Supreme Court permits full enforcement of Donald Trump travel ban
The US Supreme Court on Monday issued an order permitting full enforcement of President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban to go into effect while legal challenges continue to be argued in lower courts. While not a final ruling, the court is allowing the Trump administration enforce a ban on travel to the U.S. by residents of six mostly Muslim countries — Syria, Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The only dissent from the court came from Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor who would have left the lower court order in place had they not had the minority opinion on the court. White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley responded to the court’s decision and called the ban “lawful and essential to protecting our homeland.” “We look forward to presenting a fuller defense of the proclamation as the pending cases work their way through the courts,” Gidley added. What happens next? Federal appeals courts in San Francisco, California, and Richmond, Virginia, will hear arguments this week on whether the Trump’s third executive order of the travel ban policy is lawful. The Supreme Court noted it expects those lower courts to reach decisions “with appropriate dispatch.” Meaning the case will eventually end up back in the Supreme Court, likely by the end of June.
Crimson Tide in the college football playoffs; Auburn faces another unbeaten in Peach Bowl
A really imaginative tweet went out Saturday night. “With the noon (Eastern) time college football playoff show, will there even be church services in Alabama, or just all morning prayer vigils? Houndstooth blazers required.” With the noon time college football playoff show, will there even be church services in Alabama, or just all morning prayer vigils? Houndstooth blazers required. — drgraves-UGA Adm. (@drgravesUGA) December 3, 2017 Those prayers of Crimson Tide fans were answered Sunday morning as Alabama was awarded the fourth and final slot in the college football playoffs. Coach Nick Saban’s squad will face CFP No. 1-ranked Clemson in a national semifinal at 7:45 p.m. CST on New Year’s Day in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. “Dabo (Swinney) has done a fantastic job with that program,” Saban said of the Clemson coach. “They’ve been consistently successful and this will be the third year we’ve played them in the playoff. I know our guys will be ready to play and will have a tremendous amount of respect for Clemson. We’ll have to play our best game of the year to have a chance to be successful against them.” The No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners and No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs will play in the other semifinal game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, at 4 p.m. in the Rose Bowl. Georgia punched its ticket into the playoffs by beating Auburn 28-7 in a rematch of the Tigers’ 40-17 victory three weeks prior. The national championship game is at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. All three games are on ESPN. Alabama Athletic Communications reported Sunday that Tide Pride members have until 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 4, to submit requests for playoff semifinal and championship game tickets. Each participating school will receive 13,000 tickets for the semifinal and 20,000 tickets to the championship. Other than the tickets allotted to the schools, the game is sold out. All requests made by University of Alabama constituency groups (Tide Pride, lettermen and faculty/staff) will be evaluated for all games following the request deadline. For the Allstate Sugar Bowl, all confirmed ticket requests will be shipped to customers via UPS, with a planned shipment date of Friday, Dec. 15. For the championship game in Atlanta, all confirmed requests are planned to be sent via mobile ticket (email and Ticketmaster app download) delivery with a planned send date of Thursday, Jan. 4. Ticket prices are as follows: semifinal Allstate Sugar Bowl: $275 club and $175 reserved; national championship: $675 (club), $575 (100- and 200-level seats) and $475 (300-level seats). The ability to request tickets does not guarantee tickets. If demand is greater than the allotment of tickets received, refunds will be given based on Tide Totals priority points. Lettermen should note that, if requests received exceed the lettermen allotment, requests will be filled based on last year lettered. UA faculty/staff should note that, if requests received exceed the faculty/staff allotment, requests will be filled based on years of service. “We’re extremely pleased for our team, our players, our coaches and all the people who work hard here for us,” Saban said. “I’d like to congratulate the other teams that will have the opportunity to participate in the playoff as well as the teams who were considered and had potential to be selected. We are really pleased and happy to be a part of the college football playoff again this year.” Since its inception in 2014, Alabama is the only team to appear in all four playoffs, and has appeared in the top five of every poll put out by the selection committee over the past four seasons. The Crimson Tide and Clemson will meet for the 18th time in the history of the series that dates back to 1900. Alabama owns the series advantage, 13-4. The two most recent matchups came in the 2016 and 2017 national championship games. Alabama rallied to defeat the No. 1 Tigers, 45-40, to capture the Tide’s 16th national championship in the 2016 game in Glendale, Arizona. The Tigers returned the favor with a come-from-behind 35-31 win in the 2017 championship in Tampa, Florida. No. 7 Auburn faces American Athletic Conference Champion and CFP No. 12 Central Florida in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl’s 50th anniversary game. That contest is set for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and will be nationally televised by ESPN at 11:30 a.m. UCF is making its first trip to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, while Auburn will make its sixth appearance. Auburn has a 4-1 record in the game, with its most recent appearance resulting in a 43-24 victory over Virginia in 2011. “We couldn’t have asked for a better matchup to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CEO and president. “To have college football’s only undefeated team square off against the first-ever team to defeat two College Football Playoff No. 1-ranked teams in a season makes for an extremely compelling game.” Auburn’s Gus Malzahn will coach in the bowl game with a new contract. He has agreed to a seven-year deal to remain at the school after a strong late-season rebound, The Associated Press reported on Sunday. Complete financial details were not immediately available but the AP reported Malzahn will make more than $7 million in the final year of the contract. Other Southeastern Conference teams headed to bowl games are: Citrus Bowl presented by Overton (Orlando) – LSU vs. Notre Dame at noon on Jan. 1 on ABC. Academy Sports & Outdoors Texas Bowl (Houston): Missouri vs. Texas at 8 p.m. Dec. 27 on ESPN. Belk Bowl (Charlotte): Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest at noon on Dec. 29 on ESPN. Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (Nashville): Kentucky vs. CFP No. 20-ranked Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 on ESPN TaxSlayer Bowl (Jacksonville): Mississippi State vs. Louisville at 11 a.m. on Dec. 30 on ESPN. Outback Bowl (Tampa): South Carolina vs. Michigan at 11 a.m. on Jan. 1 on ABC. UAB got a jump on Selection Sunday. The Blazers released their postseason plans last week, announcing that they’ll play Ohio in the Bahamas Bowl at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 on ESPN. In other state-connected bowls: R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Troy is the other state team that is
Cam Ward and Matt Fridy: A positive note in prison debate
The news surrounding the Alabama corrections system seems to be one negative story after another with much of the focus on the need for reform and consolidation in the system as well as higher quality of service and better outcomes. Much of this is true and is a result of inadequate funding, not because of poor leadership or management. In fact, we would argue that ADOC has some of the best leadership under Commissioner Jeff Dunn and his team that we have had in some time. They are tackling the bigger problems and looking for ways to solve them in the face of many challenges. However, not everything at ADOC is bad news, in fact there is one diamond among the rough that Dunn and his team have recognized as an example of how corrections could be run with the appropriate funding and dedication to positive outcomes for those leaving the system and returning to their local communities. The Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility in Columbiana, Ala. will have been open for ten years this coming March and have worked with almost 7,000 ADOC inmates who participated in an innovative six month rehabilitation program at the facility. The program is a partnership between the GEO Group as well as ADOC and the Alabama Department of Post Secondary Education. Here the participants come from DOC facilities all over the state and enter into a six month evidence based program of drug rehabilitation, education and an opportunity for a vocational degree in five different trades and crafts via our community college system. We have toured the ATEF and it is in fact a model of what we as legislators would like to see across the state of Alabama. Why? What are the results from almost ten years at this unique medium security facility? According to the Alabama Department of Corrections this past July, over those ten years, the ATEF has an average recidivism rate of 15%. To put that into context, the state of Alabama’s recidivism rate is 35% (per ADOC) and the national average is 76%. In fact, a U.S. Bureau of Justice study stated that within five years of release, 76% of inmates leaving state facilities are rearrested. The challenge we have in Alabama and will continue to have, is adequate funding for proven programs such as ATEF. However, with a commitment from the Ivey Administration, the ADOC, ALDPSE and the legislature, the teaching and the treatment and the vocational degrees for participants going back to their local communities can continue and will at ATEF. Alabama should be looking for ways to fully utilize ATEF and expand this model with proven results into other areas of our state’s corrections system. Simply put, the results speak for themselves and if we dedicate funding to expanding a program with a 15% recidivism rate, numerous lives will be improved and the state will see the benefits for decades to come. ••• Cam Ward is a Republican member of the Alabama Senate. He has represented District 14 since 2010. Matt Fridy is a Republican member of the Alabama House. He has represented District 73 since 2014.
Donald Trump throws full support behind Roy Moore
President Donald Trump on Monday formally threw his full support behind Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, following weeks of defending him against sexual misconduct allegations and making attacks on his Democratic opponent Doug Jones. Early Monday morning, Trump tweeted his endorsement of Moore: “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!” Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2017 According to the Moore campaign, Trump also called the Senate hopeful from Air Force One and expressed “his enthusiastic support for Judge Moore’s candidacy. “ Moore’s campaign later announced the endorsement via Twitter, saying Trump “offered his full support and said he needs a fighter to help him in the US Senate.” “Go get ’em, Roy!” – President Trump Just got off the phone with President Trump who offered his full support and said he needs a fighter to help him in the US Senate. I look forward to fighting alongside the President to #MAGA! — Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) December 4, 2017 A White House official confirmed the call between the President and Moore. “The President had a positive call with Judge Roy Moore during which they discussed the state of the Alabama Senate race and the President endorsed Judge Moore’s campaign,” said White House principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah. Moore said he’s honored to have received Trump’s endorsement. “I am honored to receive the support and endorsement of President Donald Trump,” Moore said Monday morning. “President Trump knows that the future of his conservative agenda in Congress hinges on this election. I look forward to fighting alongside the President to strengthen our military, secure our border, protect our gun rights, defend the sanctity of life, and confirm conservative judges to courts around this nation. We had a good conversation over the phone today and are working together towards conservative victory on December 12.” Moore faces Jones in a special election on Dec. 12.
No Alabama city makes list of America’s top 100 safest
With fears of falling victim to cybercrime and mass shootings topping the list of crime worries among Americans, according to the most recent Gallup polls, the personal-finance website WalletHub took an in-depth look at 2017’s Safest Cities in America. To determine where Americans can feel most protected against life’s hazards, including nonphysical forms of danger, WalletHub’s analysts compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 35 key metrics broken down into three categories: home and community safety, natural disaster risk, and financial safety. They weighted each category and gave every city a score from 1 to 100. WalletHub analysts considered only the city proper, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area, and based its rankings on data from federal agencies, realty websites, and various nonprofit organizations. None of Alabama’s four largest cities broke the top 100 safest citiest on WalletHub’s list. Here’s how Alabama cities ranked: Montgomery: 107 Home and Community Safety Rank: 106 Financial Safety Rank: 172 Natural Disaster Risk Rank: 189 Huntsville: 113 Home and Community Safety Rank: 107 Financial Safety Rank: 86 Natural Disaster Risk Rank: 142 Mobile: 123 Home and Community Safety Rank: 118 Financial Safety Rank: 156 Natural Disaster Risk Rank: 107 Birmingham: 145 Home and Community Safety Rank: 126 Financial Safety Rank: 177 Natural Disaster Risk Rank: 135 Here’s a look at how Alabama compares to the rest of the country: Source: WalletHub
Video: How T-100 trainer jets would be manufactured in Alabama
Curious about how global aerospace company Leonardo’s Alabama workforce would manufacture the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation trainer aircraft if it’s picked for the role? Leonardo announced plans in March for an advanced manufacturing center in Tuskegee for its T-100 trainer jet, one of the contenders in an Air Force competition to replace its aging fleet of T-38 aircraft. In November, an Alabama delegation got a first-hand look at how Leonardo manufactures advanced training aircraft during a tour of a company factory in Italy. A fast-paced video from Leonardo DRS shows how T-100s would be manufactured at the Alabama facility. Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, led the delegation of state and Macon County officials who traveled to Leonardo’s aircraft manufacturing facility in Venegono Superiore in mid-November. While there, the Alabama group received a briefing from Leonardo executives who said preparations for the Tuskegee manufacturing center are on track. Canfield said the aircraft factory would have a massive economic impact on Macon County and the surrounding area. “The T-100 factory would create an anchor for a new aviation manufacturing industry in Tuskegee with high-paying jobs and tremendous long-term growth prospects,” he said. “It’s not an exaggeration to say the Leonardo facility would create new opportunities for citizens and businesses in Macon County that would change the trajectory of the entire region.” Historic location Leonardo’s manufacturing center would be built at Moton Field, where the celebrated Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilots trained during World War II. Leonardo’s twin-engine M-346 aircraft is already being used to train pilots to fly next-generation fighter aircraft. The T-100 is based on the proven M-346, which has been selected for a training role by Italy, Israel, Singapore and Poland. Leonardo said its project in Tuskegee calls for the creation of 750 full-time jobs. An Air Force decision on the trainer jet competition is expected next spring. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Bradley Byrne: Energy in Alabama
In Alabama, we have a lot to be proud of. From our best-in-the-nation Pre-K programs to our championship caliber football teams to our booming economy, there is no shortage of things for our residents to take pride in. One thing we often forget is our outstanding natural resources. From our forests to our waters, Alabama is blessed with an abundance of natural resources that provide a diverse base from which we can produce energy. It is very easy to take for granted our easy access to and the reliability of energy in Alabama. The energy industry not only provides sufficient, reliable power for Alabama, but also employs thousands of our state’s residents, helps grow our economy, and generates revenue for our communities. According to the Energy Institute of Alabama, the energy sector has created more than 124,000 jobs across our state. Moreover, the economic impact of electricity production, construction, and maintenance is an astounding $9.37 billion, putting the overall economic impact of Alabama’s energy sector at $13.22 billion. By stimulating this growth, we have created an environment for the energy sector and others to expand, thus providing even more quality opportunities for job seekers. Bringing more jobs to Alabama has always been a priority of mine, and it is undoubtedly an exciting time to be in Alabama, with major companies recognizing our immense potential for growth and bringing more jobs to the region. A state that provides clean, affordable, reliable energy is a crucial factor in the decisions of companies considering whether to locate in Alabama or expand their existing operations in our state. Thanks to the impressive work of our responsibly utilities, companies can feel good about choosing Alabama. Throughout my time in Congress, I have supported an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy that allows the United States to become energy independent. We should not have to depend on foreign nations for our energy sources, especially when you consider the vast amount of resources available right here in the United States. Affordable energy is a key component to turning our economy around and putting people back to work. If we are to accomplish a true “all-of-the-above” approach to energy production, then we must stop the senseless regulations and costly red tape. Many times, these regulations add to government bureaucracy, but do nothing to actually help protect our natural resources. Even worse, the cost of regulations is often passed on to the consumer in the form of higher energy costs. Cutting back on costly regulations is, and should remain, a primary focus of Congress. To be clear, it is imperative that we produce energy the right way. As a coastal community, we know all too well the risks of harvesting our resources, and therefore place the utmost importance on protecting the American people and our environment. I will always be an advocate for safe policies that do not unnecessarily endanger those we aim to serve. It is vital that we ensure future generations can enjoy the same parts of our environmental that we have been privileged to enjoy over the years. It’s comforting to know that our local energy companies also share these values and take care of what they use. So, as I think about energy and what it means to us as Alabamians, I feel blessed to have a home state where I can flip a switch and know that the power I need to operate my air conditioner or heat my water is there. Alabama is a wonderful place for many reasons. I hope you are as proud of it as I am. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
