Posted: Friday, Aug. 31 Tennessee Valley news update, August 31, 2012
Alabama's seafood industry emerged nearly unscathed in physical damage compared to seven years ago when Katrina hit. However, storm is costing millions of dollars in lost sales and wages. Dozens of shrimp boats remain at the docks and processing plants are closed. The Organized Seafood Association of Alabama says the storm could cost the industry as much as $3 million in lost sales. The group says Alabama’s industry could get back to normal operations next week at the earliest, but the shutdown could last longer for businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Alabama's attorney general is looking into voting in Uniontown, where the recent election raised questions after there were more registered voters than the town's listed population. The Tuscaloosa News reports that Attorney General Luther Strange's office said Thursday that he's looking into unusual voter registration, but had no further comment. Uniontown has a population of 1,775, according to the 2010 census. But the Perry County board of registrars says there are 2,587 registered voters in the town. The total votes casted in Uniontown on Tuesday were 1,431, which represented a turnout of 55 percent of the number of registered voters and 80.6 percent of the town's population. According to the census, when compared with the 1,140 people in the town who are 18 and older, the turnout was 125 percent.
Republican chief justice candidate Roy Moore had his second best fundraising month so far in August. Moore filed a campaign finance report Friday showing he raised more than $82,000 in August. That was topped only by his $102,000 in June. Many of Moore's contributions came in after the Democratic Party disqualified its original candidate, Harry Lyon, and chose Jefferson County Circuit Judge Bob Vance. The contributions after the candidate switch included $25,000 from timber executive Guice Slawson and $5,000 from Michael Peroutka, who was the Constitution Party candidate for president in 2004. Earlier in the month, Moore got $5,000 from Gena Norris, who's the wife of TV star Chuck Norris. Vance had not filed a report as of midday Friday.
Officials on the Madison City school board say they are facing good news after three consecutive years of budget cuts. The Huntsville Times reports Madison Schools CFO Mike Weaver says no budget cuts are planned for the current school year, and the system is adding 20 new teaching units, after losing 12 last year. However, Weaver says cut could still occur depending on the outcome of the aforementioned September 18 th referendum. Last night’s public hearing was the first of three required by state law. The next Madison City schools meeting is September 17 th at 5pm at the Central Office.
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