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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Families Flock to Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration (CBS 42)
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute hosted its day long “Juneteenth Jubilee” celebration in the heart of the Civil Rights District. The event combined the history of freedom with a block party that included food trucks, a DJ and even line dancing. Organizers wanted to make sure the celebration also served as a reminder of the freedom and history that marked the original holiday.
Alabama Governor Names Four New PSC Members, Including Its First Two Black Appointees (Inside Climate News)
The Alabama Public Service Commission has never had a Black commissioner in its 145-year history, but that’s about to change. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced the appointments of four new commissioners Wednesday, two of whom will become the first Black commissioners in state history when they take office next January.
Ivey tapped four men—retired Army Gen. Ron Burgess, telecommunications executive Fred Johnson, attorney Demarcus Joiner and Alabama State University President Quinton Ross — to fill newly created seats on the commission, which is the primary regulator for utilities in the state.
Why This Was a Good Year for the Cahaba Lily (WBHM)
Cahaba lilies bloom from the Cahaba River’s rocky shoals southwest of Birmingham from about Mother’s Day to about Father’s Day every year — a testament to Alabama’s rich biodiversity and a draw for visitors who want a glimpse of the iconic lilies. This year’s display was the best in more than a decade, and a key reason, counterintuitively, was the drought.
The first, and most daunting, legal challenge to Tuberville’s candidacy has been filed (Alabama Political Reporter)
The biggest challenge to Tommy Tuberville’s campaign for governor is now officially in a Montgomery Circuit Court. A lawsuit, a quo warranto legal challenge, filed Wednesday by a pair of military veterans is challenging Tuberville’s eligibility to be the Republican nominee for governor based on his residency. They contend Tuberville does not meet the state’s minimum requirement of being a resident citizen of Alabama for the past seven consecutive years. The lawsuit will be judged by a court, rather than the Republican Party, and the quo warranto challenge allows a judge to order expedited proceedings.
Alabama Democrats Dismiss Givan’s Challenge to Lumpkin’s Eligibility (Alabama Political Reporter)
The Alabama Democratic Party dismissed a challenge state Rep. Juandalynn Givan had filed over Alicia Escott Lumpkin’s eligibility to run in the House District 60 primary, which Lumpkin won in May. But Givan still is pursuing a separate lawsuit challenging Lumpkin’s eligibility, saying she still worked for the mayor while running for office, which would be barred by law.
‘Still Here, Still Speaking’ Gives Military Families a Platform in Birmingham (Birmingham Times)
A national nonprofit is partnering with the Urban League of Alabama to bring a series of civic events and listening sessions to Birmingham to amplify the voices of military families and veterans. Secure Families Initiative will host a series called “Still Here, Still Speaking: Birmingham” on June 23 and 24. These events — which include a panel discussion and community town hall — are designed to highlight experiences of military families, veterans, and community members living in Alabama through structured conversations focused on service, democracy and belonging.
“Honoring Service, Confronting Inequity,” a panel discussion, will be held at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute on Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guest speakers include U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Mel and Regina Mason, Troy Mosley, Valencia Richardson, True Lewis, Kyle Bibby and Scot Loyd. On Wednesday, a military families town hall will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre in the Jazz Hall Lobby.
Central Alabama Water Launches $90,000 Customer Satisfaction Survey (WVTM)
Central Alabama Water has approved a $90,000 contract with customer research firm JD Power as the utility works to improve customer satisfaction and better understand residents’ concerns. JD Power’s latest water utility study ranked Central Alabama Water last among midsize water utilities in the South.
In other CAW news this week, a member of the board raised concerns after staff told her the administration planned to move the headquarters of the utility formerly called Birmingham Water Works from the city to Shelby County. Administrators would not comment on whether there are plans to move.
Federal Regulators Tell Electric Grid Operators to Fix Their Rules on Data Centers (Inside Climate News)
Federal energy regulators issued sweeping orders last week that require the nation’s six major grid operators within 60 days to propose reforms or justify their rules that govern how data centers and other large customers connect to the electric grid. Within 30 days, each grid operator and its transmission owners also must submit a detailed report describing how the grid operator will ensure there is adequate generation to serve existing and new large loads. The purpose of the order is to expedite connections between large customers and utilities, but with some proposed protections for residential and small commercial customers. The new rules were ordered after concerns that the growing data center industry could overstress already fragile power grids and shift power costs onto other electricity consumers.
Data centers have become a topic of debate in the Birmingham area mostly because of two hyperscale data centers being developed, one in Bessemer and one in the Oxmoor Valley.
