The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 11 - 35 of 142
MONTGOMERY, AL - Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System recently commemorated the 85th anniversary of its Montgomery Campus during a Dec. 15, 2025, observance honoring more than eight decades of service to Alabama's Veterans. The ceremony brought together community leaders, Veterans, and staff at the Montgomery Campus' West Campus to reflect on the facility's enduring legacy, which began when the hospital first opened its doors on Nov. 1, 1940. "This anniversary is not just about a...
Get Outside I recently read that the average person spends 93% of their life indoors! Wow! That is unbelievable. And sad. That means that if you live to be 100 years old, you will have spent 93 of those years indoors and only 7 years in God’s amazing and beautiful creation. God created us to be outside and to enjoy His creation. Our souls need it. Our bodies need it. Our minds need it. In the 23 Psalm we witness one of the most important ways God soothes our souls, “He makes me lie down in gre...
Some missed Thanksgiving/Christmas columns this season appreciating lack of AI content/feel reading “Think” submissions to the Gazette. Not sure how to take that... further observation of poor wordsmith skills which have grown more endearing? Certainly not my human text superior to artificial. This piece emphasizes 400 years of silence in Old Testament biblical writings; prolog to Jesus enlightenment in His teachings and wisdom on the journey to Calvary/Pascha. Every January 6th or 19th, dep...
Jason and I eased up the hill toward the place of our morning hunt. He had come a few days earlier and took a leaf blower to the trail to make sure we had the quietest walk possible. Just over the crest of the hill, only about 400 yards from where we parked, was his hunting house. A house might be an exaggeration. It was only about 4x8 and was in need of a remodel since the year he first built it, but it was still a luxury for any hunter during the cold days of November. As soon as we got...
As we enter a new year, many of us feel a renewed sense of possibility. Whether your motivation strikes on January 1st or January 31st, the new year offers something powerful: a fresh start. It's a chance to pause, reflect, and decide what you want to carry forward (and what you're ready to leave behind). Much like the trees outside, winter is a season of shedding. Trees lose their leaves not because they are failing, but because they are preparing. They release what no longer serves them so...
January 17, 2026 - Alabama awoke this week to the heartbreaking news that John Giles, a longtime conservative leader, advocate, and man of deep Christian faith, passed away after a lifetime devoted to service. His death leaves a profound emptiness in the communities he touched, the causes he championed, and the countless people who drew strength from his unwavering commitment to faith and country. For decades, Giles stood as one of Alabama's most recognizable voices in the world of Christian...
A Turning Point in the Opioid Crisis After years of devastating loss, the United States is seeing a dramatic and unexpected decline in overdose deaths. According to CDC data, fatalities dropped by nearly 25% from 2023 to 2024, with some states reporting even steeper declines. For Alabama families, this shift offers a glimmer of hope - but also a reminder that progress remains fragile. What's Driving the Decline? Experts point to a mix of public health interventions, drug market changes, and...
COLUMBIA - A new video released by Colombian guerrilla commander Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, better known as "Iván Mordisco," is drawing international attention after he urged Latin American rebel groups to unite against the United States in the wake of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. forces. The message, first reported by Reuters and carried by multiple outlets including Fox News, marks one of the most aggressive public calls for regional insurgent coo...
What you need to know about the codes healthcare providers use to classify slip-and-fall accidents When you get treatment after a slip-and-fall accident, your healthcare providers will classify your injury using an ICD-10 code. Healthcare providers use ICD-10 codes to identify the external cause of a patient’s injury or health condition, facilitate data collection and research, and improve consistency in injury classification. ICD-10 codes also advise insurance companies of the reasons for a p...
“Is the pursuit of happiness making Americans unhappy?” That is the question for debate in the 2026 Great American Think Off Essay contest. With this year marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, the Great American Think-Off Team purposefully chose a topic that taps into Thomas Jefferson’s famous words of, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,...
On January 15, 1865, as the American Civil War entered its final, grinding months, Union forces achieved one of the most strategically decisive victories of the entire conflict. Fort Fisher-an enormous sand‑and‑earth stronghold guarding the approaches to Wilmington, North Carolina-fell after a massive joint Army‑Navy assault. With its capture, the Union effectively sealed off the last major seaport available to the Confederacy, choking off the final artery through which supplies could reach...
January 6, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Downing as the January "Veteran of the Month." Excerpts of Sen. Tuberville's remarks can be found below, and complete remarks can be found here. "The military will take you all over the world, but Sweet Home Alabama has a way of bringing people back. That's true for Mobile native Colonel Patrick Downing, who found his way back to the Bay after 36 years of m...
January may look like the sleepiest month in an Alabama garden, but beneath the surface it's one of the most important times of the year. While summer harvests and fall color feel far away, the work you do now sets the foundation for healthier soil, stronger plants, and a more productive growing season. Alabama's climate - stretching from the colder Tennessee Valley to the mild Gulf Coast - gives gardeners a surprising number of opportunities in mid‑winter. With the right tasks, January b...
A senior militant leader directly linked to a December ambush that killed two American service members and an interpreter has been eliminated in a U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday. The precision operation marks the latest escalation in Washington's campaign to dismantle extremist networks responsible for targeting American forces in the region. The strike, conducted on Friday, Jan. 16, targeted Bilal Hasan al‑Jasim, an Al‑Qa...
Our parents thought they were anarchists and subversives sent across the pond to corrupt our morals—something of a payback for the Boston Tea Party. The Beatles had long hair. They were trend-setters. We teens began to follow suit. The pictures look funny now. I remember one night watching the news with our family. Anti-Vietnam protestors were storming some town. My dad sneered and said, “Look! They all have long hair!” Though a clueless teenager, I knew hair follicles had little to do with...
"A pox on the phony king of England!", so go the words to one of the songs in the Walt Disney animated adaptation of "Robin Hood". Yet, some people are claiming that even though the 1973 Walt Disney cartoon features a red fox as the legendary noble outlaw, it is less far-fetched than the latest MGM+ Robin Hood adaptation featuring Sean Bean as the Sheriff of Nottingham. An adaptation which is number one on streaming in The United States and first overall on MGM+ in The USA and the United...
On January 12, 1539, two of Europe's most powerful rulers-King Francis I of France and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V-signed the Treaty of Toledo, a diplomatic accord intended to stabilize a continent exhausted by decades of rivalry, shifting alliances, and intermittent war. Though often overshadowed by the more dramatic battles of the Italian Wars, the treaty marked a pivotal moment in the long struggle between the Valois and Habsburg dynasties for dominance in Western Europe. A Rivalry That...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in two closely watched cases that could reshape the future of women's sports nationwide. The consolidated cases - Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. - will determine whether Idaho and West Virginia may enforce laws restricting participation in female sports to biological females. A ruling is expected by June 2026. At least 27 states have enacted similar laws, meaning the Court's decision could have sweeping...
AI tutors, with a little human help, offer ‘reliable’ instruction, study finds An AI-powered tutor, paired with a human helper and individual-level data on a student’s proficiency, can outperform a human alone, with near-flawless results, a new study suggests. The results could open a new front in the evolving discussion over how to use AI in schools — and how closely humans must watch it when it’s interacting with kids, The 74 reports. In a randomized controlled trial involving 165 British s...
US auto manufacturing heads into 2026 with less margin for error U.S. auto manufacturing is entering 2026 leaner than it was a year ago and with less room for disruption. Federal labor data shows employment in motor vehicles and parts manufacturing fell by roughly 29,000 workers in 2025, even as production expectations largely held. The result is an industry operating with fewer people and less slack than in prior years. While payrolls shrank, the pace of work did not slow in the same way....
7 top US cities to live in, rated by homeowner type For many Americans, 2026 feels like a reset button. After years of volatile housing markets, rising costs, and changing priorities, the question isn’t just where can I afford to live? — it’s where can I actually thrive? Some cities are answering that question better than others, offering a mix of stability, opportunity, and day-to-day quality of life that’s increasingly hard to find. It’s essential to connect with a real estate agent familiar w...
Big Game food trends: DoorDash data reveals how America eats on game day On the biggest Sunday of the year, the game is only half of the excitement. The other half? The spread. With over 5.7 million orders placed on its platform the day of the Big Game last year, DoorDash data shows what actually made it to watch parties, from restaurant favorites to the grocery items that fueled game-day menus. Here’s how America ate on championship Sunday in 2025. Key Highlights - Big Game Sunday was the #1 d...
January 11, 2026 - GULF SHORES - The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a series of public hearings-three in person and one virtual-to gather public input on Draft Reef Fish Amendment 58A, a proposal that would significantly revise how several shallow‑water grouper species are managed in the Gulf. The hearings will take place January 8–21, 2026, with each session scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to no later than 9:00 p.m. local time. Why Amendment 58A Matters The amendment focuses on...
Some State of the State addresses are exercises in optimism. Others are lists of aspirations. Governor Kay Ivey delivered something rarer: a closing chapter to a consequential governorship, grounded in results and defined by stewardship. Her final State of the State address was not built on slogans or self congratulation. It was built on facts, outcomes, and an unmistakable sense of duty. Dollar figures tied to real investments. Policy goals connected to real people. Results measured not in...
Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will return to Alabama's capital city in February as part of a national tour promoting her bestselling memoir 107 Days. Harris is scheduled to appear at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre (MPAC) on February 12, 2026, for a live conversation about her career, her time in the White House, and the political and personal experiences that shaped her book. The event, titled "A Conversation with Kamala Harris," is expected to draw a large audience from...
