Republican Circuit Clerk Candidate Staying in the Race
A Republican candidate for Jefferson County Circuit Clerk says he will remain in the race despite a recent court ruling against him in a church dispute over money.
A jury ruled against Phillip Brown, who was sued by the Sandusky Church of Christ and its pastor James Willcutt. They say Brown moved money from a church bank account without authorization.
Brown, who faces Democrat Jacqueline Smith in the November midterms, was ordered to pay $230,000. That’s the amount the church pastor says he removed from the church’s account.
A lawyer in the Alabama Secretary of State’s office said because the case was civil and not criminal, the ruling does not disqualify Brown from running for political office.
Brown, a church trustee when the dispute started five years ago, says he moved the funds to prevent the pastor from spending the church’s money at will.
“No money was taken at all,” Brown says. “The money is back. The pastor was angry and came after me.”
Attempts to reach a spokesman for the church were unsuccessful.
The Sandusky Church of Christ is a small congregation in west Jefferson County. Brown says he has left that church and worships with a congregation in Bessemer.
Alabama’s racial, ethnic health disparities are ‘more severe’ than other states, report says
Data from the Commonwealth Fund show that the quality of care people receive and their health outcomes worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s your favorite thing about Alabama?
That's the question we put to those at our recent News and Brews community pop-ups at Hop City and Saturn in Birmingham.
Q&A: A former New Orleans police chief says it’s time the U.S. changes its marijuana policy
Ronal Serpas is one of 32 law enforcement leaders who signed a letter sent to President Biden in support of moving marijuana to a Schedule III drug.
How food stamps could play a key role in fixing Jackson’s broken water system
JXN Water's affordability plan aims to raise much-needed revenue while offering discounts to customers in need, but it is currently tied up in court.
Alabama mine cited for federal safety violations since home explosion led to grandfather’s death, grandson’s injuries
Following a home explosion that killed one and critically injured another, residents want to know more about the mine under their community. So far, their questions have largely gone unanswered.
Crawfish prices are finally dropping, but farmers and fishers are still struggling
Last year’s devastating drought in Louisiana killed off large crops of crawfish, leading to a tough season for farmers, fishers and seafood lovers.
