Lola Sewell has announced her candidacy for the Selma City Council Ward 7 seat.

Sewell spoke about several issues as she declared her candidacy, including bringing jobs and industry to the community, improving the city’s infrastructure and crime. &uot;If we get more jobs, get people working, I think that would help the crime problem,&uot; Sewell said. &uot;We could create programs that get people busy and that would also make jobs.&uot;

Sewell said that she wanted to get people away from street corners and into jobs, which would earn them money. &uot;We’ve got to get people to working,&uot; she added.

Speaking to the issue of a youth curfew, Sewell said that it could be effective, but noted that parents must be involved. According to Sewell, if children are involved in a basketball program during the day, they’ll be less likely to commit crimes. &uot;Work them all day, and they’ll go home at night,&uot; Sewell said.

Sewell also plans on working toward bringing industry into the community. &uot;With good leadership, good council members working with the Chamber of Commerce, we can bring jobs in here,&uot; Sewell said. &uot;There are plenty of grants out there to bring in programs for jobs.&uot;

Industry is just one of Sewell’s concerns. She also wants to clean Selma’s streets. &uot;I want to give residents information about their trash pickup,&uot; Sewell said. &uot;That it must be in boxes or bags. If it’s not, it’ll blow everywhere.&uot;

Sewell noted that Ward 7’s infrastructure needed work. According to Sewell, the gutters need cleaning and the sewer system needed improvement. &uot;We need new pipes in Ward 7,&uot; Sewell said. &uot;We need new drainage. With grants, all that is possible. The money is there for these different projects. We need to get it and get the job done.&uot;

Concerning executive sessions, Sewell said that they were one of the few ways the council could determine what was best for the city. &uot;We’ve got to listen to everyone’s ideas, but they didn’t used to go into that many executive sessions.&uot;

Sewell was born in Selma, lived outside the city for a time and returned. She is a former city employee and a Daughter of Elks Lodge 919 member.

Sewell is currently involved in a fund-raiser for St. Jude’s Research Center, which is scheduled for June. Her family lives in Ward 7. &uot;I want to see if I can clean this ward up,&uot; Sewell said. &uot;I love Selma. It’s home. I want children to return to Selma after college.&uot;

Sewell said that if she was elected, she would work for the people and keep their best interests in mind. &uot;Not just for Ward 7, but side by side with everyone in city government,&uot; Sewell added. &uot;I believe that we must have strong and effective leadership so that every citizen can say, ‘I am from Selma, Alabama!’&uot;

Councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw is the Ward 7 incumbent.