After waiving a Thursday arraignment that would have been his first courtroom appearance, Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard has entered a not guilty plea in a court filing Friday. He was indicted last month on 23 ethics charges accusing him of using his public office to obtain business for his companies and for other financial rewards. His lawyer, Mark White, has asked for the December trial date to be delayed citing the complexity of the case. White is also asking the attorney general's office to produce a wide range of material, including witness statements. Futhermore, the defense lawyer says he will seek hearing regarding the proceedings of the grand jury that indicted Hubbard.
Montgomery Makeover
Parts of downtown Montgomery will soon get a makeover, the Public Art Commission is calling for mural ideas to be featured at 121 Montgomery Street. One local artist will be selected to bring the winning submission to life ahead of the anniversary of the voting rights march and civil rights movement. Melanie Golson, Outreach Coordinator for the commission, says artists only have a limited time to submit their proposals. For more information, visit Montgomeryal.gov and the commission hopes to have the project completed by March 1st.
Dog Fighting Sentence
An Auburn man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison after authorities said he organized dog fights in eastern Alabama, where $100,000 or more was often bet on a single match. U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins ordered the jail-time Friday for 50-year-old Donnie Anderson. It was the longest sentence handed down so far among the six people sentenced for participating in high-stakes dog fighting in Alabama. Anderson pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy, four counts of sponsoring dog fights, one count of possessing a fighting dog, and one count of operating an illegal gambling business.