BirminghamWatch
Two Birmingham Water Board Leaders Reappointed, Two New Members Named
The Birmingham City Council approved four appointments to the Birmingham Water Works Board on Tuesday.
Jefferson County Emerges From Consent Decree After 45 Years
After 45 years, Jefferson County has been released from its consent decree.
Birmingham Revenue Appears Stable, Council Extends Funding For Rickwood, McWane And Ruffner
The city of Birmingham has approved contracts with three area nonprofits — Friends of Rickwood Field, McWane Science Center and Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. These nonprofits previously had their funding cut by the city because of the pandemic.
Moderna Vaccine For COVID-19 Has Arrived In Alabama
Alabama will receive its first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine today.
Hospital Officials Urge Against Holiday Gatherings In Open Letter To Alabamians
Birmingham-area hospital officials are asking Alabamians to take all possible precautions to stop the spread of the disease, including avoiding holiday gatherings with people who do not live in their households.
Birmingham Public Library Executive Director Resigns After Three Controversial Years
Floyd Council, executive director of the Birmingham Public Library, announced his resignation Tuesday morning after three embattled years on the job.
Birmingham Will Apply For Grant To Revitalize Smithfield Court
With the grant month, the city plans to improve the area around Smithfield Court, including infrastructure improvements such as street paving, sidewalks, lighting and parks as well as beautification and anti-blight efforts.
Spend It All: JeffCo Commission Makes Sure to Leave No Cares Act Money On The Table
The county commissioners sought to tie up any loose ends for Cares Act money at its meeting on Tuesday.
Local COVID-19 Hospitalizations Spike As Alabama Faces Shortages In Number Of Available Healthcare Workers
Experts predict that number of new COVID-19 hospitalization will continue to rise in the coming weeks.
Predictable Prejudice: Predictive Policing Software Promises Unbiased Crime-Fighting, But Can It Deliver?
Predictive policing software programs such as PredPol was adopted by the Homewood Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in 2016 and Birmingham Police Department in 2019.
UAB Predicts COVID Hospital Patients Will Double By Christmas, Vaccines Expected Soon
In a gathering of 20 people, there's more than a 50% chance that one person in that gathering will be infectious and contagious with COVID-19, according to Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson.
Birmingham Officials Reject Defunding, But Plan Police Reforms With Civilian Oversight
The city of Birmingham’s Public Safety Task Force released a report Thursday morning that outlines four areas that the city can improve on.
Jones Calls For Bipartisanship In Farewell To Senate, Does Not Address Talk Biden Favors Him For AG
Democratic Senator Doug Jones gave his farewell speech Wednesday on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
COVID-19 Hospitalization Number Reaches Record High In Alabama
Alabama's COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a new record, according to the state department of public health.
Food Banks Struggle To Meet Increasing Demand During Holiday Season
Some Birmingham-area food banks are scrambling to keep food on the table for their clients.
Alabama Struggling With Racial Disparities In Child Poverty Levels, Report Says
Children of color will make up the majority of the child population and the majority of the workforce in Alabama by 2030, according to the 2020 Alabama Kids Count report.
Jeffco Commission To Consider Mortgage Assistance
The Jefferson County Commission is expected Thursday to amend its disbursement of Cares Act funds to include mortgage assistance for residents adversely affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Birmingham Bringing Back Up to 132 Furloughed Employees
The city will borrow money from its general fund reserve amid concerns from some council members.
COVID Hospitalizations Hit Record High As Case Numbers Rise
UAB Hospital is caring for 125 COVID-19 patients, which is a new record high.
Council Postpones Vote On Holiday Pay, Says Woodfin Expects Them To Make Budget Decisions “Blindly”
The Birmingham City Council delayed a proposal to pay city employees for an unpaid holiday on Black Friday.
Dogs, Firehoses Were A Precursor To Today’s Violent Protests
“You will never be Christ, but that doesn’t mean that you stop pursuing that Christ-like behavior. What we have to do is be in relentless pursuit of having a positive relationship with the community we serve," said Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith.
Jones Pleads With Public To Follow COVID Safety Guidelines As Cases And Deaths Increase
Health experts are warning about gathering with friends and family over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Rising COVID-19 Cases Starting To Strain Hospital Resources, Staff
The COVID-19 caseloads in Alabama hospitals are "worsening fairly rapidly," according to the president of the Alabama Hospital Association.
Commission OKs Cares Act Funding In Quick Session
"We don’t want to send money back to Washington. We want to make sure that it’s spent here and for us to do that, we need to make sure we’ve looked at every avenue possible," said Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons.
Birmingham Council Balks At Mayor’s Plan To Bring Back Some Workers, Wants More Information
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin wants to use $7 million from the reserve fund to bring back more than 130 furloughed city employees. But the city council is not sold.
Birmingham Library Exec Returns To Work After One-Month Suspension
Birmingham Public Library Executive Director Floyd Council was back at work Friday after one month of being suspended without pay.
Concerns Raised About COVID At Horizon Church Polling Place After Worker Tests Positive
Voters who cast their ballots last week at Horizon Church may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Rapid Rise Of Alabama, National COVID-19 Numbers Worries UAB Doctor
Alabama's number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to rise.
Birmingham City Council Approves Carraway Hospital Rezoning
Birmingham's Carraway Hospital, which has been closed since 2008, will be redeveloped to include retail, dining, residential, office and entertainment spaces.
New Microtransit Program Coming To Birmingham
The Birmingham City Council approved deals with this week with two bike- and scooter-sharing companies.
‘History Of Us’ Course Introduces Students To Their Ancestors And The Role Of Race In America’s History
'History of Us' is touted as the first Black history course of its kind taught in the Tuscaloosa public school system. The course asks students to be historians by researching major themes in Black history and framing those themes locally.
Big Turnout But No Major Problems At Jefferson County Precincts
About 64% of registered voters in Jefferson County turned out to vote in Tuesday's general election, according to the county's website.
