Your tax dollars at play: For the second time in two months, a former Jefferson County commissioner has been convicted of conspiracy. Jurors decided today that Jeff Germany funneled money through a nonprofit agency to himself, his wife, his ex-girlfriends and current friends. He faces a possible 10 years in prison; sentencing is Sept. 21. If one more gets locked up, at least we’ll have a quorum. [print version]
• Former Jeffco Commissioner Germany Found Guilty [Fox 6]

What a waste: Speaking of the commission, the other former member/criminal steered work to F.W. Dougherty Engineering, which designed the $52 million pumping station at Valley Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. That’s part of a $400 million upgrade. With us so far? Thanks to the firm’s incompetence, the commission is shelling out an additional $26.5 million today to repair and rebuild the pump station. The firm, by the way, didn’t take out enough insurance on the project. And yet, no one’s made a pithy T-shirt or panties about the super sewer debacle …
• Jeffco to pay $26.5 million to fix sewer pump station [Birmingham News]

Convicts of the county: Tuesday, a jury convicted Ronald Wilson, a county engineer, and Pugh Construction guilty of more sewer shenanigans — this time bribery and conspiracy for him, conspiracy for the firm.
• Jury convicts Jeffco engineer, construction firm in sewer case [Birmingham News]

Penny pinchers: By now, you may have lost all faith in the county’s ability to manage public funds, protect the infrastructure or stay out of jail. Fret no more, the county is guarding those dollars zealously. County employees have the option to buy back into the retirement plan (in a dispute lasting 28 years!), though the county fought the state law and lost. Because it will cost the county millions of dollars, it is eliminating retirement health insurance for the up to 774 employees who exercise their legal buyback option. See, they’re not all corrupt … some are just petty and vindictive.
• Jeffco to restrict retiree health plans [Birmingham News]

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Scientific Americans: President Bush dropped by Tuskegee University Wednesday to announce a new push to fund scientific research to remain globally competitive. The plan calls for $136 billion over 10 years to train teachers and provide Pell Grants for students planning to major in math or science. It’s called the American Competitiveness Initiative, but we prefer “No Nerd Left Behind.”

• Handpicked student audience didn’t vote for Bush, “indifferent,” “excited”
• The speech video (Windows Media) | transcript
• Photo essay
• Moore: Bush visit part of vast right-wing conspiracy to undermine gubernatorial bid

• Bush pushes research in Tuskegee [Montgomery Advertiser]

L.A. laws: Gov. Riley is counting up his legislative wins as he rolls toward the June primaries. Among the achievements: tax breaks for the poor, expanded use of children’s car seats, a February presidential primary and criminalizing the injury or murder of a fetus (not counting abortion). April 28 is the signing deadline on the bills.
• Riley says he ‘couldn’t be happier’ as session ends [Birmingham News]

Down the drain: The jury was expected to begin deliberations today in the sewer trial involving former Jefferson County commissioner Chris McNair and various contractors. The charges: bribery and conspiracy. The question: Did McNair receive bribes or gifts in the form of thousands of dollars in cash envelopes? This is the first of two trials for McNair, whose own daughter testified against him. The sewer fiasco started out at $1 billion and is now expected to cost $3 billion to fix. Additional coverage.
• First sewer swindle trial closes [Birmingham Weekly]

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• Killer storms threaten porous citizens
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• Spring fever upgraded to vernal plague

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