Alabama Coastal Cities Swear In Historic Mayors

Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4 SEC) will host No. 5 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium with an 11 a.m. CT kickoff on ESPN; Georgia is a 7.5-point favorite, leads the series 21-6 and enters on a four-game win streak while both teams contend with injuries and contrasting strengths. Across Alabama’s Gulf Coast, municipal swearing-in ceremonies have resumed after COVID disruptions and a one-year term extension, installing a new mayor in Mobile for the first time in 12 years and welcoming Joshua Brown as Bay Minette’s first Black mayor. Spanish Fort will honor Navy veteran and retired dentist Dr. Barry Booth during community events. An op-ed from a Black Belt native argues the region remains largely overlooked despite research and investment and notes the author joined UA’s Education Policy Center and contributed to the $93 million DRIVE vehicular-electrification proposal to build regional workforce and economic opportunity. A BBC weekly roundup also highlighted regional human-interest items, including the rediscovery of the critically endangered spider Aulonia albimana, a fully booked D-Day silhouettes installation at Fort Nelson, cattle returning to Bucklebury Common to restore heathland, and former model Amanda Cronin emerging on the new Real Housewives franchise.