@newsmanbryant.bsky.social

Pelham's city manager is on paid leave following internal details & allegations from the suspended police chief. The manager had suspended the police chief and then the council suspended the manager as an independent investigation continues. www.al.com/news/birming...

Pelham city manager put on leave amid probe into allegations from suspended police chief

Pelham city leaders hired an independent investigator after Police Chief Ed Delmore accused City Manager Gretchen DiFante of retaliation at a press conference last week.

al.com

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin says his wife had no involvement the land sale for a massive data center. Kendra Woodfin's realty company was issued a subpoena in a lawsuit against the project. Woodfin tells @hdenham.bsky.social that it is a political attack against him. www.al.com/news/2026/10...

Birmingham mayor says wife has no involvement in massive data center property sale

Kendra Woodfin and her real estate firm were named in proposed subpoenas for records related to the Nebius project.

al.com

She won the election but Bessemer's new mayor already faces a fight to get sworn in. Mayor-elect Louise Alexander says she'll be at city hall Monday to take the mayor's office & her team is ready to take legal action if she's blocked. www.al.com/news/birming...

She won the election, but Alabama city’s new mayor already faces a fight to get sworn in

The veteran politician staging a comeback in Bessemer just gave the outgoing mayor a Monday morning deadline to step aside for the new administration.

al.com

Suspended Jefferson County Probate Judge Yahsiba Blanchard says she can’t comply with a state auditor's request to provide details of her spending because her files have been yanked from shelves and placed haphazardly in boxes in her absence. www.al.com/news/birming...

Suspended judge said she can’t comply with state audit because someone moved her files

Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard's attorneys say materials were taken from shelves and packed without order, preventing her from responding to state examiners' demands about her spendi...

al.com

A Birmingham church sign assails state Republican leaders as bigots who stole the water utility and urges the mayor & pastors to fight back harder. Rev. Michael Jordan calls it a racist conspiracy to snatch jobs, money and resources from Birmingham. www.al.com/news/birming...

Birmingham pastor’s church sign says Republican ‘bigots stole’ the water utility

The Rev. Michael Jordan says the Central Alabama Water board restructuring was designed to steal jobs from Black employees.

al.com

Suspended Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard is making a temporary return to the courthouse, but with restrictions. Blanchard was granted permission to access her office and gather records related to her upcoming trial. www.al.com/news/2026/07...

Suspended probate judge facing trial can return to Alabama courthouse, but with restrictions

Yahshiba Blanchard was suspended following a 120-page complaint accusing her of professional misconduct.

al.com

The sheriff of Alabama's largest county says rumors about his ties to illegal gambling are part of a Republican conspiracy to undermine him and other Democrats. “They’ve been wanting to take me out of office since day one,” he says. www.al.com/news/birming...

GOP conspiracy behind gambling rumors, Jefferson County Sheriff claims: ‘to take me out’

The Jefferson County sheriff and his brother say Republican officials fabricated illegal gambling allegations to tarnish his reputation and remove him from office.

al.com

Police officers sued for excessive force in the death of a west Alabama man have reached a settlement with his family as two others begin mediation talks in the federal lawsuit. Bodycam footage shows the exchange that ended in Michael Broady's death. www.al.com/news/birming...

Two officers accused of excessive force in death of Alabama man reach settlement with family

Two police officers reached settlements with Michael Broady's family over his 2021 death following an arrest involving stun guns and alleged choking. Mediation continues with remaining defendants.

al.com

An Alabama mayor - who is also a former police officer - says he does not feel safe working at city hall. He castigated city leaders as ‘ghetto' and 'modern day oppressors.' Others on the dais tell a different story and say problems rest with the mayor who remains absent. www.al.com/news/birming...

Alabama mayor says ‘ghetto’ city hall is too dangerous for him to work

"You’re leading a city and if you’re going to lead it, you can’t lead it through email. Your presence is needed," the city clerk replied.

al.com

The Birmingham City Council and their families can get personal security "to address a national increase in credible threats and violent acts against public officials." A source tells AL.com that this is in response to social media threats against them over data centers. www.al.com/news/birming...

Birmingham council approves security for themselves, their families when facing threats

Security would be deployed when a credible threat is determined by the police chief, supported by investigative findings and reasonably connected to their official duties.

al.com

In a little over a year, the now suspended probate judge for Alabama’s largest county approved spending more than $1 million for two consultants, along with thousands more for radio commercials and promotional materials including T-shirts & photo shoots. www.al.com/news/birming...

Suspended judge spent more than $1 million on PR firms and radio ads from discretionary fund

Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard hired political consultants and paid for radio ads and photo shoots from a fund created to preserve crumbling historic records.

al.com

The city of Birmingham is investing $7 million in a $39.5 million plan to transform a historic steam plan into a first of its kind community gathering place and space for people with sensory challenges. “This has global impact,” says Mayor Randall Woodfin. www.al.com/news/birming...

Birmingham investing $7 million in ‘amazing’ $39.5 million space for people with sensory challenges

The $39.5 million project will convert the 1895 Powell Avenue Steam Plant into a national hub for people with sensory disabilities and a public gathering space.

al.com

Ala. Rep. Terri Sewell joins New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to lead healthcare committee as midterms near. Dems are focusing on affordability as a priority before Nov. elections. AOC has previously partnered with Sewell, including her visit to Ala. last month. www.al.com/news/birming...

Sewell joins Ocasio-Cortez to lead Democratic committee on healthcare as midterms near

The Alabama representative was appointed to work with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to craft policy recommendations for lowering healthcare costs.

al.com

Birmingham's regional water utility ranks last in customer service and the board is paying $90,000 to the company that gave them poor marks to learn why. The utility board was restructured by the state last year in part over customer service concerns. www.al.com/news/birming...

Birmingham water board ranks last in customer service, spending $90,000 to learn why

The current Central Alabama Water utility, restructured by the state legislature, was championed as a response to years of complaints.

al.com