Good morning!

Here’s your Daily News for Tuesday, July 6.

1. Anti-rioting bill pre-filed for 2022 session

An anti-rioting bill that was the cause of heated debate in the 2021 legislative session will be back in 2022.
The bill would change the definition of riot in state law and increase penalties for those who participate in one.
House Bill 2 from Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, is the same bill that passed out of the House in the 2021 regular legislative session but died in the Senate. Black lawmakers in both chambers expressed anger over what they said was legislation suppressing the right of people of color to gather in protest.
Treadaway, a retired Birmingham assistant police chief, told Alabama Daily News he hopes pre-filing the bill now will allow for more discussion from any concerned parties.
“I hope that they look at the bill and see that my bill doesn’t have monuments in it, it doesn’t have anything in it about infringing on First Amendment rights, it’s just about the safety of everybody involved and that includes protesters,” Treadaway said.
Alabama’s Democratic party leader Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, said while he appreciates the desire to collaborate on the bill he still has concerns.
“I still think that there is significant potential there for it to infringe on someone’s right of freedom of expression and free speech and simply put, it could have a very chilling effect on someone’s right to protest,” England told ADN. “It still has a lot of work to be done.”
Read more from Caroline Beck HERE.

2. Britt hauls in $2.24M for Senate campaign

U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt raised $2.24 million in the first three weeks since she announced she’s seeking the office.
Ninety percent of that total came from within the state, her campaign said.
Fundraising for the second quarter of 2021 ended June 30 but campaign finance reports are not due to the Federal Election Commission until July 15.
Congressman Mo Brooks and former U.S. Ambassador Lynda Blanchard are the other announced GOP contenders for the retiring Sen. Richard Shelby’s seat, but the field is not yet settled. Neither have announced or reported second quarter fundraising totals. Blanchard loaned her campaign $5 million upon her entrance into the race in February.
What makes the $2.24M number stand out is federal campaign contribution limitations. Unlike in state elections, in which contributions are pretty much unlimited, individuals can only contribute $2,900 per candidate, per election for federal races. Usually that’s done per couple, so it can effectively mean $5,800 per election. PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate each election. Anyway, it takes a lot of contributions to add up to millions.
Read more from Mary Sell HERE.

3. ADPH: Several Alabama counties still at risk for virus

About one-third of Alabama’s counties, including most of the state’s heavily populated areas, are at very high risk for COVID-19 as vaccination rates continue to lag, state statistics showed Monday.
While overall caseloads and hospitalizations remain far below levels when the pandemic was at its worst early this year, the potential for infection remains elevated in areas including Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and much of the Wiregrass and Tennessee Valley.
Of the state’s most populated areas, only Mobile County on the coast is considered as being at low risk for COVID, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Nearly three dozen rural counties with sparse populations also are at low risk.
The statistics don’t include the July 4 holiday period, so health officials will look to see whether holiday gatherings contribute to a rise in infections later this month.
Only a relative handful of cases involving the fast-spread delta variant of the virus has been confirmed in Alabama, the state health officer, Dr. Scott Harris said.
Read more HERE.

4. Judge to decide lawsuit over Alabama nuclear plant sale

The future of an unfinished nuclear plant in northeast Alabama is now in the hands of a federal judge.
U.S. District Judge Liles Burke recently heard closing arguments in the lawsuit over the sale of the unfinished Bellefonte Nuclear Plant near Scottsboro, news outlets reported. It is unclear when Burke will issue his ruling but it could take several months.
Nuclear Development LLC in 2018 filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing the Tennessee Valley Authority of illegally pulling out of the sale a day before closing. Nuclear Development had agreed to buy the site for $111 million.
Read more HERE.

5. Op-Ed: Protecting Alabama’s waters requires more than lawsuits

Alabama Department of Environmental Management Director Lance LeFleur contributes an op-ed to Alabama Daily News today.
In it he writes about the challenges and complexities of dealing with sanitary sewer overflows and holding irresponsible parties accountable.
Here’s an excerpt:

“Recent heavy rains put the spotlight on one of the most common yet extremely difficult to resolve environmental concerns – untreated or partially treated sewage getting into our rivers, lakes and streams. Inflow of rainwater through cracked pipes or faulty manhole covers and infiltration of groundwater through deteriorated sewer lines can overwhelm a sewer system and send sewage into waterways.

“We call these SSOs, or sanitary sewer overflows. Bodies of waters contaminated by sewage can carry E. coli and other bacteria and pose health risks to the public.We are committed both to warning the public of SSOs when they occur and, more importantly, working with the sewer systems to remedy the problems that led to the SSOs.

“We also hold them accountable, like all polluters, when they fail to take adequate steps to prevent SSOs. Our job is to protect the state’s environment and its citizens’ health from violations that put them at risk – regardless whether the violators are municipal systems or private operations.”

Read LeFleur’s full piece HERE.

Headlines

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Anti-rioting bill pre-filed for 2022 legislative session

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Britt raises $2.24M in first three weeks of campaign

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – ADPH: About one-third of Alabama counties at risk for virus

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Judge to decide lawsuit over Alabama nuclear plant sale

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Jeff Sessions: Don’t allow critics to “demoralize” country

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – ADEM: Protecting Alabama’s Waters Requires More Than Lawsuits

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Primary challengers, incumbents raising funds for ’22

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Truckers fume as Alabama detoured them from I-10 tunnel

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Explosives bring down rest of South Florida collapsed condo

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Fewer working-age people may slow economy. Will it lift pay?

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Ransomware hits hundreds of US companies, security firm says

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Daily News Digest – July 5, 2021

AL.COM – Judge denies default judgment against Rep. Mo Brooks in Capitol riot lawsuit

AL.COM – Long-running fight for control of Alabama Democratic Party is back in court

AL.COM – Alabama interstate where 10 died in crash to undergo resurfacing

AL.COM – Birmingham-based prison medical group pays almost $695,000 in billing dispute

Montgomery Advertiser – New art exhibit examining racism, stereotypes opens at Rosa Parks Museum

Montgomery Advertiser – Mentors of Montgomery sign up to work with kids as homicides rise

Montgomery Advertiser – Montgomery man dies in Saturday motorcycle crash

Decatur Daily – Residency issue returns as Decatur director moves to Priceville

Decatur Daily – Music, fireworks complete 54th Spirit of America Festival

Decatur Daily – 2 men found dead in Morgan County

Times Daily – Northwest-Shoals Community College Offers Half-Price Tuition This Fall

Times Daily – Board will work on budget for Colbert Animal Shelter

Times Daily – Cypress Lakes Golf & Tennis Facility getting new pump system

Anniston Star – Investigators to begin underwater search for downed Hawaii jet’s black boxes

Anniston Star – Kayaker finds body in Tennessee River in north Alabama

Anniston Star – Alabama interstate where 10 died in crash to undergo resurfacing

WBRC Fox 6 Birmingham – Grandmother claims celebratory bullet hit their van with grandchildren inside on 4th of July

WBRC Fox 6 Birmingham – Dr. Fauci says vaccinated people should wear masks

WBRC Fox 6 Birmingham – Alabama’s COVID state of emergency ends Tuesday

Tuscaloosa News – PHOTOS: The many faces of July 4th

Tuscaloosa News – Fireworks return to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

Tuscaloosa News – Gordo man, teenager killed in July Fourth crash in Pickens County

YellowHammer News – GOP candidates for Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor races show early big cash-on-hand advantages

YellowHammer News – Alabama Power conducts virtual dam safety training exercise

YellowHammer News – Patient trapped by fallen tree during tornado walks again

Gadsden Times – Tuscaloosa Avenue lighting among various issues plaguing District 3; politics blamed

Gadsden Times – PHOTOS: Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association’s July 4 fireworks show

Dothan Eagle – Major blackouts in Iran prompt rare apology from president

Dothan Eagle – On ‘Sesame Street,’ Elmo gets a puppy (cue adorableness)

Dothan Eagle – The Latest: Chinese city near Myanmar imposes virus lockdown

Opelika-Auburn News – The Latest: Chinese city near Myanmar imposes virus lockdown

Opelika-Auburn News – New US rules to protect animal farmers expected this week

Opelika-Auburn News – Storm threat hangs over renewed search at Florida condo site

WSFA Montgomery – State wants former Lee Co. DA’s perjury charge dropped

WSFA Montgomery – Grandmother claims celebratory bullet hit their van with grandchildren inside on 4th of July

WSFA Montgomery – Family seeking answers in fatal Montgomery hit-and-run

WAFF Huntsville – Jury deliberation resumes Tuesday in Henderson’s penalty phase

WAFF Huntsville – Red Cross volunteers on standby to help with possible Elsa storm damage

WAFF Huntsville – Free 2 Teach opens Tuesday for school teachers

WKRG Mobile – 14-year-old Florida girl dies in July 4 ATV crash

WKRG Mobile – Storm threat hangs over renewed search at Florida condo site

WKRG Mobile – Two dead after fatal crash in Clarke County

WTVY Dothan – Panama City Beach Police are looking for a missing six-year-old boy

WTVY Dothan – Alabama law enforcement helps stranded, autistic man get home

WTVY Dothan – Shrimping industry surviving along the Georgia coast

WASHINGTON POST – Hackers demand $70 million to unlock businesses hit by sprawling ransomware attack

WASHINGTON POST – In ramp-up to 2022 midterms, Republican candidates center pitches on Trump’s false election claims

WASHINGTON POST – Imperiled for helping U.S. troops and stranded by bureaucracy, Afghan interpreters see Biden evacuation plan as last hope

NEW YORK TIMES – ‘Should We Sell?’ After Collapse, Hot Florida Market Faces Uncertainty

NEW YORK TIMES – Biotech Company That Botched Vaccines Faces Investor Revolt

NEW YORK TIMES – Tesla Says Autopilot Makes Its Cars Safer. Crash Victims Say It Kills.

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Hong Kong Moves to Speed Up IPOs

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Toyota’s Chip Supply Helps It Beat General Motors for the First Time

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Big Tech Threatens to Unfriend Hong Kong

Front Pages (images link to newspaper websites, which you should visit and patronize)

Daily News Digest – July 6