Stewart wins gold medallion award from Alabama Secretary of State
Hartselle Enquirer – Aug. 13
Dr. Bill Stewart, Hartselle native and professor emeritus of political science at The University of Alabama, was recently presented with the National Association of Secretaries of State Gold Medallion Award by Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill. His plaque says the award was based on “his service to the people of the State of Alabama.” An accompany commendation by Governor Robert Bentley said that “his hard work and ingenuity reflect immense honor upon the entire state of Alabama.” His family was closely involved in the politics of Hartselle and Morgan County dating from the late nineteenth century. He served as chair of his department at the University from 1991-2000.
State Trooper numbers at “critical levels”
The Southeast Sun (Enterprise) – Aug. 13
Alabama State Troopers are working at less than half the recommended number of staff needed to patrol the roads, according to Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier. “I am proud of our Alabama State Troopers,” Collier said. “They diligently patrol all roadways in Alabama – state, federal, and county. “We are operating at 42 percent of recommended staffing, according to a recent study by the University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS), with only 418 State Troopers to cover Alabama roadways which is also substantially less than surrounding and similar-size states.” According to the press release, the Center for Advanced Public Safety found that Alabama should have a minimum of 1,016 troopers to patrol the roads.
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Aug. 13
Athens News-Courier – Aug. 13
Rickey Stokes News – Aug. 13
CBS 4 (Dothan) – Aug. 13
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WLTZ-NBC (Columbus, Ga.) – Aug. 13
Mississippi last state to ban gay adoptions: Why that’s likely to change (+video)
Christian Science Monitor – Aug. 13
In a span of two decades, gay Americans have gone from having almost no option to adopt a child as a couple to having adoption become a routine way for same-sex parents to create a family. That is, in 49 out of 50 states. The last state to still bar homosexual couples from adopting a child together is Mississippi. Given a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the state’s holdout position may soon change as part of a dramatic shift in thinking in the US about parental abilities and the likely success of kids raised by two moms or two dads. In the lawsuit, four same-sex couples argue that Mississippi’s ban, enacted in 2000, is legally untenable given the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize gay marriage in June … “I think it’s very likely that the federal district court will invalidate the state law on equal protection grounds,” says Ronald Krotoszynski, a University of Alabama constitutional law professor. “If Obergefell requires respect for the equal dignity of all families, then it would necessarily follow that states don’t have discretion to not recognize existing family units, just because one parent is not a biological parent.”
Senator calls Birmingham City Council raise ‘abuse of authority’ that legislature needs to address
Al.com – Aug. 13
A longtime state senator from the Jefferson County delegation says Birmingham City Council members abused their authority by approving an “excessive” pay raise for the 2017 council. “I think if they had come with some reasonable 5 percent, 10 percent increase, I don’t think anybody would’ve been so concerned,” said Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills). “I think it was an abuse of their authority to go from $15,000 to $50,000.” … When local officials vote to raise their salaries, regardless of the amount, some sort of public outcry is almost inevitable, said James “Gerard” Caillier, a political science professor at the University of Alabama. Members of the public may react with anger because their own salaries have stayed flat in recent years or because they interpret the raise as an increase in the budget. The city of Birmingham has about a 30 percent poverty rate. “Actually, these salaries are going to have a minimal effect in the budget, but most people in Birmingham may not see it that way,” Caillier said.
SBOE urged to adopt new science standards
Montgomery Advertiser – Aug. 13
Science educators Thursday urged the State Board of Education to adopt standards they said will better communicate the subject to students. “When will they ever develop intellectual curiosity?” said Jennifer Brown, a Vestavia Hills science teacher named Alabama Teacher of the Year. “Alabama’s new course of study will develop an intellectually curious Alabama student. I think that will make a better state, a better country and a better world.” The board should vote on the proposal next month. If approved, State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice said teachers would see a year of professional development before implementation of the standards … Doug Phillips, a University of Alabama professor and host of “Discovering Alabama” on Alabama Public Television, brought the board a series of DVDs of his show as a way of thanking them. “What has been developed here sets the stage for (science) to really come home well and excite kids about learning,” he said, adding, “it’s all the things that make learning work for children.”
WRITE TEAM: New town with new experiences
My Web Times (Canada) – Aug. 13
Just recently, I moved to Tuscaloosa, Ala. I am attending the University of Alabama and double majoring in public relations and marketing. I alos have decided to participate in recruitment week for the sororities on campus. At the same time, I just got a job at Texas Roadhouse. All of these things are new experiences I have already begun not even a week being in the Heart of Dixie. With moving to Tuscaloosa, I have adapted pretty quickly. I already have memorized the routes to every place I need to go to continuously, such as campus, work, the post office, Wal-Mart, grocery stores, and the arboretum. Although some of these routes are not too tedious, you have to remember I went from Streator, traffic to finding my way in a city population of approximately 95,000.
Tuscaloosa County Chapter of the University of Alabama National Alumni Association Holds Kick-off
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 13
Tuscaloosa County’s UA alumni association is getting ready for the new school year and rolling it out at the Capstone. The 2nd Annual kick-off event hosted by the alumni association was tonight. The Million Dollar Band and UA cheerleaders got things started with a pep-rally, and really got the night rolling.