Down in Alabama with Ike Morgan

Today we have some Alabama reaction to the Pope's death, the president's possible next visit to our state, and a real-estate surge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we'll catch up on some news from over the weekend, then do something different: AL.com has a really promising high school student reporter just finishing up her internship with us -- as well as her high school career -- and we're going to give her the Down in Alabama exit interview of sorts. See Breonna Atkins' AL.com work here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have the GOP muscling up in the state Senate, $10 million in a workplace civil suit, hurricane-season predictions and the Alabama News Quiz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a tragic boat crash on Smith Lake, a judge's heart attack, another Tarrant story, a drone crime and a Legislative roundup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today: help for pharmacists, more cruise lines, jobs in Macon County and a bur under James Spann's saddle. Also: where "Jubilee City," the nickname of Daphne, Ala., came from. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump's anti-DEI request, the passing of former Alabama and Auburn assistant college football coach Bill Oliver, a new air-defense facility and those lights on the Regions Building in Birmingham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have capitol reporter Mike Cason on the show to set up the home stretch of the 2025 Legislative Session. First we have a notice that went out to some registered voters they'll need to get squared away, the DOJ backing out of an agreement it says is too DEI, and why a few hundred people spent the night in planes in Montgomery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're going to bring back the Alabama News Quiz, and welcome back AL.com's executive producer for podcasting John Hammontree to sit in the hot seat. First, though, we'll get started today with an update on another financially strapped university, gun charges for a city magistrate, Bruce Pearl's new non-basketball position, and possibly a new water park in Mobile. Learn more about your ad cho...

Let's talk about stuffed-bird smuggling, a naughty prank on a few lawmakers and a cold case that now has an arrest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the briefing today we have more news out of Tarrant, a new suicide-prevention law, how many applied for CHOOSE Act funds and why John Rogers is out of prison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we'll have business and economics reporter William Thornton on to talk about the Trump tariffs and what Alabama businesses are saying and thinking and might be facing. Read William's work here. First, we'll lead off with our usual news briefing. We have items on typical home values, a big space-military contract, and a Buffalo Rock deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

We have reporter Margaret Kates on the show to talk about that recycling sorter in Montgomery that has a contract with some cities to separate recycling from trash before it goes into the landfill. She'll let us know what putting a few GPS trackers in recyclables told us. Read Margaret's reporting on the topic here. We also have items on the FBI headquarters, more Panama City Beach-related arrests...

Today we're going to go over more goings-on at the Capitol, from the gambling measure to a lawmaker's suggestion that her colleagues take their spat back where they came from. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a new state employee benefit and the General Fund budget. And the Poarch Creeks closed on a Birmingham property. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a former UAB scientist put on leave by the Trump Administration, some very faint lottery hope, and the most obese cities in the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we'll talk about firearms arrests at Redstone Arsenal, time running out for CHOOSE Act applications, a court ruling on out-of-state abortions and student injuries during Sunday's storms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we have Auburn basketball advancing ... charges in a low-speed tractor chase that resulted in the suspect being shot ... and today's Alabama place-name history that involves the pronunciation of a football stadium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have an immigration detention, the first state Glock switch arrest, a Trump appointee, Ella Langley's ACM nominations and a whole lot of 3-point shots from the Alabama men's basketball team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is also opening day for the major league baseball season. So I'm going to have on the show Ben Flanagan and Mark Heim, and we're going to pick our favorite all-time baseball movies. Baseball movies are a genre of their own, so there are plenty to pick from. I think we're going to do it draft-style, where we go around the horn picking our favorites from what's left. If you're the type who use...

Seeds in the mail, the politics of Lipscomb and a bill targeting those who might want to protest near someone's home. Also, a university study gives rise to the theory that manatees aren't native to our Gulf Coast (or even Florida's). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we'll talk economic development, Greenland and how it's curtains for one Alabama movie theater. Plus, for National Medal of Honor Day we'll highlight one of Alabama's past recipients. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a spelling-bee champ, a rabid fox, how Frog Eye got its name and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a chemtrails bill, an IOC president with Alabama ties, and plenty more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have AL.com reporter Ivana Hrynkiw on the show to update us on some prison issues. Her series on Alabama's parole practices last year caught a lot of attention, so we'll get updated on that. Also, we'll talk about a couple of high-profile death-penalty cases -- one that was recently commuted by Gov. Kay Ivey and another -- involving Death Row inmate Toforest Johnson -- that has gotten a l...

Today we have a surprising economic state ranking, some news from the legislative session, Alabama State's NCAA Tournament opener and ... what is so hard about southern geography? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices