Author: Virginia Martin
Birmingham Startups Take a Turn in the Spotlight
When Target bought Birmingham-based Shipt, the online grocery delivery service last year, it drew attention to the city’s tech startup scene. Local entrepreneurs got another chance in the spotlight this week. AOL co-founder Steve Case brought his Rise of the Rest tour to the Magic City Wednesday.
The tour is an effort to highlight startup communities that aren’t in tech hotbeds such as San Francisco and New York. Case spoke with WBHM’s Andrew Yeager. Read more and listen to the interview.
Feds Ramp Up Fight Against Violent Crime, Charging Felons with Guns in Alabama
The U.S. Justice Department announced its presence on the Alabama violent-crime-fighting scene this week with a report on a two-month operation in North Alabama that resulted in charges against 71 defendants and 140 guns seized.
U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town has said the U.S. Justice Department and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former U.S. senator from Alabama, had made priorities clear: “It’s guns, it’s dope, it’s illegal immigration, it’s opioids,” he said in an earlier interview.
“The Department of Justice has reserved space in federal prison for gang members, trigger-pullers, violent offenders and felons with guns … and we plan on filling it,” Town said in a press release this week. “We must shift our prosecutorial philosophy more towards Capone rather than Soprano, not conflating the level of crime with the level of criminal.”
Town, U.S. Attorney Richard Moore of Alabama’s Southern District based in Mobile, and U.S. Attorney Louis Franklin of Alabama’s Middle District in Montgomery, all newly appointed by President Donald Trump, earlier discussed their goals for federal law enforcement in the state. Here’s what they had to say. Read more.
In Mobile, New U.S. Attorney Emphasizes Listening Locally, Keeping What Works, Respect
Library Trustees Tell Executive Director He Has Their Support
Members of the Birmingham Public Library board of trustees told embattled Executive Director Floyd Council that he has their support during Tuesday evening’s board meeting.
Board members have met several times in the past few weeks to discuss Council’s performance after employee complaints about his leadership went public. Board members met in closed session for an hour Tuesday evening, the third time they’ve done so in the past month.
“Mr. Council has gone above and beyond during the last weeks and months,” trustee Kimberly Richardson said after the executive session. “He lost his mother recently and yet he’s been here through it all. He has our support.” Read more.
Targeted Tornado Warnings Coming for Jefferson County as Part of Siren Maintenance Plan
Jefferson County and the cities therein will benefit from some nifty shopping when it comes to maintenance of weather sirens.
Weeks ago, Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Coker estimated it would cost $400 annually to maintain each of the 254 sirens in the county. Some sound shopping and deft negotiating yielded a cost that was much lower than that estimate, one that also will provide residents with better targeted warnings.
“We are now able to afford the polygon warning system and still save $53 per siren,” Coker told commissioners at their Tuesday committee meeting. Read more.
Birmingham Library Trustees Expected to Discuss Executive Director’s Performance in Executive Session Tuesday
Birmingham Public Library’s board of trustees is expected to go into executive session during its meeting Tuesday afternoon as members are set to discuss a six-month performance review of new library leader Floyd Council.
If the executive session is called as expected by board attorney Veronica Merritt, it will be the third executive session conducted to discuss issues surrounding Council since complaints about his leadership went public last month.
A survey of employees conducted the week of April 6 showed continuing low morale, concern about internal communications, concern about security and a lack of knowledge about the library’s complaint and grievance process. Highlights were discussed during a meeting last week. The library board’s Personnel Committee also devised a list of recommendations and action items to be taken to the full board Tuesday. Read more.
Read more of BirminghamWatch’s continuing coverage of the issues.
All’s Not Quiet at Birmingham Public Library: Board Surveys Employees after Criticism of Director
Birmingham Library Board Discusses Personnel Issues in Closed Session
Library Personnel Committee Meets in Closed Session, Will Report to Library Board Next Month
Birmingham Council Fills Two Library Board Seats Amid Controversy
Marshall, Christie Lead Their Primary Fields in Fundraising for the AG Race
Fueled by hefty contributions from political action committees, incumbent Steve Marshall and former Attorney General Troy King drew in hundreds of thousands of dollars during April for their campaigns for the Republican nomination for attorney general.
The two hold substantial fundraising advantages over two other candidates in the GOP primary, former U.S. attorney Alice Martin and Birmingham lawyer Chris Bedsole.
Two Democrats running for their party’s nomination, James S. “Chris” Christie and Joseph Jay Siegelman, each brought in smaller amounts of campaign cash. Read more.
Attorney General Contributions
Contributions of $5,000 and up to candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries for attorney general. Read more.
Governor Contributions
Contributions of $5,000 and up to candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries for governor. Read more.
Funding the Campaigns: Contributions to State Candidates
Candidates running in Alabama’s June 5 primaries periodically must file reports with the Secretary of State’s Office naming their contributors. Here are contributions through the end of April for candidates in the state’s top races. Read more.
Lieutenant Governor Contributions
Campaign contributions of $5,000 and up to candidates in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor. There is no Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Read more.
