Construction of a new oversized vehicle tunnel and premium RV infield parking section at Talladega Superspeedway is still on schedule to be completed in time for the April NASCAR race, despite large amounts of rainfall and unusual groundwater conditions underneath the track.
Track Chairman Grant Lynch, during a news conference Wednesday at the track, said he’s amazed the general contractor, Taylor Corporation of Oxford, has been able to keep the project on schedule.
“The amount of water they have pumped out of that and the extra engineering they did from the original design, basically to keep that tunnel from floating up out of the earth, was remarkable,” Lynch said.
Alabama’s auto workers built nearly 1.6 million engines last year, as the state industry continues to carve out a place in global markets with innovative, high-performance parts, systems and finished vehicles.
Last year also saw major new developments in engine manufacturing among the state’s key players, and more advanced infrastructure is on the way in the coming year.
Hyundai expects to complete a key addition to its engine operations in Montgomery during the first half of 2019, while Honda continues to reap the benefits of a cutting-edge Alabama engine line installed several years ago.
Political and business leaders gathered for a groundbreaking at Alabama’s newest aerospace plant gave credit to the formation of the many key partnerships that made it possible.
Governor Kay Ivey and several other federal, state and local officials attended the event which celebrated the construction of rocket engine builder Blue Origin’s facility in Huntsville.
"Frontier Airlines will begin direct flights from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on April 11, the airline announced today. Frontier Airlines will start by offering direct service to Denver, Orlando and Philadelphia from Birmingham. Introductory prices will start at $39."
"The Pittsburgh Steelers are hiring Crimson Tide defensive line coach Karl Dunbar as their defensive line coach, according to a source."
"This gets Dunbar back to the NFL, where the 50-year old had been for most of his coaching career before heading to Alabama in 2016 as the replacement for Bo Davis."
"It will be the fifth NFL team he's worked for after stints as the defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears (2004), Minnesota Vikings (2006-11), New York Jets (2012-14) and Buffalo Bills (2015)."
"At 87, Clint Eastwood is not only trying new things, he’s trying daring new things, and his new film 15:17 to Paris represents one of the most audacious gambits of his career. To dramatize the tale of three Americans who tackled and subdued a heavily armed Islamist terrorist on a train out of Amsterdam in 2015, Eastwood cast the young men, none of whom had professional acting experience, as themselves. It’s a decision with little precedent in the entire history of motion pictures."
Jesse A. Goldberg, Ph.D., still has not started his first semester as a lecturer at Auburn University. However, the incoming professor continues to ignite controversy on social media.
A few months ago, Goldberg admittedly posted his “first controversial tweet” as an Auburn faculty member.
Ahead of starting his new job as a “Lecturer of African American & American Literature and Composition in the English department at Auburn University” this coming academic year, Goldberg said, “I know it’s just a mascot but I’m never gonna be able to call myself a ‘war eagle’ or say ‘go war eagles.’ Sorry.”
“I can’t bring myself to enthusiastically and sincerely use a slogan/greeting/cultural signal with ‘war’ as a primary descriptor. Yeah I know I’m being a party pooper but it’s the kind of language thing that sticks with me,” he advised.
In reporting on that incident, Yellowhammer News noted that Goldberg’s Twitter bio read, “Lecturer @ Auburn U | Black Studies, Critical Prison Studies, Queer Theory, American Literature | Abolitionist | martial artist | views are mine | he/him/his.”
The following image utilized as his Twitter header seems to explain what he means by “Abolitionist:”
He further described himself as a “radical anti-racist white (Jewish) teacher.”
Goldberg on Wednesday apparently took his “radical” branding to heart.
The incoming Auburn lecturer tweeted the following (censoring added by Yellowhammer News):
F*ck every single cop. Every single one. The only ethical choice for any cop to make at this point is to refuse to do their job and quit. The police do not protect people. They protect capital. They are instruments of violence on behalf of capital.
The tweet came as a response to a post by the ACLU claiming that a protester in New York City was “abducted” by law enforcement officers. The NYPD has publicly explained that the protester was actually arrested on open warrants by plainclothes officers. Goldberg in his tweet asserted that the arrest was actually “kidnapping.”
Goldberg’s tweet has since been deleted and his account has been set to private. A screenshot of the tweet can be viewed here.
In a statement to Yellowhammer News on Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for Auburn University reacted to Goldberg’s tweet.
“We find Mr. Goldberg’s comments inexcusable and completely counter to Auburn values. Hate speech of any kind is simply wrong,” said Brian Keeter, the university’s executive director of Public Affairs. “Auburn is fully committed to the fundamental right of free speech, but we do not support hateful words or actions that degrade, disrespect or exclude. Especially during these difficult times in our nation, it’s vital that we reject crude stereotypes and work together to foster mutual understanding and respect within our communities.”
“Auburn officials are considering options available to the university,” he concluded.
While Goldberg’s Twitter account is not currently publicly viewable, his Facebook account is.
As of Thursday at 1:00 p.m. CT, his Facebook cover photo displayed a poem entitled, “Against the Police.”
(Jesse Goldberg/Facebook)
In a Wednesday Facebook post that was still on his page as of Thursday at 1:00 p.m. CT, Goldberg echoed the thoughts contained in his since-deleted tweet about police.
“ACAB. Yes, all. Police do not protect people. They protect capital. Cops are instruments of violence on behalf of capital. Literally the only ethical decision for a cop in this moment is to refuse to do their job, to quit. The only good cop is a cop who quits,” he wrote.
ACAB stands for “all cops are bastards.”
A separate Goldberg Facebook post from last week stated that he is a supporter of “prison & police abolition.” Numerous Facebook posts by Goldberg outline that he literally wants to abolish the police, as opposed to more prevalent “reforming” or “defunding” movements.
Goldberg recently wrote that he plans on teaching four classes exclusively online at Auburn this upcoming fall semester.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
