Donald Trent Jones Alabama Governor Party: Republican Age: 39 Residence: Montevallo Political experience: None Professional experience: Co-founder, Yoga & Love Education: Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, University of Montevallo Main issues: Advocating for yoga, mindfulness, healthy living and healthy food Top Contributors: None filed Campaign: facebook.com/trent.jones.5876
Tim James Alabama Governor Party: Republican Age: 60 Residence: Greenville Political experience: Candidate, Alabama Governor, 2002, 2010 and 2022 Professional experience: President, Tim James Inc.; founder, Baldwin County Bridge Co., 1996-2006; owner and operator, Escambia County Environmental Corp., 1986-96 Civic experience: N/A Education: Auburn University; Baylor School Main issues: Improving Alabama schools; stopping casinos from coming to Alabama;
Kay Ivey Alabama Governor Party: Republican Age: 77 Residence: Montgomery Political experience: Alabama governor, 2017-present; lieutenant governor, 2014-2017; state treasurer, 2002-2014 Professional experience: Assistant director of Alabama Development Office; reading clerk of the Alabama House of Representatives; bank officer; high school teacher Civic experience: Civic honors include the ALFA Service to Agriculture Award, Newsmax’s 50 Most Influential Female
Stacy Lee George Alabama Governor Party: Republican Age: 53 Residence: Arab Political experience: Candidate, Governor of Alabama, 2014; Commissioner, Morgan County, 2000-08 Professional experience: Correctional officer, Alabama Department of Corrections, 2009-present; Amtec Corporation, 1997-2000; Wyle Laboratories, 1987 Education: Calhoun Community College; Auburn University; Brewer High School, 1987 Main issues: Improving transparency in Montgomery; developing a Veteran Task
Lew Burdette Alabama Governor Party: Republican Age: 63 Residence: Birmingham Political experience: None Professional experience: President, King’s Home, 2002-present; CEO and owner, Kindred Inc.; chief operating officer, Books-A-Million, 1985-98 Civic experience: Director of Christian education, First United Methodist Church, Florence, 1982-85 Education: University of Alabama, 1981 Main issues: Ending corruption in state politics, including limiting campaign contributions; implementing
Lindy Blanchard Alabama Governor Party: Republican Age: 62 Residence: Montgomery Political experience: Former candidate, U.S. Senate, 2022; United States ambassador to Slovenia, 2019-21 Professional experience: Founder and former senior adviser, B&M Management Company Civic experience: Founder, 100X Development Foundation, 2004 Education: B.S. in mathematics, Auburn University, 1991 Main issues: Improving education and supporting school choice; fighting critical race
UPDATED — Jefferson County’s chief election official is warning that a new voting security measure will delay returns from the May 24 primary elections. Probate Judge James Naftel said Friday that county officials have worked with Secretary of State officials to find a way to expedite returns. At issue is a new security measure imposed by Secretary of State John Merrill that moves all precinct returns to central computers provided by his office. These two computers cannot be connected to a network and therefore cannot communicate with each other, so there will not be any results released until all precincts have reported and all results are in, Naftel said. Read more.
Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said that someday a future panel of commissioners will say an action taken by the commission Thursday was shortsighted. Stephens cast the one nay vote to a request to rezone property in McCalla from agricultural to commercial to accommodate a convenience store with a gas station and deli. The property, at 4476 Bell Hill Road, next to the UAB West Hospital that’s currently under construction. The current land use plan for that area is rural. Stephens said the immediate future should have been weighed more heavily. Read more.
During its committee meeting Tuesday, the Jefferson County Commission applauded the demolition of public nuisance properties but expressed concern for blight that could follow. Mike Thomas, building inspection services manager with the county’s Department of Developmental Services, presented a resolution for about 30 nuisance properties to be torn down. County Manager Cal Markert commended Thomas, who has 17 demolitions under bid already and another 30 in line. “That'll be 77 within 24 months,” Markert said, “so I’m superexcited.” Said Thomas: “We've always been reactive, looking at when we have complaints. Now we've had the opportunity to go proactive and try to clean up some communities and make things better for the people who live there. “What we want to do is make an impact. We don't want to do one house here and one house there.” Read more.
Birmingham has changed its zoning ordinance to encourage the reuse of historical structures throughout the city. The changes, which were approved Tuesday by the City Council, will provide “incentives and exceptions that are intended to foster the reuse of historical properties and further the goal of maintaining historical character within the city,” said Chief Planner Tim Gambrel. This will promote the conversion of “older, economically distressed, historically significant buildings” into apartments, live-work units or mixed-use developments while excepting them from zoning requirements that would require significant structural changes. Read more.
