Alabama

February 18, 2009 -- HANCEVILLE - Alabama Governor Bob Riley was joined by officials from Royal Technologies Corporation to announce the company will open a new manufacturing facility in Cullman Industrial Park #5 that is expected to create 300-400 new jobs.

“The new jobs and investment Royal Technologies is bringing to Alabama will have a significant impact on people’s lives and the growth of this area,” Governor Riley said. “I thank the company for the confidence it is showing in Alabama’s future and in our workforce. Even in the midst of this economic downturn, Alabama is proving it can compete and win.”    » read more »

February 11, 2009 -- BIRMINGHAM - Taxpayers will be able to see where every dime of state money goes under an executive order Alabama Governor Bob Riley signed today.

The directive orders the creation of a publicly accessible website that details all spending, grants and contracts done by state government. The public information will include the amount of funds being spent, the date of the expenditure, the agency spending the money and the funding source.

“Taxpayers will know where their money goes and to whom it goes," said Governor Riley.

Governor Riley signed the executive order during the annual meeting of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA), where he delivered remarks on the need for ethics reform and more accountability in state government.    » read more »

January 28, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley has sent letters to manufacturers of gambling machines found in Alabama gambling halls warning them they risk prosecution if found to be in violation of state law against gambling and, specifically, slot machines.

The warnings come after an initial investigation of gambling halls by the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling, which is led by former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber.    » read more »

January 26, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley has appointed Decatur attorney Mark B. Craig to the position of Circuit Judge of the Thirty-Sixth Judicial Circuit. Craig is replacing Judge Philip Reich, who is retiring January 31, 2009.

“Mark Craig has the right experience and background that will make him an outstanding judge for the Thirty-Sixth Judicial Circuit,” said Governor Riley. “I am pleased to appoint him to this very important position.”

Craig graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1985 and began practicing law in Lawrence County and the surrounding areas. He also served as an Adjunct Instructor at John C. Calhoun Community College from 1992 until 2001.    » read more »

January 23, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - The following statement was issued by Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Friday after ThyssenKrupp’s announcement of a delay in the start of stainless steel production at its Alabama plant.

“The announcement of a delay is disappointing but understandable given current economic conditions. ThyssenKrupp is still committed to the project and this decision does not delay the plant’s construction. There are about 2,000 people working to build the plant now and that’s expected to grow to 10,000 in the next six months. Alabama is incredibly excited about ThyssenKrupp and the thousands of new jobs the company will create in our state.”

Source: Alabama Governor

January 22, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Thursday announced the special election dates for Senate District 22, which became vacant with the death of Senator Pat Lindsey earlier this month. The special election will be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the Senate term, which ends in November 2010.

The deadline for candidate qualification with the two major political parties is February 17 at 5:00 p.m. Party primaries will be held on Tuesday, April 14. Primary runoffs, if necessary, will take place on Tuesday, June 2. If no runoffs are necessary the general election will be held on Tuesday, June 2. In the event of a runoff, the general election will be held on Tuesday, July 21.    » read more »

January 22, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Thursday appointed Dothan attorney Lori Collier Ingram as Houston County District Court Judge.

“Lori Collier Ingram has considerable experience and is highly regarded in the legal profession for her work ethic and qualifications. I am confident she will serve with distinction as district court judge,” Governor Riley said in announcing her appointment.

Ingram has worked as an attorney since she received her law degree in 1987 from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham. She is a member of the Houston County Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.    » read more »

9/1/2008 -- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Following Hurricane Gustav, all evacuated Navy personnel within the affected area, uniformed and Department of the Navy civilians, are urged to muster with their commands or within the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) support site at https://www.navyfamily.navy.mil.

Displaced personnel who have been ordered to evacuate by military authority can call the Navy Pay and Personnel Support Center at Norfolk, Va., at 1-866-239-0303 for evacuation travel related questions.

Individuals affected by the hurricane with specific needs request support through NFAAS. All commands are directed to muster and account for all personnel, including applicable family members.    » read more »

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
400 AM CDT MON SEP 01 2008

...GUSTAV NEARING THE LOUISIANA COAST...HEAVY RAIN BANDS APPROACHING
NEW ORLEANS...

AT 4 AM CDT...0900 UTC...THE HURRICANE WARNING EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER HAS BEEN
CHANGED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS
IN EFFECT FROM JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS EASTWARD TO THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY
SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE    » read more »

HURRICANE GUSTAV INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 28A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
100 PM CDT SUN AUG 31 2008

...GUSTAV WEAKENS A LITTLE MORE...BUT STILL A MAJOR HURRICANE...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
FROM CAMERON LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER...
INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER....AND FROM WEST OF
CAMERON LOUISIANA TO JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS. A TROPICAL    » read more »

August 13, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced that more than 125 additional state troopers will hit the roads Aug. 18-24, ramping up DUI, seat belt and aggressive driving enforcement during a statewide “Take Back Our Highways” traffic safety campaign.

Public Safety Director Col. J. Christopher Murphy joined the governor at a Montgomery news conference to unveil plans for the traffic safety and enforcement effort, which DPS successfully pioneered last year to combat Alabama’s rising fatality rate. Trooper-worked fatalities dropped by 62 in 2007, and troopers have worked 93 fewer fatalities this year, compared with the same period last year.    » read more »

August 12, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY -- “Today’s court order means that the end is in sight for the 18-year-old water war litigation concerning Atlanta’s water withdrawals at Lake Lanier,” said Governor Riley. “The federal appellate court in Washington has already validated Alabama’s position that Atlanta’s future water supply plans violated federal law. Alabama believes that Atlanta’s current withdrawals also violate federal law, and we are pleased that the federal court has placed that issue on a fast-track for resolution.”    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Improving bilateral economic relations and higher education exchanges and cooperation will be the focus of an Indonesian dignitary’s visit to Alabama on June 25th.

The State of Alabama will host Indonesian Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat during his visit to Birmingham. The objective of this visit is to promote Indonesia and its relations with the U.S.

“Alabama understands that in today’s global economy, relationships count,” said Governor Riley. “By hosting distinguished visitors such as Ambassador Parnohadiningrat, we nurture and strengthen these relationships, resulting in new educational and economic opportunities for our state.”    » read more »

Three-Plant Complex will help recruit new industry, support existing industry and train workforce for high-tech jobs

June 09, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced today that Calhoun Community College in Decatur will be the site of a robotics research, education and training campus that will help the state attract new industry, support the needs of existing industry and train workers for high-tech careers.

Alabama Governor Riley announces site of robotics center: Photo courtesy Alabama Governor's office    » read more »

June 06, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died June 5 at Kandahar Army Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the Kiowa helicopter they were in went down during a test flight.

They were assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer James Carter, 42, of Alabama.

Pfc. Andre D. McNair, Jr., 20, of Fort Pierce, Florida.

The incident is under investigation.    » read more »