Alabama Power and Florida Power & Light hired the consulting firm Matrix to help shape their fortunes. Matrix funded six sites that covered politics, filling a void left by the decline of local news.
The passage in the U.S. Senate on a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending received a "yes" vote from both of Alabama's U.S. Senators. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) pushed the bill but a "yes" from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) surprised some.