Tag Archives: information

Birmingham-JeffCo History Museum is full-speed ahead

Posted on February 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

Photo by Bob Farley/f8PhotoThe Birmingham-Jefferson History Museum is getting close to keeping its promise of opening this spring. We first mentioned the effort’s new home last summer once we’d figured out that the murals that had been in the Lyric Theater had been moved to the museum’s soon to be temporary space.

We shared some photos that took a closer look at the unfinished work of art that will no doubt play a prominent role in the early days of the facility ion this site’ Gallery back in June. We’re using one of those images here in this piece as well.

Laura Kate at Magic City Manifesto recently stumbled across the museum’s hopefully temporary home over at the Center for Regional Planning and Architecture (a.k.a that building on 18th Street and 1st Avenue North) and found out that it is indeed planning to open in late April (the 29th to be exact).

Hopefully folks will learn more about additional plans in the coming weeks.

Photo: Bob Farley/f8Photo

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The Barons are looking for a few good voices…

Posted on February 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in Sports

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Everyone’s been ReThinking 280

Posted on February 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in traffic, transportation

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On the agenda: Vulcan, jazz and transit

Posted on February 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in Transit, transportation

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We’re getting a Fed Cup semi!

Posted on February 16, 2010 | Leave a comment

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.

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11K strong and growing effort to Save Live 100.5

Posted on February 13, 2010 | 1 comment

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 Bareilles, Ingrid 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 Mayfield, The 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.

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Posted in music, radio

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