Cash For Crooks Div. of Refuge In Trouble Times (RITT) would like to spotlight the murder deaths of Keith Orlando Hilson and RaSheed Ali Ward.
It was a Wednesday evening in the 4600 Block of Terrace S in Central Park. The game was on, children outside playing this warm June 17, in 2010 when all of a sudden a car pulled up. Keith came from a house where his niece lived with her mother. He had words with someone in a car, shots ranged out from an AK-47. Hilson was hit five times in the face, he fell dead on the streets. RaSheed stood a few feet away talking to his friend, was hit in the abdomen, he died 1 hour and 5 minutes later at UAB hospital. His friend was hit in the arm and part of his hip; he survived but he has not said a word to the police, neither has the woman where Hilson had exited her home. There is a $20,000 reward.   Will you help?  Someone out there that early summer evening saw something.  Since that day in Central Park, eight families have moved.  If you know or heard anything call 205-254-7777. You will receive a number. NO NICK NAMES PLEASE. You may also text from your cell phone CRIMES7777. You will never have to appear in court.
Make the call; help take a bite out of crime. RITT works faithfully with the law-enforcers and the city leaders to help stop violence. We work with every entity of the community in the spirit of unity and love to improve the lives of our children. Will you consider? Don’t let it be your child before you pitch in to help. Violence in any form affects us all when it hits a community, a neighborhood, a home and/or a family.  Minister Ward would love to help you find the person who is responsible for your loved one’s cold case; e-mail us at odussasplace@yahoo.com or you might call 205-240-9910.  Remember Reality is, “When it happens to you.”

The Birmingham Police Department would like your help in locating:
Donald Hopkins, age 45, of Birmingham, Alabama.
Hopkins is described as: B/M, 5’7” Tall, 160 lbs., Black Hair and Brown Eyes.  It’s unknown what type or color clothing he was wearing.
Hopkins was last seen on Thursday, November 28, 2013. Hopkins suffers from schizophrenia and has not been taking his medication.
If there is anyone who has information pertaining to the whereabouts of Donald Hopkins, they are encouraged to contact the B.P.D. Special Victims Unit at 297-8413, 328-9311 or Crime Stoppers at 254-7777.

Homicide Investigation

The Birmingham Police Department reports that a suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with a homicide investigation. The victim was discovered on Friday, May 17, 2013, at approximately 2:45 a.m., in the 1200 block of Rayfield Drive.

The victim has been identified as:
Arthur Green, B/M, 22, of Birmingham, Alabama.

The suspect has been identified as:
Jimbroski Peterson, B/M, 20, of Pleasant Grove, Alabama. A Capital Murder warrant with no bond has been obtained against the suspect. The suspect is in the custody of the Jefferson County Jail.

Company launches 5-week mini educational series
by Jessica Jones

Transparency Throughout the System

The Birmingham Water Works (BWW) is committed to non-discriminatory service and provides service to all customers throughout its service area regardless of what location customers live in, work, or visit. That is why the company’s primary goal is to provide the highest quality water to its customers and to be responsive to the needs of the entire community. The BWW vows to maintain, preserve, and conserve our most precious resource, water, in order to ensure the supply for future generations.
As a result of the company’s financial condition, the board’s current bond rating is AA with Standard and Poor’s and Aa2 with Moody’s – both of which were recently upgraded – a rating that places the utility among some of the highest rated water utilities in the nation. The recent upgrades also saved the company’s ratepayers money. The BWW attributes Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s recent ratings upgrades to the work of its efficient governance model, a model the company says works best for its ratepayers, bondholders, and stakeholders.
While the BWW maintains that the governance model has worked effectively for over 50 years, legislation was introduced last year to revamp the current composition of the board. However, the BWW continues to assert that the board functions properly and efficiently. Although the BWW has no intention of changing their system, they do recognize that the company should better communicate to legislators, local elected officials, and to the customer how the Board works to meet daily and long-term goals.
Additionally, as an all-inclusive company, the BWW values transparency and welcomes the public to take part in public meetings, which includes rate discussions. The utility also encourages the public to attend budgeting workshops, which allows the dialogue between consumers and the company to remain open. Ratepayers have several opportunities to attend budget workshops and board meetings where rates are discussed before any final decisions on the rates are made. Rates are discussed at least 60 days before they are approved and they are approved 30 days prior to taking effect. The budgeting process is as follows:
•    Budget parameters are submitted.
•    Scenarios and options for board consideration are submitted.
•    At least three open budget workshops are conducted and at least three board meetings are held to discuss budget and potential rate increases.
•    The board votes on a new budget at least 30 days before it goes into effect.
Furthermore, where transparency is concerned, the BWW is interested in open and honest discussions. Discussions on rates last a minimum of 60 days where during this time open meetings and deliberations are held. The Board also operates under Alabama’s Open Meetings Act and it uses the rate stabilization and equalization model to determine its rates.
BWW refinanced  $23 million of existing bonds and an issuance of over $70 million dollars in new money bonds for capital improvements during 2013. Wall Street’s support of these bond issues during tough economic times is a testament to BWW’s financial strengths.
In addition to fair and reasonable service, consumers pay an equitable rate regardless of class and location. BWW customers pay less money for higher quality water than other consumers locally and in the southeast.
In reviewing the past 12 months, numerous BWW employees rose to the occasion and made stellar system improvements and achievements. Throughout the year, the company heightened its reliability through several capital improvement projects that enhanced the quality of the system. Those projects helped assure the company’s ability to deliver water to more than 200,000 connections, which service more than 14,000 fire hydrants that provide water and fire protection throughout its service area.
The BWW continued to excel in receiving awards throughout 2013, a few of those include the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s Optimized Plant Award, American Water Works Association (AWWA) Phase Three and Four Awards, the AWWA’s Alabama/Mississippi Section Senior Plant Operator of the Year Award, the 2013 Top 125 Training Award from the nationally recognized Training Magazine (second consecutive year), as well as the American Water and Pollution Control Association’s Charles W. White Award.
The company’s Pipe Tapping Team won its 10th National Championship during AWWA’s Annual Conference Exhibition 2013 (ACE13) after having received their 5th World Championship at the 2013 World Water Cup. Additionally, the BWW’s Top Operators won their 3rd National Championship at ACE13.
The BWW’s ultimate goal is to continue to provide water with the best quality and taste, as well as to provide quality service to all of its customers, while upholding transparent and open communications system-wide.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In a regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting, the Birmingham Airport Authority Board of Directors received a Terminal Modernization Project update during the last scheduled meeting in 2013.
Jeff Hart of Brasfield & Gorrie Contractors, Terminal Modernization Project manager, outlined the work completed since the last board meeting in November. Storm piping has been completed and fine grading has begun yet delayed due to weather the last two weeks while other work on the building’s interior continues to progress. Work on Concourse C includes exterior wall construction, interior wall framing, and exterior panels have been started. Drywall on the north side of the terminal is in progress and the front exterior paneling will begin at the end of the month. “When you compare the renderings drawn by the architect in 2010 and the building’s aerial photograph taken just last month, the project is really taking shape and they have done a good job of seeing it through,” said Hart.
The Birmingham Airport Authority’s project coordinator, Tom Wesley, reported no major changes to the projects financial status report. The project is slated to be complete by summer 2014.

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.