Alabama Power Foundation supports educators this new school year with classroom grants
As school gets underway across the state, the Alabama Power Foundation is offering teachers a second round of Classroom Grants this year, supporting their efforts to strengthen the learning experience for students. The Classroom Grant program provides up to $1,000 to teachers to help cover the cost of materials, technology or supplies. Nonprofits that support teachers are also eligible to apply. Grants can be used to help teachers with pandemic-related challenges, such as improving virtual learning, paying for cleaning and sanitation supplies for the classroom, or to support the mental health needs of students and educators. “Teaching is a challenge any day, but the past few years have been especially tough,” said Margaret White, manager of Community Initiatives for the Alabama Power Foundation. “Teacher grants are one way we are trying to help make that job just a little easier while providing a direct benefit to students, as well.” The Classroom Grant program supports schools in Alabama where the financial needs are greatest. Elementary, middle and high schools with 50% or more of their students receiving free or reduced-price lunches are eligible for support. Grants can be directed to bolster classroom learning, to support school libraries, to enhance classroom Wi-Fi access, and multiple other uses. Click here for more details about the grant criteria and requirements. Applications will be accepted starting Aug. 26. The deadline to apply is Sept. 16. For more information about the Classroom Grant program or to apply, click here. The Alabama Power Foundation is committed to empowering communities, bridging gaps of inequity, and improving the quality of life for all Alabamians. Funded by shareholder dollars, the foundation provides philanthropic support to Alabama communities, nonprofits, and educational institutions. To learn more about the foundation and its charitable initiatives, please visit powerofgood.com. Republished with the permission of The Alabama NewsCenter.
Allen Greene out as Auburn’s Athletics Director
On Friday, it was announced that Auburn University and Athletics Director Allen Greene have mutually agreed to part ways after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on extending Greene’s contract, which expires in January. “The decision to step away from Auburn Athletics is not an easy one, but it is the right time for me to begin the next step in my professional journey,” Greene said in a statement. “I am very proud of the work that we have done together to move our athletics program forward. Christy and I want to thank the Auburn Family for allowing us to be a part of something truly unique, and I wish Auburn nothing but the best in the years ahead. I’m confident we leave Auburn Athletics stronger than when we arrived.” Greene is the first Black Athletics Director in Auburn history, and all of Auburn’s athletics programs have enjoyed stellar success under Greene’s tenure – all of them except football. The football program’s struggles have led to much discord between the powerful boosters at Auburn University and Greene. “Allen arrived on The Plains with vision, passion, and experience to elevate Auburn Athletics to the next level,” Auburn President Chris Roberts said in a statement. “In the brief time that I have worked alongside Allen as President, he has proven to be an asset to Auburn, enhancing our athletics programs and facilities, and has been dedicated to our student-athletes, to integrity, and to our University. We’re grateful for his commitment and contributions to Auburn over the past four and a half years, and we wish Allen, Christy, and their children all the best as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.” Greene’s last day on the job will be Wednesday. Marcy Girton, currently Auburn Athletics Chief Operating Officer, will take over as interim AD while Roberts and the Board of Trustees begin a formal search for Greene’s replacement. Greene was hired by then Auburn President Steven Leath. Leath also made the controversial decision to renew head football coach Gus Malzahn’s contract. Greene inherited Malzahn and the bitter discontent of powerful Auburn boosters and trustees. Leath was fired not long after that and former Auburn University President Jay Gogue came out of retirement to take his place. The decision to fire Malzahn in the middle of his contract cost the school $21.45 million. The “unrealistic expectations” at Auburn made the coaching search to find Malzahn’s replacement very difficult. After a number of high-profile candidates publicly announced they were not interested in the job, the coaching search came down to two candidates. The powerful boosters and their allies on the Board of Trustees wanted former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele to get the job. Greene said no to that and instead hired Boise State Head Coach Brian Harsin. Harsin’s tenure was troubled from the beginning. Seventeen players left the program through the transfer portal, and the 2020/2021 recruiting season was Auburn’s worst in decades. The 2021 football season started respectably well at six and two. The lack of depth and a number of key injuries left Auburn fans disappointed as the team lost their last five games to finish 6 and 7. More players left the program through the transfer portal, and Harsin fired a number of assistant coaches. An investigation was launched into the football program, but ultimately President Gogue decided to keep Harsin. Harsin stayed, but the football recruiting has been criticized both by the boosters and in national publications for its recent performance on the recruiting trail. Auburn also made the mistake of committing $92 million to a new football facility. The 233,400 square foot football-only facility was supposed to wow recruits with the best football facilities on the planet; but changes to the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness rules means that other universities are able to simply pay players to commit to their school coming out of high school or through the transfer portal. Other SEC schools are among the leaders in NIL money payouts. Meanwhile, Auburn’s boosters are absorbing $113 million in payout for a building that now seems unnecessary and the Malzahn buyout. The boosters were not supportive of Harsin to begin with, and the new AD is likely to want to choose his own coach. All of this is aligning, so if Auburn football does not have a good season in 2022, it is very possible that Coach Harsin could follow the man that hired him out the door at the end of this season. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Artemis 1 launch scrubbed after engine issues
The Space Launch System (SLS) was supposed to have launched today at 7:30 a.m. for the Artemis I mission, but a problem loading the fuel led to NASA Launch Director Charlie Black Thompson giving the order to scrub the mission at 7:35 after engineers were unable to figure out how to fix the problem. NASA explained that the supercooled liquid hydrogen that powers the RS-25 engine is extremely light and is kept at minus-423 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it a difficult propellant to control. NASA conditions the engines by bleeding liquid hydrogen through them approximately an hour before ignition. The bleed line for engine number three failed. While liquid oxygen loading into the interim cryogenic propulsion stage continued and core stage tanks continued to be replenished with propellants, engineers attempted to troubleshoot the unexpected issue with engine number three. Without the bleed line functioning, the correct temperature of the fuel was not kept. Countdown was halted 40 minutes before launch. After engineers failed to diagnose and fix the problem in time to stay within the two-hour launch window, Thompson ordered the mission scrubbed. The next launch window is Friday at 11:30 a.m. CDT. Being able to launch then will depend on whether or not NASA engineers can fix the problem in order to safely launch the SLS. This is a problem that NASA calls cryopumping. NASA has experience with this issue as it periodically delayed space shuttle missions as well. While the SLS is fully fueled, engineers are gathering data on engine number three in an attempt to understand and resolve the issue. “We don’t launch if it is not right,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “It is illustrative that this is a complicated machine, and it is a very complicated system.” Nelson said that sometimes missions have to be scrubbed. “It is just part of the space business, and it is particularly part of a test flight,” Nelson said. Vice President Kamala Harris was on hand for the anticipated launch. “She is fully briefed on the whole thing,” Nelson said. “She is a very enthusiastic space flight booster, as is President (Joe) Biden.” Artemis I was not a crewed mission. It was the first test of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, which is designed to carry astronauts. The Artemis missions, NASA hopes, will take American astronauts back to the moon. This was the first attempt to launch the multibillion-dollar rocket paired with the Orion module. Boeing is the prime contractor for the project, which has cost $23 billion to this point. The goal of the Artemis program is to create a sustainable human presence on and in a space station, Gateway, that will orbit the moon. Artemis I will launch the Orion capsule to the Moon. It is expected to spend 42 days in space and orbit the Moon before returning to Earth. It will take six days just to reach the Moon. Artemis II will be crewed and will carry as many as four astronauts into lunar orbit. Artemis III is expected to land on the Moon as early as 2025. It is too early to tell if today’s issue that led to the launch being scrubbed will further delay future Artemis missions. The SLS has been designed and engineered at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
James Carville to speak to PARCA in September
The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) is hosting an evening with Clinton-era Democratic political consultant James Carville in Birmingham on September 29. “The PARCA Speaker Series invites important, relevant voices to Alabama for an evening of conversation with our state’s thought leaders and opinion makers. Past speakers were George Will (2021) and Jon Meacham (2019). This year, we welcome James Carville,” the group announced in a statement. James “The Ragin’ Cajun” Carville is one of America’s best-known political consultants. His career has spanned five decades during which time he has represented a long list of candidates across the globe. But Carville is probably best known for his work with the campaigns of former President Bill Clinton and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barack. He also was a consultant for then U.S. Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton’s failed 2008 presidential run. Carville has a long list of electoral successes. He has most recently focused on campaigns in more than 23 countries around the globe, stretching from the continents of South America to Europe to Africa and, most recently, Asia. Most Americans recognize Carville from his many appearances on television. From 2002 to 2005, he even hosted the CNN program Crossfire. The event will be at the Red Mountain Theater at 1600 3rd Ave. South: Birmingham, Alabama 35233. The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a welcome reception. Carville is scheduled to deliver his remarks at 7:00 p.m. Afterwards, there will be a question-and-answer session. Dessert and book signings will follow at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $125. According to their website, PARCA works to support and inform policymakers at all levels, from state-wide elected officials to Legislators, to city and county officials, to public school administrators, and to nonprofit leaders. PARCA is Alabama’s first and only nonprofit, nonpartisan, good government research center. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
First Artemis moon mission to launch on Monday
Americans last walked on the Moon on December 1, 1972, and nobody, not even NASA itself, has even attempted to duplicate the successes of the Apollo missions since then. Now NASA is poised to go back to the Moon and beyond with the launch of the most powerful rocket ever constructed, the Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS is on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral to launch the Artemis 1 mission into space for its first Moon mission. Duplicating many of the precautions of the Apollo program adopted after the loss of the crew of Apollo 1, Artemis 1 will not be manned and will not actually land on the Moon. The Artemis spacecraft, bigger and more capable than Apollo, will fly to the Moon orbit and then return to the Earth to test the capabilities of the system. Artemis 1 is scheduled to lift off from Pad 39B of the Kennedy Space Flight Center in Cape Canaveral on Monday at 7:33 a.m. CDT (1233 GMT), weather permitting. The SLS was designed and developed at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Thousands of Alabamians have devoted years of their lives into this rocket and returning Americans to the Moon. Marshall leaders have released a video explaining what they are hoping to achieve with the SLS. “The Space Launch System is really the backbone of the Artemis missions,” said John Blevins – SLS Chief Engineer at Marshall. “It is the truck. It is the big carry vehicle.” “It will lift up from Earth with more power than a Saturn V,” said Van Stickland – SLS Program Manager at Marshall. “This time it is more than a race it is about establishing a longtime presence “The difference between the Apollo program and the Artemis program is really the focus on sustainability and using the Moon as an outpost for further exploration,” Blevins said. “The Space Launch System is the culmination of sixty years of building rockets.” “We are moving from low Earth orbit like you see in the International Space Station to moving beyond that to take the next step in exploration,” said Sharon Cobb – SLS Associate Program Manager at Marshall. “This time, we are going back to learn how to live and work on the Moon.” If this and subsequent Artemis missions go well, the plan is for a manned mission to land on the Moon in 2024. That mission will include the first woman to step on the Moon and the first African-American to do so. NASA plans to begin their Moon base in 2028. No one under the age of 55 can remember a manned Moon mission outside of documentaries or history studies. If NASA has its way it could become commonplace. You can watch the launch live online on Monday starting at 6:30 a.m. EDT (1030 GMT), courtesy of NASA TV. NASA’s meteorologist estimates that there is over a 70% chance that weather conditions will be favorable for a Monday launch. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mack Butler in favor of the lottery
Former State Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) is making a return to the Alabama House of Representatives after a four-year absence. Butler posted recently that he would support a simple lottery. “I believe that grown people can do what they want with their own money,” Butler told Alabama Today in a phone interview on Friday following a Butler post on the subject. “On the issue of the lottery I did a little digging and thought I would share with you some of my findings,” Butler stated on Facebook. “The first American lottery was in 1612 and it was to fund the original settlement. Lotteries built early America by funding roads, libraries, churches, colleges etc. Princeton and Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania began by being financed by lotteries. Lotteries supported the war efforts during the French and Indian Wars also the American Revolution. Rare lottery tickets with George Washington’s signature can still be found today. John Hancock, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson all used lotteries for raising monies. As Paul Harvey used to say “Now you know the rest of the story.”” “We actually passed a lottery when I was in the House,” Butler told Alabama Today. “It went to the Senate where they killed it because they wanted full-blown casinos.” “A lottery is a voluntary tax,” Butler said. “A lot of people would like to be able to go to a gas station and purchase a lottery ticket for the $billion prize they had last week or play some scratch-offs.” Butler was known as one of the most conservative members of the House of Representatives during his previous service. “We were a lot more conservative when I served than the House has been in the last four years,” Butler commented. “If you look up the history of lotteries, they were used to build Churches, schools, roads, and finance the Revolutionary War back then.” The gambling bill that failed to make it to the floor of either House last year rewarded existing gambling establishments with territorial monopolies. “I am not for picking winners and losers or for rewarding people who have been breaking the law for years,” Butler said. “If we do casinos, it shouldn’t be fixed. Everybody should have a fair shot.” “I am not a big gambling guy,” Butler said. “I would be more interested in rebating some of that surplus money to the taxpayers or removing the four percent tax on groceries.” The legislature is projected to have a $2.5 billion surplus that will roll over into Fiscal Year 2022 in FY2023 on October 1. “What I don’t want to do is use that money to grow government,” Butler said. “The special interests are going to want to spend every penny of that money.” Butler was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in a 2012 special election to represent House District 30, which included parts of Etowah and St. Clair Counties, after Blaine Galliher resigned to take a position working for then Gov. Robert Bentley (R). Butler was reelected in 2014. In 2018 he left the House to run for the State Senate District 10; but lost the Republican primary for the open seat to Andrew Jones. Most of Butler’s hometown of Rainbow City was redistricted in 2021 to House District 28. In May, Butler narrowly defeated incumbent State Rep. Gil Isbell (R-Gadsden) in the Republican Primary. “I do not have a Democrat or a Libertarian,” opponent Butler said. “Governor (Kay) Ivey has already called me to congratulate me.” Rumors about the Governor’s health have followed Ivey’s reelection campaign. “She sounded like Kay to me,” Butler said. “She seemed strong.” Gambling is likely to be a topic that will be introduced in the 2023 regular legislative session in March as well as calls to reduce or eliminate the grocery tax. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Parker Snider: Florida shows school choice doesn’t destroy public education
“This is the day that will go down in the annals of Florida history as the day we abandoned the public schools and the day that we abandoned, more importantly, our children.” -Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (March 25, 1999) In 1999, opponents predicted the worst when the Florida legislature first considered a meaningful school choice program. Governor Jeb Bush’s plan to offer vouchers to students in failing schools would “kill public education,” according to Leon Russell, then the chairman of the Florida Chapter of the NAACP. Howard Simon, the executive director of the ACLU of Florida, likewise wrote that the program “subsidiz[ed] abandonment of the public schools and abandonment of efforts to improve the public schools.” Public education was going to be destroyed. To school choice opponents, it was that simple. This was the end. Florida did not heed their warning. Since the original program offering school choice to students in failing public schools passed in 1999, the state has made school choice more widely available over and over again. Today, many students can choose between their zoned public school, a private school paid for by a state-funded scholarship, or one of the state’s 650+ charter schools. Additionally, many students are able to transfer to a public school outside of their district or, if they desire, enroll in the Florida Virtual School. School choice has grown so much in Florida, in fact, that over 400,000 students are enrolled in schools of choice in the Sunshine State. Simply put, school choice has exploded in Florida. The public school system, if we are to believe school choice opponents, must have been obliterated. If the first school choice program in 1999 was going to kill public education, these further expansions must have done even worse. The problem for school choice opponents (and the good news for everyone else) is that public education in Florida has thrived in the presence of school choice. In 1999, Florida was testing just barely above Alabama on the NAEP, a national standardized test of a state’s public schools. Both states were well below average. Over the last twenty years, however, as Florida has increased school choice opportunities repeatedly, the state has progressed. Now Florida is no longer below average but well above it, scoring at the top of the charts in multiple subjects according to the NAEP. In fact, Florida ranks first, first, third, and eighth on the four core tests of the NAEP, once adjusted for demographics. Meanwhile, Alabama is dead last or close to last in each of these areas. It’s not just the NAEP that suggests things are going well in Florida’s public education system. The College Board announced last year that Florida ranks second in the nation for the number of students that successfully pass its college-level Advanced Placement exams. Furthermore, according to the Florida Department of Education, Florida’s graduation rate is up from 52% in 1999 to 86% today. All of this adds up to a recent ranking placing Florida as third in the nation for K-12 achievement, according to EdWeek. Alabama, on the other hand, ranks 46th. It’s hard to say Florida’s children have been “abandoned” with these numbers. And it’s impossible to argue with a straight face that school choice has “killed” public education in the state. In fact, a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2020 demonstrated that the presence of school choice in Florida actually helped public schools perform better. That’s not to say that all of Florida’s advancements in education have been because of school choice–certainly, other measures, such as increased accountability and transparency, have contributed to Florida’s standing as an exemplary state in education. What is undeniable, however, is that school choice did not destroy public education. Unfortunately, this hasn’t stopped school choice opponents here in Alabama from using these same tired lines and predicting the same dire future. They won’t tell you how competition in other states has made public schools better. No, they’ll just say we’re abandoning our state’s children. Florida tells us that they couldn’t be more wrong. Parker Snider is the Director of Social Policy for the Alabama Policy Institute.
