Meal money
Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said the federal shutdown could soon cause an interruption to a low-income food program used by many mothers and children, reports AL.com’s Heather Gann.
WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, could see its funding dry up by November, according to Harris.
WIC supplies healthy food, breastfeeding support and nutritional education to women who are pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum and children up to age 5.
More than 111,000 Alabamians participated in the program last year.
Rock the South lineup
We’ve previously reported that the popular Rock the South music festival will be moving from Cullman to Decatur in 2026. Organizers have now released a lineup, reports AL.com’s Matt Wake.
Jason Aldean, Riley Green and Zach Top will headline.
Other acts include: Jessie Murph, BigXthaPlug, Brantley Gilbert, Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Craig Morgan, Lauren Alaina, The Castellows, Austin Snell, Jake Worthington, Cole Goodwin, Graham Barham, The Creekers, Tyler Nance, Zach John King, Jay Webb, Tyce Delk, Chandler Walters, Myles Morgan, Connor Hicks, Ava Hall, Callie Prince, Ethan Garner, Emmy Moyen, and Dee Jay Silver.
Home-grown shrimp
Seems a bit odd to travel to the Gulf Coast to attend a National Shrimp Festival only to be served imported shrimp. Yet, last year a consulting company claimed vendors at the Gulf Shores event were absolutely using the foreign version.
AL.com’s Lawrence Specker reports that there is a plan in place to keep that from happening at this year’s National Shrimp Festival.
Event organizers have reached a sponsorship deal with the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama. The money from that deal, they say, will be used to bring in the aforementioned consulting company, SeaD Consulting, to make sure everybody’s shrimp is on the up-and-up.
That company uses a rapid genetic test to determine whether the shrimp is domestic or imported.
If you’re just thinking a shrimp is a shrimp, there are a few reasons this is an important issue to a lot of folks.
First, the festival claims to require vendors to serve domestic shrimp. Also, there’s a state law that says the vendors have to make it clear whether the product is domestic or imported. And, finally, local shrimpers have been fighting a very difficult fight to stay above water while competing with cheap shrimp from overseas.
More than 90% of the shrimp served in the U.S. is now imported.
Turkey Day entertainment
We just recently reported that Jacksonville State’s marching band, the Marching Southerners, will perform in the Rose Parade.
Now, reports AL.com’s Ben Flanagan, the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band is slated to play next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
That’s the one that’s always on the TV while you’re getting the turkey ready to roast, smoke or fry. With the big Charlie Brown balloons bobbing through New York City and Santa Claus at the end to get everybody in the Christmas spirit to head to Macy’s and charge something.
It’ll be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 26, 2026 on NBC. And nobody can do parade play-by-play like Al Roker.
The Million Dollar Band last played in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2021.
RIP Mark Womack, SEC executive
Longtime Southeastern Conference Executive Associate Commissioner Mark Womack died on Monday, according to AL.com reports.
Womack was originally from Scottsboro and grew up Tuscaloosa. He worked in the SEC office for nearly half a century under five commissioners.
He also was the league’s chief financial officer, a scheduling guru and a liaison with bowl and TV partners. Plus, he did a couple stints as acting SEC commissioner.
Mark Womack was 70 years old.
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Born on This Date
In 1993, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who was born in Mobile and moved to North Carolina at an early age.
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