UNDATED Â (AP) Â —Â Defending national champion Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason Top 25 as the Crimson Tide attempts to win a fifth title in eight seasons. Coach Nick Saban’s Tide received 33 of 61 first-place votes from the media panel and 1,469 points. No. 2 Clemson received 16 first-place votes and 1,443 points. It’s the first time…
Governor Robert Bentley on Friday announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted July unemployment rate is 5.7%, down from June’s rate of 6.0%, and below July 2015’s rate of 6.1%. July’s rate represents 123,095 unemployed persons, compared to 130,298 in June and 130,098 in July 2015. “We continue to see decreases in Alabama’s unemployment rate, and increases in both of our…
A lottery bill has quickly stalled in the Alabama Senate amid deep disagreements among lawmakers over gambling. Senators debated a lottery bill for several hours Wednesday before giving up and moving on to other bills. Gov. Robert Bentley brought lawmakers into special session to consider a lottery as a way to fund the state’s Medicaid program. The legislation faltered amid…
Stateline, an online site of The Pew Charitable Trusts, focuses on Alabama in a story about the handful of states that charge the same sales tax on food as everything else: “Alabama, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Dakota tax groceries at the same rate as the sales tax on all purchases, according to the Tax Foundation. Arkansas, Illinois,…
The ride-hailing service Uber plans to return to two Alabama cities this week as students return to college campuses. Local media report that city officials in Auburn and Tuscaloosa have approved ordinances in recent weeks that satisfy the company. Uber first began operating in both cities in 2014 but balked at city regulations and halted service soon after. Auburn city…
Lottery supporters and opponents are squaring off in the Alabama Legislature. A Senate committee on Tuesday morning heard passionate testimony during a public hearing on five lottery bills. The committee is weighing Gov. Robert Bentley’s plan to set up a lottery to fund Medicaid. The committee is also considering rival proposals that would allow electronic gambling machines at dog tracks…
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reports there have been a total of 25 travel-related positive tests for the Zika virus in state residents from 16 counties as of 8 a.m. August 15. Counties where there have been Zika positives include Calhoun, Cullman, Etowah, Houston, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Morgan, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega and Tuscaloosa….
House members have named Republican Rep. Mac McCutcheon of Capshaw as the new speaker of the house. Representatives on Monday elected McCutcheon to the powerful post with 68 votes. McCutcheon, after his election, promised to be fair to House members and said the days of the “imperial speakership are over.” McCutcheon replaces former House Speaker Mike Hubbard. Hubbard was removed…
Alabama residents will soon be paying more for purchases made on the website Amazon. Buyers will see an additional 8 percent added to their purchases beginning Nov. 1 because the massive online retailer has agreed to start collecting and remitting sales tax in Alabama. Amazon is the latest retailer to participate in Alabama’s Simplified Use Tax Remittance Program which allows…
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) – Defensive back Maurice Smith has started his acclimation to Georgia a day after the Southeastern Conference cleared his transfer from Alabama as a graduate student. Smith was assigned a No. 2 jersey and was with the Bulldogs for Saturday’s scrimmage at Sanford Stadium. Coach Kirby Smart, the former Alabama defensive coordinator, said Smith’s new teammates were…
