State and Surrounding Area News

Governor Kay Ivey Reminds Alabama Families of CHOOSE Act Application Deadline
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a reminder on Monday that the application period for the state’s new education savings account (ESA) initiative, the

Alabama Gears Up for 2025 ‘Don’t Drop It on Alabama’ Spring Cleanup
Alabama – Alabama is set to launch its annual “Don’t Drop It on Alabama” Spring Cleanup this April, a statewide initiative coordinated by Alabama PALS (People

Senator Katie Britt Participates in Senate Banking Committee Nomination Hearing
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) participated in a Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing, where she introduced Marc Molinaro as the nominee for

Senator Katie Britt Backs E-Verify Expansion Bill to Strengthen Workforce Verification
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and several Republican colleagues in

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Coalition of 17 States Conclude Investigation into Wells Fargo’s ESG Policies
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, alongside attorneys general from 17 other states, announced the conclusion of their investigation into Wells Fargo & Company

Alabama Attorney General Warns Consumers to Protect Genetic Data Amid 23andMe Bankruptcy
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has issued a warning to consumers regarding the protection of their personal genetic information following the announcement that

Lakepoint State Park to Host Annual ‘Fins, Feathers and Flowers’ Weekend Event
Lake Eufaula – Lakepoint State Park will once again welcome nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts to its signature event, “Fins, Feathers and Flowers,” set for Friday,

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall Warns Residents of Sophisticated Phone Scams
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is urging residents to remain vigilant as increasingly sophisticated phone scams continue to target consumers across the state.

$2,500 Reward Offered for Information on Missing Talladega Man
Talladega, AL – A $2,500 reward is being offered for information regarding the disappearance of Stacey Lynch, who has been missing since December 22, 2020.

Gadsden State’s Veterans Upward Bound Program Moves to New Location
Gadsden, AL – Gadsden State Community College’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program has recently relocated to a more accessible and improved facility in the basement of

Senator Katie Britt and Congresswoman Kat Cammack Announce Formation of Republican Women’s Caucus
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) announced the launch of the Republican Women’s Caucus (RWC) at the White House

Governor Kay Ivey Bans DeepSeek and Manus AI Technologies on State Devices
MONTGOMERY, AL – Governor Kay Ivey has issued a ban on the use of DeepSeek, Manus, and similar artificial intelligence technologies on state devices and

Gadsden State’s Charlie Jones Named ACCC Division I Player of the Week
Gadsden, AL – Gadsden State Community College sophomore pitcher Charlie Jones has been named the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) Division I Player of the Week

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen Backs Trump’s Executive Order on Election Integrity
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has voiced strong support for President Donald Trump’s newly signed executive order, Preserving and Protecting the Integrity

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall Joins 23-State Coalition Urging Revival of Coal Industry
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a 23-state coalition in signing a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, advocating for a

Former Alabama Medicaid Agency Employee Indicted for Theft of Public Funds
MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced today the indictment of a former Alabama Medicaid Agency employee, Natalie Colette Lewis, 59, of Montgomery,

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Vehicle Safety Testing for Women
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and several of their Senate colleagues have introduced the She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality

Governor Ivey Releases Final Report on Generative AI Task Force
Montgomery, AL – On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey released the final report of the Governor’s Task Force on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), which was established in

Senator Katie Britt Supports Legislation to Ban Project Labor Agreement Mandates
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has joined Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and 12 other Senate Republicans in reintroducing the Fair and Open Competition

Rep. Mike Rogers Supports Trump Administration’s Decision to Resume CMP 1911 Pistol Sales
Washington D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (AL-03) has expressed his support for the Trump Administration’s decision to allow the resumption of surplus 1911 pistol sales

Alabama’s Economic Growth in 2024: $7 Billion in Investments and 8,500 New Jobs
Montgomery, AL – Governor Kay Ivey has announced the release of the “2024 New & Expanding Industry Announcements Report,” highlighting economic developments in Alabama over

Gadsden State Student Collins Davis Named 2025 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar
Gadsden, AL – Gadsden State Community College student Collins Davis has been named a 2025 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar, an esteemed recognition that comes with

Spring Roundup in Cleburne and Calhoun Counties
Anniston, AL – Smith, Haynes and Coggins lead Alexandria past Donoho in baseball. Glencoe and Pleasant Valley split doubleheader, and Spring Garden wins one of

Attorney General Steve Marshall Issues Statement on Alabama Storms and Consumer Protections
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has issued a statement in response to the devastating storms that affected 52 of Alabama’s 67 counties over

Alabama House Passes HB 363 to Prohibit Foreign Influence in Elections
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has expressed strong support for House Bill 363 (HB 363), which passed out of the Alabama

Dr. Yung Lau Named Chair of UAB Department of Pediatrics and Physician in Chief at Children’s of Alabama
Birmingham, AL – After a nationwide search, Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have named Dr. Yung Lau as the new

Governor Ivey Signs Officer Impersonation Prevention Act
MONTGOMERY, AL — Governor Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill 115, known as the Officer Impersonation Prevention Act, into law on Friday. Sponsored by Sen. Clyde

USDOJ Dismisses Lawsuit Against Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen
Montgomery, AL – The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has dismissed a lawsuit filed during the Biden-Harris administration aimed at halting Alabama Secretary of State Wes

The Cardinal Foundation Welcomes Four New Board Members
GADSDEN, AL — The Cardinal Foundation, a support organization for Gadsden State Community College, has expanded its board of directors with the addition of four

Senator Katie Britt Applauds EPA’s Decision to Revise WOTUS Definition
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) delivered remarks today as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to work with the

Debate Over HB 4: Alabama’s Library Obscenity Bill
Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Legislature is once again considering HB 4, known as the Common Sense Library Obscenity Bill, introduced by Representative Arnold Mooney. The

Alabama Attorney General Joins Coalition Defending Trump Administration’s Actions Against Tren de Aragua
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a coalition of 26 attorneys general in defending the Trump administration’s recent actions to combat the

Anniston, AL Emerges as a Leading Affordable City for Pet Ownership in 2025
SEATTLE, WA— Rover, the world’s largest online marketplace for loving pet care, has released its sixth iteration of the True Cost of Pet Parenthood Report.

Governor Kay Ivey Swears in Jeff Newton as Commissioner of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
Montgomery, AL – Governor Kay Ivey officially swore in Brigadier General (Ret.) Jeff Newton as the new commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs

Senators Introduce COPPA 2.0 to Strengthen Online Privacy Protections for Children and Teens
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) have introduced the Children and Teen’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA

AmFirst Announces Four New Charitable Beneficiaries for 2025 Community First Initiative
Montgomery, AL – AmFirst recently announced that four charitable organizations across Central Alabama will be beneficiaries of its Community First Initiative in 2025. The credit

Senators Reintroduce CARS Act to Block EPA Tailpipe Emissions Rule and Preserve Consumer Choice
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), along with 19 Republican colleagues, have reintroduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS)

UPDATED – Two-Vehicle Crash Closes U.S. 78 in Cleburne County
CLEBURNE COUNTY, AL – A two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 7:34 a.m. on Friday, March 21, has resulted in a road closure along U.S.

Cleburne County Launches Stepping Up Initiative to Improve Mental Health Support
Cleburne County, AL — The Stepping Up Initiative is set to enhance mental health support with the introduction of a new case manager in the

Senate Passes HALT Fentanyl Act; Senator Britt Applauds Efforts to Combat Crisis
Washington D.C. – The U.S. Senate has passed the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, a bill aimed at addressing the nation’s ongoing fentanyl

Governor Kay Ivey Signs Bill Banning Illegal Machine Gun Conversion Devices in Alabama
Montgomery, AL – On Wednesday, March 19, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill 116 into law, imposing a state ban on illegal machine gun conversion

Alabama Attorney General Joins Supreme Court Brief in Support of Religious Liberty and School Choice
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, reaffirming

Senator Katie Britt Votes to Confirm Key Trump Administration Nominees
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Judiciary’s Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights Subcommittee, voted to confirm Gail

ASWA Rankings
Calhoun County, AL – This week’s Alabama Sports Writers Association high school baseball and softball rankings, the first of the season: SOFTBALL CLASS 7A 1. Thompson

Governor Ivey Signs SB67 to Strengthen Veteran Services, Appoints Brigadier General Jeffrey Newton as ADVA Commissioner
Montgomery, AL – Governor Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill 67 into law on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in the structure of the Alabama Department of

Senators Reintroduce Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act to Strengthen Agricultural Protections
Washington D.C. – A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), have reintroduced the Farm

Drew Hall of Garrison Steel Named ABC Alabama’s 2025 Safety Director of the Year
Montgomery, AL – The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Alabama has named Drew Hall of Garrison Steel as the 2025 Safety Director of the Year,

U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Women Business Owners
Washington D.C. – In recognition of Women’s History Month, U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and seven of their Senate colleagues have introduced a

ALEA Urges Safe Driving This St. Patrick’s Day: “Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving”
Montgomery, AL – Today, March 17, marks St. Patrick’s Day, with celebrations happening across Alabama and the nation. As revelers gather for festivities, the Alabama Law

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen Partners with Texas to Strengthen Voter File Maintenance
Montgomery, AL – Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has partnered with Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson to cross-check voter files between the two states,