Welcome to Wednesday, where we can’t wait for winter to be over…

Weather: Tricky. Today will be even warmer than yesterday, with highs in the middle 70s, but there will be rain throughout the day, even some thunderstorms possible this afternoon. The temperatures start to fall rapidly as the sun goes down, and will reach freezing just before rush hour on Thursday, which will turn precipitation into freezing rain and making travel very hazardous. Ice accumulation of about a tenth of an inch is expected in northern Jefferson County, and a bit more in Blount County – in fact, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Blount and points north. Thursday night lows will fall to near 20 degrees.

A break for Gardendale City Schools. State Supt. Dr. Tommy Bice finally released his final decision Tuesday regarding Gardendale’s separation from the Jefferson County Schools, and the new system won a major concession versus what Bice had ruled in a preliminary order two weeks beforehand. Gardendale will no longer have to pay an “exit fee,” in their terms, to JefCoEd of more than $8.1 million to cover costs of the new Gardendale High School. Bice also ruled that the so-called Open Door Attendance Policy that Gardendale requested will be in effect for the 2015-16 school year. That means that all local students will continue to attend the schools they go to now, at least for another year. Additionally, Gardendale’s career-tech program will still be open to JefCoEd students. Bice’s Tuesday ruling was slightly amended from one handed down last Thursday, but not in any substantive issues. He again instructed Gardendale Supt. Dr. Patrick Martin and JefCoEd Supt. Dr. Craig Pouncey to continue to negotiate a final separation agreement, and to meet with him on March 31.

Gay marriage ban reinstated for now. The Alabama Supreme Court issued an order called a writ of mandamus, which tells county probate judges to ignore a federal judge’s ruling several weeks ago that permits same-sex marriage. Chief Justice Roy Moore, a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, apparently abstained from the ruling, and Justice Greg Shaw voted against the order, but only because he felt the court did not have jurisdiction in the case. Probate judges have five days to file any objections.

Sports: JefCoEd finals are set. Pleasant Grove will take on Gardendale in the championship game of the Jefferson County Schools Tournament on Friday, Both teams won their semifinal games Tuesday by 6-5 scores, with the Spartans requiring an extra-inning game-winning hit by Brandon White. The Rockets knocked off Mortimer Jordan, staging a comeback rally with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Weather permitting, the Rockets and Spartans will play at Gardendale at 6:30 p.m. Friday, preceded by the third-place game between the Blue Devils and the Yellow Jackets at 4:30.