Dothan cop has no immunity from courts for shooting a man trying to turn in a dog at shelter
Dothan, Alabama police officer Adrianne Woodruff is facing a civil rights suit for using deadly force on Robert Lawrence when he was shot and killed while he was trying to surrender a stray dog at an animal shelter. According to Bloomberg Law, Lawrence was surrendering a dog at the shelter in Dothan on December 30, 2014. The shelter told him he couldn’t abandon the dog unless he was a resident of the county. Lawrence refused to give his identification to the worker and argued that he would leave the dog at the end of the street, which would have been a misdemeanor. According to a family member, Lawrence had recently begun reading about being a “sovereign citizen“, an anti-government movement that includes arguments against the constitutionality of driver’s licenses. He wasn’t willing to produce his license to the officer. Officer Woodruff was on duty at the shelter and followed Lawrence to his car to get his license plate number, in case he left the dog somewhere else. An argument ensued, and Woodruff asked for identification and called for additional law enforcement backup. Lawrence again refused to give his identification. Two officers arrived, tried to arrest Lawrence. He resisted arrest. He refused to be handcuffed, and he was eventually tasered several times. Officer Woodruff then claims that Lawrence tried to take the taser away from her, so she stepped back and shot him. Lawrence’s estate contests her version of the events. A lawsuit was filed in December 2016 by Christopher Cantu, Lawrence’s cousin. The lawsuit argued that Lawrence’s 4th Amendment Rights were violated when Officer Woodruff shot him. In November 2018, Federal district judge Emily Marks ruled Woodruff had acted within the scope of her duties during the confrontation, giving her qualified immunity from the lawsuit. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Consitution states, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” According to an article from AL.com, Woodruff had been at the shelter for five years. She retired in 2015. She testified that the shooting ended her career. When asked why she said she began to have nightmares and became jumpy. She also stated that for a while after the shooting, she received threats, saying, “people were talking about dragging me out on the street and setting me on fire or hanging me. That’s disturbing.” However, the most recent ruling argued that while Lawrence resisted arrest, he never threw any punches and hadn’t committed a violent crime. According to Judge Robin Rosenbaum, “A reasonable officer in Woodruff’s position, making an arrest for a relatively insignificant misdemeanor, should have known not to use deadly force.” The entire incident was recorded by Lawrence’s girlfriend or by the dashboard camera of the officers. Therefore, the court argued, a jury should decide which side to believe.
Alabama voting rights activist jailed on drug charges
He is the half-brother of activist Al Sharpton.
Martha Roby: Spreading the word on constituent services
As your representative in Congress, one of my top priorities is assisting the people of Alabama’s Second District with various issues that may arise with the federal government in addition to offering numerous other resources. My offices offer a number of constituent services, and I’d like to take a moment to share a few of them with you so that you can take full advantage of the assistance my offices can provide. Perhaps most importantly, my district offices in Montgomery, Dothan, and Andalusia help our constituents with casework. This means if you’ve placed an inquiry with a federal agency like the VA or Social Security Administration and haven’t received an answer in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my district offices might be able to help resolve the problem or provide information you need. If you’re currently experiencing issues with one of the federal agencies, I encourage you to contact one of my offices as soon as possible so we can do our best to get the issue resolved. Secondly, if you are planning a trip to Washington, D.C., my staff is available to help you obtain tickets for tours of the U.S. Capitol building and other attractions, such as the White House, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, and more. Of course, please be advised that advance notice is often necessary, especially when requesting to tour the White House. If you are planning to visit our nation’s Capital, I hope you’ll contact my Washington office as early as possible. We want to help you have a wonderful experience. Third, did you know that you can purchase an American flag through my office? You also have the option to request that your flag be flown over the Capitol building before it is sent to you. I believe this is a really unique, special way to commemorate any important occasion for yourself or a loved one. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this particular service, make sure you contact my office in Washington, and we would be happy to make it happen. There are many other services available through my office, including service academy nominations, congressional commendations, presidential greetings, assistance with federal grant applications, and more. I am glad to offer these services, and I hope you will pass this information along to your friends and family so they are aware of what’s available to them, too. Below you will find the contact information for all of my offices, and of course, all of this information can be found on my website – just visit roby.house.gov/constituent-services. My staff and I work for you, and we look forward to assisting you in the future. Washington office: 442 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-2901 Montgomery office: 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 160 Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 262-7718 Dothan office: 217 Graceland Drive, Suite 5 Dothan, AL 36305 (334) 794-9680 Andalusia office: City Hall 505 E. Three Notch Street, Suite 322 Andalusia, AL 36420 (334) 428-1129 ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
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.
Gateway Tire to invest $11 million in Alabama distribution center
Officials with Gateway Tire announced plans this week to invest $11 million to open a 200,000-square-foot tire distribution center in Dothan’s Westgate Industrial Park, adding heft to the area’s strong distribution/logistics sector. The project will create 30 jobs initially, with more possible in the future. Gov. Kay Ivey, who attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the distribution center on Wednesday, said Gateway Tire’s investment in the Dothan project shows the company’s confidence in the Alabama workforce. “The City of Dothan and Houston County continue to lead the way in creating jobs and supporting economic development progress within the Wiregrass region,” Ivey said. “Distribution is one of our foundational business targets within Accelerate Alabama 2.0, and we are excited to grow businesses within the vision set forth from our state economic development plan.” Support system Dennis King, vice president of corporate operations for Gateway Tire, said the company has received a high level of support for its project from the Alabama Department of Commerce; AIDT, the state workforce development agency; and several local entities, including the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce. “This $11 million investment will be the start of our new 200,000-square foot distribution center,” King said. “We plan to start with 30 new jobs initially, with future plans for more growth once we are operational. “The location in Westgate Industrial Park has the key infrastructure for our operation, and we really appreciate the warm welcome and support we have received by the Dothan and Houston County community,” he added. Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz said Gateway Tire is a great addition to the area’s business community. “We listened to their needs for a Southeast distribution location, and then we worked to make it happen. They do business the way we like to do business — let us know your needs and then we will figure out how to make it happen,” he said. “We are very proud to be home to this new facility and look forward to a strong partnership with Gateway Tire.” Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said Gateway Tire’s project adds diversity to the area’s distribution and logistics base. “We appreciate the partnerships we have with the State of Alabama, and within our local community, to collaborate and work together to bring great jobs and significant investment into our area,” Culver said. Gateway Tire’s new facility is designed to be expandable to 340,000 square feet, officials said. Dunlap & Kyle Co., which does business as Gateway Tire and Service, was founded in 1929. It’s based in Batesville, Mississippi. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
Federal survey shows Alabama with some of lowest paying jobs in nation
Most Alabama cities have some of the lowest-paying jobs in America, according to a recently released federal survey, though Huntsville, with its rich aerospace sector, is among the nation’s best. The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment data, covering wages and salaries in 414 metropolitan areas in the country, finds five Alabama cities rank among the 25 with the lowest pay in the country, according to an analysis by Alabama Today. The bottom tier of metro areas shows pay is generally worst in Mexican-U.S. border towns, with Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo, Texas, having the nation’s lowest, second-lowest and third-lowest wages. Gadsden, with a median pay of $26,800, ranks 10th from the bottom in salaries; Daphne, with median pay of $27,090, ranks 12th; and Auburn, with median pay of $27,550, has the nation’s 15th lowest wages. Dothan and Florence-Muscle Shoals also are in the bottom 25 nationally, while most of Alabama’s seven other metro areas, as defined by the BLS, also are in the nation’s bottom half. The exceptions are Huntsville, ranking among the South’s best-paid cities, 62nd-highest overall nationally, with a median pay of $38,420; and Birmingham, which has a $34,670 median pay, and ranks 159th-best nationally. As a state, Alabama ranks sixth from the bottom nationally in pay rates. Mississippi was lowest at $29,000, followed by Arkansas, West Virginia, South Dakota, South Carolina, and then Alabama, at $31,550. The data are based on the BLS’s annual survey of rates of pay for hundreds of specific professional occupations, ranging from accountants to zoologists, inside 414 employment markets nationwide. The salary review is different from an assessment of workers’ median incomes because the survey does not account for the prospects that many people hold two or more jobs or have other sources of revenue. This is a study of how wages and salaries compare, per occupation, per city. The metropolitan areas with the highest pay are all in the nation’s northeast [the Boston-Washington D.C. corridor] and the Northwest. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, Metropolitan Division, home of Silicon Valley, has the highest annual median pay at $58,900. Nationwide, higher wages are almost exclusively found in bigger metropolitan areas while smaller towns are dominated by relatively lower-paying occupations, and by lower pay across the board. Huntsville has more than 18,000 engineering jobs of various kinds, the city’s third-most-common broad job category, with a combined median pay of nearly $99,000. Another 12,000 computer-related jobs have a combined median salary of over $88,000. Between them, those two professions make up almost 15 percent of Huntsville’s 213,310 jobs, according to the BLS. By contrast, Gadsden, with a much smaller employment market, 35,570 jobs overall, is dominated by more than 11,000 factory and office jobs with a combined median pay of a little more than $25,000 a year. There are 3,220 health care jobs with a median pay of $46,840, but not many that pay much more, and none that competes with the salary ranges in Huntsville.
Alabama city named 8th best in America to start a small business
Launching a business can be an exciting yet daunting proposition. City size matters when choosing a launching pad for a startup. And as many veteran entrepreneurs — and failed startups — understand well, bigger is not always better. Depending on an entrepreneur’s type of business and personal preferences, a city with a smaller population can be a better option, and one in which their new business can thrive. Such is certainly the case with Dothan, Ala., which ranks as the 8th best city in American to launch a small business, according to a new analysis of 2016’s Best & Worst Small Cities to Start a Business by the personal finance website WalletHub. To identify the most business-friendly small markets in which to launch a new venture, WalletHub compared 1,268 small-sized cities across 15 key metrics, including “average growth in number of small businesses” and “prevalence of investors” to “office-space affordability” and “corporate taxes.” Here’s how Dothan ranks across all areas analyzed: Length of Average Work Week: 461 Average Revenue per Business: 171 Average Growth of Business Revenues: 635 Industry Variety: 438 Financing Accessibility: N/A Prevalence of Investors: 265 Employee Availability: 308 Higher-Education Assets: 51 Workforce Educational Attainment: 777 Office-Space Affordability: 1 Median Annual Income: 326 Corporate Taxes: 500 Cost of Living: 107 Overall Score: 44.63 Of course, Dothan doesn’t come up number one in every category — but being the nation’s best city for office space affordability helped secure Dothan’s 8th place ranking. A big advantage of starting a business in a small city is that you can more easily learn about and access the resources that are available to you from private and public sources,” said Chuck Sacco, Assistant Dean of Strategic Initiatives in the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship and expert who weighed-in on the study. “In a small city, it will be easier to et to know the best service providers such as lawyers, your banker may likely be someone you know, and you can more easily create a name for yourself (and hopefully get some good local press).” Additional Alabama cities that were ranked in the top 500 are: 133. Tuscaloosa 247. Florence 263. Auburn 280. Bessemer 367. Homewood 427. Decatur 436. Hoover 500. Opelika Here’s a look at how cities across America ranked: Source: WalletHub
Alabama business roundup: Headlines from across state – 4/7/16 edition
Who’s laying off more a quarter of their salaried workforce? What company’s launching a $19 Alabama expansion? Who’s bringing more than 100 jobs to Dothan? Answers to all of these questions and more in today’s business roundup: Birmingham Business Journal: U.S. Steel to lay off a quarter of salaried workforce U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE:X) announced this week it plans to lay off around 25 percent of its salaried workforce in North America. The cuts come less than a month after the embattled steel producer announced it would lay off 800 workers, including 200 union-represented employees in Alabama. The Pittsburgh-based company has roughly 21,000 employees in North America and about 18,000 are represented by the United Steelworkers union. A 25 percent cut to non-union workers should impact approximately 750 workers. Sarah Cassella, a spokeswoman for U.S. Steel, said the company is not providing an exact count as to how many jobs it plans to cut, or a locational breakdown. U.S. Steel saw a massive $1.5 billion loss in 2015 as the global steel market continues to struggle amid falling demand and competition from other sources both domestic and international. The majority of that loss can be attributed to a fourth quarter net loss of $999 million, when sales and shipments fell by 37 percent and 19 percent, respectively. The waves of U.S. Steel’s losses have been hitting the local manufacturing sector hard. Roughly $91 million of the company’s losses came locally. The blast furnace at the Fairfield Works facility was shuttered in August last year and work on a new electric arc furnace at Fairfield Works facility was postponed soon after, a halt which cost the company millions. More than 1,300 local workers have been laid off since the start of 2015. The company also announced cuts at its mill in Kosice, Slovakia. U.S. Steel’s annual shareholders meeting is scheduled for April 26. AL.com: Population grew in most Alabama metro areas in 2015 Alabama’s metro area population continued to grow, increasing by 14,754 people or 0.4 percent from July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2015, according to the population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population in non-metro areas of the state continued declining by 0.2 percent or by 2,186 people. Most metropolitan statistical areas saw an increase in their population, but some areas saw a decline. The largest increase of 4,028 people (0.9 percent) occurred in Huntsville while Daphne-Fairhope-Foley saw the largest percentage increase of 2.0 percent or 3,996 people in 2015. Birmingham-Hoover, Auburn-Opelika, and Tuscaloosa metro areas saw population increase of 2,824, 2,567, and 1,919 people, respectively. During the last year, population also increased in Dothan by 178 people, in Mobile by 469, and in Montgomery by 536 people. Meanwhile, the Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, Decatur, Florence-Muscle Shoals and Gadsden population declined. Looking closer at the components of population change gives a better understanding of underlying trends in metro area population. Six out of the 12 metro areas experienced both positive natural increase (births minus deaths) and positive net migration (in-migrants minus out-migrants) in 2015. Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, Florence-Muscle Shoals and Gadsden had both negative natural increase and net migration that year. For Florence-Muscle Shoals metro, 2015 represented a reverse trend in net migration—the number of in-migrants exceeded the number of out-migrants before, causing positive population growth during previous years. Dothan, Mobile, and Montgomery had births exceeding deaths, but the number of people moving out of the area was higher than the number of people moving into the area. A recent positive trend in employment may have some effect on future metro population. Only Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville and Mobile saw a decline in annual employment during the period ending in February 2016, according to the preliminary data release by the Alabama Department of Labor. The declines represent 0.2 and 0.3 percent decrease in total employment or loss of 92 jobs and 493 jobs for these two areas, respectively. Other metro areas with population decline in 2015 saw an increase in the number of jobs: Decatur total employment increased by 74 people, Florence-Muscle Shoals by 576, and Gadsden by 1,012 people from February 2015 to February 2016. DATA: Population estimates are available at CBER website: https://cber.cba.ua.edu/edata/est_prj.html. Alabama NewsCenter: Auto supplier Mando launching $19 million Alabama expansion Mando America Corp. plans to invest $19 million in its Alabama manufacturing operation and hire 32 new workers to support the expansion, officials said Tuesday. South Korea-based Mando, one of the world’s largest auto parts suppliers, has based its North American headquarters in Opelika, where it makes brake components, suspension modules and steering systems for U.S. industry customers. As part of the expansion, Mando will add equipment and make improvements over the next three years to its facility in the Northeast Opelika Industrial Park. Once the project is complete, Mando’s Alabama investment will surpass $220 million and its workforce will number more than 700. Mando also expanded in Alabama in 2013 and in 2012. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller, who announced the project at the City Council meeting, said Mando’s additional investment underscores the manufacturer’s confidence in its Opelika operation. . “Mando is very important to Opelika,” Fuller said. “They are one of our largest manufacturing employers, and we understand this continued investment is a testament to the success they have had in Opelika.” Accelerating growth Mando’s expansion comes amid a growth spurt in Alabama’s auto industry, which last year saw vehicle output eclipse the 1 million mark for the first time. Auto industry employment has surged, and rising production volumes have stimulated rapid growth in the state’s supply chain. “Alabama’s auto sector recorded a banner year in 2015, and it continues to gain momentum through expansion projects like Mando’s in Opelika,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “When world-class automotive companies repeatedly expand their operations in the state, the industry gets another reminder that ‘Made in Alabama’ translates into success.” Mando is recognized globally for its innovative automotive chassis components and systems. The company operates 17 production plants and eight research and development centers in 10 countries. “Mando’s new expansion project in
Armed volunteers guarding Dothan military recruiting offices
A group of armed volunteers have started standing guard outside military recruiters’ offices in Dothan. The Dothan Eagle reports that the volunteers are guarding the offices after five servicemen were killed last week in attacks on military facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bob Mann, a spokesman for the Dothan group, says the group wants to provide protection for local recruiters, who Mann says could be in danger. Department of Defense regulations prohibit recruiters and other military personnel from being armed. Shawn Peterman, another member of the group, says he and fellow members intend to guard the offices until regulations change to allow the recruiters to carry firearms or otherwise increase security there. Mann says in the event of an emergency, his group’s first response will be to contact Dothan police. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
International trade body rules in favor of Alabama tire manufacturers; Jeff Sessions weighed in
After testimony from Alabama’s junior U.S. senator, Jeff Sessions, the U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled in favor of American tire manufacturers based in Alabama. A news release issued by Sessions’ office praised the commission, which ruled the communist government of China improperly subsidized their domestic tire industry, resulting in a “material injury” to American manufacturing interests. “The International Trade Commission’s decision to impose relief from illegal Chinese tire imports is good news for Alabama workers,” said Sessions in a prepared statement on Tuesday. “The ITC had already found that China was improperly subsidizing tire production in the past, but when that relief expired those unfair practices resumed and American workers suffered. The day is past when the United States can stand to see a single additional job lost due to unfair practices by our trading partners,” Sessions said. Sessions had previously testified before the commission in June, where he argued forcefully against China’s protectionist policies designed to undercut foreign competition. “I don’t accept the notion that we should send thank you notes to nations that ship us goods at illegally subsidized prices, that have the result of eliminating American competitors and shifting their unemployment to the United States,” testified Sessions before the commission. “As a result, this nation is facing very serious challenges to its strong manufacturing base. Currency manipulation, tariffs, and non-tariff barriers hammer American industries and workers. “Our trade competitors strongly desire access to our market, and we can benefit from the import of foreign goods. However, we have every right, and a duty, to ensure that such access is accompanied with compliance with the rules of trade. This is not free trade. And this nation cannot be so tied to a religion of free trade that we enable such bad behavior.” Among the Alabamian beneficiaries of the ruling would be Michelin plants in Dothan and Tuscaloosa and a Goodyear plant in Gadsden. The commission plans to make its final report public by Aug. 24, 2015.
