Here’s the latest news for Friday, January 13…

Congressional race getting crowded: The race to unseat 6th District Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-Vestavia Hills) is filling up quickly as today’s 5 p.m. filing deadline draws near. On the GOP side, there are three challengers to Bachus, including State Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale, Blount County Commission President and Probate Judge David Standridge of Hayden, and pharmact technician Al Mickle of Alabaster. For the Democrats, retired Air Force Col. Penny Bailey of Leeds and William Barnes, a former government employee whose hometown is not listed by the part, but who previously ran for U.S. Senate.

Hairston returns home: Former Major Leagie Baseball player Jerry Hairston Sr., who was the first African-American student at Gardendale High School and a standout baseball player there, is back home this weekend and is scheduled to visit the school for tonight’s basketball game between the Rockets and Jackson-Olin. Hairston, who started his school career at what was then Newcastle High (now Fultondale), played most of his 14-season career with the Chicago White Sox, and still works as a roving minor-league instructor specializing in bunting for the Chisox.

Baby, it’s cold outside: Winter weather has returned to the state, with today’s temperatures struggling to reach the 40s with a brisk, raw wind; portions of north Alabama got a dusting of snow yesterday. Lows tonight will be frigid again, dipping into the low 20s; highs tomorrow will warm slightly into the mid 50s, with more of the same Sunday. The next chance of rain comes Monday night.

Spors tonight: Besides the Gardendale-J-O game mentioned above, Mortimer Jordan travels to Hayden for an important area game, Corner hosts Haleyville, Fultondale hosts Holy Family Cristo Rey and Tabernacle Christian hosts Victory Christian-Columbus, Miss. In wrestling, the Jefferson County Championship begins this evening at the new Center Point High (adjacent to Jeff State), and finishes up Saturday.

Have a great weekend!