Commissioners Question Decision on County Attorney Jeff Sewell
Several Jefferson County commissioners say they still don’t know why commission president David Carrington decided to place county attorney Jeff Sewell on paid administrative leave. Carrington announced on Monday that he was placing Sewell on leave “pending a complete review of multiple issues on multiple fronts.” But al.com/Birmingham News quotes several commissioners who say they are shocked by the move and still don’t know what precipitated it. In a written statement released late Monday Sewell said
It is a lawyer’s duty to advise a client to obey the law. I have done that. Mr. Carrington’s attempt to silence that message signals a step backwards for Jefferson County.
On Friday, al.com/Birmingham News reported that Sewell sent commissioners a memo warning them about compliance with the county manager law.
Last fall, Sewell threatened to quit if the county did not raise his $375,000 salary. The commission gave in and offered him a $18,750 raise. An investigation by WBHM in 2010 revealed that Sewell is one of the highest paid county attorneys in the country.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
