September 3 Morning News
September 3, 2012, Morning News
A group of Bessemer residents wants their courthouse to stay open. The Birmingham News reports that the group called “Saving Bessemer” plans to meet tomorrow morning on the steps of the local justice center to let their views be known. Jefferson County officials are considering the possibility of moving the courthouse to an empty mall. But the group wants the courthouse to remain in downtown Bessemer.
U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers have reportedly reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract covering more than 16,000 workers at domestic facilities, including one in Fairfield, Alabama. U.S. Steel says the talks covered health care for retirees and other issues. The union says members will vote after reviewing details over the next few weeks. The two sides had been negotiating since June on a contract to replace the existing pact, which expired Saturday.
It’s been 81 years since nine black teenagers were convicted of raping two white women, one of whom later recanted her story. But only one of the nine Scottsboro Boys (pictured above) was pardoned of his rape convictions before the men died. Now a push is on by the Scottsboro Boys Museum and others to make sure that happens for the other eight. Governor Robert Bentley says he would like to see a pardon, but state law doesn’t allow him to issue them. The state parole board says its rules don’t allow posthumous pardons. Two legislators are working on resolutions saying the state considers the names of the Scottsboro Boys cleared.
Visitors to some Civil War anniversary events are hearing another long-silenced sound amid the cannon fire. It’s music from 19th-century minstrel shows, performed not in blackface but in uniform. Some re-enactors have formed camp bands to play music that soldiers enjoyed hearing around battlefield campfires. Groups such as the 2nd South Carolina String Band pride themselves on their accurate impressions — right down to the exaggerated black dialect of songs with inescapably racist overtones. The musicians say they don’t mean to offend. Critics say they should help listeners understand how the demeaning songs also helped popularize the banjo, an instrument with African roots.
Alabama Power seeks to delay rate hike for new gas plant amid outcry
The state’s largest utility has proposed delaying the rate increase from its purchase of a $622 million natural gas plant until 2028.
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.
Scorching Saturdays: The rising heat threat inside football stadiums
Excessive heat and more frequent medical incidents in Southern college football stadiums could be a warning sign for universities across the country.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor to join our award-winning team covering important regional stories across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
Judge orders new Alabama Senate map after ruling found racial gerrymandering
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco, appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, issued the ruling Monday putting a new court-selected map in place for the 2026 and 2030 elections.
Construction on Meta’s largest data center brings 600% crash spike, chaos to rural Louisiana
An investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom found that trucks contracted to work at the Meta facility are causing delays and dangerous roads in Holly Ridge.
