Youth Leadership Forum Applications Open until October 3rd

Do you know a 10th or 11th grade student who would be interested in Leadership Birmingham's high school program?

What: Youth Leadership Forum is a program for area high school leaders to learn about local issues, systems, and structures that form our dynamic metropolitan area of Greater Birmingham. YLF was established by Leadership Birmingham graduates in 1986 to educate high school sophomores and juniors about Greater Birmingham and to develop their leadership skills.  

YLF provides in-depth programming to acquaint students with community needs, opportunities, problems and resources. Students have the opportunity to interact with community leaders and to develop relationships with a diverse group of student leaders from across Jefferson County.

Who: Sophomores and Juniors who attend school or reside in Jefferson County. Students should also:

• Demonstrate leadership in school and/or community activities

• Express an interest in furthering their knowledge of greater Birmingham

• Have the ability to engage in challenging discussions

• Commit to 100% attendance at all sessions (see program calendar)

• Maintain at least a "B" average

How to apply: The application and reference forms are available on our website at ylfbham.org. For more information, contact Katherine Berdy at katherine@ylfbham.org or  (205) 252-6559.
 

Applications are due Monday, October 3

Birmingham Public Library Presents ACT Prep Workshop - Saturday, October 8, 2022

The ACT test is often required for college admissions and scholarships, yet it is a dreaded and anxiety-filled experience for many high school students. The Birmingham Public Library is ready to help with our ACT Prep workshop taking place on Saturday, October 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Springville Road Regional Branch Library, 1224 Springville Road.

• Learn test-taking strategies and take a full-length practice ACT exam.

• Cost is $30.00 and includes test preparation materials, a calculator, and lunch.

• Tickets are required and are available through Eventbrite

.For more information about the ACT workshop, contact the Springville Road Library at 205-226-4083

Birmingham News You Can Use - September 16, 2022

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”   

 — Colin Powell  

HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

* We want your stories! * 

• In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the City of Birmingham Human Resources Department would like to share stories of Hispanic and Latinx families, culture, and traditions. If you have a story that you would like to share, please email the story (videos and photographs are welcomed and encouraged) to employeerelations@birminghamal.gov. Deadline is Friday, Sept. 30. Please call 205-581-3052 if you have questions or need additional information. 

* Food Truck Friday is today *    

• The popular Food Truck Friday event will take place TODAY on Short 20th Street in front of City Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a live radio remote with Summit Media, who will host ticket giveaways for the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic game!  

  • The following trucks will be here:  

    • Coco Crabs 

    • Aww Shucks  

    • Treats So Sweet  

    • Smoke on Wheels 

    • Jolly Cakes  

    • Lemonade Junkeez 

    • Dirty Red 

    • Cake’s Southern Fried Eats  

    • Sugar and Ice Desserts 

    • Not Ya Average Leaf  

    • Nawlins Style Po Boys 

    • Oh My Turkey Leg 

* Singer Omarion to sign his new book * 

• The Birmingham Public Library is hosting Grammy-award nominated singer, songwriter, performer, actor, and author, Omarion on his Unbothered: The Power of Choosing Joy book tour. The event will be Friday, Sept. 16 at 4:30 p.m. at the Central Library. Tickets are $30 and includes a book. For more info, go here: https://bplolinenews.blogspot.com/2022/09/central-library-to-host-book-releaseq.html 

* Bring Your Own Vibe * 

• Head to the City of Birmingham's Official YouTube channel and subscribe to be sure you don't miss the alert for the next Bring Your Own Vibe! This Friday, Sept. 16, Dave and the Party Rockers take the stage for some go-go-style tunes. Here’s a snippet: TEASER - Bring Your Own Vibe: Dave and the Party Rockers. 

* Medical Minute with Dr. Kre of BWell* 

• September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month   

  • Prostate health is important. Remember all men need to start having regular prostate checks at the age of 40 years for African Americans and 50 years for Caucasian Americans.  Also, make sure to ask about your family history of all the men in your family.   

  • Here are a few good prostate health tips:   

    • Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is often a risk factor for cancers.   

    • Decrease red meat and increase your vegetables   

    • Exercise more & quit smoking   

  • To come get your blood work to check your PSA (prostate level) at NO COPAYMENT, enroll at cobclinic.com or give us a call at Brownstone BWell 205-202-5650.   

* Family Movie Night in the park * 

• Birmingham Park and Rec is hosting Family Movie Night at different city parks through October 13. This special program, known as “Parks After Dark,” is for all ages and free to the public. The movies will start at sunset.    

  • Dates and locations include:    

    • Wiggins Park Rec Center – Sept. 22    

    • North Bham Rec Center – Sept. 29    

    • Fountain Heights Rec Center – Oct. 6    

    • Memorial Park Rec Center – Oct. 13  

* Helpful tips from Behavioral Health Systems * 

• Social media, texting and other forms of digital communication are now ingrained into children's habits at an early age. Unfortunately, bullying has also evolved with technology. The attached handout, Cyberbullying & Keeping Your Children Safe, offers tips to parents and guardians to help protect their children. As a reminder, BHS is continuing to offer telehealth services. Please do not hesitate to reach out to BHS to discuss your benefits and to find a counselor to meet your needs.  Call BHS today at 800-245-1150. 

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UPCOMING EVENTS          

Saturday, September 17  

• First-time home buyers seminar 

  • Learn helpful information. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The Salvation Army Center of Hope, 2015 26th Ave. West. Lunch is provided. See attached for details.  

• Birmingham Museum of Art to host its Latin American Heritage Festival  

  • Celebrate Latin culture at the Birmingham Museum of Art during their sixth annual Latin American Heritage Festival in collaboration with Fiesta Birmingham. Join BMA for a day of festivities, featuring Spanish-language gallery tours and delicious Latin cuisine. Enjoy family-friendly art activities, face painting, and much more! Sept. 17 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Free.  
      

• Back in School Chess Tournament  

  • The Arlington House and Gardens, along with ChessNation and Birmingham Public Libraries, will present a chess tournament. See details attached.    

  
Thursday, September 22 

• Toastmasters International Open House 

  • Learn how Toastmasters can help you improve your public speaking skills. Come to City Hall, Conference Room 215. 12-1 p.m. 

  • If you can’t join in person, hop on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4162734596?pwd=RnBBUTExZlpGSkpTT3JIdGlBa2xqZz09 

    • Meeting ID: 416 273 4596 

    • Passcode: 2022 

Saturday, September 24 

• CrossPlex Villa Block Party 

  • Come enjoy a block party featuring the grand opening of Crab Barrack. City and County employees receive a 10 percent discount on CrossPlex village eateries (except for Starbucks). See attached. 

Thursday, September 29  

• Birmingham Museum of Art’s Season Opening: ReFRAME Party  

  • Join BMA at The ReFRAME, an immersive celebration with a fresh perspective, inspired by art and culture from around the world. September 29 from 5-9 p.m. Get more details here: https://www.artsbma.org/event/season-opening-the-fall-reframe-party/  

Saturday, October 1  

• Employee Appreciation Day  

  • Birmingham-Southern College will have a City of Birmingham Employee Appreciation Day during its 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Oct. 1 on its campus. What this means is that City of Birmingham employees who show their ID badge at any gate, will receive free entrance. All employees attending the game will also be entered in a drawing. **There is limited parking around the stadium, so fans will most likely need to park in the parking lot by the college's soccer fields and walk down the hill to the stadium.  

Send your News You Can Use submissions to marie.sutton@birminghamal.gov

Collat Jewish Family Services -September News-

Reducing Caregiver Stress

by Elaine Witt

First, her mother fell and broke her hip, leading to a partial joint replacement. Then she fell again, this time fracturing her arm. That was when Maria Whiting knew it was time to move her mother, 79-year-old Blanche Taylor, from her home in Pensacola to Birmingham, where Maria has lived since the late 1990s.

“At first, I brought her home to live with me and then it wasn’t very long until an apartment opened up for her at Episcopal Place,” Maria said. When she and her mother were signing the papers for Episcopal Place, a subsidized senior housing community off Highland Avenue, the staff recognized Mrs. Taylor’s frailty and recommended the CJFS Personal Care program...

Understanding Your Child's Anxiety

by Jennifer Bradley, LPC

As a therapist for 25 years, I have had the privilege to work with adults and children of all ages, and I have been seeing some changes in our children’s mental health. This generation has a problem, and it's anxiety.

There is a cloud of anxiety that is hovering over our children for so many reasons: the pandemic and the premature introduction to death, wars, homeland terrorism, the opioid/drug epidemic, major political unrest, racial division, riots… and that’s just in the last two years. Whew!...

The 2022 CJFS Friends Campaign is Underway!

The 2022 CJFS Friends Campaign is well underway and we are 27% of the way towards our goal!  Co-Chairs Natalie Asman and Steve Royal know how important CJFS services are to our community. Natalie shares,

"It has been a privilege to help raise funds for this year's CJFS Friends Campaign. There are so many worthwhile programs that help the elderly and other individuals with needs in the Birmingham community.

When my parents needed caregiving and I needed support with some health issues, the counselors at CJFS were so invaluable to me and to my family."

Our FRIENDS are what make CJFS programs and services possible for those who need us the most-- We hope you will join us as FRIEND this year!

Aids Alabama Move Night

Movie Night

El Centro/The Hub Movie Night is around the corner! Come out and join us as we watch relatable LGBTQ+ life experiences. We will have food and refreshments. Testing will be available. Due to COVID we are making sure that we stay safe through this time. RSVP for a slot, contact any El Centro/The Hub staff to confirm.

205-918-8236 Xytarius Breeding RSVP
205-810-3220 Karina Harris RSVP
205-575-8662 Eric Ward office RSVP
205-575-8724 Ryan Gamble RSVP

Birmingham City Council Highlights 9.6.22

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

ITEM 1:

Today the Council voted unanimously to approve the rezoning of a property in the Fairview neighborhood to allow for a community arts and cultural center.

According to the applicant’s proposal, they will “repurpose the existing building into a community arts and cultural center that is rented out to various businesses and non-profits. The Opportunity Center for Arts and Culture site will include a 300- seat venue for theatrical performances, a large reception lobby, a community dining hall, and a full-sized basketball gymnasium. The center will provide opportunities for authentic self-expression, cultural heritage preservation, and life-long learning through a trade school, daycare (Dorothy's Educational Learning Lab), and various non-profits that target the neighborhood's youth, families, women, young adults and veterans.”

Several councilors applauded the efforts that will provide more learning opportunities for Birmingham’s youth. The property is located at the former Family Life Center across the street from Sardis Baptist Church

“This is a great chance for this organization to work collaboratively with their neighbors at Sardis across the street,” Councilor Carol Clarke said during the meeting. “When we met with this group previously during a meeting about this rezoning case, they were flanked by a lot of members in the community. I can tell there is a lot of neighborhood support for this and I’m excited to see it moving forward.”

The Fairview Neighborhood Association met at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 1, 2022, to review the proposed project and voted to support the proposed rezoning request. The vote was 12- approved and 0- denied. The neighborhood is in support of the rezoning request because they want to encourage revitalization, improvements and stability within the community.

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:

ITEM 1. An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM” Case No. ZAC2022-00004 to change zone district boundaries from R-3 Single Family District to QMU-H Qualified Mixed-Use High District , filed by Daryl Jones of The Opportunity Center, LLC, the owner, for property located at 1600 4th Court West, and situated in the SE¼ of Section 33, Township 17-S, Range 3-West, and the hearing of all interested parties. [Second Reading] (Submitted by Councilor Abbott, Chair, Planning and Zoning Committee) (Recommended by the Z.A.C. and the Planning and Zoning Committee)**

Railway Infrastructure Public Input Meeting

Last week, the Council voted unanimously on a landmark piece of transportation legislation that will pave the way for railway improvements that will drastically improve the quality of life for residents in the Harris Homes community and surrounding areas. The resolution authorizes the Mayor to apply for $10 million in funding for a planning and

engineering project, the first step of a much larger project to improve the rail infrastructure on the Eastern side of town. The improvements would eliminate several rail crossings and allow space for trains to stage their approach into Norris Yard in Irondale in such a way that does not impede street crossings.

City leaders are currently seeking comments from community members and there will be two public input meetings on the railway infrastructure project: One will be held at the Harris Homes Community Center from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20th and another at Social Venture in Woodlawn that same day from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“I personally live in the community that has been impacted by this, nearby to Harris Homes,” Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said. “I’ve been engaging with residents about these train crossings for the last 15 or 20 years, well before I was elected to represent this district. So I am very glad to see a tangible step being taken towards a solution and I thank my colleagues for their continued support.”

Comments may also be provided at the Woodlawn United Methodist website.

Code Enforcement Town Hall on September 15th!

Magic City Spotlight - August 25, 2022

Birmingham officially welcomes Slutty Vegan at grand opening in Woodlawn

Slutty Vegan CEO and founder Pinky Cole, who opened her restaurant Sunday in Woodlawn with a block party and ribbon cutting, said her company is more than just burgers, fries and pies. It’s also an ecosystem focused on people, purpose and philanthropy.

On Saturday, she met with several Black Birmingham small business leaders to discuss her climb to building her a plant-based, $100 million food company that has five locations in Georgia and is set to open many more in America. During her talk, she offered tips people need to know when starting a business.

Want the tips? Chanda Temple has the recap! Click the button below learn more.

American Rescue Plan brings $27 million to Birmingham neighborhoods

Birmingham will see a $27 million investment in our neighborhoods, thanks to the American Rescue Plan.

More than 70 projects are under review, including capital projects, housing development, economic development and public services.

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Make plans to attend K-3 Literacy Town Hall Tuesday, August 30

Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Sullivan will host a town hall on Tuesday, August 30 to encourage community support of kindergarten to third-grade literacy.

The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Boutwell Auditorium, located at 1930 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Boulevard.

Parents of children K-3, local literacy groups, current and retired educators, faith communities and residents are invited to learn how to support Birmingham children in achieving grade-level literacy.

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The City of Birmingham has approved a new uniform trash bin system

 The City of Birmingham is launching a uniform garbage cart system for all its residential homes. Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin recommended and the Birmingham City Council approved $6.5 million to purchase, assemble and distribute 100,000 large trash bins.  

“This is a very progressive step forward,” Woodfin said. “Birmingham will now be aligned with best practices of most cities in this country when it comes to trash pickup. This is a win for our refuse collectors and a win for our residents.”  

Each Birmingham residential home will receive one complimentary 96-gallon garbage cart. These industrial bins keep trash protected from animals and weather elements. They will be serviced using new automated side loader refuse trucks with other existing trucks being retrofitted with special tippers.  

Hudson opens Civil Rights Trail Market at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Mayor Woodfin, along with members of the Birmingham City Council, joined Birmingham Airport Authority and Hudson leaders for the opening of the Civil Rights Trail Market at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.

The rebranded retail store located in Concourse C helps tell the story of Birmingham and its role in the civil rights movement to travelers. The store carries The U.S. Civil Rights Trail book by Lee Sentell along with other items for travelers to take a piece of history along their journeys.

The Junior League Wants To Partner With You!

Community Project Application Deadline August 31

If you’re interested in partnering with the Junior League of Birmingham in 2023 - 2024, the deadline to submit your application is August 31st at 5 p.m. Apply here.

Over the years, our volunteers have worked with agencies, like yours, to improve the health, education, financial stability, and well-being of the Birmingham community. We continue that tradition as we solicit agency partners and select programs that will create systemic change in our community.

Our Community Research Committee will evaluate and select projects that complement the mission of the Junior League of Birmingham. The committee will look for projects that offer our members the opportunity to impact our community in meaningful and challenging ways. We encourage projects that are collaborative and address critical, unmet needs in the Birmingham community. Our Community Research Committee evaluates each project and how it complements the mission of the JLB. The Committee’s goal is to select projects where our members are afforded the opportunity to impact our community in meaningful and challenging ways that can be measured. Please be aware that 92% of our membership is employed full or part time; therefore, volunteer opportunities geared towards evenings (after six o’clock) and weekends, or a concentrated time are often very popular.

Our volunteers are most impactful when the projects include:

• evening opportunities (6-10 p.m.)

• weekend opportunities

• working with other volunteers

• training opportunities

• meaningful volunteer experiences

The Community Research Committee is available to provide assistance with your proposal. If you have questions, please reach out to Community Research Chair Megan Miller.

The Junior League of Birmingham is committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. We look forward to working with you and your agency.

Food for Fines September 2022

Do you owe overdue fines in the library? Would you like to clear those fines and do a good deed -- all at the same time? Well, now's your chance!

How does it work?
$1.00 in fines will be waived for each food item donated in September for up to $10.00 per library card holder.

When and where can donations be made?
Donations will be accepted at all Jefferson County public libraries circulation desks during September.