Birmingham Council Goes Virtual, Mayor Still Hospitalized
On Tuesday, for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Birmingham City Council opted for an all-virtual council meeting — though, at least initially, that format kept them from accomplishing much.
Council President William Parker initially floated the idea of teleconferenced meetings during the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, but the council, instead, continued to gather in its chambers with masks and spaced seating. The recent spike in cases — along with Mayor Randall Woodfin’s recent COVID diagnosis and hospitalization — finally pushed the councilors fully online.
But there they were reminded by city attorney Nicole King that they could perform only “essential functions of the city,” which on Tuesday mostly consisted of declaring 19 dilapidated buildings to be public nuisances, approving payment for city vehicle repairs and allocating small neighborhood expenditures.
Half the items on Tuesday’s agenda, mostly noxious weed abatements, were delayed because they required the opportunity for public comment, which was not an option in the teleconference format.
During the 10-minute meeting, Woodfin chief of staff Cedric Sparks did provide the council with a brief update on the mayor’s condition. The city announced Monday night that he had been hospitalized with COVID-related pneumonia. Sparks said Tuesday morning that Woodfin “is in very great spirits” and that city business would continue in his absence.
“Just know that the team is ready to assist, and we’re going to keep moving forward,” Sparks said.
5 papers from the Super Bowl of Economics
Planet Money went to the annual meeting of the American Economics Association, and we saw some fascinating papers presented there.
I thought I’d heard my dad’s voice for the last time. A movie helped me find it again
A period drama, a Supreme Court case and voice our film critic hadn't heard in decades.
19 Winter Olympic storylines we’re watching (they’re not just about sports)
The Winter Olympics promise plenty of high adrenaline, fierce competition, historic firsts and emotional moments over 2 1/2 weeks. Here are some of the names and narratives to keep an eye on.
Privatizing Fannie Mae is risky. Would it be a win for taxpayers or Trump’s donors?
The idea has alarmed critics, who warn it could rattle financial markets and drive up mortgage rates, while potentially generating large profits for key Trump supporters.
Here’s why people say they’re using ‘Are You Dead?’ and apps like it
Safety check-in apps — a way for loved ones to know that you're alive — have become more popular among adults who feel that modern life has made connection and community more difficult to maintain.
Can’t wait for Olympic curling? Trying its Southern cousin: skillet curling
It might seem inelegant to yeet an iron skillet across an ice rink. But this spinoff sport has its own techniques and lingo: You can throw a turtle at the bacon, for instance.
