What's going on in Alabama
A special "welcome back" this morning to all hardworking middle-class Alabama residents (see whether you qualify below). You're the reason we're really better than No. 44. Thanks for reading, Ike Morgan |
|
|
Another list that doesn't like us |
|
|
U.S. News & World Report has released its annual ranking of the best states, reports AL.com's William Thornton, and boy, the formula doesn't think much of us. We ranked 44th. (Mississippi, incidentally, ranked 48th.) Others of note include Utah at No. 1, Louisiana at No. 50, and Florida the highest southern state at No. 9. U.S. News & World Report said it considered thousands of data measurements on crime, health care, education, opportunity, natural environment, infrastructure, fiscal stability and the economy. Health care and education were weighed the heaviest, and that's where we received two of our three lowest scores -- 44 in health care and 45 in education. On the better end of our scores, keeping us a few places above the Mississippi bar, was our 19th-place ranking in fiscal stability of the state government. |
|
|
Stuck here in the middle with y'all |
|
|
Speaking of fiscal stability, it's often said that the long-term fiscal stability of a state or nation depends on a healthy middle class. But what is the middle class? AL.com's Warren Kulo reports that the middle-class income earners aren't an exact overlap with people's perceptions of middle-class folks. The Washington Post did a report and a survey this year asking people what it meant. And around 90% of U.S. adults agreed that being in the middle class means you have a secure job, the ability to actually save money, to afford an emergency thousand-dollar debt, to pay bills on time without much concern, to afford health insurance and to retire comfortably. That WaPo report also found that only a third of Americans met that definition of "middle class." So let's stick to income. According to the latest numbers, to qualify as middle class in Alabama you need a household income between $39,739 and $119,218. Now, if that U.S. News & World Report study that ranked us the 7th worst state in the nation has you currently packing your bags to leave, make sure you get a raise with that move. The national average household income to reach the middle class is about $28,000 higher than ours. |
|
|
A rendering shows an ambitious, transformative vision for a redevelopment of Mobile's Temple Downtown. (Smith Obayawat/OBA rendering via Bryan Olson) |
Alabama's new law banning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs at state institutions has already caused at least one DEI office to shut down, as others are working with legal teams to figure out what to do next, reports AL.com's Rebecca Griesbach. Jacksonville State University will close its Office of Diversity and Inclusion on May 31. Last spring, JSU reported $152,830 spending on salaries for a director and an administrative assistant for that office, and school documents show it supported four students on work study programs. The university did say that no staff will be cut. |
In 1941, music composer and educator Jackson Hill of Birmingham. |
|
|
We have excerpts from yesterday's virtual event on child care with Sen. Katie Britt. You can find “Down in Alabama” wherever you get your podcasts, including these places: |
We appreciate you for taking the time to read today. Hope you're able to check back soon. Meantime, reply to this email with any suggestions you might have. If you're so inclined, we'd love it if you'd forward to friends who might be interested in reading. (And if you're someone who's been forwarded this newsletter, we encourage you to subscribe and get this in your inbox every day.) |
|
|
|