Despite the best efforts of parents and educators across our state, over the past year, social isolation, hunger and lost instructional time have hit our students hard. According to VOICES for Alabama’s Children, Alabama ranks 47th in the nation for child well-being and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the challenges faced by children and families.  As […]

Global nonprofit Points of Light on Monday announced that Montgomery’s Bryan Stevenson has won one of three of the annual George H.W. Bush Points of Light Awards to be presented September 28, 2021. Created in 1990 to promote the spirit of volunteerism described by then-President George H. W. Bush in his 1989 inaugural address, Points of Light […]

The third annual HEAL Day is being held Tuesday, May 4, and everyone is invited to tune in. This year’s free event will be held virtually from 10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. This action-packed 15 minutes is aimed at inspiring children and adults to embrace healthy behaviors that fuel academic performance and workforce readiness. Participants […]

7. No, Republicans will not draw another majority-minority U.S. House district for Democrats The Montgomery Advertiser’s Brian Lyman wrote a strange piece about Alabama retaining all seven of its U.S. House seats. His article assumes that the Republican super-majority legislature will draw one of the six Republican U.S. House seats into a Democrats seat. There […]

Later this week, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a floor vote on a so-called comprehensive gaming proposal, which, if passed, would be a key move toward the proliferation of legal gambling within the state of Alabama. However, the version the House is considering appears to have some significant differences from the bill […]

Two Alabama chambers of commerce on Monday were recognized with prestigious Mac Conway Awards for Excellence in Economic Development. This honor is presented annually by Site Selection Magazine to the nation’s top 20 local economic development organizations for their exemplary results in bringing prosperity to their communities. The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber won the award for […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday will convene for the 28th day of its 2021 regular session. The House and Senate will each convene at 2:00 p.m. and undertake respective special order calendars. The chambers could also act on conference committee reports regarding the General Fund budget bill and SB 215, related to broadband, […]

The news that Alabama would keep all seven U.S. House seats was great news for the state, unless you are in the media covering Alabama politics or in the Alabama Democratic Party. The Montgomery Advertiser’s Brian Lyman, the guy with the most accurate last name in journalism, is trying his best to make an argument […]

Yellowhammer Multimedia on Monday announced it will present this year’s Power of Service Award to State Rep. Bill Poole (R-Tuscaloosa). Yellowhammer will present the award at its annual Power of Service event set to take place on May 19 in Montgomery. Yellowhammer is honoring Poole in recognition of his outstanding service to the state of […]

A bipartisan bill in Washington could bring a welcome influx of cash and resources to South Alabama’s shipbuilding industry. Senators and representatives from Mississippi, Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire and Wisconsin have introduced the Supplying Help to Infrastructure in Ports, Yards, and America’s Repair Docks (SHIPYARD) Act, which would appropriate $25 billion toward shipyard infrastructure improvements […]

Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that Alabama’s COVID-19 public health order and state of emergency have both been extended — but for the final time. The public health order — currently called “Safer Apart” — will end Monday, May 31, 2021, and the state of emergency will end Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Ivey first […]

Potentially, one of the big losers should Gov. Kay Ivey’s lease-build prison plan become a reality, which is now on life support after losing an underwriter, would be Sen. Billy Beasley’s (D-Clayton) 28th state senate district. Beasley’s district includes Barbour and Bullock Counties, home to three of what are deemed to be Alabama’s 15 major […]

The Haughery family arrived at Greystone Golf & Country Club early Sunday morning, as they do many weekends. By day’s end, they were trying to figure out how to get the spoils of the day home. Son Simon competed in the age 14-15 boys group in the Junior Regions Tradition, sponsored by Alabama Power. A […]

Huntsville physician Aruna Thotakura Arora, M.D., M.P.H., was recently named president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA) during the association’s annual meeting. According to a Monday release by MASA, Arora served the association as president-elect in the term immediately prior. “The Association welcomes Dr. Arora’s continued service to the Board of […]

When President Biden ran for office, he promised to work in a bipartisan manner for the betterment of all Americans. In an attempt to build goodwill, several colleagues and I sent President Biden a letter on his first day in office letting him know we would like a seat at the table on specific issues […]

Protective Life Corporation on Monday announced significant enhancements to its available investment options, advancing the company’s presence in the variable annuities space. To help clients better capitalize on growth opportunities, Protective’s commission-based variable annuity solutions and their fee-based advisory solutions will now offer investment options from four national investment managers: AllianceBernstein, BlackRock, Columbia Threadneedle and […]

Montgomery TechLab (MTL) last week hosted a demo day for its inaugural accelerator cohort of 10 tech startups. An engaged audience of potential investors, stakeholders and technology professionals from across Alabama attended in person and virtually to see the businesses and solutions that have been developed over the past 12 weeks through MTL. MTL, a […]

The past year has taught us a lot about how multi-faceted our homes can be. From housing our personal classrooms, offices, gyms, and our very own entertainment districts – there is a lot that can be happening at one time under our roof. When space starts to feel tight, the desire to upsize typically follows. […]

7. Caitlyn Jenner has to be transphobic Former Olympic athlete and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner has announced that he will be running for governor of California, and now he’s come out against transgender girls playing in girls’ sports.  Jenner, who is transgender, said, “It just isn’t fair. And we have to protect girls’ sports […]

Judge Mary Windom on Monday announced via a social media post that she will not seek election to the Supreme Court of Alabama in the 2022 election cycle. “After prayerful consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided that I will not seek election to the Alabama Supreme Court in 2022,” she wrote. “I […]

In President Biden’s first address to Congress Wednesday night, he talked about showing that American government can work. He believes that only government can lead the way and only government can solve our big problems. (A far cry from when President Reagan told us the truth, that government isn’t the answer to our problems, it […]

Like Jason from the Friday the 13th movies, the proposed lottery for Alabama is back from the dead. By the time you read this, however, Alabama’s Jason might have been killed again. If so, I suspect he will return for another sequel soon. A bill allowing a lottery, casinos and sports betting failed in March […]

Sage Juice Bar & Speakeasy in downtown Tuscaloosa is a lot of things to a lot of people. That’s because the offerings and the ambiance change from hour to hour – all day, every day. The place starts early each morning as a juice bar and transitions to a bar bar at night. It seems seamless; it’s certainly […]

Chris Phengsisomboun grew up in the Vietnamese fishing community of Bayou La Batre, where the families of war refugees worked and sacrificed to build better lives for their children. He remembers his grandparents coming home reeking of shrimp from the packing house. He remembers the community reeling from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Deepwater […]