Closing down the American economy has a real and enormous effect on the lives of countless Americans. Layoffs and job losses are devastating for individuals, families, and communities. In good times, it generally takes three to six months for someone to find a job after a layoff. Of course, these are not good times. Moreover, […]

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is well on its way to relieving some of the pain small businesses have suffered during the COVID-19 shutdown. The federal relief fund is finally getting money to the small businesses it was designed to assist, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The results of NFIB’s most […]

As the House and the Senate are seemingly at odds over what measures to take up in the waning moments of the 2020 legislative session, one of which is underway under the duress of the coronavirus pandemic, expect some within the Senate to use the platform to urge Gov. Kay Ivey to be more aggressive […]

This is National Drinking Water Week, a week in which we highlight the essential role of drinking water in our society and economy. Given the current environment, the dependability of our public water supply is probably more appreciated than in years past. But how did we get here? Municipal water systems are a more recent […]

I think almost every American has dreamed of what it could mean to become a small business owner. For me, opening a small business was an act of freedom, and an exercise of control over my life. I had a good job as a lawyer and was on the path to a successful career when […]

Launch of Space Launch System (SLS) got a little closer last week when Boeing and NASA announced the completion of a necessary avionics review. The review enables testing on the first SLS core stage to continue when NASA reopens Stennis Space Center. The key testing phase for SLS, known as “Green Run,” is series of […]

MONTGOMERY — Alabama Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) on Tuesday expressed frustration with his Senate colleagues and said that his chamber will only consider local bills and state budgets during the remainder of the pandemic-inhibited legislative session. McCutcheon says the conditions agreed upon during the resumption of the legislative session by himself, Senate […]

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack on Tuesday announced that his department will not enforce the State of Alabama’s current “Safer-At-Home” order. Baldwin County is the largest county in the state by area and the fifth-largest by population. The county is notably home to Alabama’s beautiful beaches on the Gulf Coast. Mack made the announcement […]

State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) has introduced a bill that would, for a period of two years, redirect all the money gathered by the Rebuild Alabama Act into a small business stimulus fund. Since the bill amends Alabama’s constitution, the public would get to vote on the proposal during the July runoff if it is […]

Left out of the mix last week when Gov. Kay Ivey announced she was rolling back some of the restrictions put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus pandemic were church services and other religious gatherings. Not only has it forced parishioners to seek out other methods by which they participate in a weekly […]

7. Multiple Alabama cities are getting a military flyover today In Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Dothan, Mobile and Tuskegee there will be military jets performing flyovers over the hospitals to help show support for medical workers during the pandemic.  President Donald Trump started this initiative to support our healthcare workers on April 23, saying, […]

The window for Alabama small businesses to access federal relief dollars reopened on April 27, and tens of thousands took advantage of the opportunity, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), eligible small businesses may receive relief funds through government-backed loans from banks and credit unions. PPP is administered […]

The citizens of Madison County still have more work to do if they want to get to the head of the class when it comes to COVID-19 safety measures. At Monday’s daily briefing, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and Dr. Pam Hudson, CEO of Crestwood Medical Center, both said they believed the public in […]

Here they come … again — the Democrats rallying cry for a nationally imposed all mail-in ballot system. While their push to force every possible voter to receive a ballot in any election is not new, they have been reinvigorated for trying to implement this very dangerous scheme due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This viral […]

While the country continues to struggle with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, there continue to be questions raised about China and its role in the spread of the virus. Some have speculated China did not do enough to limit the damage of COVID-19, and that inaction was due to a desire to preserve its […]

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine are implementing additional expense-reduction strategies due to significant financial losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The university and UAB Medicine will implement different responses to address budget shortfalls for their separate lines of business. The university is announcing limited furloughs of staff who are unable to […]

The Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) paid out $503 million in unemployment benefits between March 16 and May 1, per numbers released Monday. The $503 million was disbursed among 206,694 claimants. According to a release from the department, those claimants make up 84% “of those filing COVID-19 related active claims since March 16, 2020.” According […]

One of the dumber things to happen during the coronavirus pandemic happened when the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control tried to say wearing masks was not needed. It’s just silly and untrue. But the WHO also opposed travel bans and repeated Chinese propaganda, so there is that to factor in as well. […]

MONTGOMERY — While still collecting their taxpayer-funded salaries, the Alabama House Democratic Caucus — with only one defector — on Monday refused to show up to work as the 2020 regular session of the legislature resumed. State Rep. Rod Scott (D-Fairfield) was the sole Democratic member to answer roll call. At least 65 Republicans were […]

The University of North Alabama (UNA) will welcome students back to its 130-acre Florence campus for in-person classes this Fall, according to a statement from the school. Employees at UNA will begin a gradual return to campus in May. UNA President Ken Kitts expressed confidence in the work done by the university to ensure the […]

JASPER, Alabama – Warrior Met Coal Inc. plans to invest $50 million to construct a barge load-out facility in Walker County to support its expanding metallurgical coal mining operation near Tuscaloosa, a project that will add 12 new high-paying jobs. Warrior Met Coal is the state’s largest producer of met coal, used as a key component […]

Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) has hired Alex Vanderford to be the manager of his 2020 reelection campaign. Vanderford is a native of the district Aderholt represents, raised in Muscle Shoals. He is a graduate of Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. After working on now-U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) victorious campaign in 2018, Vanderford was […]

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) on Monday announced the donation of $150,000 to the American Red Cross, enabling the purchase of a new Bloodmobile. In a statement, PCI Tribal Chair and CEO Stephanie A. Bryan said, “The American Red Cross is an incredible community partner and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is proud […]

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, military planes will perform flyovers of the hospitals in several of Alabama’s larger cities. The Alabama National Guard, which announced the news on Twitter, is coordinating the flyovers. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to show support for medical workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Jets will appear in Birmingham, […]