The 2020 regular session of the Alabama state legislature is behind us. Did anyone notice? It was a session marked more by what didn’t happen than by what did. One minute the lobbyists were being paid well to try and get marijuana legalized, state budgets were flush, and gambling bills were once again all that […]

As Alabama shut down its schools on March 16 and moved classes online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was saddened but not surprised when many Gulf Shores students told me they didn’t have broadband at home needed for their coursework. Having headed school systems in Piedmont, Huntsville and now in Gulf Shores’ first […]

This year, during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Memorial Day provided an even more unique opportunity to reflect upon what makes our nation great and the shared values we hold as a people. Though our celebrations may have been scaled down, the greatness of our country is, in many ways, more apparent in challenging […]

This Memorial Day comes at an unprecedented time for our country. Americans for several weeks have dealt with the harsh reality of having to face major challenges accompanied by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. At a time when the American people are suffering devastating loss and experiencing hardships, it is vital to remain united, hopeful, and […]

COVID-19 has disrupted almost all aspects of life, including higher education. Colleges moved classes online during the spring semester and some observers believe that this will permanently change higher education. I think this will create new focus on how college creates value. Online education has existed for years. Arguably though, the willingness of the nation’s […]

Last week, Democrats forced a vote on their so-called HEROES Act, a bill that Nancy Pelosi concocted with zero Republican input. This is perhaps the most extreme leftist, socialist bill ever brought to the House floor, and it has no chance of passing in the Senate. This was not a serious attempt to help our […]

The legendary Speaker of the U.S. House Sam Rayburn coined a famous phrase he used often and imparted to young congressmen when they would arrive on Capitol Hill full of vim and vigor. He would sit down with them and invite them to have a bourbon and branch water with him. The old gentleman, who […]

Photos of a smogless Los Angeles skyline set against a brilliant blue sky have emerged as an iconic image to showcase the impact of decreased air pollution during America’s COVID-19 quarantine. Similar photos from around the world, including what are usually smog-filled cities in India, China and Europe, provide a glimpse of a world with […]

Visiting the pool or lake is synonymous with summer fun. As hot weather approaches, parents and swimmers alike are concerned about what COVID-19 means for water-based activities this season. The key question people have is whether COVID-19 can be transmitted through pool water. “If a pool is maintained with chlorine or bromine and managed, there […]

On March 18, 2020, Vice President Mike Pence announced, “In the fight against the coronavirus, the Trump administration is not just taking a whole of government approach, but a whole-of-America approach.” Historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) are important contributors to our “all hands” approach to navigating our nation through these unprecedented times. Matching the […]

By passing a House Resolution to allow voting by proxy, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats sent a clear message that they crave power, and for them, there’s no better time for a power grab than when the American people are vulnerable and suffering. Instead of making provisions to return to Washington, the Democrat majority […]

Alabama has long been a leader in the automotive manufacturing sector in the United States and, now, we have the opportunity to sustain that momentum for years to come through significant investments in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Dating back to 1993 when Mercedes-Benz announced the opening of their only U.S.-based assembly plant in Tuscaloosa […]

We all have had our lives disrupted during this period of health and economic crisis. Students, faculty and staff at Alabama’s colleges and universities are no exception. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that three-fourths of higher education faculty had not taught an online course prior to the coronavirus pandemic and two-thirds of college […]

Three years ago this week, one of the biggest hoaxes in American history began as Robert Mueller was appointed to lead the Democrats’ Russia witch hunt, and the man most responsible for birthing that national nightmare was U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is now running to reclaim his former Senate seat. Throughout this campaign, […]

When the legislature convened its 2020 regular session in February, Alabama enjoyed record low unemployment and record-high revenues in our state budgets. Pay raises for educators and state employees were foregone conclusions, unprecedented improvements in mental health services offered to Alabamians were being passed, and new and expanded education programs were on the table. But […]

Last Friday, the House of Representatives took a truly unprecedented step. The Democrat majority voted to change our rules and allow members to vote online in committee action on bills, and to vote by proxy on passage of bills and resolutions. That’s right, members of Congress can now vote from the comfort of our homes […]

Alabama has started to reopen, but does that mean the risk of contracting COVID-19 has been eliminated? Epidemiologists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health answer questions about what reopening the state means, the impact it may have on people in urban and rural areas, what will happen to prevent the spread, and what […]

As is the case with many of my fellow Alabamians, I am a strong supporter of President Trump in the substance of what he has accomplished but I am from time to time disappointed by his style. The president’s repeated attacks on my old friend, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself when he was attorney general […]

Our federal and state governments implemented unprecedented measures beginning in March to stem the spread of COVID-19. Informed consent provides a foundation of medical ethics. Did our elected officials and public health experts get our informed consent for policies that have put 30 million Americans out of work? Medical experiments have often been performed on […]

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread across the nation, impacting individuals and families from coast to coast. As the American people have been under various stay-at-home and public health orders for the last few months, several states are beginning to move into the next phases of modified guidelines. Governor Kay Ivey last week announced […]

Jeff Coleman: Broadband access to Alabama's rural communities must rise to the forefront of our priorities.

As health professionals across Alabama this week commemorate National Skilled Nursing Care Week, it is important that we don’t forget the women and men fighting on the front lines of Alabama nursing homes to protect the lives of vulnerable seniors. This special week, which was established in 1967 by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), […]

Last week, Governor Ivey issued orders allowing Alabama’s restaurants, hair salons, barbers and other personal service businesses to reopen Monday under social distancing guidelines. This is an important step towards safely reopening our state’s economy and ending extreme measures put in place to flatten the curve and limit the spread of the virus. While Alabama […]

Some of the most important unknowns with COVID-19 are as follows: Do we know for sure if a person is immune to COVID-19 after infection? What percentage of the U.S. population will be immune after this first wave of infections is over? Will immunity last over time, or will it fade? If and when a […]