Gehman booted from the rail commission

Atmore resident Jerry Gehman was removed from the Southern Rail Commission following critical remarks about Gov. Kay Ivey's decision not to commit $5.3 million in state funds to help bring back passenger rail along the gulf coast.

Gehman, 59, was appointed to the rail commission in 2016 by then Gov. Robert Bentley. The funds from the state of Alabama were needed to jumpstart passenger rail from New Orleans to Mobile with future plans to extend the route through Atmore to Jacksonville and Orlando.

Gehman said he and others had made repeated attempts to talk with Gov. Ivey about passenger rail a...