BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A proposed $90,000 pay raise for Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey has reignited debate over public salaries in a state where many educators and workers earn significantly less. If approved, Mackey’s salary would increase from $292,500 to $380,000, making him the highest-paid K-12 education official in the state and one of the…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The firing of Alabama Public Library Service Executive Director Nancy Pack on March 20 underscores a growing cultural battle over library content in the state. Conservative lawmakers and advocacy groups have intensified efforts to control what they deem “inappropriate” materials in public libraries, particularly books addressing LGBTQ+ themes, racial justice, and gender…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A new study reveals how Amazon deployed algorithmic management to quash unionization efforts at its Bessemer warehouse, reinforcing concerns over corporate surveillance and worker suppression in the heart of the Deep South. The study, published in Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, details how Amazon used digital monitoring and automated systems…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As Alabama lawmakers debate Senate Bill 132, a proposal to reclassify psychoactive hemp derivatives like Delta-8 THC as Schedule I controlled substances, critics argue the state’s marijuana policies remain mired in outdated ideologies. The bill’s failure to advance highlights growing resistance to policies rooted in the decades-long War on Drugs, which many…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones has threatened to sue Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley over allegations that Jones misled donors about the destination of their contributions. The dispute, which has further exposed divisions within the party, centers on Kelley’s claim that Jones solicited funds under the guise of supporting the state…

JASPER, Ala. — A mounting controversy surrounding the Walker County Sheriff’s Office has led to public calls for the resignation of Sheriff Nick Smith, following the indictments of deputies and former jail staff in connection with the death of an inmate. The scandal dates back to January 2023, when Tony Mitchell, a 33-year-old inmate at…