City Council Recaps

By

-

May 8, 2014

During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on May 6, 2014 Council:

Revoked the business license(s) issued to Jean O. Hloshyk, d.b.a. VIP Spa, 9184 Parkway East, Birmingham, AL 35206. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Steven W. Hoyt 205.254.2304.

Other items approved by the Council at today’s meeting include the following:
1. Revoked the business license(s) issued to Jerome Cunningham, d.b.a. Foxx Trap, 400 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35204, and to consider rescinding Resolution No. 3555-04 for a Class I On-Premise Lounge Liquor License, approved on November 23, 2004; Resolution No. 3555-04, for a Division I Dance Permit approved on November 23, 2004; and Resolution No. 863-10, for a Division II Dance Permit, approved on June 22, 2010. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Steven W. Hoyt 205.254.2304.

2. Approved a Resolution authorizing the incorporation of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority under Chapter 9 of Title 24 of the Code of Alabama (1975). For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Sheila Tyson 205.254.2359.

3. Approved a Resolution determining that the Walter Coke Title V Air Permit Public Hearing that will be held Tuesday, May 20, 2014, from 4: 00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., at the North Birmingham Library, 2501 31st Avenue North serves as a public purpose. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor William Parker 205.254.2464.

4. A Resolution approving the appointment of Gulf South Conference, Hoover, Alabama, in an amount not to exceed $15,000.00, to promote the City of Birmingham with media promotions as the host site of the 2014 Baseball Championship Tournament, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City. For more information please contact the Office of the Mayor at 205.254.2771.

Announcements
1. The Transportation and Communications Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday May 7, 2014 at 12:30 p.m. in Conference Room “D”.

2. The Council Connecting Community Citizens Budget Hearing will be held Thursday May 8, 2014 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the North Birmingham Library, 2501 31st Avenue, North.

3. The Joint Budget and Finance and Economic Development Committee Meeting will be held on Monday May 12, 2014 4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms “D & E”.

4. Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting Tuesday May 13, 2014 4:00 p.m. – 5th Floor Engineering Conference Room.

Are you unable to attend the Birmingham City Council meetings? Watch Council Meetings on demand. From anywhere in the world you can log on to www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org and click on the tab Watch Council Meetings; or from the comfort of your home, tune to Bright House Cable Channel 340. The Birmingham City Council meetings are free and on demand.

Cash For Crooks

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

Cash For Crooks div of Refuge In (RITT) Trouble Times, PO Box 28061, Birmingham, Al., 35228 would like too spotlight the case of Delphine Ash Buchanan age 42. Thanksgiving Day on November 29, 1996 her body was founded by her brother, James Ash around 5 pm near a wooded area by the baseball diamond of Taylor Park at Gayle and Baltimore Street in Mobile, Al.

When her son heard they found their mother, he ran a few feet from their home to see where she was, only to find her laying beaten to death. She had three children.

If you have any info concerning this case, please call 205-254-7777or text CRIMES7777 from your cellphone. You will not have to leave your name. If there is an arrest/conviction you will receive an reward. Please in your calling, do not give NO NICK NAMES. RITT works with all law-enforcers to get you these stories in hopes you might have heard or seen something and remember. If you wish to list a case here, please contact Minister Ward at 205-240-9910 or e-mail at odussasplace@yahoo.com.

Remember, this Invisible Body Bag is alive and well and it’s taking our children lives. Let’s help prevent this from happening in any of our communities ever again.

Education Equity

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

Wall of Shame

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

The Birmingham Police Department reports that detectives have arrested and charged a suspect in connection with a double homicide investigation. The incident occurred Friday, April 25, 2014 in the 1300 Block of 57th Place Ensley.

The first victim has been identified as:
Dekovan Harris, B/M, 36, of Fairfield, Alabama

The second victim has been identified as:
Sharday Ware, B/F, 27, of Birmingham, Alabama

The suspect has been identified as:
Dewayne Barnes, B/M, 20, of Birmingham, Alabama. Two Capital Murder warrants with a no bond have been obtained against the suspect. The suspect is in the custody of the Jefferson County Jail.

Detectives are searching for a second suspect believed to be involved in this incident. Suspect: Jermaine Tolbert, B/M, 26 nicknamed “Lil Jay” of Birmingham, Alabama.

Florence Couple Indicted for Producing Child Pornography

BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury this week indicted a Florence couple on multiple charges that they exploited a minor child in their custody to produce child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Schwein Jr.
A 107-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Patricia Allana Ayers, 34, and her husband, Matthew David Ayers, 42, in connection with 53 pornographic images of the child produced between the summer of 2010 and January 2013. The couple has remained in jail in Lauderdale County since early last year on state child pornography, rape and sexual abuse charges.
“I am committed to protecting children from exploitation and sexual abuse, and in no case more so than cases like this, where children are hurt by those closest to them,” Vance said.
“This case emphasizes the need for anyone with information about the potential sexual exploitation of children to report it immediately,” Schwein said. “The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates the Cyber Tip Line in partnership with the FBI and other federal authorities. If you have information call the tip line at 1-800-THE-LOST.”
The indictment charges 106 counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. For each photograph involving sexual exploitation of the child, the defendant involved faces two charges:

• enticing or coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating an image of the conduct, and
• as the parent, legal guardian or person having control of a minor, permitting that child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of it.

Patricia Ayers faces all 106 production counts and one count of possession of child pornography. Matthew Ayers faces 50 counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent and it is the government’s responsibility to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Nine Rumberger Kirk and Caldwell Attorneys Selected as 2014 Alabama Super Lawyers

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

Profiled lawyers represent firm’s Diverse Litigation, Real Estate, Bankruptcy, and Banking Practices

BIRMINGHAM – Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell is pleased to announce that nine of the firm’s accomplished attorneys practicing in the expanding Birmingham office have been named the 2014 Alabama Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state of Alabama are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. The Rumberger attorneys recognized for their professional achievements are:

Attorney (Category):
Jesse P. Evans III, Partner (Real Estate)
Michael B. Odom (Real Estate)
J. Michael Rediker (Business Litigation)
John B. Tally, Jr, Partner (Personal Injury – Products Defense)
Peter J. Tepley, Partner (General Litigation)
R. Scott Williams, Partner (Banking and Business Litigation)

Rising Stars (Category):
Rebecca Beers, Associate (Securities Litigation)
Jennifer Kimble, Of Counsel (Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights)
Meredith Jowers Lees, Partner (Securities Litigation)

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.
The Super Lawyers lists are published in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines across the country. The Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information, go to superlawyers.com.

Miles College Night at the Museum

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

Miles College_1 — Left to Right: Keith Caudle, Gail Andrews, Dr. Michael Lomax, Judge Ralph Cook, Dr. George T. French, Jr

Photo Taken by Tony Bingham

Miles College Night at The Birmingham Museum of Art was Tuesday, April 22. Hundreds of Miles College students, faculty, staff, alums and friends gathered to experience art, music, food, fun, and fellowship.
Miles College Communications Major, Keith Caudle is the Birmingham Museum of Art’s first UNCF – AAMD (Association of Art Museum Directors) intern who coordinated this initiative.
Emily G. Hanna Ph.D., Curator, Arts of Africa and the Americas said, “This wonderful new paid internship was designed to expose college students to the many facets of museum work. Keith has been an outstanding Miles ambassador and has set the bar very high.”
Dr. George T. French, Jr., President of Miles College made salient remarks regarding the fact that African Americans were not always welcome at the Museum. He also paid homage to those that paved the way for such an evening to be possible.

Birmingham City Schools to Induct 500 Students Into Career Academies Program

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

CEO of largest paid internship placement organization keynotes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — May 1, at 9 a.m., more than 1000 parents and students assembled at Boutwell Auditorium to celebrate the induction of more than 500 students into Birmingham City School System’s Academies of Birmingham program.
To help induct the students, Forest Harper, CEO of INROADS – the largest paid internship placement organization in the nation, provided the keynote address.
“Since the inception of Career Academies in 2012, we’ve seen incredible growth in interest in the program from students and parents, said Spencer Horn, director of Academies of Birmingham for the school district.
The Academies program has been so successful that plans are now underway to expand the curriculum offering to allow all high school students to participate.
“When you have a program that is as effective as Academies of Birmingham in terms of its ability to prepare students for college and career success, you have to do what you can to expand the program to as many students as possible,” said Witherspoon, superintendent, Birmingham City Schools.
Academies of Birmingham is an innovative approach to education that exposes high school students to curriculum and real-world experiences that align with their career interests. Currently, the following career academies are offered:
·       Parker High School: Academy of Urban Educators
·       Huffman High School: Academies of Architecture and Construction Design
·       G.W. Carver High School: Academy of Engineering and Academy of Health Sciences
·       P.D. Jackson-Olin High School: Academy of Health Sciences
·       Woodlawn High School: Academies of Business and Finance
·       Woodlawn High School: Academy of Hospitality and Tourism
To learn more visit www.imreadytolead.com.

Powdered Alcohol is Dangerous It Should Be Outlawed in Alabama

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

Earlier last month, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau briefly granted approval to a new powdered form of alcohol. A couple of weeks later, the agency withdrew its approval, saying it was given in error.
The incident brought powdered alcohol to the national media’s attention, as well as the attention of many parents and addiction experts. I believe Alabama needs to take pre-emptive action before this dangerous product gets final approval and starts showing up on store shelves across our state.
Powdered alcohol, which works just like instant coffee or tea, is not a new product. It has been sold in stores throughout Japan, Germany and the Netherlands since the 1970s. But it has never been produced or sold inside the United States.
There is a good reason for that!
Parent groups and addiction experts have recently come out in strong opposition to approving powdered alcohol, concerned that the product will be easily obtained and abused by underage drinkers—particularly if an underage drinker were to snort it instead of mixing it first.
Even the company that makes powdered alcohol has warned that snorting their product can get a person drunk almost instantly. This could easily lead to abuse and overdosing. Additionally, the chemicals used to turn the alcohol into a powder are some of the same elements found in things like detergent. Snorting that into your body cannot be healthy!
At the same time, we do not know exactly how ingesting the powder without mixing it would affect the body. Would the body be able to break it down? If not, what effect would it have on the digestive track? Could it cause toxicity in the blood? These are questions we do not have answers to.
Furthermore, powdered alcohol is highly portable and easy to conceal, which makes it easier for underage drinkers to sneak alcohol into places like schools, movie theaters or ball games. At one time, the website of the company that makes powdered alcohol actually recommended sneaking their product into concerts and sprinkling it on food.
If the company is that irresponsible with their marketing, I cannot help but wonder how irresponsible they might be with their actual product!
I have always believed that adults should be allowed to make their own decisions when it comes to drinking alcohol. That is why I fought for the right of our local voters to decide the issue of Sunday sales in Gadsden. But this issue is not about letting grown-ups make their own choices. This is about public health and protecting our children.
Powdered alcohol is a potentially dangerous substance that could potentially cause significant health problems, including addiction and overdosing. At the very least, the federal government needs to do a lot more research before allowing this product to be sold in American stores.
I whole-heartedly believe that powdered alcohol is dangerous, and that state leaders need to take pre-emptive action to prevent powdered alcohol from being produced or sold in Alabama. As elected officials, we have a responsibility to protect public health and prevent dangerous products from being sold in Alabama stores. It is time for the state to take action!
Rep. Craig Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden and the Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives.

Why We Work Safely – Hoar Construction Recognizes 2014 Safety Week

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Every year, more than 80,000 construction workers suffer an injury on job sites across the U.S. Life is too precious to not make safety the number one focus of the construction industry. That’s why Hoar Construction is joining 31 national and global construction firms to participate in the first annual construction industry Safety Week from Sunday, May 4 through Saturday, May 10.
All Hoar employees will participate in daily activities and safety meetings, take the Safety Pledge, and will share “Why I Work Safely” by sharing photos of loved ones who inspire us to work safely every day. “Any incident is one too many, so we are proud to join in raising awareness for this important effort,” says Bart Wilder, Hoar Construction’s Director of Safety. “We work hard every day to continually improve safety on our jobsites and throughout the company. By all accounts, we have done a great job of building safely.”
In 2014 Hoar Construction received a Diamond STEP (Safety Training Evaluation Process) award from the Association of Builders and Contractors, the highest award possible, in recognition of our ongoing commitment to safety and our safety statistics. In addition to the STEP award, Hoar leads the industry with an outstanding safety program that has achieved:
·         Man hours without a lost-time accident: 2,643,615 (January 19, 2012-March 31, 2014)
·         Hoar Construction’s current Days Away/Restricted/Transferred Incident Rate is .32; the National Average is 1.6
·         Hoar’s current Total Recordable Incident Rate is .97; the National Average is 3.2
·         ABC S.T.E.P. awards: 4 Gold, 14 Platinum (1996-2013); Diamond, 2014
·         ABC Safe Day Awards: 7 consecutive Gold Level Awards, including 2014
·         American Contractor’s Insurance Group (ACIG): Hoar Construction #1 in Safety 2013
For more on the 2014 Safety Week, read Wilder’s entire post on the Hoar Construction Blog, http://www.hoar.com/post.php?s=2014-05-02-hoar-construction-celebrates-safety-week-2014-to-further-promote-safety-awareness. In the blog, Wilder discusses Seven Safe Perceptions That Lead to Safety Excellence. #2014SafetyWeek.

One Man’s Opinion

By

Birmingham Times

-

May 8, 2014

0

Water Works Board moving in the right direction
by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.

In 2012, the Water Works Board approved and authorized an agreement with Mike Mason’s company, Forensic CPA, LLC. Mike Mason was charged with the responsibility of reviewing various internal control systems so the Water Works Board could take full advantage of opportunities for improvement and provide litigation support regarding issues associated with a pending lawsuit from former fire hydrant crews.
The Board was so disturbed by the report that they instructed the chief staff members to go through the report to point out any inaccuracies in the report. At a special call meeting last Friday, held at the Water Works Board office, a presentation was given by senior management wherein they discussed the report in its entirety. They also pointed out that many of the items under discussion had already been resolved, or put a policy in place to resolve them.

For example:

2008 Cashier’s Deposit Shortage: One cashier was short by $1,993.09 after balancing cash register. Management adhered to the policy on shortage and overage in cashiering operation. Management terminated employee and recovered 50 percent of the loss from former employee. Executive Committee reviewed report and resolution had been prorated in the July 10, 2009 minutes.

2008 Education Assistance Program Report (EAP): Several deficiencies were identified related to the revised EAP policy and procedures including:(a) incorrect dollar amount issued on one employee’s 1099;(b) employees that resign or leave the company are required to reimburse BWW for any tuition costs incurred in last two years of employment. One employee did not reimburse after separation of employment; one employee exceeded BWW lifetime balance; six employees exceeded IRS limit and one employee reimbursed for non-qualifying expenses. The Executive Committee reviewed findings and it had been resolved in the July 10, 2009 minutes. In addition the operating procedure was revised to include an exit interview of each employee, updating lifetime rebalances and review worksheet accuracies, established a checklist on all qualifying costs and revised the tuition reimbursement policy.

2008 Reason for Overtime in Meter Shop: Meter Shop Department gave several reasons for their overtime. Findings had been resolved in the July 10, 2009 minutes.

2008 Travel Reimbursement Audit Report: Travel Policy requires all employees to complete a reimbursement form within 30 days of returning from a trip. Several employees did not comply with written travel policy and procedure and management did not take corrective action in a timely manner. Accounting failed to reconcile ledger balance to outstanding travel advances on a monthly basis and accounting reimbursed employees for disallowed expenses. The Accounting Department corrected the deficiencies by completing travel expense reports within 30 days, reconciled outstanding travel advances to general ledger balance and vendor files must be signed in/out by proper employee. The Executive Committee reviewed the findings and the resolution had been reported in the July 10, 2009 minutes.

2008 Payroll Overtime: Identified that BWW spent over the budgeted payroll overtime amount; inadequate monitoring of overtime costs, and to find ways to reduce overtime. Dept. managers were disciplined for failure to monitor overtime hours and costs; reorganized to improve labor hours and implemented an automated time and attendance system to track overtime better. The Executive committee reviewed findings and the resolution was reported in the May 7, 2010 minutes.

According to the General Manager, Mac Underwood, his plans are to obtain advice from an independent auditing firm to review Mike Mason’s report and the senior management’s report. This should confirm the accuracy of the report.
The Water Works Board believes in transparency and they are in the process of meeting with every group that is presently being served and answering all questions and concerns as they relate to the Birmingham Water Works credibility and accountability.

email: jjlewis@birminghamtimes.com