There is very little doubt that Johnny Manziel is an interesting guy. The first freshman to ever win the Heisman. He’s also a Texas A&M student who only takes online classes.

These two things alone would allow the football star to stand out from the pack. Manziel also has a nickname that seems perfectly suited to a talented quarterback who hails from the Lonestar state.

Manziel has recently filed a lawsuit to make sure that only he can benefit from that nickname, “Johnny Football.” ESPN.com reports that Manziel’s corporation JMAN2 filed a lawsuit against Texas businessman Eric Vaughan.

Vaughan had been printing t-shirts that had the motto, “Keep Calm and Johnny Football.” The corporation is asking for an injunction to stop the t-shirts from continuing to be sold. JMAN2 is also looking for damages.

The interesting thing about this lawsuit is that the rules against making money off a college athlete’s name are quite restrictive. The corporation is not allowed to collect on the money Johnny’s name and reputation brings until he has left college.

Texas A&M has seen a resurgence of its football program this season, its first in the SEC. Manziel led the team to several comeback wins and posted a victory over eventual national champion Alabama.

The team finished with an 11-2 record and their victories, as well as Manziel’s eye popping stats allowed him to overcome tradition and win the Heisman trophy.

Johnny Manziel’s eye popping numbers included 3,706 yards passing with 26 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. The freshman also ran for 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Against Alabama, Manziel passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns while running for 92 yards on 15 carries.

Can Johnny Manziel make the Johnny Football label be his and his alone? Or is this kind of lawsuit a lost cause?

Johnny Manziel Files Lawsuit To Protect ‘Johnny Football’ Name is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alabama Republican Lawmaker Mary Sue McClurkin is pushing forward new legislation that would place more restrictions on abortion clinics in her state. What is slightly different about McClurkin’s approach is that she believes the measure is needed because abortion is a major surgery performed on a major organ.

Specifically, McClurkin says that abortion removes the “largest organ” of a woman’s body. There are plenty of states that have passed restrictions on abortion clinics and how abortions can be carried out in the past few years. The argument is usually that the abortion is the taking of a human life.

Even those who are fundamentally opposed to abortion tend to say that there are times when the surgery should be performed. In general those times tend to look out for the health of the mother, but not because the surgery is akin to have your spleen removed.

Mary Sue McClurkin appears to be claiming that the surgery shouldn’t be performed because women don’t understand how dangerous it is. The Huffingtonpost reported that McClurkin explained her views on the issue saying:

“When a physician removes a child from a woman, that is the largest organ in a body. That’s a big thing. That’s a big surgery. You don’t have any other organs in your body that are bigger than that.”

Jezebel.com reports that the bill puts in place restrictions such as forcing the doctor performing the abortion to have hospital admitting privileges. Gaining admitting privileges is completely up to the hospital administrator. Should that administrator oppose abortion, they will most likely not grant that doctor those privileges.

What the bill does do, is undercut one of the most often used arguments by anti-abortion advocates. Claims that you are taking a human life seem to have more resonance than claims that you are removing an organ.

Do you think Mary Sue McClurkin is helping or hindering the anti-abortion agenda?

Mary Sue McClurkin, Alabama Republican Lawmaker Claims Baby Is Body’s Largest Organ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mobile, AL – An Onion story angered a marketing firm in Alabama, but their response didn’t serve as a comeback so much as it inadvertently proved the publication’s original point.

Mobile’s Red Square Agency decided to declare war on The Onion after they published a story titled “PR firm advises US to cut ties with Alabama,” which you can read by clicking on the link.

Of course, it’s never wise to pick a fight with The Onion. The social satire outfit always comes out on top, mostly because, if nothing else, they can fall back on “it’s a satire website” and make their opponents look silly for taking it so seriously, but also because their opponents oftentimes accidentally prove their original point.

In response to The Onion‘s contention that Alabama would best serve the US by seceding, laying out made-up statistics suggesting that most people associate the state with “teen pregnancy,” “racism,” and “obesity,” to prove their point, Rich Sullivan, Red Square’s chief executive officer and executive creative director, didn’t seem to get the joke, notes MSN.

“We were just surprised to see a decades-old joke on the front page of The Onion,” he told Al.com. “This is the newspaper that gave us such unforgettable headlines as ‘CIA realizes it’s been using black highlighters all these years,’ ‘Osprey devours lion in massive food-chain shake-up’ and ‘Wealthy teen nearly experiences consequence,’” he concluded.

And his point is what exactly? That Alabama’s stereotypes amount to a “decades old joke” and are “unoriginal?” Well yeah, that’s part of the joke.

Still, Sullivan says that he “expected better” out of The Onion, and opined that their Alabama story shows how downhill the publication has gone. “We just got to talking about how lazy it was, but still, you just can’t let them say that kind of stuff.”

“Part of our whole purpose in what we do is to try and change people’s minds about what kind of thinking happens in this state, so if we don’t stand up for Alabama, who’s going to do it?” he said.

What do you think? Who has won the battle between The Onion and Alabama’s Red Square Agency?

Alabama Firm Criticizes Onion News Story, Accidentally Proves Their Point is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ethan, the Alabama boy held hostage in Alabama, celebrated his sixth birthday Wednesday.

A beaming six-year-old Ethan said “cheese” for photos and played with toys at his birthday party Wednesday. There were no immediate signs of emotional damage from being taken hostage just days earlier.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the boy, known only as Ethan, was held hostage for nearly a week at a standoff in Alabama. After Jimmy Lee Dykes kidnapped him from a school bus and held him hostage in a booby-trapped underground bunker, Ethan was physically unharmed.

Ethan celebrated his sixth birthday at a local church Wednesday with hugs from his family and friends, even scoring hugs from the SWAT team and FBI agents involved in his rescue.

Ethan’s adult brother Camren Kirkland told ABC News about the text updates the family received as the situation developed:

“We did know when, at times, he was asleep and that was normally around nine o’clock at night.”

Kirkland said the text updates kept the family going through it all, even right up to the rescue:

“That was actually a lot of comfort. I could actually go lay my head down. … [They] said, ‘We have Ethan.’”

The FBI special agent whose call it was to send the team in told said Dykes left behind writings revealing that while in the bunker with Ethan, he’d become agitated. According to Yahoo News, the agent said:

“At the end of the day, the responsibility is mine. I thought the child was going to die.”

Ethan is fine, seems to be doing well in spite of the hostage situation, and celebrated his sixth birthday Wednesday.

Youngest’s Update::: Alabama hostage Ethan celebrates his birthday: The beaming 6-year-old Ethan shows no signs … abcn.ws/TUWXrU

— ✞Elijah♞Emmanuel✞ (@Youngest_Hacker) February 8, 2013

Alabama Hostage Ethan Celebrated His Birthday Wednesday is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alabama hostage taker Jimmy Lee Dykes apparently had home-made bombs in his bunker.

Authorities killed Dykes when they invaded his bunker Monday, and 5-year-old Ethan was successfully freed.

Betty Jean Ransbottom, Ethan’s grandmother fears the crisis that the child will face for the rest of his life:

“We know he’s OK physically, but we don’t know how he is mentally.”

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Jimmy Lee Dykes took the child off a school bus after shooting and killing the driver. After days of negotiations proved unsuccessful, authorities stormed Dykes’ compound.

According to the Huffington Post, Roger Arnold, an acquaintance of Dykes, said:

“He always said he’d never be taken alive. I knew he’d never come out of there.”

According to ABC News, the bombs had been cleverly planted. One bomb was found inside the bunker and another was located in a PVC pipe negotiators used in communications with Dykes. Both bombs were successfully defused. The search for additional bombs and hazards is expected to continue through today.

FBI special agents had been situated near the bunker entrance and negotiators convinced Jimmy Lee Dykes to approach the door. Agents used two explosions to open a way into the bunker. Dykes had reinforced the bunker against attempted entry, a plan which obviously failed.

Brad Garrett, former FBI agent, stated:

“It’s all about timing that is why you practice. You practice blowing the door in split seconds, flash bang, shoot before Mr. Dykes would even have an opportunity to react.”

Ethan’s aunt Debra Cook stated:

“If I could, I would do cartwheels all the way down the road. I was ecstatic. Everything just seemed like it was so much clearer. You know, we had all been walking around in a fog and everyone was just excited. There’s no words to put how we felt and how relieved we were.”

Jimmy Lee Dykes’ bombs were no match for FBI prowess, as they entered the bunker and saved Ethan from the hostage taker.

Alabama Hostage Taker Had Bombs In Bunker is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Alabama teacher has been suspended for a political rant which included calling the First Lady “fat butt Michelle Obama.”

Bob Grisham, a high school psychology teacher, has been suspended for 10 days without pay for his “fat butt Michelle Obama” rant, which was also included derogatory comments about homosexuals. A student in Grisham’s class made an audio recording of the rant, and apparently turned it in to school authorities, reports NBC News.

Grisham, who is also the school’s head football coach, will begin his suspension from Lauderdale County High School Tuesday, and he will not teach his class for the rest of the school year. The cherry on top of his punishment? Mandatory sensitivity training.

He’ll have other academic duties for the remainder of the year when he returns from suspension, and will have to meet monthly the school’s personnel director, to make sure he’s meeting his requirements.

His “fat butt Michelle Obama” remark stemmed from a debate/discussion about current affairs in his class, during which he blamed Lauderdale High School’s low-calorie lunch program on the First Lady. “Look at her,” he remarked. “She looks like she weighs 185 or 190. She’s overweight.”

He also included a rant against homosexuals.

“I don’t believe in queers,” he said. “I don’t like queers. I don’t hate them as a person, but what they do is wrong and an abomination against God.”

Grisham told Alabama’s Times Daily last week that he misspoke during the class discussion.

What do you think? Should Grisham have been punished more severely for his “fat butt Michelle Obama” rant?

‘Fat Butt Michelle Obama’ Rant Gets Teacher Suspended [Audio] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The 5-year-old boy held hostage in Alabama over the past week is back home and in for the “greatest” birthday of his life, according to a pastor close to his family.

Yesterday, the Alabama hostage situation came to an end after an FBI raid left kidnapper Jimmy Lee Dykes dead. His 5-year-old child hostage, who Dykes snatched after fatally shooting a school bus driver eight days ago, is currently recovering in a hospital. He turns six on Wednesday, and his family is planning the “greatest” birthday of his life, reports NBC News.

“I would image it’s going to be the greatest birthday that family and that little boy has ever experienced and probably will ever experience,” Pastor Michael Senn told TODAY.

Now that the boy has been reunited with his mother, he is reportedly “laughing, joking, playing, eating,” according to Special Agent in Charge Stephen Richardson. “He’s very brave, he’s very lucky. His success story is that he got out and he’s doing great.”

At the Monday night press briefing following the end of the standoff, Sheriff Olson was light on specific case details, saying that the investigation was ongoing and that processing of the crime scene was still underway. However, Olson very openly discussed the boy hostage, Ethan, and seemed very pleased with the happy outcome of the scenario.

“This boy is a very special child. He’s been through and endured a lot and by the grace of God, he’s OK,” Olson said. “That was the mission of every man and woman on this compound. Of every law enforcement officer, every first responder, and all of the community who prayed to bring him home safely.”

The press was kept at arm’s length throughout the hostage situation, primarily because authorities believed that Dykes had a TV set in his bunker.

Here’s the TODAY report on the Alabama bunker hostage situation. It includes clips from the Monday night press briefing.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here’s the video of Pastor Michael Senn saying Ethan is in for the “greatest” birthday of his life.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Alabama Bunker Hostage Getting The ‘Greatest Birthday Of His Life’ [Videos] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Midland City, AL – The week-long hostage situation in Alabama is finally at its end, with the 5-year-old child hostage being freed and the suspect dead.

A law enforcement source told Reuters that the Alabama bunker hostage situation ended on Monday after seven days of negotiation. Authorities are expected to make a major announcement at a news conference in Midland City. An ambulance was parked near the scene left earlier today, though it is not known if anyone was inside.

Police say that the boy held hostage by 65-year-old Jim Dykes has been freed, and his kidnapper dead, reports the Dothan Eagle.

The Alabama bunker hostage situation started seven days ago when an armed Dykes shot school bus driver Charles Poland and took the child. Police officers have been attempting to negotiate with Dykes since that time, and the child, though terrified, was reportedly unharmed throughout the incident.

Poland died from his wounds, and students on the bus said that Dykes boarded and said he needed a “kid” because the “law” was after him. After Dykes left with the kidnapped boy, students remaining on the bus ran to a nearby house for help.

The kidnapped little boy allegedly has special needs, and medication was reportedly sent down into the bunker via a PVC pipe for the child.

It has been difficult getting solid reports on the situation since law enforcement officials have repeatedly pushed the press line away from the bunker where the child was being held and negotiations were taking place. Now that the child hostage in Alabama situation has come to a close, a fuller report on the situation is expected from police sometime today.

You can follow our in-depth, constantly updated timeline of the Alabama hostage situation here.

Alabama Hostage Situation Ends After 7 Days: Boy Safe, Suspect Dead is a post from: The Inquisitr

Last night was likely quite a display of fireworks if you were lucky enough to live where they are legal to use (sorry, desert states), but the universe isn’t done with the light show. Meteors are coming for all to see, thanks to NASA.

This week, Quadrantids meteor shower will peak, giving star watchers a little something extra that should be visible under clear night skies, says Yahoo News. It might also give Armageddon theorists the shivers, but hey, it’s been almost two weeks since the Mayan event, so they should be calming down.

If you’re not a fan of being out in the cold in early morning January 3, the Quadrantids will be streaming live on NASA’s website. Officials for the Hubble Space Telescope announced in a skywatching video guide:

“Those who brave the cold might see up to 40 meteors per hour, although moonlight will make faint meteors harder to spot.”

The waning gibbous moon will be out in all its glory during the shower’s peak, but skywatchers in the northern hemisphere with minimal light pollution during the wee hours of Thursday morning could still see the show, reports Space.com.

The Quadrantids come from the EH1 asteroid, says NASA. They may have come from a piece of comet that broke up several hundred years ago, the same source as the Geminid meteor shower. NASA officials add that it is:

“Located between the constellations Bootes and Draco, Quadrans represents an early astronomical instrument used to observe and plot stars.”

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama has a light-activated camera to record and live-stream the meteor shower during its peak.

First Meteor Shower Of The Year This Week: Live From NASA is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mobile, AL – Walgreens customers were left stunned and a little terrified when a tornado touched down in the store’s parking lot on Christmas Day. Fortunately, nobody was hurt during the unexpected arrival.

According to The Blaze, customers said the tornado sounded like “a washing machine full of rocks,” while others likened the noise to a military war zone.

As the tornado’s intensity increased, one man rushed out into the parking lot to assess the situation. Moments later, he can be seen running back into the Walgreens as the wind blows in behind him. The lighting reflected in the window looks like a top dollar Hollywood special effect.

The surveillance footage taken from the parking lot shows a particularly frightening scenario. Once the high winds set in, cars and debris can be seen casually blowing around the lot. The scene must have looked very surreal from inside the store.

One employee working at Walgreens on Christmas Day related his experience to the folks at FOX 10. He explained:

“I was on the phone with my brother-in-law trying to get an update from him exactly when it hit. I was in the stock room, and transformers were popping out here and the lights were turning green outside from all the transformers popping. It was pretty intense.”

According to The Huffington Post, the man in wearing camouflage fatigues who can be seen running into the parking lot recently posted his thoughts on YouTube

He wrote:

“[I warned] everybody to get away from the glass … then dove to the floor with another customer when the air pressure blew in the glass and debris rained down on us. I said a prayer for my girlfriend trapped in my truck outside. When I got to her she was terrified and had a sprained hand from holding a death grip as my truck lifted of the ground and settled back to earth as it was struck by an airborne shopping cart.”

You can check out the surveillance footage below.

What do you think about the tornado that ripped through an Alabama Walgreens?

Walgreens Tornado: Surveillance Cameras Capture Terrifying Storm [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The deep south has been known for extreme weather conditions, but that doesn’t stop a tornado from being something you don’t want to witness firsthand.

Christmas day, storm weather released possibly 34 tornadoes, killing at least three people, and according to Bill Bunting of the National Weather Service’s Severe Storms Prediction Center, it’s not over.

The severe storm started pounding Texas, then moved on to Louisiana and visited homes in Mississippi. In Mobile, Alabama, a wide funnel cloud was seen barreling across the city as lightning flashed, says ABC News.

Bunting states:

“Conditions don’t look quite as volatile over a large area as we saw on Christmas day but there will be a risk of tornadoes, some of them could be rather strong, across eastern portions of North Carolina and the northeastern part of South Carolina.”

Over 280,000 customers are still without power from Texas to Florida, with 100,000 without power in Little Rock, Arkansas alone. One Mobile resident told the press:

“We’ve got a lot of damage, we’ve got people hurt. We’ve had homes that are 90 percent destroyed.”

In the Houston area a tree fell onto a pickup truck, killing the driver. In Louisiana, a man died when a tree fell on his house, and a 28-year-old woman had a fatal collision on a snowy highway near Fairview, Oklahoma, according to the Associated Press.

Blizzard warnings were issued Tuesday, making highways dangerously slick heading into one of the busiest travel days of the year in at least eight states.

Teresa Mason and her boyfriend panicked when they saw the tornado roaring toward them in southern Mississippi, but she says they were actually saved when a tree fell onto the truck:

“[We] got in the truck and made it out there to the road. And that’s when the tornado was over us. And it started jerking us and spinning us. This tree got us in the truck and kept us from being sucked up into the tornado.”

Extreme weather created an eight-foot deep sinkhole in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Alma Jackson said that a concrete tank in her backyard dropped into the sinkhole:

“It’s really very disturbing. Because it’s on Christmas day, and then to see this big hole in the ground and not have any explanation, and not be able to cover it. And the rain is pouring down.”

The last time a series of tornadoes hit the Gulf Coast area around Christmas Day was in 2009, when 22 tornadoes struck on Christmas Eve, National Weather Service spokesman Chris Vaccaro said in an email.

Continue to watch weather reports in your area.

Tornadoes Spawned From Texas Along The Gulf Coast is a post from: The Inquisitr

One happy father enjoyed the best holiday ever when he took a second look at the hat his son gave him for Christmas. Tucked inside the innocent looking chapeau was a ticket to the BCS National Championship college football game between Alabama and Notre Dame taking place on January 7, 2013 in Miami, Florida.

Don Buckhannan dreamed of attending this year’s National Championship Football game to root for his beloved Alabama Crimson tide against undefeated Notre Dame. Now, father and son will be travelling to Miami to enjoy the big game. His son Daniel has a ticket of his own, and the two excited football fans can’t wait to settle into their seats for the first kickoff.

The 2013 title game aroused a fever pitch of excitement, with many well known sports journalists predicting this year’s game will be one of the most exciting ever. Notre Dame just completed a 12-0 season and they are ranked number one in the BCS rankings. The Fighting Irish are also number one in the AP Top 25, USA Today poll and ESPN’s Power Rankings.

Alabama will be fielding a powerful team, occupying the number two slot in the BCS rankings. The fearsome Crimson Tide steamrolled over opponents this year on their way to a 12-1 record. Their perfect season was marred by a 29-24 upset loss to the Texas A and M Aggies on November 10, 2012. Alabama fell from the number one spot after the loss and remained second to arch rival Notre Dame in all the major polls.

When the two college football powerhouses meet on the field to determine the National Champion in sunny Miami, Don Buckhannan and his son Daniel will be there to watch every moment of the biggest game of the year. A devoted son made his father’s holiday wish come true with a heart warming Christmas gift that is guaranteed to create a life time of memories. Merry Christmas to the Buckhannan family and to Inquisitr readers everywhere. May you all have a safe, joyous New Year’s Eve, and we hope the BCS Championship is a game to remember. I know journalists are supposed to be impartial, but I just can’t hold back: Go Fighting Irish!

‘We’re Going To The BCS Championship Game’: A Happy Father Celebrates The Best Christmas Ever is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hoover police Captain James Coker said US marshals arrested a man at 7 am, seven hours after the shooting inside Martini’s Lounge. The suspect has not yet been charged. Coker reports the suspect is male but is as of yet officially without a name, says ABC News.

Monterio Alonzo Peebles-Kellogg, 19 and Lakenya Chanise Moton, 20 both lived in Birmingham. They were declared dead at the scene outside the club located at 2132 Lorna Ridge Lane.

UAB Trauma Center released a third victim after treating her for gunshot injuries that were not life-threatening. Again, the identity of the survivor is yet unreleased.

A suspect was taken into custody by US Marshals around sunrise after receiving a call around midnight and there is no threat to the general public, claims Coker. No motive has been released, but there is a possibility that the suspect may have known the victims.

Coker said:

“This was no random act … It’s been about two-and-a-half years since we’ve had a homicide in Hoover that wasn’t traffic related.”

The fate of the nightclub is still under discussion by the chief of police and elected officials, according to AL.com.

Coker says the investigation is still underway, and details have yet to be officially released:

“We do investigate a crime of this nature very thoroughly.”

This is yet another shooting in the wake of the 26 people killed in Newtown, Connecticut, and I am willing to predict it will continue like this until after the holiday stress wears down. Let’s hope it stops before then.

Alabama Club Killings Lead To Arrest is a post from: The Inquisitr

As Alabama head coach Nick Saban prepares to take on Notre Dame at the BCS championship early next month, rumors and speculation began to swirl that the coach is considering returning to the NFL — as the head coach for the Cleveland Browns.

When asked if there was any truth to the rumors that he was perhaps ready to move on from college football, Saban offered a definitive answer.

“We’re really, really pleased and happy to be here,” he said (via AL.com). “We’ve been able to accomplish a lot. But like I’ve talked about before, this is a work in progress all the time. You’ve got to stay focused on the process to try to continue to make the next game the most important game, the next season the most important season, developing the team every year.”

All of the speculation began with a report from the Boston Globe published earlier in the month. Citing multiple sources, the report claimed Saban said that, if he were to return to the NFL, it would likely be with the Browns.

That wasn’t much to go on, but a more recent report from ESPN Cleveland claims that Saban is not interested in coaching the Browns. On the other hand, the team’s owner, Jimmy Haslam, is reportedly keen on having Saban as a head coach, so much so that he was willing to offer a $100-million contract for ten years.

For now, Saban is more than content with sticking with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

“This is what we’re happy doing,” Saban added. “This is what we like to do. But nobody really believes that. So, you know, maybe it doesn’t matter. I don’t know what I have to say or do, but it’s kind of funny to me.”

Nick Saban Speculation: Alabama Head Coach Thinks NFL Rumors Are ‘Funny’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dothan, AL – Fifty-five-year-old Glendell Ruth Hasan has been charged with terroristic threatening, a class C felony. She could face 10 years in a state penitentiary, which could include hard labor, and incur a fine up to $15,000. Allegedly Hasan made an indelicate remark while dropping off her son at the Jerry Lee Faine Elementary School in Dothan, AL. She was overheard saying, “They can shoot up this whole school as far as I care,” according to AL.com. Thereafter, staff members in the school refused to allow her entry, and put the school into lock down.

The Dothan Eagle reported the response of Dothan City School Superintendent Tim Wilder to the incident:

“She got into a confrontation with an employee at the school and made reference to a shooting at the school, which caused police to respond and lock down the school.”

Given the nature of her statement, and the events that have recently transpired at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, any inferences, even in jest, considered threatening against schools are going to be taken especially serious. Sandy Hook Elementary is the site where 20 children and six school staffers were killed by a lone gunman, Adam Lanza, on December 14, 2012. The Huffington Post reports that today, funeral services are scheduled for victims Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Caroline Previdi, Victoria Soto, and Chase Kowalski. Visitation is also underway for Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung.

As for Hasan, neither she nor her attorney, have made any official statements regarding the terroristic threatening charges.

Alabama Woman Arrested For Callous School Shooting Remarks is a post from: The Inquisitr

Justin Bieber’s former pet hamster PAC is reportedly doing very well in the hands of its new owner, according to Cinema Blend.

Fans were stunned when the Canadian pop star decided to hand over the little critter to one of his admirers after a recent concert in Atlanta. Although many believed Bieber was an irresponsible pet owner by handing over the hamster to a random individual, apparently the hamster is doing okay at its new home.

TMZ recently got in touch with PAC’s new 18-year-old owner Tori. While she said she was a little shocked that Bieber was willing to give up his pet hamster, the teenager said the animal is in good hands.

Tori explained to the website that PAC is currently living the good life at the family home in Alabama. As long as the pop star supports her efforts to care for the critter, Tori says she’ll make sure he lives comfortably until its dying day.

The Inquisitr previously reported that Bieber handed over PAC after signing some autographs at the Jingle Ball concert in Atlanta, Georgia. After approaching a group of screaming fans outside the venue, Bieber decided to hand the hamster over to Tori.

“That’s all you. You gotta take care of PAC,” Bieber said as he handed the little guy over.

“I will take care of him!” Tori shouted in response.

The entire exchange was captured on amateur video. Although it’s a little difficult to make out what’s going on, the clip has been included below for your viewing pleasure.

Animal lovers can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Bieber’s hamster didn’t get squashed on the way home that evening.

“Lets face it, this hamster has got it made now. I’m not sure what really constitutes as luxurious living for a hamster, but whatever is, PAC is doing just fine,” one TMZ reader commented.

Are you a fan of Justin Bieber? Are you shocked that the singer randomly gave away his pet hamster to one of his admirers?

Justin Bieber’s Hamster Is Apparently Alive And Well In Alabama is a post from: The Inquisitr

Reports are vague, but 38-year-old Tuskegee Police Officer Levy Kelly was detained by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation on Thursday, December 13, 2012 and charged with three counts of second-degree rape with a minor and three counts of enticement of a child for immoral purposes.

Alabama law (Section 13A-6-62) states rape in the second degree is defined as:

“A male commits the crime of rape in the second degree if: Being 16 years old or older, he engages in sexual intercourse with a female less than 16 and more than 12 years old; provided, however, the actor is at least two years older than the female. He engages in sexual intercourse with a female who is incapable of consent by reason of being mentally defective. Rape in the second degree is a Class B felony,” which means these crimes could carry a punishment of 2 to 20 years behind bars. The minimum increases to ten years if the Class B felony was committed with the use of a deadly weapon.

Alabama’s 2012 updated statute 13A-6-69 (a): Enticement of a child

“It shall be unlawful for any person with lascivious intent to entice, allure, persuade, or invite, or attempt to entice, allure, persuade, or invite, any child under 18 years of age to enter any vehicle, room, house, office, or other place for the purpose of proposing to such child the performance of an act of sexual intercourse or an act which constitutes the offense of sodomy or for the purpose of proposing the fondling or feeling of the sexual or genital parts of such child or the breast of such child, or for the purpose of committing an aggravated assault on such child, or for the purpose of proposing that such child fondle or feel the sexual or genital parts of such person.”

Innocent or not, stories of abuse of power like this rock the confidence people have in their protectors.

Tuskegee, Alabama: Police Officer Detained On Rape Charges is a post from: The Inquisitr

California Senate Democrat Dianne Feinstein has come out fighting in the wake of Friday’s Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

“I’m going to introduce in the Senate and the same bill will be introduced in the House, a bill to ban assault weapons,” Feinsten told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.

She added:

“It will ban the sale, the transfer, the importation and the possession. Not retroactively, but prospectively. And it will ban the same for big clips, drums or strips of more than 10 bullets. So there will be a bill. We’ve been working on it now for a year.”

In the aftermath of Newtown — and the spate of unrelated shootings or near-shootings that took place this weekend in Alabama, Indiana, Southern California, and Oklahoma — Feinstein is effectively issuing a rallying cry before Congress resumes in January.

The day after the Newtown slayings, Fox News reported Feinstein saying:

“I hope and trust that in the next session of Congress there will be sustained and thoughtful debate about America’s gun culture and our responsibility to prevent more loss of life. I will do another assault weapons ban.”

It’s not the first time the Senator has gone after guns and the culture that underpins it.

The Huffington Post notes that Feinstein co-sponsored a 1993 bill banning assault weapons that was signed into law under President Clinton’s administration in 1994 after the 101 California Street shooting in San Francisco.

Since then, anti and pro gun lobbies have thrown statistics and studies at each other, with one side claiming Federal Assault Weapons Bans don’t reduce or prevent gun crime, while the other argues it does.

Fast forward to 2012, Feinstein called for the ban to be renewed after the mass shootings in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater. At the time, Feinstein wrote on her public campaign wesbsite:

“Who needs these military-style assault weapons? Who needs an ammunition feeding device capable of holding 100 rounds? These weapons are not for hunting deer — they’re for hunting people.”

According to a CNN report today, Connecticut State Police spokesman, Lt. J. Paul Vance said:

“[Adam] Lanza used a Bushmaster AR-15 assault-type rifle to gun down children in two classrooms” before turning a handgun on himself.

CNN also spoke to Connecticut Governor Daniel Malloy who added: “He [Lanza] penetrated the building by literally shooting an entrance into the building. That’s what an assault weapon can do for you.”

Vance also told reporters a shotgun was found in the vehicle Lanza parked outside the school. The 20-year-old also had a Glock 10mm, a Sig Sauer 9mm, “multiple magazines” and extra ammunition.

With one section of America viewing Feinstein and New York Democrats, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and Senator Chuck Schumer as Second Amendment attackers, others see them as voices of sanity.

In a public statement Schumer said:

“There have been a rash of these unbelievably horrible incidents, culminating in yesterday’s shocking act in Newtown. I am hopeful that yesterday’s unspeakable events will cause the nation to re-examine its position on guns, and allow us to come to a solution that still preserves the right to bear arms for law-abiding citizens, but makes it much harder for those who would do us harm to obtain firearms.”

But while President Obama’s “meaningful action” promise has just received its first significant pom pom in the shape of Feinstein’s announcement, signs are the battle will be uphill. Political talk ahead of Feinstein’s assault weapon ban bill is that it would still lack the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster.

Yahoo News quotes Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for politics:

“Everyone’s frustrated and I understand why people use this terrible tragedy for a good purpose, trying to get a discussion going on gun control. But the House probably wouldn’t even bring any of it up for a vote.”

Despite this, Feinstein is clear that Obama will have the backing to begin the tough climb to effective assault weapon gun control.

“He is going to have a bill to lead on,” she told NBC’s Meet the Press.

After Newtown Dianne Feinstein Eyes Assault Weapons Ban: The Beginning Of ‘Meaningful Action?’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

The shooting in Newtown, Colorado has several copycat shootings throughout the United States, according to Yahoo News.

Saturday morning, a gunman opened fire in an Alabama hospital.
Fortunately no casualties resulted, but a police officer and two hospital employees had been wounded, says the Chicago Tribune.
Police had been just around the corner and shot the assailant dead before he could do anything more.
Sergeant Johnny Williams reported that the officer and employees shot had been taken to a separate hospital for treatment.

A man in Cedar Lake, Indiana threatened another elementary school shooting.
Cedar Lake police were called to the home of 60 year old Von I. Meyer early Friday after the man had reportedly threatened to set his wife on fire and then head over to Jane Ball Elementary School and kill as many as he could, writes Weau.com.
He had been in possession of 47 guns and ammunition valued at over $100,000.

Similarly a gunman opened fire outside a California mall, reports Reuters.
This incident, which happened at the Fashion Island mall, happened only four days after a more tragic one in a Portland, Oregon mall.
No one was wounded, but one person fleeing on foot suffered minor injuries, police said.
Newport Beach police spokeswoman Kathy Lowe said:

“A male was shooting a weapon in the air and at the ground, standing by a vehicle.”

It’s hard to tell when related incidents will end, but with the Christmas shopping season combined with 12/21/2012, stress management is apparently reaching a new low.

Connecticut Shooting: Is It Spawning Other Shootings? is a post from: The Inquisitr

The American Civil Liberties Union is asking the US Department of Education to look into what it’s calling “unlawful” sex-education programs in Birmingham’s Huffman Middle School and another district in Idaho.

The ACLU’s complaint was filed with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, and alleges that programs set in place at the school violate federal law. According to the ALCU, students are forced into a single-sex environment with little to no alternative options. The courses in question reportedly propagate harmful gender stereotypes, according to Al.com.

Huffman Middle School’s single-sex environment separates boys from girls in all classes, and even during lunch. Students wishing for a co-educational experience are forced to transfer out of the school. The program has been in place since 2010.

Some of the harmful gender stereotypes reported by the ACLU include stressing heroic behavior for boys, and teaching them what it means to “be a man.” Boys are also taught that they are better at math than girls because of testosterone. Women only show those skills for a few days out of each month during the menstrual cycle when they get an uptick in testosterone.

Girls also require “larger amounts of explanation for assignments” while boys require little.

“Every individual child learns differently, and no child should be forced to conform to one theory of how he or she should learn,” said Olivia Turner, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama. “Assuming that boys and girls learn according to their hormones is just an old-fashioned stereotype.”

“The pervasive and unfounded idea that boys and girls learn so differently that every detail down to the temperature and the light in the classroom should be dictated by sex is ridiculous,” said Monica Hopkins, executive director of the ACLU of Idaho, in a statement. “These programs have not made a bit of difference academically to the students of Middleton, but have supported archaic ideas of what is considered ‘normal’ for boys and girls.”

What do you think of single-sex practices? Do they enhance “archaic ideas” and gender stereotypes, or does the idea of keeping boys and girls separate in the classroom have some merit?

ACLU Criticizes Middle School For Strange Single-Sex Separation Practices is a post from: The Inquisitr

A pregnant Albertville, Alabama woman was shot by her estranged husband several times during a Thanksgiving gathering, and miraculously doctors were able to deliver a healthy baby.

Speaking to The Huntsville Times, Albertville Police Sergeant Jamie Smith said the names of the shooter and victim would not be released until Monday as some family members had not yet been notified.

The man and his wife had been estranged for several months, and officials say the victim was eight months’ pregnant at the time of the shooting.

The husband shot his wife several times, including once in the face, before turning the gun on himself at approximately 7 pm.

The wife and husband were flown by separate medical helicopters to Huntsville Hospital.

Doctors saved the woman’s baby by performing a cesarean section. The unnamed victim was eight months pregnant at the time of the shooting.

Police have listed both the husband and wife in critical condition.

This year’s Thanksgiving Day was a violent one. Aside from this story, others of extreme family violence have been reported. Even A-list actress Halle Berry was not immune from a bad Thanksgiving after her ex-husband Gabriel Aubry broke out in a fight with Berry’s fiance Olivier Martinez.

Holiday gatherings with family can be tense, but 2012 has proven to be especially over the top.

Pregnant Woman Shot On Thanksgiving, Doctors Deliver Health Baby is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cordova, AL – The Alabama mill town looks largely the same today as it did when tornados rolled through and killed approximately 250 people nearly two years ago. The fenced-off downtown area is still littered with broken glass and bricks. Some of the buildings are roofless and too “rickety” to enter, according to The Blaze.

Residents are allegedly fed up with all of the government red tape that has caused a one-block section of downtown to remain sealed off by a chain-link fence. Cordova city officials reportedly feel that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is to blame for the lack of recovery in the small town. The funds which local officials say they were promised to tear down the severely damaged buildings has not yet arrived.

When officials from the Alabama town reportedly meet a request for historical documentation or photos relating to the damaged buildings, FEMA then reportedly makes new requests. A revolving door or FEMA workers allegedly cause yet another hurdle to get the Cordova downtown area unlocked and open for business.

Mayor Drew Gilbert had this to say about FEMA’s involvement in the tornado recovery project:

“It’s very frustrating. You would think it’s been touched and seen now by everyone who needs to touch and see it.

Cleanup after the series of storms in adjacent towns where damaged homes and businesses were primarily new is almost complete. A FEMA official issued this response to the Associated Press when questioned about the recovery problems in Cordova:

“This project involves demolition of multiple historically significant structures and requires that FEMA consider all pertinent environmental and historic preservation laws before funding the project.”

The town’s only grocery store and a convenience store were destroyed during the massive tornado. Cordova Fire Chief Dean Harbison stated that FEMA was helpful at first, but is now slowing down the recovery process, the Huffington Post notes.

Alabama Town Blames FEMA For Inaction Nearly Two Years After Tornado is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kyle Camp, a boy with Downs Syndrome, was lost in the woods overnight in Alabama earlier this week. Search crews spent 18 hours looking for the lost boy, who got wet and chilled after wandering into a creek. The clever young man found four furry pals to help him keep warm throughout the night. Rescuers believe the puppies Camp encountered after going missing helped keep the boy safe from exposure, during what must have been a very frightening ordeal.

Sheriff’s deputies, an Alabama State Trooper helicopter, and at least 150 volunteers, combed the nearby wooded area when Kyle went missing. The boy was reportedly watching television before he went missing. The family searched for the child for three hours and then requested help as darkness loomed.

James Swinney found Kyle approximately 200 yards from the boy’s home, according to WHNT. The child was shoeless and cuddling the four puppies when Swinney came to his aid. The search volunteer had this to say about the discovering the missing Downs Syndrome boy, during an interview with WAFF:

“I heard dogs barking again and followed down there and started hollering for the puppies and I hollered for him and he hollered back. He was in a creek about a half a mile over the ridge. The main thing was getting him to his dad. That’s where I wanted to get him to was his dad. When I found him I asked him if he was alright and he said yeah, he said he just wanted to go home.”

The Camp family was understandably overjoyed at getting Kyle home with only minor scrapes and bruises. Chris Bailey, the missing Alabama boy’s older brother, thanked the volunteers profusely, noting how wonderful it was that community could come together so quickly and help with the rescue.

WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL

Boy With Downs Syndrome Lost Overnight, Snuggled With Four Puppies To Keep Warm is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jesse Rainey, 15, and a group of friends decided to pull a prank while on a weekend excursion in the woods. The prank went terribly wrong, however, when Rainey’s friend shot him in the head, critically injuring the high school sophomore. The teens later told officials the story: A group of them decided to pull a prank on the others, and went outside the house to flip the breaker and turn off the power in the house. Rainey, as part of the prank, allegedly hid in a closet. When one of the teens entered the room, Rainey jumped out to scare him. The startled teen, who happened to be holding a loaded handgun, pulled the trigger, shooting Rainey in the head.

Jesse Rainey was in critical condition this afternoon, according to AL.com. The teen was transported to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham after a 911 call came in around 3:30 AM yesterday morning. Along with Jesse, seven other teens were spending the weekend unsupervised at the Tuscumbia house. After calling 911, the teens put Rainey in a pickup truck and brought him to the nearest store, where they were met by police officials. Colbert Country Sheriff Ronnie May said that although the investigation is ongoing, no one has been charged in what officials are calling an “accidental shooting.”

The house belongs to one of the boys’ grandmother, but is uninhabited. The boys brought several guns, including the .38-caliber handgun that injured Rainey, to the house.

“We’ve found no indication that this was planned by anyone,” May told WAAYTV.com. “We believe this was a prank that went terribly wrong. We continue to pray for Jesse and his family. We hope he is able to return to his family soon.”

15-Year-Old Boy Shot In The Head When Prank Backfires is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mobile, AL – As Hurricane Isaac prepares to hit New Orleans just seven years after the devastation brought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, residents throughout the Gulf Coast are preparing for the storm and the aftereffects.

As reported by Reuters, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal urged residents to prepare for the storm and to stay safe during a news conference:

“Many parts of the state could see 24 to 38 hours of tropical storm-force winds. We’re going to see a lot of downed trees and power lines. We need people to stay safe.”

Although the storm will directly hit the New Orleans area, residents throughout the rest of the Gulf Coast are also preparing for the strong winds and heavy rains that Hurricane Isaac will bring to the entire area.

The Inquisitr spoke to David — a mechanic in Mobile, Alabama — about his thoughts on the storm.

When asked about his preparations for Hurricane Isaac, David stated that “all I have done is make sure that my trucks are gassed up” and that he “bought water, gatorade, and a couple days of can food.” He also indicated that others in the Mobile area have made similar preparations for Hurricane Isaac:

“Most people did the same, put away anything that might blow away and made sure generators worked and ran.”

Although news agencies are quick to point out that Hurricane Katrina and its devastating effects on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast occurred almost exactly seven years ago, David indicates that he is not worried about this storm. He stated that he is “not worried at all about hurricane’s effects” because this storm is “really not going to hit Mobile badly at all.”

He also believes that Hurricane Isaac will not be anywhere as severe as Hurricane Katrina, especially since residents of the Gulf Coast seem to be preparing much better for this storm than in 2005.

If you live along the Gulf Coast, how have you prepared for Hurricane Isaac? Are you worried about the storm? Sound off below.

(By Astronaut photograph ISS008-E-19646 was taken March 7, 2004, with a Kodak DCS760 digital camera equipped with an 50-mm lens, and is provided by the Earth Observations Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

Hurricane Isaac Nears Gulf Coast, Residents As Far As Mobile Prepare [Exclusive Comments] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Wicksburg, AL – Twenty-two-year-old Ryan Peterson of Alabama was arrested during the early morning hours of Friday; he was wanted in the midnight shooting at the nightclub Teaser’s in Wicksburg.

The shooting at the nightclub left three people dead and a fourth person injured.

Police engaged in air and ground efforts to find the suspect.

Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd confirmed the three deaths, which he says were caused by gunshot wounds to the abdomen and chest areas.

Police claim the shooting occurred after several customers at the club became engaged in an arguement.

According to the Houston Country Sheriff’s office, Peterson was believed to have been thrown out of the club at which point he went to his car, picked up a gun, and then returned to the nightclub where he opened fire on its patrons.

The town of Wicksburg is just west of Dothan and approximately 100 miles southeast of Montgomery.

No further details about the shooting or Peterson’s motives are available at this time.

News of the shooting comes only hours after some conservative political pundits began to claim that President Obama was secretly preparing to issue an executive order regarding gun control. The new law would require full background checks and a wait period for the purchase of all guns.

Police in the Peterson case plan to release a statement later in the day.

More to follow as this story receives updated information.

Do you think gun control is becoming necessary given the number of recent attacks on innocent people?

[Image provided by ShutterStock.com]

Alabama Nightclub Shooting: 3 Dead, 4 Injured is a post from: The Inquisitr

Airbus has announced plans to invest several hundred million dollars in a new plant to be located in Mobile, Alabama. Once completed in three to four years the plant is expected to push out several dozen aircraft per year.

By opening a jetliner product facility Airbus becomes the second large-scale aircraft manufacturer in the United States, behind only Boeing which began making large commercial aircraft in the US in 1997.

The move to manufacturer airplanes that are “made in the USA” is an important decision for Airbus, the company currently controls just a 20% share of the “single-aisle plane” market in the United States while its global share is about equal to Boeing.

The move comes at a time when companies are seeking out the most fuel-efficient airplanes they can buy which explains the company’s push to push the A320 into further production while lowering production costs by producing the planes in the same country where they will be sold.

The news is also a positive step forward for European employees, it’s believed that the company’s new plant could create 10 European jobs for one job created in Alabama.

The move to open a new plant in Mobile, Alabama makes sense, Airbus already has nearly 200 employees at its Airbus engineering center in Mobile.

Official details for the project will be released during the company’s Monday press conference.

The move comes at a time when Airbus has cozied up to American Airlines and other US-based carriers. The company could also find itself bidding on US military contracts in the future, contracts that have went to Boeing in the past because of its US-based production locations.

Airbus To Build First US Assembly Plant In Alabama is a post from: The Inquisitr

Constructing a new Walmart Supercenter always comes with its own headaches that include city, state and federal building permits, financing requests and of course battling with local protesters. In the case of a proposed location in Florence, Alabama however the company has run into a unique headache, its selected location may eventually rest on top of unmarked graves occupied by approximately 80 slaves.

The stores proposed location abuts Coffee Cemetery where Edward O’Neal’s ancestors were buried along with approximately 80 slaves.

The problem is that slaves were not given headstones and therefore the exact location of their burials is not known. Historical evidence seems to suggest that the graves could be located right where Walmart plans to build a new driveway.

Officials are not sure exactly where the cemetery ends because a 1903 deed shows that it was a simple square while aerial photographs taken 10 years ago indicate that the cemetery may actually be a rectangle and therefore sit directly on Walmart’s new construction site.

In building the new Walmart location the company has promised to spend $25,000 to restore the aging cemetery, however the currently slave grave situation and other business concerns in the area has led to many of the towns 39,000 residents protesting.

Walmart has not yet said how they plan to proceed with the project if the graves are found to be located on land where the company’s new parking lot will be located.

City Council members on Tuesday night agreed to rezone the land from residential to commercial, however Walmart must still receive state historical, environmental and transportation approval before they can move forward.

Walmart’s Newest Headache, Building A Store On Top Of Unmarked Slave Graves is a post from: The Inquisitr

Montgomery, AL – Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has decided to get on the other side of the animal fighting issue. He is currently in Alabama urging the State government to pass tougher laws against cokfighting.

Vick issued a statement Monday saying that Alabama’s laws are the weakest in the country. In Alabama getting caught fighting two roosters to the death will land you a $50.00 fine. Vick has been outspoken against animal cruelty since he served 16 months in federal prison on a dog-fighting conviction.

Vick is quick to say that he does not want anyone to have to go through what he did and he wants people to consider the animals.

Sen. Cam Ward introduced a bill that would upgrade the state’s penalty for illegal cockfighting to a class A misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $6,000. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee early in the session, but the Senate Rules Committee refused to bring up the bill for a vote.

A cockfight is a bloody battle between two roosters, held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and most of Europe. Cockfighting is considered a blood sport by animal welfare and animal rights activist and others, due in some part to the physical trauma the cocks inflict on each other. Advocates of the sportoften list cultural and religious relevance as reasons for perpetuation of cockfighting as a sport.

At the time of his conviction, Michael Vick was forced to return more than $100 million dollars in salary when he was released form his contract by the Atlanta Falcons and sent to prison for dog fighting.

Michael Vick Becomes An Animal RIghts Activist is a post from: The Inquisitr

President Barack Hussein Obama claims he is a Christian. Most people believe him. Well, unless you live in Alabama and Mississippi. Both states go to the polls in the Republican primary tomorrow so there have been polls asking the public many different questions.

But Public Policy Polling (PPP) has released information showing that a majority of likely GOP primary voters in the Deep South do not see Obama as a Christian. PPP’s Alabama survey of 600 likely GOP primary voters found that only 14 percent consider Obama a Christian, while 45 percent said he is a Muslim and 41 percent answered that they were not sure.

A similar picture emerged in Mississippi. Of 656 likely GOP primary voters surveyed, 12 percent said Obama was a Christian, 52 percent classified him as a Muslim, and 36 percent fell in the “not sure” category.

The Republican party seems to think that by painting Obama as a Muslim. Rick Santorum even went as far as claiming that Obama adheres to a “different Ideology”

Santorum told supporters at a Tea Party rally in Columbus, Ohio,

“It’s not about your quality of life. It’s not about your jobs. It’s about some phony ideal. Some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible.”

Religion rumors are nothing new for Obama. He been having to deal with rumors that he is a Muslim since first running for office. Hius father may have been a Muslim and he has lived in Muslim majority countries. During his first campaign 1/5th of all Americans thought that Obama was a Muslim. Do you think President Obama is a Christian or a Muslim? Even better, do you care? Video Claims Obama Admits To Being A Muslim!

Many Alabama and Mississippi Voters Believe Obama is a Muslim [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

When the owners of the Purple Hearted Puppies Animal Rescue Center in Summerdale, Alabama took a long vacation, they hired outside help to care for nearly two hundred animals. Unfortunately, that hired help never arrived, and an outside agency was forced to take over the operation.

Speaking to WKRG, animal control expert Deneen Balistere, who has worked with rescue animals for twenty years, said of the shelters conditions, “They warned me what it was going to be like. It’s the worst I’ve ever seen.” Among the animals left to die were more than two hundred dogs, various cats, and two horses.

According to authorities, at least twenty animals were found dead when the shelter was raided, and Deneen says they are now in need of “food, blankets, help, donations anything to save these dogs.”

The animals were left without food or water for nearly two weeks, and authorities say some of the dogs resorted to cannibalism to stay alive.

At this time, Roberta and Sharon Dueitt have been charged with twenty counts each of animal cruelty with dozens of more charges pending.

After hearing about the incident, more that fifty volunteers arrived at the Purple Hearted Puppies Animal Rescue Center to help care for the sick animals.

In the meantime, animal adoptions are urgently needed at the center with officials ready to adopt out pets starting at eight o’clock on Friday morning.

Police, in the meanwhile, are still searching for other employees who work at the center with an ongoing investigation still underway.

Animal Shelter Employees Abandon Pets, Leave Them Starving And Dead is a post from: The Inquisitr

It was the game no one wanted to happen. The LSU Tigers, ranked #1 in the country and undefeated would be doing battle with the #2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide for the BCS Championship. No one wanted to see two SEC teams battling it out, especially in a game that already happened once this season (Alabama lost that one).

But happen it did, and The Crimson Tide gave the LSU Tigers a whipping they will not forget. This is the first time in BCS title game history that a team has been shut out, let along a #1 team. In the end, Alabama was the better team and the results speak for themselves.

In the first three quarters Jeremy Shelley kicked 5 field goals from 23, 34, 41, 35 and 44 yards to make the score 15-0. Then to add insult to injury, Heisman candidate Trent Richardson scored a 34 yard field goal late in the 4th quarter.

The Crimson Tide have the top ranked defense in all of college ball with All-American linebacker Dont’a Hightower leading the way, the Crimson Tide held LSU to only 92 total yards and just five first downs.

Earlier this season the teams met up in what was called the Game of the Century. In that game the LSU Tigers won the game 9-6 in overtime. In that brawl neither team scored a touchdown.

This is the second title for Alabama coach Nick Saban in three years.

Even though LSU basically had home field advantage, with the game being played in the Superdome, which is only 80 miles from their stadium in Baton Rouge, the crowd was roughly 50-50 and the crowd was deafening on almost every play.

This will of course raise the questions over and over about whether it is right that 2 SEC teams make it to the championship game, but at least for this year the two best teams met, and the best team won (Disclaimer: I did my undergraduate degree at Alabama…Roll Tide!!!!!!)

Alabama Crushes LSU 21-0 in First BCS Championship Shutout is a post from: The Inquisitr

Key provisions of Alabama’s new immigration law, widely considered to be the toughest in the United States, have been passed by a federal judge.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn has ruled that under the law, state police can now make “reasonable attempts” to determine the immigration status of a person who has not been arrested or detained. The judge rules that there must be reasonable suspicion to inquire about that status.

In her 115-page ruling, Blackburn noted that no part of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act “expressly preempts states from legislating on the issue of verification of an individual’s citizenship and immigration status.”

Not all parts of new laws passed successfully, however. Judge Blackburn ruled that Alabama authorities may not prevent undocumented people from applying for jobs or working in the state. Alabama may also not prohibit the transportation of individuals.

These new measures were originally signed into law on June 9th by Alabama Governor and first-term Republican Robert Bentley, but he barred its enforcement after the U.S. government and civil rights groups said they would sue to block the law.

Following the judgment yesterday, Bentley was in triumphant mood, stating:

“Yesterday is a victory for Alabama. The court agreed with us on a majority of the provisions that were challenged.”

It has been confirmed that the U.S. Justice Department is reviewing Judge Blackburn’s ruling, with a spokeswoman saying:

“We will continue to evaluate state immigration-related laws and will not hesitate to bring suit if, in fact, a state creates its own immigration policy or enforces state laws in a manner that interferes with federal immigration law.”

What do you make of Alabama’s laws? Too tough, or necessary measures?

[Image]

Alabama Immigration Law Partly Passed By Federal Judge is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Tropical Storm Lee sailed through the Gulf Coast this past weekend, it generated high surf that, in turn, churned up tar balls and spread them all along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Earlier today, BP sent out crews with small fishing nets in hand to start cleaning up the mess left behind from Lee. Employees used the fishing nets to comb the shores, picking up tar balls in groups and tossing them into sealed plastic bags.

Gulf Shores spokesman Grant Brown said that residents had been worried that a storm, or high surf, would kick up the remnants of the BP oil spill from last year and litter the shores once again with a mess of tar balls.

“It’s more proof that there still are offshore tar mats and it’s washing ashore … and it’s going to continue, it looks like, coming to shore,” said Brown.

BP, on the other hand, says it isn’t sure if the tar balls were related to the BP oil spill or not, but they will be taking samples from today’s cleanup to determine whether or not there’s a link.

“As these teams report results of their assessments over the coming days, response teams will be mobilized as necessary to respond to these affected areas,” he said.

Fortunately, today’s surprise visit from the tar balls didn’t have much of an impact on tourism. The summer vacation series has come to an end, and only a few tourists roamed the beaches.

Tar balls wash up on Alabama coast after Tropical Storm Lee is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tropical storm Lee has left some beach visitors with an unexpected and not necessarily welcomed surprise, giant tar balls. Tar which had floating out just past the surf isn’t a new realization for Little Lagoon Pass residents and the fact that they have washed ashore also doesn’t appear to be startling anyong.

Grant Brown a city worker for Gulf Shores says of the tar balls:

“We’ve been aware of tar mats just off shore in the surf zone. You would assume during a heavy surf event like we just had with Tropical Storm Lee that we’re going to have the agitation and the stuff down there is probably going to break up and come ashore.”

The balls themselves are rather large and when broken open the smell of petroleum can easy be recognized without any effort.

Speaking to WKRG News 5 Bob Gareri, head of state operations for BP in Gulf Shores says:

“They’ve been in the water. They are little bit darker color than anything that’s been laying on the beach for any amount of time.”

Bob was in the area to survey any issues residents might be having and he was accompanied by the coast guard and other officials who drove up and down the beach to survey damage caused by tropical storm Lee.

Gareri went on to note:

“There are a few portions of the beach impacted with some tarballing. Most of it is limited to moderate and this one right here seems to be the heaviest concentration.”

Cleanup couldn’t begin immediately because BP had moved away necessary equipment to save it from any damage the storm may have been capable of causing, however he says that equipment is on it’s way back and cleanup efforts would start as soon as possible.

Here’s the full video report of the tar ball incident:

Tar Balls Wash Ashore In Alabama Following Tropical Storm Lee is a post from: The Inquisitr

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when that dog learned that trick in the 1960s, there’s a good shot it can still do it. Alan Moore is throwing a college football jersey back on this weekend and will hit the field for the first time since the Vietnam draft.

Moore, 61, played football for Holmes Community College in the late 60s. His glory days came to an end in 1969 when he decided to join the army. Now, more than four decades later, he is giving himself a chance to finish his college football career by kicking for Faulkner University.

Moore told Reuters:

“I came back to play football. I know I can do it. When I walked into Dick’s Sporting Goods store, it was the first football I had touched in 40 years.”

Moore was laid off in 2009 and decided to start training to play football again. Moore says that he wants to inspire young people to never give up.

Moore said:

“It is not about me, it is about we, and I know I can motivate kids.”

The 61-year-old is taking a 12-hour workload this semester and is living in the dorms with the rest of his classmates and teammates at Faulkner University in Alabama.

Moore says that he chose Faulkner because they treated him like family, even if he that means that he is the grandpa.

Moore told the New York Daily News:

“There’s certainly a generational gap with the kids. They call me a little bit of everything- ‘grandpa,’ ‘old man,’ ‘old school,’ ‘pops,’ ‘grand-daddy.’ But I don’t mind it. I eat it up. I’m having a ball.”

Faulkner will get his first chance to kick in public this weekend at a team scrimmage. Will the 61-year-old’s knee make it through an entire game?

Too Old For College Football? Alabama Man Starts New Career at 61 is a post from: The Inquisitr

21-year-old Alabama offensive lineman Aaron Douglas died of “multiple drug toxicity,” a coroner’s report has ruled.

The Duval County, Florida medical examiner found several medications in the football player’s system, including Methadone, Diazepam and Carisoprodol. Douglas had been out with friends the evening before he was found dead, on vacation in Florida. He was invited to a party by two young women, and reportedly socialized until two o’clock the morning. Douglas was found dead on a hotel balcony at approximately 8am the following day.

Douglas was pronounced dead at the scene, and at the time, Fernandina Beach police chief James T. Hurley said he suspected the athlete had died of an overdose of alcohol or drugs.

‘That would be the preliminary guess,’ Hurley said. ‘But it’s just a guess. There was no obvious trauma or cause of death that was obvious to us, nothing that would be fatal. It’s a suspicion at this point.’

Douglas died on May 12th.

Methadone, Valium Killed Alabama’s Aaron Douglas is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alabama faced some pretty nasty weather today that saw a monstrous tornado that was reported to be nearly a mile wide hit the city of Tuscaloosa and kill fifteen people during its rampage.

This before and after image captured by a university student by the name of Josh is a peak into the damage.

Here is a video of the tornado in action.

via Gawker

Tuscaloosa Tornado “Obliterates” Part Of The City [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

This is now official the University of Michigan Wolverines will face the Alabama Crimson Tide at Cowboys Stadium as the schools’ season opener to the 2012 CFB season. What a great match up. Think about it the Tide, great football team versus the Wolverines with QB Denard Robinson as a senior. Come one this match up is going to do huge business both at teh shrine of Jerry Jones and on TV. Since I live in Michigan and my wife’s family live in Alabama I am very tempted to buy tickets right now, for a game that has me very excited two years out.

It is not every week that CFB offers us a match up between two of the most storied College Football programs out there. These school have met three times in history, all in Bowl Games, and the Wolverines hold a 2-1 edge in those games. The last time the schools played one another was at the Orange Bowl following the 1999 season.

What I am most excited about is it takes one of the wussy game squash matches of the U of M non conference schedule for 2010. I would also hope that this game does enough business that the match up becomes a rivalry game. A match up between these two schools at the Big House, Ford Field in Detroit, or some other neutral site in the north would just be awesome.

This is what I don’t understand about College Football, the fans want these kinds of match ups, but there are always some Bowling Green or Florida Atlantic or some other FCS school on their non conference schedule. Given that the BCS is largely based on strength of schedule scheduling these sissy games makes little sense.

Related Links:

•The Business of College Football
•Joshua Lobdell.com

Michigan to face Alabama for 2010 CFB opener is a post from: The Inquisitr

Did you see the Alabama Agricultural Commissioner spot that went viral earlier this week? Watch them side by side, which one’s real?

Funny or Die skewers Dale Peterson’s viral political spot is a post from: The Inquisitr

Newsweek, Hot Air and Time think so…

No one seems to be quite sure if the spot is for realsies- Peterson leans on his Vietnam tenure as well as a rifle, very sincerely- but the clip has nearly half a million views. Regardless of the election’s outcome, Peterson has succeeded at mounting the most viewed campaign for Alabama Agricultural Commissioner the world has ever seen.

Is Alabama’s Dale Peterson’s viral campaign ad the best political spot ever? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Freshman Democrat from Alabama Rep. Parker Griffith is changing sides and joining the Grand Old Party, Politico is reporting.

Griffith is expected to announce the switch this afternoon in his home county in Alabama, and while the timing is surprising, the move itself is not. Griffith has been “courted” by Republicans since this summer, when he publicly disagreed with Democrats after rowdy town hall meetings. Griffith has rolled against Democrats in all the major domestic initiatives of the Obama administration, including cap and trade, the stimulus package, financial regulatory reform and most significantly, the health care reform debate. (Griffith is also expected to cite his background in medicine in denouncing reform efforts in the switch.)

Griffith won with a thin margin in the last election, capturing just 51% of the vote in a district that gave McCain 61% in the 2008 elections. The Democrats will still hold 257 seats in the House to the Republicans’ 178. The last member of Congress to switch teams in office was Arlen Specter (D-PA).

[Politico]

Democrat Rep. Parker Griffith to switch to GOP is a post from: The Inquisitr