A Message from Mayor Stimpson - January 15
Jan 15th, 2021
Good evening,
It is 7:45 p.m. on Friday, January 15, and I am writing to give you an update from the City of Mobile.
Today, the Mobile County Health Department reports 29,897 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 185 cases. To review the most recent detailed report, click here.
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the City of Mobile will not be collecting curbside trash and yard debris on Monday, January 18 and our recycling drop-off centers will be closed. The collection of household garbage will be unaffected as garbage trucks do not operate on Mondays.
Earlier this month, I signed a proclamation declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in the City of Mobile. Today, I sat down for a conversation with members of the Junior League of Mobile and others working to shine a light on this underreported problem impacting our community.
We were joined by representatives from the Rose Center, which serves victims of human trafficking in our area as well as Miss Mobile Bay Breighanna Vigor and journalist Lynn Oldshue. Breighanna bravely shared her story of being a victim of human trafficking and discussed some of the ways we can help do a better job educating our young people and parents to prevent children from being exploited. Oldshue is featuring Vigor in a follow-up to her previous reporting on human trafficking for Lagniappe.
The Mobile Police Department has created a Special Victims Unit to serve juvenile crime victims and our investigators regularly work with federal law enforcement to investigate predators targeting children online. These are important functions, but the goal should be to prevent human trafficking before it occurs. I was honored to share time with several people who are helping move us closer to that goal.
This evening I’d also like to recognize Officer Alexandre Olivier, who was named the MPD’s Officer of the Month earlier this week. Olivier has been with the department two years and is assigned to patrol in the Fourth Precinct. He takes a proactive approach in pursuing suspects and was instrumental in locating a suspect accused of stealing several catalytic converters in our area including some from local churches.
Throughout December, Olivier responded to 59 calls for service and assisted on 18 backing complaints. He is one of the many officers dedicated to keeping Mobile’s streets safe, and I hope you’ll join me in congratulating him on his recognition as our Officer of the Month for December 2020.
Author Denis E. Waitley once said “the winner’s edge is not in a gifted birth, in a high IQ or in talent. The winner's edge is in the attitude, not aptitude.” A talented team with a bad attitude can’t accomplish much, but we’re fortunate to have many talented people in the City of Mobile who have the right attitude about moving our community forward. From our employees to individual citizens, I’m always seeing examples of people whose skills, talents and heart are in the right place. We are all better for it.
Sleep tight,