Virginia Martin

Chris McNair, Former Local Official and Father of One of the ‘4 Little Girls,’ Dies at 93

Chris McNair, a former legislator, Jefferson County Commission member and father of one of the four girls killed in the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, died Wednesday afternoon. He was 93. The family in a statement called McNair a “devoted husband, father, brother and friend.” "We are grateful for the life and legacy of our father, J. Christopher McNair. He was a man who loved his family and this community. We ask for prayers and privacy as we prepare to lay him to rest," the family said in its statement, released by McNair’s daughter Lisa. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin shared some of those thoughts in a press release he issued with condolences for McNair’s family. “Mr. McNair and his family are forever tied to our country’s civil-rights legacy,” Woodfin wrote. “When he tragically lost his daughter Denise in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963, his courage and fortitude fueled our march for peace. He was the consummate family man, showcasing an unconditional love for humanity that paved the way for social justice in Birmingham and in our nation.” Read more.

by Virginia Martin

Committee Adds Rape, Incest Exception to Abortion Ban Bill; Could Get Senate Vote Thursday

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would criminalize most abortions in Alabama but added an exception for victims of rape and incest despite objections from the bill sponsors. That amendment could be a large part of debate Thursday when the full Senate is expected to consider the legislation. House Bill 314 is sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, and its intent is to challenge Roe V. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that made access to abortions a constitutional right in the first two trimesters of pregnancy. "To accept another amendment that weakens the argument or diverts the message that the baby in the womb is a person dilutes the whole message," Collins told the committee. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Bill Would Give Governor More Oversight of State Pardons and Parole

MONTGOMERY — Legislation that would provide oversight changes to the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles and put into law when an inmate may be considered for parole cleared committees recently. House Bill 380, sponsored by Rep. Connie Rowe, R-Jasper, and Senate Bill 42, sponsored by Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, would eliminate a nominating board that makes recommendations to the governor and instead allow the governor to appoint board members with the consent of the Senate. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Bill Would Require Use of State Vaccine Database

Bills in the Alabama Legislature would require health care providers to check a statewide patient database before administering vaccines and update the registry when they give any. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Overflows From County Sewers Drastically Reduced Since 1996 Consent Decree

David Denard said overflow from Jefferson County’s wastewater treatment plant will never get down to zero. But the director of the county’s department of environmental services told commissioners at their committee meeting today that his department is trying to get as close to that mark as it can. “We’ve reduced sanitary sewer overflows 60 percent the past six or seven years,” Denard said. The commission also discussed several other issues, including road and bridge work, tax breaks for U.S. Steel and cooperation with the cities. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Woodfin Calls on Birmingham Council to Rezone Land in the Five Points West Area to Block a Planned Concrete Plant

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said Tuesday that he opposes the proposed relocation of a concrete plant from downtown to the city’s Five Points West community, and he called for the City Council to rezone the property in question to prevent future industrial use. Last week, the council voted to oppose Sherman Industries’ announced plans to move its concrete batch facility from its current address of 1100 Second Ave. S. to 3240 Fayette Avenue, near the Birmingham CrossPlex Village. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

The Louisiana Purchase (Journalism Edition)

The New Orleans newspaper war ended Thursday with the owner of The New Orleans Advocate buying The Times-Picayune, or, as one writer put it, with David conquering Goliath. That’s true — if Goliath were missing one arm and one leg. Read more.

by Tom Arenberg

Congressional Votes for the Week Ending May 3

WASHINGTON – U.S. House of Representatives members from Alabama continued the trend of voting along party lines last week when the body voted to stay in the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Along the same lines, the House voted against a measure that would have held up an agreement until President Trump certified no U.S. jobs would be lost to China. Trump meanwhile, wants the U.S. to withdraw from the agreement. See how area members of Congress voted on these and other major issues during the legislative week ending May 3. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress

Higher Education Looks to Fix ‘Egregious Inequities’ in Funding for Some Universities

The record $7.1 billion education budget approved in the Alabama Senate last week contains at least 5% increases for the state’s public four-year universities, but a formula to get more money to underfunded institutions met with some concern. “I represent an institution that feels like they were not made whole in the budget,” Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, said in a budget committee meeting last week. His complaint was about the Alabama Commission of Higher Education’s attempt to address what it says are “the most egregious inequities in funding” at some universities. The proposal would increase funding to some universities where the funding doesn’t match up with that of other schools across the nation that have similar missions, student bodies and degree production. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Health Department Still Investigating 30 Cases to Determine Whether Those Patients Have Measles

The Alabama Department of Public Health is working on 30 open investigations into possible measles cases, but the state still had only one presumptive positive measles case as of Friday. A St. Clair County infant has the only presumptive positive case in the state, meaning she has tested positive for measles but more testing is being done to verify the diagnosis. Alabama Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris had hoped to have an update Friday on the St. Clair investigation, including where the infant had been, but a press release from the health department late Friday said there was no update yet. Read more.

by Virginia Martin