Ivey appoints new head of the state parole board
Ivey appointed Hal Nash, the chief corrections deputy of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, as the new chairman of the three-person Board of Pardons and Paroles. He replaces Leigh Gwathney, whose term expired. Nash's appointment is effective immediately.
Ivey selected Nash from five names submitted by legislative leaders. The governor's office said in a statement that governor was seeking 'a tough-on-crime, fair and pro-law enforcement candidate with leadership experience.'
'He has a law enforcement perspective, and he has assured me he will approach each decision fairly and with that top goal in mind, which is to keep the people of Alabama safe,' Ivey said of Nash, adding thate he will build on public safety successes the state has achieved.
'This is not a position to be taken lightly. While remembering that people can choose to change for the better, this task will require weighing the safety of all the citizens of Alabama first,' Nash said in a statement.
Ivey, who appointed Gwathney to lead the board in 2019, said she was grateful to the departing chair, 'who has stood firm for public safety.'
A former prosecutor for the state of Alabama, Gwathney became a target of criticism during her tenure because of the state's low parole rate.
The percentage of inmates being granted parole fell from 53% in 2018 to a historic low of 8% in 2023. The rate has risen to about 21% so far this fiscal year. She faced criticism in October from some state lawmakers who accused her of not responding to their requests for information.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and other law enforcement officials last week urged Ivey to reappoint Gwathney, saying she had earned the trust of law enforcement.
'Ms. Gwathney has proven herself to be beyond the influence of the anti-incarceration movement, ready and willing to fight for the law-abiding citizens of this state,' Marshall wrote in a letter signed by dozens of prosecutors and police chiefs.
The low parole rate came amid an ongoing prison crisis as the state struggles with overcrowding and cannot find enough security officers to staff prisons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Niagara County Sheriff's Office, with Falls Police, grow Explorer's program county-wide
At a time when many local law enforcement agencies are struggling to recruit the next generation of law enforcement officers, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office and Niagara Falls Police are hoping NCSO Explorers Post 2911 holds the key. 'We've held the Explorers program for years,' Sheriff Michael Filicetti said, 'but it was always out at our headquarters, which is kind of in the middle of nowhere.' Then five years ago, the Falls police decided to join in a partnership with the sheriff's office to offer the program for communities on the western side of the county. That program is run out of the Packard Court Community Center. 'We wanted to try to reach another part of the county,' Filicetti said. 'We united to reach the people in the communities on the west end of the county, who we don't always see. And it's been so successful, the Falls police now join us on our program (in Lockport).' With 15 recent graduates of the Falls-based program, Filicetti said the combination and outreach efforts has spurred new growth and energy in the Explorers. The program is designed for 16- to 20-year-olds with an interest in a career in law enforcement. Filicetti calls it an opportunity to prepare for the future. 'They're getting a front row seat to observe and learn about law enforcement,' the sheriff said. The program sessions are led by sheriff's deputies and corrections officers, along with Falls police officers and dispatchers. Explorers get to experience some of the hands-on training that takes place at the county law enforcement academy. The Explorers met every Monday evening for 14 weeks during the school year. In addition to experiencing real-world law enforcement training, they also have the opportunity to work directly with law enforcement officers by assisting at community events. 'It makes me proud when I'm at work and I'm walking around and I see graduates of the Explorer program at work in our department as deputies and corrections officers and supervisors,' Filicetti said. The sheriff said he believes other law enforcement agencies will also adopt the Explorer program model as a way to meet recruiting challenges. 'I think some (agencies) are already doing their own versions of it,' Filicetti said. 'I think it's a piece of the puzzle in terms of recruiting.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Slate Truck Won't Get Any Cheaper Now That Trump Killed EV Incentives
The passage of the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" will undoubtedly have countless unforeseen consequences that will become apparent in the days and weeks to come. One that has already come to light, courtesy of TechCrunch, is that the cancellation of the federal EV tax credit in September means the affordable Slate Truck will no longer be as affordable as everyone thought it would be. While Slate has not released any exact pricing, it has claimed that its small, affordable, and highly modular electric truck would cost less than $20,000 after the $7,500 federal EV incentive. Now that this credit is going away, customers will be on the hook for the full purchase price, which hits the wallet even harder on a vehicle already priced so low. Slate's website has already been updated to say "Expected price: Mid-Twenties" rather than "Under $20,000" as it did previously. That would align with a hypothetical purchase price of around $27,000 or less, which would have been $19,500 with the EV tax credit. Read more: No Spare? No Problem. Here's What Every Car Should Carry In Case Of A Flat With no new cars available under $20,000, pricing a new small truck, an EV no less, under that threshold would have been quite the feat. It certainly made for great marketing, encouraging more than 100,000 reservations. The cancellation of the EV tax credit, preventing this claim from coming true, is not Slate's fault. The blame falls squarely on the Trump Administration's misguided efforts to help the domestic auto industry, which will end up hurting it instead, particularly EV manufacturers other than Tesla. Even assuming a higher base purchase price somewhere around $27,000 without the tax credit, that's still less than the most basic versions of the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, both of which cost more than $30,000 after destination charges. Slate's website claim that "Great cars got too pricey, we fixed that" is still valid in theory. Besides, most customers won't buy the most basic, bare-bones truck anyway. They plan to spend a bit more and take advantage of Slate's extensive customization options, up to and including turning it into an SUV. So don't count Slate out just yet. The truck may not be quite as affordable as we'd hoped, but it's still less expensive than anything else around, so we're cautiously optimistic. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Automakers Are Working Overtime To Sell EVs Before Trump Kills The $7,500 Tax Credit
Donald Trump and his merry band of Republican sycophants are poised and ready to kill the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit this fall, but before that happens, automakers in the U.S. are doing everything they can to move as many EVs as possible. By throwing in extra incentives like price cuts and EV charging credits, car companies are hoping to entice as many people as possible to buy their EVs before they get more expensive thanks to Trump's reconciliation bill. Tesla CEO Elon Musk — who has had a very serious falling out with the President — really wants buyers to know the tax credit is going away. When you head to Tesla's website (which you shouldn't do), you're greeted with a massive banner that reads "$7,500 Federal Tax Credit Ending. Take Delivery by September 30, 2025." Ford is also extending its deal for free home chargers and installation through the end of September to get more possible EV buyers on board, according to Reuters. Rivian's CFO told the outlet that it is a "great time to be considering an EV," but she added that once the tax credits end, Rivian may end up introducing additional incentives to keep demand for its EV from stagnating. From the looks of the market, battery-powered vehicle sales and leases have slowed from the rapid growth they saw earlier this decade. It won't be much of a surprise if they dip even further when the credits go away at the end of September. General Motors CEO Mary Barra agrees, telling Reuters that the tax credit is "driving demand," and without it, sales will "slow." Read more: 2025 Cadillac Optiq May Finally Be The Car To Attract Young Buyers A study done at the end of 2024 by professors at UC Berkeley, Duke and Stanford showed that EV registrations could eventually fall by 27% without the aforementioned tax credits, according to Reuters. Similar policy shifts have happened in Europe, and that has led to a sizable downturn in EV take-up. "We believe [the third quarter] will see a significant EV pre-buy, with sharp declines in the months to follow," a Barclays analyst told Reuters. This all makes a hell of a lot of sense. I mean, the average EV costs about $58,000, nearly $10,000 more than the average gas vehicle. A $7,500 tax credit for buying and a $4,000 credit for leasing go a long way to making up that difference. I suppose the moral of the story is that if you want an EV, you're really going to need to act fast. Trump and his cronies would much rather you pay more money for the car you want to buy. We've talked a lot about how killing these tax credits is going to hurt the industry. Earlier this week, we told you about the new issues facing Slate Automotive now that its little electric truck is significantly more expensive. We also talked about how registrations for EVs are surging as people rush to take advantage of the fleeting deal. If you do want to buy a used EV, check out our explainer on how to claim a tax credit for your purchase. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
