Alabama Law Enforcement Families Get a Boost!

The Alabama Legislature just gave a HUGE thumbs-up to HB98, the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers’ Family Scholarship Act! This awesome bill gives up to $2,500 per term for tuition assistance to the spouses and kids of our dedicated, long-serving law enforcement heroes.

Helping Our Heroes and Their Families

Spearheaded by State Rep. Allen Treadaway, this bill was originally part of Governor Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter’s Safe Alabama Package back in 2025. It’s all about keeping experienced officers on the force, especially since law enforcement agencies nationwide are struggling to find and keep good people.

College Dreams Made Easier

This scholarship money can be used for undergrad studies at any public or private technical school, college, or university right here in Alabama! The Alabama Commission on Higher Education will be running the show and will keep the Legislature in the loop with annual progress reports.

Special License Plates on the Horizon

Get ready for a cool new license plate! The bill also sets up the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers’ Family Scholarship Fund and lets the Department of Revenue design a snazzy blackout license plate. Proceeds from those plates will go directly to the fund!

Expanding Support

While we already help families of officers killed or seriously injured on duty, HB98 broadens that support to families of long-term city, county, and state officers who are still serving our communities.

Leaders Speak Up!

Governor Ivey said she's stoked to support these families, and Speaker Ledbetter called the bill a "long overdue show of thanks" to law enforcement families. Alabama's showing it's serious about backing the blue!

Session Update

This good news comes on the 27th day of the 2026 legislative session, with only 2 days left to go. Stay tuned for more updates!

Saban and UA President Back Trump's College Sports Order!

The battle for the soul of college sports is heating up, and even legendary coach Nick Saban is stepping onto the field! Since his retirement, Saban's been vocal about preserving the integrity of the game, and he's now praising President Trump's recent executive order on college sports.

Saban's Take: Stability is Key

"President Trump’s executive order today is a critical step towards restoring stability in college sports," Saban declared. He thanked the President for tackling this important issue, emphasizing that the health of college athletics should matter to everyone.

UA President Mohler Calls for "Systemic Change"

Dr. Peter Mohler, the University of Alabama's president, echoed Saban's sentiment and went even further! He argued that college athletics have strayed from core values like fairness and integrity. "Systemic change is required," Mohler stated, "change that is centered on credible and enduring support of our student-athletes, academically, personally, and athletically."

Mohler also expressed gratitude for Trump's urgency and desire to prevent college sports from being "lost forever." He's eager to collaborate with the White House, Congress, and the NCAA to create a sustainable framework that allows student-athletes to earn a degree and have legitimate NIL opportunities.

What's in the Order?

Trump's EO aims to put stricter limits on college athlete eligibility and transfer abilities, which will likely spark legal challenges. Senator Tommy Tuberville (yes, the former Auburn coach!) has even introduced legislation that would make these changes permanent.

Saban Sounds Off on Fox News

Saban also publicly thanked President Trump on Fox News for hosting a roundtable event where he could share his thoughts on the issues plaguing college sports, including the transfer portal, eligibility, and NIL. Saban wants regulation that helps manage and fund ALL sports so more kids have the opportunity to play!

CHOOSE Act Applications Skyrocket in Alabama!

Governor Kay Ivey just announced some HUGE news: Alabama's CHOOSE Act education savings account program is more popular than ever! Applications for the 2026-27 school year have hit record numbers, showing that Alabama families are hungry for school choice!

Record-Breaking Numbers

The deadline closed March 31st, and the results are in! A whopping 29,341 applications were submitted, representing a grand total of 48,927 students! That's almost 49,000 kiddos looking to find the best educational fit! Of those, 18,832 applications were brand spankin' new, covering 29,986 students, and 10,509 applications were renewals, representing 18,941 students. Talk about demand!

Gov. Ivey's Take

"The CHOOSE Act has changed the lives of thousands of Alabama families by enabling them to choose schools that best align with their priorities and their child’s specific needs," Governor Ivey stated. "The increase in applications for the upcoming school year shows that the people of Alabama want school choice, and I am proud that we are able to give it to them!"

Who's Applying?

The applicant pool reflects Alabama's diverse population, with the governor's office reporting similar demographics to statewide census figures. This year, 66.3% of applicants are White and 33.7% are Minority, pretty close to Alabama's overall population breakdown!

A Variety of Educational Paths

Families are exploring all sorts of educational options! Applications were submitted for public and charter schools (8,961 students), private schools (21,351 students), and even homeschooling (13,425 students). Homeschooling is particularly booming, with 8,264 new applications and 697 renewals!

All Grade Levels Represented

From kindergartners just starting their learning journey to high school seniors gearing up for college, students from all grade levels (K-12) are eager to participate in the program.

Gender Breakdown

The applicant pool is pretty evenly split between the sexes, with 24,305 female students and 24,611 male students applying. A near-perfect balance!

Special Needs and Military Families

The CHOOSE Act is also making a difference for students with special needs, with 5,115 participating (1,973 renewals and 3,142 new applicants). Plus, 1,121 applications came from active-duty military families in priority school districts (356 renewals and 765 new applications). Huge shoutout to our military families!

What's Next?

Families should expect to hear about funding approval in mid-April. Get ready, because approved students can start using their CHOOSE Act education savings accounts for eligible expenses beginning in July! Exciting times for Alabama education!

Jordan-Hare Stadium Set for HUGE Upgrade?

Get ready, Auburn Family! Major changes could be coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium. The highly anticipated north endzone renovation project is inching closer to reality, and it's looking sweet.

Final Approval on the Horizon

After tons of back-and-forth, the Auburn Board of Trustees is slated to vote on the final approval for the project during their April 17th meeting. Could this be it?

What's the Buzz?

Think multi-purpose event center in the north endzone, perfect for all kinds of gatherings. Plus, the area surrounding the stadium is getting a total facelift! An elevated plaza above Heisman Drive is in the works, with landscaping and operational support space to boot!

Premium Experience Incoming!

Auburn AD John Cohen has said the fans have been looking for more premium experiences, and they aim to deliver with this renovation. According to Cohen, the demand for premium seating is high.

Saturdays in the Fall Just Got Even Better

If this project gets the green light, get ready for some seriously upgraded Saturdays on the Plains! We're talking next-level game day experiences, folks. War Eagle!

Alabama GOP: Cracks in the Crimson Tide?

On paper, Alabama Republicans are riding high. They dominate Montgomery, hold every major office, and snag congressional seats with ease. But behind the scenes, it looks like something's rotten in the state of Denmark… or maybe just Alabama.

Closed Primaries, Open Wounds

House Bill 541, a.k.a. the "Alabama Closed Primary Election Bill," has ripped open a major divide within the GOP, and Rep. Ernie Yarbrough is right in the thick of it. He wants to close the primaries, but some heavy hitters think it's a terrible idea.

House Pro Tem Chris Pringle straight-up warned that the bill would cripple the party, silence independent conservatives, and put Republican seats in danger. Ouch! Pringle even accused Yarbrough of acting out of arrogance. This isn't just politics; it's personal.

The "Doc" Factor

Here's where it gets really interesting. Seems like this closed primary push didn't gain much traction until the whole saga with Angelo "Doc" Mancuso came to light. Mancuso, a local dermatologist and now independent candidate, believes Yarbrough saw him as a threat and ramped up the bill when it became clear he wouldn't back down.

Mancuso claims the GOP is trying to force allegiance to the party. He says, "The cat’s out of the bag! They've been exposed."

The Inside Game

Mancuso says he initially contacted the Alabama Republican Party to make sure there were no issues with his candidacy, but he never heard back. Believing he met all the requirements, he paid his filing fee – which the party happily accepted – only to be kept off the ballot anyway.

Limiting Choice?

This combined with Yarbrough’s push to close the primaries paints a picture of a party narrowing its ranks, limiting voter choice, and sidelining qualified conservative candidates who don't fit the preferences of a small group of insiders.

The end result? Mancuso says a damaged reputation, a fractured base, and voters who are ready to check out of a system that doesn't want them.

The Piñata Effect

Mancuso admits he's disgusted by what's happened, and that all he wanted to do was run for office. However, "seeing what my attempt to run on the Republican Party ticket has uncovered — the corruption, the hubris, and the elite mindset of certain party leaders, specifically Rep. Ernie Yarbrough and his loyal supporters who seek to silence anyone in their way — I am happy to be the piñata."

Angelo “Doc” Mancuso is now running as an independent for Alabama House District 7.

Lane Kiffin Sounds Off on Extra SEC Game

Lane Kiffin, the new LSU Tigers head honcho, is never one to mince words. This week, he was at it again when the topic turned to the SEC's decision to add another conference game to the schedule.

Kiffin's Concerns

Kiffin, as he's done before, argued that all conferences aren't created equal. He believes the College Football Playoff selection committee doesn't properly weigh this when picking teams. In his view, adding another tough SEC game just doesn't make sense.

Fixing the System

"I'm not gonna complain," Kiffin stated, "but I was very outspoken in meetings...that in my opinion it was not a good idea until the system of how they selected teams was fixed." He wants to see things like automatic bids and a strength-of-schedule component similar to the NCAA basketball tournament.

More Losses on the Horizon?

Kiffin believes adding a tough road game puts teams at a disadvantage, especially in the brutal SEC. He fears that this decision will lead to more losses, leaving good teams on the outside looking in when it comes to the CFP. "You're gonna continue to have this threshold...that 10-2 is in and 9-3 is out, and you just got some more losses in your conference."

A Decision Under Scrutiny

Whether Kiffin's right remains to be seen, but it's hard to argue that the SEC hasn't made the road to the CFP even harder for its teams. It's a decision that's sure to be debated for years, and we'll be watching closely to see how it plays out.

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