Tag Archives: Alabama

The Barons are looking for a few good voices…

New Barons primary logo - Courtesy of Birmingham Barons The Birmingham Barons announced early this morning that they’ll be hosting auditions for those wanting to sing the National Anthem before home games this season early next month.

According to the notice on Facebook the tryouts will be held on Monday, March 8 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Regions Park in Hoover.

For those keeping track, there are only 44 days left until minor league baseball returns to metro Birmingham on April 8 against the Mudcats. If you can’t wait that long to see some baseball at “The Reg” (and it could be too long for some) or to hear some games on the radio, you can always head on over there to watch the Crimson Tide play the Georgia Bulldogs on March 3. The game, which won’t count in the SEC standings, is currently set for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.

We’re looking for a few good contributors

We’re always looking for folks to add their voice to this website. It’s become a top priority now as we prepare to turn 3 in a few weeks (March 14 to be exact). I’m interested in what needs to happen next as we prepare the site to see its fourth year. I’ve got a few ideas and there’s been some interest shown in getting a few of them off the ground, but the most important thing to do right now is expand the number of voices speaking from the pages of this website.

So I’ll be at Shift Workspace in downtown Birmingham (directions) this Thursday evening, February 25 ready to talk to anyone who’s interested in what the plans are for the site starting at 5:30 p.m.

If you’re looking for guidelines, we’ve got a few of them, but they are also under review right now. If you plan on attending or are interested in picking my brain just a little more about some of the crazy ideas I’ve got, drop me a line via Twitter (@acnatta) or via email (andre[at]bhamterminal[dot]com).

BTW – If you’ve got any ideas about how we should be celebrating three years next month, pass them along too.

Everyone’s been ReThinking 280

Photo courtesy of ReThink 280 Forbes Magazine recently published a report listing Birmingham, AL as one the worst city for a commute in the United States (granted it was 52nd out of the top 75). Folks in the metropolitan area have felt that way for a long time, fueling proposals from several groups about what to do to alleviate traffic along one of the major routes, U.S. 280.

Our state department of transportation and Gov. Riley have presented a proposal to make the well-traveled thoroughfare into a toll road with elevated lanes between I-459 and Double Oak Mountain. Another group has voiced concern about that proposal, calling themselves ReThink 280. Their blog currently serves as a clearinghouse of information for those wanting to keep track of the proposed changes and what work is already taking place. They also present their own solution for the road.

There’s no doubt that some of those in support of the group’s efforts will be at the presentation being made on March 8 at 10 a.m. at Mountain Brook City Hall by ALDOT representatives and project consultant Linda Figg.

Photo: Courtesy of ReThink 280 website.

On the agenda: Vulcan, jazz and transit

New Birmingham, Alabama logoThis morning’s Birmingham City Council agenda is the longest in some time, consisting of some 44 pages.

Item 21 asks the Council to approve an amendment to their contract with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (better known to most of us as MAX). It would allow the council to provide up to an additional $3 million to the cash-strapped agency, increasing their allocation to more than $8 million. The routes and hours are to be established by the City Council Transportation Committee.

Item 28 gives us a first glance at the Jazz in the Park Concerts sponsored by Magic City Smooth Jazz. The free concerts would be held every Sunday from July 4-25, 2010 at several locations throughout the city. The item includes the city agreeing to provide up to $10,000 towards the cost of the series.

Item 33 allows The Big Guy atop Red Mountain to have some necessary repair work done to his pedestal. Vulcan Painters of Bessemer submitted the low (and only) bid of $27,672 and acceptance of the item allows repair work to the pedestal to proceed.

The meetings are streamed live via the city’s website and archived.

We’re getting a Fed Cup semi!

While the word’s been out since last night, this afternoon it was officially announced – Birmingham, AL will host the Federation Cup semifinal tie (round) between the United States and Russia. The fun takes place on April 24 & 25 at the BJCC Arena.

This will be the second time in two years that The Magic City will play host to international tennis competition. The Davis Cup visited Birmingham a year ago holding a first-round tie here.

According to the reports filed by The Birmingham News , organizers will attempt to recruit both Serena and Venus Williams to participate in the match. Some are hoping that Russia’s Maria Sharapova is chosen to participate as well though the tie will be taking place the same weekend as the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix premier event in Stuttgart, Germany.

You can keep track of who is chosen by the respective captains by visiting the page dedicated to the tie on the Fed Cup website.

WENN goes Neo-Soul

The radio carousel has apparently decided to visit more than one station here in Birmingham, AL this month, bringing a change to both AM and FM dials and a return of a respected set of call letters.

WENN-FM station logoWhile the effort to Save Live 100.5 has grown to more than 17,000 people on Facebook, the call letters WENN have apparently returned to the FM dial at a new address. The format change for the AM signal from news/talk to neo-soul and new FM simulcast of that new format takes place as people gathered downtown today for the first day of the annual A.G. Gaston Conference, named for the prominent African American businessman, Demopolis native and incidentally a former owner of the call letters.

Birmingham’s Neo-Soul Station 101.9 FM is also currently streaming on the Internet and appears to be owned by Cox Radio. The station is currently running an automated playlist without on-air personalities, though one would assume that will change in the near future.