Teens Say Birmingham’s Gun Violence Takes a Heavy Toll
At least 11 students in Birmingham have died due to gun violence since the beginning of the year, and their peers say the ongoing issue causes their mental health to suffer. Read more.
Government
Birmingham to Get Federal Help to Improve Stormwater System, Reduce Flooding
Birmingham will receive federal assistance to assess and improve the city’s stormwater drainage systems. The city is one of 20 in the nation — out of more than 100 applicants — to receive a technical assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “There’s no direct funding that will be given to the city,” Kim Speorl, a zoning administrator for the city, told councilors Tuesday. “We will be given a representative who will work with our stormwater and our floodplain and hazard mitigation department to identify projects to apply for FEMA grant funding in the future.” Read more.
JeffCo Commissioners Discuss How to Fix Slow Emergency Response Times
Steve Ammons gave a 30-minute report during today’s Jefferson County Commission committee meeting, telling his fellow commissioners what he learned from countless meetings to address an ambulance crisis in the county. “The problem is real,” one commissioner said. “So, what’s the solution?” asked another. As Rome wasn’t built in a day, Ammons said it will take time and continued effort to solve a problem that has been years in the making. He laid out short term, mid-term and long-term solutions to a situation that can leave county residents waiting hours for an ambulance. Read more.
Birmingham Council to Hear Arguments on Zoning for Medical Cannabis Dispensaries
The Birmingham City Council has set a Nov. 29 public hearing over proposed changes to the city’s zoning code that would allow for medical cannabis production facilities and dispensaries within city limits. It’s the next step in a process the council started last month when it approved an ordinance broadly authorizing medical cannabis dispensaries in Birmingham. The Alabama State Legislature, which legalized the production and distribution of medical marijuana last year, will maintain strict control over the licensing process via the newly created Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, which is not expected to issue distributor licenses until July. The new zoning code also would change zoning definitions for opioid replacement therapy treatment facilities, moving them from the “special exception” category to “permitted with conditions.” Read more.
Childhood Literacy Program to Expand After City Approves Funding
The city of Birmingham has committed $1 million to expanding Birmingham Talks, a citywide program promoting early childhood literacy. With the funding, the organization is expected to more than triple its reach from 1,000 to 3,500 students across all 99 neighborhoods over the next three years. Read more.
Voter Deadlines Approaching
Deadlines to participate in the Nov. 8 election are coming up quickly. Monday is the last day you can register to vote, and absentee deadlines begin the following week. Read more.
Birmingham Kicks Off New Garbage Pickup Plan
Birmingham has begun to deliver garbage carts to city residents in the first phase of its plans to change garbage pickup in the city. The Department of Public Works will deliver about 20,000, free, 96-gallon garbage carts among the city's four waste management districts over the next four weeks. Plans are to deliver about 100,000 uniform garbage carts through next year. Read more.
Jeffco Commission Discusses Proposed Downtown Amphitheater
A proposed $50 million amphitheater that could seat up to 9,000 people received a less-than-enthusiastic reception when it was presented during Tuesday’s committee meeting of the Jefferson County Commission. Commission President Jimmie Stephens doled out copies of The Star Uptown Amphitheater Opportunity, a seven-page information booklet produced by Corporate Realty, to fellow commission members. The plan calls for an amphitheater that could seat from 8,500 to 9,000 and would be owned by the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority and managed by Live Nation. The downtown entertainment venue would be located north of Protective Stadium and west of The Star at Uptown development on the old Carraway Hospital campus. It would replace the “aging” Oak Mountain Amphitheater, which is managed by Live Nation. Read more.
Birmingham City Council Approves Package That Will Bring 76 Research Jobs to City
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, the San Diego-based company that purchased Southern Research’s engineering division earlier this year, will receive up to $228,000 in city incentives to bring 76 new jobs to Birmingham. The Birmingham City Council unanimously approved the development agreement at its meeting Tuesdsay. Kratos acquired Southern Research’s engineering division (SRE) in May for $80 million; it will invest an estimated total of $26.6 million into the division’s campus, located at 757 Tom Martin Drive. That will include hiring and training 76 new employees over the next five years; for each new hire, the city will refund the company $3,000 in occupational taxes. Read more.
Birmingham Gets Grant to Train Unemployed for Health Care Jobs
A $10.8 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration will go to a new initiative placing Birmingham’s historically excluded job seekers in high-demand health care positions. “Our grant (proposal) was very competitive because we have an amazing health care sector here, and so essentially this will build on our already existing opportunities (to) connect job seekers who haven’t really traditionally had the ability to cross over and compete for those jobs,” said Sarah McMillan, the manager of workforce and talent development in the city’s Office of Innovation and Economic Opportunity. Read more.