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Knight Elected Vice President of State County Commissions Association

Joe Knight was bearing gifts when he arrived at Tuesday’s meeting of the Jefferson County Commission. The District 4 commissioner brought awards from the Association of County Commissions of Alabama. But beyond the awards – which included administrator of the year for retiring County Manager Tony Petelos – Knight had a prize he received, having been elected vice president of the state body of county commissions. “We haven't had anybody from Jefferson County in over 20 years who has been involved as an officer of that organization,” Knight said. “I, along with some encouragement from some people, decided to put my name in the hat, was nominated and then was elected last Thursday.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

COVID Drives Up Costs at Jefferson County Jails

What looked to be a $500,000 cleaning bill for a month raised the eyebrows of Jefferson County Commissioners during their committee meeting Monday morning. The sheriff’s office had asked for more money during the final weeks of the 2020 fiscal year. The apparent reason was a hefty cleaning bill at the two county jails. But commissioners learned that increased expenses for feeding prisoners brought on by pandemic protocols contributed to the large request. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Sewell, Alabama’s Lone Congressional Democrat, Seeks to Strengthen Voting Rights, Defeat Party Infighting

Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, the lone Democrat in Alabama’s seven-member congressional delegation, is seeking to grow the party with a two-pronged approach — countering Republican-backed voting restrictions while raising money to protect Democratic incumbents against challenges from the left. First elected in 2011, Sewell has for four successive congresses introduced legislation to restore much of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, legislation that mandated federal oversight of election laws in areas with a history of racial discrimination. That historic legislation was largely struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013. The court's ruling that the law's requirements were outdated  led to state legislatures issuing a ream of voting restrictions in the wake of that decision. This year, Sewell again introduced the bill, House Resolution 4, newly named the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in honor of the Alabama-born Georgia congressman and civil rights icon who died last year. Read more.

by Brett Davis

ADN Poll: Most Republicans Trust Vaccines, Value Health Care

MONTGOMERY — A majority of Alabama Republicans trust the COVID-19 vaccines and are concerned about the delta variant currently spreading across the state, according to a new Alabama Daily News poll. The poll also showed a strong majority of GOP voters believe all Alabamians should have access to quality health care, and close to a

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News

Two Incumbents, Including President, Ousted from Board of Education

Two members of the Birmingham Board of Education, including President Daagye Hendricks, were defeated in Tuesday’s election, and a third incumbent was forced into a runoff. Challenger Derrick Billups got 55% of the votes to oust District 4 member and board President Daagye Hendricks. District 2 incumbent Terri Michal fell to Neonta Williams, who collected 56% of the vote in the two-candidate field. In District 1, challenger Sherman Collins Jr. narrowly led incumbent Douglas Lee Ragland in a three-way race, but neither got a majority and they will meet in a runoff Oct. 5. Each got 43% of the vote, with Collins leading by 13 votes. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Woodfin Reelected Birmingham Mayor in Landslide

As the newly reelected mayor of Birmingham stepped to the stage upstairs at The Fennec in the Parkside District, a few hundred people chanted, “We’re With Woodfin,” and “Four More Years.” Indeed, they were with Randall Woodfin at the ballot box on Tuesday. As a result, the incumbent pushed aside seven challengers and earned another four-year term in office. “The energy in this room tonight doesn't reflect me,” he said. “It reflects us. The energy in this room is the definition of Team Birmingham.” In total, 36,790 Birmingham residents went to the polls Tuesday, for a voter turnout of 25.27%. Incumbents did well in the City Council election, with six of the nine incumbent councilors being returned to their seats outright and two more heading to an Oct. 5 runoff. Incumbents on the city’s board of education didn’t fare as well. Read more. Strong Campaign Propels Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to a Second Term (WBHM) 2021 Birmingham City Election Results

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Six City Council Members Win Reelection; Parker and Hilliard Face Runoffs

Though two of them will have to fight for their seats in an Oct. 5 runoff election, Tuesday's municipal election proved friendly to incumbents on the Birmingham City Council, with six councilors retaining their seats outright, despite a crowded slate of challengers. Councilors facing multiple challengers had to receive over 50% of the vote to avoid triggering an Oct. 5 runoff election with the second-place candidate. Most were successful, but two — District 4’s William Parker and District 9’s John Hilliard — were not and will faces runoffs on Oct. 5. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Poll Shows Ivey Remains Popular; Support for Prison Upgrades

A poll of Republican voters in Alabama shows Gov. Kay maintaining popularity as she heads toward a reelection campaign in 2022. Polling this month by Alabama Daily News also indicated support for the effort to improve conditions in Alabama prisons, education reform and the fuel tax that was approved in 2019. But respondents said they

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News
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