000

News / State

100,000 employed Alabamians can’t afford health care

More than 100,000 Alabamians are holding down jobs but still can’t afford health care, and groups that advocate for expanding Medicaid in the state say those families don’t have to go without. In Alabama, around 50,000 women who work can’t afford the health care provided by their jobs or private insurance, according to a recent … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

September 5, 2019

Opinion

If unemployment in Alabama is low, why is poverty so high?

There is a problem in Alabama. Well, actually, there are a lot of problems in Alabama, but this one problem is an encapsulation of almost all of the other problems. Right now, we are at record-low unemployment — somewhere around 3.7 percent. And you know this is true because Gov. Kay Ivey has made a … Continued

Josh Moon

July 26, 2019

Opinion

Turmoil amidst the pines

It’s reasonable to think there might be some controversy about any new school. Maybe where it is located, what it is named, who the principal may be, what courses will be taught? But seldom do you expect the wholesale turmoil that hit rural Washington County, AL when locals learned that a handful of folks wanted … Continued

Larry Lee

July 17, 2019

Opinion

Making correctional education work for Alabama

The job market in Alabama is growing, and the unemployment rate has reached low levels not seen in many years. Businesses across the state are working harder than ever to find and hire qualified workers. According to Governor Ivey’s Success Plus initiative, our state will need an extra 500,000 credentialed, highly-skilled or degreed individuals by … Continued

Annette Funderburk

May 31, 2019

Russian expat hires Poarch Creek’s lobbyist to hawk legislation to monitor contractor’s work

A former Russian banker’s company is now offering software to the state that would take screen captures of contractor PCs at least once every three minutes and also track keystrokes and mouse activity. Poarch Creek’s lobbyist, Barton & Kinney, LLC, is pushing legislation similar to that being hawked in New Jersey and 20-plus other states … Continued

Bill Britt

May 6, 2019

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell introduces legislation to address growing doctor shortage

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Selma, and John Katko, R-New York, have introduced legislation that they believe would take critical steps towards reducing nationwide physician shortages by boosting the number of Medicare-supported residency positions. The Resident Physician Shortage Act (H.R. 1763) would support an additional 3,000 positions each year for the next five years, for a … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 15, 2019

Department of Education asks for $150K to defend former board member

Alabama State Department of Education is requesting $150,000 from education funding to defend a former board member, as first reported by education writer Larry Lee. Mary Scott Hunter is being sued personally for her role for allegedly throttling Dr. Craig Pouncey’s appointment as state school board superintendent in 2016. APR first reported news of a … Continued

Bill Britt

March 5, 2019

Libertarians sue Alabama claiming discrimination against third parties

For the two major parties in Alabama, getting a list of registered voters is relatively easy. Just ask for it, and it’s free. But for third parties, like the Libertarian Party of Alabama, getting a list like that costs money — about $34,000, or one cent a name. A credit or debit card fee adds … Continued

Chip Brownlee

January 25, 2019

Ivey took more than $100,000 from same Soros-backed PACs as Maddox

Republican incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey’s campaign criticized her Democratic challenger, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, twice on Thursday for accepting contributions from PACs backed by liberal donor George Soros, but Ivey has accepted $100,000 from the same set of PACs over the course of her campaign for governor. Yellowhammer News, a Birmingham-based conservative media outlet, reported … Continued

Chip Brownlee

October 18, 2018

Opinion

High school RTW program sets pathway for AlabamaWorks! Success Plus

The skills needed for today’s modern workplace are shifting, and leaders are working diligently to prepare the next generation of workers. However, there is a growing skills mismatch looming across our country – evidence that the “you must go to college and be successful” narrative, which has been built into the fabric of many of … Continued

Garth Thorpe

September 10, 2018