July 2022 Group Watch: AU Early Child Development Degree Addresses Teacher Shortage

The need to resolve Alabama’s statewide teacher shortage issue led to the creation of a new fully online early child development degree offered by Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences. The program was formed in conjunction with the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.  The fully online program will be offered in 7.5-week mini terms, with five terms available each academic year. After completing all required coursework, graduates will be qualified to seek an early child development certificate. The certificate will meet the mandatory requirements to teach preschool in publicly funded Alabama pre-k classrooms.

July 2022 Group Watch: State Rep. Terri Collins: Legislature Could Streamline Adoption, Foster Care

During a recent appearance on Alabama Public Television’s “Capital Journal,”  State Rep. Terri Collins of Decatur, who authored the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, detailed how efforts to support infants could soon be addressed by state lawmakers. In this year’s regular session of the legislature, $4 million in the general budget was allocated to the Alabama Medicaid Agency for the establishment of a pilot program to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months. According to Collins, the political will exists to further extend coverage and to streamline adoption and foster care. Collins, who is one of the legislature’s leading pro-life advocates, asserted that the cost of adoption would need to be addressed as the state moved forward with the implementation of its near-total abortion ban.

June 2022 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

The air outside isn’t the only thing heating up quick in Alabama. The state’s track record in economic development continues its hot streak. Now that she’s officially the Republican nominee for governor, Kay Ivey will no doubt tout Alabama’s recent record of bringing in new industry and jobs while she’s on the campaign trail. The state’s also recently been praised for its efforts to increase literacy among young students. 

And speaking of elections, the primaries setting the ballots for Alabama’s next round of voting may be over, but there are still several runoffs coming, and some of the races should be interesting to watch. As always, Group Watch has you covered. Read on for all the news you need to know on these topics and more. 

June 2022 Group Watch: AL Earns National Acclaim for Economic Development

Gov. Kay Ivey announced that Area Development, a national business publication, has selected Alabama for a Silver Shovel Award, recognizing the state’s economic development successes in 2021. The honor reflects strong recruitment results for the Alabama team, with companies announcing new facilities and expansion projects involving $7.7 billion in new capital investment during 2021. It stands as the second highest annual investment total for the state, trailing only the $9.1 billion recorded 2018. The 2021 projects will create over 10,000 jobs across Alabama and inject economic vitality into many communities located in both urban and rural areas. In this new report, Area Development singled out the J.M. Smucker Co.’s project to build a manufacturing and distribution facility Jefferson County as one of its “Deals of the Year”. Besides Smucker, other top Alabama projects listed by the magazine included Hanwha Cimarron’s plans for a manufacturing plant in Opelika, Amazon’s plans for fulfillment centers in Huntsville and Montgomery, as well as Alabama Graphite LLC’s investment in a graphite processing facility in rural Coosa County.

June 2022 Group Watch: Pioneering Remote Aviation Control Tower Landing in Selma

Craig Field, the airport and industrial park in Selma, will soon become to the nation’s first remote Tower Air Traffic Control Center as well as a unique training academy as part of a project that could revolutionize control services in the United States. Advanced ATC Inc., an air traffic control academy in Valdosta, Georgia, is leading the project with plans to invest nearly $4.7 million to set up the Remote Tower Air Traffic Control Center (RTC) at the former U.S. Air Force base in Dallas County. Remote tower technologies allow air traffic controllers to perform all the functions of a traditional control tower from a different location through the extensive use of cameras, real-time video and other advances. The remote tower center in Selma will be equipped to support aviation expansion and air traffic control services for up to 40 airports across the nation. Advanced ATC plans to hire 28 people for the Craig Field operation in the first year, with a $3 million annual payroll.

June 2022 Group Watch: Montgomery’s Literacy Successes Garner Positive National Attention

In a recent interview with Fox News, Former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett had a backpack full of negative education news to share, noting the benchmark of third-grade reading proficiency and how badly many school districts are missing it, often due to pandemic-induced learning loss. But he he also pointed to a bright spot: the continual and dramatic improvement of third-grade reading skills in the students at Brewbaker Primary School in Montgomery. Read more and watch Bennett, here.

June 2022 Group Watch: AL House Speaker Race Heats Up

With House Speaker Mac McCutcheon retiring from the Alabama Legislature after four terms in the House and seven years as Speaker, the role of Speaker in the House of Representatives is up for grabs. The two top names vying for the spot right now are House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) and House General Fund committee chair Rep. Steve Clouse (R-Ozark). Read more here.

June 2022 Group Watch: Boeing’s Alabama Economic Impact Reaches $2.7 Billion

Boeing contributes more than $2.7 billion each year to Alabama’s economy, along with 9,400 jobs in its sprawling operations and support network. The global space and defense manufacturer, which is marking its 60^th year in the state, conducts a wide range of business activities in the Huntsville region, from protecting the U.S. and its allies with innovative weapons systems to charting new chapters of human space exploration. With more than 3,000 employees in Alabama, Boeing’s operations span variety of research, design and manufacturing activities. Boeing worked with the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration to complete an economic impact study. Among the highlights of the study:

• In 2021, Boeing’s economic output reached $2.731 billion, which includes $663.2 million in earnings for 9,402 direct and indirect jobs.
• That year, earnings generated $61.5 million in tax revenue, including $35 million in state taxes and $26.5 million in local taxes.
• The company also makes significant contributions to community and workforce development in Alabama, including $2.9 million in 2021.

To mark its 60^th anniversary in the state, Boeing awarded two $60,000 grants to the Boys and Girls Club’s STEM programs and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program.

June 2022 Group Watch: Former U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne to Head Mobile Chamber

Former congressman Bradley Byrne has been named president and CEO of Mobile’s Chamber of Commerce. Byrne served as a state legislator from 2003 to 2007, representing the state’s 32^nd Senate district. He was chancellor of the state’s community college system from 2007 to 2009. When Rep. Jo Bonner resigned from congress in 2013, Byrne won a special election to fill the seat, then won re-election in 2014, 2016 and 2018. In 2019, Byrne announced his intention to challenge Democrat Doug Jones, who had won a special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became Attorney General. Byrne lost the primary and since, has worked for Adams and Reese, LLP as an attorney. A committee selected Byrne after an extensive, nationwide search. Byrne enjoyed the support of Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and Jo Bonner, the former congressman selected earlier this year as president of the University of South Alabama.

June 2022 Group Watch: Dothan Officials To Build Expandable Spec Building

Officials in Dothan have formally kicked off a project to build a 100,000-square-foot speculative building in the Sam Houston Industrial Park to better prepare the southeast Alabama city for industrial prospects. The building will be located on a 41-acre site called Lot 3 in the platted industrial park at 102 Austin Court. Construction on the new building is scheduled for fall 2022 completion. The spec building will be a finished shell building with only a few elements needed for completion, including flooring, electrical, sprinkler system and dock/drive-in doors based on the customized needs of the prospect. The building will be expandable to add another 100,000 square feet, with 25-foot-by-50-foot column spacing, and a 32-foot eave height.