The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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July 23, 2025 - Tuscaloosa, Alabama Dr. Annette Nevin Shelby, a pioneering academic and beloved figure in Alabama public life, passed away peacefully at her Tuscaloosa home on July 23, 2025, at the age of 86. Her death marks the end of a remarkable journey that spanned decades of service, scholarship, and quiet influence behind one of Alabama's most prominent political careers. "I was saddened to learn of Dr. Annette Shelby's passing. She lived a remarkable, full life and was the loving wife of U.S. Senator Richard Shelby. Annette was...
In mid-July 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in coordination with multiple federal agencies, launched a series of high-profile raids across Alabama targeting alleged criminal networks and undocumented immigrants. The operations, which spanned six counties and included restaurant raids in the Auburn-Opelika area, have ignited widespread concern among immigrant communities and civil rights advocates. Scope and Targets of the Raids According to Homeland Security Investigations...
July 25, 2025 - BRENT, AL - In one of the most harrowing criminal investigations in Alabama's recent history, seven individuals have been indicted in connection with a child sex trafficking ring operating out of a bunker in Bibb County. The case has shocked the community and drawn national attention for its brutality and scale. Timeline of Discovery The investigation began in February 2025, when the Alabama Department of Human Resources received a report of child abuse at a residence on Aaron...
July 25, 2025 - BESSEMER, AL - The death of 3-year-old Ke'Torrius "KJ" Starkes Jr., a child in the custody of the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), has sent shockwaves through the Bessemer community and reignited scrutiny over the state's child welfare system. KJ was found unresponsive in a parked vehicle on Pine Tree Drive in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 22, after being left alone for nearly five hours in sweltering heat by a third-party contractor hired by DHR. A Preventable Tragedy...
On July 25, 1894, the Empire of Japan fired upon a Chinese warship off the coast of Korea, marking the beginning of the First Sino-Japanese War-a conflict that would reshape East Asia and signal the decline of the Qing dynasty. Though the war officially began with declarations on August 1, the naval clash at Pungdo and the sinking of the British-chartered Chinese transport ship Kowshing five days earlier served as the true ignition point. This war, fought primarily over influence in Korea,...
July 26, 2025 - SCOTTSBORO, AL - A Blue Alert has been issued by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) following a shooting that left a Scottsboro Police Department officer wounded early Saturday morning. The incident occurred during a domestic disturbance response on Ruth Street, resulting in a large-scale manhunt for the suspect, identified as Daniel Victor McCarn, 29, of Huntsville. According to ALEA's Fusion Center, McCarn fled the scene and crashed his vehicle near U.S. Highway 72 and...
July 27, 2025 - SCOTTSBORO, AL - A tense manhunt in Jackson County has ended with the capture of Daniel Victor McCarn, 29, the suspect accused of shooting a Scottsboro Police Department officer early Saturday morning. The incident began around 12:49 a.m. when officers responded to a domestic disturbance on Ruth Street. McCarn fled the scene in a vehicle, leading police on a chase that ended in a crash near U.S. Highway 72 and County Park Road. Upon exiting the vehicle, McCarn allegedly opened...
July 26, 2025 - HOOVER, AL - The Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) has officially postponed its upcoming Summer Dinner, which was scheduled for Friday, August 1st, following a high-profile endorsement by former President Donald J. Trump. Trump's endorsement of Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley as a candidate for the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina-a key battleground ahead of the 2026 elections-prompted the change. Whatley had been slated to serve as the keynote speaker at...
July 26, 2025 - BRENT, AL - A disturbing child sex trafficking ring uncovered in Bibb County has led to the arrest of seven individuals, with authorities warning that more suspects and victims may still be identified. The crimes, described by law enforcement as among the most horrific in recent memory, allegedly took place in an underground storm shelter near Brent and involved children as young as three years old. The Perpetrators and Charges The following individuals have been charged in...
El Alamein, Egypt - On July 27, 1942, the First Battle of El Alamein concluded with Allied forces successfully halting the final Axis push into Egypt, marking a critical turning point in the North African campaign of World War II. The battle, which raged from July 1 to July 27, pitted the British Eighth Army-composed of troops from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India-against the formidable German-Italian Panzer Army Africa led by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a move aimed at expanding federal prosecutorial tools against organized violence, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) have introduced the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. The bill seeks to classify rioting as a predicate offense under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, empowering the Department of Justice to pursue entities that fund or coordinate violent...
On July 28, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson stood before reporters in the East Room of the White House and made a declaration that would dramatically reshape the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. He announced a significant troop surge-from 75,000 to 125,000-while also doubling monthly draft calls to meet the demands of a deepening conflict. While Johnson emphasized the U.S. commitment to halting communist aggression and offered an open door to unconditional peace talks, this...
Washington, D.C. - Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has released a trove of declassified documents that challenge the origins of the Trump–Russia collusion narrative, alleging that senior Obama administration officials revised intelligence assessments after the 2016 election to support a politically motivated storyline. The documents include excerpts from Presidential Daily Briefs, internal emails, and meeting summaries from December 2016, just weeks after Donald Trump's v...
July 29, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in reintroducing the College Transparency Act (CTA), a bill designed to provide students and families with clearer, more comprehensive data as they navigate the complex landscape of higher education and student loans. The legislation, spearheaded by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), aims to modernize the federal postsecondary reporting system by offering detailed insights into...
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Longtime community activist and real estate investor Kamau Afrika has launched his campaign for Mayor of Birmingham, bringing a grassroots message of equity, transparency, and revitalization to the 2025 municipal election. Afrika, who resides in the historic Smithfield neighborhood on Dynamite Hill, says his candidacy is a "labor of love" driven by concern for the city's underserved communities and deteriorating infrastructure. Afrika, born Marlon Walker, adopted his African...
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Marilyn James-Johnson, a longtime educator and community advocate, has officially qualified to run for Mayor of Birmingham in the city's upcoming municipal election on August 26, 2025. Her campaign brings a fresh voice to a crowded field of nine candidates, including incumbent Mayor Randall Woodfin and State Representative Juandalynn Givan. James-Johnson filed her paperwork on July 1, 2025, joining the race with a platform centered on educational equity, neighborhood...
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Mechanical engineer and civic advocate Brian K. Rice has officially qualified to run for Mayor of Birmingham in the city's August 26, 2025 municipal election, bringing a platform focused on economic equity, ethical governance, and neighborhood revitalization. A resident of Ensley and graduate of Ramsay High School, Rice says his campaign is rooted in a desire to restore dignity and opportunity to communities long overlooked by city leadership. "I make over six figures. I...
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Pastor, nonprofit executive, and longtime civic leader Frank Woodson has officially qualified to run for Mayor of Birmingham in the city's August 26, 2025 municipal election. With a career spanning decades in community service, Woodson says his campaign is driven by a moral imperative to stop and serve - a philosophy rooted in a personal "Good Samaritan" moment that continues to shape his leadership style. "When I was passing by, I didn't ask what might happen to me," Woodson...
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - David Russell, a retired insurance salesman and longtime civic observer, has entered the race for Mayor of Birmingham in the city's August 26, 2025 municipal election. Known for his consistent presence at City Council and Jefferson County Commission meetings, Russell says he's ready to move from the audience to the helm - bringing bold ideas to restore Birmingham's status as Alabama's leading city. "I want to bring Birmingham back to being the No. 1 city," Russell said. "We us...
A Closer Look at the Controversy Surrounding Recent Enforcement Actions June 27, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the recent raids on hemp stores across the state. The enforcement actions have sparked intense debate among business owners, legislators, and the public, raising questions about the interpretation of hemp-related laws and the future of the burgeoning industry. The Attorney General sought to clarify the r...
Anniston, AL – June 27, 2025 - Former Alabama State Senator Marshall Douglas Ghee Sr., a longtime attorney and political figure in Calhoun County, has been indicted on one count of first-degree sexual abuse following allegations involving a female inmate at the Calhoun County Jail. The indictment, handed down by a grand jury on June 25, accuses Ghee of subjecting the woman to sexual contact by forcible compulsion, a violation of Alabama Code § 13A-6-66(a)(1). The charge is classified as a Cl...
June 26, 2025, Caroleene Dobson officially announced her candidacy for Alabama Secretary of State in the 2026 Republican primary. A native of Monroe County and a graduate of Harvard College and Baylor University School of Law, Dobson is currently a shareholder at Maynard Nexsen, where she specializes in natural resources, commercial finance, and real estate law. In her announcement, Dobson emphasized her commitment to: - Reducing fees on Alabama businesses - Streamlining public services -...
EDITORIAL NOTE: An early version of this report had erroneously placed Broome with the Charlotte Hornets June 26, 2025 – Brooklyn, NY - After years of grinding in the paint and rewriting record books, Johni Broome has officially made the leap to the NBA. The Auburn standout was selected 35rd overall in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Seventy Sixers, capping off a remarkable college career and launching the next chapter in his basketball journey. Though Broome was p...
Port-au-Prince, Haiti – June 26, 2025 - In a dramatic escalation of its campaign against gang violence, the Haitian government has begun using weaponized drones to target criminal groups that control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The strikes, which began earlier this year, have reportedly killed over 300 gang members and wounded hundreds more, according to the National Human Rights Defense Network. The drone operations mark a turning point in Haiti's struggle to reclaim territory from g...
In the early hours of June 25, 1950, the fragile peace on the Korean Peninsula shattered as North Korean troops surged across the 38th parallel, launching a full-scale invasion of South Korea. This marked the beginning of the Korean War, a brutal conflict that would last three years, claim millions of lives, and set the tone for Cold War confrontations for decades to come. A Divided Peninsula The roots of the war lay in the aftermath of World War II, when Korea-liberated from Japanese colonial...
