Author: Virginia Martin
Police Identify the Victims From Thursday’s Deadly Church Shooting in Vestavia Hills
Police say the suspect is a 71-year-old white male who occasionally attended the church. They haven’t released a motive but said he used a handgun. Read more.
Cities Pinched by Rising Garbage Pickup Costs
Unincorporated Jefferson County is not the only area that will likely feel the effects of rising waste management expenses.
Likely to also feel the pinch are cities in the Cahaba Solid Waste Disposal Authority, a consortium that handles garbage collection for its seven member cities and one other that contracts with it.
Hoover is a member of the authority. Hoover City Administrator Allan Rice said a meeting of the waste authority board is in the works to hear from AmWaste, which manages waste disposal for the authority.
“What they’re telling me is they’re going to request basically like a fuel surcharge,” Rice said. “Not a permanent change to the contract but an addendum that would allow them to charge an additional fee, which will be tied to fuel prices so that as prices escalate, it goes up. And as prices fall – if they ever fall – it goes back down.” Read more.
Residents in SuperFund Site Seek City’s Help to Move
North Birmingham residents looking to be relocated from their environmentally contaminated properties will have to continue waiting — though, Mayor Randall Woodfin assured them, that “long conversation” is far from over.
Charlie Powell, a longtime resident of the city’s Collegeville neighborhood, asked officials during Tuesday’s council meeting for an update on relocation efforts for residents of the EPA’s 35th Avenue Superfund Site, which includes parts of Collegeville, Harriman Park and Fairmont.
“I’ve been fighting this battle for 10 years, and I have some concerns from some of the people,” Powell said. “They want to know, what are the plans for the relocation that we asked for? … We’re right in the mouth of this thing!”
The area received the federal superfund designation in 2012 due to high levels of soil contamination. Read more.
Sleeping shelters for homeless people will be built for the World Games. What happens next?
Brooks Leans Into the ‘Big Lie’ in Republican Senate Runoff
WBHM’s Andrew Yeager interviewed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who faces Katie Britt in a runoff for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate on June 21. Read more.
Security Measures for The World Games Will Muck Up Downtown but Will Not Close It
UPDATED to include plans for city hall — With all the activity in downtown Birmingham scheduled during The World Games, some have wondered whether they’ll be able to get to government offices and other places they need to go.
The answer for the most part is yes, but it’s going to take some planning.
For instance, the Jefferson County Courthouse on Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard will be open during the Games, which takes place July 7-17.
“People will be able to get to the courthouse and the courthouse will be open,” Jefferson County Public Information Officer Helen Hays said. “It’s just not going to be easy. With security for the World Games, they’re blocking off certain streets around downtown. There will be barriers, but pedestrians will be able to walk past those barriers,” she said.
Across Linn Park, Birmingham City Hall will be open, but the city also is temporarily opening a satellite office during the games to handle some finance functions and permit applications.
The downtown branch of the Birmingham Public Library, which is across Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard from the courthouse, will be open during The Games. But the Avondale branch will be closed. Read more and see maps of road closures near the venues.
Ouch! Pain at the Garbage Bin Comes to Residents of Unincorporated Jefferson County
Pain at the pump will be felt at the garbage bin for residents of unincorporated Jefferson County.
The Jefferson County Commission on Tuesday approved an emergency contract amendment with AmWaste, the franchise holder for residential garbage pickup in unincorporated parts of the county. The amendment allows the company to establish its rates based on fuel costs, which are based on the Alabama Department of Transportation Fuel Index, and the consumer price index.
For instance, residential customers with regular trash pickup will see an increase of about $30 on their quarterly bills – $39 if they also have yard waste pickup. Read more.
JeffCo Puts Beavers at Top of Most Wanted List on Accusations of Abetting Flood Waters
Beavers do what beavers do, so Jefferson County has to do what it has to do.
During its committee meeting today, the Jefferson County Commission moved to its agenda a resolution to award a contract to Nuisance Wildlife Control for the removal of beavers from designated zones in the county as needed and directed by the county sheriff.
“It’s been an ongoing issue,” said Heather Carter, director of the county’s roads and transportation department. “Obviously, we have lots of areas of habitat and the little critters are industrious. Especially in the areas where we have more floodplain, they tend to get in there and dam things up.” Read more.
Should Taxi Fares Be Increased Because of Rising Gas Prices? Birmingham Sets Public Hearing to Decide
The Birmingham City Council will hold a public hearing on June 21 to discuss raising maximum taxicab fares in response to rising fuel costs.
District 5 Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, chair of the council’s transportation committee, said the council had been approached several times by local taxicab companies — mostly zTrip — expressing concerns over rising gas prices.
“Those are costs that are borne by the drivers, so they have requested that we revisit the ordinance that sets the taxicab fare and have specifically requested consideration of a temporary surcharge to address the increased fuel costs,” he said. Read more.
Birmingham Awards Diplomas to Students Who Died Before Graduation
Not every student who starts school lives to graduate. It’s estimated nearly 2,000 children and teens die from gun violence every year in the United States. This week Birmingham City Schools awarded diplomas to the families of some of those lost students. Read more.
