It appears that no one will fill in for Birmingham City Councilman Joel Montgomery as he continues to recuperate from injuries sustained in early April when he was arrested on charges of public intoxication. The Birmingham News reported in today’s paper about the exchange between council members and president of the Parkway East District Business Association Tricia Working during yesterday’s weekly City Council meeting. The business association had decided at their meeting last Thursday that they wanted to request that the council appoint someone, especially considering that it is during budget season at City Hall. According toboth reports, councilors have promised that the concerns of District 1 will not be ignored in Councilor Montgomery’s absence. There has been no announced timetable for when he will be able to resume his duties.
Category Archives: Birmingham
No replacement for Montgomery, yet
Posted in 35203, Birmingham, City Council, News
New local beer hits the streets
Local beer lovers have one more pilsner to add to their list. Emerald Coast Beer Company, has launched Emerald Coast Pilsner. The Birmingham-based investment group spearheaded by Linearstone Holding Corporation (site still under construction). The beer, which will be brewed by Melbourne, FL based Florida Beer Company, will be available at first only in bottles and on tap at restaurants and bars. Plans call for the initial rollout to include distribution in Alabama and the Florida panhandle – home of the coastal area for which the beer is named – with additional distribution throughout the Southeastern United States in 2008.
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Business
“The Birmingham Sound” produces “Song of the Day”
Today’s NPR Song of the Day is one that will make many music fans in the Magic City quite happy. It’s a track from The Birmingham Sound — The Soul of Neal Hemphill Vol. 1, a compilation CD that was produced by John Ciba and released last summer to much fanfare in Chicago and Birmingham. The write-up on the NPR site hints at a great deal of the city’s musical history and how it influences the current scene. After you read the piece, listen to the song.
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, music
Birmingham metro #4 on most polluted cities list
Unfortunately all of that grilling this summer could help lead the city towards the top of another, albeit dubious list. The American Lung Association recently released its list of the cities with the nation’s worst air pollution. The Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman metro area came in at #4 (Los Angeles led the pack, followed by Pittsburgh & Bakersfield, California in their annual State of the Air report based on analyzing long term particle pollution. The metro area ranks sixth when the focus shifts to short term particle pollution.
The results were calculated by studying particle pollution levels. The association states that such levels of pollution can contribute to asthma attacks, heart disease and lung cancer. Despite the ranking, air levels have improved in the area in recent years. Sounds like a potential election year issue (at least after its brought up by the voters).
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Citywide, News
We’re in the top 100… for grilling
Apparently that’s the word from Blue Rhino, the propane gas company, who has chosen the Magic City as one of the top 100 Ideal Cities to Grill for 2007, its first ever such list. Birmingham comes in at number 87, with Sacramento, CA coming in at #1. The Winston-Salem, N.C. based company defined ideal grilling days as “days May-August that are sunny, under 90 degrees and rain-free.” According to the press release a final total of ideal summer grilling days were calculated by using the average sunshine rate, the estimated total number of rain days and the estimated total number of days above 90 degrees using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Sounds a little over the top, don’t you think? But it just gives us another reason to go out and grill this summer.
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Citywide, Quirky
Another luxury hotel enters the fray
If you thought that the hotel building boom was slowing down anytime soon, it’s not, at least not yet. Birmingham-based Harbert Realty Services and Concord Hospitality Enterprises Co. of Raleigh, N.C. announced a partnership and plans to spend $52 million to renovate the old Regions Plaza building with a “4-diamond quality hotel” this afternoon at a 2 p.m. press conference at Regions Center.
When completed the as of yet unnamed hotel will house 255-rooms and include several features including a full-service restaurant and bar, a coffee shop. It will also add an estimated 12,000 square feet of additional meeting space to the city’s central business district. The project will not be started until the relocation of some 400 Regions Bank employees is complete, most into the larger Regions Center. Continue reading
Posted in 35203, Alabama, Birmingham, Business, News
The Tutwiler, reborn
The Tutwiler Hotel celebrated the completion of the majority of its $9 million renovation with the citizens of Birmingham during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday evening. The event marked the completion of upgrades to the interior and exterior public areas and the guest room.s and served as the beginning of a weekend aimed at introducing longtime visitors and the curious to the changes to the former Ridgely Apartments building. The Birmingham Heritage Band will be performing on the Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. side of the property this morning beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the property will hold an open house on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (convenient for those attending the Magic City Art Connection in nearby Linn Park). Continue reading
