MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Thursday morning passed Senator Arthur Orr’s (R-Decatur) SB 30, which would provide limited liability protections to businesses, health care providers and other entities against civil lawsuits related to COVID-19. The vote was 28-1, with Senator Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) as the only “no.” The bill would provide a “safe harbor” […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Thursday quickly and unanimously passed a legislative package that is designed to further improve the federal military presence and investment across the Yellowhammer State. The legislative package is the result of work by the Alabama Military Stability Commission, a panel that is chaired by Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL). […]

7. Coronavirus is fading; Experts are baffled New COVID-19 infections are down 45% in the United States and 30% around the world in the last few weeks. But, experts with the World Health Organization are confused about the “phenomenon” and say vaccines are not the main reason. But it really isn’t all that baffling. Other coronavirus trends […]

Earlier this week, Gov. Kay Ivey signed 30-year lease agreements for two new mega-prisons, one in Escambia County and the other in Elmore County. The announcement drew some objections from members of the Alabama Legislature but nothing in the form of legislation that might prevent the Ivey administration from proceeding with the project. Wednesday, during […]

For whatever reason, Democrats and the media have sought to get as many Republican elected officials to offer their thoughts on U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a controversial freshman lawmaker who has reportedly taken views considered far outside of the mainstream. Among those questioned was U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), who declined to comment […]

On Monday, State Rep. Mike Holmes (R-Wetumpka) announced he would back legislation that would strengthen the existing Alabama Memorial Preservation Act. The controversial law, which was passed in 2017, protects “monuments, markers, and other historical remembrances from removal, relocation, and destruction.” During an appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” the […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Wednesday met for the second day of the 2021 regular session. Both chambers gaveled in for relatively brief periods of time, but the day’s committee schedule was pretty packed. Here’s a rundown of the day’s proceedings:

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on Wednesday was appointed to four Senate standing committees. The news came after the Senate adopted a power sharing agreement that determined the two caucuses would get an equal number of senators on each committee during the 117th Congress due to the 50-50 split in the chamber. Tuberville, as a […]

A detailed breakdown of Governor Kay Ivey’s proposed budgets was provided by Alabama Department of Finance Director Kelly Butler on Wednesday, including the costs of Ivey’s proposed teacher and state worker pay raises. In large part thanks to responsible budgeting by the legislature over the last decade and increased revenues from the online sales tax, […]

Remember the old days? Governor Kay Ivey announced a massive plan to build at least two prisons. Republicans, Democrats, journalists, commentators, activists and even ex-felons criticized the plan. Someone would surely launch a plan to stop this, right? “Let people out of jail.” “Have the legislature do something because it is corrupt.” “Do something different!” What? […]

For the third consecutive year, the Alabama Legislature will consider legalizing medicinal marijuana. Efforts have made progress in both chambers of the legislature in previous years but stalled out. State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), an anesthesiologist, leads the effort once again in 2021. During an appearance on Mobile radio’s FM Talk 106.5, Melson insists the […]

The Jacksonville State University Athletics Department has announced that JSU teams will be switching to the ASUN Conference for athletic competitions beginning in the fall of 2021. For the last 18 years, the Gamecocks have been members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The university cited bringing its conference affiliation closer to home as a […]

Prominent plaintiff’s attorney Alexander Shunnarah on Wednesday announced the launch of Shunnarah Vail Trial Attorneys, P.C., a joint venture with former Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. attorney Tyler Vail. The new firm will be separate from Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys, P.C., of which Shunnarah is the founder and continues to serve as CEO. According to […]

U.S. News & World Report this week released its rankings of the top 25 hotels in Alabama, and the biggest winner was the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The rankings are based on an analysis of travel expert and user opinions, per U.S. News. Alabama’s top five hotels were as follows:

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a resolution honoring the life and legacy of baseball legend and Mobile native Hank Aaron. The measure was introduced last week by U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) following Aaron’s death at age 86.

It all started with compost. When Connor Knapp decided to give up a job in Antarctica to move home to Huntsville, he launched a business with his family to sell compost at the farmers market. Since Connor’s brother-in-law Caleb had been mixing teas made from ingredients in his garden and Connor had always wanted to […]

Alabama Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth announced two new ventures on Wednesday designed to better connect Alabama’s students and small business owners with the state’s rapidly expanding aerospace industry. One of the initiatives is a two-week summer internship for students touching on various aspects of the aerospace field. The second is a program to provide business […]

MONTGOMERY — The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning gave a favorable report to Senator Arthur Orr’s (R-Decatur) SB 30, which would provide limited liability protections to businesses, health care providers and other entities against civil lawsuits related to COVID-19. The committee vote was 9-2. The bill would provide a “safe harbor” against frivolous coronavirus […]

A high school student from Hoover and two of his friends have teamed up in the last year to offer an online summer camp in computer programming to Alabama students ages 8-14. Shaams Nur, 15, founded last year what is now known as HooverCamp with fellow high schoolers Leo Song and Victor Song. Nur is […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning gave a favorable report to a bill that would allow the delivery of sealed beer, wine and liquor from grocery stores, restaurants and other licensed retailers to residences across the Yellowhammer State. The bill, SB 126, would provide that the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board […]

It’s a lot easier to stay home when you have internet; that’s how you survive. Without internet access, you can’t do your homework, can’t work and you can’t order from the grocery store online. Access to fast and reliable internet is something all Alabamians should enjoy, said state Sen. Clay Scofield of Marshall County. “As […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama Policy Institute announced it was launching a so-called “legislative scorecard” for the 2021 legislative session that would grade members of the legislature in three areas, which include votes, attendance and public profile. Topics for “key votes” for the 2021 session’s scorecard involve what API says efforts to restore the “balance of […]

7. Manchin doesn’t support a $15 minimum wage U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) won’t support a $15 minimum wage, but instead said that he’d be more in favor closer to $11 because that makes sense for his state. He said he’s “supportive of basically having something that’s responsible and reasonable.” It’s expected for a minimum […]

Alabama Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville) on Tuesday announced that he has hired Caroline Franklin to serve as his communications director. Franklin, a Montgomery native, most recently served as communications director to then-U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (AL-02) in her Washington, D.C. office. Prior to her work with Roby, Franklin served on the Capitol Hill […]