Ten Tax Tips for Individuals Selling Their Home

September 5, 2013

If you’re selling your main home this summer or sometime this year, the IRS has some helpful tips for you. Even if you make a profit from the sale of your home, you may not have to report it as income.
Here are 10 tips from the IRS to keep in mind when selling your home.

1.   If you sell your home at a gain, you may be able to exclude part or all of the profit from your income. This rule generally applies if you’ve owned and used the property as your main home for at least two out of the five years before the date of sale.
   2.   You normally can exclude up to $250,000 of the gain from your income ($500,000 on a joint return). This excluded gain is also not subject to the new Net Investment Income Tax, which is effective in 2013.
   3.   If you can exclude all of the gain, you probably don’t need to report the sale of your home on your tax return.
   4.   If you can’t exclude all of the gain, or you choose not to exclude it, you’ll need to report the sale of your home on your tax return. You’ll also have to report the sale if you received a Form 1099-S, Proceeds From Real Estate Transactions.
   5.   Use IRS e-file to prepare and file your 2013 tax return next year. E-file software will do most of the work for you. If you prepare a paper return, use the worksheets in Publication 523, Selling Your Home, to figure the gain (or loss) on the sale. The booklet also will help you determine how much of the gain you can exclude.
   6.   Generally, you can exclude a gain from the sale of only one main home per two-year period.
   7.   If you have more than one home, you can exclude a gain only from the sale of your main home. You must pay tax on the gain from selling any other home. If you have two homes and live in both of them, your main home is usually the one you live in most of the time.
   8.   Special rules may apply when you sell a home for which you received the first-time homebuyer credit. See Publication 523 for details.
   9.   You cannot deduct a loss from the sale of your main home.
10.   When you sell your home and move, be sure to update your address with the IRS and the U.S. Postal Service. File Form 8822, Change of Address, to notify the IRS.

For more information on this topic, see Publication 523. It’s available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

There is power in the name of Jesus…. to break every chain

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

Mount Pilgrim Baptist District Association – 2500 35th Avenue N – Birmingham, AL invites you
to come help us ”break every chain” that binds us from serving the true and living God.
We will be united, and we will call on the name of Jesus together to free us from sickness,
distress, and any weights that are holding us down.    Powerful testimonies will be given.
Leaders/Workers from other Districts and Associations will join us for this powerful and
anointing movement of God.   Lives and hearts will be changed!   We are personally inviting
“you” to come!    No cost; Refreshments will be served!    If you cannot attend, please pray that
God will bless this effort in His name!
ATL – ALL TOGETHER LOVING
Saturday, September 14, 2013 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Mount Pilgrim Baptist District Association (Fellowship Hall)
2500 35th Avenue North

Classifieds

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

EMPLOYMENT

University of Montevallo
is accepting applicants for an Admissions Specialist.
Visit https://jobs.montevallo.edu

UM is an AA/EO Employer
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Assistant Coach, Women’s Basketball

The University of Montevallo, a NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Peach Belt Conference, is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Assistant Coach, Women’s Basketball. Visit jobs.montevallo.edu for more information.

The UM is an AA/EO Institution
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PT Merchandiser needed to service magazines in Crestwood area- to apply: www.apply2jobs.com/tng
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DRIVERS 
Drivers: Great Pay/Benefits!
Paid Vacation! Rider Program.
DryBulk, Longhaul.CDL-A w/Haz;
6mos exp, 21yoa. 855-777-WSTL
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SPECIALTY

SANDRA DESIGNER’S CLOSET
DRESS FOR LESS!
Call (205) 788-7862
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REAL ESTATE

Calling all singles ….

I have the best 2 BR with DEN home in Ensley Highlands for you. Beautiful yard, separate garage, C/A, porch and patio. Call me to take a look see; Cynthia Marzette (205) 910-7149 or Barnes and Associates (205)328-3330
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Veterans looking for a home? I will work with you in any area of town to find you the best on the market. Call Cynthia Marzette (205) 910-7149 or ask for me at Barnes and Associates, (205) 328-3330.
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OFFICE BUILDING FOR SALE

Ideal for medical office or hospital equipment sales directly across from Baptist Princeton Hospital. Off street parking, private shower, beautiful reception room. Cynthia Marzette (205) 910-7149 or ask for me at Barnes and Associates, (205) 328-3330.
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CAREGIVERS

IF YOU ARE A CAREGIVER!
Need African American unpaid caregivers
65+ y/o to answer questions about health.
Earn up to $30.
Call UAB at (205) 934-6752.
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INVITATION TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS

Call for Third-Party Testimony
Miles College, Division of Education, is hosting an accreditation visit by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) on April 27-29, 2014. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the visiting team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the party’s relationship to Miles College (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates).
You are invited to submit written comments to:
Board of Examiners NCATE 2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036-1023
Or by e-mail to: callforcomments@ncate.org
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LEGALS

In accordance with Chapter 1 Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Bennett Building, Inc., Contractor, has completed the contract for the Addition and Renovation for Coldwater Elementary School at 530 Taylor Chapel Road Oxford, AL 36201, for the State of Alabama and the Oxford City Board of Education, owners, and have made request for final settlement of said contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project would immediately notify Lathan Associates Architects, PC located at 1550 Woods of Riverchase Dr #200 Hoover, AL 35244.
Bennett Building, Inc.
120 Shady Acres Road
Alabaster, AL 35007
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The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority will receive sealed proposals for:

Neutral Host Distributed Antenna System

This will be for the use of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, Birmingham, Alabama.

The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Birmingham, Alabama will receive proposals, up to the hour of 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, September 26, 2013. Proposals shall be clearly identified on the exterior of the package with the proposer’s name, address, and the name of the project being proposed.

A copy of this Request for Proposal 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 proposal documents.

Proposals may be sent to BJCC Purchasing Department, Attn: Purchasing Coordinator, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203. Sealed proposals shall be submitted in triplicate and shall be properly identified. All proposals received after 2:00 P.M. on the proposal date will be returned unopened.

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 mandatory pre-proposal conference will be conducted on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Proposers shall meet at the BJCC Executive Board Room 4th Floor, North Exhibition Hall in Birmingham, AL.

Questions should be directed to Tammi Bernal, Telecommunications Manager, by email to Tammi.Bernal@bjcc.org.

Sharon Proctor
Purchasing Coordinator
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority
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PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF
INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS
Thursday, August 29, 2013
City of Fairfield
4701 Gary Avenue
Fairfield, AL 35064
(205) 788-2492
These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Fairfield.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS
On or about Friday, September 13, 2013, the City of Fairfield a municipality of the Consortium of Jefferson County, will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for the release of Federal Community Development Block Grant funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL93-383) to undertake the following projects:

Fairfield Library Project (CD11-03-M1-FAI)

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
The City of Fairfield has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the City of Fairfield at the office of the Mayor, 4701 Gary Avenue Fairfield, Alabama 35064 where the record is available for review and may be examined or copied weekdays 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment on the project may submit written comments to the City of Fairfield. All comments received by Friday, September 13, 2013, will be considered by Office of the Mayor with the City of Fairfield prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS
The City of Fairfield certifies to HUD that the Mayor of Fairfield consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities, and allows the Jefferson County Commission to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Fairfield certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following basis: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Fairfield; (b) the City of Fairfield has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58) shall be addressed to: Environmental Clearance, Mr. Charles Franklin, Director of CPD, U.S. Department of HUD, Birmingham Office, Region IV, Medical Forum Building, Suite 900, 950 22nd Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last date of the objection period.
Mayor Kenneth Coachman
City of Fairfield
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The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority will receive sealed bids for:

Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority Elevator Maintenance Contract

This will be for the use of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, Birmingham, Alabama.

The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Birmingham, Alabama will receive bids, up to the hour of 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 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.

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. September 10, 2013, must be hand delivered and presented at the bid opening. Sealed bids shall be submitted in duplicate and shall be properly identified. All bids received after 2:00 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 bids, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder’s bids. 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 mandatory pre-bid meeting will be conducted on Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. Bidders shall meet at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority Dock #6, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, Alabama.

Questions should be directed to Jerry Nelms, BJCC Facility Engineer at (205) 458-8409 or email jerry.nelms@bjcc.org.
Sharon Proctor Purchasing Coordinator
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority
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The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority will receive sealed bids for:

BJCC Tenant Improvements 10th Floor Forum Building

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 Authority, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Birmingham, Alabama will receive bids, up to the hour of 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, September 5, 2013, 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 or its representative. 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.

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. All project documents and drawings 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 10:00 A.M. September 5, 2013, 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 2:00 P.M. on the bid date will be returned unopened.

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 mandatory pre-bid meeting will be conducted on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. Bidders shall meet at the Forum Building, 950 22nd St. N, Second floor lobby, Birmingham, Alabama. The pre-bid meeting will be conducted in the tenant space.

Questions should be directed to Jerry Nelms, BJCC Facility Engineer at (205) 458-8409, jerry.nelms@bjcc.org, or Nathan Varner at Williams-Blackstock Architects at (205) 252-9811, nathan@wba-architects.com.
Sharon Proctor
Purchasing Coordinator
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority
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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

The Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development desires to enter into a contract with a competent Environmental Professional licensed to perform environmental engineering services within the state of Alabama that has experience with municipal/government and federally funded projects that must comply with the Environmental Review process as required by 24 CFR Part 58. Said services are needed in support of its federal programs and other activities administered through the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development.

A copy of the complete Request for Qualifications will be available upon request at:

Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Suite A-430
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Attn: Frederick L. Hamilton, Director
(205) 325‑5761
e -mail: hamiltonf@jccal.org and smithl@jccal.org

The firm or individual selected must have the capacity to fulfill the following type of environmental engineering services:

Nature of Services: Conduct assessments, analysis and provide reports as needed to comply with HUD regulations. In addition, the Engineer shall make recommendations regarding needed testing, mitigation, permitting and/or additional analysis that would bring the proposed projects in compliance with federal and state laws/regulations and Jefferson County requirements. Services required may include but are not limited to the following:

Phase I & II Environmental Assessments in accordance with 24 CFR Part 58.5(i) HUD Environmental Standards and the procedures for ASTM International Standard E1527-05; Interpret Phase I & II Environmental Assessments and other reports, give recommendations and/ resolutions as needed; Above Ground Storage Tank Separation Distance Analysis; Noise Studies; Cultural Resource Assessments; Threatened & Endangered Species Surveys; Wetlands; Hazardous Waste/Contaminated Sites; Asbestos; Solid Waste; Radon; Peer Reviews.

Sealed qualifications will be received in the Jefferson County Office of Community & Economic Development, 716 Richard Arrington Jr., Blvd. N., Suite A-430, Birmingham, AL 35203 before 5:00 p.m. Central Time on September 12, 2013. Failure of the qualifying entity to complete all of the required documents may result in rejection of the qualifications. All qualifications should be identified as “Sealed Qualifications – Environmental Professional Engineering Services”
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Birmingham Mayor William Bell to Participate in the “Let Freedom Ring” Ceremony in Washington, DC

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

Yesterday marks the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. The “Let Freedom Ring” commemoration is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. (Eastern) and features a guest list of civil rights leaders and celebrities. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter are scheduled to speak, while actor Hill Harper and broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien are set to host the roughly four-hour event. Other guests include actress and talk show host Oprah Winfrey; actors Jamie Foxx and Forest Whitaker; musicians Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, who performed with Mary Travers at the original march in 1963; and members of the King family. The event will take place at the Lincoln Memorial in DC.

The White House announced earlier this month that Mr. Obama would speak at the event, which is organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Mayor William Bell was invited to participate earlier this week as part of the ringing of the bell from the historic 16th Baptist Church. Mayor Bell will join the President on stage and will take part in the ringing of the bell at 3:00 p.m., the time of the original speech.

“We are honored to be a part of such a historic day. If not for Birmingham, there would have been no march on Washington. The blood shed here paved the way for the Civil Rights movement around the world and we are reminded every day that freedom is never free, “said Mayor William Bell.

City workers, whose families participated in the Civil Rights marches in Birmingham in 1963, transported the bell from Birmingham to the Lincoln Memorial earlier this week. The bell survived the church bombing in 1963 and has come to embody the sentiment of “let freedom ring.”

The City of Birmingham, Alabama and its citizens are partners in the campaign “50 Years Forward: The Movement that Changed the World,” an ongoing commemoration of the profound and often tragic events that took place here in 1963. Birmingham’s year long commemoration will culminate with Empowerment Week, September 11-15, 2013, with Sunday, September 15th marking the 50th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church and the death of the 4 little girls.

For more information about the City of Birmingham’s commemoration, visit www.50yearsforward.com #50yearsforward

Bessemer City Council Meeting Highlights

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

During the Bessemer City Council Meeting that was held on Tuesday, August 20, 2013, the following agenda items were considered by the City Council:
1. Approved resolutions for the hearing of citizen’s weed nuisance properties that were scheduled for July 2, 2013. (Properties cut-by-owner was abated).

1. Approved resolutions for the hearing of citizen’s weed nuisance properties that were scheduled for July 16, 2013. (Properties cut-by-owner was abated).

1. Consented to the resolutions for the abatement of properties.

1. Consented to the report of cost to be applied to weed nuisance properties.

1. Consented to the weed nuisance properties that were granted an extension by the City Council.

1. Consented to a weed nuisance report that authorized a weed nuisance hearing date of October 1, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

1. Approved the list of condemned structures to be demolished in the City of Bessemer.

1. Consented to a resolution authorizing payment to Jones Utility and Contracting Company for the Bessemer Paving Project 2013.

1. Consented to a resolution authorizing payment to Skipper Consulting for the ATRIPS engineering design contract (18th and 19th Street Traffic Signal).

1. Consented to a resolution authorizing a settlement of Bessemer Airport Authority vs. Alamerica, et al (consent to extension of Ground Lease).

1. Consented to a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a tax abatement agreement with Steyr Arms, Inc.

1. Consented to a refund cancellation for the rental of the Bessemer Civic Center to Elijah High in the amount of $200.00.

1. Consented to a refund cancellation for the rental of the Bessemer Civic Center to Kimberly Hawkins in the amount of $200.00.

For more information, log onto www.bessemeral.org.

PREDICTIONS

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

By Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.

Steven Hoyt will be President of the Birmingham City Council.

Valerie Abbott will be Vice President of the Birmingham City Council.

Roderick Royal will run for Jefferson County Commissioner in 2014.

People, Places and Things

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

By: Gwen DeRu

BABJ MOUNTAINTOP AWARDS!! FOUR LITTLE GOLDEN GIRLS!!! LAUGHTER AT THE STARDOME and around town! AND MORE!!!!

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!

Labor Day Weekend has finally hit the scene bringing in all that September has to offer. Autumn is falling into place. There will be good food, great entertainment, and plenty of people everywhere.

GOOD PEOPLE OF BIRMINGHAM! HEAR YE! HEAR YE!!

These are just a few of the things going on….

DON LEMON SPEAKS at the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists Mountaintop Awards, September 6, 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. dinner. Honorees are Emory O. Jackson, our very own Dr. Jesse J. Lewis, Sr. and Dr. Shelley Stewart.

THREE REASONS TO SEE DON LEMON AT THE MOUNTAINTOP AWARDS –
3. You many not agree with him, but he keeps it real. – Don Lemon is taking the nation by storm with his edgy commentary, progressive positions and independent voice. Maybe he doesn’t speak for you, but he proudly self-identifies himself with the African American community. His recent documentary titled, “The N Word” is an example of the type of conversation he is driving through his contemporary brand of journalism. You don’t want to miss what he has to say about what the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement means to the world!

2. Russell Simmons was gracious about it, can’t you be too? – Don Lemon has ruffled some feathers among African American Gen Xers and Millennials for his tough handling of Hip-Hop Entrepreneur and mogul, Russell Simmons. But, is he wrong? Russell got his point across and Don did too. Whether it is Trayvon Martin, Russell Simmons or the gay and lesbian community, Don Lemon speaks out about issues and people in the African American community.

1. This event is not about Don Lemon – Don Lemon is our event headliner but he is not the reason we are holding the Mountaintop Awards. This event exist for two purposes: 1) to raise scholarship funds for students pursuing careers in communications and 2) to honor and raise awareness for three communications legends that made it possible for the world to see Birmingham for what it was in 1963.

AND… BABJ continues to Honor the 50th Anniversary Year of the Civil Rights Struggle with the STANDING ON THEIR SHOULDERS CONFERENCE, Saturday, September 7 featuring Barnett Wright, Hank Kilbanoff and Doug Jones 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. This FREE conference celebrates the courageous journalists of the past, present and future who put the spotlight on issues of civil and human rights. Contact any media outlet and ask for anyone that is a member of the BABJ to get your tickets for these amazing events. Call me (Gwen) at (205) 251-1666.

FOUR LITTLE GOLDEN GIRLS – The Miles College International Theatre Department presents The Four Little Golden Girls – the Bombing that Galvanized the Civil Rights Movement. This is a new drama by Evelyn Dilworth Williams starring Tony Award Winner and Grammy Nominee MELBA MOORE with music by STU GARDNER and ARTHUR LISI (composers of The Cosby Show, A Different World and In Living Color. The showtimes are: August 30, 7 p.m. September 6 – 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., and September 7 – 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

THIS WEEKEND…

AND, Don’t Miss….. NEPHEW TOMMY at the StarDome Comedy Club, this weekend. AND….COMING SOON…, MIDNIGHT SWINGER – September 3 – 15, APRIL MACIE – September 19-22, (my girl) SOMMORE – September 27-29. Look for more right here! (Tell Bruce and Che-Che that I sent you.)

THIS AND EVERY WEEK AT CRESCONDO BAR AND LOUNGE..
**Every Monday- Margarita Mondays, Margaritas @2, starting at 7pm.
**Every Wednesday- Wine Down Wednesdays, Wine Specials $3 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
**Every Monday & Wednesday- Line Dancing Class, Learn the latest line dances while working up a sweat. Classes start at 5:30-6:30 p.m. For more information call (205) 807-2023.

TODAY…,
**CELEBRITY OPEN MIC with ROSCOE ROBINSON and CLARENCE LEWIS, JR. and more. Happy Birthday Virgos Celebration for all Virgos. Doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m. For more call (205) 488-4705.

**MARTINI THURSDAY at Ona’s Music Room.
**LIVE JAZZ, 7:30 p.m. with PJ SPRAGGINS AND FRIENDS at Jazz Underground.
**FRANK McCOMB, today and Friday, 8 p.m. at the Jazz Underground.

FRIDAY….
**ON PURPOSE w/ DWIGHT HOUSTON 10 p.m. at Ona’s Music Room.
**VIP FRIDAYS, 9 p.m. (ladies FREE until 11 p.m.) at Merienda’s Lounge, with Happy Hour 5-9 p.m. with drink specials and free food while it lasts.

SATURDAY…
**GLENN JONES LIVE IN CONCERT, 8 p.m. at Crescondo Bar and Lounge. Call 205-337-6999 for more information.
**II DA MAXX w/ JAMES AND MAXINE, 10 p.m. at Ona’s Music Room.
**HEELS AND CHUCKS with D.J. Willie 8 p.m. at Jazz Underground.
**FOOTBALL KICKOFF PARTY at Legends Sports Lounge with the games – UAB vs. Washington State and University of Alabama vs. Virginia Tech.

SUNDAY….
**JOHN MERRITT FOOTBALL CLASSIC – The Tennessee State football team would like to invite all fans and Big Blue supporters as the Big Blue squares off against Bethune-Cookman in the 15th annual John Merritt Classic on Sept. 1. (OK….who is headed to Nashville for the Labor Day Weekend?)

COMING SOON…
**SEPTEMBER 4 – COME LAUGH at the Bennie Mac on 1st – “ALL THE FUNNY YOU NEED IS HERE”at the DA UNDERGROUND ALLSTARS® Comedy Series 11 “Labor Day Was The Other Day” Edition, on Wednesday. Doors open, 7:30 p.m.

**SEPTEMBER 14 – BBVA COMPASS CONCERT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS – Academy-Award winning superstar JAMIE FOXX will be hosting with JILL SCOTT, songwriter and Grammy Award winning singer and CHARLIE WILSON the 2013 BET Lifetime Achievement Honoree and R& R Singer-songwriter.
**SEPTEMBER 15 – FOUR LITTLE GIRLS: BIRMINGHAM 1963 – You are invited to a very special event in Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights, the stage play – Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963 at 3 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Center. Call 1 (877) 278-8457 for more information.
**SEPTEMBER 19-21 – SAINT GEORGE MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD FESTIVAL – There will be a great blend of food, music, desserts and people at the Saint George Melkite Catholic Church. There is always great Middle Eastern food in Birmingham at that time. You should never miss this. Food will be served 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. with delivery on Thursday and Friday. There will be booths with all kinds of things. AMIN AND THE SULTANS BAND from New York will provide the entertainment. For more information call (205) 252-5788. (Look for more right here in People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu.)
**OCTOBER 25 – CALVIN RICHARDSON at CRESCENDO Bar and Lounge, 8 p.m. Look for more right there.

For you… Birthday Ballers…..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL CELEBRATING!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU…MOSE STOVALL, LISA WALLS, LEON FOSTER, DOUG FORD, RUSS McCLINTON, NOELLE PETTIES, CHERYL ELDRIDGE….. MANY, MANY MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!! ENJOY!!

Well, that’s it for now. Tell you more ‘next’ time.

Birmingham Hotels Gearing Up for Empowerment Week 2013

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

Local area hotels are gearing up for what will be the largest event ever in the City of Birmingham. The City is expecting thousands of visitors from all over the country and even the world during the course of the five-day Civil Rights commemoration known as Empowerment Week.
The Courtyard Birmingham Downtown at UAB was the first to come on board. Now through December 31, the downtown location will offer the “Experience the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement Package” which includes deluxe accommodations, breakfast for two and two adult admission tickets to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The Marriott has six total locations throughout the City of Birmingham. The Westin and Sheraton in Downtown Birmingham have also developed special packages. In addition, the downtown Springhill Suites has developed its own package.
“We want to be sure that all visitors that come to our City during Empowerment Week have the best accommodations we can offer. We appreciate the Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau and local area hotels for putting these packages together,” said Mayor Bell.
A detailed list of events for Empowerment Week can be viewed at www.50yearsforward.com. #50yearsforward

Obama March On Washington Speech: President Speaks On King’s Dream, Lingering Disparities

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

By SUZANNE GAMBOA and NANCY BENAC

WASHINGTON(AP) — Standing on hallowed ground of the civil rights movement, President Barack Obama challenged new generations Wednesday to seize the cause of racial equality and honor the “glorious patriots” who marched a half century ago to the very steps from which Rev. Martin Luther King spoke during the March on Washington.
In a moment rich with history and symbolism, tens of thousands of Americans of all backgrounds and colors thronged to the National Mall to join the nation’s first black president and civil rights pioneers in marking the 50th anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Obama urged each of them to become a modern-day marcher for economic justice and racial harmony.
“The arc of the moral universe may bend toward justice but it doesn’t bend on its own,” Obama said, in an allusion to King’s own message.
His speech was the culmination of daylong celebration of King’s legacy that began with marchers walking the streets of Washington behind a replica of the transit bus that Rosa Parks once rode when she refused to give up her seat to a white man.
At precisely 3 p.m., members of the King family tolled a bell to echo King’s call 50 years earlier to “let freedom ring.” It was the same bell that once hung in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., where four black girls were killed when a bomb planted by a white supremacist exploded in 1963.
Georgia Rep. John Lewis, a former freedom rider and the sole survivor of the main organizers of the 1963 march, recounted the civil rights struggles of his youth and exhorted American to “keep the faith and keep our eyes on the prize.”
The throngs assembled in soggy weather at the Lincoln Memorial, where King, with soaring, rhythmic oratory and a steely countenance, had pleaded with Americans to come together to stomp out racism and create a land of opportunity for all.
White and black, they came this time to recall history – and live it.
“My parents did their fair share and I feel like we have to keep the fight alive,” said Frantz Walker, a honey salesman from Baltimore who is black. “This is hands-on history.”
Kevin Keefe, a Navy lawyer who is white, said he still tears up when he hears King’s speech.
“What happened 50 years ago was huge,” he said, adding that there’s still progress to be made on economic inequality and other problems.
Two former presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, spoke of King’s legacy – and of problems still to overcome.
“This march, and that speech, changed America,” Clinton declared, remembering the impact on the world and himself as a young man. “They opened minds, they melted hearts and they moved millions – including a 17-year-old boy watching alone in his home in Arkansas.”
Carter said King’s efforts had helped not just black Americans, but “In truth, he helped to free all people.”
Still, Carter listed a string of current events that he said would have spurred King to action in this day, including the proliferation of guns and stand-your-ground laws, a Supreme Court ruling striking down parts of the Voting Rights Act, and high rates of joblessness among blacks.
Oprah Winfrey, leading the celebrity contingent, recalled watching the march as a 9-year-old girl and wishing she could be there to see a young man who “was able to force an entire country to wake up, to look at itself and to eventually change.”
“It’s an opportunity today to recall where we once were in this nation,” she said.
Obama used his address to pay tribute to the marchers of 1963 and that era – the maids, laborers, students and more who came from ordinary ranks to engage “on the battlefield of justice” – and he implored Americans not to dismiss what they accomplished.
“To dismiss the magnitude of this progress, to suggest – as some sometimes do – that little has changed, that dishonors the courage, the sacrifice, of those who paid the price to march in those years,” Obama said.
“Their victory great. But we would dishonor those heroes as well to suggest that the work of this nation is somehow complete.”
Civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams, whose husband Medgar Evers was murdered in 1963, said that while the country “has certainly taken a turn backwards” on civil rights she was energized to move ahead and exhorted others to step forward as well.
King’s eldest son, Martin Luther King III, just 5 when his father spoke at the Mall, spoke of a dream “not yet realized” in full.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do but none of us should be any ways tired,” he said. “Why? Because we’ve come much too far from where we started.”
Organizers of the rally broadened the focus well beyond racial issues, bringing speakers forward to address the environment, gay rights, the challenges facing the disabled and more. The performers, too, were an eclectic crowd, ranging from Maori haka dancers to LeAnn Rimes singing “Amazing Grace.”
Jamie Foxx tried to fire up a new generation of performers and ordinary “young folks” by drawing on the example of Harry Belafonte, who stood with King 50 years ago.
“It’s time for us to stand up now and renew this dream,” Foxx declared.
Forest Whitaker told the crowd it was their “moment to join those silent heroes of the past.”
“You now have the responsibility to carry the torch.”
Slate gray skies gave way to sunshine briefly peeking from the clouds as the “Let Freedom Ring” commemoration unfolded. After that, an intermittent rain.
Obama spoke with a bit of a finger-wag at times, saying that “if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that during the course of 50 years, there were times when some of us claiming to push for change lost our way.” He spoke of “self-defeating riots,” recriminations, times when “the bigotry of others was reason to give up on yourself.”
But the president said that though progress stalled at times, “the good news is, just as was true in 1963, we now have a choice.”
“We can continue down our current path, in which the gears of this great democracy grind to a halt and our children accept a life of lower expectations; where politics is a zero-sum game where a few do very well while struggling families of every race fight over a shrinking economic pie – that’s one path. Or we can have the courage to change.”
Among faces in the crowd: lawyer Ollie Cantos of Arlington, Va., there with his 14-year-old triplets Leo, Nick and Steven. All four are blind, and they moved through the crowd with their hands on each other’s shoulders, in a makeshift train.
Cantos, who is Filipino, said he brought his sons to help teach them the continuing fight for civil rights.
“The disability rights movement that I’m a part of, that I dedicate my life to, is actually an extension of the original civil rights movement,” said Cantos. “I wanted to do everything I can to school the boys in the ways of the civil rights movement and not just generally but how it affects them personally.”
D.C. plumber Jerome Williams, whose family tree includes North Carolina sharecroppers, took the day off work to come with his wife and two kids. “It’s a history lesson that they can take with them for the rest of their lives,” he said.
It seemed to work. His son Jalen, marking his 17th birthday, said: “I’m learning the history and the stories from my dad. I do appreciate what I do have now.”
Performers included Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, their voices thinner now than when they performed at the original march as part of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. They sang “Blowin’ in the Wind,” as the parents of slain black teenager Trayvon Martin joined them on stage and sang along. The third member of the trio, Mary Travers, died in 2009.
Also joining the day’s events were Lynda Bird Johnson Robb, daughter of Lyndon Johnson, the president who signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F. Kennedy.
High profile Republicans like House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., had been invited to speak at Wednesday’s ceremony but declined, according to aides.
Boehner had participated along with other congressional leaders at a July 31 event marking the anniversary of the march while lawmakers were still in Washington. Congress currently is on a five-week recess and lawmakers aren’t scheduled to return until Sept. 9. Cantor joined Rep. John Lewis earlier this year in Selma, Ala., to honor King’s legacy.
Former President George W. Bush didn’t attend, but said in a statement, Obama’s presidency is a story that reflects “the promise of America” and “will help us honor the man who inspired millions to redeem that promise.” A spokesman said the former president declined to attend because he was recovering from a recent heart procedure.
___
Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Brett Zongker and Andrew Miga contributed to this report.

City Council Briefs

Birmingham Times

August 29, 2013

During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, Council:

1. Consented an Ordinance “to further amend the grants fund budget” by appropriating $5,000.00 to the T.I.G.R. Grant – Phase 4 Enon Ridge Multimodal Corridor and Civil Rights Complete Streets per matching funds received from Alabama Power Foundation. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Steven Hoyt at 254.2304.

2. Consented an Ordinance “to further amend the grants fund budget” by appropriating $367,506.88 to the T.I.G.R. Grant – Phase 3 Jones Valley Complete Streets and $384,593.12 to the T.I.G.R. Grant per matching funds received from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Steven Hoyt at 254.2304.

3. Consented an Ordinance “to further amend the grants fund budget” by appropriating $400,000.00 to Non Departmental – Transfer to Fund 102 Capital Improvement Fund from Fund 133 Special Lodgings Tax, Funds Available, and appropriating $400,000.00 to Fund 102 – Capital Improvement Fund – Negro Southern League Baseball Museum. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Steven Hoyt at 254.2304.

4. Approved an Ordinance annexing into the City of Birmingham a 2.04 acre tract of land located at 711 Rex Lake Road in unincorporated Jefferson County, as petitioned by United States Steel Corporation, a Delaware Corporation (formerly known as USX Corporation), owner, pursuant to Title 11, Chapter 42, Article 2, Code of Alabama 1975, Sections 11-42-20 through 11-42-24, as amended. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Roderick Royal at 254.2302.

5. Approved a Resolution amending Resolution No. 1534-13, adopted by the Council August 20, 2013 which set a public hearing November 19, 2013 to consider the adoption of an Ordinance annexing into the City of Birmingham a 40.403 acre tract of land located in parts at 711 and 969 Rex Lake Road in unincorporated Jefferson County, as petitioned by United States Steel Corporation, a Delaware Corporation (formerly known as USX Corporation), owner, pursuant to the provisions of Act Number 32, Alabama Legislature 1964, 1st Special Session, to change the public hearing date to December 3, 2013. [First Reading] (Submitted and Recommended by the Acting City Attorney)**

6. Denied a Resolution relative to Urban Impact, Inc., Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $30,000.00, to provide assistance to the City in the revitalization of the Historical Fourth Avenue Business District and maintenance of its historical structures and authorizing the Mayor to execute the agreement on behalf of the City.

7. Considered several items to enhance the city’s infrastructure, including working on roadways, sidewalks and drainage systems. Placed on consent a Resolution approving the appointment of Dynamic Civil Solutions, Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $50,000.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the Calico Winewood Drainage Improvements Project and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Consented a Resolution approving the appointment of Dynamic Civil Solutions, Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $147,550.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the Green Springs Highway Streetscape Improvements Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Consented a Resolution approving the appointment of Engineering Design Technologies, Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $152,000.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the Graymont Avenue Streetscape Improvements Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Consented a Resolution approving the appointment of A.G. Gaston Construction Company, Inc., Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $47,000.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the 2nd Avenue South Sidewalks and ADA Improvements Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Consented a Resolution approving the appointment of MBA Engineers, Inc., Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $77,000.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the Alabama Avenue Drainage Improvements Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Consented a Resolution approving the appointment of Sain Associates, Inc., Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $22,500.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the 2nd Street Extension (Thomas) Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Consented a Resolution approving the appointment of Sarcor, LLC, Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $46,000.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide surveying and engineering design services for the Pearson Avenue SW Street Improvements Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City.   Approved a Resolution regarding the appointment of Strada Professional Services, LLC, Birmingham, in an amount not to exceed $43,325.00, inclusive of any reimbursable expenses, to provide additional storm sewer system evaluation for the 41st Street and 27th Avenue North Storm Sewer Inspection Project, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter on behalf of the City. [G/L Account: 102_000.652-022; Project Code: PEP102CP 003830] (Submitted by the Mayor) (Recommended by the Purchasing Agent and the Director of Planning, Engineering and Permits)

Announcements and Reminders:

1. The Planning and Zoning Committee is scheduled to meet today, August 27, 2013, 4:00 p.m., 5th Floor Engineering Conference Room.

2. The Administration Committee meeting on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, 2:00 p.m., has been canceled.

3. The Committee of Whole is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, 4:00 p.m., Conference Rooms D & E.

4. In observance of Labor Day, Birmingham City Hall is closed on Monday, September 2, 2013.

5. The Education Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, September 3, 2013, Conference Rooms D & E.

6. The Transportation and Communication Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, September 4, 2013, 12:30 p.m., Conference Rooms D & E.

7. Joint Public Safety and Technology Committee meeting is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, September 4, 2013, 2:00 p.m., Council Chambers.

8. A Joint Budget and Finance and Economic Development Committee meeting is scheduled on Thursday, September 5, 2013, 4:00 p.m., in Conference Rooms D & E.

9. Councilor Maxine Herring Parker seeks to fill vacancy(s) on the Public Park and Recreation Board. Councilor Parker, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee, is accepting letters of interest and resumes. Candidates should mail the aforementioned information to: Honorable Maxine Herring Parker, Office of the City Council, 710 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203. For more information, call 254.2464.

10. In accordance with the Alabama Land Bank Authority, established by the state legislature, Councilor Jay Roberson seeks to fill vacancy(s) on the City of Birmingham’s first Land Bank. Councilor Roberson, Chair of the Public Improvement Committee, is accepting letters of interest and resumes. Candidates should mail the aforementioned information to: Honorable Jay Roberson, Office of the City Council, 710 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203. For more information, call 254.2498.

For more information, log onto www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org

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 244. The Birmingham City Council meetings are free and on demand.   The City of Birmingham will make reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to enjoy all city services, programs and activities. If accommodations are required for public meetings, please contact John Long, Senior Public Information Officer, with reasonable advance notice by emailing John.Long@birminghamal.gov, or by calling 205-254-2036.

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