Tag Archives: Alabama

The plan for The Terminal 2.0

Posted on January 22, 2010 by | 3 comments

Perhaps it’s fitting that my grandiose plan for making this announcement this morning on the site has taken this more subdued form anyway. I’d intended to roll out the redesign of The Terminal this morning while making this pitch to all of you about the direction and vision I’ve long hoped the site would take. One canceled flight and a night-long scramble to set up Plan B kind of slowed the effort down considerably. Luckily, I can still share the highlights with you this morning and flesh out the details for you some more as the weekend unfolds.

By the way, you’ll probably see that redesign reveal itself over the next few days. Anyway…

The flight in question will take me to Chicago, IL and CityCamp. The best way to describe this conference is one that may lay some groundwork for the future of collecting information and encouraging engagement. That’s why this topic has been on my mind for some time…

The Terminal at its core is still about having a conversation about Birmingham, AL and its metropolitan area with the hope that it would help change the way things are done in Alabama’s Magic City as well as the amount of people that are engaged in that conversation for change.

To stay true to my self-imposed deadline of having this up no later than 7:45 a.m. this morning, I can’t go into too many details except to say that the best way to achieve this goal of truly engaging Birmingham in a meaningful conversation is by being as transparent as possible about the process. So on Monday morning expect to have access to The Terminal’s business plan for the next 12 months. I hesitate to call it a business plan instead of a work plan – something that implies that progress must be made and tasks completed.

Here’s a simplified version of that vision:

  • One where a true staff is developed – one that has both people who have a moment or two to share how they see Birmingham as well as those who are able to dig a little deeper into the issues and the fun that we’re interested in learning more about that makes Birmingham unique. A staff of five or six would be ideal.
  • One where we can serve as a testing ground for journalism using all of these new media tools, allowing college students from area universities to have a chance to have some extended real world experience thinking of interesting ways to use whatever else comes down the pipeline.
  • One where The Terminal occupies a physical space that expands on what we’d hoped to accomplish during our stay at Shift Workspace. My hope would be to one day have a facility facing or around the corner from Railroad Park giving folks using our city’s proposed “living room” a chance to engage for fun and for serious discussion. The staff mentioned previously would be able to use a portion of the space not just to prepare stories for the website but to work on outside projects as well.
  • A website that becomes one of the first L3C corporations in the state of Alabama, enabling us to truly serve the city as our primary mission.

I’ll need the help of everyone that is able in order to move this vision for the future of The Terminal forward in the next 11 months. It may be a lot to ask, but all I’ll say is I want this to be much more than my site since that was my hope for it when it started.

A special section will appear on Monday morning that provides much more detail about how I hope this will be accomplished. I’ll hope that you stop on over when it does launch and add your thoughts.

Right now I’d ask for you to think about how you want this site to serve you as a reader. Then I’d ask for you to add your thoughts to the comments section below. I won’t be able to see them until after I figure out where I’m staying in Chicago anyway…

Thanks in advance for your comments and for the time that you take to check out this site from time to time. I sincerely appreciate it.

André Natta is the stationmaster of bhamterminal.com.

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The race to mediocrity

Posted on January 19, 2010 by | Leave a comment

This website has never endorsed a candidate in a political race during its nearly three-year existence.

We’re not starting today.

That said, even if we wanted to, there’s no way that either candidate would warrant an endorsement based on just how childish and asinine they’ve behaved in recent days.

Bell vs. Cooper - Bob Farley/f8PhotoThe “fresh face” has dipped down to the same level as “the elder statesman” of Birmingham municipal politics and in reality neither one of them have actually talked about the issues – or at least explained what they were actually going to do if elected.

When one campaign (or their supporters) is running photos of a candidate’s ex-wife and making accusations about that person’s sexual orientation while the other one (or its supporters) is digging up 10-year old articles that include allegations about his personal life instead of talking about the issues – the real issues – it becomes more about character assassination instead of talking about moving Alabama’s largest city (for now) forward.

We heard less about Mr. Bell’s current plans for his hometown and how electing him would be different now than previously and more about him being tied to Birmingham’s present – one that is described as a city “dying on the vine.” We heard him talk about himself in the third person (something that is incredibly annoying) and more insulting one liners than anything else, not to mention supporters talking about Birmingham becoming a colony – perhaps the only way to sustain our current population numbers right now short of fixing our educational system – even though charter schools are apparently not the answer in his eyes if it means that the city will have to pay the bill. I’d have more links for this section but the Black and White article kind of covers the good, the bad and the ugly – whether true or not.

We heard more about Mr. Cooper’s connections to Andrew Young and saw a lot of arm waving and heard less about his father’s past connections to several influential companies that conduct business in metro Birmingham that may be his key to bringing about change in the community. We heard less about the fact that the former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica once served as the senior vice president for Volkert and Associates, an engineering firm that does a great deal of work here in the city. He is also a former member of the board of United States Steel – (see page 6) – owner of more than 200 square miles of land located within city limits, a lot of it undeveloped.

The connections that both candidates have to people are a result of them being politicians – yes, both of them. It’s something we’ve got to live with…

What disappointed me the most ties into the post I wrote back when this roller coaster ride began. I still don’t think that Birmingham needs a savior (even though they need someone to save it from this sham of an election cycle). Neither man did the one thing that would have made a decision on who to vote for a slam dunk – neither one of them called off the attacks once it became apparent that many people in the city were tired of them.

I hope that whoever wins this evening decides to actually be that leader or head coach that we need and not worry too much about getting re-elected. Then the city would truly benefit.

The only thing scarier is the issue of whose minds the mud slinging actually changed.

I encourage those of you registered in Birmingham, AL to vote today – even if you feel as though it will not mean anything. This city has been able to move forward – albeit slowly – in the past and can continue to do so regardless of who ends up in the big office on the third floor of Birmingham City Hall. But I may encourage all of you to look deep within yourselves to figure out what you can do to make Jones Valley a better place for all people – and start thinking about who can truly help us lay out a path for the future come 2011.

I’m going to have a glass of scotch and sit on the front porch at the house and hope that the calvary’s planning to appear by then…

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com

Photos: Bob Farley/f8Photo

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The Mayoral runoff: Where to begin

Posted on December 9, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Two years ago as part of our Election 2007 coverage I sat down with five of the mayoral candidates asking them questions submitted by our readers .

While we “lost” the Election site earlier this year during our server migration, we still have the audio.

It just so happens that the two candidates that will be participating in the runoff on January 19 – William Bell and Patrick Cooper – were among the folks I interviewed.

Since this special election is about completing the term that they would have started in 2007, I think it makes sense that the conversation about which one should be allowed to finish it begin with what they said when they sought the job the first time.

I’m looking forward to the opportunity to sit down with the candidates again prior to January 19 to see if any of their statements have changed as well as to get their thoughts on some of the new issues facing the City of Birmingham.

By the way, I’ll be asking you to submit some new questions beginning next week.

A reminder of the ground rules that were set for this series:

All of the candidates were asked to take part. Five candidates responded and set up appointments. The ten (10) questions were forwarded to them, with the candidates given two (2) minutes to answer each question. During the interviews, I gave extended time for some questions if they had not used their full allotment earlier.

The list of questions is available in PDF format and I’ll post each one above the embedded audio files. Something else to keep in mind as you listen to the answers – none of the candidates knew how any of the other candidates had responded to the questions as they were all posted at once.

Patrick Cooper was the second candidate interviewed in 2007, with William Bell being the next to last candidate to participate.

I know that some of you will wonder why I’m posting answers to the question pertaining to droughts given the rain totals this year. I think that it will still be a possible issue that the incoming mayor may have to deal with.

I hope that you enjoy this – the same way that I hope you will bear with us just a little bit longer as we deal with some upcoming changes for this site come January.

Enjoy the ride!

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.

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A savior is not what Birmingham needs now

Posted on November 12, 2009 by | 3 comments

I’ve thought about it.

I think everybody in this city has thought about it these last two weeks, whether seriously or in jest.

“How would I do as a candidate for mayor of Birmingham?”

color bham skyline acnatta/bhamterminal.comI approach answering that question realizing that Birmingham’s looking for a savior right now. It hasn’t realized that it needs to save itself and not lay the challenge on any one person – with each resident taking a good, hard look inward to determine what needs to happen to move the community forward.

I mean, I believe that the city’s best days are ahead of us, but I don’t think they’ll ever happen so long as this extreme lack of confidence in Alabama’s Magic City that seems to ooze from the lips of many of its residents continues to be the brush used to paint that bright potential future.

“There’s nothing to do in the city.”

“There’s nothing happening in town.”

“The city’s moving forward in spite of it’s leadership.”

Maybe it’s time to sing the praises of what we do love in this city louder than ever before. Maybe instead of a savior, it needs a head coach.

I believe that we need to look for ways to encourage small businesses to fight back against the effects of the recession with laser-targeted short term economic development initiatives while identifying ways to provide resources, including proper training, to be ready to compete in a regional economy. It may even be nice to provide the resources necessary for organizations already in existence like Operation New Birmingham, Main Street Birmingham and the like to perform their services to the best of their ability instead of asking them to perform miracles and then heaping blame without asking how we can help achieve success.

I believe that we need to understand that a sustainable city means figuring out ways for communities to have the resources that they need within walking distance or a short drive instead of continuing to feed the monsters that include U.S. 280. It means that bike lanes and a functioning bus system need to be sought and encouraged. It also means identifying ways that people can come in and solve problems that government and locals don’t seem to want to solve on their own.

I believe that it means that a level of transparency and accountability need to be set not just for those that are seeking to hold the mayor’s office, but with those that need to hold that person accountable.

I think that it means telling the region needs to stop acting like it’s a network of kingdoms and become more cohesive about similar needs. That person needs to serve as a mediator to stop making it a battle about what’s going on between small towns five miles apart and lead efforts focused on regional cooperation and how it will benefit all in the long run.

If we were true to what we hear when we ask the question “What does Birmingham need?” we may actually pay attention to this upcoming race with the focus that it deserves and not vote for someone solely on popularity but on what they can truly achieve for our city.

Let’s not just elect someone, let’s elect the person who can actually explain what they will do even after the sound bite machines are turned off. They need to explain how they’ll lead a city that needs someone to coach a city out of its doldrums instead of saving it from what locals believe is pending oblivion and doom.

We still have a few more days to learn about who will throw their names into the mix for the chance to occupy the mayor’s office here in Birmingham, AL. We’ve also learned about two upcoming forums where you can try to glean what these folks truly stand for; one by the Jefferson County alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta on November 17 and the other to be held by Catalyst for Birmingham on December 1.

I’m hopeful that the residents of the city of Birmingham will take this rare opportunity to speak with everyone watching to demonstrate that they actually give a damn.

I know I’m not running, but I’d love to see everyone approach this election as if they were and then to dig and find out who best represents their ideals – and hold them accountable from day one.

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.

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The Show should consider coming to Rickwood

Posted on August 31, 2009 by | 2 comments

The best way to describe the news that came out of Boston last week for non-baseball fans here in Alabama is to imagine that you didn’t have to wait until late November for that game between Alabama and Auburn… yeah, it was that big. The only thing that would make it bigger in my opinion would be to let the games be played at baseball’s oldest ballpark – here in Birmingham.

If you didn’t click through up above, MLB has hinted – heavily – that the New York Yankees will open the 2010 season against the Boston Red Sox. It would be the third time in the last 18 years that the hardball rivals would be facing each other to open the season. The only decision that appears to be left to make according to the Boston Herald story is where the games will be played.

The pomp and circumstance of the new Yankee Stadium‘s inaugural season will be over and Boston’s Fenway Park would still be recovering from January’s NHL Winter Classic. I have not been to either ballpark (though I have many fond memories of the old Yankee Stadium from growing up in The Bronx). It’s not that I don’t want to have to figure out some way to afford tickets to what would most likely be my first game in attendance at the new cathedral to the game at the corner of 161st Street and River Avenue; I just think that baseball’s oldest surviving stage should be given a chance to shine for its 100th anniversary and this would definitely allow for that to be the case.

Both franchises have previously been affiliated with the Birmingham minor league organization. The Red Sox’ manager, Terry Francona, is still much beloved  by The Magic City from his days as the field manager of the Barons and the feelings still appear to be mutual. Rickwood is in need of a significant renovation and while Mayor Langford’s plans for the facility and a soon to be constructed museum will draw people to the ballpark, a game like this would raise its awareness – and fund-raising potential – with a larger potential audience of die-hard fans. While it is much smaller than either of the participating teams’ home ballparks and while I am not sure if MLB is willing to do so, but the gate being donated towards Rickwood’s restoration.

Because of the ballpark’s size, maybe an exhibition game may be a better way to go. It doesn’t even have to be these two teams playing, though they have the best arguments for being involved – except for maybe the White Sox. I would simply consider it a shame if MLB didn’t figure out some way to take advantage of Rickwood’s anniversary.

It may be a pipe dream to convince MLB to stage a regular season game at Rickwood Field, but it is something that should be considered as it prepares to celebrate a century occupying its space on the city’s Westside. Maybe dreaming that big dream for Birmingham may just bring us out of a rut of pessimism. Besides, it’ll be a good excuse to not be in the office on a Spring day in April and who wouldn’t want that.

What do you think?

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.

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Popularity or purpose?

Posted on August 25, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Today people will visit the polls throughout Birmingham, AL to determine whether or not nine individuals that currently serve us as city councilors should be re-elected for another term or if new leaders are required. As reported yesterday on WBHM, it can be a little confusing when you see so many different signs lining the streets… but should that be the only measure of a candidate?

There has been extensive coverage of all of the candidates from numerous mainstream and alternative outlets. We’ve even had folks tell us we should or should not vote for. The idea of letting someone else decide for me seems a little insane, especially if all you’re going to do later on is complain about how it wasn’t your choice. Being the type of city that we are, while we may not know about a candidate’s position, we’re ready to have an excuse to party so we can start preparing for four years from now.

While bhamterminal.com probably did not help you decide who you need to vote for (as it’s never been our policy, despite some thinking and hoping otherwise), wouldn’t it make more sense to stop for a moment and decide whether or not you’re going to vote for a candidate because of what they believe and what you think they can do instead of whether or not you know them or just because you know their name? Can they speak on an issue that you believe in passionately or do they get confused between green building and green grocers? Do they try to ride one project to a re-election or do they give you new ideas about how their city can change for the better and what they’re willing to advocate for to help it get there?

Every election is described as the most important one ever, regardless of where you live and what’s at stake. I’d challenge you to watch or listen to today’s City Council meeting (or check it out later after it’s been archived). I’d challenge you do check out what you don’t like about any issues and think about just how it could be changed. When the polls close this evening at 7 p.m., I’d hope that a quick look at who currently represents you and their opponents just may move you to head to the polls.

Is it really about how many signs you have up along the streets, the number of folks who know your name or the capability of representing a city that desperately needs to lose its apathetic attitude when it comes to matters of importance or its future? Today will be yet another chapter in Birmingham’s search to find out which one they are more comfortable with.

André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.

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Today's goal: let more folks know we exist

Posted on August 4, 2009 by | Leave a comment

I got a message via Facebook this morning (around 1:15 a.m.) I fired off a response by 1:35 a.m. because I thought it was the right thing to do. That’s the weird thing about running this blog – you want to connect with people as soon as possible because you think it’s the right thing to do. If you don’t, you find that some folks think that you’ve slighted them or don’t want to talk with them.

If you have a blog you have friends who think that everyone knows who you are because of it. I know better and am quite happy when I meet someone who has no clue that the site existed before and who are happy that we’re here. That said, I’d like to spend some time connecting with all of you this morning because it’s the right thing to do.

We need your help to get the word out and to share the voices of Birmingham.

First, an introduction to new readers (and a more succinct version for long time readers) explaining what we are. We’re a blog – hyperlocal is the term that’s thrown around a lot (or citizen journalism) – about Birmingham, AL. The goal is to be a site that can reflect some of the personality and many of the voices of this fair Magic City and its surrounding area while covering news, arts, culture, opinion, a pending comic strip and maybe even sports (read: UAB, Miles College, Birmingham Southern & Samford – NOT Alabama or Auburn) if we can find the manpower to do it. I say we because we’ve had as many as twelve and as few as two folks contributing stories to this site since March 2007.

We are one of the oldest hyperlocal blogs in the Southeastern United States, coming into existence shortly before the launch of Consuming Louisville in Kentucky in 2007 (and I’d love to meet Michelle Jones one day soon). Every once in a while we hope that Stanley Holditch may get the feeling to write a Birmingham-centric article on the Fleabomb.com website, but we don’t think that’ll be happening soon.

We’ve averaged 9,000 unique visitors to these pages a month with very little advertising save for the occasional mention in the paper, a lucky tweet or two and our initial following on MySpace. The thought was simple: there are a lot of voices in this city, whether they be about music, politics or food. The hope was (and remains) that we can occasionally remind you that they’re here and waiting for you to explore. We’ve also started a weekly conversation on Twitter on Tuesday evenings called #bhamchat and we look forward to finding ways to get more folks that don’t use Twitter involved in the near future.

So why write to you this morning? I’d like to throw down a challenge to metro Birmingham. I need you. I need you to submit story ideas by either using our story submission page (as soon as it launches this evening) or via email. I need you to lend your voices to the conversations that happen on and offline. I need the help of those that read this site to tell others that we exist and we need their voices. If you’re a fan of The Terminal on Facebook or a follower on Twitter, let your friends know about it and let’s see where this conversation can take us.

If you have a few dollars that you can spare (or a coffee habit you’d like to kick or even an urge to fight a craving for a special dog from Pete’s), we’d love if you would consider becoming a voluntary supporter of  The Terminal or consider purchasing a shirt from our store on Spreadshirt.

Most of all, if you want to lend your voices in a more recurring way, our next contributors meeting will be this Thursday, August 6, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Shift WorkSpace. It’d be nice to get folks that can tell stories in the way they feel most comfortable.

I’m not one that particularly cares about tracking numbers, though I know it would demonstrate to others just what we’ve been able to do so far and help us reach more people. I have a selfish goal of seeing if we can get more than 1,000 people to follow us on Facebook and 2,000 to be following us on Twitter before the end of the day. I don’t have any prizes to provide; just the promise that if you help us spread the word, The Terminal will be able to do more for you. Maybe this exercise will lead to a couple of prizes coming our way…

The redesign of the site (which should be complete before 5 p.m. on Friday) should also help folks find what they’re looking for, complete with a few surprises.

Thanks in advance and enjoy the ride!

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