The future for Alabama’s Black Belt Region? In a word, Marsha Folsom says… “bamboo.”

“It’s the new cotton,” Folsom told me this morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, “sustainable, ecological, a very environmentally friendly crop.”

An increased demand for bamboo products has created a shortage in supplier nations primarily based in Asia. Research by Mt. Vernon, Washington biotechnologist Jackie Heinricher created Boo-Shoot Gardens. Folsom’s introduction to Heinricher and her research prompted the Cullman county native to promote bamboo as an Alabama (and Deep South) cash crop.

Currently the University of Alabama has an acre of bamboo growing in Moundville as an example of “what could be” for Black Belt landowners. Northport has a downtown project called Black Belt BamBoost. Then there is Bike Lab in Greensboro. The group focuses on building bicycles made of Alabama bamboo.

Sometime Thursday morning Marc OBrien joins three more Bike Lab teammates for a Hale County to San Francisco trek called Ride Alabamboo.

On a political note, Folsom says her family is enjoying private life since Republicans swept statewide races in November, preventing Jim Folsom Jr. from another term as lieutenant governor. Her husband is the son of two-term governor “Big Jim” Folsom, who served in the 1940’s and 1950’s. “Little Jim,” as he is sometimes called, rose from lieutenant governor to governor in 1993 when Guy Hunt was removed from office. Jim Folsom currently works with an investment firm.

When asked off camera if her now adult children would ever consider entering the family business, she laughed and asked, “investing?”

Read more of Rick Journey’s political blog here.

This morning, AEA took the stance as the only group opposing Rep. Greg Canfield’s (R-Vestavia) “Rolling Reserve Budget” bill during a hearing. The state Department of Education backs the idea. This Huntsville Times editorial looks at the issue.

Canfield and Jefferson county Democrat, Rep. Merika Coleman react to Gov. Robert Bentley’s SOTS in this video from FOX6 News Good Day Alabama.

Among the many groups lining up to push their bills, the wide-ranging organization pushing to renew Alabama’s Forever Wild program. Tim Gothard of the Alabama Wildlife Federation made his case for renewing the conservation campaign on Good Day Alabama this morning.

You can read more about the challenge facing Forever Wild from this Sunday piece by Tom Spencer of the Birmingham News.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blog here.

Strange, who took office two weeks ago today, appeared this morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama.

The Republican says he and Gov. Robert Bentley are “working hand and hand” on the case and he sees no reason to back out of the lawsuit filed by his predecessor, Troy King.

“I think it strengthens our hand, and the fact that the US government is in the case now, really there is no way Alabama should drop out.”

Strange also says he has met with attorneys for Greentrack about the future of e-bingo at the facility.

Last week, city leaders in Bessemer expressed a desire for guidance from the attorney general as that city considers an e-bingo ordinance.

“We made it very clear. In my opinion, gambling going on at these large casinos is illegal slot machines,” Strange told me today on Good Day.

“If they like to test these machines in court, they can have their day in court.”

Read more of Rick Journey’s blog here.