Good morning!

Here’s your Daily News for Tuesday, June 23.

1. State cases top 30K

2. Early Trump supporter didn’t vote for Trump early

 

• In his two runs for Congress, including the current one, former State Rep. Barry Moore has made his early support of Donald Trump for president the keystone of his campaign.
• However, when Trump was first on the ballot in that competitive 2016 GOP primary, Moore didn’t vote.
• Voter rolls from the Secretary of State’s office show that Moore didn’t participate in the 2016 primary, despite his claim of being the first Alabama public official to endorse Trump.
• When asked this week about missing the election by ADN’s Caroline Beck, Moore did not realize he had forgotten to vote. After reviewing his social media posts, he said the legislative session in Montgomery and a school field trip had prevented him from voting.
• All fair, but all very interesting.
• Read the full story HERE.

 

3. Senate polls show mixed results

• Two recent surveys testing the Alabama Senate race show some mixed results, but generally positive signs for former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville.
• Released early Monday morning, an internal poll from the campaign of Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones showed Jones and Tuberville in a tight general election matchup, with Tuberville leading 47% to 44% and 9% undecided. But with an adjustment to increase the African-American share of the vote, the survey puts the two candidates in a tie at 46% each and 8% undecided.
• The polling memo released by the campaign did not include a hypothetical matchup between Jones and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is locked in a GOP runoff with Tuberville. When asked to release results of a Jones-Sessions matchup, the Jones campaign declined.
• The same poll included a Republican-only sampling that showed Tuberville holding a 54% to 32% advantage over Sessions, who is looking to reclaim the seat he vacated when he was named U.S. Attorney General by President Donald Trump. The survey found that 14% of Republican voters are still undecided for July’s runoff.
• While Jones is trailing Tuberville in the poll, the relatively close numbers show the incumbent senator remains competitive in the November election, said Jones campaign communication director Owen Kilmer.
• Another more recent poll from Cygnal released Monday afternoon showed more promising results for Tuberville. In it, Tuberville is projected to best Jones by 14 points in a November matchup. Meanwhile, the poll shows Sessions is projected to beat Jones by 10 points.
• Full story from ADN’s Will Whatley HERE.

 

4. A moment for NASCAR

• Alabama was at the center of the sports world Monday as the NASCAR Cup Series finished the race at Talladega Superspeedway.
• In a photo finish, Ryan Blaney won the race, but even in victory his thoughts were with his friend and fellow driver Bubba Wallace and what happened over the weekend.
• Blaney and NASCAR champion Kyle Busch began the day pushing Wallace’s car to the front of pit row in a stunning show of support from the entire field after a noose was found in Wallace’s car garage Sunday night.
• Wallace, an Alabama native, is NASCAR’s only black driver.
• The entire 40-driver field and their crew members followed. After the car came to a stop, Wallace climbed out, sat on the window ledge and sobbed. Richard Petty, his Hall of Fame team owner, gently placed a hand on Wallace’s shoulder.
• The idea to stand with Wallace started with seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson, while former series champion Kevin Harvick suggested they all push the car to the front of the grid, Wallace said.
• One by one, after the anthem, they hugged Wallace. He then had a long embrace with Petty.
• And then he went racing.
• If not for a shortage of fuel, Wallace might have had a chance to race for the win. A late stop for gas led to a 14th-place finish but felt like a win for Wallace. He went to the fence and slapped hands through the wiring with a group of fans, many wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts as they cheered.
• He apologized for not wearing a mandatory mask but didn’t put it on because “I wanted to show whoever it was, you are not going to take away my smile.”
• It was Wallace who successfully pushed the stock car series to ban the Confederate flag at its venues less than two weeks ago and he was the target when the noose was found hanging in the Richard Petty Motorsports garage stall Sunday afternoon at the Alabama track. A member of Wallace’s crew reported it to NASCAR, and by Monday morning U.S. Attorney Jay Town said his office, the FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division were involved.
• “Regardless of whether federal charges can be brought, this type of action has no place in our society,” Town said.
• Full story HERE.

 

5. Poll: Majority backs criminal justice reform

• Americans overwhelmingly want clear standards on when police officers may use force and consequences for officers who do so excessively, according to a new poll that finds nearly all Americans favor at least some level of change to the nation’s criminal justice system.
• The new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also finds there is strong support for penalizing officers who engage in racially biased policing. Americans are more likely now than five years ago to say that police violence against the public is a very serious problem and that officers who cause injury or death on the job are treated too leniently.
• The survey of American adults took place after weeks of mass demonstrations against police violence and calls from some politicians and activists to “defund” departments in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in custody after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes.
• Americans are largely united behind the idea that action is required: 29% think the criminal justice system needs “a complete overhaul,” 40% say it needs “major changes” and 25% say it needs “minor changes.” Just 5% believe no changes are necessary.
• Read more HERE.

 

Headlines

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Officials express concern: Alabama virus cases top 30,000

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Early Trump supporter Barry Moore didn’t vote in 2016 primary; says he should have voted absentee

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Surveys for Senate seat show mixed results

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – NASCAR rallies around Wallace as FBI investigates noose

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Poll: Majority backs criminal justice reform

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – 2nd wave of virus cases? Experts say we’re still in the 1st

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Buck’s Pocket State Park back open after 4 years

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Publix recalls some of its salad products in several states

 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Daily News Digest – June 22, 2020

 

AL.COM  – Sessions blasts Tuberville for ‘being wrong on immigration’; calls it a top issue

 

AL.COM  – Columnist Roy Johnson: Sorry coward, your noose, cousin of the KKK’s burning cross, doesn’t scare us now

 

AL.COM  – Alabama adds 433 coronavirus cases Monday following weekend of lower case numbers

 

AL.COM  – Gov. Kay Ivey says noose targeting Bubba Wallace ‘disgusting display of hatred’

 

Montgomery Advertiser – Town hall addresses Air Force ROTC concerns during pandemic

 

Montgomery Advertiser – Whose homicide case is it? The death of KeAira Battle sees police departments deal with jurisdictional issues

 

Montgomery Advertiser – MPS board member calls for special meeting to address allegations of LAMP intolerance, insensitivity

 

Tuscaloosa News – Child shot at Tuscaloosa apartment complex

 

Tuscaloosa News – UA astronomers offer digital stargazing to public

 

Tuscaloosa News – Tuscaloosa tourism agency director’s contract extended

 

Decatur Daily – Elkmont man aided deputy because ‘it’s what you’re supposed to do’

 

Decatur Daily – In the community: Working at a higher level

 

Decatur Daily – Decatur, Priceville restaurants close after employee tests positive

 

Times Daily – Publix recalls some of its salad products in several states

 

Times Daily – Elledge Lane annexation request approved

 

Times Daily – Surging US virus cases raise fear that progress is slipping

 

Anniston Star – State slow to add additional Calhoun County COVID-19 deaths to count

 

Anniston Star – Cullman man charged with Alexandria burglary

 

Anniston Star – Two men charged with rape in separate Calhoun County incidents

 

Gadsden Times – Police Report for June 23

 

Gadsden Times – Police believe drinking was factor in crash

 

Gadsden Times – Riverview offers COVID-19 testing

 

YellowHammer News – New company brings Alabama-made products to your doorstep

 

YellowHammer News – Poll: Tuberville fares better against Jones than Sessions does; Both GOP candidates hold large leads

 

YellowHammer News – Living Life on Purpose with Matt Wilson Episode 23: Advancing Sight Network

 

Dothan Eagle – Triple left turn lanes from the Circle to 84 West are next for expansion project

 

Dothan Eagle – New Dothan City Operations Center moving forward

 

Dothan Eagle – Drive-through COVID testing available in Hartford on Thursday

 

Troy Messenger – Nutrition Center hosts drive-through giveaway

 

Troy Messenger – CHHS grad authors coloring book

 

Troy Messenger – County still waiting on FEMA

 

Andalusia Star News – Local teacher: ‘Reading can help improve overall ACT scores’

 

Andalusia Star News – ACS FEEDS 2,408 KIDS IN JUNE: Program gave 85,000+ meals since March

 

Andalusia Star News – Local teacher: ‘Reading can help improve overall ACT scores’

 

Opelika-Auburn News – Gogue promises hard look at campus, building names

 

Opelika-Auburn News – Auburn PD still looking for Saturday night shooter

 

Opelika-Auburn News – Opelika finishes investigation into racial slur

 

Daily Mountain Eagle – Officials express concern: Alabama virus cases top 30,000

 

Daily Mountain Eagle – FBI investigating noose left in NASCAR stall of Black driver

 

Trussville Tribune – Man hurt in Father’s Day shooting near Center Point

 

Trussville Tribune – Leeds’ Rails & Ales Fundraiser raises nearly $15k for family of fallen Moody police Lt. Stephen Williams

 

Trussville Tribune – Leeds’ annual Creek Bank Festival is canceled; Cruising the Creek Bank Car Show still scheduled for Aug. 29

 

Athens News Courier – SQUARED AWAY: Summer events kick off without a hitch

 

Athens News Courier – VALHERMOSO SPRINGS MURDERS: Athens man, 2 others in club with shooters

 

Athens News Courier – Rise in coronavirus cases brings new concerns in Alabama

 

Sand Mountain Reporter – Taylor Beck named publisher of The Covington News

 

WSFA Montgomery – Homicide case in limbo over apparent jurisdiction issues

 

WSFA Montgomery – Two suspects in connection to Valhermoso Springs septuple homicide arrested in Oregon

 

WSFA Montgomery – Montgomery County drops curfew, effective immediately

 

Fox 6 Birmingham – Cullman Co. neighbors weigh-in on why they didn’t support first Juneteenth celebration, say it had nothing to do with race

 

Fox 6 Birmingham – Victims say they were assaulted, robbed when they went to sell vape cartridges, 3 teens arrested

 

Fox 6 Birmingham – BBB warning of contact tracing copycat schemes

 

WAFF Huntsville – COVID-19 in Alabama: State surpasses 30K cases Monday

 

WAFF Huntsville – Decatur police help WWII veteran; photo goes viral

 

WAFF Huntsville – Ala. Democratic party executive director calls for lawmaker’s resignation after stance on confederate park

 

WKRG Mobile – Lower Alabama superintendents waiting for state announcement before finalizing fall rollout plan

 

WKRG Mobile – Pensacola mayor joins state leaders in asking everyone to wear masks in public

 

WKRG Mobile – Baldwin County High School principal issues statement on 2 students killed in weekend crash

 

WTVY Dothan – COVID-19 cases on the rise in our area and across the state

 

WTVY Dothan – Manhunt underway along state line in Geneva County

 

WTVY Dothan – Kidnapping suspect nabbed at Dothan motel

 

WASHINGTON POST  – Barring a landslide, what’s probably not coming on Nov. 3? A result in the race for the White House

 

WASHINGTON POST  – The U.S. is falling behind its peers. Americans — if not their leaders — are starting to notice

 

WASHINGTON POST  – As Trump slumps, his campaign fixes on a target: Women

 

WASHINGTON POST  – Trump, without evidence, accuses Obama of ‘treason’

 

NEW YORK TIMES  – G.O.P. Faces Risk From Push to Repeal Health Law During Pandemic

 

NEW YORK TIMES  – Bars, Strip Clubs and Churches: U.S. Virus Outbreaks Enter Unwieldy Phase

 

NEW YORK TIMES  – A Multibillion-Dollar Opportunity: Virus-Proofing the New Office

 

 

 

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