Nominations are now open and applicants only need to be nominated once. All non-winning nominations will automatically be eligible for selection in subsequent months. Monthly winners will be announced via a feature story that will be shared and promoted on Yellowhammer’s website, email and social media platforms.

Submit your nomination here.

Our organizations look forward to sharing these heartwarming and positive stories with you over the next few months as we highlight the good works of nonprofits throughout our state.

Serquest is an Alabama based software company founded by Hammond Cobb, IV of Montgomery. The organization sees itself as, “Digital road and bridge builders in the nonprofit sector to help people get where they want to go faster, life’s purpose can’t wait.”

Learn more about Serquest here.

Nominations are now open and applicants only need to be nominated once. All non-winning nominations will automatically be eligible for selection in subsequent months. Monthly winners will be announced via a feature story that will be shared and promoted on Yellowhammer’s website, email and social media platforms.

Submit your nomination here.

Our organizations look forward to sharing these heartwarming and positive stories with you over the next few months as we highlight the good works of nonprofits throughout our state.

Serquest is an Alabama based software company founded by Hammond Cobb, IV of Montgomery. The organization sees itself as, “Digital road and bridge builders in the nonprofit sector to help people get where they want to go faster, life’s purpose can’t wait.”

Learn more about Serquest here.

This provides an excellent opportunity for placement of previously incarcerated individuals who are graduating from J.F. Ingram State Technical College with technical skills and proficiency in ready-to-work disciplines.

At Ingram, we want to send the message that opportunities to reduce recidivism in our state’s prison system have been enhanced by economic conditions statewide and by our continued efforts to provide excellent training and work readiness skills to the incarcerated. Recently, Ingram hired a job placement coordinator. We are having increased success placing Ingram graduates in high wage, high demand positions throughout Alabama. These jobs provide income, dignity and hope for those in our communities in need of a chance to succeed and become productive citizens.

To facilitate reentry into society, the Ingram State Foundation often provides needed tools and safety equipment to employed graduates as they begin their new jobs.

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, 94 % of individuals incarcerated, will be released into the community. Established by the Alabama legislature in 1965, Ingram State Technical College is the only community college in the country serving incarcerated students exclusively.

A fully-accredited member of the Alabama Community College System, which is part of the Alabama Workforce Council, Ingram State partners with the Alabama Department of Corrections and provides career technical training in 17 programs ranging from diesel mechanics to industrial maintenance, logistics to welding, cosmetology and barbering at correctional facilities across central Alabama, including Tutwiler Prison for Women.

These are credit-bearing programs with stackable credentials of short and long-term certifications. College enrollment is available to inmates that are within 10 years of their end-of-sentence or parole date. Our goal is to prepare our graduates to enter the workforce equipped to meet the needs of employers, provide a pathway of employment for the formerly incarcerated and reduce the number of inmates that return to Alabama’s prisons.

Since many of our students did not graduate from high school, students can also enroll in adult education and pursue their high school diploma or GED. A new endeavor in adult education is the Career Pathways program which encourages students earn their GED while they are dually enrolling in a career tech program.

Because ISTC graduates face significant barriers to employment, ISTC has placed particular emphasis on the acquisition of industry-recognized certifications and credentials. Programs are taught utilizing the nationally recognized curriculums from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, and qualified students complete an OSHA 10-hour safety class.

Through an agreement with the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, ISTC plumbing students can earn their journeyman certification as part of their program of study. Students enrolled in the HVAC program receive EPA certifications, while barbering and cosmetology students complete the hours of education needed to sit for state licensure examinations.

In addition to helping close the employment gap, educating Alabama’s incarcerated population has other benefits. A 2018 study by the RAND Corporation shows that individuals who participate in quality education programs are 28 percent less likely to return to prison than those who serve their sentence and are released. Earlier RAND research showed that for every $1 investment in prison education programs there is a $4 to $5 reduction in incarceration costs during the first three years post-release of a prisoner.

Although our buildings, instructional equipment, and techniques would be familiar on any community college campus, our student body is unique — a mission of developing responsible citizens which reduces recidivism and provides employable workers to businesses. Student success at ISTC is a victory not only for each student and their families – but for all Alabamians.

This provides an excellent opportunity for placement of previously incarcerated individuals who are graduating from J.F. Ingram State Technical College with technical skills and proficiency in ready-to-work disciplines.

At Ingram, we want to send the message that opportunities to reduce recidivism in our state’s prison system have been enhanced by economic conditions statewide and by our continued efforts to provide excellent training and work readiness skills to the incarcerated. Recently, Ingram hired a job placement coordinator. We are having increased success placing Ingram graduates in high wage, high demand positions throughout Alabama. These jobs provide income, dignity and hope for those in our communities in need of a chance to succeed and become productive citizens.

To facilitate reentry into society, the Ingram State Foundation often provides needed tools and safety equipment to employed graduates as they begin their new jobs.

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, 94% of individuals incarcerated, will be released into the community. Established by the Alabama legislature in 1965, Ingram State Technical College is the only community college in the country serving incarcerated students exclusively.

A fully-accredited member of the Alabama Community College System, which is part of the Alabama Workforce Council, Ingram State partners with the Alabama Department of Corrections and provides career technical training in 17 programs ranging from diesel mechanics to industrial maintenance, logistics to welding, cosmetology and barbering at correctional facilities across central Alabama, including Tutwiler Prison for Women.

These are credit-bearing programs with stackable credentials of short and long-term certifications. College enrollment is available to inmates that are within 10 years of their end-of-sentence or parole date. Our goal is to prepare our graduates to enter the workforce equipped to meet the needs of employers, provide a pathway of employment for the formerly incarcerated and reduce the number of inmates that return to Alabama’s prisons.

Since many of our students did not graduate from high school, students can also enroll in adult education and pursue their high school diploma or GED. A new endeavor in adult education is the Career Pathways program which encourages students earn their GED while they are dually enrolling in a career tech program.

Because ISTC graduates face significant barriers to employment, ISTC has placed particular emphasis on the acquisition of industry-recognized certifications and credentials. Programs are taught utilizing the nationally recognized curriculums from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, and qualified students complete an OSHA 10-hour safety class.

Through an agreement with the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, ISTC plumbing students can earn their journeyman certification as part of their program of study. Students enrolled in the HVAC program receive EPA certifications, while barbering and cosmetology students complete the hours of education needed to sit for state licensure examinations.

In addition to helping close the employment gap, educating Alabama’s incarcerated population has other benefits. A 2018 study by the RAND Corporation shows that individuals who participate in quality education programs are 28 percent less likely to return to prison than those who serve their sentence and are released. Earlier RAND research showed that for every $1 investment in prison education programs there is a $4 to $5 reduction in incarceration costs during the first three years post-release of a prisoner.

Although our buildings, instructional equipment, and techniques would be familiar on any community college campus, our student body is unique — a mission of developing responsible citizens which reduces recidivism and provides employable workers to businesses. Student success at ISTC is a victory not only for each student and their families – but for all Alabamians.

This provides an excellent opportunity for placement of previously incarcerated individuals who are graduating from J.F. Ingram State Technical College with technical skills and proficiency in ready-to-work disciplines.

At Ingram, we want to send the message that opportunities to reduce recidivism in our state’s prison system have been enhanced by economic conditions statewide and by our continued efforts to provide excellent training and work readiness skills to the incarcerated. Recently, Ingram hired a job placement coordinator. We are having increased success placing Ingram graduates in high wage, high demand positions throughout Alabama. These jobs provide income, dignity and hope for those in our communities in need of a chance to succeed and become productive citizens.

To facilitate reentry into society, the Ingram State Foundation often provides needed tools and safety equipment to employed graduates as they begin their new jobs.

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, 94% of individuals incarcerated, will be released into the community. Established by the Alabama legislature in 1965, Ingram State Technical College is the only community college in the country serving incarcerated students exclusively.

A fully-accredited member of the Alabama Community College System, which is part of the Alabama Workforce Council, Ingram State partners with the Alabama Department of Corrections and provides career technical training in 17 programs ranging from diesel mechanics to industrial maintenance, logistics to welding, cosmetology and barbering at correctional facilities across central Alabama, including Tutwiler Prison for Women.

These are credit-bearing programs with stackable credentials of short and long-term certifications. College enrollment is available to inmates that are within 10 years of their end-of-sentence or parole date. Our goal is to prepare our graduates to enter the workforce equipped to meet the needs of employers, provide a pathway of employment for the formerly incarcerated and reduce the number of inmates that return to Alabama’s prisons.

Since many of our students did not graduate from high school, students can also enroll in adult education and pursue their high school diploma or GED. A new endeavor in adult education is the Career Pathways program which encourages students earn their GED while they are dually enrolling in a career tech program.

Because ISTC graduates face significant barriers to employment, ISTC has placed particular emphasis on the acquisition of industry-recognized certifications and credentials. Programs are taught utilizing the nationally recognized curriculums from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, and qualified students complete an OSHA 10-hour safety class.

Through an agreement with the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, ISTC plumbing students can earn their journeyman certification as part of their program of study. Students enrolled in the HVAC program receive EPA certifications, while barbering and cosmetology students complete the hours of education needed to sit for state licensure examinations.

In addition to helping close the employment gap, educating Alabama’s incarcerated population has other benefits. A 2018 study by the RAND Corporation shows that individuals who participate in quality education programs are 28 percent less likely to return to prison than those who serve their sentence and are released. Earlier RAND research showed that for every $1 investment in prison education programs there is a $4 to $5 reduction in incarceration costs during the first three years post-release of a prisoner.

Although our buildings, instructional equipment, and techniques would be familiar on any community college campus, our student body is unique — a mission of developing responsible citizens which reduces recidivism and provides employable workers to businesses. Student success at ISTC is a victory not only for each student and their families – but for all Alabamians.

This provides an excellent opportunity for placement of previously incarcerated individuals who are graduating from J.F. Ingram State Technical College with technical skills and proficiency in ready-to-work disciplines.

At Ingram, we want to send the message that opportunities to reduce recidivism in our state’s prison system have been enhanced by economic conditions statewide and by our continued efforts to provide excellent training and work readiness skills to the incarcerated. Recently, Ingram hired a job placement coordinator. We are having increased success placing Ingram graduates in high wage, high demand positions throughout Alabama. These jobs provide income, dignity and hope for those in our communities in need of a chance to succeed and become productive citizens.

To facilitate reentry into society, the Ingram State Foundation often provides needed tools and safety equipment to employed graduates as they begin their new jobs.

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, 94% of individuals incarcerated, will be released into the community. Established by the Alabama legislature in 1965, Ingram State Technical College is the only community college in the country serving incarcerated students exclusively.

A fully-accredited member of the Alabama Community College System, which is part of the Alabama Workforce Council, Ingram State partners with the Alabama Department of Corrections and provides career technical training in 17 programs ranging from diesel mechanics to industrial maintenance, logistics to welding, cosmetology and barbering at correctional facilities across central Alabama, including Tutwiler Prison for Women.

These are credit-bearing programs with stackable credentials of short and long-term certifications. College enrollment is available to inmates that are within 10 years of their end-of-sentence or parole date. Our goal is to prepare our graduates to enter the workforce equipped to meet the needs of employers, provide a pathway of employment for the formerly incarcerated and reduce the number of inmates that return to Alabama’s prisons.

Since many of our students did not graduate from high school, students can also enroll in adult education and pursue their high school diploma or GED. A new endeavor in adult education is the Career Pathways program which encourages students earn their GED while they are dually enrolling in a career tech program.

Because ISTC graduates face significant barriers to employment, ISTC has placed particular emphasis on the acquisition of industry-recognized certifications and credentials. Programs are taught utilizing the nationally recognized curriculums from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, and qualified students complete an OSHA 10-hour safety class.

Through an agreement with the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, ISTC plumbing students can earn their journeyman certification as part of their program of study. Students enrolled in the HVAC program receive EPA certifications, while barbering and cosmetology students complete the hours of education needed to sit for state licensure examinations.

In addition to helping close the employment gap, educating Alabama’s incarcerated population has other benefits. A 2018 study by the RAND Corporation shows that individuals who participate in quality education programs are 28 percent less likely to return to prison than those who serve their sentence and are released. Earlier RAND research showed that for every $1 investment in prison education programs there is a $4 to $5 reduction in incarceration costs during the first three years post-release of a prisoner.

Although our buildings, instructional equipment, and techniques would be familiar on any community college campus, our student body is unique — a mission of developing responsible citizens which reduces recidivism and provides employable workers to businesses. Student success at ISTC is a victory not only for each student and their families – but for all Alabamians.

This provides an excellent opportunity for placement of previously incarcerated individuals who are graduating from J.F. Ingram State Technical College with technical skills and proficiency in ready-to-work disciplines.

At Ingram, we want to send the message that opportunities to reduce recidivism in our state’s prison system have been enhanced by economic conditions statewide and by our continued efforts to provide excellent training and work readiness skills to the incarcerated. Recently, Ingram hired a job placement coordinator. We are having increased success placing Ingram graduates in high wage, high demand positions throughout Alabama. These jobs provide income, dignity and hope for those in our communities in need of a chance to succeed and become productive citizens.

To facilitate reentry into society, the Ingram State Foundation often provides needed tools and safety equipment to employed graduates as they begin their new jobs.

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, 94 % of individuals incarcerated, will be released into the community. Established by the Alabama legislature in 1965, Ingram State Technical College is the only community college in the country serving incarcerated students exclusively.

A fully-accredited member of the Alabama Community College System, which is part of the Alabama Workforce Council, Ingram State partners with the Alabama Department of Corrections and provides career technical training in 17 programs ranging from diesel mechanics to industrial maintenance, logistics to welding, cosmetology and barbering at correctional facilities across central Alabama, including Tutwiler Prison for Women.

These are credit-bearing programs with stackable credentials of short and long-term certifications. College enrollment is available to inmates that are within 10 years of their end-of-sentence or parole date. Our goal is to prepare our graduates to enter the workforce equipped to meet the needs of employers, provide a pathway of employment for the formerly incarcerated and reduce the number of inmates that return to Alabama’s prisons.

Since many of our students did not graduate from high school, students can also enroll in adult education and pursue their high school diploma or GED. A new endeavor in adult education is the Career Pathways program which encourages students earn their GED while they are dually enrolling in a career tech program.

Because ISTC graduates face significant barriers to employment, ISTC has placed particular emphasis on the acquisition of industry-recognized certifications and credentials. Programs are taught utilizing the nationally recognized curriculums from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, and qualified students complete an OSHA 10-hour safety class.

Through an agreement with the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, ISTC plumbing students can earn their journeyman certification as part of their program of study. Students enrolled in the HVAC program receive EPA certifications, while barbering and cosmetology students complete the hours of education needed to sit for state licensure examinations.

In addition to helping close the employment gap, educating Alabama’s incarcerated population has other benefits. A 2018 study by the RAND Corporation shows that individuals who participate in quality education programs are 28 percent less likely to return to prison than those who serve their sentence and are released. Earlier RAND research showed that for every $1 investment in prison education programs there is a $4 to $5 reduction in incarceration costs during the first three years post-release of a prisoner.

Although our buildings, instructional equipment, and techniques would be familiar on any community college campus, our student body is unique — a mission of developing responsible citizens which reduces recidivism and provides employable workers to businesses. Student success at ISTC is a victory not only for each student and their families – but for all Alabamians.

According to a recent survey in Alabama, voters across party lines strongly support (91%) SB376 the Family Caregivers Act.

The Alabama Family Caregivers Act would ensure hospitals identify, notify and provide after-care instructions to family caregivers when their loved ones are in the hospital – prior to discharge.

These caregivers routinely take on tasks that can be overwhelming, stressful and exhausting — from helping with medication regiments, meals, bathing, transportation, complex medical tasks and more.

Learn more about this bipartisan legislation and the survey here.

According to a recent survey in Alabama, voters across party lines strongly support (91%) SB376 the Family Caregivers Act.

The Alabama Family Caregivers Act would ensure hospitals identify, notify and provide after-care instructions to family caregivers when their loved ones are in the hospital – prior to discharge.

These caregivers routinely take on tasks that can be overwhelming, stressful and exhausting — from helping with medication regiments, meals, bathing, transportation, complex medical tasks and more.

Learn more about this bipartisan legislation and the survey here.

According to a recent survey in Alabama, voters across party lines strongly support (91%) SB376 the Family Caregivers Act.

The Alabama Family Caregivers Act would ensure hospitals identify, notify and provide after-care instructions to family caregivers when their loved ones are in the hospital – prior to discharge.

These caregivers routinely take on tasks that can be overwhelming, stressful and exhausting — from helping with medication regiments, meals, bathing, transportation, complex medical tasks and more.

Learn more about this bipartisan legislation and the survey here.

Not sure where to start in planning your Hangout Fest music vacation? We’ve got you covered.

Check out 10 tips to make your 2019 Hangout Fest experience the best yet:

1. Buy your tickets of course! Get yours at the Hangout Fest website.

2. Reserve a Room. Dance until you drop – into a rental that’s perfect for the weekend. From condos to beach houses, plenty of options are still available. Book yours at this link.

3. Buy a Shuttle Pass. The most efficient and safest way to and from the fest. Hop on at spots near most area rentals. Get those here.

4. Get your Thursday Kick Off Party Tickets. Grab your friends and start your weekend right with live music, drinks and more before the main stages open Friday.

5. Reserve a Locker. Beach bags are great but not when you’re ready to boogie. Store your stuff and charge your cell with a locker on site.

6. Download the Hangout Fest App. Create a personalized concert schedule and get the latest concert updates, show times and important event notifications!

7. Want to see your favorite artist perform up close? Purchase a headliner package to access exclusive viewing opportunities at either the Hangout or Surf Stage.

8. Take a break in between sets: relax on Hammock Beach or visit the tropical spa and enjoy a relaxing massage.

9. Pack the best bag! The festival has a strict bag policy and clear lists on what you can bring through the entrance gates (sunscreen, water bottle and towel) and what you must leave at home (drones, flag poles and umbrellas.)

10. Get a workout in. Join in on a game at the beach volleyball court, join the daily Hangout Fest yoga class or skate at the roller disco rink.

For additional updates and information visit www.hangmusicoutfest.com.

According to a recent survey in Alabama, voters across party lines strongly support (91%) SB376 the Family Caregivers Act.

The Alabama Family Caregivers Act would ensure hospitals identify, notify and provide after-care instructions to family caregivers when their loved ones are in the hospital – prior to discharge.

These caregivers routinely take on tasks that can be overwhelming, stressful and exhausting — from helping with medication regiments, meals, bathing, transportation, complex medical tasks and more.

Learn more about this bipartisan legislation and the survey here.

Not sure where to start in planning your Hangout Fest music vacation? We’ve got you covered.

Check out 10 tips to make your 2019 Hangout Fest experience the best yet:

1. Buy your tickets of course! Get yours at the Hangout Fest website.

2. Reserve a Room. Dance until you drop – into a rental that’s perfect for the weekend. From condos to beach houses, plenty of options are still available. Book yours at this link.

3. Buy a Shuttle Pass. The most efficient and safest way to and from the fest. Hop on at spots near most area rentals. Get those here.

4. Get your Thursday Kick Off Party Tickets. Grab your friends and start your weekend right with live music, drinks and more before the main stages open Friday.

5. Reserve a Locker. Beach bags are great but not when you’re ready to boogie. Store your stuff and charge your cell with a locker on site.

6. Download the Hangout Fest App. Create a personalized concert schedule and get the latest concert updates, show times and important event notifications!

7. Want to see your favorite artist perform up close? Purchase a headliner package to access exclusive viewing opportunities at either the Hangout or Surf Stage.

8. Take a break in between sets: relax on Hammock Beach or visit the tropical spa and enjoy a relaxing massage.

9. Pack the best bag! The festival has a strict bag policy and clear lists on what you can bring through the entrance gates (sunscreen, water bottle and towel) and what you must leave at home (drones, flag poles and umbrellas.)

10. Get a workout in. Join in on a game at the beach volleyball court, join the daily Hangout Fest yoga class or skate at the roller disco rink.

For additional updates and information visit www.hangmusicoutfest.com.

Not sure where to start in planning your Hangout Fest music vacation? We’ve got you covered.

Check out 10 tips to make your 2019 Hangout Fest experience the best yet:

1. Buy your tickets, of course! Get yours at the Hangout Fest website.

2. Reserve a Room. Dance until you drop – into a rental that’s perfect for the weekend. From condos to beach houses, plenty of options are still available. Book yours at this link.

3. Buy a Shuttle Pass. The most efficient and safest way to and from the fest. Hop on at spots near most area rentals. Get those here.

4. Get your Thursday Kick Off Party Tickets. Grab your friends and start your weekend right with live music, drinks and more before the main stages open Friday.

5. Reserve a Locker. Beach bags are great but not when you’re ready to boogie. Store your stuff and charge your cell with a locker on site.

6. Download the Hangout Fest App. Create a personalized concert schedule and get the latest concert updates, show times and important event notifications!

7. Want to see your favorite artist perform up close? Purchase a headliner package to access exclusive viewing opportunities at either the Hangout or Surf Stage.

8. Take a break in between sets: relax on Hammock Beach or visit the tropical spa and enjoy a relaxing massage.

9. Pack the best bag! The festival has a strict bag policy and clear lists on what you can bring through the entrance gates (sunscreen, water bottle and towel) and what you must leave at home (drones, flag poles and umbrellas.)

10. Get a workout in. Join in on a game at the beach volleyball court, join the daily Hangout Fest yoga class or skate at the roller disco rink.

For additional updates and information visit www.hangmusicoutfest.com.

You should be looking for three types of people to fill your lunch hours with someone you want to learn from, someone who can help you generate income and current/potential clients.

During these meetings, you should look to listen. Do you know what’s the number one thing in the world that people love to talk about? Themselves! They know more about that than anything else. I’m no exception; if you ask me about something that I know a lot about, I’ll talk your ears off without a second thought. If the person you’re meeting with loves history, or technology, or sports or whatever else, if you get them talking about that thing, you’ll have won an immediate friend.

Ask open-ended questions, like “can you tell me about (fill in the blank)” or “what happened when,” or “how did this happen.” Give them opportunities to talk that they can take and run with. They’ll appreciate the buy-in on your end and feel more comfortable participating in the conversation.

When you’re with someone you’re trying to learn from, here are a few questions that you absolutely have to ask:

“What are you learning right now?

This is another blog post in and of itself, but everyone should always be learning something. The most successful people adopt that mindset, and asking this question is a great way to figure out how they do that so well.

“What are you reading right now?”

We already have a blog post about what a powerful tool books can be for your business, but it bears repeating. Educate yourself! If you aren’t reading every day, you’re missing out on a world’s worth of business wisdom.

“Who do you know that I should know?”

Embrace the power of referrals. Even if it isn’t a direct lead to new clients, utilizing someone else’s network is an incredibly powerful business tool —  and it might just find you your next lunch date.

Thomas Cox is the owner of Meal Fit a meal-prep and catering service. You can reach him by contacting him here.

According to a recent survey in Alabama, voters across party lines strongly support (91%) SB376 the Family Caregivers Act.

The Alabama Family Caregivers Act would ensure hospitals identify, notify and provide after-care instructions to family caregivers when their loved ones are in the hospital – prior to discharge.

These caregivers routinely take on tasks that can be overwhelming, stressful and exhausting — from helping with medication regiments, meals, bathing, transportation, complex medical tasks and more.

Learn more about this bipartisan legislation and the survey here.

The barriers that the boards have put in place started as measures to protect the consumer and ensure that each worker is trained and equipped to perform their job. Now? The fees have skyrocketed, the requirements continue to add up, and are constantly changing.

The Alabama Policy Institute recently conducted a study on the rising costs being placed on Alabama businesses, putting the total costs of obtaining a license at $122 million, and the total cost of renewing licenses at $45 million.

These numbers are already a ridiculous burden, but even further, the same study put the cost of the initial education requirements for a license at $65 billion and continuing education needed to meet the changing standards dictated by these boards is an additional $243 million. In comparison, government spending throughout our entire state is less than the total costs the boards impose on business.

These licensing boards control over one-fifth of our state workers, requiring them to meet the standards that are determined only by the boards’ members. This means that many board-regulated professions which work together suffer double jeopardy style fines when one side fails to meet the board’s requirements.

For example, if a restaurant requires repairs to keep it running and serving the community, it hires a construction company. If the construction company accepts the job but fails to tell the restaurant it has an expired license, the licensing board fines both the construction company and the restaurant. This type of draconian regulation makes it near impossible to continue to run a business without offending the board and getting hit with absurd fines.

Sadly, many of our citizens are unaware of the boards because they seem to fear transparency just as much as they enjoy regulating. I had the privilege of serving on our House Budget Reform Task Force, where we discovered many irregularities from the boards.

The boards rarely even put the money they collect into the state treasury to at least give back to the taxpayers in some way; they put this money into private bank accounts.

This is an issue I am tired of seeing in our state, and I am taking action this year to prevent this lack of transparency for our citizens.

My first step is to enact reform so the citizens can know where their money is being spent. I have introduced a bill that will subject each board to contract review. In addition, I introduced another bill, which will require every board to put its income and expenditures online for all citizens to see.

The taxpayers already pay enough into this system; the least we can do is allow them to know where their money is going.

These changes would bring much-needed improvement to our economy, businesses, and citizens of Alabama. My bills are a long overdue step to stopping these boards from operating in the shadows. It will bring transparency for our taxpayers, accountability to these regulatory bodies and provide our citizens with more economic freedom.

Paid for by Chris Pringle Campaign 4 Princess Anne Rd. Mobile Alabama 36608

The Hangout Fest isn’t just your average concert: it’s a luxury music vacation that consistently boasts top-notch musical artists and experiences unrivaled in the industry.

Hangout Fest founders, Alabama business owners Shaul and Lilly Zislin, launched the Hangout Fest shortly after opening The Hangout Restaurant, which operates year-round on the very site where the festival happens. The husband and wife team created the festival out of a desire to draw more tourists to Gulf Shores during the off-season.

O’Connell said the Hangout Fest team already knew from the beginning they had the potential to create something special.

“Up to that point, music festivals were either in muddy fields or parking lots,” Hangout Fest director Sean O’Connell told Yellowhammer. “Our vision was to create a festival at a high level with amenities not normally found at other events.”

What makes the Hangout Fest stand out? The experience.

“We pay attention to the small details and emphasize making it beautiful throughout the property with palm trees, nautical chandeliers, onsite spas, giant swings in the Gulf. The interactive spaces are designed to inspire and wildly entertain,” said O’ Connell.

From May 16 -19 the 2019 Hangout Fest will welcome thousands to the Gulf Coast to vacation with the world’s best artists including Travis Scott, The Lumineers, Cardi B, Diplo and many more.

How is an event this scale successfully executed? O’Connell says a core team of 20 work on the festival year-round, and a larger group of thousands are employed to work the event itself. Always a step ahead, the team is committed to making each Hangout Fest better than the last.

“We’re already thinking about artists and activations and improvements for the following year before this one finishes,” he said.

Hangout Fest is more than just an event, but a brand that O’Connell says fans are passionate about and will continue to support.

“It’s an epic weekend that people anticipate all year because they want the best of something and we deliver on that. We are that favorite weekend, the place where our fans feel great because we want them to laugh the hardest, sing the loudest and make unforgettable memories to a soundtrack that electrifies them.”

Ready to hang out at The Hangout? Tickets to the 2019 Hangout Fest are still available at https://www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets/