A Novel Tasting - Benefit For The Birmingham Public Library

The Birmingham Public Library is delighted to announce A Novel Tasting 2023! This festive evening will feature a tasting of fine wines, locally crafted beers, and distilled spirits. Guests will enjoy live music, catered food, and complimentary drinks.

The second annual A Novel Tasting will take place on Thursday, April 6, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at downtown's Central Library.

As part of the night's entertainment, attendees will have the opportunity to bid on an alluring lineup of silent auction items, try their luck at Cryptic Corks, and take a fun video with friends in a 360 photo booth. A cigar bar will be set up outside for aficionados of fine tobacco, and a VIP reception will be held between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

Please don't miss out on what promises to be an exciting celebration! Tickets are available for purchase now on Eventbrite. 

Participation in A Novel Tasting will help the Birmingham Public Library continue to provide the highest-quality experience of lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment to our community. Proceeds from the event will fund programs at all BPL locations. 

Upcoming United Way Events

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA

United Way of Central Alabama fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties.

EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Stock Meals on Wheels Food Pantry

  • Help stock the Meals on Wheels food pantry. Picking up a few extra items can make a big difference in a homebound senior’s life.
    Get the Details 

• Free Tax Preparation 

  • United Way of Central Alabama is providing FREE tax services again this year for qualified individuals. 
    Learn More

• UWCA Celebrates 100 Years

  • Join us on June 24th to celebrate our 100th anniversary and a century of moving our community forward.
    Learn More 

• Attention Area College Students…

  • Help kids overcome COVID-related learning by becoming a tutor.
    
    Learn More

We always get to choose Joy - Upcoming Events at the Birmingham Children's Theatre

A NOTE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is a story about a little girl navigating her way through a neurodiverse family while finding ways to still be a kid.

This iteration of Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is near and dear to my heart as a neurodivergent person. I am just now, at my big age of 34, really getting a grasp on what it means to live with brain differences and what it means to encounter and care for others with brain differences.

I wonder who I would be today if I had encountered neurodivergence as a normal part of life in the form of entertainment as a child.

Telling a story about neurodivergence to children is a tall task. I wanted to ensure we were being respectful of the text while making it understandable by children. In directing this show, I desired to present this truth: sometimes we don’t get to choose our environment, but we always get to choose joy. 

Set in the mid 1960s, Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is written like a sitcom. The beats of heaviness are so eloquently balanced with light hearted and sometimes slap stick moments of comedy. The direction of this piece was inspired by all of the sitcoms I loved watching on Nickelodeon’s Nick at Night from the 50s, 60s and 70s like "I Dream Of Jeanie," "The Jefferson’s" and "The Brady Bunch." 

I direct from a place of musicality, so I sound designed my own show. I was equally inspired by the music of the time. The sounds of Motown and the Carpenters are where the sound design meets in the middle. 

I truly hope you all enjoy this version of Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly as filmed in front of a live studio audience. I hope you all laugh, cheer and sigh. I hope it is fun experience for all who come to see it. Most importantly I hope you leave this space a little more empathetic, understanding and seeking the joy that finds itself all around us.

~Aija Penix

Lift Every Voice a Black History Month Festival 

Friday, February 10th - Sunday, February 12th, 2023

Lift Every Voice is a three day celebration honoring achievements of Black artists in our community through theatre, dance, music, poetry, art, literature, panels, talkbacks, and workshops.

This FREE event is open to all ages and all communities. A variety of performances and workshops will be offered from collaborating Black artists, educators, and organizations. Tickets are free but we are requesting families make reservations for the larger events. You can reserve your spot HERE

Lift Every Voice is made possible through a generous grant from

the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

SPRING BREAKOUT! CAMP

A Spring Break Camp for ages 8-18!

BCT’s Spring Break-out Camp is a fast-paced theatrical learning experience designed to take a script from the page to the stage in just one week! Our camp will introduce your child to all aspects of theatre: rehearsal etiquette, character development, self-confidence and expression, design and technical opportunities, vocal exercises, acting and movement techniques, and more!

Each day start with specialized activities for each age group.

• Younger students (ages 8-13) will focus on “actor toolbox” basics such as creating characters, understanding a script, and story-telling fundamentals.

• High-school students (ages 14-18) will explore the behind-the-scenes and design aspects that bring magic to any theatrical performance and work to create the scenery, costumes, props, and sound for their production.

Both groups will come together after lunch to rehearse and prepare for the showcase performance on Friday, March 31st.

Birmingham City Council Highlights 1.31.23

Here are a few of the legislative highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
 

ITEM 1
 
The former Western Supermarket site on Highland Ave. has been rezoned to allow for a mixed-use development that will feature 272 apartment units and 10,000 square feet of retail and office space.
 
Following a discussion centered around storm water mitigation and traffic impact, the Council voted unanimously to approve the rezoning request. According to city officials, the plan for the mixed-use development is in line with the City’s long-range land use plan and will provide improvements to the area’s walkability.
 
No streets will need to be reconfigured to accommodate the new development.
 
Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:
 
An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM” (Case No. ZAC2022-00014) to change zone district boundaries from B-2 General Business District to “Q” MU-H Qualified Mixed-Use High District, filed by C. Randall Minor of Maynard Cooper & Gale, applicant, representing the owner, 22nd Street Partners, LLC, for properties located at 2230 Highland Avenue South, 2174 11th Court South and 1128 22nd Street South and situated in the NW¼ of Section 06, Township 18-S, Range 2-West, and the hearing of all interested parties. [Second Reading] (Submitted by Councilor Abbott, Chairman, Planning and Zoning Committee) (Recommended by the Z.A.C. and the Planning and Zoning Committee)**

ITEM 10
 
Today the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved $5 million for the construction of a new amphitheater near the former Carraway Hospital site that is currently being razed.

The outdoor amphitheater will include between 8,500 to 9,000 seats and will compliment the Star and Uptown developments that have sparked millions of dollars of investments in the surrounding area.

“If there are any lessons we’ve learned over the last several years, it’s that the Birmingham metro area has been gaining momentum through regional cooperation. This is especially true when we talk about ‘big build’ economic development projects,” said Councilor Hunter Williams, chair of Economic Development and Tourism Committee. “We’ve seen the success that other cities have had by making deliberate and sustained investments in public art and entertainment venues. I believe this will pay dividends for years to come.”
 
The Jefferson County Commission is expected to approve $5 million to help fund the development as well. The contribution from the City will be funded through this year’s budget surplus.
 
Smaller cities in Alabama are able to draw large acts to their outdoor amphitheaters. The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater was completed in 2011. That amphitheater cost $18 million and has resulted in over $100 million in private investment around it. With the largest metro area, Birmingham could easily lead the state in that regard with the new amphitheater.
 
Here is the item as it appeared on the agenda:
 
An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET” for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, by transferring $5,000,000.00 to Non-Departmental, Transfer to Fund 102 Capital Improvement and “TO FURTHER AMEND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BUDGET” for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, by appropriating $5,000,000.00 for North Birmingham (Uptown) Amphitheater. Funding Source is Fund Balance Reserves.

ITEM 11
 
The City Council unanimously approved $4.4 million for various improvements at parks and recreation centers across the city, $3.4 million for facility improvements at public libraries and an additional $1.6 million for weed abatement and sidewalk repairs.
 
“I am so pleased that we are able to make this kind of investment into facilities and parks that improve the quality of life for our residents,” Council President Wardine Alexander said. “Having access to these kinds of facilities is so important to our residents and the overall health and wellness of our community.”
 
Here is a breakdown of the parks and libraries that will be receiving funding:

Councilor LaTonya Tate, Chair of the Council's Public Safety Committee, has released the following statement regarding the death of Tyre Nichols.

"When Tyre Nichols called out for his mom, every single mother in the world felt that. Our hearts all broke at the same time.

We all thought of our sons and daughters and the agony that the Nichols family must be going through knowing that his life was stolen from him so close to home.

In the recent days since the video was released, it’s almost impossible to put into words what the world witnessed.

Their actions were completely void of humanity. Their actions were the kind of violence that our communities have trusted the police to prevent.

And yet here we are again.

Once again, our hearts are broken as we’re reminded of how far we still have to go for justice and peace in America.

To the family and friends of Mr. Nichols: Birmingham weeps for your loss and we stand beside you in the fight for justice.

As the first black female chair of Public Safety in Birmingham, Alabama, this senseless death has weighed very heavily on me. I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

Unfortunately, here in Birmingham, we are no strangers to oppression and police brutality that were broadcast to the world in the 1960s.

I think of all the men and women from that time who never lived to see a more just and equitable world. And in times like this, it makes you wonder how far have we really come?

But as Dr. King reminds us, ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’ Together we are stronger, and together we can build the world we want for our children.

Tyre Nichols’ death will not be just another statistic. His name, along with those who’ve had their lives stolen before him, will be our rallying cry as we continue to dismantle these systems of oppression in our country.

Say his name. Remember his name and how you felt when you saw the video of his death.

We will honor their memory by doing everything we can to build a system that finally fulfills the promise of liberty and justice for all people. That is my hope."

Jones Valley Spring Camp Grow: REGISTRATION OPEN!

Spring Camp Grow Is Back!

CAMP GROW: Plant Power! is a week full of hands-on experiences for 3rd – 5th grade students at JVTF's Center for Food Education in Downtown Birmingham. Campers will explore the powerful world of plants through inquiry and experimentation. They'll actively engage with the farm, investigating how plants are used in art, design, medicine, and beyond! Campers should show up curious, ready to learn and have fun, and expect to get their hands (and feet and knees!) dirty.

Take A WILD Animal Into Your Heart - Birmingham Zoo

Celebrate VALENTINE'S DAY 
and support your BIRMINGHAM ZOO by
symbolically adopting a wild animal as a holiday gift!

Your gift will help to provide food, health care, habitat maintenance, and enrichment activities for the Zoo's animal family, and also help to support the Zoo's education and conservation programs.

Your friend or loved one will receive an adoption certificate, animal fact sheet, photo, and plush from the Zoo gift shop. You can also gift yourself an animal adoption!

Become the proud parent of an animal at your Birmingham Zoo today! 

When you symbolically adopt, your gift helps provide food, welfare, and vital care for the Zoo's animal family, as well as support education and conservation programs.

Every animal at your Zoo has very specific needs.

You can help meet these needs with an adoption! Adopt for yourself, a relative, or a friend. An animal adoption makes a one-of-a-kind present for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, holidays, or special occasions.

News You Can Use: 1-19-23

UPDATED DETAILS: Ramsay Football Champions honored with a parade 

• Due to the threat of rain on Thursday, Jan. 19, Ramsay High School has moved its football championship parade to Friday, Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The parade will start and stop in front of Boutwell Auditorium. Please see the parade route below. Also, please take note of the times for certain street closings and access to parking decks near City Hall during the parade.  

• Parade route  

• Parade will start in front of Boutwell on Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.  

• Parade participants will walk west on Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. and head toward 19th Street North 

• Turn left on 19th Street North 

• Turn left on Park Place 

• Turn left on Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. 

• Turn left onto Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.  

• End in front of Boutwell 

• Street closings (locations and times) 

• Short 20th will close on Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. 

• On Jan. 20, Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from 19th Street North to 21st Street North.  

• Park Place, from 19th Street North to Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd., will close at 10:30 a.m.  

• Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. will be closed from Park Place to Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., starting at 10:30 a.m.  

• 19th Street North from Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. to Park Place will close at 10:30 a.m. 

• Employees should NOT park on 19th Street North between Park Place and Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. at any time before the parade on Jan. 20.  

• Employees will be unable to park on Short 20th Street North at any time before the parade on Jan. 20.  

• Parking at Boutwell  

• Those who plan to use the Boutwell deck between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, will need to access the deck via the 19th Street North entrance. The Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd entrance will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

• Access to Parking Deck A next to City Hall via 19th Street North will be closed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 20. The same will be true for those using the City Hall parking deck that lets out onto Short 20th Street. This means that vehicles will NOT be allowed to leave or enter these decks during this time range.  

• Those driving near the parade route right before the parade starts and during the parade should expect delays in trying to get to some of their downtown destinations. 

Calling Spoken Word artists – TIME EXTENDED 

• The City of Birmingham presents its Servant Leader Spoken Word Contest. Submit your spoken word recording of a previously authored or original piece to employeeRelations@birminghamal.gov. There is a 2-minute limit and city policies apply to all submissions. For additional information, call 581-3082 or email employeerelations@birminghamal.gov. Submission deadline has been extended to Monday, Jan. 23. 

Get healthy in the New Year 

• Birmingham Park and Recreation presents Fitness at the Villa, a free weekly series at Avondale Villa, located at 4220 Woodvale Road. Here is the weekly schedule: 

• Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Kickbox Sculpt 

• Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Xtreme Hip-Hop 

• Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Line Dance 

• Certified dance instructor LaMesa Brooks offers fitness classes at the city’s North Fitness Center, 421 Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. Offerings include Zumba, Afrobeat Cardio Dance fitness, and  FX'perience Body sculpt and Tone. For more information, call 205-902-9599. 

• Check out this month’s Behavioral Health Systems Newsletter. It includes helpful tips on keeping a New Year’s resolution, staying engaged at work and exercising regularly. See attached. 

UAB’s Alys Stephens offers discounted rates for city employees 

• Check out the following special offers just for CIty of Birmingham employees: 

• Buy 1 Ticket, Get 1 Free for Jazz Sensations Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding. Wednesday, Jan. 18. Scan for offer and use code ESPCITYBOGO at checkout. Tickets are $35-$55. 

• Jazz/Low Country Musicians Ranky Tanky. Thursday, Feb. 23. Scan for offer and use code RANKYCITYBOGO at checkout. Tickets are $39. 

• Meshell Ndegeocello. Thursday, March 9. Scan for offer and use code MESHCITYBOGO at checkout. Tickets $39. 

• For more information, see the attached flyer and go to AlysStephens.org. 

Get your 2023 City of Birmingham wall calendar  

• If you need a calendar, please see the attached digital version or visit the first floor lobby at City Hall and pick one up from Jacqueline Faulkner at the Customer Service Desk.  

Nominate a woman for StrongHer 

• Do you know a woman who lives, works, volunteers or attends school in Birmingham and is making a big difference in the Magic City? If so, nominate her for StrongHer, an annual campaign that highlights unsung “sheroes.’’  Honorees will be profiled on the city’s social media pages in March for Women’s History Month. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 20. Send nominations to strongher@birminghamal.gov. Visit www.birminghamal.gov/strongher for more info. 

Tax services offered 

• Titusville Library will host Safe First Tax Services for patrons from January 26 through April 14 (Thursdays and Fridays only). Please call 205-322-1140 to reserve your spot. 

The Sloss Story to air on APTV 

• Learn about the history of Sloss Furnaces, and how it related to the founding of Birmingham in a documentary airing on Alabama Public Television this Thursday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. Here is a link for more info: https://aptv.org/series/the-sloss-story/. 

The Big Shred Day 

• Free electronics drop-off day and paper shredding from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Birmingham Zoo. Please see attached flyer for details. 

Submit your news to marie.sutton@birminghamal.gov. 

Spring and Summer Camp at Your Birmingham Zoo

BIG NEWS!
SPRING AND SUMMER Zoo Camp!

Spring Camp Registration is OPEN Today, 1/16/23.
Click HERE to register. For more information about Zoo Camps, Click HERE.

Your Zoo's annual Summer Camp Flash Sale will start 2/15/23!  Anyone registering for Summer Camp between 2/15 and 2/16 will receive 15% off registration.

Members will receive a Flash Sale discount on top of their regular discount for Summer. Be sure to get your Member Discount codes before 2/13.

Contact membership@birminghamzoo.com or education@birminghamzoo.com to verify your Membership and receive your code. 

Forest Park / South Avondale (Mid January Newsletter)

The February meeting of the Forest Park / South Avondale Neighborhood Association is

Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 p.m.
Avondale Library

Agenda:
1.  Report from South Precinct
2.  Presentation about Organizing a Neighborhood Meet and Greet, Pam Stories.
3.  Report from Friends of Avondale Park
4.  Report from Birmingham Board of Education, Mary Boehm
5.  Report from District 3 City Councilor, Valerie Abbott
6.  Report from District 5 City Councilor, Darrel O'Quinn

Forest Park / South Avondale  
Brush and Trash Pick Up date.  
      FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Missed Pick-up - Dial 311
Report Illegal Dumping - Dial 311

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Join Friends of  Avondale Park

Renew Your Membership

Friends of Avondale Park is a 501c3, run by an 11-member volunteer board, dedicated to supporting the park as a physical and symbolic anchor of our community. Friends of Avondale Park operates entirely with membership fees and donations. Membership levels are $25 for individuals and $40 for families. A $150 Legacy membership is also available. Corporate sponsorships vary from $500 to $2,000, all of which goes to park maintenance, improvements, and community activities. Corporate sponsorships are all taxdeductible donations. Donations go toward projects such as - Revitalization of the rose garden - Pond cleaning and maintenance - New signage - Membership events - Birmingham Folk Festival - Movies in the Park - Southside Baseball - New shrubs and plants All these goals improve the neighborhood by making the park an attractive feature of the community.However, we currently cannot meet these needs without additional funding. Please visit avondalepark.org to become a member or renew your membership today. Corporate sponsors will be featured in our newsletter, which reaches our 300 plus members on a quarterly basis.

Special thanks to Tom Cosby and Maury Shevin for cleaning up around and painting the cannon on Altamont Road.

Join us on Tuesday, January 24 at Avondale Library to help us prioritize the recommendations in the Draft Southern Area Framework Plan!

Stop by Avondale Library between 5:30pm and 6:30pm on Tuesday, January 24th to learn more about the Draft Southern Area Framework Plan. A formal presentation will be given promptly at 5:30pm. At the meeting you will have the opportunity to give your input that will help set the priority of the Plan's goals and recommended actions via an interactive activity. We hope to see you there!

Click here to review and download the DRAFT Southern Area Framework Plan

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Avondale Park Inter-Faith Walk

all faiths welcome
 
Led by Neal Flum/Avondale United Methodist Church
Every Wednesday (weather permitting)
7:00 AM: Meet at the Rose Garden
Dogs welcome

We’ll pray, Walk for 30 minutes, Share faith, fellowship, and our love of the park 
Any questions:  avonumcfaithwalk@gmail.com 

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Birmingham Lists the Streets Part of its $12 Million Paving Plan for 2023

By
 Birmingham Times
 January 6, 2023 

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday finalized its 2023 Street Paving schedule that will improve nearly 250 roads city wide and roughly 43 miles.

The resurfacing plan is part of an estimated $12 million investment that will go toward upgrading streets in Birmingham.

City Council President Wardine Alexander said improvements are scheduled to be made in all nine districts and will impact almost all of the 99 neighborhoods in the city.

“A lot of our streets have aged and so we had a five-year plan where we were already looking to improve streets and paving in different areas. So this $12 million is just for this segment of the five-year plan,” Alexander said.

The council’s vote marks the first step of the project. Now the city is in the bidding process for contractors to do the work. Alexander said construction should start sometime this summer or fall.

To preview District 3 2023 Street Paving list, please click here.
To preview District 5 2023 Street Paving list, please click here.

Five Points South Neighborhood Newsletter - January 2023