Micah Danney

Micah Danney is a former reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter.

News / National / State

SPLC: Stopping excessive use of force by police is urgent

The Southern Poverty Law Center on Tuesday called for action to address use of force policies that continue to result in the killings of Black men by police in the U.S. Margaret Huang, SPLC president and CEO, issued a statement after two men were shot, one fatally, in the preceding days in different states. Both … Continued

August 25, 2020

LaTosha Brown’s Alabama roots inspired the work she’s doing for Black voters

LaTosha Brown asked the same question of every speaker as they each took their turn during a virtual town hall on Facebook Live earlier this month. “What do you see?” she asked throughout the event, held to give activists and residents in Selma a platform for their thoughts about changing the name of the Edmund … Continued

August 24, 2020

Alabama’s unemployment rate increased to 7.9 percent in July

The state’s unemployment rate increased from 7.6 percent in June to 7.9 percent in July, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. That’s down from 9.6 percent in May. July’s rate represents 176,637 unemployed people, compared to 166,668 in June. That compares to a July 2019 rate of 2.8 percent, or 63,414 unemployed people. “Following … Continued

August 21, 2020

New unemployment claims increased slightly last week

There were 11,048 unemployment claims filed in Alabama last week, up from 9,468 the previous week, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. Of the claims filed between Aug. 9 and Aug. 15, 6,145, or 56 percent, were related to COVID-19. That compares to 65 percent the previous week and 76 percent the week before … Continued

August 21, 2020

Merrill touts state’s absentee ballot system, urges interested voters to submit applications

Secretary of State John Merrill on Tuesday encouraged voters who want to vote by absentee ballot to request one, noting that there are 72 days left to do so. “Any one of our 3,631,381 voters in the state who want to vote absentee can vote absentee,” Merrill said. Voters who want to avoid the possibility … Continued

August 19, 2020

Ivey urges Alabamians to complete census or risk losing federal funding, seat in Congress

Gov. Kay Ivey urged all Alabama residents to complete the 2020 census before the Sept. 30 deadline in a 30-second video released on Friday. In the video, Ivey said, “Complete your 2020 Census today. We only have until Sept. 30th. Without you, Alabama stands to lose billions in funding, a seat in Congress and economic … Continued

August 14, 2020

Alabama weekly unemployment claims dip below 10,000 for first time since March

It is the lowest number of initial claims filed in a week since the number first spiked in the third week of March, when it jumped from 1,824 to 10,982 — though still much higher than before the pandemic began.

August 13, 2020

Voter Protection Corps recruiting local organizers in Alabama

The national nonprofit March On is recruiting regional leaders for its Voter Protection Corps, a grassroots network of organizers who will be trained to spot and counteract voter suppression ahead of the 2020 election in 14 key states, of which Alabama is one. “With closed polling places, broken machines, long lines and the assault on … Continued

August 13, 2020

Small businesses faring better than chain stores as sales economy rebounds, retail group says

The state collected more in sales tax from stores, restaurants and online retailers in the first half of this year than in the same period last year, and that bodes well for Alabama’s retail sector, according to the Alabama Retail Association. Revenue from state sales taxes and the simplified sellers use tax program for online … Continued

August 13, 2020

Edmund Pettus descendant calls for bridge to be renamed

A California man who bears the surname at the center of a debate about how history is remembered has come out in support of renaming the Edmund Pettus Bridge. “I share that name of Pettus with secessionists, slave owners, and traitors to the United States,” David Pettus, 72, wrote in a statement he sent to … Continued

August 12, 2020