People in favor and opposed to gay marriages are watching what will happen next as the back and forth legal wrangling continues in the aftermath of a Mobile federal judge's ruling that stuck down Alabama's ban on same sex marriage. Attorney General Luther Strange with support from Governor Robert Bentley has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and block the ruling from going into effect on Monday. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore remains defiant and has told county probate judges they are not required to issue wedding licenses to gay couples. Montgomery County Probate Judge Steven Reed says same sex couples will be welcomed by his staff.
Gray Honor
One of the nation's best known civil rights lawyers will be honored in Montgomery this afternoon. A historic marker will be unveiled at the intersection of Dexter Avenue and Hull Street where Fred Gray's law office once stood. Gray's former clients include Rosa Parks, protesters in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march and survivors of the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study.
No Nightclub
The Montgomery City Council unanimously rejected a bid to re-open the Centennial Bar and Grill on Highland Avenue. The former night club was shut down in the aftermath of a multiple shooting in December 2013. In other city business affairs, the wording on a proposed no-smoking ordinance remains a work in progress, according to Councilman C.C. Calhoun. Montgomery Chamber of Commerce officials credit the Camelia Bowl for an increase in the hotel occupancy rate which climbed more than 6 percent in December.
Hyundai Sales
The major automakers, including Hyundai, are reporting double-digit sales increases for January. Hyundai Motor America said January sales climbed 1 percent and the automaker sold more than 16,000 vehicles. The top sellers were the Sonata and Elantra vehicles built in Montgomery. GM, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler and Nissan each posted double-digit gains last month.