Capitol Journal host Don Dailey retiring; Todd Stacy to take over with universal support and congratulations
Don Dailey, host and executive producer for Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal, announced he will be retiring at the end of the year. His final broadcast will be Friday, December 17. “For the last decade, it has been a high point of my career to bring Alabamians important news from the Statehouse and the Capitol,” Dailey stated. “It has also been an honor and a privilege to interview leaders from all aspects of state government. I am so very thankful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me by Alabama Public Television, and I look forward to the next chapter of my life.” Before joining APT in 2011, Dailey worked for 25 years in radio news in Birmingham and in the Wiregrass. While in high school, Dailey started his career in a small radio station in Demopolis and worked at stations in Monroeville, Troy, and Montgomery throughout his college years. “I’ve literally been on the air somewhere in Alabama for 40 years,” Dailey commented. Phil Hutcheson, interim executive director for APT, stated, “Don has been a tremendous asset to Alabama Public Television and to the people of our state. We’re grateful for his years of service, and we wish him all the best in whatever he decides to do next.” Todd Stacy will take over as host of Capitol Journal for the 2022 Legislative Session. Stacy, a Montgomery resident, has an extensive background in political communications and is currently the publisher of the Alabama Daily News. News of Stacy taking over as host has been spread on Twitter, with many prominent leaders wishing him well.
Paul DeMarco: Alabama lawmakers need to prioritize legislation to support law enforcement next legislative session
So far this year there have been over 66 members of law enforcement killed in the line of duty in our country, which is a 51 percent increase from last year. Alabama is not immune and has also tragically seen the murder of police officers this past year. And we almost lost an Alabama State Trooper during an attempt to arrest a man in Sumter County last week. The man, who was wanted on outstanding arrest warrants, attacked the Trooper, overpowered him, stole his gun, and attempted to murder him by shooting him with a firearm. Fortunately, the gun malfunctioned. The criminal fled the scene on foot with the Trooper’s firearm and the state of Alabama issued an Emergency BLUE Alert to all cellphone owners across the state to notify citizens and locate him. He was arrested in an effort by the United States Marshal Fugitive Task Force. The Trooper was injured in the struggle and treated at the hospital. The felon was later arrested and has been charged with attempted murder, escape, and theft of property. Our law enforcement face enough dangers keeping us safe and unfortunately the defund the police efforts by liberal Democrats have made it even worse emboldening criminals. Even in our state, we have organizations that want to weaken the criminal justice system. Alabama citizens need to demand that their lawmakers push back against groups that seek to undermine law enforcement and give officers and prosecutors the tools necessary to keep violent felons behind bars. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.
White House holiday decor honors COVID-19 frontline workers
Holiday decorations unveiled Monday for Joe and Jill Biden’s first White House Christmas honor frontline workers who persevered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses, doctors, teachers, grocery store workers, and others are recognized in this year’s gigantic Gingerbread White House, which was made into a 350-pound (158.76 kilograms) gingerbread village with the addition of a school and police, fire and gas stations as well as a hospital, a post office, a grocery store, and a warehouse to honor workers who stayed on the job. Fewer people are likely to see the decked-out mansion in person this year, with public tours still suspended because of the continuing threat from COVID-19. But videos, photos, and other details are available at WhiteHouse.gov/Holidays. “Gifts from the Heart” is the theme. In remarks thanking volunteers for decorating, the first lady explained the vision behind her theme, speaking of unity and her view that everyone comes together around faith, family and friendship, gratitude and service, and love for one’s community. “For all of our differences, we are united by what really matters,” she said. “Like points on a star, we come together at the heart. That is what I wanted to reflect in our White House this year. In each room, we tell a story of gifts from the heart.” The first lady, a longtime community college professor, invited Maryland second graders for Monday’s unveiling of the holiday decorations. They were inspired by people the president and first lady met while traveling around the country this year, according to the White House. Frontline workers are also represented in the iridescent doves and shooting stars that illuminate the East Colonnade hallway, “representing the peace and light brought to us by all the front-line workers and first responders during the pandemic,” the guidebook says. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the White House holiday season in other ways, though it remained unclear how parties and receptions may be tweaked to compensate for it. White House press secretary Jen Psaki has said parties will be held, though they will be “different” from years past. Some indication will come Wednesday when the president and first lady and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, light a menorah to celebrate Hanukkah. Emhoff, who is Jewish, helped light the National Menorah on the Ellipse on Sunday. Volunteers who decorated the White House came only from the surrounding area, instead of from all over the United States as in past years, because of COVID-19 concerns. The White House also wasn’t spared the supply shortages that many Americans are contending with. Some topiary trees took a little longer to arrive, said social secretary Carlos Elizondo. The other showstopper of holidays at the White House is the official Christmas tree, an 18-foot-tall (5.5-meter tall) Fraser fir that commands the Blue Room and is trimmed with white doves and ribbon bearing the names of all U.S. states and territories to celebrate peace and unity. More than 100 volunteers decorated the White House, including the Oval Office, while the Bidens spent Thanksgiving week in Nantucket, Massachusetts. They trimmed 41 Christmas trees and hung some 6,000 feet (2,000 yards) of ribbon and more than 10,000 ornaments. Twenty-five wreaths adorn the exterior of the White House, and nearly 79,000 lights illuminate the Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, and other holiday displays. Christmas stockings for each of the Biden grandchildren — Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy, Natalie, Hunter, and baby Beau — hang from the fireplace mantel in the State Dining Room, which celebrates family, while two trees in that stately room are decorated with framed Biden family photos and photos of other first families during the holiday season. Many of the photos are personal favorites of Jill Biden, who picked them out of old family albums on trips home to Delaware, said Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director. The decorations are the product of months of work by the first lady and her staff in the White House East Wing, starting as far back as June. A second grade class from Malcolm Elementary School in Waldorf, Maryland, was invited to the White House and bantered with PBS KIDS characters Martin and Chris Kratt from “Wild Kratts” and costumed characters Ms. Elaina, Daniel Tiger, Molly of Denali, Arthur, and Rosita from “Sesame Street.” The first lady then read her children’s book, “Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops.” “Let’s move on to happier things,” she said after stopping to ask the kids about their pets and one boy started talking about his dogs that had died. She invited a local National Guard family whose daughter was among the second graders to highlight the role the Guard has played in the U.S. response to COVID-19, and military families spending the holidays away from loved ones. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
World Health Organization warns new virus variant poses ‘very high’ risk
The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is “very high” based on the early evidence, saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with “severe consequences.” The assessment from the U.N. health agency, contained in a technical paper issued to member states, amounted to WHO’s strongest, most explicit warning yet about the new version that was first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa. It came as a widening circle of countries around the world reported cases of the variant and moved to slam their doors in an act-now-ask-questions-later approach while scientists race to figure out just how dangerous the mutant version might be. Japan announced it is barring entry to all foreign visitors, joining Israel in doing so. Morocco banned all incoming flights. Other countries, including the U.S. and members of the European Union, have moved to prohibit travelers arriving from southern Africa. WHO said there are “considerable uncertainties” about the omicron variant. But it said preliminary evidence raises the possibility that the variant has mutations that could help it both evade an immune-system response and boost its ability to spread from one person to another. “Depending on these characteristics, there could be future surges of COVID-19, which could have severe consequences, depending on a number of factors, including where surges may take place,” it added. “The overall global risk … is assessed as very high.” The WHO stressed that while scientists are hunting evidence to better understand this variant, countries should accelerate vaccinations as quickly as possible. While no deaths linked to omicron have been reported so far, little is known for certain about the variant, including whether it is more contagious, more likely to cause serious illness, or more able to evade vaccines. Last week, a WHO advisory panel said it might be more likely to re-infect people who have already had a bout with COVID-19. Scientists have long warned that the virus will keep finding new ways to exploit weaknesses in the world’s vaccination drive, and its discovery in Africa occurred in a continent where under 7% of the population is vaccinated. “The emergence of the omicron variant has fulfilled, in a precise way, the predictions of the scientists who warned that the elevated transmission of the virus in areas with limited access to vaccine would speed its evolution,” said Dr. Richard Hatchett, head of CEPI, one of the founders of the U.N.-backed global vaccine sharing initiative COVAX. Spain on Monday became one of the latest countries to report its first confirmed omicron case, detected in a traveler who returned Sunday from South Africa after making a stopover in Amsterdam. While the majority of omicron infections recorded around the world have been in travelers arriving from abroad, cases in Portugal and Scotland have raised fears that the variant may already be spreading locally. “Many of us might think we are done with COVID-19. It’s not done with us,” warned Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general. Days after the variant sent a shudder through the financial world nearly two years into the pandemic that has killed over 5 million people, and markets had a mixed reaction Monday. European stocks rebounded, and Wall Street steadied itself, while Asian markets fell further. U.S. President Joe Biden called the omicron variant a cause for concern but “not a cause for panic.” He said he is not considering any widespread U.S. lockdown and instead urged mask-wearing and vaccinations, even as a federal judge blocked his administration from enforcing a requirement that thousands of health care workers in 10 states get the shot. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reacted to the potential threat by urging everyone 18 and older to get booster shots because “strong immunity will likely prevent serious illness.” Earlier this month, the U.S. opened boosters to all adults but recommended them only for those 50 and older or people in long-term care. The omicron infections have underscored the difficulty in keeping the virus in check in a globalized world of jet travel and open borders. Yet many countries are trying to do just that, against the urging of the WHO, which noted that border closings often have limited effect and can wreak havoc on lives and livelihoods. Some have argued that such restrictions can buy valuable time to analyze the new variant. While the initial global response to COVID-19 was criticized as slow and haphazard, the reaction to the omicron variant came quickly. “This time, the world showed it is learning,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, singling out South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for praise. “South Africa’s analytic work and transparency and sharing its results was indispensable in allowing a swift global response.” Late last week, von der Leyen successfully pushed the 27-nation EU to agree to ban flights from seven southern African nations, similar to what many other countries are doing. Cases have been reported in such places as Canada, Germany, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Portugal, where authorities identified 13 omicron infections among members of the Belenenses professional soccer team. Taking no chances, Japan, which has yet to detect any omicron cases, reimposed border controls that it had eased earlier this month. “We are taking the step as an emergency precaution to prevent a worst-case scenario in Japan,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. Israel likewise decided to bar entry to foreigners, and Morocco said it would suspend all incoming flights for two weeks. Britain reacted by expanding its COVID-19 booster program to everyone 18 and older, making millions more people eligible. Up until now, booster shots were available only to those 40 and over and people particularly vulnerable to the virus. The U.K. has reported about a dozen omicron cases. Despite the global worry, doctors in South Africa are reporting patients are suffering mostly mild symptoms so far. But they warn that it is early. Also, most of the new cases are in people in their 20s and 30s,
Alabama starting new push to promote electric vehicles
The state announced a campaign Monday to promote electric vehicles that includes adding more charging stations that are available to motorists across Alabama. Coordinated by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, the Drive Electric Alabama Project is intended to both raise awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles and expand the state’s infrastructure for them, officials said. “It’s clear electric vehicles represent the next generation of automobile manufacturing,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said in a statement. “That’s precisely why this is the perfect time for Alabamians to learn about electric vehicles, as many auto manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz right here in our state, are beginning to add electric vehicles to their fleets.” Gov. Kay Ivey attended an unveiling of the campaign in Birmingham but indicated she plans to continue using her conventional vehicle, at least for now, al.com reported. “My Mercedes is still in good shape,” she said in response to a reporter’s question, al.com reported. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Amazon workers in Alabama get a do-over in union election
The National Labor Relations Board has ordered a new union election for Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, based on objections to the first vote that took place in April. The move, announced Monday, is a major blow to Amazon, which had spent about a year aggressively campaigning for warehouse workers in Bessemer to reject the union, which they ultimately did by a wide margin. The board has not yet determined the date for the second election. The rare call for a do-over was first announced Monday by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which spearheaded the union organizing movement. In a 20-page decision, the regional director for the NLRB focused much attention on Amazon’s installation of a U.S. Postal Service mailbox at the main employee entrance, which may have created the false impression that the company was the one conducting the election process. The regional director also refuted Amazon’s position that it was making voting easier and was trying to encourage as high a turnout as possible. “The employer’s flagrant disregard for the board’s typical mail-ballot procedure compromised the authority of the board and made a free and fair election impossible,” according to the decision. “By installing a postal mailbox at the main employee entrance, the employer essentially highjacked the process and gave a strong impression that it controlled the process. This dangerous and improper message to employees destroys trust in the board’s processes and in the credibility of the election results. “ The RWDSU charged Amazon with illegal misconduct during the first vote. In August, the hearing officer at NLRB who presided over the case determined that Amazon violated labor law and recommended that the regional director set aside the results and direct another election. About 53% of the nearly 6,000 workers cast ballots during the first election. Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, called the decision “disappointing.” “Our employees have always had the choice of whether or not to join a union, and they overwhelmingly chose not to join the RWDSU earlier this year,” she said. “It’s disappointing that the NLRB has now decided that those votes shouldn’t count.” Stuart Appelbaum, president of the RWDSU, saw the NLRB decision as a victory. “Today’s decision confirms what we were saying all along – that Amazon’s intimidation and interference prevented workers from having a fair say in whether they wanted a union in their workplace – and as the Regional Director has indicated, that is both unacceptable and illegal, “ he said in a statement. “Amazon workers deserve to have a voice at work, which can only come from a union.” But even with a second election, labor experts say a union victory is a long shot. Amazon will likely appeal and try to delay another vote. And even when an election is held, workers may choose to vote against joining a union again. Last time around, 1,798 workers rejected the union, and 738 voted in favor of it. A repeat of the election means another battle for Amazon with the RWDSU. The first election garnered nationwide attention and put a spotlight on how Amazon treats its workers. It was the biggest union push in Amazon’s history and only the second time that an organizing effort from within the company had come to a vote. Pro-union employees at the Bessemer facility said they spent 10-hour shifts on their feet in the warehouse, where online orders are packed and shipped and didn’t have enough time to take breaks. A union could force Amazon to offer more break time or higher pay, those workers said. Amazon, meanwhile, argued that it already offered more than twice the minimum wage in Alabama plus benefits without workers having to pay union dues. Amazon has been fighting two different attempts by workers to unionize in the past year. Former Amazon employee Christian Smalls is organizing an effort at a distribution center in Staten Island, New York, without the help of a national sponsor. The labor board was expected to hold a hearing to determine whether there was sufficient interest to form a union there, but less than two weeks earlier, the group led by Smalls withdrew its petition. The workers, however, can refile. Other organizing efforts are afoot beyond Amazon, including by workers at three separate Starbucks stores in and around Buffalo, New York. Meanwhile, thousands of unionized workers at Kellogg Co. remain on strike amid widespread worker unrest across the country.
