Tag Archives: B’ham

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.

11K strong and growing effort to Save Live 100.5

Save Live 100.5Since our last post about the return of the radio carousel to Birmingham, AL for Live 100.5 FM, more than 11,000 more people have joined the group on Facebook set up to attempt to save the radio station from a pending format change (though as of this post less than 1,200 have signed an online petition asking for Citadel Broadcasting to change its mind). It’s been helped along by pleas on Twitter courtesy of artists like Sara BareillesIngrid Michaelson, and Pete Yorn .

The URL for the new station, an FM-simulcast of WAPI-AM, has already been secured (incidentally one day after parent company Citadel Broadcasting presented its reorganization plan to creditors due to its bankruptcy filing back in December). It also already established its own presence on Facebook via a regular personal profile.

Fans of the station’s current format will want to know that a concert has been organized for this Wednesday, February 17 beginning at 8 p.m. at WorkPlay on Birmingham’s Southside. The music venue has shared its thoughts about the situation on its website as of this afternoon. The lineup for the show includes Will Hoge, Matthew MayfieldThe Enemy Lovers and DJ CO CO with proceeds benefiting the Jimmie Hale Mission and the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.

There also appears to be a group organizing to be at the start line and then along the Mercedes Marathon route tomorrow (Sunday) morning holding up signs to inform more people about the situation at the radio station.

The word on the street is that Live 100.5 FM will cease original programming in its current format when tomorrow’s broadcast of Reg’s Coffee House is finished at 2 p.m. CT.

Share your snow photos with The Terminal

A snowman on the Birmingham Green acnatta/FlickrThe Magic City looks more like a winter wonderland this morning than normal after a snowstorm passed through the city yesterday afternoon and evening, leaving the city with a rare 1-2″ inches of snow depending on where you were.

Whether at the Railroad Park construction site, the Birmingham Green (shown here) or over the mountain, It looked pretty cool yesterday and it’s a safe bet that you thought so too.

A photo gallery’s been set up on the site to showcase snowfall images you may want to share from yesterday or today. A few photos have already up too and we’re hoping that you’ll feel like adding yours to the mix. There will be definitely be some additional photos posted during the day from the site’s contributors.

Hopefully you were able to stay safe last night as roads iced over and area officials made the right decision to close most state highways and access to elevated portions of metro Birmingham interstates. Continue to use caution while out there this morning.

Photo: A snowman on the Birmingham Green. acnatta/Flickr

The Radio Carousel returns, unfortunately, for Live 100.5

UPDATE, 2.14.2010: A newer post includes more information, including background and plans for a concert later this week.

Live 100.5‘s days may be numbered. Former station program director Dave Rossi hinted at what many local alternative music fans are talking about today yesterday via his Facebook status:

“The corporate sharks are circling and the end is near for yet another great radio station….or so I hear.”

A new Facebook group, Save Live 100.5, seems to have confirmed it with their creation earlier today. It currently has 850 members as of the initial posting of this piece.

Citadel Broadcasting, the station’s owner and the nation’s third largest owner of radio stations, filed for bankruptcy protection in late December. There is no official word as of yet, though advertisers with the station have stated on the Facebook group page that they’ve already been informed of the format change.

The station’s lineup includes Reg’s Coffee House, hosted by Scott Register. The station launched in August 2008 and then Terminal contributor Whitney Sides Mitchell had some fun covering its launch for us.

Wear Red today!

Go Red for Women logoDon’t be surprised if you see a lot of red today as you’re moving through town (or across the country for that matter).

These conscientious people are doing their part to help raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, the number one killers among women in the United States. National Go Red for Women Day’s official website can provide you with additional information that you can share with others today and help keep you informed of any other things that you can do to raise awareness.

Logo: Courtesy of official website.