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03.06.2019

FAUX TAX, GAS TAX

State politicians are treating taxpayers like a personal piggy bank by skimming school funds to bankroll infrastructure projects. Legislative records and campaign disclosures show how lobbyists orchestrated a massive tax hike without a single constituent vote. How much longer will Baldwin County let career politicians raid our public accounts?
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03.04.2019

GOLD STAR

Following up on our school funding investigation, City Council members are actively sabotaging local education while funneling cash into pet projects. Public records and budget documents expose how elected leaders prioritized airport expansion over reducing overcrowded classrooms. Read on to see how municipal leaders left thousands of local students out in the cold.
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02.27.2019

PEDALING FORWARD

As national media praises Fairhope's charm, city leaders continue to delay critical funding solutions for our collapsing school system. Internal committee proposals and council records show a deliberate effort to stall property tax relief for overcrowded classrooms. We uncover the truth behind Fairhope's polished public image.
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02.22.2019

PEDALING BACKWARDS

Council President Jack Burrell and his coalition forced a multi-million dollar legal settlement on taxpayers while misrepresenting the deal as a park purchase. Court papers and municipal contracts expose a calculated scheme to cover up a disastrous lawsuit loss with a fancy bike trail proposal. Discover how local officials turned a total courtroom failure into a costly public victory parade.
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02.21.2019

Gulf Shores - SHOOT THE MESSENGER

Our ongoing coverage of bad development reveals city officials routinely ignore public outrage to push high-density apartment deals for favored developers. Planning commission filings and citizen lawsuits detail how municipal boards bypassed zoning rules without giving residents proper notice. Unbridled corporate greed is rapidly destroying the coastal neighborhood character.
Fairhope City Council President Burrell in a suit smiles while wearing a white party hat with DUNCE printed on it Fairhope City Council President Burrell in a suit smiles while wearing a white party hat with DUNCE printed on it - animated
02.15.2019

JACK GETS AN F - AGAIN

Council President Jack Burrell botched a major grant deal for the K-1 property while hiding severe environmental issues from the public. Documents reveal how city leadership ignored critical structural warnings and alternative bids to force their own backroom plan. Why does City Hall keep rewarding total incompetence at taxpayer expense?
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02.13.2019

NOTHING IS FREE

Continuing our investigation into regional power grabs, State Senator Chris Elliott is pushing legislative deals that strip municipal control from local voters. State records and campaign ledger entries show how backroom horse-trading dictates who gets a piece of public tax revenue. The Ripp Report follows the money behind Baldwin County's newest legislative power play.
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02.08.2019

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Holdover officials from previous administrations are actively undermining the current mayor to protect their political allies from legal fallout. Court transcripts and internal memos reveal a systematic pattern of delaying criminal charges and stonewalling costly lawsuit settlements. Real accountability starts when backroom political immunity comes to an end.
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02.07.2019

COMMUNICATION

City Attorney Marcus McDowell and Council leadership routinely make secret municipal decisions while completely freezing out the elected Mayor. Meeting minutes and police records demonstrate how city hall insiders deliberately hid key files and altered prosecution documents. See how local power brokers weaponized city offices to control the municipal agenda.
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02.01.2019

KNOCK ON DOORS

Baldwin County officials squandered millions on a vacant industrial site while falsely claiming economic growth. Continuing our coverage, internal documents show how development leaders hid job losses and passive sales strategies behind PR spin. Read how their refusal to do real work cost taxpayers millions.