Suing UAB, discussing IVF, eating Chipotle: Down in Alabama

Can you believe it's been 23 years since September 11? We're going to remember that today.

We will also remember Hurricane Francine. In the podcast, weather reporter Leigh Morgan talks about the storm's possible impact on Alabama. Click here for updates throughout the day.

Today's report follows. Thanks for reading,

Ike

Huge civil judgment

A jury has awarded a former UAB scientist $3.8 million based on her discrimination claims, while UAB has appealed the verdict, reports Howard Koplowitz of AL.com.

The plaintiff in this case was Iranian Fariba Moeinpour, who worked at UAB in a laboratory for nine years until she was fired in 2020. She claims she was harassed daily by a colleague because of her race and nationality, was called racist slurs, was told to return to Iran, and was even threatened with a gun and hit with a car. She also claims she complained to her supervisor but was told nothing could be done because he would be fired, killed, or kill himself.

She claims the supervisor grabbed her chin, slammed her to the ground and drew blood with his fingernails to stop her from talking. She said a police officer came to arrest her, after which she passed out. When she woke up, she found herself shackled at the wrists and ankles on a stretcher in the emergency room before being taken to jail for the night.

The jury sentenced UAB to pay $3 million in compensatory damages and the colleague to pay $500,000 in compensatory damages and $325,000 in punitive damages.

In a statement, the UAB statement said it does not tolerate discrimination and is considering its next legal steps: “We disagree with the verdict in this case.”

IVF and last night’s debate

During yesterday's presidential debate, the candidates addressed the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling last spring on artificial insemination.

Since that decision, we've heard time and time again that Alabama has banned IVF treatment. In fact, the state's highest court interpreted language in Alabama's abortion law to mean that embryos have the same rights as children. This was applied to a court case involving frozen embryos that were accidentally destroyed at a clinic. This could make clinics civilly and even criminally liable for such incidents.

During Tuesday's debate, Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned that couples are being denied IVF treatment. Former President Donald Trump responded by expressing his support for the availability of IVF treatments and also said that Alabama responded to the court decision within two days by passing a law to keep clinics open.

To be clear, Trump was right when he said Republicans in the House and the governor's office took action to neutralize the immediate impact of the court's decision. However, as Howard Koplowitz of AL.com reported last night, it took 18 days instead of two.

In our state, however, the issue is probably not over yet. The measure that passed granted IVF clinics a certain level of immunity when handling human embryos. Some called it a Band-Aid, others said the grant of immunity from recourse was pretty strong. In addition, the statutory language that led to the court decision in the first place still exists.

Lots of burrito bowls

The number of decisions you have to make would probably be significantly reduced if you simply ate lunch at the same place every day.

Some people do. Dillon Wareham of Mobile, however, is much more consistent than most.

Lawrence Specker of AL.com reports that Wareham recently won a family trip to Hawaii and a year of free lunches after eating at Chipotle for 1,000 days in a row. That's three years of eating at one place day after day.

He celebrated the milestone with the company on Airport Boulevard on Monday, ordering his favorite burrito bowl with double chicken, white rice, salsa, cheese, lettuce and a side of guacamole, then announcing on his social media accounts that he and his family were leaving for Hawaii the next morning.

It begs the question: How do you go to Chipotle every day for 1,000 days? Or even: How do you go 1,000 days without skipping lunch? Wareham said he had to secretly pack a few burrito bowls in his luggage for a cruise he took a few years ago.

More news from Alabama

Born on this date

• In 1913: legendary college football coach Bear Bryant from Morro Bottom, Arkansas.
• In 1932, former Congressman Sonny Callahan of Mobile.
• 1953: Rock guitarist and singer Tommy Shaw from Montgomery.

In the podcast

Weather reporter Leigh Morgan talks to us about the possible impacts of Hurricane Francine.

You can find “Down in Alabama” wherever you get your podcasts, including these places: