Buttigieg Calls for Pay Equity During Visit to Birmingham
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg spoke about economic and racial inequality at a community leaders meeting in Birmingham Wednesday. Buttigieg fielded questions from government officials and nonprofit leaders at the meeting, only a portion of which was observed by the media.
Buttigieg expressed support for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, paid parental leave policies and increasing union membership. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor says rural areas need investment as well, such as with broadband internet access. He says immigration plays a role, too.
“If we want a population growth strategy in rural America, let’s welcome new Americans,” Buttigieg said.
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson pressed Buttigieg on how he would ensure his policies would benefit African Americans and not just the white community. Buttigieg proposed increased enforcement against wage discrimination, which he says would help cut the pay gap for black workers. He says more minority-owned businesses need access to loans.
Buttigieg encouraged engagement with those who oppose expanding the social safety net when they invoke religion and politics.
“Instead of ‘I was hungry and you fed me,’ it’s ‘we’re going to cut TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).’ Instead of ‘I was sick and you healed me,’ it’s ‘we’re not going to expand Medicaid,” Buttigieg said. “Let’s talk about the morality behind these decisions that are being made.”
The visit was part of a multi-day campaign swing through Southern states, which included a stop in Montgomery Tuesday. Polls have shown lackluster support for Buttigieg among black voters, a significant constituency in the Alabama Democratic primary.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
‘It’s like feeling the arms of your creator just wrapped around you’: a visit to a special healing Shabbat
Members of Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham gathered recently for their traditional Friday Shabbat service. But this particular service was different, as could be seen by all the people dressed in their finest pink.
