The Sunrise News Sampler

Topping the weekend headlines is Alabama head coach Nick Saban's agreement on a multiyear contract extension.  Coach Saban says he never considered going to Texas, as rumors suggested, and that he plans to end his coaching career at the University of Alabama.

James Taggart, who has served as Stillman College's police chief since retiring as the sheriff's office's chief of jail operations, is expected to announce his candidacy for Tuscaloosa County Sheriff tomorrow evening at the Country Club of Tuscaloosa. As a Democrat, so far, he has no opposition.

School officials say some students are awaiting new textbooks as winter break approaches. Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Davis says the district's textbook committee was unable to find math books that matched new college and career readiness standards for middle and high school students.

Authorities near Mobile are looking for 33-year-old Alabama prison inmate Mark Todd Johnson, who appears to have escaped from the Mobile Work Release Center in Pritchard, as he was reported missing during a head count Friday night.

A new Associated Press-GfK poll suggests Americans who already have health care insurance are blaming the new health care law for negative changes in their coverage, even though the trend to leaner coverages predates the law.

In sports news, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the second freshman to do so. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel captured it in

In a new poll, 40 percent of those questioned said they think the stock market will stablilize where it is now by the end of 2014. Another 39 percent predict it'll drop but not crash, and 14 percent believe the market will rise while 5 percent think it will crash.

Llottery officials say the next Mega Millions prize could surpass last year's record $656 million jackpot as no one won the $425 million prize in Friday night's drawing. The amount was rised to $550 million for Tuesday's drawing, but that doesn't include weekend sales.