A grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will aid Auburn’s efforts to improve water quality in a creek and engage residents in learning to protect community natural resources. The Auburn Public Works and Water Resource Management departments are joining with partners on the project, which is being supported through the Five Star and Urban Waters Grant […]

South Star Battery Metals has announced it will begin test drilling this month at its Alabama graphite project. Graphite is an essential material in electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The company, based in British Columbia, Canada, has contracted another company for a “maiden diamond (DDH) drilling campaign” in the Ceylon Graphite Project in Coosa County. The Alabama […]

A cutting-edge marine vessel that can sail the high seas without a crew will be manufactured exclusively in Mobile through a partnership between Austal USA and California-based Saildrone Inc. The two companies announced their strategic partnership in connection with the Saildrone Surveyor autonomous “uncrewed” surface vehicle. The partnership “combines Saildrone’s … technology with Austal USA’s advanced manufacturing capabilities,” according […]

A team of scientists has discovered a new species of freshwater turtle that lived alongside dinosaurs 83 million years ago. The scientists who made this discovery are Andrew Gentry of the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science in Mobile; James Parham of California State University, Fullerton; and Caitlin Kiernan of McWane Science Center in Birmingham. The official name of the […]

Alabama-based Silver Ships Inc. recently delivered a 49-foot marine surveying vessel that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will use to hydrographically map the mouth of the Mississippi River. Christened the Tobin, it is the largest marine surveying vessel of its series and will work out of the USACE Venice Sub Office in Venice, Louisiana. Silver Ships custom […]

In 2020, as the pandemic was taking a dramatic toll on the restaurant industry, Birmingham’s Automatic Seafood and Oysters earned a finalist nod in the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious awards for the nation’s Best New Restaurant. The restaurant, Alabama’s only finalist that year, carries that designation to this day, as the foundation announced it would present no winners that […]

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has launched a new COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Dashboard that will make it easier for the public to find information. The dashboard, which details the number of vaccines shipped to Alabama and dispensed, can be viewed at https://arcg.is/OrCey. The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Dashboard can also be accessed on the newly […]

In her end-of-the-year address to Alabamians, Gov. Kay Ivey reaffirmed the unprecedented nature of 2020 while expressing optimism for 2021. “Throughout it all, with everyone’s help, our state has found a way to keep pushing forward,” Ivey said. The governor quoted Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They […]

Alabama residents and basketball fans are encouraged to suggest ideas for the team name through the Pelicans website at Pelicans.com/Birmingham. The submission period starts today and will end Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 5 p.m. “This is a great way for the community to share the names that they think would represent the city of Birmingham and […]

The first class of Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator is prepping and finalizing business cases and ideas for its inaugural Demo Day. The Dec. 8 event, at 1 p.m., is an opportunity for the 10 participating startups to pitch their businesses to potential investors across the globe. “Our first class of companies for the Techstars Alabama […]

Employees at Alabama Power raised more than $49,000 in November to support nonprofit agencies and community partners who are helping people in need this holiday season. The virtual fundraiser was organized by the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) as an alternative to traditional supporting activities. APSO State Board President Kodi Belford said the pandemic changed […]

Alabama Gulf Coast residents are a step closer to recovery following Hurricane Sally, which battered the Alabama and Florida coastline Wednesday. Sally was the first hurricane to make landfall in Alabama since Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and brought severe flooding and high winds that knocked down poles and power lines in southern and central Alabama […]

Digital academic coaching company Pack Education and its partners recently announced the kickoff of Ignite Powered by Pack Education, a virtual academic advising pilot program to provide support to students at the University of South Alabama, Bishop State Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College. Pack Education, a subsidiary to digital health coaching company Pack […]

Alabama Power has begun replacing old streetlights in Mobile as part of a joint project to increase neighborhood security and visibility. Alabama Power and the city of Mobile announced in June an agreement to replace more than 20,000 streetlights with LED fixtures. The new lights are brighter and require less maintenance than the older, high-pressure […]

The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) held its Reignite Alabama Finale to the Alabama Launchpad Response Pitch Competition Thursday, awarding a total of $150,000 in funding to four businesses that have developed innovations to address challenges presented by COVID-19. The event, produced within the headquarters of the EDPA with no live audience, was streamed […]

Fourteen finalists are competing for funding in an online pitch competition you can watch on your computer. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) will stream its Reignite Alabama Finale event on its website and Facebook on Aug 27. The COVID-19 response competition, a pivot from the usual Alabama Launchpad competition, was designed in partnership […]

Walmart announced this week that it had hired 266,260 veterans since 2013, including more than 8,000 in Alabama. First announced on Memorial Day 2013, the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment (VWHC) guaranteed a job offer to any eligible, honorably discharged U.S. veteran. The initial goal was to hire 100,000 veterans by the end of 2018. Two […]

The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce will host this year’s Military Appreciation Day luncheon virtually due to COVID-19 precautions. The Zoom event will be held July 2, from noon to 1:30 p.m. The luncheon and awards presentation will pay tribute to the military and recognize several individuals, including JROTC cadets, for their contribution and service. […]

Randolph County Economic Development Authority Director Bryant Whaley on Wednesday announced a partnership with the East Alabama Regional Planning Development Commission (EARPDC) and U.S. Department of Agriculture to supply free meals. The USDA Farms to Families program will supply citizens a box meal of meat, fruit, and vegetables free of charge. The first day of […]

Orchestra Partners and REV Birmingham have partnered to launch The Parkside Trail, a temporary conversion of First Avenue South into a car-free, multi-use trail modeled after The Open Streets Project. Beginning Saturday, May 2, the First Avenue South corridor between 12th Street and 20th Street will be closed to vehicles and become a multi-use trail […]

Airbus has donated 40,000 face masks to health care workers along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Daryl Taylor, vice president and general manager of the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, shared the news in a Facebook post Friday. “Airbus is proud to answer the call to help the heroes in our community through the donation […]

An Alabama printing company focused on the restaurant industry has found a way to help health care workers and keep its business going during the coronavirus pandemic.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Frontier Conference 2020 has been postponed to ensure the safety and well-being of the conference’s multinational community of attendees. The conference had been set for April 1-3 at The Lyric Theatre in Birmingham. Conference organizers have rescheduled to Sept. 14-16 at the same venue.

In Alabama, continuing to develop a well-trained workforce prepared with job-ready skills is a challenge for state leaders. Local community colleges are answering the call by providing technical training programs that prepare Alabamians to be skilled in the trades. In 2019, Bishop State Community College in Mobile announced a partnership with Alabama Power to bring lineworker training to south […]