Congratulations! You made it to Friday…

Weather: Still a chill. More sunny skies but cool temperatures again today, with highs in the middle 60s and lows tonight in the upper 30s. Sunny again on Saturday and Sunday, with slightly warmer temperatures each day.

S.W.A.T.S. swatted for good (we think). Mitch Ross, whose Fultondale business became famous for selling a spray made from the extract of deer antler velvet, has had that business permanently shut down by a Jefferson Circuit Court judge. A permanent injunction was issued against S.W.A.T.S., Ross and co-owner Chris Key by Judge Caryl Privett on Thursday, which prevents the firm from doing business in the state of Alabama. The company’s office and gym, located on U.S. 31 on the Fultondale-Gardendale border, was raided in September, and a preliminary injunction closed them temporarily. Ross and Key face 263 charges of violating the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act for selling the spray made of insulin-like growth hormone-1, plus a cap that purported to help young athletes recover from concussions. The permanent injunction came just hours after Ross was the subject of an interview on “60 Minutes Sports,” a spin-off of the CBS newsmagazine show which is seen on Showtime. In that segment, Ross claimed he was still selling his products to members of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, among others.

Pinson renews sheriff’s contract. The Pinson City Council agreed to continue its contract with Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale to provide enhanced patrol service to the city. The contract provides for four additional deputies over and above regular patrols; it’s similar to contracts for adjacent Center Point and Clay. The contract also provides for dispatching and jail services, and costs Pinson about $339,000 a year.

“I’m sorry…” President Obama gave an apology of sorts to those losing their current medical insurance coverage due to the onset of ObamaCare. “I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me,” Obama said in an interview with NBC News on Thursday. The president has faced withering criticism from both major political parties for telling Americans that if they liked their health care, they could keep it, a promise now being called an outright life by conservative critics.

Sports: Ducks soup. Oregon may have seen its BCS Championship hopes get shot down Thursday night, after the third-ranked Ducks lost to No. 5 Stanford 26-20. It could have been worse, as the Cardinal had shut out Oregon as late as the last 10 minutes of the game. Jordan Williamson hit four straight field goals for Stanford… High school football: The second season. The first round of the AHSAA Playoffs begins to night, and three local teams start their journey toward the Super Six championship games. In the NJN Big Game, Pinson Valley hosts longtime Class 5A nemesis Hartselle, while a few miles away ninth-ranked Fultondale plays host to Lexington in Class 2A. Also in 5A, Mortimer Jordan travels to the north, where they face the daunting task of playing No. 3 Muscle Shoals.