Martha Roby: Two years after scandal, progress and hope at Central Alabama VA
This week marks two years since the former director of the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) was fired for mismanagement, after major instances of misconduct, fraud and abuse were exposed. It was an important action to take toward instilling accountability at the VA, but also the first step in the process of rebuilding a health care system that many veterans in Central and South Alabama depend on. That process has been not been easy. Many obstacles have made the path to improving veterans’ care difficult. However, there is significant progress to report. CAVHCS hospitals once ranked the worst in the country for delays in completing patient appointments. Today, the average wait time for completed appointments has been cut in half, from 16.29 days in April 2015 down to 8.54 last month. Much of the improvement can be can be attributed to the continued recruitment of key health care staff, from nurses and doctors to senior managers. I hope this momentum can continue, particularly in the area of mental health services, where a national shortage of professionals has made it difficult for VA to fill vacancies. I’m also eager to see continued improvement in the Choice program that allows veteran patients to access care via local community providers if they so choose. After two years without a permanent director at CAVHCS, Dr. Linda Boyle has been selected to take the helm. Dr. Boyle is a retired Air Force Colonel who spent 24 years in the military, serving as the Medical Group Commander at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida before joining the VA. She has been working as the Interim Director at the Alaska VA Health System for the past year. Dr. Boyle’s appointment is welcome news. The culture of any organization is set by leadership. I believe no single action is more important toward improving veterans’ healthcare in Central and South Alabama than having a permanent director in place who is committed to serving veterans and empowered to make the necessary changes. I look forward to meeting Dr. Boyle in person soon and I stand ready to help her be successful. Last week, Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed into law a bill funding the VA for the next fiscal year. The bill includes a nine percent increase over last year’s total funding to meet increased demand at the VA, with much of it directed toward the most pressing needs: suicide prevention, mental health care services, traumatic brain injury care, and eliminating veteran homelessness. Also, greater whistleblower protections were added and funding was included to ensure resources are available for the VA Inspector General (IG) to continue its important work, including within Central Alabama. The statistics I see and the stories I hear from veteran constituents make me optimistic about the future at the Central Alabama VA. I will continue to press for improvements, doing my part to help build upon recent progress to make sure it is real and lasting. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, Riley and their two children.
Dawn Azok: Japanese investment in Alabama fuels many industries
When it comes to Japanese investment in Alabama, auto manufacturers Honda and Toyota and their broad network of suppliers across the state immediately come to mind. But the Asian nation is behind a significant number of non-automotive companies here as well, from chemical and steel producers to pharmaceutical and life insurance firms. More than 140 Japanese companies call Alabama home, and their combined annual contribution to the state economy, from a consumer perspective, tops $200 million, said Mark Jackson, honorary consul general of Japan in Alabama. “It is a solid, proven base for Japanese investment to only grow bigger,” he said. “The Japan America story is tremendous, but I think the Japan Alabama story is even better.” Jackson is part of an Alabama delegation that visited Tokyo last week and participated in SEUS Japan 39, a high-level forum that aimed to strengthen cultural and economic ties. Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, and other Commerce officials were part of the delegation in Tokyo, where they visited Honda’s corporate headquarters. While there, Canfield presented Honda officials with a hand-crafted glass sculpture from Orbix Hot Glass in Fort Payne. The Commerce team also engaged in meetings with representatives of Unipres, an auto supplier with an operation in Steele, and others. Business connections Last year alone, 19 new and expanding Japanese companies and joint ventures announced more than 700 new jobs and new investment topping $365 million, according to Alabama Department of Commerce data and the Japan-America Society of Alabama. They included Pharmavite, a dietary supplement manufacturer in Opelika that is a subsidiary of Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., and southwest Alabama carbon steel processor AM/NS Calvert, a joint venture that includes Japan’s Nippon Steel. In other recent moves, Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. completed its purchase of Birmingham’s Protective Life Corp. last year, a $5.7 billion deal. Shortly after the merger was completed, the companies announced $4.1 million in donations to medical research, education and cultural organizations in Alabama. Elsewhere, other Japanese companies are also actively contributing to their communities in Alabama. In Decatur, for example, chemical firm Daikin and Toray, maker of carbon fibers and fluorofibers, continue to grow their businesses and shape the region, said Jeremy Nails, president and CEO of the Morgan County Economic Development Association. “Every year Daikin America hosts the Daikin Festival, a free event to educate our community on Japanese culture that often boasts attendance of more than 20,000,” he said. “Daikin also donated funds to add the Daikin Amphitheater to downtown Decatur, allowing the city much-needed space for events.” “Toray is the annual title sponsor of the Dragon boat race where 75 teams compete and raise over $150,000 for the local hospital,” Nails added. Daikin added 20 jobs in 2014 amid plant expansions in Decatur and has been in a continuous growth mode since starting up in the early 1990s. Today the company has 370 employees, and this year marks its 25th anniversary in Alabama. Toray currently has 320 employees at its carbon fiber plant and 53 at its fluorofiber plant, both in Decatur. To date, Toray has invested more than $500 million in its Decatur plants. Rewarding relationship “We have gone from becoming mortal enemies to global trading partners, and together we have built two of the strongest economies in the world,” he said.Jackson, the honorary consul, said it’s remarkable to consider the current relationship between the U.S. and Japan, since the countries were on opposite sides of World War II just a few generations ago. Jackson credits Sister Cities International, a citizen diplomacy program instituted by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s, with helping spur not only cultural understanding but also economic cooperation with markets around the globe, including Japan. Cities across Alabama participate in the program, and several have sister cities in Japan. Since 1999, when Honda announced plans for its auto assembly plant in Talladega County, Japanese companies have invested more than $5 billion in the state, according to Alabama Department of Commerce figures. Toyota is celebrating its 15th anniversary in Huntsville this year. The $864 million engine factory has expanded four times since its groundbreaking in 2001 and employs around 1,350 people. A recent study showed Honda’s sprawling $2 billion plant generated $6.8 billion in economic activity in the state last year. Along with its Tier 1 suppliers, the automaker is responsible for more than 43,000 jobs and 4.4 percent of the state’s total annual output of goods and services. The Alabama delegation in Tokyo included more than 30 government officials, economic development professionals and others who work in finance, manufacturing, medical technology and tourism. Regions Financial Corp. executive John Turner was co-chairman of SEUS Japan 39. The delegation took part in sessions on environmental innovation as well as investment and trade, and members networked with Japanese business and government leaders. ••• This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
Samford ranked top Alabama university by Wall Street Journal
Birmingham’s Samford University takes home the Yellowhammer State’s top spot in the inaugural Wall Street Journal-Times Higher Education survey of more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities released on Tuesday. Samford ranked the top university in the state, while ranking 218th overall out of the 1,061 U.S. universities and colleges considered. The ranking is drawn from 15 performance indicators in four categories — student outcomes, school resources, student engagement and the learning environment (diversity) — that have been selected in order to answer the questions that matter the most when choosing a university. Forty percent of each school’s overall score comes from student outcomes, including how they fare after leaving campus, 30 percent from the school’s resources, 20 percent from how well it engages its students and 10 percent from the learning environment. Samford scored highest in student engagement, based on survey results. The university also has a three-year average of 93 percent of its undergraduates having jobs or being in graduate school within six months of graduation. Samford’s student-faculty ratio is a relatively low 13 to 1. “Rankings are just one measure of a university’s effectiveness and reputation, but it is especially rewarding to be so highly ranked in our state and nationally by an organization as prestigious as The Wall Street Journal,” said Samford President Andrew Westmoreland. “Because student engagement and outcomes are key to these rankings, it affirms the work of our faculty and staff in providing the rigorous academic preparation our students need to be successful in the marketplace.” Here’s a look at how all of Alabama’s college included in the rankings fared:
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore suspended over gay marriage order
Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore has been suspended from the bench for the remainder of his term for encouraging probate judges to defy federal order and refuse marriage licenses to gay couples. The nine-member Alabama Court of the Judiciary (COJ) unanimously found Moore guilty on six charges relating to violations of the canon of judicial ethics, and issued his suspension from the bench on Friday. “For these violations, Chief Justice Moore is hereby suspended from office without pay for the remainder of his term. This suspension is effective immediately,” the order stated. Moore’s term ends in 2019, but due of his age, 69, he cannot run for re-election. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley will not name a replacement as he says Moore was suspended from the bench, rather than removed. According to Yasamie August, press secretary for Bentley, Justice Lyn Stuart will continue in the role of Acting Chief Justice. The court will only function with the eight remaining justices. Moore issued the following statement following his suspension: This decision clearly reflects the corrupt nature of our political and legal system at the highest level. After the Attorney General of Alabama declined to prosecute this case, the JIC employed the former legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) which filed the charges against me, at a cost of up to $75,000.00 to the taxpayers of Alabama. During the trial which lasted approximately four hours, the JIC produced no witnesses, no affidavits, and no evidence to meet their burden of proving by “clear and convincing” evidence that the Administrative order of January 6, 2016 violated the Canons of Judicial Ethics. This was a politically motivated effort by radical homosexual and transgender groups to remove me as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court because of outspoken opposition to their immoral agenda. This opinion violates not only the legal standards of evidence but also the rule of law which states that no judge can be removed from office except by unanimous vote. The canons of judicial ethics Moore was found guilty of violating are: Canon 1: in that he failed to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary. Canon 2: in that he failed to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all his activities. Canon 2A: in that he failed to respect and comply with the law and failed to conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. Canon 2B: in that he failed to avoid conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial office into disrepute. Canon 3: in that he failed to perform the duties of his office impartially. Canon 3A(6): in that he failed to abstain from public comment about a pending proceeding in his own court. The suspension is Moore’s second, his first ending in an eventual removal from office in 2003 for violating a federal judge’s order to remove a large Ten Commandments monument from public property. Moore was subsequently re-elected to his position in 2010 in a landslide win.
Alabama business roundup: Headlines from across state – 9/30/16 edition
Which manufacturer has just produced their four millionth vehicle in Alabama? As the global shipping industry faces problem, should Alabama’s port be concerned? Answers to these questions and more in today’s business roundup below: Birmingham Business Journal: Bham contractors named to prestigious list Birmingham-based companies were recently named to a list of the nation’s top construction firms. Building Design + Construction magazine ranked B.L. Harbert as the No. 2 on its list of Federal Government Giants, firms with the largest amount of government projects last year. According to a press release, B.L. Harbert had more than $661.2 million in revenue for federal projects in 2015. Federal work is the company’s largest market sector in a diverse portfolio. “We are humbled to be recognized as a Building Design + Construction Giant in the federal division,” said Chuck Bohn, President of BL Harbert’s International Group. “This is a testament to our employees, near and far, for securing contracts and performing the work successfully. We look forward to what next year will bring for our team.” Another local firm, Brasfield & Gorrie, ranked No. 8 on the list. The company had more than $105 million in 2015 federal project revenue. Robins & Morton ranked No. 17 with more than $38 million, and Hoar Construction came in at No. 27 with around $7.7 million in 2015 federal project revenue. Alabama News Center: Milestone: Honda produces 4 millionth Alabama-made vehicle If you line up all the Honda vehicles that have been built at the automaker’s Talladega County plant since it opened 15 years ago, they would stretch across the U.S., from New York to Los Angeles, more than four times. That’s what 4 million Alabama-made Hondas look like. Last week, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama celebrated a key milestone: the production of 4 million vehicles and V-6 engines. The $2.2 billion plant started mass production in November 2001. It is the sole source of Honda’s Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup, as well as the Acura MDX luxury SUV. It also produces the engines that power all four vehicles. “The commitment and dedication of our 4,500 associates has allowed HMA to achieve this production milestone and fulfill our commitment to quality for Honda customers across the globe,” HMA President Jeff Tomko said. The 4 million milestone came as a delegation of Alabama government and business leaders were visiting Tokyo for SEUS Japan 39, a forum that aims to strengthen cultural and economic ties between the Southeastern U.S. and the Asian nation. Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, led the state delegation in Tokyo. Canfield and a group of Alabama officials visited Honda’s corporate headquarters last week. “Honda has been a powerful economic engine in Alabama, creating thousands of jobs and new levels of opportunity for residents in Talladega County and across the state,” Canfield said. “Honda has found a home in Alabama, expanding repeatedly to boost output and add capabilities,” he said. “We’ll work hard to keep this fruitful partnership going strong.” Going the distance To mark the milestone, Honda had a little fun with the numbers. Based on an average length of 16.4 feet per vehicle, 4 million HMA-built vehicles lined up end-to-end would stretch 12,422 miles, the company said. That would: Stretch around the Talladega Superspeedway 4,670 times (2.66 miles) Nearly span the distance (just eight miles short) from the North Pole to the South Pole (12,430 miles) Go from New York to Los Angeles almost 4.5 times (2,791.8 miles) Four million vehicles also would: Fill up every parking space at Hoover’s Riverchase Galleria 370 times (10,800 spaces) Fill up every parking space at Walt Disney World 170 times (23,540 spaces) 2.2 million minivans The Odyssey represents the lion’s share of the plant’s output over the past 15 years, accounting for more than 2.2 million models produced. It’s followed by the Pilot, at 1.4 million, the Acura MDX at 216,521 and the Ridgeline at 121,009. The plant also turned out 27,119 Accord V-6 sedans from 2009 to 2010. Honda’s Alabama assembly lines have the capacity to produce up to 340,000 vehicles and engines per year. Since 2013, the company has invested more than $520 million and added more than 500 jobs in multiple expansions. A 2015 study showed the plant generated $6.8 billion in economic activity in the state. Along with its Tier 1 suppliers, the automaker is responsible for more than 43,000 jobs and 4.4 percent of the state’s total annual output of goods and services. Honda leads the way in Japanese investment in the state. Since 1999, when the automaker announced plans for the Talladega County operation, Japanese companies have invested more than $5 billion in Alabama. Birmingham Business Journal: UAB, Under Armour sign 7-year apparel agreement Sports apparel company Under Armour will pay the University of Alabama at Birmingham a rights fee of $50,000 per year under a new seven-year outfitter contract. UAB and Under Armour on Thursday publicly announced the partnership, though the contract officially began on June 1 of this year. UAB athletes and employees began wearing Under Armour apparel in July. “We’re thrilled for all of our student athletes,” UAB Athletic Director Mark Ingram said. “We’re excited to provide such a high quality product for our students.” In addition to the annual rights fee, UAB will receive a $1,075,000 product allowance for the 2016-17 school year. The annual allowance will decrease to $1 million for the 2018 and 2019 school years before increasing again, ending at $1,030,000 for the 2022 school year. Todd Locklear, manager of Under Armour’s NCAA services, announced the partnership alongside Ingram and UAB coaches Thursday. “UAB checks a lot of boxes for us. Birmingham is a huge market for Under Armour,” Locklear said, pointing to their relationship with Birmingham-based Hibbett Sports (Nasdaq: HIBB) Locklear said Under Armour (NYSE: UA) is excited about the rebirth of UAB football, as well. Under Armour will design a unique football uniform and sideline products to commemorate the return of the program next fall. “Their jerseys mean a lot to us,” Locklear said. “We
Bye bye Big Brother: Alabama adjusts rule requiring beer buyers personal info
The Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control Board (ABC Board) adjusted a proposed Orwellian rule at its meeting Wednesday. The rule, which felt eerily like ‘big brother Alabama is watching’ would have required customers to leave personal information, including their birthdate and phone number, if they purchased beer for off-premise consumption from local breweries. Instead, the ABC Board decided to remove the portion of the rule that requires date of birth and phone number, leaving breweries to only record the names and addresses of buyers instead, in accordance with state law. According to AL.com, Board Chairman Robert W. “Bubba” Lee said that requirement is in the law for tax audit purposes. Wednesday’s decision left in place the to-consumer sales limits — to 288 ounces (the equivalent of a standard case of 24 bottles of 12 ounce beers) per person, per day.
Police shooting affects presidential politics in Charlotte
The killing of a black man by a Charlotte police officer, and the sometimes violent protests that followed, have intensified the political divide in a state crucial to deciding whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump wins the presidency. Republicans and Democrats alike say the killing of Keith Lamont Scott will energize both parties’ strongest supporters in a presidential battleground state that also has competitive races for governor and the U.S. Senate. Both camps are citing the case as they push familiar arguments on race relations, law enforcement and social unrest. “Both sides think they are right in this,” says Dee Stewart, a Republican consultant in North Carolina. “This all fits very well with Trump’s argument of ‘law and order’ and respecting our officers. It fits with the left’s narrative that anytime law enforcement acts with force in certain communities, it should be viewed with suspicion.” It’s unclear if or how Scott’s killing and its aftermath will affect undecided voters, but even subtle shifts in support can be crucial. Polls show a tight race in a state that Barack Obama barely lost in 2012 after barely winning in 2008. In the state-by-state contest for the presidency, it’s difficult to see how Trump can win the presidency without capturing North Carolina. Scott, 43, was shot Sept. 20 standing outside his vehicle. Police maintain he was armed. Video released by Charlotte-Mecklenburg authorities was inconclusive. The officer who shot Scott is also black. Both Trump and Clinton had planned appearances in Charlotte in the days after Scott’s death, but both canceled them. Trump has said little specifically about Scott and the Charlotte protests, beyond calling the situation “tragic.” But at Monday’s debate, he again cast himself as the “law-and-order” candidate. He chided Clinton for avoiding the same phrase, and he renewed his endorsement for the kind of “stop-and-frisk” police practices that critics deride as racial profiling. Clinton has campaigned extensively with Mothers of the Movement, a group of African-American women, some of whose sons have been killed by police. She called for Charlotte police to release their videos of the shootings before they had done so. Clinton also held a phone call with black pastors in the area. She campaigned Tuesday in the state capital, Raleigh, where she urged caution and said “there’s still a lot we don’t know” about Scott’s death and the police killing of Terence Crutcher four days earlier in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Throughout her campaign, Clinton has argued the United States must confront “systemic racism” in its law enforcement and criminal justice structure. Trump’s running mate Mike Pence has described that as “rhetoric of division” and declared that “the men and women of law enforcement are a not a force for racism in this country; they’re a force for good.” Alma Adams, a Democratic congresswoman whose district includes parts of Charlotte, said Clinton’s approach will appeal to African-American voters, millennials and others concerned about police practices. “They’re going to be looking for answers at the polls,” she said in an interview. Adams added that Trump’s rhetoric will stoke the Democratic base, pointing specifically to his comments a day after violent Charlotte protests dominated the news. Trump said “drugs are a very, very big factor in what you’re watching on television at night.” His campaign later said he was talking about America’s drug problem in general, not the protests. Still, Trump’s comments could influence voters like 19-year-old Niesy Figueroa, a student who said she knows some of Scott’s extended family and participated in peaceful protests. Figueroa said she’s not thrilled with casting her first presidential ballot for Clinton, but said Trump’s Charlotte reaction helps her get over her “hurt” that Bernie Sanders lost the Democratic nomination. “Trump? No,” Figueroa said. “He just seems a little racist.” Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the state Republican Party, concedes that Democrats can add the Scott case to the argument aimed at their base. But he argues that the television images of the protests and Democratic rhetoric about police are more important to independent and moderate whites than anything Trump says about protesters. “Democrats come across always pointing the finger at police,” Woodhouse said. He recalled a scene at the Carolina Panthers football game Sunday in Charlotte, where he said he watched scores of fans seek out law enforcement officers. “This is still a Southern state, a cordial state, a state that has people lined up to thank the police because they think they are being unfairly maligned.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
