Alabama

May 12, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Legislation designed to reform Alabama’s juvenile justice system has been signed into law by Alabama Governor Bob Riley. The new law is designed to reduce the number of children in state custody and redirect them toward community-based programs.

Alabama Governor Riley signs juvenile justice reform bill: Photo courtesy Alabama Governor's office    » read more »

NANJING, CHINA -- While in China this week on a business and trade mission, Governor Bob Riley is promoting efforts to link scientists from Huntsville with Chinese health agencies to improve public health and food safety.

The Governor and Dr. Jian Han of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have met with the leaders of public health agencies in the cities of Shanghai and Nanjing.

Alabama Governor Riley discusses food safety in China: Dr. Jian Han of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (pointing) and Gov. Bob Riley tour laboratories at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control in Nanjing, China. Photo courtesy Alabama Governor's office.    » read more »

April 10, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY – Alabama Governor Bob Riley was honored today by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness for his initiative to prevent homelessness in Alabama. Governor Riley became only the fourth governor to receive the Council’s Home for Every American Award, which was presented during a ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Homeless man by a church in Birmingham, Alabama: Photo by Dystopos (CC)    » read more »

April 9, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Arizona Sen. John McCain is planning another presidential campaign visit to Alabama on April 21.

Campaign organizers said Tuesday McCain is tentatively slated to visit a lumber company in Thomasville and Alabama Southern Community College.

John McCain: Photo by Jim Greenhill (CC)

Then he will be going to Birmingham and Homewood for fundraising receptions. Invitations for the events say the Birmingham reception is $1,000 per person. The Homewood reception is aimed at young professionals and is $100 per person.

Source: John McCain campaign

April 09, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley today thanked members of the House Government Appropriations Committee for giving a favorable report to HB 697, sponsored by Representative Mac Gipson, which would grant exemptions from federal motor carrier safety regulations for the operation of vehicles under 26,001 pounds which operate in solely intrastate commerce.

An old Ford F-700 truck by a rural highway in Alabama: Photo by sunsurfr (CC)    » read more »

April 08, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They died April 6 in Baghdad, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with indirect fire.

Killed were:

Col. Stephen K. Scott, 54, of New Market, Alabama. He was assigned to the 356th Quartermaster Battalion, Laurel, Miss., and

Maj. Stuart A. Wolfer, 36, of Coral Springs, Florida. He was assigned to the 11th Battalion, 104th Division, Boise, Idaho.

Source: DoD

April 07, 2008 -- SHANGHAI, CHINA - Alabama Governor Bob Riley spent the first day of his business and trade mission to China focused on helping aviation and aerospace companies in Alabama gain access to the Asian powerhouse’s commercial market.

Governor Riley also toured a Chinese crane manufacturer that has supplied the state docks with cranes in the past and may again in the future.

The Governor began Monday attending the signing of an agreement between Fokker Airinc based in Fairhope and PPI PENG International. Fokker repairs airline hydraulic equipment and has 74 employees at its Fairhope facility. The agreement is designed to help Fokker tap into China’s growing civil aviation and aerospace industry.    » read more »

April 07, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced Monday the state has received federal approval of its advanced communications plan for first responders and a $13.5 million homeland security grant to help implement the plan.

The State Interoperable Communications Plan, designed by state and local leaders, allows for technological advancement in communications for first responders across the state. Alabama is one of only twenty states to receive federal approval so far.    » read more »

April 03, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced today a new automotive supplier will be locating in Vance and will create more than 180 jobs during the next three years.

The company, Stankiewicz International Corp., will manufacture acoustical component, wheel wells and flooring systems for Mercedes and General Motors.

Interior of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Roadster: Photo by Daimler

It is expected to initially create 60 new jobs and, at full operation, approximately 184. The company is headquartered in Celle, Germany and has a manufacturing operating in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Its new facility in Vance will be the company’s first in Alabama.    » read more »

April 02, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - A bill supported by Alabama Governor Bob Riley requiring governors to disclose on the Internet details of state aircraft usage and spending out of the governor’s contingency fund has been approved by the House.

The House passed the bill 92-4 on Tuesday. Governor Riley has voluntarily disclosed on the Internet the flight logs of state aircraft he uses and spending from the contingency fund since he came into office, and he has supported legislation that makes the disclosures a requirement.    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- HUNTSVILLE - Alabama Governor Bob Riley today announced that the Alabama Development Office will open a satellite office in Huntsville to cultivate the defense and aerospace industry throughout the state, particularly in North Alabama.

“Having an ADO satellite office in North Alabama will bolster our continuing efforts to attract defense and aerospace companies to the state,” said Governor Riley. “We have had tremendous success in the past several years recruiting world-class companies to Alabama. This office is part of our aggressive economic development strategy that is making Alabama one of the most sought-after places to do business in the world.”    » read more »

MONTGOMERY - New and expanding industry announcements in 2007 resulted in a record-breaking year in Alabama, said Governor Bob Riley.

The more than $6.8 billion in capital investments from industrial projects is the highest recorded in the state’s annual records, which date back to 1947.

Those industries also resulted in 24,244 announced new jobs during 2007.

“These investments and the jobs they bring are making Alabama’s future brighter for all our citizens,” said Governor Riley. “Our strategy to assist existing industries and recruit new companies is working, and we will continue to aggressively pursue new jobs and more investment for the people of Alabama.”    » read more »

Atlanta, Ga., March 26, 2008 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Region 4, as part of the Southeast Diesel Collaborative, today announced the availability of approximately $3.6 Million in grants to fund projects within the Southeast to demonstrate effective emission control technologies and strategies, methods or approaches to reducing diesel emissions. EPA expects to fund between five and ten grants ranging from $250,000 and $750,000. However, EPA reserves the option to fund a project at an amount lower than $250,000 if the proposed project involves retrofitting or upgrading an applicant’s entire fleet.    » read more »

March 17, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY -- Alabama Governor Bob Riley wants the state to involve faith- and community-based organizations in helping prisoners who are returning to society so the ex-convicts avoid a relapse into a life of crime.

The Governor is launching a program called the Community Partnership for Recovery and Reentry, which will actively engage faith-based organizations and community groups to provide pre-release and post-release support for the ex-prisoners and the communities they are returning to as they complete their prison sentences.    » read more »

March 12, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley is thanking members of a House committee today for approving a public disclosure bill that is part of his legislative agenda.

The bill approved by the House Government Operations Committee today requires governors to do what Governor Riley has been doing since he came into office in 2003 - posting all governor’s office flight logs and contingency fund expenditures on the Internet. The bill, HB 158, is sponsored by Representative Mac McCutcheon.    » read more »