From ou statehouse studio in Montgomery.

Welcome to Capitol Journal.

I'm Jeff Sanders filling in this week for Todd Stacey.

Thanks for being with us.

Topping our news this week.

The shockin assassination of Charlie Kirk, a political commentator and founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA.

Kirk was shot and killed while speaking to students at an outdoor event at a college in Utah on Wednesday.

On Friday, authorities announced the arrest of a suspect in the case.

Police have identified him as 22 year old Tyler James Robinson of Utah, who was taken into custody Thursday night, just over a day after the attack.

Investigators say they recovered a bolt action rifle near the campus.

Authorities are still working to determine a motive.

The shock of Kirk's death has stunned the country, many on both sides of the political spectrum, condemnin all forms of political violence.

Meanwhile, members of Alabama's congressional delegation are speaking out.

Senator Katie Britt urged Americans to come together in unity in the wake of the attack.

Congressman Barry Moore stressed the need to consider security precautions when lawmakers host public events, and Senator Tommy Tuberville called the assassination senseless.

He influence countless Americans and people across the world.

My kids being amongst those groups.

Talking with them last night talking through this with them last night.

It's just unthinkable that this is happening and the United States of America.

And so the time for unity, the time for peace it is now.

We have to reevaluate open air events.

I think that there's so much danger that law enforcement gets anxious when you're in open air areas like that, where there' long range target assessments.

And so for us, I think people have to be smart about how we do events.

It's a shame that someone who devoted his life to traveling the country an creating open political dialog was killed in a senseless act of political violence on a college campus.

Charlie's death should alarm every freedo loving American in this country.

As political leaders across the country react to Kirk's death, several political leaders in Alabama also took to social media t express their shock and sadness.

Among them was Alabama Governor Kay Ivey.

She wrote, quote, all of u in Alabama are wrapping the Kirk family in prayer during this unimaginable time of loss.

Charlie was a husband, father and patriot.

I hope and pray his mission to have good dialog continues following the assassination of Kirk.

Several bomb threats were called into to historically black colleges and universitie across the country on Thursday.

Among them, Alabama State University and Montgomery.

Students in Montgomery wer ordered were ordered to shelter in place as police searched every building on campus.

About two hours later, ASU received the all clear, but classes were canceled for the rest of the day.

The FBI says the calls appear to be hoaxes, but officials stress they are not to be taken lightly.

Montgomery Mayor Stephen Reed called the threats deeply disturbing and unacceptable, pledging that the safety of the Hornet community remains the top priority.

Whil the Charlie Kirk assassination dominated headlines across the country this week.

Americans also pause to remember another tragic chapter in our nation's history.

Thursday marked the 24th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

On that day in 2001, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airplanes.

Two were flown into the Worl Trade Center towers in New York.

One struck the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and the fourth crashed into a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought back.

In total, 2977 people were killed.

Thousands more have died since, including first responders who suffered illnesses from the toxic dust and debris in the aftermath.

Here in Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey reflected on the attacks during a ceremony at Carver Elementary, an arts magnet school in Montgomery.

Part of her back to school tour.

We remember this day to honor the heroes and the people we lost.

While nine and 11 is a solemn reminder of the profound debt of gratitude owed to all who sacrificed their lives for us.

It also showcases the powerful, rebounding spirit of our nation, and America's strength in the face of our darkest hours lies in the hands of us.

As Congress works through the National Defense Authorization Act and negotiations over the next round of federal spending bills.

Alabama's congressiona delegation is playing a key role with major defense installation and industry across the state.

Lawmakers say the stakes ar high for both national security and Alabama jobs.

Capitol Journal's Alex Engle has more now from Washington.

The bill is passed.

The House approved the National Defens Authorization Act on Wednesday.

House Armed Services Chairma Mike Rogers spearheaded the bill to authorize around $893 billion in Pentagon spending.

This is a strong bipartisan bill that delivers for our warfighters and deters our adversaries.

It will fundamentally reform the defense acquisition enterprise.

But the bipartisanship eroded in the final vote as only 17 Democrats supported the bill after Republicans added right wing amendments.

Alabama's delegation split on party lines.

Congress woman Terry Sewell says in a statement that reads in part, quote, I cannot vote for a bill that would rubber stamp this president's dangerous effort to politicize our armed forces.

Especially as America faces growing threat around the world.

End quote.

The Senate has yet to vote on its NDAA.

Both chambers will have to agree on the same bill before it becomes law.

Lawmakers were also bus this week trying to reach a deal to avert a possible government shutdown at the end of September.

A stopgap funding bill looks likely, but three full year spending bill could also be part of that plan.

The House appropriations Committee earlier this week advanced a spending bill that fund the largest non-defense sector.

While several programs ar eliminated or they're reduced.

The bill does increase support for bowel defense, for rural hospitals and for school choice.

As chairman of the subcommittee that oversees health and education spending, Robert Aderholt led GOP appropriators to cut funding for both departments.

The bill we present to the committee today balance the need for responsive fiscal stewardship, while at the same time maintaining key investments in biomedical research, schools and public health.

But it's uncertai if that House bill will become law, as it would also need to pass the Senate, which is pushing for fewer spending cuts.

The new fiscal year starts October 1st.

Reporting on Capitol Hill, Alex Engle, Capitol Journal.

Last week we looked at health care concerns in Alabama rural communities, focusing on communitie that have lost their hospitals.

But those facilities are not the only concern when it comes to maintaining health care in the regions.

Some residents say they remain hopeful, though about the progress being made.

Our Randy Scott has more.

We have miles to go before we can even find more than help care in this area.

Thomas Jackson is worried about health care access in his home town of Thomasville.

Jackson says those worries were amplified by the closing of their recently built hospital.

I'm standing here at a facility that was built some three years ago, a state of the art facility, the physical hospital.

It has, a ward for ObGyn surgery operating rooms.

Jackson is also Representative Thomas Jackson of the Alabama House of Representatives.

He says shortages of health care services hit close to home.

This $46 million facility here, we need this.

You you.

Betwee where you came from Montgomery and to mobile.

The closest place we can get to Salem.

And that's an hour and 15 to 20 minutes away.

And if you want to have a baby you got to go farther, farther and farther north like Montgomery or Tuscaloosa.

Jackson says budget changes passed down from Washington, D.C., have adversely affected operations of many business, health and social programs that the Congress passed.

It's not helping poor people.

It's not helping.

It's not helping the working class.

I will use that term because most of the people that work got two and three jobs.

Just just try to maintain the closing of hospitals around the state of Alabama.

It's causing some grief in certain communities here in Thomasville.

They have to deal with a closed hospital, but other problems start to also appear.

But luckily for them, they found solutions to those problems.

Other related items, such as ambulance services, are also being closely watched.

4 to 5 minutes.

Two hours.

If you call 911, you you you in trouble.

Recently, this problem was solved thanks to the addition of a new local ambulance service.

And so if I got to wait for two minutes for you to get the, I'm D.O.A.

at any point.

So that's why we need quick, fast.

That's why I'm happy abou the service that is is in town.

Helps.

It didn't solve the problem, but it helps prolong life a littl so we can get to the next place.

An added bonus.

There's a helipad for helicopters ready to go when the need arises.

In Thomasville, Randy Scott Capital Journal.

Governor Kay Ivey joine education leaders in Montgomery this week for the Cognia Alabama Impact Conference, a gathering focused on student achievement, innovation and school improvement.

The governor used the occasion to highlight progress being made preparing Alabama' students for jobs in the future.

I'm pleased to note that the six year recor of the council to improve Stem related education statewide is already paying dividends today.

More students are graduatin with the skills to successfully compete for jobs in cutting edge fields like aerospace, bio chemistry, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, health care and beyond.

More importantly, Alabama State.

On top of cutting Alabama workers as advanced high tec jobs in the country are moving right here to the Yellowhammer State.

Last week, Alabama made international news as President Trump announced Huntsville would b the permanent home to the U.S. Space Command headquarters.

All Alabamians should be proud of this confirmation that there is no better place to lead America into the future than Sweet Home Alabama.

Coming up next on Capito Journal, I sat down with Alabama Secretary of Workforce Greg Reed to talk about the changes, challenges and successes as he leads what was once the Department of Labor.

September is also National Preparedness Month.

I'll go in-depth with Alabama EMA Director Jeff Smitherman and political analyst flowers is her with the latest on the fallout from the Charlie Kirk assassination.

Plus, a look at who's hot and who's not in key political race across the state.

Stay with us.

You can watch past episodes of Capital Journal online any time at Alabama Public Television's website.

aptv.. org.

Click on the online video tab on the main page.

You can also connect with Capital Journal and link to past episodes on Capital Journal's Facebook page.

And welcome back to Capital Journal.

I'm joined now by Secretary o Workforce and Alabama Gregory.

Miss Reed appreciate you joining us today.

Thank you Jeff.

You're always good to be with you.

It is you are the first secretary of workforce in the former Department of Labor.

You've been on the job since February.

Let's talk about it eight months now.

Kind of not quite a year, bu a lot happening in those months.

What are you proudest of the most?

Well, I'm excited abou the opportunity moving forward.

I appreciate Governor Ivey, given me this opportunity, serve in the legislature for 14 years and workforce has been a theme and a topic that I've been focused on for a long time.

It's the biggest business issue.

The biggest challeng that we have in Alabama is fast growing our economy.

So we're at the task.

We've been focused on an organizational structure.

We've been focused on tryin to manage topics like branding and marketing program that we're moving forward with.

We've been managing putting together the agency.

We've got folks that are in multiple locations in Montgomery, that are coming together.

We actually got a move going on to where we're movin 450 employees to a new location.

We've got a lot of issues that have been ours to manage and bringing agencies together.

So those agencies that are funded by different budgets and, federal resources and those kinds of things, bringing all that together, as the new Alabama Department of Workforce.

So the agency has been engaged in doing what necessary to pull everything together.

So we've we've been har at the task, much to accomplish moving forward.

But I'm very please with what we've done thus far.

A lot of people would think, oh you're just changing the name.

It's this sounds good.

It's kind of a new political thing, but there is a lot more, as you mentioned, structural and strategic initiatives taking place to kind of reshape not just the name, but the kind of how this moves forward.

You mentioned that a little.

Let's move.

Let's talk about the wor participation rate in the state.

57.9%, I believe somewhere i that ballpark it has ticked up.

And even if it's just a few percentage points, that can mean big things for the state's economy.

Well, it can if you look at workforce participation, which is a federal number that determines how many people are in the job market, IT folks that are working are looking for work.

They want to participate in the job, process.

So in lookin at the increase of that Alabama, showing that that is increased 4/10 of 1% adds thousands of trained workers into the workforce.

So we're excited about the move, workforce participation.

Also, though, when you narrow down the evaluation, you get some concerns.

And some of the numbers, for instance, workforce participatio of Alabamians from age 20 to 29, that number is about 71%.

So wow, we've got 29% of people in Alabama that are aged 20 to 29 that do not work.

We don't have a record of them working, paying taxes, being engaged in the work process.

So trying to focus on those folks, how do we attract them to come into the workforce?

Do they need additional training?

What are the things necessary?

Are there different obstacles to them working?

Is it childcare?

Is it housing?

What are the challenges to cause people to not be in the workforce?

And the more we eliminate those challenges, the more we recruit folks in to get the training they need to fill the jobs that are available, then our participation rate increases and that obviously, we've talked before, the two year college system, the four year college system.

Not everyone may need a four year degree.

It could be just that little bit of training to get them over the the ledge, as you say, to kind of move forward into the employment process.

I've been in meetings just in the last few weeks.

We've talked about everything from a four week training program in a specific certificate all the way to how to focus on nurse educators, which is one of the biggest deficits that we have in education teaching nurses.

These are advanced practice nurses that are having to come back, maybe make a lower salary to be a nurse educator.

Also, looking at folks that are producing outcomes that are important for skilled trades.

How are we training folks in career tech construction in high school?

What are some of the things that we're doing there to try and drive forward?

Carpenters, welders, machinist, plumbers, all of these are skills that are in great demand in our community.

And folk that have those skill sets, man, they can make a lot of money with those resources.

And I talked to the two year college system folks, and they talk about getting folks through this training, whether it's the skills for success program that the two year college system runs.

And maybe they get that that training to be a, as yo mentioned, a forklift operator or a welder or whatever.

But then they do have a little bit of college experience and maybe down the road they want to come back, continue their education, create their own business, get a business degree, whatever that may be.

But it's those building blocks that you're thinkin not just for 2025, but for 2035.

Well, it's important.

I mean, people need to think about what is going to be my career now.

That career may change in moderate, but the skill sets, the credentialing, the education, the degrees that you secure are going to be with you as you move forward and grow your career.

So we want to look at how do we improve that opportunity for Alabamians, how do we work with and a collaboration, which is some of the effort that I've been involved with from K-12 instruction to the two years, the four years, how do we work together and collaborate with industry and business to be able to make sure that those that want to participate in the workforce, we want more of them tomorrow than there are today, but that they have the right training that allows them to fill the jobs of the 21st century.

What are things coming in the future?

Technology is changing.

Innovation is upon us.

Alabama is a leader in that area, and we need to be focused on making sure that the work that is required is able to be provided by those that are in our state.

You mentioned innovation in the state, recently announced that Space Command will be relocating to Alabama, to Huntsville.

The president made that announcement, into the Huntsville area, that that's a big deal for the state.

And when it comes to the numbers, on a conservative side I think some of the government estimates say about 140 direct jobs, you know, possibly a few thousand more indirect jobs.

Talk about the importance of that, not just for Huntsville, but for the entire state.

Well, I think when you look at, the growth of Space Command, you know, Space Command, my goodness, that was something on the cartoons on Saturday mornings when I was a child.

Now, this is the defense of our nation from space.

The president has pushed and pulled on that topic to be able to locate it in Alabama, but what better place for it to be than Alabama?

When you think about innovation, we've had a focused governor ad he had a focus through Innovate Alabama.

Over the last five years to help prepare Alabama's economy for the knowledge based economy that is coming.

How do we support entrepreneurs?

How do we attract high tech industries?

How do we promote Stem training with engineers and and scientists and all that?

You know, these folks may be in California or Colorado or New York.

They think they've got something.

Oh, that's an Alabama.

They don't.

When we think about innovation of Alabam as the fourth largest producer of airliners in the world, look at the defense industry, Space Command coming the FBI locating in Huntsville, Alabama, the defense industr and aerospace across the state.

We're the third largest producer of automobiles in America and the fifth larges producer of ships in the world.

This is Alabama.

Our home sweet home innovation is at the forefron for our state, and Space Command is just one more example of the way Alabama is really getting the job done in regards to high tech opportunitie for the benefit of our citizens.

You mentioned those high tech opportunities.

You mentioned innovation.

When you speak to your colleagues and other states who lead it, whether it's the labor workforce departments in those states, what are they most surprised by when they learn something about Alabama that may be through, just not knowing or just wha we think we know surprised them.

Well, two things.

Number one, I've heard from some in other states, political folks in other states that have looked at some of the public private partnerships, the Growth Alliance, Innovate Alabama, things that we've done in Alabama that a huge collaboration between government and industry and business.

And they ask the question, ho do you get your political people and your business people together to even be willing to share authority and trying to make decisions that are best for your economy?

And that's something that Alabama's proud of.

Kay Ivey has led that effort.

The legislature has done a good job there.

The other thing is lookin at the innovation for Alabama.

When I'm able to say t other leaders across the nation, we build more ships.

In Alabama, we are the third largest producer of automobiles in the United States.

When we think about the volume that has been an increase in our port in Alabama' port in mobile, and look at that over a five year windo and its impact on the southeast and the movement of cargo and coal and all kinds of things.

There are element about what goes on in Alabama.

We may be known for colleg football or college basketball, but the economy engine that is burning and running and growing in Alabama is huge, and our people are the beneficiaries.

And our remaining moments here.

You mentioned earlier 14 years in the legislature.

You were Mr.. Disband before that still are.

And in many ways, you were at the top of leadership in the Senate and you led the Senate.

Now you're leading the Department of Workforce to talk about kind of that skill set.

It's 14 years.

You learn a lo about how government works here.

On the political side of it, you have governor Ivey will be in office another year or so.

We'll have a new governor.

How do you take those skills, translate them into what you're doing now and then?

How do you hope t what do you hope to accomplish as we move into to another election cycle and another governor and who knows what will happen, but talk about that?

Well, just, the experience that I had in business lent itself to success politically just because I dealt with people.

Everything's a negotiation.

Business is a negotiation.

You're the art of the deal.

That's the same way in politics.

A lot of the things that I learned in business no are helping me in this new role.

Eight months, into being the secretary of the Alabama Department of Workforce.

I have 850 employees.

So the personal knowledg that I gleaned as a businessman has become something that I've utilized as I've manage dealing with the employees.

And, oh, by the way, these are employees that are all being pulle together from different places into one new agency.

So there's a lot of change.

There's a lot of emotion there.

You know, it's been neat for me to continue to grow the relationship that I have with my colleagues in the Alabama legislature and in government in general.

And Ka Ivey has been my a good friend for a long time, way back whe I was with the Republican Party as the vice chai and she was the state treasurer.

We've known each other for many many years, but looking at all those experiences and how they lay out public service for me has been a goal.

It's been an opportunity.

It's been a blessing, really, that I've met all these fine folks.

I've been abl to do these things that matter, that are that are promoting our state.

And now I've been given a great opportunity to pull something together that's never been done before and be able to continue to be a public servant, helping those that I'm sworn to serve in this new agency.

If if people are given a job, if they get a career, what's more important for them in their life is they continue to gro and provide for their families and be able to enjoy the American dream as a result of working and having the things that they want in their life being produced as a reality, and the fact that our agency could be a little part of trying to help people do that, that's public service.

And it it's something that's a great benefit and privilege for me, helping fulfil a sense of purpose.

Absolutely.

Greg Reed, we appreciate you so much for joining us today.

I know we got a lot of stuff coming up in the next few months.

Sounds good.

Thank you sir.

Thank you.

And we'll be right back with more Capitol Journal.

You're watching Alabama Public Television celebrating 70 years of service to Alabama.

And welcome back.

September is national Preparedness Month, and we are joined on today's program by the Alabama EMA director, Jeff Smith.

And Mr. Smitherman, thanks so much for joining us today.

Yeah, thanks for having me here.

Let's tal about the role of Alabama EMA.

You know, i sounds pretty self explanatory.

The Emergency Management Agency.

But when you break it down kind of what is the overall mission of you and your team.

So we have a long mission statement, but it really boils down to do our level of work for the citizens of the state of Alabama to integrate, because the locals ar where most of the work happens.

And our role is to facilitat federal resources to come down.

And, and we coordinate at the local level with the locals at the local level to ensure that they get the resources they need at the right time, at the right place to help the residents and citizens in their area.

If there is a severe weather event or something along those lines, let's say there is a tornado that hits a community you mentioned it really does start with your friends and your neighbors and it kind of goes from there.

It does.

And, you know, a high percentage, I don't remember the exact amount, but it's over 70% of whoever comes in and is the first person of, say, you're in your hom and it collapses due to a high wind event.

Over 70% of the time, it's your neighbor.

It's going to be the first one.

They're helping you get out from that rubble and providing that initial first aid.

So we really focus on, you know, that that integration for helping yoursel and also helping your neighbor get to kno your neighbor, talk with them, let them know what your plan is, if you're going to be away, if you're going to be home just so that they know and can come and hel and assist and and vice versa.

If you need to go help them, then from there, how does the state EMA kind of really get involved to really make sure that local officials have what they need.

So the first thing we start with is, is the education and preparedness.

We're really we really push, and we really get back to our roots.

You know, we came from the world of civil defense.

And, you know, I think that, profession did really well back.

If you go back into the to the 60s, early 70s of of the different messaging that we did, and I'd love to see us as a profession get back to that, how we communicate.

Let's go back to thes 8 to 12 year old kids in school.

And, I know those desk in my school were some of the best built desk in the world because we were told it was a tornado or a bomb.

We're going to get under the desk, but the key thing is there was a message.

The children heard the message.

They could take that message, go back home and tell their parents, their families, their friends, their cousins.

And that's how we spread the word.

We really nee to get back to that individual effort, regardless of ho that message goes out, whether, whatever type media they use if it's social media, so be it.

But, you know, to find that trusted source, get the education, get the notification, and really drill down at the individual level to to be prepared.

I'm like you, I remember as a, as a second or third grader, you know, with those drills, getting under the desk, whether it was a bomb at the time.

And for those of you who just Google it, you know what we're talking about back in the 80s.

But, but I remember going home and saying, hey, we talked about this today.

Do we have a plan for our home?

Where would we go in our home if a tornado or some kind of severe weather event was to take place and that still sticks with me all these years later, and that's what we do.

We really push, the because the children are the best, because they absorb the information so well and, and they're not inhibited.

We're going home and asking the parents the questions and it really focuses them on, what is your risk?

Know your risk.

Develop a plan.

Have that plan.

Make sure your neighbors and your, extended family away from your residence, know your plan so that you can, reintegrate afterwards.

You could get back in touch.

You can, they know where you're going to be.

You can communicate, know, sometimes it's tough right after an incident to communicate because the cell towers are down, are overloaded, and communication is tough.

So if they know your plan, it really helps you get reunified afterwards.

Earlier this year, I was there for the event the your EMA office offices located in Clanton, kind of the state command center, a multi-million dollar renovation to really kind of update technology.

Tell us more about that.

And, and how that, that, that money that was spent will benefit Alabamians.

So we're really proud of that facility now.

And it had, gone through different, edits or, throughout the year, but throughout the years.

But it never was really, shut down for a period of time to really be able to go in and do a deep, deep dive, fix a lot of the stuff.

The facility itself was about 35 years old.

That's that's right.

But the agency's mission had grown from when it was built, which meant, the staffing had grown.

We had put one addition in, but, it really the, the technolog couldn't keep up with the build and of course, was built before, computers really were so integral.

And we took the opportunity, during the renovation to really enhance our technolog and the stuff we're able to do because we, we rely so heavily on information both coming in and going out.

And we're able to, to communicate and collaborate amongst our state partners, other state, federal and at the local level that that communication that we have now, it's just awesome.

We go three and four deep on, the bills.

We had to, have, that connectivity, communication is important.

Technology always changing.

You know, when I and you and I probably were kid, it was either the television came on, you had the radio or in some communities you had those tornado sirens.

Talk about how that has evolved and how you keep pushing that technology to make sure that Alabamians have the proper warning, to make sure they can get to their safe space or know what's coming.

Yeah, and we do.

We pushed, it's not so muc just have a piece of technology as have multiple, have a redundancy because what works at one time and place may not be what works at another time.

A place.

When you're out at a sports facility, you may rely on one type of notification.

But when you're at home at night, and yo normally you may have your TV, you may have a cell phone.

What happens when you lose power?

How are you getting that notification?

Do you have a redundant method and a method for when the power goes out?

Because quite often, the first storm that comes through may knock out the power and then.

Then the second comes.

There's the one that might hav devastating impact on your area, and you may not get that notification if you don't have that redundancy.

Because we hear so much about sirens and they're mainly for folks who are outside, if you're inside your home, your TV's blaring, you may not hear that that siren, but pretty much all of us have a cell phone these days.

Yeah.

And that's and that's what's important is to, have a redundancy.

So it's okay to have outdoor sirens.

It's okay to have cell phone it, but whether it have a weather radio, have another trusted sourc that, whether it be your normal radio station, whether it be, your TV station that you're monitoring so that you have multiple ways of receiving that warning and get, get, know your area, know the areas that the storms coming from so that you can say, hey, you know, if you like, like where I live, I'm an hour from Montgomery.

And if Montgomery is getting hit, then I know, you know, in a little bit I'm going to be getting hit.

I need to really make sure I'm paying extra attention.

Early this year, you traveled to the nation's Capitol, testified before Congress.

What was your message to lawmakers and how that can help Alabamians here?

So I feel strongly that the you know, you'll hear a mantra coming out of the, DC right now that talks, locally executed, state managed, and, federally supported and that's, that's been around for a whil that that really is the model.

And we talk about all disasters start and end at the local level.

However, that's not the way the syste has been performing over years.

And I think the closer we are to the incident, the more efficient and effective they can be.

So instead of resources, and that's not the case for everything, but but instead of the resources being decided at the federal level, push that resource down, to that, to the state and local and we'll put it to better use.

And, and that was really the central theme of what I had to say, because I have I've witnessed where, when the federal government can because it's just so big and it brings so much of a logistic administrative tail in with it.

It cost a whole lot more that we could take that same amount of money or less and do the same and do the same job.

Every state has different needs.

If you're in California, that' wildfires, that's earthquakes.

For somewhere inside the Dakotas, it could be blizzards.

Here it's it's tornadoes.

It's hurricanes.

And and, and I would imagine that that local kind of microscale knowledge of that is so important.

What you do here wouldn't necessarily work in some other state.

That's right.

And messaging with the th communities is different here.

The challenges i the communities are different.

And we know those communities and we know and instead of trying to do a large, one size model for everything from, from the federal side, we ca do it better at the local level.

And I think at the state level, what we're looking at is a multitude of, small community, small disasters.

So we can manage that.

So we were there to help th locals do what they need to do.

And sometimes they need resources.

Sometimes it's resources, sometimes it's just a little guidance, a little education.

So we try to be there for that.

And that was the centra theme of what what I testified for was it's reall if you'll, push those resources normally in resources, we're talking money.

Sometimes we're talking capability.

Just give me some of the tools.

Let me fund me to have the tools.

Because sometime it makes sense to regionalize, some of those resources and not ask every state to build everything.

Sometimes they can share.

We have a system to share.

It's called the Emergenc Management Assistance Compact, eMac.

And, so the stat we do a lot with other states.

We sent stuff to North Carolina, Georgia, Florida during the last hurricane season.

We sent, resources to, Texas following the Hill Country flooding.

So that system works.

What I would say is the federal government, if you really want to look at federalism, help us.

The states get better at tha and not have a federal solution to everything.

Speaking of the state, we are in hurricane season.

We just, commemorated the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

What are you all kind of, like, keeping your eye on as we kind of enter this, this, this particular version of severe weather season?

What's your message to Alabama?

So our own board meteorologists morning since sends me a message we we jokingly call him the, Prince of Darkness or the, Doctor of Doom.

So because he always only gives us the bad news, he says, hey, by the way, are wave coming off the coast of Africa?

And we're looking at something develop in the Caribbean in the next, you know, few days I'm like, I get those, I get those regularly.

Sometimes they amount to nothing.

But I appreciate that.

A week, two weeks o of notification, our head start because we can really posture.

So, you know, it's, it's a constant effort.

And it's not all just hurricanes.

I'm thankful they do give us a notice.

The some of the some of the hardest events for us to, deal with is that the winter weather events because we just live in a region that the, the science just isn' good enough to tell us exactly.

You know, if you live in Nort Dakota, it's going to be cold.

It's, you know, it's going to snow.

My wife's family's from South Dakota.

I've been there.

So it's not a pleasant place to be.

And, you know, it's cold and it's going to come i the form of snow in our region.

It may start out as rain, mixed rain, sleet, and then it freezes.

So and then it becomes then there's snow.

We don't know what we're going to get.

We don't know where that line is going to be.

So it's very difficult to prepare.

But you know, we, we learn from each, each incident and, get better each time.

And lastly here, what what would be your message to the average alabamian.

What's it like a low cost, just easy thing that every family should have in place.

The is they have a plan B and there's some things that you that really quite simple as build on that plan and some you may not think about.

So I'd say go to ready.gov.

And, and look around in there and you find some, some sample plans and some sample things, but some of it's really simple and you own it.

It's like, hey, instead of your, flip flops or Crocs, you might need some hard soled shoes.

Make sure you get some of those just as you can grab them as you exit, because when you exit from, an area that's got a lot of damage, there's nails and sharp objects and everything that you're going to be, walking through.

So just it's small things lik that is stuff you already have.

Just assemble i into a package, into a into a, Yeah.

That's our family.

We have it.

We have a box and, it has, battery powered lanterns in there, has bicycle helmets in there.

So you never know what you'r going to need.

It's.

It's funny.

I probably ought to share this.

I am going to share this.

I have a ten year old daughter, and I do a little skit.

Whether she doesn't know that I'm training or when we're actually doing the skit.

But I'm going to get Greg to to to film it.

But I will say, hey, what what what, what do we do in a storm's common sense?

You'll go, that radio goes off.

It's so loud and so.

Well, then what do we do?

She goes.

We grab up our medicine, our lights and flashlight and batteries and and the pets.

And we go down into our saf room and and I said, then what?

And so she just, you know, so it's it's really my way of rehearsing the plan for.

But we have a plan.

We rehearse the plan.

She knows the plan.

And, you know, we tell the local fire department, here's where our safe room is.

So if our house is here, you'll know where we're at and you can check on us.

Those are.

It's great advice.

And obviously, I know every one of them is working hard every da to make sure that the, you know, the residents of the state stay safe.

Jeff Smitherman, I really appreciate your time today.

Well, thank you for let me Be Here and hopefully not too many severe weather events coming up in the near future.

I'm hoping not.

All right.

Thank you so much.

And we'll be right back with more capital.

Journal.

Since 1997, Alabama Public Television has provided programs, services, and resources to childcare professionals, teachers and parents.

Visit AP tv.org/education to learn more.

And welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Proud to be joined now by our political analyst, Steve Flowers.

Steve, as always, thanks for being with us.

Thank you for having me.

So you've been doing this quite a while now.

It's been a crazy week in politics.

And let's start off with this.

This the Charlie Kirk shooting that took place, this assassination.

It just seems to me that, assassinations have been around presidents.

Again, we go back to McKinley, to Abraham Lincoln.

We go back to the 60 and everything that's happened.

But this political world we live in now.

You served in the legislature.

You've been around politics.

And maybe it's different here in Alabama, but it just seems that and we've mentioned this before, we can't live in a world where we can just disagree with each other and still be friends.

You know, this whole thing about, the shootings around the country, are not just, in political realms, in the school stuff and all that.

The more those then the, our political.

But to the political point, the only thing I can to talk about from from political reality, what I know is that the, the acrimony and partizanship has become very pronounced.

And last 2 or 3 decades, it's just not even the news channels.

I mean, the Fox is the Republican channel and CNN and MSNBC, the Democrat channel and they placate those markets.

But furthermore, deeper than that, Jeff, is the social media aspect.

That's, these crazy people who who shoot people and everything like that, they get on social medi and like dark web type things.

And that's what I think is instigating a lot of this live in their own echo chamber, I think.

So I think that I don't know, I know I know very little about social media, but I know that that's that is a direct correlation.

So I thin maybe you have more of that now.

I still don't know the reason for the school shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot at church and everything like that.

You know, that still be on my car apprehension.

But the political thing, I can understand that.

You get people over there and they're so involved.

They're so devoted to thei political cause philosophically.

And, and been driven by social media and, and the, and the wider left wing media.

So there's a sad thing about that young man, 31 years old with two children and a young wife, everything.

That's what's tragic about it.

Absolutely.

You talk about the political acrimony we have, but, there's budge battles looming in Washington.

We live in a world of executive orders from the white House.

The president, whether it's a Democrat or Republicans, seem to, govern that way.

Congress seems to have, abdicated a lot of their role in recent years, not not just now, but it this is somethin has been happening for a while.

Let's talk about this budget battle and especially how Alabama's, Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, are going to play a role in that.

Well, you're right about that executive order thing.

I don't know if I've ever seen a president exert the kind of parameters where the executive orders it.

Trump, as Trump, of course, has no boundaries.

So he's going to do what he wants to do.

And but he's usurped this vacuum, and the Congress has given it to him in past decades.

Congress control their own power and and, in this regard, they've a request to him, a little bit, but it' compromise is such a bad word.

It seems like if the Democrats compromise Republicans, they're going to get challenged in their primaries.

If a Republican compromises with the Democrat, they're going to get a challenge from the far right of their party.

Is that fair to say that they're just too scared to do what needs to be done, some very accurate, very accurate assessment?

That is so Partizan up there now that they they don't they don't they are in one wing of the other, you know, they don't they don't compromise.

Tommy Tuberville obviously the only going to be in the Senate just over a year.

He is running for governor and and real no challengers on the other Republican side to face him.

Not much going on in that department.

Obviously a very Republican state.

So if you were a betting man, obviously you would think Tuberville will be the next governor.

What is that race?

Is anything could we see any shakeup in that race?

Could anything crazy happen in that rac that would change the dynamic?

That'd be some tragic, dramatic.

One of them dies or something like that.

I mean, you know that's always going to stop him.

Think.

And, but W is 71 years old, so something could happen to his health.

I don't know, but I think he's got office, smooth setting and actually different time parameters.

It's not much time till the election.

Election is May 19th.

Next.

Next 2026.

Which are less than a year.

I Republican primary is our election.

Yes.

The statewide offices.

And, so he's got clear set in the May 19th next year we've had Kay Ivey.

It will be ten years at office, through the end of her term.

How could we se governing in this state change from what, Kay Ivey has done to the leadership style?

You think of Tommy Tuberville, and I'm asking you to look into a crystal ball.

And I know that's hard to do.

But what are lawmakers here mayb Where are they excited about this new state House?

Oh, yes, they are.

You know, we're all excited are excited about tha to be it's come along real well.

It looks great over there.

I think this I think Kay came with a completely different, way of coming to governor, the more traditional way she came from being a lobbyist for higher education.

When I was in legislature to being state treasurer for two terms, to lieutenant governor, two terms to ascend to governor.

So Kay understood in our state politics, and she knows how to compromise, how to work things.

Now, that doesn't mean she's not very decisive and very, successful.

And, in her endeavors, as you have a she's been a real good governor I think an excellent governor.

But she came with those lights.

So you knew that she would be a steady, steady ship.

Governor, you don't know about Tocqueville.

You know, he came from an Orthodox background, from from being governor.

But I do perceive this at tub Bill is coming from a good place, and that he is someone who's living is made, and he doesn't have to do it for the money, and he's doing it for the right reason.

Most people would go live at their beach place in the in the mid 70s.

He would not be governor.

It's a very tough job.

It's different.

He thinks it is a lot of appointments, a lot of things like that.

But I think he has this, management ability.

Having been a head football coach.

He is a chief executive officer so it fits him more, you think in the role of a senator a lot more.

And that's what he always wanted to do anyway.

He couldn't.

He won't run for governor when he ran for the Senate.

But he couldn't he couldn't be crabby.

So he will want to be governor.

And I think he what I' trying to say, he knows how to how to pick people around him and let them be the assistant coaches.

I think he he's not a micromanager.

So I think he'll be a good.

Yeah, but the real ace in the hole, Jeff is he's good friends with Nathaniel Ledbetter, who is going to be a very powerful is already a very powerful speaker of the House.

And he's got real good legislative coaching.

They're good friends.

Yeah.

I mean, so working in tandem, I thin he's running with Garland.

Good.

You're in the Senate.

Are you going to have a real close relationship, with the Senate and House?

Let's break down some of the races we talked about.

Governor, let's talk t the lieutenant governor's race.

A little more competitive there.

You have, West Allen, the current secretary of state running.

You have Rick Pate, the current secretary of Agriculture.

I've kind of handicap that race as we're about, what are we, about nine months out down there, about five really good races.

The governor's race will not be a good race, but lieutenant governo will probably the closest race.

I couldn't call that one right now.

You got two good horses in there, West End and Rick Pate and it depends on which one of them can raise the most money.

I don't think they're going to be a successful raising money of some other races, because that job cost tiers, it really has to be a little power.

Yes.

And not in mud.

You have the power of the bul with the bull horn, as they say.

That's about it.

And worth of has used very well in his time ain't worth of usurp power that the Senate gave him because they perceived he was going to be governor one day.

And so he had that perception.

So they gave Ainsworth that power.

But, I don't want to see, Pate or West Adam having that kind of powers.

And then the governor and therefore the powers it be that you have money in Montgomery.

I don't give portrait of that race.

But I think that, it's going to be a real good race.

Go, too close to go.

What about the attorney general's race that's gotten a little more heated in recent weeks?

It has.

Jay Mitchell enters is the favorite course, having ru two successful statewide races.

For Supreme Court.

And, I was surprised.

First of all, he left the state Supreme Court to be a to to be attorney general.

But he says it's more active.

He ought to be more active in, but the, the, two female candidates in that race, Catherine Roberson, who is assistant attorney general, has raised a significant amount of money out of state from this right wing, dark, money group.

And that makes her a viable candidate, that she'll be abl to spend some money to compete with Mitchell in that race.

The probably the best qualified candidate in the race is Pamela Casey, who's a D.A.

and Blunt County.

And she's working hard.

So she may surprise you.

She doesn't have any money.

And so she's the it's going to be a big money is important is the mone as well as a politics mean it's the you get on TV and yo you should show that name I.D.

and that's what wins.

And you can loo at the Birmingham mayor's race.

Randall Woodford, how many people did he face?

He had a lot of money.

Didn't even go to a runoff.

And, and that's a highly Democratic city.

But I think it goes to show that Republican politics, Democratic politics, money is extremely bored.

It very much.

But maybe it's, let's talk about, let's go back.

I want to go, let's let's shift back to Washington a little bit here.

Had a report earlier on Alex Angle reporting Israel Daily News as well about earmarks for Alabama's, lawmakers.

At the end of the day, you want to do a lot for your state, and then we'll get into Space Command in a second.

And it really showed that, Senator Brett kind of led the pack as far as getting money allocated for projects and, and stuff happening here in the state of Alabama.

She really has seemingly led the charge among the political delegation for the state.

Kay Britt is a superstar.

She is.

We're so fortunat to have a 43 year old superstar.

She is on a fast track.

Yeah.

She initially and her firs just finishing up her third year in the Senate.

She got on the four most prestigious committees rules, banking, judiciary and appropriations.

Now the most important is appropriations.

That's what Senator Shelby was.

That's what Senator Shelby chaired.

You have Senator spent 20 years up there and never get on.

One of those four committees is unheard of for a freshman t get on one of those committees.

She got all four of them.

So she's in the most powerfu freshman senator in Washington, and she's on trac to be one of our greatest U.S. senators.

As long as they don't pluck her out of the out of the Senate and make a run for vice president or something like that, she ought to stay in the Senate.

But she is Alabama's savior for the future, in Washington, because a US Senate seats very valuable.

But where she's bringing home the bacon and following her a mentor, Richard Shelby.

It's the her committee of Samuel appropriations.

You know, that's where the money spent an appropriate it.

And and so her seat on appropriations is invaluable.

And she knows how to work the levers already.

She she grew up on under on the Shelby as a chief of staff.

And she's just a superstar.

She's bringing home a lot of bacon.

And quickl I skipped this earlier, so I do.

I want to go bounce bac to Space Commander in a second.

But let's talk about that Senate race to replace Tuberville.

Well, we have in the last and few decades, had an ironic twis in our Senate delegation of 210 A members that you too youn to remember this for growing up.

We had a tandem, a list, a Hill and John Sparkman who were just Johnson.

I know who they were though, so they were giants.

A matter of fact, if you get down to it, John Spartan was a father.

The Redstone Arsenal.

And so out of Huntsville and then, Lester Hill was the father of UAB medical care.

He was in Medical Hill Burton Hospital.

Anyway, Senator Shelby was our third greatest senator in history.

And he probably has surpassed them in his last six years in the Senate.

But Kay Britt's in that same position.

To do that is is still Marshall's race to win right now.

And I would disagree with that because of this, there's a clandestine dark money Republican right wing group in Washington which you talked about earlier, this call the club for growth.

And they, Barry Moor has been really close to them.

They like real right wing Congressman.

He's in what's called the Freedom Caucus.

He and Mo Brooks ran that caucus.

And they literally will want to find a Fox News camera to get in front of rather than bring home any bacon Alabama.

So we're going to have what if more or more wins.

He'll be an effective.

But I think the club for growth is going to buy that seat for him.

We'll see how that pans out.

I do want to talk about Space Command.

We have just a minute or two left here.

A big deal for Alabama.

Obviously a lot of politics involved in that.

Originally suppose to come the Biden administration put it back in Colorado.

Trump now says it's coming out.

I don't think that will change to Huntsville.

A big win for the state backed him out earlier.

Comments about Senator Richard Shelby.

People cannot comprehend jus how powerful Senator Shelby was.

36 years in the Senate, his last decade, he was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

So Senator Shelby brought the Space Command.

He got the funding for the whole Space Command concept out of Washington hundreds of millions of dollars.

There was no Space Command, so it was going to Huntsville all along.

It was going to Huntsville under Trump's first administration, and it was already designated to go to Huntsville because Shelby got the money for it.

He said, I'm going to hel is going to Huntsville, Alabama.

And so during the Biden administration, through pure politics, they move that thing out of Huntsville.

They were out it was in Huntsville first.

I mean, so, you know, it's it was supposed to be, so the other side of that is that when Shelby got it here, put in Huntsvill and Trump, acquiesced to that.

And went along with it.

But but but I'm used as a political football to put that thing out there in Colorado for just totally, totally political, brazen political move.

Now, that's not something you ought to play politics with because, you know, space is not a frivolous, fun thing that this is.

Let's just spend money on space.

That is our next futur for for defense in this country.

And so that's going to be the greatest thing I know.

Huntsville has grown exponentially.

But the Space Command is going to be where the future is for the aerospace defense.

Steve, we're out of time.

We could talk for another 1 to 20 minutes.

We always could.

We appreciate your insight, as always, and I'm sure we'll have you on more, as this political season kicks up and, and we enter into our last session here in this, 60 something year old statehouse here in Montgomery.

Steve, appreciate your time.

And we'll be right back.

You can watch past episodes of Capital Journal online any time at Alabama Public Television's website.

aptv.. org.

Click on the online video tab on the main page.

You can also connect with Capital Journal and link to past episodes on Capital Journal's Facebook page.

And that's all for this week's edition of Capitol Journal.

Remember, you can follow us on social media and watch full episodes anytime on YouTube.

Todd Stacy will be back in this chair next week.

Until then, for all of us here at Capitol Journal, I'm Jeff Sanders.

Thanks for watching.

We'll see you next time.