Category Archives: Regionwide

Just dial up to find lighter traffic, cheaper gas

Some local Verizon Wireless customers have already noticed that they’ve got a couple of new features on their phone. The company announced recently that it would roll out its new Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator service in 75 cities, including Birmingham. It now provides another service for area residents to go along with Commuter Feed, which we wrote about back in February.

Drivers with access to the service will be able to view how traffic is flowing, and receive details about reported accidents, disabled vehicles and congestion along with suggestions for detours. The Gas Finder feature allows drivers to locate gas stations nearby and view gas prices at many area gas stations, providing turn-by-turn directions as needed… Now if the car could only drive itself it’d be perfect!

Soothing banks through music

JeffCoCrap.com screenshotOne resident thinks that music and bumper stickers will help ease the Jefferson County sewer debt, though in a completely different way than Birmingham city councilor William Bell’s proposal or one suggested by Jefferson County Commission president Bettye Fine Collins. This proposal calls for visitors to jeffcocrap.com to purchase bumper stickers, t-shirts and similar items, with a portion of the proceeds going to cover the principal of the county’s mounting debt. You can also check out the Jefferson County Sewer Flush over on YouTube.

We still have a feeling that it would take a long time for the money to pile up.

Bishop Woods calls for vote certification

William Bell and SCLC President Bishop Calvin Woods on the Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. side of the Jefferson County Courthouse today as Woods calls for the certification of the Feb. 5 special election for Jefferson County Commission District 1 seat. Andre Natta/The Terminal

This afternoon SCLC president Bishop Calvin Woods, elected officials and concerned citizens stood out in front of the Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd entrance to the Jefferson County Courthouse to ask that the election results from the February 5 special election for the Jefferson County Commission District 1 seat be certified. During his remarks, Bishop Woods suggested that the people who filed the motion to hold another election did not in fact live in District 1 but in District 4. There were other comments made, but you probably want to hear them for yourself (13:43):

[audio:http://bhamterminal.com/audio/03102008-Bell-and-Woods.mp3]

Highway 132 Yard Sale, various locations

Think of it as your warm up for the World’s Longest Yard Sale in August.

This is the first year for this eighteen (18) mile stretch of many different antiques, collectibles, lots of odds and ends. It’s a pretty scenic drive as well even if you don’t get anything. The fun starts at the U.S. Highway 278 & Highway 132 junction and it ends in Oneonta (passing through Altoona along the way).

NOTE: We didn’t put an end time since we’ve been informed that the various participants will most likely end at different times.

Cost: Free (unless you end up buying something).

For more information, please call 205.589.6740.

Snow’s returning to metro Birmingham

Snow in Alabama. Southernpixel/Flickr

Snow in Alabama. Southernpixel/Flickr

The word is that residents in Jefferson and Shelby Counties should be expecting to see about 1 ½ inches of the white stuff when they wake up in the morning. It’s a little ironic, considering it’s almost the 15th anniversary of The Blizzard of ‘93. Maybe we’ll see some more images like this one up above.

Continue reading

Children’s Hospital gets new helicopter

New Children’s Hospital helicopter - Bob Farley

Photo credit: Bob Farley/Children’s Hospital 

Children’s Hospital unveiled its new helicopter to the public today via a story in today’s Birmingham News. We figured you might be interested in getting an up close and personal look at the new pediatric transport chopper, so we invite you to click on the image above (or just click here) and check out our photo gallery of this new extremely useful tool for the hospital.

FYI – this is also the debut of our new photo gallery section (appropriately titled the gallery) here on The Terminal. We figured you may want to know a couple of things about that really weird slideshow function that we’re using.

Continue reading