The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you. Backstage compiled a...
January 2, 2025 - GUNTERSVILLE, AL - The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has reopened the Brown's Creek Public Boat Ramp in Guntersville, Alabama, after the completion of facility upgrades. The boat ramp is just off Highway 69 on Lake Guntersville. During the closure a new three-lane launching slab and a new 150-foot floating access pier were installed. The facility also features 64 trailer spaces, three...
January 2, 2025 - MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced applications for the CHOOSE Act, the state's new Education Savings Account (ESA) program that supports the success of K-12 students across the state, are officially open. Families can now apply online for the 2025-2026 school year at the CHOOSE Act website. The application process will be open through April 7, 2025, with award notifications scheduled to be sent to families in May 2025. "Alabama families can start the new y...
'Tis the season again, and New Year's resolutions are back in full force. Even though the motivation for change and new goals are sky-high toward the end of a year, particularly in December, most New Year's resolutions don't last long—Way.com shares details What's the Story Behind New Year's Resolutions? There is no historical story that confirms itself as the only reason why New Year's resolutions exist. However, there are a few standout stories that have been passed down over the years and m...
Women's business ownership is a driving force in the American economy, creating millions of jobs and generating trillions in revenue. Beyond impressive numbers, women entrepreneurs bring unique perspectives and solutions to the table, addressing gaps in industries ranging from technology to education to health care. Yet these entrepreneurs face the same challenges as any other—especially when it comes to finding the money to start and grow a business. Grant funding can be an important r...
January 2, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) is proud to announce that Nandini Patel, a ninth grader at Fort Payne High School, has been named the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for Alabama's Fourth Congressional District. Patel's app, Choice Bound, was selected for its innovative design and potential to positively impact users of all ages. Choice Bound is an intuitive app that guides individuals toward their ideal career paths and college choices. W...
January rarely affords what anyone would describe as good weather in Washington, but this January 6 was adequate and normal, though it was probably good to have a Republican cloth coat. The U.S. House of Representatives had convened at noon to consider routine matters, not the least of which was to accept the oath of office from Alabama Congressman George Grant, who, due to illness, was not able to be in town to take the actual oath with the other re-elected House members. The Speaker adjourned...
January 2, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) released a statement honoring the memory of Drew Dauphin and Kareem Badawi, who were killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack: "As our nation continues to mourn following the terrorist attack in New Orleans, we now know this act of evil stole two of Alabama's own: Drew Dauphin, a native of Montgomery, and Kareem Badawi, a freshman at the University of Alabama. "Drew Dauphin was a beloved son, brother, and friend, a talented...
As America's population ages and some state populations are expected to decline, demographic shifts may profoundly reshape the country's colleges and universities. Academics have long worried about the enrollment cliff, a multiyear decline in traditional college-aged students following an anticipated peak in 2025. Although the total number of undergraduate students at America's universities rose steadily from approximately 7.3 million in 1970 to around 18 million in 2010, enrollment has...
Thanks to a rather lukewarm live music season in 2024, the music fest and concert scene is ready to come back to life in 2025. What does the year hold in store, and will 2025 be the comeback year for live music? Way.com looks at what went wrong in 2024 and why it could go right in 2025. 2024 is apparently the year the music (festival) died. Why? Think cancellations, and not just here in the U.S., but worldwide. South California's Desert Daze, Virginia's Blue Ridge Rock Festival, and the latest...
Just as inflation can drive up costs, macroeconomic shifts, layoffs, or industry downturns can lead to declines in household income, potentially posing challenges to families affording housing, groceries, and other necessities. For some, a dollar doesn't stretch as far when income drops faster than expenses increase. According to the latest Census Bureau data, household income changes can vary widely across cities, and while some cities see incomes outpace inflation, others may experience sharp...
Inflation regularly increases the prices of goods, services, and resources, making the cost of living less affordable with a dollar that does not keep up with that growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clocked the 12-month inflation rate from the end of 2022 to the end of 2023 at 3.35%. Meanwhile, household income estimates shifted a median of 4.22%, but swung as much as multiples above or below that—depending on the city—offsetting or exacerbating the impacts of price changes. With this in...
January 3, 2024 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – a new Congress was sworn in and the first order of business following the swearing in was to elect the Speaker of the House. Republicans retained control of the House of Representatives in the 2024 election; but they did so by the slimmest of margins in the 119th Congress. This tiny majority meant that any splinter faction of disgruntled GOP Representatives can jeopardize the election of the Speaker. Representative Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was elected to...
January 3, 2025 - For those who have tired of wading through the endless rows of mindless subpar "B" type movies that flood the streaming opportunities on Netflix, "I Can Only Imagine" is now streaming on Great American Pure Flix. Directed by the Erwin brothers, who are originally from Birmingham, Alabama, "I Can Only Imagine" is a biopic about the relationship between the lead singer of the American contemporary Christian music band, MercyMe, and his abusive father. Although rated PG, "I Can...
By now, there has been endless speculation about whether the incoming Trump administration might close the U.S. Department of Education. It remains just that: speculation. Congress would have to be involved, and even a Senate and House controlled by the same party as President-elect Donald Trump would not necessarily go along with this idea. However, in a statement about his nomination of Linda McMahon for education secretary, Trump underscored his campaign pledge to disband the department,...
What do Mary, Olivia, and Jennifer have in common? They've each had a turn as the most popular name for American girls born over the past 100 years. Many of today's most popular girls' names borrow heavily from decades—and centuries—past. To show this, Spokeo used data from the Social Security Administration on popular baby names to track the ups and downs of common girls' names in the United States over the past 120 years. In particular, this analysis focuses on how popular names from 100 yea...
Fans of Jane Austen's incredibly insightful novels will readily reread every one of her six famous novels for perpetuity. However, another author who finds favor with many fans of Jane Austen is Elizabeth Gaskell. With Gaskell also being the daughter of a minister like Jane Austen was the daughter of a clergyman. And one of Elizabeth Gaskell's most seminal works is "North and South". While the title of "North and South" may evoke images of Patrick Swayze in the 1980s miniseries set before,...
It was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Actually, no. It was a long time ago, but it wasn’t so far away. It was at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Ethics professor Dr. Henlee Barnette taught one day about God and government. In his lecture he read from a newspaper editorial written by a preacher who was part of the “Old Christian Right,” broadcasting at the time on 500 radio stations and 250 TV stations. This preacher condemned Communism, integration and Billy...
Group exercise is very popular: Nearly 40% of regular exercisers participate in group fitness classes. In advance of the coronavirus pandemic, the American College of Sports Medicine predicted that group fitness would be one of the top three fitness industry trends in 2020—for good reason. Exercise has clear benefits for health and well-being, and the side effects—think lowered blood pressure, improved glycemic control, better sleep—are overwhelmingly positive. And exercising in groups may h...
It's November, and it's unseasonably warm as John John Brown, a Muscogee elder, works to replant peach saplings. "I haven't had much luck growing them from seed," he says. The reason, he thinks, is because peaches need lower temperatures. Around him, tiny peach trees the size of pencils stand above the browning grass underneath their parent tree. Brown harvested around 200 peaches this year from his small orchard—enough for his family and neighbors—but he had competition: A fox has been pok...
January 3, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (AL-03) announced that Haley Wilson has been promoted to chief of staff. Haley is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. She is a University of Alabama Graduate who previously served as a Rogers office intern. She joined Rep. Rogers office staff in 2012. She will be replacing Christopher Brinson, who served in the Rogers office for 22 years and as chief of staff since 2015. "I want to thank Chris for his years of service in my off...
January 6, 2025 – Washington D.C. - both Houses of Congress will meet today to formally consider the electoral college results from all fifty states to pick the next President of the United States. President-elect Donald J. Trump (R) won all seven of the "swing" states to take a commanding 312 to 226 – it only takes 270 to win. Trump is expected to easily win. Four years ago the scene was very different with Trump and millions of his supporters across the country believing that the results sho...
January 5, 2025 - When Miss Alabama Teen, Ali Mims, was named the first-runner up in Miss Teen America 2025 on Saturday, January 04th, 2025 in Orlando, Florida it seemed like a portend of good things to come for the state known as "Alabama, the Beautiful". And, indeed it was, as the 22-year old Abbie Stockard, the reigning Miss Alabama, was crowned Miss America 2025 the very next day at the Walt Disney Theatre in Orlando, Florida. Making Miss Stockard the fourth Miss Alabama to be crowned the co...
Declines in a community's population can result in a decreased demand for businesses, housing, and services. This could potentially lead to higher per capita costs among the remaining tax base for maintaining infrastructure and even the closure of local amenities. Additionally, an aging or shrinking population can affect the local job market and culture, among other things. Keeping this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 610 cities across the U.S. based on the one-year decline in population, drawing on...
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, Ph.D.'s "What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, and Health" episode on his podcast Huberman Lab has garnered over 4 million views. For good reason: Everyone is looking for validation that their post-work Friday cocktail (and, let's be honest, nightly glass or two of wine) habit is justified. Or at least not terrible for them. A 2023 study offers one more scientific reason to take the edge off. Researchers found that light to moderate consumption of alcohol (one...
