Virginia Martin

New Bike- and Scooter-Sharing Service OK’d for Birmingham

A new micromobility service has been approved to operate in Birmingham despite open doubt from city councilors that such businesses are worth the trouble. Councilors approved allowing the Lime bike- and scooter-sharing business to operate in the Magic City, although some councilors suggested tightening city ordinances to make sure e-bikes and e-scooters don’t become a public nuisance, particularly if customers leave them randomly on sidewalks and streets rather than returning them. Read more.

City officials want parents to combat gun violence. Community leaders say it’s not that simple.

It’s been 20 years since Shunda Milhouse lost her daughter, April, to gun violence when she was 15 years old. The mother of six said she finds joy in seeing her daughters happy, but she said the pain of losing a child never goes away. “It’s almost like time has stopped,” Milhouse said. “I don’t look at it as being 20 years. To me, it’s almost like yesterday.” Milhouse says April asked to tag along with one of her older sisters for Senior Skip Day. Milhouse said she would usually say no to that kind of thing, but that day she said yes. April and her sister went to a park to meet up with other friends. While they were out, a man in his 20s tried to hit on April, and April said no. “So she walked away and somehow his ego got bruised,” Milhouse said. “And when she declined to speak with him, he went to the trunk of his car and he got out a gun and he just started shooting in the park and he shot my baby in her back.” Milhouse said she never expected that something like this would happen to her child. “A lot of parents say, ‘not my child. This wouldn’t happen in my home,’” Milhouse said. “But little do they know guns are being hidden right there in your home.” She said in order for things to change — and for fewer shootings to happen — people need to be invested in their community, because when young people are taken care of, they take care of their communities. Read more.

Teens Say Birmingham’s Gun Violence Takes a Heavy Toll

Teens Say Birmingham’s Gun Violence Takes a Heavy Toll

At least 11 students in Birmingham have died due to gun violence since the beginning of the year, and their peers say the ongoing issue causes their mental health to suffer. Read more.

Alabama Health Providers Warn of Unusually Early Flu Activity

In recent weeks, outpatient providers across Alabama have reported high levels of influenza-like illness, with kids facing the highest risk of hospitalization. Read more.

Election Analysis: Women Spearhead Republican Dominance in Alabama

Republicans continued their stronghold at the state level with Gov. Kay Ivey claiming a second full term and Katie Britt winning election to the U.S. Senate. Read more.

Pettway Retains Sheriff’s Office, New BOE Member Elected, Ivey and Britt Claim Expected Wins

Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway said his experience and the programs he has in place made the difference in him defeating challenger Jared Hudson during Tuesday’s election. Pettway, a Democrat, took 52.09% of the vote against Republican challenger Jared Hudson, who got 47.84%, in unofficial election results released Tuesday night. “Our numbers are good,” the reelected sheriff said during a celebration at the Canvass Center. “The numbers are trending down in the right direction so Jefferson County is safe. We're doing a very good job. The deputies are all doing a great job throughout Jefferson County. We appreciate the work and we're proud of the work that they're doing.” Pettway cited the Crisis Care Center, which is set to open in a few weeks, as an asset for his department. “That is gonna be a game-changer for everybody here in law enforcement, as well as those that are looking to get treatment.” Find complete election results for statewide and Jefferson County races. Congresswoman Terry Sewell also celebrated at the Canvass Center as she, too, was reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives District 7 seat. "I'm excited that the Democrats went large and it was much better than people anticipated," Sewell said. "We're very excited to be here in Jefferson County." In other Jefferson County races of note, newcomer Stephanie Floyd, a Democrat, beat out incumbent Republican Donna Pike to take a seat on the Jefferson County Board of Education. Floyd took 62.07% of the vote to Pike’s 37.86%. On the statewide level, Gov. Kay Ivey claimed another term and Katie Britt was elected to her first term in the U.S. Senate. Voters also approved an editing and recompilation of the state’s constitution that in part removed defunct racist language that had remained in the 1901 governing document. Read more.

Election Results Nov. 8, 2022

Find complete election results for statewide and Jefferson County races. Read more.

Birmingham to Get Federal Help to Improve Stormwater System, Reduce Flooding

Birmingham will receive federal assistance to assess and improve the city’s stormwater drainage systems. The city is one of 20 in the nation — out of more than 100 applicants — to receive a technical assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “There’s no direct funding that will be given to the city,” Kim Speorl, a zoning administrator for the city, told councilors Tuesday. “We will be given a representative who will work with our stormwater and our floodplain and hazard mitigation department to identify projects to apply for FEMA grant funding in the future.” Read more.

General Election Voter Toolbox

Know Before You Go You can find your polling place and check your registration status on this Secretary of State’s Office site. Some polling places in Jefferson County have been changed this year, so it might be a good idea to double check where you’re expected to vote even if this doesn’t usually cause you

BirminghamWatch General Election Voter Guide 2022

Voters went to the polls Nov. 8, 2022, to decide who will be the next state and local officeholders, along with 10 amendments and a referendum on a rewrite of the state constitution. BirminghamWatch’s 2022 General Election Voter Guide includes profiles on the newly elected officials and candidates, along with explanations of the amendments and other election-related info. Read more.