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Guest Opinion: Is Alabama abandoning impoverished folks in the Black Belt for ‘Bridge to Nowhere’?

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Guest Opinion: Is Alabama abandoning impoverished folks in the Black Belt for ‘Bridge to Nowhere’?


This can be a visitor opinion column

Eighty-nine-year-old Mildred Duke, a widow who grew up in Gallion, Alabama, has lived most of her life in a single place, the home she’s known as residence since she was married in 1951. A number of weeks in the past, she was mowing grass in her entrance yard when males in yellow vests drove up in a truck. They traipsed throughout her property with a tripod in hand, surveying and hammering stakes into the bottom and the encircling fields. They even drilled in her neighbor’s pasture.

Duke turned off her lawnmower. “Y’all actually taking my home?” she requested one of many males.

One man shrugged. “We’re simply surveying,” he stated.

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She knew they had been surveying for the West Alabama Hall mission, a four-lane hall connecting Tuscaloosa to Cell, which can start building this spring and will take years to finish. However nobody from ALDOT has particularly instructed her that the freeway is working by her lounge, although the stakes sign the reality of the matter.

This huge enterprise, funded by the Rebuild Alabama Act, was adopted by the Legislature in 2019. A ten cent per gallon state gasoline tax improve, the primary improve since 1992, which makes the state’s share of gasoline 28 cents per gallon, is funding the plan. Beginning in 2023, the state tax is tied to indexing, which implies the tax could be adjusted to the associated fee index each two years. Most street tasks like this qualify for federal matching {dollars}, however this shall be funded 100% by Alabama taxpayers. With such a large price ticket, will there be any cash left for every other tasks? Extremely anticipated for some, this 80-mile, $800 million mission is the last word “bridge to nowhere” for Mrs. Duke and other people residing within the impoverished Black Belt.

All Mrs. Duke is aware of at this level is it seems to be just like the freeway will destroy the place she has known as residence the previous seventy years, together with close by homes, trailers, and catfish ponds, the place family and friends reside and make a residing. Throughout the previous few months, there have been a few conferences concerning the mission and final week she obtained a card within the mail directing her to an internet site for extra info, however she doesn’t have web, and even when she did, she doesn’t personal a pc.

If the state takes her property, she doesn’t know the place she’s going to transfer. “I’ll most likely be useless earlier than all of this occurs and I hope I’ll simply go to heaven,” she stated. She’d deliberate to depart her home to her nephew, however now she’s not sure what the long run will deliver and is afraid she gained’t be capable to buy or construct a brand new residence.

Mayor Woody Collins of Demopolis additionally fears this new plan is a nightmare. ALDOT cites prices and environmental points as the rationale the present plan bypasses Demopolis by a number of miles. With the present trajectory, Collins is worried folks will cruise previous with out stopping to eat, purchase gasoline, or store in Demopolis, Jackson, Grove Hill, and Thomasville. Woodson has said in earlier information articles that he wonders if the true purpose for the mission is to make the proposed route the quickest potential approach for College of Alabama followers to drive from Cell to Tuscaloosa.

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This monumental enterprise entails a number of phases by which all corridors and bypasses have but to be recognized and points surrounding historic web site questions round Moundville haven’t been addressed. Based on a current article, “West Alabama Hall Challenge might threaten seek for Maliba,the 500-year-old Black Belt metropolis the place Tuskaloosa fought Desoto,” in The Perry County Herald, late final yr College of West Alabama professor, Dr. Ashley Dumas, introduced that her group had discovered proof of the situation of The Battle of Mabila, one of many bloodiest ever fought between Native People and Conquistadors. Nearly 500 years in the past, Chief Tuskaloosa, the legendary Muskogean chief led a strong resistance towards Spanish conquistador Hernando DeSoto and his males. Dumas is worried the enlargement of Freeway 69 by Marengo and Hale counties, a part of the proposed plan, might result in the lack of important archaeological websites and necessary artifacts from Alabama historical past. Evidently of the state foregoes federal funds, it doesn’t have the identical rigorous and historic significance requirements to fulfill earlier than bulldozing websites like The Battle of Mabila.

Is that this multi-million greenback mission the most effective use of time, cash, and focus in an space the place in 2017 the United Nations highlighted the Third World residing circumstances for residents? The proposed by-pass by Gallion shall be 11 miles west of Uniontown, one of many poorest communities within the state, with a median per capita revenue of $12,295 and 49% of the city residing under the poverty line. The state of Alabama plans to spend $800 million on a street for no discernible purpose, but it leaves the residents of Uniontown with out dependable, clear ingesting water, which implies residents usually fall unwell with E. coli and hookworm from water tainted with uncooked sewage.

In Lowndes County, in accordance with a 2011 census board, 90% of individuals residing there had insufficient or no septic system. Half of the traditional septic techniques in place had been failing or anticipated to fail.

The Black Belt additionally struggles with outmigration or the actual fact a younger labor drive leaves to seek out jobs elsewhere. Now that the pandemic has made extra industries open to workers working remotely, why not spend this cash constructing rural broadband since highspeed web is likely one of the figuring out elements companies use when selecting new places? Based on a 2020 al.com article, lower than half the inhabitants within the Black Belt has entry to high-speed web whereas Perry and Choctaw county haven’t any entry in any respect. Constructing this freeway creates jobs within the short-term, nevertheless it doesn’t promote long-term job progress that addresses basic infrastructure improvement like implementing rural broad model does.

Sustained financial progress can also be tied to high quality schooling. Proper now, the Black Belt is failing and falling far behind because it struggles to retain academics and educate college students. Simply 11% of Okay-12 college students scored nicely sufficient on state assessments to be thought of ‘proficient’ and simply 22% of Black Belt college students had been thought of proficient in science, in comparison with 36% of non-Black Belt college students, in accordance with a current al.com article by Ramsey Archibald. Trainer scarcity and chronic poverty are on the root of this concern. Why not pay academics what they’re value and rebuild faculties as a substitute of a superhighway?

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As this mission strikes ahead, how will folks like Mrs. Duke and their displaced households be compensated when everyone knows the worth on the land, home, and group somebody has known as residence their total lives is immeasurable. The problems dealing with the Alabama Black Belt are difficult and the options multi-faceted. There’s not a fast repair, however are we abandoning and ignoring the true wants of residents within the Black Belt, the poorest space within the state and probably the most poverty-stricken areas within the nation, and erasing archaeological treasures and historic artifacts, so soccer followers and beachgoers can shorten their journeys by half and hour?

Lanier Isom is co-author of Grace and Grit: How I Gained My Battle at Goodyear and Past



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Alabama

2024 Alabama High School Back and Lineman of the Year Finalists

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2024 Alabama High School Back and Lineman of the Year Finalists


Winners, Super All-State and Mr. Football to be revealed Jan. 28 at a luncheon banquet at the Montgomery Renaissance.

Class 7A

Back of the year
Anquon Fegans, Thompson
Trent Seaborn, Thompson
Daylyn Upshaw, Central-Phenix City

Lineman of the year
Malik Autry, Opelika
Zion Grady, Enterprise
Jared Smith, Thompson

Class 6A

Back of the year
Corey Barber, Spain Park
KJ Lacey, Saraland
Na’eem Offord, Parker

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Lineman of the year
Keenan Britt, Oxford
Jourdin Crawford, Parker
Anthony Jones, St. Paul’s

Class 5A

Back of the year
Conner Nelson, Leeds
Cam Phinizee, Russellville
Jotavion Pierce, Catholic-Montgomery

Lineman of the year
Jabarrius Garrar, Vigor
Kentonio Kelly Jr., Vigor
Ellis McGaskin, Williamson

Class 4A

Back of the year
EJ Crowell, Jackson
Landon Duckworth, Jackson
Gunner Rivers, St. Michael

Lineman of the year
Tristan Brown, Cherokee Co.
Tae Diamond, Cherokee Co.
AJ Rice, Madison Academy

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Class 3A

Back of the year
Caden Chandler, Mars Hill Bible
Kadyn Mitchell, Houston Academy
Rollie Pinto, Piedmont

Lineman of the year
Myles Johnson, T.R. Miller
Billy Neill, Bayside Academy
Tucker Wilks, Fyffe

Class 2A

Back of the year
Chris Clemons, Winston Co.
Luke Gilbert, Pisgah
Preston Lancaster, Tuscaloosa Aca.

Lineman of the year
JJ Faulk, Highland Home
Clete O’Bryant, Coosa Christian
Grayson Gulde, Vincent

Class 1A

Back of the year
Alvin Henderson, Elba
Ziquayvion Jackson, McKenzie
Jaquez Wilkes, Wadley

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Lineman of the year
Fred Curry, Georgiana
Hayes Farrell, Donoho
Tim Parnell, Leroy

AISA

Back of the year
Julian Curry, Wilcox Academy
Gerrell Perry, Banks Academy
Luke Tarver, Chambers Academy

Lineman of the year
Jackson Boykin, South Choctaw Academy
Ashton Yelder, Lowndes Academy
Asher Young, Fort Dale Academy

The Alabama Sports Writers Association is a professional organization for sports writers and editors throughout the state, or any person involved in disseminating sports information or publicity in Alabama including but not limited to sports information personnel, publicists of professional organizations or facilities, or publicists of non-profit organizations sponsoring or governing sporting events. The ASWA is a non-profit organization.

The ASWA prep committee’s primary responsibilities include conducting regular top-10 rankings of a variety of high school sports, and select all-state teams in those sports as well. The committee will determine the winner of a variety of annual awards including the annual Mr. Football winner, and the Jimmy Smothers Courage Award. For more information, check out: ASWA

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See Also 2024 Alabama High School All-State Football Selections



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3 former Alabama high school stars return to NFL rosters

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3 former Alabama high school stars return to NFL rosters


Three Alabama high school alumni will wake up on Christmas morning on NFL rosters after starting Christmas eve out of the league.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills signed linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville High School) to their active roster, the Atlanta Falcons signed linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High School, Alabama) to their practice squad and the Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy High School) to their practice squad.

Each of the players rejoined a team they had played for this season.

An eight-year veteran with 105 NFL regular-season games and 58 starts in his career, Morrow played in 11 games for Buffalo before the Bills released him on Dec. 7.

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A seven-year veteran with 87 NFL regular-season games and 68 starts in his career, Evans played in two games for Atlanta before being waived on Saturday. This is the third time the Falcons have signed Evans for their practice squad this season. He joined the team on Oct. 1, was released on Oct. 12, re-signed on Oct. 21 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 1.

A three-year veteran with 19 NFL regular-season games in his career, Farrell played in seven games for Miami before being waived on Saturday. Farrell joined the Dolphins’ practice squad on Sept. 26 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 11.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.





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How to Watch the ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 11 Alabama vs. Michigan

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How to Watch the ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 11 Alabama vs. Michigan


Alabama and Michigan played in a bowl game on the first day of 2024 and will play in another on the final day of 2024, there’s just not as much as statke this time. The Crimson Tide and Wolverines are becoming familiar postseason foes, meeting in a bowl game for the third time in the last six seasons with this year’s matchup in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

Both teams will be without several players because of injuries and the transfer portal, but it will be another game between two of the most storied programs in college football history. Alabama and Michigan both had disappointing seasons relative to their standards but are coming off wins over bitter rivals in the final game of the regular season.

Here’s what you need to know about the seaon finale in Year 1 for Kalen DeBoer at Alabama:

Who: Alabama (9-3, 5-3 SEC) vs. Michigan (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten)

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What: ReliaQuest Bowl

When: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 11 a.m. CT

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

TV: ESPN

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Tyler Watts).

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Sirius XM: Away 191, Home 372

Series: Tied, 3-3

Last meeting: The two teams met last postseason in the Rose Bowl as the semifinal for the College Football Playoff. Michigan won 27-20 in overtime and went on to win the national championship. Alabama led for almost the whole fourth quarter, but let Michigan go on a 75-yard drive in the final few minutes of regulation to tie the game up. The Wolverines got the ball first in overtime and were in the end zone two plays later. Jalen Milroe was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 3 to give Michigan the win.

Last time out, Alabama: Alabama handled business in the Iron Bowl against Auburn with a 28-14 victory despite turning the ball over four times. Milroe had 256 yards through the air and another 104 on the ground with three more rushing touchdowns.

Last time out, Michigan: The Wolverines had one of the biggest upsets of the college football season, knocking off bitter rival No. 2 Ohio State on the road. Michigan stifled the Buckeye offense on the way to the 13-10 win. Dominic Zvada hit the game-winning field goal with 45 seconds left for the Wolverines.

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