It’s Valentine’s Day, guys.
Which means you have a few more hours, if you’re lucky, to get things right. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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Sentenced in Russia
A former resident of Gadsden and Huntsville was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment in Russia, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.
Here’s the background: David Barnes, who’s now 66 years old, was married to a woman named Svetlana Koptyaeva. They had two sons and went through a contentious divorce in 2015 in Texas. During the legal wrangling, Koptyaeva accused Barnes of sexually abusing the boys.
The case was investigated, the local district attorney found the accusations “not credible,” and Barnes was even given custody of the boys. However, Koptyaeva left the country that week — with the boys. There was a warrant issued for her arrest in Montgomery County, Texas, for felony interference with child custody.
That was 2019. In 2022 Barnes traveled to Russia to meet with his sons. Koptyaeva, meanwhile, brought charges in Russia, and police there arrested Barnes.
Now, according to reports, the Russian court claimed it had jurisdiction because at least one of the kids has Russian nationality. And, as Barnes’ sister, Carol Barnes, put it:
“I’m devastated, but not surprised. After all, we’re talking about Russia.”
School bus update
We have a little more information than we did yesterday morning on that missing school bus out of West Jefferson, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.
Jefferson County deputies were notified at 6:45 a.m. Monday that a bus was missing from where it had been parked near the West Jefferson Town Hall. Just before 5:30 p.m., the bus was reportedly seen in Walker County on Free Will Road, a name that shouldn’t be taken too literally.
Deputies found fresh tracks and put a tracking dog on them. That led to the arrest of a 44-year-old suspect who was charged with first-degree theft of property.
From the Capitol
There were a couple bills of note that passed the Alabama state Senate Tuesday.
The bill that targets ballot harvesting passed 27-8. It would make it a Class C felony “for a third party to knowingly receive a payment or gift for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining or delivering a voter’s absentee ballot application” and make it a Class B felony for someone to “knowingly pay or provide a gift to a third party to distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, complete, obtain or deliver a voter’s absentee ballot application.”
There are exceptions for voters who are blind, disabled and can’t read or write.
Another piece of legislation that made it through the Senate is a bill that would dramatically change the board of trustees for the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
The reason for the proposed changes given by Sen. Chris Elliott, a Baldwin County Republican, was that the board members appoint any new members so that it’s become self-perpetuating with little accountability.
Some lawmakers and the Department of Archives and History do have a past. Last summer the department hosted a lecture series on the history of LGBTQ people in Alabama over complaints from some legislators, and then Elliott introduced a bill to strip the department of $5 million in funding in order to send a message.
That bill didn’t pass.
What they’re saying about us, Part I
A couple of Alabama locations showed up on recent best-of lists, and since every list in the media is 100-percent accurate all the time, we’ll share them with you.
First, Garden & Gun Magazine released a short list of four destinations to visit this year, and Auburn landed on the list, reports AL.com’s Ben Flanagan. Among other things, the food scene seemed to influence the magazine, which mentioned the award-winning Acre, the bistro Lucy’s and Chinese place Irritable Bao — a pun that I trust is bringing irony back and not anything else.
What they’re saying about us, Part II
The other list was from Billboard magazine. That esteemed music publication placed Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater on its 2024 Top Music Venues List, reports AL.com’s Matt Wake. And it was named “Top East Coast Amphitheater.” Whether you feel like you’re on the East Coast or not.
The venues list was only 26 deep. It also included places such as Madison Square Garden, The Sphere in Vegas, O2 Arena in London and Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.
Some pretty big acts have already played the Orion, which holds 8,000 and opened in Spring 2022. Neil Young, Lainey Wilson and Greta Van Fleet are on the schedule for this year.
Picture That
The Comic Cowboys are seen parading through downtown Mobile, Ala., on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.Michael Dumas Image Arts
As Fat Tuesday put a bow on Mardi Gras, Mobile’s Comic Cowboys made their annual parade through town with their usual floats carrying signs filled with satire, insults, criticism of public figures, and — often — tastelessness.
Sometimes, watching the parade is like when you were a kid sneaking a peek at the t-shirts and gifts in the back of Spencer’s. “Should I really be laughing at this?”
Either way, every year we’re back to see what they have to say.
By the Numbers
That’s how many men were arrested, according to the Limestone County Sheriff’s office, after they “agreed on cash payments to engage in sexual acts with children and then traveled to designated locations in Limestone County to engage in these unlawful sex acts.”
The suspects allegedly were trying to hook up with what turned out to be online decoys.
More Alabama News
Born on This Date
In 1913, legendary baseball broadcaster Mel Allen of Birmingham.
On the Calendar
It’s Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day.
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