Author

Josh Moon

Josh Moon is an investigative reporter and columnist. You can reach him at [email protected].

Alabama Republicans can’t manage the crisis they helped create

On Tuesday, Alabama’s governor called together the state’s media, in the midst of a global pandemic, so they could broadcast pictures of her tying a ribbon around a post to remind people to pray for healthcare workers. Surrounding Gov. Kay Ivey at the event were various pastors from churches in and around Montgomery. And they … Continued

Josh Moon

April 9, 2020

Opinion

Amid the coronavirus crisis, don’t forget the good people

Late last month, firefighters from Reece City — a small town on the outskirts of Gadsden — started knocking on every door in town, and handing those who answered a free meal. Every house got a good meal, purchased from one of Reece City’s restaurants, and the firefighters got a chance to ask everyone how … Continued

Josh Moon

April 7, 2020

Opinion

Groupthink voting is now literally killing us

I have many friends who can tell you the names of the offensive linemen who started last year for their favorite college football team. And most of them can also tell you who their backups are. Very few of these people can name off their state senator, their state representative, the city councilmen or their … Continued

Josh Moon

April 3, 2020

State Superintendent Mackey addresses concerns about plans for public schools

Over the last few days, several public school principals in Alabama — most of them from more rural districts — have spoken with APR about a number of concerns they have about the state’s plan for moving forward with the 2019-2020 school year in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. The principals were not angry … Continued

Josh Moon

April 2, 2020

Opinion

The “mainstream media” has been right all along

The mainstream media is just blowing this whole coronavirus thing out of proportion! Have you heard that one? Possibly from a guy standing behind a podium that has the presidential seal attached to it? Or from one of your friends or family members? Or maybe you believe it yourself. It’s all “the mainstream media,” the … Continued

Josh Moon

March 31, 2020

Opinion

Ivey gets serious about coronavirus. Finally

Finally. For the first time since the COVID-19 crisis began in Alabama a couple of weeks ago, Gov. Kay Ivey finally, on Friday, seemed to grasp both the gravity of the situation and her role in it. Finally. Up until Friday, Ivey had resisted calls for more restrictive guidelines barring Alabamians from moving about the … Continued

Josh Moon

March 27, 2020

Opinion

In a party without a plan, Ainsworth stands alone

I am a practical person. I place a lot of value on a practical, sensible approach to problem solving. Which is why I tend to vote for people who also think like me — who have a plan, who can identify problems and offer reasonable, fact-based solutions. Those people make the world go around. During … Continued

Josh Moon

March 26, 2020

Lieutenant governor criticizes state’s lack of preparation, response to COVID-19

Alabama hasn’t done enough to prepare for the “tsunami” of COVID-19 patients that will hit state hospitals and are putting lives at risk, Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth told the members of Gov. Kay Ivey’s COVID-19 Response Team in a letter obtained by APR. The letter, in which Ainsworth was highly critical of the state’s … Continued

Josh Moon

March 25, 2020

Opinion

Want to slow the spread of coronavirus? Tell people the truth

Alabama hospitals are running out of ICU beds. And ventilators. Frontline staff is overworked. Nurses and doctors are running low on personal protective equipment (PPEs) and there is none to be had. And we are only in the early stages of COVID-19’s spread through America. We’ve only recently moved up to third in the world … Continued

Josh Moon

March 25, 2020

Opinion

How the coronavirus can upend a life in just a few days

The direct message on Twitter came from a familiar name, which made the contents a bit more unsettling. My cousin, Payton, was writing to let me know that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, he had all the symptoms — fever, a cough, achy all over. And he had been in and out of … Continued

Josh Moon

March 24, 2020