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PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

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Elias Hemdricks (Provided)

BY GWEN DERU | THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES

TODAY…

**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.

**ST. OWSLEY 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.

**MOVIES EVERY THURSDAY at Sidewalk Fest.

**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…
**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.

**THE COLD STARES with SAM AND THE BIG BOYS at The Nick.

**SAXOPHONIST DALEN MINNIFIELD presents GUITARIST STEVE OLIVER at Perfect Note.

**MASTERS OF THE SILVER SCREEN, 7 p.m. at UAB’s Alys Stephens Center.

**HEROES & VILLAINS: AFTER HOURS, 5 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

**HANK WILLIAMS, JR. with Special Guest WHISKEY MYERS at the BJCC.

**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.

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

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

**8TH ANNUAL END ADDICTION BHAM WALK 2024 is 10 a.m. Saturday at City Walk Amphitheater. Registration is at 10 a.m. Program, walk and celebration starts at 11 a.m. FREE to attend. T-Shirt is $25. Register at endaddictionbham.org.

**SAKURA CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. FREE at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

**MINDSET RESET CONFERENCE, 11 a.m. at 6501 Aaron Aronov Drive, Fairfield.

**BIRMINGHAM VEGAN FEST DINNER, 6 p.m. at New China Town.

**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.

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

**DRAG NIGHT at The Nick.

**YUNG VOKALZ AND THE MOVEMENT at Perfect Note.

**RUN IT BACK SATURDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.

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.

**CHLOE ARNOLD’S SYNCOPATED LADIES LIVE at UAB Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center.

**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.

**THE SUNDAY FUNNIES WITH BENNIE MAC featuring SPUNKY ROBINSON, NICOLE SHIRELL, DHESTINIE PIPPEN and CAM STEPHENS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**ALABAMA SO & SO MACHINE at The Nick.

**R&B NEO/SOUL NIGHT with TAYLOR GOODWIN, ISAIAH SMITH, DANIEL RAINE, CHARLES & more at The
Nick.

**APRIL SOULFUL SUNDAY with SHERRY REEVES at the perfect NOTE.

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

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at the Nick.

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

TUESDAY…
**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.

**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 with DJ MAVERICK, DJ CUZZO and DJ JUICE with drink specials and free dinner buffet. 30+ Before 9 p.m. and 21+ after 9 p.m.

**EVERY TUESDAY – BIRMINGHAM SONGWRITER’S ROUND with Host SUSANNAH SEALES at the Nick.

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.

**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.

**BHAM BLUES EXPLOSION with GARY, TAYLOR, LEIF & RYAN at the Nick.

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.

**TOMORROW’S OLD TRIO 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.

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

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

GWEN’S SPOTLIGHT…

**ALABAMA FAVORITES IN ‘OPERA UNVEILED’ – Opera Birmingham’s newest opera is OPERA UNVEILED – A Concert of Greatest Hits. It will feature our own world renowned ELIAS HENDRICKS, April 26 and 28 at the Alabama School of Fine Arts with Opera Birmingham Chorus and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Opera unveiled will also feature some of Alabama’s favorite artists. Tenor RODERICK GEORGE and baritone DANIEL SEIGEL will join sopranos KATHLEEN FARRAR BUCCLEUGH and ALLISON SANDERS with additional special guests. DANIEL CHO is conductor.

NEWS TO USE…
**STAYWORKING PRODUCTION PRODUCER CAMP 2024, 1- 8 p.m. Saturday at Press Play Studios, 1001 15th Place SW. The camp is focusing on empowering the next generation of musical artists through collaborative and interactive studio sessions. Attendees can engage with industry experts and Grammy-nominated engineer AJ StayWorkin. Candace Mitchell said the goal is to provide aspiring producers and musicians with a supportive environment where they can learn, grow and connect with industry professionals. For more, www.stayworkin.com.

FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS…
**SATURDAY DAYHIKE – APRIL 6, with Southeastern Outings Dayhike, Sipsey Wilderness, Bankhead National Forest – Details: Moderately strenuous, four-mile dayhike in a highly scenic location, Upper Quillan Creek Forest Area. Hike is off trail, with ups and downs, and several rock-hopping crossings are required across small creeks. Walk along two creeks, an old road and visit the site of an old mill. See small waterfalls on side creeks and tributaries to Quillan Creek. Visit three pretty waterfalls and see at least 12 lovely waterfalls. Bring your picnic lunch and water for the day. Finish about 4 p.m. Optional dinner after. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 9 and over able to walk four miles off trail without complaining are welcome. Reservations Required: If you wish to participate in this outing, you are required to call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email your reservation to southeasternoutings@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Leave your phone number or email address. Outing is limited to 10 people. If you change your mind or decide to not come, please telephone Dan, 205/631-4680 right away. Leader will advise meeting time and place only to those who have signed up for this trip.

AT THE BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY…
**APRIL 11 – A NOVEL TASTING, 6-8:30 p.m. at the downtown Birmingham Public Library on Park Place. This is the 3rd Annual fundraiser with the evening featuring an elegant tasting of fine wines, locally crafted beers and distilled spirits. Enjoy live music from SOL MUSICA, a silent auction, complimentary drinks, catered food and more.

AT THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…
**TODAY – Spencer Lecture: THE GARDENS OF BUNNY MELLON, 5:30 – 7:30 pm. with THOMAS LLOYD and BRYAN HUFFMAN.
**SATURDAY – BASICS OF TREE SELECTION, 1 – 2:15 p.m.
**April 11 – (Member Shopping) SPRING PLANT SALE. Bring your folding cart or wagon.
**April 12-13 – (Public Sale) SPRING PLANT SALE. Bring your folding cart or wagon.

AT THE BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE… April marks the 1963 Birmingham Campaign known as the BIRMINGHAM MOVEMENT.

**APRIL 12 – DR. KING’S ‘LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL’: A COMMUNITY RECITATION, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the BCRI Grand Staircase.

**APRIL 15 and 16- 2024 BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE: THE TRAUMA OF CRIME AND HATE, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 16th Street Baptist Church. This is the 14th Annual Two-Day conference presented by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that is open to all who are interested in joining the discussion. Conference is FREE, but registration is required.

**MAY 2 – ANNUAL CHILDREN’S MARCH REENACTMENT: INSPIRED BY THE PAST. VISION FOR OUR FUTURE, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park. This is for all high school and college students. Celebrate the Children’s Crusade known as the Children’s March. Commemoration Program is 10:30 a.m. to Noon at 16th Street Baptist Church. March Reenactment and Rally is Noon – 1:30 p.m. at Kelly Ingram Park. Registration is required by Friday, April 19. Students must be in high school or college to attend. Students in Grades 6-8 may be considered. For more, sbriggs@bcri.org. For field trip transportation grants call 205-835-0431 or bcri_information@nps.gov.

FOR FOOD LOVERS…
**3RD ANNUAL GREAT BIRMINGHAM BAKE OFF is SATURDAY, 2-4 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing. Sample baked goods made by competing teams of local bakers. All baked goods start with one of the WE made Southern Staples baking mixes. Your ticket lets you sample each of the competing baked goods plus you will receive a Cahaba Brewing beer. There will be live music, food trucks and the Junior Board will be selling WE Made mixes and other products. Support how you can. Sign up at bakeoff.swell.gives.

FOR BASEBALL AND FOOD LOVERS AT REGIONS FIELD…
**TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME! Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks! Let’s check out the food at the Barons Field. The BIRMINGHAM BARONS NEW MENU will have new concession food items including Barons Big Baker (a giant loaded potato with smoked brisket, cheese sauce, sour cream, green onions and bourbon sauce), Junkyard Dawg, Chili Cheese Foot Long Hot Dog, Polish Sausage Dog and Fried Cinnamon Rolls.  Tuesday will be TACO TUESDAY. Wednesdays will be WET NOSE WEDNESDAYS. Returning items will be Magic City Dog, Nashville Hot Mac n’ Cheese. The first game of the season is FRIDAY, against the CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS.

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.

NEAR…
IN MONTGOMERY… AT HAMPSTEAD…
**EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY – BRUNCH AT TASTE, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
**EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT with Live Music at Tipping Point and Taste.
**EVERY SUNDAY – FUNDAY, 1-6 p.m. Tipping Point.
**TODAY – AUGUSTA WILSON SPRING MARKET at Hampstead Town Center, with Wine and Cheese, 5-7 p.m.
**APRIL 13 – TASTE & TOUR, 3-6 p.m. at Hampstead with giveaways and live music at 6 p.m.
**APRIL 28 and JUNE 9 – FOOD TRUCK TAKE OVERS, 12 – 3 p.m.
**MAY 11 – CRAWFISH BOIL, 3 p.m. on Lake Edge Street with Live music by PSEUDO

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).

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES 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.

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.

April 4, 2024

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_____________________________
Employment
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GUEST EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR
BJCC, is recruiting for a Guest Experience Coordinator, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
GUEST SERVICE AMBASSADOR
BJCC, is recruiting for a Guest Service Ambassador, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or
send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.
BT04/04/2024
___________________________
FACILITY PAINTER
BJCC, is recruiting for a Facility Painter, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: SALES & MARKETING
BJCC, is recruiting for an Administrative Assistant: Sales & Marketing, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
LEGAL
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CASE NO. CV-2023-900862
BOOKXCHANGE, LLC, Plaintiff, v. FREETEXTBOOKS, INC., Defendant,
PUBLICATION NOTICE
TO: FreeTextbooks, Inc.,
Registered Agent: Jonathan Robinson
808 Forrest Avenue
Birmingham, AL 35209
You are hereby notified that BOOKXCHANGE, LLC (“Plaintiff”) filed suit on March 3, 2023, in the Jefferson County Circuit Court against FREETEXTBOOKS, INC (“Defendant”) based on breach of contract and account stated. Said breach of contract and account stated claim has caused $251,507.54 in damages to the Plaintiff, plus court costs. . In this cause, it is made to appear to the Court, by the affidavit of counsel for Plaintiff stating that Defendants are avoiding service and has concealed themselves so that the summons and complaint cannot be served upon them, and further, that said Defendants is over the age of twenty-one (21) years.
To prevent a default judgment being entered against you, you must file an answer in writing with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and serve a copy upon J. Matthew Parnell, counsel for BOOKXCHANGE, LLC, The Parnell Law Group, LLC, P.O. Box 2189, Montgomery AL 36102, by the  4th day of May, 2024, which is (30) days from the date of the last publication of this notice, which shall be published once per week for four (4) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama.
DONE this 14th day of  May, 2024.
Clerk of the Jefferson County Circuit Court
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
CASE NO. CV-2023-904403
THE BIRMINGHAM LAND BANK AUTHORITY, a Public Corporation,
NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION
TO: STANLENE J. SAGER; MORTGAGE  ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR WILMINGTON FINANCE, A DIVISION OF AIG FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK;J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein.
TAKE NOTICE that on December 6, 2023, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:
The Northwest 47.5 feet of Lot 14-A, in Block 1, according to the Amended Map of Blocks 1, 5, and 6, Magnolia
Heights, as recorded in Map Book 9, Page 28, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, a/k/a N 47.5 FT OF LOT 14-A BLK 1 MAGNOLIA HGHTS. Less and except that portion of subject
property conveyed to the State of Alabama by Order recorded in LR201514, Pg.7240.
ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for May 3, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 670, Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard North, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The judgement of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.
The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Greer B. Mallette, Christian & Small, LLP, 505
20th Street North, Suite 1800 Financial Center, Birmingham, AL 35203 at (205) 795-6588.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in The Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.
Dated this the 18th day of March, 2024.
Jacqueline Anderson Smith, Circuit Clerk
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
CASE NO. CV-2023-902269
THE BIRMINGHAM LAND BANK AUTHORITY, a Public Corporation,
NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION
TO: SOLUTIONS SYSTEMS, LLC; FIRST FINANCIAL BANK, J.T. SMALLWOOD JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein.
The Birmingham Land Bank Authority (the “Land Bank”), a public corporation organized under the laws of the State of Alabama, filed a Petition to Quiet Title and Foreclosure (the “Petition”) on the property described herein on November 26, 2023, in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and recorded or will record a Notice of Pending Quiet Title and Foreclosure Action (the “Lis Pendens”) in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that a final hearing was set to be heard on April 19, 2024 at 9:45 A.M. (continued from February 9, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.) at the Jefferson County Courthouse, Courtroom 670, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard, North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The property that is the subject of this hearing is described as follows:
Property Address:  212 59th Street N, Birmingham, Alabama 35212
Tax Parcel ID No.:  23-00-21-1-006-012.000 a/k/a 0123002110060120000000
Legal Description:  A lot 48 feet by 150 feet in the Northwest Quarter (NW ¼) of the Northeast Quarter (NE ¼) of Section 21, Township 17, Range 2 West, more particularly described as follows: Begin at a point on the western side of 59th Street (formerly Vildibill Ave) 147 feet Northwardly from the Northwest corner of 59th Street and Pauline Ave. (now 2nd Avenue North); thence Northward along the western side of 59th Street 48 feet; thence westwardly parallel with the North line of Second Avenue 150 feet to a 15 foot strip to be kept open for property owners of said block; thence southwardly parallel with 59th Street 49 feet; thence Eastwardly parallel with the North line of Second Avenue 150 feet to the point of beginning, being according to the map of Copeland Survey which is recorded in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama in Map Book 1, Page 25. Situated in Jefferson County, Alabama a/k/a POB 50 FT S SE OF SW INTER 59TH ST N & 2ND CT N TH SE-48 FT S SW-150 FT S NW-48 FT S NE-150 FT S TO POB SEC 21 TWSP 17 S R 2W
ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION.  The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority.  Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code 1975 §§ 40-10-83, et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued.  FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE FIVE-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.  The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 20th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 and may be contacted care of the City of Birmingham Law Department at 205-254-2117.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in The Birmingham Times a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.
Jacqueline Anderson Smith, Circuit Clerk
BT04/04/2024
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CASE NO. CV-2024-900660.00
THE BIRMINGHAM LAND BANK AUTHORITY, a Public Corporation,
NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION
TO: CASUNDRA BOLDEN; ANDRE WATERS; REPUBLIC FINANCE, LLC; STATE OF ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,
TAKE NOTICE that on February 14, 2024, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:
Property Address: 901 44th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35212
Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-23-00-20-3-002-011.000
Legal Description: Lot 10, in Block 2, according to the Survey of Kingston, as recorded in Map Book 3, Page 42, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017095461 as follows: LOT 10 BLK 2 KINGSTON)
ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for May 22, 2024, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 8:45 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.
The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in The Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.
Dated this the 25th day of March, 2024.
Jacqueline Anderson Smith, Circuit Clerk
BT04/04/2024
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CASE NO. CV-2024-901023.00
THE BIRMINGHAM LAND BANK AUTHORITY, a Public Corporation,
NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION
TO: WILLIAM JOHNSON AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF WILLIAM JOHNSON; CHARLES WILLIAMS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF CHARLES WILLIAMS; STATE OF ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; ALABAMA MEDICAID AGENCY; BROOKWOOD HEALTH SERVICES, INC. F/K/A BROOKWOOD MEDICAL CENTER; MEDICAL WEST HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, AN AFFILIATE OF UAB HEALTH SYSTEM F/K/A HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY FOR MEDICAL WEST; UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA HOSPITAL; AFFINITY HOSPITAL, LLC D/B/A TRINITY MEDICAL CENTER OF BIRMINGHAM; AMERICA’S FIRST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; A & S BAIL BONDING COMPANY, INC.; ALABAMA STATE EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION; MUTUAL SAVINGS CREDIT UNION; CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA) A/K/A CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; CAVALRY SPV I, LLC, AS ASSIGNEE OF SYNCHRONY BANK; CROWN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, AS ASSIGNEE OF SANTANDER; BROOKWOOD LOANS OF ALABAMA, LLC; SANDIA RESOLUTION COMPANY, LLC; 1ST FRANKLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION; LVNV FUNDING LLC; ROBERT BOLES; LETHIA LONG; BIRMINGHAM BACKHOE AND EXCAVATING, LLC; MIDLAND FUNDING LLC; DISCOVER BANK; BIRMINGHAM CITY CREDIT UNION; BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; MUTUAL FINANCE INC. OF BESSEMER; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,
TAKE NOTICE that on March 6, 2024, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:
Property Address: 2015 27th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35234
Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-24-3-017-006.000
Legal Description: The Southern 50 feet of the Western 50 feet of Lot 5, Block 17, according to the map and survey of Haskell and Muller as recorded in Map Book 1, Page 357, in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2016132657 as follows: S 50FT OF W 50FT LOT 5 BLK 17 HASKELL & MULLER)
ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for May 22, 2024, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 8:45 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.
The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in The Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.
Jacqueline Anderson Smith, Circuit Clerk
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
CASE NO. CV-2024-900714
THE BIRMINGHAM LAND BANK AUTHORITY, a Public Corporation,
NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION
TO: BARBARA PALMER, BAMA LTD.; J.T. SMALLWOOD JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein.
The Birmingham Land Bank Authority (the “Land Bank”), a public corporation organized under the laws of the State of Alabama, filed a Petition to Quiet Title and Foreclosure (the “Petition”) on the property described herein on February 15, 2024, in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and recorded or will record a Notice of Pending Quiet Title and Foreclosure Action (the “Lis Pendens”) in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that a final hearing was set to be heard on May 3, 2024 at 10:15 A.M. at the Jefferson County Courthouse, Courtroom 670, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard, North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The property that is the subject of this hearing is described as follows:
Property Address:  4322 Harmon St., 212 59th Birmingham, Alabama 35217
Tax Parcel ID No.:  23-00-07-4-004-017.000 a/k/a 0123003000740040170000000
Legal Description: Lot 7, Block 8, according to the Survey of Boyles Park, as recorded in Map Book 8, Page 64,
in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama a/k/a LOT 7 BLK 8 BOYLES PARK LAND CO.
ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION.  The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority.  Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code 1975 §§ 40-10-83, et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued.  FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE FIVE-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.  The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 20th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 and may be contacted care of the City of Birmingham Law Department at 205-254-2117.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in The Birmingham Times a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.
Dated this the 25th day of March, 2024.
Jacqueline Anderson Smith, Circuit Clerk
BT04/04/2024
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NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Williford Orman Construction LLC, Contractor, has completed the Contract for Construction of Tarrant City BOE – Alternative School Renovations Pkg C: Renovations of Existing Career Tech Building at Tarrant, AL for the State of Alabama and the City of Tarrant, Owner(s), 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 should immediately notify Lathan Associates Archiects.
Williford Orman Construction, LLC
PO Box 1985,
Pelham, AL 35124
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Williford Orman Construction LLC ,Contractor, has completed the Contract for Construction of Storm Shelters for Jefferson County Commission Package F – Warrior River Storm Shelter at Jefferson County for the State of Alabama and the County of Jefferson, Owner(s), 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 should immediately notify
Lathan Associates Architects.
Williford Orman Construction LLC
Contractor
PO Box 1985
Pelham, AL 35124
BT04/04/2024
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NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama 1975 notice is hereby given that Hodge Mechanical Services, LLC has completed the Public Works Contract for Jefferson State Community College at the Shelby Campus in Birmingham, AL for the removal and replacement of cooling towers at the General Studies Building on purchase order #P0004480 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 should immediately notify:
Jefferson State Community College
Attn: Business Office
2601 Carson Road
Birmingham, AL 35215
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Impact Electric Inc, Contractor, has completed the contract for Renovation of UAB Project #220088, Alys Stephens Center Theatrical Lighting Upgrade at 1200 10 Ave S., Birmingham, AL for the State of Alabama and The University of Alabama Birmingham, Owner, 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 should immediately notify Belin J. Higginbotham, UAB Facilities, 801 6th Ave S., Birmingham, AL, Hyde Engineering Inc, 3120 8th Ave S., Birmingham, AL, Impact Electric Inc, 2630 6th Ave S., Birmingham, AL 35233.
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Williford Orman Construction LLC, Contractor, has completed the Contract for Construction of New Softball Batting Practice Pavilion for Chelsea High School at Chelsea, AL for the State of Alabama and the City of Chelsea, AL, Owner(s), 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 should immediately notify Lathan Associates Architects PC.
Williford Orman Construction LLC
Contractor
PO Box 1985
Pelham, AL 35124
BT04/04/2024
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NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Section 39-1 as amended by H275 Code of Alabama, 1997, Notice is hereby given that Tecta America Southeast, LLC, Contractor has completed Michael’s Restaurant Work Platform for the City of Birmingham and have made request for final settlement of said contract.
Tecta America Southeast, LLC
5578 Morgan Street
Irondale, AL 35210
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that P & M Mechanical, Inc., Contractor, has completed the UAB Spain Wallace 2nd Floor 212 Lab AHU project, in Birmingham, Alabama, for The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Owner, located at 620 19th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, 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, should immediately contact Birchfield Penuel & Associates LLC, 2805 Crescent Avenue, Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35209.
P& M Mechanical, Inc.
325 Carson Road North
Birmingham, AL 35215
BT04/04/2024
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NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter l, Title 39, Code of Alabama 1975 as amended, notice is hereby given
that Griffin Building Group, LLC has completed the Contract for the Jefferson County Sheriffs Training Center Classroom Building, for the owner, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and has made request for final settlement of said contract.
Griffin Building Group, LLC
P.O.Box 660165
Birmingham, AL 35266
BT04/04/2024
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NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama 1975 notice is hereby given that K & L Group, LLC has completed the Public Works Contract for Jefferson State Community College at the Jefferson Campus in Birmingham, AL for renovations in Carson Hall Room 203/Physics Lab on purchase order #P0005069 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 should immediately notify:
Jefferson State Community College
Attn: Business Office
2601 Carson Road
Birmingham, AL 35215
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama 1975 notice is hereby given that K & L Group, LLC has completed the Public Works Contract for Jefferson State Community College at the Jefferson Campus in Birmingham, AL for renovations in Bethune Deramus on purchase order #P0005172 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 should immediately notify:
Jefferson State Community College
Attn: Business Office
2601 Carson Road
Birmingham, AL 35215
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama 1975 notice is hereby given that K & L Group, LLC has completed the Public Works Contract for Jefferson State Community College at the Jefferson Campus in Birmingham, AL for running the fiber optic cable from GWH to Ruby Carson on purchase order #P0005211 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 should immediately notify:
Jefferson State Community College
Attn: Business Office
2601 Carson Road
Birmingham, AL 35215
BT04/04/2024
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HOUSING AUTHORITY BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT
NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BID
INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) No. B24010
HARRIS HOMES TUNNEL REDESIGN
Issue: 03/19/2024
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON
Darryl Grayson, Procurement Analyst
Telephone: (205)521-0611
TDD/TTY: 800-548-2546
HOW TO OBTAIN THE IFB DOCUMENTS ON THE EPROCUREMENT MARKETPLACE
1. Access ha.internationaleprocurement.com (no “www”).
2. Click on the “Login” button in the upper left side.
3. Follow the listed directions.
4. If you have any problems in accessing or registering on the Marketplace, please call customer support at (866)526-9266.
PRE- BID CONFERENCE
Thursday March 28, 2024, 2:00 PM CT
600 Brussels Circle Birmingham, AL35212
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS
Monday April 8, 2024 2:00 PM CT
BID SUBMITTAL RETURN DEADLINE
Thursday April 18, 2024, 2:00 PM CT
1826 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, Al 35233 (*The sealed “hard copy” proposal documentation must be received in-hand and time-stamped by the Agency by no later than 3 2:00PM CT on this date).
[Section 3, Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
INVITATION FOR BIDS
ITB# 31-24 Fire Extinguisher Annual Inspection and Maintenance
JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL
Bids will be received by the Jefferson County Commission Purchasing Agent Michael D. Matthews, Ph.D.,
C.P.M., until 4:00 (CST) p.m. on 4/23/2024, for Fire Extinguisher Annual Inspection and Maintenance.
All Solicitation information including forms, and specifications are available for download free at https://jeffcobids.jccal.org/Search.aspx
Interested parties must meet bidder requirements and qualifications as specified in the bid documents on or before the date that the bids are due.
All questions must be submitted in writing to procurementservices@jccal.org attention Florencie Patton and Harriett Bell.
A pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 11:00 am (CST) in Suite 830 of the Jefferson County Main Courthouse. For special accommodation please call 205-325-5381.
BT04/04/2024
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INVITATION FOR BIDS
ITB #29-24 HOUSING REHABILITATION SERVICES JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL
Bids will be received by the Jefferson County Commission Purchasing Agent, Michael D. Matthews, Ph.D.,
C.P.M., until 4:00 (CST) p.m. on April 24, 2024, for ITB #29-24 HOUSING REHABILITATION SERVICES. All Solicitation information including forms, and specifications are available for download free at
Interested parties must meet bidder requirements and qualifications as specified in the bid documents on or before the date that the bids are due.
A performance bond will be required in the amount of $25,000.00
All questions must be submitted in writing to procurementservices@jccal.org
A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on April 10, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Jefferson County Shades Valley Training Facility located at 1330 Oak Grove Road, Birmingham, AL 35209. For special accommodations please call 205-325-5381 ext. 1810.
BT04/04/2024
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INVITATION FOR BIDS
ITB# 33-24 “Fire Extinguisher Inspection and Maintenance- ESD”
JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL
Bids will be received by the Jefferson County Commission Purchasing Agent Michael D. Matthews, Ph.D.,
C.P.M. , until 4:00 (CST) p.m. on 5/7/2024, for Fire Extinguisher Inspection and Maintenance – ESD.
All Solicitation information including forms, and specifications are available for download free at https://jeffcobids.jccal.org/Search.aspx. Interested parties must meet bidder requirements and qualifications
as specified in the bid documents on or before the date that the bids are due.
All questions must be submitted in writing to procurementservices@jccal.org attention Florencie Patton
and Harriett Bell.
A pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 11:00 am (CST) in Suite 830 of the
Jefferson County Main Courthouse. For special accommodation please call 205-325-5381.
BT04/04/2024
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NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Lake Purdy Dam Stability Improvements Project
Project Number:  P.01034
Capital Budget Number:  BP-616-12
Sealed Bids for the construction of the Lake Purdy Dam Stability Improvements Project will be received by The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham Engineering Department, Attn: Hattye McCarroll. P.E.; Chief Engineer, 3600 First Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35222 until 10:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Bids received after said time will be rejected and returned unopened.
Construction of Lake Purdy Dam Stability Improvements Project includes but not limited to the following scope of work:
1. Roadway Construction
a. Site work, grading and widening of the roadway.
b. Construction and installation of roadway erosion and sedimentation control.
c. Installation of chert which includes transportation and excavation of chert from a borrow area and placing, grading, and compacting on the roadbed.
d. Installation of a dense grade stone pavement on the entrance road of all graded or new roadbed where chert or other pavement is not applied.
e. Installation of storm pipes along the roadway.
f. Maintenance of roadway throughout the duration of the project.
2. Dam Rehabilitation
a. Demolition and disposal of all materials of the existing pole barn in the laydown area.
b. Clearing, grubbing, and grading.
c. Providing and maintaining erosion and sediment control measures, and obtaining stormwater NPDES Permit.
d. Construction of a sedimentation pond and outfall structure.
e. Extending and encasing the existing low-level outlet pipes.
f. Providing reinforced concrete for pipe encasement, stilling basin, training walls, retaining walls, spillway control section, and raising the dam crest.
g. Providing roller compacted concrete (RCC) buttressing of the dam.
h. Installing cast-in-place concrete step-facing system.
i. Installation of earthfill berms for support of non-overflow sections of the dam and temporary levels to serve as grouting platforms.
j. Performing comprehensive foundation grouting through and underneath the dam.
k. Passive dowels into rock, masonry, and concrete to secure proposed work to foundation and/or existing dam.
l. Conducting CCTV and geo-location of lower inlet pipe at valve house.
m. Repair and sealing of interior walls of valve house.
n. Replacement of valves in valve house and replacement of roof in valve house.
o. Installing filter drains within the earthfill abutments.
p. Constructing earthfill abutments.
q. Miscellaneous site improvements and site piping as required.
r. Other miscellaneous associated items as necessary to complete the work.
Bids shall be based on a lump sum plus unit price items plus contingency allowance items as indicated in the Bid Form.
Bidding Documents may be examined at the office of the Chief Engineer of The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham, 3600 First Avenue North, Birmingham, AL; and the office of Arcadis U.S., Inc., 1143 1st Ave. South, Birmingham, AL.
Prime Contractor bidders may obtain one complete set of Bidding Documents on or after March 6, 2024, from the office of the Chief Engineer of The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham upon payment of a $300.00 deposit by company check or by certified check and signing a nondisclosure statement. No personal checks or any other form of payment except as noted will be accepted. This deposit shall be refunded in full to each prime contractor bidder upon the return of the Bidding Documents in a reusable condition within 10 days after the bid opening.  Additional sets of Bidding Documents for prime contractor bidders, subcontractors, vendors or dealers may be obtained upon payment of said $300.00 deposit and signing a nondisclosure statement.  This deposit shall be refunded less the costs of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution, upon return of the documents in reusable condition within 10 days after the bid opening.  Company check or Certified check for documents shall be made payable to The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham, 3600 First Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama, 35222 and mailed to the Attn: Hattye McCarroll P.E.; Chief Engineer.  No additional charge will be made for delivery via UPS ground. Those requesting shipment of documents via carriers other than UPS ground will be made at the requesting firm’s expense.  Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available to any Bidder.  Neither the OWNER nor the ENGINEER will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including any addenda, obtained from other sources.  No Bidder may withdraw or alter a bid within 60 calendar days after the actual date of the bid opening.
A mandatory pre-bid conference and site visit will be held at 9:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at the OWNER’s Cahaba Pump Station, located at 4012 Sicard Hollow Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243. All prospective Bidders and interested parties are required to attend the pre-bid conference. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to raise questions pertaining to the Bidding and Contract documents and for the OWNER or its representatives to clarify any points. All Contractors shall complete and submit HUB Bid Solicitation Notice (HUB Form 3) no later than seven (7) days after the scheduled date of the pre-bid conference. This form may be submitted in person at the pre-bid conference. Bids will NOT BE ACCEPTED from any Prospective Bidder who does not attend the mandatory Pre-Bid Conference.
Each bid shall be accompanied by a cashier’s check, drawn on an Alabama Bank, or bid Bond in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid not to exceed $50,000.00 in the form and subject to conditions provided for in the Specifications.
The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond each in an amount equal to 100 percent of the Contract Award.
Bidders shall comply with all statutory requirements in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders.  Bids will only be received from Contractors who are licensed by the State of Alabama.
Contract time of commencement and completion will be in accordance with the Agreement.
The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham (“BWWB”) has adopted a voluntary Historically Underutilized Business (“HUB”) Program designed to encourage the participation of HUB firms in construction projects.  To that end, the BWWB will never exclude any firm from participation in, deny any person benefits of, or otherwise discriminate in connection with the award and performance of BWWB contracts based on racial, gender, social, or economic status.
It is the intent of the BWWB to foster competition among contractors, suppliers and vendors that will result in better quality and more economical services for the BWWB. Under this program, the BWWB has established a goal of 30% participation of HUB firms for services required for BWWB construction projects. The BWWB’s stated goal will not be the determining factor in construction contract awards; rather bidders must demonstrate compliance with the Good Faith Efforts, more particularly outlined in the HUB Program, toward meeting said goal.
Failure on the part of a bidder to fully submit the information required herein may be considered by the BWWB in evaluating whether the bidder is responsive to bid requirements.
Alabama Code §31-13-9 (1975) provides that as a condition for the award of any contract by The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham,  a business entity or employer that employs one or more employees within the state of Alabama shall provide documentation of enrollment in the E-Verify program.
Each Prospective Bidder must complete, as a condition for the award of any Contract by The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham, the Certification Regarding Debarment in Section 00 20 10.  The Certification must be complete in its entirety and must be included with the Prospective Bidder’s Bid (NO EXCEPTIONS).
Legislature of Alabama Act 2013-205 grants the Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR) the authority to issue certificates of exemption from sales and use taxes for construction projects for certain governmental agencies. Pursuant to Act 2013-205, Section 1(g) the Contractor accounts for the sales tax not included in the Bid Form by submitting an Accounting of Sales Tax-Attachment to BWWB Bid Form. Failure to provide an accounting of sales tax shall render the bid non-responsive. Other than determining responsiveness, sales tax accounting shall not affect the bid pricing nor be considered in the determination of the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. After Notice of Award, Contractor and Subcontractor licensed by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must comply with ADOR requirements for making an application for qualification of the exemption and are responsible for ADOR reporting requirements for the duration of the project.
If a Contract is to be awarded, it will be awarded to the Bidder with the best price on the best terms for the OWNER, who has neither been disqualified nor rejected pursuant to these Contract Documents, and whose Bid based on an evaluation by the OWNER indicates that the award will be in the best interest of the Project and will result in the lowest overall cost to the OWNER for completion of the project.  If a Contract is to be awarded, it will be awarded within 90 calendar days after the day of the opening of bids.
The OWNER reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, the right to waive irregularities or to accept any proposal deemed to be in the best interest of the OWNER.
Owner:
The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham
3600 First Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35222
Hattye McCarroll, P.E
Telephone number (205) 244-4182
Engineer:
ARCADIS, U.S., Inc.
1143 1st Ave South, Suite 109
Birmingham, Alabama 35233
Mr. Dhiraj Parekh, P.E
Telephone number (205) 930-5956
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________
( Jessica says this person wants this ad bordered )
FARM FOR SALE
* NO COMMISSION
* WATER, ELECTRICAL, BARN, POND
* BLOUNT COUNTY, AL / WILL HELP FINANCE
205) 907-1749
BT04/04/2024
_____________________________

City of Birmingham, Local Real Estate Pros Partner to Encourage Homeownership

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Members of the Birmingham Realtist Association attended a Birmingham City Council meeting, as they have become official partners with the City of Birmingham to administer down payment assistance to homebuyers. (Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson, The Birmingham Times)

By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson | For The Birmingham Times

The City of Birmingham will partner with area real estate professionals on a down payment assistance program to create more opportunities for African Americans who want to own homes.

The council voted unanimously to collaborate with the Birmingham Realtist Association on the program. Realtists are African American real estate professionals part of the larger National Association of Real Estate Brokers, or NAREB, which has chapters all over the country.

NAREB’s mission is to encourage home ownership among more African Americans nationwide by working through its local chapters.

“We generally have a really deep footprint in the community, but being able to partner with the city on things like this allows us to really be able to bridge the gap and bring the residents and the city together to create a common goal,” said Justin Williams, President of the Birmingham Realtist Association.

Council President Darrell O’Quinn said the partnership allows the city to help identify potential homeowners. “I’m glad that we have that group locally to work with and help us overcome some of our own legacy,” he said. “Many of our communities are still segregated and that’s a portion of our past we will have to be very intentional about overcoming.”

He added, “Redlining is something that still occurs today and their organization occupies a particular spot of being very vocal and pointing out that those disparities.”

Here’s how the down payment assistance program will work:

For buyers who qualify for the assistance, they “will have access to at least $10,000 of down payment assistance funds,” Williams said. “There may be matching funds from some partnering banks, but that can go towards all things in regard to their cash to close. Those funds are going to be extremely important for buyers to be able to secure homes,” said Williams.

From left: Associate Broker Justin Williams, President of Birmingham Realtist Association; Kingsley Chuku, President of the Young Realtist Division, and Broker Lou Hill of the Birmingham Realtist Association. (Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson, The Birmingham Times)

The partnership comes days before Realtist Week, which is April 8-14 and will feature a series of events which spotlight steps to prepare more African Americans for homeownership.

One of the highlights is the Building Black Wealth Tour Community Day on Saturday, April 13 at New Rising Star Baptist Church, 7400 London Avenue, at 10 a.m.

“This is the real estate extravaganza with information from all different sectors of the real estate industry — for homeowners, for home buyers, for Black males to be able to purchase homes, and for women to invest in real estate. There will be one-on-one opportunities with real estate agents, housing counselors, lenders and attorneys. It’s a free event for the community, so we’re looking to reach at least 1,000 residents,” said Williams.

Other events of the week include a Fitness Day/Membership Drive, a State of Housing in Black America Luncheon and an Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament.

The climate for home ownership for African Americans is shifting, which makes the work of his organization all the more important, Williams said.

“Home ownership is becoming less affordable with rising interest rates, soaring home prices and additional costs that are being added to the buyers now, outside of all the other challenges,” said Williams. “Those things are just broadening the (wealth) gap, but as we talked about, our goal is closing the wealth gap and understanding that home ownership is one of the tools to achieve that.”

For more information on the Birmingham Realtist Association, visit www.nareb.com/birmingham-realtist-association

‘We Were Gazing Up at the Trees and That’s Where We Shared Our First Kiss’

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SONYA AND CHRIS THIGPEN

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times

Live: Moody

Married: June 28, 1997

Met: September 1995 at AmSouth Bank, in Birmingham. They were both Consumer Loans Clerks. Chris started working there while Sonya was on vacation and when she returned he noticed a new face and asked around about her.

“…we kinda met in the [file cabinet area], we would cross paths in that area a lot,’ said Sonya.

“We’re both kind of quiet so in the beginning it was just us speaking to one another and then got to the point of having conversations and I eventually asked her to lunch. She declined, but I didn’t think anything of it,” Chris said. “I just knew I’d have to be more direct the next time.”

“The first time he asked me out I didn’t even realize he was asking me out,” Sonya laughed. “He asked me to go have lunch and I had brought my lunch that day so I declined, and my coworkers started beating me up about it and told me he was asking me out… [Our] coworkers were trying to play cupid, and after a while they set up a group lunch date and they backed out one by one so that it ended up being just he and I.”

“I did figure something was up when they started declining one by one,” Chris said. “[Sonya and I went ahead and] ate lunch in the cafeteria at work and I asked her if she’d like to go out that weekend.”

Sonya and Chris Thigpen met in 1995 while working at AmSouth Bank in Birmingham. The couple married in 1995. (Provided Photos)

First date: January 1996, At the now closed French Quarter nightclub in downtown Birmingham, followed by a day date to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Sonya said her shyness got the better of her during the first half of the date.

“What I remember the most is that Sonya has always been genuinely sweet and honest and with both of us being kinda quiet people, it was a challenge at first because you had two quiet people in a busy club and I had to figure out a way to break the ice and start the conversations,” Chris said. “Luckily they served food, so I ordered some food and we sat down and the conversation started to flow with the people watching and talking about what was going on around us,” Chris said.

“…I really had not frequented clubs much, so it was like wonderment for me. It was new sights and new sounds, and I was impressed that they had live music. We talked, we laughed, we didn’t dance, I don’t even think we had any alcohol to drink. We just had a coke [to drink] talked and enjoyed each other’s company,” Sonya said.

The date went so well, that when Chris took Sonya back home, she invited him inside so they could talk longer. “We talked until the sun came up,” Sonya said. “And then he suggested that we [should part ways] and get a little rest, and he said I have a place in mind that I think you would like, and if you’re interested [I’d like to take you there later today]. And I said that’s fine.”

A few hours later, Chris was back at Sonya’s Southside apartment for the next part of their date at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

“I’m an outdoor person and I would go there often and sit and look up through the trees. It was a renewing [ritual] for me to get out of the hustle of life and it was a peaceful state of mind that I enjoyed being in and I wanted to share that with her,” Chris said.

“There was a moment during the walk where we took a seat underneath a tree and he started pointing things out to me and we were gazing up at the trees and that’s where we shared our first kiss,” Sonya said.

The following weekend Chris invited Sonya to a family gathering. She met his family and said she felt very welcomed and embraced.

The turn: “… it was unspoken, but we knew we were together,” said Sonya “It was not so much a specific moment, but it was a sense or a feeling … I felt secure, and I had never had an uncomfortable moment with Chris. It was like we were soul mates and were playing something out that had already happened. By the third date, I told him ‘I love you’, and I said, ‘It’s OK if you don’t feel the same way, you don’t have to say it back’ and he put his hand up and said stop, ‘I love you too’.”

“From my side of it, I was at lunch with my mom and we were talking about life in general and she made a comment that it was OK if I decided to move out [of the house he mother owned] and start my life. When I knew that she was comfortable with Sonya, that was my sign to take things to the next level,” Chris said.

By March 1996, the pair were co-habitating, living together at Sonya’s Southside apartment.

The proposal: Christmas Day, 1996, in their apartment in 5 Points South.

“By this point, we had been through an apartment fire and the ring was under the tree, and by the grace of God we didn’t lose everything (including the ring),” Chris said. “I remember trying to figure out how I was going to let it out [the proposal], and it just ended up coming out.”

Sonya was in full anticipation of the pending proposal. “I made sure I was cute, my hair was looking nice, I had my nails done. We had been talking about getting married, we had lots and lots of conversations about it so we knew it was going to happen, just not when. He had asked me what kind of ring I would like and I described a ring of my mother’s that I loved and without even seeing it he actually went out and bought the exact same ring,” said Sonya.

“And we were in our PJ’s opening up all the gifts and I grew a little disappointed when I didn’t come across a ring. But he said wait, we have one more and he went under the skirt of our 4-foot tree that was mounted on a table and he pulled out a gift box and it was nicely and professionally wrapped and he’s snapping pictures and I’m smiling from ear to ear. And I said ‘Wait, are you gonna ask me to marry you?’ And he smiled and kinda put his head to the side and said, ‘Sonya, will you marry me?’, and I said ‘yes’.”

The wedding: At Bryant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal [AME] Church in Grasselli Heights, officiated by Reverend Tommy Hagler. Their colors were navy blue, gold, and cream.

Most memorable for both the bride and groom was a comical moment they shared when it was time for the groom to salute the bride.

“At the moment when Chris was told to kiss his bride, he paused and took a slight step back, and I had a moment of panic. But then he pulled out a little breath spray bottle, sprayed his mouth, and then came in for the kiss. The entire church was in stitches,” Sonya said.

“I wanted to lighten the moment, and I knew she would appreciate the humor. I’m always laughing at something in my head…,” Chris said.

Humor is how the couple gets through tough, and serious moments. Like when Sonya had breast cancer in 2004. “…Chris was my personal barber during that time, and even with that we had humor,” Sonya said. “[we joked about my bald head] …we have always been able to laugh at ourselves and take out some of the seriousness in life.” (Sonya has since recovered).

They honeymooned on a weekend trip to Atlanta, and a visit to Six Flags over Georgia. A few months later they went to Fort Morgan, Ala. near Gulf Shores, Ala.  and spent a weekend on a private beach.

Words of wisdom: “Allow one another to be human. Give grace to yourself and your partner and realize marriage is a work in progress. It’s about growing together and realizing there’s no template. It depends on the individuals and their experiences and how they use those experiences to grow together,” Chris said. “When we got together one thing that stuck in my head was that we are two individuals with different experiences, and she complimented me and made me better and I hoped that I complimented her the same. Our daughter is the physical manifestation of that. She is the best of each of our experiences together, and I still feel like our best days are ahead of us.”

“A lot of things boil down to mutual respect for one another and deciding to maintain that respect and choosing how to approach the difficulties in your relationship with that respect in mind…” Sonya said. “You should respect how you both feel and react to situations and move forward from there and remember why you started the journey together in the beginning. Make sure the love is true and unshakable [because] you’re going to be faced with a lot of obstacles, and your vows are going to be put to the test. Be willing to get through those tests together.”

Happily ever after: The Thigpens attend Bryant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal [AME] Church in Grasselli Heights, and have one daughter, Christiana, 15.

Sonya, 52, is an Air Force brat born in Ashville, North Carolina, and settled in Prattville, Ala. in 1987 and graduated from Prattville High School. She attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham [UAB], where she earned a bachelor of arts degree with a concentration in English literature and has worked for Protective Life Insurance Company as a Senior Specialist in Customer Operations for 24 years.

Chris, 52, is a Birmingham [Riley Station] native, and Jones Valley High School grad. He went into the military after high school and served in the US Army Reserves as an administrative specialist and was honorably discharged in 2003. Chris has worked for Regions Bank [Formally AmSouth Bank] for 30 years as a Compliance Analyst AVP [assistant vice president].

“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.

Birmingham Personal Injury Attorney | Guster Law Firm, LLC

Spring Break Film Camp Provides Creative Outlet for Birmingham-Area Students

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Nearly 50 Jefferson County students participated in the third annual Dundrill Heights Spring Break Film Camp, last week at the YMCA Youth Center in downtown Birmingham. (Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson, For The Birmingham Times)

By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson | For The Birmingham Times

Ready, set, action.

Nearly 50 Jefferson County students participated in the third annual Dundrill Heights Spring Break Film Camp, last week at the YMCA Youth Center in downtown Birmingham.

The film camp was brought to life by Valton Johnson, through his company Cinematic Creations, and was designed specifically for students during spring break.

“Kids are out of school and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” said the filmmaker. “So, we wanted to provide [students] a safe environment at the YMCA, and teach them all things film from screen writing, acting, ballet, poetry, dance …,” he said.

The camp is named for Johnson’s movie project titled “Dundrill Heights,” which follows the life of a conniving hotshot attorney which can be seen on both Tubi and Amazon Prime.

Johnson told students that “Dundrill” comes from his wife’s — LaCherie Price Johnson — family name.

Price Johnson assisted her husband at the camp.

“The expectation is that [students] will write their script, because they’re screenwriters; they will act out their scripts, because they’re learning acting; and then, they would shoot their own script and their movies,’ said Valton Johnson.

The sessions wrapped up Friday, March 29 with an awards ceremony for categories including best actor/actress, best writer and best cinematographer and words from one of its sponsors, Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson (D).

From left: LaCherie Price Johnson, actor/artist Javon Johnson (no relation) and LaCherie’s husband and filmmaker Valton Johnson. (Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson, For The Birmingham Times)

Tyson recognized actor and artist Javon Johnson (no relation to Valton and LaCherie), who plays the role of butler Richard Hallsen on Tyler Perry’s “The Oval.” Javon was on site working with students at the YMCA.

“I think this (camp) is a toolkit that can be spread out all over the world, and it will keep young people engaged and help them find their place in society,” said Tyson. “There’s great talent that comes out of the state of Alabama.”

Javon is an Anderson, South Carolina native (and very close friend of the late Chadwick Boseman, aka Black Panther), who said his path to his acting career wasn’t linear.

He attended South Carolina State University on a choir scholarship. But he answered the call to act while on campus. “There was a big theater building  next to the music department and the theatre building just kept calling me into it, and eventually I became a theatre major,” said Javon, who is married and father to 22-year-old twin boys and a 19-year-old daughter.

Not only does he work as an actor on-screen, but Javon refers to himself as an “artist” because he writes, directs, teaches and produces in addition to acting.

Local ballet instructor Rita Collins, was one of six instructors participating in the camp, which included her granddaughter. Collin said ballet is the gift that keeps on giving.

“I want students to know that the more skills you have … as in having been exposed to some things … the more marketable you are in the acting arena,” said Collins.

In addition to the spring break film camp, Valton Johnson said he and his team, hired by the Birmingham Board of Education, “did 11 film camps last year and touched 1,100 students.”

“We’re trying to make our students television ready because they didn’t know that they could simply be behind the camera and make a decent living, rather than standing behind a house selling dope,” he said.

Javon said he gives back to the students knowing he “didn’t have any of this growing up in Anderson, South Carolina. TV (acting) was an unimaginable world,” he said.

But the actor/artist added that he participates to give students a greater opportunity than what he had.

“Anytime you give young people a voice, it’s very important because a lot of times they don’t know how to say it or what they have to say.  I think this platform is set up to give them an opportunity to express themselves and tell the stories they want to tell. We never know how far this might take them. That’s why I’m here,” said Javon.

For more information on the Dundrill Heights Film Camp, visit www.cinematicreations.agency.

Heartbreak on the Hilltop: A Letter to Birmingham

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Birmingham-Southern College will close on May 31, after a nearly 170-year history as one of the city’s most respected institutions. (File)

By Wardine Alexander | Special to The Times

(An opinion)

Wardine Alexander is President Pro Tem of the Birmingham City Council.

I’ve been thinking about my granddaughter a lot lately. I try to imagine what it must be like to be young and in school during this particular moment in time with all the pitfalls of modernity and the general uneasiness we’ve all made note of in recent years.

She’s a freshman at an HBCU in another state and I just got back from visiting her – a celebration trip for her accomplishments this year. Since last week, I’ve kept thinking about how devastating the news of Birmingham-Southern College must’ve been to all those who had made similar trips here to celebrate with their children or grandchildren.

A little piece of Birmingham’s heart broke off last week, and the students, faculty and families of this historic college are left in the disarray. When something you love falls apart, the days that follow are cloudy regardless of the sunshine outside.

To all those who are left with the pieces of a place they loved and learned from, I’m thinking of you today. Eventually those heavy clouds and the weight of it all will lift and a new path will be revealed in time. But today, we’re all grieving.

I want to be honest about something: At first I was somewhat reticent about the City providing public funds to a private university that had found themselves in a financial hole. This was primarily because of the glaring need for additional funding for things like neighborhood revitalization efforts, street paving, workforce development programs and the like.

Over time, I changed my mind completely. After speaking with residents who live near the campus, hearing the stories of students who attend BSC and the multiple conversations we had with BSC President Daniel Coleman, it became clear that losing this institution would severely kneecap the momentum we’ve had and the consequences of such far outweighed my concerns. Unfortunately, here we are today despite our best efforts.

For too long Birmingham has suffered from brain drain — losing our young people to other large cities across the South. On the flip side, recruitment and retention of young talent from other cities hasn’t been much easier, to be quite frank. That uphill battle we’ve been fighting got a little steeper last week, but we have no choice but to keep trudging along. It’s going to take regional cooperation, innovative thinking and perhaps a little luck, so I’m choosing to be hopeful for the future of this beautiful 190-acre campus on the hill.

We cannot, under any circumstances, let it rot and be lost to the elements like Carraway Hospital, which sat vacant for decades.

Alabama is home to the most HBCUs in the country, any number of which could possibly step into the breach and open a new chapter for higher learning in Birmingham; one with a focus on drawing from the wellspring of young talent we have in our local school systems.

The reality is that BSC was out of reach for many families in Birmingham. That’s not a knock on them, that’s just how it was. Imagine where Birmingham could be in 50 years if we can keep our children here by giving them more access to opportunities and a reason to buy into this city for the long haul.

As elected leaders, it’s something we hear all the time from prospective businesses and industries looking to relocate. They want a deep pool of educated, work-ready young people to fill roles in their companies. It’s a key component of economic development efforts, and one that we need to improve upon. Without stepping over the broken pieces of something we loved, I want us to recognize that opportunity lies on the heels of hardship. It’s all a matter of how we choose to respond.

Is this another casualty in the war on education? Who knows? The forensics of this will be picked apart in the months to follow, but there is no doubt that access to higher education has been in the crosshairs of certain state officials and those on the federal level who are cut from the same cloth.

We are not backing down. We can’t. For better or worse, Birmingham is on the front lines of the resistance against ignorance; a blue dot in a ruby red state that’s hell-bent on cutting off its nose to spite its face. So before we can let the dust settle on this tragedy, we have to pick each other up and keep marching forward. The lines have been drawn, and if you believe every child deserves a chance to become the best version of themselves, I hope you’ll join us in this fight.

Wardine Alexander is President Pro Tem of the Birmingham City Council.

C-SPAN to Air Documentary by Ramsay High School Students Jacari Dillard, Erial Malone

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Ramsay High School students Jacari Dillard, left, and Erial Malone, will receive $1,500 for their C-Span short documentary. (C-SPAN)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Two students at Ramsay IB High School are second-prize winners in C-SPAN’s national 2024 StudentCam Documentary competition.

Jacari Dillard, 17 and Erial Malone, 17, will receive $1,500 for their short documentary, “The Two Trillion Dollar Crisis” which will air on April 14. In Birmingham, C-SPAN is available locally through Spectrum.

StudentCam is C-SPAN’s annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think critically about issues that affect communities and the country. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the competition. Students were asked to address the theme: “Looking Forward while Considering the Past”.

C-SPAN awards cash prizes totaling $100,000 to the student filmmakers of the top 150 student documentaries.

Dillard and Malone, the only Alabama students to place, chose to address student loans because “it is such a popular topic especially with [President Joe] Biden’s student loan forgiveness program being big right now as well as, being seniors in high school, we don’t really understand how student loans really affect us,” said Dillard.

“Last year we decided to pick inflation as our topic because we were doing a lot of things in the classroom related to that specifically,” he said.

Their video, “Inflation, A Losing Game” earned them a third-place finish in 2023.

“Winning last year with no background in filmmaking, we knew that we were creative and capable of doing something big before we left Ramsay. We wanted to tell the stories of our facility,” said Dillard.

Malone has eyed the University of Alabama where she wants to study business and as well as take required courses for psychology in graduate school.

Dillard said he’s undecided where to attend school but would like to study computer science to become a software engineer.

Participating in the C-Span competition has allowed Dillard to be a creative in a way he didn’t think was possible, he said.

“It makes me feel validated. I can remember when I was younger, I didn’t feel like I had creativity. I didn’t like to draw. I didn’t like art class. Looking back on where I was then, and where I am now, it really gives me validation that I am a creative and that I can make award-winning films on a national level,” he said.

Malone said, “the biggest thing is making sure people are heard and that they understand the importance of scholarships, good grades, and a great ACT score, so that you will not have to deal with student loan debt. Student loans are so big to our community. I always hear my mom hoping that they forgive her student loans. It affects so much, like your credit score. Credit is how you live your life.”

Together, they created a four-step plan for their documentary that can be implemented over the next 20 years that includes income driven repayment, interest free loans, more Pell grant money, and free tuition.

“First, we need to make sure that people are educated on student loans. A lot of the feedback that we heard from our teachers were that they didn’t know what they were getting into. They just signed a dotted line, took that money, and now they must pay it back and they didn’t understand the repercussions.

“Secondly, we researched something called income driven repayment as well as interest free loans … If you are paying on the loan, depending on how much your income was, your student loans would not include interest. Something that keeps people paying for their entire life.  Our third step would be expanding the Pell grant. When it first started out, it covered almost 90 percent of your education. Today is less than 30 percent. Our last step is making sure that college would be tuition free,” said Dillard.

C-SPAN television networks will broadcast each of the grand prize, first prize, and second prize winning documentaries during the month of April. For more on the prize-winning documentaries visit here.

Birmingham Celebrates National Poetry Month with These Area Events

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Salaam Green, Birmingham’s inaugural poet laureate, is ready to share her first full-length poetry collection. (File)

The Birmingham Times

The sixth annual Magic City Poetry Festival kicks off April 2 with readings at the Hoover Public Library from 6 to 8 p.m.

Poets can register to perform at magiccitypoetryfestival.org.

The Magic City Poetry Festival is a monthlong event held each April to celebrate National Poetry Month. Organizers assemble poets and artists from Alabama and beyond to give readings, do poetry in the parks, teach workshops, give lectures and perform multidisciplinary art pieces across the greater Birmingham area.

“Whether you’re enjoying a blend of jazz and poetry, reading your own work at a salon or attending an event virtually, this year’s festival will inspire creativity in the young and young at heart,” festival director Ashley Jones said in a news release.

To see the full schedule of events and register to attend, visit to magiccitypoetryfestival.org.

Poetry Matters @ Hoover Public Library

When: Tues., April 2

Where: Hoover Public Library

200 Municipal Drive

Hoover, AL 35216

Time: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Read original poetry, recite beloved verse, and honor the importance of poetry in our lives. Performer registration required. In coordination with the Magic City Poetry Festival, poetry takes the main stage at the library. Join and share or just come to observe.

*Online Registration Required

Thoughtful Readers Gathering

When: Sun., April 7

Where: Zoom

Time: 5 p.m.-6 p.m.

* Registration is required for all online Thoughtful Readers Gatherings. All online Thoughtful Readers Gatherings take place on Zoom. A paid registration is available.

Thoughtful Readers Gatherings™, a new series of author conversations to connect writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon’s growing audience of thoughtful readers and writers with good books and nourishing conversations.

The event layout is as follows:

  • 15-minute conversation to focus on the guest author’s reading and writing life.
  • 30-minute conversation about the book with an 8-minute reading, a 10-minute conversation with me (questions provided ahead of time), and 5-10 minutes of Q&A

Janice Harrington at The Alabama Library Association Conference

When: Fri., April 12

Where: Homewood Public Library

1721 Oxmoor Rd, Birmingham, AL 35209

Time: 12 p.m.-2 p.m.

MCPF is proud to bring Alabama native, poet, librarian, and children’s Author Janice Harrington to Birmingham to feature at the Alabama Library Association Conference. In this lunch and learn, Harrington will talk about her life and love of books, and how that love of reading has blossomed into a fruitful career! Attendees of this luncheon will need to register with the Alabama Library Association Conference.

Poetry at the Museum

When: Sat., April 13

Where: Birmingham Museum of Art

2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203

Time: 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Each year, MCPF brings poetry alive in unlikely places like public parks, national monuments, and this year, for the first time, at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Poetry at the Museum, sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and Yelp, will feature four local poets who will share work related to visual art. There are two attendance options this year: the Yelp Community Experience and Free General Admission.

The Yelp Community Experience begins at 1pm and features a reading by Yelp’s sponsored poet, Birmingham Poet Laureate Salaam Green, and local poets Kanou Julien, Miriam Calleja, and Lauren Slaughter. Yelpers, meaning anyone with a Yelp account, will receive a special gift after checking in on the event page. If you do not have a free Yelp account, quickly create one here.

For regular admission to our 2pm or 3pm tour, please register at the regular admission link and arrive at 2pm or 3pm to attend one of the two other tours.

*Regular Free and Paid Yelp Community Experience Admission

Zines and Poetry: Making a Tiny Book with Alina Stefanescu

When: Wed., April 17,

Where: Zoom

Time: 6 p.m.

In structural conditions that narrow what gets published, whether by political systems that legislate repressive ideologies against free speech or by economic structures that prevent critical and system-challenging work from being published, the zine works from a tradition of grassroots publishing. The zine isn’t working to get into the elite circles (though sometimes it does): the zine is working to speak, to say, to share, and to imagine power differently.

In this zine-making workshop, join MCPF board member, celebrated writer, and poet Alina Stefanescu as you endeavor to make your very own zine. Supplies needed: white paper (printer or otherwise), a writing utensil, glue, and optional collage materials (magazines, etc).

*Free Online Registration

Birmingham’s Poet Laureate Salaam Green to Host a Public Reading From Her New Chapbook 

When: Thur., April 18

Where: Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place.

Time: 5:30 p.m.

The City of Birmingham’s Poet Laureate Salaam Green will host a public reading of her new chapbook, “Once Upon a Magic City.”

“Poetry preserves a people and a place,” Green said. “’Once Upon a Magic City’ was born from the many stories the city holds. I hope as readers engage with the book and that they begin to experience the healing power of words and begin to dream again about the promise of Birmingham.”

Green began her two-year term as Birmingham inaugural poet laureate in January 2024.

Green’s upcoming chapbook will include poems “Freedom Call,” “Birmingham Where the World Belongs,” “Healing is at Hand,” “Little Girls of Birmingham,” and many others. Attendees will receive a complimentary special edition copy, which will include journal prompts.

Local visual artist Micah Briggs was commissioned to design the book’s cover. An unveiling of the cover will take place on that evening. Free posters will be available.

For more information about the Poet Laureate program and the event, visit birminghamal.gov/poet.

Freedom Poetry Salon

When: Fri., April 19

Where: Home of Charlotte Donlon

Time: 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

This salon, hosted at the home of Charlotte Donlon, will provide space and time for poets, musicians, all artists to share work in an open-mic style.

Beverages and snacks will be provided by Church Street Coffee & Books.

*Registration is required, as space is limited. Location and parking instructions will be sent directly to registrants 24 hours before the event. Please contact Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you have any questions.

Return to Wonderment: Poetry and Jazz with Thandiwe Shiprah and Daniel Arite- East Village

When: Sat., April 20

Where: East Village Arts

7611 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35206

Time: 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Return to Wonderment, is a performance collage of live jazz and poetry that honors humanity’s connection to Earth and highlights ways to deepen our rapport with nature and our commitment to ecological renewal. It features Daniel’s original compositions and new arrangements of jazz standards tailored to Thandiwe’s rhythmic recitations of poems and popular song lyrics. In a varied mix of solos and duets — interwoven with illuminating video images — this evening’s length performance creates an inspiring space for refreshing the mind, listening to the heart, and celebrating the beauty and wonder of our shared home.

For Colored Girls with Joi Miner

When: Fri., April 26

Where: Miles College

5500 Myron Massey Boulevard Fairfield, AL 35064

Time: 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

America’s Next Great Author winner, poet and novelist Joi Miner will revive her production of Ntozake Shange’s groundbreaking choreopoem, for colored girls who considered suicide when the rainbow was enuf. This is MCPF’s first theatrical event, and we’re excited to share it with our community.

*Free Online Registration

Poetry at the Monument

When: Sat., April 27

Where: St. Paul’s UME Church

1500 6th Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203

Time: 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Each year, MCPF brings poetry alive in unlikely places like public parks, national monuments, and this year, we will reprise our popular Poetry at the Monument event. Poetry at the Monument, sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and hosted at the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, will feature three local poets who will share work related to civil rights and social justice.

*Free Admission, Online Registration Required

Poetry to the People: A Community Event Featuring Salaam Green

When: Tues., April 30

Where: Birmingham Public Library

2100 Park Place Birmingham, AL 35203

Time:  5 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Green will present a scholarly literature/history lecture and discussion: Poetry to the People: Historical Narratives of Poetry’s Powerful Influence on Justice and the Legacy of Civil Rights in Birmingham. As part of this scholarly lecture, Salaam will read from recent works on the lecture theme. This open-to-the-public, free event will be presented in the first-floor space at the Birmingham Public Library located at 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, Alabama. Guests will receive eco-friendly pencils and thought journals to take notes and write questions—encouraging participation in the Question/Answer portion of the program.

*Free Admission, Online Registration Required

UAB: Historical Housing Discrimination and Shortfalls in Colon Cancer Treatment Linked

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A nationwide study of 196 cities shows that housing discrimination from 90 years ago still casts a historical shadow of inequities in colon cancer care today, (Adobe Stock)

A nationwide study of 196 cities shows that housing discrimination from 90 years ago still casts a historical shadow of inequities in colon cancer care today, S.M. Qasim Hussaini, M.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and colleagues at the American Cancer Society and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health report in the journal JCO Oncology Practice.

In the 1930s, the federally sponsored Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, or HOLC, used racial composition to map out residential areas worthy of receiving mortgage loans and those areas to avoid. Neighborhoods high in Black, immigrant or minority non-white populations were red-lined as hazardous for home loans, creating systemic and persistent disinvestment in those neighborhoods, along with wealth inequities and concentration of health-harming exposures and psychosocial stressors. These limitations reduced access to health-promoting goods and resources such as green space, parks and healthy foods in redlined neighborhoods.

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Qasim Hussaini, M.D. (Jennifer Alsabrook-Turner)

To test whether residence in the formerly red-lined neighborhoods is associated with poorer guideline-concordant cancer care today, Hussaini and colleagues mapped colon cancer care for 149,917 newly diagnosed colon cancer patients from 2007 through 2017, as detailed in the National Cancer Database, against current-day residence in one of the four historical HOLC mapping areas. In the 1930s, the green HOLC areas, or HOLC A, were considered best for mortgage loans; the blue areas, or HOLC B, were considered still desirable; the yellow areas, or HOLC C, were marked as definitely declining; and the red areas, or HOLC D, were flagged as hazardous and to be avoided for mortgage lending purposes.

Overall, the researchers found that individuals diagnosed with colon cancer who resided in previously redlined HOLC D areas across the United States were today more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease, were less likely to receive guideline-concordant or timely treatment, and had worse survival.

“These findings underscore the long shadow of institutional racism through state- and federal-level discriminatory practices in shaping access to high-quality care and better outcomes for colon cancer, which is amenable to early detection and treatment,” said Hussaini, an assistant professor in the UAB Department of Medicine Division of Hematology and Oncology.

In detail, individuals living in HOLC D areas were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer compared with those living in HOLC A areas. Of the 78,164 people who did not receive guideline-concordant care as defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the odds of receiving non-guideline concordant care increased for individuals residing in areas with increasing hazard grades assigned by HOLC B, HOLC C and HOLC D, as compared with individuals residing in HOLC A areas.

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Map of redlining in Birmingham, 1933. (Public domain, Wikimedia Commons)

People living in HOLC D areas were 24 percent more likely to not receive guideline-concordant care, 34 percent more likely to not receive surgery, 26 percent more likely to not have at least 12 regional lymph nodes evaluated during surgery for spread of the cancer, and 20 percent more likely to not receive chemotherapy, compared with people living in HOLC A areas.

A predicted probabilities model — which adjusts estimates of guideline non-concordance for age and sex — showed that non-receipt of guideline-concordant care overall, as well as non-receipt of guideline-concordant surgery, lymph node evaluation and chemotherapy, sequentially increased from the HOLC A areas through to the HOLC D areas. Compared with those cancer patients living in HOLC A areas, those residing in HOLC B, HOLC C and HOLC D areas had increased wait times to the start of adjuvant chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is given after surgery in order to kill any remaining cancer cells and reduce the chance of disease recurrence.

Compared with newly diagnosed colon cancer patients residing in HOLC A areas, those living HOLC C and D areas had 9 percent and 13 percent excess risk of death in statistical models that did not adjust for stage of the cancer at time of diagnosis. After stratification by stage — either early, stages I and II, or advanced, stages III and IV — the excess risk of death association persisted for the HOLC C and HOLC D areas for both the early and late stages at diagnosis.

Several previous studies by others have noted racial or ethnic disparities in breast cancer outcomes in previously redlined neighborhoods in New Jersey, an increased incidence of advanced-stage lung cancer in formerly redlined areas of Massachusetts and a lower odds of lung cancer screening for Black individuals in previously redlined areas of Boston. However, those single geographic area studies did not examine whether patients received quality cancer care.

“To our knowledge, this is the first national study, including all states, to evaluate the association between historical institutional racism and current-day receipt of quality cancer care and outcomes using standardized measures of cancer diagnosis, individual and tumor characteristics, receipt of treatment, and survival,” Hussaini said. “Other strengths of the study are a diverse study population including all age and racial groups, and a focus on multiple aspects of care from stage at diagnosis to treatment receipt and survival.”

The American Society of Clinical Oncology, or ASCO, defines health equity as a fair and just opportunity for everyone to be as healthy as possible. Colon cancer has about 150,000 new cases each year. It is the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of death from cancer, even though colon cancer is amenable to early detection and treatment. Widespread inequities in survival exist due to unequal access to care.

Co-authors with Hussaini in the study, “Association of historical housing discrimination and colon cancer treatment and outcomes in the United States,” are Qinjin Fan, K. Robin Yabroff and Leticia M. Nogueira, the American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia; and Lauren C.J. Barrow and Craig E. Pollack, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

Support came from National Institutes of Health SEER-Medicare HOMES grant CA269488, National Institutes of Health grant CA269488 and ASCO Young Investigator Award 2023YIA-5973930875. This study was previously presented, in part, at the 2022 ASCO Quality Symposium in Chicago, Illinois.

At UAB, Medicine is a department in the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, and Hussaini is also an associate scientist in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. Hussaini completed his medical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.

UAB recently launched the Research Strategic Growth Initiative: Growth With Purpose. One of the five high-growth research areas that UAB will focus on is social determinants of health, specifically health equity. Click here to learn more about the initiative.