Buc-ee’s will unveil its new Alabama travel center in Leeds with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, January 25. According to a release, the celebration will be attended by local leaders such as Mayor David Miller. This will be the second Buc-ee’s location in the Yellowhammer State, joining Buc-ee’s Loxley in Baldwin County. Buc-ee’s Leeds occupies […]

Governor Kay Ivey has proclaimed Tuesday, January 19, 2021, to be National Day of Racial Healing in the state of Alabama. Ivey issued signed the proclamation on January 5 and shared it on her official social media accounts Tuesday morning. “I urge all Alabamians to promote racial healing & transformation, as a means of working […]

In 1957, the Soviet Union stunned the United States by launching Sputnik, the first manmade satellite. The news put Drs. Eberhard Rees and Wernher von Braun to work on a U.S. response at Redstone Arsenal’s Army Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville. At 10:48 p.m. on January 31, 1958, the Jupiter-C lifted off from Cape Canaveral […]

After rising steadily since the first week of October, new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Alabama have begun decreasing in recent days. Alabama has seen a 9% decrease in hospitalized coronavirus patients over the last week. As of Monday, the state has 2,798 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, a decline of 286 from the all-time […]

Over the last several days, reports have circulated that show Alabama ranked last in the country in vaccine distribution according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The data show the state has administered less than 100,600 of the 444,640 doses distributed. However, that is not accurate, according to State Health Officer Dr. Scott […]

President Donald J. Trump on Monday signed an executive order detailing which famous individuals from our nation’s history will be commemorated in the National Garden of American Heroes. The concept of the National Garden was established by the president in an executive order this past summer, however he had left it pretty open-ended as to what […]

The ongoing discussion over whether to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma experienced a new development Monday. State Senator Malika Sanders-Fortier (D-Selma) announced her intention to sponsor a bill that would give legislators from Dallas County the ability to rename the Edmund Pettus bridge — a decision Sanders-Fortier wants to then leave up to […]

Last month, State Sen. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) said he anticipated efforts to change the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, which he had sponsored in 2017. The law has been in the news as of late given the rise of the so-called Black Lives Matter protest movement, responding to the death of George Floyd while in custody […]

President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) are facing threats of repercussions for speaking at a rally in the lead-up to the riots on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. Trump has since been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, and Brooks is facing threats of a censure resolution by […]

NASA on Saturday conducted a hot fire of the core stage for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that is scheduled to launch the Artemis I mission to the moon later this year. The hot fire was the final test of the eight-part, 12-month Green Run series, conducted at Mississippi’s Stennis Space Center. SLS is […]

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary James Hubbard and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a shared stewardship agreement Jan. 12 to ensure the long-term sustainability of public and private lands in the state. The agreement signed in an online ceremony is among USDA’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Alabama Department of Conservation […]

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Veronica Crock, an experienced economic developer and former educator who focused on workforce preparedness, has joined the business development team at the Alabama Department of Commerce. Crock, who holds the title of senior project manager, will concentrate her efforts on advanced manufacturing projects statewide. She will also have an initial focus on […]

A midnight run to Miami is helping protect health care workers at Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Anniston. Thanks to the support of multiple community partners, RMC has obtained 20 Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) that will be used by professional staff treating patients at the hospital who are suffering from COVID-19. PAPRs are worn over the head, typically with […]

Lots of rain in 2020 meant lots of clean, renewable, low-cost hydropower for Alabama Power customers. Preliminary figures show the company produced significantly more hydropower in 2020 than projected, placing 2020 as the eighth-best year on record for hydroelectric energy production. “Hydropower is one of the most cost-effective sources of energy,” said Herbie Johnson, Hydro general manager […]

Alabama Power is joining forces with Baron Critical Weather Institute (BCWI) to expand the collection and analysis of real-time weather data in Alabama in an effort to improve weather-related decisions by citizens, first responders and government agencies. A BCWI weather sensor and webcam was installed Jan. 13 at Alabama Power’s facility on 4th Street near downtown Tuscaloosa as […]

History has been made, as Circuit Judge Joeletta Barrentine became the first ever female circuit or district judge in the 198-year history of Walker County. She was sworn in on Friday in the county seat of Jasper and now sits on the bench on Alabama’s Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, which covers Walker County. “To the people of […]

The first-time discovery of a giant flare from a neutron star that’s outside Earth’s galactic neighborhood is the subject of a new research paper in the journal Nature that has four co-authors from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System. “This is the first time we could claim, without a […]

A nationwide survey by the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that Alabama fared better economically than its neighboring states during the first seven months of the pandemic. A new experimental bureau survey and interactive U.S. map reveal the monthly and state-by-state amount of taxes collected for general sales, lodging, alcoholic beverages, motor fuel and tobacco products. Although some states – […]

Southern Company and Apple joined educators and community stakeholders on Jan. 13 in announcing a partnership to launch the Propel Center, a new digital learning hub, business incubator and global innovation headquarters in Atlanta for students of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), including those in Alabama. Both Apple and Southern Company, which is Alabama Power’s parent company, are founding […]

Governor Kay Ivey is urging Alabamians to be patient with the rollout of their state’s coronavirus vaccination system. Her comments come as Alabama has received criticism for its slow process compared to other states, though the pace has increased in the last week. Compared to other states and territories, Alabama has ranked at or near […]

Tuscaloosa businessman, pastor and former University of Alabama football player Martin Houston on Thursday announced his entry into the Tuscaloosa mayoral race. During a press conference at his campaign headquarters in downtown Tuscaloosa, Houston was introduced by Crimson Tide legend Gene Stallings, who was Houston’s coach during Bama’s 1992 national championship season. Watch Stalling’s remarks […]

Trump ally Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) admits President Donald Trump made a “mistake” with his rhetoric at a rally staged in Washington, D.C., before a joint session of Congress met to certify the 2020 Electoral College results. However, he also said he had questions about how the event unfolded. During an appearance on Mobile radio’s […]

The year of 2020 will go down in history for many things, most of which we are happy to see in the rearview mirror. In spite of the craziness of the past 12 months, the entire Yellowhammer News team would like to say “THANK YOU” to our tremendous audience whose support helped make 2020 another […]

Point Broadband announced plans to offer fiber-to-the-premises high-speed internet for select areas on Lake Martin in Alabama. “In today’s digitally-driven world, fast and reliable fiber internet is crucial to keep everyone and everything connected,” said Point Broadband CEO Todd Holt. “Point Broadband is thrilled to offer residents and businesses in the Lake Martin area access to some of […]