Tag Archive for Alabama

States Miss Economic Opportunities by Failing to Expand Medicaid

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By Glynn Wilson – MARION, Va. — The Council of Economic Advisers released a report on Wednesday detailing the negative effects on local economies and public health in states where Republican administrations failed to cooperate with the federal government and expand Medicaid. The report, entitled Missed Opportunities: The Consequences of State Decisions Not to Expand…

Proposed Windmill ‘Farm’ In East Alabama Dies for Lack of Local Support

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By Wayne Ruple – HEFLIN, Ala. — A proposed windmill “farm” on Turkey Heaven Mountain died recently due to lack of support from Cleburne County commissioners in the face of public opposition. The County Commission met June 16 and considered four resolutions which would have effectively killed the project. They punted on supporting the proposed…

Energy Extremes From Florence Rally to Mobile Forum

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A Menace to Us and CreationBy David Underhill – MOBILE, Ala. – Opposites appear at opposite ends of Alabama on June 5. At the upper extreme a rally in Florence is calling for tar sands mining to stop before it begins. Geologists have long known that gummy crude oil is locked into sandstone strata underlying…

Fake Medicaid or No Medicaid? Don’t Buy It

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By Pippa Abston – MD, PhD, FAAP – Governor Bentley has persisted in failing to offer hope for the uninsured poor in Alabama, through a Medicaid Expansion or otherwise. Behind the scenes, various insiders are passing rumors not to worry — he really will do it … after the primary. Or after the general election.…

The Ten Most Corrupt State Governments in the United States

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Alabama is No. 10 and Louisiana is Not Listed At All? – The Big Picture – By Glynn Wilson – A new online celebrity tabloid is getting traffic from Facebook and Twitter for a story making the rounds claiming to rank the 10 most corrupt state governments in the United States based on “a national…

Walter Energy Capitulates on Building New Coal Export Terminal in Mobile

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Birmingham Company Agrees to Sell Property to Alabama State Docks – By Glynn Wilson – In an unusual turnaround from its ambition to build a new coal handling export terminal along the riverfront in Mobile, Alabama, Walter Energy has reached an agreement “in principle” with the State Port Authority to sell both the Blue Creek…

Oil Pipeline Through Mobile’s Drinking Water Flunks First Flood Test

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By David Underhill – MOBILE, Ala. – The first foreign substance flowing into Mobile’s drinking water from the new crude oil pipeline is not oil. It’s mud — and whatever welding and other construction debris got stirred into the disturbed earth of the pipe’s broad right-of-way through the watershed of the metro area’s reservoir Big…

Alabama Port Director Stars in Theatrical Coal Hearing

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Watch Video 13: State Docks Director Jimmy Lyons Argues For Coal Terminal – See more videos of the hearing here – “He displayed the serene confidence of a Christian holding four aces.” – – Mark Twain – By David Underhill – MOBILE, Ala. – The director of the Alabama State Port Authority glided smoothly through…

Mobile City Council Hears Debate on Blue Creek Coal Terminal

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Delays Vote for Two More Weeks – By Glynn Wilson – MOBILE, Ala. — The Mobile City Council heard debate for three hours at Government Plaza on Earth Day about whether to overturn the Planning Commission’s approval of Walter Energy’s Blue Creek Coal handling terminal along the city’s riverfront, but the only vote was to…

Bald Eagles Nesting in Gulf State Park

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By Glynn Wilson – GULF SHORES, Ala. — What appears to be a juvenile bald Eagle now watches over a nest in a tall pine tree in Gulf State Park. The bald eagle is America’s national bird. It grew close to becoming extinct in the 20th century due to DDT chemical poisoning of their egg…

Governor Bentley Finally Releases Alabama Water Management Plan Report

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By Glynn Wilson – Now that the Alabama Legislative Session of 2014 is safely over and Governor Robert Bentley is virtually assured of winning the Republican Party’s primary in June without any tea party opposition from the far right, Bentley’s office finally released the water management plan report being sought by environmental groups for the…

Celebrate Earth Day Saturday on Mobile Bay at the Fairhope Pier

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Saturday, April 19, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Hundreds of people from across Alabama, Mississippi and the Panhandle of Florida will be heading to the the Fairhope Pier parks in Fairhope, Alabama Saturday, April 19 to attend the state’s largest Earth Day festival. “This unique all-day free event is filled with family-friendly fun, including…

Will Union Workers See the Light In Time to Save the American Economy?

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National Labor Relations Board to Begin Hearings on Workers Complaint Against Mercedes April 7 – By Glynn Wilson – BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Union workers and members of the public who understand the important role organized labor plays in public affairs across America will be watching to see what happens when the National Labor Relations Board…

How Big Oil Controls Local Governments

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Whom Do You Serve? Thoughts on Local Government and Dirty Industries – By Brad Nolen – MOBILE, Ala. – We the people of Mobile have long been organized to safeguard and promote the flourishing of our fair community. And part and parcel to this organization we’ve put together was the hiring of a city councils,…

Hey Alabama: You Can’t Thank God for Mississippi Anymore

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Alabama Citizens Rank Last in Ability to Afford Healthcare and Medicine – By Glynn Wilson – The poor people of Alabama can no longer afford to sit back and thank god for Mississippi. They might thank a doctor governor for not taking a pay check, but that’s about it. He has abandoned the people in…