BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Guest Service Ambassador, 2) Assistant Ticketing Manager and 3) Setup Supervisor for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.

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Assistant Director of Finance

BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Assistant Director of Finance for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.

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Utility Coordinator

BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Utility Coordinator for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.

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Guest Experience Coordinator Part Time

BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Guest Experience Coordinator Part Time, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.

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Athletic Turf Assistant Manager

BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Athletic Turf Assistant Manager, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.

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LEGAL

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CASE NO. CV-2025-904894.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: JESSICA DENISE EVANS, LASHARRTA EVANS, ROSA LEE EVANS, JENNIFER IVY, PATRICIA ROXANNE MCCOY, ROGER W. MCCOY, AND WILLIAM JAMES MCCOY, as heirs of ELLAWEED EVANS MCCOY; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF ELLAWEED EVANS MCCOY; KATHLEEN R. PEYTON AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF KATHLEEN R. PEYTON; V. BAXTER AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF V. BAXTER; COURTNEY GUFFIN, as heir of JULIAN W. GUFFIN; S & S 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,

TAKE NOTICE that on November 10, 2025, 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: 2212 14^th Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35234

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-25-2-030-018.000

Legal Description: Lot 4, in Block 1, according to Sudduth Realty Company’s Resurvey of Block 667 Birmingham, as recorded in Map Book 13, Page 63, 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. 2017106679 as follows: LOT 4 BLK 1 SUDDUTH RLTY COS SUB OF BLK 667 BHM)

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 March 12, 2026, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 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 20^th 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.

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION

LEGAL NOTICE

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 Gymnasium Addition and Renovation to Locust Fork High School Package A: Administration Area Lobby and D Blount County for the State of Alabama and the Blount County 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

(Business Address)

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION

LEGAL NOTICE

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 Addition and Renovation to Career Technical Education Center at Columbiana for the State of Alabama and the (County) of Shelby, 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

(Business Address)

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION

LEGAL NOTICE

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given

that Action Flooring, Inc Contractor, has completed the Contract for Renovation of Library flooring replacement for Moody Elementary, Moody Middle, Moody High, St. Clair High, Margaret Elementary, Springville Elementary, Springville Middle, Springville High, Steele Elementary, Ragland High, and Asheville High Schools at 12 location within St. Clair County Limits for the State of Alabama and the (County) (City) of St. Clair County 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, P.C. 300 Chase Park South, Suite 200; Hoover, Al 35244.

Action Flooring , Inc

(Contractor)

______7324 Parkway Drive,

Leeds Al, 35094

(Business Address)

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ADVERTISEMENT 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 Miscellaneous Kitchen Renovation to Donaldson Correctional Facility, Bessemer, Alabama, DCM Project #2024082, for the Alabama Department of Corrections, located at 301 S. Ripely Street, Montgomery, AL 36130, 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 Goodwyn, Mills, Cawood, LLC at 2660 East Chase Lane, Suite 200, Montgomery, AL 36117.

P & M Mechanical, Inc.

325 Carson Road North

Birmingham, AL35215

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

SEALED PROPOSALS will be received from General Contractors by Hoover City Schools, 1070 Buccaneer Drive, Hoover, Alabama 35244 until the times noted below on January 29, 2026 for this project:

“HVAC Upgrades at South Shades Crest Elementary, Hoover Hall, and Hoover City Schools Board of Education Office” Each facility will be an individual bid package as follows:

Package A – Re-bid: South Shades Crest Elementary (1:30 PM CST)

Package B – Re-bid: Hoover Hall (2:00 PM CST)

Package C – Re-bid: Hoover City Schools Board of Education Office (2:30 PM CST)

at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read.

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to Hoover City Schools in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Payment Bonds and evidence of insurance required in the bid documents will be required at the signing of the Contract.

Drawings and specifications may be examined at the office of the Engineer.

Bid documents (Plans, Specifications, and Addenda) will be sent to General Contractors only from the Engineer electronically with no deposit. Subcontractors should contact a General Contractor for documents.

A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at Hoover City Schools Maintenance Facility, 1070 Buccaneer Drive, Hoover, Alabama 35244 at 10:30AM CST January 20, 2026 for the purpose of reviewing the project and answering Bidder’s questions. Attendance at the Pre-Bid Conference IS REQUIRED for all General Contractor Bidders intending to submit a Proposal and is highly recommended for Subcontractors. Bids from General Contractors not attending the Pre-Bid Conference will be rejected.

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms furnished by the Engineer or copies thereof. All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, and must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by the Engineer; the bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying his or her current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technical errors if, in the Owner’s judgement, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted.

Hoover City Schools

2810 Metropolitan Way

Hoover, AL 35243

Dewberry Engineers Inc.

2 Riverchase Office Plaza

Suite 205

Birmingham, AL 35244

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TENNESSEE AT CLARKSVILLE

NON-RESIDENT NOTICE

CASE NUMBER: CC-22-CV-2217

IN RE: CLINTON ALAN HARPER vs. ALLISYN BRIANNA HARPER

You are ordered to appear and defend an action filed against you entitled CLINTON ALAN HARPER vs. ALLISYN BRIANNA HARPER which has been filed in Circuit Court, Montgomery County, Tennessee, and your defense must be made within thirty (30) days from the date of the last publication of this notice, which shall be published for four (4) consecutive weeks in The Birmingham Times and send a copy to the plaintiffs’ attorney at the address listed below. In case of your failure to defend this action by the above date, judgment by default may be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Petition.

Ordered 09/19/2025, by Judge Joel Wallace Attorney for Plaintiff

Amy C. Bates

412 Franklin Street

Clarksville, TN 37040

931-919-5060

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ADVERTISMENT FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO RECEIVE BIDS FROM PRE-QUALIFIED BIDDERS

PRE-QUALIFICATIONS PROPOSALS will be received via mail or email, on behalf of the Owner, the Jefferson County Commission, by BDG Architects at 2308 1st Ave S, Suite 304, Birmingham, AL 35233 for the below referenced project until noon Central Standard Time on Thursday February 5th, 2026, after which no further applications will be considered. The pre- qualiﬁcation procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective bidder will be notiﬁed of the results of the pre-qualiﬁcation on Thursday February 19th, 2026. Pre-qualiﬁcation proposal requirements may be obtained from the Architect by request via email to bids@bdgllp.com. The Owner will be prequalifying the following categories of trades: Prime General Contractors, Electrical Sub-Contractors, Mechanical Sub-Contractors, Fire-Protection Sub- Contractors, and Audio-Visual Contractors. Each Contractor must have proven experience in their Line of Work.

Within the bounds of good faith, the Jefferson County Commission on advice from General Services retains the right to determine whether a Contractor has met pre-qualiﬁcation procedures and criteria. Only General Contractors who have been approved to bid pursuant to pre-qualiﬁcation procedures and criteria established by the Owner will be eligible to bid for the Project. Written pre-qualiﬁcation procedures and criteria are available for review at the office of the Architect or by email listed above. All bidders must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975. Construction Contracts shall be awarded only to a Prime General Contractor, licensed by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors, as required by Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama. Construction Contracts in excess of $100,000 shall be awarded only to Contractors licensed as required by the 1978 Code of Alabama, Title 34, Chapter 8 as amended. Bidders must be “responsible “in accordance with criteria in the Bid Documents and as stipulated by Title 39- 2-3-( e ) of the Code of Alabama.

JEFFERSON COUNTY 2121 BUILDING INTERIOR RENOVATION – PHASE III

The scope of Work is renovations to one Group B, Type IA building. The project will occur in one phase. The scope of Work is an approximately 11,700sf interior office renovation of existing occupied office space on the 9th ﬂoor, an approximately 2,900sf interior office renovation of existing occupied office space on the 10th ﬂoor, RACM abatement & window replacements on both ﬂoors, and audio-visual systems upgrades on the 2nd ﬂoor; located at the 2121 Building, 2121 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Blvd. Spaces may be unoccupied during construction. Required trades under General Contractor’s Work will include but not

be limited to electrical, mechanical, interior, and exterior glazing, abatement, structured

cabling, non-load bearing framing, audio-visual equipment, and millwork. DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS may be examined at the office of BDG Architects at the above-listed address starting Thursday February 19th, 2026. Bid Documents will be distributed via SharePoint link for free to the prequaliﬁed contractors.

A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at 2:00pm CST on Tuesday February 24th, 2026 in the Jefferson County Courthouse, Conference Room A420, Fourth Floor of the Annex Building at 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd, N, Birmingham, Alabama. Because of the nature of the project, General Contractors who have been pre-qualiﬁed must attend the Pre-Bid Conference. If the number of bidders who attend the Pre-Bid Conference decreases so there is little or no competition, the Bid may be postponed at the discretion of the Owner.

SEALED PROPOSALS will be received by the Jefferson County Commission at Room 1, General Services at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Sealed proposals will be publicly opened and read in the Commission Chamber, Second Floor, Room 270 at 2:00pm CST on Thursday March 12th, 2026. No bids submitted after this time will be considered. This requirement will not be waived. The clock in the Commission Chamber will be used to determine the correct time for the completion of the bidding period. A bid bond, executed by a surety company duly authorized & qualiﬁed to make such a bond in Alabama, payable to Jefferson County in an amount not less than ﬁve (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance Bond at 100% of contract price and Payment Bonds, evidence of insurance required in the bid documents, and E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding will be required at the signing of the Contract.

BIDS must be submitted on a lump-sum basis and on proposal forms furnished by the Architect or copies thereof. Submit 2 identical copies of the Bid on the proposal form provided without changes, in a sealed envelope bearing the Contractor’s name and current Alabama License number. All bidders must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by the Architect; the bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying his or her current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered. Bids that do not bear the General Contractor’s current license number will be returned without being opened. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technical errors if, in the Owner’s judgement, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted.

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Public Notice

NOTICE: The manufactured dwelling located at 4340 Pinson Valley pkwy Birmingham, AL 35215 lot 57 is now abandoned and will be sold by private sealed bid auction. To inspect the dwelling and submit a sealed bid, call Diana Valdez, 205-968-1640 ext. 3, by 9:00am on January 9, 2026 The dwelling community owner may bid on the dwelling. Bids will be unsealed, and the winning bidder will be announced on January 16 at 9:00 am at the dwelling location noted here.

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Public Notice

NOTICE: The manufactured dwelling located at 4340 Pinson Valley pkwy Birmingham, AL 35215 lot 9 is now abandoned and will be sold by private sealed bid auction. To inspect the dwelling and submit a sealed bid, call Diana Valdez, 205-968-1640 ext. 3, by 9:00am on January 9, 2026 The dwelling community owner may bid on the dwelling. Bids will be unsealed, and the winning bidder will be announced on January 16, 2026 at 9:00 am at the dwelling location noted here.

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Public Notice

NOTICE: The manufactured dwelling located at 4200 Northgate trail Pinson AL 35126 lot 29 is now abandoned and will be sold by private sealed bid auction. To inspect the dwelling and submit a sealed bid, call Diana Valdez, 205-968-1640 ext. 3, by 9:00am on January 9,2026 . The dwelling community owner may bid on the dwelling. Bids will be unsealed, and the winning bidder will be announced on January 15, 2026 at 9:00 am at the dwelling location noted here.

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Public Notice

NOTICE: The manufactured dwelling located at 4200 Northgate trail Pinson AL 35126 lot 18 is now abandoned and will be sold by private sealed bid auction. To inspect the dwelling and submit a sealed bid, call Diana Valdez, 205-968-1640 ext. 3, by 9:00am on January 9, 2026 The dwelling community owner may bid on the dwelling. Bids will be unsealed, and the winning bidder will be announced on January 16, 2026 at 9:00 am at the dwelling location noted here.

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Public Notice

Looking for information to help locate biological father of Shamar Jamier Sands to ensure he receives the love and support he needs to flourish.edwinasands@gmail.com

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

SEALED PROPOSALS will be received by The Birmingham City Board of Education at the Office of Edward McMullen, Director of Purchasing, on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 until 2:00 p.m., CST at 2015 Park Place North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203, for New Exterior Doors, Lighting and Site Improvements at Huffman Middle School, at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read.

The Project consists of the replacement of exterior doors, construction of a room housing a new metal framed handicapped ramp, installation of new handicapped ramp, new suspended acoustical ceiling system, new lighting in addition, repaving of existing parking lots, new exterior light fixtures and other work indicated in the contract documents for Huffman Middle School for the Birmingham Board of Education, Birmingham, Alabama

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to The Birmingham City Board of Education in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000.00, must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Payment Bonds and evidence of insurance required in the bid documents will be required at the signing of the Contract.

BID DOCUMENTS may be obtained from the Architect by digital access/file sharing access for a one time administrative fee of $150.00 (non-refundable; separate check), and/or deposit of $250.00 per set, which will be refunded in full on the first two (2) sets issued to each bidder submitting a bona fide bid, upon return of documents in good condition and reusable condition within ten (10) days of bid date. Other sets to general contractors, and sets for subcontractors and dealers, may be obtained with the same deposit, which will be refunded as above less cost of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution, which is estimated to be the same as the deposit amount. Partial sets will not be available. To expedite distribution of bid documents, deposit check(s) should be emailed and mailed to EXFORD ARCHITECTS, Attn: Fredrick Woods, Project Manager; 3928 Jefferson Avenue, SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35221, (fredrickwoods@exfordllc.com).

DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS may also be examined at appropriate plan rooms, i.e., Associated General Contractors, F.W. Dodge, Builders exchange, Construction Market Data, iSqFt.com, Building Construction Industry Authority, (BCIA), ARC Document Solutions Public Plan room, etc.

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at the Birmingham City Board of Education, 2015 Park Place North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203, on Wednesday January 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., CST.

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms furnished by the Architect or copies thereof. All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, and must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by the Architect; the bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying his or her current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technical errors if, in the Owner’s judgement, the best interest of the Owner will thereby be promoted.

Birmingham City Board of Education, Awarding Authority

Exford LLC, Architect

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ADVERTISEMENT for BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATION

And NOTICE of INTENT to RECEIVE BIDS

from PREQUALIFIED BIDDERS

Pre-qualification submittals will be received by the Owner’s Representative/Project Manager, David McCabe on behalf of Office of the Chief Facilities Officer, UAB Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama Board of Trustees at UAB Hospital Planning, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233 until 4:00 PM Central Time, January 30, 2026.The original and two (2) flash drives with duplicates of submittals are required for pre-qualification approval; however, email transmission copies may be transmitted to the UAB Project Manager David McCabe at dcmccabe@uabmc.edu and cc’d to sheywood@ghafari.com and mfreeman@ghafari.com to expedite the review process with a hard-copy of the submittal and two flash drives to be delivered within 24 hours.

UAB Highlands

Vacuum Pump Replacement

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama

Project No.:H255015

SCOPE OF WORK:

The project consists of the replacement of a vacuum pump at the UAB Highlands facility. The scope of work includes mechanical demolition and new work, as well as associated architectural and electrical modifications as required to facilitate the equipment replacement. The construction budget is anticipated to be between $300,000 and $400,000

The work will be performed under a single Prime General Contractor who will coordinate the work of this project. Particular and specific care will be required to coordinate complex shutdowns, limit disturbances, and follow strict Infection Controls and Interim Life Safety Measures (ICRA/ILSM) requirements for the protection of patients, family, and staff. The Prime General Contractors seeking to be pre-qualified will require experience with similar size and type hospital projects performed in and adjacent to an operating hospital environment and with the implementation and maintenance of infection control measures, interim life safety measures, coordinating shutdowns, and maintaining a clean and organized job site in an operating hospital. The General Contractor must have experience with representative projects as a General Contractor (not as a Construction Manager, Program Manager, etc.)

PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATIONS:

Prime General Contractor bidders interested in submitting a proposal must apply for pre-qualification and must be licensed under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, and Code of Alabama, 1975. A copy of current Alabama Contractors license is to be included in pre-qualification submittal.

Only bidders who have completed the pre-qualification process and that have been approved will be eligible to submit a bid for the Project. Prospective Bidder’s Pre-qualification Package must be received by the Owner’s Project Manager no later than 4:00 PM Central Time, January 30, 2026, after which no further requests will be considered.

Pre-qualification Requirements Information Package may be obtained from the Architect upon letterhead request sent by email or scanned into an email to sheywood@ghafari.com, copy mfreeman@ghafari.com and dcmccabe@uabmc.edu. Any addenda to the pre-qualification requirements will be issued to documented prime contractors only.

The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent prime contractor bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective prime contractor bidder will be notified of the results of the pre-qualification, on or about February 06, 2026.

The Owner reserves the right to waive technical errors in applications, extend or abandon the pre-qualification process, should the interests of the Owner appear to be promoted thereby.

Progress Design and Construction Documents:

Prior to the pre-qualification deadline, project progress plans and specifications may be examined at the following location beginning February 06, 2026:

Architect:

Ghafari Associates

2170 Highland Ave S

Suite 220

Birmingham, AL 35205

Phone:205-203-4611

Contact: Scott Heywood

Email: sheywood@ghafari.com

BIDS BY PRE-QUALIFIED PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDERS

Documents:

Bid documents will be available at the following locations after notice to pre-qualified bidders is given. Drawings and specifications may be examined at; ALGX Digital Plan Room, http://www.algraphics.com, 2801 5th Ave, South, Birmingham, AL 35233: Dodge Data & Analytics, http://www.construction.com, 2860 S State Hwy 161, Ste 160 #501, Grand Prairie, TX 75052-7361; at the AGC Internet Plan Room, 5000 Grantswood Road Suite 100, Irondale, AL 35210; at the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority, http://www.bcia1.org, 601 37^th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222; and at the Construction Market Data, http://www.cmdgroup.com, 30 Technology Pkwy, South, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30092-2912.

Bonds:

A certified check or bid bond payable to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Statutory Labor and Material Payment Bonds will be required at the signing of the Contract.

Bids:

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms or copies thereof furnished by the Architect. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for a period of ninety (90) days. The Owner reserves the right to reject bids if such action is determined to be in the best interest of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to revoke pre-qualification of any bidder in accordance with Section 39-2-12, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended in 1997 (by Act 97-225). The Bid Date is February 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Hospital Planning, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233. Bids shall be clearly identified on the exterior of the package with the bidder’s name, address, State license number, the name of the project being bid, time and place of the bid opening. Sealed bids shall be properly identified.

On the date of the bid opening, bids may be hand delivered or received by Express Service mail to the Office of David McCabe, Project Manager Facilities and Capital Projects, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233, until 12:00 noon. After 12:00 noon of the date of the bid opening, proposals must be hand delivered and presented at the bid opening. Sealed proposals shall be submitted in triplicate and shall be properly identified. All proposals received after 2:00 p.m. on February 19, 2026 (the date and time set for the receipt of bids) will be returned unopened.

Nonresident Prime Contractor Bidders:

Under Section 39-3-5, Code of Alabama, 1975, nonresident prime contractor bidders must accompany any written bid documents with a written opinion of an attorney licensed to practice law in such nonresident prime contractor bidder’s state of domicile as to the preferences, if any or none, granted by the law of the state to its own business entities whose principal place of business are in that state in the letting of any or all public contracts. Resident prime contractors in Alabama, as defined in Section 39-2-12, are granted preference over nonresident prime contractors in awarding of contracts in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by the laws of the state of domicile of the nonresident.

Fire Alarm Work:

In accordance with Title 34, Chapter 33A (the ACT), of the Code of Alabama 1975, bidders for fire alarm work of this project, if any, must include with their bid evidence of licensure as required by the ACT by including with the bid submittal a valid State Fire Marshal’s permit.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE

A mandatory Pre-Bid Conference is currently scheduled to be held at 10:00 AM CST on February 09, 2026 at UAB Hospital Facilities, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233. It is mandatory that all pre-qualified prime contractor bidders attend the Pre-Bid Conference.

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Notice of Application to Establish a Branch of a National Bank

Notice is given that Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered depository institution with its main office located at 38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45263, has filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on or about January 15, 2026 as specified in 12 CFR Part 5, for permission to establish a staffed branch located at 3201 Endeavor Lane, Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35242 (“Liberty Park BC”). Any person wishing to comment on this application may file comments in writing with the Director for Large Bank Licensing, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 7 Times Square, 10^th Floor Mailroom, New York, New York 10036 or by email to licensingpubliccomments@occ.treas.gov, within 30 days of the date of this publication. Written requests for a copy of the public portion of the application should be sent to the Director for Large Bank Licensing at licensingpubliccomments@occ.treas.gov. The public may find additional information regarding this application in the OCC’s Weekly Bulletin at www.occ.gov.

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ADVERTISEMENT for BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATION

And NOTICE of INTENT to RECEIVE BIDS

from PREQUALIFIED BIDDERS

Pre-qualification submittals will be received by the Owner’s Representative/Project Manager, Jeff Orr on behalf of Office of the Chief Facilities Officer, UAB Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama Board of Trustees at UAB Hospital Planning, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233 until 4:00 PM Central Time, January 30, 2026.The original and two (2) flash drives with duplicates of submittals are required for pre-qualification approval; however, email transmission copies may be transmitted to the UAB Project Manager Jeff Orr at jeorr@uabmc.edu and cc’d to sheywood@ghafari.com and mfreeman@ghafari.com to expedite the review process with a hard-copy of the submittal and two flash drives to be delivered within 24 hours.

UAB Highlands

14^th Avenue Parking Deck Restoration

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama

Project No.:H255026

SCOPE OF WORK:

The project consists of repairs to the existing 14^th Avenue Parking Deck on the UAB Highlands Hospital property. The scope of work includes architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical demolition and new work. The construction budget is anticipated to be between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000

The work will be performed under a single Prime General Contractor who will coordinate the work of this project. Particular and specific care will be required to coordinate complex shutdowns, limit disturbances, and follow strict Infection Controls and Interim Life Safety Measures (ICRA/ILSM) requirements for the protection of patients, family, and staff. The Prime General Contractors seeking to be pre-qualified will require experience with similar size and type hospital projects performed in and adjacent to an operating hospital environment and with the implementation and maintenance of infection control measures, interim life safety measures, coordinating shutdowns, and maintaining a clean and organized job site in an operating hospital. The General Contractor must have experience with representative projects as a General Contractor (not as a Construction Manager, Program Manager, etc.)

PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATIONS:

Prime General Contractor bidders interested in submitting a proposal must apply for pre-qualification and must be licensed under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, and Code of Alabama, 1975. A copy of current Alabama Contractors license is to be included in pre-qualification submittal.

Only bidders who have completed the pre-qualification process and that have been approved will be eligible to submit a bid for the Project. Prospective Bidder’s Pre-qualification Package must be received by the Owner’s Project Manager no later than 4:00 PM Central Time, January 30, 2026, after which no further requests will be considered.

Pre-qualification Requirements Information Package may be obtained from the Architect upon letterhead request sent by email or scanned into an email to sheywood@ghafari.com, copy mfreeman@ghafari.com and jeorr@uabmc.edu. Any addenda to the pre-qualification requirements will be issued to documented prime contractors only.

The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent prime contractor bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective prime contractor bidder will be notified of the results of the pre-qualification, on or about February 06, 2026.

The Owner reserves the right to waive technical errors in applications, extend or abandon the pre-qualification process, should the interests of the Owner appear to be promoted thereby.

Progress Design and Construction Documents:

Prior to the pre-qualification deadline, project progress plans and specifications may be examined at the following location beginning February 06, 2026:

Architect:

Ghafari Associates

2170 Highland Ave S

Suite 220

Birmingham, AL 35205

Phone:205-203-4611

Contact: Scott Heywood

Email: sheywood@ghafari.com

BIDS BY PRE-QUALIFIED PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDERS

Documents:

Bid documents will be available at the following locations after notice to pre-qualified bidders is given. Drawings and specifications may be examined at; ALGX Digital Plan Room, http://www.algraphics.com, 2801 5th Ave, South, Birmingham, AL 35233: Dodge Data & Analytics, http://www.construction.com, 2860 S State Hwy 161, Ste 160 #501, Grand Prairie, TX 75052-7361; at the AGC Internet Plan Room, 5000 Grantswood Road Suite 100, Irondale, AL 35210; at the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority, http://www.bcia1.org, 601 37^th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222; and at the Construction Market Data, http://www.cmdgroup.com, 30 Technology Pkwy, South, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30092-2912.

Bonds:

A certified check or bid bond payable to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000 must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Statutory Labor and Material Payment Bonds will be required at the signing of the Contract.

Bids:

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms or copies thereof furnished by the Architect. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for a period of ninety (90) days. The Owner reserves the right to reject bids if such action is determined to be in the best interest of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to revoke pre-qualification of any bidder in accordance with Section 39-2-12, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended in 1997 (by Act 97-225). The Bid Date is February 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Hospital Planning, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233. Bids shall be clearly identified on the exterior of the package with the bidder’s name, address, State license number, the name of the project being bid, time and place of the bid opening. Sealed bids shall be properly identified.

On the date of the bid opening, bids may be hand delivered or received by Express Service mail to the Office of Jeff Orr, Project Manager Facilities and Capital Projects, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233, until 12:00 noon. After 12:00 noon of the date of the bid opening, proposals must be hand delivered and presented at the bid opening. Sealed proposals shall be submitted in triplicate and shall be properly identified. All proposals received after 2:00 p.m. on February 24, 2026 (the date and time set for the receipt of bids) will be returned unopened.

Nonresident Prime Contractor Bidders:

Under Section 39-3-5, Code of Alabama, 1975, nonresident prime contractor bidders must accompany any written bid documents with a written opinion of an attorney licensed to practice law in such nonresident prime contractor bidder’s state of domicile as to the preferences, if any or none, granted by the law of the state to its own business entities whose principal place of business are in that state in the letting of any or all public contracts. Resident prime contractors in Alabama, as defined in Section 39-2-12, are granted preference over nonresident prime contractors in awarding of contracts in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by the laws of the state of domicile of the nonresident.

Fire Alarm Work:

In accordance with Title 34, Chapter 33A (the ACT), of the Code of Alabama 1975, bidders for fire alarm work of this project, if any, must include with their bid evidence of licensure as required by the ACT by including with the bid submittal a valid State Fire Marshal’s permit.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE

A mandatory Pre-Bid Conference is currently scheduled to be held at 10:00 AM CST on February 11, 2026 at UAB Hospital Facilities, 8^th Floor Daniel Building, 15 20^th Street S., Birmingham, Alabama 35233. It is mandatory that all pre-qualified prime contractor bidders attend the Pre-Bid Conference.

BT1/15/2025

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UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

Availability of Bankruptcy Administrator Position in the Northern District of Alabama at Birmingham

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit invites applications for the position of Bankruptcy Administrator in the Northern District of Alabama, stationed at Birmingham. Minimum qualifications include the active practice of law for at least three years. The annual salary range is $156,451 – $244,114, based on experience and qualifications.

The bankruptcy administrator is responsible for supervising trustees and debtors in possession and assuring that such persons effectively administer estates in cases in the district under § 1334 of Title 28 United States Code.

The full job announcement is available on the Court’s website at www.ca11.uscourts.gov or from a federal Clerk of Court in the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Persons interested in applying for this position must email a resume and cover letter in confidence as one single PDF attachment to the Circuit Executive’s Office at ca11_appointments@ca11.uscourts.gov on or before February 13, 2026. Please indicate Bankruptcy Administrator – ALND in the subject line.

The United States Courts Are Equal Opportunity Employers

BT1/15/2025

______________________________

IN THE JUVENILECOURT OF ST. CLAIRCOUNTY, ALABAMAPELLCITYDIVISION

THOMAS OLIVIA DELLARIE,

Plaintiff,

V.

JOHNSO N HARRIS DWIGHT JR,

Defendant.

)

) Case No.: CS-2025-900058.00

ORDER FOR SERVICE BY PUBLICATION

Upon proper motion of Plaintiff, and a finding that said motion is due to be GRANTED, it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED as follows:

Notice is hereby given to Defendant herein, HARRIS DWIGHT JOHNSON, JR., whose whereabouts are unknown, that Plaintiff herein, OLIVIA DELLARIE THOMAS, has filed a Petition to Modify Custody.

A-copy of this order shall be published once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks in the BIRMINGHAM NEWS, a newspaper with general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, which said order hereby requires Defendant to file with the Clerk of this court and the Plaintiff or Plaintiff’s attorney a written answer or other defense to the allegations set forth in the complaint filed by Plaintiff herein. Said answer shall be filed within 14 days of the last date of publication of this order by said newspaper or, upon expiration of said 14 days, a default may be entered against said Defendant for the relief sought by Plaintiff in her complaint herein.

DONE and ORDERED this 7th day of January, 2026.

Isl ROBERT L. MINOR JUVENILE COURT JUDGE

BT1/15/2025

______________________________

NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING

Housing Authority of the Birmingham District Draft 2027 Annual Plan The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District has updated its Annual Plan which is available for review and public comments on January 12, 2026 for 45 days located at www.habd.org and the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District 1826 3rd Avenue South Birmingham, Alabama 35233

BT1/15/2025

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MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE

Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) executed by PREMIER HOLDINGS, LLC, to MERIT BANK, on the 8^thday of November, 2019, and recorded on the 14^th day of November 2019, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, as Instrument Number 2019119011, the undersigned MERIT BANK, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said Mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, Alabama, on the 5^th day of February, 2026, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama, to-wit:

Commence at the Southwest corner of Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 12, Township 17 South, Range 4 West, Jefferson County, Alabama and run North 00* 00′ 00″ East (an assumed bearing) along the West line of said Quarter-Quarter Section for a distance of 529.93 feet to a point at the Southwest corner of said Parcel 1; thence continue North 00* 00′ 00″ East along the West line of said Parcel 1 for a distance of 782.88 feet to a point at the Northwest corner of said Parcel 1, also being on the South Right-of-Way line of Grainger Drive; thence run North 81* 24′ 26″ East along the North line of said Parcel 1 and also along said South Right-of-Way line for a distance of 141.38 feet to a point on a curve to the left having a central angle of 18* 23′ 14″, a radius of 444.66 feet, and a chord bearing of North 72* 12′ 49″ East; thence run in a Northeasterly direction along the arc of said curve and also along the North line of said Parcel 1 and also along said South Right-of-Way line for a distance of 142.70 feet to a point; thence run North 18* 03′ 26″ East for a distance of 2.30 feet to a crimp iron found on the Southwest Right-of-Way line of Forestdale Boulevard I US highway 78; thence run South 71* 56′ 34″ East along the Northeast line of said Parcel 1 and also along said Southwest Right-of-Way line for a distance of 587.15 feet to a crimp iron found; thence run North 71* 56′ 34″ West along the Northeast line of said Parcel I and also along said Southwest Right-of-Way line for a distance of 17.00 feet to an iron pin set with SS1 cap at the Point of Beginning; thence run South 18* 05′ 10″ West for a distance of 32.00 feet to an iron pin set with SS1 cap; thence run South 71* 54′ 50″ East for a distance of 17.00 feet to an iron pin set with SS1 cap; thence run South 18* 05′ 10″ West for a distance of 193.00 feet to a pk nail set; thence run North 71* 56′ 34″ West for a distance of 180.05 feet to a pk nail set; thence run North 18* 03′ 26″ West for a distance of 225.00 feet to an iron pin set with SS1 cap on the Southwest Right-of-Way line of Forestdale Boulevard I US Highway 78; thence run South 71* 56′ 34″ East along the Northeast line of said Parcel 1 and also along said Southwest Right-of-Way line for a distance of 163.16 feet to the Point of Beginning. Said Parcel containing 39,979 Square Feet, more or less.

SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD

THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, SUBJECT TO ANY EASEMENTS, ENCUMBRANCES, AND EXCEPTIONS REFLECTED IN THE MORTGAGE AND THOSE CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY IS SITUATED.THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO.

This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure.

The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate.

Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process.

This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation; contact JOHN R. BAGGETTE, JR., at the phone number or email shown below prior to attendance at the sale.

John R. Baggette, Jr., Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee

LANIER FORD SHAVER & PAYNE, P.C.

2101 West Clinton Avenue

Suite 102

Huntsville AL.35805

(256) 535-1100

jsb@lanierford.com

BT1/15/2025

_____________________________

Community Public Meeting Notice

Share Your Feedback on a Clean-Up & Adaptive Re-Use Plan for the Automotive Friction Site (located at 1512 7th Ave., North) along 7th Ave., North Corridor in Downtown Northwest Redevelopment District

Date: Monday, January 26, 2026

Time: 5:30-7:00 pm

Location: The Ballard House Project, Inc. 1420 7th Ave, North, Birmingham, AL

This constitutes a community notice of our intent to apply for an EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant and provides an opportunity for community members to comment on the draft application.

For additional Information or to submit comments, contact: Majella Chube Hamilton, Exec. Dir., The Ballard House Project 1420 7th Avenue, North, Birmingham, AL 35203; 205/731-2000 or Mchubehamilton@ballardhouseproject.org

BT1/15/2025

_____________________________

Puppies for Sale

Registered Mini Schnauzers , $350 , ready to go!!!

(( PLEASE KEEP THIS AD IN BOLD ))

BT1/15/2025

_____________________________

Booker T. Washington Students Attend Gov. Kay Ivey’s Final State of the State address

By

Birmingham Times

-

January 16, 2026

0

616233675_888015217211762_6569250358998987057_n — Scholars from Booker T. Washington K-8 School, accompanied by their principal, Dr. Antonia Ishman, BCS Chief Academic and Accountability Officer Dr. Pamela Williams and Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr Eric Mackey,attended the State of the State Address last night. (BCS)

Students from Booker T. Washington K-8 School in Birmingham traveled to Montgomery to attend Gov. Kay Ivey’s final State of the State address, where the school was recognized for its remarkable improvements.

“It feels like a very good experience that we are going to have in our lives,” said Brittany Gosselin, a student at Booker T. Washington.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that we get to have, so it’s very special,” said fellow student Madisun Sims.

The governor will acknowledge the school as one of the most improved in the state.

Scholars from Booker T. Washington K-8 School were greeted with applause as Governor Kay Ivey recognized their achievements. (BCS)

Principal Antonia Ishman highlighted the school’s progress, saying, “When we started as a governor turnaround school, we had a D on the A through F report card, and with the support of the turnaround initiative, we are now at a B.”

“I used to be a bad kid, I always got in trouble, and one of my teachers told me that’s not going to get you nowhere, and I’m here now,” said student Alexis Rivas.

Students expressed their gratitude to Governor Ivey for her support. “I want to tell her thank you for all the support she’s provided for our school, said Tianna Robinson. “I want to tell her that I’m so grateful for all the field trips and events she’s funded. I really appreciate everything she’s done for everyone in this school, including teachers and staff.”

Students said they plan to continue working hard to further improve their school’s grade.

‘I Have Decided to Stick with Love … ‘ Words of Wisdom from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By

Birmingham Times

-

January 16, 2026

0

King 3 — Martin Luther King Jr. speaking to journalists outside the Dallas County courthouse in Selma, Alabama, during a Civil Rights demonstration on January 19, 1964. (Ed Jones, Birmingham News/Alabama Department of Archives & History)

The Birmingham Times

As we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King’s Day on Monday January 19 here’s a look at some of his stirring and inspiring words which remain as relevant and inspiring today as when he lived.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.”
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
“Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.”
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”
“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”
Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at the annual Men’s Day celebration at New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on June 3, 1960. (Tom Lankford, Birmingham News/Alabama Department of Archives & History)
“We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now because I’ve been to the mountaintop… I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.”
“For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.”
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
“There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
“A lie cannot live.”
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
“There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November.”
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
“Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”
“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”
“Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself.”
“Hate is just as injurious to the hater as it is to the hated. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Many of our inner conflicts are rooted in hate. This is why psychiatrists say, “Love or perish.” Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
“In some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”
“We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will. And we shall continue to love you.”
“If one loves an individual merely on account of his friendliness, he loves him for the sake of the benefits to be gained from the friendship, rather than for the friend’s own sake. Consequently, the best way to assure oneself that love is disinterested is to have love for the enemy-neighbor from whom you can expect no good in return, but only hostility and persecution.”
“That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.”
“You know, a lot of people don’t love themselves. And they go through life with deep and haunting emotional conflicts. So the length of life means that you must love yourself. And you know what loving yourself also means? It means that you’ve got to accept yourself.”
“All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.’ If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn’t committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.”
“You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream.”
“I want to be the white man’s brother, not his brother-in-law.”
“Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.”
“A right delayed is a right denied.”
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
“The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.”
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
“The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.”
“I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.”

Birmingham’s Chris Richards Voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

By

Birmingham Times

-

January 16, 2026

0

82fbe9f23ff9938a4b426562e160548addd6cd66-580x580 — Birmingham native Chris Richards, a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. (U.S. Soccer)

ussoccer.com

ATLANTA – U.S. Men’s National Team defender Chris Richards has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year after an outstanding year in which he started 11 of 12 matches for which he was available for the USMNT and all six matches leading to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, a tournament in which he recorded two goals and earned a spot on the Best XI.

The Birmingham native has become a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in both domestic trophy wins, the FA Cup and Community Shield.

“It means a lot to me to join a very prestigious list of players,” Richards said. “This has been a big year, and we have an even bigger year coming up. This shows how well we’ve done as a team and the momentum we are building towards the World Cup.”

This is Richards’ first U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award and it comes in his first year being nominated. First recognized in 1984, a total of 28 players have won the award. The 25-year-old becomes the second consecutive defender to earn this recognition after Antonee Robinson won the award in 2024, marking the first time two defenders have won the award consecutively since Marcelo Balboa and Alexi Lalas in 1994 and 1995.

Richards was surprised with the news during an interview with Pat McAfee on the eponymous The Pat McAfee Show, which aired on ESPN earlier this afternoon.

“It was sick. I see Pat all the time on College GameDay. It was cool for him to announce this on his show and to give a shoutout,” Richards added. “It just shows how much the game is growing in the U.S., how much respect there is for the sport, and how much the excitement is building for the World Cup this summer.”

In a list of nominees that included defender Max Arfsten, defender Alex Freeman, goalkeeper Matt Freese and midfielder Malik Tillman, Richards won with 48.6 percent of the weighted total, followed by Tillman (21.7%) and Freeman (13%).

In addition to fan voting, votes for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year are collected from National Team coaches, USMNT players who earned a cap in 2025, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, professional league head coaches and sporting directors, select media members and former players and administrators.

In 2025, Richards played the most games (12) and minutes (1004) of his career in a calendar year. The 25-year-old started at the center of defense for the U.S. in every game on the way to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, a tournament that he scored twice, including a header in the final against Mexico. A combination of leadership and strong performances led to his inclusion in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI.

At the club level, Richards has established himself as a key fixture within the Crystal Palace defense. Throughout the 2024-25 season with The Eagles, he made 32 total appearances in all competitions, registering a goal and assist.

Richards backstopped Crystal Palace to a trophy at the end of the season, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the 2025 FA Cup Final to collect the first FA Cup trophy in the club’s history which dates back to 1861. Later that summer, Richards and Palace opened the 2025-26 season with a victory over Liverpool in penalty kicks in the 2025 Community Shield, with Richards once again going the distance.

Birmingham native Chris Richards, a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. (U.S. Soccer)

Memorable MLK Jr. Visits to Birmingham That Became a Part of His Legacy

By

Birmingham Times

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January 15, 2026

0

btCropKing 5 — Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama, possibly on Turnaround Tuesday in March, 1965. (Spider Martin, Birmingham News/ Alabama Department of Archives & History)

The Birmingham Times

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Birmingham have been intertwined ever since the Civil Rights leader helped dismantle segregation in a city once known as “Bombingham” for the frequent explosions at homes and Black churches during the 1950’s and 60’s.

Many point to King’s efforts in Birmingham in the spring of 1963, when he helped direct thousands of demonstrators to fill up Birmingham jails, as legacy-defining. His work during that pivotal year helped loosen the grip of segregation not just in the South but nationwide. However, King, whose birthday will be celebrated on January 19, began his work in the Magic City before 1963 and he did return afterwards. Here’s a timeline of King’s most memorable visits to the city.

Jan. 23, 1955: King gives speech titled “A Realistic Approach to Race Relations” at a Birmingham NAACP rally at Tabernacle Baptist Church. In the speech, King rebukes pastors for ignoring the cause of civil rights.

March 7, 1956: King meets in Birmingham with journalist William Worthy and veteran organizer Bayard Rustin to develop strategy for the Montgomery Improvement Association. The MIA, which guided the Montgomery bus boycott, was led by King and civil rights titans Edgar “E.D.” Nixon and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. The boycott, which began the Monday after Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, lasted from Dec. 5, 1955 to Dec. 20, 1956, a little over a month after a U.S. Supreme Court decision deemed Alabama’s bus segregation unconstitutional.

March 6, 1960: King speaks at Men’s Day at New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Birmingham’s South Titusville neighborhood. The church, which was led by pastor Nelson H. Smith, a leader in the Fred Shuttlesworth-led Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR), was a common meeting place for many Civil Rights leaders. King had just left his role as pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery to dedicate more time to his Civil Rights work.

Feb. 12, 1962: King speaks on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday at an ACMHR event at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham. In his speech, King urges members to keep the fight going for Civil Rights. “I wish I could tell you our road ahead is easy, that we are in the Promised Land, that we won’t have to suffer and sacrifice anymore, but not so. We have got to be prepared,” King says, according to archived police documents. “The time is coming when the police won’t protect us, the mayor and commissioner won’t think with clear minds, then we can expect the worse.”

King also recognizes the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, the president of the ACMHR, who was in jail at that time.

Sept. 24, 1962: King speaks at the beginning of the SCLC annual convention which is held in Birmingham. A few days into the convention, just after King had been reelected as president of the SCLC, a 22-year-old member of the American Nazi Party punches King twice. King urged those present to pray for the man and not hurt him.

From left, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; the Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy hold a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, on May 10, 1963. (Alabama Department Of Archives And History. Donated By Alabama Media Group. Photo By Tom Self, Birmingham News)

April 2, 1963: King arrives at the A.G. Gaston Motel for the start of the Birmingham Campaign. Wyatt Walker, another civil rights leader and strategist, lays out plans for demonstrations to be held in the coming weeks.

April 3, 1963: King speaks alongside Walker and James Lawson, another Civil Rights Movement, to around 65 people before they are to sit in at five different lunch counters in the city. At Britt’s Department Store’s segregated lunch counter, 21 demonstrators are arrested.

April 4, 1963: King leads a small group in a march to Birmingham City Hall followed that evening by a mass meeting at St James Baptist Church.

April 11, 1963: King and other leaders receive a court-ordered injunction against “boycotting, trespassing, parading, picketing, sit-ins, kneel-ins, wade-ins, and inciting or encouraging such acts.”

April 12, 1963: In defiance of the injunction, King leads a march on Good Friday, alongside Abernathy and Shuttlesworth. King and 52 others arrested. While in solitary confinement at Birmingham City Jail, King pens his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He also writes that the “greatest stumbling block” for Black people may be the “white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than justice.”

April 20, 1963: King bailed out of Birmingham City Jail, through money raised by singer and actor Harry Belafonte, who is a close friend and supporter of King.

April 30, 1963: After Birmingham city officials deny permits for a march on May 2, King allows James Bevel, another SCLC leader, to go before a mass meeting to inform people that demonstration would happen without the permits. Prior to his time with the SCLC, Bevel was part of the Nashville Student Movement, which organized student sit-ins in Nashville, Tennessee. King and other leaders decide to use similar tactics for the latest demonstration, courting high schoolers and younger children for the march. Around 600 children are arrested at the march. At a mass meeting that night, King said, “If they think today is the end of this, they will be badly mistaken.”

May 7, 1963: After days of marches, which had jailed over a thousand Black demonstrators, King speaks at a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel. He says the nonviolent protests have been wildly successful. “This is the first time in the history of our struggle that we have been able literally to fill the jails,” King says. As he speaks, young demonstrators prepare for yet another march, which begins around noon. Thousands of Black demonstrators flood downtown Birmingham’s streets and businesses and are met by high-powered fire hoses with such force that even Shuttlesworth is sent to the hospital as a result of the encounters.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., left, and Pastor Wyatt Tee Walker at a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, AL on May 10, 1963. (Alabama Department Of Archives And History. Donated By Alabama Media Group. Photo By Tom Self, Birmingham News)

May 8, 1963: Following the violence of the previous day and overnight negotiations between King and local leaders, demonstrations are called off for the day. Following a press conference from King and Shuttlesworth, and a press conference from President John F. Kennedy which praises the negotiation in Birmingham, the two Civil Rights leaders are arrested for being unable to pay fines for their protests, which violated an April 11 injunction barring them from demonstrating. Local business leader A.G. Gaston pays $5,000 to bail both King and Shuttlesworth out of jail.

May 10, 1963: King announces that Birmingham officials have agreed to end segregation during a press conference from the A.G. Gaston Motel. At a mass meeting later, he lays out the phases of desegregation and says jailed demonstrators were “either out of jail or on the way out of jail.”

May 11, 1963: A bomb explodes outside King’s room at the A.G. Gaston Motel, which had become the headquarters for King and his colleagues. Fortunately, King had already left for Atlanta.

Aug. 5, 1963: Entertainer Ray Charles, Writers James Baldwin and boxer Joe Louis are all present alongside King at the Miles College Salute to Freedom ’63, which was a fundraiser for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which King would deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech later that month.

Sept. 18, 1963: King back in Birmingham for a somber moment as he delivers eulogy during a joint funeral for three of the four victims of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing. In the bombing, four girls died — 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Rosamond Robertson and Cynthia Dionne Wesley.

Oct. 30, 1967: King, Abernathy, Walker, and A. D. King in Birmingham to serve five-day sentences from contempt charges they received during the Birmingham campaign to end segregation in 1963.

Sources: Taylor Branch, “Parting the Waters”; Barnett Wright, “1963”; Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute; Birmingham Public Library; Birmingham News; New York Daily News.

Martin Luther King Jr. speaking to journalists outside the Dallas County courthouse in Selma, Alabama, during a Civil Rights demonstration on January 19, 1964. The Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth is to Dr. King’s left and the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy to the right. (Ed Jones, Birmingham News/Alabama Department of Archives & History)

MLK Unity Breakfast Marks 40 Years in Birmingham on Jan. 19 at The Star Church

By

Birmingham Times

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January 15, 2026

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MLK_breakfast — Observers fill Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium for the 37th Annual MLK Unity Breakfast in downtown. (File)

birminghamal.gov

The Community Affairs Committee (CAC) will host its 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast on Monday, January 19 bringing together community leaders, educators, students, and residents to begin a day centered on reflection, education, and unity.

The event will be held at The STAR Church, located at 7400 London Avenue in Birmingham, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

Since its inception in 1986, the MLK Unity Breakfast has served as a cornerstone community event honoring the life, legacy, and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s gathering reflects a purposeful shift in format – designed to create space for meaningful dialogue, fellowship, and thoughtful engagement.

“We want to put things back into perspective by focusing on education and the youth,” said Alice Westery, Executive Chair of the Community Affairs Committee. “Young people are not only our future — they are leaders right now, and their voices matter in shaping equitable and transformative change.”

This year’s program will feature a panel discussion with education leaders and students centered on the theme Putting It Back Into Perspective: Leading Transformation Through Education. Panelists will explore the role education plays in community advancement and share perspectives on how students and educators can drive meaningful change within schools and neighborhoods.

A keynote message will be delivered by Dr. Thomas Beavers, Senior Pastor of The STAR Church in Birmingham. A fourth-generation pastor, Beavers is recognized for his commitment to spiritual growth, education, and community transformation. His leadership continues to empower families and inspire positive change across Birmingham.

The 2026 Unity Breakfast also carries special significance as it marks the first event since the passing of long-time Event Director Aaron Carlton. The planning committee’s decision to move forward in a more intentional way reflects a deep desire to honor his legacy while continuing the mission he faithfully supported for decades.

In addition to the Unity Breakfast, the Community Affairs Committee will host a Pre-MLK Day Celebration on Sunday, January 18 at 4 p.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham. This special evening gathering will serve as a spiritual and cultural lead-in to the Unity Breakfast, offering the community an opportunity to come together in reflection, worship, and celebration to commemorate Dr. King’s life and work.

Pre-MLK Day Celebration

Sunday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m., Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, 1101 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35211

40th Annual MLK Unity Breakfast

Monday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. -7:45 a.m. | Program Begins: 8 a.m., The STAR Church, 7400 London Ave, Birmingham, AL 35206

Anticipation Builds for the 2026 A.G. Gaston Conference in Birmingham

By

Birmingham Times

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January 15, 2026

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CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 82 — For over two decades, the A.G. Gaston Conference has distinguished itself as a pivotal force in the realm of entrepreneurship and business development. (File)

By Valerie Wilson | ReBirth Marketing & Consulting

In just a few weeks, business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators will gather once again in the Magic City for the A.G. Gaston Conference. Set to take place Feb. 18, 2026, at Red Mountain Theatre, this year’s event promises to be a powerful and transformative experience, one that honors the past while inspiring the future.

The 2026 theme, “Legacy, Leverage, and Liberation: Accumulating Assets That Lead to Wealth,” reflects the heart of both the conference and its namesake. Arthur George Gaston, who built a business empire during segregation, demonstrating that wealth is far more than a paycheck, it is a catalyst for empowerment, choice, and community transformation.

“No one better understood the connection between ownership and liberation than A.G. Gaston,” says Bob Dickerson, co-founder of the A.G. Gaston Conference and longtime advocate for Black business advancement. “Every business he created, from banking to insurance to the funeral home industry was built to solve problems in our community and ensure that we controlled our own economic destinies. This conference continues that work.”

Since its founding, the A.G. Gaston Conference has become a destination for serious conversations and strategies focused on building economic strength. Not simply a networking opportunity, the conference functions as a hub of actionable insight, a place to learn from accomplished executives, connect with investors and innovators, and unlock new levels of potential.

“There is no better moment to emphasize the importance of A.G. Gaston’s legacy,” Dickerson says. “We are at a point in history where African American entrepreneurs are generating ideas at a pace we have never seen before. But those ideas must become profitable. We want attendees to leave equipped with the tools to create generational wealth that allows families and communities to thrive long after we‘re gone,” Dickerson added.

This year’s speaker lineup reflects that mission with a roster whose careers embody the very essence of bold enterprise. Headlining the 2026 A.G. Gaston Conference:

— Michael V. Roberts, Chairman, The Roberts Companies
A powerhouse in hospitality, broadcasting, aviation, and beyond, Roberts has built one of the largest Black-owned business empires in the country.

— Cheryl McKissack, President & CEO, McKissack & McKissack
Leading the oldest Black-owned architecture and construction firm in the United States.

— Roy Wood, Jr., Comedian, Producer, and Cultural Commentator
Known for his sharp wit and insightful storytelling, Wood has used his platform, from The Daily Show to major networks, to challenge narratives and uplift community voices.

— Stephen Glaude, President & CEO, The Coalition
A national leader in community reinvestment and economic justice, Glaude brings critical insight into policy, advocacy, and how equity can be designed into the systems shaping business growth.

In addition, to these presenters the conference welcomes rising innovators for the Young Professionals Panel, a space designed to spotlight emerging leaders shaping the future economy:

Moderator, Gilberto Herrera
Justin Evans, Young Entrepioneers
Jarrod Stisher, TechBirmingham
Rae’Mah Henderson, TechStars

“Young entrepreneurs are rewriting the playbook,” Dickerson shares. “They are fearless in technology, brilliant in new models of business, and determined to make an impact. We want them in the room.”

The A.G. Gaston Conference founded by Bob Dickerson and Gaynell Adams Jackson has always been more than a tribute, it is a call to action. It is an annual reminder that true progress is forged through cooperation, education, and bold economic participation.

Dickerson emphasizes that now, more than ever, African American communities must move from simply engaging in the marketplace to owning a significant piece of it. “Legacy means that the work we do does not end with us,” he explains. “Leverage means understanding the power of our skills, networks, and capital. Liberation means freedom to create, live, build, and dream without limitation.”

“If you are serious about changing your business, your family’s future, or your community’s economic footprint you need to be here!,” Dickerson says. “Bring your ambition. Bring your talent. Bring your hunger to learn and grow.”

To get your tickets to the A.G. Gaston Conference or to learn more visit:

https://aggastonconference.biz/

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By

Birmingham Times

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January 15, 2026

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PPT0115_WEB(1) — Kevin “Krispy’ Key, cinematographer and Media Producer of song “AMEN” by Pastor Mike McClure, Jr. wins 2025 Stellar Award for Music Video of the Year. (Provided)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

“CELEBRATING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.’S BIRTHDAY!!!”

TODAY, JANUARY 15…

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

**IRONDALE’S MAYOR JAMES D. STEWART, JR. is KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE FIRST ANNUAL LIVING THE DREAM FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST – Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 7 a.m. breakfast and a 7:45 a.m. program at the Alabama AGC Conference Center, 5000 Grantswood Road in Irondale. Keynote Address is by MAYOR JAMES D. STEWART, JR. Irondale’s First African American Mayor. Visit www.IrondaleCommunityFoundation.com for more.

**DRIED FLORAL WEATH-MAKING WORKSHOP, 10 a.m. – Noon, with TANIS CLIFTON from Happy Trails Flower Farm at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN DAMON DARLING at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**VIRGINIA L. MONTGOMERY, award winning experimental filmmaker and multimedia artist will have her works on exhibition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Noon – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, FREE at the UAB Abroms Engel Institute for the Visual Arts. The exhibit is entitled BLUE MOON COCOON.

**THE IMPOSTERS TOUR: DROP THE LEASH AND DEAD & BLOATED at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3^rd, with Happy Hour 5-6 p.m. FREE. There is a weekly Cash Prize hosted by Loretta Hill.

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE & MINGLE at Platinum with music by DEVYBE BAND and hosted by Jirus Horton. Line Dance with DESI KEITH & D2 at 6 p.m.

**RnB POETICALLY LIT, 5-7 p.m. at Lit on 8^th, 518 Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. with HUNCHO ZAVY, KD MCQWEEN, CAROL HOOD, DKMODE, BRIANNE SHARDAW and hosted by HEMP THE ARTIST. Every Thursday.

**JAZZ IN THE MAGIC CITY HAPPY HOUR featuring Alabama’s own Jose Carr and his band, 4:30-7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. FREE. EVERY THURSDAY!

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE MINGLE, each week with Karaoke at 8 p.m., Spin to Win ‘til 9 p.m. and Happy Hour ‘til 9 p.m. with Sounds by DJ SLUGGA and hosted by JIRUS HORTON at Tee’s on 2nd. FREE, Entry all night.

**3^rd THURSDAY at the Nick with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.

**FILMMAKER NETWORKING NIGHTS, 5 p.m. at 1821 2^nd Avenue North

**EVERY THURSDAY- THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS, 7 p.m. at Platinum of Birmingham with DJ Slugga.

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

**FILM at Sidewalk Film.

**KARAOKE, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THE AMAZING HAM BAGBY at The Nick.

**THE IMPOSTERS TOUR: DROP THE LEASH AND DEAD & BLOATED at Saturn.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN D.L. HUGHLEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN CHRIS HIGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**NOWHERE SQUARES, DOMESTICATRIX, REPUBLICANTS & WAX FUR at The Nick.

**VARSITY BLUES & SAFEKEEP LATE NIGHT at The Nick.

**ALL YOUR FRIENDS: THE INDIE PARTY at Saturn.

**FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, 5 p.m. at Howard’s Unlimited Lounge & Cocktail Bar at 4010 Avenue I with food by 1918 Catering Food Truck. Happy Hour at 5, Call 205-213-9097 for more.

**GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD MUSIC WITH GOOD PEOPLE BREWING at Dave’s, 6 p.m. at Dave’s Pub.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17…

**A BOY NAMED KING: THE MAKING OF A DREAMER – Encore Theatre presents, A Boy Named King: The Making of a Dreamer, Saturday through Monday, at the Carver Theatre. It is written and directed by MARC RABY. Before the monument. Before the speeches. Before the Dream that changed the world – there was a boy named King.

**FREE – FUNERAL PARTY GOTH NIGHT at Saturn.

**BURLESQUE NIGHT at The Nick.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN D.L. HUGLEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN CHRIS HIGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18…

**SINGO BINGO EVERY SUNDAY, 1 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company.

**HOWARD’S UNLIMITED LOUNGE & COCKTAIL BAR, 4010 Avenue I, in Belview Heights opened recently by our own favorite son radio personality and D.J. CHRIS COLEMAN. Check it out for Sunday Brunch with food by 1918 Catering, music and more!! For more, call 205-213-9097. 1918 Catering is the best food for lunch, dinner or your special event. (Take my word.)

**JOSE CARR performing at JAZZ IN THE GARDEN SUNDAYS, Every 1^st and 3^rd Sunday, 5-8 p.m. at Denim on 7^th, 2808 7^th Avenue Suite105.

**EASE BACK 4th SUNDAYS, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**2^ND SUNDAY FREE SHOW with ZACH AUSTIN at The Nick.

**HAPPY HOUR FREE with LUKE WOOD at The Nick.

**AN EVENING with KYLE KIMBRELL at The Nick.

**4^th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick.

**MOTION SUNDAYS at Platinum, 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. with DJ CUZZO X DJ A1 Controlling the Vibes. There will be Drink Specials.

**COMEDIAN CHRIS HIGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN D.L. HUGLEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**AN EVENING WITH SPAFFORD at Saturn.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19…

**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.

**MONDAYS – THURSDAYS – CFJS CARES RESPITE PROGRAM, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 205-278-7113 for more info.

**MONDAYS – GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP, 10-11:30 a.m. at CJFS Conference Room. Open to survivors who have experienced loss within the past 2 years. Call 205-278-7101 to sign up.

**MONDAYS – DEMENTIA CAREGIVER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, 3 p.m. and/or Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Call 205-278-7113 for more info.

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20…

**TACO TUESDAY R & B NIGHT, EVERY THURSDAY at Hemings on 2^ND Avenue.

**PODCASTING 101 at CREED63, EVERY TUESDAY at 5:45 p.m. Learn how to launch and create your own podcast at 1601 5^th Avenue North, Birmingham 35203.

**JOSE CARR EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT at True Story Brewing.

**SONGWRITER’S NIGHT EVERY TUESDAY at The Nick.

**SUPERSTAR KARAOKE LATE NIGHT TUESDAYS at The Nick.

**TYLER RAMSEY & CARL BROWMEL (of My Morning Jacket) at Saturn.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21…

**REAL FUNNY COMEDY WEDNESDAYS at True Story Brewing. Sign up at 7:30 p.m.

**FRIENDSHIP at Saturn.

**BUDDY RED at The Nick.

**JASON PAUL + THE KNOW IT ALLS at The Nick.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 …

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

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: DALE JONES at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**CLUB SILENCIO: MUSIC FROM THE WORK OF DAVID LYNCH at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3^rd, with Happy Hour 5-6 p.m. FREE. There is a weekly Cash Prize hosted by Loretta Hill.

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE & MINGLE at Platinum with music by DEVYBE BAND and hosted by Jirus Horton. Line Dance with DESI KEITH & D2 at 6 p.m.

**HAYDEN HUNTER & THE YEARLY TRIALS + ZOEY PETE FORD + ALABAMA HEATHENS at The Nick.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23….

**COMEDIENNE SPECIAL EVENT: JESS HILARIOUS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN MICHAEL ROWLAND at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**MARA NAGRA, BO LEE, THE ABUSEMENTS AND BLEACH GARDEN at The Nick.

**FREE – WILL STEWART, SLACK TIMES, LENA BATRTELS, and LAMPLIGHT at Saturn.

**THE FLOOZIES + TOO MANY ZOOZ: TOO MANY FLOOZ TOUR at Iron City.

NEWS TO KNOW AND USE – PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS TO WATCH…

**KEVIN ‘KRISPY’ KEY, Producer, Owner and Operator of Media Production Creates the Music Video that Wins 2025 Stellar Award for Pastor Mike McClure, Jr. – The hit song ‘AMEN’ took home the ‘2025 Stellar Award for Music Video of the Year’ following the creative collaboration between Pastor Mike, Jr., Drae Rudolph, Tony Minifield and Key who was Director of Photography. The award winning song ‘’AMEN’, is now up for a 2026 Grammy for Best Gospel Performance/Song. The song was produced at MOON MEN DJS (MMDJS) a media production studio converted from a downtown Birmingham warehouse. Key said that winning a Stellar Award for filming Pastor Mike, Jr.s ‘Amen’ music video represents more than recognition. It is a testament to the power to creative collaboration and high-quality production work, from the LED video wall technology to the cinema-grade equipment; every element comes together to create something special. Key is a Birmingham-based film producer and founder of Moon Men DJS. Key’s Hollywood production credits include ‘Unhinged,’ ‘Line of Duty’, ’Embattled’ and the original dark comedy, ‘Miss Audition’, currently streaming on the ROKU Channel and TUBI.

IN THE CITY OF IRONDALE …

**TODAY – FIRST ANNUAL LIVING THE DREAM FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 7 a.m. at the Alabama AGC Conference Enter, 500 Grantswood Road in Irondale. Mayor James D. STEWART, Jr. delivers Keynote Address.

**JANUARY 16 – DEADLINE FOR THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECT CONTEST. Winners Announced on January 20. Submit your proposal at www.tinyurl.com/irondalemlk26.

**JANUARY 20 – A.G. GASTON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IRONDALE BRANCH RIBBON CUTTING, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at 105 20^th Street South in Irondale. For more call 205-923-3377.

**JANUARY 26 – DEADLINE EDUCATION AND YOUTH FUND GRANT OPPORTUNITY presented by Mayor James D, STEWART, Jr. Apply at www.tinyurl.com/IrondaleEdu26.

**JANUARY 31 – DEADLINE FOR GARBAGE COLLECTION FEE EXEMPTION OPPORTUNITY based on your income and other ways to qualify. Application at www.tinyurl.com/IrondaleGarbageExempt. Submit at Irondale City Hall.

AT UAB ALYS STEPHENS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER…

FOR BLUES LOVERS…

**FEBRUARY 6 – THE GRATEFUL DEAD’S “BLUES FOR ALLAH” performed by DON WAS AND THE PAN-ENSEMBLE, 7:30 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center at UAB’s Center for the Arts. Curated and led by six-time Grammy Award-winning Musician, producer and composer DON WAS, this tribute brings together world-class musicians from across Detroit’s music scene to celebrate the album’s 50^th Anniversary. The Pan-Ensemble include DAVE MCMURRAY on saxophone, keyboardist LUIS RESTO, trombonist VINCENT CHANDLER, trumpeter JOHN DOUGLAS, drummer JEFF CANADAY, percussionist MAHINDI MASAI, guitarist WAYNE GERARD and vocalist STEFFANIE CHRISTI’AN.

AT THE CARVER THEATRE…

FOR JAZZ LOVERS…

**JANUARY 25 – JAZZ ON 4^TH WITH JSU COMBO 1 – Join the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame at the Carver Theatre for the Sunday series, Jazz on 4^th. Kicking off 2026 is the Jacksonville State University Combo 1 for a captivating live jazz performance.

**FEBRUARY 11 – JAZZ & PILATES WITH KENYELE – Join the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame at the historic Carver Theatre, 6 – 7 p.m. for Jazz and Pilates with instructor Kenyele Harrison. Get strength, stretch and center your body as you move through Pilates exercises set to smooth, soulful sounds of jazz. It is the perfect blend of wellness and rhythm.

**FEBRUARY 13 – JAZZ IN A GLASS – LOVE NOTES EDITION of A Valentine’s Day Treat, 7-9 p.m. at the AJHOF. This partnership with Pour Crazy invites yo to an cocktail-making experience where mixology meets the magic of jazz.

**FEBRUARY 22 – JAZZ NIGHT WITH BIRMINGHAM YOUTH JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALUMNI CONCERT, 5 – 6 p.m. p.m. at the Carver Theatre with the Birmingham Youth Jazz Ensemble. This will be a captivating live jazz performance with New York-based trombonist and educator Calvin Sexton for an Alumni Concert like no other.

**FEBRUARY 28 – MAUSIKI SCALES & COMMON GROUNG COLLECTIVE – MESSAGE IN THE MUSIC, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. This concert will be a powerful fusion of Afrobeats, Jazz, Funk and Soul. Music.

AT THE VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM…

FOR ART LOVERS, EXHIBITIONS…

**2026 EXHIBITION: REVOLUTIONARY ROOTS – Celebrating Alabama’s Unique History and Natural Beauty, in honor of the United States 250^th Anniversary, a part of America250. While Alabama was not yet a state at the nation’s founding, the exhibit honors individuals from across Alabama whose courage, resilience and leadership have helped shape the state and the country, many of whom have been historically overlooked or unsung. The exhibit will feature Calvin McGhee, who helped establish the Poarch Creek Indians, educator Carrie Tuggle, voting rights activist Virginia Durr, NASA scientist Clyde Foster and contemporary leaders including Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones and JICA! CEO Dr. Carlos E. Aleman. COMING SOON!!!

AT BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…in January …

**JANUARY 29 – JASON POWELL is Special Guest Speaker for the Annual John A. Floyd, Jr., Lecture, with the 5:30 p.m. reception and presentation from 6-7 p.m.

**JANUARY 31 – COMMUNITY SEED SWAP, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on National Seed Swap Day.

FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS AND HELP…

**BE KIND BIRMINGHAM LIBRARY POP-UP SCHEDULE… January, March, May July, September, November: 1^st Wednesday – 3 p.m. at Woodlawn Library, 2^nd Wednesday – 10 a.m. at Wet End Library, 3^rd Wednesday, 10 a.m. at Smithfield Library, and 4^th Wednesday, 10 a.m. at 5 Points West Library. February, April, June, August, October, December: 1^st Wednesday, 10 a.m. at Titusville Library, 2^nd Wednesday, 3 p.m. at North Birmingham Library, 3^rd Wednesday, 11 a.m. at East Ensley Library and 4^th Wednesday, 3 p.m. at Southside Library.

**ASBURY UMC FOOD PANTRY, 6690 Cahaba Valley Road, Wednesdays 2-4 p.m. and Every 1^st Sunday at 12:30 – 2 p.m. For more info, 205-995-1700, info@asburybham.org and www.asburybham.org/food.

**FOR EMERGENCY RESOURCES, Call 205-942-8911 or go to www.feedingal.org/findfood for more. OR call 211 for assistance.

FOR FUTURE EVENTS, SPORTS, FOOTBALL AND SUPERBOWL LOVER EVENTS…

**FEBRUARY 8 – Watch the Superbowl Game at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Birmingham.

**FEBRUARY 21 – 3^rd ANNUAL MAGIC CITY DESSERT COMPETITION, 7-10 p.m. at The City Club Birmingham benefits the Cahaba Valley Health Care.

**MARCH 7 – GRAND BOHEMIAN VILLAGE2VILLAGE RUN – Join friends, neighbors, families and coworkers form across our community to run, walk, cheer, and celebrate a favorite tradition in Mountain Brook. Register at www.village2village10k.com.

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

During State of City Address, Woodfin Issues Challenge to Birmingham Business Leaders

By

Birmingham Times

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January 14, 2026

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City0115 1 — Mayor Randall Woodfin speaks to the media in the Harbert Center after delivering his State of the City address before the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham. (Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Mayor Randall Woodfin used his State of the City address at the downtown Kiwanis Club on Tuesday to call on Birmingham’s business, civic and community leaders to unite around a shared economic vision, emphasizing education, equitable growth and long-term investment in the city’s next generation.

“Central Alabama is only as strong as Birmingham is,” Woodfin said during his 26-minute address. “And right now, we need to be stronger.”

Speaking before an audience of elected officials, corporate leaders, nonprofit partners, and members of his administration inside the downtown Harbert Center, Woodfin urged listeners to move beyond siloed decision-making and take an active role in shaping the city’s future.

“I will not allow any of us in this room — elected officials, civic leaders, corporate leaders, small business owners, entrepreneurs — to sit on the sideline and remain silent,” he said.

A central theme of the address was education as the foundation of economic development. Woodfin highlighted recent gains by Birmingham City Schools and later reinforced that message during a post-speech gaggle with reporters.

“Our future workforce is our students,” Woodfin said. “When future employers look at a city, their number one commodity is the workforce. Birmingham City Schools is our pipeline — cradle to career — and we want our young people not only educated, but career-ready.”

The mayor praised Superintendent Dr. Mark Sullivan and district staff for significant progress, noting that Birmingham City Schools earned its highest-ever state report card score in 2025. He also said the number of schools receiving failing grades dropped to 1 this year from 15 in 2023.

“That didn’t happen by accident,” Woodfin said. “It happened because principals, teachers, parents and students showed up and did the hard work.”

Woodfin reaffirmed that Birmingham remains “open for business,” citing redevelopment efforts at the Carraway and Montclair hospital sites and continued work to secure the future of the Birmingham-Southern College campus.

At the same time, he stressed that growth must be intentional and inclusive.

“At City Hall, we have a clear mandate to make sure economic development is done in the most equitable way it can be done,” he said.

Speaking inside the downtown Harbert Center, Mayor Woodfin urged listeners to move beyond siloed decision-making and take an active role in shaping the city’s future. (Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times)

The mayor touched on a number of topics.

Economic Vision

Asked during a Q&A with the audience afterwards how the city defines its broader economic vision, Woodfin said that work is still underway — by design.

“That’s the actual work we’re doing right now,” he said. “Quietly in 2024 and 2025, working with the Birmingham Business Alliance, Prosper Birmingham and others. In 2026, you’ll see a very public approach where we bring everyone together and say: this is our shared vision.”

He emphasized that the goal is regional collaboration, not a mayor-driven agenda.

“It’s not so much my vision,” Woodfin said. “It’s our vision — and how we hold ourselves accountable to it.”

Competing With Other Cities

Birmingham must measure itself against peer cities across the region, Woodfin said.

“Any major city in the South is our competition,” he said. “We have to get workforce, safety, development and quality of life right if we want to remain competitive.”

Data centers

Woodfin also addressed concern among many about data centers, saying the city supports business development but wants clearer rules in place.

“The city of Birmingham is pro-business,” he said. “But we want to strike a balance.”

He noted that Birmingham currently has no ordinance regulating data centers and said concerns such as water usage, power demands, noise and neighborhood impacts must be addressed.

“This is not about a moratorium — it’s about a pause,” Woodfin said. “An ordinance is needed. That doesn’t mean we don’t want data centers. We do. But our citizens deserve smart growth.”

Start of the Legislative Session

As the Alabama legislative session began on Tuesday, Woodfin said the city will push legislation aimed at holding negligent property owners accountable.

“We have over 15,000 tax-delinquent properties,” he said. “These are properties where owners are not being good neighbors, and the city is left holding the bag.”

High-Speed Rail

The mayor reiterated support for a proposed high-speed rail connection between Birmingham and Atlanta, calling it a potential economic catalyst.

“What would it take?” Woodfin said. “Money — state, federal and public-private partnerships. But the economic opportunity would be tremendous.”