Woodfin says people without homes won’t be moved from public spaces for The World Games
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said people who experience homelessness will not be displaced despite security barriers put in place for next week’s The Word Games.
“No one is putting homeless people out of public spaces. No one is forcing them out of public spaces. No one is telling our homeless neighbors they can’t be there. It’s simply not true.” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said Tuesday. “That’s not coming from the City Hall. That’s not coming from the administration. That’s not coming from The World Games Committee, that’s not coming from BPD (Birmingham Police Department).”
However, that’s not what Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman said last month. She told WBHM that once the security parameters are in place, no one without tickets or credentials will be able to access the areas e reserved for The Games.
World Games officials now clarified that anyone will be able to walk through and access public areas around venues like Railroad Park, Linn Park, Protective Stadium and the new City Walk, despite those sites being behind security parameters. However, only people with credentials for their vehicles will be able to drive through. Tickets are required to get inside of a venue or attend a competition.
This is the latest conflict around how Birmingham’s homeless population will be treated during The World Games. The Birmingham City Council and a group of community organizations announced in April there would be around 48 tiny home shelters built that people who experience homelessness could use for temporary shelter during the event. Recently, organizers said there won’t be any wooden sleeping shelters available.
Woodfin explained that other options will be available for people without homes. There will be a cooling shelter near Parker High School open everyday during The World Games, offering sleeping cots, cool water and snacks. Other shelter locations including One Roof, The Salvation Army, Firehouse Shelter (men only), First Light (women only) will also be open to provide services.
The Compassion Project or The Faith Chapel Care Center, which was to host the tiny shelters, will still be open and offer three meals a day, entertainment, recreation, and health services.
The World Games will run July 7 through 17.
9th Circuit rules that National Guard can deploy to Portland
The appeals court overturned the ruling of a lower court judge in Oregon, and clears the way for President Trump to deploy the National Guard to Portland.
This isn’t the Louvre’s first high-profile heist. Here’s a history of earlier thefts
Masked thieves stole priceless jewels from the Louvre on Sunday morning. The Paris museum has suffered a string of successful art heists, dating back to the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911.
Trump’s fake video featured ‘Danger Zone.’ Musician Kenny Loggins wants it scrubbed
The "Danger Zone" singer is asking for his performance to be deleted from a fake "King Trump" video that the president posted to Truth Social on Saturday.
Cannabis works better than opioids for back pain, in two European studies
Millions of Americans use weed to treat chronic pain, but there's little high quality research on whether it works. New findings suggest it can be effective for low back pain, on par with opioids.
As deadline for Trump’s colleges compact looms, schools signal dissent
Of the original nine schools that received the Trump administration's Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, the majority have indicated they are not planning on signing.
Can collagen supplements improve your skin? Here’s what the research shows
With age comes wisdom. And wrinkles. And joint pain. In wellness circles, the buzz is that collagen supplements can help with all these concerns. But are these claims something you should swallow?
