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Public trust in scientists rises, according to poll

The number of Americans who think scientists act in the public’s best interest is up from 2016, but the public is divided along party lines over views on scientific objectivity, research quality and trust of the scientific method.   While 57 percent of Americans say they have mostly positive views of environmental research scientists there are … Continued
August 6, 2019

Pre-K program lowers discipline rates for students’ middle and high school years

New research suggests students who have participated in Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program, a voluntary, public early education program, are about half as likely to have disciplinary problems throughout their school careers than students who didn’t participate in the program.  The analysis was conducted by the First Class Pre-K Research Evaluation Team, a multi-disciplinary group … Continued
July 29, 2019

Shame on the Kowtow Band of Republicans

When then-citizen casino owner Donald Trump testified before the U.S. Congress about Indian gaming in 1993, the only portion of his statements that the public has been reminded of was when he said, “They don’t look like Indians to me.” But a reading of the transcript reveals Trump recognized even then the negative consequences of … Continued
May 13, 2019

What do Alabama Republican lawmakers and Trump haters have in common?

Alabama Republican lawmakers want the public to believe they are among President Donald Trump’s most avid supporters; however, many take money from those who back Trump haters. A look at campaign donations given by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians finds they financially back Trump’s most ardent enemies. From Hillary Clinton to Speaker of the … Continued
April 24, 2019

Senate approves ALDOT oversight bill

The Alabama Senate has approved a bill that would provide additional oversight for the Alabama Department of Transportation as part of a set of bills accompanying the governor’s gas tax increase legislation. The bill — approved by a 30 to 0 vote on Friday — would require ALDOT to use objective criteria to prioritize road … Continued
March 11, 2019

Alabama takes step to create civil asset forfeiture database

The Alabama District Attorneys Association is taking steps to create a reporting system to keep track of the use of civil asset forfeiture in Alabama. The ADAA, Rep. Arnold Mooney, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and other public policy groups announced the creation of the Alabama Forfeiture Accountability System. The new database system will track … Continued
March 1, 2019

The case for state control of alcoholic beverages

It’s that time of year again. The Alabama Legislature is only days from its opening session, and lawmakers across the state are drafting bills they say will make Alabama better. As in years past, some special interest groups – big-box retailers and liquor distributors – are pushing again to privatize liquor sales in Alabama. By … Continued
February 27, 2019

SMH and calling BS

You may not believe this, but there was a time in Alabama where we had commonsense, level-headed Republicans serving in office. There weren’t many of them because there weren’t that many Republicans. But they were real Republicans – fiscally conservative, rarely invoking their God as a running-mate, and they supported and sponsored good legislation, regardless … Continued
February 21, 2019

Secretary John Merrill unveils online library of proclamations

All proclamations by the Office of the Governor of Alabama are now available to the public on the Alabama secretary of state website. Secretary of State John Merrill has worked to digitize these documents in an effort to promote transparency within the state government. The governor has the power to issue proclamations on many things, … Continued
February 14, 2019