Lee Hedgepeth
@lee_hedgepeth
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Alabama reporter for @insideclimate . I write @treadbylee , a newsletter of Southern journalism. Sign up below.
Birmingham, Alabama
Joined October 2013
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Pinned Tweet
I just interviewed the family of Kenneth Smith, the first person executed by nitrogen suffocation, about tonight's nitrogen execution of Alan Miller in Alabama. Here's what they said.
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Twitter, I need your help. On Sunday in Selma, this woman stood for hours in the heat to see
@VP
Kamala Harris. She asked me to take her picture. She wanted to be seen - to be remembered on such a historic day. I wasn't able to get her contact info. Retweet this & let's find her.
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I still think about this interaction with a Cuomo producer on a regular basis
I'll be on
@NewsNation
📺 tonight, 8 PM ET, with host
@ChrisCuomo
. To find NewsNation, go to (
#AD
)
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ADOC officials just told a reporter that her skirt is too short to witness the execution. Other reporters were able to find her pants to wear.
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@RobinsonCarol
Not sure I follow? ADOC enforcing a policy that hasn't been enforced at any of the executions I've witnessed seems very relevant.
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Charles Tuberville, brother of
@SenTuberville
, has publicly denounced his sibling's recent comments. Read his full statement, reported first in
@TreadbyLee
:
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66 years ago, a sniper shot Rosa Jordan, only 22, as she sat on a Montgomery bus. She was 8 months pregnant. For decades, the story of what happened after that act of terror went untold. That ends today. Meet Rose, Jordan's "big baby,” & share her story.
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@RobinsonCarol
I didn't name anyone in the tweet. If you don't think reporting that ADOC is doing skirt-length checks ahead of an execution, you're welcome to that view. I happen to disagree.
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A newly filed lawsuit, based in part on reporting by
@CBS_42
, claims that an Alabama man froze to death in police custody and was "likely" placed in a jail freezer during his detention. (1) Full story & a thread:
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Here is a statement from the family of Faith Hall on the execution of Joe Nathan James, Jr. You can read my extensive interview with the family here:
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Alabama's Attorney General watched video of Anthony Mitchell's limp body being placed into a Walker County police vehicle for the first time today. "It's almost like he's posturing a little bit," the AG said while watching. Read Mitchell's story here:
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Newbern, Alabama had never had an African-American mayor until Patrick Braxton. But once he ascended to the majority-Black town's top office, the trouble began: a white minority locked him out of town hall. Read & share the full story, only on
@TreadbyLee
:
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Dee Kent, then 77, was on her way from Valley, Alabama, to a doc's appt. in Opelika when she was pulled over. Police cuffed & arrested her for failure to pay a $141 trash bill. She said her husband had recently died, and she sometimes forgets to pay. (1)
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With your help, we found the woman in the photo & she has quite a story to tell. I'm speaking at length with her later today & will share more then. In the meantime, please do retweet her photo. She told me a few minutes ago -- she's so happy to be seen.
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This protest is likely a 1st for the office of
@SenatorSessions
, who called
@NAACP
un-American & Communist years ago
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As you read the news coverage of this story in other outlets, ask yourself who is spoken for & who isn't. What images are shared & which aren't & why? Remember that as a news consumer, you have the power to use your voice & your clicks to influence coverage.
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I've witnessed four previous executions in Alabama. Yesterday's execution of Kenny Smith, the first human ever sentenced to die by nitrogen, was the most violent I'd ever seen. Read my full eyewitness account of the execution for
@TreadbyLee
here:
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Take a moment to read the full story here. "Trash Valley": How an Alabama town's garbage policy left its citizens in cuffs
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@MSkotnicki
@samswey
Also, even before the height of the mortgage crisis, the federal government was forgiving distressed mortgages. Don't act disdainful when younger folks ask for the handouts older generations have gotten for decades.
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“This is one of the most appalling cases of jail abuse the country has seen,” the 37-page federal lawsuit begins. “On the night of January 25 to January 26, 2023, Anthony Don Mitchell (“Tony”) froze to death while incarcerated at the Walker County Jail.”
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He’d said he thought his home would explode. He was right. W.M. Griffice, a 78-year-old Alabama former coal miner, had told his granddaughter that he felt like his house was going to explode, she recalled. Then it happened. 1/11
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Here is surveillance video obtained by CBS 42. It contradicts statements by police that Tony was "alert and conscious" when he left the Walker County Jail. When he arrived at the ER, his body temp was 72 degrees, according to a doc's notes. Full story:
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A lawyer for Tony's family said what happened to Tony may not have come to light if it weren't for a correctional officer who recorded surveillance video that contradicted police statements.
@CBS_42
was the only outlet to publish a story on the video.
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The correctional officer who allegedly recorded the surveillance video has been fired, according to the federal lawsuit. Read the full details in my story with
@CarlyLaing1
:
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Martha Menefield had thought she was alone. Arrested over a $77 trash bill, the 82-year-old felt isolated. After her arrest garnered headlines, prosecutors dropped the case. It was too late. Martha knew she wasn't alone. Others needed justice, too (7)
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@bshelburne
I spent much of today on Martha Louise Menefield’s front porch in Valley. I’ll never forget the pain on her face as she recalled being arrested by police over a $77 trash bill. If you're reading this, please take the time to share her story.
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I spent much of today on Martha Louise Menefield’s front porch. I’ll never forget the pain on her face as she recalled being arrested by Valley, Alabama police over a $77 trash bill. Please, please take the time to read and share her story (1)
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Dee is one of dozens arrested for failure to pay garbage fees in Valley, Alabama, targets of a years-long legal scheme that has criminalized debt in a city that contracts its solid waste services to a private company, AmWaste. (3)
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I very much enjoyed capturing this photo of Sanford stadium
@universityofga
. My heart will always be in Alabama, but Athens is a special place.
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“I’ve never been so embarrassed,” she said of her arrest. Kent said police transported her to the county line, where an officer from Chambers Co. took her into custody. She said nobody should be arrested over an unpaid bill: "It's absolutely wrong." (2)
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LAWN AND ORDER: An Alabama veterinarian’s garden has landed her in criminal court. The City of Northport, Alabama, charged local vet Ellen Newsom with “unlawful growth of vegetation” over her professionally landscaped garden. (1/n)
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Thank you so much to everyone who has shared this photo so far. I'll be posting any updates here.
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Here are the mugshots of the 6
@NAACP
activists arrested today in Mobile after refusing to leave office of
@SenatorSessions
, AG nominee
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Nortasha Jackson said she failed to pay her trash bill because she was hyperfocused on taking care of her grandson, who has a disability. “They’re choosing people that they think may not speak up,” Jackson said of city officials. “It’s a crock.” (5)
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Those arrested over unpaid trash fees in Chambers Co. are often people facing financial difficulties, people of color, or people with disabilities. Some have been arrested repeatedly & most charged criminally end up paying hundreds in costs and fees in addition to the bills (4)
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For nearly 2 years, I've been committed to providing in-depth, compelling journalism at CBS 42, doing my best to provide a platform for people often left out of Alabama's story. I enjoyed much of my time at CBS, but today, I'm announcing it's time for me to move on. (A short 🧵)
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Phillip Ensler has declared victory over his GOP opponent, securing a rare victory for Dems in a deep red state. Ensler will become the first Jew to serve in the Alabama Legislature in more than 4 decades and only the 3rd Jew to ever serve in the body:
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Jackson said Valley should throw the city’s garbage policy to the curb. Doing so isn’t just the right thing to do, she said, it’s what’s needed to improve the city’s image and secure its future.“Don’t try to grow with 1950s and 60s vibes,” she said. (6)
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@leahanelson
@VP
She didn’t, unfortunately. I tried to talk to her at length, but as more and more folks packed themselves into the crowd, we were separated pretty quickly.
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Joe Nathan James, Jr., is scheduled to be executed on July 28 for the murder of Faith Hall. Yesterday, I spoke with Faith's daughters and brother. They're opposed to James' execution. "We’re not God," Terryln told me. "The Governor is not God." Full story:
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Join me in wishing a happy 83rd birthday to Martha Menefield! It was great visiting her today at her home in Valley, Alabama. A year ago, she was arrested over a $77 trash bill. Since then, bc she chose to share her experience, officials reversed the policy that left her jailed.
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Read the reporting that led to this convo here.
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@insideclimate
This week, lawyers for Griffice and his grandson filed a lawsuit against Oak Grove mine, alleging that they acted negligently in allowing methane to accumulate in Griffice's home, causing the explosion. 8/11
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I'm headed to Holman prison in Atmore, Alabama, where I'll witness the planned suffocation execution of Kenneth Smith, should it move forward. I'm visiting him today and will have limited internet access, but I'll post updates as I can:
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I am honored to share the story of Hattie Collins, the woman in the pink flower hat. Thank you to everyone who made this story possible.
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Good journalism involves practicing the profession within ethical standards. What 1819 did wasn’t journalism & definitely wasn’t ethical. Just bc people may click on a story doesn’t make writing it excusable. No serious journalist I know thinks what 1819 did here is above board.
I disagree. It’s easy to blame various media sources for issues or incidents. The media is driven by what creates “likes” or “clicks” that come from what’s popular. WE as a society are the ones who need to look in the mirror because the media is just a mirror of us.
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I went to an Alabama high school with textbooks that were literally falling apart at the seams. I didn’t have home access to internet & had to trespass in an illegal landfill next to my neighbors’ house to get strong enough WiFi do homework. Is that immigrants’ fault, too?
This is the latest result of the Biden Admin’s America Last agenda. Hamstringing American teenagers’ education—we know that remote learning isn’t as effective for many students—to facilitate more mass migration. Will Congressional Democrats continue to go along with this?
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Know this: I'm still committed to producing journalism that helps us better understand ourselves. If you want to support this mission, sign up for Tread, my newsletter. In it, I've explained why I left CBS 42 in more depth. I hope you'll take a look.
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@insideclimate
Meanwhile, nearby Alabama residents may be at an increased risk of methane accumulating in their homes, an expert told ICN.
@insideclimate
will continue to report on this unfolding story. Read the full story here:
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@insideclimate
That mine has been cited hundreds of times by federal regulators, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of fines. It has been cited in recent years for "ignitions" of methane gas inside the mine. 5/11
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I’m with Kenneth Smith’s family, headed into Holman where his execution, the first attempted nitrogen suffocation in the nation’s history, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
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Faith Hall's family had planned on coming to Holman to hear James' final words. They hoped for an apology. Then, they said, the wanted to leave before the execution proceeded. An ADOC official said that wouldn't be allowed. "Once you're in, you're in," she said.
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The execution of Alan Miller has been called off after issues accessing Miller's veins, Alabama's prisons commissioner has said.
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A woman named Anne DiPrizio just poured water over the head of former Alabama State Rep. Kyle South at a Montgomery hearing about Alabama Power’s storage of coal ash. Story to come for
@insideclimate
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A word on Twitter’s “context” note: It is completely speculative. All we know about what the AG meant is what he said. If he meant “posturing” in a medical sense, he is welcome to say that. As of this writing, he hasn’t done so, and words have a plain meaning.
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On Friday, I married Tricia McMullen. She's smart, fierce, caring, bold, and loving, and I'm grateful to begin the rest of our lives together. Love is the greatest tool we have in shaping the world into a more just place, and I'm so lucky to have found so much of it in my life.
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John Palombi, lawyer for Matthew Reeves, just sent me this statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to allow his client's execution. "The immense authority of the Supreme Court should be used to protect its citizens, not to strip them of their rights without explanation."
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That surveillance video contradicts a previous police statement that Mitchell was "alert and conscious" when he left the facility. In my view, the AG's reaction, which included saying Mitchell may be "posturing," was clearly newsworthy. News management disagreed. (3)
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I resigned from my position at CBS 42 late last month after news management chose to reprimand me for publishing an unedited clip of Alabama's AG reacting to video of Anthony Mitchell, a Walker County man, being placed, motionless, into a police vehicle. (2)
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@insideclimate
The suit says that the company had found methane gas in Griffice's water well in the months prior to the explosion and capped it for safety reasons. An expert interviewed by ICN said capping methane at such a site could be dangerous. 9/11
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@insideclimate
The address of Griffice's home is one of dozens listed in state records as potentially being impacted by mining activities conducted by Crimson Oak Grove Resources. 7/11
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@insideclimate
The company's mining activity has had a significant toll on the community. A local park was forced to close due to safety concerns over underground mining, its lease suspended by the mining company that owns the land on which it sits. 6/11
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BREAKING: Days after a failed execution attempt, Alabama's governor is asking for a moratorium on executions in the state.
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I’m here at the Jefferson County Courthouse where half a dozen lawyers and a circuit court judge have been arguing for 25 minutes in chambers about whether to kick me out of the courtroom. He said he didn’t think he has the authority to do so. We’ll see if he changes his mind.
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An
@insideclimate
investigation by myself and James Bruggers found that Griffice's home is located over an area where a local coal mine was expanding. 4/11
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The State of Alabama has executed Joe Nathan James, Jr. The lethal injection came after a significant delay. We are waiting on the ADOC commissioner to provide comments and answer questions.
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Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm would not provide an explanation for the delay in James' execution.
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Here's my full account of the execution of Joe Nathan James, Jr.
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373,000 Alabamians applied or were deemed automatically eligible for student loan debt relief. That’s more than 7% of the entire state population & all of them earn less than $125,000 a year.
Today, I joined my Senate colleagues in voting down President Biden’s massive $400 billion Student Loan giveaway. This plan was nothing more than an unlawful, unfair, and regressive plan to shift this burden on to hardworking families.
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Here are some aerial photos from this evening's protest outside Jackson Square. Video to come.
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On March 8, as Griffice relaxed in his recliner and his grandson lay in bed, his home exploded, leaving only its small, scorched footprint in the Alabama clay. Griffice and his grandson, 21, were transported to a Birmingham hospital with catastrophic burns. 2/11
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In the next hour, I’ll move to pass the MOMS Act. This legislation is pro-life, pro-woman, and pro-family.
Senate Democrats will have to ask themselves—are they more interested in scaring women and families, or helping women and families?
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I spent yesterday in Camp Hill, a 90% Black town in Rogers’ district devastated by a hailstorm. This is the mold-ridden bedroom of 2 boys there, ages 10 & 11. Their mom said she needs help. Discriminating against trans folks wasn’t one of her priorities.
Today I am voting with
@HouseGOP
to protect women’s sports. We cannot ignore that men and women are born different sexes just to avoid hurt feelings and appease the radical left. Biological men competing in women’s sports is unfair.
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Alabama killed a man today - on behalf of Katie Britt and every Alabamian - despite evidence showing that the prosecution’s key witness was given a plea deal for her testimony that wasn’t disclosed to the jury.
Today is a sad and shameful day. Democrats just set the dangerous, destructive precedent of the party in power weaponizing prosecutorial powers against their political adversary. This is a hallmark of a banana republic, not a constitutional republic.
Make no mistake—Americans
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A week later, Griffice remains on a ventilator, fighting for his life. His grandson, Anthony Hill, remains hospitalized as well, facing a lengthy, difficult recovery, according to family. 3/11
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One of the officers who’d come to arrest Martha Menefield, an 82-year-old African-American woman, for failure to pay her trash bill, told her not to cry. (2)
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.
@NAACP
President
@CornellWBrooks
and others said
@realDonaldTrump
should withdraw
@jeffsessions
name as AG pick
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@insideclimate
State fire investigators haven't yet responded to requests for comment on the investigation into the explosion, but state mining officials said a multi-agency inquiry is underway. 10/11
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Former Alabama Governors Siegelman and Bentley have published a joint op-ed in the Washington Post discussing how they both regret presiding over executions. 2 years ago, I was the first journalist to interview them on the topic. Check out that story.
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Alabama Power's Plant Miller, located just northwest of Birmingham, is the single largest polluter in the nation, emitting around 1.5 million more metric tons of carbon dioxide per year than the entire country of Guatemala, according to global data.
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In the shadow of her husband Kenneth Smith's scheduled execution by gas, the State of Alabama confiscated Deanna Smith's Bible during a visit. She said it's just another way for state officials to arbitrarily flex their authority over her family.
“My Bible?” Kenneth Smith's wife asked. “I’ve brought it to every visit I’ve had. I brought it to every visit the last time you tried to kill him.” The past didn’t matter. The guard took the Bible, left the visitation room, and locked the door behind her.
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@RobinsonCarol
@CybersecRobert
The Alabama Department of Corrections is the party doing the embarrassing here.
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Twitter users can “rate” these notes as helpful or not helpful. Unless the note is changed to say he “may” be using the term in a medical way or he actually clarifies his statement, I certainly find the note unhelpful, speculative, and plainly untrue.
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Newsom’s neighbor, whose complaints likely cause the whole fuss, testified in court that she didn’t even want the vet found guilty, admitting in the process she’d recently eaten some asparagus from Ellen’s garden. (3/n)
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Can we get a retweet
@SenKatieBritt
?
Hey,
@SenTuberville
.
I’m a proud daughter of two lifelong educators. Alabama’s public school teachers—rural and urban—are some of the hardest working and most under-compensated members of our community.
They don’t deserve to be maligned by their senior senator.
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To read more stories like this, sign up for
@TreadbyLee
, a newsletter of Southern journalism, at . Please only pay what you can, even if that's nothing at all.
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Alabama announced today it will limit the time you can return absentee ballots by hand from June 20 to June 17 because of *checks notes* Juneteenth.
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I’m overflowing with pride for Pulitzer finalist
@lyman_brian
. Brian is an amazing journalist and compassionate person who so deserves this amazing recognition. If you’re don’t read
@ALReflector
, it’s time to jump on board.
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A local horticulturalist named Vanessa Farmer (no joke) testified as an expert witness in the case, saying that the ordeal was “very unfortunate.” Newsom’s garden wasn’t overgrown, Farmer said: “She’s not letting anything take over the South.” (4/n)
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Kenny Smith has been executed by Alabama. A full eyewitness account will be posted to
@TreadbyLee
tomorrow morning.
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Members of the
@NAACP
awaiting arrest of others inside
@SenatorSessions
office in Mobile. Media not allowed in
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Why would a US senator share a “news article” on hurricane season from a site owned by Alabama Power, one of the state’s largest contributors to climate change? Emissions from utilities have, through climate change, led to increased rain and wind intensity during hurricanes.
June marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, and I encourage all Alabamians to have an updated emergency plan in place. Always remain weather-aware and follow local warnings to keep you and your loved ones safe.
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I am honored to share the story of Hattie Collins, the lady in the pink flower hat. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this story possible.
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.
@CornellWBrooks
in handcuffs being brought into a local police precinct after arrest with
@NAACP
members
@SenatorSessions
office
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