Author: Virginia Martin
Emotions of Abortion Debate Put Newswriters in a Language Jungle
I don’t know how journalists writing about the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs abortion decision manage to meet their deadlines. They have to stop practically every other sentence to think and avoid words and phrases that are loaded like landmines.
I can’t think of any other issue in which the language has become so politicized. Journalists writing news stories seek truthful characterizations while steering clear of perceived partisanship. This may be impossible here. Read more.
Woodfin Says People Without Homes Won’t Be Moved From Public Spaces for The World Games
World Games officials clarified that anyone will be able to walk through and access public areas around venues like Railroad Park, Linn Park, Protective Stadium and the new City Walk, despite those sites being behind security parameters. Read more.
Birmingham Council Passes Woodfin’s Budget Untouched; Police, Public Works, Youth Programs Biggest Winners
The Birmingham City Council has approved Mayor Randall Woodfin’s operating budget for the 2023 fiscal year. The vote, which happened during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled council meeting, was surprisingly low-key; the budget was approved with a slate of other routine items as part of the council’s consent agenda, with no changes from the budget Woodfin proposed last month.
That lack of controversy has become routine for the once-fraught budgeting process because of 2016 changes in the state’s Mayor-Council Act that prevent the council from altering the proposed budget without the mayor’s approval. While Woodfin had made mild compromises with the council over budgets at the beginning of his first term, his last two budgets were passed without any changes from his proposals.
At $517 million, the budget is the city’s largest ever, marking a $61.5 million increase from last year, thanks to a significant increase in business tax and licensing revenues. Read more.
After the U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, Republican Lawmakers Applaud, Others Say They Will Sue, Some Take to the Streets
The ACLU of Alabama say it will continue its lawsuit to reinstate access to abortion. Read more.
Birmingham Area at High Risk of COVID Transmission
Every county in the Birmingham metropolitan area except Blount has been moved into the high-risk category for COVID-19 transmission.
Jefferson County’s positivity rate has been rising and now stands at 25%, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, and the county has had an average of 291 new cases a day for the past seven days. Hospital admissions in the county are up somewhat, with 10 more patients over last week, for a 2% increase.
The swath of counties with high transmission risks means residents need to exercise more care, including making sure their vaccinations are up to date and wearing masks if they are at a high risk from the virus, said Dr. Wesley Willeford, Jefferson County Health Department’s medical director of disease control. He said health officials see no need now to issue mandates as they did in 2020. Read more.
Roe Overturned: What You Need to Know About the Supreme Court Abortion Decision
After half a century, Americans’ constitutional right to get an abortion has been overturned by the Supreme Court.
The ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization – handed down on June 24, 2022 – has far-reaching consequences. The Conversation asked Nicole Huberfeld and Linda C. McClain, health law and constitutional law experts at Boston University, to explain what just happened and what happens next. Read more.
Jefferson County Commission Unsure About Allotting Extra Money for Expanded World Games Security
The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday again delayed voting on the sheriff’s request for $1.2 million to pay for expanded security duties during The World Games. Commission President Jimmie Stephens said he believed the request was premature because it wasn’t evident to him that the extra costs would run the sheriff’s budget into the red. Read more.
Britt Gets GOP Nod for US Senate, Nominees for More Offices Selected in Voting Tuesday
Katie Britt easily secured the Republican nomination to Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, defeating U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks with 63% of the vote to his 36.99%. She will face Democratic nominee Will Boyd in the November general election.
Voting in Tuesday’s primary runoffs was light, with turnout of less than 12% statewide and just less than 11% in Jefferson County.
There were few problems at the Jefferson County polls, with the exception of the polling place in the Don Hawkins Park & Recreation Center. No ballots were available when the polls opened at 7 a.m., so election officials kept the polling place open until 8:30 p.m., giving voters who were unable to vote before work the chance to return to post their ballots.
On the Democratic ballot, Yolanda Rochelle Flowers took the nomination for governor over Malika Sanders Fortier, 55.15% to 44.85%. Read more.
Republican primary runoff results
Democratic primary runoff results
Secretary of State’s statewide results
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RUNOFF RESULTS
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY RUNOFF RESULTS
