Wire Report

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Boeing picked Huntsville on Thursday for one of its research centers, which is expected to create more than 300 jobs.
Boeing said it is restructuring its research and development unit, and it is locating research centers in Huntsville, St. Louis, Mo.; Seattle, Wash., southern California, and North Charleston, S.C. Boeing vice president Greg Hyslop said the reorganization is designed to better meet the needs of the company’s customers for new technology that can be integrated quickly into production lines.
Alabama officials said Boeing expects to hire 200 people in 2014 and another 150 to 200 in 2015.
“Boeing has been in Alabama for over 50 years, and today’s news is a continuation of the great partnership between Boeing and the State of Alabama,” Gov. Robert Bentley said.
“A top flight work force with great technical skill continues to draw world class businesses,” U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said.
The announcement comes as Alabama and other states compete to build Boeing’s new 777X aircraft.

U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) serves on four Senate committees: Armed Services, Judiciary, Environment and Public Works, and as Ranking Member of the Budget Committee. Visit Sessions online at his website or via YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Members of the Stillman College Psychology Club collected shampoo, cosmetics and other toiletries for Turning Point, which serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Tuscaloosa and neighboring counties. Pictured behind Turning Point Director Belinda Jones are, front row left to right, Miss Stillman Jalin Smith, Stillman Student Government Association President Rio Jackson, TeAira Dubose, Jasmine Dorsey, Jamille Leonard, Assistant Professor April Kendrick and Assistant Professor Sandra Jemison. Pictured in the back row are Omyon Roberson, Nicholas Boggs, Quamayne Tolbert and Joshua Carter.
The Psychology Club’s campaign assisted victims while also increasing awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault.

New adjustments are in place to improve service performance and route times
By Staff
At a public meeting on Monday, December 16, MAX Transit announced its recent changes to the following routes to increase service performance and route times:

•    1 – South Bessemer
•    1 – Express
•    3 – Jefferson/Wenonah
•    28 – South Eastlake
•    17 – Eastwood Mall
•    25 – Centerpoint
•    26 – Jefferson State
•    45 – Bessemer
•    45 – Express
•    280 – Limited Stop
Some of the major changes taking effect include:

•    41- Fairfield  – will no longer operate the Fairfield school service
•    14 Idlewild / Palisades – will now operate four (4) new Express trips a day
•    20 Zion City  – will now provide service directly to the Airport terminal and to the Penfield community

Dr. Henry Ikwut-Ukwa, Manager of Planning and Development stated that, “It is nearly impossible to maintain headways on certain routes with the current trip times and the number of vehicles available. The service headway and service spans were adjusted to certain routes to help improve on-time performance and scheduled adherence.”
The changes are set to take effect on Monday, January 6, 2014. New schedules can be viewed at BJCTA.org or picked up at Central Station, located 1735 Morris Avenue. You can also receive more information by calling MAX customer service at 205.521.0101.

 MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A number of organizations have joined together to promote expanded health care access for low-income Alabamians who don’t currently qualify for Medicaid.
The new coalition is called Alabama’s Better Economy Starts Today, or Alabama’s BEST. It will advocate expanding access to health care by allowing more Alabamians to participate in the Medicaid program – or by developing an Alabama-driven alternative to expand access to care.
The effort is vital for the health of Alabama’s people and its economy. Studies by the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama conclude that expanded coverage would provide access for 300,000 Alabamians, almost two-thirds of whom are employed, and create 30,000 new jobs in health care and other industries as well.
A website, www.alabamasbest.org, will continue to highlight the facts related to expanded health coverage.
A recent addition is lasts week’s study from The Commonwealth Fund, which underscores the fact that states like Alabama will pay the cost of expanding Medicaid elsewhere but will reap none of the benefits.
Partners in Alabama’s BEST to date include: Alabama Arise, AARP Alabama, Alabama Hospital Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, American Heart Association, the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, the Jefferson County Children’s Policy Cooperative, Alabama Primary Health Care Association, Disabilities Leadership Coalition of Alabama, Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center, Alabama Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Children’s First Foundation, AIDS Service Organizations in Alabama, Family Voices of Alabama, American Association of University Women of Alabama and NAMI Alabama.

Who is best to bring eye witness personal accounts of today and enlightenment to young minds? Helping them to know that even though we have accomplished much, the struggle still continues for young women of today and tomorrow.
The Miss Black Alabama USA Scholarship Pageant has partnered with The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) during PAGEANT WEEK to make sure that the participating young women from all over the state of Alabama understand the significance of the 50 YEARS FORWARD CELEBRATION and that even though we have
made great strides the struggle still continues.
BCRI is the perfect place for the pageant’s special guest panel of sitting female judges to bring enlightenment and understanding to the 2013 pageant participants. The mission of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) is to
promote civil and human rights worldwide through education. They do this by helping visitors understand the past’s relationship to the present and future developments of human relations in Birmingham, the U.S. and abroad.
Ahmad Ward, Head of Education and Exhibition for the BCRI will recap the highpoints of Birmingham’s 50 YEARS FORWARD activities which included the Symposium on Youth, Activism and Human Rights, which celebrated and commemorated the roles of youth in movements for change and justice around the world. The year 2013 marked fifty years since the historic Birmingham Children’s Movement and The Miss Black Alabama Scholarship Pageant wants to make sure that all participants are well educated on this State of Alabama history.
The panel of Judges will be led by the Honorable Judge Elisabeth French. Elisabeth French attended the University of Montevallo on an athletic scholarship and received her B.A. Degree with a double major in Political Science and Spanish in 1993. She earned her law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 1997 and entered the private practice of law, representing clients in the areas of education law and general civil litigation. In 1999, she began litigating complex civil cases. French managed cases ranging from medical malpractice actions to mass tort litigation including, diet drug litigation, hormone therapy cases, Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra. She continued to handle
civil matters in her private practice at the French Firm. As an attorney, she tried multiple civil jury trials. In November of 2010, French was elected as a Judge for Jefferson County’s Circuit Court. She presides over civil cases. Judge
French is a member of the Circuit Judges Association, the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association, the Magic City Bar Association and the Alabama Lawyers Association (ALA). She is a
former president of the ALA. She is married to Attorney G. Courtney French.
They have three children.

For the VIP PACKAGE which includes this event plus: V.I.P. PAGEANT SEATING TICKET ($40) V.I.P. RECEPTION ($25); V.I.P. GIFT BAG ($50 value) and                                                                                                     the 2014 PRAYER BREAKFAST($20) call Valerie L. Jones at (205) 354-3480.
This year the event to crown the ALABAMA QUEEN, will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, December 29th, 5p.m., at the Boutwell Auditorium. The Birmingham Mayor’s Office and the City of Birmingham is a key supporter of the state Pageant. For pageant registration information contact Clarissa Lester-Kenty, Director at the MISS BLACK ALABAMA USA SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT, Post Office Box 11209 Birmingham, Alabama, 35202, Office: (205) 727-8779; For sponsorship and volunteer information contact Valerie L. Jones, Assistant Director at (205) 354-3480.

 On January 20, 2014, at 6 p.m. at the Carver Theater in the Fourth Avenue Business District, Phoenix Productions, in association with Special Design Company Inc. will present a reunion performance of Hollis Wormsby’s classic civil rights play, The Dream Lives.
The Dream Lives was originally presented in January of 1989 at the City of Birmingham’s first official Martin Luther King Holiday Celebration. Dr. Abraham Woods and the Birmingham Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held an open competition for playwrights to compete for the honor of presenting their work at the first holiday program, and the Dream Lives by then newcomer to Birmingham, Hollis Wormsby, was the unexpected winner. The play was presented to a standing room only audience at the Alabama Theater and left the audience both shaken and inspired.
At the time Wormsby was relatively unknown to the Birmingham community. Since that time he has established himself as a long time columnist with the Birmingham Times, where his column, The Way I See It, was a staple for more than a decade. He earned recognition for providing cutting edge commentary during 10 years as host and co-host on Talkback on 98.7 KISS FM, and four years as host of Real Talk on WENN. During that time he thought about returning to his love of the theater and the joy he got from working in that genre, but it seems something always had a higher priority.
All that changed last year when the City of Birmingham announced the events for the Fifty Years Forward Celebration. Wormsby saw the calendar of events and felt like the Dream Lives belonged on that calendar. And so he reached out to the Mayor and Councilman Hoyt and others and as has often been the case they answered. The Mayor’s Office provided a discount to use Boutwell Auditorium and recognized the play as part of the Fifty Years Forward Events. Though the play is being held at the Carver Theater, the early recognition by the Mayor’s Office was crucial to fundraising and recruitment efforts. Councilman Steven  Hoyt, committed $1,250 in discretionary funding.  The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has partnered by allowing use of video from their archives as part of a video montage for the play’s opening. The Dannon Project and Special Designs Inc., signed on as nonprofit sponsors and on January 20, at 6 p.m. at the Carver Theater an all-star Birmingham cast will take to the stage to bring the story to life once again.
The cast will include Birmingham theater legend, as well as Birmingham Foot Soldier, Rickey Powell, also known by many as the voice of the Civil Rights Movements.  Rickey will play the lead role of Reverend Johnson, the leader of a church involved in Civil Rights activities at the time of Dr. King’s death. Helen Lyles will play the role of the Pastor’s wife, and Alicia Johnson Williams, Director of Make It Happen Theater Company will play the role of Reverend Johnson’s daughter-in-law. Annie Joe Avery, another artist whose voice is featured in Birmingham Civil Rights Institute exhibits will also play a role in the play as will Vicky Stokes, who was featured in the original as a principle character will now serve as a musical guest.
Alvin Garrett known for his work with Ruben Studdard, as well as recognized for having written four songs including Find Myself A Love, on the new Joe album, will both perform and create music for the show. And Logan, a Birmingham singing sensation will also share his talents on this night.
Those who have seen the play before will really want to come out for this performance. This is the third time the play has been in production and it really is true that the third time is the charm. According to Wormsby they have made the story so much richer and have integrated the music and the special effects in so much more seamlessly, that this is a better production than what we did earlier.  Rickey Powell says that he is pleased to be a part of this cast, and actually asked to be included because he believes this play tells the story of the Civil Rights movement as well or better than any he has seen. But please don’t get the impression that because this is a Civil Rights play it is going to be boring. The play features new music, comedic dialogue, and enough twists and turns to insure that you will leave the Theater entertained. You will just also leave with a better understanding of and feel for the sacrifices made in the name of the freedoms we indulge in today.
The Dream Lives will be presented at the Carver Theater of January 20, 2014 at 6 p.m.  Tickets will be $ 20. For ticket information please call the Carver Theater at 327-9424.

Hip Hop to Hip Hope came to Wenonah High School on Friday, December 13th, engaging students in positive dialogue and artistic means of expression in today’s cultural climate. Hosted by City Councilman Jay Roberson, representatives from Def Jam and talented teens from local high schools entertained an enthusiastic audience, showcasing the wonderful things our students are doing.
Councilman Roberson, Wenonah Principal Regina Carr-Hope, and Funny Maine from JAMZ encouraged attendees to think positively about their education and prospects, differing cultures, and teamwork. City Councilor Sheila Tyson attended in support of the initiative, which allowed students to converse with the facilitators about the challenges they face in today’s society.
As a part of the 100 Days of No Violence Initiative, Wenonah’s Student Government Association representatives distributed The Keep It 100 pledge for students to sign.