STOP THE VIOLENCE

About 60 people showed up this morning in Bessemer to march and pray for recent victims of murders. The march began at Bethel Baptist Church on Fifth Avenue North and stopped for awhile here in the 3200 block of Sixth Avenue North to pray for one of the victims who was killed in the house. The march ended at the Dunbar Community Center. Among the elected officials on hand were Bessemer Mayor Ed May, Councilman Jesse Matthews and state Sen. Priscilla Dunn.

—Tribune staff report 

New CEO at Medical West

Medical West Hospital today announced a new chief executive officer, effective Jan. 4.

Tom R. McDougal Jr., who has been serving as CEO of Springs Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, S.C. since January 2008 is taking over for Don Lilly, who has been serving as interim CEO since June 1.

Medical West is an affiliate of the UAB Health System and the largest employer in Bessemer.

—Tribune staff report

READ COMPLETE STORY IN NEXT WEEK'S NEWSPAPER

New court house will have to wait

Bessemer's new Jefferson County court house, which was scheduled to open earlier this month, probably won't be opened until after next year's elections.

This assessment comes from Commissioner Bobby Humphryes, who said it could be earlier in 2010 but he doubts it.

Commission President Bettye Fine Collins, who never wanted the court house in the first place, would be the one who would have to find the money to open the $40 million facility.

"I don't think it is likely this will happen," Humphryes said.

—Tribune staff report

Secret plan for opening city clerk door

Insiders at Bessemer City  Hall say the City Council is planning a secret strategy to get the locks changed on the City Clerk's office door.

The source wouldn't reveal the plan in detail but said once hatched it could cost Mayor Ed May financial distress from his own pocket.

—Tribune staff report

Repaving three streets to start within 30 days

Bessemer Councilman Albert Soles said today that the paving of three streets in downtown should begin within 30 days.

The streets to be paved are 18th, 19th and 20th, from Carolina Avenue to the Bessemer Super Highway.

Cost of the job is $1.3 million.

Soles said the next step is to bring in an outside individual to assess what other streets need to be paved and then consider floating a bond to pay for it.

—Tribune staff report

Bingo is the law, well, maybe

Bessemer Mayor Ed May this morning announced his veto of an electronic charity bingo ordinance.

After some discussion over its timeliness, City Council President Earl Cochran declared it was too late so there was no need for a vote.

Strangely, no one objected — including the mayor.

Clearly, this means that it will all play out in a courtroom of your choice.

—Tribune staff report

ON NEWSSTANDS NOW

Dogs are back in the news -- around the world ... Oh, and where are those drug funds?

Mayor plans to veto bingo bill

Bessemer Mayor Ed May may not like games, but this morning he played with the City Council's bingo committee by saying three times he is going to veto the latest electronic charity bingo ordinance, but finally said he didn't know what he would do.

May dominated the meeting with council members Louise Alexander, Earl Cochran and Dorothy Davidson.

They tried to explain why they want the measure left alone, while the mayor spent much of the time telling stories about the evil of gambling.

—Tribune staff report