SUMMARY: The North Alabama Homebuilding Academy recently received a $500,000 grant from the Lowe’s Foundation to expand its workforce development program. This funding will help launch satellite programs across Alabama, offering free training for careers in the homebuilding industry. The academy aims to address a significant worker shortage, with the average age of workers in the industry at 57. The Lowe’s Foundation, originally planning to award $250,000, doubled the contribution after learning about the academy’s impact. The grant supports efforts to train skilled workers and replicate successful programs statewide.

A Huntsville non-profit focused on offering hands-on skills training for people looking to start a career in residential construction, recently got a big boost.

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SUMMARY: Passenger Joe Bean traveled over 700 miles from Indiana to visit the SS United States, America’s last surviving ocean liner, now immobile and set to become the world’s largest artificial reef off Northwest Florida. Bean, who sailed on the iconic ship in 1958, cherishes the memories of his family’s journey, describing it as more than just a ship but a profound adventure. He holds onto memorabilia from that trip, offering a glimpse into the past. Upon visiting the SS United States in Mobile, he felt a rush of nostalgia, stating, “Once you’ve been on the ship, your heart and soul remains with it.”

Over 700 miles — that’s how far Joe Beaman of Indiana was willing to travel to visit the SS United States in the Port City.
FULL STORY: https://trib.al/TDuvhR7

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Alabama Senate committee OKs bill expanding religious exemptions from vaccinations

by Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
March 5, 2025

An Alabama Senate committee Wednesday approved a bill that allows parents to claim a religious exemption from vaccination without providing an explanation or allowing a public body to evaluate the claim. 

SB 85, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, also explicitly allows students at colleges and universities to declare themselves religiously exempt from vaccinations. 

“The experience has been many times in these offices, the mom or dad or whoever has taken the child, gets asked about their religious beliefs,” Orr said.

The legislation also removes language that suspended religious exemptions in the presence of an epidemic “or immediate threat thereof.” Apriell Hartsfield, a policy analyst with Voices for Alabama Children, the lone speaker at the public hearing, opposed the legislation. 

“We fear that this bill will needlessly impact many vulnerable children whose health is already at risk and they are not able to get vaccinations,” she said.

In Texas, one child died from measles on Feb. 25, a previously dormant disease, due to an outbreak that infected mostly unvaccinated children. According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 159 measles cases so far with five of the infected being vaccinated with at least one dose.

Alabama public health officials have voiced fears about dropping vaccination rates in the state. The state’s measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rate fell below 94% in 2022-23. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 95% of the population needs to be immunized to achieve herd immunity. 

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, said unvaccinated children should be kept at home. 

“If you don’t want your child to get the vaccine, then they need to be at home with Zoom,” he said.

Orr said unvaccinated children should not be a threat to public schools and vaccinated children.

“That’s the point of vaccines. If you’re vaccinated, what’s your worry?” Orr said. 

Orr said Alabama should respect a parent’s decision to not vaccinate their child.

“Fundamentally, if you do have a religious objection, I think that this state and our constitution wants to respect that and not subject parents to being subjected to an inquisition,” Orr said.

The bill received a favorable report, with Smitherman and Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, abstaining. It now goes to the full Senate. 

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

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