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Alabama educators push back on bill banning ‘divisive concepts’ from the classroom
Lawmakers also took action this week on a delay to a school reading requirement and a ban on transgender treatments for youths.
Is New Orleans ready for Mardi Gras? A Q&A with health director Jennifer Avegno
New Orleans is in full celebration mode with Mardi Gras just days away, but where does COVID fit into the equation? The city’s health director has answers.
The 2021 Jackson water crisis and the cracks that remain in a long-damaged system
A year ago, below freezing temperatures collapsed Jackson, Mississippi’s water system, revealing longstanding cracks in its infrastructure.
World Game medals make their debut in Birmingham, but will soon be all over the world
Medals for the World Games, which will take place in Birmingham in July, were unveiled by city leaders and games organizers Wednesday at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
House votes to allow concealed handguns without permit
The Alabama House of Representatives approved legislation ending the requirement for a person to get a permit in order to carry a concealed handgun in public.
Alabama lawmakers advance transgender students bathroom ban
The effort by Alabama legislators comes after the U.S. Supreme Court last year rejected a Virginia school board's appeal to reinstate its transgender bathroom ban.
Bill that would ban concealed carry permits in Alabama advances
Lawmakers also advanced a so-called bathroom bill but delayed a bill increasing penalties for rioters.
Mississippi’s plan to stop Alabama from stealing its teachers? Pay them thousands more
As Mississippi lawmakers plot how to keep more teachers in the state, educators warn the state’s bill targeting critical race theory could drive them away.
Amtrak’s proposed Mobile-New Orleans line is ‘a bad idea’ for Alabama, officials say
Mississippi wants to move full steam ahead with plans to restore the passenger rail, but Alabama worries the line will disrupt the freight rail.
Applications close soon for flood damage relief in central Alabama
Jefferson and Shelby counties experienced flooding in October 2021. The federal applications for flooding relief close soon.
How a Birmingham art educator makes art feel accessible and inclusive
Angie May wants art to reach everyone who visits the Birmingham Museum of Art. As the associate director in learning and engagement, she heads inclusive and innovative initiatives to open art history to younger generations.
Alabama Republicans pass bill to hike penalties for removing Confederate monuments
Republicans also advanced a bill that would require jail time for those who participate in a riot, plus another banning certain therapies for transgender youth.
Travel nurse salaries are rising due to demand. Some hospitals say it’s price gouging
In the Gulf South, Mississippi has spent around $90 million on temporary medical staff. Louisiana has spent nearly $250 million.
EXPLAINER: How Alabama congressional map got to high court
A divided Supreme Court is allowing Alabama to use re-drawn congressional districts for the 2022 elections that a lower court found had improperly diluted the votes of Black residents.
Supreme Court lets Alabama use GOP-backed map of the state’s congressional districts
The court's action came on an emergency appeal from Alabama, which challenged a decision by a three-judge federal court panel that included two Trump appointees.
Gulf South hospitals face ‘worst-case scenario’ as staffing costs skyrocket
Facilities are under strain and federal assistance only goes so far.
School choice and permitless carry bills face rocky road in the Alabama legislature
Legislative committees passed both measures this week, but not before speakers at hearings expressed criticism of the proposals.
Seeking asylum in the U.S. is not easy. It’s harder when you speak a rare language
Two men who speak a rare language languished in Louisiana and Mississippi detention centers, they say, because they couldn't interview in their native tongue.
EXPLAINER: COVID vaccines for kids under 5: What’s next?
COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 5 may be available in the U.S. as early as March, but there are several hurdles still to clear.
Congressional map ruling a ‘bombshell’ for Alabama lawmakers
A panel of federal judges ordered lawmakers to redraw congressional maps approved last year by Feb. 11.
Why a mailbox continues to loom over Amazon union vote at Alabama warehouse
The mailbox was a key reason why labor officials ruled to re-do a union election at Amazon's Alabama warehouse. For the re-vote, the mailbox got moved. The union wants it gone.
Critical race theory divides Gulf South educators and state leaders
Critical race theory is a hot-button issue for politicians in the Gulf South. Alabama and Mississippi are attempting to pass new laws prohibiting it.
COVID relief funding package passes Alabama legislative committees
A plan to spend about $772 million is set for final passage as early as next week.
Ivey calls special session on relief funds
Alabama lawmakers will put the 2022 regular legislative session on hold to start a special session beginning Jan. 19, according to an announcement by Gov. Kay Ivey.
As demand for travel nurses increases, hospitals in the South struggle to stay competitive
COVID-19 hospitalizations are now twice as high in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama as they were two weeks ago, contributing to now record hospitalization numbers nationwide.
Omicron is less severe, but it’s overwhelming Alabama’s hospitals
The omicron variant leads to fewer hospitalizations and deaths, but the variant is infecting more people than any previous surge.
Alabama lawmakers already planning a special session just days into the regular one
Legislators would use the special session to discuss appropriating COVID relief funds. We have more in our weekly legislative update.
Mississippi wants more tech jobs. Here’s what it can learn from Alabama’s tech success
Louisiana and Mississippi rank at the bottom nationally when it comes to the percentage of tech jobs in the state workforce. Alabama sits in the middle of the list, mostly because of Huntsville’s Research Park.
Ivey: State must be ‘smart’ about pandemic relief funds
Governor Kay Ivey called on state lawmakers to use pandemic relief money to expand broadband access, hospitals, and water and sewer infrastructure.
2nd election for Amazon workers in Alabama will be by mail
A federal labor board says Amazon workers at a facility in Bessemer will re-vote next month on whether to unionize.
The 2022 Alabama legislative session starts Tuesday. Here’s what to expect
The COVID-19 pandemic will be an undercurrent to this year's legislative session. So too will the fact it's an election year.
Special session possible on relief fund spending
The 2022 Alabama Legislative Session starts this week. But state lawmakers say there may be a special session on how to spend the state's remaining pandemic relief funds.
