Presented by

Alabama’s Trucking Industry

 

 

 

1. Amid record unemployment, state still seeking workers

• Almost two weeks ago, Alabama’s unemployment rate fell to a record low of 2.8%.
• Of course, if you’ve been following things, you know that the rate has been steadily falling over the last few years amid a really healthy economy.
• But 2.8% is crazy low. It’s the kind of low that makes people wonder whether it’s actually a good thing, especially given the state’s goal of building a workforce to attract new companies and investments.
• After all, very low unemployment can lead to things like wage inflation.
• ADN’s Mary Sell looked into all this, speaking with economists and those who run the state’s labor and industrial development efforts.
• Not to spoil it, but she found that the state isn’t slowing down one bit when it comes to trying to connect workers with jobs.
• Her full story is worth your time this morning.

 

 

2. Vendors announced for prison work bid

• Four companies will submit competitive bids to work on a massive new prison construction plan, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.
• Gov. Kay Ivey announced that four developer teams have qualified for the next stage of the bid process. The firms are The GEO Group, Corvias, CoreCivic and Alabama Prison Transformation Partners. The firms were selected after submitting their qualifications for the project.
• Ivey announced a plan in February to build three new large regional prisons to replace many current, aging state prisons. The prisons would house about 3,000 inmates each and would extend over 700,000 square feet, according to earlier state bid documents.
• Read more HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A message from

Alabama’s Trucking Industry

 

• Trucks move Alabama’s economy, and a career in trucking can open many doors for working Alabamians of all ages, genders and races.

• Did you know that Alabama trucking businesses provide 107,160 jobs – 1 out of 15 in the state?

• From professional truck drivers, diesel technicians, logistics professionals, fleet managers, safety/HR professionals and sales directors, the jobs our industry offers are diverse and plentiful.

• And we’re talking about good-paying, highly technical jobs… and they are available right now!

• Visit www.alabamatrucking.org/movingfwd for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Judiciary will get impeachment next week

• The House Judiciary Committee is set to take over the impeachment probe of President Donald Trump, scheduling a hearing for next week .
• The Intelligence Committee is wrapping up the investigative phase of the probe and preparing its report for the next. Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has said the report could be released soon after the House returns from its Thanksgiving break.
• The initial Judiciary hearing on Dec. 4, the day after lawmakers return, will feature legal experts who will examine questions of constitutional grounds as the panel decides whether to write articles of impeachment against Trump — and if so what those articles will be. Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said Tuesday that his panel’s hearing will “explore the framework put in place to respond to serious allegations of impeachable misconduct.”
• Read more HERE.

 

 

 

4. Sessions: Respect those who protect and serve

• Jeff Sessions submits an op-ed for Alabama Daily News today on the subject of crime and punishment.
• It’s a familiar topic for Sessions, as he has worked as a federal prosecutor, the state’s attorney general, and the nation’s chief law enforcement official.
• Now he writes as a candidate who is seeking his old job in the U.S. Senate back, and much of his message on law and order remains the same.
• Here’s an excerpt:

• Read his full piece HERE.

 

5. Economy keeps growing

• WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a moderate 2.1% rate over the summer, slightly faster than first estimated. But many economists say they think growth is slowing sharply in the current quarter.
• The Commerce Department says the July-September growth rate in the gross domestic product, the economy’s total output of goods and services slightly exceeded its initial estimate of a 1.9% rate.
• The economy had begun the year with a sizzling 3.1% GDP rate. Many economists have estimated that GDP growth is weakening in the current quarter to as slow as a sub-1% annual rate, largely because the U.S.-China trade war has led businesses to cut investment and inventories.
• Still, the holiday shopping season is expected to be relatively healthy given solid job growth and consumer spending.
• Story link.

 

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