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www.TrussvilleTribune.com
Moody Council holds first reading for subdivision rezoning request, residents share concerns
No second grocery tax cut for Alabama shoppers in 2024
By Nathan Prewett For the Tribune
MOODY – On Monday, Feb. 12 the Moody City Council heard a rezoning request for two parcels of land located See MOODY, Page 5
Argo sets a date for Fall Festival, approves road work By Terry Schrimscher
ARGO — The Argo City Council approved a bid for pipe repair beneath Mary Ann Lane during the February 12 regular meeting which began with a work session at 5 p.m. The Council approved the quote from MSE Building Co. Inc. in the amount of $26,900. MSE submitted See ARGO, Page 3
Pound of meth found in Leeds traffic stop, lands Wedowee woman in jail From Tribune staff reports
LEEDS — A Wedowee woman is behind bars after police in Leeds made a traffic stop that took more than a pound of methamphetamine of the street. Andrea Nichole Mangina of Wedowee, AL, is charged See METH, Page 5
Center Point woman wanted on felony warrant From Tribune staff reports
CENTER POINT — A Center Point woman is wanted in Jefferson County on a felony failure to appear warrant, according to Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama. Information leading to her arrest could lead to a reward. Felicia Leann Miller is wanted in Jefferson County See FELONY, Page 4
Inside the Tribune
MONTGOMERY — Alabama shoppers won’t be seeing a second penny cut from the grocery tax in 2024. Lawmakers reduced the 4% sales tax rate on groceries by 1% last September. Passed during the final days of the legislative session in 2023, the grocery tax cut law sponsored by State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) and State Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre) dropped the state’s sales tax on groceries by 1% on September 1 automatically. An additional 1% was set to be shaved off as soon as September 2024, 2025 or a later year if the state projected 3.5% growth in the Education Trust Fund (ETF) for the next fiscal year. The average growth rate in the ETF annually is 3.6%, according to the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. Kirk Fulford, Deputy Director of the Legislative Services Agency Fiscal Division, told members of the Joint Study Commission on Grocery Taxation on Monday
Image by Steve Buissinne
both his agency and the Department of Finance were projecting less than 3.5% growth in the ETF in fiscal year 2025 starting on October 1. Thus, absent a change to the law, Alabamians will have to wait until September 2025 at the earliest for another grocery tax cut. “[The Department of Finance’s projection] was less than ours and ours was a little less than 2%, so I think there’s
may have been closer to flat,” Fulford said. “I do know that between the two they’re not 3.5%.” Alabama Arise, a public policy nonprofit that supports eliminating the grocery tax, is recommending lawmakers amend the 2023 grocery tax cut law to drop the ETF growth requirement down to 2% to make it easier for the second penny to be cut from the grocery tax.
2024
Jones told reporters on Monday time would tell if such a change is needed. “I think we’ll know more as we enter into the fall. Certainly, the fact the growth was so much smaller than anticipated this year around 2% or a little bit less than 2% there’s a possibility in my mind that if we had a lower than average year that maybe next year we’ll be at average or above and we know that 3.5% growth is the average which is why we set it at that in the bill. If we hit the 3.5% or above then we’re good to go,” Jones said. “In many ways, we’re a victim of our own success. We’ve untaxed overtime pay. We’re talking about spending $100 million on school choice. We’re doing all these things to give back and have other tax breaks and those have impacted the growth rate of the ETF which means that we may delay the grocery tax cut. That’s the way I would characterize it, a victim of our own success.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
Trussville man pleads guilty to multi-million-dollar health care fraud conspiracy From Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM – Another individual has pleaded guilty in a series of related cases involving multi-million-dollar health care fraud conspiracies, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles. John Alan Robson, 40, of Trussville, pleaded guilty yesterday to health care fraud conspiracy. Robson was indicted in February of 2023. According to the plea agreement, Robson was a sales representative who marketed to doctors’ offices various health care products and services, including topical prescription creams from specialty pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME), and electro-diagnostic testing. Robson was paid fees for the
prescriptions, DME, and tests he generated from doctors. From at least 2014 through 2018, Robson conspired with others to pay and receive kickbacks to induce medical providers to issue medically unnecessary prescriptions and order medically unnecessary goods and services, which were then billed to Medicare and other health insurers. Two of the sales reps
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named in Robson’s indictment as having engaged in the same conspiracy conduct have previously pleaded guilty to related crimes. Brian Bowman, 42, of Gadsden, and James Ewing Ray, 53, of Gadsden, each pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy. As part of their respective plea agreements, Bowman agreed to forfeit more than $7.6 million, Ray agreed to
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Caleb Taylor, 1819 News
Outdoors
My Life as a Hobby
forfeit more than $800,000, and Robson agreed to forfeit more than $1 million. All three will be ordered, at sentencing, to pay restitution to the victims of their crimes. Dozens of defendants have been convicted in related cases. Among the medically unnecessary items Bowman, Ray, and Robson marketed were topical creams for specialty pharmacies including Global Compounding Pharmacy and Watson Rx Solutions. Bowman, Ray, and Robson were paid commissions to induce these prescriptions to be issued. According to Robson’s plea agreement, he and other marketers got blank pre-signed prescriptions from doctors and then completed the prescriptions to ensure the prescriptions would be paid for by insurance, regardless of whether the drugs were medically necessary for patients’ needs. Robson and other marketers
Victims identified, 3 found dead in vehicle upside down in Turkey Creek From Tribune staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY — Three people were found dead in a vehicle found upside down in Turkey Creek. The vehicle was first noticed by a property owner, according to Lt. Joni Money of the See CREEK, Page 5
Irondale honors individuals for Martin Luther King Jr. service projects By Terry Schrimscher
IRONDALE — Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. presented four $1000 checks to winners of the city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Public Service Contest during the first monthly meeting of the Irondale City Council on Tuesday See IRONDALE, Page 4
Trussville woman killed in Monday crash From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — A Trussville woman was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Monday, Feb. 12, according to Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates. Yates said Leola W. Manuel, 82, of Trussville, died in the crash. The crash occurred on Carrington Drive at Gadsden Highway just after 2 p.m. See CRASH, Page 4
Man arrested after stolen JEFCOED school bus recovered in Walker County From Tribune staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY — A stolen Jefferson County school bus was recovered in Walker County and a man has been jailed in connection to the theft, according to Lt. Joni Money of the Jefferson
See CONSPIRACY, Page 4
See ARREST, Page 3
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