The Alabama Board of Corrections voted Thursday to borrow nearly $200 million to begin construction of a 4,000‑bed prison in Escambia County. The loan raises the total budget for the project to $900 million, adding to the $1.25 billion already spent on a similar facility in Elmore County.
Meta settlement funds earmarked for youth safety
Alabama will receive $117 million from a multistate settlement with Meta Platforms over alleged harms to teenagers on Instagram and Facebook. The money will be distributed in equal annual installments over ten years and must be used for programs that protect children online, according to the settlement agreement.
Data‑center energy challenges and nuclear options
Law‑enforcement agencies have praised Alabama Power’s partnership with surveillance firm Flock, which now serves more than 80 municipalities. Critics, however, warn that the collection of location data raises privacy concerns. At the same time, developers of large‑scale data centers are exploring small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as a reliable, low‑carbon power source. Two SMR designs have cleared the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s safety review, but commercial deployment in the United States has yet to begin.
Local leadership and community news
Leadership Birmingham announced its 2027 class of 54 emerging leaders from education, health, economic development and other sectors. The program will run for ten months, taking participants to more than 30 regional sites to deepen ties to the city.
Birmingham radio veteran Binnie Myles, known for the weekly program “Perspective on the Move,” died on Aug. 27 at age 81. Myles was also a public‑relations professional and civil‑rights advocate.
In Bessemer, the incumbent mayor now faces a runoff election after a wave of voter backlash to proposed data‑center projects. Four city‑council seats were also flipped or headed to runoff, reshaping the council’s composition.
Original reporting: BirminghamWatch — read the source article.
