The March computer network disruption that interfered with the city of Birmingham’s operations for weeks caused further confusion Tuesday, with the City Council voting to delay approval of several budget amendments. The city will be operating at 2024 levels until the budget is finished. Read more.
The UAB Health System is set to take over Ascension St. Vincent’s Health System properties in Central Alabama in a $450 million deal officials said would ensure continuing quality health care for people in Birmingham and surrounding communities. Read more.
Miles College has signed a letter of intent to begin negotiations to purchase Birmingham-Southern College, the private liberal arts school that closed May 31, The Birmingham Times has learned. Read more.
Kelvin Datcher, Birmingham’s deputy director of community development, and nonprofit executive Frank Woodson were the top two candidates in Tuesday’s special election for the Democratic nomination to the Alabama House District 52 seat. They will meet in a runoff July 16. Read more.
The fate of a downtown Birmingham nightclub criticized for attracting crime remains unclear after the City Council held a public hearing Tuesday to discuss revoking the company’s business license. Read more.
Bessemer’s Kewanna Benson and her son Kamaurion were dressed for baseball. The 9-year-old rising 4th grader could have been at practice for his Hueytown youth baseball all-star team. Instead, mother and son were at Birmingham’s Carver Theatre for a screening of the HBO Original documentary “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” It is one of several events happening around town related to Major League Baseball’s hosting three games at historic Rickwood Field. But the real stars of the three-day extravaganza are Rickwood Field and the Negro League teams and players who applied their craft there. Supporters say the buzz over the event also is drawing attention to the western-area community around Rickwood and the game of baseball itself. Read more.
Some Birmingham-area voters will be going to the polls Tuesday to select a Democratic nominee to run for the Alabama House of Representatives District 52 seat, which recently was left vacant after former Rep. John Rogers resigned and pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. Six Democrats are running for the seat: Dedra Campbell, Kelvin Datcher, Eric Major, LaTanya Millhouse, Eyrika L. Parker and Frank Woodson. If none of the candidates gets more than half of the votes, there will be a runoff between the top two votegetters on July 16. One Republican is running for the seat – Carlos Crum. Since he had no challengers for the Republican nomination, there won’t be a Republican ballot in Tuesday’s election. The general election on Oct. 1 will pit Crum against the Democratic winner. House District 52 covers parts of Birmingham, including the Glen Iris, Powderly, Southwest Birmingham and West End communities; along with sections of Homewood, Mountain Brook, Bessemer and unincorporated Jefferson County. See the map here. You can determine whether you’re in House District 52 by looking up your name on the Secretary of State’s website. BirminghamWatch’s Voter Guide for the race also includescandidate profiles, a compilation of the candidates’ statements on why they should be elected and the issues that are most important to them. Read more.
BirminghamWatch asked candidates why they thought people should vote for them for the House of Representatives District 52 seat. Dedra Campbell “I am not a politician but a concerned citizen seeking to be the change I want to see. It is more than a political party but the needs of the people. That is something
Profiles on each of the candidates running for the Democratic nomination to the Alabama House of Representatives District 52 seat. Dedra Campbell Kelvin Datcher Eric Major LaTanya Millhouse Eyrika L. Parker Frank Woodson
Eyrika L. Parker Party: Democratic Age: 50 Residence: Birmingham Political experience: Jefferson County treasurer; was disqualified from her race for reelection for not turning in required ethics paperwork on time; ran unsuccessfully for Jefferson County circuit clerk, 2018. Professional experience: Currently treasurer of Jefferson County; has worked in a variety of fields, from law to media. Shortly
