Gov. Ivey: Westwater Resources Plans First U.S. Graphite Processing Plant in Alabama

MONTGOMERY | Governor Kay Ivey announced Tuesday that Westwater Resources Inc. plans to build a first-of-its-kind advanced graphite processing plant in Coosa County, putting Alabama at the forefront in the production of essential material in batteries that power electrical vehicles, electronics, and other green energy products and equipment.

Westwater said its Alabama Graphite Products LLC subsidiary plans to make an initial investment of $80 million or more to build the graphite processing plant in Kellyton, near Alexander City. A second phase of the project will push the total investment to $124 million.

Centennial, Colorado-based Westwater -- a mineral resources company committed to exploring and developing materials for clean, sustainable energy production – said construction will start later this year, with the graphite processing plant operating by the end of 2022.

Attorney General Steve Marshall Calls on Congress to Restore Hyde Amendment to Prohibit Taxpayer Funding of Abortions

(MONTGOMERY) | Attorney General Steve Marshall is leading a coalition of 22 state attorneys general asking Congress to keep an amendment prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortions in the federal budget after it was conspicuously removed by the Biden Administration.

In his letter sent to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, Attorney General Marshall called on Congress to resist the president’s efforts to force taxpayers who object to abortions to pay for them.

“The Hyde Amendment was first enacted in 1976 following the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, and has been reenacted every year since with broad bipartisan support,” Attorney General Marshall wrote.  “The key to the Hyde Amendment’s four-and-a-half-decades longevity is that its purpose is clear and commonsensical: it prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions (with exceptions), on the basis that a great many taxpayers object to abortion on moral or religious grounds and, therefore, it is unconscionable to force them to pay for abortions by using their tax dollars for that purpose. Congress should resist following President Biden down this path and should instead maintain the Hyde Amendment language in the budget it ultimately passes.”

Free PLAY BALL Mayor’s Sandlot Event open to children ages 5-12 years old on July 24 at Riverwalk Stadium

The event includes activities, games, lessons, and more for River Region youth interested in baseball

MONTGOMERY | A free event scheduled for July 24 aims to expand the games of baseball and softball in Montgomery while strengthening affinity with those already involved in local leagues. 

Mayor Steven L. Reed is partnering with the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), the Montgomery Biscuits, Major League Baseball (MLB), and RBI to host a free Sandlot event for Montgomery youth on Saturday, July 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.

The event will feature baseball and softball hitting and fielding activities, expert instruction, and games for children ages 5-12 years old. Registration is required and can be completed at www.milb.com/montgomery/community/playball.

The City of Montgomery will host MGM Pride Month Unity Vigil June 25 at 5PM

Mayor Reed will join local leaders and advocates to honor the lives lost to hate crimes while unveiling plans for a City ordinance protecting and supporting Montgomery’s LGBTQ+ community

MONTGOMERY | Mayor Steven L. Reed and the City of Montgomery will host a ceremony on Friday at 5 p.m. to celebrate PRIDE Month in the River Region. The event will also honor members of the LGBTQ+ community who have lost their lives due to their identity.

The Montgomery Pride Month Unity Vigil is open to the public and will include remarks from Mayor Reed and leaders, advocates, and allies from Montgomery’s LGBTQ+ community.

During the event, Mayor Reed will share a proclamation and unveil plans for a non-discrimination ordinance that he will introduce at the next City Council meeting. The measure will prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ in government, employment, and housing. These are basic civil rights that will ensure the City of Montgomery is an inclusive, safe place for all residents.

WHAT: MGM Pride Month Unity Vigil;

WHERE: Lister Hill Plaza, across from Montgomery City Hall, 103 N. Perry Street;

WHEN: June 25 at 5 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.montgomeryal.gov.  

 

Since 9/11, Suicide Has Claimed Four Times More Military Lives Than Combat

More than four times as many troops and veterans of the wars since 9/11 are believed to have died by suicide than were killed in the wars themselves, a new study from Brown University has found.

In a paper released Monday as part of its Costs of War series, Brown's Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs estimates that 30,177 active-duty personnel and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their own lives over the last nearly 20 years.

That is far greater than the 7,057 service members who died in war operations since 9/11, the institute said in the report, "High Suicide Rates Among United States Service Members and Veterans of the Post-9/11 Wars."

The military's rising suicide rates have caught up to the growing problem across the U.S. population, the institute said.

Veterans' Tax Exemption Expanded in Bill Clearing NC House

RALEIGH, N.C. | More veterans in North Carolina could exempt their entire military retiree pay from state income taxes in legislation that cleared the House overwhelmingly on Wednesday.

The measure would apply to retirees with at least 20 years of service and cover any benefits to their survivors. It would help boost North Carolina's image as a landing place for armed forces members when they leave the service, bill sponsor Rep. John Szoka of Cumberland County said at a Legislative Building news conference.

Carrying out the measure, approved 100-5 and now heading to the Senate, would cost $50 million in annual tax collections by mid-2026, according to a legislative staff analysis. Szoka predicted the change would result in a positive fiscal outcome as more veterans choose to locate in North Carolina.

After Capitol Riot Indictment, Marine Major Remains at His Quantico Job

On May 13, 2021, Marine Corps Maj. Christopher Warnagiris was arrested in Virginia stemming from his alleged actions during the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. He was indicted on nine charges on June 2. However, he continues to work with the Training and Education Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, according to a service spokesman.

Federal prosecutors say that Warnagiris, 40, violently entered the Capitol after pushing through a line of police officers guarding the East Rotunda doors. According to the criminal complaint, he then stood by the door, holding it open and helping others enter the building.

Alabama Women’s Golfer Benedetta Moresco Wins Italian Stroke Play Championship

The rising sophomore led wire-to-wire, recording an 11-under-par 277 through four rounds

MONTEROSI, Italy | University of Alabama women's golfer Benedetta Moresco garnered the Isa Goldschmid Trophy Sunday morning, after leading the Italian Stroke Play Championship wire-to-wire in Monterosi, Italy, June 17-20.

Competing at the Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Golf Club Terre Dei Consoli (par 72, 6,550 yards), the rising sophomore from Caldogno, Italy, recorded scores of 70, 65, 73, and 69 to force a lead after each round of the championship and turn in an 11-under-par 277 scorecard. Her final score was six shots better than second place.

Moresco is coming off a showstopper season at the Capstone, earning 2021 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and All-SEC First Team honors, leading the Crimson Tide with a 71.72 stroke average through 18 rounds of golf. She stood her ground in Golfstat's individual top 50 all season, while her best all-around performance came at the Gamecock Intercollegiate this spring, earning marks of 70, 70, and 74 (2-under-par 214) to finish tied for third place.

Michael Cherry Secures Ticket to Tokyo

Eugene, Oregon | Former LSU sprinter Michael Cherry earned a spot on Team USA's Olympic squad in the 400 meters on Sunday evening at Hayward Field. This will be Cherry's Olympic debut when he suits up for the United States later this summer in Tokyo.

Cherry had to run a personal best of 44.35 in the 400 meters on Sunday evening to get the coveted top-three finish in the event. His time of 44.35 came after times of 44.86 (first round/Friday) and 44.50 (semifinals/Saturday) in the preliminary rounds. This won't be his first time on the world stage representing the United States, but it will be his first time representing Team USA at the Olympics.

Cherry makes his fourth national team on the world stage. He's represented Team USA in 2017 (Outdoor World Championships), 2018 (Indoor World Championships), and 2019 (Outdoor World Championships). At the 2019 outdoor world championships in Doha, Cherry won gold medals on both the American 4x400 meter relay and the American mixed 4x400 meter relay.

Fellow 400-meter sprinter and LSU alum Vernon Norwood took fifth in the finals of the 400 meters with a time of 44.92. That doesn't guarantee him a spot on Team USA but it definitely includes him in the discussion as an alternate on either the 4x400 meter relay or mixed 4x400 meter relay in Tokyo.

The Sophomore Jump: Devan Cambridge

AUBURN, Ala. | Devan Cambridge might never top the career-high 26 points he scored against South Carolina as a freshman. His highest point total from this past season was 16. And yet, he still took a massive leap from year one to year two. 

The biggest difference? Consistency. 

"My mindset was definitely different coming in my second year," Cambridge said. "My freshman year, I feel like I wasn't in the gym enough. I didn't contribute enough. I had some good games, but I wasn't consistent. I wanted to be more of an asset to the team, so I worked hard, stayed in the gym, and had a much better year. But I can always build on that."

Cambridge scored 20-plus points twice as a freshman, but he only reached double figures four times during the 2019-20 season. As a sophomore in 2020-21, he scored in double figures 14 times, including 11 of Auburn's 18 games in SEC play. 

It didn't matter if he was starting or coming off the bench, Cambridge scored 10 points a contest from the first SEC game to the end of the season. For the year he averaged 8.9 points per game, more than doubling his scoring output from his freshman campaign where he averaged 4.2 points per game. He also improved his totals in 3-pointers (+14), rebounds (+16), steals (+12), and blocks (+4). 

Unlike teammate Jaylin Williams, Cambridge didn't see a huge increase in minutes. He was just a better player, both physically and mentally, as a sophomore.