Gail Short - a freelance writer in Birmingham, Alabama

​​Americans are enamored with the SUV these days.

The sedan? Well, it seems U.S. drivers are just not into them the way they use to be.

Last fall, General Motors announced plans to drop six of its sedans to focus on SUVs and trucks. Ford Motor Co. also has announced plans to end North American sedan sales. And before that, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles stopped producing the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart.

But Hyundai Motor Co., based in South Korea, is one automaker that plans — at least for the foreseeable future — to continue assembling its Elantra and Sonata sedans in the United States at plants like Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) in Montgomery. Read the article here.

Jim Moore, a deacon and 13-year veteran at First Baptist Bryan, may not remember every time the church has helped someone, but one instance stands out. A church member recently testified to an outpouring of kindness he experienced through the church.

The man, a regular in the singles’ ministry, needed to help his elderly parents move out of their home, Moore says. After sharing his dilemma with others in the ministry, several people arrived at the home and helped the man’s parents over two weekends to move their furniture and belongings.

“It moved him to tears to find that there were people who really cared that much about him,” says Moore, “and cared enough to help.” Read the article here. 

MBUSI CEO Jason Hoff was recently named as the new Head of Quality Management for Mercedes-Benz Cars. But weeks before the big announcement, I got a chance to talk with him for Southern Automotive Alliance magazine: 

Q: Two years ago, Mercedes announced plans for a $1.3 billion expansion of the MBUSI plant in Vance, Alabama, including body shop and upgrades to the logistics and IT systems. Tell us about that.

Jason Hoff:  For the most part, that work’s finished. We’re just now launching a new car. We started production a couple of weeks ago where we had the celebration about a week and half ago. So, now we’re getting into the phase of building cars so the last phase for the most part is behind us, and our new body shop is up and running.
Read the article here.

​In 2015, California passed Legislation to close out group homes for foster children and place them in family-based settings instead.
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Diane Partida, a resource family recruiter for foster care and adoption at Uplift Family Services in Sacramento, says research has shown that foster children fare better living in family settings.
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 “Unfortunately, there are never enough homes” says Partida. “There’re always more children than families. We get referrals daily for placements of children in foster family homes, but we never have enough families. That’s the case with all agencies across the board.” Read the articles here: 

Sgt. 1st Class Marion Moses still recalls meeting one of her first clients at the Santa Clara County Veterans Services Office (VSO) where she is director.
A friend had suggested that the client, a veteran who served three tours of duty in Vietnam, visit the VSO to see if he qualified for any veterans’ benefits, Moses says.
 “He came in, and he was rough and gruff and grumpy and didn’t really know why he was there and didn’t really want to be there,” Moses says.  Read the article here.