Oct 23, 2024

Good morning.

We're now inside of two weeks from the Nov. 5 election. Y'all hang in there.

Thanks for reading,

Ike

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey used an executive order Tuesday to fire Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis, reports AL.com's Mike Cason.

That move came after the state's VA board didn't vote to remove Davis per the governor's request.

Ivey has said the problem she has with Davis is the handling -- or mishandling, according to the governor -- of $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act grants. She said the VA bungled a plan to distribute money for mental health care.

Davis agreed to step down at the end of the year, but the administration said he has not responded to a request to reaffirm that commitment in writing.

Some board members claimed there has been a lack of communication and little effort to work through the issues. Three board members voted "no" on removing Davis, two voted "yes" and two abstained.

On of those voting "yes" was at the meeting as a proxy for the governor, who is on the board but didn't attend the meeting.

A Montgomery Circuit Judge has appointed a mediator tasked with dragging Alabama beyond its medical marijuana impasse, reports The Associated Press.

The Alabama Legislature passed a plan for medical marijuana more than three years ago, but it's since been bogged down in fights over the process used to license businesses that produce and distribute the product.

Multiple times, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has awarded licenses, received criticism over who was left out, and rescinded the licenses.

The sitting mayor of Jasper has passed away, reports AL.com's Howard Koplowitz.

David P. O'Mary was elected to the position in 2016. After college at Alabama and grad school at LSU he went to work at the First National Bank of Jasper -- now Synovus Bank -- and stayed there 39 years, working his way to senior executive vice president.

He also served 15 years on the Jasper Board of Education.

David P. O'Mary was 72 years old.

4.25%

That's the raise Alabama state lawmakers will receive next year, taking their annual salary to $62,212.

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