Montgomerians will pay more for garbage collection fees next year. The hikes are contained in the new city budget approved at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. The final vote was 6-2. Garbage fees will rise $4 a month for residential users and $16 for businesses. Councilman C.C. Calhoun said the city budget has issues, but in the end he decided to cast a yes vote. Councilman Arch Lee joined Glenn Pruitt to vote no. Lee contends the budget process needs to be changed. The Montgomery City Budget for 2015 is $228 million dollars.
VA Benefits
Millions of veterans and their dependents will get a fresh cost-of-living increase in their disability benefits beginning in December, according to legislation Congress is sending President Obama. The veterans' payments will increase by the same rate by which Social Security benefits will grow next year. The U.S. House approved the legislation requiring the increase Tuesday night by voice vote. The U.S. Senate passed the measure by voice vote last week.
Johnson Sentencing
A Montgomery man awaits a sentencing hearing after he was convicted of robbery and burglary for his role in a violent home invasion case last year that left a west Montgomery homeowner critically injured. Montgomery County District Attorney Darryl Bailey said a circuit jury took less than 30 minutes to return a guilty verdict against 32-year-old Christopher Johnson. Bailey said in April 2013, Johnson and three other males entered a residence on Chipping Terrance off Mobile Highway and shot the homeowner three times, the 38-year-old victim has since recovered. The DA said he will seek a life sentence for Johnson at a hearing scheduled for October 9th.
Roby on Domestic Abuse
An Alabama congresswoman is speaking out about domestic abuse and says she's closely monitoring a case involving a federal judge from Montgomery. Republican Martha Roby of Montgomery issued a statement Tuesday saying the disciplinary process for Federal Judge Mark Fuller is ongoing and Congress has the power to impeach members of the judicial branch for misconduct. The 55-year-old judge was arrested August 10th after a fight with his wife at an Atlanta hotel. Fuller was allowed to enter a program that includes an alcohol and substance abuse assessment and his cases have been reassigned.