Virginia Martin

Coronavirus Disrupts Alabama Colleges and Businesses

Troy University sophomore Nicholas Gil had been planning a trip to China since September to further his education during spring break. Those plans ended abruptly, however, when the airlines began canceling flights and colleges and universities across Alabama suspended travel due to the coronavirus spreading around the world. “I was majorly disappointed,” said Gil, whose canceled trip was part of the Confucius Institute at Troy. Confucius institutes are affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education to teach Americans about Chinese business, education, culture and public interests. The coronavirus is disrupting the lives of students, faculty members and business people across Alabama as entities race to protect their constituents and prevent the introduction and spread of the virus onto their sites. Read more.

by Scott Morris

Lawmakers Want Electronic Monitoring of Inmates off ADOC Property

Alabama lawmakers are working on legislation to require some state inmates who work outside of Alabama Department of Corrections facilities to wear electronic monitoring devices. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Mental Health Bills Advancing in State House

MONTGOMERY — Lawmakers this week began taking action on a package of bills and resolutions related to mental health in Alabama. “The mental health problem in Alabama is an epidemic, not just a problem,” said Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman. “The Legislature before most of us got here had to cut the funding … because we were in the Great Recession in 2010. “We’re feeling the repercussions of that now in today’s society from more and more people that are needing in-patient and out-patient (mental health care), there’s not enough on both sides,” he said. Those cuts included the closures of three mental health hospitals in 2012 and 2015. Read more.

by Abby Driggers and Devin Pavlou, Alabama Daily News

Jefferson County Commissioners Talk About Preparations in Case Coronavirus Hits the Area

The coronavirus is the subject on everyone’s lips, so it likely didn’t surprise Jefferson County Commissioners Jimmie Stephens and Joe Knight when the subject came up recently. The pair addressed questions from media about the county’s preparedness for the deadly virus. UAB Medicine was cited as a key part of the army that will battle the disease. Watch the interviews.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Commission Restricts Use of Mass Messaging System, at Least for Now

Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales took exception to the word “control” in the explanation given today for a resolution to set guidelines for commissioners’ non-emergency use of the Everbridge mass communication system. “That’s what I don’t agree with,” she said, “to control another commissioner’s district or ability to utilize this system for what they believe (needs to be circulated). Why would we have to bring it to the commission, who may not value what your district values?” The commission ultimately approved on a 3-1 vote that commissioners will not use the system for non-emergency messages, at least until it has had a chance to meet with the board of the Emergency Management Agency, which administers the system. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Lawmakers: Schools Unfairly Hurt by Report Cards’ Treatment of Non-English Speakers

On the most recent state-mandated school report card, Russellville City Schools had a graduation rate of almost 96% and its score for academic growth — improvements made by students — was an impressive 99.46. Ninety-one percent of students were considered college and career ready, better than the state average of 75%, and it had a low chronic absenteeism rate. Still, the system is labeled a “B,” largely because of its performance in academic achievement, a category of the report card based on students’ performance on a standardized test. Of Russellville City Schools’ nearly 2,500 students, more than 600 are English language learners who are not proficient in the language. “That’s 23% of my students who can’t read the test,” Superintendent Heath Grimes said. “We’re giving 660 students a test they can’t read.” Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Alabamians: Keep Elected State Board of Education

Alabamians on Tuesday said they want to keep their ability to vote for the state’s K-12 leaders. Amendment One was defeated soundly. With more than 1.1 million votes cast, about 75% were “no” votes, according to unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State. The amendment would have done away with the current elected Alabama State Board of Education that oversees K-12 education, replacing it with a governor-appointed commission. The amendment’s defeat is a loss for Gov. Kay Ivey, who was its chief advocate. It also had the support of other state GOP leaders and a coalition of groups led by the Alabama Farmers Federation, who pinned schools’ poor achievement rankings on the board of eight elected members. But some, including the Alabama Republican Party’s executive committee, opposed the amendment that would have ended Alabamians’ ability to elect state education leaders, something they’ve done for about 50 years. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Recommends — Super Tuesday

Takeaways From Super Tuesday: Joe Biden’s Big Bounce (Associated Press) ‘I’ve Never Seen Anybody Mount a Comeback Like This — Ever’ (Politico) At a Glance: Super Tuesday States and Delegate Counts (Reuters) Democratic Contest Narrows to Biden and Sanders (New York Times) Alabama Votes Against Amendment 1, Keeps Elected Board of Education (Montgomery Advertiser) Exit Polls From the 2020 Democratic Super Tuesday Contests (Washington Post)

by BirminghamWatch

Numbers From Tuesday’s Vote-a-Rama

Joe Biden swept the state in the Democratic primary for president. Jeff Sessions and Tommy Tuberville are headed for a runoff for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate. Voters rejected an amendment to change the state Board of Education from an elected board to an appointed commission. See results for state, Jefferson and Shelby County races on the ballot. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Sessions, Tuberville in GOP Runoff for Senate; Trump Criticizes Sessions

Jeff Sessions, bidding to take back the U.S. Senate seat he held for two decades, will face political newcomer and longtime college football coach Tommy Tuberville in a March 31 runoff for the Republican nomination for the position. With the campaign revolving around which candidate is the stronger supporter of President Donald Trump, the president seemingly inserted himself into the race early Wednesday with a tweet criticizing Sessions. “This is what happens to someone who loyally gets appointed Attorney General of the United States & then doesn’t have the wisdom or courage to stare down & end the phony Russia Witch Hunt,” Trump tweeted. “Recuses himself on FIRST DAY in office, and the Mueller Scam begins!” Sessions was an early supporter of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, and the president appointed Sessions as his first attorney general. When Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, Trump responded with scathing criticism and forced him to resign. Tuberville and Sessions led a field of seven candidates in Tuesday’s GOP primary election. Both immediately declared their loyalty to the president and his programs. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens