7. Theaters are reopening in July
- There are 18 AMC Theater locations in Alabama, and they’re all set to reopen in July amid the coronavirus pandemic, with a maximum capacity of 50% and strict sanitation policies.
- Most movie theaters are expected to start opening throughout the country in July, including Regal Cinemas and Cinemark, and while movie theaters have been allowed to reopen in Alabama since May 23, most have stayed closed.
6. Barkley isn’t in favor of defunding the police
- Former Auburn basketball player and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has been somewhat politically outspoken in more recent years, and while on CNN with host Wolf Blitzer, he discussed the issue of George Floyd’s death while in police custody and defunding police.
- Barkley said that Floyd’s death is a “disgrace” and an issue “about humanity.” He added that if you aren’t upset by his death, no matter your background, “there is something wrong with you,” and while “most of the cops do a fantastic job,” we need “police reform” and not “defunding.”
5. Sadly, Biden might be right
- During an economic reopening roundtable, former Vice President Joe Biden commented on the protests that have taken place after the death of George Floyd while in police custody. He said that “Dr. King’s assassination did not have the worldwide impact that George Floyd’s death did.”
- Biden added that cell phone usage is what has helped make the big change, saying, “It’s changed the way everybody’s looking at this.” He also commented on the “millions of people” protesting worldwide.
4. “Funnymaine” is being charged
- A local comedian known as Jermaine “Funnymaine” Johnson from the Birmingham area attended protests late last month, and is now being charged by Jefferson County with inciting a riot due to his comments made at the protest.
- Johnson intends to plead “not guilty,” and while he started off the night of protests on May 31 peacefully, there is a video of him later on saying to a crowd, “We need to tear some something down tonight. They need to see Birmingham, the home of the civil rights movement, tear some sh-t down tonight.” Looting and rioting later took place throughout the city that night.
3. Tuberville is hanging out on Air Force One
- President Donald Trump stopped Air Force One in Dallas, Texas, to see former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, who then joined Trump on board.
- In the U.S. Senate race, Trump has been very vocal about his support of Tuberville, and he apparently went to Dallas to have a roundtable discussion on law enforcement and race since the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, which Tuberville has been rather quiet about.
2. Another poll shows that Sessions has gained on Tuberville
- Recent polling data indicates that the lead former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville previously had over former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions no longer exists in Alabama’s First and Second Congressional Districts, where primary runoffs could bring higher turnout, and a new poll from the Alabama Forestry Association (AFA) shows them tied.
- The AFA poll shows Sessions and Tuberville each with 41.99% while 16% are still undecided. This just validates the internal polling data released by Sessions’ campaign this week, but the AFA has also predicted “extremely low turnout” for the runoff on July 14, which is likely to help Sessions.
1. Trump has announced how he’ll combat police brutality
- President Donald Trump has said that in the wake of George Floyd’s death, he’s going to take steps to increase economic opportunities in minority communities, work with Congress to enact school choice, and find ways to address health care issues in the black community, but he will not cut funding to police departments.
- Trump said that rather than defunding police departments, departments will be held to the “most current standards on use of force,” and he added,“We’re going to have a stronger police force.”
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.