City of Hoover cracking down on controversial businesses
A city councilman in Hoover, Ala. proposed a temporary moratorium on shops he feels does not present the city in the best light. While the current proposal being considered at this weeks Hoover city council meeting will include a moratorium within the city limits; ultimately the plan is to change zoning to limit where they can go in the future. Councilman Casey Middlebrooks proposed the ban on “vape shops, check cashing, pay-day loan type businesses, pawn shops, adult sex shops, and so forth,” until the city can rework their zoning ordinances WBMA reported. Middlebrooks is worried that too many of these types of shops may drive away future business for the city, The temporary ban means that new businesses would not be allowed to apply for a business license within the city, and has caused some contention with current business owners already in operation. Randy Toffel owns the Vapeology vape store in Hoover, and told WBRC that if “Middlebrooks is worried about his store’s clientele, he shouldn’t be.” “I have doctors, I have attorneys, I have car salesmen, I have mechanics, I have firemen, I have grandmothers that come in my shop,” he continued. Toffel also told WBRC that “he’s dedicated to helping people quit smoking,” and that his shop shouldn’t be penalized for it. Another city councilman, Mike Shaw somewhat agrees with Middlebrooks, but thinks the city should focus on rezoning, instead of an outright ban. “I think these businesses can have negative connotations in certain locations, but again, these are legal businesses. So however we feel about them, we still have to allow that according to state law,” Shaw told WBMA. “I don’t think we have problem with these businesses.” Other council members disagree. “We need to define what the real problem is. If the issue is surrounding where these business are located , I think there are better ways to address the problem,” councilman John Lyda told WIAT.
City of Hoover shines light on benefits of federal cybercrime training center
In the City of Hoover, Ala., Birmingham’s largest suburb, you’ll expectantly find the nation’s premiere hi-tech crime training facility, which is proving itself to be an economic boom for the area. First opened in 2008 the National Computer Forensic Institute (NCFI) is a federally funded training center run by the United States Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division and the Alabama Office of Prosecution Services. There, state and local officials from across the country are trained on the proper handling of digital evidence, cybercrime investigations, and judicial procedures related to digital crime. Over the past ten years, 7,523 law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges have been trained from all 50 states, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have come to the NCFI for world-class training. And the City of Hoover is celebrating its success. Friday morning, the city took to Facebook to share that the NCFI has spent a whopping $21,125,260 over the past ten years in the city, including booking 86,406 hotel room nights, which is the largest source of room nights in the metro area. The NCFI has even proven itself beneficial to the local Hoover Police Department as $670,320 in training and equipment has also been provided to them courtesy of the NCFI. “The city of Hoover is proud to host this premiere facility that contributes to a safer nation,” the City wrote in a Facebook graphic.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato proposes tax increases to help with budget crisis
When Hoover, Ala. Mayor Frank Brocato started looking at the city’s budget, he knew he wanted to make cuts to help to bring expenses in line with revenues, while still meeting the cities needs. But during the Hoover City Council meeting on Monday, June 4, the self-claimed fiscal conservative explained in addressing the city’s multi-million dollar budget deficit, he’s realized for the first time in almost a quarter century, a tax increase is needed. Brocato announced he would like to boost the city’s sales and use tax, as well as the lease/rental tax to 4 percent. He’d also like to increase the city’s lodging tax to 6 percent. The Mayor estimates this move would generate approximately $20 million in additional revenue for the cash-strapped city. “We can’t continue to be a great city unless we are willing to pay for the great things that we have and the excellent things we aspire to have,” Brocato explained. According to the HooverSun, here’s how Brocato proposes to spend the additional revenue: $11 million per year would go to eliminate future deficits, generate funds for routine capital improvements, and attract and retain quality employees. $4 million per year would go to Hoover schools, boosting total city contributions to the school system to $11.1 million per year, including $9 million cash and $2.1 million to pay for school resource officers. The additional money should cover $36.4 million in school capital projects, including classroom additions at Berry Middle School, Riverchase Elementary, Bluff Park Elementary and Gwin Elementary, demolition of parts of the old Bluff Park Elementary and renovation of other parts, plus $15 million in paving and roofing projects, Brocato said. The school system also could use the money to help cover operating costs, he said.$22 million would cover the city’s match needed to obtain $110 million in federal money to build a new interchange near South Shades Crest Road along Interstate 459 and improve the exit at John Hawkins Parkway. $22.3 million would go to build a new fine and performing arts center, and $1 million a year would go toward the center’s operating costs. $20 million would be spent to provide land, building site preparation, utilities, construction and traffic improvements for a $300 million project that will bring more than 1,000 jobs to Hoover. Brocato said confidentiality agreements prevent him from disclosing the company right now, but it is not a retail company. An announcement about the development should come in 30 to 60 days, he said. “It’s something that will fundamentally change Hoover for the better. We can’t afford to miss out on this opportunity.” $1.7 million would be used to build a Hoover Public Library branch in eastern Hoover, and $700,000 per year would go toward the branch’s operating costs. $500,000 per year would go to developing the city’s bicycle and pedestrian paths $450,000 per year would provide a tourism and cultural program to secure the future of Aldridge Gardens and assist with attracting major events to Hoover Brocato wants the city Council to vote his proposed tax increases July 2.
Alabama mayors join Jr League Birmingham to fight human trafficking
Mayors all over Alabama are stepping up to fight human trafficking. Julia Meyers, Junior League Birmingham (JLB) chairwoman of the Anti-human Trafficking Committee, has been working tirelessly with the state legislative Human Trafficking Task Force in order to get regional government officials to proclaim January human trafficking awareness month. Mayors of Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, and Hoover have all signed proclamations. “I reached out to 18 mayors in Jefferson County and immediately Over the Mountain mayors responded,” Meyers told the Over the Mountain Journal. “That, for me, was very exciting. In the areas where we think this problem isn’t going on, they are actually taking action.” “I’d like our city to know that Vestavia Hills Police Department actively participates in a task force with some of my old colleagues from my FBI days in addressing this issue,” said Vestavia Hills mayor, Ashley Curry. “We’re doing what we can and just ask that everybody look out for certain signs … if you see something that you don’t think is right, give us a call.” The city of Cullman, Ala. has also stepped up to the task with Mayor Woody Jacobs not only proclaiming January as human trafficking awareness month, but establishing January 11 as a Human Trafficking Awareness Day. “Human trafficking is a problem everywhere, even here in our community. I greatly respect the work that the Task Force has done and continues to do to help prevent this terrible crime in Cullman and Cullman County.” Newly elected Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin also joined Meyers in declaring January as human trafficking awareness month, as evidenced in this tweet by the Junior League of Birmingham: Junior League of Birmingham(JLB) President, Katy Roe Eldridge, and JLB Anti-Human Trafficking Chair, Julia Meyers, join Mayor Randall Woodfin as he and City Council proclaim January as “Human Trafficking Awareness Month”. Thank you for supporting JLB in this effort! pic.twitter.com/bBRq1GvkG2 — Jr. League of Bham (@JLBirmingham) January 10, 2018 “Junior League of Birmingham(JLB) President, Katy Roe Eldridge, and JLB Anti-Human Trafficking Chair, Julia Meyers, join Mayor Randall Woodfin as he and City Council proclaim January as “Human Trafficking Awareness Month”. Thank you for supporting JLB in this effort!” Birmingham is an important participant in human trafficking awareness month because of it’s closeness to the issue. Interstate I-20 between Atlanta and Birmingham is known as the Sex Trafficking Superhighway. “It cuts right there through downtown Birmingham, and what we’re finding, unfortunately with the interstate system that you and I use to get from Birmingham to Montgomery — is that people are using it to bring in girls, for example, for a short period of time. Buyers are available, and then they leave,” said David Pinkleton, fundraising chair for the Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. Other Alabama officials have responded to the Task Force’s urges. Sen. Cam Ward introduced SB179 on Tuesday to increase the criminal punishment for those found guilty of obstruction or enforcement of current human trafficking laws. Gov. Kay Ivey is also expected to sign a proclamation later this month in observance of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In addition to the proclamations, Meyers is promoting the Rescue Innocence Project Gala, a fundraiser for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. The event features guest speaker Ed Smart whose daughter was abducted in 2002 and miraculously returned to her family after nine grueling months. Smart and his daughter Elizabeth are now active voices in the fight against sexual exploitation. Although Alabama has it’s own human trafficking task force, new laws to punish those who would sexually exploit children, and lawmakers who are willing to step up and make a difference; Alabama only scores an 83.5 on the Shared Hope International report card. According to the report; “A juvenile sex trafficking victim will be identified as dependent or as a child in need of supervision rather than as delinquent, but Alabama law does not provide a statutory avenue to specialized services.” Under the Safe Harbor law, which passed in Alabama in 2016, minors who are arrested for prostitution are not sent to juvenile detention centers or convicted of prostitution. But therein lies the problem; the state of Alabama has no where else to put them. Minors are currently sent back into the situations that sent them there in the first place, or turned over to DHR. “They were denied education and have no skills. They don’t even have family to turn to.” Meyers told the Over the Mountain Journal. This is a problem Meyers and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation hopes to solve. By providing training, specialized staff, and intake facilities for minors who are victims of human trafficking; Alabama would finally have somewhere to send victims in desperate need of care. Funds collected from the Gala will go towards providing these facilities in Alabama and states around the nation.
Filming for new John Travolta, Shania Twain movie continues in Alabama
Country music star Shania Twain and famed “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever” actor John Travolta’s new racing movie “Trading Paint” will film in Hoover, Ala. on Friday the Hoover Sun is reporting. Nick Manakides, owner of the Golden Rule Bar-B-Q at 1571 Montgomery Highway, told the Hoover Sun the film crew for the movie is supposed to arrive at his restaurant at about 7:30 or 8 a.m., followed by extras at 9:30 a.m. and actors at 10 a.m. The Hoover shoot is at least the second Alabama location in which production has filmed since principal photography launched in the state last week. Shooting is scheduled to continue through mid-September at several Alabama locations, particularly the Bessemer/Hueytown area outside of Birmingham. The film tells the story of a veteran race car driver (Travolta) and his son (Tony Sebastian), a fellow driver as they overcome family and professional conflicts, and try to balance competition, ego, resentment and a racing nemesis in order to come out stronger on the other side. The movie is scheduled for a June 2018 release, according to IMDB.
Gary Palmer announces busy October Town Hall schedule
Alabama 6th District U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer announced Wednesday he will host seven Town Hall meetings throughout the district in October. The events are free and open to the public. Palmer will take questions and address important issues that face 6th District Alabamians and the nation at each event. See below for the dates, times and locations: Clay Town Hall Monday, Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Clay City Hall 2441 Old Springville Road Birmingham, AL 35215 Homewood Town Hall Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. Homewood City Hall 2nd Floor Council Chambers 2850 19th St. S. Homewood, AL 35209 Hoover Town Hall Thursday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Hoover City Hall Council Chambers 100 Municipal Lane Hoover, AL 35216 Columbiana Town Hall Friday, Oct. 14 at 8:30 a.m. Columbiana Senior Center 110 Mildred St. Columbiana, AL 35051 Kimberly Town Hall Monday, October 17 at 6 p.m. Kimberly Senior Center 8013 Warrior Kimberly Road Kimberly, AL 35091 Pelham Town Hall Monday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. Pelham High School 2500 Panther Circle Pelham, AL 35124 Graysville Town Hall Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. Graysville Public Library 315 S. Main St. Graysville, AL 35073
Hoover mayor draws two challengers for Aug. 23 municipal election
Hoover mayor Gary Ivey has drawn two challengers in the Birmingham suburb’s Aug. 23 municipal elections. Former Hoover City Fire Marshal Frank Brocato and Hoover City Schools Foundation President Steve McClinton will appear on the ballot, in what has become a highly contested race. Here is a quick review of each candidate and their proposed plans for the city, in alphabetical order: Frank Brocato Brocato, 63, served 42 years in the city’s fire department before retiring in 2015. With his background in public safety, Brocato has said he will make police and fire one of the top priorities for his administration, should he be elected. “My commitment to public safety will never be compromised,” Brocato told The Hoover Sun. “I think our city was built on providing a great public safety program.” Another issue for Brocato is increasing school funding. “Our school system is running a deficit every year and having to draw from their reserves,” said Brocato. “My fear is that if the school system begins to suffer, I believe it has just a domino effect,” causing property values and businesses to suffer. “I don’t think this city wants to see that happen.” Where to read more: https://frankbrocatoformayor.com https://www.facebook.com/frankbrocatoformayor Gary Ivey (I) Ivey, the owner of Hoover’s Crest Cadillac and the former city council president, has been mayor since his appointment to serve out the remainder of former mayor Tony Petelos‘s term in 2011. He was re-elected without a challenger in 2012. Ivey is seen as the establishment candidate in the race, and in a year where a plurality of Alabamians voted for anti-establishment presidential candidate Donald Trump, many incumbents are rightly taking extra precautions. Ivey began the campaign with more than $140,000 on hand, and is spending the money with alacrity. In the last several years he has bristled at increasing funding to the Hoover public schools, which has remained at around $2 million annually since a precipitous drop from around $8 million in 2008 — likely the main issue that brought his challengers. Where to read more: https://mayorivey.com https://www.facebook.com/MayorGaryIvey Steve McClinton On temporary leave from his volunteer position as president of the Hoover City Schools Foundation, McClinton, 47, a financial planner and father to three children in Hoover City Schools, has made no qualms about framing his entire campaign around the issue of school funding, which he believes Ivey must own. “The the schools go, so goes our city,” he proclaims in a video recently posted on his Facebook page. A late entry into the race, McClinton has a lot of ground to make up against the other two men, who have been campaigning since this spring, but he isn’t concerned. “Families, companies, and industries move to Hoover because they know it is an excellent place to raise a family. Once our schools start declining, so will our city, and I don’t believe the current administration is doing nearly enough to support Hoover City Schools.” Where to read more: www.OneHoover.com www.facebook.com/McClinton4Mayor Where to see them all speak The three mayoral candidates will meet for two forums before election day. The first event will be held Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. at Shades Crest Baptist Church, while the second is on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m.at the Wynfrey Hotel in the Riverchase Galleria.
Auditor Jim Zeigler says state parks closures “bad management”
State Auditor Jim Zeigler again denounced the nature of budget cuts which have resulted from budget negotiations between Gov. Robert Bentley and a Legislature which is increasingly hostile to him. Zeigler – who started a public campaign last month to prevent deep cuts to his own office – said closures of five state parks slated to stem from the current budget are unnecessary despite a budget shortfall patched up by lawmakers this month after nearly six months of fits and starts in Montgomery. Barring drastic administrative changes, five state parks will close their gates October 15: Bladon Springs, Chickasaw, Paul Grist, Roland Cooper and Florala. Zeigler said in a statement over the weekend the closures are not primarily fiscal in nature, but rather due to poor choices state government officials have made. “Just in the past five years, $15 million made by the parks has been stolen from them and used to prop up other state programs. If this money had been left within the park system, there would be no closures,” Zeigler said. Zeigler says the parks generate “85-90 percent” of the money they need to operate from tickets, gift shop sales and fees. While Democratic U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell has focused her efforts on mobile driver’s license facilities which will shutter due to budget cuts – an issue she has said pose a threat to the civil rights of rural Alabamians – Zeigler has largely focused on the state parks issue. “The Bentley administration is hinting at more closures of more parks next year. We need better management and a long-term plan to keep the parks open. The simple thing to do is to stop taking money earned by the parks and let them keep it.” said Zeigler, a statewide elected official who occupies an unusual ombudsman or comptroller-like position. “With a few changes, the parks can be self-sustaining and not rely on taxpayer funds,” Zeigler said. “Nobody in Montgomery is taking a lead role in getting this done.” Zeigler will address the future of state parks on the day of the closures. Zeigler is set to speak this Thursday, Oct. 15 in Hoover at the 5:45 p.m. meeting of Rainy Day Patriots, a Tea Party-inspired political group. The open-press event will be held at Hoover Tactical Firearms, 1561 Montgomery Highway in Hoover.
