2 weeks ago

Alabama workforce development program recognized as one of nation’s best, will now mentor other states

The National Governor’s Association on Thursday announced Alabama would be among a choice group of states that will mentor other states in work-based learning practices.

“Alabama is excited to participate as a mentor state in the third phase of the NGA’s work-based learning Policy Academy due to the remarkable results of our participation in Phase II of the Policy Academy,” said Governor Kay Ivey.

The five other mentor states in the program are Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington.

The type of programs that will be worked on between Alabama and other states align with Ivey’s Success Plus initiative. Success Plus is a comprehensive effort to get Alabamians whatever post-high school education they need to be prepared for the workforce, no matter if that is a four-year degree, two-year degree or professional certification.

The specific aspects of Sucess Plus in which Alabama will mentor other states are the work-based learning such as apprenticeships and internships.

“This selection by the National Governors Association is a solid indication of Alabama’s commitment to increasing the state’s labor participation rate through the AlabamaWorks initiative,” said Ed Castile, deputy secretary for the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“Across the state, we are working with business and industry to expand our efforts in preparing a well-trained, high-skilled, quality workforce,” he added.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@yellowhammernews.com or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.

11 hours ago

Watch live: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey delivers 2020 State of the State Address

MONTGOMERY — Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday evening will deliver her 2020 State of the State Address, and you can watch it live online here.

The address is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. CST in the Old House Chamber of the Alabama State Capitol.

As previewed by Ivey recently, major topics of the address are expected to be the 2020 Census; criminal justice and corrections reform; healthcare in general; mental healthcare; and education reform.

Ivey will have five special guests attend the address:

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  • Brandie McCain was previously incarcerated and was among the first group of J.F. Ingram State Technical College students to earn the nationally recognized Certified Logistics Associate credential from the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council.
  • John Carroll is a retired Army Veteran that was struggling to find gainful employment until he was assisted by the Alabama Department of Labor and the Decatur Career Center.
  • Carl Flemons is a veteran’s representative at the Department of Labor and helped Carroll find a place of employment.
  • Joanne and Shanice Williams are the wife and daughter of the late Lowndes County Sheriff “Big John” Williams, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty in November 2019.

The State of the State Address will conclude the opening day of the Alabama Legislature’s 2020 regular session.

The live stream will begin at 6:00 p.m. CST below.

WATCH:

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2 hours ago

Members of Alabama’s congressional delegation announce SOTU guests

President Donald Trump’s third State of the Union and fourth address to a joint session of Congress is set for Tuesday night.

Every federally elected lawmaker is allowed to bring a guest to the big speech, and their choice of a companion for the event is often a political indication.

Yellowhammer News reached out to each of the nine members of Alabama’s congressional delegation about who they were bringing.

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Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) is bringing the chancellor of the University of Alabama System, Finis “Fess” St. John IV. A spokesman for Shelby describes the pair as “old friends.” Shelby has long been a champion for institutions of higher education in the state of Alabama.

Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) will be attending with his wife, Louise.

Joining Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) of Alabama’s first congressional district is Johnny Spann from Winfield, Alabama. Spann’s son, Michael, was the first American killed during combat operations in Afghanistan in 2001.

“It is a special honor to have Johnny Spann join me for this historic State of the Union address. Johnny and the Spann family have an intimate understanding of the suffering shared by countless American families who have lost loved ones in service. We must always cherish Mike’s memory and remember those who have sacrificed to preserve the freedoms we cherish as Americans,” Byrne said in a statement to Yellowhammer News.

Rep. Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) of Alabama’s second congressional district is bringing Mr. Cam West, president of Huntingdon College in Montgomery. Roby is chair of the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus. West was already in Washington for one of that group’s events.

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) of Alabama’s fourth congressional district is bringing his wife Caroline.

Yellowhammer News’ Jeff Poor will be attending with Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), who represents Alabama’s fifth congressional district. In addition to his work with Yellowhammer, Poor hosts a daily radio show on WVNN in Huntsville and contributes frequently to Breitbart.com. Brooks is a frequent guest on conservative talk radio. In past years, he has invited Alabama radio hosts Matt Murphy and Dale Jackson.

Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) of Alabama’s seventh congressional district is bringing Alabama State Representative Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham). Coleman was already in Washington, D.C. for the 2020 National Black Leadership Conference that is hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus, of which Sewell is an integral member.

Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) and Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) did not respond to Yellowhammer’s inquiry about their SOTU guests by the time of publishing.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@yellowhammernews.com or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.

2 hours ago

Report: Doug Jones ‘tentatively’ decided on impeachment votes; Announcement likely on Wednesday morning

According to a report, Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) is set to announce Wednesday morning how he will vote in the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump.

Jones is faced with voting to convict or acquit Trump on two separate charges: Abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

CNN’s Manu Raju on Tuesday tweeted that Jones said he is “tentatively” decided on how he will vote.

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Jones will reportedly announce his decision Wednesday morning, likely between 10:00 — 11:00 a.m. CST.

Jones has been silently public on impeachment in recent days after posting daily video updates through Friday of last week.

He has voted with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) 100% of the time throughout the trial thus far.

RELATED: Doug Jones’ son says senator struggling to eat, sleep during impeachment trial

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

2 hours ago

Dial admits ‘Poarch Creek Accountability Now’ funded by out-of-state special interests

MONTGOMERY — Former longtime State Sen. Gerald Dial (R-Lineville) says he cannot tell you who is funding the dark-money, so-called “Poarch Creek Accountability Now” group that he is running. However, he did admit on Tuesday that the shadow backing behind the effort is at least partially coming from out-of-state.

Dial, who lost his 2018 bid to become Alabama’s Secretary of Agriculture and Industries, spoke to reporters Tuesday at a press conference unveiling legislation by State Sen. Jim McClendon (R-Springville) that claims to try and ban all contributions from gambling entities to legislators and select statewide elected officials. This came on the opening day of the Alabama legislature’s 2020 regular session.

“Let there be no doubt about my intent in advocating for the passage of this bill,” McClendon stressed before Dial spoke. “I am emphatically state the purpose of the bill is to limit the gambling industry’s influence in the political process in Alabama.”

McClendon subsequently decried an “invasion of gambling dollars with such a high propensity of corruption.”

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However in reality, it appears he is only trying to curb the influence of one particular gaming group — the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, who opposed his lottery legislation last session because it also included the expansion of pseudo slot-machine games across the state. The tribe did not oppose a “clean” lottery bill sponsored by State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) last session. McClendon voted against Albritton’s bill, which eventually died in the House.

After McClendon’s lengthy Tuesday monologue lamenting about money in politics, Dial took to the podium to bash the “untold” influence gambling money has on Alabama politicians and elected officials.

Dial was then asked, “Will you tell us who’s funding the Poarch Creek Accountability Now group that you’re leading?”

“I am not going to — we’re a nondisclosure,” Dial responded. “Because here’s the thing — if the people who have helped me, and it’s been somewhat limited, some if it has come from out-of-state. If the people who have helped me would become public then there’d be too much repercussion… they are not willing to do that. Until they tell me [to do] that, I can’t tell you that.”

“How does it not undermine what you’re saying if that could be [the Poarch Band of Creek Indians’] competitors?” a reporter followed up.

Dial did not rebut the possibility that certain competitors are indeed behind the effort.

“They decided that they would not tell [who they are], once they tell me I can, I’d be more than happy to,” Dial answered. “But we’re following the law. We’re a nonprofit. And you don’t have to disclose it.”

Poarch Creek Accountability Now is fighting against the Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ proposal that would put over one billion dollars in the state coffers and additionally pave the way for a state-run lottery to be established.

McClendon’s legislation as written does not ban lobbyists of gambling interests donating to legislators or legislative candidates. The bill also would not prevent gambling interests from using chain PACs as a loophole around the ban or stop silent investors in gambling entities from donating as individuals rather than under their respective entity’s name. McClendon’s bill would, however, prevent the only in-state, non pari-mutuel gambling interest currently allowed to donate directly to candidates and officials — the Poarch Band of Creek Indians — from doing so.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

3 hours ago

Alabama businessman, U.S. Army veteran among Trump’s 2020 State of the Union guests

From selling produce at a rural stand in Wilcox County to being a guest of honor of the President of the United States — this is the American Dream, personified by Paul Morrow.

Morrow, according to a release from the White House, will attend Tuesday night’s State of the Union Address on the personal invitation of President Donald John Trump. The address is set to begin at 8:00 p.m. CST.

A U.S. Army veteran, Morrow started a successful contracting business called SDAC after leaving the military. He is currently building a new concrete plant in an Opportunity Zone in Montgomery. This new plant will help support several brand new F-35 jets that are stationed at nearby Maxwell Air Force Base.

The Opportunity Zone aspect of Morrow’s work is expected to get a shoutout from Trump. These incentivized zones in distressed communities were created by Trump’s landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

However, Morrow’s story goes way beyond being one of the many minority business owners who have thrived under the historic Trump economy.

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A leader at the November “Black Voices for Trump” rally in Atlanta, Morrow comes from humble Alabama beginnings.

Here is what his SDAC biography says:

Morrow is one of 19 children born to James and Mary Morrow of Plantersville, Alabama, near Selma, infamous location of “Bloody Sunday” where protesters marching for voting rights across the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge were beaten on national television in 1965. Poor, black and only four years old at the time of the Selma-to-Montgomery march, Morrow grew up picking beans, okra and corn then helping his family sell it at the roadside produce stand in their front yard. He saw the Army as his ticket out and in 1979 he enlisted straight after high school graduation. Injured on duty, Morrow was discharged to heal then headed to Florida to reinvent himself, learning A/C repair and opening SDAC in Homestead in 1985 then expanding to his hometown of Selma in 2014.

For Black History Month in recent days, Trump recently signed a resolution, outlining what black Americans have accomplished during his administration.

“My Administration has made great strides in expanding opportunity for people of all backgrounds,” wrote Trump. “Over the past 2 years, the poverty and unemployment rates for African Americans have reached historic lows.”

He outlined, “Through the transformative Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, more than 8,700 distressed communities battling economic hardship have been designated Opportunity Zones, creating a path for struggling communities to unlock investment resources and create much needed jobs and community amenities. I also signed into law the historic First Step Act, which rolled back unjust provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which disproportionately harmed African American communities. The First Step Act provides inmates with opportunities for job training, education, and mentorship. We want every person leaving prison to have the tools they need to take advantage of a second chance to transform their lives and pursue the American dream after incarceration. Additionally, last December, I was proud to sign into law the groundbreaking FUTURE Act, which ensures full support for historically black colleges and universities over the next 10 years.”

“Our great Nation is strengthened and enriched by citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed. This month, we celebrate the cultural heritage, diverse contributions, and unbreakable spirit of African Americans. We commend the heroes, pioneers, and common Americans who tirelessly fought for — and firmly believed in — the promise of racial equality granted by our Creator, enshrined in our Constitution, and enacted into our laws. We pledge to continue to stand against the evils of bigotry, intolerance, and hatred so that we may continue in our pursuit of a more perfect Union,” Trump concluded.

Governor Kay Ivey celebrated Morrow’s honor in a Tuesday tweet.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

3 hours ago

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics honors CEO of Alabama’s ULA

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) tapped the leader of Alabama’s rocket builder for a prestigious fellowship.

AIAA selected United Launch Alliance (ULA) President and CEO Tory Bruno as part of its Class of 2020 Fellows and Honorary Fellows, according to a release from the organization.

Bruno and his peers will be honored at a ceremony in May.

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“The 2020 Class of AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows have earned the respect and gratitude of the aerospace community for their dedication, creativity and contribution to better understanding our world in terms of its limits and how we can push past those boundaries,” said John Langford, AIAA president. “They are the best minds in the industry. I congratulate them on this career accomplishment.”

Since taking the helm at ULA in 2014, Bruno has overseen the company’s increased role in the national security space race and critical scientific missions.

RELATED: Satellites launched by Alabama rockets saved lives in Iraq

ULA’s 1.6 million square foot manufacturing plant in Decatur is the largest such facility in the Western Hemisphere.

The company has calculated its annual economic impact to the state of Alabama at approximately $285 million.

In an exclusive interview with Yellowhammer News last year, Bruno spoke about the reasons why ULA’s economic impact on the state would continue to increase.

That is because of the Air Force’s award to ULA to develop the cutting-edge Vulcan rocket needed for American national security space missions.

The award, under the Launch Services Agreement, elevates the importance of ULA’s Alabama operation.

“It’s a big shot in the arm, an increase in our confidence to know that we’re developing the right rocket that the national security community and the Air Force want to carry out the mission,” said Bruno. “They tell us that unambiguously when they make the award to us. And so we have plowed ahead. We have invested heavily in the Decatur factory bringing it all up to state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques.”

Rockets built in Decatur have also powered critical weather satellites and spacecraft exploring the solar system.

Bruno’s company will power NASA’s next scientific mission to the sun early next week.

The Solar Orbiter will launch atop an Atlas V rocket as it seeks to examine how the Sun creates and controls the space environment throughout the solar system.

RELATED: Alabama’s ULA making final preparations for launch of NASA’s Solar Orbiter

The spacecraft will then reside in an elliptical orbit and make a close approach of the sun every six months, going within 26 million miles of the star’s surface. Solar Orbiter will spend the next decade gathering information.

Launch is scheduled for a two-hour window beginning at 11:03 EST on February 9 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer Multimedia