3 Alabama men plead not guilty to bribery charges in pollution case
Two attorneys with a prominent Alabama law firm and a coal company executive are pleading not guilty in an alleged bribery scheme involving pollution in Birmingham. Federal court documents show the pleas were entered Monday by lawyers Joel Gilbert and Steven McKinney, as well as Drummond Co. vice president David Robertson. The lawyer — partners handling environmental litigation with the Balch & Bingham firm — and Roberson are accused of conspiracy and bribery. The three are accused of bribing former state Rep. Oliver Robinson, who pleaded guilty last month. Prosecutors say the firm represented Drummond, and Robinson got $360,000 to oppose expansion of a Drummond-linked cleanup site. All three are free on $5,000 bail. A Dec. 4 trial date has been postponed and a new one isn’t set yet. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Airbus to add Bombardier C-Series jet production line in Mobile
European aerospace firm Airbus announced a new partnership with Canadian aircraft producer Bombardier Monday evening that will bring assembly of Bombardier’s C-Series passenger jets to the Airbus manufacturing facility in Mobile, Ala. Under the partnership, Airbus will acquire a 50.1 percent controlling stake in the C-Series production, a single-aisle plane typically seating 100 to 150 passengers “This is a win-win for everybody! The C Series, with its state-of-the-art design and great economics, is a great fit with our existing single-aisle aircraft family and rapidly extends our product offering into a fast growing market sector. I have no doubt that our partnership with Bombardier will boost sales and the value of this programme tremendously,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders. “Not only will this partnership secure the C Series and its industrial operations in Canada, the U.K. and China, but we also bring new jobs to the U.S.” Airbus announced it will also add another final assembly line for the C-Series at its factory in Mobile. The European aircraft giant first set up shop in Alabama in 2015. “This is another great testament to the partnership between Airbus and its U.S industrial home in Mobile and Alabama,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This is a win-win for Airbus and Bombardier, as well as a positive development for Alabama’s prime trade partners in Canada and Québec.” While details of the Mobile expansion have yet to be released, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson celebrated the Monday-night announcement on Facebook. ”There is no greater example of confidence than when a company of Airbus’ caliber decides to reinvest in Mobile. Not only will this new development increase jobs, but it will diversify the manufacturing operations at Brookley. Mobile is open for business!” Stimpson wrote in a post. Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, who represents Mobile, also celebrated the news. “Tonight’s announcement from Airbus is a testament to the first-class workforce in Southwest Alabama and our pro-business culture. I want to share my deep appreciation with Airbus for their continued investment in Mobile and our community. This announcement is yet another step toward our region becoming a national and global hub for aviation excellence.”
Kay Ivey sets special election dates for House District 21
Gov. Kay Ivey has scheduled a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the sudden death of Meridianville-Republican, former state Rep. Jim Patterson earlier this month. Ivey set the special election Alabama House District 21 for Tuesday, January 9, 2018. If necessary, a runoff will take place Tuesday, March 27, 2018 and the general election Tuesday, June 12, 2018. If there is no need based on number of qualifying candidates for a primary, the general election will be held Tuesday, March 27, 2018. If a runoff is not necessary, the general election will be Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Patterson, who died from a heart attack on Oct. 2, had represented the district since 2010. “I promised the people of Madison County that I would do all I could to help them move forward after the loss of Jim, who was not only a true public servant, but also a loving husband and father,” Ivey said. “Choosing our elected officials is a central component of our government on every plain whether that be on the national, state or local level, and I encourage all those that live in House District 21 to participate in this special election.” The deadline for qualifying with major political parties is Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. The deadline for all independent candidates and/or minor parties is Tuesday, January 9, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. House District 21 represents a portion of Madison County.
Highway dedicated Alabama correctional officer killed on duty, Kenneth Bettis
Alabama Correctional Officer and decorated veteran Kenneth Bettis was killed on duty while working at Holman prison in 2016, when he was stabbed by an inmate. Bettis had been employee at the prison since 2009. He had also served active duty in Iraq with the Alabama Army National Guard. He received the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Service Star. To ensure Bettis’ memory lives on, a portion of Alabama Highway 21 was designated as the “Alabama Correctional Officer Kenneth Bettis Memorial Highway” on Monday. The ceremony included the presentation of a joint resolution by state Rep. Alan Baker and wrapped-up with the presentation of the highway sign that bears Officer Bettis’ name. Bettis, 44, was married and a father of three. Watch the dedication ceremony below:
Senate set to approve Callista Gingrich as Vatican envoy
The Republican-led Senate is on track to confirm Callista Gingrich, wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and President Donald Trump ally, as ambassador to the Vatican. A vote on Callista Gingrich’s nomination to the post is set for Monday evening and she’s expected to win more than enough support from Republicans and Democrats. She was backed by 75 senators during a procedural vote earlier this month. Callista Gingrich is president of Gingrich Productions and has produced a number of documentaries, including one about Pope John Paul II. She worked for the House Committee on Agriculture as chief clerk until 2007. She was a key figure in her husband’s 2012 bid for the Republican presidential nomination. She was a congressional aide when she began a six-year affair with Newt Gingrich, then a married Republican congressman from Georgia. In 2012, Gingrich’s second wife, Marianne Gingrich, told ABC News that he had proposed an “open marriage” so he could continue to see Callista without divorcing. The former speaker denied the charge. He converted to Catholicism in 2009, after years of attending mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., where Callista Gingrich has performed in the choir. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Callista Gingrich’s confirmation hearing in mid-July. She sought to assure skeptical Democrats on the panel that Trump wanted the United States to be an environmental leader even after pulling out of the international accord aimed at combatting global warming. Democrats have criticized Trump sharply for withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, a move that left the United States, Syria and Nicaragua as the only sovereign countries to not be part of the agreement. But Callista Gingrich said Trump is committed to sustaining “our clean air and our clean water.” She said “we aren’t backing off of that” despite Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. “We’re all called to be stewards of the land,” she said. Pope Francis met with Trump in late May at the Vatican, days after the president announced he was nominating Callista Gingrich to the ambassador’s post. Francis, who has framed climate change as an urgent moral crisis and blamed global warming on an unfair, fossil fuel-based industrial model that harms the poor, presented Trump as a gift his 2015 encyclical on the need to protect the environment. But Trump’s vision for foreign relations and diplomacy has been starkly different from that promoted by the vastly popular Pope Francis. While Francis has spoken of the need for bridges between nations, Trump has advocated building a wall on the Mexican border and restricting travel to the U.S. from six Muslim-majority countries as necessary national security measures. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Bradley Byrne: A pro-life victory
A few weeks ago, I met a remarkable young boy named Micah. Micah is a five-year-old boy who seems like most any child. He is healthy, smart, and full of life. Most people are shocked when they learn that Micah was born at just 22 weeks. When Micah was born prematurely, he was no bigger than a pack of M&Ms, but his mom said he was “alive and he was fighting and he wanted to live.” Thankfully, due to the miraculous work of doctors and answered prayers, Micah survived. Every child deserves the chance Micah had. Sadly, the United States is one of only seven countries in the world that allows elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This radical policy puts us among the likes of North Korea and China. Micah’s mother likely put it best when she said that her “heart is grieved that babies are allowed to be aborted at the same age that my own son was born and even later.” It is simply heartbreaking. Well, I recently voted to change the law and ban abortions in the United States after 20 weeks. Thankfully, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, also known as Micah’s Law, passed the House by a vote of 237 to 189. The bill now awaits action in the Senate. This is a commonsense, pro-life bill that simply states that abortions after 20 weeks are unlawful in the United States. The bill does include very limited exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or when the health of the mother is at risk. To be clear, I do not support abortion at any point, but there is great significance to the 20-week timeframe. Twenty weeks is the point at which doctors and scientists agree that babies can actually feel pain. The more premature an infant is, the worse the pain because they have yet to develop pain inhibitors. Sadly, thousands of babies right here in the United States are killed and subjected to excruciating pain due to late-term abortions. It is simply unconscionable. That is why this legislation is so critically important. We shouldn’t stop with Micah’s Law. As a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus, I am always looking for new opportunities to stand up for the unborn. For example, I am a staunch supporter of the Hyde Amendment, which is a provision included in annual government funding bills to ensure no taxpayer money is used to perform an abortion. I have also supported legislation to make the Hyde Amendment permanent, so it no longer must be passed each year. I also previously voted to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that promotes abortions. I support redirecting the money away from Planned Parenthood and putting it toward community health centers, which are more plentiful and provide a wider range of services. These are just a few examples. As I cast my vote in favor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act a few weeks ago, Micah was on my mind. I thought about his smile and how he was full of energy. I thought about others like him who may have been given a chance at life were it not for our nation’s broken laws As is written in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” I promise to always stand up for God’s precious gift of life and to support pro-life policies throughout my time in Congress. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Manufacturing jobs on rise in Dothan area
Manufacturing jobs are on the rise in southeast Alabama. The Dothan Eagle reports that Houston County experienced a 21 percent increase in manufacturing jobs within the past year. It topped all other counties in Alabama by a substantial margin. Greene County experienced the second-largest increase at 15.5 percent. In the past year, Houston County’s unemployment rate fell from 6.1 percent to 4.2 percent. About 1,400 more jobs exist in the area. Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce president Matt Parker says the biggest percentage of growth occurred in the 22- to 24-year-old sector. He attributed that success to partnerships with Alabama Industrial Development Training, the Alabama Department of Commerce, Dothan Area Career Center and Wallace Community College and investments in programs like Southeast Alabama Works and K-12 programs. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Improving world economy still needs help from low rates
The world economy is the healthiest it’s been in years but could still use a little help from low-interest rates and higher government spending from countries that can afford it, the International Monetary Fund says. “There was a strong consensus that the global outlook is strengthening,” said Agustin Carstens, governor of the Bank of Mexico and outgoing chair of the IMF’s policy committee. “This does not mean we are declaring victory just yet.” The 189-member IMF and its sister agency, the World Bank, wrapped up three days of meetings Saturday. The IMF expects the global economy to grow 3.6 percent this year, up from 3.2 percent in 2016. And three-quarters of the global economy is growing, making this the broadest recovery in a decade. But IMF and World Bank officials pointed to risks that could derail global growth. Geopolitical risks are rising, including a confrontation between the United States and North Korea over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. The income gap between rich and poor is growing, fueling political discontent with the free trade and global cooperation that the IMF and World Bank promote. So in a communique Saturday, the IMF’s policy committee called on world central banks to protect the fragile global recovery by keeping interest rates down in countries where inflation is too low and economies are performing below potential. IMF officials have also urged some countries with healthy finances – such as Germany and South Korea – to make investments that will spur growth. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde appealed to countries to enact reforms that will make their economies more efficient and spread prosperity to those who have been left behind. Specifically, Lagarde argued that countries could improve their economies and reduce inequality by putting more women to work, improving their access to credit and narrowing their pay gap with men. On Saturday, Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and a White House adviser, appeared with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to launch a World Bank initiative to support women entrepreneurs. The World Bank fund has raised $350 million which is designed to allow the World Bank to deploy at least $1 billion in capital to finance women-owned businesses. Ivanka Trump told the audience that she wanted to “spend a lot of time offering any value that I can as a mentor.” The World Bank and IMF delegates are still adjusting to the Trump administration, which is skeptical of international organizations and contemptuous of free trade agreements. This week, the United States pulled out of UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural agency. It is has balked at providing additional capital to the World Bank unless the anti-poverty agency rethinks the way it distributes loans. It has scrapped an Asia-Pacific trade deal and is threatening to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he carried in his pocket a list of all the G-20 nations and the size of the trade balances the United States has with each of those nations. With most of the G-20 countries, the United States is running a trade deficit. In a speech Saturday to the IMF policy group, Mnuchin said he wanted to see the IMF be a more “forceful advocate” for strong global growth by taking a harder look at countries that abuse world trade rules. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
