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Social Worker Reflects on Her Profession, the New UAB Social Work Partnership

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Birmingham Times
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Jobs for social workers are projected to increase seven percent by 2032. Those with degrees in social work are afforded many different options ranging from large and small agencies, schools, hospitals, clinics, residential facilities and industries. (Adobe Stock)

Where there is a need, there is a social worker, says Hannah Rose Harkins, a social worker in UAB Medicine’s Center for Psychiatric Medicine. Her statement is echoed by the job market for social work which is growing faster than average for all occupations, according to the United States Department of Labor’s statistics.

Hannah Rose Harkins is a social worker in UAB’s Center for Psychiatric Medicine. (UAB)

Jobs for social workers are projected to increase seven percent by 2032. Those with degrees in social work are afforded many different options ranging from large and small agencies, schools, hospitals, clinics, residential facilities and industries. The many fields of social work practice include children and families, poverty and income maintenance, mental health, substance abuse, developmental disabilities, medical and health care, criminal justice, gerontology, community organization, and policy development.

“Since the profession of social work heavily involves public service, it is for individuals with a passion to serve and better communities,” said Laurel Hitchcock, Ph.D., associate professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Social Work and director of the Bachelor of Science in Social Work Program.

Translating the passion for helping into a career

Harkins was searching for an avenue to pursue her passion for helping people and landed in the field of social work, which turned out to be the perfect fit for her. She graduated from UAB with a master’s degree in medical and clinical social work in fall 2022, a unique program in which students receive advanced clinical training using a model of evidence-based education in a resource-rich setting. The program emphasizes extensive hours of fieldwork alongside course requirements.

“After graduating from Mississippi College, I was applying for a master’s degree, and I knew I wanted to come to UAB because it offers an amazing master’s in medical and clinical social work, unlike anywhere else in the nation,” Harkins said. “With its interactions with the School of Public Health, the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, and UAB Medicine, I knew I would able to learn anything medical that interests me.”

During her graduate studies, Harkins interned with UAB Medicine’s Center for Psychiatric Medicine, where she is now a full-time, licensed social worker. She works with psychiatric emergency patients by completing psychiatric evaluations and assessments, crisis intervention and de-escalation, handling referrals to outside facilities such as crisis centers and shelters, transportation needs, finding available resources for food, rent, bills assistance, and making appointments for therapy, and psychiatry.

“Having an internship in my field of interest has been invaluable in my career,” Harkins said. “The internship provided a sheltered environment to learn and practice my skills safely under the supervision of a licensed professional and it gave me the confidence of ‘I can do this.’”

The internship was a way for Harkins to apply what she was learning in her courses to her field experience and vice versa. For example, she learned about the bio-psychosocial model, which systematically considers the complex interactions between biological, psychological, and social factors to understand health in her classes, and applies it to her practical work to date.

“The main thing you learn in social work is that there is a bigger picture,” Harkins said. “When you look at the bio-psychosocial model and human behavior in social environments, you realize there are usually events behind behaviors and actions. People feel a lot more comfortable and are willing to work with the treatment team when you seek to understand not just the crises, but what has been going on in their lives. That is the gateway to providing quality care.”

Harkins enjoys making a difference in the lives of patients she serves and enjoys the work that is not monotonous with every day bringing a new person with a new story.

“The most important thing as a social worker is building rapport,” Harkins said. “It is even more important to build rapid rapport in emergency settings. This will best help the patients understand their needs so we can meet them where they are.”

UAB Social Work Partnership

In 2024, UAB has launched a new initiative called the Social Work Partnership, aiming to bring together social workers across the UAB enterprise to grow and support a strong network of social workers that can enhance the health and well-being of the communities that UAB currently serves. Another goal of the partnership is to integrate the study and practice of social work to inform social work research and curriculum.

“We want to ensure that we are training the future workforce of social workers, well-equipped with the skills needed to best serve our communities in an ever-evolving environment,” Hitchcock said. “By leveraging the diverse and extensive resources within the UAB Enterprise through this partnership, we will be able to make a lasting impact on our students and community.”

According to Harkins, this partnership will help patients, students, and social workers and will be an opportunity to show the value of the profession, encouraging others to join the field and fulfill the growing need for social workers.

“UAB is huge; it has everything from trauma to transplant, to psychiatry to women’s and infants center and more,” Harkins said. “Any student who wants to specialize in anything medicine-related will have a connection to make that happen at UAB. There were a lot of students in my class, and we were all able to pursue areas of our interest. This partnership is going to enhance that.”

Like Harkins’ role at UAB in psychiatric emergency services that involves connecting with psychiatrists, residents, and many teams across disciplines, the field of social work demands extensive communication and a vast network.

“The partnership will enhance patient care because social workers will have a strong network to reach out to,” Harkins said. “Because sometimes our patient may come to us with a need that we may lack experience in. This network of professionals will help social workers contact the right people at the right time so we can deliver quality services to our patients.”

Historic Golden Flake Facility To Take on New Life Through Retail, Warehouse Space

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Birmingham Times
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The old Golden Flake plant near downtown Birmingham is being redeveloped for mixed use. (CCR Architecture & Interiors)
Alabama NewsCenter

An iconic Alabama brand may no longer be locally owned, but the place where countless Golden Flake potato chips were once cooked up and shipped out is about to be reborn as a mixed-use development.

The former Golden Flake manufacturing plant, just west of downtown Birmingham, is in the hands of new owners with plans to redevelop the site for retail and warehouse space, according to multiple news accounts.

The Factory at Golden Flake. (CCR Architecture & Interiors)

The “Factory at Golden Flake” already has an anchor tenant: Southeastern Salvage plans to move its store from Irondale to a warehouse building in the new development in 2025 after $3 million to $4 million in improvements are made at the site, according to the news reports. The new store will occupy 135,000 square feet – double the size of its current retail space, officials with Southeastern Salvage said.

The 37-acre property was a production facility for Golden Flake for more than 50 years. In 2016, Birmingham-based Golden Enterprises, maker of Golden Flake snacks, was sold to Pennsylvania-based Utz Quality Foods Inc. Utz closed the  Birmingham production facility in 2023.

Golden Flake got its start in downtown Birmingham in 1923 as Magic City Foods, in the basement of the original Hill’s grocery store, according to the site Bhamwiki. In 1958 it moved production to the site of the old Alice Furnaces, one of the original blast furnaces in the city.

The new owners of the site, a Tennessee-based investment group, are working with Birmingham-based CCR Architecture & Interiors of Birmingham to redevelop the property, according to al.com. The property is just west of Interstate 65 on the edge of the city’s Titusville neighborhood.

O.J. Simpson, Football Player and Actor Brought Down by Murder Trial, Dies at 76

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Birmingham Times
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O.J. Simpson, the football star and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend in a trial that mesmerized the American public but was found liable in a separate civil case, has died. (File)

By KEN RITTER | Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — O.J. Simpson, the football star and Hollywood actor acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend in a trial that mesmerized the public and exposed divisions on race and policing in America, has died. He was 76.

The family announced on Simpson’s official X account that he died Wednesday of prostate cancer. He died in Las Vegas, officials there said Thursday.

Simpson earned fame, fortune and adulation through football and show business, but his legacy was forever changed by the June 1994 knife slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. He was later found liable for the deaths in a separate civil case, and then served nine years in prison on unrelated charges.

Goldman’s father, Fred, and his sister, Kim, released a statement acknowledging that “the hope for true accountability has ended.”

“The news of Ron’s killer passing away is a mixed bag of complicated emotions and reminds us that the journey through grief is not linear,” they wrote.

Live TV coverage of Simpson’s arrest after a famous slow-speed chase marked a stunning fall from grace.

He had seemed to transcend racial barriers as the star tailback for college football’s powerful University of Southern California Trojans in the late 1960s, as a rental-car ad pitchman rushing through airports in the late 1970s, and as the husband of a blond and blue-eyed high school homecoming queen in the 1980s.

“I’m not Black, I’m O.J.,” he liked to tell friends.

His trial captured America’s attention on live TV. The case sparked debates on race, gender, domestic abuse, celebrity justice and police misconduct.

Evidence found at the scene seemed overwhelmingly against Simpson. Blood drops, bloody footprints and a glove were there. Another glove, smeared with blood, was found at his home.

Simpson didn’t testify, but the prosecution asked him to try on the gloves in court. He struggled to squeeze them onto his hands and spoke his only three words of the trial: “They’re too small.”

His attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. told the jurors, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

The jury found him not guilty of murder in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to relatives of Brown and Goldman.

A decade later, still shadowed by the California wrongful death judgment, Simpson led five men he barely knew into a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in a cramped Las Vegas hotel room. Two men with Simpson had guns. A jury convicted Simpson of armed robbery and other felonies.

Imprisoned at 61, he served nine years in a remote Nevada lockup, including a stint as a gym janitor. He wasn’t contrite when he was released on parole in October 2017. The parole board heard him insist yet again that he was only trying to retrieve memorabilia and heirlooms stolen from him after his Los Angeles criminal trial.

“I’ve basically spent a conflict-free life, you know,” said Simpson, whose parole ended in late 2021.

Public fascination with Simpson never faded. Many debated whether he had been punished in Las Vegas for his acquittal in Los Angeles. In 2016, he was the subject of an FX miniseries and a five-part ESPN documentary.

“I don’t think most of America believes I did it,” Simpson told The New York Times in 1995, a week after a jury determined he did not kill Brown and Goldman. “I’ve gotten thousands of letters and telegrams from people supporting me.”

Twelve years later, following an outpouring of public outrage, Rupert Murdoch canceled a planned book by the News Corp.-owned HarperCollins in which Simpson offered his hypothetical account of the killings. It was to be titled “If I Did It.”

Goldman’s family, still doggedly pursuing the multimillion-dollar wrongful death judgment, won control of the manuscript. They retitled the book “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.”

“It’s all blood money, and unfortunately I had to join the jackals,” Simpson told The Associated Press at the time. He collected $880,000 in advance money for the book, paid through a third party.

“It helped me get out of debt and secure my homestead,” he said.

Less than two months after losing rights to the book, Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas.

Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas after rights to a book deal. (Associated Press)

Simpson played 11 NFL seasons, nine of them with the Buffalo Bills, where he became known as “The Juice” and ran behind an offensive line known as “The Electric Company.” He won four NFL rushing titles, rushed for 11,236 yards in his career, scored 76 touchdowns and played in five Pro Bowls. His best season was 1973, when he ran for 2,003 yards — the first running back to break the 2,000-yard rushing mark.

“I was part of the history of the game,” he said years later. “If I did nothing else in my life, I’d made my mark.”

Simpson’s football rise happened simultaneously with a television career. He signed a contract with ABC Sports the night he won the Heisman Trophy in 1968. That same year, he appeared on the NBC series “Dragnet” and “Ironside.” During his pro career, Simpson was a color commentator for a decade on ABC followed by a stint on NBC. In 1983, he joined ABC’s “Monday Night Football.”

Simpson became a charismatic pitchman. In 1975, Hertz made him the first Black man hired for a corporate national ad campaign. The commercials, featuring Simpson running through airports toward the Hertz desk and young girls chanting “Go, O.J., go!” were ubiquitous.

Simpson made his big-screen debut in 1974’s “The Klansman,” an exploitation film in which he starred alongside Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. The film flopped, but Simpson would go on to appear in several dozen films and TV series, including 1974’s “The Towering Inferno,” 1976’s “The Cassandra Crossing,” 1977’s “Roots” and 1977’s “Capricorn One.”

Most notable, perhaps, was 1988’s “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad” and two sequels. Simpson played Detective Nordberg in the slapstick films, opposite Leslie Nielsen.

Of course, Simpson went on to other fame.

One of the artifacts of his murder trial, the tailored tan suit he wore when acquitted, was donated and displayed at the Newseum in Washington. Simpson had been told the suit would be in the hotel room in Las Vegas, but it wasn’t there.

After retiring from American football, Simpson began an acting career. (File)

Orenthal James Simpson was born July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, where he grew up in government-subsidized housing.

After graduating from high school, he enrolled at City College of San Francisco for a year and a half before transferring to the University of Southern California for the spring 1967 semester.

He married his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, on June 24, 1967, moving her to Los Angeles the next day so he could begin preparing for his first season with USC — which, in large part because of Simpson, won that year’s national championship.

On the day he accepted the Heisman Trophy, his first child, Arnelle, was born.

He had two sons, Jason and Aaren, with his first wife; one of those boys, Aaren, drowned as a toddler in a swimming pool accident in 1979, the same year he and Whitley divorced.

Simpson and Brown were married in 1985. They had two children, Justin and Sydney, and divorced in 1992. Two years later, Nicole Brown Simpson was found dead.

“We don’t need to go back and relive the worst day of our lives,” he told AP 25 years after the double slayings. “The subject of the moment is the subject I will never revisit again. My family and I have moved on to what we call the ‘no negative zone.’ We focus on the positives.”

Biographical material in this story was written by former AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch.

How Bessemer AL’s Jace Johnson Landed a Spot on the U.S. World Cup Bobsled Team

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Birmingham Times
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Born and raised in Bessemer, Jace Johnson has landed a spot on the U.S. World Cup Bobsled Team. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Basketball and bobsledding may not appear to have much in common, but they do in Alabama—for Bessemer’s Jace Johnson.

Born and raised in Bessemer, athlete Jace Johnson has landed a spot on the U.S. World Cup Bobsled Team. (Provided)

Johnson made a smooth-as-ice transition from the hardwood floor to the frozen track, landing a spot on the U.S. World Cup Bobsled Team. Shifting from basketball to bobsledding was more than just a change in sports for the athlete; it was a change in lifestyle, what he calls “the biggest transition of my life.”

Bobsledding [is] the sport of sliding down an ice-covered natural or artificial incline on a four-runner sled, called a bobsled, bobsleigh, or bob, that carries either two or four persons.

On a four-person bobsled team, the last person, or the brakeman, operates the brake, controlling skids and stopping the sled. This is Johnson’s position. “It feels like you’re in a trash can rolling down a hill. As a brakeman, I have no control over what is going on,” he said.

Comparing bobsledding and basketball, Johnson said the sports are similar because of the “explosiveness” required to succeed.

“You have to be able to react very quickly, as well,” he added, noting that the biggest adjustment “is probably going from playing a sport that is indoors to competing in an outdoor sport.”

And Johnson has adjusted. Since entering his rookie year, he has adapted his athletic talents to the bobsledding world. He saw his first gold medal in the sport in a four-man race at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (ISBF) North American Cup (NAC) in Lake Placid, New York, last November. The 24-year-old considers that accomplishment his biggest to date.

Academics and Athletics

Born and raised in Bessemer, Alabama, Johnson grew up playing basketball, eventually playing at McAdory High School under coach James Poindexter. As a senior, in the 2016–2017 school year, Johnson earned first-team All-Area honors, averaging 20.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He also served as a school ambassador and was a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, the national high school and two-year college mathematics honor society.

After graduating from high school in 2017, Johnson attended Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City, Alabama. He then went to Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in kinesiology.

As a brakeman on the U.S. World Cup Bobsled team, Jace Johnson runs last and operates the brake, controlling skids and stopping the sled. (Provided)

His interest in bobsledding was initially inspired by the 1993 Disney film, “Cool Runnings,” based on the true story about the Jamaican bobsled team’s 1988 Winter Olympics debut.

“Seeing Black people in a movie like that, where it was a predominantly white sport, was interesting to me. I never thought, especially at that time, that 14 years later I would be bobsledding. It was just cool to me. Every four years I would tune in to watch the Winter Olympics bobsledding,” he said.

In 2022, while having a conversation with his strength-and-conditioning coach at Midwestern State University, Johnson was offered some tips about bobsledding.

“[My coach and I] talked about how the bobsled team does a virtual combine, and he said he would help me with some of my submissions if I was interested. One thing led to another, and I ended up in Lake Placid for a rookie camp. Now, I am on the World Cup team.”

Since making his World Cup debut last November, Johnson continues to enjoy his “blessing” and the path to the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be hosted by the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo; the event is also known as Milano-Cortina 2026.

“Spending so much time in Europe, [in St. Moritz, Switzerland; Innsbruck, Austria; Altenberg, Germany; Winterberg, Germany], for the past couple of months has been surreal,” said the Bessemer native. “It is not an opportunity that most people get. It makes me feel blessed. If you would’ve told me a year ago that I would be in this position, it would have been hard to imagine.”

Though bobsledding may not be among the more popular sports in Alabama, Jace Johnson is not the first African American from the state to make strides in the bobsledding community. (Provided)

“Family Oriented”

Currently, Johnson is training in Winterberg, Germany, a winter resort town in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia that’s known for the ski slopes and foot and cycle trails in the surrounding mountains. He trains for three to five hours per day.

Johnson said, “[My teammates] Adrian Adams and Davis Simmon have been more than I can ask for. [They] have been very helpful and very welcoming. They are like big brothers to me, and [they are] showing me the ropes. I’m very appreciative of them.”

Another source of support is his family in Bessemer. “I’m very family oriented. My family means everything to me,” said Johnson, who was home this past Christmas to visit. “I talk to them all the time. They always call and ask me what’s going on with sledding.”

He also speaks to his younger brother, Michael, 16, as much as he can: “We talk all the time. That’s my guy!”

Johnson said one of the biggest things he misses about Alabama is the food. “Birmingham has the best wings in the world,” he said. “My favorite wing spot is J Wings 2.”

Though bobsledding may not be among the more popular sports in Alabama, Johnson is not the first African American from the state to make strides in the bobsledding community.

Bobsledder and another Bessemer native Vonetta Flowers was the first African American and the first Black athlete from any nation to win a gold medal at a Winter Olympics. Flowers paired with Jill Bakken to take the top spot in the two-woman bobsledding event at Salt Lake 2002, held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Just like Johnson competed in basketball before bobsledding, Flowers was a sprinter and long jumper at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“Seeing somebody from where you’re from is always motivating and inspiring in itself,” said Johnson.

Children’s Book on Birmingham’s First Black Mayor Penned UAB’s Hailey Mason

By
Birmingham Times
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Hailey Mason recently published, “A is for Arrington,” providing young readers insight into the life of the former mayor. (Provided)

Times staff report

When looking for a children’s book on a local African American hero, Hailey Mason initially couldn’t find one on Richard Arrington Jr., Ph.D., the first African American mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.

Hailey Mason (UAB Photo)

“I volunteered at some local [Birmingham] elementary schools and I wanted to do a segment on local Black history figures and I went to Amazon to find a children’s book on Dr. Arrington and I didn’t see one,” she said earlier this year. “That just kind of got my gears going and I started just thinking about ways I could reach out to him, how I could do the children’s book, how could I condense so much information down to a children’s level.”

Mason said she became more inspired after meeting Arrington. “Through research, I came to know him as a prominent leadership figure and felt the children’s book was an avenue to tell his story.”

Mason recently published, “A is for Arrington,” providing young readers insight into the life of the former mayor. Writing became a form of self-expression in high school, but Mason never imagined herself writing a children’s book, she said.

After not finding a book on local Black heroes “it made me realize there was a gap in children’s education,” said Mason, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public administration through the UAB College of Arts and Sciences. “When deciding where to start with telling these stories, I thought of Arrington because of his history and leadership in Birmingham.”

Sharing the weight of Black history in the United States is not always easily translated to children, said the author. To overcome this, she focused her story on one attribute Arrington exhibited – leadership, his legacy in a racially charged Birmingham, she said.

“In telling his story, I didn’t focus on the heaviness. I chose to focus on his leadership in the face of adversity, and I hope that his story inspires the next generation,” Mason said. “It’s important to remember the impact of his legacy and the barriers he broke.”

In “A Is For Arrington,” Mason takes children on an educational journey through the alphabet. Each letter unveils a facet of Arrington’s story, celebrating his trailblazing achievements and contributions to Birmingham’s history and brings Arrington’s legacy to life.

The former mayor told WBRC Fox 6 he feels especially honored to be highlighted and he hopes the book inspires children to engage in reading and history at a young age.

“Learn history wherever you can,” he told WBRC. “Learn all you can about your history. Learn as early as you can. Learn about the place that’s a part of you because it tells a story of who you really are.”

Mason said her book showcases a historical figure who may not receive as much attention as many other prominent Black figures like Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King, Jr. A lot of times in cities with so much history like Birmingham, historical figures may become lost, but she wants children to grow up knowing these people, she said.

“My goal is for kids who drive past Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard or walk the halls at Richard Arrington, Jr. Elementary to know why he was important to Birmingham,” she said.

Hailey is also a driving force behind Serial Entrepreneur Branding, where innovation, passion, and expertise converge to shape the destinies of small businesses.

“Our mission at Serial Entrepreneur Branding is simple yet powerful – to empower small businesses in discovering and refining their unique brand identities,” she writes on her website. “Whether you’re just starting out or looking to revitalize your brand, we offer a range of customized marketing services tailored to meet your specific needs … At Serial Entrepreneur Branding, we don’t just create brands; we cultivate experiences, build relationships, and transform visions into reality.”
Mason’s resume extends beyond the world of marketing, as she is also a co-owner of K and C Pet Pastry Company, a venture she shares with her business partner, Kristen Johnson.

Founded in 2022, K and C, promotes healthy and joyful pet lifestyles and serves as “a hub for pet parents seeking nourishing, flavorful options for their beloved companions.”

The K and C website can be found here and you can purchase  ‘A is for Arrington,’ you can visit Mason’s website here.

Former UAB Blazer Reynard Pro to Play in Canadian Football League

By
Birmingham Times
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Former UAB linebacker, Reynard Ellis was signed to The Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and will be headed North before the season kicks off June 6. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Former UAB linebacker, Reynard Ellis is headed to Canada. Ellis was signed to The Edmonton Elks and is expected to leave Alabama early next month just in time for the Elks preseason. The official Canadian Football League (CFL) season kicks off June 6.

Ellis hasn’t physically played a down of football since 2022 but has always worked hard which led to the CFL.

“I’ve always put-up good stats and made plays on the field but I didn’t always get the recognition I felt I deserved,” said Ellis who appeared in 13 games for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, recording 53 total tackles, in his last season there. “One of the coaches who helped bring me into UAB knew my work ethic and he understood my mindset. He mentioned me to the head coach of the Elks and the coach said he wanted to meet me. After meeting me, he asked to see my film … he called me back that same day and said he wanted to sign me,” said Ellis.

Even before being signed, Ellis said he has been working hard as a personal trainer. “I’m the type of person, I work out randomly throughout the day like pushups, handstands, stretching, or walking my dog.”

Other factors help keep him motivated as well, he said.

“I work out with my [younger] brother, Dominic a lot. He went to school for strength training, so he writes a lot of my workout plans .. . and he will train me. He keeps me in check. When I wanted to just stop working out, he still had me doing the things I needed to do so when the opportunity did come, I would be ready.”

Staying upbeat can be a challenge, he acknowledged. “Sometimes you may feel like you worked for this all your life, put up good numbers all your career, and it doesn’t happen for you like you thought,” he said. “It can be easy to fall out and make excuses for yourself. The main thing is to keep going. If you don’t believe in yourself and put the work in … no one else is going to believe in you. I kept that mindset, and it came to fruition. If your already ready, you don’t have to get ready.”

Active And Competitive

Born and raised in Birmingham Alabama, Ellis played little league football for Park West Youth Complex in Adamsville, Alabama and remembers being active and “competitive with people. That’s why I like playing sports,” he said.

The first time he went to his little league team practice he remembers everybody that he grew up around his neighborhood, all played little league with him.

“They just told me to come out there one day and I [felt] like it was for me. I was supposed to play basketball, but I didn’t play because people used to tell me I was a football player,” recalled Ellis, who also ran track and wrestled while at Shades Valley High School finishing runner-up in Class 6A title match in 2017.

At Shades Valley, he played football for the Mounties. Known for being a dual threat, he excelled on both sides of the ball.

After high school, he attended Furman University, a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina where he earned a Southern Conference (SoCon) all-freshmen team nod. Ellis transferred to Georgia Southern in Statesboro, GA and redshirted while sitting out the then NCAA-mandated one year. Ellis was a Sun Belt honorable mention as a redshirt sophomore in his first season on the field with the Eagles, he voluntarily opted out of the 2020 season after nine games due to an off-field disagreement.

He was tempted to return home and enroll at UAB in 2021, due to the loss of both of his grandmothers and wanting to be closer to family, but Ellis chose to remain in Statesboro (Ga.), to earn his undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Rather than lose vital credit hours through transfer, he sacrificed a year of football.

“Football is something I love. I didn’t really want to sit out. But I was kind of down and out about my grandmothers. They both passed away around the same time. I just wanted to shift my focus on school. If I transferred then, I was going to lose some credit hours. I wanted to graduate before I transferred. I had something that kept me going, and I knew I had this last year left,” he said.

Ellis would join the Blazers as a transfer graduate, walked on, and worked his way up a crowded depth chart. The defensive staff knew about Ellis prior to his arrival after recruiting him while he was at Shades Valley but was unable to sign Ellis because the Blazers didn’t have a spot available. His recruitment came at the time that the school was rebuilding a program with older recruits. By the end of his first semester with the Blazers, however, he had earned a scholarship.

Team Player

Being a part of a team has always been a part of Ellis’ life. With six siblings, “you’re going to always find something to do,” he said. “You will never be bored. My childhood was fun.  All my siblings always played sports as well. It was always something going on.” With four older siblings -Rachael, Richard, Deanna, and Deshondra, — he falls fifth in line with his younger brother, Dominic, and sister, Ranita, behind him.

“They’re happy for me. They know what I am going to do when I get up there, I know my mom may be a little sad that I am moving away,” said Ellis.

The Edmonton Elks are considered one of the most successful franchises of the Canadian Football League modern era. Founded in 1949, the team, known for their green and gold colors, are 14-time Grey Cup champions, including the historic five-in-a-row from 1978 to 1982.

Edmonton went 4-14 in 2023 and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

Ellis said he’s looking forward to the upcoming season and excited about moving to a new country, but his focus and excitement are about the opportunity. “Coming out college, I didn’t get picked up like I thought I would, but I kept working. So, it’s like this is my time to show everybody what I can do,” he said.

April Showers Bring More than May Flowers, Be Prepared for Potential Flooding

By
Birmingham Times
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April is known for rain. In fact, an old and well-known children’s saying “April showers bring May flowers” references the frequency of rain during the April. These showers can quickly become heavy and intense causing flooding conditions. Even though this is not necessarily a new phenomenon in our area, it is still wise to be prepared.

If you know your home is located in an area that has potential flooding issues, you should purchase or renew a flood insurance policy. Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover flooding. Typically, the wait time for your policy to go into effect is 30 days. Therefore, it would be advisable to purchase the policy well before a disaster.

Last week’s safety article outlined some safety measures to use during a flood. This week’s article will add a few additional safety tips:

• Never drive around barricades. Local responders use them to safely direct traffic out of the flooded areas.

• Get to the highest level if trapped in a building. Only get on the roof if necessary and signal for help. Do not climb into a closed attic to avoid getting trapped by rising floodwater.

• Listen to EAS, NOAA Weather Radio or local alerting systems for current emergency information and instructions about the flood.

• Stay inside your car if it becomes trapped in rapidly moving water. Get on the roof if water is rising inside the car.

• Contact your healthcare provider if you are sick and need medical attention. Wait for further instructions and shelter in place, if possible. If you are experiencing a medical emergency call 9-1-1.

It is equally important to stay safe after a flood situation. Here are safety measures to use, if needed:

• Pay attention to the authorities for information and instructions. Return home only when authorities say it is safe to do so.

• Avoid driving except in emergencies.

• Wear heavy work gloves, protective clothing and boots during clean up and use appropriate face coverings or masks if cleaning mold or other debris.

• People with asthma and other lung conditions and/or immune suppression should not enter buildings with indoor water leaks or mold growth that can be seen or smelled. Children should not take part in disaster cleanup work.

• Be aware that snakes and other animals may be in your home.

• Be aware of the risk of electrocution. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. Turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock if it is safe to do so.

• Finally, avoid wading in floodwater, which can be contaminated and contain dangerous debris. Underground or downed power lines can also electrically charge the water.

It is critically important to Keep an Eye on Safety before, during and after a flood.

Bessemer Housing Authority Provides Pathways to Careers in Nursing and Construction

By
Birmingham Times
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0
Graduates from the YouthBuild program, a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24, celebrate the end of their program. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

In order to prepare for a better future, Derrick Moore knew changes had to be made. And he began with himself.

Moore was one of nine students who graduated Wednesday from Bessemer’s Housing Authority’s YouthBuild program. He received both his (National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certifications and served as Valedictorian with Erica Calhoun in CNA.

“Sometimes in order to change you have to start with the person in the mirror,” he said. “I realized that in order to change, I must want to change and actually work for it. When you continue to push forward and progress, you can become a better version of yourself.”

YouthBuild program is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 in Bessemer public housing and the surrounding area who have previously dropped out of high school.

The program offers two career pathways: Construction Certification and CNA.  Participants also can learn vocational skills in construction, as well as in information technology and hospitality.

Moore and Calhoun were among nine graduates. The others were Marquarius Amerson, Dustani Davis, Sha’Mon Garret, LaDiamond Handy, Aishanae McKissick, Artiunna Sanders, and TreFaye Wells.

Tomeka Robinson, Director of Resident Engagement Services for the BHA and Director of YouthBuild said, “It’s hard not to cry when I reflect upon [their] journey. I put out the call about this great program and they heeded the call and now they are ready to face this new journey.”

She added, “we [were] awarded this [Department of Labor] grant to provide workforce development training services for our students and they have completed high school diplomas, credentials in NCR, which is our national construction institution that credentials them in construction trades. We have students that have completed their certified nursing assistants.”

During the program year, participants provide community service through construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods. They split time between the vocational training work site and the classroom where they earn their high school diploma or equivalency degree and prepare for postsecondary training opportunities including college, apprenticeships, and employment.

BHA’s YouthBuild program includes support systems such as mentoring, case management, follow-up education, employment placement, referrals to counseling services, and participation in community service and civic engagement.

“We wanted to give students an opportunity to just be able to find another alternative if they dropped out of high school and they need a non-traditional path. That’s what we provide,” said Robinson.

Awarded in 2022 with the help of U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, the grant will expire 2025.

“We did submit for a renewal grant so that we can continue to do this even more. We have a total of nine students graduating today. When you think about that, you have to think about the time [and] the effort that it takes to go in to stay committed, to stay preserving throughout all of this and they did that,” said Robinson.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
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0
Keyshia Cole (Provided)

BY GWEN DERU | The Birmingham Times

TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!

**ALABAMA STATE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ASBCC) MONTHLY MEETING, NOON at Soho, 1830 Avenue E.

**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW Live Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday at 4 p.m.

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**A SOLO PLAY- HESCHEL’S PASSSOVER EVE, 7 p.m. at the LJCC starring ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL.

**FILM – 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film.

**TOMORROW’S OLD TRIO at the Nick.

**THIRST TRAP THURSDAY, 5 p.m. at 2400 7th Avenue South.

**LIVE BAND KARAOKE hosted by ELLE JAI at Perfect Note.

**KIKSTART at WaterMark in Bessemer with Free Food Boxes, 9 a.m.

**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.

**EACH AND EVERY THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**THIRSTY THURSDAYS at D’ZIRE Bar and Lounge.

**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.

**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**TASTEMAKER THURSDAY – Every Thursday at Blaze Ultra Lounge, 228 Roebuck Plaza Drive, 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. with DJ Ace Twon (95.7 JAMZ) in the mix hosted by Audio Life and GMC Promo.

**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.

**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.

**FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR- Every 3rd Thursday, at Sidewalk Film Fest. Meet with other filmmakers and discuss your newest projects.

**EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT KARAOKE, 6:30 at Ruth’s Place hosted by LADY WOO and with DJ SHAY.

FRIDAY…
**DR. KING’S ‘LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL’: A COMMUNITY RECITATION, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the BCRI Grand Staircase.

**EVERY FRIDAY DURING LUNCH – FRIDAY COUPON CHEAT DAY with HOT 107 at 1918 Catering. (Use the coupon ANY DAY.)
**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW Live Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday at 4 p.m.

**FRIDAY NIGHT WRITES, 8 – 11 p.m. at 7611 1st Avenue North.

**SPEAK IN WHISPER, GOOD NEWS & JACK THE ELBOW at The Nick.

**TRIBUTE TO DIANA ROSS with SHARRON COLLINS at Perfect Note.

**EVERY FRIDAY – R&B FRIDAY, at The Chandelier, 212 Cahaba Valley Road in Pelham with DJ MANISH mixing live. FREE Entry.

**EACH AND EVERY FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY at City Hall, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the short 20th Street North.

**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.

**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.

**AFRO CARIBBEAN NIGHTS (Every Friday Night) at Ash’s on 2nd, 7 p.m. until with Reggae, Afro Beats, Dancehall and Top 40 Hits.

**FIREBALL FRIDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**FRIDAY NIGHT RAP, Every 1st and 3rd Friday at Crescent Cultural Center, 1121 Tuscaloosa Avenue, W.

SATURDAY…
**SPRING PLANT SALE at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

**EVERY SATURDAY at BIRDSONG FARMERS MARKET, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., 2824 5th Avenue South, at Automatic Seafood.

**2024 PATTON CREEK FINE ART FESTIVAL at 4391 Creekside Avenue in Hoover.

**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.

**EACH AND EVERY SATURDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**EVERY SATURDAY SOLD OUT – THE SATURDAYS JUMP OFF, 10 p.m. at Onyx of Bham, 615 8th Avenue West.

**MAGIC CITY RISING STARS, 6:30 p.m. at the Boutwell Auditorium. For more, 205-422-8423.

**ELLA SALTER AND THE SUNDAY SINNERS & BLUE SKY REVIVAL at The Nick.

**DJ WRIGHT BAND at Perfect Note.

**RUN IT BACK SATURDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.

**LOVE HARD TOUR with KEYSHIA COLE, TREY SONGZ featuring JAHEIM and K. MICHELLE.

**ANNUAL SPRING WINE FESTIVAL in Calera at 800 Highway 87.

**CITY MORGUE – BOMBS IN THE MAIL TOUR at Iron City.

SUNDAY…
**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.

*EVERY SUNDAY – SOUL FOOD SUNDAYS, 1-5 p.m. (Every Sunday) at 1918 Catering, 197 Vulcan Road.

**2024 PATTON CREEK FINE ART FESTIVAL at 4391 Creekside Avenue in Hoover.

**SUNDAY FUN DAY at DZIRE BAR AND LOUNGE, 4120 3rd Avenue South. Call 205-266-2594 for more.

**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**EVERY 3rd SUNDAY JAZZ JAM SESSION, 4-8 p.m. at the Ferus on 41st.

**CITY WIDE PRAYER MEETING, Every 4th Sunday, 4 p.m. for one hour at Birmingham Easonian Baptist Bible College. The Lord’s Supper will be served and hosted by the Knights of Pythias & Court of Calanthe.

**MAKES MY BLOOD DANCE at The Nick.

**SOULFUL SUNDAY WITH SAXPHONIST DELON CHARLEY at the Perfect Note.

MONDAY…
**2024 BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE: THE TRAUMA OF CRIME AND HATE, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 16th Street Baptist Church. Conference is FREE, but registration is required.

**ENVISION RADIO – THE ENTREPRENEUR’S EDGE hosted by Jerry Mitchell. For more, jamblack06@gmail.com. www.envision-radio.com.

**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW LIVE Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday, at 4 p.m.

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at the Nick.

**BEACH FOSSILS WITH FRIENDS NATION OF LANGUAGE at Iron City.

**RNB MONDAYS, 10 p.m. at Onyx of Bham, 615 Eighth Avenue West.

TUESDAY…
**2024 BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE: THE TRAUMA OF CRIME AND HATE, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 16th Street Baptist Church. Conference is FREE, but registration is required.

**KIKSTART at Water Mark in Bessemer, 9 a.m. with Free Food Boxes…until all gone.

**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.

**DIAPER GIVEAWAY every Tuesday, 10 a.m. at the Titusville Library.

**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW Live Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday at 4 p.m.

**EVERY TUESDAY – SPECIAL TUESDAYS with Food, Drinks Specials at 1918 Catering, 197 Vulcan Road.

**EVERY TUESDAY – TUESDAY NIGHT TRAILS 5:45 p.m. at Red Mountain Park.

**EVERY TUESDAY is SOUL CAFÉ Happy Hour introducing the Soul Café Happy Hour, 5:30-9:30 p.m. with Soul Goodies, Soul Spirits and Soul Music including $5 Titos and Redmont, at The Vault.

**HANDS UP TOGETHER, 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Grand Bohemian Hotel with cocktails, food, friends and fun to ‘Celebrate Aging’ and to support families of all faiths in our community hosted by the Collatt Jewish Family Services.  For more anna@cjfsbham or 205-278-7111.

**JOSE CARR’S JAZZ JAM, 7:30 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company.

**TITO’S TUESDAY at Dirty Ash’s 8 p.m. with DAVID TALLEY IV.

**CARIBBEAN NIGHTS with Reggae, Caribbean and Island Vibes, 9 p.m. – until… with DJ Serious Mixing and hosted by KJ and MANNY at The Vault, downtown.

**EVERY TUESDAY – TRUE STORY BREWING JAZZ SESSIONS, 7- 10 p.m., 5510 Crestwood Blvd.

**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.

**THE ODDEVEN, BO LEE III & KARKAZA at the Nick.

**HOT MULLIGAN – CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTOUR at Iron City.

WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES, every Wednesday, Noon, at Linn Park, in Downtown Birmingham.

**WORKOUT WEDNESDAY at Five Points West Library at 10:30 a.m. for chair yoga and other chair exercises.

**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW Live Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday at 4 p.m.

**WEDNESDAY NIGHT POOL TOURNAMENT AND KARAOKE NIGHT, 5 p.m. at Carter’s Hookah Lounge and Grill, hosted by Jo Sweetz with the Pool Tournament, at 7 p.m. and Karaoke at 8 p.m.

**EVERY WEDNESDAY, YOU, ME & RNB, 6 p.m. at 2206 Bar & Lounge, 2206 31st Street, with DJ You, Me & Playlist.

**FUSION INVITE NIGHT!!! at The Nick.

**D’ZIRE WEDNESDAYS, EACH AND EVERY WEDNESDAY with Free Mimosas, 8- 10 p.m. with DJ GORGEOUS in the Mix at 4120 Third Avenue South.

**WEDNESDAYS WEEKLY JAZZ JAM, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd. Food until 9 p.m., Music until 10 p.m. and Drink until 11 p.m.

**EVERY 4th WEDNESDAY at FACE’S LOUNGE KARAOKE hosted by ARETTA, 6:30 p.m. at 7070 Aaron Aronov Dr. in Fairfield.

**THE DIP at Iron City.

NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!

**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW Live Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday at 4 p.m.

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM – 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film.

**THURSDAY NIGHT WITH JOE BRANTLEY at the Nick.

NEXT FRIDAY…
**EVERY FRIDAY DURING LUNCH – FRIDAY COUPON CHEAT DAY with HOT 107 at 1918 Catering. (Use the coupon ANY DAY.)

**THE JOE LOCKETT SHOW Live Podcast with NEPHEW CLIFF and MS. DENISE, Monday-Friday at 4 p.m.

**FRIDAY NIGHT WRITES, 8 – 11 p.m. at 7611 1st Avenue North.

**STEPHEN WILSON, JR. at The Nick.

**LATE NIGHT SHOW WITH  IN THE PINES & RESULTS OF ADULTS at The Nick

**FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH R&B DIVA DEIRDRE GADDIS at Perfect Note.

AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…

**SUNDAY – ART FOR A BELONGING THROUGH ART, 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art. This is “An Artful Encounter with Bettina Byrd-Giles” presented by Charlotte Donlon. This is a closer look at a fantastic painting, a presentation by BETTINA BYRD GILES, a facilitated group discussion and refreshments from Juniper
BMA.

NEWS TO USE…
**GUN VIOLENCE FUNDRAISER – FIRST ANNUAL SNEAKER BALL FUNDRAISER – This is the first fundraiser by WHAT ABOUT US (WAU). SHEREE KENNON started WAU with other women and family members who help each other bond over the loss of their children. What About Us is having their first sneaker ball to raise money for gun violence that took the lives of loved ones. MOMS DEMAND ACTION and VOICES OF BLACK MOTHERS UNITED will sponsor the event on May 11, 6-10 p.m. at 917 2nd Avenue. Tickets are $25. Donations are accepted. The mission is to help with resources and referrals through partnerships with the community, as well as with other community activists. (For more: 205-563-9301 or shereekennon@yahoo.com.)

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO…WORK…

**TUESDAY – ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. JOB FAIR at the Career Center, 3216 4th Avenue South. Positions are for youth services aide and security officers at the Vacca Campus, 8950 Roebuck Blvd. For more, 205-838-5015 or www.dys.alabama.gov.

**MAY 9 – JOB FAIR with the Alabama Department of Human Resources, 9 a.m. – Noon at the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources, 2001 12th Avenue North. Dress professionally. No children. Take your resume. Visit www.personnel.alabama.gov to complete an online application.

FOR THE YOUTH …

**ART COMPETITION FOR ALABAMA’s 7th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT – Congresswoman Terri Sewell is accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. This year’s theme is: ALABAMA STORY MAKERS: THE HISTORIC PEOPLE AND PLACES OF THE COTTON STATE.” Deadline is April 26. For more information, contact Rep. Sewell’s Montgomery Office at (334) 262-1919 or visit her official website at sewell.house.gov/art-competition. The competition is open to high school students from both public and private schools throughout Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, as well as home-schooled high school students. The winner will receive free round-trip airfare for two to Washington D.C. to attend an official reception honoring the winners from congressional districts across the nation. The winner’s artwork will be showcased in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

**LIFEGUARDS NEEDED- Birmingham Parks and Recreation Youth will accept applications through May 10. REQUIREMENTS: Certification is preferred. Non-certified will be trained. Must be 16 years of age on or before May 10th. Interested? Call 205-254-2189 or 205-254-2391.

**THE MAN PROJECT is an all male mentoring program with a mission to empower, encourage and enlighten young males. It will teach them how to have productive lives, develop coping skills and take responsibility for the choices they make. The program wants to challenge them to be positive decision makers and shape them into successful young men. Register at: tmanproject.org.

MENTORS NEEDED…
**REACH & RISE THERAPEUTIC MENTORING PROGRAM – BECOME A MENTOR to 6-17 year olds by volunteering for 12 months. REQUIREMENTS: Be at least 21 years of age, complete 6 weeks of training, pass fingerprint and security screening, have a clean driving record, and commit 1-3 hours per week with a paired youth for 12 months. Apply at The Y-for youth development for healthy living and for social responsibility.

FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…

** ENTREPRENEURS & INNOVATORS CONFERENCE is June 20 and 21st at the Tuxedo Ballroom in the Ensley Entertainment District. Registration is $159 before April 19 and $170 afterward until June 18th. The Alabama State Black Chamber of Commerce is the host. To register and for more, go to www.AlBlackCC.org, OR info@ALBlackCC.org.

IN APRIL…
FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS…

**SATURDAY DAYHIKE- Meet 8:45 a.m. with Southeastern Outings Dayhike, Alabama Nature Center, Millbrook. Alabama – DETAILS: The former Lanark Estate in Millbrook, Alabama, was conveyed to provide for long-term stewardship of the property and development of an outdoor education facility that is now known as the Alabama Nature Center.  The Center is a planned use facility offering hands on, outdoor-based educational programs and activities for students, educators, church and civic groups, and the general public. The Center contains 350 acres of striking forests, fields, streams, wetlands and parks that are traversed by five miles of boardwalks and trails in three regions. Plan to hike about 3.5 miles. Hike is relatively easy. Please bring $5 per person Nature Center admission fee with you. Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and over able to walk about four miles without complaining are welcome on this outing. Optional dinner after the hike. Meet for this outing at 8:45 a.m. at the McDonald’s Galleria. Plan to depart at 9 a.m. Information and Trip Leader: Dexter Duren, 205/765-2293.

**SUNDAY DAY HIKE, Meet 1:45 p.m. with Southeastern Outings Second Sunday Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park – DETAILS: Enjoy a moderate four-mile walk in the woodlands near Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon. This is an excellent outing for introducing your friends to Southeastern Outings and for making new friends who enjoy the outdoors. Parts of this hike may be off the color-coded trails with some ups and downs.  Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up, able to walk the distance of about four miles and complete the hike, are welcome. Bring a friend. Meet at 1:45 p.m. in the Oak Mountain Park office parking lot.  Plan to depart at 2 p.m. Bring $5/person ($2 seniors) park admission fee plus your drink. Information and trip leader: Randall Adkins, 205-317-6969.

**NEXT SATURDAY – EARTHBOUND’S EARTHFEST is the rock band’s annual outdoor concert 2- 8 p.m. at Avondale Brewery. This event benefits BLACK WARRIOR RIVERKEEPER, a nonprofit clean water advocacy organization protecting Alabama’s Black Warrior River watershed. It is a family-friendly outdoor event and open to pets and people of all ages. (This event is dedicated to Sam Ray, Earthbound’s manager who founded Earthbound’s Earthfest.)

AROUND THE SOUTHEAST…

IN ATLANTA…

**EBONY MAGAZINE HOSTS FIRST-EVER SENSORY SOIREE IN ATLANTA – EBONY magazine partnered with LOUISVILLE TOURISM to bring the local tastes, sounds and charm of Louisville, Kentucky to Atlanta, Georgia for the first Ebony Sensory Soiree on SATURDAY. The Soiree will feature Louisville-based chef LAWRENCE WEEKS, a bourbon spotlight of Kentucky’s first African American owned BROUGH BROTHERS DISTILLERY and a performance by folk and soul singer SCOTT T. SMITH. The event will allow the Atlanta residents to taste, hear, smell, touch and see the best of Black expressions coming out of Louisville, Kentucky. For more, go to: ebony.com.

IN CLEARWATER, FLORIDA…

**APRIL 25 – JAZZ IN PARADISE SUNSET DINNER CRUISE – A Sunset Dinner Cruise at Clearwater Beach Marina, 6 p.m. Boarding time and 6:30 p.m. Departure time. The JAZZ AND SUNSET Dinner Cruise is celebrating Clearwater Jazz Holiday (CJH) Young Lions Jazz students and alumni. It will include an Afterglow party Dockside. The dinner includes: Hors D’ouevres, Complimentary Premium Bar, Three Course Gourmet Dinner, Live Entertainment with a Spectacular Sunset. For more, www.clearwaterjazz.com OR, call 727-461-5200.

FOR MOTORSPORTS LOVERS…

AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY…
**APRIL 20 – 21 – The Spring Race Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway kicks off Saturday, April 20 with a doubleheader featuring the ARCA Menards Series GENERAL TIRE 200 at 12:30 p.m. and the NASCAR Xfinity Series AG-PRO 300 at 4 p.m. The SUNDAY’S NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 is at 3 p.m.
AT BARBER MOTORSPORTS…

**APRIL 26-28 – The Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix will be packed the Friday, Saturday and Sunday featuring the NTT INDYCAR Series. The same drivers that compete in the INDY 500 will be racing in Birmingham at Barber Motorsports Park. This is the 14th year of the event and the 21st Anniversary of Barber Motorsports Park opening. It is home of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum with the largest motorcycle collection in the world. The event will be broadcast on NBC to more than 100 countries and territories. The Fan Zone is free for all. There are autograph sessions, vintage cars on display, a Kids Zone, and so much more. Additional events include wine tastings, an art festival, Indy 5K, and more.

HAPPENINGS AT SIXTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
…SEE YOU AT THE SIXTH…EVERY SUNDAY!
**EVERY MONDAY MORNING MEDITATION WITH PASTOR CANTELOW, 7:15 a.m. Contact the church at (205) 321-1136 or (205) 321-1137.
**CHILDREN’S CHURCH & COLLISION CHURCH, each First Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for K-5th (Children’s Church), 6-12th (Collision).

AT GIFTED CITY CHURCH… EVERY SUNDAY!
**GIFTED CITY CHURCH, Sunday Worship is 10 a.m. at 228 Second Avenue North in the Downtown, City Center. A one-hour service with children’s service and complimentary coffee and tea. For more: info@thegiftpad.org.

AT TEMPLE EMANUEL-EL…

**SUNDAY – MITZVAH DAY, 9:30 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El.

** SUNDAY – JEWISH FOOD AND CULTURE FEST, 11 a.m.. – 3 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. For more, ourtemple.org/tikkun-olam.

**MONDAY SAFETY TRAINING OPPORTUNITY, 6-7 p.m. at Temple Beth El. Must register.

Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send events, your things of interest and more to my emails: gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.

“It feels like you’re in a trashcan rolling down a hill. As a brakeman I have no control over what is going on.”

By
Birmingham Times
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0

BESSEMER’S JACE JOHNSON WHO MADE THE UNITED STATES WORLD CUP BOBSLED TEAM; THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES, APRIL 11.

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