Chef Scott Simpson, who brings a global approach to dishes at The Depot in Auburn, will represent Alabama at the 17th Annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off. The winner will hold the title of King or Queen of American Seafood. The competition is set for Saturday, Aug. 7, in New Orleans. Simpson is ready. “I’m really competitive by nature, whether it’s […]

A national championship in any endeavor is to be celebrated to the fullest. That’s what Alabama Governor Kay Ivey did recently when she unveiled a proclamation recognizing the accomplishments of the University of Montevallo (UM) bass fishing team at Beeswax Landing on Lay Lake. As part of the Montevallo President’s Outdoor Scholars Program, the 52 […]

Doster Construction Company on Thursday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its Huntsville office location, which will oversee more than $200 million in projects the company is conducting in the area. The Birmingham-based company provides general contracting and construction management services throughout the United States. The company in June announced its intentions to open the […]

Earlier this week, AL(dot)com’s Kyle Whitmire took exception to State Sen. Arthur Orr’s (R-Decatur) suggestion that a Birmingham-Southern College $500 fee on the unvaccinated could be a “constructive denial” and a possible violation of state law, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey earlier this year. In a column, Whitmire […]

Birders from across the region are converging this weekend in west Alabama for the return of the Black Belt Birding Festival – back after a year’s hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pent-up demand from birders is obvious – the festival is a sellout – but don’t despair. There are free events, open to […]

The U.S. Navy has awarded Mobile-based Austal USA a sustainment execution contract (SEC) to conduct repair, maintenance and modernization of all Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) homeported in San Diego. The award includes all Austal-built Independence-variant LCS as well as the west-coast-based Freedom-variant LCS. Austal USA interim president Rusty Murdaugh said the contract allows the company […]

Huntsville will soon play host to the nation’s leading aerospace and defense companies at a symposium consisting of the top space and missile defense professionals from the United States and across the globe. The Rocket City’s Von Braun Center will host defense industry brass such as Dynetics, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, BAE […]

Small businesses have been the heartbeat of our hometowns for generations, and over the past year and a half, they’ve held us up more than ever. It hasn’t been easy, but they’ve fought mightily to keep their doors open and support our communities. Here at the Business Council of Alabama, we want to say a […]

What was once 28th Avenue in Tuscaloosa is now officially Nick’s Kids Avenue, a tribute to Nick and Terry Saban’s charitable children’s service organization. The City of Tuscaloosa and Nick’s Kids Foundation on Thursday held a renaming celebration as a mark of gratitude for the University of Alabama head football coach and his wife’s dedication […]

Editor’s note: This originally appeared on Facebook I don’t post often on social media. But today, I feel compelled to give you some insight from someone on the front lines. We are tired. For the past 18 months or so, we have been continually dealing with COVID-19 as well as the ramifications of COVID-19 on […]

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) appeared on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” on Thursday to discuss an array of issues, including President Joe Biden’s unilateral executive action to extend the eviction moratorium ban and the potential for a revote to unionize Bessemer’s Amazon Fulfillment Center. Earlier this week, Biden issued a new eviction moratorium just days […]

7. New funds available for rental assistance While rental assistance has been slow during the global pandemic, some Alabama residents could see some relief soon. Birmingham will hold an event where people experiencing difficulty in paying rent or utilities because of COVID-19 can seek help at Bill Harris Arena on Saturday from 9 a.m. to […]

Finding a solution to the long-standing traffic woes tied to crossing the Intracoastal Waterway to arrive to and depart from Baldwin County’s beaches is uncertain as a disagreement between Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon and Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft seems to have gotten personal. Since 1972, the Alabama Highway 59 via the W.C. Holmes […]

Alabama Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise on Thursday announced that she will seek another term on the state’s highest court. A Republican, Justice Wise has served on the Alabama Supreme Court since 2011. Wise also received the endorsement of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) at their recent annual governmental affairs conference. In announcing her […]

The subject of mental health has been all the buzz on news broadcasts, sports shows and around dinner tables all over the world this past week. Frankly, it’s a conversation that is long overdue. As I travel our great state, I frequently hear from judges, circuit clerks, law enforcement officers and health care workers that […]

The Tua Foundation has donated $93,000 to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, after a multi-vehicle accident claimed the lives of 10 people, including eight children. The donation will cover the funeral costs of the children, ages ranging from four to 17-years-old. The deceased were traveling in an Alabama Sheriff’s Youth Ranches van along I-65 from […]

Birmingham-based IN8bio, Inc. announced that it has completed its initial public offering (IPO), reaching a major milestone for the biotech startup. The biopharmaceutical company focuses on the discovery and development of gamma-delta T cell therapies. The company was originally launched out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham by William Ho with technology invented by […]

Governor Kay Ivey issued a memo directing flags to be flown at half-staff on Thursday in honor of Selma police officer Marquis Moorer, who was tragically slain while on duty. Officer Moorer was fulfilling his oath to protect and serve on Tuesday, July 27, when he was shot and killed in an ambush at Selma […]

Drake State Community & Technical College has been awarded nearly $1.2 million from NASA to grow its Frontiers Research Program and conduct STEM outreach. The investment will build upon the already-strong position the community college holds in supporting space-related workforce development initiatives. The school is one of six colleges and universities to be awarded NASA’s […]

An investment of $130 million is coming to Opelika by way of a new Hanwha Cimarron LLC manufacturing facility. The facility’s operations will support industries relating to with aerospace, defense, marine, drone, rail, and gas transport and storage. Hanwha Cimarron LLC is a producer of filament-wound carbon fiber tanks and pressure vessels. The company says […]

Regions Bank on Thursday announced plans to expand its portfolio of free educational tools it provides to students and parents alike. The Birmingham-based bank has launched its new financial literacy platforms via WeAreTeachers and iGrad through Regions Next Step, the bank’s financial education program. WeAreTeachers is an online media brand for educators which delivers real-world […]

Congress is currently in the middle of the markup process for the 2022 federal budget. As a member of the appropriations committee, I serve on the Defense and Agriculture subcommittees and I’m the ranking member of the Commerce, Justice, and Science committee. In the coming weeks, I want to discuss with you what I see […]

With the Delta variant of COVID-19 on the rise, public and private institutions are considering putting in place any number of protocols to mitigate the spread of the virus, including reinstating mask and social distancing requirements. Among those institutions are public schools, some of which are going with a mask requirement, and State Rep. Andrew […]

7. Ivey raises over $500,000 In July, Governor Kay Ivey’s reelection campaign reported raising about $525,000, making their total since May 24 around $1.8 million. Ivey’s opponent pastor Dan Odle of Opelika has raised a total of $26,000 with $11,000 of that in July. State Auditor Jim Zeigler is likely to campaign for governor and […]