Deconstructing REV, Birmingham’s Economic Development Organization

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860.jpeg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1785;s:6:"height";i:1147;s:4:"file";s:41:"2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860.jpeg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-336x216.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:216;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-771x495.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:495;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-768x493.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:493;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-1536x987.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:987;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:39:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-600x338.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-600x600.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-484x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:484;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-412x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:412;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-600x400.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-600x600.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"david-fleming-e1464035289860-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Gigi Douban
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:9:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1440;s:4:"file";s:18:"david-fleming.jpeg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-336x252.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-771x578.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-600x338.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-300x300.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-415x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-353x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"david-fleming-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:594442;s:14:"optimized_size";i:407252;s:7:"percent";d:31.489999999999998;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:69:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:350830;s:14:"optimized_size";i:228563;s:7:"percent";d:34.850000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860-336x216.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:20668;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15368;s:7:"percent";d:25.640000000000001;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860-771x495.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:82030;s:14:"optimized_size";i:59203;s:7:"percent";d:27.829999999999998;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860-600x338.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:48504;s:14:"optimized_size";i:35599;s:7:"percent";d:26.609999999999999;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860-300x300.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:25996;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19281;s:7:"percent";d:25.829999999999998;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860-484x311.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:37543;s:14:"optimized_size";i:27736;s:7:"percent";d:26.120000000000001;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/david-fleming-e1464035289860-412x265.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:28871;s:14:"optimized_size";i:21502;s:7:"percent";d:25.52;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1658614189 
1463674117

What does REV Birmingham, the city’s economic development organization, do? They describe themselves as a group “that stimulates business growth and improves quality of life in Birmingham.” But WELD says that mission isn’t clearly visible to Birmingham residents. Reporters from WELD took to Facebook to ask what their readers thought.

“They’re the expensive outsourced economic development department of the mayor,” wrote Joseph Casper Baker III in a Facebook comment. “They’re great at organizing block parties.”

Shirley Hicks, meanwhile, wrote that she had “experienced and observed” REV “helping the different neighborhood business associations get setup [sic] with basic tools they need to enhance communications and coordination…[and evaluating] roadblocks and [helping] smooth processes at City Hall so that people starting new businesses or making changes to existing ones don’t get stuck in paperwork because they couldn’t find the right form or get in touch with the right department.”

Others expressed the opposite perspective. “So far, I’ve only observed them helping just one business in East Lake,” Natalye S. Pond wrote. “I hope someone can show me that I’m wrong.”

Laura Frances Wise added, “I haven’t heard a peep out of REV in nearly 3 years. I didn’t know what was going on with it.”

Nick Patterson, editor of WELD, joined WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley to discuss the organization’s history, challenges and mission.

 

Judge denies release of Jeffrey Epstein transcripts in Florida

President Trump had called for the release of grand jury testimony related to Epstein. Two judges in New York also are weighing requests from the Justice Department to unseal grand jury transcripts.

A genetic tweak could prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria

A new study reports on a novel way to short-circuit the parasite that spreads the disease so people wouldn't get infected with a mosquito's bite.

The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor

This editor will build on our record of telling impactful stories for broadcast and podcasts that meet the highest editorial and audio-production standards.

Trump aims to get rid of AI regulations and finance exports to win AI race

President Trump says he wants to make sure the United States wins the artificial intelligence race. The White House says fewer regulations will help.

Meet the team behind the JCC’s witty sign

The sign hosts puns, Judaic references, and pop culture riffs. While the sign is well-known and appreciated among the community, its authors have remained anonymous, until now.

Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 aid-seekers in Gaza since May, the U.N. says

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in Gaza, mostly near food sites run by an American contractor, the U.N. human rights office said.

More Economy Coverage