Alabama
Alabama lags in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, but is about to spend $80M trying to fix that
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/VXOG2PGRHZA7ZIHT2JDWPTQM44.jpg "Alabama lags in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, but is about to spend M trying to fix that")
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – You don’t have to know the difference between an AC or DC current to see how many more Electric Vehicles are sharing the road with you.
They are the fastest-growing part of the car market, but new data from our Investigate TV team found Alabama has miles more to go before we provide the kind of charging resources other states have for EV’s.
Montevallo Mayor Rusty Nix is “tickled to death” to have a new Level 2 EV charging station that just opened in his city, a development he thinks could bring more visitors and the money that comes with them.
“With this, you’ll catch people that are coming to an event, and a lot of folks don’t like driving on the interstate—-they like taking backroads,” Nix says. “We have Highway 119 and Highway 25 that actually go through our city—we do have a lot of traffic on it–we’ll get people coming to your town.”
As of the end of 2022, Alabama ranked 31st in the number of EVs of any state, but 38th when it comes to charging stations.
If you break it down to the number of EVs per charging station in the state, we rank 28th, and the demand is growing. The number of EVs in Alabama jumped 84% from 2021 to 2022, 12th-fastest growth in the country.
“If you go back 2 or 3 years, you can see that number is close to doubling every year,” says Hasin Gandhakwala of Alabama Power. “Through our research partners that we have, that number will continue to grow exponentially as more incentives are offered to customers, that really does stimulate the adoption rate.”
Not all chargers are equal: Level 2 chargers like the one in Montevallo can fully charge your EV in 3-6 hours, Level 3 chargers can get you from dead battery to 80% charged in 15 minutes.
Alabama now has almost 1,100 Level 2 or 3 chargers, with a goal of having one every 50 miles on the interstate within 1 mile of an exit.
“It’s one of those if you build it, they will come, concepts,” says Gandhakwala. “So as our numbers continue to rise year over year, the charge investments are taking place throughout our state.”
The state will spend more than $80 million in federal funds over the next 5 years to make that happen, and try to fill in what are currently charging deserts along the more rural routes so many of you love to drive…like Montevallo.
“I’m very excited,” Nix says. “It’s going to be an economic boost for us. When people are traveling, let’s say from Huntsville to Mobile and they need a spot to charge–they’ll look on their app and go ‘I’ve always wanted to go to Montevallo, and they have a charger, and I can go there and charge my vehicle and eat at their fine restaurants and shop at their stores.’”
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Copyright 2023 WBRC. All rights reserved.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Alabama State University is mourning the loss of one of their own.
The university announced Saturday evening that Assistant Band Director Charles Goodwin III has died.
In a statement to WSFA 12 News, the University said, “Mr. Goodwin was a dedicated educator, musician and mentor whose passion and commitment left an indelible mark on the ASU community.”
“His legacy will continue to resonate through the music, spirit, and excellence he helped inspire,” The university added.
ASU has not released any information regarding the circumstances of Goodwin’s death.
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Copyright 2025 WSFA. All rights reserved.
The following is a news release and photos from Ball Ventures.
IDAHO FALLS – Dust off your boots for an unforgettable evening of country fun at The Waterfront Round Up.
It’s happening Friday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at The Waterfront at Snake River Landing. This free, family-friendly event is the perfect way to kick off summer, with music, dancing, and a special guest appearance from Jay Woods, star of “Farmer Wants a Wife.”
Woods, a cattle and hay farmer from Florence, Alabama, will be teaching roping skills and meeting fans throughout the night. Known for promoting the Western lifestyle and connecting with communities across the country, Woods shared his excitement.
“I’m honored to be part of the Waterfront Round Up. I’ve heard great things about Idaho Falls, and I can’t wait to connect with the community and celebrate the Western way of life.”
The evening will feature:
- Line dancing and music with a live DJ
- $10 Mechanical bull rides with a prize for the longest ride
- $ 5 Roping lessons with Jay Woods
- $ 3 Hover ball archery
- Corn hole, vendor booths, and family activities
- Delicious eats from local food trucks including CalaKas Tacos & Miches and Roadhouse Saloon, with drinks available for purchase (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
Local vendors, such as Bejeweled Creations, Wild One Clothing Co., and JC Beauty Co., will also be on-site, offering Western-inspired goods.
Admission is free, and all ages are welcome. Whether you’re a seasoned rancher or just love a good time under the stars, this is one summer event you won’t want to miss!
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The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Alabama’s Attorney General’s Office in its push to execute an intellectually disabled man, according to an order released early on Friday.
Joseph Clifton Smith, now 54, was sentenced to death for a decades-old murder — a decision that continues to be challenged in court.
In 1997, Smith beat Durk Van Dam to death with a hammer and a saw in Mobile County to steal his boots, tools and $140, Reuters reported. Van Dam’s body was found in his truck in an isolated wooded area.
Lower federal courts found Smith is intellectually disabled and can’t be executed. People who are intellectually disabled are protected from the death penalty following a Supreme Court ruling from 2002.
But this fall, the Supreme Court will hear arguments about what to do in cases when IQ scores are slightly above the widely accepted 70-point marker to determine if someone is intellectually disabled.
When a federal appeals court ruled in May 2023 that Smith could not be executed due to his intellectual disability, it detailed how he struggled in school from an early age.
Since first grade, Smith struggled in school, and when he underwent an intellectual evaluation he received an IQ score of 75, CNN reported at the time, citing the appeals court.
In fourth grade, Smith was placed in a learning-disability class.
“After that placement, Smith developed an unpredictable temper and often fought with classmates. His behavior became so troublesome that his school placed him in an ‘emotionally conflicted classroom,”’ the appeals court wrote in its ruling.
Smith dropped out of school after failing seventh and eighth grade and then spent “much of the next 15 years in prison” for crimes of burglary and receiving stolen property, according to the ruling.
The appeals court said Smith confessed to killing Van Dam and that he “offered two conflicting versions of the crime.”
Smith first said he watched Van Dam be killed, and then he said he took part in his murder but didn’t mean to kill him, according to the appeals court.
The Alabama Attorney General’s office decried the appeals court’s ruling, saying at the time, according to CNN, “Smith’s IQ scores have consistently placed his IQ above that of someone who is intellectually disabled. The Attorney General thinks his death sentence was both just and constitutional.”
The Supreme Court will now consider making it harder for convicted murderers to show their lives should be spared because they are intellectually disabled.
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