The rising cost of healthcare is a concern for every American with the cost of prescription medication increasing yearly. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) were created to administer prescription drug plans on behalf of insurers and employers. PBMs serve as “middlemen” who negotiate prices between pharmacies and drug manufacturers on behalf of plan sponsors. They were […]

With prison reform a must-do on the 2020 legislative agenda, the discussions about what that might entail are underway. Among the proposals offered have been to take on sentencing reform, which in theory would lessen sentences for some crimes and potentially lessen the burden on overcrowded prisons. During an appearance on Huntsville radio’s WVNN, Alabama […]

Even though it is less than three months to go until the March 3, 2020 Republican primary, the real fireworks in the race for the U.S. Senate nomination are not expected until after the holidays. However, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) gave Marion County Republicans what was perhaps a preview of what to expect in […]

Dr. Waymon Burke and guest host John Meredith take you through this week’s biggest political stories, including: —Is there any real chance for impeachment and removal of the president? —Did President Donald Trump get a big victory in a trade deal with Canada and Mexico? —Why did Tommy Tuberville comment on drag queens in a […]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at the Hassinger Daniels Mansion Bed and Breakfast (B&B) and Cobb Lane B&B in Birmingham. Guests and passersby who venture into the Magic City’s only B&Bs are greeted with glorious bursts of holiday color. The gracious old homes, which date to 1898 and are on the National Register of Historic Places, pay tribute […]

Lake Lurleen State Park in Coker officially opened its newest trail on Thursday, named the J.W. “Bill” McFarland Sr. Memorial Trail to honor the late Tuscaloosa businessman, public servant and philanthropist. McFarland’s family donated funds to the Alabama State Parks Foundation for the construction of the half-mile trail, which connects to the 9-mile Tashka Trail, the park’s longest. […]

The Alabama Association of Justice will conclude its Courthouse Appreciation Tour and Social next week in Tuscaloosa. The Association and its members invite all courthouse employees and judicial staff to celebrate 230 years of the Seventh Amendment guaranteeing the right to a civil jury trial. Join us for fun and refreshments in Tuscaloosa County on […]

A dramatic $123 million renovation of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex’s Legacy Arena moved one step closer with the Birmingham Design Review Committee’s unanimous approval of the plan. The committee signed off on the designs, materials, landscaping and lighting. A separate signage plan will be presented to the Design Review Committee next year.

This past week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 with a vote of 377-48. This annual bill authorizes the various military programs and defense activities in the Department of Defense. It does not provide budget authority, which will be provided in future legislation. The […]

From the roads to the skies, the products created by the skilled hands of Alabama workers are in high demand in markets around the world. But the state’s automotive, aerospace and other manufacturing industries don’t have the corner on craftsmanship. In communities across the Tennessee Valley down to the Gulf Coast, there are painters, forgers, […]

The field is set for the college football playoff. Good sportsmanship often involves wishing, “May the best team win!” But the best team does not always win, which illustrates an important element of economics. Either LSU, Ohio State, Clemson or Oklahoma will be crowned champion on January 13. I will not prognosticate about the winner. […]

Former University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts did not win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, but the Oklahoma Sooners star continued to win hearts in interviews during the weekend, displaying the kind of character that makes his fans back in the Yellowhammer State proud. In one interview on Friday, Hurts explained that he did […]

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow beat out former Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. The award presentation was made in New York City. In the voting, Burrow received 2,608 points, followed by Hurts at 762, Ohio State’s Justin Fields with 747 and Ohio State’s Chase Young with 634. University […]

During fall commencement ceremonies at the University of Alabama of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) on Saturday, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) was awarded the prestigious UAB President’s Medal. The UAB President’s Medal, first awarded in 1985, recognizes individuals who have attained scholarly distinction and/or have rendered distinguished service to the university. Shelby was selected for […]

The words “red clay” evoke images of the South. Whether you’ve played in it, been stuck in it or just fancied it while driving down some Alabama backroad, it fits in here like sweet tea and barbecue. So, when John Corbin and Kerry McGinnis set out to open a brewery in downtown Opelika a few […]

MONTGOMERY — On the steps of the Alabama State Capitol on Saturday, elected officials, dignitaries and hundreds of members of the public gathered as one to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Alabama becoming a state. The ALABAMA 200 bicentennial finale kicked off with a parade traveling from historic Court Square Fountain up Dexter Avenue to […]

Alabama voters have a long tradition of sending politicians to represent them in Washington, D.C. that are not necessarily wedded to an ideology to the extent they would turn down federal money for projects back home. To some, that pragmatic tradition contradicts the notion that Alabama voters are dogmatically conservative. During a Friday appearance on […]

Coastal cities can be spared some wind destruction from intensifying hurricanes or tropical storm systems if they have functional wetland ecosystems and agricultural croplands in the area, according to new computer modeling research led by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). “Our study was about how changing land cover in coastal areas affects rain […]

The finale of the ALABAMA 200 bicentennial celebration is on Saturday, with the public celebrating with elected officials, celebrities and dignitaries in the state’s capital. However, even if you cannot make the festivities in person, you can still take time remotely to honor Alabama becoming a state 200 years ago to the day. A video […]

Ruth Beaumont Cook’s latest book started 10 years ago as a brochure request from Sylacauga‘s B.B. Comer Memorial Library in advance of the city’s first marble festival. “They asked me to put together a brochure about the history of the marble,” Cook said. “It was overwhelmingly successful, so the next year they asked to me write a book.”

The Birmingham Business Alliance revealed a new mission and a new approach to economic development as it heads into 2020. The BBA’s 2019 Chairwoman’s Annual Meeting was at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham Dec. 11. Chairwoman Nancy Goedecke passed the gavel to Jim Gorrie, president and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie. Gone is Blueprint Birmingham, which guided the […]

The biggest birthday party in Alabama’s history is taking place today, December 14, and you are invited! Join us in Montgomery for the grand finale celebration of our state’s 200th birthday. Watch the parade, listen to concerts and performances, visit open houses and much more. This is sure to be a day you don’t want […]

Imagine elves filling baskets with goodies to load on Santa’s sleigh and you get a snapshot of what it looked like last week when Academy Sports + Outdoors provided Christmas cheer for numerous youngsters who needed that encouragement the most. At Academy stores across Alabama, youngsters were chosen to go on shopping sprees with a […]

CAMDEN — On Friday, on the eve of the culmination of Alabama’s Bicentennial celebration set to take place in Montgomery, Gov. Kay Ivey paid a visit to her hometown to take part in an event marking the milestone in her home county of Wilcox. Not far from where Ivey attended high school as part of […]