New Jefferson County Commission Takes Office With Three New Members

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2018/11/Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1200;s:4:"file";s:71:"2018/11/Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-336x210.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:210;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-771x482.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:482;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-768x480.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:480;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:72:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-1536x960.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:960;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:69:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-498x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:498;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-424x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:424;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"Commissioners_confer_before_convening_their_first_meeting_1-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:9319831;s:14:"optimized_size";i:366225;s:7:"percent";d:96.069999999999993;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:8426;s:14:"optimized_size";i:7800;s:7:"percent";d:7.4299999999999997;}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:24322;s:14:"optimized_size";i:22665;s:7:"percent";d:6.8099999999999996;}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:87944;s:14:"optimized_size";i:83030;s:7:"percent";d:5.5899999999999999;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:3614;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3305;s:7:"percent";d:8.5500000000000007;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:55519;s:14:"optimized_size";i:52089;s:7:"percent";d:6.1799999999999997;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:26021;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24485;s:7:"percent";d:5.9000000000000004;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:44275;s:14:"optimized_size";i:41537;s:7:"percent";d:6.1799999999999997;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:34515;s:14:"optimized_size";i:32278;s:7:"percent";d:6.4800000000000004;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:7001;s:14:"optimized_size";i:6466;s:7:"percent";d:7.6399999999999997;}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:9611468;s:14:"optimized_size";i:639880;s:7:"percent";d:93.340000000000003;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1636091379 
1542215861

Sheila Tyson and Lashunda Scales were sworn into office as Jefferson County commissioners Wednesday, along with Steve Ammons, a former Vestavia Hills City Council member. Tyson and Scales are Democrats; Ammons is a Republican. The Republican majority continues on the commission with incumbents Jimmie Stephens and Joe Knight.

Stephens holds on to his job as commission president and Scales is second in command as president pro tempore.

In their new roles, Tyson and Scales will head committees that address some of their major campaign platforms. Scales will lead the environmental services or sewer committee after campaigning on the need to lower county sewer rates.

Tyson is chairperson for the health care committee, which includes Cooper Green Mercy Health Services. Steve Ammons will lead economic development.

Tyson’s district stretches from Fountain Heights to Bessemer. She says there’s a lot of poverty in the district and many residents rely on Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, a hospital the county runs to care for the indigent.

The hospital should be run by a health care authority, Tyson says. Health care for the poor should not be pieced together “to where the citizens won’t have an opportunity to get good treatment,“ she says.

Jefferson County has started talks with UAB Health Systems to establish a university health authority.

Tyson says she also wants help for residents who struggle to pay their high sewer and water bills.

Scales has had her share of battles in the Birmingham council chambers. The county and the city historically have not had a good relationship, but Scales says she wants to change that.

 

States and cities beef up security to prepare for potential election-related violence

Washington state's governor activated the National Guard to stand by to help local law enforcement as needed. Meanwhile, extra security is in place at locations across Washington, D.C.

When will mail-in and absentee ballots be counted?

Various state rules regarding when election officials can process and count mail ballots means it will likely take some time after Election Day before the results from these ballots are fully known.

When do polls close in every state? Here’s a timeline

The Associated Press can't call any races until polls close in their respective state. Here's a breakdown of when that will happen.

How has the Electoral College survived, despite being perennially unpopular?

Despite its substantial-sounding name, the Electoral College isn’t a permanent body: It’s more of a process. For decades, a majority of Americans have wanted it to be changed.

Thousands of Pennsylvania voters have had their mail ballot applications challenged

Thousands of last-minute challenges to voters’ mail ballot applications, along with baseless claims by former President Donald Trump, are adding pressure on Pennsylvania county officials.

No more fluoride in the water? RFK Jr. wants that and Trump says it ‘sounds OK’

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s claims about fluoride in the drinking water are linked to Cold War conspiracy theories about the substance.

More Elections 2018 Coverage