Jones Starts His Post-Senate Life as CNN Contributor
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones made his debut Friday afternoon as a political commentator on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper broadcast. Read more.
Government
Ivey Wants 2% Pay Raise for Teachers and State Employees
MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey said she wants to give pay raises to state employees and teachers in the next budget year. In an interview Thursday with Alabama Daily News, Ivey said her state budget proposals, which are set to be presented to lawmakers next week, will include the pay raises in both the General Fund and Education Trust Fund budgets. Read more.
Law Enforcement Agencies Ask for Increased State Funding; General Fund Budget Looks OK
MONTGOMERY — The outlook for the state's current General Fund budget is good, according to state lawmakers meeting this week for budget hearings. Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, who chairs the General Fund budget committee in the House of Representatives, said he did not expect any large COVID-19-caused cuts in the current budget as lawmakers begin to craft next year's budget in the upcoming legislative session. Lawmakers on Wednesday heard from law enforcement agency heads who were asking for budget increases to pay for more personnel and mitigating issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.
Lawmakers Discuss Education Pay Raises, a Focus on Literacy and Learning Loss
MONTGOMERY — Pay raises for teachers are possible in next year’s state education budget, as are more school nurses, a greater focus on literacy and catching students up from learning loss left over from the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to spending proposals discussed by state education leaders and lawmakers at budget hearings in the State House Tuesday. Read more.
City Council Approves Bid for Birmingham Real-Time Crime Center
The Birmingham City Council has approved a $940,030 construction bid for the city’s long-planned real-time crime center, though the identity of the bidder remains confidential. The development of a real-time crime center was first announced by Birmingham Police Chief Patrick D. Smith in 2019 as a technological hub that would give police “a very clear picture of what’s going on throughout the city.” He said information could be transmitted directly to on-beat officers “so they know exactly what they’re looking for and who they’re looking for.” The crime center will employ policing technology such as ShotSpotter and PredPol, as well as recently approved Motorola surveillance software that drew controversy last year for its facial recognition capabilities. Mayor Randall Woodfin has maintained that the BPD cannot use those capabilities without approval from the City Council. Read more.
Senate Confirms Alabama-Connected Austin as Secretary of Defense
Voterama in Congress WASHINGTON — The Senate voted 93 for and two against on Jan. 22 to confirm retired Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III as secretary of defense. Austin, who was educated at Auburn University and has sat on its board, is the first Black to hold the position in its 74-year history. Both Alabama senators voted in favor of confirming Austin. Read more.
Woodfin Will Run for Reelection as Mayor
WBHM Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin acknowledged Thursday that he will be running for a second term during the municipal elections in August. Read more.
Birmingham Police Stations Offer Safe Place For Online Buyers and Sellers to Meet
WBHM The comments from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin come after a UAB student was shot and killed during a transaction arranged online. Read more.
Former Sen. Doug Jones Calls Inauguration a Display of Hope
Former Alabama U.S. Sen. Doug Jones and his wife, Louise, were on hand for today’s inauguration ceremony, and Jones called it “a magnificent display of unity, optimism and, most importantly, hope." Read more.
Alabama Young Voters On Capitol Attacks: ‘We Can’t Unsee Those Images’
WBHM Young voters of both parties look toward the future as a new administration takes over. Read more.