Good Thursday morning to you…

Weather: Bright skies. Clear and warm today, with highs in the upper 80s and nighttime lows in the lower 60s. It will be hot on Friday with highs in the lower 90s.

Christie weighs in. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie made the rounds in Birmingham on Wednesday, ostensibly to help fellow Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley campaign for re-election. But the appearance may have been as much to shore up his own visibility as a possible contender for the 2016 Republican nomination for the presidency. The two governors made a public appearance together at the Southern Research Institute, discussing its lab that uses robotic testing for drugs.

Sports: Today’s the day. After months of anticipation, the SEC Network finally goes live this afternoon at 5. Charter Communications, which serves much of north Jefferson County, will carry the channel as part of its expanded basic package – if you can get ESPN, you’ll get the SEC Network. The channel number has still not been firmly announced for the local area, though reports elsewhere have indicated that 811 will be a likely spot.