in that role in the Biden Administration. And Congressman Mike Rogers, a Saks Republican, was listed as a contender for the position under ex-President/President-elect Trump, reports AL.com's Howard Koplowitz .

Rogers was first elected to Congress in 2003, and he's the chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

Instead Trump tapped Pete Hegseth for the job. Hegseth is an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and has been a Fox News host for eight years. He has been awarded two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman's Badge.

Coca-Cola town

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United is putting more branding on Birmingham by buying the naming writes for the new downtown amphitheater, reports AL.com's Mary Colurso .

Back in early summer we found out the company was building an expanded, $330 million bottling facility that's supposed to have a big visual impact along Interstate 59/20.

Now, Coca-Cola United has signed a 10-year deal that brings us the Coca-Cola Amphitheater, which is expected to be finished by summer.

A first concert was announced last month by the way. On Aug. 15, the Coca-Cola Amphitheater will welcome none other than Teddy Weems.

Full Disclosure: I'm not sure who that is, either, but I do know that whenever the YouTube views tank there'll be a country duets album deal waiting for him.

Hope Hull star

There are a handful of reasons why recently the country singer Ella Langley has come across your radar.

First, she has that humorous sort of talking song with Riley Green called "You Look Like You Love Me." Whether you get your music from TikTok, Spotify, videos or the radio, it's been there.

As AL.com's Heather Gann reported , you also might've seen a video of her slipping and falling at John T. Floore's Country Store outside San Antonio. John T.'s is an institution in Texas. Langley took out her guitar player on the way down, by the way. If she was wiping out, she wasn't going to wipe out alone. (Hey, that might make a good country song).

If you get your entertainment from late-night TV, well, you're 15 years late, but you may have seen Langley on "The Tonight Show" Monday evening.

I said all this to point out that Langley is from Hope Hull, a community that's a railroad switch or two southwest of Montgomery.

Langley is a 25-year-old who's been making a mark as a songwriter and has a few promo singles out - and now she has a hit with an album cut and a viral spill. She'll be at the Sand in My Boots festival in Gulf Shores in May.

They figured the sand might make for a softer landing.

The wrong colors

The City of Calera, reports AL.com's Howard Koplowitz , says it's getting hammered by complaints over the paint job on a new water tower on County Road 12.

This one might be worse than a call-for-a-good-time graffiti job.

You see, the water tower is not only orange and white but it's orange-and-white-checked. Like the end zones at Neyland Stadium.

This visual indiscretion right smack in the middle of central Alabama triggered responses that often ended with "Roll Tide."

In order to get back in the good graces of the public, the City of Calera told its side the Alabama way: It explained how the design is actually the federal government's fault.

"Believe it or not, this eye-catching design is federally mandated by the FAA because of the tower's proximity to the Shelby County Airport."

"I don't care if you call it Trumpcare, if it keeps a hospital open in Bullock County."

Congressman-elect Shomari Figures, on his desire for Alabama to expand Medicaid.

"Obviously, we're trying to make sure that there's some consequences, that people are accountable for their actions to society. But what we're really trying to do is keep them from offending again. We are trying to get that recidivism rate as low as we can get it."

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice-elect Sarah Stewart

More Alabama News

Rep. Rogers: Moving Space Command to Huntsville will be one of Trump's first acts

Man arrested in Tuskegee shooting admits firing gun with Glock switch, denies shooting anyone

Congressman blasts Tuberville: 'No one has caused more harm to the military'

Alabama's newest Wawa opening soon with freebies to celebrate state's fourth store

Born on This Date

In 1837, James T. Rapier of Florence. He was a black Congressman who served one term during Reconstruction.

In 1899, famed archer Howard Hill of Wilsonville.

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