ANNISTON, AL (WBRC)- Production has started up on a new, $54 million powertrain transmission facility at the Anniston Army Depot. 

Depot officials joined U.S. Rep Mike Rogers (R) in cutting the ribbon on the facility Friday.

The new facility picks up production that was previously scattered around a number of World War II-era buildings at the depot, and consolidates them into a news, state of the art facility.  It also makes transmissions for the M-1, the Stryker and numerous other vehicles.

The depot's commander, Col. Timothy Sullivan, says the new facility is capable of making the transmissions for nearly all of the Army's heavy combat vehicles.

"What we've done over the last five to eight years is to continue to modernize our facilities and our depot.  And we've done that, again, while we've been engaged in two major conflicts," says Sullivan.

Mercer Morrison from our sister station WDAM offers his take on the high seas claymation movie  "The Pirates! Band of Misfits." The movie is created from the same folks who brought us "Wallace and Gromit" and "Chicken Run."

This review is by Devon Laird and Mercer Morrison. See more Movie Madness with Mercer reviews here on YouTube.

By Marisa Ramiccio

When summer finally arrives, people start spending a lot of time outdoors, basking in the sun's long-awaited rays. But the great outdoors can harbor some health risks, especially during the summer, so before you step outside, prepare yourself for these 10 summer health risks.

Insect-Borne Illness