By Brian Lyman | Editor
“For the most part, as long as I’ve been going here, I’ve always seen students dressed for success.” - Nailah Ashi-Sulaiman, political science major, Tuskegee University
A banner hangs across the main road through Tuskegee University welcoming new and returning students on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 in Tuskegee, Ala. (Estela Munoz for Alabama Reflector)
EDUCATION
By Andrea Tinker
Changes to Tuskegee University’s dress code over the summer — banning “revealing clothing” in classes as well as bedroom shoes and bonnets — led to widespread comments and arguments on social media over the summer. But students returning to Tuskegee for the start of classes on Wednesday said the changes were restrictive or tried to address non-existent problems, with some saying they put students in a bad light.
A courtroom in the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City is pictured on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
By Ralph Chapoco
A nonprofit that works to place lawyers in rural areas estimates that two-thirds of Alabama counties are legal deserts, defined as having less than one attorney per 1,000 people. The shortages are particularly acute in impoverished areas and minority communities and makes it a struggle for residents to access representation in eviction proceedings and other encounters with the law.
Jackson Hospital is seen in Montgomery, Alabama on Aug. 17, 2026. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)
HEALTHCARE
By Anna Barrett
The president and CEO of Jackson Hospital in Montgomery Monday said the hospital had reached a four-year agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama to stay open. The details of the deal were not shared but Jackson Hospital CEO John Quinlivan said it would allow the hospital to add new services and improve current ones. The state and local governments are also providing aid to keep the 344-bed hospital operating.
AND ALSO
Alabama Department of Corrections signs contract with ICE | Ralph Chapoco, Alabama Reflector
Alabama Obamacare enrollment plunges 23% after tax credits expire | Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
Proposed changes to Head Start program could affect Alabama | Andrea Tinker, Alabama Reflector
COMMENTARY
When a principled stand gets in the way of effective campaigning | Brian Lyman, Alabama Reflector
Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville’s rhetoric about Abdul El-Sayed is dangerous | Allison Berkowitz for Alabama Reflector
Data centers are not inevitable. It’s time for state laws to catch up. | Catherine Dorrough for Alabama Reflector
Thanks for reading First Look. Did you know our daily morning newsletter is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.