Virginia Martin

Project to Turn Old Ensley High Project Into Apartment Complex Moves Forward

Plans to redevelop the former Ensley High School into a 244-unit apartment complex took another step forward Tuesday, despite the continued misgivings of District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt. The former high school, abandoned since 2006, was sold in April to the North Carolina-based developer Zimmerman Properties for $50,000. Zimmerman, in conjunction with the Housing Authority of Greater Birmingham, plans to redevelop the property into 244 apartment units for those earning between $16,000 and $45,000 annually. On Tuesday, in a largely procedural vote, the council approved assignment of the project to 2301 Ensley LP, a single-purpose operation created to “protect the project and (its) grant funds in the event of an accident at other properties in the Zimmerman portfolio,” Cornell Wesley, the city’s director of innovation and economic opportunity, told councilors. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

COVID Drives Up Costs at Jefferson County Jails

What looked to be a $500,000 cleaning bill for a month raised the eyebrows of Jefferson County Commissioners during their committee meeting Monday morning. The sheriff’s office had asked for more money during the final weeks of the 2020 fiscal year. The apparent reason was a hefty cleaning bill at the two county jails. But commissioners learned that increased expenses for feeding prisoners brought on by pandemic protocols contributed to the large request. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

‘I Don’t Know How Much Longer We Can Do This’: Alabama State Health Officer Frustrated as COVID Cases Surge

Alabama is in a “crisis situation” with a surge in case numbers and hospitalizations, particularly in school-aged children, according to State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. Read more.

by Eva Tesfaye, WBHM

Alabama Names Ashley M. Jones as Its New Poet Laureate

Jones, a Birmingham native, is Alabama's first Black poet laureate and the youngest person to hold the position. Read more.

by Janae Pierre, WBHM

Pay-for-Say: Buying Interviews Is a Bad Idea

Paying for information is a much frowned-upon practice in journalism. Fortunately, it rarely happens. Except, of course, when a media organization pays for a newsworthy photo or video. Or for breaking news tips from sources (think TMZ paying police officers). Or to cover a source’s pre-interview expenses. Or for subject experts to appear regularly on shows. Or for coaches and athletes to do weekly programs. Or for event broadcast rights. The latest incarnation is emerging in the world of sports, where college athletes can now make money from endorsements, appearances and interviews. Read more.

by Tom Arenberg

Strong Campaign Propels Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to a Second Term

UAB political science professor Peter Jones said fundraising and a "boots to the ground" strategy gave incumbent Mayor Randall Woodfin his commanding victory in Tuesday's election. Read more.

by Andrew Yeager, WBHM

Woodfin Reelected Birmingham Mayor in Landslide

As the newly reelected mayor of Birmingham stepped to the stage upstairs at The Fennec in the Parkside District, a few hundred people chanted, “We’re With Woodfin,” and “Four More Years.” Indeed, they were with Randall Woodfin at the ballot box on Tuesday. As a result, the incumbent pushed aside seven challengers and earned another four-year term in office. “The energy in this room tonight doesn't reflect me,” he said. “It reflects us. The energy in this room is the definition of Team Birmingham.” In total, 36,790 Birmingham residents went to the polls Tuesday, for a voter turnout of 25.27%. Incumbents did well in the City Council election, with six of the nine incumbent councilors being returned to their seats outright and two more heading to an Oct. 5 runoff. Incumbents on the city’s board of education didn’t fare as well. Read more. Strong Campaign Propels Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to a Second Term (WBHM) 2021 Birmingham City Election Results

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

2021 Birmingham City Election Results

BIRMINGHAM MAYOR William A. Bell Sr.: 9.14% Cerissa A. Brown: 0.64% Napoleon Gonzalez: 0.13% Philemon Hill: 0.41% Lashunda Scales: 20.77% Darryl T. Williams: 0.33% Randall Woodfin: 64.33% Chris Woods: 4.26% Read on for results in the city council and board of education races.

by BirminghamWatch

Birmingham Council OKs Extra Funds for Bus Rapid Transit System

The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to approve using $18 million in American Rescue Plan funds to cover unexpected extra costs in construction of the city’s Bus Rapid Transit system. The BRT project, which will create a 10-mile, higher-speed public transit corridor through 25 neighborhoods, broke ground in December. But last week, Charlotte Shaw, the city’s deputy director of capital projects, told councilors that the project had run into rising costs in the construction industry — a “perfect storm” resulting from COVID-19’s strain on the market. Even with significant cuts, she said, the city would need at least $14 million more to complete the BRT, which originally had been budgeted for $45.8 million. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

BW Recommends: Trump Rally in Alabama

WATCH: Former President Donald Trump Speaks at Alabama Rally (CBS 42) Trump Holds Rally in Cullman (Cullman Times) Donald Trump Booed at Alabama Rally After Encouraging Crowd to Get COVID-19 Vaccine (Newsweek) Mo Brooks Booed After Telling Trump Rally Crowd to Move Past 2020 Election (AL.com) Trump Holds Rally in Cullman, Alabama News Network Political Analyst Steve Flowers Weighs In (Alabama News Network) Trump Supporters Pack Farm in Cullman for Rally (WAAY) Trump's Rally in Alabama Is a Boon for Mo Brooks' Senate Campaign (CNN)

by BirminghamWatch