Government

Who’s Running? 2022 Alabama House Races Update

There are about 20 open Alabama House seats ahead of the 2022 election cycle and several incumbents have announced primary challengers. Here’s an update on who is and isn’t running. Candidates have until Jan. 28 to qualify. Meanwhile, legislative districts could change, some likely significantly, when lawmakers later this month or early next month redraw lines with new census data. GOP Rematch in HD73? Recently elected Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, may again face Republican Leigh Hulsey of Helena for House District 73 seat in Shelby County. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Birmingham Library Delays Plans to Close Four Branches After City Officials Protest

The Birmingham Public Library Board of Trustees has delayed a proposed vote to shut down four library branches after receiving criticism from city leaders, including Mayor Randall Woodfin. In a letter to BPL staff sent out Oct. 8, board President Eunice Johnson Rogers said the board would consider shutting down the BPL’s East Ensley, Ensley, North Avondale and Titusville locations during its Oct. 12 meeting. “Now we are challenged with supporting Mayor Woodfin’s vision of decreasing the number of Birmingham Public Library physical locations,” Rogers wrote. “After careful consideration, the BPL Board of Trustees recommends the permanent closure of the East Ensley, Ensley, North Avondale and Titusville Branch Libraries. All branch libraries identified for closure are located less than three miles from another BPL location.” Rogers’ letter said staff from those branches would be reassigned to work at the BPL’s Five Points West, Avondale and North Birmingham branches. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Work Scheduled to Tear Down Cooper Green Parking Deck, Building New Clinic

Demolition of the old Cooper Green Hospital parking lot is expected to begin later this year or early next year to make way for building a new indigent care clinic in that location, officials with Jefferson County and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System announced Tuesday. Designs for the new clinic, planned to be about 150,000 square feet, are being worked on, and those involved hope it will be ready to open in 2½ to 3 years, David Randall, chief strategy officer for the UAB Health System, said during a press conference. The project is expected to cost between $55 million and $65 million, Randall said. Read more.

by Virginia Martin

No More Euphoria; Bham Council Revokes License of Infamous Club

The Birmingham City Council has revoked the business license of Club Euphoria, an Ensley nightclub deemed a “nuisance” by the surrounding neighborhood. The council originally considered shutting the club down in June after repeated instances of gun violence inside and outside the club, including the June 13 killing of 21-year-old Euphoria patron Lykeria Briana Taylor. The council was split on revocation then, settling on a 13-week delay to give owners time to tighten up their safety plan. At Tuesday’s meeting, Monica Hatcher, an attorney representing club owner Morris Bradley, told councilors that the club had “beefed up security” since June, including patrols around the surrounding neighborhoods to prevent club visitors from parking off-site. But numerous residents argued that Bradley hadn’t done enough to address problems of parking and loud noise. “I have multiple documented occasions where the loud noise and the nuisance was such that neighbors were calling me at all hours of the night,” said Costella Adams Terrell, president of the Rising-West Princeton neighborhood association. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

COVID-19 Federal Funds in Alabama Total $46B, Contribute to Big 2021 Tax Revenues

About $46.8 billion. Billion with a B. That’s how much federal COVID-19 relief money has gone to Alabama residents, businesses and government agencies since the pandemic began. About $30.3 billion of that has been given directly to individuals and businesses to assist them, Kirk Fulford, deputy director of the Legislative Services Agency, told state lawmakers recently. About $6.3 billion was in the Paycheck Protection Program, forgivable loans to help businesses weather the economic drought caused by COVID-related shutdowns. And nearly twice that much, $12.6 billion, has gone directly to individuals in stimulus checks. The money had a big impact on the state’s record tax receipts for fiscal 2021, which ended last week, Fulford said. That’s especially true in the Education Trust Fund, where sales and income tax are the main contributors. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Stephens Left as Last Man Sitting, Recesses JeffCo Commission After Other Commissioners Had to Bolt

They say it’s lonely at the top. As Thursday’s meeting of the Jefferson County Commission neared its end, it was lonely on the dais. Commission President Jimmie Stephens was the only commissioner remaining after others were either absent or had to leave because of other commitments. “I guess I'm the last man standing on this particular deal,” Stephens said after recessing the session. “This is not the pattern, practice or the way we do business. We have commissioners who had other commitments, and this did run over very long. We wanted to give the citizens an opportunity to speak. “At the end of that, we did do what was needed and necessary to take care of the business of the county,” he continued. “We'll have a full quorum next meeting and continue the operations and business.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Melson: Proposed Changes Coming to Medical Marijuana Law

MONTGOMERY— Proposed changes to Alabama’s medical cannabis law will be coming soon. Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, the sponsor of the cannabis bill that became law earlier this year, said he will file legislation to make technical changes to some of the wording around timing and deadlines in the law, including starting the licensing process for growers earlier. Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

A Bad Day for Incumbents: 2 Birmingham Councilors, 1 BOE Member Defeated in Runoffs

Two incumbent city councilors and one incumbent school board member were unseated during Birmingham’s municipal runoff election Tuesday. Council President William Parker and District 9 Councilor John Hilliard lost their seats to political newcomers Jonathan “J.T.” Moore and LaTonya Tate, respectively, while Douglas Ragland lost his seat on the Birmingham Board of Education to his predecessor, Sherman Collins Jr. Jason Meadows, meanwhile, handily beat Le’Darius Hilliard in a race for the school board’s District 9 seat. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

JeffCo Commissioners Begin Redrawing District Lines

The give-and-take of county government will be apparent in coming weeks as Jefferson County commissioners consider how lines separating the five districts will be redrawn. Board of Registrars Chairman Barry Stephenson made a presentation during the commission’s committee meeting Tuesday, showing commissioners maps for three options for evenly distributing the county population using 2020 U.S. Census numbers. Commissioners, following the advice of Stephenson, will advance all three maps for public review. A hearing on the plans will be conducted during the Nov. 4 commission meeting. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Voting Tuesday in Birmingham Council and BOE Runoffs

Voters in parts of Birmingham return to the polls today to make final decisions in two races for the Birmingham City Council and two for the Birmingham Board of Education. The city’s election was held Aug. 24, when voters reelected Mayor Randall Woodfin and selected representatives for seven of the City Council seats and seven of the board of education seats. The runoff is being held because no candidate in two council races, districts 4 and 9, and two board races, districts 1 and 9, received more than half the votes.s. Read more. More information about the election: Birmingham Council and BOE Runoff Candidates. Voting Information

by Virginia Martin