Tag Archives: Larry Langford

Report overgrown lots via your iPhone – soon

Mayor Langford announced this morning during his mayor’s report information about a digital expansion of the 23 in 23 Campaign, taking a cue from a similar online component that will soon be introduced in Boston, MA.

Both cities plans to launch smartphone  applications, with Boston’s planning to be launched shortly, to assist in the reporting of overgrown lots, graffiti, and other “neighborhood nuisances.” The Boston Globe reported yesterday on Boston’s plans and what residents in that city think about the potential to simply report issues with a snapshot and an upload. The tool sounds like it will help Mayor Menino in his long-term efforts (BTW – the mayor’s race is in full swing in Boston).

UPDATE: City budget to be reworked to reflect deficit (yes, deficit)

New Birmingham, Alabama logoBirmingham Weekly is reporting via its Twitter feed that the City of Birmingham‘s figures actually reflect a $17 million deficit for 2009 and not a $13 million surplus that the new budget is based upon.

Reporters from the Weekly have been at the city’s budget workshop this afternoon where the City Council has asked that the budget be reworked to reflect the deficit while fulfilling their requests to not cut salaries – among other things.

Check out their Twitter feed for additional information.

UPDATE: Birmingham Weekly has now posted their own story on these recent developments as well as a response from City Council president Carole Smitherman after hearing about the deficit.

Langford wants to “Do the dome…NOW!”

The "Do the Dome" shirtBirmingham Mayor Larry Langford shared his intentions with the audience assembled in The Harbert Center early this morning. He hoped that the Birmingham City Council approves his request to release funds to begin construction of the much-talked about multipurpose facility for the BJCC campus downtown.

Or to put it simply, he’s saying, “Let’s do the dome… NOW!”

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On the agenda: One laptop per councilor

In case you missed it yesterday morning, Mayor Langford presented each of the members of the Birmingham City Council with an HP Mini notebook, comple with capability to connect to the Internet using WiFi and an AirCard courtesy of Verizon Wireless. They also received an 8 GB jump drive containing several city reports, including the budget that they are currently working on and a bag to carry it all in; Birmingham Weekly tweeted a description of the embroidered message. A series of classes will be offered for those councilors and city employees that are interested.

The Birmingham News pointed out the total cost of the expenditure in today’s paper, as well as the status of the budget that seems to have encouraged their distribution.

On the agenda: Langford reccommends cutting ONB budget

ONB 50th anniversary logo - yourcitycenter.comMost of the time when Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford makes an announcement, you’re never quite sure of what he means exactly. Take this morning for example when he casually spoke of cutting funding for Operation New Birmingham and moved on the next subject.

Needless to say this was a bit of an eyebrow raiser, but recognizing the potential for a conversation we sent out this tweet:

Mayor Langford suggests that ONB be included in new Chamber/MDB/Region 20202 reorganization.”

Yes, we did notice the typo. Aside from that the local media had been pretty quite until now… This article posted by The Birmingham News  removes any doubt about whether the mayor meant what he said. No official comments have been made by ONB, but considering that they received $450,000 in city funds last year, this could be a serious blow.

Image: ONB 50th anniversary logo.

UPDATE: What does “brain drain” mean in Birmingham?

UPDATE: 5.14.2009,  WBHM has posted audio from an interview with Jerry Hartley conducted by their own Andrew Yeager. Their piece also contains additional side notes to the story.

Yesterday’s Five Points South Merchants Association meeting on Birmingham’s Southside apparently became a little “contentious” towards the end as it looks like The J. Clyde owner Jerry Hartley and Mayor Larry Langford appeared to have different opinions about the term “brain drain” and what it means for our region’s future.

I’ve got an opinion and I’ve posted it over on My Birmingham.

We’d love hear your thoughts about whether or not Birmingham’s suffering from a brain drain over on Magic City Question.

This crowd had a familiar face (or two)

Photo: André “3000” Benjamin and his son, Seven, in front of the Kendrick Memorial in Birmingham’s Historic 4th Avenue District. Vickii Howell/birminghamview.com

Among the parents sampling Birmingham’s civil rights history with 5th grade schoolchildren from Texas was a familiar face: André “3000” Benjamin.

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