The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 2522
Secretary of State Wes Allen announced today that Ohio is the latest in a long list of states to join Alabama's voter integrity database to cross-check the states' voter files and discover individuals registered to vote in both states. Alabama has previously entered into similar MOUs with all four border states, as well as, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas. Ohio is the ninth state to partner with Alabama as part of the Alabama Voter Integrity Database (AVID) voter file maintenance system...
For affluent individuals, building and preserving wealth involves more than picking the right stocks or stashing cash in savings accounts. It requires intentional, strategic investing that accounts for the unique opportunities and challenges of high-income earners. With elevated income levels come tax implications, portfolio considerations, and the need for sophisticated wealth management strategies. This is where advanced investment approaches like Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and tax-loss...
In the modern job market, salary has long stood as the holy grail of employment decisions. Yet, in an age where medical bills can spiral into bankruptcy and health crises strike unexpectedly, a different factor has emerged as a silent but potent influence: healthcare benefits. Whether it's a routine doctor visit or catastrophic medical care, the cost-sharing structures employers offer can deeply affect employees' lives—and influence whether they accept, stay in, or leave a job, explains S...
Mother's Day is an opportunity to recognize the presence, love, and influence of mother figures in all their forms—from biological mothers and grandmothers to stepmothers, chosen family, and mentors. And while no single gift can ever capture all they do, jewelry offers a timeless way to honor their impact and celebrate their style. This year, instead of one-size-fits-all suggestions, VRAI, a fine jewelry brand specializing in lab-grown diamonds, suggests considering jewelry that feels as intenti...
April 14, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL – Attorney General Steve Marshall joined a coalition of 27 states in asking the Trump Administration to continue combatting the flood of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes into the U.S. that target kids. Last year, illegal Chinese e-cigarettes valued at billions of dollars were sold in the United States. The products often use colorful packaging, sweet flavors, and video game themes to appeal to teenagers and kids. Despite youth tobacco use being at a record low, m...
April 12, 2025 – VESTAVIA HILLS – Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate spoke to the Mid-Alabama Republican Club about his new 'Thank a Farmer' initiative. "We have the most abundant affordable and readily available food supply in the history of human civilization," said Commissioner Pate. "If you wake up and you have plenty of food you have a lot of problems to deal with work and kids. If you wake up and you don't have enough to eat you have one problem: what am I going to...
April 14, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) has released a statement in response to the Department of Defense Inspector General's report on the Biden Administration's decision to locate United States Space Command (SPACECOM) headquarters in Colorado even instead of Huntsville, Alabama. "The Inspector General's report confirms that the Trump Administration was correct in selecting Huntsville, AL, as the site for SPACECOM Headquarters, and r...
The 2025 tax season is in full swing, and IRS data is beginning to paint a clearer picture of how business owners are faring. 95% of U.S. business owners pay their business taxes through personal tax returns, known as "pass-through entities," and only 5% pay their taxes at the "business level." Refunds are down compared to 2024. Filing is slower, and many business owners are taking a wait-and-see approach. These numbers also provide an opportunity to plan smarter and avoid costly mistakes. Every...
Leveraging its in-house global trade and compliance expertise, Passport breaks down how the April 2 and subsequent tariff announcements are creating new challenges for international e-commerce—and what brands can do to adjust their strategies. The Trump administration has announced major changes to U.S. tariff policy throughout April 2025—making waves across global e-commerce. A 10% blanket tariff on all imports, the end of de minimis for China and Hong Kong, and escalating reciprocal tar...
April 25, 2025 - MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Friday shared the sad news that Alabama's First Dog, her beloved Missy Ivey, has passed away. Missy is around 10 years old. In January 2019, the governor adopted Missy, a blended collie mix, from the Montgomery Humane Shelter. Governor Ivey and Missy were inseparable, and Missy adored the governor from the start. Whether the governor was working in her office at the Governor's Mansion, hosting gatherings in the back courtyard, enjoying a m...
April 15, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) in sending a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the Biden administration's AI Diffusion Rule (AIDR). In the letter the Senators called on President Trump's administration to withdraw Biden's overly restrictive rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in leading technology. "We app...
A $100,000 salary may sound like a comfortable income but how far it goes varies largely depending on where you live. Earning $100,000 places an individual tax filer at the upper limit of the 22% federal tax bracket. On top of that, FICA taxes for Social Security and Medicare apply, and depending on where you live, state and local income taxes could take another bite. But taxes aren't the only factor. The cost of living varies widely across the country, affecting how much purchasing power...
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming workplaces, boosting efficiency, and reshaping job roles. According to a 2024 Gartner poll, 59% of CEOs believe AI will have the biggest impact on their business in the next three years. However, about a third expect it to deliver a more than 15% boost in worker productivity within the next two years. But this optimism may be misplaced if organizations don't focus on investing in the right processes and support to bring their employees along f...
April 10, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Senate passed the largest education trust fund (ETF) budget in the history of the state of Alabama on Thursday. Senate Bill 112 (SB 112) is sponsored by state Senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur). SB112 would set a new record for the state ETF at $9.89 billion for the fiscal year 2026 budget year which starts on October 1. That is an increase of $543.3 million over the FY2025 budget – the current record all time high education budget - a 5.81% inc...
April 15, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) on Tuesday signed Senate Joint Resolution 63 to continue encouraging the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense and the United States Secretary of the Air Force to immediately proceed in establishing a permanent headquarters for United States Space Command at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. "Alabama Republicans and Democrats – along with the facts – agree the U.S. Space Command Hea...
April 12, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill that would regulate Delta 8, Delta 9, Delta 10, Delta 12 and other psychoactive cannabinoids derived from hemp. "This legislation is an effort to put guardrails on a current unregulated, unchecked, and dangerous industry," said Rep. Whitt. "And that is psychoactive cannabinoids known as Delta 8, Delta 9, and THC infused drinks." "We are putting these products under the purview of ABC (the Alcoholic Beverage Cont...
April 15, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Mondy the Inspector General released a report showing that there was no national security reason for Space Command to go to Colorado instead of Alabama and in fact making the base in Colorado adequate for Space Command will cost $100s of millions of dollars. Former President Joseph R. Biden (D) made the inexplicable decision purely on political grounds. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) issued a statement in response to the release of the Inspector Gener...
April 15, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL. - Alfa Insurance® has engaged in negotiations to purchase an existing commercial complex to house the home offices of Alfa and the Alabama Farmers Federation. The proposed purchase would keep Alfa's corporate headquarters in Montgomery at Capitol Commerce Center off I-85 at Exit 11. "Technology and workforce changes have left about half our current space underutilized," said Alfa and Federation President Jimmy Parnell. "As we considered possible locations...
Diesel mechanic Draic Coakley is challenging Third Congressional District incumbent Mike Rogers in the 2026 Republican primary. Alabama Gazette lead reporter and content manager Brandon Moseley and Alabama Political Contributor publisher Christopher Peeks recently spoke to Coakley recently about his longshot bid for Congress on the Brandon and Christopher Show Podcast. Even Coakley's family questioned why he was doing this initially. "When I first told my wife that I was planning to run, she...
April 10, 2025 - U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) delivered a speech on the Senate floor objecting to Democrats' efforts to halt the Trump administration's actions to make the Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) more efficient. "On November the 5th, President Trump was given a mandate: get this country straightened out. This included waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government, over all agencies," said Senator Tuberville. "The VA is a perfect example. Under President Biden, the V...
In Idaho, homes have become 90% more expensive relative to income over the past decade. That's not a typo. A state once considered a haven of relative affordability is now one of the starkest examples of America's housing crisis. In 2013, home values in the state were a little over 3 times the median annual household income. By 2023, they had risen to 6 times the household income. But Idaho is hardly an outlier. A new analysis from the real estate agency immoverkauf24 in collaboration with the...
April 16, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a 15-state letter urging the Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of the nation's leading companies, to abandon unlawful and racially discriminatory DEI initiatives. Many of the Roundtable's members have replaced free-market principles with costly and divisive DEI policies that cannot be squared with federal law. The letter argues that the Business Roundtable should prioritize its stated mission of f...
April 15, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Senate concurred with House changes to the Teacher's workman's compensation bill. Presently Alabama teachers and education workers do not have workman's compensation insurance. This legislation would change that. Senate Bill 1 (SB1) is sponsored by state Senator Sam Givhan (R-Madison). "This is our PEEHIP workman's comp bill," said Sen. Givhan. "I want to thank everyone for their help on this bill. When people ask me why I am carrying this bill, I t...
Romantic love may come and go, but finding the Thelma to your Louise is forever. Friends—besties, squads, workplace buddies, college roommates—play a unique role in our lives. They're companions and confidants; they share our stories and know us better than we know ourselves. Whether they show up in real life or drop the perfect response in the group chat, having a friend who just gets it is priceless. Still, in a nation grappling with social isolation and a loneliness public health crisis, a t...
At 34, Natalie, a doctor from Oregon, was struggling to build the family she longed for. At times, her sense of helplessness was overwhelming. "All my friends had kids; they were all having their baby showers and their first birthdays. And you know, that stereotype about babies is everywhere. You couldn't get away from it," she told Stacker. After trying to conceive for a year, Natalie turned to in vitro fertilization. However, her choices were limited since her insurance covered just three...
