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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SNL mocked her as a ‘scary mom.’ In the Senate, Katie Britt is an emerging dealmaker (NPR)

Colleagues say the initial caricature of Alabama’s Sen. Katie Britt as a hyper-partisan MAGA mom is untrue. In the Senate, she has been building a reputation as a bipartisan dealmaker. She now is helping negotiate changes to how immigration agents operate after the deadly shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis as Democrats refuse to fund the Department of Homeland Security without reforms. The department has been shut down for more than 10 days.

Alabama A&M Will Play in New HBCU Baseball Classic at Wrigley Field (Bama Buzz)

The Alabama A&M baseball team will play on hallowed ground May 2 when the Bulldogs take on Prairie View A&M at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The inaugural HBCU Baseball Classic follows the Chicago Cubs game scheduled for earlier in the day.

Long-Vacant, Once Bustling Birmingham Area Mall Set for Demolition After More Than 50 Years (AL.com)

Demolition of parts of Brookwood Village will begin in early March. Work is set to begin soon to convert the former Belk store into an orthopedic clinic for Andrews Sports Medicine. But representatives for owners Fairway Investments and Pope & Land Real Estate said redeveloping the rest of the site was more difficult, and workers will tear down the former Macy’s building, as well as interior mall areas and surface parking.

Birmingham AI Factory, Data Center Project Vote Delayed After Community Concerns (WVTM)

Birmingham’s Zoning Board of Adjustment delayed making a decision last week on a proposal to build an AI factory and data center along Lakeshore Parkway after neighbors raised concerns. Nebius proposes to build a facility at the old Regions Operations Center off Lakeshore Parkway along with a substation to provide the massive amount of power the AI factory would need. Nearby residents and the Greater Birmingham Humane Society complained about disturbances from the proposed facility.

Construction Begins on $23 Million Traffic Project at I-65, Lakeshore Parkway in Homewood (AL.com)

Construction has begun on a $23 million “diverging diamond interchange” on Interstate 65 at Lakeshore Parkway in Homewood. The design would temporarily shift vehicles to the opposite side of the road while they cross the bridge, allowing for smoother, signal-free left turns onto the interstate and easier merging for drivers exiting I-65. Construction is expected to continue through late summer or early fall 2027.

Community Food Bank of Central Alabama Provided 20 Million Meals in 2025 (WBRC)

The food bank reported that, across its 12-county footprint, it distributed 24.1 million pounds of fresh produce, protein and shelf-stable groceries.

Bill Ending Public Service Commission Elections Declared ‘Dead’ by Senate Pro Tem (Alabama Reflector)

The leader of the Alabama Senate on Wednesday declared a bill that would have ended popular elections for members of the state public utility regulator “dead.” The bill “moved too fast and addressed the issue too narrowly.” Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, said after the Senate adjourned.

What passed in the Alabama Legislature: Feb. 24-26, 2026

Last week’s action in the Legislature.