Tariffs, state Senate tours, empty malls: Down in Alabama

I hope everyone stays reasonably warm during this cold snap. Bone. Chill.

It’s not over yet either, so watch your pipes over the next few nights Stay up to date with weather stories here.

Thanks for reading,

Ike

Trade problems

President-elect Donald Trump has refocused on tariffs, just as he did during his first term as president, but there are still too many unknowns for Alabama officials to worry about the economic interests of the Port of Mobile, reports AL.com John Sharp.

Trump has said he will issue an executive order to impose steep tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China. He uses tariffs – or the threat of tariffs – as a negotiating tool to pressure Canada and Mexico, for example, to crack down on illegal drugs and illegal immigration.

But as an economic tool, tariffs are certainly not a historical favorite among conservatives and free-market supporters. While targeted tariffs can give some U.S. companies a competitive boost by reducing foreign competition, they can mean higher prices for U.S. consumers, and by restricting trade, they can hurt the companies and people who bring those foreign goods to us. damage.

For this reason, there could be concerns about the Port of Mobile. The port’s economic impact on Alabama was estimated at approximately $98 billion.

After a speech touting the port’s growth and economic impact, Gov. Kay Ivey said she was waiting to see what happens with the tariffs but that “Alabama has a friend in Donald Trump.”

Port Authority CEO John Driscoll also said there are simply too many unknowns, but the tariffs Trump mentioned will certainly impact cargo at the port.

Alabama Senate Leadership

The Alabama Senate Republican Caucus has chosen a new leader for next year’s legislative session, AL.com’s Heather Gann reports.

State Sen. Garlan Gudger of Cullman will be confirmed as the next president pro tempore when the full Senate convenes on Feb. 4. We last mentioned Gudger here after a July 4th jet ski accident involving Gudger and his son. The state senator suffered broken vertebrae and ribs, a punctured lung and internal bleeding.

Gudger is 49 years old and has been in office since 2018.

He will replace current Pro Tem Greg Reed, a Republican from Jasper who plans to leave the Senate to work as a workforce transformation adviser for Gov. Kay Ivey.

Empty shopping centers

Brookwood Village Mall’s very last remaining tenant has announced its closure, AL.com’s Heather Gann reports.

Brookwood Village is located on the border of Mountain Brook and Homewood. It’s one of those iconic malls that was an integral part of people’s lives for decades, but over the years it became increasingly empty. Recently, Five Guys restaurant announced it was closing shop.

Andrews Sports Medicine proposed converting the old Belk space into a 131,000-square-foot medical facility. The City of Homewood Planning Commission approved the proposal last month, and the City Commission is expected to vote on it before the start of the year.

The commission will also consider dividing the mall site into three lots, one of which will be the medical facility.

Brookwood Village Mall opened in 1974. Back in the days of carrot and raisin salad, this was Alabama’s first Chick-fil-A location.

More Alabama news

The podcast