Aug 30, 2024

Today is National College Colors Day. Wear 'em proudly.

It's also quiz day. Link to that is near the bottom of this newsletter. Today's report is below.

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Ike Morgan

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We knew the long Warrior Met Coal strike was ugly, with accusations of violence and intimidation. The strike lasted nearly two years, ending in February 2023.

But just this week, an indictment was announced against a union official who's accused of bombing a Warrior Met Coal methane pipeline, reports AL.com's Howard Koplowitz. Jerry Gale Kearns was charged with destruction of property used in interstate commerce by means of fire or explosive. It's a charge that could give him five to 20 years in federal prison.

An explosion took place March 23, 2022 near the intersection of Hanna Creek Road and Sandlin Mountain Road in Brookwood.

Mobile-based shipbuilder Austal USA announced a $24 million settlement over the federal government's accounting-fraud investigation, reports AL.com's Lawrence Specker.

The issues here trace back to 2013 and the earlier days of the Littoral Combat Ship program at Austal with the company underestimating costs on the first few ships.

Over the past decade, Austal's parent company in Australia has had to take an unexpected loss followed by an investigation over how that news was handled and whether it violated Australian stock-exchange regulations, Austal USA's Mobile office's were raided by feds, and Austal USA's then-CEO resigned and was indicted with two others on fraud charges.

Now Austal is done with the Littoral Combat Ships. On Thursday the company made the symbolic first cut of steel for it's next venture: the U.S. Coast Guard's Offshore Patrol Cutter program. Austal may end up building as many as 11 cutters -- up to $3.3 billion worth of work.

If you've ever wanted to own the home of a Pro Football Hall of Famer, now's your big chance.

The late Bart Starr's old digs in Hoover are on the market, reports AL.com's Kelly Kazek. Starr, who played at Montgomery's Sidney Lanier High and the University of Alabama, passed away in 2019. His wife, Cherry, passed away in February.

The listed price is $1.915 million, so the first thing you'll want to do is shoot your bank and email.

It has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, 7,658 square feet, a tennis court and sits on 1.3 acres along the No. 16 fairway of Riverchase Country Club. That's a 513-yard par-5, incidentally.

Buyers might be relieved to know that a viewing of the Google Map looks like the house has a little room and some trees between it and the golf course. I'm pretty sure I could get there on my second shot, though.

Photo courtesy of Brian Nelson of DoubleOak ArtWorks

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In 1917, basketball hall of famer and Harlem Globetrotter Pop Gates of Decatur.

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