Last month, the Republicans in the Alabama State Senate unanimously nominated State Sen. Greg Reed (R-Jasper) to replace State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston) as the caucus’ choice for Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore. Reed, who currently serves as the body’s majority leader, is set to have his current majority leader role filled by State Sen. […]

Back in October, a group called the Alabama New South Coalition advertised an offer to pastors of money in exchange for getting church parishioners to vote early via absentee ballot. Subsequently, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, the state’s chief election official, called it not a “best practice,” but said such an effort by the […]

Alabama is currently experiencing its worst coronavirus numbers of the pandemic as the imminent vaccines remain months away from being widely distributed. According to data from the website BamaTracker, the state has added 2,710 cases per day over the last week, the highest rate yet seen and one likely being accelerated by infections that occurred […]

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson on Tuesday announced that rookie Jalen Hurts will start at quarterback against the New Orleans Saints this coming Sunday. This will be the first career NFL start for Hurts, the former Alabama Crimson Tide and then Oklahoma Sooners star who was drafted in the second round earlier this year. […]

Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly jobs report covering November. It contained some good news, some bad news and some downright ugly news. First, let’s look at the good news. The economy added 245,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.7% from a high of 14.7% in April. […]

After completing a review of the extended fall weekend private angler red snapper season, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has determined that the private angler red snapper quota for the 2020 season has been met. Therefore, Alabama waters will remain closed to private angler and state-licensed charter red snapper fishing until […]

Today, the United Kingdom started vaccinating people outside of trials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a report showing that the previous findings on its safety have been confirmed. All signs point to the FDA approving the drug for immediate emergency use, and vaccination could begin shortly for healthcare workers and nursing […]

My pastor recently quipped that it felt like we are in the fifth year of 2020. True that. But in the midst of that sentiment, the question on many minds right now is “how long will the 2020 elections go on?” Aren’t we supposed to have an “election day?” Like, just one day? The short […]

The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ (NFIB) state director in Alabama says small business owners in the state are closely watching the ongoing U.S. Senate runoff races in Georgia to determine if the Senate will remain hospitable to small businesses. Rosemary Elebash, NFIB State director for Alabama said in a release Monday, “Small business owners […]

At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Auburn head football coach Gus Malzahn was asked about frequently being on the coaching “hot seat.” Malzahn is one of the most successful head coaches in Auburn history, however his Tigers are 5-4 in this SEC-only season. “I’ve got a job that I’ve said before expects to win […]

Chuck Yeager, an American hero and the first pilot to break the sound barrier, passed away on Monday at age 97. His storied life included two stints at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. Both of Yeager’s stops in Alabama’s capital city were to advance his education, and each lasted for less than a year. […]

Alabama State Rep. Joe Faust (R-Fairhope) is in the intensive care unit at Thomas Hospital with a case of COVID-19, local TV station WKRG reported late Monday. Faust, 80, was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2004. He told WRKG he was getting good treatment from the medical staff at the hospital, […]

‘Tis the season for gift giving. This year, consider shopping local for all your holiday gifts. It’s especially important to support small businesses who may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our state is home to many talented artists, makers, and clothing designers from whom you can purchase local, Alabama-made gifts. From home decor […]

Officials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama System say the planned Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building at UAB will have a profound effect on the health care of residents of the state and beyond. Gov. Kay Ivey recently announced the project would receive $50 million in state funding […]

7. Earmarks are back, baby Now that President Donald Trump appears to be on his way out in Washington, D.C., earmarks are back in as a way to get business done in Congress. Members of Congress can either get on board and fight for their earmarks or let other members feed at the trough. Bloomberg […]

Jimmy Parnell on Monday was reelected to a fifth two-year term as president of the Alabama Farmers Federation. The election came on the final day of the federation’s 99th annual meeting in Montgomery. According to a release, Parnell ran unopposed. A fifth-generation farmer from Chilton County, Parnell is a partner in his family’s cattle and […]

U.S. Army General Lloyd J. Austin (Ret.) has been selected to lead the Department of Defense under a Biden administration, according to Politico. The report, which has been corroborated by separate reporting from Jake Tapper, says presumed President-elect Joe Biden will make the announcement as soon as Tuesday that Austin will be nominated to serve […]

Out of all of 2020’s many surprises, Monday finally produced a positive one. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission released the 20 semifinalists to be named the 2020 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl. These 20 kickers, all now in line to be named the nation’s best of the year, have […]

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate; that is the question. Personally, I have been looking forward to a potential vaccine for months with optimism and hope. I thought we would get the vaccine and then return to normalcy. I want the vaccine to work and was willing to enter a trial to see if it […]

DeVonta Smith’s earth-scorching performance against LSU earned him a conference honor this week, and his record-breaking season has him positioned to possibly earn the award for college football’s best receiver. Smith caught eight passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers. Over 200 of his receiving yards came in the first half alone. […]

Huntsville aerospace startup Aevum last week unveiled Ravn X, an unmanned aerial vehicle that will serve as the first of a three-stage launch system for small satellites (smallsats). The unveiling was reported by Space News. Ravn X, a 55,000-pound drone measuring 80 feet long with a 60-foot wingspan, can reportedly take off from any mile-long runway. […]

A documentary premiering Wednesday covers the 1992 trial of Glenn Summerford, a snake-handling preacher from Jackson County, Alabama, and his trial for attempting to kill his wife with a serpent. “Alabama Snake” will broadcast on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. CT on HBO’s linear TV channel and will be available for streaming around the same time. […]

Birmingham-based Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys has launched its third annual “Shunnarah’s Season of Giving” to give back to those in need this Christmas season. The latest edition will continue throughout the month of December and comes amid a year filled with unexpected hardships across the law firm’s footprint. To give back, Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys […]

Protective Life Corporation got into the Christmas spirit early this year, as evidenced by a recent example of the company’s altruism. The Monday before Thanksgiving, Protective Life representatives visited the Protective Stadium construction site in downtown Birmingham to show gratitude to the construction crew working diligently to bring the state-of-the-art new venue to life. Protective […]