Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and Yellowhammer News’ Yaffee take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories, including:

— Who leaked the Supreme Court order that could overturn Roe v. Wade?

— Will Alabama go back and change an abortion law the sponsor has called “the toughest in the nation?”

— Is the U.S. Senate race ready for another shake-up?

Former U.S. Attorney Jay Town joins the show to discuss the Supreme Court leak, U.S. Representative Mo Brooks’ (R-Huntsville) potential testimony before the January 6 Committee and everything happening in Alabama politics this week.

Jackson closes the show with a “Parting Shot” directed at those who don’t understand that slowing down the economy to stop inflation will hurt real people. He argues that some lawmakers will eventually view that as an opportunity to spend more money.

Watch:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.

It happened twice lately, and on the same day, when I was innocently identified as a preacher.

I walked into a funeral home and the director asked, “Are you the minister?” I said I was a minister but not the minister that day for that funeral. She said, “Oh, I knew you were a preacher.”

I was puzzled a bit since I was “out of uniform” with an open collar shirt and a sport jacket.

The same day I visited a local rehabilitation facility when the nurse came in. Elliott introduced me as his pastor, and she laughingly said, “I knew you were a pastor. My father is an Episcopalian rector and both of you give off the same airs.”

I hope the “airs” were fragrant!

This reminded me of the late John Bisagno who joked his most oft-spoken reply when someone asked if he were a minister was, “No, I just haven’t been feeling well lately.”

Then he got serious and told pastors in his convention audience, “Don’t go around acting like a preacher.”

I think I understand this admonition since I’ve seen some ill-advised preacher behavior.

One pastor lamented from the pulpit how poor he was and that his wife hadn’t had a new dress in some time. I’m not sure how accurate this was, but his comments served only to embarrass the congregation.

A friend told me about another pastor we knew who told my friend he’d asked a lady in his church for money since he knew she’d received an inheritance.

“And she wrote me a check,” he proudly told my friend.

And legions of pastors have asked for ministerial discounts at local businesses.

An occupational hazard for ministers is we may feel entitled since most people treat us kindly and defer to us. And we can mix our personal opinion with scripture and our congregants think we speak from Mt. Sinai. Furthermore, because we have flexibility of schedule, we’re either the hardest working or the least engaged in the workforce.

Surely there’s a better way.

If we’re struggling financially, we ought to have a private “checkbook to checkbook” talk with the finance team rather than broadcasting this from the sacred desk. If we conjecture, we ought to declare as the Apostle Paul did, “I say this, and not of the Lord.” If people give us things, we ought to be gracious in receiving them, but never demand or expect favors.

An agent told me once that ministers are pretty good insurance risks since we only have two sins: we work too hard and we eat too much! True enough. Most pastors are committed servants of God.

We just shouldn’t go around acting like a preacher.

Reflections is a weekly devotional feature written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.

More students in Alabama’s Black Belt will have the opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers through a unique program that uses brain responses.

Chris Crawford, assistant professor in the University of Alabama’s Department of Computer Science, will expand the Black Belt STEM project to Sumter County schools beginning this fall. Crawford is currently working in Hale and Greene counties with the program and will continue his work to create awareness of computer programming, engineering and robotics careers through use of neurophysiological responses.

“I am a product of Alabama’s Black Belt and grew up in Greene County. I must give credit to my teachers and mentors in Greene County for getting me interested in this field of work,” said Crawford. “Because of that, I know the importance of creating awareness of STEM careers among students in this part of the state where resources are limited. I want these students to use their brains to learn differently and apply thinking concepts in a whole new way.”

Crawford will work with University of Alabama research students to offer the program at Sumter Central High School and University Charter School in Livingston. Students will explore next-generation physiological computing systems to better understand human-computer interaction. Additionally, the program will integrate career awareness modules that increase the students’ knowledge of local job opportunities and prepare students to continue their education at colleges and universities.

“We are excited that our students will have the opportunity to explore STEM careers in a whole new way,” said University Charter School Head of School and Superintendent JJ Wedgworth. “Chris Crawford’s work and research is innovative, and we hope that our students will be inspired by this program to create their own innovative career paths.”

A grant from the Alabama Power Foundation made expansion of the program possible. Alabama Power Western Division Vice President Mark Crews believes this program is promising for west Alabama students and hopes to see further expansion across the state.

“Expanding this program in the Black Belt area allows us to reach students with a modern approach to introducing STEM careers in schools. We know that the future workforce of Alabama is heavily influenced by technology, so this is a vital step in preparing students for future jobs,” said Crews. “The work that Chris Crawford is doing is so important and we are grateful that the Alabama Power Foundation is providing him the opportunity to share his expertise with students in our area.”

Sumter County School System Superintendent Anthony Gardner added, “We greatly appreciate the partnership with Alabama Power, Chris Crawford and the University of Alabama that allows us to bring new and meaningful experiences to our students in Sumter County. It is no secret that there are bright minds in Alabama’s Black Belt, and I hope that this program brings more awareness to the endless possibilities of our students.”

In addition to serving as an assistant professor, Crawford directs the university’s Human-Technology Interaction Lab (HTIL). His research focuses on human-robot interaction and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs). He has investigated systems that provide computer applications and robots with information about a user’s cognitive state.

His work on the development of the “Brain Drone Race” has been featured internationally and in more than 800 publications, including Forbes and The New York Times. Along with investigating brain-robot interaction applications, Crawford also recently developed Neuroblock, a software platform for developing neurofeedback applications. He is the recipient of a 2021 National Science Foundation CAREER award.

“It feels amazing to be able to continue my work in an area that is home to me,” Crawford said. “I truly believe that expanding the work we’re doing at the university into the community is impactful and I am pleased that this work is a part of the core mission of the University of Alabama’s College of Engineering. I hope to see this program facilitate communication between our business community and our schools to address workforce needs. There’s no doubt in my mind that programs like this are the future of STEM careers.”

To learn more about Crawford and his work, visit htilua.org.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Automotive manufacturing is one of Alabama’s most important industries, and inspiring Alabama students for careers in the field is an ongoing mission.

Last week, more than 1,500 students from across the state got a glimpse into automotive career opportunities and other engineering- and manufacturing-related fields during “Field Trip Friday” at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.

At the center of the day’s events was the “Gear Up Your Career” tent in the race Fan Zone, where a dozen companies, career and college organizations, including Alabama Power, set up shop to provide students with information about quality jobs in automotive, manufacturing and other skilled industries. The tent was open to fans throughout race weekend.

ZOOM Motorsports is the promoter of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and other spectator events at Birmingham’s Barber Motorsports Park. ZOOM President George Dennis said the goal of the event was to educate students and racing fans about career opportunities in manufacturing.

“We started ‘Gear Up Your Career’ six years ago with a partnership with Honda’s Alabama auto plant and AIDT,” he said. “Our goal is to showcase the careers that are available in the modern-day auto manufacturing industry in Alabama now and in the future. Students from all over Alabama can tour the area, talk to executives in the industry and participate in hands-on activities, all while watching the living technology on the track.”

Alabama Power is engaged in multiple workforce development initiatives around the state, including programs supported by the community college system and ongoing efforts to broaden diversity and opportunities in fields such as engineering and the utility industry. Learn more here.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

TechBirmingham will host its seventh annual CyberNow Summit on May 11-13. After two years as a virtual event due to the pandemic, the cybersecurity conference will take place both in person at the Red Mountain Theater Arts Campus and, for those who prefer to attend virtually, at cybernowsummit.com.

“While the virtual conferences of the last two years came out of necessity, they were very well-received,” said TechBirmingham President and CEO Deon Gordon. “Last year, we had more than 700 people attend, a response that just blew us away. You can’t replace an in-person experience, so we’re looking forward to getting back to that. But the cybersecurity community embraces virtual experiences and our success in that arena speaks well of the partnerships we’ve been able to build.”

One of those is InfraGard, a cybersecurity partnership between the private sector and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. InfraGard promotes and enables the sharing of information and intelligence to prevent hostile cyber acts against communities and their critical infrastructure. The InfraGard Birmingham Members Alliance is joining TechBirmingham in hosting this year’s CyberNow Summit.

“Cybersecurity is more relevant than ever,” Gordon said. “Not just because of the increasing sophistication and evolution of capabilities, but also the ramifications of increasing Russian aggression, bad actors in China, and what that means to us and the rest of the world.”

CyberNow’s keynote and general speaker sessions will highlight digital transformation in the post-pandemic world, while providing case studies in cyberthreats in the Birmingham region. Keynote speakers include:

• Donna Gregory, FBI unit chief for the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), who will discuss the FBI’s role in cybercrime data collection, analysis and trend identification in its efforts to control, reduce, mitigate and prevent cybercrime.
• Rob Ferrill, chief information officer at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who will revisit UAB’s experience with a cyberthreat in 2020.
• Dondi West, Information Security counsel at TikTok, who will talk about new cyberthreats, geopolitical risks and legal challenges associated with the rise of Web 3 and the Metaverse.

The program will include a panel discussion on “The Post-Covid Workforce in Technology.” In addition, the summit will feature an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Immersion Day, with training opportunities for beginners and advanced professionals. Workshops will include presentations and hands-on labs, with collaborative and interactive learning exercises that educate through real-life scenarios.

According to Gordon, the timing and subject matter of this year’s CyberNow Summit comes at a critical and opportune time for Birmingham. Cybersecurity continues to increase in importance at a time when innovation – and the need to promote best practices – is only beginning to peak in Birmingham and across Alabama.

“We used to talk about tech as a separate industry,” Gordon said. “Now, it’s being viewed more horizontally. It impacts everything. Health, finance, universities, state and local governments, construction of smart homes and buildings – in all these areas, the conversation is about increasing efficiency and safety, which involves cybersecurity.

“This stuff has real-world implications. It’s important that we continue positioning Birmingham on the leading edge of it. That’s what CyberNow is all about.”

The mission of TechBirmingham is to strengthen and promote the technology ecosystem by promoting tech companies in the Birmingham region, helping to recruit and retain tech talent and entrepreneurs, and providing opportunities for technical training and education, Gordon said.

To register for the CyberNow Summit, visit cybernowsummit.com. Registration is $179.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

UAB School of Nursing Associate Professor Pariya Wheeler has been awarded a two-year, $100,000 grant to study the neuropsychological impact of COVID-19 in older adults.

It is one of UAB’s first grants examining the cognitive effects of COVID-19 and one of eight awards from the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Wheeler’s study will recruit 100 adults age 65 and older who had COVID-19. Over the course of a year, Wheeler will collect data on neurocognitive functions, blood biomarkers and symptoms of acute COVID-19. Data from the UAB Alzheimer’s Disease Center will be a control comparison group.

“Given the COVID-19 disparities and burden in the South, our cohort of older adults with COVID-19 from which to recruit is large and racially diverse,” Wheeler said. “This study will enroll 50% Black participants. The research infrastructure to conduct this study at UAB is also exceptional, including the ability to leverage the UAB Alzheimer’s Disease Center for a comparison cohort. I believe these factors helped set my research apart, leading to the receipt of this grant.”

NAN and the Alzheimer’s Association partnered to provide $800,000 to build a greater understanding of how the pandemic has impacted populations that are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 but are underrepresented in research.

“We recognize that COVID-19 is associated with cognitive complications,” said NAN Executive Director William Perry. “It’s apparent that older people from underserved communities are more frequently infected and are disproportionately experiencing the consequences of health care disparities.”

Wheeler’s study is in collaboration with the UAB NeuroCOVID Group, a collaborative working group that formed in March 2020.

This story originally appeared on the UAB News website.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Our iconic senior United States Senator Richard Shelby turns 88 this week. Shelby is in the waning months of his monumental career in the Senate. He will end his tenure at the end of this year after 36 years in the U.S. Senate.

Shelby is one of the most influential senators in Washington. His prowess at bringing federal dollars to our state from Washington is unparalleled in the annals of Alabama history. Indeed, Shelby may go down in American history as one of the greatest procurers of federal dollars funded to their state from the U.S. Treasury. He may only be surpassed by the late Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia.

There is not a city or county in Alabama that has not benefitted from Senator Shelby’s seniority and power. Every major university has received additional federal dollars for development and new buildings. He has literally transformed the University of Alabama. An entire section of the massive campus has a cadre of buildings, mostly science, technology and engineering that are or should be named for him because he brought the money from Washington to pay for them.

UAB is one of the premier research and medical institutions in America because of Richard Shelby. Huntsville is one of the fastest growing and most prosperous high technology cities in America due to the influence of one Richard Shelby. The largest FBI facility in America has been moved from Washington, D.C. to Huntsville, Alabama under the direction of Senator Shelby. In his last hurrah, Shelby essentially has brought immense federal funding to completely rebuild and deepen Alabama’s port in Mobile.

His last years have been spent chairing the United States Senate Appropriations Committee. However, during his illustrious career, he has also been chairman of the Banking Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Rules Committee.

There has never been nor will there probably ever be an Alabama U.S. Senator to reach the pinnacle of power of Richard Shelby. It should be noted that Shelby served with distinction and effectiveness in the U.S. House of Representatives for eight years prior to being first elected to the Senate in 1986.

In my 2015 book “Of Goats and Governors, Six Decades of Colorful Alabama Political Stories,: I have a chapter entitled “Alabama’s Three Greatest Senators.” The chapter includes Lister Hill, John Sparkman and Richard Shelby. If I were writing that book today, Shelby would be alone as the greatest. Folks, that is saying a lot.

Senator Lister Hill and Senator John Sparkman were giants in Washington and tremendous ambassadors for Alabama. Both Sparkman and Hill served for 32 and 30 years, respectively, in the Senate with austere distinction. They served in tandem for more than 20 years and were respected giants on Capitol Hill. Our Hill-Sparkman team was unsurpassed in power and prestige from 1946 to 1970. They were admired not only in Alabama but throughout the nation.

Lister Hill was considered one of the greatest U.S. Senators. He was a statesman and the ultimate southern gentleman. He was chairman of the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee, as well as a ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. He was known as the father of most of America’s rural hospitals through his authorship and stewardship of the Hill-Burton Act. He also was the father of our crown jewel, UAB Medical Center.

John Sparkman was a U.S. Senator from Alabama for 32 years. He, like Hill, served a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives prior to his Senate career. Sparkman was chairman of the Banking Committee, which also oversaw housing. He was the author of all housing legislation, including creating HUD. Sparkman is also the father of the space and rocket development in Huntsville. In fact, Huntsville would probably be more appropriately named “Sparkmanville.” Senator Sparkman was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 1952.

Shelby has continued Sparkman’s and Hill’s legacy sustaining our crown jewels of Huntsville Space and Rocket Center and the UAB Medical Complex in Birmingham.

Senator Shelby has left an indelible mark on our state that will be felt by Alabamians for generations.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

Way back in the 1930s, the Moon River gas station, roadhouse and dance hall in eastern Jefferson County was a good-time gathering place for locals and travelers.

On Tuesday, public officials joined the nonprofit Freshwater Land Trust to proclaim the official opening of a different kind of attraction at the same site along the Cahaba River in Irondale: a canoe launch and newly built public parking area that provides improved access to the river for water and outdoor enthusiasts.

“The city of Irondale is pleased to be able to offer this recreational opportunity to our citizens and also offer it as a destination for visitors from all over,” said Irondale Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. “The Cahaba River is such an important part of our landscape. We want to give people the chance to get outside and connect with nature, which is a positive for both physical and mental health.”

Rusha Smith, Freshwater Land Trust executive director, said: “We are thrilled to provide public access to the Moon River Canoe Launch with the addition of the new parking lot. The more people that can be exposed to the spectacular Cahaba River, the better, and we hope the use of it encourages people to protect the numerous rivers and streams in our area.”

The Land Trust acquired the Moon River site in 2003 as part of its ongoing mission to secure and conserve biologically vital and diverse properties in Central Alabama. In addition to being important for protecting water quality, the site was identified as a component of the Jefferson County Greenways Plan. Over the years, with support from partners, the Land Trust has worked to improve the habitat and aesthetics of the site.

But there was a drawback. Although a canoe launch has operated for several years, the property lacked adequate parking. Now, there’s a gravel parking area that can accommodate up to seven vehicles. The lot, located on Alabama Department of Transportation right-of-way, is designed to protect nearby wetlands.

With the opening of the parking area, the Moon River site will now be officially added to the Cahaba Blueway, a multigroup initiative expanding public access along the 191-mile length of the Cahaba River.

“This Moon River Canoe launch will increase public access to the beautiful Cahaba River and create outdoor recreational opportunities for Irondale, Leeds and other communities within Jefferson County,” said Susan Comensky, Alabama Power vice president for Environmental Affairs.

The Alabama Power Foundation is among longtime supporters of the project, along with the city of Irondale, The Daniel Foundation of Alabama, the Jefferson County Department of Health, Cahaba River Society and Vulcan Materials Company. The environmentally sensitive parking lot was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood and built by Outdoor Construction under Land Trust supervision.

The Cahaba Blueway initiative is directed by The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, which is working with local governments and nonprofits to create safe, sustainable and durable public recreational access sites along the river – one of the most biologically diverse waterways in the nation.

“The Moon River Access is an example of the great work that Cahaba Blueway partners are doing to create infrastructure that strengthens the connection between people and the river while protecting this fragile resource,” said Brian Rushing, Cahaba Blueway Program coordinator.

“We know the continued effort to connect our parks, trails, waterways and greenspaces is important to make Alabama an enjoyable place for everyone to live, work and play,” Comensky added. “We are proud to support this launch, which will attract visitors from all over to this area.”

To learn more about the Cahaba Blueway, visit cahabablueway.org. To learn more about Alabama Power’s environmental stewardship efforts across the state, click here.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

A graduate of the University of Alabama is aboard the International Space Station (ISS) about 250 miles above the Earth after successfully piloting a SpaceX craft.

In his first flight to space, Bob Hines, a NASA astronaut, was responsible for vehicle performance and systems on its journey to the ISS and is now part of a science expedition mission.

Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Hines earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from UA in 2010.

“I’m really excited. This is a boyhood dream,” Hines said in a NASA news conference in March ahead of the rocket launch. “It’s kind of surreal to be in a position like this. The first thing I want do when I get up there … once that the engine cuts off, I want to unstrap and go look out the window.”

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation flight to the ISS as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. It launched April 27 on a new SpaceX Crew Dragon, named Freedom, atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Along with the science mission on the space station, Hines will be part of planned work outside the station to modify power systems.

After 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, Hines was selected as one of 12 people in NASA’s 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class out of 18,300 applicants.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University in 1997 and went on to earn his first master’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 2008.

As he grew older, Hines wanted to not just fly aircraft, but also learn how they worked, so he delved deeper into engineering, joining UA’s online aerospace engineering master’s program.

“I needed a program that was flexible enough to handle the military lifestyle and to go with me wherever I moved,” Hines said in a 2017 interview. “The distance learning at UA was the best fit for me, and the reputation of the engineering program there really appealed to me. Several test pilots recommended it to me.

“My time at Alabama was really important in laying down the foundation of what I needed as a test pilot and my astronaut career here as well.”

Watching from Kennedy Space Center was Dr. Rohan Sood, UA assistant professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics, who was invited by NASA to attend the launch. Sood is working with NASA on a research project.

“I am very thankful and honored by this amazing opportunity to attend the launch of Crew-4,” Sood said before the launch. “I also look forward to personally being there to witness one of our very own University of Alabama graduates being the pilot of this mission.”

Hines is the second UA alumnus on a spaceflight after James Kelley, who similarly graduated with a distance master’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1996 and went on to serve on two Space Shuttle missions.

This story originally appeared on the University of Alabama’s website.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey announced today that economic development activity across Alabama surged during 2021, with a new report showing that projects launched during the year will inject $7.7 billion in capital investment and almost 10,200 jobs into the state’s strengthening economy.

The project activity is outlined in the 2021 New & Expanding Industry Report, a comprehensive analysis of the state’s economic development performance published each year by the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Commerce said the $7.74 billion in new capital investment stemming from project announcements last year represents the second highest annual total in state history, trailing only the $8.7 billion registered in 2018. The investment figure for 2020 was $4.8 billion.

“Last year, the Alabama economic development team engaged with companies from around the world to lay the groundwork for significant growth in key strategic industrial sectors,” Governor Ivey said.

“These projects are already creating good-paying jobs, providing an economic spark for families and communities across Alabama.”

‘HIGH-IMPACT PROJECTS’

The report, released today by Commerce, shows that robust project activity took place in major economic sectors during 2021, triggering broad job gains totaling 10,190 new positions. Job creation in key industries includes:

• Distribution/logistics: 2,384 jobs
• Automotive: 1,426 jobs
• Metals: 1,100 jobs
• Information technology: 1,011 jobs
• Agriculture/Food products: 919 jobs

Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the state’s economic development team successfully completed 247 projects across a diverse lineup of industries last year.

“I believe 2021 stands out as a pivotal year for Alabama’s strategic economic development efforts because we delivered high-impact projects that will create meaningful job opportunities and prepare a path for long-term economic growth,” Secretary Canfield said.

“Looking ahead, a strong project pipeline makes me confident that our team can build on this momentum throughout 2022 and beyond.”

Notable successes during 2021 include the recruitment of Landing, a technology-focused company creating a model for flexible apartment living, that relocated its headquarters from San Francisco to Birmingham, where it is creating over 800 jobs.

Another is J.M. Smucker Co.’s decision to invest $1.1 billion to open a new manufacturing/distribution hub in McCalla, which will generate 750 direct jobs in Jefferson County.

Other high-performing companies, including Facebook, Amazon and FedEx, also announced Alabama projects in 2021.

RURAL ACTIVITY

Meanwhile, activity in rural Alabama was strong during 2021, with projects involving almost $1.7 billion in new capital investment and 1,638 jobs landing in designated “targeted” counties, which have fewer than 50,000 residents.

Over the past two years, Alabama’s rural counties have attracted $2.3 billion in new investment and over 3,600 jobs, according to Commerce data.

During 2021, Franklin, Chambers and Clay counties all recorded projects that will create over 170 jobs, ranking them at the top of the state’s rural counties.

At the same time, Alabama remained a magnet for foreign direct investment in 2021, with 44 FDI projects valued at $1.1 billion and projected to create over 1,700 jobs, according to Commerce’s report.

South Korea was Alabama’s leading foreign investor, with companies announcing projects involving $325.5 million in new investment and 865 jobs last year. Lee County was a prime beneficiary, with five Korean companies launching expansion projects valued at $216 million that will create 370 jobs.

Jefferson County was the leader for job creation last year, with 2,303 anticipated jobs stemming from new projects. Other leaders were Limestone, Montgomery, Lee and Madison.

Madison County was tops for new investment, with announcements totaling $2.4 billion, according to the report. Rounding out the Top 5 counties for new investment were Jefferson, Coosa, Lee and Clarke.

(Courtesy of Made in Alabama)

TUSKEGEE, Alabama — Construction is scheduled to begin soon on the first building in a logistics park along Interstate 85 in Macon County that backers say could have a massive economic impact when its three phases are developed.

The project, called the Regional East Alabama Logistics (REAL) Park, stems from a partnership between the Macon County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA), Farpoint Development and local businessmen Jimmy and Wayne Bassett.

The park, developed by Farpoint, will encompass 683 acres at the site of Beck’s Turf Farm off Exit 42 on I-85. The project envisions around 13 buildings offering a combined 5 million square feet of space once the three phases are completed in seven to 10 years.

Construction is expected to begin this summer on the first building, a 169,000-square-foot expandable industrial commercial structure.

When construction is complete in the fourth quarter, it will be the only “Class A” warehouse/manufacturing building available for lease within a 40-mile radius.

“To have a park plan of this size, scope and partners with world-class abilities means we have a broad team working together bringing their own dollars and networks into landing projects and creating new jobs,” MCEDA Director Joe Turnham said.

“The right team, the right project in the right place and at the right time — this initial investment has the potential to be a tipping point in our community’s development for decades to come,” he added.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Turnham said work on the Phase 1 building will generate construction jobs and a substantial economic impact while also creating ripple effects throughout Macon County.

The completed project could be transformational, he added.

An economic impact analysis conducted by the University of Alabama’s Center of Business & Economic Research shows the project will bring $386 million in new economic capital investment when fully built.

The project will add over 1,000 new direct jobs and 863 indirect jobs, according to the analysis, which was commissioned by Farpoint.

Farpoint, which has an office in Asheville, North Carolina, is actively marketing the Phase 1 building as an industrial facility for lease. The development will offer design-build, leaseback programs for industry throughout the site.

“We are very excited to launch the REAL Park alongside our strong local partners such as Opportunity Alabama, MCEDA, and of course the Bassett brothers,” said Justin Patwin, managing director at Farpoint.

“In many ways we think this project could become a regional catalyst for broader economic opportunities and reinforce the State of Alabama as a destination for global commerce,” he added.

PRIME LOCATION

The park is located two miles north of Tuskegee and 15 miles from Auburn. The location is less than 35 miles from the Kia auto assembly plant in West Point, Georgia and around 50 miles from the Hyundai manufacturing plant in Montgomery.

Turnham said the REAL Park development team has met with the Alabama Department of Commerce and numerous utilities as well as consultants in industrial development and believes that the development of a large logistics park will meet current market demand head on.

“REAL Park will better position Macon County to take full advantage of economic growth along the I-85 corridor,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“Having an available building onsite will kickstart the development team’s efforts to quickly capitalize on the possibilities in industries such as automotive, aerospace, forest products and manufacturing,” he added.

(Courtesy of Made in Alabama)

Alabama is known for some of the best bass fishing in the world. Our state is blessed with an abundance of rivers, reservoirs and waterways teeming with numerous black bass species, which means bass fishing tournaments abound throughout the state. Except for one location – Tuscaloosa.

Stan Adams, Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports’ Executive Director of Sports, and Adam Hollingsworth, president of the University of Alabama (UA) Bass Fishing Team, want to do something about that, and it all starts with awareness.

“If you Google Tuscaloosa and fishing, what pops up is Chuck’s Fish, a restaurant here,” Adams said. “What we are doing is trying to find something that will have an economic impact on the area. We’ve got this river; how do we use this?”

Adams contacted Dr. Hobson Bryan at UA and Bob Hale at L&L Marine in Northport, and they told him Tuscaloosa County was missing out on millions in the economic impact that bass tournaments can produce.

“We’re missing out on between $1.3 million and $3.5 million by not being able to have fishing tournaments on that river,” Adams said. “We knew this was huge. My boss and I went to the Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham right before the COVID shutdown and talked to Kay Donaldson with the Alabama Bass Trail.”

Donaldson, who runs the hugely successful Alabama Bass Trail (ABT), was asked how to get an ABT event in Tuscaloosa to fish the Black Warrior.

“You guys are going to have to start having more tournaments,” Adams said of Donaldson’s response. “Show us you can do it, and we’ll start talking about adding you to the trail.”

Adams said residents around Lake Tuscaloosa, a lake formed by damming the North River, are not interested in expanded bass fishing, which means the focus will be on sparsely populated Holt Reservoir and Bankhead Lake on the Black Warrior.

“It’s really a gold mine down here on the river,” he said. “We’re just trying to figure out how to market it. The more we market it, the more interest there is. That creates demand, and, politically, they’re going to have to build infrastructure because of the demand.”

Adams said he is talking to the City of Northport about building a boat ramp capable of handling larger tournaments.

“They have an area at Bankhead Dam where we want them to build a boat ramp that is six or eight lanes wide to accommodate a lot of boats and add parking,” he said. “I know the state of Alabama is all about fishing, and this is one of the untapped areas.

“Right now, everything is about Alabama football, and we appreciate that. But that’s just seven weekends a year. Fishing is our next focus. It can be a Monday through Friday deal, not just weekends. And we know fishermen come in days before the actual tournament, which has a real economic impact.”

Hollingsworth said Adams reached out for some advice on how to boost the Tuscaloosa area’s reputation for bass fishing. Holt Reservoir is a 3,296-acre impoundment in the picturesque Appalachian Highlands. Up river, Bankhead Lake is 9,200 acres and flows through Walker, Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties.

“I told them I would absolutely help because I’ve fished these rivers and lakes all my life,” Hollingsworth said. “It’s a very versatile place. You can be throwing a swim jig in one place or be throwing a Shaky Head or jig against a wall in another place. You’re not limited. Holt has stained water with about 2- to- 4-foot visibility. If you go up to the dam (Bankhead), you get cooler water but with current. Going south, it’s warmer and it cleans up a little too. I enjoy fishing Holt because there’s a bigger population of fish, bigger fish as well.”

While Hollingsworth is more than willing to help with the marketing, his role is actually fishing as a member of the UA team. Hollingsworth is considerably older than his UA fishing teammates. The 34-year-old former policeman, Army veteran and current member of the Army National Guard decided to go to UA to get his degree in criminal justice to further his career in law enforcement. He’s graduating this week with almost a 4.0 average and plans to enter graduate school.

Before Hollingsworth became president of the UA bass fishing team, he helped get uniforms and graphics for the anglers’ boats, and he started adding sponsors to fund the expenses.

“Being this old in college is kind of weird,” he said. “I just try to be a role model for the other members of a team.”

Hollingsworth said he’s been hooked on fishing since he was limited to a cane pole and a bucket of minnows.

“I had a crappie rig and put a minnow on it and threw it out,” he said. “A big ol’ largemouth ate it. There were some people fishing right up from us, and their mouths dropped.

“That’s what really sparked my love for it. I kind of got away from it when I was in the military. When I got back here in 2012, I started fishing again. I got with my buddy Dwayne Allen, and he showed me pretty much everything. I learned how to fish a swim jig from him.”

Although Hollingsworth has a few plastic worms in his tackle box, they rarely see the daylight. Fishing slow is not his game.

“I like to fish fast,” he said. “I’ll get out a Shaky Head if that’s the last thing I can think of to catch a fish. Most of the time, I’m going to have a swim jig or a jerkbait in my hands. If it’s early in the morning, I’ll walk a Spook and throw a buzzbait. I like to move fast and cover a lot of water. In the summer, I will throw a crankbait.”

The UA fishing team competes in the Strike King-Bassmasters College Series, the Abu Garcia College Series, the ACA (Association of Collegiate Anglers) Bass Pro Shop Series and the Southern Collegiate Series, which will hold its state championship at Lake Eufaula later this month.

“I went to Eufaula for the first time two years ago,” Hollingsworth said. “That was the first time I’d seen gators on the water. I saw gators almost as long as the boat I was in. I thought, ‘Oh, my gracious.’ And I wasn’t far from Lakepoint State Park.”

After Eufaula, Hollingsworth and his fishing partner, Travis Pattillo, will be headed to Michigan to fish in Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay.

“That’s going to be a trip,” Hollingsworth said. “We’re going to have three teams there. I’ve never been there. Travis has never been there. What I’ve heard is it’s a Disneyland of smallmouths. We were just warned about the waves. I’ll have to learn how to drift fish.”

While he’s fishing in the South, Hollingsworth loves to fish for bedding bass.

“It’s a game, and I like that challenge,” he said. “It’s a competitive thing between me and the fish. I’ll lock onto a fish for an hour, especially if I see it getting madder and madder. When they flare their gills or turn sideways, you know it’s on.”

David Rainer is an award-winning writer who has covered Alabama’s great outdoors for 25 years. The former outdoors editor at the Mobile Press-Register, he writes for Outdoor Alabama, the website of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

A poll commissioned by ForestPAC, the political arm of the Alabama Forestry Association (AFA), shows that former Business Council of Alabama head Katie Britt has retaken the lead over the three-candidate GOP primary field.

The poll was conducted by McLaughlin & Associates May 2-5 and consisted of 500 likely Republican primary voters. Respondents were interviewed evenly between landline, cellphone and text message.

Poll results are as follows:

• Katie Britt — 38.6%
• Mike Durant — 27.4%
• Mo Brooks — 22.0%
• Undecided — 12.0%

McLaughlin & Associates, a nationally renowned polling firm routinely utilized by former President Donald Trump’s inner circle, conducted a poll in early March which showed that Durant had taken a slight lead. A series of polls released shortly after confirmed the U.S. Army veteran’s upward trend, with a poll conducted in late March showing that Durant held a 10-point lead over Britt.

Durant has since been the subject of a heavy negative ad campaign. The newly released polling shows that the ads could be working in favor of the Britt campaign.

According to the poll, 80.6% of respondents had been exposed to Durant-related content, which left 42.4% of voters saying that made them less likely to vote for him.

The poll shows that more Republicans view Durant as being liberal or moderate than they do Britt. Additionally, 52.2% of respondents view Britt as being conservative while 43.4% view Durant as being conservative.

When asked which candidate would be more supportive of Trump’s “America First” agenda as senator, Brooks was the leading response. The North Alabama congressman was also the leading response when voters were asked who they believed to be “an establishment Republican.”

When asked who would be best on issues related to illegal immigration, the Second Amendment, and the economy, Britt emerged as the prevailing choice. She was also a double-digit favorite among voters when they were posed the question as to who would best represent “conservative Alabama values” as senator.

The Brooks-aligned Club for Growth Action PAC has made Britt the target of its negative ad campaign throughout the race. With the congressman appearing to be within striking distance of Durant, the group could potentially shift its focus to the former “Black Hawk Down” aviator.

The primary election will take place May 24, 2022. Should no candidate receive more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held June 21, 2022.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Monday, a draft opinion of the Supreme Court leaked that says the majority of the court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Because of this, many Democratic members of Congress are calling for abortion protections to be passed by Congress and codified into law.

According to U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Democrats will not be successful in passing any kind of abortion bill this year.

Moore joined WVNN’s “The Yaffee Program” on Friday to react to the push by Democrats in Congress to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law.

“I don’t think that they’ve got the votes,” he argued. “You know they tried HR 1 when we first got there…HR 5 was similar, HR 8 where it put the guys in girls’ sports, those sort of things. I think this Roe v. Wade, if they try that, it’s going to fall on deaf ears, I think it’s going to die just like the other egregious votes this year.”

He also said that U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) gave him hope that Democrats wouldn’t be able to abolish the filibuster to pass an abortion law.

“He says he’s not going to do away with it, and thank goodness for Joe, he’s the most powerful Joe in D.C. right now. It’s not Biden, it’s Manchin, brother,” Moore said.

The congressman said he was thrilled to see the abortion precedent finally overturned.

“I’m grateful that it’s going away,” he said. “I’m as pro-life as any candidate that we’re going to have or that you’re ever going to hear of, but I think it was flawed policy. Fifty years later, we’ve got the science, we know it’s a baby in the womb.”

While Moore liked the draft opinion, he was upset with how it was leaked to the public.

“My concern initially is the leak,” he said. “I think that showed the means justifies the end with the crowd on the left with this, in fact, we need to prosecute whoever this is to the extent of the law, and I think it allows the left to try to mobilize against the justices before the final ruling comes down. So that’s the biggest concern for me.”

The congressman thinks the left’s arguments against Roe v. Wade being overturned don’t make sense.

“So an affront on privacy,” Moore said about the Democrats’ argument on abortion rights being privacy rights. “Three months ago, it was vaccine mandates and we need to know if you’re vaccinated, if you get the jab or keep your job and all of that. So it’s amazing to me how quickly, how rapidly the narrative has changed, and also a few months ago or weeks ago we couldn’t even define what a woman is and now we’re all up in arms about women’s rights.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

The Alabama Forestry Association (AFA) this week unveiled an additional slate of endorsements for candidates seeking reelection to the Alabama House of Representatives.

State Rep. Corey Harbison (R-Good Hope)

Harbison is running for a third term representing House District 12 in Cullman County. He currently serves as vice chair of the House Technology and Research Committee. The former Good Hope mayor attended Wallace State Community College and obtained an undergraduate degree from Athens State University.

If reelected to an additional term in the legislature, Harbison vowed to continue his efforts to support the forestry community.

“It has been an honor to work with the Alabama Forestry Association during my time in the legislature,” stated Harbison. “The Association represents a profession that works tirelessly every day to keep up with demand and is a major contributor to our economy. I pledge to continue listening and supporting their efforts.

He concluded, “I believe you should be able to go to work and make a honest living without having to worry with overbearing government regulations. I am thankful to receive the endorsement of the Association.”

State Rep. Randy Wood (R-Anniston)

First elected in 2002, Wood is running for reelection to House District 36, which covers St. Clair, Calhoun and Talladega Counties. Wood is the chair for the House Internal Affairs Committee. The lawmaker served six years in the Alabama National Guard and graduated from Southern Union College. He is the owner of Wood’s Auto Body Shop in Anniston.

Wood hailed AFA for its work to preserve property rights and extended appreciation to the association for its legislative advocacy.

“We are very fortunate in Alabama to have the Alabama Forestry Association taking care of landowners in the State of Alabama,” said Wood. “As a landowner myself and a representative of the people, I appreciate the work that they do.”

State Rep. Bob Fincher (R-Woodland)

Fincher is seeking a third term representing House District 37, which covers Chambers, Cleburne and Randolph Counties. He is currently a member of the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee and chair of the Constitution Campaigns and Elections Committee. Fincher is an Auburn University graduate and is a retired government, economics and history teacher.

In an additional term, Fincher advised that he would continue to support AFA’s legislative agenda.

“It has been a pleasure to work with the Forestry Association as I have served District 37,” said Fincher. “This endorsement is an honor and I look forward to pushing the values Forestry and myself support to improve the forestry industry and the great state of Alabama.”

State Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-Alabaster)

Bedsole is running for reelection to House District 49 which, covers Shelby, Bibb and Chilton Counties. Bedsole serves as the captain of the jail division of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Auburn University and his graduate degree in public administration from Troy University. Bedsole also graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2019.

In a statement touting AFA’s endorsement of his reelection bid, Bedsole took note of his district’s robust timber industry.

“District 49 is rich in natural forestry resources,” advised Bedsole. “Alabama Forestry Association plays a huge role in the education and preservation of these natural resources for generations to come. I am proud to have the endorsement of this very distinguished and conservative association.”

State Rep. Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa)

Almond is seeking a full term serving House District 63, which covers Tuscaloosa County. She was elected in a special election in late 2021. Almond is the chair of the House Tuscaloosa County Legislation Committee. She is an attorney at Almond Attorneys and is the owner of Capitol Park Title, LLC.

The lawmaker is a native of Tuscaloosa and graduated from the University of Alabama with her bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish. She also earned her law degree from the University Of Alabama School Of Law.

Almond outlined her intentions to promote policies favorable to the timber industry in a full term of service in the legislature.

“As a member of a family with deep roots in the West Alabama blackbelt, a landowner, tree grower, and someone interested in forest renewal and conservation, I am especially pleased to be endorsed by the Alabama Forestry Association,” stated Almond. “The forestry industry is of vital importance to this State’s economy. I am committed to having policies that sustain the industry and promote good stewardship of the land.”

AFA announced its first, second and third rounds of endorsements in February, followed by its fourth, fifth and sixth in March. The association last month released its seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th rounds of endorsements.

The primary election will be held May 24, 2022.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Mike Durant drew criticism from his GOP primary rivals this past weekend when he opted not to respond to an on-camera question asking the candidate if he would denounce the Lincoln Project.

During a Thursday evening political gathering in Phenix City, Durant was asked by an event attendee to articulate his position on the anti-Trump group.

In response to the question, Durant said he had no understanding of what the Lincoln Project was and asserted that he had voted for the 45th president in both 2016 and 2020.

“I honestly don’t even really know what the Lincoln Project is. I have no association with it,” said Durant. “I denounce it, I do whatever I need to do. I’m pro-Trump, I always have been. I voted for him in 2016 and 2020. In fact… [an ad] airing on TV that the Lincoln Project was involved with my campaign is so patently false that we could prove it. They had to pull it down.”

The TV spot Durant referenced was an attack ad launched by Alabama RINO PAC in early April.

The ad alleged that Zack Czajkowski, the former political director of the Lincoln Project who currently works in the same capacity for the pro-Durant More Perfect Union, was “calling the shots for the Durant political committee.”

Alabama RINO PAC would later pull the ad and launch an edited version to say instead that Czajkowski “helped get Mike Durant into the race.”

Durant concluded his response to the question by proclaiming himself to be the race’s “outsider” and declaring the Lincoln Project allegations to be “fiction.”

“So, I mean these are just the things they are doing to me to defeat me because I’m the outsider,” he added. “I am the person that isn’t reaching in someone else’s pocket. I’m the person that’s going to do what’s right for the state of Alabama. And I hope everyone can see through it because it’s all just fiction.”

Watch:

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Earlier this week, a draft opinion of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case in the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned Roe v. Wade, was leaked to Politico. If Roe v. Wade were overturned, the legal authority would revert back to the states.

In 2019, Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, which bans most abortions and doesn’t include exception for rape or incest.

According to the Alabama lawmaker who led the effort to get that bill passed, the legislature might reconsider abortion laws in the Yellowhammer State if Roe v. Wade were overturned.

State Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) joined WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” to discuss what was next for Alabama if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“Alabama would never be able to have a law for abortion that was our law until Roe v. Wade was overturned,” she said, “and so the 2019 law was aimed at overturning that. If the Mississippi law is able to accomplish that goal, then I would want us to have what we want to be our law in Alabama.”

The state lawmaker admitted that the legislature could decide to keep the current law but said there was a strong chance they might want to change it to something that included certain exceptions for rape and incest.

“[I]t may be the Human Life Protection Act,” she continued, “it may just be just what that is, but the quadrennium before that I carried a heartbeat bill that does include a couple of few exceptions, but it’s a very strong bill and it’s the one I think most the people in Alabama would support.”

Collins emphasized that the goal of the Human Life Protection act was solely overturning Roe v. Wade. She advised if that was accomplished, the legislature could focus on making changes to abortion restrictions that were more in line with the will of the voters.

“That bill was simply aimed to overturn it,” she explained. “Yes it said that baby in the womb was a baby, was a child, was a person, and it didn’t matter how it was conceived. But in our law is that how we want our law? Do we want it to be that rigid? When people are under those extreme extreme circumstances…Should families, doctors, everyone have a choice in those awful circumstances? That would be up to the legislature to decide.”

The lawmaker said she hoped the leaked draft opinion would be the Supreme Court’s real opinion on the case.

“I pray that that is true,” she said, “and at the same time very still concerned over a leak within the judicial system.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

The University of North Alabama (UNA) will receive more than $45 million from its annual state appropriation, according to the institution.

The appropriation, which was set forth in the fiscal year 2023 budget, marks a 12.76% increase from the previous year’s allocation.

UNA president Dr. Ken Kitts praised State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence) and State Rep. Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville) for their work in securing the funding.

“In the Senate, Tim Melson serves as vice chair of the education funding committee, and Jamie Kiel sits on the counterpart committee in the House of Representatives,” said Kitts. “Both of these legislators are alumni of UNA and have been very strong voices for equity in funding for UNA.”

UNA will also receive a supplemental appropriation of $3.2 million for a new program in power generation engineering, which will fund the university’s one-of-a-kind workforce development program that will be available to students across the nation.

The executive branch’s recommendation of a 9% funding increase was expanded in the legislature during debate in the House Ways and Means Education Committee with the support of the local legislative delegation, according to UNA.

Evan Thornton, UNA vice president for business and financial affairs and chief financial officer, spoke to the university’s funding gap and called for UNA to receive an equitable amount of funding per student compared to that of other state institutions.

“The University is grateful for the progress that has been made to narrow the gap,” said Thornton. “However, the University has passed deficit budgets over $3.5 million for two consecutive years and must be funded equitably to remain affordable and competitive in today’s market.”

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Much of the discussion about the oncoming overturning of Roe v. Wade seems to focus on issues irrelevant to abortion, even though the leaked potential order specifically narrows the scope to that issue.

Sadly, the media and their Democrats seem hellbent on misinforming their audience and suggesting that the ruling can never be changed, even though it absolutely can. This is what the Supreme Court has done since its founding.

Watch:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.

A nearly 1,000-year-old collection of cave drawings is secretly embedded within North Alabama’s mountain range along the foothills of lower Appalachia.

While researchers are keeping the cave’s location under wraps, they were willing to detail to academic journal Antiquity the treasure trove that they deem to be the richest prehistoric cave art site on the continent.

Advanced photography allowed the drawings, which appear to show people donned in Native American regalia, to be uncovered through the mud that had accumulated on the cave walls throughout the years.

According to University of Tennessee anthropology professor Jan Simek, the art could depict spirits of the dead.

“They are either people dressed in regalia to look like spirits, or they are spirits,” said Simek. “The term we like to use is that they were ‘materializing’ those spirits through the costumes that they wore.”

While the exact location is known only to the researchers, the cave is situated at the southern end of the Appalachian Plateau. According to NBC, the drawings were carved by Native Americans who lived during the late Woodland culture phase in the region.

Native American tradition maintained that caves were entrances to the underworld, a belief reflected in the unearthed drawings.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

7. America still has never had a Filipino-Canadian furry trans albino man as press secretary at the White House

• With White House press secretary Jen Psaki leaving her position to join MSNBC, Karine Jean-Pierre has been named the next White House press secretary, and she has already been championed as the first gay person and first black woman to be in the position.
• Jean-Pierre has already been working as the deputy press secretary. Psaki said, “Representation matters and she will give a voice to many, but also make many dream big about what is truly possible.”

6. Ivey receives pro-life endorsement

• The pro-life group National Right to Life has endorsed Governor Kay Ivey in her reelection bid. Since becoming governor, Ivey has been outspoken about being pro-life, and in 2019, she signed the Alabama Human Life Protection Act into law, showing her support for overturning Roe v. Wade. Changes could be coming to that law.
• After the endorsement announcement, Ivey said, “It’s easy to talk about protecting life, but it’s a different thing to act on it, and that’s what our state did when I signed the strongest pro-life bill in the entire nation, which struck at the core of Roe v. Wade itself. This bill is particularly important now in light of recent events in the United States Supreme Court.” It should be noted that since it was leaked that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade, there has been talk in Alabama of changing or rewriting the abortion ban to allow several exceptions.

5. Trump says MAGA is “saving America”

• According to former President Donald Trump, his political movement of “Make America Great Again,” or MAGA, is “saving America” in light of President Joe Biden’s administration. He declared, “Inflation, incompetent withdrawals from Afghanistan, leaving hostages horribly wounded, soldiers, $85 billion of military equipment – MAGA is saving America.”
• Recently, Biden said that MAGA was the “most extreme political organization that’s existed in recent American history,” but Trump called this “divisive.” He stated, “[Biden] is being very divisive, but it is more than that, it is all misinformation just like the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax and all of the hoaxes. That’s what they’re good at.”

4. Wes Allen releases first television ad

• State Representative Wes Allen (R-Troy), a candidate for Alabama Secretary of State, released the first television ad for his campaign. In the ad, Allen describes himself as “the last person” the left “want to see in that office.”
• In the ad, Allen says that he’s “spent years fighting liberal attempts to change our elections.” He goes on to say, “[D]on’t be fooled, the liberals are not giving up. They’re coming to try to weaken our voter ID laws. I won’t let them. They are coming to try to establish mass-mail balloting. Not on my watch. They’ll want to establish online voting. I’ll never let an Alabama voting machine be connected to the internet. Never.”

3. Tuberville confident Space Command will still move to Alabama

• U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) is confident that the plan for U.S. Space Command headquarters to come to Huntsville will remain in place, despite the efforts of Colorado lawmakers to keep headquarters in their state.
• Tuberville declared, “[T]his has become a political point that Democrats are trying to make. Space Command was appointed by the Trump administration on that fact that we deserved it in Huntsville. If Colorado had been the best place, that’s where we needed it. But after all the investigation, the best place they said for the future of Space Command was Huntsville because of a lot of different reasons.”

2. Ivey gets more endorsements from legislative leadership

• More names are emerging to support the incumbent governor of Alabama as it seems that Governor Kay Ivey is cruising to reelection even if that requires an unlikely run-off with the list of candidates looking to unseat her. The sheer number of opponents could make that possible, but recent polls show her rolling. New legislative endorsements come from both majority leaders in the Alabama Legislature as the Ivey campaign continues to roll these endorsements out. Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville) and House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) are officially on Team Ivey.
• Ivey touted her accomplishments in a new statement, saying, “With over 50,000 new jobs, over $25 billion in new business investment, and the lowest unemployment rate in the history of our state – we have one of the best business environments in the entire nation. That’s something that all Alabamians should be proud of, and I appreciate these strong Republican leaders’ work in bringing these results to our state. We’re going to win big on May 24 and continue our state’s historic economic success and defend our freedoms and way of life.”

1. Fences have been put up, White House won’t condemn plan to go to justices’ homes

• In the wake of the leaked opinion that the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, large fences surrounding the court have been put in place. The fences were put up due to expected protests from the decision. No matter how those protests go, they will be called “peaceful” and rationalized.
• White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that President Joe Biden’s message to all those demonstrating was, “Ensure it’s peaceful. Have your voice heard peacefully. We should not be resorting to violence in any way, shape or form.” When asked about the posting of justices’ addresses or protesting outside of their homes and if those actions qualify as “peaceful,” Psaki replied, “The president’s view is that there’s a lot of passion, a lot of fear, a lot of sadness, from many, many, many people across this country about what they saw in the leaked document.”

State Rep. Wes Allen (R-Troy) on Thursday launched the first television advertisement in his campaign for Alabama Secretary of State.

The 30-second spot features Allen detailing his commitment to shield Alabama’s elections system from policies advocated by progressive Democrats. The ad also shows the conservative lawmaker declaring that he is “the last person” liberals “want to see” as Alabama’s chief elections official.

“I’m Wes Allen and I’ve spent years fighting liberal attempts to change our elections. But don’t be fooled, the liberals are not giving up,” Allen says in the ad. “They’re coming to try to weaken our voter ID laws. I won’t let them. They are coming to try to establish mass-mail balloting. Not on my watch. They’ll want to establish online voting. I’ll never let an Alabama voting machine be connected to the internet. Never.

He concludes, “I’m Wes Allen, and I’m running to be Alabama’s next Republican secretary of state. Trust me, when the liberals come, I’m the last person they want to see in that office.”

Watch:

Allen is seeking to replace the retiring Secretary of State John Merrill. Accompanying Allen in the GOP primary is current State Auditor Jim Zeigler, former Alabama elections administrator Ed Packard and Republican activist Chris Horn.

The primary election will take place May 24, 2022. In the event that no candidate garners more than 50% of all votes cast, a runoff election will be held June 21, 2022.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

While the National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) in Alabama’s U.S. Senate GOP primary, the gun rights group also extended praise to a second candidate in the three-person field.

The NRA-PVF (Political Victory Fund) awarded former Business Council of Alabama head Katie Britt with an “AQ” rating, which is the highest possible rating for a candidate seeking public office without a prior legislative voting record.

In a letter, NRA-PVF chairman Jason Ouimet offered the association’s appreciation to the first-time candidate over her stance on the Second Amendment.

“[W]e share a common goal to safeguard the Second Amendment and the rights of law abiding Americans who own firearms for hunting, personal protection, collection, or any other lawful purpose,” wrote Ouimet. “We also share a commitment to support law enforcement’s efforts to decrease crime and prosecute those who commit crimes with firearms.”

He concluded in part, “NRA members and law-abiding gun owners in Alabama and across the country thank you for your pledge to uphold and defend the individual right to keep and bear arms.”

In a statement, Britt noted that the Second Amendment serves as a “check” against government tyranny and asserted that the Biden administration had placed the American citizenry “in their crosshairs.”

“I’m excited to have earned the highest possible rating from the NRA-PVF. The Second Amendment is a critical check against the timeless tyranny of government,” said Britt. “Our Founders wisely knew that the Second Amendment will always be necessary to protect our God-given, inalienable right to defend ourselves, our families, our freedom, our homes, and our communities.”

She continued, “As the Biden Administration continues to put law-abiding, hardworking Americans in their crosshairs, we must stand firm and preserve the country we know and love for our children and our children’s children. In the Senate, I will always fight to defend our Second Amendment rights, our personal liberties, and our Christian conservative values.”

Last month, Britt’s campaign released a policy memo outlining the candidate’s legislative intentions surrounding the Second Amendment.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Gov. Kay Ivey’s reelection bid continues to compile endorsements from not only influential conservative advocacy organizations but from state legislative brass.

Thursday, Ivey landed the endorsements of Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville) and House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) in her bid to serve a second term as Alabama’s chief executive.

In a statement announcing the endorsements, Ivey praised the Republican leaders for their efforts to champion conservative agenda items in their respected chambers.

“Majority Leader Scofield and Majority Leader Ledbetter are dedicated public servants and excellent leaders of the Republican Caucuses in their respective chambers of the legislature,” said Ivey. “I thank them for their endorsement and look forward to working closely with them for another term.”

She continued, “Here in Alabama, we’re standing up for what’s right and defending our conservative Alabama values. We’ve banned transgender sports in schools and made it illegal to give transgender surgeries to children, we’ve banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory, we’ve put into law the strongest pro-life law in the nation and have protected our Second Amendment rights. That’s just to name a few.”

In a second term as governor, Ivey pledged to build upon the economic gains Alabama has experienced thus far under her administration.

“With over 50,000 new jobs, over $25 billion in new business investment, and the lowest unemployment rate in the history of our state – we have one of the best business environments in the entire nation. That’s something that all Alabamians should be proud of, and I appreciate these strong Republican leaders’ work in bringing these results to our state. We’re going to win big on May 24 and continue our state’s historic economic success and defend our freedoms and way of life,” concluded Ivey.

Scofield thanked Ivey for her commitment to expanding high-speed internet services across the Yellowhammer State, something which has been atop the list of legislative priorities for the Senate GOP leader.

“I am pleased to have a great working relationship with Governor Ivey and am proud of the results we have been able to secure for Alabamians,” stated Scofield. “It has been an honor over the years to work alongside her to deliver high-speed internet access to communities across Alabama, especially those in rural areas.”

“The Governor’s ambitious approach toward a range of issues will truly make a historic impact on our state’s future,” he noted. “From expanding broadband, improving our state’s roads and bridges, and fighting for the conservative causes that Alabamians hold dear – the state of Alabama is delivering. The reelection of Kay Ivey as governor will ensure this growth and success continues.”

Ledbetter touted Ivey’s efforts to combat the Biden administration and declared her to be “a proven leader in fighting for our values.”

“Results speak for themselves – and in Alabama, our economy is thriving,” proclaimed Ledbetter. “The economic numbers we’re seeing are beyond question and I give Governor Ivey a tremendous amount of credit for that success. I look forward to continuing to work with her to keep that economic momentum going.”

“Across the nation, conservative values and the American way of life that we hold dear is under constant attack,” he declared. “Whether that be from the disastrous Biden Administration, left-wing radical indoctrination in our children’s schools, and the assault on our innocent, unborn children – the threat is real and the stakes couldn’t be higher. That’s why I’m supporting Kay Ivey for Governor. She is a proven leader in fighting for our values, and she has the grit and resilience to make sure that none of that craziness finds a home in our state.”

In addition to Scofield and Ledbetter, Ivey holds the endorsements of Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) and House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia).

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL