Category: Economy
The Long Decline: Health Care Access Grows Difficult in Shrinking Rural Communities
Depopulation often means fewer health care providers, and more difficulties getting to them. Read more.
The Long Decline: In Depopulating Counties, What Happens to Schools?
As people leave rural Alabama, so do students. That has an effect on finances for those left behind. Read more.
The Long Decline: How Depopulation Hurts Alabama’s Rural Communities
The Black Belt has lost residents for decades. Those who stay are often poorer — and older. Read more.
Council Approves $150K for Project to Provide High-Level Training to Junior Tech Workers
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday voted to spend $150,000 on a project to transition junior developers and engineers in the tech industry into more senior-level positions.
The group tasked with developing this program, called the Birmingham Upskill Partnership Initiative, is the regional technology association TechBirmingham.
Deon Gordon, president and CEO of TechBirmingham, said stakeholders in the tech industry have noticed a dearth of workers with senior-level skill sets. Read more.
JeffCo Considers Forgiving Development Group’s Debt, Moving Coroner’s Office to Park
A resolution moved to the agenda of Thursday’s Jefferson County Commission meeting would forgive more than $1 million owed to the county from Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority.
The county would also execute a purchase agreement with JCEIDA for land in the Lakeshore Jeffmet Park for the new office space of the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner. The purchase agreement for the land, valued at $700,000, would not be a cash transaction but would help offset the remaining JCEIDA debt being forgiven.
County Manager Cal Markert called the authority “one of the most successful economic development groups in the state, if not the most.” Read more.
Alabama Power Partners With a Company Accused of Misleading Customers
A flier promoting the program began hitting mailboxes in November. In this new arrangement, HomeServe wants to sell what it calls an emergency home repair program to Alabama Power customers. Read more.
Results from Birmingham’s Guaranteed Income Program for Mothers To Be Presented Tuesday
Last year, 110 Birmingham residents received $375 a month for a 12-month period through the Embrace Mothers guaranteed income program funded by Mayors for a Guaranteed Income.
Forty-eight mayors have adopted these pilot programs, so what have we learned about guaranteed income?
Community members can find out at a program Tuesday that will include screening of the new film “It’s Basic.” Read more.
New Community Center Planned for Old Bank Building in Ensley
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved selling a former AmSouth Bank building in Ensley to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity so it can establish a community center there.
The Mu Psi Lambda chapter of the fraternity intends to refurbish the building and transform it into a multi-purpose outreach center to serve as a resource to the Ensley community by eliminating blight, providing youth and community training programs and other services. Read more.
JeffCo Commission OKs Eco Dev Funds, Tyson Wants More to Go to Small Black-Owned Businesses
The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday authorized its support of Innovation Depot and the Birmingham Business Alliance, but not without Commissioner Sheila Tyson voicing her objection.
“I feel like both of those organizations do not address the businesses in the minority community,” she said. “(They) don’t reach farther out from downtown.” Read more.
She looked for help after her power bill doubled. But aid for utilities often falls short
Dolabriel Curry-Hurst’s January power bill in Alabama jumped above $700 — more than twice of what she owed the previous year. Read more.
