08.20.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
America’s – and the world’s – oldest ballpark officially turned 100 years old on Wednesday afternoon and The Friends of Rickwood Field organized a celebration befitting the occasion.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t exactly want to cooperate to allow a three-inning exhibition game to be played.
Hundreds still gathered under the grandstand attempting to stay dry while they heard words from Birmingham mayor William Bell’s chief of staff Chuck Faush and A.H. “Rick” Woodward III, grandson of the park’s builder, among others. A new sign from the state tourism office was unveiled, joining the historical marker already located in front of the ballpark’s main entrance. The video up above is of former Birmingham Barons owner Art Clarkson reading a letter from the team’s current parent club, the Chicago White Sox.
Incidentally, the demolition of the Sox’s former home, Comiskey Park, back in 1991, led to Rickwood’s current designation.
Filed under: Sports · history
08.20.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
It’s a little busy on The Terminal today as we introduce our new video series, It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham, over at Dear Birmingham. The aim of the videos are to give visitors to the site a closer look at the individuals working to make metro Birmingham a better place.
Our first installment gives folks a closer look at Sharrif Simmons, one of the founders of the Birmingham Arts And Music (BAAM) Festival kicking off this evening in the city’s downtown and Southside communities. Incidentally, if you haven’t checked out the lineup yet, you need to. We’re also working on creating a list of blogs, websites and tweeps planning to chronicle it for you over on Timetable this weekend.
Filed under: Timetable
08.20.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
People following us on Twitter and Facebook are aware that we launched our first ever blogging awards on Monday morning in partnership with b-metro Magazine. It’s gotten a great deal of traffic so far though it hasn’t been mentioned by many people. We wanted to make sure that those of you not on those networks understood the basics.
There are two separate sets of categories – a readers choice poll and a juried contest that will also contain a readers choice component beginning August 30. Nominations for both sets of categories will close next Friday, August 27, at 11:59 p.m. CT. We’re asking effective the publishing of this post that those submitting readers choice nominations fill out at least three (3) of the categories per submission (you’re allowed to submit one set of nominations per day). Those submitting their blogs for consideration of in the juried categories are required to submit an entry fee of $10 per category.
Those of you looking for suggestions on what blogs and posts to nominate will be interested in checking out our new blog aggregator, http://bhamterminal.com/managingnews. It’s a work in progress but we think it will become quite useful to folks in the coming weeks and months. We’re looking forward to adding more blogs to the list and hearing which ones are your favorites!
Filed under: blogging · contest
08.20.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
Earlier today Operation New Birmingham sent out a tweet that referred followers to the front page of its website. There, it posted the following statement about the issue of food trucks in the city, most recently represented by the situation involving the Spoonfed Grill:
“ONB President Michael Calvert has advised Mr. Jason Parkman, the owner of the Spoonfed Grill, that ONB no longer opposes food trucks in downtown. Comments from Mr. Parkman’s customers and supporters and subsequent conversations with several downtown restaurant owners indicate that food trucks do indeed contribute to the choices available to people working downtown and add to the urban experience for visitors. Calvert has apologized to Mr. Parkman and acknowledged that he made a mistake.
Current City ordinances do not permit food trucks or other private vendors to do business in a public right of way such as the loading zone in front of the Wachovia Building. ONB has pledged to be supportive of Mr. Parkman in his efforts to have ordinances modified to allow properly licensed food trucks to operate in the public right of way.”
Photo: Spoonfed Grill. Courtesy of Operation New Birmingham
Filed under: Business · The City
08.3.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
UPDATE: Joseph Baker, president of I Believe in Birmingham, has posted a statement on the organization’s Facebook page this evening.
Applause erupted this afternoon during a subcommittee meeting of Birmingham’s Design Review Committee as representatives from Chick-Fil-A informed committee members and others gathered that the proposed Five Points South location would not include a drive-through.
The fast-food chain plans to present a conceptual proposal to the full committee during next Wednesday morning’s regularly scheduled meeting. That proposal will incorporate points and suggestions made by the subcommittee today.
Chick-Fil-A also announced that they planned to use and modify the existing building on the site – a former Ruby Tuesday’s location – as well as incorporate a playground and outdoor seating. Reusing the existing structure would also allow them to move forward with the project quickly.
The number of parking spaces would be reduced from 90 to 74. There was also a question about if there would be a change in operating hours as a result of the prominent location; they said that none was planned.
Photo: Chick-Fil-A presents to Design Review Committee subcommittee. acnatta/Flickr
Filed under: architecture
08.3.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
Yesterday NBC 13 reported that Birmingham mayor William Bell and City Councilor Johnathan Austin visited our local Apple Store to investigate purchasing iPads for the current Council. The purchase would no doubt pay for itself as it would help to reduce costs involved with producing printed review materials for council and committee meetings.
The weird thing is, the City Council (at least the last council) received netbooks, jump drives and AirCards from former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford in last year in early June to accomplish the exact same thing. It was interesting at the time because they were delivered before the start of the last budget cycle. That purchase cost the city $4,975; the now proposed one would be $4,491 before taxes and cases.
We’re wondering if the cases for the iPads will come with a message similar to the one embroidered on the laptop cases that came with the netbooks last year?
Filed under: The City
07.27.2010 by Andre Natta · View Comments
This morning’s Birmingham City Council agenda is only 30 pages long (yes, I said only) but it fits a lot in there.
Item 24 supports an effort to pursue federal funds that would allow the city to provide free wireless internet access throughout. NO word on when the
Item 26 will set an August 31 public hearing to determine whether or not “a fence and gate can be placed across 27th Place South blocking vehicular access to Hanover Circle from St. Vincent’s Hospital.” while Item 27 will set a second public hearing on that date to determine if a second unimproved lot will be vacated to allow Woodlawn United Methodist Church to build a new structure (pictured to your left) to replace the one lost to a fire last spring. Both moves have been recommended by a council committee.
The meeting’s going right now (and is available archived) on the city’s website as is the agenda.
Filed under: On the agenda
Ike Pigott on 
Dystopos on 
Chad on 
Alienshards on 
ScottW on 
