Cities (except Huntsville) shrink, suburbs (especially Fairhope) flourish
New population estimates for 2018 show Mobile, Montgomery and Birmingham all shrinking — though Huntsville continues to grow and is poised to be Alabama’s second largest city. Suburban areas like Birmingham’s neighboring Shelby County and Mobile’s neighboring Baldwin County continue to expand. — AL.com
Auto supplier breaks ground on $220 million plant in Huntsville
Japanese auto supplier Y-tec Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama broke ground Wednesday for a $220 million, 650-job plant at the site of the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA, now under construction in the Limestone County portion of Huntsville. The new joint venture firm will make body stampings and assemblies plus functional and chassis parts. — Alabama Department of Commerce
Wage deal averts strike at Drummond Colombia mines
Birmingham-based Drummond, one of Colombia’s top coal exporting companies, has reached a wage agreement with union workers, averting a potential strike there, a company official reports. — Montel
Ground broken for new Birmingham apartment complex
Novare Group, Prestwick Companies and Batson-Cook Development Company broke ground Wednesday on a 268-unit apartment complex in Birmingham’s Parkside District. Doster Construction Co. is general contractor for the complex, to be called Foundry Yards. — Doster Construction
New military-community software partnership in Montgomery
City and business officials in Montgomery teamed up with Air Force personnel Wednesday to announce a new public-private partnership for software development. — Montgomery AdvertiserÂ
Four Star Freightliner breaks ground on new facility in Valley
Trucking service firm Four Star Freightliner broke ground Wednesday on a $4 million facility in Valley. It will provide in-house and mobile maintenance from the new facility, which is slated to open later this year. Four Star also has operations in Dothan and Montgomery, as well as in Georgia and Florida. — Four Star
Calhoun CC wins grant for automotive trades program
Calhoun Community College has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help fund automotive technology classes for high school students in dual enrollment programs. — Calhoun Community College
