Tag: Op-Ed

Bones and Barrels is one of the most underrated trail races you will find. Zombie Trail Races, a local running company, hosts seven of these...

In the intricate tapestry of modern pop culture, few threads have ever been as seamlessly woven as that of Taylor Swift and NFL fandom....

Since wonderful Covid locked us down for a while before excessive safety measures were put in place, The Tribune debates have been an event...

Sept. 30, 1993, marked a watershed moment in Alabama history. That is the day Mercedes-Benz went against the grain and chose our state to...

With another legislative session in Alabama right around the corner, along with a presidential election, “school choice” is quickly becoming a hot topic across...

Carrying a heavy burden is not the easiest thing in life, but for the rare few it's something we know has to be done...

Work. It's something most of us have to do at least five days each week. However, for some the work week turns into a...

Picture it: a verdant green field, speckled with hay, dotted with pumpkins of every shade. The air has a certain crispness to it. Faint...

In an era where social media platforms amplify voices, it is imperative to exercise discernment between constructive dialog and counterproductive complaining. As evidenced by...

Alabamians are feeling a bit of relief at the grocery store checkout lines as a result of the tax cut on food that a...

As a sewist and quilter with over 15 years of experience, I have been called several times to adopt another quilter's "stash". A stash...

To gather the fullest employment picture in Alabama – and across the nation for that matter – we must shift our focus to labor...

As a Cullman local who lived in the county and worked at a local watering hole, Rock the South had always been synonymous for...

Alabamians may have felt their wallets bulge a bit last month when the Legislature approved our bill that slices the sales tax on groceries...

Despite rising salaries, a robust economy and a highly competitive job market that is forcing some employers to entice new workers with signing bonuses,...

For all of my adult life, politicians in Montgomery have talked about the need to remove the state sales tax from groceries, but they...

I’m certain that many of you have heard about the drug fentanyl in the news these last few years, the powerful opioid similar to...

Do you remember where you were, and what you were doing three years ago, on March 16, 2020? I do. I remember that day...

In the five years since I became Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, nothing has been a higher priority than making sure we...

   Last week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law S.B. 202, a piece of reform legislation that will enhance the security and integrity of...

As the director of the state agency charged with safeguarding Alabama’s environment, I have great respect for and deep appreciation of our state’s wonderful...

As the new year begins and we reflect on 2020, we are faced with the sad reality that almost 4,800 Alabamians have died from...

This Thanksgiving will be different from any other we have had in our lifetimes.  This past year has been a struggle, as every single...

A century ago, the Suffragettes finally succeeded in winning the right to vote for women. They would be thrilled to see the nomination of...

America’s Founders regarded a free press as so vital to the new nation that they took care to include that right in the First...

My fellow Alabamians: In a few days, America will celebrate her 244th birthday. Traditionally, many towns and cities around the country light up the night with...

Census 2020 kicked off in March, shortly before the word “coronavirus” entered our everyday vocabulary and upended life as we then knew it. And...

This is a difficult day for all of us. New unemployment numbers released this morning, some of the worst in our nation’s history, paint...

Community colleges in Alabama and across the nation have responded quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic, making contributions to enhance capabilities of emergency responders and...

It has been 75 years since the end of World War II. Today, May 8, we celebrate V.E. or Victory in Europe Day, the...

While we are all experiencing a NEW way of life during this pandemic, I have experienced and seen a lot of good during this...

As we honor our war dead this Memorial Day, please remember the extraordinary price Vietnam veterans have paid. If you have never visited the Vietnam...

It may not have sounded like it on the surface, but Gov. Kay Ivey recently made one of her most encouraging comments yet about...

The coronavirus pandemic has been called a war with an invisible enemy. The Greatest Generation taught us to win a war; we have to be...

Today (Friday, March 6, 2020), when the Pickens County Medical Center closes its doors, it will become yet another sad statistic among the now...

With the closing of the past decade, and at the beginning of a new one, economic conditions in Alabama couldn’t be much better.  We...

First, notice my topic is not the most important state agency. My topic is the most important agency in the state. What agency is the...

My legislative district is rural, therefore my voice in the Legislature is for rural issues. We’ve had significant success for “rural Alabama” in the Legislature...

Federal overtime rules which took effect Jan. 1 are having a big impact on Alabama’s small businesses. The change means more management-level employees are eligible...

Can you imagine being without “city water” or electricity? Without either of those utilities readily available, life would be difficult, and our local economy would...

Every working-age, able-bodied person needs a good paying job. Not too many years ago, the dominant manufacturing industry in Alabama was the textile industry. Just...

Holidays are exciting times for many but tough for some. For some, holidays are tough because of the loss of loved ones. Those of us...

This question has numerous answers, but I would like to hear your answer or answers. I firmly believe education is important to our future. The...

Local legislation is often required to authorize a local entity to do something specific that otherwise is not authorized by law or the state...

It’s been a little over a month since we learned about the death of Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney in Birmingham. That kind of violence against...

It’s important for everyone to understand the process for road and bridge projects. First of all, please understand that legislators do not vote to do...

I am thankful for faith, family and freedom! And, I am thankful for senior citizens; they’ve truly blessed my life! I’ve just always been able...

Governor Ivey has proclaimed Nov. 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, as Small Business Saturday in Alabama. Small business really is the bedrock of Alabama’s economy....

This is a theme I’ve been promoting since I arrived in Montgomery. I firmly believe in the Christian principle, “We are to serve, not be...

With any issue, finding the right balance is the key to success. The prison/criminal justice system issue is no different. The purpose of prisons, in...

When I say my goal is to protect RSA, (Retirement System of Alabama), I am speaking of preventing changing the retirement of Alabama’s public...

Residents of Cullman are likely familiar with this frustrating situation: only one or two options for internet service, and high prices for slow speeds. Unsurprisingly,...

Alabama Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview Winning football coaches tell their teams to celebrate victory for 24 hours then get back to work. We're ready to get...

The thought of a hungry child moves all of us to want to help. Alabamians are among the most generous people in the nation....

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey / Courtesy of "Governor Kay Ivey's First Year" April 10, 2018, marks one year since I unexpectedly became governor. With only...