The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Maxim Grohotov // Shutterstock Hottest Julys in Alabama since 1895 In 2022, the continental United States experienced its third hottest July since 1895, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, while 20 states saw one of their 10 hottest days in the same month. The year prior, July marked the hottest month on record worldwide. Climate change is driving rising temperatures and more record heat. The Earth’s temperature has climbed each decade since 1880 by a...
A violent Fourth of July weekend in Chicago left 21 people shot, two people dead, two police officers wounded, and three individuals stabbed across multiple neighborhoods, prompting renewed scrutiny over city safety during major holidays. The wave of violence spanned the extended holiday tracking window, which the Chicago Police Department (CPD) monitors from Thursday evening through Sunday night. Long holiday weekends in Chicago historically see higher spikes in violent crime, and this year's...
The states with the highest rates of uninsured drivers and what it costs everyone else Nearly every state requires drivers to carry auto liability insurance, yet millions of motorists are still on the road without it. In 2023, 15.4% of U.S. drivers were uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council, meaning more than 1 in 7 motorists lacked coverage that could pay for injuries or damage they caused in a crash. The rate has increased since 2017 and remains elevated after a pandemic-era...
1 common IRA mistakes to avoid An individual retirement account, or IRA, is a popular retirement savings tool because of its tax advantages and investment flexibility. But to reap the rewards, it’s important to familiarize yourself with common IRA mistakes and understand how to avoid them. It’s never too soon — or too late — to get familiar with the retirement savings tools available. Knowing the basics of your IRA can help avoid some missteps. There are many intricacies to IRAs, so conside...
4 risk treatment strategies that separate proactive businesses from reactive ones A business functions within a continuous state of risk, whether it's through systems, vendors, data flows, regulatory fluctuations, or operational processes. Per Vanta's 2025 State of Trust Report—based on a survey of 3,500 business and information technology leaders—56% of organizations encounter threat activity at least once a week, while 79% encounter it at least once a month. With risks compounding, tradi...
You placed the QR Code right. What next? Travel brands can spend significant time debating QR Code placement: the lobby, hotel rooms, airport gates, or café counters. When they get placement right, the next step is ensuring the scan actually performs. However, if you stop at placement, you’ll lose valuable data and conversions. A traveler can scan the same QR Code in two different moments and behave quite differently. At the shuttle stand, they’re rushed. In the hotel room, they’re relaxe...
How much do AI tokens cost businesses? AI token costs for businesses ranged from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands per month in April 2026, depending on company size, model selection, and how many workflows run on AI. Based on proprietary data from Ramp, the median monthly spend was $2,246. The average monthly spend was $140,842. That gap reflects how AI spend actually distributes: Most companies are in early or moderate adoption, but a single team or automated workflow running...
How can you afford the wedding of your dreams Whether your big day is in a few months or a few years, financially planning for a wedding is a big achievement for many couples in budding relationships. It may take some work, time, and tough conversations, but on the other end of it all, waiting for you both is likely one of the most special days of your lives. A wedding is an occasion for you and your future spouse to begin making joint financial decisions, a skill that will set you up for a...
The hidden costs causing monthly housing payments to rise When people think about buying a home, the focus is on price, down payments, and the interest rate. But a growing share of today’s housing payment isn’t going toward building equity at all. In many U.S. metros, property taxes and homeowners insurance can consume more than one-third of the average monthly mortgage payment — and in some cases, nearly half. These non-mortgage costs can quietly add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to mo...
ssbooklet // Shutterstock Cities with the most UFO sightings in Alabama When pilot Kenneth Arnold took off from Chehalis, Washington, in his single-engine airplane one afternoon in June 1947, he was looking for a lost military aircraft that had crashed. But what he found was something completely different—something that would set off a cultural obsession in the U.S. that persists today. While flying around Mount Rainier, Arnold reportedly encountered nine curious, wingless objects speeding t...
7 common landlord-tenant insurance mistakes property owners make Commercial landlord-tenant insurance can get confusing fast, especially when damage happens, and everyone assumes the other party’s policy will handle it. Your tenant may carry business insurance, but that doesn’t always mean your property is fully protected. That’s where a lot of commercial landlords get caught off guard. Maybe a tenant’s coverage falls short, or their responsibility is ambiguous in the lease. The good news is...
A scientific case for climate optimism with ecologist Tom Crowther Negative feedback loops, which amplify the effects of climate drivers, are among the scariest processes in climate science. Melting ice in one example exposes darker water and land, which absorb more heat, causing more ice to melt. But ecologist Tom Crowther focuses on their opposite—positive feedback loops—as one of nature’s most powerful engines of repair. Crowther, a professor of ecology at the Department of Envir...
The hidden work behind every ‘overnight’ AI startup The myth of the overnight AI startup is an easy sell. It’s inspirational. It’s dripping with genius. One day, no one has ever heard of the company, and the next day, it’s plastered across every media channel and about to turn into a unicorn. The thing is, every “overnight” success has a long backstory you don’t see: the months’ or years’ worth of work, the users who didn’t convert, the messaging that had to be rewritten, and the models that d...
July 4, 2026 – Today is the Fourth of July - the holiday that commemorates the day that our nation's Founding Fathers formally declared this nation's independence from Great Britain. This is the 250th anniversary of the formal ratification of the Declaration by the Continental Congress. There are massive celebrations around the country, especially in Washington D.C. Alabama's sesquicentennial celebration will be at American Village in Montevallo. Since millions of Americans are traveling, e...
Birmingham, United Kingdom, Wednesday 1st July 2026: UK regulators should review canine screening regulations for aerospace cargo, as current policy is creating unnecessary costs, additional emissions, and inefficiencies across the supply chain, Global K9's (GK9) Chief Commercial Officer, Chris Daniels, told delegates at the Multimodal 2026 exhibition in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK). Speaking on air cargo security, Daniels explained that aircraft engines cannot currently be screened by...
Where business aviation is climbing: The metros drawing more corporate jet traffic and high-income movers When it comes to measuring American wealth, tax return data and home-sales records are the usual go-to indicators. But by the time this information lands, it’s already a year or more after the migration trends have shifted. The growth of business aviation in specific areas offers a more unconventional and timely view. Private and corporate flying is discretionary, tracks closely to c...
A series of death cases raises questions about safety and oversight at detox centers Trust is the first thing families hand over when they walk a loved one through the doors of a detox or residential treatment center, and the decision is almost never made calmly. It tends to come within hours of an overdose or a phone call no family ever wants to take, with parents and spouses operating on the belief that medical oversight is already built into what is being provided. And the country is leaning...
MONTGOMERY - In observance of National "Made in the USA" Day on July 2, 2026, Governor Kay Ivey signed a proclamation honoring Alabama's manufacturing companies and workers for their stellar contributions to economic growth in the Yellowhammer State. "On 'Made in the USA' Day, we honor the hundreds of thousands of hardworking Alabamians from the Shoals to the Shore who drive our state's growing economy while delivering 'Made in Alabama' products across the nation and around the world," said...
July 2, 2026 - ENTERPRISE, Ala. – The U.S. Supreme Court in a 6 to 3 ruling voted to overturn President Donald J. Trump's (R) controversial executive order ending birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants (both legally in the country and illegally). Second Congressional District candidate Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) joined President Trump's disappointment at the majority's ruling. In response Marques called for even more deportations of criminal illegal aliens following this w...
In a major shift for campaign finance law, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down federal limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with their own candidates. The 6–3 conservative majority ruled that these restrictions violate the First Amendment, explicitly overruling the court's 2001 precedent established in Federal Election Commission v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee (Colorado Republican II). The Core Ruling The Supreme Court determined that political p...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday released a video message for America's 250th birthday ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. In her message, Governor Ivey reflects on the nation's founding, expresses optimism for America's future and encourages Alabamians to celebrate the historic milestone by remembering those who defend our freedoms and by passing a love of country on to the next generation. The governor also recognizes the sacrifices of the men and women who have protected A...
Tailgate theft prevention: How to keep your tailgate from being stolen Truck tailgate theft is on the rise in the U.S., especially in urban settings and high-traffic areas. What was once a rare nuisance has become a frequent and frustrating crime—often occurring in broad daylight, in your own driveway, and taking less than a minute to pull off. Why, you may ask, is this crime becoming increasingly common? The answer is simple—modern truck tailgates are valuable, easy to remove, and dif...
SNAP is how millions of Americans afford food. Cuts to the program have thrown it into chaos. A missing zero put Sarah’s grocery money in jeopardy. Every month, Sarah receives $219 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for her and her 9-year-old. Sarah works two jobs in food service, one at a senior center and one at a banquet hall, and has relied on SNAP for support ever since her husband died unexpectedly about six years ago. But last year during her annual benefits renewal, o...
June 30,2026 - LOWNDESBORO, Ala. – The U.S. Supreme Court delivered two landmark rulings that will be sets standards that impact millions of Americans. In one ruling the court affirmed birthright citizenship. Any child born in the U.S. - whether the parents are citizens, legal residents, illegally in the country, or just here on vacation - is a citizen. The ruling was a blow to the Trump administration which had sought to overturn that long held interpretation of the 14th amendment. Women and g...
A juvenile female was shot and killed in an overnight drive-by shooting in Montgomery, Details, Time: The shooting occurred on Monday, July 6, 2026, at approximately 2:20 a.m. Location: The incident took place in the 400 block of Mulligan Drive. The Victim: Police located a young girl suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. She was rushed to a local hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Age & Identity: Law enforcement and local news outlets like WSFA 12 News and WAKA Action 8 Ne...
