Remembering “Street James”
A public memorial for James Griffin will be held tonight at Urban Standard in downtown Birmingham. Griffin was homeless and beloved by many people throughout the city. He was found dead under Caraway Boulevard on August 17.
Known as “Street James”, the 59 year old Griffin struck a chord with those who came to know him. AL.com reports, local business owners said he was a fixture downtown and that he was homeless by choice, not by circumstances.
“You’re just in there and you sleeping with 100 guys in one room cramped up-coughing, sneezing, farting all of that –all through the night—that ain’t me. I’d rather live in a box,” says Griffin in a 2011 documentary.
“He could be loud and bawdy, he could be soft spoken uh it was just an interesting character and he always had an angle,” says Steve Gilmore, the owner of What’s on Second. He says there was something that endeared Griffin to just about everybody that he ran into. “He could come at the wrong time and you just dread seeing him come in the door but by and large I thought of him as something of a friend-something of a neighbor in this downtown area.”
Griffin was shot in the arm and apparently died from his injury. No arrests have been made.
Millions face wintry weather for what could be a record-setting holiday travel season
More than 119 million people are expected to travel for Christmas and Hanukkah, which both fall on the same day this year, through the New Year, according to AAA.
Review by Senate Democrats finds more unreported luxury trips by Clarence Thomas
A report by Democrats on the Judiciary Committee found additional travel taken in 2021 by Thomas but not reported on his annual financial disclosure, including trips on private jets and a yacht trip.
Where did Barry Jenkins feel safe as a kid? Atop a tree
Director Barry Jenkins is best known for films like "Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk." On Wild Card, he opens up about where he felt the safest as a kid.
Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 20, including five children
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday killed at least 20 people, including five children, Palestinian medical officials said.
I discovered one way to fight loneliness: The Germans call it a Stammtisch
Modern life can be lonely. Some are looking to an old German tradition – of drinking and conversation – to deepen connection through regular meetups.
This Christmas I’ll be grieving. Here’s how I’ll be finding joy.
Since her husband's death, newscaster Windsor Johnston has been looking for ways to recapture joy and continue her healing journey — one that's taken her to a place she'd never expected.
