Alabama voters will face the choice of whether to display the Ten Commandments on state property like schools and public buildings in the November mid-term election. The Alabama House of Representatives passed a constitutional amendment proposed by Republican state Sen. Gerald Dial 66-19 on Thursday. No state money could be used to display the set of rules or laws, given…
An Alabama appeals court has overturned the death sentence of a man convicted of killing a school teacher in 2011. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reversed the death sentence that 29-year-old Jovon Dwayne Gaston received for his capital murder conviction in the killing of Calhoun County teacher Kevin Thompson. Another man also was sentenced to death in…
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will conduct five public listening sessions to determine how the state’s portion of a federal settlement with Volkswagen should be used to reduce diesel pollution and improve air quality. Alabama has been allocated $25.5 million out of a $2.9 billion nationwide settlement against the German automobile maker to create and implement a…
ALEA News Release includes this information: MONTGOMERY – Twelve individuals were arrested, and four children were rescued or identified as victims of child sexual exploitation this week during Operation Southern Impact II, a coordinated initiative involving eight states across the Southeast. Operation Southern Impact II, which focused on individuals who sexually exploit children by using the Internet, was a joint effort…
Source: Anheuser Busch Inbev Data collected and analyzed by the Alabama Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information Division shows that the most online wanted ads were for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, registered nurses, and retail salespersons, with 6,504 ads placed for those occupations in January. Overall ads were up over the year by 2.7%. The Help Wanted Online (HWOL)…
Police responded to reports of someone firing shots at a hospital in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, before issuing an alert that the situation was over and the shooter had been subdued. Local media reported that two people were shot at UAB Highlands, and a gunman had turned a gun on himself Wednesday night. Police didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment….
The Alabama House of Representatives has voted to reinstate a school safety task force after fatal shootings in Florida and Birmingham schools. The task force replicates a 2016 initiative and will meet annually with law enforcement, educators and legislators. Democratic lawmakers criticized that a task force doesn’t take strong enough action against gun control and mental health. Rep. Ralph Howard…
A bill in its final stages could close a loophole in the law to reduce drunk-driving deaths. The bill introduced by Sen. Jim McClendon would require drunk drivers to use an ignition interlock device after their first offense. Ignition interlocks analyze drivers’ breath and prevent cars from being started if alcohol is detected. Alabama passed an ignition interlock bill in…
At a press conference this afternoon, the House Democratic Caucus urged the legislature to take action this session on gun violence prevention legislation. “Every day that goes by without us addressing these issues in a meaningful way puts our students, teachers and law enforcement at great risk,” said House Democratic Leader Anthony Daniels. “This is too important to just put…
A team of leaders from First 5 Alabama, Alabama’s Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, will help to advance state policy related to social and emotional health of babies and toddlers. It is estimated that between 9.5 percent and 14.2 percent of children age birth to 5 experience an emotional or behavioral disturbance. Following a competitive process, Alabama…
