Latest news with #District5
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Qualifying begins with no announced candidates in Decatur District 5 council race
Jun. 10—With qualifying beginning Tuesday for the Aug. 26 municipal election, no one has announced plans to seek the District 5 Decatur City Council position. Incumbent Jacob Ladner announced in May that he will not seek reelection. Tony Vest, a Madison County sheriff's deputy, had announced he was running for the District 5 council seat but said Monday that he won't seek the office. "I was going to, but there's too much of a gray area between working in law enforcement and serving on the council," Vest said. "I have 10 years left in my career, and I can't afford to have an issue." Meanwhile, there's at least one announced candidate so far in each of the other races for the Aug. 26 municipal election. The races for mayor and District 4 council member are the most competitive. Billy Jackson, Kent Lawrence, Butch Matthews and Suzie Wiley are the announced candidates for mayor, with incumbent Tab Bowling deciding not to seek a third term. District 4 Councilman Hunter Pepper announced Monday that he is running for reelection in District 4. Josh Horton also announced recently that he is running for the seat. Their announcements mean there are four announced candidates in this race to represent the Southwest Decatur district. The other candidates are Pam Werstler and Angie Thom. At 18, Pepper was the youngest person ever elected to municipal office in the state and city. The 23-year-old now owns two small businesses. Horton, 33, is a marketing and media manager for Bryant Brothers Automotive & Performance. The father of five also owns Expedition Marketing, a private marketing and social media company. Pepper joins District 2's Kyle Pike and District 3's Carlton McMasters as incumbents running for reelection. Pike and McMasters do not have announced opposition so far. With Jackson not running for reelection to his council seat after representing District 1 for 29 years, Terrance Adkins and Nick Perkins said they plan to run for the seat. Board President Michelle Gray King said four of the five Decatur school board incumbents are running again and, so far, they are unopposed. The incumbents seeking reelection are District 1's King, District 2's Peggy Baggett, District 4's Dwight Jett Jr. and District 5's Jason Palmer. Local accountant Katye Coats is the only announced candidate in District 3. This district seat will be empty because Doug Bacchus isn't running again. He has a new job and is moving to Birmingham. City Clerk Stephanie Simon said qualifying begins Tuesday and runs through June 24. City Hall will be closed June 19 for the Juneteenth holiday. Candidates can qualify at her office daily from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The qualifying fee is $50. Candidates should fill out the state's Statement of Economic Interest form that's available at the Alabama Ethics Commission website and bring it with them when they qualify, Simon said. Simon said the candidate will be swearing that the information in the qualifying paperwork is correct. She said this includes showing their home address is in the district if he or she is running for City Council or a school board seat. Simon said the candidate must be 18, a registered voter and live in the city and/or district since May 28. — or 256-340-2432
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former educator announces bid to succeed Penner on Nebraska State Board of Ed
Angie Eberspacher of Beaver Crossing is the first announced 2026 candidate for the District 5 seat on the State Board of Education held by Kirk Penner of Aurora, who says he will not seek a second term on the board. (Candidate photo courtesy of Eberspacher campaign | Penner photo courtesy of the Nebraska Department of Education | School bus photo by Rebecca Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — A former educator announced a campaign Wednesday for the Nebraska State Board of Education to succeed Kirk Penner of Aurora, who helped conservative candidates organize and win more races for the board in recent years. Angie Eberspacher of Beaver City, a former member of Educational Service Unit 6, seeks to represent District 5 on the Board of Ed. While on the ESU board, Eberspacher said, she was a strong voice for fiscal responsibility and an advocate for students and teachers. She eventually served as chair. She said she is dedicated to ensuring a 'quality education' for all students. Eberspacher is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with dual degrees in elementary education and early childhood education. 'I'm committed to supporting today's students and helping ensure the next generation has every opportunity to succeed,' Eberspacher said in a statement. District 5 on the State Board consists of Butler, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Gage, Hamilton, Jefferson, Nuckolls, Pawnee, Polk, Richardson, Saline, Saunders, Seward, Thayer, Webster and York Counties, as well as portions of Lancaster County (south Lincoln and surrounding communities including Denton, Sprague, Hallam, Roca, Hickman, Firth, Bennet and Waverly). The eight members of the State Board of Education generally oversee the Nebraska Department of Education. Terms in office are for four years. Eberspacher said she plans to visit communities across her district to listen and focus on how to improve literacy and proficiency scores, recruit and retain quality teachers and strengthen academics. She said she also wants to be 'a voice for all parents' and promote spending restraint. In 2023, Eberspacher testified at the Nebraska Legislature in support of a handful of conservative-led proposals, including opening up teachers or librarians to possible criminal penalties for distributing 'obscenity,' prohibiting certain medical care for minors with gender dysphoria, outlawing drag shows for minors, creating a 'Parents' Bill of Rights' in education and allowing public dollars to follow students to private K-12 schools (the 'My Student, My Choice Act'). Eberspacher and her husband of 36 years, Curt, own a farming operation in rural Beaver Crossing. The family has three adult daughters, a son-in-law and a granddaughter. Penner on Wednesday confirmed to the Examiner that he is not seeking reelection. He has given his 'full endorsement' to Eberspacher and said her experience and dedication 'make her the right choice to continue advocating for students, parents and educators across the district.' The race is officially nonpartisan, but Penner and Eberspacher are both Republicans. She previously worked as a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Republican Party. Penner was appointed to the State Board in December 2021 and won election in 2022 with 55% of the vote. The State Board of Education is currently split 4-4 between Republicans and Democrats. The split has led some to advocate for giving the governor more control over the education bureaucracy. A January vote for board chair required 54 votes in January. 'I am excited to run for the Nebraska State Board of Education and hear from voters across District 5 about their vision for education in Nebraska,' Eberspacher said. 'I'm running to support Nebraska's students, teachers and parents, and to work toward a stronger education system for everyone.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Year of special elections ends Tuesday in Prince George's, with election for county executive
A drop box in a parking lot next to Prince George's County Board of Elections on May 30. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) Prince George's County's year of cascading special elections is almost over. More than 62,000 Prince George's County voters had dropped off mail-in ballots as of Friday, ahead of Tuesday's special election to choose a new county executive and a new District 5 council member, a county election official said. In-person turnout was light — just 307 voters on Wednesday, the first day of early voting and 396 on Thursday — but county Election Administrator Wendy Honesty-Bey attributed that to the week's rainy weather. 'It's been expected,' she said Friday. There is one more day of early voting Monday before Election Day on Tuesday. The voting caps a year of upheaval in the county, where the election of a new U.S. senator and the criminal conviction of a sitting council member created openings that had a domino effect, as county officials moved in to new positions. The parade of elections began with the conviction last year of former At-large Council Member Jamel 'Mel' Frankin, who was convicted in a campaign theft scheme, setting up an August primary and a November election. When District 5 Council Member Jolene Ivey won Franklin's seat and County Executive Angela Alsobrooks won a U.S. Senate seat in November, it set up a March primary and Tuesday's general election for those seats. In the executive's race, voters are choosing between State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy, the Democrat, and Republican nominee Jonathan White to fill out the remaining two years of Alsobrooks' term, who stepped down in December to take her Senate seat. The county's chief administrative officer, Tara H. Jackson, who has been acting county executive since Alsobrooks stepped down, chose not to seek the seat. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Braveboy, who was endorsed by Gov. Wes Moore (D), easily won a March primary over a field of nine Democrats, including former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, who had the endorsement of state treasurer and county resident Dereck Davis (D), and At-Large Council Member Calvin Hawkins, who was endorsed by Alsobrooks. Ivey was briefly a candidate in the executive's race but withdrew before the primary — and still managed to finish fourth. By withdrawing, Ivey spared county residents the prospect of another special election for her at-large council seat. Should Braveboy win the executive's race, the county's circuit court judges will select a replacement to serve out the remaining two years of her term. In heavily Democratic Prince George's County, Braveboy is the favorite to win. In a victory party after her March 4 primary win, Braveboy acknowledged as much when she told the crowd, 'I can't wait to serve as your next county executive.' Voters in council District 5,which includes Bladensburg, Cheverly and Glenarden, are also choosing between former school board member Shayla Adams-Stafford, a Democrat, and Republican Fred Price Jr. to replace Ivey. Adams-Stafford, a former school board member, won the Democratic nomination by slightly more than 2,000 votes against four other candidates. A fifth Democratic challenger, former Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh who lost reelection in last month's city election, dropped out the County Council race. As with Braveboy, Adams-Stafford is the likely favorite in the heavily Democratic county. The council make up could become more progressive with Adams-Stafford on the council, who also received support from Council Chair Edward Burroughs III and Vice Chair Krystal Oriadha. About three weeks after Braveboy won the special primary, Burroughs became the youngest chair in the county's history at age 32. Honesty-Bey said counting ballots for Tuesday's special general election should be completed by June 13. The winners in both races are scheduled to be sworn in June 19, the federal holiday of Juneteenth, also observed by the state and county, when government offices will be closed. For more information on where to drop off mail-in ballots and nine of the vote center locations, go to here. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Polls will open Tuesday on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Maxwell Anderson trial, Sade Robinson killed: Thursday, May 29
The Brief Testimony in the trial of Maxwell Anderson resumed on Thursday, May 29. It included law enforcement and close friends of Sade Robinson. Anderson is accused of killing and dismembering 19-year-old Sade Robinson. WARNING: During testimony, some content may not be suitable for all viewers. MILWAUKEE - Testimony in the trial of Maxwell Anderson, the Milwaukee man accused of killing and dismembering Sade Robinson, will continue Thursday, May 29 after several key witnesses took the stand the previous day. WARNING: Some content during the trial may not be suitable to all viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. What they're saying The state presented multiple witnesses as of mid-morning Thursday. They included Milwaukee Police Detective Nora Donegan. She is the then-police officer assigned to District 5 that took the missing person's report and contacted the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office on April 3, 2024 in relation to the discovery of a leg along Lake Michigan. Det. Donegan was followed by Milwaukee Police Officer Nicholas Kropp. The state then called a friend of Sade Robinson, Evelyn Guerts. Guerts had known Robinson for about a year and also worked with her at the Wisconsin Club. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Prosecutors then call Milwaukee County Sheriff's Detective John Guillot and Milwaukee Police Officer Keyona Vines. During the 10 a.m. hour, Alana Fisher took the stand. She described herself as a best friend of Sade Robinson. The backstory Anderson is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and arson of property other than a building. He is accused of killing Robinson after a date, dismembering her and dumping her body parts across Milwaukee County. One of her arms was later found on an Illinois beach. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Prosecutors said Anderson and Robinson showed up at a Menomonee Valley bar on April 1, 2024 – the night she was last seen or heard from. The next day, Robinson's burned-out car was found near 30th and Lisbon in Milwaukee. Surveillance photos show a man investigators believe is Anderson walking away from the area, and who was later seen on a bus heading back towards his home on the city's south side. Anderson had planned to kill Robinson weeks before her death, according to a statement from a "confidential informant" noted in court filings FOX6 News obtained. A search warrant also revealed prosecutors believe Anderson tried to cover up Robinson's death with a text message. Dig deeper FOX6 News is streaming the entire Anderson trial each day on FOX LOCAL. The app is free to download on your phone, tablet or smart TV. Day 3: Testimony resumes; law enforcement, friends of Sade Robinson take stand Day 2: Opening statements, testimony begins Day 1: Jury selected in single day Sade Robinson homicide: Timeline of events leading to criminal charges Sade Robinson homicide: Parents navigate grief ahead of trial Sade Robinson homicide: The psychology behind the murder Sade Robinson homicide: Lasting legacy, from tragedy to advocacy Open Record: A Date With Death The Source FOX6 News was in court for the Anderson trial. Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, Wisconsin Circuit Court, and prior FOX6 coverage of the case.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Decatur Council President Ladner won't seek reelection as District 5 councilman
May 24—One term is enough for Decatur City Council President Jacob Ladner, who announced Friday that he will not seek reelection as the District 5 councilman. Ladner said he has known for a while that he would not run and felt it was time, with the June 10 beginning of the qualifying period for the municipal election approaching, to make his announcement. "I wanted to give potential candidates time to consider whether they want to run knowing that there's an open seat," Ladner said. "Hopefully, this will get more people interested." So far, there haven't been any formal public announcements from potential candidates for District 5, located mainly between Beltline Road Southwest and Gordon Terry Parkway. Ladner said several factors went into his decision not to run again. The 39-year-old has three young, active children. He is also chief executive officer of Thirdmark Capital, a commercial finance company that's 3 years old and growing. He said former Councilman Greg Reeves gave him some advice in 2020 when he was considering running. "Greg talked about having the mentality if I won that I was not going to run again," Ladner said. "He said that would really free you up, so you don't have to worry about whether you're making the right decisions just to get reelected." Despite this mentality, he said it wasn't always definite that he would just serve one term. Mayor Tab Bowling, who has had an occasionally rocky relationship with Ladner, said he's "disappointed (with the decision) but I understand." The mayor complimented Ladner, saying he "has a good mind for business," but that working as council president takes a lot of time away from his family and company. "I know people see what goes on during Monday's council meetings, but they don't see all of the other work that goes on," Bowling said. "They don't see us working with developers or making plans for other types of quality-of-life projects." As president, Ladner has led the council during the almost 20 months of controversy following the Sept. 29, 2023, shooting death of Steve Perkins by a Decatur police officer. The controversy included criticism of Ladner by Bowling and others for continuing the often loud and rowdy public comment periods at council meetings because some felt the sessions were having a negative impact on the city. "No, that had no bearing on my decision on whether to run again or not," Ladner said. Ladner and the council majority also pushed out Todd Pinion as police chief and hired Torry Mack, who starts June 2. Sharonda Acklin, of Standing In Power, a social justice group group that has led many protests related to Perkins' death, said she's surprised that Ladner isn't running again. "We wish him the best of luck on his future endeavors," Acklin said. "I think he did the best he could with the way he knew how to do it. He was open to hearing what the community had to say regarding the state of the city, whether or not that was put into action or taken outside of the words he heard." Most recently, Ladner was criticized for pausing public comment at two council meetings and changing the public comment rules after a chaotic meeting that led to the arrest of six people in attendance. Bowling also banned the six from City Hall. "I think he did the best he knew how with everything that's going on," Acklin said. "I believe making change to the public comment was to appease his higher-ups." While he's not running again, Ladner said serving on the council for the last four and a half years "has been one of the greatest honors of my life," and he's "incredibly proud" of the accomplishments during this term. He said he is proud of how aggressive this City Council has been. He mentioned the $98 million 3M Co. lawsuit settlement, which led to the ongoing construction of the new Wilson Morgan Recreation Center and multiple recreation facilities. Bowling said he thinks the 3M settlement was the biggest accomplishment of Ladner's term. He said this set in motion Ladner's goal of making Decatur a leader in recreation again with the construction of the new sports facilities. Ladner is council liaison to Decatur Utilities, and the utility is working on ending sanitary sewer overflows with a $165 million rate increase. Previously a problem that led to state fines, the city hasn't had a rain-induced sewer overflow in more than two years. The city also made public infrastructure improvements like the new Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market and a new downtown parking deck. The council built the deck as an incentive for a new Fairfield Inn by Marriott hotel. The council under Ladner's leadership agreed to an incentive package that is bringing GreenPoint Ag's headquarters to Lee Street Northeast. Ladner is also proud of the renewed focus on residential development. "This led to more housing growth this term than in recent memory. People are choosing to make Decatur home — an encouraging sign of the city's momentum," he said. He said that when he ran, he "wanted to change the attitude of waiting for things to happen. I hope this is a good thing, but I wanted to make things happen and change how aggressive we are." Ladner said he hopes the next administration stays aggressive in adding quality-of-life attractions to the city. "I hope it doesn't just sit around worrying about mowing the grass and paving the roads," Ladner said. "Those things need to occur, but I want them to make things happen." He said several important projects are underway and will continue beyond his term. These include the Sixth Avenue streetscape, drainage improvements at Princeton Place, widening of Modaus Road and Bunny Lane, the planned $30 million Ingalls Harbor commercial and residential development and a hoped for additional Tennessee River bridge. City leadership will change when the four-year term begins Nov. 3. Bowling is not seeking a third term. In addition to Ladner's decision, Councilman Billy Jackson is running for mayor after almost 29 years on the council. He has three announced opponents for mayor so far. District 2 Councilman Kyle Pike is running again while Councilmen Carlton McMasters (District 3) and Hunter Pepper (District 4) have not announced their decisions. District 4 has two announced candidates, Pam Werstler and Angie Thom, and District 1 has one announced candidate, Terrance Adkins. Qualifying for the municipal election is June 10-25 at the City Clerk's office. The registration fee is $50. The election is Aug. 26, with the runoff, if necessary, on Sept. 23. — or 256-340-2432
