thewesterntrib

Prayer of Serenity

2010-03-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

God grant me the
Serenity
to accept the things I
cannot change
Courage to
change the things I can
and Wisdom to
know the difference

Ciao, baby!

Strange how these polls work

2010-03-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

This past week's poll question wanted to know if Bessemer Mayor Ed May was doing a good job or not.

The poll was up for nearly a week and 90 percent thought he was doing a horrible job.

At 9 p.m. Sunday it was still that way. But between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. today 131 votes poured into the poll saying that he is doing an outstanding job of running the city.

Many are wondering where these votes came from, sort of like in the 2006 runoff election when he — after barely campaigning — scored 58 percent of the total vote.

Some things make you want to say Mmm...

—Tribune staff report

May plans to control City Council

2010-03-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Bessemer Mayor Ed May is planning on tightening his grip on city hall through an organized attempt to take over the City Council.

Final day to qualify to run in the August election is April 2.

May's eldest son, Ed May II, is running the campaign to fill six of the seven council seats.

He is running for Dorothy Davidson's District 1 seat. She is running for mayor.

The other candidates in the May council stable have not been announced yet.

—Tribune staff report

Endorsement, sort of

2010-03-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

I voted for Ed May in 2002 and 2006 and the only thing I got was this silly red nose. Now I'm upset. DO NOT vote for May in 2010.

—Donated political advert

May has distinct advantage

2010-03-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Bessemer Mayor Ed May has a distinct advantage over his rivals in this August's citywide elections as he attempts to gain his third term.

The advantage is money. In 2006, May raised and spent about $250,000, or significantly more per vote than President Obama did in 2008.

Of course, most of May's money came from outside the area. About $55,000 came from Edison, N.J., and Alpharetta, Ga. And some money was funneled through the Political Action Committee (PAC) operated by former Democratic strategist Al LaPierre, now a convicted felon.

As we reported last month, Aaron Killings and Denise Blue Poe — assistant city attorneys — have established three PACs that will undoubtedly be used to help their boss be re-elected.

The problem with PACs is that it is nearly impossible to trace donations, which means the mayor's trail of contributions will for the most part be unknown.

—Tribune staff report

Blog war on Al.com

2010-03-19T16:42:00.001-07:00

UPDATE

Confederates of Jimmy Stephens had Al.com remove all references to his relationship with convicted federal felon Mona Moore.

MORE UPDATE: It appears that half the boggers don't understand what has happened and are just shooting off their mouths.

The Birmingham Snooze finally found out about the lawsuit filed against the Bessemer Bingo Committee of the City Council, charging that it violated the state's Open Meetings law.

But it's the comments that are most interesting.

In three comments posted it is charged that Councilman Jimmy Stephens is beind the suit and that his long-tme girlfriend, Mona Moore, is a convicted federal felon.

We carried a story earlier in the week that Stephens put Moore up to calling Councilwoman Dorothy Davidson and talking long enough to her so that she could be served.

The suit wrongly names Councilman Jesse Matthews. He is not a member of the committee.

—Tribune staff report

St. Patrick's celebration

2010-03-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Bessemer mayoral candidate Kenneth Gulley, left, makes a point to chamber Chairman David Darby and Joni Holt last night during annual St. Patrick's celebration at the Holiday Inn Express attended by about 100 people.

—Tribune staff report

Smoot trades in fancy wheels

2010-03-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Interesting sight at the Bessemer Civic Center the other night: Shelia Smoot being driven around town in a car that was purchased used at one of those buy-here, pay-here operations.

Smoot-dog normally is driven around in a Jefferson County car and they are normally parked illegally.

Thinks this change has something to do with her ludicrous campaign for Congress?

—Tribune staff report

Eastern Valley fire displaces family

2010-03-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

A fire this morning in Eastern Valley displaced a family, officials said.

The family was not home when firefighters answered a call to 126 Elrie Blvd., says Melvin Alexander, a firefighter with the East Valley Fire Department.

The call went out at 3:43 a.m.

Cause of the fire is still under investigation.

—Tribune staff report

School tax trial to coincide with election

2010-03-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

Bessemer Mayor Ed May could suffer a real setback on the polls this August when it is expected the city school's lawsuit to recover money withheld from it goes to court.

The city stopped paying its share of the retail tax collection to the school because it couldn't pay its bills.

After patiently waiting for more than a year, the schools filed suit to recover $6.1 million.

Of course, the schools are about to fall into the same economic crater as the city. Six months ago it had $14 million in reserves. The number is down to $8 million and it will evaporate soon after being hit with yet another proration cut by the state.

If this isn't enough for May, the city is expected to fall further into its hole because money it receives about this time of the year from Jefferson County in the form of property taxes has been moved back until summer.

The city, which has been flush with cash in the past two months will probably have to consider laying off employees just to keep the doors open.

This plays into the hands of the four major candidates who hope to unseat May as each one has mentioned the need to get the city's finances under control.

—Tribune staff report

READ FULL STORY IN NEXT WEEK'S NEWSPAPER

Well, at least the grass is trimmed

2010-03-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Bessemer thugs like to leave their sentiments on buildings. This abandoned building is in Jonesboro.

On a sign farther back on Center Street it designates the area "Goone City." Problem is the correct spelling is GOON. The low-rent thugs must be products of the Bessemer Board of Dumification.

—Tribune staff report

Kickoff celebration for Gulley

2010-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

A few hundred people came to the Bessemer mayoral campaign kickoff celebration for Kenneth Gulley last night at the Bessemer Civic Center.

Among those who attended were, from left, Bob Pennington, Gulley, Otis Smith and Hank Tyler.

Gulley's message is "Put Bessemer First," as opposed to the administration of Mayor Ed, which seems hellbent on sending business and jobs out of town.

The election is Aug. 24.

—Tribune staff report

Belcher backs down, attorney paid

2010-03-17T12:11:00.001-07:00

Bessemer bingo attorney finally got paid the $15,225 that was owed to her after Councilwoman Sarah Belcher caved in and signed after being threatened with a lawsuit.

Last week Belcher and Mayor Ed May both refused to sign off on the check.

Councilwoman Dorothy Davidson signed.

So attorney Davidson had to resort to a threatening letter.

It worked as Belcher reluctantly signed.

According to sources inside City Hall, May said something would have to freeze over for him to sign. Either that, or a court order.

—Tribune staff report

'Pretty rotten'

2010-03-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

The so-called citizen's lawsuit filed last week against the Bingo Committee of the Bessemer City Council was done by Councilman Jimmy Stephens, according to Councilwoman Dorothy Davidson.

What's more interesting is that the process server was helped by Mona Moore, Stephenson's long-time girlfriend who works in City Hall for Mayor Ed May.

The way Davidson was served, according to her, was Moore called her on her bell phone, found out where she was and kept her on the line until she arrived home so that she could be served.

"Pretty rotten," says Davidson.

—Tribune staff report

Dog ate the homework, maybe

2010-03-16T11:30:00.001-07:00

Bessemer's elected leaders this morning made it clear that they are the slugs you thought they were.

With an assortment of important and festering issues on their plate they did nothing. Zippo.

The worst part is that council attorney Greg Harris, who was supposed to be fired last year, still has a job. But he didn't show up for the meeting. Something about his mother being ill.

Maybe the dog ate the homework. Oh dear.

—Tribune staff report

ON NEWSSTANDS NOW

2010-03-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

The final major mayoral candidate checks in and stomps Ed May in a poll ... Everybody's making millions but Bessemer ... Don't let the city help you or you'll be doomed ... And Bubba's got the latest to curl your toes ...

Expect a bumpy meeting

2010-03-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

You can expect a bumpy Bessemer City Council tomorrow morning.

Among the topics that up for discussion is why no one has signed a $15,000 check for bingo attorney Kim Davidson.

Also, why Mayor Ed May has blocked the opening of bingo halls in Bessemer.

Fairfield pulled in close to $1 million at packed halls this past weekend.

—Tribune staff report

Showdown postponed

2010-03-12T14:34:00.000-08:00

Bessemer police late yesterday stopped the opening of at least one bingo hall tonight that was scheduled for 6 p.m.

Lawyers for the Anchor Club have been in court all day trying to get some kind of clearance.

Operator Robert White said he will definitely not open tonight.

—Tribune staff report

Suit says committee violated Open Meeting law

2010-03-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

EXCLUSIVE

A lawsuit has been filed against members of the Bingo Committee of the Bessemer City Council, alleging they violated the state's Open Meetings law and made decisions that should have come before the full council.

Council President Earl Cochran today confirmed that there is a lawsuit, but he has not seen it yet.

Cochran said he was informed of the suit by Kim Davidson, the council's bingo attorney.

—Tribune staff report

READ FULL STORY IN NEXT WEEK'S NEWSPAPER

Problems at new high school continue

2010-03-12T08:27:00.001-08:00

Despite continuing problems at the new Bessemer City High School, the Board of Education agreed last night to pay $1.1 million to vendors.

According to reports the leaky roof at the school turned into a water fall during recent heavy rains.

Latest casualty was the 1,500-seat auditorium. Reports said the floor was completely saturated yesterday.

Builder Chris Woods continues to insist that everything will be okay in the near future.

—Tribune staff report

Stage set for showdown in Bessemer

2010-03-11T16:45:00.000-08:00

The stage is set for a Friday evening showdown in Bessemer between bingo hall operators and Mayor Ed May.

Bingo machines have been moved into their respective halls and are being set up.

May has said he will shut down the halls when they open at 6 p.m. on Friday.

—Tribune staff report

May will close bingo halls

2010-03-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

Electronic bingo machines are on their way and being set up for a reopening this Friday at 6 p.m. around the Bessemer Cutoff.

In Bessemer, Mayor Ed May is reportedly saying that he will use storm-trooping police to shut down the operations in his town the second they open.

This one will end up in the courts, but there could be some fireworks Friday night.

—Tribune staff report

Police harassment at City Hall

2010-03-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Bessemer Mayor Ed May's flunkies are harassing the press.

Nancy Hartzog went to City Hall today to pick up information about how the administration is failing to do its job.

Hartzog was asked to sign in by one of May's flunkies on the front desk. She declined.

That's when the mayor's rotund body guard, Sgt. Larry Waldrop, decided to step in and threaten Hartzog.

"When you're told to sign in, you will sign in," he bellowed in his best gestapo voice.

Sure, moron. Go fetch the mayor another Sprite.

—Tribune staff report

Mayor, Belcher won't sign attorney's check

2010-03-10T13:47:00.001-08:00

Bessemer Mayor Ed May and Councilwoman Sarah Belcher are refusing to sign a check to pay bingo attorney Kim Davidson.

The City Council last week voted to pay Davidson $15,225 for her services.

But May and Belcher have other ideas.

Davidson is sending a letter to the pair giving them a deadline to sign the check or she will sue them.

—Tribune staff report

Bessemer jobless rate jumps

2010-03-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

Bessemer's unemployment rate jumped to 16 percent in January, according to figures release by the state.

This is the highest figure since March 1982.

The increase from December to January was 1.3 percent.

Combined with those who have already gotten out of the labor market, Bessemer's total jobless is about 31 percent.

—Tribune staff report