(File photo)
Army trains bound for Anniston
The Anniston Army Depot will be the new home of the armed forces' rail fleet maintenance. According to the depot, the Defense Non-Tactical Generator and Rail Equipment Center will relocate from Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah to Anniston. The center services the rail fleets for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Roundup by Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Lee Roop | lroop@al.com
The Force is strong with this one
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is off to a death star-sized start at the box office, reports The Associated Press: "Disney says Friday that the eighth installment in the space franchise has earned an estimated $45 million from Thursday night showings. It's the second-highest Thursday night preview tally following the $57 million start for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' which kicked off this modern trilogy in 2015."
(File photo)
Class-action consolidation
Two Alabama hospitals recently joined in a class-action suit filed in Mississippi against opioid makers and distributors. That case has now been swept up into a national tide of litigation being consolidated in an Ohio courtroom.
Definitions of "cleaning up" may vary
A man who was involved in the cleanup of a storm-destroyed Florence auto parts store has been accused of stealing nearly $900,000 worth of property from the business, police said.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Net Neutrality 'whoppers'
Wired.com has a breakdown of "The Biggest Whoppers From The FCC's Net Neutrality Meeting," including some claims it disputes from Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Ajit Pai, shown.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
States take up net neutrality fight
Attorneys general from "across the country" will sue the Federal Communications Commission in an attempt to reverse Thursday's repeal of net neutrality rules, reports Ars Technica. The site quotes New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is leading the multi-state effort, as saying: "The FCC's vote to rip apart net neutrality is a blow to New York consumers and to everyone who cares about a free and open Internet. ... The FCC just gave Big Telecom an early Christmas present, by giving Internet service providers yet another way to put corporate profits over consumers. Today's rollback will give ISPs new ways to control what we see, what we do, and what we say online. That's a threat to the free exchange of ideas that's made the Internet a valuable asset in our democratic process."
(AP Photo/Tuscaloosa News, Michael E. Palmer)
One man's prison, another man's call center
An investigation into scam calls received by some north Alabamians has led to the discovery of a prison gang that is swindling money, particularly from the elderly, an official said. "They're scaring these elderly people to death," said Caleb Durden, a Limestone County sheriff's investigator who has been probing scam calls made by an Alabama prisoner to local residents.
Lee Roop | lroop@al.com
BP gets some sun
BP has paid $200m (£149m) for a 43% stake in Europe's biggest solar developer, marking its return to the sector from which it withdrew six years ago, reports The Guardian. The investment in the London-based Lightsource marks a turnaround for the British oil firm, which rebranded as Beyond Petroleum in 2000 but shut its alternative energy headquarters nine years later. ... The company will focus on building solar projects in the US, India, Europe and the Middle East."
Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com
Park adds rustic rentals
The Sibley and Peters cabins at 2,100-acre Blakeley State Park in Spanish Fort provide a mix of historic feel and modern comforts. They'll be open for business after Christmas.
Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com
MAX bus crash verdict
A Jefferson County jury this week awarded $12 million to passengers injured in a 2015 MAX bus crash in Fairfield. The verdict was reached Monday, after a week-long trial. Lawyers from Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys, Sara Williams and Brandon Bishop, represented 10 of the 15 victims in the lawsuit.
(File photo)
Christmas + Monday + Amazon = Monday?
A calendar quirk this year and Amazon's seven-days-a-week delivery capability are building pressure on retailers to deliver, reports The Associated Press: "With Christmas on a Monday, most retailers have one less day to get packages delivered on time. Some are pushing up their deadlines for standard delivery or free shipping. And after promoting the convenience of buying online with store pickup, retailers are also trying to satisfy lots of customers coming in to collect their orders."
Coca-Cola United
Coke bottler investing in Montgomery
Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc. announced Friday it is pumping approximately $28 million in new facility improvements at its Montgomery production facility and warehouse. The project is expected to add about 48 jobs in 2018, the company said.
(Madison Square)
Dothan apartments go for $7.8 million
Dothan's Madison Square Apartments have been sold as part of a three-property deal involving complexes in three states. Blue Magma Residential LLC and New York-based NCP Enterprise Funds announced the $34 million acquisition; the 184-unit Dothan complex was purchased for $7.8 million and is being renamed The Park at Ashburn.
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
Mobile water board approves increase
Mobile's water board voted Friday to implement a budget that calls for customers to pay about 5 percent more in 2018, with a similar raise coming in 2019. The Mobile Area Water and Sewer Systems (MAWSS) said the increase is needed " to fund the repair and replacement of aging infrastructure," among other priorities. Shown: Work on a basin designed to reduce sewer overflows into Halls Mill Creek.
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