Alabama

Alabama ranks 45th in overall child well-being, up from 46th

Published

1 year ago

June 15, 2023

Alabama ranks 45th in overall child well-being, up from 46th

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Child well-being in Alabama is worsening, but at a slower pace than in other states. That’s according to this year’s national Kids Count Data Book that tracks child well-being.

The book presents data in four categories of economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors. This year, Alabama ranks 45th nationally for child well-being.

The way we treat Alabama’s children impacts multiple facets of life. The 2023 Kids Count book averages data from 2019 to 2021 that shows the impact of that care.

“Access to care is a big, big piece of the puzzle right now,” said Rhonda Maan, executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children.

In 2021, 10% of children under the age of 6 in Alabama lived in families where someone quit, changed, or refused a job because of problems with childcare.

“Every state in the nation is struggling to find an answer to childcare,” said Mann.

State leaders are working to expand its first-class pre-k program into high-poverty areas.

“As we come out of COVID, and next year’s pre-K students, those are the groups we’re going to want to watch for,” said Allison Muhlendorf with Alabama School Readiness Alliance.

Education is Alabama’s highest-ranked category at 39th in the country, leaving room for improvement.

“We’re out of the 40s. But I have two concerns. One is we don’t want to be complacent,” said State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey.

The other concern for Mackey is ensuring the state doesn’t lag in family and community support and health care.

“I would really like to see the overall improvement in our infant mortality, and certainly a reduction in maternal mortality,” said Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Advocates and state leaders say their efforts to improve the well-being of children are important for the future success of Alabama.

“We have to continue on the same path, which is to invest in children, all aspects of children’s lives,” said Mackey.

Alabama ranks in the 40s for other well-being categories. You can find more specific data in English and Spanish.

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Alabama

Alabama announces single game ticket sales dates and information – Yellowhammer News

Published

2 hours ago

July 4, 2024

Press Room

Alabama announces single game ticket sales dates and information – Yellowhammer News

The University of Alabama announced that single game tickets for the upcoming 2024 football season will go on sale starting next Tuesday, July 9 for matchups that include Missouri, Western Kentucky, USF and Mercer.

For the opening game of the Kalen DeBoer era against Western Kentucky, which will take place at 6:00 P.M. CST on August 31, upper deck tickets will go on sale for $25 with the price for Mercer on November 16 the same.

For South Florida on September 7, the tickets will be set at $45, doubling to $90 for Missouri on October 26 which will also be homecoming.

The single game tickets for Georgia, South Carolina, and Auburn are all sold out.

Here is the official Alabama home schedule for the upcoming season:

Aug. 31 – Western Kentucky
Sept. 7 – USF (2014 SEC Championship Reunion)
Sept. 28 – Georgia (1964 National Championship Reunion)
Oct. 12 – South Carolina (Family Weekend | 1974 SEC Championship Reunion)
Oct. 26 – Missouri (Homecoming)
Nov. 16 – Mercer (Bama Salute)
Nov. 30 – Auburn (Iron Bowl | Senior Day)

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.

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Alabama

Former Alabama Baseball Head Coach Retires

Published

9 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

Former Alabama Baseball Head Coach Retires

Former Alabama baseball head coach Mitch Gaspard, who manned the dugout for the Crimson Tide from 2010-16, announced his retirement Wednesday. He had spent the past five seasons in various roles at Louisiana Tech, where he was most recently the associate head coach.

Gaspard oversaw one of Alabama’s two 21st-century trips to the super regional round of the NCAA Tournament during his first season as head coach in 2010. His teams went to four NCAA Tournaments, and he posted a 234-193 overall mark at the Capstone. His final season was the first year of the renovated Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

In 2021, he served as hitting coach for the Bulldogs, and Louisiana Tech earned the No. 16 national seed and the right to host a regional. Alabama went to that regional in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since Gaspard’s tenure, and though the hosts did not win the regional, the Bulldogs did end the Crimson Tide’s season. Gaspard was subsequently promoted to associate head coach.

This past season, under the leadership of Rob Vaughn, the Crimson Tide notched another milestone that had not been reached since Gaspard’s time at the helm: making back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. Alabama’s 2013 and 2014 teams both went to Tallahassee for their regionals, as did the 2024 team.

Gaspard has 444 wins as a head coach: 210 of them came from his 2002-07 stint at Northwestern State. He was an Alabama assistant from 1995-2001 (which overlaps with the program’s last trip to the College World Series) and again from 2008-09, being tabbed to replace Jim Wells following his retirement. Gaspard’s coaching career spanned more than 35 years, as he started out as an assistant at Houston in 1988. After he resigned from Alabama in May 2016, he had stints at Kansas State and Georgia before reaching his career’s final stop in Ruston, La.

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Alabama

News conference called to discuss ongoing investigation at the Alabama Department of Education

Published

16 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

News conference called to discuss ongoing investigation at the Alabama Department of Education

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Alabama Department of Education announced that State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey will hold a news conference Wednesday.

It has been said that Dr. Mackey will discuss an ongoing investigation concerning the state’s Department of Education.

WSFA will air the news conference live on air and online at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

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