Alabama
The SPLC Action Fund is looking to support candidates in eight Alabama cities
![The SPLC Action Fund is looking to support candidates in eight Alabama cities](https://www.alreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SPLC-Action-Fund.png)
In a first for the SPLC Action Fund, the political arm of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the organization is looking at supporting candidates for municipal office in Alabama in 2025.
While the Action Fund has endorsed Alabama candidates for judge and district attorney before, the 2025 elections will be the first set of municipal races in Alabama since the Action Fund began endorsing local candidates.
In a press release, the SPLC Action Fund stated it is considering supporting candidates in eight cities where “Black residents have been historically underrepresented” in local government.
The eight cities are Adamsville, Anniston, Atmore, Greenville, Livingston, Oak Hill, Pleasant Grove, and Thomasville. All of the cities are relatively small, with an average of around 6,400 voting age residents, and Oak Hill has only 119.
The Action Fund specifically highlighted in its press release that despite having a 69 percent non-white population, Livingston has never elected a Black mayor.
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s director of political campaigns, Brandon Jones, told APR that the SPLC is “a civil rights organization and so we believe that people seeing themselves in their representation and making sure that those local officials are responsive to Black voices is crucial in how policy outcomes play out.”
Representation for Black citizens is especially important in states in the Southeast, Jones said, “because of the checkered civil rights history of these places.”
Jones stated that just how the Action Fund gets involved in each city will “really depend on the community.” However, “making sure that [voters are] aware of what the stakes are in these local races, what these jobs do, what municipal governments are responsible for, will be a big part of what we do.”
Candidates seeking endorsements will need to fill out a questionnaire to receive the Action Fund’s support, with Jones explaining that “before we endorse, we look for some ideological alignment.” If no candidates are great matches for the fund’s platform, Jones says the fund may decide to not endorse any candidates.
The SPLC Action Fund’s 2024 policy platform was released in April. The platform’s four focus areas are: “Strengthen Democracy,” “Eliminate the Reliance on Criminalization and Incarceration as a Public Safety and Immigration Solution,” “Eradicate Poverty,” and “Combat Hate and Extremism and White Supremacy.”
Specific policies listed in the platform include opposing racial gerrymandering, supporting alternatives to the criminal legal system, establishing guaranteed income programs, and enforcing hate crime laws.
Jones told APR that the Action Fund will likely begin holding community forums over the coming months, and possibly running polls, in order to better understand the eight cities it has selected.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Alabama
Spirit Airlines to launch first Alabama-based service at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
![Spirit Airlines to launch first Alabama-based service at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport](https://alabamanewscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Spirit-Airlines-feature-scaled.jpg)
Alabama
Auto parts maker Samkee Corp. opens first U.S. factory in Tuskegee
![Auto parts maker Samkee Corp. opens first U.S. factory in Tuskegee](https://alabamanewscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Samkee-Grand-Opening.jpg.webp)
Alabama
Alabama State Parks adding 12 pollinator gardens thanks to grant funding
![Alabama State Parks adding 12 pollinator gardens thanks to grant funding](https://www.alreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CheckClose-scaled-e1719228907449.webp)
The Alabama Association of Resource, Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils presented a $25,000 grant to Alabama State Parks on Friday, June 21 during the Pollinator Festival at Oak Mountain State Park (OMSP).
The RC&D grant will fund development of 12 pollinator gardens at state parks throughout the state.
“We truly appreciate RC&D for funding this project, which will create a new interactive experience for State Parks visitors to enjoy,” State Parks Director Greg Lein said. “These pollinator gardens are more than just something pretty to look at and enjoy. They also improve and enhance habitat for pollinators, and that has incredible ecological benefits for all Alabamians.”
The check presentation also included a surprise for Lein as officials dedicated the pollinator garden at OMSP in his honor in recognition of his visionary leadership and unwavering passion to preserve natural spaces. The festivities were part of the first Pollinator Festival at OMSP, which celebrates National Pollinator Week and debuts the first of the 12 pollinator gardens.
“This is an unexpected honor, and I’m greatly humbled by this recognition,” Lein said.
The pollinator gardens funded by the RC&D grant will be located in 12 Alabama State Parks:
- Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham
- Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores
- Wind Creek State Park in Alexander City
- Lakepoint State Park in Eufaula
- DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne
- Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville
- Lake Guntersville State Park in Guntersville
- Cheaha State Park in Delta
- Chewacla State Park in Auburn
- Roland Cooper State Park in Camden
- Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort
- Lake Lurleen State Park in Coker
Tasha Simon, Chief of the Natural Resources Section for Alabama State Parks, welcomed the opening of Oak Mountain’s pollinator garden. She shared the paced park-by-park schedule of pollinator garden installations will allow park guests to see all the gardens in full bloom by 2025.
Six of the 12 will include a story trail, which will be a children’s storybook experience within the pollinator garden. Oak Mountain State Park’s pollinator garden includes a story trail, as do the gardens at Gulf, Wind Creek, Lakepoint, DeSoto and Joe Wheeler State Parks.
Alabama State Parks Chief of Interpretation and Education Renee Raney also shared, “Each pollinator garden allows educators to utilize interactive learning tools through our on-site Teacher Toolkits. The kits paired with the pollinator garden trail experience provide opportunities beyond the park and into the classroom for students and educators.”
Bees, birds, moths, bats and other pollinators have been in decline in many parts of the country due to habitat fragmentation, pollution and invasive species. Pollinators need flowering plants and vegetation to live and forage for food, which the Alabama State Parks’ new pollinator gardens will supply.
“Healthy ecosystems depend on pollinators,” Simon said. “In fact, at least 75 percent of all the flowering plants on earth are pollinated by insects and animals. These plants stabilize our soils, clean our air, supply oxygen and support wildlife.”
At Oak Mountain, the pollinator garden was installed in an area that was devastated by a tornado in March 2021. “It was the perfect place to create habitat for our pollinators,” Simon said.
Pollinators play a critical role in ecological balance, food production, biodiversity and environmental health.
“The new pollinator gardens are sure to become popular experiences at our State Parks. We again want to express our appreciation to RC&D for providing the funding,” Lein said. “We strive for every visitor to enjoy a first-class experience in our state parks, and these gardens definitely fulfill that goal.”
Park leaders welcome guests to stay, play, and explore naturally in all 21 Alabama State Parks by making reservations through the Plan Your Adventure Online portal at Alapark.com. Advance planning is encouraged to secure preferred dates.
-
World1 week ago
Switzerland's massive security effort at the Ukraine peace conference
-
News1 week ago
Joe Biden, Barack Obama And Jimmy Kimmel Warn Of Another Donald Trump Term; Star-Filled L.A. Fundraiser Expected To Raise At Least $30 Million — Update
-
News1 week ago
It's easy to believe young voters could back Trump at young conservative conference
-
World1 week ago
Swiss summit demands 'territorial integrity' of Ukraine
-
World1 week ago
Protesters in Brussels march against right-wing ideology
-
World1 week ago
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 842
-
Politics1 week ago
Biden looks to capitalize on star-studded Hollywood fundraiser after Trump's massive cash haul in blue state
-
Politics1 week ago
Judge rules Missouri abortion ban did not aim to impose lawmakers' religious views on others