Hey there, Mobile! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: An Evening with Adam Cesare at The Haunted Book Shop and 3 more events.
And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Byron C.!
Today's riddle: What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. A Good First Year for Mardi Gras Service (railwayage.com) — Passenger rail between New Orleans and downtown Mobile has logged 150,000 riders in its first year, far surpassing expectations and boosting Gulf Coast tourism, even as Mobile's bare-bones platform still lacks real shelter. The story traces the long "Second Battle of Mobile" to restore the route, ongoing safety concerns at crossings, and lingering political and funding uncertainty that could shape the service's future here.
2. Alabama leaders visit South Korea amid Austal USA sale talks (al.com) — A South Korean conglomerate, Hanwha, is exploring a $1.2 billion purchase of Mobile-based Austal USA, prompting a visit to South Korea by Mobile's mayor, a county commissioner, and local economic leaders. With more than 3,000 Mobile workers and major expansion underway, officials say relationship-building is key while the U.S. Navy and federal rules on foreign-owned shipyards will heavily influence whether the deal moves forward.
3. Mobile County Sportsplex expansion moves forward (fox10tv.com) — Mobile County is pushing ahead with a major expansion of the Mobile County Sportsplex, adding four new soccer fields next month and opening a new aquatic center by the end of September. Plans also include a 2,000-seat championship stadium and a future waterpark, which local tourism leaders say could attract more tournaments and visitors to the Mobile area.
4. Mobile city, school leaders in discussions on plan to add police to all 90 campuses (al.com) — Mobile Mayor Spiro Cherigotis' first budget proposes $135 million for public safety and a partnership to place police officers in every city school within the Mobile County Public School System. City and school leaders are still negotiating costs and logistics, but both sides say they want more school resource officers to ease pressure on the current, thinly spread security staff.
5. MCPSS uses technology to get ahead of school safety threats (mynbc15.com) — Mobile County Public Schools are rolling out the SpeakUp app so students and parents can quickly report threats, mental health concerns, or suspicious behavior directly to the district's safety team. Cyber safety coordinator Andre King, a former Mobile Police investigator, urges families to treat online threats seriously, avoid reposting alarming content, and use the app from phones, laptops, or desktops to keep campuses safer.
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Ok Mobile! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: If you weren't so sweet, we wouldn't be in this jam! (Thank you Patti F. for sending it in!)
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