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Alabama Attorney General’s Office says state is not defying redistricting court order
The Alabama Attorney General’s Office told the U.S. Supreme Court that letting a third party draw new maps would harm the state, and insisted that Alabama was not defying federal court orders. In a 32-page response to plaintiffs urging the court to let a lower court ruling go into effect, attorneys wrote that they followed […]
Ozark Library increases parental supervision requirements but doesn’t remove books
OZARK– The Ozark Dale County Library Board of Trustees Wednesday approved new policies that will require more parental supervision of children in libraries but did not explicitly remove or ban any books. The approval came in a meeting that was far less tense – and far less crowded – than a special called meeting in […]
Milligan plaintiffs: Alabama defying federal redistricting orders
Attorneys for plaintiffs challenging Alabama’s congressional maps Tuesday accused the state of defying federal court orders to draw a second opportunity district for Black voters. In a 51-page brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, the attorneys asked the justices to reject a request from the state to stay a special master from drawing new […]
Five Alabama schools awarded National Blue Ribbon School Program designation
Five Alabama schools were awarded the National Blue Ribbon Schools designation, according to a Tuesday afternoon news release. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been in place since 1982, according to the U.S. Department of Education website. The program recognizes schools for “overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student […]
Alabama State Department of Education mulls additional literacy funding, loss of federal dollars
The Alabama State Department of Education could ask for money from lawmakers next year for reading support beyond third grade, to help with achievement and address an upcoming loss of federal funding. Members of the State Board of Education said during a presentation on the fiscal year 2025 budget Thursday that the department should be […]
Alabama Public Library Service passes motion to catalog controversial books
The executive board of the Alabama Public Library Service Executive Board Wednesday voted to create a list of books with content that people may find inappropriate for teenagers and children. The proposal, sponsored by Alabama Republican Party chair John Wahl, a member of the board, came after a crowded public comment period. It passed unanimously. […]
Lawyers for families in Alabama’s transgender case request full 11th Circuit hearing
Lawyers representing transgender minors Monday filed a request for the entire U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a three-judge panel’s decision last month to allow Alabama’s ban on gender-affirming medication to go into effect. The attorneys argued the opinion from U.S. Circuit Judge Barbara Lagoa “departs from centuries of precedent regarding parental authority […]
RSA head says they’re working on an agreement with architects to build new State House
The head of the state’s public employees retirement system said Tuesday that the system is trying to get the cost of a new state house down to a reasonable price. “As all of us that are in state government know, it’s long overdue,” said David Bronner, the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, during […]
In redistricting filing, Alabama says lower court order amounts to ‘racial stereotyping’
The state of Alabama argued in a U.S. Supreme Court filing on Monday that following an order to draw a new congressional map would amount to “racial stereotyping” and violate its own redistricting criteria. The 41-page appeal, filed by Secretary of State Wes Allen to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, repeated arguments made by the […]
Federal court won’t delay Alabama redistricting order; state appeals to U.S. Supreme Court
A three-judge panel Monday declined Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen’s request to delay their order for a special master to draw new congressional maps for the state. In a 26-page opinion, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Stanley Marcus and U.S. District Court judges Anna Manasco and Terry Moorer wrote that they saw “no basis” to […]
Auburn University Montgomery expanding AI courses
Auburn University Montgomery is moving into the artificial intelligence world. But rather than focusing on creating artificial intelligence, the school wants to teach students how to use AI as a tool. “We’re not trying to create a better AI system, we’re not trying to create the computers that run it or anything,” said Ross Dickens, […]
Calls to remove LGBTQ-themed books from Ozark library lead to tense meeting
OZARK — A meeting Wednesday over a call for the Ozark-Dale County public library to remove books with LGBTQ characters and themes drew over 100 people and led to fierce arguments over parental rights and censorship. The meeting came after the library received complaints about two books in the library’s young adult section from Dale […]