Alabama top stories in brief

• Birmingham-Southern College continues to be denied for a $30 million loan by the Alabama State Treasurer, Young Boozer. The argument between BSC and Boozer has been going on publicly for months now. Boozer claims that BSC has yet to amend their application to adequately show they have collateral. BSC however, claims that they have shown it can provide the necessary collateral through a letter from its creditor, ServisFirst Bank. Boozer claims the college has not provided other additional documentation and requested details, but BSC has stated they will continue to try for the loan. 

• Kenneth Eugene Smith is set to be the first person executed by nitrogen hypoxia on Jan. 25. In 2018, the Alabama Legislature approved execution by nitrogen hypoxia, which has never been used by any other state. On Jan. 3, a United Nations panel called on state and federal authorities to halt the execution until it has been thoroughly tested and reviewed. The UN claimed that the method may violate the UN convention against torture and cruel punishments, a convention that the U.S. has signed. In response, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., posted on X that the UN instead should focus on China, and its handling of executions. 

• The third round of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission licenses for all-inclusive facilities has been blocked by a Montgomery Circuit Judge. Judge James Anderson wrote in his order that the licenses are questionably invalid due to ongoing litigation regarding the first two rounds of licensing. Plaintiffs claim that the commission violated its own rules by not conducting a blind review of applications. Furthermore, they argue that because there is no legal distinction between award and grant, licenses awarded in June were never revoked, and therefore there were no additional licenses to be awarded in December. The licensing process continues to be disputed. 

• Two deaths were reported in ADOC facilities last week. One was 73-year-old Samuel Harold Miles Jr., who was found unresponsive while in the infirmary. An autopsy found no evidence of trauma or foul play. The other death was 38-year-old Adam Bond. Bond’s family had previously testified at a Prison Oversight Committee hearing out about concerns over dangerous conditions in ADOC facilities. According to Bond’s family, he contacted them days before his death and said he was worried for his safety. The family has filed a lawsuit against the ADOC.

• The heart of Brandon Clay Dotson is still missing after a Friday morning hearing where none of those who testified were able to shed any light on what might have happened to Dotson’s heart. Dotson was incarcerated at Ventress Correctional Facility, where he died in November. During an autopsy conducted by Dotson’s family, the lack of a heart was discovered. The family then proceeded to sue the Alabama Department of Corrections, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and UAB Medical Center. During the hearing, UAB asked the judge to dismiss them from the lawsuit, since the preliminary autopsy was conducted by ADFS and there is no record of UAB having had any contact with the case. 

• The Port of Mobile has been named the second fastest growing port in the U.S. according to Forbes. 

• The Alabama Department of Public Health will be taking public comments on a rule change proposed by their board until Feb. 2. The change would require that in order for ADPH to declare a public health emergency, they would need the governor’s signature. Currently, the law allows ADPH to declare public emergencies on their own for 120 days, and only requires that the governor approve any extensions. 

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