Sen. Doug Jones enters the final quarter of 2019 with more than $5 million in the bank as he campaigns for a full term in the U.S. Senate. Jones, who became the first Democrat to represent Alabama in the Senate since 1997 when he defeated Roy Moore in a special election in December 2017, has amassed almost twice as much cash as any of his potential Republican challengers. Read more.
The Birmingham City Council today took a big step toward fulfilling the promise of Birmingham Promise by funding apprenticeships and scholarships for students of Birmingham city high schools. By unanimous consent, council members authorized the mayor to execute a project agreement between the city and Birmingham Promise in which Birmingham Promise will administer a program to, among other things, increase postsecondary opportunities and economic prosperity of graduates of Birmingham schools. The city will provide $10 million during the next five years – $2 million per year – subject to extension in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Students must be enrolled in city schools now in order to qualify for the apprenticeships. Read more.
Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens and President Pro Tem Lashunda Scales are often on opposite sides of discussions. In Thursday’s commission meeting, they once again wound up on different sides of the fence, but their sentiments were not as far apart as they might have appeared. Stephens pulled for separate consideration resolutions allotting $100,000 apiece to Alabama A&M and Alabama State universities. That money is to assist in the promotion of the annual Magic City Classic football game. Scales, Sheila Tyson and Joe Knight voted for the actions. Stephens abstained and Steve Ammons was absent. Read more.
One Birmingham City Council seat will be up for a runoff after none of the candidates won more than 50 percent of the votes in Tuesday’s balloting. See full results here. Wardine Towers Alexander will face Ray Brooks on Nov. 19 in a runoff for the council District 7 seat. Alexander won 42.41% of the vote to challenger Ray Brooks’ 30.88%. Two other races were decided Tuesday. Crystal Smitherman will return as council District 6 councilor, having garnered 51.50% of the vote in a seven-candidate field. In the District 1 race, Clifton Woods will return to the council, with 71.27% of the vote in his district. The three propositions to renew separate ad valorem taxes all passed by wide margins, with those voting yes in each race amounting to about 90%. Reporting of full results was delayed until Wednesday because of an error in the handling of electronic machine memory cards at three different precincts. The cards from the Martha Gaskins School, Robinson Elementary School and Five Points West precincts were sealed inside boxes that contained the paper ballots filled out by voters. Officials with the Birmingham City Clerk’s office had to get a court order Wednesday morning to allow them to open the box and add those votes to the total. Read more.
Two high-ranking leaders from UAB today asked Jefferson County to invest with the Southside institution in making the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building a reality. UAB President Ray Watts and Dr. Selwyn Vickers, the senior vice president for medicine and dean of the School of Medicine, asked commissioners during their committee meeting to consider putting $1 million per year for five years into the $70 million project. The 140,000-square-foot building will house more than 50 research operations, which the pair said will produce annual revenue of $35 million to $55 million, or a total of $175 million to $300 million over five years. But, they said, it’s not just about the money. Watts said the work there will lay the foundation for health care for the future of Birmingham, Jefferson County and beyond. Read more.
UPDATED — A recently fired top staffer in the presidential campaign of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, previously worked in the campaigns of both Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. Rich McDaniel was dismissed by the Warren campaign after an investigation into “inappropriate behavior,” according to a press release from the campaign. The political news website Politico reported the dismissal on Saturday and quoted the press statement as saying, “Over the past two weeks, senior campaign leadership received multiple complaints regarding inappropriate behavior by Rich McDaniel. Over the same time period, the campaign retained outside counsel to conduct an investigation. Based on the results of the investigation, the campaign determined that his reported conduct was inconsistent with its values and that he could not be a part of the campaign moving forward.” Read more.
Birmingham voters go to the polls Tuesday to elect council members in three districts. Turnout in the special election is expected to be low, but interest is high in District 6, an area that covers UAB, Titusville, and parts of west Birmingham. That race has seven candidates — more than twice the number of the other contests. Residents say, there’s lots of work ahead for whoever wins the seat. Among the main issues, residents say, are eliminating blight and bringing quality retail shops and grocery stores to the area. Read more.
City Council D1 Sherman Collins Jr. Haki Jamaal Muhammad Clinton Woods City Council D6 Willine Body Carlos Chaverst LaTanya Millhouse Clarence Muhammad Crystal Smitherman Keith O. Williams Onoyemi “Oni” Williams City Council D7 Wardine Towers Alexander Ray Brooks Lonnie Franklin Malone Birmingham City Council district maps
Birmingham City Council, District 6 Age: 43 Residence: Birmingham (Graymont) Political Experience: None. Professional Experience: Analyst, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, 2013-present; Guest and Member Relations Representative, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012-13; Correctional Senior Probation Officer, State of Florida Department of Corrections, 2006-13; Child Abuse Investigator, State of Florida Department of Children and Families,
Birmingham City Council, District 6 Age: 26 Residence: Birmingham Political Experience: Field Organizer, Terra Strategies, 2017; Executive Assistant to Councilor Sheila Tyson, Birmingham City Council, 2015-17; Candidate for Constable, AL House District 60, 2015; HBCU Outreach Coordinator, Bernie 2016, 2015-16; Field Director, Organizing for Action, 2012-13. Professional Experience: CEO, Chaverst Strategies, 2017-present; Political Strategist, Touch
