Congratulations Graduates!

May 15, 2014

I have always believed in the power and value of education. That is why I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who are graduating this month.
Whether you are finishing high school, a vocational program or a college degree, you should be proud of how hard you have worked and what you have accomplished!
Getting an education is a crucial step to achieving your other goals in life. As the saying goes: “Knowledge is power.” The more you learn, the more opportunities you will open for yourself. And there is no limit to where those opportunities can take you.
You might choose to continue your education or to enter the workforce. Either way, you are now better prepared for the journey ahead. But with knowledge and opportunities comes responsibilities. As it says in the Bible, “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.”
Now more than ever, we need motivated individuals like you to become leaders in our communities. I am not just talking about political leaders, though we certainly need those too! But we need smart, talented leaders everywhere – from business to the church to politics and everything in between.
Though things are improving, our economy is still struggling to grow and create jobs. As the new generation of leaders, you are in a unique situation. This may be the time for some enterprising person to start that new small business or to develop some new innovation.
I encourage all of you to pursue your dreams. Because with hard work and a good education there is nothing you cannot do; no goal you cannot achieve.
You have devoted years of your life to your education. You have worked hard – you may have even worked two or three jobs to pay your way through school – and now that hard work has paid off. You should be proud! You have earned the right to sit back and enjoy this moment.
But when the celebrating is over and you turn your focus to what is next, remember what it took to get here: hard work and determination. Those values will benefit you no matter where life takes you next. Honesty, dependability and the quality of your work are three more characteristics that will take you far in business and in life.
So enjoy this moment of victory. You have spent so much time and effort to get here, and you deserve to enjoy it! But your journey is only just beginning. Take the lessons you have learned along the way and apply them to whatever is next for you. Continue to work hard and stay focused and there is nothing you cannot achieve.
Congratulations, graduates! And good luck!

Rep. Craig Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden and the Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives.

Inside the Statehouse

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

by Steve Flowers

In 1967 when Lurleen Wallace became governor, one of her first missions was a trip to Bryce Mental Hospital in her native Tuscaloosa. The conditions she saw at Alabama’s primary mental health facility were beyond deplorable. It was a heart wrenching and Damascus road experience for the demure and soft-spoken lady. However, she roared like a lion with determination to remedy this blight on the state. She implored her husband’s legislature to appropriate significant increases in the Mental Health Budget and she passed bond issues to relieve overcrowding.

Our current Governor, Robert Bentley, also a Tuscaloosan, may have had a similar conversion experience a few months ago. Our state prisons are in a crisis situation. The ghastly horror stories that have come out this year surrounding our largest women’s prison facility have reverberated around the nation. We are teetering on the federal courts taking over our prisons. The population is well beyond what the courts view as basic human rights. The revelation at Julia Tutwiler Prison further exacerbated the crisis.

Our kindly country doctor governor toured Tutwiler in early March and quietly said, “we are probably going to have to build some new prisons in my second term.” This is probably a foreshadow of what we will see in a second Bentley administration. You may see the Governor move from the right to the middle and moderate somewhat on the need for some new revenue for the beleaguered General Fund. It cost money to build prisons and as well as to simply perform the basic functions of state government.

The General Fund has had no new revenue enhancement measures in 30 years. There are several benign measures that would be easy to tap. Our cigarette tax is the lowest in the southeast. A state lottery would pass overwhelmingly if the legislature would allow people to vote on it and there must be some creative ways to tax the Indian casinos that are hauling in millions of untaxed profits from low income Alabamians.

Several other issues that have remained unresolved in this quadrennium will be the subject of debate during this year’s campaigns and will be at the forefront for the new legislature beginning next year. The 2015 legislature may again look at rewriting Alabama’s lengthy and cumbersome state constitution article by article. Our Alabama Constitution was written in 1901 and is the longest of any state with more than 800 amendments.

Every election year candidates espouse one prevalent theme, “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.” We are creating industrial jobs in Alabama. However, we are buying them with tax abatements. This is depleting tax dollars that would go towards education in the state. We may need to do more to help our small business owners who do not get any tax breaks. We also need to invest heavily in technical job training in the state.

Education issues will be at the center of the spectrum of discussion next quadrennium. How do we improve education for students? Has this term’s legislature hurt education by lowering teachers’ salaries over the last four years? Have programs like the Alabama Accountability Act hurt public education in the state? Will charter schools be the next initiative mounted by conservatives?

The most talked about issue this year was the Common Core issue. It was tabled and swept under the rug during this year’s legislative session. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be front and center when the new legislature convenes in 2015. It has been a hot topic of debate during this year’s legislative contests.

Legislators will be asked again to decide whether to support the national Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. Gov. Bentley and the current legislative leadership are adamantly opposed to accepting this expansion. They say we cannot afford what we have now, much less more cost. It is doubtful that the Governor or a Republican legislature will change their position on this issue. We will see.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears weekly in 72 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. He may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

Guess Who’s Coming to Shoal Creek!!

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

by Glennon E. Bazzle, “The King of Swing”

Mr. Keith “Fig” Newton, one of the more prominent African Americans in Professional Golf, will be here at the 2014 Regions Tradition golf tournament, May 14-18. And he won’t be swinging a golf club nor carrying a golf bag. Why not? Because he is the Director of Tournament Operations for the Champions Tour. Every year since 2005 “Fig”, as he is better known, has overseen 26 of the 29 Champions Tour events. That encompasses scoring the tournament, training volunteers, supplying equipment, processing and transferring all players’ scores and statistics to media and all affiliated media outlets, as well as working on sponsor related promotions. WOW, quite a job!! And you think you’re an expert follower of golf news, huh? Bet you didn’t know that “little known” fact.
Now, how did he get there? It all started in New Orleans where he graduated from St. Augustine High School, an all-Black school ranked as one of the top high schools in the Nation. He earned a degree in journalism from LSU in 1982, then interned in the Sports Department at WDSU-TV, the NBC affiliate in New Orleans. From 1983-1986 he was Sports Director of WYLD-FM/AM radio, producing and delivering daily sportscasts covering all levels of local sports.
His impressive story continued to develop. In the summer of 1986, Keith served as General Manager of the Savannah Cardinals, the Single-A affiliate of the Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals, handling day to day home game operations in addition to serving as public address announcer. From 1988 to 1990 he was Assistant Director of Public Relations for the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts.
Well, where is golf in this story? In 1991, he joined the PGA Tour/Champions Tour as a member of the Operations Staff. He was promoted to Manager in 1995 and to Director of Tournament Operations in 2005. So, this weekend go to the Regions Traditions at Shoal Creek, say hello to “Fig”, and tell him “The King of Swing” sent you. Where can you find him? Of course, on the first tee starting the pros.
___________________________________________________________________
Correction: In last week’s article, “Affordable Golf Package”, contact number is 205-322-4054.
___________________________________________________________________
Glennon E. Bazzle, the golf columnist, is author of Anatomy of the Perfect Golf Swing, founder and CEO of Global Golf Institute, member of United States Golf Teachers Federation for 20 years, and Master therapist specializing in sports massage since 1961. Contact: 205-322-4054 or 504-583-6842. Email: golfswing_2000@yahoo.com.

Former Alabama State University Kicker/punter Invited to the Kansas City Chiefs Mini-camp

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

Wenzig is arguably the most decorated football player to have ever put on an ASU uniform. He has been a difference-maker for ASU ever since he transferred to the Hornets following a year at Arizona State. He is a two-time All-America selection as well as a three-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) pick.
The San Diego, Calif., native finished his career averaging 43 yards per punt. He was a master of being able to down his punts to pin the opposition next to their own goal line as 68 of his 208 punts were downed inside the 20 yard line. He also had the ability to punt for distance changing field position for the Hornets defense. He had 61 punts travel over 50 yards.
Wenzig also handled kick off, field goal and PAT duties for ASU. He hit 35 field goals during his three years and 69 PAT’s. He finished his career with 204 points becoming only the fourth ASU player to score over 200 points during his career.
“I am very happy to have the opportunity to go to Kansas City and compete at the rookie mini-camp! I am going in there as a combo kicker. It gives me the chance to show what I can do in all aspects of kicking and punting. Alex Smith is also from San Diego and I look forward to meeting him soon.”

Michael Sam is embarrassing

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.

I am not a homophobic. I just don’t in believe in same sex marriage and I do not believe that two men should be on national television kissing each other.
I realize that this person should be judged on his football talents. Time will tell whether he has any talent. The LA Rams selected Sam, defensive end, on the 249th pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
Sam is the first openly gay NFL player, but he is far from the first gay man to play football. Retired NFL veterans like Wade Davis and Esera Tualo played while still in the closet, and gritted their teeth when teammates cracked gay jokes, used slurs or said out-and-out hateful hints.
In the last few years, there’s been a sea of change in the way American society understands sexuality. As polling by The Washington Post Recently showed, 55 percent of Americans opposed same-sex marriage in 2003 – but now, 59 percent support it.
Sam told The New York Times, he came out to his teammates as part of a getting-to-know-you exercise.
“I looked in their eyes,” Sam said, “and they just started shaking their heads – like, finally he came out.” He hadn’t dropped a bombshell on his teammates; they’ve long since guessed and had never cared. They didn’t just tolerate him, they supported him – celebrated him, even. One teammate went with Sam to a gay pride rally in St. Louis, and others went out to gay bars with him.
We all know that the media will spend all their time on him instead of football when the season opens. My guess the next thing Sam is going to do is marry his lover at a halftime show during the Super Bowl playoff, just in case the Rams get to that level.
The one thing we must keep in mind–he has not yet made the team.

SWAC Announces Baseball Seedings

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced the bracket for the 2014 SWAC Baseball Tournament, held May 14-18 at New Orleans (La.) MLB Urban Youth Academy at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
The double elimination tournament bracket consists of eight teams with split seeding. The seeding is determined as a result of the top four teams from the final regular season standings of the SWAC Eastern and Western Divisions.
Eastern Division champions Alabama State (34-19, 21-3) and Western Division winners Arkansas-Pine Bluff (22-26, 16-7) will enter the tournament as the number one seeds.
UAPB will join Alabama A&M (20-30, 12-9), Prairie View A&M (19-28, 11-12), and Jackson State (27-23, 9-15) in the top of the bracket. ASU will open the tournament in the lower bracket with Texas Southern (23-27, 13-9), Alcorn State (10-40, 10-12), and Grambling State (14-30, 11-13).
Tournament action gets underway on Wednesday at 9 a.m. CT as No. 2 East seed Alabama A&M will face No. 3 West seed PVAMU. Game two is slated for 12 p.m. CT and features No. 2 West seed Texas Southern versus No. 3 East seed Alcorn State.
No. 1 West seed UAPB and No. 4 East seed Jackson State will match-up in game three at 3 p.m. CT No. 1 East seed Alabama State and No. 4 West seed Grambling State will close out the first day with game four scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
Live audio of all games leading to the tournament’s championship can be found on the SWAC Digital Network at www.swac.org.
The final round is scheduled to broadcast live on Sunday, May 18, on ESPN3 at 2 p.m. CT. The game’s tape delay is slated to air at on Monday, May 19, at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

WEDNESDAY – MAY 14
GAME 1: No. 2E Alabama A&M vs. No. 3W Prairie View A&M – 9 a.m.
GAME 2: No. 2W Texas Southern vs. No. 3E Alcorn State – 12 p.m.
GAME 3: No. 1W Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. No. 4E Jackson State – 3 p.m.
GAME 4: No. 1E Alabama State vs. No. 4W Grambling State – 6 p.m.

THURSDAY – MAY 15
GAME 5: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser – 9 a.m.
GAME 6: Game 2 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser – 12 p.m.
GAME 7: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner – 3 p.m.
GAME 8: Game 2 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner – 6 p.m.

FRIDAY – MAY 16
GAME 9: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser – 9 a.m.
GAME 10: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser – 12 p.m.
GAME 11: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner – 3 p.m.
GAME 12: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner – 6 p.m.

SATURDAY – MAY 17 (IF NECESSARY)
GAME 11a: Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser – 12 p.m.
GAME 12a: Game 12 Winner vs. Game 12 Loser – 3 p.m.

SUNDAY – MAY 18
GAME 13: CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – 2 p.m. (LIVE – ESPN3 / TAPE DELAY – ESPNU – MONDAY, MAY 19, 9 p.m.)

Dillard Joins ASU Volleyball Staff

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama State University head volleyball coach Penny Lucas-White has announced the addition of former Alabama-Birmingham all-conference performer Eliane Dillard to the Lady Hornets coaching staff as assistant coach.
“I am excited to get someone of Eliane’s experience join our coaching staff,” Lucas-White said. “She brings the experience of being a great player and she has several years of experience in translating her playing experience into coaching experience. She has had tremendous success everywhere she has been and she will be a valuable member of this program.”
Dillard comes to ASU from Birmingham where she was the assistant coach at Homewood High School. While in Birmingham she was also head coach of the Boom Volleyball Club.
She has also spent time as an assistant coach at the University of West Alabama and as an assistant at Independence Community College in Independence, Kan., and at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas.
Dillard played two years at Cowley County Community College where she was a two-time National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American (2005, 2006). She was also named to the NJCAA All Region VI team and was a Kansas Junior College Conference All-Conference performer during those same years.
Following her graduation from Cowley, Dillard played her final two years at the University of Alabama Birmingham where she was Conference USA’s (C-USA) Newcomer-of-the-Year in 2007. She followed that up with a C-USA First Team All-Conference selection in 2008 as well as being named to the C-USA All-Tournament Team.
She graduated from UAB with a degree in Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish.
“I am so excited to be a part of this great and successful program,” Dillard said. “I am ready to share my knowledge and experience with these talented young student-athletes.”

Classifieds

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

Employment

ASA Granite of Birmingham, Inc is seeking a Financial Analyst in Trussville, AL to compile and analyze financial statements ensuring that financial records are maintained in compliance with accepted policies and procedures. BS or foreign equiv Economics, Bus Admin, Accounting, Finances or related plus 5 yrs of related exp. Submit resume to: Keila Silva, Accounting Dpt, keila@asagranite.com
BT05/15/14
__________________
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT  Monday-Thursday from 2-6, Event and meeting planning,
Make travel arrangements, setting appointments, Attach
resume with references and salary expectations:
ab1090ja@aol.com
205-377-0677 BT05/15/14
_____________

Apartments for Rent

Presbyterian Manor Apartments
Gated community for seniors 62 & older; mobility impaired
Rent is based on income; power & water incl.
Email: presbyterianmanormgr@spm.net
205-841-0682
205-841-0602
BT05/15/14
__________________
AUTOMOBILE

2007 Chevrolet Impala
Tan Low payments
Perfect first time buyer
Call Floyd Morris
205-587-4313

2009 Chevrolet Silverado L.T.
Black 4 door 2 wheel drive
Managers special
Call Sammy 205-814-6454

2005 Dodge Dakota
Quad Cab Blue
2 wheel drive
Just arrived
Call Ivory 205-821-0491

2007 Dodge Nitro Black
4 door 2 wheel drive
Fuel efficient
Call Floyd Morris
205-587-4313

2004 Ford F-150 Red
Style side regular cab
Priced to sell
Call Ivory 205-821-0491
BT05/15/14

_________________________________
LEGALS

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority will receive sealed bids for:
Sheraton Birmingham – Banquet Kitchen Remodel

This will be for the use of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, Birmingham, Alabama. General Contractors will be required to make a good faith effort to include MBE and DBE companies in the execution of this project.

The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Birmingham, Alabama will receive bids, up to the hour of 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, and will thereafter be publicly opened and read aloud at the BJCC Executive Board Room 4th Floor, North Exhibition Hall in Birmingham, AL. Bids must be submitted on bid forms furnished by the Authority. Bids shall be clearly identified on the exterior of the package with bidder’s name, address, STATE CONTRACTOR LICENSE NUMBER, the name of the project being bid, and time and place of bid opening. Sealed bids shall be properly identified.

Construction contracts shall be awarded only to qualified Contractors, licensed by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors, as required by Title 34, Chapter 8, and Code of Alabama. Contracts in excess of $50,000 shall be awarded only to Contractors licensed as required by the 1978 Code of Alabama, Title 34, and Chapter 8 as amended. Bidders must be “responsible” in accordance with criteria in the bid and as stipulated by Title 30-2-3-(e) of the code of Alabama.

A copy of this bid package is available at the above address or on our website: www.bjcc.org (under Jobs & Vendor Opportunities – Open Bids section). There is no charge for downloading bid documents. Documents will also be available at the pre-bid meeting and in the BCIA Plan Room.

Bids may be sent to BJCC Purchasing Department, Attn: Purchasing Coordinator, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203. Any bid not received by 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, must be hand delivered and presented at the bid opening. Sealed bids shall be submitted in triplicate and shall be properly identified. All bids received after 1:30 p.m. on the bid date will be returned unopened.

A Cashier’s Check drawn on an Alabama Bank or bid bond, executed by a Surety company duly authorized and qualified to make such bonds in Alabama, payable to the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority in the amount of 5% of the amount of bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s bid. Performance and Labor and Material Payment Bonds in the amount of 100% of the contract price will be required when the Contract is presented by the Contractor to the Authority.

A pre-bid meeting will be conducted Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. in the Sheraton Birmingham Lobby located at 2101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203.

Questions concerning the specifications should be directed to Jerry Nelms, Facility Engineer, at (205) 458-8409 or email Jerry.Nelms@bjcc.org. Sharon Proctor Purchasing Coordinator
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority

BT05/15/14

______________
DeKalb County Hospital Association
D/b/a Dekalb AmbulanceService

Invitation for Request For Proposal

The Dekalb County Hospital Association, a public body, shall hereby solicit a Request for Proposal quotes for a comprehensive management service to provide and maintain an E.M.S. Electronic Data System.
Detailed bid specifications may be obtained from:

Mail: Dekalb Ambulance Service P.O. Box 680643
Fort Payne, AL 35968

Physical Address: 208 Airport Road SW Fort Payne, AL 35968

Or by calling: (256)845-4027ext.0 and ask for Mark Ford, Director

Or by email: dekalbamb101@aol.com

Request for Proposal quotes must be submitted to the above address by July 3 at 1:59 p.m. CST. All quotes must be submitted in sealed format and labeled “RFP # 2014- 2020501: EMS ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEM/SERVICE from (insert your company name here).” Request for Proposals not received by stated deadline and/or improperly formatted will be rejected.

The Dekalb County Hospital Association reserves the right to interpret all matters pertaining to the Request for Proposal award and to reject any or all Request for Proposals. Request for Proposals will be opened at the office of the Director, Mark Ford at 2:00 p.m. CST, July 3, 2014. The Dekalb County Hospital Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, creed, color or other basis as prohibited by law.
BT05/15/14

___________________
INVITATION TO BID

The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham will be accepting bids covering the installation of water mains and appurtenances connected thereto and four (4) water services along Coalburg Road located in the City of Birmingham, Alabama. Plans and specifications may be examined and obtained in the office of the Manager – System Development at 3600 First Avenue, North. Bids must be received for public opening at 10:00 a.m. local time in said office. A Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. local time in the System Development Conference Room located on the Second Floor of the Main Campus Building located at the above-stated address. Bids will not be accepted from Contractors who do not attend the Pre-Bid Conference. Bids must be received for public opening on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. local time in the System Development Conference Room located as stated above.
BT05/15/14

___________________
DATE: May 5, 2014
TO: Prospective Bidders
INVITATION FOR BID NUMBER:
14-10

SEPARATE SEALED BIDS FOR:
Demolition of Multiple Buildings and Asbestos/ Lead Abatement Services

PRE-BID CONFERENCE DATE/TIME:
May 19, 2014 / 10:00 A.M. CST

LOCATION:
HABD Central Office
1826 Third Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233-1905

BID OPENING:

DATE:
June 3, 2014

TIME:
10:00 a.m. CST

LOCATION:
HABD Central Office
1826 Third Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233-1905

By submission of a bid, the bidder agrees, that if the bid is accepted, to enter into a contract with the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD), to complete all work as specified or indicated in the bid documents, for the contract price and within the contract time indicated in the attached IFB. The bidder further accepts all of the terms and conditions of the IFB.

The bid will remain open for the period specified in the IFB, must be independently arrived at, and be prepared in accordance with the instructions to bidders (form HUD-5369). In addition, the HUD-required certifications must be completed and submitted as part of the bid (see form HUD-5369).

A pre-bid conference will be held in accordance with the terms listed above. All bidders are encouraged to attend the pre-bid conference.

The bid price(s) will be included as provided in the attached IFB. Unless otherwise specified in the IFB, all prices will be on a firm-fixed-price basis and are not subject to adjustments based on costs incurred.

Bidders should be advised that, prior to award of any contract, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District reserves the right to conduct a pre-award survey for the purpose of determining the bidder’s responsibility and capacity to perform the contract. This survey may include review of subcontracting agreements, financial capacity, and the quality of work performed on other contracts.

All bids must be signed and dated. If a joint venture is submitting the bid, each joint venture must sign the bid. Late bids will be handled in accordance with the form HUD-5369.

A copy of this solicitation is available at www.habd.org under the Purchasing and Procurement Section. Questions regarding the attached IFB should be directed to the Procurement Administrator, in writing within ten days prior to the date and time set for the bid opening. Questions received after the deadline will not be answered.

Contracting Officer:
Naomi H. Truman, Executive Director
BT05/15/14

___________________
INVITATION TO BID

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

FOR

Taxiway Safety Area Improvements – Taxiway H
BAA Project Number: AF022.000.000-2014

Sealed Bids will be received on behalf of the Birmingham Airport Authority (BAA) at the BAA Office located at the Medical Forum Building 950 22nd Street North, Suite 750, Birmingham, AL 35203, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Bids shall be opened and read aloud at 11:30 a.m. local time the same day at the Southern Museum of Flight located at 4343 73rd Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35206.

The bids shall be submitted in a sealed envelope and/or container plainly marked on the outside with the name, address, and license number of the bidder; the name of the project (Taxiway Safety Area Improvements – Taxiway H) and the time and date due (10:00 a.m. local time, Tuesday, June 10, 2014). Submitted Bids are to be addressed to the attention of Mr. Lowrenzo Taylor, Project Manager, Birmingham Airport Authority, Birmingham, Alabama 35212.

The scope of work consists principally of the following approximate quantities:

690
CY
UNCLASSIFIED EXCAVATION
1690
CY
BORROW EXCAVATION
108
LF
18″ SPAN, 11″ RISE REINFORCED CONCRETE ARCH PIPE, CLASS III
140
LF
18″ REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE, CLASS III
52
LF
30″ REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE, CLASS III
420
LF
18″ REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE, CLASS IV
4
EA
INLET, DOUBLE GRATE
18318
SY
SODDING (BERMUDA)
1040
CY
TOPSOILING (FURNISHED FROM OFF THE SITE)
13
EA
MEDIUM INTENSITY TAXIWAY EDGE LIGHT (L-861T), OMNI-DIRECTIONAL WITH BLUE QUARTZ LENS L-867 BASE MOUNTED, IN PLACE
1
EA
JUNCTION BOX
2
EA
GRATE INLET, TYPE PR
140
LF
REMOVING CURB
860
SY
REMOVING RIPRAP

A Pre-Bid conference will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 starting at 3:00 p.m. local time at the Southern Museum of Flight located at 4343 73rd Street N., Birmingham, Alabama 35206. All Invitation to Bid participants are strongly encouraged to attend this conference.

Beginning Tuesday, May 20, 2014, Invitation to Bid Packages containing specifications and other contract documents may be purchased from Volkert, Inc., located at 2 20th Street North, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35203, phone number (205) 214-5500, upon payment of One Hundred-Fifty and No/100 dollars ($150.00) to Volkert, Inc. for each set of contract documents (This fee will be refunded by Volkert, Inc. for contract documents that are returned in reusable condition within 10 days of bid opening).

All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding $50,000.00 must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended.

Each Seal Bid shall be accompanied by a Bid Bond, in an amount equal to five (5%) percent of the bid price, made payable to the Birmingham Airport Authority. Bid Bond shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements established in the Invitation to Bid documents. No personal or company checks, money order, or cash will be accepted as a form of Bid Security. All participants submitting a bid in amounts exceeding $50,000.00 must be licensed under provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended.

DBE Policy: It is the policy of the Birmingham Airport Authority (Authority) that DBEs as defined in 49 CFR Part 26, will have maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of all Authority projects and the bidders will take all necessary and reasonable steps to ensure that DBEs have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform subcontracts. Additional DBE information is contained in the full Invitation to Bid package.

Requests for information or clarifications regarding this Invitation to Bid may be submitted, via email, to the BAA Project Manager, Mr. Lowrenzo Taylor, ltaylor@flybirmingham.com, Birmingham Airport Authority. All such request must be submitted no later than Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Additionally, all interested Participants must notify the BAA of their intent to submit a Bid no later than 5:00 p.m. local time on June 3, 2014.
BT05/15/14
___________________
INVITATION TO BID

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

FOR

Runway Safety Area Improvements – Runway 18
BAA Project Number: AF024.000.000-2014

Sealed Bids will be received on behalf of the Birmingham Airport Authority (BAA) at the BAA Office located at the Medical Forum Building 950 22nd Street North, Suite 750, Birmingham, Al. 35203, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Bids shall be opened and read aloud at 11:00 a.m. local time the same day at the Southern Museum of Flight located at 4343 73rd Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35206.

The bids shall be submitted in a sealed envelope and/or container plainly marked on the outside with the name, address, and license number of the bidder; the name of the project (Runway Safety Area Improvements – Runway 18) and the time and date due (10:00 a.m. local time, Tuesday, June 10, 2014). Submitted Bids are to be addressed to the attention of Mr. Lowrenzo Taylor, Project Manager, Birmingham Airport Authority, Birmingham, Alabama 35212.

The scope of work consists principally of the following approximate quantities:

38560     CY            UNCLASS EXCAVATION
160       CY          CONTROLLED LOW-STRENGTH MATERIAL
72       LF           30” REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE, CLASS
III
184       LF           22” SPAN, 14” RISE REINFORCED CONCRETE ARCH PIPE, CLASS III
456        LF           66” REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE, CLASS
III
3       EA           INLET, GRATE
47850       SQ YD       SODDING (BERMUDA)

A Pre-Bid conference will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 starting at 2:00 p.m. local time at the Southern Museum of Flight located at 4343 73rd Street N., Birmingham, Alabama 35206. All Invitation to Bid participants are strongly encouraged to attend this conference.

Beginning Tuesday, May 20, 2014, Invitation to Bid Packages containing specifications and other contract documents may be purchased from Volkert, Inc., located at 2 20th Street North, Suite 300, Birmingham, Al. 35203, phone number (205) 214-5500, upon payment of One Hundred-Fifty and No/100 dollars ($150.00) to Volkert, Inc. for each set of contract documents (This fee will be refunded by Volkert, Inc. for contract documents that are returned in reusable condition within 10 days of bid opening).

All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding $50,000.00 must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended.

Pre-qualification submittals will be received by the Owner’s Representative/Project Manager, Juan DeOnis 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 Hospital Planning, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294 until 4:00 PM Central Time May 27, 2014. The original and two (2) duplicates of submittals 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.

RELOCATION OF THE TAUB GYM AND OUTPATIENT OT GYM
For The
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Project No.: H145002A

A. SCOPE OF WORK:

The scope of work generally includes demolition of an area of approximately 4,400 s.f. of interior partitions; finishes and systems back to the building shell and rebuilding a portion of the interior area configured for the new functions. New work includes metal studs and drywall, architectural finishes, plumbing, fire protection, HVAC, and electrical work. Work will be performed within the operating hospital facility using high levels of infection control measures and the contractor should have experience with the implementation and maintenance of infection control measures and interim life safety measures in a hospital environment as well as experience in performing construction in an operating hospital.

B. PRIME CONTRACTOR BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATIONS:

Prime contractor 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 prime contractor bidders who have completed the pre-qualification process and that 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, May 27, 2014 after which no further requests will be considered.

Pre-qualification Requirements Information Package may be obtained from the Architect upon letterhead request.

The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent prime contractor bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective prime contractor bidder will be notified of the results of the pre-qualification, no later than May 30, 2014 by 5:00 PM Central Time.

Bidders previously prequalified for this project remain prequalified and no further submittal from those bidders is required.

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:
Birchfield Penuel & Associates
2805 Crescent Avenue, Suite 200
Birmingham, Alabama 35209
Mr. Clay Birchfield
205-870-1876
205-870-3058
clayb@bpa.net

C. BIDS BY PRE-QUALIFIED PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDERS

Documents:
After notice to pre-qualified bidders is given, the pre-qualified prime contractor bidders may obtain bid documents from the Architect (see address above) upon deposit of $100.00 per set. The deposit is refundable in full on the first two (2) sets issued to each prime general contractor bidder upon return of documents in reusable condition within ten (10) days after bid opening. Additional sets for pre-qualified prime contractor bidders, subcontractors, vendors, or dealers may be obtained upon payment of the same deposit. The deposit for additional sets shall be refunded less the cost of printing, reproduction, handling and distribution, upon return of the documents in reusable condition within ten (10) days after bid opening.

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 June 19, 2014 at 2:00 PM Central Time at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Hospital Planning, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35294.

Proposals may be hand delivered or received by mail on the date of the bid opening at the Office of Juan DeOnis, Director of Program Planning Facilities and Capital Projects, 2020 Building, 2020 8th Avenue South, 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 June 19, 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, 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 will be held on June 2, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the site of the work. Meet at the main first floor lobby of the Spain Rehabilitation Center. It is mandatory that all pre-qualified prime contractor bidders attend the Pre-Bid Conference.

BT05/15/14
___________________
PUBLIC NOTICE
Budget Hearing
City of Birmingham, Alabama
For
Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015

This is to give formal notice of a public hearing to be held by the Council of the City of Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at 4:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall in the City of Birmingham.

OPERATING BUDGET
The first hearing will concern the Mayor’s Proposed General Fund Budget in the amount of $393,167,016.00.

The Operating Budget contains other funds in the amount of $46,169,900; total operating budget is in the amount of $439,336,916.

Note: Included in the Total proposed Operating Budgets are the General Fund, General Bond Debt Reserve Fund, Tax Increment Financing, Neighborhood Allocations Fund, Highway Improvement Fund, Fuel Tax Fund, Storm Water Management Fund, Corrections Fund, Fair Trial Tax Fund, Community Development Block Grant and the Alabama Trust Fund. At the above referenced hearings, the Council of the City of Birmingham will receive any written or oral questions or comments concerning the expenditure of said funds. Copies of the proposed Operating Budget are available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the Office of the Director of Finance, (Room A-100) and the City Clerk’s Office (third floor) in the City Hall of Birmingham, Alabama. The Director of Finance Office and the City Clerk’s Office are accessible to the handicapped by way of an ADA entrance to City Hall on 20th Street North. The City of Birmingham does not discriminate against the handicapped in its practices and employment and does not discriminate against anyone because of race, creed, color or national origin.

Lee Frazier City Clerk
BT05/15/14
___________________

2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

AboutThatCar.com

By Frank S. Washington

DETROIT – The Volkswagen Group sells more diesel powered cars and utility vehicles in the U.S. market than any other automaker. And the last few years, the automaker has wrapped some pretty neat sheet metal around its cast iron engine blocks.
We had the 2014 VW Passat TDI SEL Premium, the German automaker’s flagship model for a week. On more than one occasion someone asked what it was, not because it looked bad but because it looked just that good.
The sedan featured Volkswagen’s three bladed horizontal grille with lower air intakes and headlights that formed a single unit. The Passat had a muscular ridge in the sill area, as well as muscular wheel arches and great aggressive 18-inch alloy wheels. It seemed wide in a good way and everything about the sheet metal said substance.
The test car was powered by what Volkswagen has branded as a 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel four cylinder engine. It made 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 RPM. It was mated to a six-speed dual clutch transmission or DSG in Volkswagen-speak.
Torque is the amount of turning power on the wheel and that translates into acceleration. And the lower the maximum torque kicks in the more power you put to the wheels at lower speeds; that is about acceleration too.
On a run to Chicago, the 2014 Passat TDI cruised at 80 mph effortlessly. With an EPA rating of 30 mpg in the city and 40 mph on the highway, its 18.5 gallon fuel take gave it a range of 740 miles.
In real world driving, from a full take of fuel, we put 7.3 gallon of diesel fuel in the car coming back here. The odometer said we had put 730 mile on the car and there was a little less than half a tank of fuel left. That’s what diesels provide, excellent mileage on the highway or on city streets.
However, the trip did illuminate a couple of shortcomings on the Passat. The car tended to wander a bit in the lane, just enough that steering had to be adjusted. VW would do well to stiffen the steering ratio as the car gains speed. If the automaker does this already, then it needs to increase the ratio.
The other was that VW got caught behind the technology curve which moves at warp speed. The 2014 Passat did not have a USB jack and the connector cord that it had for an iPhone was for the last generation not the current iPhone 5.
Without a USB cord, owners would be forced to purchase a 12 volt charger for a long highway trip. GPS satellites devour smartphone batteries as the most contemporary phone can now generate their own Wi-Fi fields.
Anyway, the VW Passat SEL is the top of the rim level. It had a premium audio system, remote start, partial leather seating, front fog lights, a rear seat pass through, driver seat memory and eight-way power passenger seat.
There was a sunroof, a navigation system, Bluetooth, SD slot, touchscreen and a smart-key for push button entry, exit and start as well as stop. The car didn’t seem as big as a full-size sedan from the outside but rear seat room, head as well as leg and hip, was as spacious as some big sedan.
But this car certainly didn’t drive big; however, the 15.9 cu. ft. trunk rivaled larger sedans. The suspension had a lot to do with the Passat’s small feel. It had damper struts in the front with lower control arms and an anti-roll bar. The rear featured a four-link suspension with telescopic dampers and an anti-roll bar.
The car did not bounce a lot as we went over suspension joints and traversed dips and dives in the pavement and on the Interstate. It stayed flat in the curves and handling was pretty direct. It was comfortable too.
For $33,815 as tested, the 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI would be a very good buy, especially with the money saved in the out years on maintenance and fuel costs.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

What’s Happening at Talladega Superspeedway and in motorsports

Birmingham Times

May 15, 2014

By Gwen DeRu

A Slew of Lead Changes, Great Weather and High Speeds Make for One of the Year’s Best

Under a picture perfect blue sky, the Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway proved again why the “Biggest and Baddest” race track on the planet is also NASCAR’s Most Competitive venue.
Both NASCAR events – the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race – set season highs for lead changes and leaders. Denny Hamlin’s first career NASCAR Sprint Cup triumph at Talladega on Sunday – in front of a near capacity crowd – produced 48 lead changes, bettering the 42 set during the Daytona 500, which had been the season peak. Hamlin, who held off Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer, was the last of 28 drivers to hold the top spot in the 188-lap event. Daytona also held the previous mark for most leaders in 2014 with 18.
There were 27 lead changes (previous high in 2014 was 18 at Auto Club Speedway) in Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 in which Elliott Sadler took the checkered flag by a mere .124 seconds over Chris Buescher. 13 drivers exchanged the lead, topping this year’s previous high in the NASCAR Nationwide Series of nine set at Texas Motor Speedway.
“Not only did we have season highs for both leaders and lead changes, but our NASCAR events were filled with two, three and four-wide racing, with every driver desperately trying to get to the lead,” said Talladega Chairman Grant Lynch. “This is what Talladega was built for – great, heart pumping, side-by-side competition at incredible speeds.”
Speaking of incredible speeds – for the first time since 1988 when restrictor plates were mandated on the cars’ engines to reduce horsepower, fans got to see drivers “officially” eclipse the 200-mph barrier in the new “Knockout ” three-round elimination qualifying for the Sprint Cup drivers.
There were two “Big One” accidents that occurred during the Aaron’s 499. The first went down on lap 137 when Brad Keselowski ignited a 14-car altercation, eliminating the hopes of some race favorites like Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Trevor Bayne and pole sitter Brian Scott. The second major incident took place on lap 175 when Jimmie Johnson spun, wiping out an opportunity to win for the likes of Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and defending Aaron’s 499 Champion David Ragan.
Hamlin’s win all but guarantees him a spot in NASCAR’s new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He becomes the eighth different winner in nine races, and is 12th in the title hunt. Gordon is still atop the standings, three up on Kenseth with Kyle Busch third, Dale Earnhardt Jr. fourth and Carl Edwards fifth.
Fans along the frontstretch grandstands during Aaron’s Dream Weekend were treated to the all-new Sprint Vision Video Boards. The towering screens – four times the size of old Sprint Vision boards – kept fans from missing any of the action no matter where it was on the 2.66-mile track. The high-definition boards are part of an International Speedway Corporation initiative, with Talladega Superspeedway serving as the test track. Plans are to implement the video boards at all ISC tracks in the coming years.
Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 Toyota, summed up the weekend after climbing from his car. “Great Crowd today and just a fun race track.” This is Talladega!
Fans that missed out on the all the action during the Aaron’s Dream Weekend have another opportunity to visit Talladega Superspeedway in 2014. NASCAR speeds back into the 2.66-mile venue October 17-19 with the GEICO 500 Sprint Cup Series race and fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck Series event. Log on to www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 877-Go2-DEGA for more information.

1...1,4891,4901,491...1,738 Page 1,490 of 1,738