Traffic is being detoured today and Sunday at the railroad tracks and Hwy 150. Police have both sides of the tracks blocked. Traffic is expected to be back to normal for Monday's commute.
—Tribune staff report
Saturday, February 6, 2010
DETOUR
Traffic is being detoured today and Sunday at the railroad tracks and Hwy 150. Police have both sides of the tracks blocked. Traffic is expected to be back to normal for Monday's commute.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Louise Alexander trial testimony ends
Testimony in the trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander ended today.
Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos set Monday at 9:30 for closing arguments and then she will charge the jury.
The jury should begin deliberation before noon and a decision could be reached by the end of the day.
During the cross examination by prosecutor William Lisenby he pointed to a number of discrepancies and wanted to know of if all of the others who testified had lied.
For example, a fax supposedly sent to developer Stan Pate was actually sent to council secretary Angela Coleman. The state investigator retrieved it from her.
Alexander could not understand how that could have possibly happened.
—Tribune staff report
Charity bingo dead — for the moment
Charity electronic bingo in the Bessemer Cutoff is dead — for the moment.
District Attorney Arthur Green is giving bingo hall operators unless 6 p.m. to cease operations.
Green, appearing in Circuit Judge Eugene Verin's courtroom this morning, said based on the state Supreme Court ruling "the gig is up."
Verin's courtroom was packed with attorneys who claim they will continue to argue the constitutionality issue.
If the halls don't close voluntarily, Green said he will allow Gambling Task Force Chief John Tyson Jr. to take action.
—Tribune staff report
St. Lu-Lu?
Louise Alexander and attorney U.W. Clemon this morning.
In one case she blamed City Hall for not having enough money to cash a check, which sent her stepdaughter to Colonial Bank to deposit it. This was a mistake, she said.
The rest of the testimony was about how she spent tireless hours putting together gift baskets for children and arranging banquets for senior citizens.
Someone remarked that she must be vying for sainthood.
The prosecution will cross examine her this afternoon.
She also reiterated that if she is set free she will run for mayor this summer.
—Tribune staff report
Day in court
Day Five of the trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander is about to begin on the sixth floor of the Bessemer Courthouse, and on the seventh floor, the future of electronic charity bingo should be made more clear.
Alexander is expected to take the stand in Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos' courtroom at some point today to defend herself.
Circuit Judge Eugene Verin is expected to clarify his position on charity bingo in the Bessemer Cutoff during a hearing.
—Tribune staff report
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Day Four of Louise Alexander trial
Day Four of the trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander ended with a long list of meaningless and boring defense witnesses that wasted everybody's time.
Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos seemed to be as bored as the jurors were with witnesses who said Alexander did a lot of gift-giving. Well, okay.
But there was raw meat in the early part of the afternoon as the defense put its ethics "expert" on the stand and he basically refuted the morning's "expert" supplied by the state.
U.W. Clemon, the ex-federal judge, brought in one of his former clerks, state Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Choy to testify.
Choy said the commission looked at the records presented after an investigation and he felt — according to the statute — that Alexander did not violate the law regarding the charge of soliciting money or using money for personal gain.
That's when it got interesting. Prosecutor Bill Lisenby reminded Choy that he had voted to find probable cause to refer the case for prosecution.
Choy got hot and Petelos had to remind him several times that he was called as a witness and not as an attorney.
The case, which looked like it could go well into next week, could actually wrap up tomorrow, highlighted by Alexander testifying on her own behalf.
—Tribune staff report
It's raining — inside the new school's gym
The new roof at the new Bessemer City High School was supposed to last for 30 years, but it barely made 30 days when a leak sprung this morning.
Rain water poured onto the basketball court where the scorer's table will be for tonight's opening round playoff game against Hueytown.
Chris Woods Construction built the $53 million facility.
—Tribune staff report
Alexander trial gets into ethics
Louise Alexander chats with attorney Laura Chain this morning before trial resumes.
Hugh Evans, general counsel for the state Ethics Commission, testified about what constitutes a matter of ethics violations to give the jury a more clear picture of the what the trial is about.
It ended the state's case.
Chris Browning, a private investigator who used to work for the state, testified that Alexander did not provide him with receipts and on the second visit was turned away as she told him this was all political.
In the afternoon session, developer Stan Pate is expected to be back on the witness stand because the defense wants to review his notes.
—Tribune staff report
Alexander trial turning into circus
This morning's trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander is turning into a circus as proceeding will not get under way until late this morning of early afternoon.
The reason is that the state wants to bring in an expert witness and the defense wants to bring in one of its own.
Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos has not ruled on either request.
—Tribune staff report
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Louise Alexander trial: Prosecutors pick up steam
Day three of the felony trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander saw prosecutors beginning to pick up steam.
After developer Stan Pate testified in the morning, he came under tough questioning by defense attorney U.W. Clemon, but he did not break.
Mayor Ed May's testimony was somewhat anti-climatic since he didn't recall many of the things he was questioned about — a typical courtroom answer by the mayor.
When asked if Alexander was his friend, however, May turned sullen and replied that he had no friends on the City Council.
Funniest part of his testimony was that he continued to refer to Clemon as "judge," in reference to the retired U.S. district judges' past.
Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos calls the defense attorney "Mr. Clemon."
Day four will begin at 8:30.
—Tribune staff report
New magazine available
The new Bessemer Magazine 2010 is available at no cost at the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce.
Published by the Tribune, the full-color magazine is loaded with interesting stories and information.
—Tribune staff report
Signing day
Bessemer City linebacker LaDarius Owens today was already in his Auburn jersey for signing day, which was held in the gym in front of many of the school's students. It was also signing day for lineman Gabriel Player, who is headed to Tuskegee and Mario Wren and Marcus Gibbs, who are going to Western New Mexico. Coach Billy Woodham says some of his other players will probably to to Western New Mexico.
Pate takes witness stand
Louise Alexander before court this morning.
Pate said Alexander originally wanted $22,000 for one school, but he agreed to give $8,000.
Only after talking with school officials did he realize there might be a problem.
At that point, according to his testimony, he called Attorney General Troy King's office.
Defense attorney U.W. Clemon began cross examination shortly before noon, but Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos decided to break for lunch because Clemon said he would need at least one hour.
—Tribune staff report
U.S. Pipe to close Birmingham factory
U.S. Pipe and Foundry said this morning it is closing its plant in north Birmingham and shifting the production to its more modern Bessemer facility.
The shutdown, which will happen by March 31, means the loss of 260 jobs.
The Bessemer plant employs a new automated process for producing pipe.
—Tribune staff report
Hwy 150 to be closed for rail work
Hwy 150 at the railroad tracks in Bessemer will be closed this weekend as CSX does work on its tracks.
Traffic will be re-routed through downtown, according to officials.
The crossing at 16th Street and the tracks has been closed for a month.
—Tribune staff report
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Council extends old budget again
Bessemer's City Council, after blabbering endlessly tonight about minor items, finally realized that it was supposed to approve the 2010 budget, albeit nearly five months late.
The subject came up because the city could not pay its bills.
So the council extended the 2009 budget until Feb. 16 in hopes of getting some questions answered next Tuesday so that it can approve the $35.5 million spending plan.
—Tribune staff report
Prosecutors make a comeback in afternoon
The trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander has finished its second day, with the afternoon session making a 180-degree turnaround from the morning.
Prosecutors brought in a witness from BB&T (formerly Colonial Bank) who provided proof that two checks made out to the City of Bessemer and another to Abrams Elementary School were all paid to Alexander's account.
Also, the principal of Abrams testified that the alleged gift baskets and presents Alexander claims to have given to student and teachers in 2006 and 2007 were significantly less elaborate than the councilwoman has maintained.
After a rousing morning for the defense, Alexander and her attorney, former U.S. district judge U.W. Clemon said stoically through what must have been a difficult moment.
The trial will resume Wednesday at 9 a.m.
—Tribune staff report
ON NEWSSTANDS NOW
Lu-Lu in court ... LaPierre money to May ... And Bizarro could have a $200 million payday, that's right, $200 million ...
Lu-Lu's attorney rips witnesses
Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander's case appears brighter after this morning's heavy questioning of witnesses by her attorney, former U.S. district judge U.W. Clemon.
Clemon, above escorting Alexander into court this morning, ripped apart prosecution witnesses Travis Brooks and Councilwoman Dorothy Davidson.
He had Brooks so confused at one point that the city accountant appeared to be on the verge of tears.
One new element: Alexander plans on running for mayor this summer — if she gets off, that is.
—Tribune staff report
Monday, February 1, 2010
Jury seated in Lu-Lu trial
A jury of 14 people was seated today in the Louise Alexander felony trial and opening arguments will start tomorrow morning.
Of the jurors, 10 are women and four are men.
The ethnic breakdown is eight black women and two white, and three black men and one white.
Interesting, it would appear that former U.S. district judge U.W. Clemon will be the lead litigator for the defense team.
He was appointed to the federal court position in 1980 and has not spent much time in state criminal court cases.
—Tribune staff report
READ FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S NEWSPAPER
Jury selection begins
UPDATE
The proceedings will break for lunch before Petelos completes the interviews and attorneys begin picking the jurors.
The case will reconvene at 2 p.m.
—Tribune staff report
Getting prepared
Former U.S. district judge U.W. Clemon goes to work early representing Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander this morning in the Bessemer courthouse.
Alexander is charged with misuse of her office.
—Tribune staff report
Lu-Lu goes to trial
Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander enters the courtroom of Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos this morning at the Bessemer courthouse with her attorney, former U.S. district judge U.W. Clemon.
They were alone. The trial is scheduled to begin between 10 and 10:30 a.m.
—Tribune staff report
Lu-Lu trial begins this morning
The long-awaited trial of Bessemer Councilwoman Louise Alexander for misuse of her office is set to begin this morning in the courtroom of Circuit Judge Teresa Petelos.
We'll be there throughout what is expected to be a five-day trial.
If Alexander gets off it will cost taxpayers more than $200,000 for her defense.
—Tribune staff report
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