We take freedom of conscience for granted, but, 500 years ago, accepting and practicing beliefs outside of the mainstream was deadly. The 1521 Diet of Worms was a legislative gathering held in Worms (one of the oldest cities in Europe) to consider Martin Luther’s theology. The stakes were extraordinarily high as Luther, a mere monk, […]

HOMEWOOD — The “Reopening the Economy in the Age of COVID” conference occurred Thursday in suburban Birmingham, drawing leading academics and economists from across the nation to discuss not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also how lessons learned from the past year should help inform public policy and future decision-making to avoid repeated mistakes. The […]

Last week, I had the honor of recognizing several hometown heroes in South Alabama who have made an impact in their community over the past year. This past year has been tough on millions of Americans as we battle the COVID pandemic and endure countless hardships, but I’m proud of so many folks in South […]

The University of Alabama System on Monday announced that its three distinct institutions plan to return to traditional in-person instruction without restrictions on classroom capacity for the fall 2021 semester. While UA System campuses this ongoing spring semester continue to offer a mixture of traditional, hybrid and virtual classes while implementing campus-wide advanced health and […]

In an important and timely display of confidence for the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program, the U.S. Navy has selected Mobile-based Austal USA to design and build an additional EPF. The award comes in the form of a $235 million undefinitized contract action modification for the detailed design and construction of EPF 15. The modification […]

2020 was a record-breaking year for the U.S. housing market, and Alabama was no exception. Investment in the state generated a lot of attention from publications around the globe as a variety of Alabama destinations appear at the top of the list for booming markets. Here are a few examples of Alabama destinations identified by […]

7. Cuomo downplaying his alleged harassment as ‘flirtation’ New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has been accused of sexually harassing women, and now he’s said that he’ll cooperate with the investigation over behavior that women “misinterpreted as unwanted flirtation.” The accusations are made by at least two women who previously worked for Cuomo. New York […]

Lighthouse Labs, a nationally acclaimed startup accelerator based in Virginia, on Monday announced the 10 teams joining its milestone 10th cohort. This latest cohort will run from March 15 until June 4 and is Lighthouse’s largest and most diverse to date. Among the group is Birmingham-based Frameworq. Created initially for internal usage by KMS, formerly […]

On the heels of President Joe Biden buckling to teachers unions and refusing to follow the science in keeping schools shuttered across the nation, he has now apparently caved to behind-the-scenes lobbying from union bosses again. Biden on Sunday evening released a video in support of the New York City-based Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union’s […]

MONTGOMERY — U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on Saturday addressed the 2021 Winter Meeting of the Alabama Republican Party. He delivered an update on his first two months in office, decrying what Democratic-control of both legislative chambers and the executive branch means for the country. Tuberville noted that between now and when he next is […]

Roy Wood Jr. had a good amount of success on radio and doing standup comedy in Birmingham. But to reach his full celebrity status, he had to travel to New York. The actor, comedian and filmmaker grew up in Birmingham without knowing the variety of career paths available to him or how to pursue them. These […]

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and Alabama Democratic Party Executive Committee member Lisa Handback take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories, including: — Is the gambling proposal by State Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) in big trouble? — Is Alabama Governor Kay Ivey doing herself any favors when she attacks the Alabama legislature? — Why […]

In the recently released “From Marion to Montgomery: The Early Years of Alabama State University, 1867-1925,” author Joseph Caver brings to light new information about the founding in a detailed history of one of the country’s earliest historically black universities. Caver is a former senior archivist at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base in […]

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced gross domestic product (GDP) by about 4% in 2020. The virus also disrupted public education, with many schools still virtual. The tabulation of GDP has missed the economic impact of the school disruption meaning that our 2020 economic performance was worse than the statistics show. GDP is the “market value of […]

Last week, State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston) delayed his so-called comprehensive gaming proposal to fine-tune the legislation that would set in motion a constitutional amendment for expanding gambling in Alabama. Although Marsh insisted he had the votes for his bill’s passage, there are still a handful of Republican members in the State Senate that were […]

DECATUR, Alabama – Polyplex USA announced plans this past week to invest over $90.6 million to expand production of specialized polyester film at its Decatur facility in a project that will create 100 jobs when complete. Polyplex plans to add a second Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) film line at the Alabama facility, with an additional investment […]

Chris Rogers left the heights of college football at the University of Alabama knowing he wanted to make a difference. Ten years later, he’s seeing his dreams come to pass through his nonprofit Together Assisting People (TAP). Rogers founded TAP with a focus on STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – to help propel young Black athletes into strong careers […]

Since the arrival of Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats, the Tide have been waiting on their time to come. With what Oats did at Buffalo prior to coming to Tuscaloosa, it was clear that he could bring a team from low spots to national prominence. That time is finally here for Bama hoops fans, […]

It is common for liberals and other supporters of a total government takeover of America’s health care system to praise the effectiveness, lower expenditures and “fairness” of other countries’ health care delivery. Most often, they heap praise on Canada’s health care system and point to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service as models that we […]

Auburn’s basketball team has had the most up-and-down seasons in recent memory — starting with freshman phenom point guard Sharife Cooper waiting nearly half the season for his eligibility to go along with Auburn self-imposing a postseason ban. With a 12-13 overall record, 6-10 in conference play, the Tigers needed something to make this season […]

Last week, the State House Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections Committee held a hearing on a proposal from State Rep. Laura Hall (D-Huntsville) to allow no-excuse absentee voting in Alabama. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, the state’s top election official, endorsed the bill, and it is expected to get a vote in committee next week. […]

MONTGOMERY — Mobile County’s John Skipper on Saturday defeated State Rep. Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) to become senior vice chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. The election came during ALGOP’s 2021 Winter Meeting. Skipper fills the seat vacated by John Wahl’s ascension to chairman of the state party.

Yamaha Corporation of America has named The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, as a 2021 honoree in its inaugural Institution of Excellence program, acknowledging the school’s extraordinary commitment to innovation in the study of music. Only 10 outstanding schools nationwide earned the prestigious designation this year. […]

The U.S. House of Representatives early Saturday morning passed H.R. 1319, the $1.9 trillion so-called American Rescue Plan backed by President Joe Biden and Democratic congressional leadership. The vote was 219-212; the spending bill now moves to the U.S. Senate. All six House Republicans from Alabama voted against the legislation, while Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) […]