Atlanta Mayor: Plenty of Potential Hawks Buyers

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September 18, 2014

PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) — The mayor has already heard from plenty of potential buyers for the Atlanta Hawks.
And the city is ready to kick in a hefty sum to make the deal happen.
Flanked by Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and other city leaders, Mayor Kasim Reed said Tuesday he expects the sale of the team to move briskly after racially charged comments by owner Bruce Levenson and general manager Danny Ferry.
“I have had conversations with no less than six prospective buyers,” Reed said during a City Hall news conference. “All six of those prospective buyers will have to go through a process to be vetted by the NBA. That process is going to occur very quickly.”
The Hawks have been under fire since it was revealed Levenson sent an email two years ago theorizing that many suburban whites would not attend NBA games because of the team’s African-American fans. He agreed to sell his share of the team, but it also emerged that Ferry had disparaged then-free agent Luol Deng on a conference call with team owners this past summer, saying he “has a little African in him.”
Ferry has taken an indefinite leave of absence.
The NBA, meanwhile, is left to deal with another embarrassing case after stripping the Los Angeles Clippers from longtime owner Donald Sterling. He was forced out for telling his girlfriend on a secretly recorded audio not to bring Black fans to his games.
Reed said he plans to meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Sept. 26 in New York to discuss the sale of the Hawks. According to the mayor, the league is already lining up an investment bank to look into the finances of any potential buyer.
“I think we’re going to end up in a superior position, based on everything we know today, than we were before,” Reed said.
He didn’t identify the prospective buyers, but whoever steps in would apparently have majority ownership. Levenson owns 24 percent of the team, and his Washington partner, Ed Peskowitz, has also agreed to sell his share, meaning that 50.1 percent of the team is now available, Reed said.
In addition, Reed said the city will likely be willing to offer concessions to any new owner to ensure the Hawks commit to remaining in Atlanta for another 30 years. He said there could be as much as $150 million available after the city sells Turner Field, the current home of the Braves, though the mayor said that process has been held up by the baseball team’s refusal to negotiate terms for its departure.
The Braves are planning to move to a new stadium in suburban Cobb County in 2017.
Team spokeswoman Beth Marshall said the Braves aren’t required to notify the stadium authority of its plans until Dec. 31, 2015, but added, “It is our hope to be able to work with them, the city of Atlanta and Fulton County, on negotiating an exit so they can best prepare for the future of the Turner Field site.”
In the meantime, Reed said the city would be heavily involved in efforts to find new ownership for the Hawks, since it is responsible for the debt on 15-year-old Philips Arena.
Wilkins, a former Hawks star who now serves as a team vice president and television commentator, said he would “absolutely” be interested in taking on a greater role with the franchise. The city already plans to honor him with a statue outside Philips Arena before a March 6 game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Reed said city leaders would look favorably on Wilkins’ involvement with any new ownership group, especially if it gives the team more diversity in the front office.
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has refused calls to fire Ferry, saying he believes the general manager can learn from the experience. Ferry met privately Monday with civil rights leaders, hoping to mend fences within the city, and has said he will undergo sensitivity training during his leave.
But Ferry’s future is still very much in doubt, with the start of training camp only two weeks away.
Wilkins would neither endorse Ferry nor call for him to be ousted, knowing that any decision about the general manager will likely rest with the new owner.
“That’s not a choice I can make,” Wilkins said. “The only thing I can say is whatever pieces are put in place are going to be the right pieces to help our franchise heal from what we’ve been through.”

61-Year-Old Atlanta Woman Accused Of Stealing $93K From Church

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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By Krystal Franklin, BlackAmericaWeb.com

The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that an elderly woman has allegedly stolen more than $90,000 from the church where she was employed.
A Cobb County woman is accused of stealing more than $93,000 from the church and using the money to pay her personal bills and dine at restaurants, according to police.
Gwendolyn Hawthorne, 61, of Marietta, allegedly took $93,744.25 from Crown of Life Community Baptist Church in Powder Springs, an arrest warrant obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution states. Hawthorne is accused of making 937 fraudulent transactions between March 2007 and February of this year, the warrant states.
“Said accused, in her capacity as the Chief Financial Officer, did conceal the theft from the church leadership committee by falsifying the monthly budget reports, which allowed her fraudulent activity to remain undiscovered until March 17, 2014,” the warrant states.
Hawthorne allegedly used $87,857.25 of the church’s money for her personal benefit, in addition to incurring bank fees and overdraft fees totaling $5,891.50, according to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. She allegedly used the church’s bank cards for her bills, gas and other items, according to investigators.
“Said accused used the same J.P. Morgan Chase FTC to purchase merchandise and fuel 28 times, totaling $1,113.78,” the warrant states. “Further, said accused did use the Bank of America debit cards assigned to her to complete 207 withdrawals from bank ATMs totaling $34,486.35, 397 withdrawals from various Casino ATMs totaling $21,690.70 (including ATM fees), 128 transactions totaling $16,243.66 to pay personal bills to companies such as AllState, DirectTV, Clear, T-Mobile, and SCANA Energy, 101 transactions at various restaurants totaling $878.70, 158 transactions at various fuel merchants totaling $4,203.29, and 159 transactions at various merchants and pharmacies for merchandise and services totaling $5,033.57.”
An arrest warrant was secured Friday for Hawthorne’s arrest. But she had not been arrested as of late Tuesday, according to jail booking records.

The Fresh Market Goes Orange in September for No Kid Hungry

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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Specialty grocer supports Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign with second annual Cupcakes for a Cause Event

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Fresh Market is proud to continue its national partnership with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign. This September, The Fresh Market will host its second annual Cupcakes for a Cause event to raise funds and awareness for No Kid Hungry, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America by surrounding children with healthy food where they live, learn and play.
The Fresh Market will host its Cupcakes for a Cause campaign from September 12 through September 28. Shoppers can make a donation to No Kid Hungry by purchasing paper cupcakes at The Fresh Market’s checkout counters, with a minimum $1 donation, to show support for this important cause.
On Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28, The Fresh Market stores nationwide will host a cupcake decorating event from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. For a $3 donation, shoppers will be able to decorate and take home a delicious cupcake from the in-store bakery. The Fresh Market will donate 100 percent of the money raised to No Kid Hungry, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $150,000, to support its efforts to connect children in need with nutritious food and teach their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals.
In addition to the Cupcakes for a Cause events, shoppers can purchase this year’s limited-edition No Kid Hungry reusable shopping bag, featuring the winning artwork from The Fresh Market’s 2014 Design Our Bag Challenge. The specialty grocer will donate 50 percent of the retail price of each bag to No Kid Hungry, with a minimum donation of $150,000 in 2014.

U.W. Clemon

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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From Staff and wire reports
As a crusading civil rights attorney and a widely respected federal judge, U.W. Clemon has crafted an inspiring, influential career and has one of the best jobs.
U.W. Clemon says he first knew that he wanted to become a civil rights lawyer when, in 1956, at the age of 13, he witnessed white police officers threatening one of his friends, an African-American teenager, during a stroll near his hometown of Fairfield, Ala. Less than a decade later, as a student at Miles College, Clemon led a boycott of Birmingham’s downtown stores to protest against segregation in that city. It resulted in a 40 percent decrease in sales for business owners and helped to spark Martin Luther King Jr.’s interest in organizing what became his famous Birmingham campaign.
“I remember the commitment he inspired in me,” Clemon says of King, recounting the time he met the American icon, along with civil rights leader Ralph David Abernathy, at a Birmingham coffee shop in April of 1963. That day, King referred to Clemon as “a leader.”
Fast forward 50 years, and Clemon, who in 1980 became the first African-American judge to ascend to the federal bench in the state of Alabama, talks about these experiences with a firm, matter-of-fact air. The extent to which equality issues have influenced his life is unmistakable, and, even today, the sense of duty he felt toward ending segregation in Birmingham as a young man could not be more evident.
That passion for justice and fairness is what led Clemon to Columbia Law School, which maintained deep-rooted connections to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). His adviser, Professor Walter Gellhorn, encouraged by Clemon’s desire to practice civil rights law in the heart of Alabama, helped the young scholar secure a part-time position at the LDF and arranged a meeting with Jack Greenberg who was then serving as the LDF’s director-counsel.
After graduation, Clemon returned to his home state to work on cases in conjunction with the LDF. The organization provided him with an Earl Warren Scholarship—a stipend that, at the time, helped young civil rights lawyers establish their own offices. “Jack Greenberg made it easy to come back to Alabama,” Clemon says.
In one of his first cases, Clemon fought to end racial segregation in his childhood school district. He also famously filed a lawsuit against the University of Alabama and its revered football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, for not recruiting Black players.
In 1974, Clemon was elected to the Alabama State Senate. During the next five years, he fiercely butted heads with Governor George Wallace, resulting in many public and hostile arguments. When Clemon was later nominated for a federal judgeship in the Northern District of Alabama, he says, with a tinge of pride, that it was “the most controversial judicial appointment in the state,” given his history of working against government-mandated segregation. Yet, he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Clemon served as a federal judge in the Northern District of Alabama for nearly 30 years. During his seven-year tenure as chief judge, he oversaw the court’s transition to an all-electronic case filing system, as well as its overhaul of the jury selection process—which increased minority representation. He points to his role as the trial judge in Lilly Ledbetter v. Goodyear as his crowning judicial achievement.
Now retired from the bench, Clemon serves as a shareholder at White Arnold & Dowd in Birmingham. During the past several years, he has worked on cases involving Alabama’s congressional redistricting, the bankruptcy of Jefferson County, Ala., and the investigation into possible financial fraud at Alabama State University. “Life is totally interesting,” he says.

5 Ways to Change How Teachers Function in K-12 Classrooms

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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Educational researcher says it will boost learning  & cut costs
Less than half of high school graduates who took the SAT in 2013 were prepared for college, continuing a five-year trend.
Less than half – 44 percent — who took the ACT had the reading skills necessary for college. That’s down from 53 percent in 2009. And nearly a third failed to meet standards in four areas: reading, English, science and math.
The failures have persisted despite years of new tests, new curricula and new demands on teachers, notes educational researcher and consultant Charles M. Reigeluth, author of “Reinventing Schools: It’s Time to Break the Mold,” (www.reigeluth.net).
“We continue to approach the same problems with the same sorts of solutions, despite the fact that they’re not working,” he says. “Instead, we need a fundamental shift in how we educate our children. Our public school system was designed to meet the needs of a long-ago era – the Industrial Age. It’s not working because we’re now in the Information Age.”
Teachers unfairly shoulder much of the blame for the lack of progress, he notes, but they’re hamstrung by roles and rules that don’t work for 21st century students.
“We need to change from teacher-centered education to learner-centered. In the Industrial Age paradigm, teachers are a judge and a perceived threat. In the Information Age, they should be guides and coaches who help students overcome obstacles,” says Reigeluth.
His multidimensional approach includes reducing bureaucracy in schools; encouraging students to teach each other with teacher supervision; having interns and other paraprofessionals, including retiree volunteers, assist with guiding student learning; and creating an “educational cooperative,” where a community’s adults can earn access to learning resources, advancing their own education, in exchange for helping students learn.
“The new paradigm can significantly reduce the cost of education while increasing the quality,” says Reigeluth, who outlines the five new roles teachers would have in this redesigned system.
• Mentor … the same 20 to 30 students for several years, addressing all aspects of student development. Students and teachers would develop the deeper relationships that foster real caring on both sides. Mentors would help students prepare a personal learning plan for each project period, six to 12 weeks, including helping each student and his parents choose appropriate instructional goals, subject to standards set by the community, state and nation. Mentors would also help identify and support the best means for each student to achieve those goals.
• Designer … of student work options, mostly projects or tasks, to engage students in the learning process. Open educational resources developed by teachers throughout the country and available to all educators for free via the Internet can alleviate much of the burden of the designer role.
• Facilitator … of the learning process, which entails monitoring student progress, enhancing student motivation and coaching student performance.
• Learner … the teacher is always learning with the students, about students, from and for the students. The teacher does not have all the answers, but the teacher helps students find answers. And the teacher is always learning more about how best to meet students’ needs. The new paradigm provides sufficient support for teacher learning.
• Owner and manager … of the school. Like lawyers and accountants in a small firm, teachers would be partners who own their public school and make decisions about its operations, including budgeting and staffing. This model is already a success at the Minnesota New Country School and other EdVisions schools. This role elevates teachers to that of true professionals, rather than workers controlled by an all-powerful bureaucracy.
“These new roles offer empowerment to those who are most affected by our system, the student and the teacher, the latter of whom I suggest calling ‘guides’ to better reflect their new roles,” Reigeluth says. “The new roles better serve students in the age in which we live.”

Springdale High School Class of 1973

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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The Business of America’s Marijuana Revolution

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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Why a Wall Street model is needed  for the emerging industry to succeed
By all accounts, America’s emerging cannabis industry is shaping up to be the country’s biggest business experiment of the 21st century.
But the mushrooming niche sector could quickly become an un-navigable morass of conflicting state and federal laws, with banks reluctant to touch the industry’s abundance of money and a patchwork of state and local laws governing everything from transporting to selling the marijuana derivative.
While many entrepreneurs are eager to put business plans into action if and when legalization occurs in their state, “the nature of marijuana legalization on the local, state and federal levels creates problems for buyers, sellers and users,” says Wall Street Commodities expert Steve Janjic, CEO of Amercanex
(http://www.amercanex.com/), the first fully electronic marketplace exchange for the cannabis industry.
“We will soon hit the tipping point, when state after state legalizes some form of cannabis sale and use.”
What’s the best way to ensure a legal, fair and accountable business model for the young industry? The solution is a Wall Street-like forum that allows commerce in a fully-disclosed and transparent marketplace, he says.
Janjic outlines the benefits of such a system on the industry.
• Ensure regulatory and tax-agency accountability and reporting: One of the benefits touted by cannabis legalization proponents is increased tax revenue, but will an understaffed IRS be able to track the money flow? A digital commodities exchange system would monitor, track and audit orders, activities and transactions of all market participants in a simple, online user-interface or automated reporting format. Growers and retailers could calculate, apply, debit and credit taxes and related fees in real-time at the point of transaction.
• Helps cultivators, distributors and retailers stay connected to market trends, ensuring a fair and open market and business success: A Wall Street-like model would provide cultivators and vendors a central electronic platform to sell/buy their inventories anonymously, so that only product, quantity and best-available pricing are shown, creating a transparent, neutral and non-manipulated free market. Under such conditions, supply and demand are the only factors affecting price discovery.
• Forces the industry to self-regulate: The more states that allow for cannabis usage, whether for medical or recreational purposes, the bigger the industry will get. The longer the industry endures without a unifying and orderly structure like a commodities exchange, the more exposure to scrutiny it’s likely to receive. An automated system would avert unnecessary criticism by allowing all parties to monitor, track, account and audit every aspect of every transaction for every participant within the intra-state network.
• Ensures fair and orderly transactions, efficient dissemination of pricing, market trends and more: A Wall Street-like model should display the full depth of market with live, executable prices and associated quantities per a given product or strain. A real-time interface would provide market access to participants using prevailing best sell/buy prices. Goals of such a model should include a diverse base of clients within the market, true price competition, tailored solutions to suit the needs of all participants and 24/7 access over the internet.

Alabama Power Key Supporter of Black Colleges and Universities

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Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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Alabama Power is in the Top 10 nationally for support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in a study published by U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine.
The survey of college deans at 14 Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-accredited HBCUs puts Alabama Power among some of the nation’s largest companies.
Alabama Power is No. 9 in the list headed by Lockheed Martin Corp. which is followed by Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Chevron, Shell Oil, 3M and Exxon Mobile.
Siemens comes in at No.10, followed by Procter & Gamble, Xerox, Booz Allen Hamilton, Harris Corp, IBM, Southern Company, Jacobs Engineering Group, Huntington Ingalls Industries and, rounding out the Top 20,
BAE Systems.
“Supporting the HBCUs is essential to the development of our nation’s potential,” said Tyrone Taborn, publisher of the Baltimore-based magazine. “HBCUs have produced many of America’s leaders across all professions, and continue to be an engine of economic growth, both in the surrounding communities and for the graduates of the institutions.”
College deans were asked to list the corporate and government or nonprofit organizations providing the most support to their schools. The education leaders considered the following factors: support for infrastructure modernization and enhancement, research and mentorship projects, participation on advisory councils, faculty development opportunities, scholarships, student projects, stipends, co-ops and career opportunities.
Nearly 90 companies and governmental agencies were cited for their support of HBCUs.
Career Communications Group (CCG) is the leader in celebrating diversity and promoting equal opportunity for minorities and women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Taborn said. CCG provides leadership in talent management and career development, enabling employers to recruit, retain and recognize highly qualified minorities.
Schools surveyed included Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University.

Classifieds

By

Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

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Employment

BCBS of Alabama is seeking a Systems Eng III for its Birmingham, AL lctn to maintain integrity of server operating systems, hardware, storage, &/or applicatn s/w per designated area of responsibility. Must have a Bach deg or foreign deg equvlt in IT or rltd fld + 4 yrs exp in the rltd occptn of 1 or more of the following: System admin on Windows, Unix or other distributed platform; Systems Programmer on mainframe platform; &/or Storage Mgmnt w/in a large SAN environment. Send cov ltr & resume to BCBS of Alabama, HR – Job #7263, 450 Riverchase Parkway East, Birmingham, AL 35244.
BT09/18/14
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Wanted Senior Citizen that would like to supplement income
Housekeeper
Age 60 and over
For light housework every 2 weeks for 3
hours. Must have references. You may
contact the following number:
(205) 213-5824
BT09/18/14
______________________________
DRIVERS

Drive the Best. Drive Maverick Regional Reefer Drivers Needed Immediately! $.41 – $.42/mile, Addt’l Mileage Pay for Performance Bonus Introductory/New Hire Rate ($.02-$.04/mile) • $.01/mile raise at 1 yr and pay increases for up to 5 years • 2,200 – 2,600 miles per wk average • Paid Orientation (Travel, Lodging & Lunch Provided!) • Regional reefer positions – needed to fill immediately • Hiring area: 50 mile radius of Pearl, MS and be willing to commute with personal vehicle to our yard in Pearl. • Pay for performance with up to $.06/mile bonus after intro period bonus • Detention Pay • Home weekends (800 mile guarantee if hung out) • Safest, best maintained trucks on the road • 21 yrs old and Class A CDL required • Student program available for those with a CDL and no experience.Call Maverick Transportation Today! 1-800-289-1100 www.drivemaverick.com
BT09/18/14
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AUTOMOBILE

ALL Ford Fusions
$2500 OFF Rebate
Call Sammy at
205-814-6454

2007 G.M.C. Yukon SLT
HARD LOADED
Call Kanisha at
205-380-0593

2012 Chevy Malibu
FACTORY WARRANTY
Call Sammy at
205-814-6454

2005 G.M.C. Yukon XL
Black , LEATHER seats
DVD player in the roof
3rd row seating,
WARRENTY
Call Kanisha at
205-380-0593

2007 Honda Accord
CRIMSON color
Call Sammy at
205-814-6454
BT09/18/14
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LEGALS

Birmingham City Schools
Sale of Surplus Property
School Buses

Birmingham City Schools’ online public auction for the sale of 2001 Freightliner/Blue Bird School Buses is scheduled to begin Wednesday, September 17, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. and end Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at 4:00 P.M. Central Standard Time. A link to the auction, general description, conditions and terms, can be found at www.publicsurplus.com/sms/birminghamsd,al/browse/home.

Please contact Birmingham City School’s Purchasing Department for information concerning surplus property at (205) 231-4885 or emcmullen@bhm.k12.al.us.

Edward McMullen
Director of Purchasing
Birmingham City Schools
P.O. Box 10007
Birmingham, Alabama 35202

All school buses are offered for sale “as is, where is”. Birmingham City Schools makes no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind, expressed or implied, as to the merchantability or fitness for any purpose of the buses offered for sale. All sales are final.
Birmingham City Schools reserves the right to reject any and all bids to withdraw from
sale any item listed.
BT09/18/14
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PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Thursday, September 18, 2014
Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Room A-430
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 325-5761
These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the Jefferson County Office of Community& Economic Development.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS
On or about Friday, October 3, 2014 the Jefferson County Commission, acting as Community Development agent for Jefferson County and Consortium municipalities, will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for the release of Federal Community Development Block Grant Recovery funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL93-383) to undertake the following projects:

North Smithfield Storm Shelter Project

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
The Jefferson County Commission through its Office of Community & Economic Development has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North – Room A-430, Birmingham, AL 35203 where the record is available for review and may be examined or copied weekdays 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment on the project may submit written comments to the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development. All comments received by October 3, 2014, will be considered by the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS
The Jefferson County Commission through its Office of Community & Economic Development certifies to HUD that the President of the Jefferson County Commission consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities, and allows the Jefferson County Commission to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the Jefferson County Commission’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (which ever is later) only if they are on one of the following basis: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the Jefferson County Commission; (b) the Jefferson County Commission has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58) and shall be addressed to: Environmental Clearance, Mr. Charles Franklin, CPD Director, U.S. Department of HUD, Birmingham Office, Region IV, Medical Forum Building, Suite 900, 950 22nd Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last date of the objection period.
W. D. Carrington, President
Jefferson County Commission
BT09/18/14
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PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Room A-430
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 325-5761
These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the Jefferson County Office of Community& Economic Development.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS
On or about Friday, October 3, 2014, the Jefferson County Commission, acting as Community Development agent for Jefferson County and Consortium municipalities, will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for the release of Federal Community Development Block Grant funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL93-383) to undertake the following projects:

Gardendale New Castle Park Improvements Project (CDBG13-03L-M05-RS3)
Rosedale Sidewalk Improvements (CDBG13-03L-M05-RS3)
Fairfield Sidewalk Improvements Project (CDBG13-03L-M1-FSW)

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
The Jefferson County Commission through its Office of Community & Economic Development has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North – Room A-430, Birmingham, AL 35203 where the record is available for review and may be examined or copied weekdays 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment on the project may submit written comments to the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development. All comments received by Friday, October 3, 2014, will be considered by the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS
The Jefferson County Commission through its Office of Community & Economic Development certifies to HUD that the President of the Jefferson County Commission consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities, and allows the Jefferson County Commission to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the Jefferson County Commission’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (which ever is later) only if they are on one of the following basis: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the Jefferson County Commission; (b) the Jefferson County Commission has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58) and shall be addressed to: Environmental Clearance, Mr. Charles Franklin, CPD Director, U.S. Department of HUD, Birmingham Office, Region IV, Medical Forum Building, Suite 900, 950 22nd Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last date of the objection period.

W. D. Carrington, President
Jefferson County Commission
BT09/18/14
________________________________________
ADVERTISEMENT for BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATION And NOTICE of INTENT to RECEIVE BIDS from PREQUALIFIED BIDDERS
Pre-qualification submittals will be received by the Owner’s Representative/Project Manager, Jared Sparks on behalf of Office of the Associate Vice President, Facilities & Capital Projects, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama Board of Trustees at UAB Health System Planning, 2020 Building, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35233 until 4:00 PM Central Time, September 22, 2014. The original and two (2) duplicates of submittals together with a .pdf-formatted electronic version are required for pre-qualification approval; however, facsimile transmission copies may be transmitted to the Project Manager at (205) 975- 7000 to expedite the review process with hard-copies of the submittals to be delivered within 24 hours.
UAB SW2 Lab Automation For The University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama UAB Project No.: H135028A
A. SCOPE OF WORK:  The scope of work consists of a multiple phase interior renovation of University Hospital’s Core Laboratory including mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, plumbing, and architectural finishes that will enable the installation of automated laboratory processing equipment. Demolition of old and installation of new materials will be a part of the work. The installation of the automated laboratory processing will be performed by a separate UAB Contractor concurrently with portions of this project and must be coordinated with this project. The work will be performed under a single Prime General Contractor who will coordinate the work of this project and connect with mechanical and electrical equipment installed under a previous project. The laboratory operates continuously with no down time and close coordination and project management controls must be maintained by the Contractors throughout the project to insure that there are no interruptions to the services provided by the laboratory. The Prime General Contractor and Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Subcontractors should have experience with projects performed in an operating hospital environment and with the implementation and maintenance of infection control measures and interim life safety measures in an operating hospital.
B. PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR, MECHANICAL SUBCONTRACTOR, AND ELECTRICAL SUBCONTRACTOR BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATIONS:  General Contractor and Subcontractor bidders interested in submitting a proposal must apply for pre-qualification and must be licensed under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, and Code of Alabama, 1975. A copy of current Alabama Contractors license is to be included in pre-qualification submittal.  Only bidders who have completed the pre-qualification process and have been approved will be eligible to submit a bid for the Project. Prospective Bidder’s Pre- qualification Package must be received by the Owner’s Project Manager no later than 4:00 PM Central Time, September 22, 2014, after which no further requests will be considered.
Pre-qualification Requirements Information Package may be obtained from the Architect upon letterhead request sent by mail or scanned into an email to kmullins@pooleandcompany.com.
The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent prime contractor and subcontractor bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective prime contractor and subcontractor bidder will be notified of the results of the pre-qualification, no later than September 25, 2014 by 5:00 PM Central Time.
The Owner reserves the right to waive technical errors in applications, or abandon the pre-qualification process, should the interests of the Owner appear to be promoted thereby.
Progress Design and Construction Documents:
Prior to the pre-qualification deadline, project progress plans and specifications may be examined at the following location:
Architect: POOLE & COMPANY ARCHITECTS, LLC 2 NORTH 20TH STREET, SUITE 1610 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203 (205) 326-2206 (205) 326-2201
kmullins@pooleandcompany.com
C. BIDS BY PRE-QUALIFIED PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDERS
Documents:
After notice to prequalified bidders is given, the prequalified General Contract bidders may obtain bid documents through the UAB Digital Plan Room at http://uab.algraphics.com/, 2801 Fifth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233.
Bid documents will be available at the following locations after notice to pre- qualified bidders is given. Drawings and specifications may be examined at the Office of the Architect; at the AGC Internet Plan Room, 5000 Grantswood Road, Irondale, AL 35210; at the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority, 601 37th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222; and at the Reed Construction Data Office, 30 Technology Pkwy, South, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30092- 2912; and electronically through McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge.
Bonds:
A certified check or bid bond payable to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Statutory Labor and Material Payment Bonds will be required at the signing of the Contract.
Bids:
Bids must be submitted on proposal forms or copies thereof furnished by the Architect. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for a period of ninety (90) days. The Owner reserves the right to reject bids if such action is determined to be in the best interest of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to revoke pre-qualification of any bidder in accordance with Section 39-2-12, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended in 1997 (by Act 97-225). The Bid Date is October 16, 2014 at 2:00 PM Central Time at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB 2020 Building Large Conference Room, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35233.
Proposals may be hand delivered or received by mail on the date of the bid opening at the Office of Jared Sparks, Project Manager, 2020 Building, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35233, until 12:00 noon. After 12:00 noon of the date of the bid opening, proposals must be hand delivered and presented at the bid opening. Sealed proposals shall be submitted in triplicate and shall be properly identified. All proposals received after 2:00 p.m. on October 16, 2014 will be returned unopened.
Nonresident Prime Contractor Bidders:
Under Section 39-3-5, Code of Alabama, 1975, nonresident prime contractor bidders must accompany any written bid documents with a written opinion of an attorney licensed to practice law in such nonresident prime contractor bidder’s state of domicile as to the preferences, if any or none, granted by the law of the state to its own business entities whose principal place of business are in that state in the letting of any or all public contracts. Resident prime contractors in Alabama, as defined in Section 39-2- 12, are granted preference over nonresident prime contractors in awarding of contracts in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by the laws of the state of domicile of the nonresident.
Fire Alarm Work
In accordance with Title 34, Chapter 33A (the ACT), of the Code of Alabama 1975, bidders for fire alarm work of this project, if any, must include with their bid evidence of licensure as required by the ACT by including with the bid submittal a valid State Fire Marshal’s permit.
D. PRE-BID CONFERENCE A mandatory Pre-Bid Conference, followed by a mandatory walk-thru, will be held on October 2, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the UAB 2020 Building Large Conference Room. It is mandatory that all pre-qualified prime contractor bidders and Subcontractors attend the Pre-Bid Conference.
BT09/18/14
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Former ASU All-SWAC Runner Scores Twice in NFL Regular Season Debut

By

Birmingham Times

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September 18, 2014

0

MONTGOMERY – Former Alabama State University running back Isaiah Crowell scored two touchdowns and rushed for 32 yards on six carries in the Cleveland Browns 30-27 loss to Pittsburgh to open the 2014 NFL regular season.
Crowell was a long shot to make the Browns, but solidified his preseason performance by rushing for over 100 yards in the Browns’ preseason final game. He was the only Browns running back to surpass 100 yards rushing in any of the preseason games.
That performance did not go unnoticed as Crowell showed the Browns’ fans what the ASU fans had seen for two years. He has a second gear that few can match as was shown in his second score, a 15 yard simple off tackle play which his burst of speed put him in the end zone before anyone had a chance to touch him. His first score, which cut the Steelers lead to 27-10, was a tough three yard run.
Crowell went into the regular season as the Browns’ third running back, but with starter Ben Tate leaving the game due to an injury, Crowell’s playing time could increase in next week’s action against New Orleans in a noon start. The game will be shown on FOX.