BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Birmingham Airport Authority Board of Directors has approved the development of an art program that will put on display revolving collections of works throughout the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport set for completion this summer. The program will include works from local artists as well as artists from around the country.
A committee of civic volunteers including local artist Anne Hooks and Gail Andrews, the R. Hugh Daniel Director of the Birmingham Museum of Art, has recommended the Airport Authority develop an art plan that will incorporate the existing art collection at the airport with works to be acquired.
“We want to create an art experience at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport that will introduce and showcase the work of local artists as well as acquired work,” said Gaynell Hendricks, chair of the Birmingham Airport Authority Board of Directors. “Art is such a rich element in Alabama’s cultural heritage. We want to share that heritage with travelers.”
The committee will have oversight for completion and installation of all art approved during the airport Terminal Modernization Project, Hendricks said. The committee has recommended hiring a professional to develop the comprehensive art master plan.
This summer the final phase of the Terminal Modernization Project Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport will open to the public.
For passengers that utilize the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, this is the first and last impression of our city they receive,” said Al Denson, President and CEO of the Birmingham Airport Authority. “We want all travelers to have a first class experience at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. When they depart, we want them to know more about our state and our region so that they will be inspired to return.”

Finalists announced in the Birmingham Water Works Award Ceremony

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Learning the Wonderful Works of Water school program initiated by the Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) recently held its 2014
“Water for Life!” Poster Contest Award Ceremony at the Birmingham Crossplex on Friday, April 25th. 5th-grade student JaReese Russell from Phillips Academy received first place with a
prize of an iPad Air, along with his poster placed on t-shirts that were given to each student in recognition of National Drinking Water Week – which spotlighted the essentials of water May 4 – 10. Glen Oaks Elementary student Lauren Palmer received second place and a prize of an iPad mini, while Trinity Coleman, who is also a student of Glen Oaks, placed third and received
an iPod Touch.
Students gathered at the Crossplex for the ceremony, but also received knowledge of the varying roles water plays from speakers of the event. Registered Dental Hygienists, Anja Crews and
Michelle Luce from Microscope Enhanced Laser Assisted Comprehensive Dentistry led presentations in speaking to students about the importance of dental hygiene. BWWB EnviroLab
and Water Quality Department Manager Anton Jones amused students with his presentation of  how the utility operates and functions in producing quality drinking water. The last presentation,
given by McWane Science Center Director of Community Programs, Lawrence Cooper, livened students with an animated “Water for Life!” demonstration, which highlighted the water cycle.
Throughout the ceremony students were able to celebrate as they attained knowledge of water and its many benefits. Following the presentations, BWWB Communications Spokesperson
Binnie Myles had students to interact with the company’s mascot, Willy Waterdrop.
“Last year, our Board Director Sherry Lewis asked that we challenge students in the school program,” said Myles. “With this in mind we worked towards becoming more interactive with
the schools, which has shown to be very successful.”
Numerous 5th-graders in the BWWB’s service area displayed the “Water for Life” theme through colorful pieces of artwork. More than 80 posters were submitted from students who were told to
display the essentials of water in health and the human body. Judging was based on categories like use of theme in design, creativity, factual information, display of 3D elements, originality of
artwork, and more. Elementary schools such as Erwin Intermediate, Phillips Academy, Oxmoor Valley, Concord, Brookeville, Chalkville, Epic, and more participated in the contest.
“I was simply amazed at the creativity from the students,” said Jackson. “I can tell they had fun with it, and so did we.”

The Birmingham Water Works serves 600,000 people in Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, St. Clair and Walker counties. For more information about your Birmingham Water Works Board, please call
us at (205) 244-4000 or visit our Web site at www.bwwb.org.

Alabama Power is proud to host “Worth Remembering,” an exhibit featuring some of the best pieces from the collection of the Birmingham History Center. The exhibit, in the Archives Gallery at the company’s corporate headquarters, opens May 15 and runs through Aug. 8.
“This is a truly spectacular collection of artifacts, memorabilia and stories from the city’s past,” said Bill Tharpe, Alabama Power archivist. “We want to keep awareness of this fine collection fresh in the public eye. That is why we are partnering with the History Center on this special exhibit.”
The nonprofit Birmingham History Center was founded in 2004 by a group of preservation-minded citizens who wanted a repository and exhibition platform for artifacts of local history. Its collection contains more than 13,000 artifacts related to the history of Birmingham and Jefferson County.
From 2010 to 2013, the center had exhibit space inside the historic Young & Vann building in downtown Birmingham. Recently, however, the entire building was leased to a new tenant. The center’s collection is now in temporary storage while the organization seeks a permanent home.
The Archives Gallery is located in the historic Alabama Power 1925 Building on the corner of Sixth Avenue North and 18th Street. Exhibit visitors should check in down the block at the front desk of the company’s main entrance, 600 18th Street North. The exhibit will be open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

– Launching national financial education series and grant programs during National Small Business Week –

(BLACK PR WIRE) – SAN FRANCISCO, – In recognition of National Small Business Week, Wells Fargo is partnering with the National Urban League and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) to host a series of small business seminars and workshops nationwide. The workshops—including business resource fairs—provide attendees with information on the following topics:  starting a business, access to capital, advice for young entrepreneurs, marketing, and social media strategies. The program is part of Wells Fargo’s annual Small Business Appreciation Celebration.

Collectively, Wells Fargo has supported the National Urban League and the USHCC for more than a decade by providing programmatic support, funding and resources for members and constituents.

As part of its relationship with USHCC, Wells Fargo and the USHCC Foundation offer the Chamber Training Institute (CTI) to chamber leaders throughout the year. The Chamber Training Institute series is held in six cities every other month throughout the year, and it offers executive level, two-day trainings in partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and the support of Wells Fargo.

“At the National Urban League, we aim to provide businesses owned by people of color with the tools, guidance and resources needed to help them achieve long-term business success,” says Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. “Our partnership with Wells Fargo has been instrumental in helping us support small businesses and thus encourages the kind of entrepreneurship that leads to asset-building and generational wealth.”

Small business success is vital to the continued growth of the economy, but some small business owners may lack the resources or access to information that can guide them in reaching their goals.

The joint program will provide educational resources and offer additional support for local programs benefiting diverse small business communities, such as the National Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Centers which are located in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Philadelphia. These centers enable minority entrepreneurs to take advantage of new business opportunities and qualify for financing that will lead to high-level business growth through the provision of proper management skills.

“We are very pleased to partner with Wells Fargo and the National Urban league on this nationwide effort. As the nation’s leading advocate for 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses, the USHCC recognizes the benefits such coalition-based initiatives provide for all American businesses,” said USHCC President & CEO Javier Palomarez. “We are delighted with the planned activities. These seminars and workshops are potentially transformative for entire communities. They empower local chambers and businesses with the networks, skills, and knowledge they need to scale their operations, create jobs, and enrich local economies.”

In addition to the financial education series, Wells Fargo also introduced a broad multi-year initiative, Wells Fargo Works for Small BusinessSM, to deliver guidance and services to help more small businesses achieve financial success. The initiative includes WellsFargoWorks.com, an enhanced online resource for small business owners; and the Wells Fargo Works Project, an online video series – featuring true stories of five small businesses working with Wells Fargo to achieve their business goals – and a national contest where small business owners can compete to win $25,000 along with mentorship and tailored solutions for their business. Along with the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business initiative, Wells Fargo announced a goal to extend $100 billion in new lending to small businesses by 2018.

“We want to provide small business owners with valuable information that is convenient and easy for them to access.  It’s critical for us to support small business growth – from offering financial services to delivering educational resources and guidance, said Lisa Stevens, Wells Fargo’s head of Small Business and Pacific Midwest regional banking president. “We’re bringing in industry experts to share their knowledge and experiences directly with local business owners.”

Small Business Workshops:

• May 8—Morris County Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce, Morristown, NJ

• May 13—Small Business Appreciation Day: Tools for Success (Las Vegas Urban League, Las Vegas, NV)

• May 14—Running an Effective Small Business (Los Angeles Urban League, Los Angeles, CA)

• May 15—Small Business Legacy Summit (Urban League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA)

• May 15—South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Miami, FL

• May 20—Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, Austin, TX

• May 21—Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Santa Ana, CA

• May 21—Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fresno, CA

• May 21—Access to Capital Forum “Where is The Money”(Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta, GA)

• May 21—Wells Fargo Small Business Appreciation Week Reception (Houston Area Urban League, Houston, TX)

• May 28—Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver, Denver, CO

BIRMINGHAM Ala.  – Birmingham area residents answered the call from State Farm® to help create a positive impact in their community by submitting causes as part of this year’s State Farm Neighborhood Assist. Now the top 200 causes have been selected by the State Farm Youth Advisory Board® and two local organizations need your “assist” to help vote them into the top 40. Three Hots and a Cot, an organization that helps homeless veterans, and the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, an organization that helps members of the Latino community integrate into society, are the only two finalists in the state of Alabama this year. From April 28 through May 16, anyone who has the free State Farm Neighborhood Assist Facebook application can vote daily for Homeless Veterans or the Community Learning Center and help bring $25,000 to one of the causes.
According to Three Hots and A Cot, more than one third of the homeless population consists of veterans. The organization wants to use the grant money to help provide job training, life skills training, counseling and case management services to help stabilize mental health, finances, and housing.
The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama hopes to land a $25,000 grant to fund GED classes in Spanish and a community education center for the classes to take place.
“The great thing about the State Farm Neighborhood Assist program is that it gives individuals the opportunity to really think about what can be done  to make their communities stronger,” said State Farm spokesman Roszell Gadson. “State Farm is then able to ‘assist’ the top 40 vote receiving causes and positively impact the community by providing a $25,000 grant to a local partnering nonprofit organization.”
Homeless Veterans and the Community Learning Center now have through May 16 to rally votes in their community, with anyone voting allowed up to 10 votes per day. On May 27, the top 40 vote-receiving causes will be announced on the Facebook app and a $25,000 grant will be awarded to the affiliated nonprofits. Last year the Roanoke City Schools received a $25,000 grant that the district used to educate students about healthy eating habits.
For a complete list of the top 200 causes or to vote for a cause, get the free Facebook app at www.statefarm.com/neighborhoodassist.

MONTGOMERY —The Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR) has announced that it will offer individual and business taxpayers impacted by the recent severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred beginning April 28, in parts of Alabama similar Alabama tax filing extensions as offered by the Internal Revenue Service.
The Alabama tax relief offered allows taxpayers located in the federally-declared disasters areas of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile, and Tuscaloosa counties, or whose business operations are located in those counties, until Oct. 15, 2014, to file certain Alabama tax returns that have a due date falling between April 28, 2014, and Oct. 15, 2014. This relief includes:
•  Income Tax Withholding returns due for monthly filers May 15, 2014; June 16, 2014; July 15, 2014; Aug. 15, 2014; and Sept. 15, 2014.

•  Income Tax Withholding quarterly returns due for quarterly filers July 31, 2014.

•  Estimated Personal Income Tax returns due June 16, 2014, and Sept. 15, 2014.

•  Estimated Corporate Income Tax returns (for calendar year taxpayers) due June 16, 2014, and Sept. 15, 2014.

•  Any other related income tax returns due during this extension period, including Business Privilege Tax returns, as well as those related returns filed by Pass-through Entities.

Late filing and payment penalties will be waived upon request for those affected taxpayers seeking this relief. Alabama’s tax laws have no provision for the waiver of interest.
Relief measures for other taxes administered by the ADOR will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
The ADOR advises those affected taxpayers to identify their returns/reports by writing in red ink “April 2014 Storms” on any state paper return/report which relies on this filing extension relief. Those taxpayers filing electronic returns and seeking tax relief should contact the appropriate ADOR division office.

Contact telephone numbers are provided below.
Income Tax Withholding                        (334) 242-1300
Estimated Personal Income Tax            (334) 242-1099
Corporate Income Tax                           (334) 242-1200
Pass-through Entities                              (334) 242-1033
Business Privilege Tax                            (334) 353-7923