BW Recommends is a rundown of stories you might have missed this week. It offers insight into issues important to our area and sometimes tickles your curiosity.

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State Bill Would More Than Double Birmingham Mayor’s Salary, Change How It’s Set (ABC 33/40)

A bill in the Alabama Legislature would change how the mayor of Birmingham’s salary is set, which is now determined by state law. The bill would give control of that amount to the City Council, which is how it’s done in most Alabama cities, and set a minimum of $220,000 a year, up from roughly $130,000 now. 

The South’s Next Great Food City — 60 Places to Eat and Drink Right Now (Southern Living)

Southern Living featured Birmingham and its plethora of restaurants in story that said the city “has evolved from a former steel town into a world-class dining destination.” Longtime Birmingham News and Alabama Media Group restaurant writer Bob Carlton highlights 60 not-to-be-missed restaurants, from the city’s fine dining offerings to its cocktail-forward establishments, casual fare and lunch, brunch and breakfast spots.

Suspending Alabama’s Gas Tax? Not ‘Completely Off the Table’ Says Legislator (Alabama Reflector)

Amid a rapid rise in state gas prices caused by the war in Iran, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones last week called on the Legislature and Gov. Kay Ivey to suspend the gas tax for 60 to 90 days to provide temporary relief for Alabamians. A Republican Senate budget chair says it’s not off the table, but it carries a heavy cost in federal matching dollars as well as tax collections that go to funding road and bridge projects across the state.

Christian Coalition Condemns Allen’s ‘Anti-Muslim Rhetoric’ (Alabama Political Reporter)

The Christian Coalition of Alabama released a statement Friday condemning “anti-muslim rhetoric” from Secretary of State Wes Allen levied against John Wahl, his Republican opponent for lieutenant governor. Allen criticized Wahl for attending an interfaith event held at the Anniston Islamic Center earlier this month. Allen said he would never enter an Islamic center or mosque and there was “no excuse” for such participation. Randy Brinson, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, wrote in a statement from the group that Allen’s declaration “stands in direct contradiction to the example of Jesus Christ, who crossed every religious and cultural boundary of his day to share the truth of the Gospel.”

In a similar development, educator and independent U.S. Senate candidate Craig Jelks visited the Islamic Academy of Alabama in Homewood after U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican running for governor, weighed in on an anti-Muslim protest that led the school to cancel its planned relocation to Hoover.

Federal Court Rules Alabama Power Can Impose Extra Charge on Customers With Solar Panels (Alabama Reflector)

U.S. District Court Judge Annemarie Carney Axon this past week dismissed a lawsuit that had sought to overturn an extra fee Alabama Power charges customers who get some of their electricity through solar panels.