Women of Influence: U.S. Space and Rocket Center CEO Dr. Deborah Barnhart
Huntsville, Ala. native Dr. Deborah Barnhart has been working on and off with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville for over 40 years. Her career has taken many different twists and turns, but she finally “landed” at her home base in January of 2011. Barnhart graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1973; while she was finishing her senior year she worked in the public affairs and marketing offices at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. A few years after graduation she came back on staff at the space center managing publicity for the museum’s newest addition — the Space Shuttle. At the age of 27, Barnhart decided to switch gears and joined the U.S. Navy, hoping to work with satellites. However, the Navy had other plans for her. She attended Officers Candidate Schoo (OCS)l, and after graduating at the top of a class of 500 people, was given the opportunity to become one of the first ten women ever to serve on a Navy sea vessel. And she took it. “I was the seventh woman to be certified to fight on and drive Navy vessels,” she told Kari Hawkins in an interview. “I drove ships on the west coast and the east coast. I loved the Navy, and the ability to see the world as a finite place. I’ve heard it said that everyone joins the military to get away from something, to ‘get out of Dodge.’ And maybe I did want to get out of Dodge, but I also joined the military to go toward something, to pursue an interest and an opportunity.” Barnhart commanded five units, experienced submarines, Navy air and space aspects, and missile defense systems throughout her 26 year military career. When she went into the Navy Reserves, she found her way back to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for the third time in her career, this time serving as the director of Space Camp and the Space Academy. During this time she had two children and obtained a M.B.A. from the University of Maryland College Park. In 1990 Barnhart left the Space Center for the third time to pursue work in the private sector. That same year she received a doctorate degree in education from Vanderbilt University. After leaving the space center, she became vice president of Hamilton Sundstrand Space, Sea Systems International, and Honeywell Space and Defense, and reached a lifelong goal: working with satellites. She also acquired another M.B.A., this one from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she was a Sloan Fellow in 1998. She had retired from her long accomplished career when the Space Center contacted her in 2010, convincing her to return to the center for the fourth time, but this time to the helm of the “ship,” as Executive Director and CEO, a position she has held since January of 2011. The first year she served as CEO, Barnhart reduced the Space Center’s debt by $1 million, and brought attendance up by 13 percent after 10 years of decline. In 2017, the center had it’s all-time record attendance, with an 11 percent increase in revenue. “In everything that we do, we want to inspire that next generation of explorers,” Barnhart told Hawkins in an interview. Barnhart has received a lot of honors during her lengthy career. She is a recipient of NASA’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest form of recognition awarded by NASA to a non‐government individual. A member of the Board of Managers of the Air Force Museum Foundation and a Trustee on the Board of the University of Alabama in Huntsville Foundation. She also served as Governor Robert Bentley’s appointee to the Alabama Space Authority Task Force. In October of 2017 Barnhart was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor alongside Governor Kay Ivey, and two other women, making her part of the first class of all female inductees. For over 20 years of service to our Nation through the Navy, her service to the state of Alabama through the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and for setting the level of excellence the nation has come to expect from Alabama Women, Dr. Deborah Barnhart is absolutely and Alabama woman of Influence.
Birmingham’s Maynard Cooper expands, new office in Washington, D.C.
Birmingham’s Maynard Cooper & Gale, a national, full-service law firm, is expanding its presence in the nation’s capital. Located in Market Square at 801 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, the new office will be home to a seasoned team of government relations professionals, as well as Maynard Cooper attorneys who frequently work in D.C. on behalf of the Firm’s clients. Daniel Wilson, Managing Shareholder of the Firm’s Huntsville, Ala. office will also serve as Managing Shareholder of the D.C. office. “Opening a Washington, D.C. office of Maynard Cooper is a continuation of our strategic plan for expansion into national markets that directly align with the objectives of our clients and which allow us the opportunity to expand various national practice areas into thriving markets,” explained Maynard Cooper Chairman Greg Curran. “The D.C. market is not new to us. We have had attorneys and government relations professionals supporting our clients’ business interests in D.C. for years, but with our growth over the past three years, including the opening of offices in San Francisco and New York, and the exposure those offices have created for us in international markets in Europe and Asia, Washington, D.C. has become an even more critical market for our Firm and our clients.” Maynard Cooper says the opportunity to expand their presence in D.C. was bolstered by the recent additions of Bill Stiers and Drew Tharp to the Firm’s Governmental and Regulatory Affairs Practice. Stiers, an accomplished lobbyist with over 30 years of experience in D.C. and international matters, joined Maynard Cooper from a southeast regional firm in the 4th quarter of 2017. Tharp joined the Firm in March and will focus on federal and international government relations. He spent the last seven years on the Hill as a Legislative Assistant, most recently serving as Military Legislative Assistant for a U.S. Representative. Tharp’s experience with the Department of Defense and Huntsville, Alabama defense community will enhance Maynard Cooper’s Government Solutions Practice. Stiers and Tharp join Maynard Cooper’s long-time Federal Government Relations team members and government relations veterans Linda Maynor, Steve Still and Ted Hosp.
AG Steve Marshall to host ‘Faith Forums’ in hopes of tackling crime, addiction
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall will host four “Faith Forums” across the state in April and May in hopes of engaging religious leaders of all faiths and traditions to help confront the challenges posed by increasing violent crime, security risks at places of worship, and the opioid crisis. “Whether Alabamians realize it or not, we are in a state of emergency on two fronts — violent crime and addiction,” said Marshall. “We have the unfortunate distinctions of ranking first in the nation for the number of painkiller prescriptions per capita, while also ranking in the top 10 of states with high violent crime rates. I firmly believe that the faith community can be part of the solution on both fronts and follow in the footsteps of my predecessor, Bill Pryor, in asking for their help.” The Faith Forums are a byproduct of the Marshall’s service on the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council, which emphasized the need for increased community engagement, and his Initiative on Violent Crime, designed to help communities reclaim their streets and neighborhoods. Marshall continued, “Increased outreach and engagement can be the difference maker in the life of an addict or a would-be criminal — I have witnessed that firsthand — but to be successful, we must be willing to reach outside of our own circles and fellowships. These forums will give church leaders tools and guidance on effective engagement, but also an opportunity to shares their own experiences and ideas.” Keynoting the Faith Forums will be Shannon Royce, Director of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Robert T. Thetford, Treasurer and Operations Manager, Institute for Criminal Justice Education; and Attorney General Steve Marshall. Faith Forum Schedule Montgomery: April 26, 2018 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Church of the Highlands 4255 Taylor Road Montgomery, Ala. 36116 Mobile: May 1, 2018 1 – 4:30 p.m. Mount Hebron Church Ministries 2531 Berkley Avenue Mobile, Ala. 36617 Birmingham: May 3, 2018 1 – 4:30 p.m. Briarwood Presbyterian Church 2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham, Ala. 35243 Huntsville: May 15, 2018 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Rock Family Worship Center 3401 Holmes Avenue NW Huntsville, Ala. 35816 Any interested members of the faith community are urged to attend one of the Attorney General’s Faith Forums. To attend a Faith Forum, please RSVP with the Attorney General’s Office by: Registering online at https://agstevemarshall.eventbrite.com; E-mailing rsvp@ago.state.al.us (please include your full name and the Faith Forum you wish to attend); Or calling (334) 242-7401 Watch Marshall discuss the forums below:
Bradley Byrne: A tax code that works
Each April, Americans across the country face great frustration and inconvenience in filing their taxes. Fortunately, this Tax Day marked the last time Americans would file their taxes under the old tax code. Thanks to passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Americans will now have a simpler and fairer tax code. I was proud to work with President Trump to reform our tax code and make the process easier for taxpayers. Starting next year, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will bring Americans relief when filing their taxes under a more streamlined, straightforward tax code. However, making the overall filing process simpler and more convenient was just one of the many ways we worked to create a tax code that benefits and works for the American people. One of the most important reforms under the new tax code is the doubling of the standard deduction. This provision increases the standard deduction to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for married couples. Combined with new lower tax rates, almost every Alabamian should see a tax decrease. Also important, the new tax code prioritizes American families by doubling the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child. It is no secret that raising a family is not cheap; so, this increase provides additional support for families struggling to pay for childcare and other necessary expenses associated with parenting. To provide even more support for families, the bill preserves the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, as well as the Adoption Tax Credit. Even more, the bill makes improvements to saving options for education by allowing parents to use 529 accounts to save for elementary, secondary, and higher education. Most people will not have to wait until the next tax season to see the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Already, many hardworking Alabamians are seeing more money in their paychecks each month. That means your hard-earned money is ending up back in your pockets, rather than the coffers of the federal government. Tax reform has also helped spur overall economic growth. Our bill helps to level the playing field for American businesses, creating new job opportunities and finally causing wages to rise after years of stagnation. Many businesses have also handed out bonuses and improved benefits to their workforce. Since passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, I have had the pleasure of personally handing out bonus checks at multiple businesses in Southwest Alabama. Trust me, these workers were thrilled with the extra money. We aren’t stopping now either. The House passed a package of bills last week to help cut down on identity theft and to hold criminals accountable for IRS scams. It is important that these crooks be punished for trying to defraud hardworking Americans, including our nation’s senior citizens. Equally important, the House also passed bills to make the IRS more efficient, effective, and accountable. The IRS should be a customer-friendly organization that responds to the questions and concerns of the American people. In the past four months, we have seen tremendous growth right here in Southwest Alabama because of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. From our small business owners handing out bonus checks to our single-income families taking home extra money in their paychecks, evidence shows that allowing Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money is a huge boom for our economy. As we bid farewell to an old, outdated tax code, Americans can rest easy knowing they have a simpler, fairer tax code to work with in the future. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Wetumpka TEA Party hosts GOP candidate meet and greet
The Wetumpka TEA Party will host the River Region Candidate Fair on Monday evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for candidates running in the 2018 Republican primary election. Over 40 candidates have confirmed their attendance for the event, which will be held at the Wetumpka Civic Center. Advertised as a “meet & greet,” the event will allow Alabamians to meet each candidate individually and ask them questions about the position they are seeking, rather than listen to speeches and debates. The Wetumpka TEA party will also be conducting a straw poll at the end of the night, with results posted Tuesday morning. “Our mission at the Wetumpka TEA Party is to educate citizens on national, state and local issues and help them get involved in our representative government,” said Wetumpka Tea Party founder Becky Gerritson. “It is important that people vote for their elected officials because they know what the candidates stand for and do not just rely on 30 second commercials and attractive yard signs. This is a terrific opportunity to meet the candidates who are running for an elected position, to ask them questions and understand what each candidate stands for.” The following candidates have confirmed their attendance on Monday night: CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES Governor: Bill Hightower, Kay Ivey, Scott Dawson, Tommy Battle (will send a representative) Lieutenant Governor: Will Ainsworth, Twinkle Cavanaugh, Rusty Glover Attorney General: Chess Bedsole, Troy King, Alice Martin Auditor: Stan Cooke, Elliott Lipinsky, Jim Zeigler Secretary of State: Michael Johnson, John Merrill Treasurer: Stephen Evans, John McMillan Commissioner for Agriculture and Industries: Gerald Dial, Rick Pate (will send a representative) STATE LEGISLATURE Alabama House of Representatives 31: Dustin DeVaughn, Mike Holmes Alabama House of Representatives 88: Al Booth Alabama Senate 25: Will Barfoot, Ronda Walker Alabama Senate 30: Clyde Chambliss (Unopposed) ALABAMA COURT SYSTEM Supreme Court Chief Justice: Tom Parker AL Supreme Court Place 1: Sarah Stewart AL Court of Civil Appeals Place 1: Michelle Thomason, Pat Thetford Circuit Court 19 Judge: Bill Lewis (Unopposed) PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Public Service Commission Place 1: Jeremy Oden, Jim Bonner Public Service Commission Place 2: Chip Beeker, Robin Litaker LOCAL AND CIRCUIT RACES: Elmore County Sheriff: Bill Franklin (Unopposed) Probate Judge (Elmore): Vicki Bonner-Ward, John Thornton Elmore County Commission Dist 4: Bart Mercer (Unopposed) Coroner (Elmore): Brad Linville, Jody Jeffcoat Circuit Clerk (Elmore): Michael Dozier, Angie Cruise-Gardner FEDERAL RACE U.S. Congress Dist 2: Rich Hobson, Bobby Bright, Barry Moore A flier for the event may be viewed here: River region candidate fair.
Fundraising and ethics upfront in lieutenant governor’s primary
Three million dollars have poured into the Alabama lieutenant governor’s race as four candidates vie for a statewide position with limited responsibilities other than succeeding the governor. In the Republican primary, Alabama Public Service Commission president Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh is running against two state legislators: Rep. Will Ainsworth from Guntersville and Sen. Rusty Glover from Mobile. The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, but only casts a vote in the event of a tie. He or she serves on two dozen committees and appoints more than 400 state positions. The primary responsibility is succeeding the governor if he or she dies, resigns or is impeached. A failed Senate bill this year attempted to strip the lieutenant governor’s powers and criticized the role as simply a political stepping stone to the governor’s office. The lieutenant governor position has been vacant since April 2017 when Kay Ivey succeeded Robert Bentley as governor. Bentley quit while embroiled in a sex scandal. If Ivey wins election in November, she will be Alabama’s oldest governor at 74. Analyst and former University of Alabama politics professor William Stewart said Ivey would be unlikely to run for a second term. “The lieutenant governor race is more significant this year,” Stewart said. “More money has gravitated toward the race because it seems to be a foregone conclusion that whoever is elected as lieutenant governor this year, that person will almost automatically become the favorite for the governorship four years from now.” Stewart said Cavanaugh has name recognition advantage as an already elected statewide official. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Will Boyd, a minister who lost the U.S. Senate special election primary against Doug Jones last year. The four candidates are vying for funds ahead of the June 5 primary. As of April 19, Ainsworth and Cavanaugh have both raised just shy of $900,000. Cavanaugh started the campaign with more than $500,000 and Ainsworth loaned himself the same amount to match her. The most recent filings show that Cavanaugh outstripped her opponents by raising more than $70,000 in March, although Ainsworth still boasts more than $1 million currently in hand. Glover trails significantly, having raised just around $125,000. Boyd has raised less than $4,400. Beyond fundraising, ethics is a top issue in the race as the Legislature looks to review the state’s ethics law next year and lawmakers currently face corruption charges. GOP contenders are trumpeting their integrity and staunch conservatism. Cavanaugh, a seasoned politician, touts her six-year record as the Alabama Public Service Commission president. She said she has regulated ethics and cut costs, never taking a state car. She hands out her personal cellphone number because she believes elected officials should be approachable. Cavanaugh was on the ticket for governor last year but told The Associated Press that after meeting with Ivey, she decided she would run for “second-string quarterback” instead. “We need a very strong, ethical, honest and Christian public servant if necessary. We always pray that our governor is in good health and doing a good job, but we have to be prepared,” she said. In a private interview, Cavanaugh steered controversial subjects such as racial profiling toward her Christian faith and belief that Alabama has a “bright future” — a reference to her campaign slogan playing off her unique first name. Ainsworth, the owner of a sportsman’s lodge and founder of a prominent hunting and fishing expo, said his comparative lack of experience is a good sign that he’s not a corrupt career politician. “I don’t believe we’re going to solve problems that have plagued us for decades by hiring the same people. I think we’re a fresh face,” Ainsworth said. In his one term in the House of Representatives, Ainsworth sponsored bills to impose term limits and let voters recall elected officials who don’t keep campaign promises. This year, Ainsworth introduced a bill to arm trained teachers after a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. He ran his first campaign ad using the catchphrase “teachers can’t arm themselves with a number 2 pencil.” Three-term state Sen. Glover is the only candidate with experience in the legislative body that the lieutenant governor leads. Glover is most well-known for introducing a resolution to stop changing clocks under daylight saving time. He said that as lieutenant governor he would promote education, and economic and workforce development. “I want to preside over the Senate in a fair way and be an honest person,” Glover said. “I want to be someone people can trust.” Boyd, the uncontested Democratic candidate, said he is fighting for education, health care and social equality. The primary is June 5. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama to observe Confederate Memorial Day
State government offices are closing Monday in Alabama for Confederate Memorial Day. Alabama has an official state holiday commemorating Confederate soldiers killed in the Civil War. It is observed on the fourth Monday in April. A group holds an annual commemoration on the grounds of the Alabama Capitol. Participants typically dress in Confederate costumes and pay tribute to ancestors who died fighting for the South. An organization called Faith in Action is also planning a Monday event to urge the state to rethink the appropriateness of the holiday. Georgia used to mark the holiday, but removed the Confederate reference in 2015. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Travel ban case is justices’ first dive into Trump policy
The Supreme Court has so far had little to say about Donald Trump’s time as president, even as the nation has moved from one Trump controversy to another. That’s about to change. The justices’ first deep dive into a Trump administration policy comes in a dispute over the third and latest version of the administration’s ban on travel from some countries with majority Muslim populations. Opponents of the policy and some lower courts have labeled it a “Muslim ban,” harking back to Trump’s campaign call to keep Muslims from entering the country. The high-stakes arguments at the high court on Wednesday could offer some indication about how a court that runs on respect for traditions and precedent will deal with a president who regularly breaks with convention. Apart from the campaign statements, Trump’s presidential tweets about the travel ban and last fall’s retweets of inflammatory videos that stoked anti-Islam sentiment all could feature in the court’s discussion of the travel ban’s legality. “The court could get to the right outcome without getting into the question of his tweets. But I think the president set it up so that it’s virtually impossible to ignore him when he’s shouting from the rooftops about what his purpose was in the three versions of the ban,” said Cecillia Wang, the American Civil Liberties Union’s deputy legal director. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, who will argue the administration’s case, said in a court filing that the ban is well within the president’s authority and is not based on prejudice against Islam. In a sign of heightened public interest, the court is taking the rare step of making an audio recording of the proceedings available just hours after the arguments end. One key issue will be how the court evaluates administration actions. Neil Eggleston, President Barack Obama’s last White House counsel, suggested in an online forum last week that Trump does not merit the same measure of latitude that courts usually give presidents, especially in the areas of national security and immigration. “The court will have to wrestle with how much to defer to a President who has created this record of chaos and animus,” Eggleston and co-author Amanda Elbogen wrote on justsecurity.org. Josh Blackman, a professor at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, cautioned that the court would be breaking new ground if it were to treat Trump differently from other presidents. The policy under review at the court applies to travelers from five countries with overwhelmingly Muslim populations — Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. It also affects two non-Muslim countries: blocking travelers from North Korea and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. A sixth majority Muslim country, Chad, was removed from the list this month after improving “its identity-management and information sharing practices,” Trump said in a proclamation. Francisco said the Chad decision shows that the restrictions are premised only on national security concerns. He also said that the State Department has cleared more than 430 visa applicants from the affected countries for waivers that would allow them to enter the U.S. But the challengers argue that the administration cannot ask the court to ignore all that has happened. Trump’s first travel ban was issued just a week after he took office in January 2017, and was aimed at seven countries. It triggered chaos and protests across the U.S. as travelers were stopped from boarding international flights and detained at airports for hours. Trump tweaked the order after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to reinstate the ban. The next version, announced in March 2017, dropped Iraq from the list of covered countries and made it clear the 90-day ban covering Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen didn’t apply to those travelers who already had visas. It also eliminated language that would give priority to religious minorities. Critics said the changes didn’t erase the ban’s legal problems. The 9th Circuit and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, agreed with the ban’s opponents. The 4th Circuit said the ban “drips with religious intolerance, animus and discrimination.” The 9th Circuit ruled that Trump violated immigration law. The third version is indefinite, unlike the other two, and the administration said it is the product of a thorough review of how other countries screen their own citizens and share information with the U.S. It fared no better than its predecessors in the lower courts, but the Supreme Court said in an unsigned order in December that it could take full effect while the legal dispute continues. The justices said nothing about the substance of the policy, either in December or in earlier actions involving the ban. Now, though, they are confronted with the administration’s view that Trump has broad discretion to impose limits on immigration and that the courts don’t even have a role to play. The Justice Department has said throughout the course of the legal fight that the lawsuits challenging the policy should be dismissed without ever reaching the challengers’ claims. The administration says that foreigners have no right to enter the United States and no right to challenge their exclusion in American courts. Supporting briefs for the ban’s challengers dwarf filings on the administration’s side. Retired high-ranking military officers, former Republican officeholders, Catholic bishops, Amazon, Facebook and 113 other companies, the children of Japanese-Americans who were held in internment camps during World War II and more than a dozen mainly Democratic-led states are among those calling on the court to strike down the Trump policy. The administration’s supporters include roughly the same number of Republican-led states, as well as conservative groups and Jay Sekulow, one of Trump’s personal lawyers. A decision in Trump v. Hawaii, 17-965, is expected by late June. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Mo Brooks urges Doug Jones to confirm Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State
Alabama’s 5th District U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks said on Monday newly elected Alabama Sen. Doug Jones has the opportunity to keep his campaign promise to be bipartisan s in confirming President Donald Trump’s pick to replace outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson by confirming Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo for the position. Brooks sent a letter to the Senate office of Jones urging him to vote in Pompeo’s favor. “I urge Senator Jones to vote to confirm Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State,” said Brooks. “I personally know Mike Pompeo. He has an impeccable reputation, graduated first in his class at West Point, served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, graduated Harvard Law School (where he made Law Review), and has served capably and honorably as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.” Brooks continued, “With the upcoming vote on Mike Pompeo, Senator Jones has the opportunity to keep his campaign promise to be bipartisan and put the interest of America above the partisan obstructionism that has plagued the Senate for years.” Pompeo’s fate is still not entirely certain with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee set to consider his nomination Monday afternoon. Should the committee give him the green light the full Senate, including Jones, will have the opportunity to vote to confirm him. Brooks believes Pompeo has had no major disqualifying flaw and thus should be quickly confirmed. “Each president of the United States has the right to select his cabinet and, absent some major nominee flaw, it is incumbent upon the Senate to confirm those nominees so that the president can put together the team he needs to properly carry out his duties. Mike Pompeo has no major, disqualifying flaw,” Brooks explained. “As such, I ask and hope Senator Jones will put aside partisanship and defer to the wishes and judgment of President Trump and vote to confirm Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State.” Read Brooks’ full letter below:
Mike Pompeo facing rare opposition from Senate panel
President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, is facing serious opposition before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which may not have enough votes to recommend him for confirmation because all Democrats, and at least one Republican, have said they will oppose him. The full Senate is still expected to consider Pompeo’s nomination later this week. But the rare rebuke expected from the panel Monday, even after Pompeo’s recent visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, would be the first time in years that a nominee for the high-level Cabinet position did not receive a favorable committee vote. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the committee, blamed partisan politics for opposition to Pompeo, now the CIA director, saying Pompeo is just as qualified as past secretaries of state nominees Hillary Clinton or John Kerry, both of whom received overwhelming support. “We are in an era where somebody like this, who is qualified, unfortunately, is likely to be voted out without recommendation or with a negative recommendation,” Corker said Sunday on “State of the Union” on CNN. “It’s just sad that our nation has devolved politically to this point.” Pompeo’s confirmation before the full Senate now hangs in balance, with the votes of just a handful of senators determining whether he becomes the nation’s top diplomat after Trump fired Rex Tillerson last month. Key Democrats, including some who had voted for Pompeo as CIA director last year, are peeling away, and Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky remains opposed, despite personal overtures from the president. Pressure is mounting on senators from both sides. White House allies are unloading ad campaigns against Democrats from Trump-won states, including North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, to vote for the president’s nominee. But progressive groups are pounding senators’ offices in opposition to Pompeo’s hawkish foreign policy views and negative comments about gay marriage and Muslims. As soon as Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., announced her support last week, one group called on her to switch. “I don’t agree with every position he’s taken or every word he has spoken,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Sunday on “Meet the Press” on NBC. “But I believe he has an extensive knowledge of world affairs that has been enhanced by his time at the CIA.” Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., who met with the nominee last week, “has concerns about Mr. Pompeo’s nomination to serve as secretary of state,” said spokesperson Ricki Eshman. The senator “is reviewing his record before making a final decision.” In the committee, the opposition has been building ahead of Monday’s session. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who was among the last Democrats on the panel to announce his no vote, said he’s is concerned that Pompeo “will embolden, rather than moderate or restrain” Trump’s “most belligerent and dangerous instincts.” “I do not make this decision lightly or without reservations,” Coons said in a statement Friday. “However, I remain concerned that Director Pompeo will not challenge the President in critical moments. On vital decisions facing our country, Director Pompeo seems less concerned with rule of law and partnership with our allies and more inclined to emphasize unilateral action and the use of force.” Rather than allow an unfavorable vote on the panel, where Republicans have a one-seat majority, senators could choose not to issue a recommendation if Pompeo cannot find enough backing. The committee action won’t necessarily stall Pompeo’s confirmation before the full Senate, but it would be an unusual setback not seen since the panel took a pass on John Bolton, President George W. Bush’s pick for ambassador to the United Nations. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who has been among Pompeo’s most vocal champions in the Senate, lambasted his colleagues ahead of voting. “Democrats, especially on the Foreign Relations Committee, are really engaged in shameful political behavior,” Cotton said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” But several Democratic senators who supported Pompeo for CIA director say Pompeo’s views are not reflective of those they want in the top diplomat. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama Book Festival attendees first to see state’s bicentennial children’s book
Attendees of the Alabama Book Festival at Montgomery’s historic Old Alabama Town on Saturday received a special treat: they were the first to see the brand new book, Alabama My Home Sweet Home, by Charles Ghigna. Ghigna, also known as Father Goose, is an award winning author who lives in Homewood, Ala. He wrote Alabama My Home Sweet Home as a bicentennial book for young readers; the book features a bear cub named Camellia who accompanies readers through the book as they come across famous Alabamians like Helen Keller, Rosa Parks and Jesse Owens during their own time and place in history. “We are thrilled to have a bicentennial book especially for young readers,” said Alabama Bicentennial Commission Executive Director, Jay Lamar. “What better time than the celebration of the state’s 200th birthday to introduce them to important Alabama people and places.” Another Alabama native, Michelle Hyde provided illustrations for the book. A graduate of the Ringling College of Art & Design, her work has appeared in The Birmingham News and several other publications. Hyde and her family reside in Birmingham. “It is even more special that Alabama My Home Sweet Home was written and illustrated by two people who call Alabama home,” said Lamar. “Father Goose is, of course, a beloved Alabama children’s writer. Michelle Hyde’s cheerful illustrations clearly show how well she knows the state. They make a great team.” Ghigna is the author of 5,000 poems and more than 100 books from publishers such as: Random House, Time Inc., Disney, Scholastic, and Highlights magazine. He is a former poet-in-residence and chair of creative writing at the Alabama School of Fine Art, who currently serves as an instructor for creative writing at Samford University.
University of Montevallo breaks ground on $25 million Center for the Arts
The University of Montevallo has set the stage for a new $25 million Center for the Arts. The Alabama university broke ground April 19 on what will be a 36,000-square-foot arts center that will include a 350-seat theater. The facility will create a better learning environment for students pursuing disciplines in the arts. Completion is expected in August 2019. “This facility is to create a new kind of environment that draws together students and faculty from all of the departments,” said Dr. Steven Peters, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “Our students and professors will have the opportunity for more conversations across disciplines in the arts and encourage more high quality, specific and interdisciplinary activity. This will be a creative engine for discovery and innovation.” The Center for the Arts features will include: Performance venues and hospitality space, University art gallery, Theatre Department offices and multipurpose classrooms and studios, Multi-use digital fabrication lab, Scene design and wardrobe shops along with versatile storage spaces. “This new Center for the Arts will be a state of the art facility able to accommodate growth including up to 150 students in the fine arts programs over the next five years,” said Dr. John W. Stewart III, president of the University of Montevallo. “The cross function of disciplines under one roof will provide students with more marketable skills for their future occupations.” Davis Architects designed the new center and TCU Consulting Services is overseeing the construction.
