Virginia Martin

Balance in Journalism Is Good … Until It Isn’t

Two alarming recent headlines: • “Why the age issue is hurting Biden so much more than Trump” (New York Times, Feb. 10) • “Public equally concerned about Biden’s and Trump’s classified documents, new poll finds” (nbcnews.com, Jan. 29) In politics, public perceptions like these arise because many people magnify events that support their existing views and distort or ignore those that don’t. That’s not the fault of the mainstream news media. But in some cases when perception does not match reality, the media are very much to blame. Read more.

by Tom Arenberg

How Racism Flooded Alabama’s Historically Black Shiloh Community

SHILOH COMMUNITY — If it’s been raining, the kids bring two pairs of shoes to the bus stop. One pair is for before school—for the trek through high water in the historically Black Shiloh community in Coffee County, Alabama. “They roll their pants legs up, too,” said Otis Andrews, who’s lived in the community nearly all his life. Once they’ve made it onto the bus, they can change into their second pair, drying out for the school day to come. “That’s not acceptable,” Andrews said. “It’s really not. They shouldn’t have to do this.” Shiloh, he explained, is naturally flat. Flooding didn't start until after the state elevated and expanded U.S. 84. Read more.

by Lee Hedgepeth, Inside Climate News

‘Don’t let a pandemic go to waste:’ Y Leader Says COVID Shined a Spotlight on Community Needs

Despite speaking on Super Bowl Sunday, Dan Pile chose not to say the Northeast YMCA will be a “Super Y” after a major redevelopment on that Roebuck campus. His hope, Pile said, is that the redevelopment will be the new norm, the standard for all YMCAs. “Actually, what I believe will happen is this will become a prototype of future YMCAs,” said Pile, the president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Birmingham. “We’re not the only provider but we’ve convened in bringing in other providers. I really believe this represents the future of the YMCA, especially here in Birmingham.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Birmingham Mounts Full Court Press to Get Third Graders Up to Reading Level

Birmingham City officials are beginning a full court press to get all third graders reading on grade level or proficiency by the end of the year. “This is it everybody,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin in an interview last week. “The test is less than 90 days away, and every third grader in the state of Alabama, including the 1,300-plus third graders in Birmingham City Schools will take this test.” Read more.

by Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times

Violent Crime Down Slightly for This Year So Far but Car Thefts Soar

Crime in Birmingham is running behind last year’s rate, at least for most crimes. Auto thefts are up more than 30% year to date over last year’s numbers, 170 already this year compared to 129 this time last year, according to this week’s crime summary released by the Birmingham Police Department. On the other hand,

by BirminghamWatch

JeffCo Commission OKs $1.87M for Y With Comprehensive Community Services

The Jefferson County Commission today provided $1.87 million to fill in the gap in the YMCA’s revitalization project for its Roebuck Community facility. Inflation created the nearly $2 million shortfall in the plan to build a new, comprehensive center, to include mental health services, veteran crisis intervention services and services to address inequities in health care, early learning and housing, among others. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Ethics Commission Ruling Keeps Parker, Allen Off Ballot for Treasurer

The Alabama Ethics Commission ruled this week that persons who were removed from the ballot of the March 5 primary cannot be their party’s nominee in the general election. That ruling means the Jefferson County Democratic Party cannot nominate incumbent Eyrika Parker or challenger Mara Ruffin Allen to be the party’s candidate for Jefferson County treasurer. The party will be meeting next Saturday to select a new candidate. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Birmingham Council Approves Roundabout on Blue Lake Drive, Pavilion for Howze-Stanford Park

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved an agreement with neighboring municipalities that will see a roundabout installed on Blue Lake Drive near the Historic Cahaba Pumping Station. The roundabout will be built where Blue Lake Drive intersects with Cahaba Heights Road and Sicard Hollow Road, just northeast of the intersection of Interstate 459 and

by Daniel Gaddy

JeffCo to Consider Funding for Roebuck Y With Comprehensive Community Services

Jefferson County Commissioners on Tuesday decided to send a resolution to Thursday’s agenda that would provide ARPA funds to fill in the gap in the YMCA’s revitalization project for its Roebuck Community facility. Inflation left the Y with a $1.87 million shortfall in its efforts to build a comprehensive center to include mental health services, veteran crisis intervention services and services to address inequities in health care, early learning and housing, among others. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

How Birmingham City School Students Recovered Pandemic Learning Loss

Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Mark Sullivan expected to see reading scores decline after the pandemic. When he saw the first results in coming out of the pandemic, he was relieved to see student reading did not fall as much as he expected. “But the math scores plummeted,” he said. The next steps Birmingham officials took may have helped turn them around. Read more.

by Jemma Stephenson, Alabama Reflector