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Panel discusses burden of fees and fines in Alabama’s justice system

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Panel discusses burden of fees and fines in Alabama’s justice system


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Going to court can be a stressful experience and comes with financial costs, both known and unexpected.

To address those fees and fines, a virtual panel was held by the nonprofit group Alabama Values and Montgomery’s Beacon Center, a home to several nonprofits.

On the panel were Montgomery County District Judge Tiffany McCord, Montgomery County Chief Public Defender Aylia McKee and Beacon Center Executive Director Richard Williams.

They touched on how fees and fines in the justice system can create a cycle of poverty and how that system could be more equitable.

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McCord says defendants may not know they can ask for community service instead of fines or even for some fines to be canceled.

McKee explained that one barrier to accurately assess fines is that people don’t always accurately describe their situation due to the embarrassment of admitting to financial struggles in front of the court.

Williams says if the defendant is using drugs, that creates another barrier.

“Simultaneously some people are walking through addiction, and so the question is when some’s walking through addiction, should we tell the person that they should go to a job or go to drug treatment. Should they go detox or should they raise this money to pay a fee or fine,” Williams said. “I would dare to say that the individual should spend time doing drug treatment, they should spend time acknowledging what harms have been done, they should spend time working through so that they could be a better human.”

The Beacon Center offers a free resource called the Next Step Program, which is six months long and is designed for those heading to court that need help managing their struggles.

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The program is only offered in Montgomery County.

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Alabama

Alabama hits home with plans for Tuscaloosa 2027 Edge on official visit

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Alabama hits home with plans for Tuscaloosa 2027 Edge on official visit




Alabama football hosted a hometown kid for an official visit last weekend when it got Jeremiah Beverley on campus for an official visit.

Beverley attends Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and ESPN currently has him rated as a four-star recruit. He is considering Alabama, Cincinnati, Wake Forest and others.

The Crimson Tide offered Beverley earlier this month and got him on campus for an official visit last weekend. The Alabama target told Touchdown Alabama he used the visit to learn what the Tide has planned for him if he commits.

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“I’m truly happy that I went on that official visit,” Beverley said. “Blessed for that. All I was talking about was the next step, what I got to do? So, just knowing what they have planned for me, knowing what they have set for me.”

At 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, Beverley makes plays for Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa as a defensive end. Alabama has plans to use him similarly at the next level.

“They’re going to have me at wolf mostly,” Beverley said. “I know coach (Kane) Wommack and coach (Christian) Robinson, I think they see me at other positions, but I know it is guaranteed they’re going to see me at Wolf and me working my way up on special teams, and they expect that out of me.”

Beverley is expected to announce a commitment decision on Friday.

Watch Jeremiah Beverley’s Highlights Below:

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Alabama hires former college offensive lineman as assistant tight ends coach

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Alabama hires former college offensive lineman as assistant tight ends coach




Alabama football is hiring Noah Fisher to be its assistant tight ends coach, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.

Fisher spent two seasons as a graduate assistant working with the offensive line and tight ends at Louisville before joining the Tide’s staff. He played three years on the offensive line at South Alabama and spent one season with Tulane. The Jaguars started Fisher along its offensive line when he was a player for multiple games.

The Crimson Tide appear to want to use their tight ends in multiple ways in the future including as extra blockers along the line of scrimmage. Fisher looks as if he can assist the Tide with this mission.

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Petition calls on State of Alabama to fund fix for Prichard sewer system after spills

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Petition calls on State of Alabama to fund fix for Prichard sewer system after spills


Sewage overflows during storms in Prichard are sending wastewater into local waterways that feed Mobile Bay, prompting an environmental group to push for state funding to upgrade aging infrastructure.

Mobile Baykeeper says sewage overflows during storms flow into Three Mile Creek, then into the Mobile River, and ultimately end up in Mobile Bay. The group said that last week, during heavy rain, more than 256,000 gallons of sewage spilled into Gum Tree Branch and Three Mile Creek.

Mobile Baykeeper has launched a petition seeking funding from the state of Alabama to fix Prichard’s old water infrastructure.



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