New Birmingham Initiative Pardons Low-Level Marijuana Convictions
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced a new initiative Monday to pardon those who have been convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession. Read more.
Government
PSC Hears Arguments for Raising or Abolishing Alabama Power’s Fees for Solar Users
Spectators – many wearing ‘Let It Shine’ stickers – packed a Public Service Commission hearing room this morning to hear testimony about the fees Alabama Power Company charges residents to use solar panels or other alternative means of power generation. As the 2½-hour hearing concluded, Administrative Law Judge John A. Garner instructed both sides to prepare briefs to be delivered on or before Dec. 20. The matter will be taken under advisement, and the ruling will be made during an open meeting of the commission. Two persons were escorted from today’s proceedings for failing to adhere to Garner’s order of no recordings. One woman was shooting video of the hearing while another was livestreaming the event. Read more.
Questions Loom One Year After Hoover Mall Shooting
It’s been one year since a Hoover police officer shot and killed a young black man in a crowded mall on Thanksgiving night. The shooting of 21-year-old Emantic “EJ” Bradford Jr. happened at the Riverchase Galleria Mall after officers wrongly thought he was the person who fired a gun in the mall. The incident led to several protests and calls for justice. Read more.
Alexander Retains Seat in Birmingham City Council District 7 Runoff
Despite strong opposition from challenger Ray Brooks, incumbent District 7 City Councilor Wardine Alexander appears to have retained her seat on the Birmingham City Council. Alexander secured 869 votes compared to Brooks’ 751 votes, or 53.6% and 47.4% of the vote, respectively. That vote count does not include provisional ballots, which have yet to be tallied. Turnout in Tuesday’s election was 9.36%, according to the city clerk’s office. Read more.
Jefferson County Officials Meet With Cooper Green Workers About Health Care Authority
Tony Petelos told the Jefferson County Commission Tuesday that he and others would meet Wednesday with employees of Cooper Green Mercy Health Service in the next step toward its transition to a health authority. The county manager said the employee meetings will begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue until about noon in the Cooper Green cafeteria. “We’ll have people with UAB and also our payroll folks talking about the transition,” Petelos said. “We’ve moved the transition date to approximately April 1st. We’ll talk about the benefits and all the benefits will be transferring over to the health care authority.” Read more.
Public Hearing on Thursday to Consider Future of Alabama Power’s ‘Solar Tax’
The Public Service Committee is conducting a public hearing Thursday to hear testimony from those who support and oppose Alabama Power’s solar backup fee. Customers complain that the fee is unreasonable and stymies solar power use in the state. Alabama Power officials counter that the fee isn’t high enough and are requesting an increase. They say the fee is necessary so solar users also have additional power when they need it. Read more.
Birmingham Council District 7 Up for Grabs in Today’s Runoff
Residents of Birmingham’s District 7 are heading to the polls today to choose their representative on the City Council. The runoff election offers residents a choice of two candidates — incumbent Councilor Wardine Alexander and former Birmingham Fire Chief Ray Brooks — neither of whom were able to attain the 50% of the vote required to win outright in Oct. 9’s election. Read more.
U.S. Reps Split on Bill for Ex-Im Bank to Treat Renewable-Energy and Fossil-Fuel Products Equally
KEY VOTES AHEAD Both chambers in the week of Nov. 18 will take up a stopgap fiscal 2020 funding bill to keep the government in operation after temporary spending authority expires Nov. 21. WASHINGTON — Alabama’s representatives split along party lines last week on an amendment to another bill that would have removed provisions that favor renewable-energy sales abroad over sales of fossil-fuel products. The House on Nov. 15 defeated, on a 188-232 vote, the GOP-sponsored amendment to HR 4863, a bill to extend the U.S. Export-Import Bank for 10 years. The bill would require sales of renewable-energy goods and services to overseas customers to receive at least 5 percent of the Export-Import Bank's annual lending authority. In addition, energy-related transactions would have to estimate the volume of carbon dioxide emitted by projects receiving Ex-Im subsidies. In part, the amendment would block creation of a new Ex-Im unit aimed at promoting energy-efficiency and renewable-energy exports and require the bank to weigh the overseas affordability of energy products before approving transactions. Read more.
Roy Moore Sues Over Ads in 2017 Campaign
Roy Moore filed suit last week alleging Democratic fundraisers collaborated on a disinformation campaign against him and intimidation tactics aimed at voters. Read more.
Groups Petition Regions Bank to Withdraw From Business with Private Prisons and Immigrant Detention Centers
A coalition of about 100 organizations nationwide delivered petitions to Regions Bank headquarters in Birmingham on Thursday asking the bank to not do business with companies that run private prisons and immigrant detention centers. Also Thursday, the group, functioning under the banner of Families Belong Together, delivered similar petitions to Citizens Bank in Providence, Rhodes Island, and to Pinnacle and Synovus Banks in Nashville. Families Belong Together along with shareholders, policymakers and investors already have been the catalysts in persuading the banks to withhold about $2.4 billion in lines of credit and loans to private prison businesses. Read more.