According to a memo issued jointly by Alabama’s top elected officials, leaders are taking steps to activate the federal-level Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, on the state-level through new and existing levers of the state. Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) and Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) issued a joint memo […]

The Alabama Senate unanimously passed legislation on Thursday that would ensure youth athletic coaches understand how to quickly and effectively tend to a concussed player or one suffering from other serious head injuries. SB140, the Coach Safely Act, sponsored by State Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia), specifies that coaches of children ages 14 and under must […]

The Alabama Senate slowed down on Thursday as Democrats activated a filibuster against a bill on the calendar to reform the board of the Alabama Department of Archives and History. RELATED: Revived legislation targets Alabama Department of Archives and History Board appointment process Senators never made it to that portion of the agenda, however, as […]

A significant grant worth over $1.27 million has been awarded to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Team. The funding will aid the acquisition of the 111-acre Del Sol property, which will be a key addition to Montgomery’s growing industrial corridor. “Our mission at the Montgomery Chamber is clear: we drive growth for […]

Over the past 15 months, Montgomery City Councilman Andrew Szymanski has collaborated with Renasant Bank to introduce a program addressing crime, enhancing police recruitment and reinforcing Montgomery’s neighborhoods. The initiative, known as the Community Homebuyer Loan, offers Montgomery Police Department officers an opportunity to purchase homes in the communities they serve without a down payment. […]

 A Birmingham man who was released on parole in 2023 has now been charged with 14 murders, including the killing of a firefighter at his station and multiple mass shootings. Damien McDaniel, 22, has been charged with capital murder in the July 2023 shooting of Jordan Melton, a Birmingham firefighter who was ambushed outside Station […]

Backed by a recent $11.4 million Department of Defense  (DOD) contract through the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Auburn University’s Applied Research Institute (AUARI) in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park is establishing a cutting-edge radiation hardening, or rad hardening, facility — the only university-led facility of its kind in the nation — to help ensure the reliability of military […]

The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee voted 9-0 on Wednesday to advance211 SB92, a bill that would implement a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in schools across the state. Sponsored by State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva), SB92 seeks to curb classroom distractions by requiring students to store their cell phones in designated locations during school hours.  […]

State and local officials gathered at the Alabama State Capitol on Monday to provide an update on the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, a law enforcement coalition dedicated to reducing crime in Montgomery. The press conference, held in the Old House Chamber, was attended by Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Secretary Hal Taylor, Attorney […]

With approximately two months remaining, Alabamians are urged to obtain their Secure, Trusted, and Reliable Identification (STAR ID) before the May 7, 2025, deadline. The STAR ID, Alabama’s equivalent of the REAL ID, will be required for domestic air travel and access to certain federal facilities, including military installations. The REAL ID Act, passed by […]

A long-serving Shelby Elementary cafeteria worker has lost her job after an emotional hearing over her efforts to raise money for the school’s PTO lunch fund. Related: Shelby County cafeteria worker faces termination after raising donations for student lunches ABC33/40 reported that on Monday night, after a six-hour deliberation, the Shelby County School Board voted […]

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has announced that the remains of U.S. Army Pvt. James C. Loyd, a 19-year-old soldier from Brilliant, Alabama, has been identified. Loyd was last seen on January 31, 1944, during combat in Italy. His remains were officially identified on March 14, 2024. In January 1944, Pvt. Loyd was serving […]

A proposal to more efficiently verify the age and parental consent of children’s app downloads drew a big crowd to the Alabama House’s child and senior advocacy committee meeting today.  Companion legislation, known nationwide as the App Store Accountability Act, would require app stores like Apple and Google to verify users’ ages and obtain parental […]

According to a newly published study, the Poarch Creek Indians had a more than $4 billion economic impact on Alabama’s economy in 2023. The substantial contribution is in addition to the thousands of jobs the tribe has created in multiple industries across the state. PCI is also a large contributor to the state’s tax base. […]

Employers in Alabama will soon have access to a new tax credit aimed at supporting working families with childcare needs. Beginning March 1, 2025, eligible employers can reserve the Childcare Employer Tax Credit through My Alabama Taxes. That day will mark the launch of a three-year initiative authorized by the Alabama Legislature in 2024. RELATED: […]

Birmingham-based law firm, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, is launching a Defense and National Security team led by a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Alabama. The specialized team at will provide legal counsel to companies navigating the complexities of national security risks relating to cross-border investment, sanctions and export controls, cybersecurity and data protection, government […]

North Alabama is bracing for a surge in new residents as 500 FBI agents prepare to relocate from Washington, D.C., to Huntsville. FBI director Kash Patel announced the move last week. With the rapid expansion of Redstone Arsenal and ongoing federal investments in the region, cities surrounding Huntsville are expecting an economic and housing boom. […]

The Tuscaloosa Police Department tracked down a recent runaway. However, this runaway wasn’t of the human variety. A goat gave officers and bystanders quite a surprise Saturday afternoon as it made its way through town, stopping at several local landmarks before being safely captured, according to the department’s Facebook post. The goat was first seen […]

The Alabama Senate passed SB116, known as the Glock switch bill, which would impose stricter penalties on the possession and distribution of Glock switches—illegal firearm modifications that turn semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic weapons. The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) now moves to the Alabama House of Representatives for further consideration.  […]

On Tuesday, three of the largest veterans service organizations in the state backed a legislative proposal to restructure the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) as it was amended by the State Senate last week. Initially, SB67 would have restructured the State Board of Veterans Affairs with various changes to its oversight powers. Now, as […]

A bill that would centralize that management of Alabama’s state licensing boards was the subject of a public hearing in the Alabama Senate County and Municipal Government Committee. SB193, sponsored by State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine), seeks to streamline oversight and operations of multiple state boards by creating the Office of Occupational Licensing within the […]

Clarke County District Judge James Harding Morgan Jr. on Monday instituted a gag order on the case of a high school football coach accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage girl. Morgan’s ruling came shortly after Clarke County High School head football coach Rob Carter had a bond hearing on the charges. Clarke […]

A Holly Pond native with a record of public service on the Cullman County Board of Education announced his candidacy on Monday for the newly-vacated Alabama House District 11 seat. Heath Allbright, owner of Holly Pond-based Brighton Forestry Services, is pledging to maintain both community values and economic growth as well as improve the quality […]

Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion announced his resignation following nearly 18 months of protests and a controversial independent review criticizing his leadership. The protests in question began after the September 2023 police shooting of Steve Perkins. “Life brings many difficult decisions,” Pinion said in the statement. “I am faced with one today. I have loved […]