Bingo permits, licenses coming to head in Bessemer

Four bingo licenses will be transferred and three new ones issued at next Tuesday's Bessemer City Council meeting.

The Bingo Committee met today and heard the frustrations of bingo operators that have been stalled by Mayor Ed May and Police Chief Nate Rutledge.

Bingo attorney Kim Davidson, however, said all of this could be ending soon because the council has subpeona power that could be used to force the mayor and his police chief to answer questions and produce documents.

The mayor didn't like hearing this and at one point refused to answer a question put to him.

Of course, he was not testifying under a subpeona, but that could soon change.

Currently there are six organizations licensed for bingo in Bessemer.

—Tribune staff report

Early problems face Bessemer elections

Upcoming city elections in Bessemer could be tarnished because the city does not have a city clerk, according to Councilwoman Dorothy Davidson.

She brought the matter up at this week's planning session but nobody else jumped on the subject.

Travis Brooks, a senior accountant, has been illegally filling the role at Mayor Ed May's request.

Because Brooks works so close with May many observers are wondering about the entire electoral process.

Davidson is running for mayor.

—Tribune staff report

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Built it, they will come

A growing mountain of trash is building on the Bessemer city lot on 15th Street. The mountain is about 12 feet high and 50 feet wide. There is no explanation. Even other city officials are wondering what's up Mayor Ed May's sleeve.

—Tribune staff report

After a month, it's gone

Interesting set of circumstances this week: For about a month this pile of trash was blocking the alley next to the Jefferson County Jail and 19th Street in Bessemer.

Right after our print edition came out yesterday, the trash was removed. That's the good news.

Problem is we don't have the time canvas the Flint Hill and Carriage Hills areas of town where Christmas garbage is still sitting.

—Tribune staff report

Bessemer's 'white elephant' costly

A not-so-funny thing happened Tuesday to Jefferson County Commissioner Bobby Humphryes.

Humphryes has been telling folks the new county courthouse in Bessemer was about to open when he found out that's not the case.

But the taxpayers must pay $5.3 million in bond debt this year for the white elephant.

—Tribune staff report

No money for ClasTran

ClasTran, the transportation firm that hauls the elderly and the sick to medical appointments and the like, made a discovery on Tuesday that most people have know for a long time.

Bessemer doesn't have any money.

ClasTran came to complain that the city had budgeted $15,000 for the agency two years ago and ClasTran was never paid.

Of course, the city owes about $1 million to the county transit authority.

So get in line.

—Tribune staff report

ON NEWSSTANDS NOW

Bingo's back ... Meet the man who foiled a Klan Plan ... And Bubba's on fire this week ...

Bessemer records year's first homicide

A Bessemer man is the first homicide victim of the year, according to Bessemer police.

Marquis White, 32, was shot in the side on Owen and Ninth avenues at 12:26 a.m. Sunday, police said.

The victim continued to drive his car after being shot and ran into a convenience store on Hall Avenue, said Capt. Mike Roper.

Roper says police collected shell casing at the scene and an investigation is underway.

Councilman Jesse Matthews said, "This just validates what I've been saying. Until we get some aggressive policing and stop raiding bingo parlors this is what we can expect."

—Tribune staff report

80 new jobs coming to Bessemer

As was first reported last month here, a Pennsylvania firm is investing $5 million and will create 80 jobs with a new pipe coating plant in Bessemer.

Liberty Group of Morrisville, Pa., confirmed it will set up shop in Bessemer's Interstate Industrial Park, the old Pullman-Standard rail car manufacturing operation of 216 acres there.

The jobs are much-needed as Bessemer's December jobless rate was 14.5 percent.

—Tribune staff report

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