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Christmas, Carnival and Pickleball: Down in Alabama

It’s Black Friday, November 29, 2024. Don’t spend everything in one place.

Thanks for reading,

Ike

Carnival horses

The 2025 Carnival season will be here before we know it. And this time around, Mobile will have more rules for handling parade horses, AL.com’s Patrick Darrington reports.

Attention turned to horses at last year’s events when a horse collapsed during a Conde Cavaliers parade and was reportedly kicked and punched while trying to get it back up.

The new guidelines were put together with help from the city’s Mobile Animal Services Department, local veterinarians and others. She:

  • Horses require medical examinations by a veterinarian.
  • Drivers are required to take a basic riding course and provide proof of training.

Indoor pickleball

I have good news for pickleball players in some Alabama cities.

William Thornton of AL.com reports that indoor pickleball franchises are planned for Birmingham and Huntsville.

Pickleball Kingdom is expected to feature indoor air-conditioned courts, lounge areas, exercise programs and youth development.

If you’re new to pickleball, it’s the sport that has become increasingly popular at recreational facilities in recent years. It is similar to tennis but is played on a smaller court with rackets and a plastic ball. It’s either a smaller version of tennis or a really big version of table tennis.

As leagues and other organizations emerged, locations for Pickleball Kingdom also emerged, with clubs or plans for clubs in 16 states, the website says.

Light them

Today is the unofficial start of the Christmas season. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, Black Friday is here, and Chevy Chase is scheduled to sleigh into a vintage Wal-Mart parking lot every 15 minutes on one channel or another of your streaming service of choice.

More local traditions are also returning. And tonight one can be seen from a motorway in Birmingham.

AL.com’s William Thornton reports that the Regions building’s seasonal lighting will go live today. The lights in the windows create huge images of a stocking, a wreath and two Christmas trees high above downtown Birmingham.

A ceremony will be held at the Regions Center Plaza on the northwest corner of 5th Avenue North and 20th Street North at 4:30 p.m. The actual lighting is expected to take place at 5:15 p.m

The images will remain until the New Year.

Born on this date

In 1928, Miss America 1951 was Yolande Betbeze Fox of Mobile.

In 1982, actor Lucas Black came from Decatur.

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