Alabama

Ladies of the night are not wanted in one Pensacola neighborhood and after hearing complaints in the Ensley community of Escambia County, undercover officers decided to do something about it. Folks who live there say it’s about time.
Outside a fast food restaurant, deputies take down a suspect. According to undercover sheriffs investigators says Rodolofo Soriano is a pimp. He is one of nine arrests made in the Ensley community after deputies began hearing complaints while on patrol. “There was a prostitution problem in the area and it’s more than just one or two,” says spokesman Glenn Austin.
He says it didn’t take long for an undercover officer to see what all the complaints were about. (Read the full post about ‘Pensacola Prostitution Arrests’…)

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office unveiled a new tool in the fight against crime Thursday.
It’s called “Meth Text” and it allows anyone who can text message on a cellphone to report suspicious activity.
Here’s how it works. Tipsters can text the word “meth” to 839863 and report any meth-related incidents.
Citizens can also call (251) 574-DRUG to report a tip over the phone.
The Sheriff’s Department is also using 30 specially-trained deputuies to monitor drug stores and convenience stores for large purchases of ingredients to make meth.
Crystal drain cleaners and over-the-counter cold medicines containing ephedrine are at the top of the list.
The program is being funding through a $450,000 grant from the Department of Justice.
The Sheriff’s Department says they responded to nearly 50 meth-related incidents and seized over $1,300,000 with of methamphetamine in 2006.
You can find out more about Methtext here. (Read the full post about ‘A New Crime Fighting Tool’…)

Mobile Police say 61-year-old William Lumalcury was found dead early this afternoon. His body was found inside apartment 122 in Windsor Place apartment complex. According to Mobile Police Spokesperson Nancy Johnson the police department received a call to check on Lumalcury at his residence around 12:30 Thursday afternoon. When they arrived to check they found him dead inside the apartment. The cause of death is under investigation.

Johnson says they are looking for 32-year-old Gary Alden Potter as a person of interest. He was last scene fleeing the scene on foot, wearing camouflage pants and black army boots. Police are asking that anyone in the area that sees Potter to call them immediately at 208-7211. (Read the full post about ‘Homicide At Apartment Complex’…)

Hackers take over Comcast portal for several hours 2 hours ago NEW YORK (AP) — Hackers took over and defaced Comcast Corp.’s Web portal for several hours overnight, leaving a cryptic message on the site that the company’s 14.1 million subscribers use to access e-mail, news and technical support. The front page of Comcast.net went down shortly before 11 p.m. EDT Wednesday and was replaced with a note saying the hackers had “RoXed” Comcast, according to postings at BroadbandReports.com. Comcast spokeswoman Jennifer Khoury said late Thursday morning that the hijacking had been reversed, but some users were still unable to access Comcast.net and Web-based e-mail. (Read the full post about ‘Hackers Hit Comcast’…)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - State Sen. E.B. McClain has been indicted on federal bribery and other charges in an investigation into the state’s two-year college system. U.S. Attorney Alice Martin announced Thursday that the 67-year-old Democrat from Midfield is accused of using his legislative office in a fraudulent scheme to get money through a nonprofit organization. McClain earlier was charged with theft in state court in a case with similar allegations. Attending the special session in Montgomery, McClain said he is innocent and anxious to clear his name. (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. (Read the full post about ‘State Lawmaker Indicted’…)

It took less than three innings for Alabama to ruin the NCAA regional debut of ECU rookie pitcher Seth Maness. The Conference USA freshman of the year was pulled after allowing nine hits and two home runs in 2 2/3 rough innings.

Alabama wound up batting around in a five-run third inning that made it 8-1 — and the sun hasn’t set yet at Coastal Carolina.

The inning began with a walk and three consecutive hits — ended by a three-run home run by Tide first baseman Matt Bentley, who easily cleared “The Rooster’s Nest” fan area down the right-field line. Jake Smith and Alex Kubal added singles to chase Maness.

Alabama has 10 hits already.

An inning and a half into tonight’s NCAA baseball regional against No. 3 seed Alabama and No. 2 East Carolina, the small dimensions at Coastal Carolina’s Charles Watson Stadium are already a factor.

Each team has taken one over the left-field fence, but Alabama third baseman Jake Smith had two runners on base when he hammered a Seth Maness offering to put the Crimson Tide in front 3-1 in the top of the second inning.

Alabama made it 4-1 in the top of the third inning.

(Read the full post about ‘NCAA regional: Smith homer puts UA up early’…)

Wilson is heading into his third season as Alabama’s starting quarterback. During his Alabama coaching tenure, Nick Saban has rarely if ever waivered from this stance: He is a big proponent of starting quarterback John Parker Wilson. Saban defended Wilson strongly to the media after this past season’s Independence Bowl, and has kept doing it in conversations to fans this offseason. Check out today’s Press-Register story by the talented Gareth Clary on Saban’s visit to Mobile last night for the annua L’Arche fundraiser. The piece includes this interesting quote from Alabama’s coach … “Let me just say this,” Saban said. “Every time a Tide fan puts their head on their pillow, they ought to hope and pray that John Parker has a good year. (Read the full post about ‘Saban firmly behind JPW as Tide’s top quarterback’…)

Yesterday morning I wondered aloud on the blog if Alabama’s six-year national drought was about to end. I also did so in this story earlier this week. UA sports informationMatt Hughes’s second-round 71 was Alabama’s only under-par round out of 10 attempts. Well … unless the baseball team (which I am currently with in Conway, S.C.) has quite a few tricks up its collective sleeve, Alabama is set to finish the school year without an NCAA title. The top-ranked Crimson Tide men’s golf team slumped through the first two rounds at its NCAA championships. Jay Seawell’s squad, which set a school record for tournament titles and won the program’s first SEC crown in 29 years, is at 30-over par, 17 shots off the lead on what is apparently a brutal golf course at Purdue. (Read the full post about ‘Tide’s title hopes fading quickly on two fronts’…)

Want a good omen for Alabama’s baseball team on NCAA regional weekend?

Horry has been an NBA success since his Alabama career in the early 1990s.

Host Coastal Carolina’s campus is in Conway, S.C., which I learned today is in Horry County.

(OK, so it’s obviously not named for this famous former Crimson Tide basketball player, but it’s the first name I thought about. Seriously, how many people have the last name Horry?)

How about another good — far more applicable — omen?

Alabama coach Jim Wells said before today’s practice at CCU that left-hander Miers Quigley should “be fine” despite a recent spell with back pain.

(Read the full post about ‘Day one on the Palmetto coast …’…)