Drayage Brokersin Mobile, AL

Mobile County Circuit Judge Edmond Naman has been suspended from the bench after being charged with an ethics violation after he allegedly appointed his brother-in-law to handle a number of juvenile court indigent cases over an 11-year period.

Naman was charged with violating the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics by the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission on Monday. Under state law, judges are automatically suspended with pay from the bench while the charge is pending before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary. The commission and Naman have requested an expedited hearing.

Naman’s attorneys had not responded to a request for comment prior to publication of this story.

The nine-member Alabama Court of the Judiciary has the power to discipline or remove a judge from the bench after a trial. The Judicial Inquiry Commission investigates complaints against judges and will bring them to the Court of the Judiciary if warranted.

Naman, who has served as a juvenile court judge since 2007, used his authority to appoint his brother-in-law “on numerous occasions” over a period of 11 years to indigent cases in that court, according to the judicial commission complaint.

The brother-in-law received “substantial compensation” as a result, according to the complaint. The document did not specify an amount.

The complaint states that the 13th Judicial Circuit’s juvenile court has had a lengthy practice of appointing attorneys to cover a day’s docket of cases – not to individual cases. An attorney appointed to a day’s docket would not handle the cases to their conclusion, but each case would be handled by different attorneys at the different hearings or stages of a case.

From 2008 until early in the 2019 fiscal year when Naman received notice of a complaint, he had appointed his sister’s husband to numerous dockets, the complaint says. That included appointments to the daily arraignment docket for one week each month, the disposition docket one day a month, and beginning in 2014 the juvenile “gun court” docket for about an hour once a week.

The commission’s complaint does not say who may have first raised the issue.

The canons of ethics states a judge should exercise his power of appointment only on the basis of merit “avoiding nepotism and favoritism” and that the commission has “long advised that a judge may not appoint an attorney who is related to the judge or the judge’s spouse with the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity,” according to the commission complaint.

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A goose mascot wearing Mardi Gras beads and leading a second line of elected officials through the foyer of the Mobile Chamber can only mean one thing: Wawa has landed in southwest Alabama, and lots of people are very happy about it.

Executives with the convenience store chain, an East Coast company that spread down into Florida over the last decade, announced back in April that they had set their sights on a major expansion campaign across the Florida Panhandle and into coastal Alabama. Friday morning, they held a press conference in Mobile followed by another Friday afternoon in Spanish Fort to lay out some details of that plan and to reveal where Alabama’s first Wawas will be built.

Related: Wawa is coming to Alabama. So what’s a Wawa?

So who gets the area’s first Wawas? In Mobile, it’s some lucky folks out in west Mobile. Company officials revealed Friday that the first two Mobile stores will be built at the intersection of Cottage Hill and Sollie Roads, and the intersection of Schillinger Road and Old Government Street Road. (The latter site is near the Walmart supercenter on Schillinger south of Airport Boulevard.)

In Baldwin County, the four locations announced Friday are at U.S. 98 and Baldwin 44 (Twin Beech Road) in Fairhope; Ala. 181 and Ala. 104 in Fairhope; U.S. 98 and Johnson Road in Daphne; and Ala. 59 and Baldwin 48 in Robertsdale. The Alabama locations follow two Pensacola sites announced Thursday.

And when will they open? The first should be in business within a year from now, company representatives said.

When it comes to expansion, Wawa doesn’t play: Robert Yeatts, senior director for store operations in Florida and new markets, said the company decided to enter Florida about 10 years ago. Now it has 250 stores there, employing more than 10,000 associates.

The scheme for the Mobile-Panhandle region is a little more modest: 40 stores over the next eight to 10 years. In the Mobile area, the two confirmed sites soon will be followed by three to four that are now under consideration, Yeatts said.

The impacts add up: Company officials said Wawa will invest about $6.5 million per store, with about 140 contractors employed on each site. Each store will employ around 35 associates, with salaries starting at $15 per hour. Multiply that by the 40 stores planned for the region and it adds up to an investment of around $260 million and 1,400 new jobs.

Like Buc-ee’s, Wawa has legions of zealously enthusiastic fans, though the two companies’ business plans are considerably different. Where Buc-ee’s store are megasites beckoning interstate travelers with scores of gas pumps, Wawa doesn’t prioritize highway locations. Its stores are built on the scale of many other gas and convenience chains. But it has built its reputation by standing out in several categories, including cleanliness, the quality of its fresh foods and groceries, and the appeal of its hoagie sandwiches, ordered through a sophisticated touchscreen system that lets customers order exactly what they want. Other deli foods include a breakfast menu that also has some hard-core fans.

“Hoagie” might not be a term that comes naturally to Alabama residents, said Director of Store Operations Steve Hasher, but “we’re here to sink the sub, that’s for damn sure.”

Wawa was founded as a dairy market in a small Pennsylvania town of that name in 1964 and now has 1,000 stores in six states, employing 45,000 associates, Hasher said.

Other aspects of its operation that set it apart are an employee-ownership plan, under which associates own about 40% of the company; and philanthropy that includes an emphasis on fighting hunger. In Mobile, the company has opted to partner with USA Health Children’s and Women’s Hospital and with the Coast Guard foundation.

Chamber President and CEO Bradley Byrne said Wawa’s decision to come into the region was “the ultimate affirmation” that the Mobile area has a promising economic outlook. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson told company representatives that “you can count on us to deliver” needed support.

Information about jobs can be found at https://www.wawa.com/careers. The company site also presents extensive information about site selection.

Spectrum Internet® with Starting Speeds of 300 Mbps Now Available to More Than 2,000 Homes and Small Businesses

Network Buildout is Part of Spectrum’s $5 Billion, Multiyear Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Investment in Rural Broadband

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Spectrum today announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 2,000 homes and small businesses in Hale County. Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildout in Akron, Greensboro and Sawyerville areas are part of the company’s approximately $5 billion investment in unserved rural communities, which includes more than $1 billion won in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) RDOF auction. The company’s RDOF expansion will provide broadband access to approximately 1 million customer locations as estimated by the FCC across 24 states in the coming years.

“Charter’s announcement to bring broadband connectivity to hundreds of unserved homes in Hale County is a big win for West Alabama,” said U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell. “In this 21^st century economy, we can’t afford to leave any community behind, and this effort brings us one step closer to ensuring all parts of Alabama have access to the high-speed broadband they deserve.”

“Through RDOF, Spectrum is making a multiyear investment to extend gigabit broadband networks to unserved communities across America,” said Craig Loden, Vice President of Construction leading Spectrum’s Alabama RDOF expansions. “Our commitment is making it possible to deliver the high-value broadband, mobile, TV and voice services now available in Hale County. We are providing superior connectivity to local residents and small businesses at highly competitive prices, backed by an organization committed to craftsmanship and service.”

Broadband Speeds Up to 1 Gbps, Plus Money-Saving Mobile Options and 85,000 On Demand Choices

Spectrum offers customers a best-in-class suite of products, highlighted by Spectrum Internet plans with speeds up to 1 Gbps for both residential customers and small business clients, starting speeds of 300 Mbps and no modem fees, data caps or contracts. Spectrum Business Internet offers download speeds of 300 Mbps, 600 Mbps and 1 Gbps.

Spectrum Internet has been consecutively ranked as one of the best internet service providers by U.S. News & World Report, and also earned the highest rating among the Best Internet Service Providers for Rural Areas. Spectrum Internet also exceeded advertised download and upload speeds for all tiers measured — even during peak weeknight usage between 7 and 11 p.m. — according to the FCC’s most recent “Measuring Broadband America Fixed Broadband Report” issued in December 2021.

“High-speed internet can help bring opportunity for parts of the state that are short on jobs and resources,” said state Sen. Bobby Singleton. “I’m excited that Spectrum’s RDOF expansion has reached Hale County and many rural residents who need access to fast, reliable internet.”

Spectrum was also a day one participant in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which makes quality, high-speed internet service available at a low — or even at no — cost to eligible families in financial need. All Spectrum Internet plans are eligible for ACP credits.

Along with multiple broadband options, Spectrum services will also include Spectrum TV^® and Spectrum Mobile^™.

Spectrum Mobile, available exclusively to Spectrum Internet customers, combines the fastest overall speeds^* with the best devices and a choice of Unlimited or By the Gig data plans. Spectrum Mobile provides customers the highest-quality experience, including access to nationwide 5G, at great value (two or more lines starting at $29.99 a month, saving customers up to $1,000 a year^**). Spectrum TV offers more than 200 HD channels and access to 85,000 On Demand movies and shows. Using the Spectrum TV App, viewers can stream content across a growing number of platforms, including iOS and Android mobile devices, Xbox One, Kindle Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, XClass TVs and PCs.

Local residents and business owners should visit spectrumruralexpansion.com to learn more about when their home or business may be able to receive Spectrum services.

^* Fastest Overall Speeds claim based on Global Wireless Solutions’ combined cellular and WiFi speed test results in Spectrum service area where WiFi is available. Cellular speeds vary by location.

^** Savings based on 2-line comparison of unlimited plans among major national carriers as of 09/2021; prepaid excluded; data usage limits vary by carrier. Spectrum Internet required. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.

About Spectrum

Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states. Over an advanced communications network, the company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet^®, TV, Mobile and Voice.

For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business^® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach^® delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The company also distributes award-winning news coverage and sports programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.

Media Contact

Patti Michel

patti.michel@charter.com

The final editions of the three largest newspapers in Alabama have one unifying theme: Alabama Media Group journalists will continue to evolve with readers and keep delivering high-quality, digital journalism.

The newspapers, which will publish their last editions Sunday, each have the same 1A cover with a note from Editor-In-Chief Kelly Ann Scott and President Tom Bates. The note thanks the communities for their support of their newspapers and the readers who have joined them online as the company shifts to all-digital news delivery.

Related: Alabama Media Group shifts to all-digital, will stop publishing newspapers in 2023

Each edition contains biographies of the more than 100 Alabama-based journalists who will continue to serve Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Alabama.

“Read about them, get to know them — their dedication to covering Alabama transcends this edition. They live in the communities we serve and care deeply about the places we all love,” the note reads.

“They’ll continue asking the tough questions on your behalf, holding the powerful to account and reporting on the issues that help democracy thrive locally. They are dedicated to work that changes lives, laws and minds in Alabama. And they’ll continue to bring us together to celebrate the people, places and moments that make Alabama so special to all of us.”

Related: Here’s how our journalism serves Alabama as we shift to all-digital delivery

The editions also contain columns from notable journalists in Huntsville, Birmingham and Mobile, past pages and photos, summaries of key moments the newspapers documented in communities and the state, and regular live news sections.

Alabama Media Group announced in November that it would shift to all-digital delivery of the news, focusing instead on growing its local digital media brands including AL.com, The Alabama Education Lab, This is Alabama, People of Alabama and the Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile editions of the Lede. Newspaper readers in Mobile, Birmingham and Huntsville will continue to be served by the Lede, a 7-day-a-week e-edition that reports on each city.

Construction-industry executives and education officials gathered Wednesday morning in Mobile to celebrate the opening of a facility that will help prepare hundreds of area high school students to step into craft jobs immediately after graduation.

It wasn’t exactly a groundbreaking for the Academy of Craft Training facility. Instead, some of the students on hand helped sink screws into the first piece of drywall on the interior of a warehouse on the edge of the Brookley aeroplex. Jeff Carrico, chief operating officer of White-Spunner Construction, said the Academy’s first students have already begun their hands-on training at temporary facilities. The company expects the facility to be completed in about three months.

“Welcome to what I consider to be a historic day for the community of Mobile and Baldwin County” said Thompson Engineering President and CEO John Baker. “This is a transformative-type solution to an industry-wide problem. … There’s a distinct skilled craft labor shortage in the construction industry across the nation.”

“What you’re seeing here today is a solution for an industry developed by that industry,” said Baker.

He said the Associated Builders and Contractors trade group had developed a plan years ago to build such programs. He described the Academy of Craft Training as a public-private partnership between the construction industry and the state; the first Academy opened several years ago in Birmingham and has produced about 700 graduates so far. Next year one will open in Huntsville, he said, and “from there we would like to springboard across the state.”

State School Superintendent Eric Mackey said the academy serves one of the state education system’s core goals, producing career-ready students.

“Nothing’s more important than graduating young people who can choose their own pathway and be happy contributing back to our society,” said Mackey. The superintendent said that by year’s end he expected discussions to begin on another academy to be located in the Black Belt.

“These are great young people,” said Carrico of the Academy’s first students. “Construction is not an easy environment to walk into. This is an introduction to that process.”

Jason Goodgame, vice president of the Pell City-based Goodgame Co. and chairman of the Alabama Construction Industry Craft Training Board, said the Academy is open to high school juniors and seniors who can begin the application process by speaking to their school counselors.

Those accepted into the program attend school for half a day and receive craft training during the other half. They work directly with area construction companies and are virtually guaranteed job offers if they successfully complete their certifications.

“It’s 100% placement in a job, unless they’re going on to secondary education or military or something else,” Goodgame said.

Along the way, however, they must comply with safety training and other real-word standards. “This is like a real job,” Goodgame said. “If you break the rules, you can get fired.”

Goodman said the program is designed to take in about 250 students, and to produce about 200 graduates a year. That’s comparable to the first academy facility in Birmingham.

According to information provided by White-Spunner, “The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) provides the academy with curriculum in building construction, electrical, welding and piping, interior and exterior finishes, and HVAC, which allows students to earn high school credits necessary for graduation.”

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