JP Morgan Settles with Jefferson County
JP Morgan is paying more than 700 million dollars to settle charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission it made unlawful payments to friends of Jefferson County commissioners in order to win municipal bond business. Under the settlement announced Wednesday, JP Morgan agreed to forfeit almost 650 million dollars in bond-swap termination fees. The Wall Street bank will also pay a 25 million dollar penalty and 50 million to Jefferson County. The SEC also took action against two former JP Morgan officials involved in the alleged scheme. They did not settle and an SEC spokesman said the government will continue to pursue the case against them. WBHM’s Bradley George spoke with Samford University finance professor Melissa Woodley. She says Jefferson County leaders are probably relieved by the settlement, but it’s far from a panacea for the county’s massive debt.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
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Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
