It took three hours for the state of Alabama to execute Joe Nathan James Jr. last month. The state autopsy won’t be available for months. One reporter conducted an independent autopsy. Read more.
The city of Birmingham will pay $5 million more to the cash-strapped World Games 2022 committee. That decision was made during Tuesday’s council meeting, amid an atmosphere of bitterness from city officials who felt they’d been misled by the games’ organizers. “I know each of you enough to know this sucks,” Mayor Randall Woodfin told councilors. “I feel the same way you feel.” The World Games, which took place July 7-17 after years of planning and promotion, fell far short of its revenue goals, it was reported last week. Though the event ended up costing roughly $65.1 million — which CEO Nick Sellers admitted was close to $10 million less than initially expected — it only generated $51 million in revenue. The organizing committee was left with a $14.1 million deficit and many local vendors were left unpaid for their services. Read more.
The Jefferson County Commission on Tuesday delayed discussion and possible action regarding a reported $14 million deficit in the operations of The World Games 2022. Commissioner Joe Knight, the commission’s finance committee chairman and liaison to The World Games, said the commission has been asked for an additional $4 million to address the shortfall. While moving the matter to the committee agenda of Sept. 6, Knight said he still counts the 11-day sports event as a triumph for the metro area. Read more.
While rumors of election fraud or irregularities have lingered in the city for years, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill confirmed to WBHM his office is looking into allegations of voter fraud in Bessemer this election cycle. Read more.
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to expand urban renewal and redevelopment plans in the city’s Arlington-West End and Downtown West areas, with the goal of acquiring and redeveloping two blighted properties. Read more.
As violent crime in Birmingham and the surrounding area continues to increase, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, Prim Escalona, uses a variety of tools and strategies to get firearms and bad guys off the street. Read more.
The Jefferson County Commission continued celebrating a summertime yuletide Thursday as it adopted resolutions that usher in development to the county. After commissioners sent four development items to the agenda, Commissioner Joe Knight said the experience was “Christmas in August.” But Commission President Jimmie Stephens made it clear the agreements that were consummated today were not gifts to the respective operations. Jefferson County was making an investment. Read more.
The Jefferson County Commission was told during its committee meeting Tuesday that it needs to declare a public health and safety emergency when it comes to emergency medical service in the county. Todd Sheridan is a senior associate with Fitch and Associates, the firm hired to research issues in ambulance response times in Jefferson County. His report today laid out a picture in which some parts of the metro area could have multiple ambulance services responding to a call while others could have none. And some of those who do get responses may have to wait as long as 4½ hours. At least 15 first responders circled the room where commissioners met to hear Sheridan discuss four options for the commission. Read more.
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to appoint seven members to the Birmingham Museum of Art’s board of directors, including four new members and three reappointments. Departing member Braxton Goodrich will be replaced by fellow Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation board member Grace Goodrich, who also works as a development consultant and grant writer and
Alabama leads the nation in graduating high school students on time, but middle school students’ math and reading scores are near last in the country, according to a new report. Alabama ranked 46th in the nation in overall child well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2022 Kids Count Data Book released today. That ranking is up from 47th in 2021. The annual report looks at 16 indicators of child well-being related to education, health care, economic factors and community and family. Data points come from 2016 through 2020. Alabama did improve in 10 of the indicators but in four of them the state fell behind the rest of the nation, according to a written statement today. Read more.
