Jeff Peoples named CEO of Alabama Power
Jeff Peoples has been named as the new president and CEO of Alabama Power Company, the company announced Thursday. He replaces Mark Crosswhite who retired after eight years leading the company. “Alabama Power has been committed to serving our state for more than a century,” Peoples said in a statement released by the company. “It is an honor to lead this team and build upon its legacy of powering Alabama.” Peoples served as Alabama Power’s executive vice president of customer and employee services, overseeing customer services, marketing and economic development strategy and operations, the company said. He was also responsible for the company’s labor relations, human resources, safety, wellness, health and disability management functions. Peoples will serve as chairman of the company’s board of directors. Alabama Power is the state’s largest electricity provider and has 1.5 million customers in the state. Alabama Power is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company.
Alabama’s Republican Congressmen support Kevin McCarthy
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted six times to pick the next Speaker of the House, and Republicans have failed to reach a consensus on who will lead the body for the 118th Congress. Six times Republicans have been divided on who they want to lead the body and have been unable to come to a conclusion. Most of the Republicans in the body, including all six Republican members of the Alabama congressional delegation, have voted for California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-California), but 19 members led by Reps. Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz, and Bob Good have staunchly opposed McCarthy’s nomination. Republicans hold a majority in the House of 222 to 212 (one Democratic member died post-election). It takes 218 votes to secure the speakership. McCarthy got 203 votes on the first two votes but has failed to sway any of the 19 ultra-conservative holdouts who have opposed him. Democrats, including Congresswoman Terri Sewell, have been united in their support of Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Democrats could side with either of the squabbling Republican factions to create a “unity” government, but Republicans on both sides of this inner GOP feud have publicly rejected any negotiations with Democrats to find a resolution. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed McCarthy. “VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. Former State Rep. Perry Hooper Jr. told Alabama Today that the former President should come to D.C. to negotiate a settlement. “All of these 19 or 20 come from big MAGA districts,” Hooper explained. “He is a great negotiator.” McCarthy has been the House Minority/Majority leader for years. He was the leading candidate to be Speaker of the House in 2015 when members of the House Freedom Caucus forced out then-Speaker John Boehner. Members of the Freedom Caucus refused to support McCarthy then, leading to the elevation of Rep. Paul Ryan to Speaker. Ryan left Congress in 2018. This public spat between angry House Republicans is the first time since 1923 that the House failed to choose a speaker on the first ballot. Republicans had been planning to announce a number of initiatives, including investigations of Hunter Biden’s alleged influence peddling, the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border situation. All of those plans are on hold and have been overshadowed by the back-and-forth personal attacks by rival Republican congress members and have called into question the ability of the Republican House members to govern effectively. “The American people are expecting us to work to stop inflation, deal with the crisis at our southern border and hold the Biden Administration accountable,” Congressman Robert Aderholt said. “The sooner we elect a Republican Speaker, the sooner we can start.” As of press time, there has been no agreement on who will lead the House for the next two years. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama ranked No. 10 on the list of top moving destinations of 2022
United Van Lines released the company’s 46th Annual National Movers Study, which indicates Americans continued to move to lower-density areas accelerated by lifestyle preferences such as a career change, retirement, and wanting to be closer to family. According to the results of the study, which tracks the company’s exclusive data for customers’ state-to-state migration patterns, Vermont saw the highest percentage of inbound migration (77%) for the second consecutive year. However, for the fifth consecutive year, the study found that more residents moved out of New Jersey than any other state, as 67% of New Jersey moves were outbound, which is down from the five-year trend of 70%. The study and its accompanying survey, which examines the motivations and influences for Americans’ interstate moves, also revealed more Baby Boomers and Gen Xers moved than any other age group last year, as those aged 55 and older accounted for more than 55% of all inbound United Van Lines moves in 2022. Additionally, the survey shows the top motivations for inbound moves include a desire to be closer to family (35%, and continues to be a primary driver post-COVID), a new job/company transfer (33%, which continues to decrease as a driver post-COVID) and retirement (20%). Oregon followed Vermont as a top inbound state for 2022 with an inbound percentage of 67%. In the Northeastern region of United States, several states – including Rhode Island (66%), Delaware (61%), and Washington, D.C. (59%) – were popular moving destinations in 2022. Southeastern states continued to see a high percentage of moves, including South Carolina (61%), North Carolina (61%), and Alabama (58%). “Key factors like retirement, wanting to be closer to family, and lifestyle changes influenced by the pandemic along with current housing prices drove moving patterns in 2022,” Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said. “The United Van Lines study encompasses data that Americans are now moving from bigger to smaller cities, mostly in the South, some in the West, but even an increase of migration to the Northeast, which has not been typical. We’re also seeing younger Millennials migrating to vibrant, metropolitan economies, like Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon.” Additionally, Delaware, North Carolina, and New Mexico (58%) joined the list of top 10 inbound states in 2022. Delaware and New Mexico cited retirement as a top motivation for moving to the states. Contrary, Wyoming (57%) and Pennsylvania (57%) joined the list of top 10 outbound states last year. Moving for a new job/company transfer is the top motivation for moving out of those states. “Our United Van Lines study and survey offers year-over-year insights into where and why Americans are moving,” United Van Lines Vice President of Corporate Communications Eily Cummings said. “For the last several years, Idaho was a top destination, as Americans migrated from Northern California, Washington, and even Oregon due to a similar lifestyle in the state. With an influx of new residents, housing prices and other living costs start to increase over time, and these popular destinations become hot spots for inflation. As a result, the study underscored that Americans are moving from expensive cities to lower-density, more affordable regions.” Moving In The top inbound states of 2022 were: Of the top ten inbound states, four — Vermont, Oregon, South Dakota, and New Mexico — are among the least densely populated states in America, with less than 100 people per square mile. South Dakota and New Mexico are among the top 10. Moving Out The top outbound states for 2022 were: Balanced Several states saw nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound. Missouri and Nevada are among these “balanced states.” Since 1977, United Van Lines annually tracks migration patterns on a state-by-state basis. The 2022 study is based on household moves handled by the UniGroup network (parent company of United Van Lines) within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., and ranks states based on the inbound and outbound percentages of total moves in each state. United classifies states as “high inbound” if 55 percent or more of the moves are going into a state, “high outbound” if 55 percent or more moves were coming out of a state, or “balanced” if the difference between inbound and outbound is negligible.
Paul DeMarco: Alabama voters watch to see if campaign promises by state leaders will be kept in upcoming legislative session
As we start a New Year, everyone begins making plans for resolutions that they want to make for themselves. Of course, most of them fade away within weeks. So what goals are our state leaders making for Alabama in the new year, and will they actually work to achieve them in the upcoming legislative session? This past year, the Alabama Legislature was ranked as the most conservative group of lawmakers in the Nation. You would then expect the plans for the year would actually match the political ideology the legislators promised on the campaign trail. There were statements made of being fiscally conservative with taxpayers’ dollars and ensuring public safety to protect against criminals. We also heard Alabama parents and students would be a priority when it comes to education and improving academic achievement in state schools. Thus, these should be the first bills that the state representatives and senators address when they convene in Montgomery in 2023. In the past couple of sessions, there were bills that addressed strengthening the criminal justice system, banning critical race theory in classrooms, and bills that implemented school choice. A number of these bills were debated but could never get a final vote to send to the governor’s desk. Lobbyists were successful in shooting them down, so we will see if these bills have better success this year. There is also talk about what legislators will do with the $1 billion left in Federal COVID relief funds. There are a lot of players jockeying for the use of this money. Thus, it remains to be seen whether taxpayers will also receive back any of the budget surplus dollars as other states have done this past year. As the new year begins, we will watch to see if the lawmakers push through the conservative legislation they promised to Alabama voters. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter at @Paul_DeMarco.
Steve Marshall announces that the Court of Criminal Appeals upholds murder conviction in Tuscaloosa County
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Tuesday that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the murder conviction of Kennetha Lee Anderson, age 46, of Tuscaloosa County. Anderson was convicted in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court on April 26, 2022, for the murder of Quintin Benson. “Mr. Anderson wrongly took the life of someone who he believed wronged him many years ago,” said AG Marshall. “Our criminal justice system does not allow individuals to take the law into their own hands.” On September 15, 2019, Anderson shot and killed Benson because Benson had allegedly robbed Anderson some twenty years earlier. Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hays Webb’s office successfully prosecuted the case and obtained a guilty verdict. Anderson was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crime. Anderson appealed his conviction to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled the case during the appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm Anderson’s conviction. The Court found in favor of prosecutors and the AG’s office in a decision issued Friday, December 9, 2022. Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General John E. Owen for his successful work on this case and thanked District Attorney Webb and his staff for their valuable assistance in defending the murder conviction. Marshall will begin his second term as Alabama Attorney General after a successful re-election campaign in 2022. Marshall was the longtime district attorney of Marshall County before being appointed AG by then-Gov. Robert Bentley in 2017. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
