The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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The pastor search committee invited me to consider moving to their town and hosted a get-acquainted meeting with leadership. A man introduced himself, abruptly announcing that a staff minister needed to be terminated. He predicted this would be among my first challenges. I didn’t think more about this in the swirl of decisions we faced with the move. But a few weeks later the man came and renewed his commitment to fire the minister. From his position of leadership he persuaded other committee m...
Hidden banking fees, often referred to as "junk fees," silently drain thousands of dollars from businesses each year, with many owners discovering these charges only after they've already impacted their bottom line. Major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America make billions every year charging consumers and businesses fees. Whether it's a $30 overdraft fee, a 3% foreign transaction charge, or a $25 wire transfer cost, these fees add up quickly for growing co...
February 13, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D,C. - U.S. Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL07) celebrated as the Recovery of Stolen Checks Act passed unanimously in the House Ways and Means Committee. The bipartisan bill is led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and co-led by Reps. Sewell and David Kustoff (TN-08), would allow taxpayers who have had their tax refunds lost or stolen in the mail to receive a replacement check via direct deposit, something IRS policies and procedures have historically prevented. "...
February 20, 025 – PELL CITY, AL – Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (R) addressed the St. Clair County Republican Party at their regular February meeting in Pell City. "1998 my first event was a potluck supper in St. Clair County," said Cavanaugh. I was amazed at the attendance. Y'all had 98 people in attendance. Senator Jack Biddle was there." Cavanaugh said that Jane Bishop had prepared beaver for that potluck dinner. As a south Alabama person, she had not exp...
On February 23, 303 the Roman Emperor Diocletian issued the first of several edicts in which he and his fellow co-emperors attempted to eliminate Christianity from the face of the Earth – they failed. From its very beginning, Christianity was viewed a threat to the Roman state. Romans were very religious. The Romans believed in many gods and goddesses. They readily adopted Greek gods and embraced them as their own mythology. Assyrians gods, Egyptian gods all had their cults in Rome. C...
February 23, 2025 - There has been talk about tax reform in Alabama through the years. While there has been work around the edges, it is not what a lot of politicians have promised. However, one of our neighbors has tackled it head on. Lousiana Governor Jeff Landry called the state legislature into special session this past November. The session’s focus was Lousiana’s tax structure and to overhaul the state’s tax code. During the session, lawmakers passed bills that in most cases require voter a...
As baby boomers continue to retire in droves, they are likely to consider downsizing their living arrangements to accommodate their new lifestyles. While they have the highest portion of wealth among all generations, they may no longer need to pay to be close to work in a busy and expensive city center, or may no longer desire to maintain large homes and yards. Often seeking out a familiar community, warm weather, and other amenities, baby boomers may also be looking for the best bang for their...
February 24, 2025–Hooray! We can all rejoice and rest easy! Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been eradicated, destroyed, shredded and stamped out across the land! Now we never have to worry about it again! And if you truly believe that, I’ve got a bridge across Mobile Bay to sell you. Yes, there’s been significant progress made against DEI. From the landmark SCOTUS ruling in Students for Fair Admissions vs Harvard to Alabama’s own anti-DEI law (SB129), to President Trump’s Day 1 Exe...
Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company predicted in 2022 that the United States would see a shortfall of 200,000 to 450,000 registered nurses, or RNs, for direct patient care by 2025. It appears the firm was correct. Between 2022 and 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, and Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, noted a 1% increase in RN supply but a 3% increase in demand. The result was a deficit of about 295,800 nurses nationwide, falling within the...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
The real estate frenzy spurred by the coronavirus pandemic continues, though at a slower pace. Buyers are still competing for a limited supply of housing, driving up prices for affordable properties. The typical home value in the United States was $356,776 in January, 2.6% higher than the year before. Increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth, with prices even declining in some places. But some areas are still seeing price jumps compared to the year before. Stacker compiled a list of cities...
February 24, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Wes Allen, Alabama's Secretary of State, signed a joint letter to President Donald Trump with 19 other conservative Secretaries of State urging the repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This repeal would cut government fees and red tape for small business owners across the United States. "The CTA is a classic example of the disastrous policies championed by the Biden-Harris administration. It is blatant government overreach, and I will continue to...
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a massive ground and sea invasion of Ukraine. The two nations had been embroiled in a territorial dispute since 2014 when Russia under President Vladimir Putin invaded the Crimea and supported ethnic Russian uorisings in the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk. Ukraine became a nation when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republicans (USSR) collapsed in 1991. Both Russia and Ukraine inherited vast nuclear arsenals from the USSR. Fearing nuclear...
Februa 24, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Citing a desire to preserve honest elections and protect Alabama's ballot box from manipulation, State Auditor Andrew Sorrell announced on Monday that he will be a Republican candidate for Secretary of State during the 2026 campaign cycle. "Alabama needs a committed conservative who will shield our elections from fraud while blocking illegal immigrants and other ineligible individuals from registering to vote," Sorrell said. "As secretary of state, I will...
February 24, 2025 - MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday signed a proclamation to set special election dates for Alabama House District 11. This seat was previously held by Rep. Randall Shedd, who resigned February 17, 2025, to join the office of Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger. Governor Ivey set the special primary election for Tuesday, May 13, 2025; the special primary runoff, if necessary, for Tuesday, June 10, 2025; and the special general election for Tuesday, August 26, 2025. "...
It is happening. Doge is surging, and it’s more than the Department of Government Efficiency, it’s a symbol of the people taking back control. Accountability and Transparency are now the key words, not diversity, equity and inclusion. The walls are closing in on the corrupt bureaucracy that’s been running this country into the ground for decades. Donald J. Trump unleashed the ultimate wrecking ball to smash through the establishment’s grip on power. His name? Elon Musk. While the media melts dow...
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription medication that's approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for both managing blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes and for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. If you've been taking Ozempic, you're probably familiar with its side effects. You may be experiencing some "fun" gastrointestinal upset, including nausea and vomiting, as your body gets used to the medication. The go...
When a California doctor asked state Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan to sign a form allowing AI to transcribe her child's medical visit, she refused. Her concern? Intimate medical conversations are being shared with for-profit tech companies, according to an October 2024 Associated Press investigation. Her hesitation reflects a growing tension across industries as artificial intelligence transforms business operations. While AI adoption has nearly doubled in the past year, with 65% of...
From eco-friendly practices to functional foods, the U.S. food and beverage industry is feeding customers' hungry demands for wellness, convenience, and flavor. And for entrepreneurs, these changes are a buffet of opportunities to create new businesses in food, drink, restaurants, snacks and services. NEXT research has found that the fastest-growing restaurants, food, and beverage businesses for 2025 include: 1. "Functional Foods" and Personalized Nutrition Products like gut-healthy kombucha,...
