Business Alabama publishes 2018 Economic Development Guide
Alabama’s economy is more diverse than ever, thanks to major new developments in industries ranging from agriculture to aerospace and everything in between, according to Business Alabama. The publication’s new 2018 Economic Development Guide provides an in-depth examination of the important trends and developments that are reshaping the economic landscape of Alabama. The 96-page guide takes a comprehensive look at significant developments in each of Alabama’s geographic regions, explores what’s taking place in the state’s key industrial sectors and assesses changes in incentives, workforce development and other important topics. To get a full look at how Alabama’s economy is evolving, check out the 2018 Economic Development Guide. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Austal USA lands US Navy contract to build additional ship in Mobile
Austal USA has been awarded a construction contract to build an additional Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, its fifteenth ship in the class, for the U.S. Navy. The contract is an economic boon for the Yellowhammer State as Austal USA will build the ship at its Mobile, Ala. headquarters and manufacturing facility, which employs 4,000 people and includes a supplier network of over 2,200 businesses across 43 states. “When Alabama’s businesses succeed, Alabamians succeed,” said Gov. Kay Ivey of the newly awarded contract. “Austal USA is a 21st-Century, technology-driven, employer which provides good wages and good opportunities for its employees. Austal is critical to our state’s high-tech military and aerospace manufacturing sector. Ivey continued, “By adding to its ship order, the U.S. Navy is signaling its confidence in Austal’s products and the employees who build it. Alabama has a skilled workforce that is known for producing high-quality goods. I look forward to more announcements like this one from Austral, as well as other companies that do business in Alabama, because of our trained workforce and our positive business environment.” Austal would not reveal the value of the contract, but confirmed the value is under the congressional cost cap of $584 million per ship. “We’re honored to be awarded this contract in such a highly competitive environment,” said Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. “This further supports the Navy’s recognition of Austal as a key component in building their 355-ship fleet, which is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our talented employees and dedicated supplier network.” The littoral combat ship has been identified as a key component to the Navy’s ability to gain sea control through distributed lethality. Austal is the fifth largest shipbuilder in the United States
Poll: Most don’t want young immigrants deported
Just 1 in 5 Americans want to deport young immigrants brought to the United States as children and now here illegally, the focus of a politically fraught debate between the White House and Congress. Americans also have largely negative opinions about President Trump’s signature immigration pledge to build a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just under half – 49 percent – oppose construction while 32 percent support it. On Sunday, Trump told lawmakers his hardline immigration priorities, including the wall, must be approved if he is to go along with protecting the young immigrants from deportation. About 800,000 young immigrants had been given a deportation reprieve under President Barack Obama‘s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, until Trump ended the program last month. He’s given Congress six months to act. About 60 percent of Americans favor allowing those young immigrants, commonly referred as “Dreamers,” to stay in the U.S. legally, compared to 22 percent who are opposed. Just 19 percent of respondents say all these childhood arrivals should be deported. Sixty-eight percent of Hispanics, 61 percent of blacks and 57 percent of whites favor extending protections. Eight in 10 Democrats favor allowing the young immigrants to stay legally. So do more than 4 in 10 Republicans. “For the ones who are already here, there should be a way for them to stay because it wasn’t their fault,” said Nik Catello, a 57-year-old independent film producer from Orange County, California. “But you have to give them a path to citizenship.” Showing sympathy for the young immigrants does not always translate into softer views on immigration. Catello, for example, favors the construction of a wall along the Mexican border. Among those who favor a border wall, 38 percent also favor allowing “Dreamers” to stay. “What you see is growing support within the voters overall in giving Dreamers a path to citizenship,” said Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, an immigration advocacy group founded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “Giving Dreamers the ability to earn citizenship is the most popular bipartisan, not just immigration, issue, the single most united issue in the country.” When Trump ordered the phase-out of the DACA program last month, he gave 150,000 young immigrants the chance to quickly renew permits that are to expire before March 5. Officials say that more than 35,000 didn’t make his Oct. 5 deadline. And many others will see their status begin expiring after March 5, unless Congress acts before then. Trump suggested at the time that he was eager for a deal to settle the matter, telling reporters, “I have a love for these people and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly.” He also tweeted that if Congress was unwilling to find a fix, he would “revisit this issue!” in six months. Trump had previously said he wanted a DACA deal to include significant money for border security and eventual funding for the wall. But the priorities released by the White House this week went far beyond that. The White House’s demands include limiting green cards to spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, hiring 10,000 more immigration enforcement officers and making it easier to deport unaccompanied children. The White House says the measures are to soften the impact on the U.S. caused by granting benefits to DACA recipients. Carolyn Kurtz, a 62-year-old retired engineer from Monument City, Colorado, who wants protections for young immigrants, said Trump hasn’t done “the research necessary” on immigration. “Do I believe that immigration should be more carefully monitored and maybe limited? Yes. But the way he wants to go about it is not the way to do it,” Kurtz said. She called the president’s stance “very close-minded.” Two-thirds of Americans – 64 percent – say they disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration, and a similar percentage – 65 percent – say the same of his handling of foreign policy. Both of those are similar to Trump’s overall approval rating. The poll also revealed more Americans favor than oppose another aspect of Trump’s immigration policy – his latest travel ban. Forty-four percent favor it compared to 37 percent who say they are against the new rules. In September, the administration announced the most recent restrictions which affect citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen – and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. They are to go into effect Oct. 18. It was the administration’s third try at limiting travel after a broader ban sparked chaos in January and was challenged in courts across the country. The AP-NORC poll of 1,150 adults was conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 2 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Donald Trump says U.S. should change tax law to punish NFL
President Donald Trump is suggesting the U.S. change its tax laws to punish organizations like the NFL if members are “disrespecting” the national anthem or flag. The NFL gave up its federal tax-exempt status a few years ago and now files tax returns as a taxable entity. So it’s unlikely that Trump’s proposal, tweeted in the early hours Tuesday, would change anything. Trump tweeted: “Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and Country? Change tax law!” Trump also tweeted Tuesday that ESPN ratings have “tanked” because of Jemele Hill, the anchor suspended for making political statements on social media. While NFL viewership is down slightly, ESPN remains among the most popular cable networks, averaging 3 million viewers in prime time. The network has suffered subscriber losses over the last few years as some viewers have moved to streaming services from cable television. Hill, an African-American co-host of the 6 p.m. broadcast of “SportsCenter,” received backlash last month after calling Trump a “white supremacist” in a series of tweets that referenced the president’s comments about a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. That comment prompted Trump to demand an apology from ESPN and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to call for Hill’s firing. While ESPN took no formal action against Hill over the Trump comment, she did apologize to the network for the trouble her remarks had caused while standing by the tweets. ESPN cited that apology in announcing Hill’s suspension Monday, saying in a statement that ESPN employees had been “reminded of how individual tweets may reflect negatively on ESPN and that such actions would have consequences.” Hill targeted Jerry Jones on Twitter on Sunday after the Dallas Cowboys owner stated that players who disrespect the flag would not play for his team. She suggested fans who disagree with Jones should boycott the team’s advertisers and not buy the team’s merchandise. She clarified Monday that she wasn’t calling for an NFL boycott. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Kay Ivey declares Oct. 15 ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’
Governor Kay Ivey has declared Sunday, Oct. 15th as ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’ in the Yellowhammer State. ahead of the Alabama 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway. Ivey, who will serve as Grand Marshall during Sunday’s race, “made the announcement in celebration of six-time Talladega winner Earnhardt Jr. and his legacy at the world’s greatest ‘Super’ Superspeedway.’” “Nowhere else in the world are there more Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans than in the state of Alabama,” said Ivey. “He has always made it clear of his love for Talladega Superspeedway and the millions of fans that lay claim to him as their favorite NASCAR driver. He has been an impressive, positive role model for so many and we are proud to honor him this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, but also across the entire state.” Sunday’s race at Talladega marks Earnhardt’s final start at the famed 2.66-mile track he calls a “second home.” “We are thrilled that Governor Ivey has proclaimed Sunday, Oct. 15 as ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’ in the State of Alabama,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “Dale Jr. has meant so much to Talladega Superspeedway. He’s one of us, and has left a mark on our state for many years to come.” A victory in the Alabama 500 would move Dale Jr. into sole place on the all-time Talladega MENCS wins list, trailing only his father – Dale Earnhardt Sr. – who had 10 Talladega Superpseedway triumphs.
