Barry McCulley is out. The three-term Homewood mayor was trounced by council member Scott McBrayer by nearly a 3-to-1 margin in today’s municipal elections.

Tommy Joe Alexander won re-election for Irondale mayor with 60 percent of the vote, beating three challengers, including former mayor and convicted extortionist David Krider.

Up to five other incumbent mayors are also out in Argo, Brighton, Clay, Leeds, Lipscomb and West Jefferson. Mayors in Columbiana and Fairfield could be in runoffs on Oct. 7.

The new officials take office Nov. 3.

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Complete Vote 2008 coverage.

The days and months and
years pile up, until you’re left
with what could have been.

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Maybe we could vote
tomorrow and end the long
stream of ads, pundits.

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Polls are open, as voters pick their city leaders in 40 municipalities in Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

In Homewood, incumbent Barry McCulley faces a challenge from council member Scott McBrayer. (The council members all Seven council members ran unopposed for re-election.)

In Irondale, incumbent Tommy Joe Alexander is running against council members Joan Ratchford and John Schoen, as well as former mayor David Krider. During his second term, Krider resigned, plead guilty to extortion and served two years in prison. Oy.

• More info on all the races
• Locate your polling place, or call Jefferson County, 325-5550; Jefferson County (Bessemer only), 481-4105; or Shelby County, 669-3913.

Polls close at 7 tonight.

Look for results on Wade on Birmingham tonight after polls close.

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Complete Vote 2008 coverage.

So much is riding
on this, as eyelids refuse
to close for slumber.

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Stuffy warehouses
feed on wandering strangers
beneath the forum.

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Trey Hardee of Vestavia Hills is out of the running for a medal in the decathlon. The Olympic hopeful was in fourth place after seven events, but failed earlier today in three attempts at the pole vault at his starting mark, 4.7m. He’s currently in 26th place out of 27 finalists.

In the ninth event, the javelin throw, he has a DNS, or “Did Not Start.” The final event, the 1500m, takes place later this morning (or evening in Beijing time).
• NBCOlympics.com: Men’s Decathlon standings

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Tuscaloosa’s Deontay Wilder lost to Clemente Russo of Italy earlier today in the heavyweight boxing semifinals. Both he and Cuba’s Osmai Acosta Duarte (who lost his semifinal bout) take home bronze medals from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

He didn’t score a point until the eighth round, saying “Guys with my experience don’t do that well against guys like that.” It was Team USA’s worst Olympic performance ever in boxing.

More Olympics results to come …
• Associated Press: Deontay Wilder earns bronze medal in Summer Olympics

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What’s worse: being axed,
facing the ax, or grinding
through a sucky job?

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Scrunchy face makes for
tension frowns and furrowed ruts
betraying uncalm.

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I want a pony,
one I can call “Princess” and
feed carrots by hand.

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At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Deontay Wilder advanced to the heavyweight boxing medal round after defeating Mohammad Arjaoui of Morocco on a judge’s decision Sunday [video]. The two had tied at 10 each after 10 rounds on Sunday.

The Tuscaloosa native faces Clemente Russo of Italy on Friday (2 a.m. CDT airing live on CNBC, 3 p.m. Beijing time). The winner moves on to the gold medal round, while the loser fights for takes home a bronze. Wilder represents Team USA’s last hope, as it has always earned at least one medal in boxing each time it has participated.

• Postcards from China: Deontay Wilder
• Bio

More Olympics results to come …
• Huntsville Times: Deontay Wilder wins, advances to medal round

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Make up the lyrics
and forget the ones that come
originally.

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Great cinema comes
when theater avoids rings,
chatter and glitches.

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Three Alabamians and members of Team USA are competing in Beijing in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Decathlete Trey Hardee of Vestavia Hills doesn’t compete until next Thursday and Friday. Tuscaloosa’s Deontay Wilder won his heavyweight match against Algerian Abdelaziz Touilini on Wednesday and boxes in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. CDT Sunday (airing on tape delay between 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday on CNBC).

But Huntsville native Margaret Hoelzer wrapped up her competitions this evening (or Saturday morning Beijing time) at the Water Cube. After picking up the bronze in the 100m Backstroke on Tuesday, she earned a silver medal in the 200m Backstroke [video], edged out by Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, her roommate at Auburn. (Look for video to be added soon.)

• Her Olympic Diary for the Huntsville Times
• Official site

More Olympics results to come …