Limestone County business up for Amazon award
A bath and beauty products business in tiny Mooresville has been nominated for one of Amazon’s Small Business Spotlight Awards. 1818 Farms has been nominated for Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year, pitted against companies in California, Wisconsin, Texas and Michigan. Other categories are Small Business of the Year and Small Business Owner Under 30 of the Year. Six finalists were selected in each category, based on their origin story, company vision, product innovation, size and value. – AL.com
Birmingham to launch non-smoking Health District with community partners
The Birmingham City Council passed an ordinance on Tuesday to establish a non-smoking Health District on Birmingham’s Southside. Smoking will be prohibited on public property – including city streets and sidewalks within the Heath District. The ordinance was requested by health-focused organizations within the Health District: Children’s of Alabama, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, Jefferson County Department of Health, Southern Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine, and Veterans Affairs Medical Center. – News release
Maynard Cooper & Gale opens Nashville office
Alabama-based Maynard Cooper & Gale has opened a Nashville office, which is the law firm’s 10th. Maynard Cooper acquired the firm of McKenzie Laird Ottinger & Leach, which brings experience in corporate law and commercial real estate, mixed with work in mergers and acquisitions and venture capital advisory. – AL.com
Nameless contributors push tribal casinos to pay state taxes
Former state Senator Gerald Dial is leading a new dark money group aimed at holding the Poarch Band of Creek Indians accountable for how they spend their gaming revenue. Dial serves as the executive director of Poarch Creek Accountability Now. He says his organization won’t lobby or draft legislation, its goal is to educate the public about major revenue leaving the state. – WTVM
Bold Goals Coalition brainstorms solutions to hunger, education, mental health
When you’re working in community improvement, few people in need care where an idea came from – as long as it works. Today representatives from more than 200 organizations came together for a series of brainstorming sessions on how to combat some of the thorniest problems facing Central Alabama. The Bold Goals Community Lab, which took place at Birmingham’s B&A Warehouse, was aimed at starting discussions between groups handling different aspects of poverty, education, opportunity and quality of life. – AL.com
West Alabama Bank opening Birmingham branch in Q4
West Alabama Bank President & CEO William R. “Rob” Finney announces the opening of its first Birmingham location. The office will open in the 4th quarter of 2019. The branch will give customers in the Birmingham area greater access to the wide range of banking services and local banking offered by one of the largest locally owned, community banks in West Alabama, with 13 branches blanketing the region. – News release
Hyundai announces $35B investment in next-gen tech
Hyundai Motor Group said it plans to invest $35 billion in mobility and other auto technologies by 2025, part of which will be directed to an ambitious effort to become more competitive in self-driving cars that has also received government backing. The plan, which Hyundai said encompasses autonomous, connected and electric cars as well as technology for ride-sharing, comes after the automaker and two of its affiliates announced an investment of $1.6 billion in a venture with U.S. self-driving tech firm Aptiv. – Reuters
