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JD Crowe: ‘Mommie Dearest?’ Katie Britt is one giddy Medicaid-cutting mama

This is an opinion cartoon.

Is it just me or does Sen. Katie Britt’s ‘motherly’ giddy enthusiasm for a law that cuts taxes for the rich at the expense of Alabama’s poor have a creepy ‘Mommie Dearest’ vibe?

My colleague Kyle Whitmire offers his take in a column under the headline: Katie Britt didn’t flinch.

A few excerpts:

Whoever hands out the U.S. Senate speaking gigs must have it in for Sen. Katie Britt.

A year and a half ago, Britt went on national television to deliver the State of the Union rebuttal to President Joe Biden and walked away from it, deep sigh, a sitting duck for Saturday Night Live.

And if anyone had forgotten that, Britt returned to national television again this weekend — on a show called “State of the Union,” no less — to defend the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” to CNN host Jake Tapper.

I know somebody had to go sell that stinker a day before the Senate vote, but couldn’t it be somebody other than Britt? Hasn’t Britt learned to say “no” yet? Sure, she called her autobiography “God Calls Us to Do Hard Things,” but that doesn’t mean every lousy speaking request is coming from the Almighty.

Katie Britt on Trump budget: ‘Accountability’ needed for SNAP, Medicaid

Let’s be clear what this bill does. It cuts federal spending on programs for poor people but still increases the national debt by $3.3 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the latest estimates.

These are the 5 Republicans who voted against Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

How does that work? At the same time it cuts programs for the needy, like Medicaid and food stamps, it’s cutting taxes for the rich. By even more. It’s like Robinhood, only backwards.

Meanwhile, the bill offloads responsibility for the safety net programs onto the states, including Alabama.

As Britt has campaigned for the bill, one Senator has voiced some skepticism — the senior senator from Alabama, Tommy Tuberville.

“Everybody that’s going to be in state government is going to be concerned about it,” Tuberville told Politico three weeks ago. “I don’t know whether we can afford it or not.”

Tuberville has a reason to be worried, as the odds-on front runner for Alabama governor, he might have to clean up this Big Beautiful mess back home. That still hasn’t stopped him from voting for it to clear procedural hurdles, though.

Read all of Whitmire’s column here.

JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group andAL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter@Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler @[email protected].

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Target is giving away a $50 gift card with Ninja Luxe Café, and it’s already on sale

Target is offering insane deals and discounts during Target Circle Week, including a $50 gift card offer with the purchase of the super-sleek Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Coffee Machine now through July 12.

The Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso, Coffee and Cold Brew Machine usually sells for $600 and is now on sale for $509. However, Target Circle members will not only get this discount, but also receive a gift card with this purchase. Luckily, anyone with an email and phone number can sign up for Target’s loyalty program and take advantage of this deal.

Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso, Coffee and Cold Brew Machine

$599.99 $509.99

The Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series 3-in-1 Espresso, Coffee and Cold Brew Machine is on sale for $90 off including special gift card offer for Target Circle members.

$509.99 at Target

RELATED: Target celebrates rewards members with Target Circle Week sales event

According to Target, all features included in the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series are as follows:

  • Brew without limits with three countertop machines in one
  • The ultimate guided experience, no guesswork required
  • Integrated conical burr grinder delivers a fresh and precise grind
  • Built-in scale for precise, weight-based coffee dosing
  • Effortless hands-free frothing for perfect microfoam in four preset settings
  • Choose from three brewing temperatures for every roast of bean
  • Extract espresso at a lower temperature for smooth, flavorful drinks
  • Assisted tamper delivers the perfect puck for even water distribution

“The ultimate guided experience that makes espresso uncomplicated. The Ninja Luxe™ Café Premier Series is an intelligent espresso & coffee system with unmatched 3-in-1 versatility (no guesswork espresso, well balanced drip coffee and rapid cold brew), that helps you elevate your coffee routine and create café-quality drinks at home,” Target’s product details state.

“Barista Assist Technology™ guides you to the perfect cup from grind size recommendations to automated brew adjustments, while the Dual Froth System effortlessly creates perfectly textured microfoam hands-free.”

Those interested can checkout the full listing on Target’s website here. You can also browse all Target Circle Week deals here.

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US military’s attempt to retain strategic land for training runs into Native Hawaiian opposition

HONOLULU (AP) — A high-altitude plateau on the Big Island is the only place in Hawaii where thousands of ground forces can practice firing live munitions. It’s also a place many Native Hawaiians consider the spiritual heart of the island.

The U.S. military wants to keep training at this spot, called Pohakuloa, so it’s ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific. Its importance to the U.S. is only growing as China becomes more assertive, particularly regarding Taiwan.

But the Army’s lease for state lands beneath a key part of the training range expires in 2029. Native Hawaiians upset with the U.S. military’s history of damaging Hawaiian lands with target practice and fuel leaks want the Army out.

“They have bombed and contaminated not just our land but our waters,” said Healani Sonoda-Pale, a community organizer with the Hawaiian sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawaii. “When does this end?”

A problematic history

The military controls about 5% of Hawaii’s land, including bases for all branches. It has programs and staff to protect endangered and threatened species, prevent fires, and plant native plants.

But past incidents have made many Native Hawaiians skeptical.

The Navy turned the island of Kahoolawe, off Maui, into a bombing range after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy returned it in 1994 after years of protests. But subsequent cleanup efforts have been incomplete. Live grenades and bombs remain scattered across a quarter of the island.

Memories are still fresh from when the Navy spilled jet fuel into Pearl Harbor’s drinking water from a network of underground fuel storage tanks and pipes in 2021. The leak prompted 6,000 people to seek medical care for rashes, nausea and other ailments and contaminated a Honolulu aquifer. The disaster occurred after admirals spent years dismissing community calls to move the tanks. On Tuesday, Honolulu’s water utility sued the Navy seeking to recoup an estimated $1.2 billion that it has had to spend because of the spill.

Also on Oahu, environmental advocates say Army live-fire training in Makua Valley sparked wildfires and destroyed native forestland and sacred cultural sites. A legal settlement stopped such training in 2004.

The cultural significance of Pohakuloa

Pohakuloa consists of rocky plains, hills and brush about 6,200 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level between the Big Island’s tallest volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It hosts endangered species including the Hawaiian catchfly shrub.

Early Hawaiians ventured across the plateau to reach a Mauna Kea quarry that produced high-quality basalt for stone tools and to travel between coastal towns.

In 2022, Army staff discovered ancient wooden “kii,” or figures, in a lava tube, an underground passageway created by molten rock. Consultants said the figures are from human burials, and state preservationists say they’re among Hawaii’s most significant archaeological finds.

Pohakuloa Training Area spans more than 200 square miles (518 square kilometers). The section in question is only 17% of that total, but it’s critically located in between two larger federal parcels. Troops fire munitions from the state-owned parcel onto federal lands.

The land’s importance for training and deterrence

Other live-fire training areas in Hawaii are too small to accommodate battalions and brigades.

Commanders say it would take too long to send troops, trucks and helicopters to the U.S. mainland for drills.

“What we anticipate in a future fight is that we will not have the time to recover that equipment and to position ourselves back into the region,” said Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, U.S. Army Pacific chief of staff.

Pohakuloa training, he said, allows troops to “move from Hawaii into the Indo-Pacific, into key terrain, to be prepared to meet our adversaries, or more importantly, to deter them.”

The Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force exercise there, as do allied and partner militaries. The Hawaii National Guard accounts for one-quarter of Pohakuloa’s training. County fire and police departments use it too.

Negotiations to exchange land

The Army prepared an environmental impact statement, including public feedback, that analyzed how the military’s continued use of the land would affect plants, animals and cultural heritage.

On May 9, the state land board rejected it after hearing hours of often emotional testimony in opposition. Among other issues, the board cited inadequate inventory of unexploded ordnance and insufficient inventory of ancient burials and associated artifacts.

The Army is considering whether to appeal. It could also negotiate a land exchange with the state instead.

Such talks can’t begin until the Army finalizes its environmental study with a decision about its plans. The defense secretary’s office then must sign off on acquiring land.

Alice Roberts, U.S. Army Pacific’s program manager for training land retention, said the service has had some informal conversations, including trying to understand the state’s swap criteria.

Buying the land would be a “a big hurdle,” for the Army, she said, because two-thirds of the state House and Senate would need to approve such a transaction.

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat, said the Army must double down on being good stewards and make up for the military’s past mistakes.

Tokuda wants the military to help increase Hawaii’s housing supply, given that service members occupy 14% of Oahu’s housing stock and that high housing costs are driving residents out. She said it could bolster Hawaii’s water and sewer infrastructure.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green suggested in an interview with Hawaii News Now that the military could take the land through eminent domain, but Tokuda said she hasn’t heard anyone in the military or President Donald Trump’s administration mention that.

A call for a cleanup

Kaialiʻi Kahele, the chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which advocates for Native Hawaiians, wants to see what federal lands the Army would offer. He wants to know whether it would be willing to reduce the impact of its training, and what sort of clean up and community benefits it would provide.

“We have to get to a point where you do training and then you clean up your mess,” said Kahele, a former congressman who served more than 20 years in the Hawaii Air National Guard and is now in the Air Force Reserve.

“That should be the model of training that respects aina, respects this place and its culture and its people,” he said, using the Hawaiian word for land.

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Iconic rock band’s drummer quits after 27 years: ‘I have taken my final steps down the drum riser’

Matt Cameron is leaving Pearl Jam after 27 years.

The drummer posted a heartfelt message on social media, thanking his band mates.

“After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser for the mighty Pearl Jam,” Cameron’s statement read. “Much love and respect to Jeff (Ament), Ed (Vedder), Mike (McCready) and Stone (Gossard) for inviting me into the band in 1998 and for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, filled with friendships, artistry, challenges and laughter. I am forever grateful to the crew, staff and fans the world over. It’s been an incredible journey. More to follow. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

Vedder, Gossard, McCready and Ament also posted a statement thanking Camerson.

“From being one of our first musical heroes in the bands Skinyard and the mighty Soundgarden, to playing on our first demos in 1990, Matt Cameron has been a singular and true powerhouse of a musician and drummer,” the statement read. “He has propelled the last 27 years of Pearl Jam live shows and studio recordings. It was a deeply important chapter for our group and we wish him well always. He will be deeply missed and is forever our friend in art and music. We love you Matt.”

Cameron joined Pearl Jam, known for its grunge sound, in 1998 a year after Soundgarden broke up in 1997.

Cameron was also inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first in 2017 for his work with Pearl Jam and, this year, for his contributions to Soundgarden.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

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Alabama couple, their daughter-in-law, and granddaughter remain missing after Texas floods

Family members continue to search for Mobile couple Eddie Santana Sr., 69, and his wife, Ileana, 66, along with their daughter-in-law and granddaughter following this weekend’s deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas.

According to a post from family member Kali Vazquez, the couple were staying in a cabin by the river in Kerrville with their son Eddie Santana Jr., 39, his wife Camille Santana, 38, and their 5-year-old daughter, Mila Rosa Santana, when their cabin was swept away while they were inside.

Eddie was found alive and discharged from a local hospital Sunday morning, July 6, according to a post from his brother Michael.

Michael flew into Texas this week to aid in the search, according to his Facebook page.

‘Praying for comfort, strength and hope’

In a Monday post, representatives for Mobile car dealership Joe Bullard Automotive expressed their sympathy for Michael, a former employee, and his family.

“We are praying for comfort, strength, and hope for the entire Santana family,” the post reads.

Gov. Greg Abbott vowed this week that authorities will work around the clock to find those that are still missing and told AP News new areas were being searched as the water receded.

As of Monday morning, the flood is reported to have killed at least 82 people, according to AP News.

Sarah Marsh, an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, was among the victims.

Marsh was attending Camp Mystic, a Christian retreat near Hunt in Kerr County, when torrential rain and storms that started late Thursday caused the river to swell from seven feet to 29 feet in less than two hours, flooding the camp.

According to AP News, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles.

Flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday.

President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Texas.

“These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing,” he wrote in a post to X.

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Amazon pulls the plug on popular free service

Amazon Prime Day has people getting ready to hit up the mega-online merchant for deals. But even as click and buy frenzy is underway, Amazon is shutting down one of its free services.

Amazon will sunset its standalone Freevee app next month, CNBC reported. The service was launched in 2019 as part of IMDb, the film and TV site Amazon purchased in 1998, and included free videos, original programming and some Prime Video content offered via an app.

The Freevee app will shut down in August but users will still be able to access Amazon’s free content with a Prime account.

“There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select Originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST Channels – all available on Prime Video,” a representative said.

Amazon first announced plans to shutter the app in late 2024, emphasizing the use of Prime Video as a “first-stop entertainment destination.”

In Freevee markets, non-Prime users will be able to access the content on Prime Video material labeled “Watch for Free.” According to Variety, Freevee’s content includes Emmy-nominated reality comedy show “Jury Duty;” crime drama “Bosch: Legacy;” Australian soap “Neighbours“; “Alex Rider” Season 2; “Leverage: Redemption”; and “Judy Justice” featuring Judge Judy Sheindlin.

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Target celebrates rewards members with Target Circle Week sales event

Target just launched its biggest shopping event of the year aimed to celebrate Target Circle rewards members with exclusive deals and discounts happening this week only.

Target Circle Week officially kicked off on Sunday, July 6 and will run through Saturday, July 12. Those who are not a Target Circle rewards member can easily sign up with any email address to take advantage of these limited time deals.

Target states that the Target Circle Week sales event will feature seven days of rare deals for summer and early back-to-school and college shopping, including up to 50% off hundreds of items across every category, from school supplies and electronics to everyday essentials. Meanwhile, Target’s popular “Deal of the Day” also returns with an expanded offering of three unique deals available each day of the sale including a 10% off Target Gift Cards offer.

According to Target, top deals happening during Target Circle Week include:

  • 40% off Casaluna & Threshold bedding
  • Up to 40% off tech & gaming
  • 30% off tees, tanks and dresses for all
  • 30% off school uniforms
  • 30% off select backpacks and school supplies
  • 20% off Brightroom storage and organization
  • Buy two, get one free on books, movies and music
  • Spend $40, save $10 on toys
  • Buy one, get one 50% off select grocery including ice cream, coffee, tea, cereal, frozen meals & more
  • Buy one, get one 30% off suncare, haircare, nailcare and vitamins

RELATED: Walmart Deals sales event kicks off for Walmart+ members

Members of Target Circle 360, the retailer’s paid membership program, will get additional benefits during the sales event. All guests who sign up for Target Circle 360 now through Circle Week will notably receive $50 off their first same-day delivery order. Not to mention, teachers and students can save 50% on a Target Circle 360 one-year membership.

Those interested can browse all Target 360 membership benefits here.

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Texas Border Patrol facility shooting: Gunman killed, officer injured

A 27-year-old man was killed Monday after opening fire at a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, authorities said.

Ryan Louis Mosqueda had an assault rifle and was carrying a utility vest when federal agents returned fire on Monday morning, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told reporters Monday morning. Rodriguez said police received a call about the shooting around 5:50 a.m. and that Mosqueda fired dozens of rounds.

The shooting took place at a facility across the street from McAllen International Airport, which was shut down as a precaution.

Law enforcement said afterward they found a second rifle, more ammunition and backpacks that the suspect had brought. Rodriguez said Mosqueda’s motive is currently unknown.

One officer was injured in the shooting, but Rodriguez said it was unclear if the injury was from shrapnel or a bullet.

Mosqueda allegedly pulled up to the facility in a white two-door sedan. Rodriguez said something was written on the car, possibly in Latin, but “what it means, or whether or not it is an underlying reason for him being here, I do not know.”

Mosqueda was linked to an address in Michigan, but was reported missing from a Weslaco, Texas, address around 4 a.m. Monday. Weslaco is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Border Patrol facility.

“An hour and a few minutes later, he was at this particular location opening fire on the federal building and our federal agents,” Rodriguez said.

Additional information about the missing person report, including who reported it and the circumstances, was not immediately made available.

Going forward, the FBI will be handling the investigation, Rodriguez said.

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Student loans, Pell Grants are changing in Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ law: What that means for you

President Donald Trump signed signature legislation, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” July 4 that will reshape American higher education.

The law caps the amount students can borrow for graduate degrees, expands financial aid for workforce development programs and attempts to hold colleges accountable for graduates’ success.

The new law will phase out Grad PLUS loans that many people use to pay for graduate degrees.

“Eliminating Grad PLUS loans is dramatic and potentially problematic for many students,” said Mitchell Henry, president of Faulkner University, a private Christian college in Montgomery.

Getting student loans will be more difficult

The new law caps the amount of federal loans students can take out:

  • Graduate students can borrow up to $100,000
  • Law or medical students can borrow up to $200,000
  • Parents can borrow up to $65,000 per student via Parent PLUS

After a student hits their cap of subsidized direct or PLUS loans, they may need to turn to private loans to finance an education.

The federal government hopes a lifetime cap will encourage universities to keep prices in check.

Financing graduate degrees may be more difficult

The Grad PLUS program, which many students use to fund graduate and doctoral degrees after they exhaust their Stafford loans, will be phased out in 2026.

Current students aren’t affected, but people hoping to pursue graduate degrees after July 1, 2026, may need to finance their education through more private loans.

More than $120 million in Grad PLUS financing was disbursed to 23 colleges and universities across Alabama for the 2022-2023 school year, according to data obtained from the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Faulkner University administered 367 Grad PLUS loans in 2022, and the revenue, about $11.3 million, makes up more than 20% of the school’s overall revenue, according to the Chronicle’s data.

It will be easier to pay for workforce credentials

About 32.7% of all Alabama college students receive Pell grants, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The final bill keeps the Pell program mostly intact and adds a “Workforce Pell.” The funding can now be used for short-term, accredited workforce training programs.

Beginning July 1, 2026, Pell-eligible students can use aid for programs that prepares students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.

The average amount Alabama students receive for Pell Grants is $5,167, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The process for getting a Pell grant remains the same: Students fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and see if they meet the income requirements.

Colleges will need to prove grads have good jobs

Politicians have struggled with how to force colleges to prove the value of individual degrees. Trump’s bill ties student loans and financial aids to graduates’ ability to get well-paying jobs.

Colleges and universities will be cut off from funding unless they prove that graduates earn more than an adult with a high school diploma. This could affected more than half of two-year degree programs, according to Inside Higher Ed.

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20-year-old killed in Montgomery Fourth of July shooting

An investigation is ongoing after a deadly shooting in Montgomery on the Fourth of July.

Police and fire medics were dispatched at 6:21 p.m. Friday to a report of a person shot.

They arrived to find 20-year-old La’Byrion Caffey dead on the scene, Montgomery police Lt. David Wise said Monday.

Wise said Caffey’s death is being investigated as a homicide. No additional details were released.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP, Montgomery police at 334-625-2831 or the Secret Witness tip line at 334-635-4000.

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