Here’s what’s happening this Wednesday afternoon, January 25…

Eight is enough. The National Weather Service storm survey teams have now assessed the damage from eight separate tornadoes Monday morning. They are treating the Jefferson County tornadoes as two separate twisters: one in the Oak Grove area, rated an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fulita scale, which went for 13 miles with a path a half mile wide at its worst. One person died in that storm. The other tornado, rated EF-3, began in the Pawnee Village area just east of the Fultondale city limits, then went for 13.5 miles through Center Point, Clay and Argo. The path was 800 yards wide at its worst. One death and 100 injuries came from this tornado. Other tornadoes were surveyed in Tuscaloosa County (2), Sumter, Perry (2), Chilton and Elmore counties. The EF-3 tornado that went through Maplesville went for almost 40 miles, and also spawned a second tornado on a parallel path just to the south of the first.

Spann gets a do-over from Sawyer. ABC 33/40 Chief Meteorologist James Spann took his station’s network to task Monday, after “World News Tonight” anchorwoman Diane Sawyer stated that the tornadoes hit “without warning.” Spann contended that the public had plenty of warning about the approaching twisters, and told listeners to contact the netowrk to complain. They did, and Tuesday the network ran a story that was in part a mea culpa, explaining the warnings that were issued.

Fultondale council refutes desire for Home Field property. The council, meeting Wednesday morning after its scheduled Monday session was postponed because of the storms, passed a resolution stating that it had no desire to acquire the property that house Home Field Sports Grill before last April’s tornado. The resolution came as a response to a letter to the editor which ran in The Birmingham News, in which a supporter of Home Field accused the city of wanting the property for its own development purposes. Home Field owner John Douglas has been battling the city over reopening his business, located on Highway 31; his battle has largely been publicized on a popular Facebook page. In other business, the council filled a vacancy by appointing Josh Bryant to the seat once held by William Howell, who moved outside the city limits.

Scrushy sentence shaved. Former Healthsouth CEO Richard Scrushy has had his prison sentence reduced by 12 months, after a federal appeals court dropped two of the bribery charges he was convited of. He’s been incarcerated in a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas for the last 55 months, and the sentence reduction may qualify him to be moved to a halfway house immediately.

Weather: Rain Thursday. The metro area will get a good shot of rain, with maybe a few thunderstoms, but any severe weather should be scattered and generall y south of Birmingham. Highs tomorrow around 70, lows in the low 60s. Clouds move out and coolr temps move in on Friday.