Guilty: Former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty today to making false statements to the FBI. It’s the first plea by any of the four former advisers to President Donald Trump charged so far in the wide-ranging investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. Flynn has been under investigation for a wide range of allegations, including his lobbying work on behalf of Turkey, but the fact that he was charged only with a single count of making false statements suggests he is cooperating with Mueller’s investigation in exchange for leniency. Read more.
Arrested: A man who promised to bring a $1.5 billion aluminum plant to Pineville has been arrested in Alabama on a warrant from the Alexandria Police Department, The Town Talk reports. The warrant accuses Roger Boggs of trying to defraud a bank by mortgaging a piece of property he owned in another state, then transferring the property to a relative. Boggs was CEO of Revolution Aluminum, which creditors forced into bankruptcy. A Revolution subsidiary had bought a former International Paper facility in Pineville for $3.9 million, promising to build the aluminum plant there. The two companies owed creditors more than $6 million. Read more.
Powering up: Tesla has built the world’s biggest lithium battery in the Australian outback. Tesla says the battery has the capacity to power 30,000 homes for up to an hour in the event of a severe blackout. The battery began dispatching power into the state grid on Thursday afternoon, providing 70 megawatts as temperatures rose above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It is more likely to be called into action to boost supply during peak demand periods. Read more.
