Kay Ivey issues State of Emergency ahead of winter weather
In anticipation of the severe winter weather the National Weather Service (NWS) has been forecasting, Gov. Kay Ivey has declared a State of Emergency. NWS has already issued Winter Weather Advisory for a large portion of Alabama in anticipation of snow, sleet and freezing rain in and near the areas under the advisory. “All Alabamians should take time to be prepared for the potential of winter weather. I have directed essential state agencies to be on the ready should they be needed over the next couple of days,” Ivey said. “As with any severe weather event, being prepared is of utmost importance. Everyone should take the necessary precautions now and stay informed of the latest weather forecasts for their area. This State of Emergency will ensure that all available state resources are ready if and when they are needed.” In anticipation of the winter weather, Ivey has allocated the following resources to be in place starting at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning: Alabama Emergency Management Agency will activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton The Alabama National Guard will activate soldiers to assist with mission support teams and command staff. “There are enough uncertainties in the forecast right now that the potential exists that this winter storm could be debilitating to the state for a couple of days due to icy conditions,” Ivey added. “We are strongly encouraging people to closely monitor this forecast because each portion of the state will face icy conditions at different times. It also important to factor in your commute time to ensure you are off the roads before the first flakes start falling from the sky. In addition to icy road conditions, another factor the state is dealing with is the massive flu outbreak. Now is a good time for people to plan ahead and remain weather aware.” By declaring a State of Emergency, Ivey is directing the appropriate state agencies to exercise their statutory authority to assist the communities and entities affected by the winter storm. Motorists are encouraged to use extreme caution while driving, check road conditions before departing, allow for increased travel times, and adjust arrival and departure times accordingly. Officials also urge motorists to limit travel to emergency situations only during the overnight hours of Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, as that is expected to be an especially cold and therefore dangerous period of time. For real-time road conditions, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is encouraging people to visit https://algotraffic.com. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) is reminding Alabamians that one of the most important preparedness steps that can taken is to put together an emergency preparedness kit with a three-day supply of food, water and other critical supplies. In addition, putting together a preparedness kit for vehicles that includes a car charger, ice scraper, jumper cables and blankets. To be prepared for winter weather, the AEMA urges resident to follow the following safety guidelines: Stay indoors during the storm. Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. If you must drive: travel in the day; don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule and your route; stay on main roads and avoid back road shortcuts. Walk carefully on snowy, icy, walkways. Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death in the winter. Use caution, take breaks, push the snow instead of lifting it when possible, and lift lighter loads. Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly. If you must go outside, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves. Wear a hat and cover your mouth with a scarf to reduce heat loss. Ivey’s State of Emergency is effective at 6:00 p.m. Monday for all Alabama counties.
Donald Trump’s ‘sh**hole’ remarks are ‘divisive rhetoric’ says Doug Jones in MLK speech
Alabama’s newly elected U.S. Senator Doug Jones bashed President Donald Trump‘s recent remarks about “sh**hole countries” during his first major speech in Alabama since taking office. Jones comments were made during the MLK Unity Breakfast that took place in Birmingham to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Jones said that President Trump’s comment was “not only beneath his office but is the very antithesis of the very values we hold so dear as Americans.” Applause followed his commentary in the BJCC North Exhibition Hall where the event took place. “Do not forget one second, whenever you hear that divisive rhetoric, no matter who it comes from, that because of our diversity and because of our differences, every time we faced what felt liked insurmountable difficulties, we have risen to the occasion to confront that on. And make no mistake: we will do it again.” Several Alabama representatives have commented on President Trump’s remark. Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne stated they are “an unfortunate and major distraction.” Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell asked the President to apologize, and called his remarks as “racist” and “abhorrent.” Sewell went on to tweet; “This is a nation of immigrants from all backgrounds. The willingness to sacrifice, work hard, and to work together is what makes us strong and successful as a country. Trump’s abhorrent comments do not represent the views of this great nation.” Trump allegedly made the comments during a meeting with lawmakers on immigration policy during which he asked; “Why are we having all these people from sh**thole countries come here?” Trump has denied making the remarks and has stated that he is “not a racist” and that “I’m the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”
8 Alabama cities included in new national civil rights trail
Alabama and 13 other states, along with the District of Columbia, joined together to debut the U.S. Civil Rights Trail on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Stretching from the Topeka, Kan. schools known for the Brown v. Board of Education case against school segregation in 1954 to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. where thousands rallied in 1963., the Civil Rights Trail is a tourism website and campaign that highlights more than 130 historic sites — museums, churches, courthouses and other civil rights landmarks — linked to the modern civil rights movement. Visitors can explore the website through its interactive map, search by state or experience the movement by selecting from a number of civil rights topics. The website also features a timeline of significant dates and a photo gallery. Nearly 30 sites in eight Alabama cities are included in the trail. Ten in Montgomery, seven in Selma, and four in both Birmingham and Tuskegee. Tuscaloosa, Scottsboro, Monroeville and Anniston each have one. Gov. Kay Ivey made the official announcement of the Civil Rights trail on MLK Day at King’s former church. “Today, I was pleased to announce the State of Alabama’s Tourism Department has partnered with other state tourism departments across the Southeast to launch the United States Civil Rights Trail which will link more than 130 landmarks across the nation. I want to encourage everyone to visit the website CivilRightsTrail.com to learn more about these landmarks that played significant roles in the Civil Rights Movement,” Ivey posted on Facebook after the announcement.” “There’s a lot to see and it’s impossible for somebody to see and do it all in one trip so the goal is to encourage people to cross state lines and to see other parts of the south that they haven’t seen before,” said Lee Sentell, Alabama’s tourism director. Individual Southern states have promoted civil rights tourist destinations for year, according to Sentell this is the first time states have banded together in a single push to bolster civil rights tourism. “There’s some nice itineraries because you can’t learn everything about civil rights by just going to one site,” Sentell added. “Everyone wants to showcase their landmarks. For the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, we’re saying ‘What happened here changed the world.” Below the 29 sites in Alabama: Anniston Freedom Riders National Monument Birmingham 16th Street Baptist Church Bethel Baptist Church Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Kelly Ingram Park Monroeville Old Courthouse Museum Montgomery Alabama State Capitol City of St. Jude Civil Rights Memorial Center Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church Dexter Parsonage Museum First Baptist Church on Riley Street Frank M. Johnson Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse Freedom Rides Museum Holt Street Baptist Church Rosa Parks Museum Scottsboro The Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center Selma Brown Chapel AME Church Edmund Pettus Bridge Lowndes Interpretive Center National Voting Rights Museum and Institute Selma Interpretive Center Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail The Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Foundation and Museum Tuscaloosa Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama Tuskegee Butler Chapel AME Zion Church Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Tuskegee History Center Tuskegee University
Inside the Birmingham community where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. found solace
Jeff Drew remembers the first day he met the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who stayed with his family during visits to Birmingham in the midst of the civil rights movement. Drew, who was 6 at the time, and some friends in the North Smithfield community — known as “Dynamite Hill” because it was the most bombed place in Birmingham — were playing a football game when a motorcade arrived. A line of long cars rolled down the “driveway at my dad’s house, and these men with tall hats and coats sat here on the flower bed” and watched a bunch of kids play football, Drew recalled. King, who was rising in prominence, was among the group. It looked like a rescue operation, and the men meant business. “We saw the determination in their faces,” Drew, now 66, remembered. “They arrived together. They left together. They ate together. This was leadership of black America, and we were about to be rescued. They looked like a SWAT team without weapons coming into Birmingham to make this change. We felt liberated.” This was during the late 1950s, a time when segregationist policies deprived blacks of equal rights and their dignity throughout the nation and particularly in the South and Birmingham. The city needed someone who could come in and assist local leaders — including the Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church and founder of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights — in the effort to dismantle segregation. That man was King, who would become a close friend of the Drews. Morehouse men The Drew family was a natural connection for the civil rights icon, whose national birthday celebration is Monday, Jan. 15. Jeff Drew explained how the bond began. During the Montgomery bus boycott, which took place from Dec. 5, 1955, to Dec. 20, 1956, Alabama’s capital city lost money because African-Americans refused to ride the transit system. In retaliation, the city imposed higher insurance fees on church vehicles and prohibited some companies from insuring vehicles in carpools. King, then pastor of Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and head of the Montgomery Improvement Association, needed someone who could help provide insurance for blacks in the city. His brother, the Rev. A.D. King, who served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Ensley from 1961 through 1965, connected him with a friend, John Drew — Jeff’s father. All three men, the King brothers and Drew, were Morehouse College men. “Morehouse men were like brothers,” Jeff Drew said. “[King] called my dad and asked if he could come to Montgomery and meet him. My father came out of that meeting and said, ‘That little preacher knows more about insurance than I do.’ “My dad was thoroughly impressed” with King, who asked Drew’s father during that meeting, “‘May I come visit you in Birmingham?’ Dad said, ‘Yes.’ At the time, Mama and Daddy were already involved in voter registration; they were already politically active.” Jeff Drew is the son of John and Addine “Deenie” Drew. His father operated the Alexander Insurance Agency Inc., which he co-founded in Atlanta in 1932; he opened a branch in Birmingham in 1950. And Drew’s mother was known by many as the “Den Mother” of the civil rights movement. King’s request for help with the insurance was the beginning of a friendship that lasted until King’s assassination in April 1968. ‘Uncle Mike’ King was known as “Uncle Mike” in the Drew home on Center Street in Smithfield, where Jeff Drew still lives and where he sat for an exclusive interview with The Birmingham Times. “In this house, that’s what Mom and Dad called him: Mike,” said Drew, current president of the Alexander Insurance Agency. “He was ‘Uncle Mike,’ and he called me ‘Nephew.’” Drew remembers answering the phone one day at the house: “‘This is the White House calling. Is Dr. Martin Luther King there?’ “I went into the living room, and [King went] back into the kitchen [to take the call]. His side of the conversation was, ‘Hello, Mr. President. Glad to hear from you. Hello, Mr. Attorney General. Glad to hear from you, too, sir. How are things in Washington? … No, sir, I’m sorry. … No, sir, I’m sorry, Mr. President. … We’re not going to stop the demonstrations.’” Many civil rights meetings were held at the Drew house, and they were not always cordial. “The leadership would have arguments, and there would be dissenters,” Drew recalled. “But before the evening was over and they walked out that door, they spoke with one voice. That’s the power of temperament. [King] was an expert at managing opposing views. He knew black America was listening, but they didn’t want to hear conflicting views.” The unified voice that came out of those meetings “provided solid leadership that black America could gravitate toward.” Designed to withstand bombs The Drew home on Dynamite Hill was designed to take bombings. The front room, which is the great room, has ceiling-to-floor windows and an open space. Going toward the back of the house, a wall separates the great room from the kitchen and living room. Going farther back in the house, another wall separates the kitchen and living room from the bedrooms. “All the bedrooms were in the back, so when they would bomb the house — because they were cowards and did it only at night — we wouldn’t get hurt,” Drew said. “They would throw the dynamite and run off.” Civil rights icons Because of his parents, Drew was on a first-name basis with Shuttlesworth and King, as well as Andrew Young, former Atlanta mayor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; the Rev. John T. Porter, who served 38 years as pastor of Birmingham’s Sixth Avenue Baptist Church; and the entire leadership of the movement. Jeff Drew sits at the dining room table in his home where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders in the civil rights movement ate and planned the Birmingham Campaign. [Photo Credit: Frank Couch Photography] He also grew up around several of Birmingham’s civil rights luminaries, who lived in the Smithfield community. “We were closely
Bradley Byrne: Fighting for rural America
Approximately 46 million people call rural America home, according to information from the Department of Agriculture. These rural communities make up the backbone of our state and play a substantial role in the overall American economy. Unfortunately, rural communities are facing some serious challenges. For the first time on record, the rural population in our country is shrinking. Job growth since 2011 has been below that of urban areas, and the economic recovery has been much slower for rural areas. There are several reasons for the challenges facing our rural communities, but I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress and President Donald Trump to make life better for those in rural America. Just last week, President Trump became the first sitting U.S. president since 1992 to address the American Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau serves as a leading voice for our nation’s rural communities and farmers. Agriculture is the top industry in rural America, and it remains the number one industry in Alabama. In his speech, President Trump declared that “our farmers deserve a government that serves their interest and empowers them to do the hard work that they love to do so much.” This year, Congress will need to pass a new Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is critical because it sets the federal policies that govern our nation’s farmers. As a strong champion for agriculture, I have already started working with Alabama’s farmers to ensure the bill is good for them and our rural communities. Farming is unlike most other industries and dependent on so many external factors, like weather, that are outside the control of the farmers. It is important farmers have the certainty they need to provide the American people with a safe and reliable food source. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the major tax reform legislation that passed in December, includes several provisions that will help farmers in rural America. In addition to lowering individual tax rates, the bill allows farmers to deduct 100% of the cost of new equipment in the year you make the investment. Farming is a very capital-intensive industry, so this is a real victory for farmers. Another significant issue facing our rural communities is a lack of broadband access. According to the Federal Communications Commission, 39 percent of rural Americans lack sufficient broadband access. Without access to broadband and internet, individuals struggle to keep up in an economy that is increasingly dependent on technology. In an effort to expand broadband access, President Trump recently signed two Presidential Orders to help get faster and better internet coverage to rural America. The goal is to cut back on some of the government regulations and processes that make it harder to expand broadband access while also increasing the overall investment from the Department of Agriculture. One other key to boosting rural America is to focus more on career and technical education programs to ensure individuals have the skills that they need to excel in today’s economy. By putting more money toward these workforce training programs, I believe we can help revitalize rural America and increase access to high-paying jobs. I firmly believe the investment in these programs is well worth it in the long run because it helps keep people off government welfare programs, improves the overall economy, and makes the individual’s life better. These are just a handful of ways we can help restore rural America and revitalize our rural communities. Our nation is strongest when rural America is strong, and I am committed to that fight. ••• Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Personnel note: Bradley elevates 13 attorneys to partner
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings law firm has elevated 13 of the firm’s attorneys to partner, effective Jan. 1. The new partners are: James Blake Bailey, Lindsey C Boney IV, Christopher A. Bowles, Monica Wilson Dozier, David W. Holt, Erin Jane Illman, Sarah J. Jacobs, Scott Lenz Jr., Brian M. Rowlson, Frankie N. Spero, Michael A. Thomason Jr., Heather Howell Wright and James W. Wright Jr. “The firm congratulates Bradley’s accomplished attorneys who have earned promotion to partner,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Beau Grenier. “We are proud of these talented individuals’ hard work and commitment to our clients and our firm. We look forward to their future contributions and successes.” Five of the new partners work in Bradley’s Alabama offices in Birmingham and Huntsville. Details on each new Alabama-based partner, grouped by office, may be found below: Birmingham, Ala. James Blake Bailey is a member of Bradley’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Distressed Investing Practice Group. He represents debtors and creditors in bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, and bankruptcy-related litigation. He also regularly represents commercial lenders and mortgage servicers in federal court commercial litigation. He has transactional experience negotiating and documenting out-of-court workouts, as well as pursuing pre- and post-judgment creditor remedies, including receivership and receiver sales, non-judicial foreclosures, and garnishments. Bailey received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from the University of Florida. Lindsey C Boney IV is a member of Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group and Life Sciences Industry team. He regularly represents pharmaceutical and medical device companies in national mass tort litigation, often as a national team member for legal strategy and appellate issues. He also has represented numerous national and international companies in a variety of other matters. Boney received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University. He clerked for the Hon. William H. Pryor Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Michael A. Thomason Jr. is a member of Bradley’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group. He advises public and private clients, from start-ups to large corporations, in the areas of business formation, mergers and acquisitions, investment and financing transactions, securities compliance, and a variety of other transactions and corporate matters. He also has significant experience in the area of private equity and venture capital transactions, representing both private equity companies in their investments and acquisitions and emerging growth companies in their formation, capital raises and sale. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) from Auburn University. James W. Wright Jr. is a member of Bradley’s Financial Services, General Litigation and Environmental Litigation Practice Groups. He earned his Accredited Mortgage Professional designation through the Mortgage Bankers Association. He received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Huntsville, Ala. David W. Holt is a member of Bradley’s Litigation and Intellectual Property Practice Groups. He focuses on a variety of complex litigation matters in state and federal courts around the country. His cases span a broad range of issues, including patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, commercial disputes and product liability. He also advises clients in all aspects of intellectual property law. Holt earned his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law. He also holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) in chemical engineering, both from the University of Alabama.
University of Alabama Adapted Athletics opens Stran-Hardin Arena
The University of Alabama unveiled its vanguard for adapted sport. UA Adapted Athletics players and coaches, university administrators and supporters of the program celebrated the completion of Stran-Hardin Arena, a $10 million multipurpose facility for UA’s Adapted Athletics program. The two-story facility — named for Drs. Brent Hardin and Margaret Stran, founders of the program — includes an NCAA regulation game venue for wheelchair basketball, locker rooms, athletic training room, strength and conditioning room, team meeting rooms and study halls. Stran-Hardin Arena is along the south façade of the UA Rec Center, east of the main entrance. Stran-Hardin Arena will open to the public during a wheelchair basketball alumni tournament Saturday, Jan. 20. “The facility is a testament to the many people who have a commitment to students with disabilities,” said Hardin, director of UA Adapted Athletics. “It’s also a reflection of all our students who’ve been pioneers and have paved the way for other students with disabilities. “Stran-Hardin Arena will give University of Alabama supporters a great place to watch us compete, but it also changes expectations of who we are and what we can do, and pushes us further in that direction.” UA Adapted Athletics began in 2003 with women’s wheelchair basketball. The program has since grown to include 30 student-athletes in women’s basketball, men’s basketball, wheelchair tennis, para-rowing and adapted golf. UA is home to six national championships in men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017). Wheelchair tennis has won three national championships (2013, 2015 and 2017). Additionally, more than 100 students participate in the program’s noncompetitive sports options. Caitlin McDermott, a UA alumna who won a national championship with UA’s women’s wheelchair basketball team in 2015, said Stran-Hardin Arena addresses all of the needs of UA’s adapted athletes. “We now have our own space, where we can be comfortable and focus on our training,” McDermott said. “The biggest addition is the weight room and having our own adapted equipment so we don’t have to worry about figuring out what machines we can and can’t use and trying to adapt equipment geared toward able-bodied athletes.” In September, Mike and Kathy Mouron, UA alumni and Mountain Brook residents, launched the project’s fundraising campaign with two gifts totaling $4 million. The Mourons announced the arena would be named for Hardin and Stran, who’ve led the program since its inception and have coached multiple national championship teams at UA. Dr. Peter Hlebowitsh, dean of the UA College of Education, said Stran-Hardin Arena is a commitment to both the education and the livelihood of UA’s adapted athletes. “The arena, which has no peer in the nation, also speaks to the good efforts of the alumni and friends of the university, who saw this as a critical achievement for the university and who put disability concerns at the forefront of their support,” Hlebowitsh said. “It is an achievement born of a dream that two professors in the College of Education dared to pursue with unrelenting energy. The university community will find itself enriched for many years by the many good things that will be supported inside the Stan-Hardin Arena.” This story originally appeared on the University of Alabama’s website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
