Alabama top stories in brief

• On Jan. 11, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission had its first meeting since being delayed by the courts on Jan. 3. In the virtual hearing, Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson granted a motion for expedited discovery. The AMCC objected to discovery during the hearing in efforts to continue discussions with the plaintiffs about the scope of the case. While the date for the injunction hearing remains set for Jan. 24, AMCC attorney Mark Wilkerson predicted it may be postponed. 

• An organizing committee for the United Auto Workers (UAW) union has been formed, according to a group of workers protesting on Jan. 10 at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Alabama, outside of Tuscaloosa. The committee has stated that 30% of workers at the plant have signed union authorization cards. Attempts to unionize the plant occurred in 1999 and 2000 were both unsuccessful. Efforts by the committee are underway to try to have 70% of the plant workers to sign cards, and for recognition by Mercedes-Benz, or an election to be held by the National Labor Relations Board. Gov. Kay Ivey has come out against the union efforts saying that the UAW serves out of state interests, and does not serve Alabamians. An Alabama Arise report found that Alabama auto workers’ real wages — wages adjusted for inflation — have declined by 11% between 2002 and 2019. 

• Nick Saban, often considered as one of the all-time best college football coaches, has retired from coaching at the University of Alabama. Saban said he decided to retire because of his age, and not being able to do the things that he wants to do for the Crimson Tide football program. Intending to stick around, and even being given an office at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Saban will continue to be available for the program. After winning the most National Championships of any CFB coach ever, a record 7, 6 at Alabama, Saban has left some rather large shoes to fill. However, Kalen DeBoer, former University of Washington head coach, has been hired to replace Saban. DeBoer most recently led the Huskies to the National Championship after only two seasons of being at the program. DeBoer is expected to be bringing several coaching staff along with him from the Huskies program to UA including, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shepard, general manager Courtney Morgan and director of scouting Jerret McElwain. DeBoer is also retaining running back coach Robert Gillespie and defensive line coach Freddie Roach. Additional coaching and staffing decisions are expected to be announced through the following days. 

• A hearing on a lawsuit accusing Alabama state prisons of constructing a modern day system of slavery, similar to the convict leasing system ended in the 1920’s, has been scheduled for Feb. 8. The lawsuit alleges that Alabama coerces those incarcerated into labor by punishing any that refuse to work. According to the lawsuit, incarcerated laborers are contracted out to work for government entities and businesses, paid far less than regular employees and have a large percentage of their wages taken by the ADOC. The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction that would require an end to any forced labor by the ADOC, reimburse them for wages and force the parole board to “immediately remedy and correct their unlawful and discriminatory parole practices.” The full complaint can be read here. 

• Two Alabama Department of Corrections officers were charged last week with using their position for personal gain. Both officers worked at Elmore Correctional Facility. Documents show that one of the officers made over $3,000 from an incarcerated individual.

• A federal judge denied a challenge to the execution by nitrogen gas of Kenneth Eugene Smith. Smith is slated to be executed on Jan. 25 via nitrogen suffocation, a method that has yet to have been used on any other death row inmate. An appeal to the ruling is expected. 

• Gov. Kay Ivey has declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in the state this week due to extreme winter weather conditions. As of Sunday, temperatures are expected to drop as low as 12 degrees this week with a chance of snow on Monday in some counties. The counties included in Ivey’s list are: Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, St. Clair, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.

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