Governor Robert Bentley has testified under oath in the ethics trial of the Alabama house speaker. Bentley says he remembers meeting with Mike Hubbard to discuss what he described as economic development projects.
Prosecutors are seeking to prove that Hubbard was being paid up to $12,000 a month to illegally lobby the governor on behalf of his business clients - a municipal gas company and a maker of plastic cups.
A state prosecutor showed Bentley reports Hubbard sent his clients describing how he met with the governor on projects that could benefit them. The governor said he remembered the meetings.
On cross-examination, Bentley told a defense lawyer that he thought the projects were good for the state because they would bring jobs.
Bentley faces his own trouble: Eleven lawmakers resolved to impeach him after he acknowledged sending sexually suggestive messages to a female aide.
New beer laws are expected to increase revenue – for local breweries and for the state.
Starting today, customers can take craft beer from breweries home. Alabama’s “beer to-go bill” allows breweries to sell canned or bottled beer, or fill glass jugs called growlers. Lawmakers point to studies proving the bill will increase state revenue.
Jeremy Donald is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Band of Brothers Brewing Company in Tuscaloosa. He says the new law will help get their beer in the hands of new customers.
“A person can buy a growler and they can come into your brewery and they can take that off the premises to their house, and maybe with their family and friends, and share it. So, it helps you from a marketing aspect of being able to put your beer in the hand of an individual consumer that can consume it at home.”
Breweries are already gearing up for the upcoming changes. Growlers are being pre-sold at many breweries to be filled up with local beer starting today.
Weather forecasters say today’s start of the 2016 Hurricane season means homeowners should be on the lookout.
Colorado State University is predicting twelve named storms, five hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. That’s considered a near normal season. However, one reason for concern could be a shrinking El Nino. That’s a weather pattern in the Pacific that weakens storms in the Atlantic. El Nino is subsiding, which could mean more storms.
Jason Beaman is with the National Weather Service in Mobile. He says coastal residents should brush up on hurricane precautions.
“I just encourage everybody to become educated and know what you need to do now before that Hurricane warning comes. Especially with all the new residents that have moved to the gulf coast. We love that you’re here and we want to be able to help you in any way possible to help you be prepared for a Hurricane.”
Beaman says things like locking your garage doors as well as cutting down high branches could help reduce property damage during the hurricane season.