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Grand Jury Investigating Local Government to Continue

Jefferson County Presiding Judge Joseph Boohaker said today that he has been told something will come from the state grand jury investigating Birmingham Water Works Board and other aspects of Birmingham and Jefferson County government. “There will be something coming,” he said. “I have been assured.” Boohaker recently told BirminghamWatch and other media that he would speak with Deputy Attorney General Matt Hart to determine whether the grand jury should continue. “It will press on,” the judge said. “I had a chance to speak with Matt Hart and he assured me they are making progress. As long as they’re making progress, they will continue on.” Read more

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Judge Stands with Order: Gardendale Can Take Steps Toward Separate School System

A federal district judge has declined to reconsider her ruling two weeks ago that allows Gardendale to break away from the Jefferson County Schools on a limited basis, even though she found that Gardendale’s motives for forming its own municipal school system were racially motivated. In a 49-page supplemental memorandum opinion issued Tuesday morning, U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala turned down the request by attorneys for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, representing the original plaintiffs in the landmark Stout v. Jefferson County Board of Education case. That case resulted in the forced desegregation of county schools nearly half a century ago. The attorneys contended Haikala’s finding of racial motivation did not match up with allowing Gardendale to proceed with its separation. Read more Read Haikala’s May 9 order Earlier Stories NAACP Asks Judge to Reconsider Allowing Gardendale to Start Its Own School System Read Hiakala’s initial ruling. NAACP Plans to Ask Judge to Reconsider Gardendale School Order; Ruling in Case Defies Conventional Procedure Judge Haikala Is No Stranger to the Spotlight Federal Judge Gives Gardendale Control Over City’s Elementary Schools, Lets JeffCo Keep Middle and High Schools for Now. What They’re Saying Whites Only: School Segregation Is Back, From Birmingham to San Francisco (Newsweek) Judge: Mostly White Southern City May Secede From School District Despite Racial Motive (Washington Post) Judge Lets White Alabama Town Secede From School District Despite ‘Race’ Being a Factor (NBC News) A Federal Judge Is Letting an Alabama School District Return to Segregation (Salon) A Southern City Wants to Secede From Its School District, Raising Concerns About Segregation (Washington Post)

by Robert Carter, BirminghamWatch

Quality of Life Issues Dominate Discussion in Forest Park-South Avondale Neighborhood

Heavy trucks are breaking storm sewer covers. UAB is working on an affordable, sturdier design. New street lights will soon be installed; you can ask for shades if they’re too bright. What’s going on with the missing trash pickup? Why won’t Birmingham allow speed bumps to slow traffic? Crime is down a bit this month, and offenses reported are mostly property crimes. Everyday quality of life items dominated discussion at Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Forest Park-South Avondale Neighborhood Association. The mellow tone was notable as an election season cranks up in Birmingham. Read more

by Carol Nunnelley, BirminghamWatch

Jeffco Commission Looking for Development Land

The Jefferson County Commission Tuesday agreed to transfer $10,000 from its economic development fund to the Jefferson County Economic & Industrial Development Authority to acquire land for county development. Read more

by Virginia Martin

Judge Haikala Is No Stranger to the Spotlight

U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala, who is drawing attention for her ruling in the Gardendale school case, has been no stranger to headlines in high-profile Alabama cases since she became a judge in 2013. She is handling the Hoover City Schools’ attendance rezoning issue, which could affect school desegregation in that system. She was the judge in a 2014 Huntsville City Schools desegregation case. And in 2016, she threw out charges and acquitted a Madison police officer accused of using excessive force against an Indian grandfather injured while visiting his son; her actions came after two juries deadlocked on verdicts.

by Carol Nunnelley, BirminghamWatch

A Fix for Racial Gerrymandering? Legislators to Debate Whether New Plan Cures Voting District Problems

Legislators on Tuesday will begin debating a committee’s plans for redrawing House and Senate districts a federal court ruled had been racially gerrymandered. With only a handful of days left before the regular session must end, the Permanent Legislative Committee on Reapportionment last week approved a redistricting plan. But Democratic members of the committee were not satisfied with changes made to the state’s districting maps and said they thought the committee had not changed lines enough. Read more.

by Hanno van der Bijl, BirminghamWatch

From Vacant Industrial Land to Puppy Palace? Residents Debate Use of Old Trinity Steel Land in Titusville

Sixty Titusville residents sat in the sweltering gymnasium of Memorial Park Recreation Center to consider giving their support for the old Trinity Steel property going to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. “It is so hot in here,” said Greater Birmingham Humane Society President and CEO Allison Black Cornelius, “but they stayed.” When each side had made its case, 52 residents voted for the Humane Society to move to the long idle property from its Snow Drive location in Homewood. Eight voted no. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
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