Industry source reports Lyons to retire from Alabama State Port Authority
The Alabama State Port Authority is preparing to search for a new director and CEO after James K. Lyons, who has held the job for 20 years, said Tuesday he would retire at the end of 2020. – JOC.com
Hangout Music Fest reveals 2020 lineup
The Hangout Music Festival has revealed its 2020 lineup. The festival in Gulf Shores will be held May 15-17, 2020. Among the top acts will be the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Marsh Mello and Lana Del Rey. Others will include Cage the Elephant, Juice WRLD, Illenium, Kane Brown, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Louis the Child, The Head and the Heart, T-Pain and Moon Taxi. – Fox10
Tax breaks keep things tubular for Jefferson County company
An international company in Pinson is expanding rather than leaving since the county offered tax incentives. The company Samuel, Son and Company makes tubular products. Their clients include John Deere and other manufacturers. The company hopes to see more business in Alabama due to a major automotive manufacturing production here. County leaders said there was tough competition but Jefferson County won out. – WBRC
Charlemagne Record Exchange closing after 42 years
The turntable is about to stop spinning for a longtime Birmingham institution. After more than four decades, Charlemagne Record Exchange will be closing at the end of the month. Owner Marian McKay Rosato said the move is simply an economic decision. “Our rent had gone so high, and sales were low,” she said. “We just had to close. We love being there. We love the Southside community, serving the community and meeting all kinds of people. But it’s time to go.” – AL.com
Alabama Trust Fund sticks with Callan as investment consultant
Alabama Trust Fund has rehired Callan as investment consultant for the $3.3 billion sovereign wealth fund overseeing the state’s oil and gas royalties. The search was launched in September because the fund’s contract with Callan was set to expire early next year, said Cory Rambo, director of the trust fund’s fiscal operations division. AndCo Consulting and NEPC also submitted bids. “The board selected Callan based on qualifications and pricing,” Rambo said. – PIOnline
Small Business Commission holds listening session in Guntersville
The Alabama Small Business Commission on Monday held the first of four listening sessions with small business owners across the state ahead of the 2020 legislative session. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth (R) said that the public meetings and the surveys that participants fill out help the Commission know what the concerns of the small business owners are concerned with so that the Commission can recommend action to the Legislature. – AL Political Reporter
Alabama Voices: Give Alabamians the freedom of solar choice
Imagine if every time you picked a peach off of your backyard tree, the government slapped you with a $10 tax – artificially increasing the price of your own fruit and driving you to buy grocery store peaches instead. Well, that’s exactly the situation we face with electricity in Alabama. Every Alabamian could make their own electricity cheaper and cleaner by putting solar on their roof. But Alabama Power has other ideas and insists on dumping a fee on solar users. And not a small fee either. It is a fee that could amount to $9,000 over the life of the system. – Montgomery Advertiser
Hyundai SUV sales climbing, new Sonata hits market
Hyundai Motor America today reported its total November sales were up by 6 percent over 2018, powered by its SUV lineup and the initial sales of the new 2020 Sonata, made in Montgomery. According to Hyundai, it’s the 15th time out of the the last 16 months of increasing overall Hyundai vehicle sales. In November, Hyundai reported 60,601 vehicles sold. – AL.com
