Restaurant named a James Beard Foundation ‘America’s Classic’ honoree — Alabama’s first “We will reopen, and when we do, we will be bigger and better than ever before.” Milton McGregor McGregor wants AG to step in on bingo NEWS STAFF/MARK ALMOND Owners of The Bright Star restaurant, Nick Koikos, left, and Jimmy Koikos talk to long-time customers and friends Jack and Sue Pearson as the Koikos’ niece Stacey Craig stands behind the couple Monday evening. The Bessemer institution has been named one of the James Beard Foundation Awards’ “America’s Classics.” Bright Star goes supernova Fears raids might get someone hurt INSIDE y y P Pr ro op po os sa al l t to o a al ll lo ow w b bi in ng go o c ca as si in no os s a at t 1 10 0 l lo oc ca at ti io on ns s g go oe es s t to o p pu ub bl li ic c h he ea ar ri in ng g / / 1 1B B y y B Bu us si in ne es ss s a as s u us su ua al l a at t G Gr re ee en ne et tr ra ac ck k / / 3 3B B y y I In nd di ia an n c ca as si in no os s s se ee ei in ng g u up pt ti ic ck k i in n b bu us si in ne es ss se es s a as s o ot th he er r c ca as si in no os s c cl lo os se e / / 3 3B B By ALEC HARVEY News staff writer The Bright Star, a Bessemer insti- tution since 1907, has been named one of the James Beard Foundation Awards’ “America’s Classics” honor- ees. The Beard Foundation Awards — considered the Oscars of the food world — give the America’s Classics distinction for “restaurants with timeless appeal, beloved for quality food that reflects the character of their community.” The Bright Star is the first Alabama restaurant to earn the America’s Classic distinction since the James Beard Foundation Awards began awarding it in 1998, according to the foundation. “We are so honored,” said Nicky Koikos, who co-owns The Bright Star with his brother, Jimmy. See AWARD Page 4A B By y C CH HA AR RL LE ES S J J. . D DE EA AN N N Ne ew ws s s st ta af ff f w wr ri it te er r T Th he e o ow wn ne er r o of f t th he e s st ta at te e’ ’s s l la ar rg ge es st t a an nd d o ol ld de es st t e el le ec ct tr ro on ni ic c b bi in ng go o c ca as si in no o s sa ai id d M Mo on nd da ay y t th ha at t A Al la ab ba am ma a A At tt to or rn ne ey y G Ge en n- - e er ra al l T Tr ro oy y K Ki in ng g s sh ho ou ul ld d s sh hu ut t d do ow wn n G Go ov v. . B Bo ob b R Ri il le ey y’ ’s s t ta as sk k f fo or rc ce e o on n i il ll le eg ga al l g ga am mb bl li in ng g b be e- - f fo or re e “ “s so om me eb bo od dy y g ge et ts s h hu ur rt t. .” ” M Mi il lt to on n M Mc cG Gr re eg go or r, , o ow wn ne er r o of f t th he e V Vi ic ct to or ry yL La an nd d c ca as si in no o i in n S Sh ho or rt te er r, , i in n M Ma ac co on n C Co ou un nt ty y, , s sa ai id d R Ri il le ey y’ ’s s t ta as sk k f fo or rc ce e a an nd d i it ts s c co om mm ma an nd de er r, , M Mo ob bi il le e C Co ou un nt ty y D Di is st tr ri ic ct t A At tt to or rn ne ey y J Jo oh hn n T Ty y- - s s o o n n , , a a r r e e b b e e h h a a v v i i n n g g l l i i k k e e “ “ s s t t o o r r m m t t r r o o o o p p e e r r s s m mo o v v i i n ng g a ac cr ro os ss s t th he e s st ta at te e, , i in nt ti im mi id da at t- - i i n ng g l l e eg ga al l b bu us s i i n ne es s s s e es s a an nd d p pu ut tt ti in ng g p pe eo op pl le e o ou ut t o of f w wo or rk k. .” ” M Mc c G Gr r e eg go or r s s a ai i d d h he e h ha as s l la aw wy ye er rs s t to o a ar rg gu ue e h hi is s s si id de e, , s so o h he e d do oe es sn n’ ’t t n ne ee ed d h he el lp p f fr ro om m K Ki in ng g. . B Bu ut t M Mc cG Gr re eg go or r s sa ai id d i it t’ ’s s t ti im me e f fo or r K Ki in ng g t to o “ “c co om me e o ou ut t S Se ee e B BI IN NG GO O P Pa ag ge e 2 2A A Bessemer official not guilty Solicitation case ends for councilwoman By ANITA DEBRO News staff writer Bessemer City Councilwo- man Louise Alexander cried Monday after a jury pro- nounced her not guilty of solic- itation and using her office for personal gain. Outside of the courtroom at the Jefferson County Court- house in Bessemer, Alexander, 49, said very little as she stood by attorney U.W. Clemon. The councilwoman said this period of her life has been very hard. “This has taken a toll on her,” Clemon said. “Now jus- tice has been done and she can go on with her life.” It took the jury of eight women and four men about four hours of deliberation to find the 49-year-old woman not guilty on all five counts. Al- exander was accused of using her position to solicit money from Tuscaloosa businessman See BESSEMER Page 4A Louise Alexander She plans to run for mayor of Bessemer. INSIDE Ex-2-year college boss ordered to pay $18.2 million Lt. Col. Ken Bourland Searchers on Sunday recovered his body in the ruins of the Hotel Montana in Port- au-Prince. Bell wants transit overhaul Birmingham Mayor William Bell wants current Max bus system management out and replaced within the next 60 days. He also wants to appoint an outside committee that will take a look at the agency’s problems and financial woes. 1B By ROBERT K. GORDON News staff writer A federal judge Monday ordered former two-year college Chancellor Roy Johnson to forfeit $18.2 million in cash along with his $1.3 million Opelika home. Johnson, the once powerful Ala- bama legislator, is scheduled to be sentenced later this month in Birming- ham by U.S. Dis- trict Judge Karon Bowdre. He faces more than 25 years in prison and more than $2 million in fines. Monday’s forfeiture or- der — which allows the government to seize the home Johnson built on Sanders Creek Drive in Opelika — will become part of the sentence. Prosecutors are expected to ask for a lighter prison term for Johnson because of his cooperation in the successful public corrup- tion cases against former legislators Sue Schmitz, E.B. McClain and others. Johnson, once the government’s key target in its federal criminal investiga- tion of the two-year college system, turned into the key witness as prosecu- tors looked into jobs and payments legis- lators and relatives of state school board members received in the system. The investigation has produced more than a dozen guilty pleas, convic- tions and indictments from people with two-year col- lege ties, including several See JOHNSON Page 4A City native, officer in Haiti confirmed dead By ANNE RUISI News staff writer A Birmingham native and Air Force officer miss- ing since last month’s dev- astating earthquake in Haiti was confirmed dead Sun- day, his mother said, and will be buried in the Ala- bama National Cemetery in Montevallo. While details of the fu- neral arrangements are pending, Lt. Col. Ken Bour- land, 37, will be laid to rest in the recently opened cemetery, said his mother, Adrienne Bourland of Cook Springs. Searchers on Sunday re- covered Col. Bourland’s body in the ruins of the Ho- tel Montana, a popular ho- tel in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, his mother said. Col. Bourland had been among the thousands reported missing following the Jan. 12 earthquake that devastated the Caribbean nation. “Air Force officers came to the house this afternoon, about 60 or 90 minutes af- ter Ken’s body was recov- ered” to notify the family, Bourland said late Sunday night. “We knew that even- tually Ken would be found . . . we had confidence that the military people on the See BOURLAND Page 4A Roy Johnson