Throughout the country, down-ballot from the presidential race between President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are numerous U.S. Senate races that will have a profound impact on the control of that body.

One of those is in Alabama between incumbent U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) and Republican U.S. senatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville.

During an address to the Madison County Men’s Republican Club earlier this week, Tuberville stressed the importance of the GOP picking up his seat and how even if Trump wins reelection, losing the U.S. Senate in November could threaten Trump’s second term.

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Alabama Power Company on Tuesday announced a six-week transition period to standard business operations.

Since a state of emergency was first declared in March, Alabama Power voluntarily has not disconnected or charged late fees to any customer affected by COVID-19. A written announcement on Tuesday confirmed that the company will continue to not disconnect customers until September 28, when standard business operations resume.

However, this does not mean customers adversely impacted by the pandemic who cannot pay their full bills will be disconnected at that time.

Alabama Power’s announcement also outlined the company, as a matter of priority, will offer tailored solutions to meet each customer’s unique needs and circumstances as everyone continues to navigate this unprecedented time together. (more…)

Greg Davis lives life on purpose through leadership at First Priority.

With a lot of uncertainty in the school systems, I am thankful that Greg is helping raise up young leaders that will pray in school and bring God into the midst of a hectic time.

Many people believe that prayer is no longer allowed in school but Greg’s story proves otherwise. You can never stop people from praying, and I am very thankful for that. Hear what he has to say about the subject and be encouraged.

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Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation on Tuesday announced plans to invest $1.6 million in Alabama to help local communities respond to coronavirus and invest in a stronger future.

The company, one of America’s largest poultry producers, has three locations across the Yellowhammer State: Enterprise, Guntersville and Russellville.

Through this strong presence, Pilgrim’s employs more than 3,200 people and pays family farmers nearly $89 million annually in the state. The company reports having an annual payroll in Alabama of more than $113 million, as well as having contributed more than $146 million in capital investments over the last five years. (more…)

The SEC on Tuesday released a set of guidelines that its 14 member schools must follow if they allow fans to attend football games during the 2020 season.

Though the season has not been given the official go-ahead by university presidents, the conference is proceeding with preparations in the hopes that pandemic-related conditions allow for play.

Headlining the guidelines from the SEC is that all persons attending a football game for the 2020 season must wear a mask, and the attendance capacity for stadiums will be set in accordance with state guidelines.

“Although local and state guidelines will determine if and how many fans can attend games, these guidelines provide conference-wide expectations for protection of guests who are able to attend our games,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on Tuesday.
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Allow me to open this column by sharing some words from the governor of Alabama:

Huntsville, Alabama is to the Space Age as Detroit, Michigan is to the Automobile Age. We are living in the Space Age. We must think big and do big tasks. We must let the rest of the world know that Alabama is the same friendly state it has always been, and that Alabama welcomes new industry, tourists, and retired people. This can only be done through an administration that recognizes our problems and is determined to tackle these problems with a realistic approach that makes Alabama truly the leader of the Space Age.

Now, that message is not from Gov. Kay Ivey. It is from former Gov. James E. “Big Jim” Folsom, who gave the remarks back in 1962. (more…)

7. New coronavirus test cleared by FDA

• The same saliva test that’s used for NBA players and was partially funded by the NBA and NBA Players Association has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, and it’s likely that the new coronavirus test could be available to the public in the coming weeks.
• The saliva test would be cheaper, can be processed faster with results ready within about three hours, and is less invasive than the current nasal swab.

6. Governor Kay Ivey shares a back to school message (more…)

University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban on Monday evening addressed the media via video teleconference following the first full day of fall practice.

Speaking at about the same time that the 2020 SEC schedule was released, Saban began the virtual press conference with an opening statement.

“Well it’s obviously great to be on the field,” he remarked. “I think the players are really excited about having the opportunity to go out and practice together as a team, which has kind of been a long time coming.” (more…)

U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) on Monday was a featured speaker for the opening night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, with Alabama’s junior senator preceding U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Jones used the primetime slot as a full-throated stump speech for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who has announced U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his running mate.

RELATED: Doug Jones: Kamala Harris ‘exactly what we need’

Jones’ Monday DNC address was seemingly filmed from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The entire convention is being conducted in a virtual format this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

It has been apparent for months that college football would not be spared the strangeness and uncertainty of 2020.

Earlier this year, colleges and universities from coast to coast cancelled spring football and sent their athletes home due to COVID-19. As spring turned to summer, players returned to campus with stringent restrictions and protocols developed by medical professionals.

The month of July brought about announcements from each of the Power Five conferences that their 2020 football schedules would be changed. In the SEC, that meant eliminating all non-conference games and adding two more SEC opponents. The end result of that process is a 10-game, conference-only SEC schedule that was announced on Monday.

There are a few things worth noting about Auburn University’s football schedule in 2020: (more…)

Ten games in eleven weeks. That is the task ahead of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in the race to the 2020 SEC Championship.

As part of a special Monday evening presentation on the SEC Network, the conference announced this year’s slate of games under the unique 10-game, conference-only format. In addition to the adapted format of the regular season as part of its preparation to manage COVID-19 conditions, the conference has built in a second open week leading up to the championship game on December 19.

The Tide kick off the season on September 26 at Missouri. After that things get interesting.

Here are three key questions, and some answers, based on what we know right now:
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The Southeastern Conference on Monday evening released its fall 2020 football schedule.

As previously announced, the SEC has adopted a 10-game, conference-only schedule this year due to pandemic-related changes to the college football landscape.

The first week of SEC games, to be played September 26, was announced on SEC Network’s “The Paul Finebaum Show.” (more…)

A dark money group tied to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) began running Alabama ads to boost U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) on Monday, the same day that Jones was set to make featured remarks at the Democratic National Convention.

As first reported by Politico, Duty and Honor has launched a $500,000 television advertising blitz in support of Jones’ Yellowhammer State reelection bid.

It has previously been revealed that Duty and Honor is one group in a web of Washington, D.C.-based political entities aligned with Senate Democratic leadership. Registered as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, Duty and Honor does not have to reveal its donors through FEC filings and is able to spend unlimited money through independent expenditures. (more…)

Alabamians will play major roles both on-stage and behind the scenes during this year’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) and Republican National Convention (RNC).

Held in Milwaukee, the DNC kicked off on Monday at 11:00 a.m. CT. The convention will end after presidential nominee Joe Biden’s speech on Thursday night.

The RNC is scheduled to occur in Charlotte from August 24-27.

Both conventions are occurring mostly in virtual formats due to COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing guidelines. (more…)

As Alabama students begin to kick off a fresh academic year with the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, Governor Kay Ivey on Monday released a back-to-school video message.

“As classes begin around the state, I want to encourage all of you — teachers, school administrators, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, coaches, parents and students — to stay motivated and safe this school year,” the governor began.

“We’re all in this together, no matter if you’re in the classroom, learning from home or doing a mix of the two,” she continued. “There will be many challenges and changes to the activities we are used to doing, but the goal remains the same: to provide a safe learning environment for quality education.” (more…)

Tuscaloosa police officers were called in to work on Sunday afternoon after several pictures of young people congregating at certain bars without observing COVID-19 precautions circulated widely on the internet.

Members of the department issued 12 citations for not wearing masks and arrested two others who refused to sign their citation.

The behavior exhibited in the pictures received widespread condemnation online, including from University of Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and players on the Crimson Tide football team.

Of note in the ordeal is that each UA student was required to take a coronavirus test before returning to campus. Those tests had a positivity rate of under 1% as of the latest released data, and each person who tested positive was required to quarantine and isolate.
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The University of Alabama on Monday released the latest preliminary results from its student population testing for COVID-19.

Each student returning to campus for the fall 2020 semester is mandated under the university’s plan to take a test to determine whether they have the virus. Classes commence on Wednesday.

So far, results from 25,948 students are available, showing only 237 students tested positive.

This equates to a positivity rate of 0.91%, which is significantly lower than the general population both statewide and nationwide. Experts have identified positivity rates of under 5% as being ideal for reopening, making the university’s rate exceptional. (more…)

Francis Bryant Construction, a Birmingham-based custom construction contractor, was recently named as one of America’s best timber frame home builders by Home Builder Digest.

Francis Bryant was the only Alabama company to make the list, which featured 34 home builders.

Home Builder Digest’s list took a wide swath of criteria into consideration, including work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele.

“Elite-level building and customer service are synonymous with Francis Bryant Construction’s name,” the publication wrote. “Integrity, honesty, and excellence are some of the values the firm operates by, and these principles have shaped the builder into a well-rounded company.” (more…)

The latest attempt by the media and their Democrats to drum up faux-outrage and, hopefully, support from an easily outraged populace is by highlighting President Donald Trump’s vicious attack on one America’s most beloved institutions: The United States Postal Service.

You see, the USPS was not a failing bureaucratic nightmare of inefficiency that lost $69 billion over the last 11 years. It is a well-oiled machine that “KiLLS FaSCiSTS.” (more…)

Auburn head football coach Gus Malzahn gave an update on his team Monday as SEC teams begin their first official week of practice.

Malzahn said most Auburn players have been on campus since June 4 and have each been tested for COVID-19 at least seven times since then.

The team is using what Malzahn called the “gold standard” of tests that involves a nasal swab. There were no positive cases amongst the most recent batch of testing that occurred last week which included all players, coaches and staff.

“You can just really see the excitement on our players, and you can tell that the coaches too. It has been a long time coming, we’re excited to get out there with our players today and start practice,” remarked Malzahn, who was addressing reporters via videoconference.
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This year’s legislative session was cut short because of the threat of COVID-19. In the name of mitigating the danger of the virus, leadership in the House and the Senate opted not to return for the 2020 general sessions until the last few days and pass a budget.

Many legislative priorities went unfulfilled for 2020, including prison reform, which has been a hot button for state government, given the heightened federal government scrutiny. At the time of the postponement, many expected Gov. Kay Ivey to call a special session.

However, recently on Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) dismissed those prospects given the election season and the threat of the coronavirus.

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The Detroit Tigers have called up to the big leagues former Auburn University baseball star Casey Mize, who is scheduled to make his MLB debut on Wednesday.

According to Auburn, Mize will be the 52nd Auburn Tiger to play professionally and the 15th pitcher from head coach Butch Thompson’s perennially formidable staff.

The Tigers selected Mize with the first overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft. Going into the 2020 season, MLB Pipeline rated him as the eighth-best prospect in baseball.

Mize will debut against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, August 19 at 7:10 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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The nonprofit arm of Regions Bank is donating $300,000 to help local governments in the Black Belt area of Alabama endure the financial burden of the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds will go to the Hope Enterprise Corporation and the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF), who are partnering to provide a line of credit for municipal and county governments.

The two organizations say the line of credit will provide financing for “millions of dollars worth” of expenses related to COVID-19 costs.

They also say that cities and counties can seek reimbursement through the CARES Act for much of the ultimate cost of those expenses.
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Manufacture Alabama (MA) on Monday announced the appointment of Jon Barganier as its new chief operating officer, effective immediately.

According to a release, Barganier comes to the trade association with more than 14 years of experience, including a decade of coordinating legislative agendas, developing policy priorities, establishing communication strategies and staff management.

“Jon is the ideal leader for Manufacture Alabama,” stated George Clark, president of Manufacture Alabama. “He is a seasoned mover and shaker with significant experience working with elected officials in the great state of Alabama, operating an effective team, and recognizing the future challenges we must confront. We are fortunate to have Jon as our COO.”

Barganier most recently served as the primary lobbyist and regulatory analyst for the American Petroleum Institute in Alabama. In that role as executive director for the Alabama Petroleum Council, he represented the oil and natural gas industry on behalf of 13 member companies with in-state assets along with more than 600 additional members across the country. (more…)