A 2019 California law reclassified drivers for ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft as employees instead of contractors. California voters overturned this law via referendum in November 2020. Congress is now considering imposing similar definitions on the entire country. At issue is the classification of workers as either employees or as independent contractors. Economists focus on […]

Mobile is literally building on its economic development success. The 1,300-acre South Alabama Logistics Park (SALP) will invest $350 million in its first phase to bring 6 million square feet of master-planned warehouse, distribution and manufacturing space near the Port of Mobile and the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. Burton Property Group is working with Team Mobile […]

Joe Kaplan’s hands come together, fists first meeting in front of his chest in a pantomime of clasping hands. Then, in one swift. graceful movement, his fists twist in midair, fingers spreading wide but hands staying connected. Although this movement might look like a choreographed part of a dance routine, in reality it is the […]

S&P Global Ratings has revised its outlook for the University of Alabama at Birmingham bond rating from stable to positive and affirmed its “AA” long-term rating on general revenue bonds issued by the board of trustees of the University of Alabama System, citing increases in enrollment and employment, as well as UAB’s strategic plan, “Forging the Future,” and the […]

Two teams from a senior design moon buggy class at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, are competing in a pandemic modified version of NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC). In January, MAE 490/1-05 Senior Design Moon Buggy class teams Twisted Metal and Falcon presented a […]

A new search in the Bankhead National Forest for a tiny, rare fish found only in Alabama has discovered it living in a spot where no one had seen it before. The USDA Forest Service, supported by biologists from Alabama Power and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, went looking last month for the federally endangered rush darter in a remote […]

“Out of challenge comes great opportunity” has been the guiding principle for Hand in Paw as it navigates changes in operations due to COVID-19. Many nonprofits have had to shift the way they operate; some have closed their doors for good. The leadership and staff at Hand in Paw credit their success to a commitment to provide […]

The Alabama Department of Public Health reports that over 18,000 health care workers have contracted COVID 19 serving the people of our state. We do not know how many of these individuals have died from the disease as a result of their service. The aftermath of the COVID 19 epidemic on Alabama’s health care workers […]

United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) next-generation Vulcan Centaur is now set to compete for future NASA launches. Vulcan Centaur, the newest addition to ULA’s fleet of rockets, is manufactured at the company’s 1.6 million square foot plant in Decatur. Its inclusion in NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) is the result of meeting specific criteria and capability […]

A near-death experience for a fledgling owl in 2001 resulted in a second chance for the raptor and educational close encounters for countless people across Alabama over the past two decades. On April 17 from 1-4 p.m., the Alabama Wildlife Center (AWC) inside Oak Mountain State Park will celebrate the 20th birthday of Coosa, the barred owl whose […]

Seeking to save taxpayers and local schools millions of dollars, one Alabama lawmaker has a plan to streamline the approval process for certain education construction projects. State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) has sponsored legislation which allows school systems and community colleges to locally control construction projects when the estimated cost is $500,000 or less. Under […]

A new name and new logo at the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA) reflect a new energy that has the organization on better footing to pursue economic growth in today’s economy. “We needed one very shared goal and brand around this economic development initiative that we’re doing within the county,” said TCEDA Executive Director […]

The guys from YouTube sensation The Hunting Public made a swing through the state early this turkey season and found out how much work it takes to bag an Alabama bird. Aaron Warbritton, Greg Clements and Zack Serenbaugh had previously worked together at Midwest Whitetail, a deer video website, and all were in between jobs when this […]

NASA on Friday announced a surprising decision to select only SpaceX to continue development of the Human Landing System (HLS) that will eventually land the next man and the first woman on the moon through the Artemis program. The agency last year selected three prime contractors to design a HLS: Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX. Dynetics, […]

The City of Birmingham on Friday announced that Veo shared bikes and electric scooters have launched in a wide service area that includes downtown and many neighborhoods. The Illinois-based company has a presence in many cities around the nation, now including the Magic City. Individuals may download the Veo app to identify available bikes and […]

This week Alabama took a step towards legalizing the lottery, casino gaming and sports betting. However, questions still remain about whether a bill like this gets through the Alabama House of Representatives. Ignoring the fact that there are only a few legislative days left, and some believe that this was just a ploy to get […]

In conjunction with Governor Kay Ivey’s proclaimed Embrace Alabama Kids Week, a new mural was unveiled this week in downtown Montgomery. Embrace Alabama Kids, a 501(c)(3) faith-based agency based in the state’s capital city, commissioned the project and joined Mayor Steven Reed, city officials and local artists at an unveiling on Wednesday. The mural, located at […]

Most people know that Alabama’s defense industry is a key driver of the state’s economy and major employer of Alabamians across the state. What can be less apparent is the impact that federal and state politics and polices have on the defense sector. With U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), the top Republican on the powerful […]

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL) on Thursday visited MGMWERX, the state-of-the-art innovation hub in Alabama’s capital city. Brig. General (Ret.) Trent H. Edwards, the incoming MGMWRX director, led Ainsworth on a tour through the collaborative space and introduced him to the impressive services provided by MGMWERX. “It was our pleasure to host Lt. Governor Ainsworth at […]

Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington on Friday announced that the state’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 3.8%, down from February’s rate of 4.0%. The latest rate is still above March 2020’s rate of 2.6%, however it is much better than the pandemic high of 13.2% unemployment in April 2020. Alabama […]

With just a handful of days remaining in the Alabama Legislature’s 2021 regular session, getting a gaming proposal through the Alabama House of Representatives that the Alabama Senate passed this week could prove to be a difficult challenge. However, State Sen. Jim McClendon (R-Springville) argues his House colleagues could have an added incentive to push ahead […]

7. 8 dead in mass shooting A mass shooting at an Indianapolis FedEx facility left eight people dead and five injured before the perpetrator finally turned the gun on himself, ending the rampage. It has not been confirmed that the shooter was an employee at the facility. Authorities have ruled out terrorism. While most people […]

MONTGOMERY — More than six weeks after unanimously passing the Alabama Senate, SB 215 finally got a hearing in the House Urban and Rural Development Committee on Thursday morning. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston) and carried in the House by Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville), is viewed as a “transformational” piece of legislation aimed […]

Unique Thompson on Thursday evening became the ninth WNBA Draft pick in Auburn University history when she was selected by the Indiana Fever with the 19th overall selection. Thompson, who attended high school at Mobile’s Faith Academy, was the seventh player taken in the second round. “I’m excited, I’m happy,” Thompson commented. “The nerves aren’t there […]