MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would reform the state’s civil asset forfeiture law. Sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), the compromise version of SB 210 passed by the upper chamber was supported by the Alabama District Attorneys Association and law enforcement. The purpose of the bill is ultimately […]

Two community college presidents say critical workforce development programs will be enhanced if a proposal to streamline the education construction process is approved by the Alabama State Senate. In addition to saving what an Alabama lawmaker estimates will be “millions” of taxpayer dollars, the presidents of Bevill State Community College and Jefferson State Community College […]

Kevin Savoy of Dothan, Alabama, has been appointed to the Alabama Conservation Advisory Board by Gov. Kay Ivey. Savoy replaces Patrick Cagle of Montgomery, whose six-year term expired. A native of Mobile, Savoy is a 1991 graduate of Auburn University. He currently serves as Vice President of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated and Greenbush Logistics, […]

Alabama’s U.S. House members are bipartisanly standing strong in the face of Amtrak’s attempt to force the Gulf Coast Passenger Rail project on the Yellowhammer State’s citizens. Last month, Amtrak filed a petition before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) to require CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Company to permit the operation of Amtrak’s passenger rail […]

Alabama appears to be inching closer to legalized gambling now that so-called comprehensive gaming legislation has made it out of the Senate and is awaiting consideration by the House of Representatives. Although the details of what the future holds in the lower chamber for the series of bills related to the issue have not yet […]

MONTGOMERY — Ahead of Tuesday’s expected vote by the House of Representatives Committee on Urban and Rural Development, four-year and two-year institutions of higher education are united in support of the proposed Alabama University Research Alliance (AURA). AURA is currently a component of SB 215, which was passed unanimously by the Senate seven weeks ago. […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday will convene for the 24th day of its 2021 regular session. The House will convene at 1:00 p.m., while the Senate gets in at 2:00 p.m. The lower chamber will not take up SB 46, the medical marijuana bill, on this day, April 20.

NASA and Boeing are now targeting August or September for the launch of Starliner’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. A press release noted they will also evaluate options if an earlier launch opportunity becomes available, starting in the next few […]

Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that Alabama ranks among the top states for economic momentum in a new analysis that evaluates key measurements of economic performance in 2021. The Washington, D.C.-based publication State Policy Reports ranked Alabama No. 8 in its Index of State Economic Momentum for the first quarter. The state’s score was […]

The Birmingham Business Alliance recently presented a virtual business forum featuring University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who shared his candid insight and tips on a range of topics. The event was sponsored by Red Diamond Coffee & Tea and was moderated by bestselling author Jon Gordon. The legendary football coach discussed leadership, team building, […]

With just a handful of days remaining in the 2021 legislative session, the clocking is ticking for the Alabama House of Representatives to move on late-arriving legislation passed by the Alabama Senate last week on a comprehensive gaming package. The prospects got a boost this week as State Rep. Chris Blackshear (R-Phenix City) revealed he […]

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) on Monday announced that Alabama state waters and federal waters will open to private vessel anglers for red snapper fishing on Friday, May 28, 2021. The season will consist of four-day weekends, Friday through Monday, continuing until the private angler quota is […]

Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) has ranked Alabama First Class Pre-K as the nation’s highest quality state pre-kindergarten program for the 15th consecutive year. “Ensuring our youngest learners have a strong start to their educational journeys is important now, more than ever. Alabama continues to […]

While there has been some discussion in recent weeks to revive the push for improvements to the Interstate 10 bridge connecting Mobile and Baldwin Counties, do not expect the $2.5 trillion infrastructure proposal promoted by Democrats and President Joe Biden to include it says U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile). During an interview with Mobile radio […]

Bryant Bank’s Excellence in Nursing Scholarships helped pave the way for December 2020 Nursing graduates to develop the skills necessary to take up roles in the emergency room and trauma ICU, reports The University of Alabama in Huntsville College of Nursing (UAH CON), a part of The University of Alabama System. The Bryant Bank Excellence […]

Bevill State Community College recently hosted a commencement ceremony for graduates of its spring 2021 HVAC Fast Track Program. Eight students completed the 11-week program preparing them for successful careers as HVAC technicians. Spring 2021 graduates are: Jeffery Adair, Haleyville. Blake Carroll, Quinton. Joshua Cook, Birmingham. Cedric Davis, Pike Road. Eddie Kirkland, Pinson. Cheyenne Moore, Maylene. […]

UNION SPRINGS, Alabama — Bonnie Plants, the nation’s largest grower of vegetable and herb plants for home gardens, announced plans today to upgrade and expand its greenhouse facilities in Bullock County with a multimillion-dollar project that will improve production and strengthen its e-commerce operations. “This new operation will be one of the most state-of-the-art facilities […]

Mobile is literally building on its economic development success. The 1,300-acre South Alabama Logistics Park (SALP) will invest $350 million in its first phase to bring 6 million square feet of master-planned warehouse, distribution and manufacturing space near the Port of Mobile and the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. Burton Property Group is working with Team Mobile […]

S&P Global Ratings has revised its outlook for the University of Alabama at Birmingham bond rating from stable to positive and affirmed its “AA” long-term rating on general revenue bonds issued by the board of trustees of the University of Alabama System, citing increases in enrollment and employment, as well as UAB’s strategic plan, “Forging the Future,” and the […]

Two teams from a senior design moon buggy class at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, are competing in a pandemic modified version of NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC). In January, MAE 490/1-05 Senior Design Moon Buggy class teams Twisted Metal and Falcon presented a […]

United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) next-generation Vulcan Centaur is now set to compete for future NASA launches. Vulcan Centaur, the newest addition to ULA’s fleet of rockets, is manufactured at the company’s 1.6 million square foot plant in Decatur. Its inclusion in NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) is the result of meeting specific criteria and capability […]

Seeking to save taxpayers and local schools millions of dollars, one Alabama lawmaker has a plan to streamline the approval process for certain education construction projects. State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) has sponsored legislation which allows school systems and community colleges to locally control construction projects when the estimated cost is $500,000 or less. Under […]

A new name and new logo at the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA) reflect a new energy that has the organization on better footing to pursue economic growth in today’s economy. “We needed one very shared goal and brand around this economic development initiative that we’re doing within the county,” said TCEDA Executive Director […]

NASA on Friday announced a surprising decision to select only SpaceX to continue development of the Human Landing System (HLS) that will eventually land the next man and the first woman on the moon through the Artemis program. The agency last year selected three prime contractors to design a HLS: Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX. Dynetics, […]